Rom. 4.11 hee gathereth thence that circumcision is not the cause of righteousnes Therefore we see that Steeuen frameth no vain and idle narration because this was very much appertinent vnto the cause that the Iewes might remember how God had adopted them with their Fathers it is to be thought that Steuen did plainly expresse both things that althogh circumcision was giuen by God that it might be a signe of grace yet was the adoptiō before it both in order in time But we haue no neede to dispute any longer in this place concerning the nature and force of circūcisiō only let vs note this that god doth first promise those things to Abraham which he confirmeth afterward by circumcisiō that we may knowe that the signes are vain nothing worth vnles the word go before Let vs also note that there is a profitable doctrine contained in the word couenant to wit that god maketh his couenant with vs in the Sacraments that he may declare his loue toward vs which thing if it be true first they are not only workes of externall profession amongst men but they gaue great force inwardly before god to confirme the faith Secondly they are no vaine figures because God who is true figureth nothing there which he doth not perfourme 9 And the Patriarks moued with enuie sold Ioseph into Egypt Notwithstanding God was with him 10 And he deliuered him out of all his afflictions he gaue him fauor wisdom in the sight of Pharao king of Egypt who made him ruler ouer Egypt ouer all his house 11 And there came a famin vpon all the land of Egypt Chanaan and great affliction neither did our fathers find food 12 And when Iacob had hard that there was corn in Egypt he sent our fathers thither first 13 And at the second comming Ioseph was known of his brethren And the kinred of Ioseph was made knowen to Pharao 14 Thē Ioseph sent called out his father Iacob al his kinred lxxv soules 15 And Iacob went down into Egypt and he died and our fathers 16 And they were caried into Sichem they were laid in the Sepulchre which Abraham had bought for money of the sonnes Hemor the sonne of Sichem 9 Now followeth the greatest wickednesse of the nation of Israel that they conspired together to oppresse their innocent brother which crueltie is contrarie to nature Neither coulde the Iewes obiect that it was a priuate fault of a few for the infamie reacheth vnto all the people For as much as all the patriarkes Beniamin except had polluted themselues with that treacherie Therfore in that Steeuen vouchsafeth to giue them an honourable name that redoundeth to the greater reproch of the nation They boasted proudly of their fathers hee sheweth what maner persons the chief of them were to wit murtherers of their brother so much as in them laid For besides that slauerie was a kinde of death we know what they went about at the first secondly what cruel punishments Ioseph suffred of al which his brethren were giltie Hereby it appeareth that God was bountiful and mercifull to those which were as it were vnwilling which did resist him For him who was about to be the authour of health help would they haue destroyed Wherfore they did what they could to renounce all the benefites of God So he wil declare afterward that Moses was reiected when he was offered of God to be a redeemer Therfore the Iewes haue smal cause to brag of the excellencie of their kinred but this alone remaineth for them that beeing ashamed they cōfesse that whosoeuer they are they haue the same thorow the meere mercie of God and that they consider that the lawe was giuen to set foorth the same God was with him God was not so with him that hee did alwaies shewe forth his power in helping him For that is no smal thing which is saide in the Psalm That the yron went through his soule Surely it must needs be that he was in great heauines Psal 105.18 when being destitute of all help he suffered reproch also together with bands the punishment of an vngodly and wicked man but God vseth oftentimes to bee present with his in such sort that he lyeth hid for a time And the end was an euident tokē of his presence which Ioseph saw not at the first Furthermore we ought to remēber this euer now then that Ioseph was not deliuered because he had called vpon God in the temple but a farre of in Egypt 10 Steeuen addeth the meanes because God gaue him fauour in the sight of Pharao God could haue deliuered him by some other meanes but his counsel had respect vnto a farther thing that Ioseph being ruler of the kingdom might entertain his father al his familie In these two wordes fauour wisdome there is the figure Hipallage For the wisdome wherewith Ioseph was endued was the cause that he founde fauour Although I confesse that they were two distinct benefites For though Ioseph were a faithful interpreter of dreames and did excell in diuine wisdome yet the proud tyrant woulde neuer haue brought him to so great honour vnlesse God had bent the minde of Pharao vnto a certaine vnwonted loue yet notwithstanding we must consider that order whereby God vseth