of all without exception neglected to the high displeasure of almightie God who hathe straightly and expresly commaunded it and also to the great shame of vs that haue so fowlie foreslewed it But bycause this maye séeme vnto some a straunge doctrine and I peraduenture be iudged verye precise that woulde laye such a heauie burthen vpon mens necks I will therefore directly proue vnto you out of the worde of GOD that it belongeth generallye vnto all persons of what degrée and calling soeuer to instructe their children and familie in the worde of the LORDE insomuche that not the greatest Emperoure nor Monarche of the worlde can omit this duetie wythoute highe contempte vnto GOD in neglecte of that whiche hée hath so plainely and earnestly commanded nay I say further that euerye housholder whatsoeuer is not onely bound himself to be godly and to traine vp his housholde in godlinesse but also to turne out of his house seruice all suche as are vngodly and tell scorne to learne And I will not onely saye this but directlye proue it by the Scripture and I will doe it as drawen therevnto by manifeste occasion of my Texte whiche sayth that Cornelius wyth all hys housholde feared god For I haue hitherto noted nothing neither hereafter meane to doe but that the godly maye easily sée that the circumstances of my Text led me euidently therevnto the whiche I speake bycause of scoffing quarellers who if the Preacher in greate zeale speake any thing to the rebuking of some notorious synne althoughe it be neuer so godly spoken yet if it be not bounded within the limites of hys Texte they by and by flowte at it and saye it was done for wante of matter albeit in déede it make no matter what suche scoffers prate and babble In the fourth of Deuteronomie it is written thus But take heede to thy self and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the thinges whiche thine eies haue seene that they departe not out of thine hearte all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sons sonnes Likewise in the sixte chapiter of the same booke And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalte talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp This is againe repeated in the eleauenth chapiter and a blessing added to those that performe it in these wordes That youre daies may be multiplyed and the dayes of youre children in the lande whiche the Lorde sware vnto youre fathers to giue them as long as the Heauens are aboue the Earth The like you haue in the Psalme where you find it thus writtē That the posteritie might know it the childrē which shoulde be borne shoulde stande vp and declare it to their children that they might set their hope on God and not forget the workes of God but kepe his commaundements To the Ephesians parentes are commaunded to bring vppe their children in instruction and information of the Lord. In Deuteronomie the king himselfe is charged diligently to be exercised in the reading of the worde of the Lorde as well for the instruction of himselfe as also the better gouernement of his subiects in the feare of the Lorde This thing didde the good King Iosias obserue reading his owne selfe the lawe of the Lorde vnto his subiectes and caused all to make a couenaunt that they would walke according to that whiche they vnderstood the Lord to require at their hande Iosua the valiaunte and vertuous Capitaine of the LORDE didde dayly reade the word of the Lorde and out of it verye godlye exhorte all the people to feare and serue the Lord. The Quéene of Sheba greatlye commendeth King Salomon for his godly order in his house familie Dauid whom the scriptures reporte to haue bin a King according to God his owne hearte was not onely godly himselfe but also carefull to haue all his subiectes and principallye those of his owne house vnfainedly to feare the Lorde as appeareth in the Psalme 101. where he sayeth That he will destroy suche as priuily slaunder their neighbour that he will not suffer those that haue proude lookes and highe hartes that those whyche are the faithfull of the lande shall dwell with hym and those that walke in the perfect way shall serue him that no deceitful person shall dwell wyth hym nor anye that telleth lyes remaine in his sighte that he will betymes cutte off all the wicked of the lande and to be shorte concerning the gouernement of his house that hée will walke in the vprightnesse of hys harte in the middest of his house whereby as the wordes following doe declare he meaneth to vse exquisite diligence in trayning vppe his housholde in the seruice of the lord Helie the Priest of the Lorde for letting his children runne at libertie is himselfe charged to haue committed those sinnes whiche in his sonnes he lette passe vnpunished besides that God fearefully punished both him and his sonnes for neglecting hys dutie in this behalfe for he himselfe fell and brake his neck his two sonnes were slaine in battell both in one daye the Arke of the Lord takē by the Philistins and .3000 people slaine his sonnes wife vppon the newes sodainelye broughte to bedde before hir time and dieth in trauaile whiche heauie iudgementes maye learne al men worthily to tremble at the forslewing their duetie in instructing their families Abraham is greatly praised for his carefulnesse in teaching his children houshold to walk in the waies of the Lord For thus it is writtē of him For I know him that he wil cōmand his sons his houshold after that they kepe the way of the Lord to do righteousnes and iudgement that the Lord may bring vppon Abraham that he hathe spoken vnto him All these bothe commaundementes and examples do I trust sufficiently proue that it is the part of al men of what calling soeuer to vse singular diligence and trauaile to haue their familie and suche as belong to their charge to feare the Lorde As for that I sayde they muste also kéepe none suche in their house as are stubborne and tell scorne to serue the Lorde the example of Dauid out of the .101 psalme who will suffer no wicked person to dwell wyth hym nor serue him and therefore none that feareth not the Lord doth sufficiently proue it But thou wilte saye Dauid was a King and I saye vnto thée so arte thou both a King and Bishoppe to ouer thy house and familie a King by gouernement to kéepe in awe and a Byshoppe by instruction to teach mayst so muche the easier and with lesse daunger teach and correct thine owne familie as it is easier and lesse dangerous to deale with a priuate familie thā with a whole realme therfore the greater punishmnt shalte thou haue if herein thou omit thy dutie If then the instructing
of those vnder oure gouernement in the worde of the Lorde bée suche as by the commaundement of God is laide vppon all if Kings notwithstanding their many cares and troubles are not exempted from this dutie if Capitaines in warre who of al other might séeme to be priuiledged are tied to this charge If Helie the Priest of the Lord were punished with the necke breake for omitting it if Abraham were greatly praised for the dooing of it What is he that can chalenge to himselfe fréedome from the performaunce of thys bothe godly and necessarie duetie God fayeth of Abraham I know he wil teach his children and housholde to walke in the wayes of the Lorde But alas my beloued what is the man or where is his dwelling of whome we maye saye I knowe he is painefull in instructing his children and housholde in the wayes of the lord Surely suche a one is almoste as rare vpon earth as a blacke Swan It is saide of this oure Cornelius that he feared God with his whole houshold but how many housholdes may â—e â—nd amongest vs where the goodman himself maketh no accompts of religion 〈◊〉 maruell then if the reste of his familie be Godlesse The Lorde by Moses commaundeth his people daylye to insâ—â—â—â—â—â— their children in the knowledge of hys worde but so farre are the moste parte of vs from doing thereof that we oure selues reade not in a yeare a Chapiter of it And whereas euerye man is bounde to catechize his owne familie a greate many of oure ministers are so ignorant that they hadde néede to learne Catechismes themselues whiche as in respecte of their ignoraunce it is very mét they should do so for the same respecte it were farre better that they were vtterly remoued and able Pastors put in theyr roomths Dauid will walke with an vprighte heart in the middest of his house and we wil walke in our houses we care not howe loosely Iosias at once hearing the lawe of the Lorde immediatlye prepareth hymselfe to obey the same and bindeth all his Subiectes by couenaunte to doe the like The Lorde putte it into the mynde of oure godly Princesse that as she is of hir selfe willing to heare the Lawe of the Lorde so likewise after the example of good Iosias she may be carefull to cause all hir Subiectes to make a couenaunte to walke after the commaundementes of the LORDE so I trust there would be spéedie remedy againste this great neglecting of our dutie in the vertuous education of oure families in the feare of the Lorde the whiche on oure partes being so muche forslewed it is no maruaile if manye times wée find small obedience at the handes of oure housholde For so doeth God often leaue manifest tokens of hys wrath in punishing disobedience wyth disobedience Howe canste thou whosoeuer thou arte looke to haue thy familie faithfull vnto thée and thou thy selfe art faithlesse to GOD doest thou maruayle that thy seruauntes feare not thée when as thou fearest not the Lorde wilte thou stiffely maintaine thine aucthoritie ouer those vnder thy charge and thy selfe yeld no obedience vnto the aucthoritie of the eternall Thinkest thou muche that thy wife and thy children shewe themselues not so obedient vnto thée as peraduenture they oughte and canste thou not sée howe thy selfe arte a Traytoure and Rebel vnto God withoute all kéepe or regarde breaking his statutes and without any pricke or remorse of conscience neglecting and contemning his commandementes