to bring him into fauour Wisdome doeth not only signifie the gift of prophesie in interpreting dreames but prudence in giuing counsell for Moses putteth in both That which Steeuen reporteth of one man in this place is extended vnto all For what aptnes and readinesse soeuer is in men it ought to be reckoned amongst the giftes of God and that his speciall giftes And it is he that giueth good successe as it pleaseth him that his gifts may be profitable to that end for which it semed good to him to giue them Therefore although Ioseph bee made chiefe ruler of Egypt by Pharao yet is he lifted vp to so great honour properly by the hand of God 11 There came a famine Hereby it appeareth that the deliuerance of Ioseph was such a benefite as was common to al the familie of Iacob For seeing the famin drew on Ioseph was sent before in due time to prouide sustenance to feed the hungrie as he himselfe doth acknowledge the wonderfull counsell of God in that point Neuerthelesse the free goodnesse of God appeareth plainly in the person of Ioseph whiles that he is appointed to nourish and feed his brethren who had sold him and by that meanes sent him far away and thought that hee was gone away quite out of the world he putteth meat in their mouthes who had throwen him into a pit and had depriued him of the aire and the common breath Finally hee nourisheth preserueth their life who were not afraid to take from him his life In the mean season Steeuen putteth the Iewes in mind of this that the patriarks were enforced to depart out of that land which was giuen
but for principalitie Wherefore God did so vse the seruice of Moses that the power of Christ did surpasse him as hee is euen at this day the chiefe gouernour in accomplishing the saluation of the Church yea he vseth the ministerie of men in such sort that the force and effect dependeth vpon him alone 37 A Prophet shall God raise vp Stephen indeuoureth vndoubtedly to proue by these words that Christ is the ende of the Law although hee doth not expresse the same in plaine words And assuredly as we haue alreadie saide Luke reciteth not word for worde all those things which Stephen vttered but it is sufficient for him to note the principal points of matters Furthermore wee haue saide before in the thirde Chapter that this testimonie is so applied to Christ that notwithstanding it agreeth to the other prophetes also For after that Moses had forbidden the people to be carried to and fro with the wicked superstitions of the Gentiles hee sheweth what ought to followe There is no cause saith hee why thou shouldest desire Magicians and inchaunters for God will neuer suffer thee to want Prophetes to teach thee faithfully And nowe it is certaine that the ministerie of the Prophetes was temporall as was also the ministerie of the Lawe vntill Christ shoulde bring the full perfection of wisedome into the worlde Therefore Steephen his speech tendeth to this end that Moses doeth not keepe the people fast bounde to himself alone when as he setteth before them and commendeth vnto them another teacher The Prophetes were in deede interpreters of the Law and all their doctrine was as it were an addition or appertenance of those thinges which were vttered by Moses but for as much as this was also certaine that Christ shoulde bring a more perfect kinde of doctrine because hee shoulde make an ende of all the Prophecies it followeth that hee is made the chiefe and that the principall mastershippe that I may so call it is his least the faith of the Gospel shoulde be doubtfull Nowe we knowe to what ende Stephen intermingleth Moses his testimonie to wit that he may proue that the Iewes did no lesse contemne him of whom they made boast with open mouth to be their onely teacher euen nowe when hee is deade than they did in times past whiles hee liued wickedly and frowardly reiect him For whosoeuer beleeueth Moses hee will not refuse to bee the disciple of Christ Iohn 5.46 whose messenger and crier he was Fet the rest out of the thirde Chapter 38 This is he which was in the congregation in the wildernes with the Angell which †or did speake to him in the mount had spoken vnto him in mount Sina and with our fathers who receiued liuely Oracles that he might giue them to vs 39 Whom our fathers woulde not obey but they refused him and they turned backe in their hearts into Aegypt 40 Saying vnto Aaron Make vs gods to goe before vs for wee knowe not what is hapned to this Moses which brought vs out of the land of Aegypt 41 And they made a Calfe in those dayes and they offered sacrifice to the Idoll and they reioyced ouer the works of their owne hands 38 Stephen proceedeth to set foorth the frowardnesse of the people who though they were prouoked with so manie benefites of God yet did they neuer cease maliciously to reiect him If they had beene disobedient and vnthankfull to God before yet this so wonderfull a deliuerance ought to haue brought them into a better minde but he declareth that they were alwayes like themselues It was meete that so many myracles shoulde not onely haue stuck fast in their mindes but also haue continued still before their eyes But hauing forgotten all they flie backe sodainlie vnto the superstitions of Aegypt The memoriall of their cruell seruitude was yet fresh which they had escaped by passing ouer the redde sea and yet they preferre those tyrantes by whom they were more than cruelly handled before their deliuerer This was therefore a heape of vngodlinesse most desperate that their stubbornesse coulde not bee broken or ouercome with so manie benefites of God but that they did awayes returne vnto their nature This doeth greatly augment the greatnesse of the offence where Steephen saieth that Moses was then with them in the wildernesse For besides that there appeareth heere rare goodnesse and long sufferance of the Lord in bearing with them they make themselues to be without all excuse whiles that being beset on euery side with so manie straites being brought into so great distresse hauing Moses to bee their guide in their iourney and the faithfull keeper of their life they fall away neuerthelesse treacherously from God Finally it appeareth that they were like vntamed beastes whom God coulde not keepe in obedience with so manie bandes Therefore in as much as Moses lefte not off to gouerne them euen through the wildernesse vnder the conduct and aide of the Angel it is an easie matter to gather by this circumstance of time how incurable and obstinate their frowardnesse was As it was a point of monstrous rebellion not to be humbled with miseries and euen with the verie sight of death Where as hee saieth that Moses was with the Angel and the fathers there is a contrarie respect Hee was present with the fathers that hee might bee their guide according to the commaundement of the Lorde he was with the Angell as a minister Where vppon it followeth that hee was no priuate person to whom this iniurie was done but it was done to the gouernance of God when the people coulde bee kept backe with the reuerence of neither from running headlong into wicked rebellion We haue already spoken of the Angel But the participle lalonutos or which spake hath a double meaning For it may be vnderstoode either of the first vision wherby Moses was called to redeem the people or of that speech which god had with Moses after they were come ouer the red sea And because Christ declared both waies that he was the author of their deliuerance it is no great matter whether we choose yea there is no let but that it may be extended vnto both For he which beganne to speake to Moses from the beginning that he might send him into Aegypt did continue the tenour of his speech afterward vntill the worke was finished Which receiued liuely Oracles Erasmus translated it Liuely speech but those which are expert in the Greek tongue they shall know that I haue more truly translated the words of Stephen For there is greater maiestie in Oracles then in Speech I speake onely of the word for I knowe that whatsoeuer proceedeth out of the mouth of God the same is an Oracle Moreouer hee purchaseth authoritie for the doctrine of Moses in these wordes because hee vttered nothing but that which proceeded from God Whereupon it followeth that they did not so much rebell against Moses as against God Whereby their stubbernes is more
their holy assemblies So that the ceasing off from earthly workes did giue a place to their heauenly exercises So euen at this day we must vse holy dayes for we must therfore omit all other thinges that we may the more freely serue God 15 After the lecture of the lawe There is no mention made of prayers and yet vndoubtedly they were not omitted or foreslowed but because Luke did intend to set downe the sermon made there by Paul no maruel if he reckon vp those thinges only which did belong vnto the order of teaching And this is a notable place out of which we learne after what sort they handled doctrine at that time among the Iewes The Law and the Prophetes had the first place because there must nothing be set before the church which was not drawen out of that fountaine Also we gather by this that the scripture was not suppressed among a fewe but that both one and other were admitted to the reading therof afterwarde those who were able and had the grace to teach and exhort had the seconde place as interpreters of the scripture which was read Notwithstanding Luke sheweth last of all that euery one was not suffered to speake least confusion should arise by libertie but the office of exhorting was committed to certaine men whom hee calleth Rulers of the synagogue or masters Therfore Paul and Barnabas begin not forthwith to speake least they disturbe the accustomed order with too much hast but they doe modestly stay till they haue lybertie graunted them to speake and that with their leaue who had authoritie by publike consent We know how corrupt the state of that people was then and Luke will at length declare in the end of the chapter that these men of Antioch