Howe shall those vnder thy charge performe their dutie vnto thée if thou performe no duety vnto God Nay howe rather shall they fyrste learne to feare God and then next truly serue thée without instruction in the worde of the Lorde Is it not expreslye sette downe in the Psalme Howe God established a testimonie in Iacob and ordained a Lawe in Israell whiche he commaunded oure fathers that they shoulde teache theyr children And this lawe whiche he speaketh of is the commaundement before recited out of Deuteronomie concerning parentes often and diligent acquainting their children with the word of the lord You sée therefore beloued that it greatlye concerneth al you that are householders to be very well exercised and practised in the holy Scriptures For how can it bée possible that one shoulde teache another the thing that he himselfe is ignoraunte in The father can not teache his sonne that which he himself knoweth not The maister cannot instruct his seruaunte in the word which he neuer readeth The husband as Paul coÌ„maundeth he should can not teache hys wife himselfe being rude and ignoraunt The Prince can not declare vnto his subiectes the wyll of the Lord the whiche himselfe hath not learned out of his worde all these notwythstanding being as you haue heard charged from the Lord with this duty it doth hereof necessarily follow that fathers maisters husbandes yea the prince himselfe ought diligently to exercise theÌ„selues in the reading of the worde of God that they maye euerye one seuerally teache it to them of their charge that they out of it maye learne to feare the Lorde The Lorde hys blessing the diligence of Cornelius in the vertuous education of hys familie with profyting generallye in his feare oughte to encourage vs all to followe hys moste godly example hoping that GOD in his greate mercye wyll graunt vnto our Christian trauayle lyke successe For it can not be that eyther the Prince of subiectes or the father of hys children or the husbande of hys wyfe or the maister of his seruauntes shoulde hope for that subiection that obedience that reuerence that faythfulnesse which they of right ought to haue and the other of duetie are bound to perfourme vnlesse they laboure to teache them the feare of the Lorde It maye be also that a man faythfullye labouring to bring vp hys familye in the knowledge of GOD shall haue notwithstanding vngodly and disobedient children wife or seruauntes for Adam had Cain Noah had Cham Abraham had Ismael Isaac had Esau Iacob had of his owne sonnes that woulde â—â—ue firste slaine but afterwarde altered â—heir purpose and tolde Ioseph Helie had â—ophm Phinehas Samuel his sonnes â—â—ere vniuste Iudges ouer the people â—ob hys wyfe bydde hir husbande curse GOD and dye Dauid his own son Abâ—alon rebelled agaynste hym and Iuâ—as for money betrayed hys Mayster Christe yet for all this muste not we â—et passe thys duetie of teaching oure â—ouseholdes but besides instructyng â—se also correctyng where sinnes bée committed or else wée shall bée guyltie of those sinnes whyche we let passe in those vnder our gouernemente vncorrected whether we be priuate persons â—or Magistrates For the holye Scripâ—ures layeth vppon Helie the vngodlynesse of his sonnes whiche was committed with his knowledge and the children of Israels worshipping of the Golden Calues is imputed to those kings which eyther commaunded them or suffred theÌ„ â—or else did not destroye them Paule also to the Romanes saith that not onely they which
the people only to worship god The Angel also in the reuelation when Iohn fel at his féete to worship him sayth See thou do it not I am thy felowe seruaunt and one of thy brethrē which haue the testimonie of Iesus Worship God. And the Angel in the booke of Iudges sayeth vnto Manoah the father of Sampson Though thou make me abide I will not eate of thy breade and if thou wilt make a burnte offering offer it vnto the Lorde In the historie of the Euangelistes you shal finde that Christe moste readilye and louynglye graunted the requestes of all those which humblye in faythe soughte vnto hym whereas to hys mother requesting hym at the mariage to helpe them when their wine fayled he answereth woman what haue I to do with thee mine houre is not yet come And to his Apostles saying of the woman of Canaan Lord dispatche hir for she crieth after vs he saith he was not sente but to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel And this no doubt to embolden and encourage vs to make oure prayers vnto God by Christe and not by saints yea the scripture plainly teacheth that the dead Saincts haue no knowlege of vs For it is written in Isaiah Doubtlesse thou art our father though Abrahā be ignoraunt of vs and Israel knowe vs not yet thou oh Lorde arte oure father our redeemer thy name is for euer If then amongst wise men it be counted folly to pray vnto one that is absent whiche can not heare our prayer nay if it be Idolatrie to suppose that the soules of dead men eyther are in all places at once or beyng but in one place are able to vnderstande the mindes of al men in all places for it is the peculiar propertie of God to knowe the heartes and therfore are they Idolaters that giue this to anye other if it be a greate and notorious iniurie vnto Christ to think any Saint or Angel to be in power or loue equal vnto him much more superiour if god only as it hath bin by the scripture plainely proued be able wylling knowing how to helpe hearyng our prayers in faith made for helpe and better vnderstanding how to helpe than we are able to expresse if he haue promised to help if he haue commaunded to sue vnto hym for helpe finally if the Saints and Angels haue refused outward worshippe and therefore woulde much more refuse inuocation being a high seruice of God and carrying also with it a parte of beliefe for howe shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued if the dead Sainctes are ignoraunce of vs and knowe vs not let vs then beloued wyth Cornelius pray continually only vnto God the knoweth vs who is not ignorant of vs he no doubt for hys Christs sake in al things wil heare vs that we shall aske in his name so far as they make for the furtherance of his glorie benefit of vs the aske for them at his handes For if when through sin wickednesse transgression we were enimies vnto God strangers frō righteousnesse which is by Christ it pleased God in great mercie to sende his son to worke the attonement betwéen hym vs being now by Christ made friendes with God it can not be chosen but that he wil graūt vs whatsoeuer we shal aske in hys name according to his word Thus haue you séene in Cornelius a godly Gentile a religious souldiour a deuoute gouernor a Christian captain one that none of the engines trappes of Satā could so entangle bewrap that they coulde staye or withhold him from the exercises of godlynesse albeit they were to catche withal baited on the one side with the vain pleasures delites of this world wyth promotiō with honor with loue fauour liking on the other side with persecutiō with mockes scornes of the wicked with hatred disdain enuie displeasure of other superiours the Emperor as depēding theron with feare of losse of office life liuing with which notwithstanding he is not moued but goeth on boldely in the course of Christian religion in which hée had begun Such a one in respect of godlinesse religion the fear of the Lord ought euery one of vs of what degrée or calling soeuer for to be But alas dere brethrē whiche waye might a man take to go to finde the house of Cornelius wherein not only the master of the house with his wife is godlye but hath by his Christian trauaile and paintaking in instructing but of the worde all his householde fearing god I beséeche you take a little paines wyth me to search amongst al sortes and kindes of men for Cornelius and then will it easily appeare how rare a thing it is to finde him And firste in the waye of good spéede let vs beginne wyth men of his own profession and of the same trade of life with him I meane Captaines and let vs by conference of their manners qualities with his make a triall howe neare of kinne the Captaines of our time are with Cornelius the Captaine of that time Captaine Cornelius his first commendation is for his godlynesse religion and feare of God our Captaines thynke these things to be nothing pertayning vnto them but post them ouer to the ministers pastoures and preachers Captaine Cornelius feared God withall hys householde our Captaines themselues theyr souldiours make chiefest accountes of suche as setting aside all feare of God and man haue desperate minds to aduenture any hazarde and suche forsooth haue a Capitaines hearte and the courage of a souldior Capitaine Cornelius gaue muche almes to all the néedie of the people our Capitaines liue by the spoile and robberie of others chieflie if they once get to sea There God séeth them not all is fish that commeth to nette and that shippe whiche they finde loden with richest bootie and most pretious marchandize is alwaies the ship of oure enimie and therefore we muste néedes haue the spoile of him albeit he be neuer so godly and many tymes our owne Countryman Captaine Cornelius was daily and continuallye occupied in prayer vnto God our Captaines like the parishe the worse the Churche standeth in Captaine Cornelius vsed weapon at the commandemēt and in the obedience of hys lawfull Magistrate for to withstande the inuasion of enimies to kéepe vnder as well the Iewes as others that were likelie to rebel to maintaine the publike peace oure Captaines run from place to place and from realme to realme hyred for mony not caring to intermeddle themselues in warres nothing appertaining vnto them and there will they serue where they may haue moste wages bée it vnder the banner ensigne or standard of the Pope the Turke or the Diuell to if he were vpon earth to entertaine souldiors And so odious vnto thē is the name of Peace that they in manner abhorre curse it wishing and praying for war war that with the bloude and spoile of others
.1578 ACTES 10. verse 1 FVrthermore there was a certayne man in Cesarea called Cornelius a captaine of the bande called the Italian Bande verse 2 A deuoute man and one that feared God with all his housholde which gaue much almes to the people and prayed God continually verse 3 He saw in a vision euidently about the ninth houre of the day an Angell of God comming into him and saying vnto him Cornelius verse 4 But when he looked on him he was afraide and saide What is it Lorde and he saide vnto him Thy prayers and thine almes are come vppe into remembraunce before God. verse 5 Nowe therefore send men to Ioppa cal for Simon whose surname is Peter verse 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a Tanner whose house is by the sea side He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do verse 7 And when the Angell which spake vnto Cornelius was departed hee called two of his seruaÌ„ts a souldiour that feared God one of theÌ„ that waited on him verse 8 And tolde them all things and sent them to Ioppa THis Scripture righte honorable worshipfull dearely beloued in the Lord offereth vnto your consideration generally these thrée pointes firste a descriptioÌ„ of one Cornelius a captain caled froÌ„ Paganisme or Heathenishnes to the true knowledge of Christe secoÌ„dly the Angel his appearaunce and embassage vnto him thirdely his willing and spéedy obedieÌ„ce in performing that whiche the Angell from the Lorde charged him withall Euerye one of these generalles haue springing and growing out of theÌ„ their seuerall and particular braunches The first generall hath these speciall pointes to be noted the firste God his wonderful and mercifull kindnesse in calling the Heathen from error to the truth and his most fearefull but yet righteous iudgemente in casting off for their greate vnthankefulnesse his owne peculiar and chosen people of the Iewes The seconde Cornelius his trade and kinde of of life The thirde his vertue godlinesse The fourth his christian training vp of his familye and householde The fyfth his Almes déedes Prayers The seconde generall hath these speecially First God his calling of Cornelius by the Angell The seconde containeth the feare of Cornelius at the calling of the Angell The third the spéech of the Angel vnto Cornelius which staÌ„deth of two partes the one is a comfort vnto his longing and carefull mynde where he assureth him that his almes prayers are come vppe into remembrance before God The other is an instruction what he ought to do In the thirde generall point are to be considered Firste an euident token of Cornelius his faith Secondlye what profitte he reaped by godly instructing of his housholde Thirdly the religionnesse of the souldiour which he sent with his seruauntes on this message I wil vse no fore-spéech or entraunce garnished and set out with some Rhetoricall florishe to winne at youre handes héedfull harkening vnto that which vpon these places in the fear of God I am to deliuer vnto you or to purchase youre fauourable bearing with my plaine and simple handling of this Texte withoute curious and picked out words termes For the cause being not MaÌ„s but Gods worthelye â—baâ—engeth the greateste attention and as for painted labored and of purpose sought for eloquence I leaue it vnto them that séeke rather the praise of men than the glorie of God knowing that the worde of the Lorde simply and plainly handled is able without the help of the persuading spéeche of mans wisedome to pierce euen to the hart to diuide betwéene the thoughtes and the reines whyche effecte I praye hym for his Christes sake to graunte vnto that whyche in hys name I am to speake The fyrste braunche of the fyrste Generall namelye the callyng of the Gentiles and of casting off the Iewes THe calling of the Gentiles of the which I am to speak somewhat for that oure Cornelius was a Gentile as hereafter shall more at large appeare hath euident and plaine testimonies of holy Scripture in many and sundry places amongest the reste these chieflye He shall speake peace vnto the Heathen and his dominion shall be from sea vnto sea and from the riuer vnto the ende of the lande Againe But in the last dayes it shall come to passe that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of the Mountaines and it shall bée exalted aboue the hylles and people shall flowe vnto it yea many nations shal come and say Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teache vs hys wayes and we will walke in his pathes For the lawe shall goe forth of Sion and the worde of the Lord from Ierusalem And he shal iudge among many people and rebuke mighty nations a farre off and they shall breake their swordes into mattockes and their speares into sithes nation shall not lifte vp a sword against nation neyther shall they learne to fight any more But they shall sit euery man vnder his Vine vnder his Fig trée none shall make theÌ„ afraid For the mouth of the Lord of hostes hath spoken it For all people wil walke euery one in the name of his God wée will walke in the name of the Lorde our God for euer and euer Likewise yea al Kings shall worship him and all natioÌ„s shall serue him And againe all nations shall blesse him and be blessed in him Moreouer aske of me and I shall giue thée the heathen for thine inheritaunce and the endes of the earth for thy possession Furthermore in that day shall fiue Citties in the lande of Egipt speake the language of Canaan shal sweare by the Lord of Hostes c. In like maner let the wildernesse and the Cities thereof lift vp their voice the townes that Kedar doth inhabite Let the inhabitaÌ„ts of the rocks sing Let them showte from the toppe of the Mountaines Lette them giue glorie vnto the Lorde and declare his praise in the Ilandes And to this effect in most comfortable sorte is almoste the whole .49 chapter of this Prophesie Héereof also haue we in the Scripture manye figures and examples For what else doeth the clensing of Naaman the Syrian from his leprosie by the Prophete Elizeus signifie but that a time shoulde one daye come when as the heatheÌ„ by faith in the death and bloude of Christe shoulde be purged of the spirituall Leprosie of their soules whiche is sinne What meaneth the sending of Ionas to the great Citie of Niniuie but that God is a God of the Assyrians as well as of the Iewes a Sauiour of the Gentiles as well as of the Israelites What doe we learne by the incredible faith and wonderfull patience of Iob who was a Heathen but that God euen among the HeatheÌ„ hath those that are of hys Churche What that Christe hymselfe concerning the
flesh vouchsafed lineally to descend of those of whome some of them were Heathen as Thamar a Cananite of whome were borne Pharao and Saram as Ruth a Moabite of whome was borne Obed. Doth it not to our great comfort learne vs that are Gentiles that Christe is borne a Redéemer aswell to vs as the Iewes In that immediatlye after the byrth of Christ Wise men came from the vttermoste parts of the East to worship him what are we taught but that the kingdome of Christe should stretche from the Easte vnto the Weaste and from the one Sea to the other Whereas Christe healed the seruaunte of the Centurion cured at Capernaum the sonne of the Courtier for the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth pertayning or belongyng to the kyng holpe the daughter of the Canaanitishe woman possessed with a Diuell called the woman of Samaria sent Philippe to the Chamberlaine of Candace Quéene of Ethiopia and Peter from Ioppa to this oure Cornelius all whiche were Heathen doeth not all these sufficientlye proue the calling of the Gentiles But why in a matter doubtlesse doe I vse proofes not necessarye I come nowe to speake of the casting off of the Iewes whych I wyll handle brieflye and afterwarde laye before you what wée may learne of the callyng of the one and refusing of the other In the twentith Chapter of Mathew Christe sayeth to the Iewes thus Therfore saye I vnto you The Kyngdome of God shall be taken from you and shal be giuen to a nation whiche shall bryng forth the fruites thereof Paule in the .13 of the Actes speaketh to the obstinate Iewes after this maner It was necessarye that the worde of GOD shoulde fyrste haue béene spoken vnto you But séeing you putte it from you and iudge your selues worthy of euerlasting life Lo we turne to the Gentiles And for confirmation of their so doing they alleadge the wordes of the Prophet I say I haue made thée a light of the GeÌ„tiles that thou shouldest be the saluation vnto the end of the world And to the Romanes he saieth I will prouoke you to enuy by a nation that is not my nation and by a foolish nation I wil anger you And Isaias is bolde and saieth I was founde of them that soughte me not and haue béen made manifest to them that asked not after me And vnto Israell he saieth All the day long haue I stretched oute mine hande vnto a disobedient and gaine-saying people To this purpose maye you reade muche in the .9 and .11 Chapiters of this Epistle Moreouer the Prophetes euerye where are full of threatnings vnto the Iewes that they shoulde be caste oute and the Gentiles taken into their roomths Besides these playne Scriptures it shall not be néedfull for mée to alleadge â—xamples of theyr reiection For alas â—heir miserable and lamentable dispersiâ—n and scattering abroad ouer the face â—f the earth at this daye and greate slaâ—erie and bondage that they liue in in â—he places where they are scattered are â—ufficient testimonies that GOD his â—eauie iudgementes are come vppon â—hem And these thinges wil séeme so muche â—he more wonderfull in oure eies if wée â—onsider with how neare a bande of loue â—nd fatherly kindnesse GOD tyed himâ—â—lfe as it were vnto his people what 〈◊〉 barre of partition and mightie wall of â—paration he set betwéene them and vs â—somuche that as well in Ceremonies â—nd Religion as in other matters of life common trafficke they were straightâ— forbidden to haue any manner of feâ—â—wshippe or familiarity with the Genâ—les so that the very entraunce of one â—ccirumcised into theyr Temple â—as accompted a Prophanation â—d also a defyling of the same whyche the Lord himselfe saieth by his Prophet Ezechiel Thus saieth the Lorde God O house of Israel ye haue ynough of all your abhominations séeing that ye haue broughte into my Sanctuarie strangers vncircumcised in hearte and vncircumcised in fleshe to be in my Sanctuarie to pollute mine house And by and by after Thus saieth the Lorde God No straunger vncircumcised in hearte nor vncircumcised in flesh shal enter into my Sanctuarie of any straunger that is among the children of Israel And by his Prophet Ieremie the Lorde threatneth to punishe euery one whose foreskinne is not circumcised or cut off But of the Iewes he sayeth by Moses For thou arte a holye people vnto the Lorde thy God the Lorde thy GOD hath chosen thée to be a pretious people to hymselfe aboue all the people that are vppon the earth Also of Ierusalem he speaketh by the Prophete Isaias Arise arise putte on thy strength O Sion putte on the garmentes of thy beautie O Ierusalem the holye Cittie for henceforthe there shall no more come into thée the vncircumcised and the vncleane In respect of these great promises and many more that are in the Scriptures of GOD his greate good will and speciall mercy towardes them togyther with the remembrance of God his miraculous dealyng for their deliuery oute of the handes of all their ennimies and the greate glorie and royalnesse of their Temple of whiche they were wonte so muche to cry the Temple of the Lorde the Temple of the Lorde the Temple of the Lorde as wée reade in Ieremy they vtterlye contemned and despised the Gentiles thinking them to bée wholly debarred from the couenaunte of the LORDE in so muche that they dydde as greatlye abhorre and deteste the name of a Heathen as wée doe nowe the name of a Iewe or Turke or shoulde doe the name of a Papiste so long as they continue in their wicked superstition yea the Apostles themselues a long season coulde not be persuaded that saluation belonged to the Gentiles so that you reade afterwarde in thys storie of the Actes howe Peter was sharpely reproued for preachyng the worde to thys oure Cornelius and others of the Gentiles Forasmuche then as the Iewes to whome as Paule speaketh appertayneth the adoption and the glorie and the couenauntes and the giuing of the law and the seruice of GOD and the promises of whome are the fathers and of whome concerning the fleshe Christe came are as we sée at this day caste off and the Heathen wallowing in superstition and Idolatrye hauyng no Faith no GOD no Religion certaine euerye manne runnyng after the fancies of hys owne brayne are taken in their steade as hathe appeared by testimonye of the worde and manye examples of the same and amongest the reste this of oure Cornelius whome we maye not amisse terme of the first fruites of the Gentiles What haue we to learne for nowe I come to the application of this hitherto spoken of the receyuing of the Heathen and of casting off the Iewes for oure comforte or admonition out of this wonderfull dealing of God bothe towards the one and the other By the off casting of the Iewes béeyng the peculiar and chosen people of GOD wée doe learne fyrste that ingratitude
swallowed vp of feare and horror but that we shold with all méekenesse lowlynesse humility and reuerence cast our selues downe before his maiestie being with al submission readye to do that which he shal thinke beste to enioyne vs For the Lord loketh that those to whom he openeth and sheweth himselfe by his worde shoulde be moued with a reuerent feare at the hearing of the same according as he witnesseth by hys Prophete Isaias Heare the word of the Lord all ye that tremble at his word And againe To him will I loke euen to him that is pore and of a contrite spirite and trembleth at my words But what is the cause beloued that at this day the word of the Lord worketh not in vs this effect of reuerence trembling and feare forsooth bicause we fasten our eyes vpon the person that speaketh with the basenesse of whome we are nothyng moued wheras if we would as indeede we ought consider that it is GOD whiche speaketh vnto vs in the person of man then would be driuen into this sluggishe nature of ours suche a feare and reuerence of the word of God as ought to be in vs which I pray God graunt vnto vs. Thirdly I cannot let passe the answere that Cornelius maketh to the Angel calling him wher he saith what is the Lord Wheras the drossie translation whiche goeth vnder the name of Ierom the cōmon translation is the Pope his owne dearling hath who is it Lord Like as in the first of Samuel and third chapter it hath very falsely rediculously that Heli hys eyes were dimme and coulde not sée the candle of the Lord vntil it was put out And in the .15 of the first to the Corinthes clean contrarie vnto the truth of the Gréek text which sayth we shal not all die but we shall all be changed it sayeth we shal all dye but shall not al be chaunged besides a greate many moe filthy corruptions whyche haue often out of this place bene shewed to be in it that you mighte learne to forsake and leaue it Al whiche errours moste of them shewed them by vs and some of them tolde them by theyr owne men I doe the lesse maruell that they stil retain for as muche as of grosse wilful ignorance in their Latyn portuses in stead of Glorie be to the father and to the sonne and to the holy ghost they sing daylye Glorie be to the father and to the sonne and to the Diuell Spiritui paradyto the wicked and infamous spirite in steade of spiritui paraclêto the spirite which is the comforter For the that there is so much differēce betwéen the two words euery boy of the grammer schole can tel And I woulde fayne learne of some Papist that holdeth that the church of Rome can not erre whether this were an error or no in steade of the holy Ghost to pray to the Diuell And bycause I were loth to sustaine their ill will for reporting this truth of them let it for me rest vpon the backe of him where I haue it whych is Polidor Vergil a man of their own who in hys fifth booke and thirtéenth Chapter of the finders out of things too too pitiously poore soule lamenteth complayneth of their waywardnesse that being tolde of so horrible a faulte will not leaue nor amende it Wherefore leauing hym in his sorrowe and his Popishe Priestes in their frowarde errour I returne to my purpose and note vnto you that al the copies so manye as I euer haue séene or hearde of haue thys reading What is it Lord so that the other Who is it Lorde being such as any that in the Gréeke tongue can set the Nominatiue case and the verbe togither might easily auoyde procéedeth of wilfull ignonoraunce and carelesse negligence and darkeneth also the meaning of the place for whyche cause onely I note it Wheras this reading What is it Lord argueth that Cornelius his minde was touched with a feare as knowing that albeit it were onelye the Angell that spake vnto him yet he had indéede to do with God whose onelye messenger the Angel was Therefore thus saying he sheweth forth a readie and willing minde euen before he knoweth to doe whatsoeuer the Lorde shoulde commaunde hym whereas we after that the Lorde hath commaunded and commaunded againe straine courtesie and take leysure to performe his wil communing with fleshe and bloude whether it be good pollicie or no to doe as the Lord biddeth whether it maye not procure vs peril and trouble But all you that feare the Lord saye with Cornelius What is it Lorde and by thy mercifull assistaunce wée wil performe and doe it There followeth the thirde braunche of this second generall namely the Angells speache vnto Cornelius saying Thy prayers and thine almes are come vp into remembrance before god Now therefore send men to Ioppa and call for Simon whose surname is Peter He lodgeth with one Simon a Tanner whose house is by the Sea side he shal tell thee what thou oughtest to doe These wordes as in the beginning I declared containe both a comforte and a commandement vnto Cornelius which both with their doctrines shal be handled in order firste the comforte bycause it is firste mentioned after this maner Thy prayers and almes are come vp into remembraunce before God. Of these wordes we maye not gather that GOD who séeth all thinges and before whose eies are manifeste those thinges whiche are done in greatest secret doth at any time forget the doings of men but the holye Ghost in this place as in manye other speaketh of God as of a manne for our better vnderstanding And for bicause if God deferre at the firste to graunt our requestes our dul nature conceiueth no better of him thā of a man that is deafe therefore that Cornelius might knowe that his praiers were hearde and hys almes déedes accepted the Angell assureth him that GOD hathe in remembraunce both the one and the other that is that God will reward them with the full lighte and knowledge of his Gospel And so in manye other places doth the worde Remember béeyng spoken of the dealing of God towardes man carrie with it a signification of rewarde So God remembred Noah and the floude ceased he remembred Abraham and deliuered his kinsman Lot out of Sodom he remēbred Rachell and gaue hir children he remembred his promisse and deliuered the children of Israell oute of Egipte So we reade that the thiefe on the Crosse saide vnto Christe Lorde remember me when thou commeste into thy Kingdome and he aunswereth this day shalte thou be with me in Paradise And in the Psalme it is saide He remēbred vs in oure humilitie and then followeth he redeemed vs. And therfore you shall finde that Dauid often prayeth to the LORDE to remember hym In thys place therefore Gods remembraunce of the prayers and almes déeds of Cornelius teacheth him that he will reward them not for their worthinesse but of his mercie