were too stout and stubborne in receiuing the grace of Christe and yet there remained this goodnesse among them that their assemblies were honestly and decently gouerned for which cause such euill fauoured confusion is so much the more shamefull which is seene at this day among those who will be counted Christians The Papists doe in deede sing the scriptures in their churches with shrill and sounding voice but in an vnknowen tongue so that the people reape no frute therby There is seldome any doctrine vsed and it were better for the wicked brablers euen then to hold their peace who thrust in their own vncleane inuentions in steed of the word of God and pollute with the stink of their impietie whatsoeuer is holy If there be in you This speech doth signifie that what grace soeuer is in men to edifie the church it is as it were committed to them Althogh the word in according to the Hebrew phrase may be superfluous Therefore I stand not greatly vpon that because the sense may be plain If you haue any exhortation which is apt and profitable for the people An exhortatiō doth not exclude doctrine But it seemeth that this worde was commonly vsed among them bicause it is properly the office of the teacher to vtter no newe thing of his owne braine but to apply the scripture wherein is comprehended the whole wisedome of the godly vnto the present vse of the people Thus they doe not only teach but also applie the doctrine which they haue els where vnto the edifying of the church which I thinke is meant by the worde exhortation 16 And Paul rose and when he had giuen a token of silence with the hande hee said Men and brethren which feare God heare 17 The God of this people did choose our fathers and exalted the people when they were strangers in the land of Egypt and hee brought them thence with an high arme 18 And about fortie yeeres hee suffered their maners in the wildernesse 19 And hauing destroyed seuen nations in the land of Chanaan he gaue them their land for an inheritance 20 After these things about foure hundred and fiftie yeeres he gaue them iudges vntill Samuel the prophet 21 Afterward they required a king and God gaue them Saul the sonne of Cis a man of the tribe of Beniamin fortie yeeres 22 And when he had taken him away he raised vp to them Dauid to bee king of whom bearing witnesse hee said I haue found Dauid the sonne of Iesse a man according to my heart who shall doe all my will 23 Of whose seed God according to promise raised to Israel the sauiour Iesus 16 Wee must first note the state of this sermon least we think that he vttered words in vaine Paul seemeth in deed to begin euen at the very first beginning but he speaketh nothing but that which is most conuenient for the present purpose His purpose is to bring the Iewes vnto the faith of Christ and that he may the better doe this it is needfull to declare that they excel other natiōs in this one thing because the sauiour was promised them whose kingdome is their principal and only felicitie This is therefore Paul his beginning that wheras they were chosen in times past to be the peculiar people of God whereas they had so many benefites bestowed vppon them from time to time though they shewed themselues most vnworthie this did depend vppon the promise of the Messias and did tend to that end that God might gouerne them by the hand of the Messias and that therefore they haue nothing wherof they may boast vnlesse they be gathered vnder their head Yea that vnlesse they receiue him when hee is offered the couenant of life which God had made with their fathers shal be void and the adoption shall be frustrate This is the drift of the first part of the sermon that this is the principall point of the lawe and the foundation of Gods couenant that they haue Christ for their captaine and gouernour that he may restore all things among them that without him religion cannot stande and that they shall bee most miserable without him Thence Paule passeth vnto another member that Iesus whom he preacheth is Christe in deed through whom saluation is offered to the people also he declareth the meanes of the redemption purchased by him Furthermore he intreateth of his power and office that they may knowe what good things they ought to hope for at his handes The conclusion containeth a chiding For he threatneth to them horrible iudgement if they refuse the authour of saluation who offereth himselfe euen of his owne accorde whom earnestly to desire the Law and prophetes prouoke This is in a maner the summe now let vs discusse euery point by it selfe Men and brethren Because Paul knew that there were many bastardlie sonnes of Abraham or such as wer growen out of kind he calleth the Iewes to whom he speaketh by a double name First he calleth them brethren hauing respect vnto common kinred notwithstanding he sheweth therewithall that they shal be true Israelites if they feare God that euen then they are likewise true hearers because the feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisdome In