house â–ª that thou hast brought me to so great dignitie and honour 529 15. Cary the Arke of God againe into the Citie if I shall c. 530 16. Suffer him to cursse ibid. 24. I am in a wonderfull streight Let vs fall now into the hand of the lord Agayne I haue sinned it is I that haue done wickedly But these sheepe c. 530 1. REgum 8. The Heauens of Heauens is not able to conteyne thee and how should then this house doe it that I haue buylded 666 2. PAralipom 14. Lorde it is no hard thing with thee to help with many or theÌ„ that haue no power 885 NEhemias 13. Of the Sabboth pag. 736 ESaie 2. In the latter dayes the Hill of the Lordes house shall be prepared 2 6. Heare in deede c. 340 10. If the number of the people of Israell â—cre as the sande of the Sea. c. 901 23. After the ende of seuentie yeares shall the Lorde visite Tyre and shee shall conuerte vnto hir rewarde 761 29. They worship mee in vayne teaching the doctrines of men 342 30. Prophecie not c. 222 33. Wo to thee that destroyest for thou shalt be destroyed 306 40. The worde of our God endureth for euer 335 42. I am the Lord this is my name my glory will I gyue to none other 571 1â—0 42. Beholde this is my seruaunt vpon whom I leaâ—e myne elect in whome my Soule is pacified Pag. 20â— 48. The vngodly haue no peace 207 49. It is but a small thing that thou art my seruaunt to sette vp the kindreds of Iacob 32 49. Will a woman forget hir owne infant 48 52. O howe beautifull are the feete of the Ambasador that bringeth the message from the mountaine and proclaymeth peace 447 53. Who hath gyuen credence vnto our preaching 50.89 53. Wee haue all gone a straye lyke sheepe euery one hath turned his owne waye 566 53. And in his mouth hath beene founde no guile 350 53. This shal be his name by which they shall call hym the Lord our righteousnes 459 55. Let the vngodly man forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne Imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lorde Pag. 132 55. The worde that commeth out of my mouth shall not turne againe voyde vnto me but shall accomplishe my wyll and prosper in the thing wherto I sende it 138 55. Wherefore doe you laye out anye money for the thing that feedeth not 589 58. Cry now as lowde as thou canst leaue not of lyft vp thy voyce lyke a trumpet 205 58. Wherfore fast we and thou seest it not 235 60. Euery people and kingdome that serueth not thee shall perishe â–ª 622 63. Abraham knoweth vs not â–ª neyther is Israell aquaynted wyth vs. 541 64. God hath prepared such things for them that loue hym as neyther eye hath seene eare hearde nor harte hath vnderstanded c. Pag. 212 65. It shal bee that or euer they call I will aunswere them 685 66. HeaueÌ„ is my seate and the earth is my footestole 35 347.66â— IEremie 1. Beholde I putte my wordes in thy mouth 21 1. Be not abashed at their countenaunces 685 1. Beholde this daye doe I make thee a stronge fensed Towne Pag. 750 2. My people hath committed two euilles They haue forsaken mee the well of the water of lyfe c. Pag. 589 4. O Israell if thou wilt turn thee then turne thee vnto mee 131 10. Yee shall not learne after the maner of the Heathen nor be afrayd for the tokens of heauen 343 12. How happeneth it that the waye of the vngodly is so prosperous Pag. 504 17. Blessed is the man that putteth his trust in the Lord and whose hope is in the Lorde hym selfe Pag. 353 23. Behold the tyme commeth saith the Lorde that I will rayse vp the righteous braunche of Dauid 6 23. I fulfill heauen and earth sayeth the Lord. 35 23. The Lorde our righteousenesse Pag. 350 23. The woorde of GOD is fyre Pag. 660 31. I will plant my Lawe in the inward partes of them and wryte it in their hartes 96 31 Turne vs and wee shall be turned 786 48. Cursed bee hee that dooth the woorke of the Lorde fraudulently 151 EZechielis 3. The bloud of them that perish I will requyre at thy handes 17 3. Thou shalt heare the worde at my mouth and gyue them warning from mee 21 3. When I shall saye vnto the wycked thou shalt surely dye 560 3. Thou sonne of man I haue made thee a watche man c. 683 DAnielis 2. Of the Mountayne Pag. 2 HOsee 4. Idoles robbe men of their hartes 338 13. Death where is thy stynge Pag. 111 IOelis 2. And it shall come to passe toward the latter dayes I will poure out my spirit vpon al flesh Pag. 93. c. 2. Turne you vnto mee with all your hartes 131 AMos 2. Prophecie not 222 3. You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth Pag. 99 3. There is no euill in a Citie but the Lord is auctor of it 483 3. The Lord God hath spoken and who will not prophecie 683 5. Haue you offred vnto mee Sacrifices and offrings fourty yeres in the wildernes 341 7. I was neyther Prophet nor prophetes sonne 69 9. The place of Amos. 9. 600 MIchee 4. The hill of the Lords house 2 ABacue 2. If he differ or put of yet wayght still 79 ZAcharie 2. Who so toucheth you toucheth the apple of myne eye Pag. 502 2. The apple of myne eye c. 300 9. His dominion shal bee from the one sea to the other 32 9. Behold thy King shall come vnto thee euen righteous a Sauiour and lowly 199 11. Wo to the Idole sheepeherd that leaueth his flocke 517 3. Aryse O thou swerde vpon my Shepherd and vppon the man that is my fellow 106.107 MAlachie 2. The Priestes lips shall keepe knowledge 63 3. It is but vayne too serue God. 236 IObe 5. He compasseth the wyse in their owne craftynes 204 19. I am sure that my redeemer liueth c. 13 ECclesiastic 3. Many haue bene deceyued through their owne vayne opinion 28 35. The prayer of him that humbleth himself goeth through the clowds Pag. 637 PSalm 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not c. 638 2. Of the kingdome of Christe Pag. 2 2. Aske of me and I will gyue thee the Gentiles for thyne inheritaunce 35.201 2. Thou shalt bruse them with a rodde of yron 126 7. They trauell with mischiefe and bring foorth vngodlynesse 218 14. There is no God. 114 16. The wordes there are prooued ought to bee vnderstanded of Christ and not of Dauid 113 22. My prayse shall be of thee in the great congregation 116 27. Tarrye thou the Lordes leysure be of good courage and hee shall comfort thine heart 79 27. When my father and my mother forsaketh mee the Lorde taketh me vp 308.520 34. Keepe thy tongue from euill 85 34. The aungell of the Lorde campeth round about them that
passe after God had giuen them his lawe he sayth they were iustlye forsaken of God and giuen vp into a reprobate minde and vtterly blinded And that this was the iust iudgement of God may easily be gathered of the things before going For their vngodlynesse and vnthankfulnesse deserued the same whom neyther the worde of God nor infinite other thinges whereby it pleased God to reueale himselfe vnto them coulde keepe in doing their dutie They were worthy therefore that euen seeing they shoulde be blinde hearing they should be deafe and should be hardened in their harts as God threatneth by his Prophete Yet may we see in other Nations lyke examples of Gods iudgementes Paule affirmeth the same of the Gentyles superstition And would to God we sawe not the lyke euen among them that glorye in the name of Christians For after they had banished the authoritie of Gods worde from them and that it lyked them to learne rather of dumbe ymages than of the liuely worde of god then ranne they on so farre in superstition that the very Iewes and Turkes laughed at them And here commeth to my remembrance that notable saying of a Turkishe Ambassador who being in the Court of a great Christian Prince and being asked why the Turkes so abhorred the Christian religion and coulde not be induced to beleeue in it aunswered that no man being in his right witte coulde alowe or lyke that religion which worshipped those for Goddes that were inferior and of lesse power than they that worshipped them And what he ment therby he after declared by our breaden god and by the Idols which were worshipped in Churches which being made by those that worshipped them did prooue sufficiently sayde he that the religion was preposterous and contrary to common sense and reason These thinges Christian Princes knowe the Bishops and people in generall yet no man is grieued at the great iniurie thereby done vnto Christ so that wise men are not without a cause afrayde that many euen in our dayes also are giuen vppe into reprobate mindes This place teacheth vs also that no man can holde the right waye in religion except he be first guyded by the hande and spirite of god For the naturall man perceyueth not the thinges belonging to the spirite of God. Nor no man commeth to Christ except the father drawe him And for bicause he draweth by his worde we must studie the same For whosoeuer make light thereof and cast it fro them make themselues vnworthye of the grace of god Wherefore God turneth his backe vpon them and wrappeth them in darkenesse deuoyde of all light and truth Therefore it behooueth vs to haue a diligent care of the worde and so to depende vppon the same that being entred into the ryght waye we swarue neyther to the right hande nor to the left And least any man should be so impudent as to denye that the fathers thus did Steuen alleageth a testimonie of the Prophete Amos written in the .v. chap. There the Lord accuseth the people of Israell as well for many other vices as for this that they abode not syncerely in his worde And that the heynousnesse of their sinne might the more appeare and that all men might see howe God doth not expostulate with them without a cause he sheweth that this is an olde impietie begun somtime in the wildernesse and afterwarde so increasing that it is become incurable and can not be taken awaye but with the destruction of the whole Nation It shall make much for our instruction if we diligently consider euerye thing that is here sayde First he speaketh of the disobedience and wickednesse of the fathers in the wildernesse in these wordes Gaue yee to me sacrifices and meate offerings by the space of fourtie yeares in the wildernesse ô ye of the house of Israel By asking the question he fortifieth his saying and denyeth that the fathers gaue any sacrifices to him for fourtie yeres long And yet it appeareth they built a Tabernacle according as God had appointed and Alters vpon the which they offred all kinds of sacrifices vnto God which brought them out of the lande of Egypt But God denyeth that thing to be done in the honour of him that is done for any other ende than he appointeth For God appoynted that the ende of all their outwarde ceremonies shoulde be resemblances of the Sauiour that was promysed and that they shoulde admonish them of their dutie as well in fayth and religion as in the whole conuersation of their lyfe But they forgetting this were occupied in the bare ceremonies and thought that by them they satisfied God and purged their sinnes Whereby it came to passe that they abused all their Leuiticals for a cloke and colour of licentiousnesse and wickednesse Therefore God worthily refuseth all this worshipping and sayeth it belonged not to him And there be also other places of Scripture wherein he constantlye affirmeth the same and sheweth that the obseruation of those things which he so diligently prescribeth in the lawe is not profitable Looke Psalm 50. Esay 1. and .43 Mich. 6. Hoseas 6. Yea when he sawe that they gloryed in their circumcision hauing no respect to the spirituall circumcision he cryeth out that their circumcision is not auayleable We are taught therefore by this place that all that worshipping is in vayne which is not done to that ende that God hath appoynted it For it can not be that without the obedience of fayth any kinde of worship can please God. But where the worde of God is neglected there remayneth no place for faith or obedience therfore they are but as vncleane and prophane things whatsoeuer they doe although outwardly they appeare agreeable with the worde of god What shall we then say of those ceremonies which stande onely vpon mannes authoritie and tradition the Lord long ago with one word hath vtterly ouerthrowne them saying they worship me in vaine teaching doctrines of men Euery plant which my heauenly father hath not planted shall be pulled vppe by the rootes ▪ The Lorde holding on in repeating the sinnes of the Israelites rehearseth what their posteritie did after they were in possession of the lande of Chanaan you tooke vnto you the Tabernacle of Moloch and the Starre of your God Rempham figures which you made to worshippe them He comprehendeth all sortes of Idolatrie vnder three kindes The first was the worshipping of Moloch which as it appeareth by the actes of Salomon who first builded a Temple to him was the God of the Ammonites And it seemeth he was the God called on at mennes natiuities or byrthes in the honour of whome infantes were sacrificed in fire as Manasse did which sacrificed his sonne in fire God had appoynted death for the punishment of this wickednesse as is declared Leuiticus 20. in these wordes Whosoeuer hee be of the children of Israel or of the straungers that dwell in Israel that giueth of his seede vnto Moloch
farre his desertes shall passe all praise that I am able to giue him and considering that the reuerende Father in God the Bishop of Norwich nowe liuing hath made certaine learned Verses in Latine which are printed in the forefront of his booke in commendation of the same Why your Lordship should accept it bicause it is by me translated there is no cause For I am inutilis seruus and haue done but my duetie if happily I haue done so much in respect eyther of the seruice I owe vnto our Englishe Church in generall or to your Honor in perticular And therfore being so many wayes bounde vnto your Honor as I am I finde no remedie but to desire I may yet further be bounde vnto the same And this is as Tullie interpreteth the matter I will speake it in his woordes animi ingenui cui multum debeas eidem velle plurimum debere Hereby therefore shall your honor binde mee the more vnto you if you accept and thinke well not of the worke for my sake but contrary wise of me for the workes sake and for my poore good willes sake which finde my selfe so estreighted with the consideration of your merites towardes mee and with the slender amends that I am able to make againe for the same that I am driuen to Aeschines shift sometyme Scholler vnto Socrates He being of himselfe but a pore yong man not able worthily to recompence Socrates for the learning that he had gotten by him and perceyuing diuers other of Socrates Schollers did gratifie him wyth sundrie riche and sumptuous presentes Sir sayth he I haue no meete or worthie thing to present your worship with and hereby most of all perceiue I how poore I am therfore I giue vnto you that onely thing that I haue which is my selfe This I beseech you sayth he take in good part Nowe surelye quoth he what else can this be but a verie great present and gift vnlesse perhaps thou make little or no account of thy selfe Thus trusting my poore present shall be none otherwise receyued at your honors hande than was Aeschines at Socrates I most humbly commende mee vnto the same beseeching almightie God for Christ his sake to giue you a lyfe wherein you maye long defende and maintaine his honour and glory At Herne the xxj of Aprill 1572. Your Honors most bounden Iohn Bridges Vicare of Herne ¶ The Translatour to the Christian Reader AMonge the manyfolde and subtile policies that the newe broched Diuines I meane such as haue crept out of the schoole of Thomas Aquinas Iohn Duns Occham Dorbell and such other Doctors haue deuised for the maintenance and vpholding of their kingdome there was neuer any one of more efficacie and force for that purpose than to haue the people kept from reading the holye Scriptures of God in their owne proper tongue and language And yet bicause they shoulde haue other matter ynough to occupye their heades and eyes vppon they inuented a booke called the golden Legende the authour whereof vndoubtedly had both a leaden mouth and an yron face as Lodouicus Viues a learned Spaniarde did very well perceyue and testifie To this they ioyned their Festiuall and such like bookes or to vse their owne terme more truely than they doe bible babble stuffed with most monstrous and impudent forgeries some of them so dishonest that it woulde and did abhorre manye christians eares to heare them And to this ende also they sette vp in euerye Church and Chappell such blockishe and stony schoolemaisters as coulde and did teach nothing else but lightnesse and vanitie lyes and errours And to be briefe whatsoeuer mannes ydle braine coulde deuise whatsoeuer anye Monke or Friers grosse Minerua could forge or inuent though it were no better than Amadis de Gaule the foure sonnes of Amon the tales of Robin Hoode and such other like fables yet were they thought very trimme and gaye geare to occupie the peoples eares withall Yea had they bene more fabulous than these if more might haue bene they shoulde haue bene borne and suffred rather than the holy Scriptures in such a tongue as the people might haue vnderstoode For this cause whosoeuer in consideration that the people were thus led about in the blinde mases of mannes inuentions woulde haue translated any péece of Scripture or other fruitefull treatise into the Englishe tongue for their vtilitie and edification he and all his wrytings were iudged to be burned as Hereticall For say they the laye people had bookes good ynough for them set open in euerye Church meaning their carued and painted Puppetrie and woulde suffer them to reade vppon none other Then also were hatched and maintained such straunge paradoxes and opinions as these Ignorance is the mother of deuotion The Scriptures make heretikes The Church cannot erre The laye folke must not medle with Scriptures We will beleue as our forefathers haue done meaning those that liued not past thrée or fower ages before and such as had bene fedde with like acornes and swill as they had bene vsed to and had neuer tasted one morsell of the swéete breade of Gods eternall and liuely worde And although these things be well ynough knowne vnto the learned so that they néede no such slender remembrances as these of mine are yet for the vnlearneds sake for whose cause I chiefely tooke paines to put this booke in Englishe I will shewe by Gods helpe both by Scriptures apparaunt reasons and auncient Doctors that these newe Doctors in this doing wrought altogither agaynst Gods forbode And yet woulde I haue no man to looke that I shoulde fully shewe and declare all the testimonies that might be brought for proofe of any part of my triple diuision For so might I write not an aduertisement for the vnskilfull but a worke and treatise which in quantitie might match or excéede the translation it selfe As touching Scriptures the newe Doctors and we also agrée herein that whatsoeuer is in eyther of the Testaments the olde or the new concerning good maners and holy conuersation it all serueth indifferentlye for all times and ages Therfore of consequence it must also serue for vs But in the olde Testament the fathers taught their children and families the lawes and rules of both the Tables that is to say their duties aswell vnto God as vnto man Ergo we also must doe the like Moses receyued the commaundementes to teache them to the people which he faithfullye and trulye did appoynting them to trayne and bring vp their youth and posteritie in the same not onely making them to learne them by rote like Dawes Pyes and Popingayes but opening and declaring vnto them the sense and meaning aswell of their Feastes and holye dayes which God did institute as of their sacramentes of Circumcision and Passeouer These be his wordes Harken ô Israel the Lorde our God is Lorde onely Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine hart and with all thy soule and with all thy might And these wordes
which I commaunde thee this daye shall be in thine heart And thou shalt shewe them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thyne house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hande and they shall be as frontlets betweene thine eyes and thou shalt wryte them vpon thy postes and vpon thy gates And in the same chapter it foloweth further And when thy sonne asketh thee in time to come saying what meaneth these testimonies ordinaunces and lawes which the Lorde God hath commaunded you Then shalt thou saye vnto thy sonne wee were Pharaos bondmen in Egipt and the Lorde brought vs out of Egypt with a mightye hande And the Lorde shewed signes and woonders great and euill vpon Egipt vpon Pharao and vpon all his housholde before our eyes And brought vs out from thence to bring vs in and to giue vs the lande which hee sware vnto our fathers c. The holy prophet Dauid also speaking of the same commaundement of God declared by the mouth of Moses sayth Heare my lawe ô my people enclyne your eares vnto the wordes of my mouth I will open my mouth in a Parable I will declare hard sentences of olde Which we haue hearde and knowne and such as our fathers haue tolde vs That wee shoulde not hide them from the children of the generations to come but to shewe the honour of the Lorde his mightie and wonderfull workes that he hath done He made a couenaunt with Iacob and gaue Israel a lawe which he commaunded our forefathers to teach their children that their posteritie might knowe it and the children that were yet vnborne To the intent that when they came vp they might shewe their children the same Here mayst thou sée O good Reader that the true Christians and faythfull among the Israelytes as they were commaunded euen so they taught and instructed their families and children in the wayes and works of the lord So that of them it coulde not be verified as yet that they had shut vp the kingdome of heauen from menne neyther â—ntring in themselues neyther suffring other that woulde neyther thâ—t they were blinde leaders oâ— the blinde For those broodes of Phariseyes Saduceyes and Essenes were not hatched till many hundred yeares after which when Christ came had turned godlynesse into gaine and religion into rechelesnesse as the like swarmes of religious commonly called but in déede most superstitious did amongst vs and yet doe where they are still suffered And bicause they feare that the Lord in his zeale wil whip such wicked merchants as they are out of his Church in all places as it appeareth very well he doth dailye his name be glorifyed therefore this maketh them to storme fret and fume and to take counsayle against the Lorde and against his annointed This maketh them stirre coales and to play Rex this causeth them to imprison to hang to drawe to drowne to burne to cut mens tongues out to gagge them that they shall not speake to banishe and proscribe séeing they can no longer prescribe but verily all in vaine for as much as there is no wisedome counsayle or deuise that can preuayle against the Lorde But let vs returne to the holy prophet Dauid whose sayings and testimonies bicause they haue alwayes bene of such worthy estimation in the Church of God let vs bring yet furthermore to confyrme the truth of our assertion In the .lxxxj. psalme he bringeth in God thus speaking to the people of Israel Heare ô my people and I assure thee ô Israel if thou wilt hearken vnto mee there shall no straunge god c. If God speake here to all the people in generall high and lowe riche and poore one with another then of congruence belongeth it to all people in generall to hearken and carie awaye what is sayde But howe shall they heare if they haue not his worde marke his saying If thou wilt harken And it must be vnto him we must harken For whosoeuer speaketh not as he doth must not be hearde though it were an Aungell from heauen as Paule sayth yea if Christ woulde come and preach any other Gospell than he hath already preached we ought not as some of the olde writers saye to heare him Howe much lesse then ought we to harken what these newe Gospellers say who speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contorted wrested and peruerse things altogither repugnant to Gods worde and saying The prophetes also in all their sermons and writings crie vnto the people audite verbum domini heare the worde of the Lorde Loe here is no state or degrée no age or sexe excluded but all must heare For populus and turba as is often read in the olde and newe Testament comprehende promiscuam multitudinem the whole multitude one with another Therfore no sort is excepted from hearing But me thinketh I heare what one of these new Diuines replyeth Sir sayth he when did we forbid any kinde of persons from hearing our Sermons No in déede but when men came to heare you they coulde not heare the worde of the Lorde but doctrines that were the preceptes of men wherewith Christ sayth you worship him in vaine It had bene somewhat tollerable to haue forbidden men the reading of the Scriptures so that you had taught them nothing but the scriptures as you ought to haue done But to preach your owne fantasies and inuentions and to forbidde men to search the scriptures which Christ so earnestly commaundeth them to doe was too too presumpteous for a seruant to doe against his Lordes commaundement Howbeit you saye Christ and the Pope haue but one Consistorye and therefore bicause he commaundeth it you thinke you may safely doe it But S. Paule aunswereth all these pretie obiections at once saying Bee yee not the seruants of men Howbeit hereto you will say the Pope is not purus homo a pure man And that I am sure all that knowe what he is will easilye graunt you Surely S. Paule was so little offended that the Thessalonians searched the Scriptures to sée whether his preaching agréed therewith yea or no that he rather much liked and commended them for their doing But you in no poynt resemble Paules condicions but in persecuting Christ his Church The same Dauid likewise in his .xix. Psalme hath matter ynough though there were none other any where else both to prooue howe necessarye the worde of God is for all men to knowe and also to aunswere the obiections of all our newe Diuines The lawe of the Lorde sayth he is an vndefiled or perfite lawe conuerting the soule The testimonie of the Lorde is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple He calleth the lawe perfyte to aunswere those controllers which saye the Scriptures are not sufficient and therefore haue forged a sort of vnwritten verities so they call them
which they haue matched in authoritie with the Scriptures and haue commaunded men payne of death to receyue and beléeue them before the Scriptures He sayth iâ— conâ—erteth or turneth the soule that is to say it maketh him that readeth them a newe man a repentant person a faythfull beléeuer and a godly liuer So farre it is from peruerting or corrupting any godly student thereof He calleth it a sure and faithfull testimonie of the Lorde whereas mannes policies councels and deuises are alwayes vncertaine chaungeable and vnsure It giueth wisedome vnto the simple Why then shoulde they be kept from it Uerily this hath bene Gods practise in all ages as appeareth by all hystories that he hath reuealed his worde and will to no kinde of people sooner than vnto those that are simple as may be séene by those thankes that our Sauiour Christ gaue to God his father in the behalfe of his Disciples being but simple Clarkes saying I thanke thee O God fathâ—r of heauen and earth for that thou hast hidden these things verilye the vnderstanding of his kingdome from the wise that is to saye the great Doctors in their owne conceyte and in the worldes iudgement and hast reuealed them vnto the simple that is to the vnlearned and despysed wightes of this worlde For so doth Chrysostome expounde the wordes Rusticall people and Ideotes sayth he â–ª were illuminated persons of small account in the worlde or in the knowledge of God but not of obstinacie but ignoraunce If our new Diuines would admit these sayings of Christ and Chrysostome they shoulde soone perceyue how vnchristianly they speake and also howe vnlyke the olde Doctors whyle they raue and fare so fowle wyth poore Artificers and Craftesmen whome it hath pleased God in these dayes so to enriche with his spirite that when they haue bene called before these our newe Rabbines they haue shewed more true Diuinitie than all the whole Sinagoge of them were able I report me to Eusebius Ecclesiasticall hystory and to our owne entituled the Actes and Monumentes of the Church But Dauid goeth on saying The statutes of the Lorde are right and reioyce the heart the commaundement of the Lorde is pure and giueth light to the eyes The feare of the Lorde is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgementes of the Lorde are true and righteous altogither More to be desired are they than golde yea than much fine golde sweeter also than hony and the bony combe Moreouer by them is thy seruant taught What I warraunt you this olde Diuine Dauid neuer ment that they taught eyther heresie or error In diuers other places of his Psalter maye be séene the earnest exhortations that he maketh to all the people to heare the worde of God as in the .xlix. Psalme O heare ye this all ye people ponder it with your eares all ye that dwell in the worlde High and lowe rich and poore one with another What shoulde they heare euen that that immediately followeth howe his mouth shall speake of wisedome and his heart muse of vnderstanding Here are none excluded from hearing what Dauid shall say but such as dwell in Vtopia The Diuines therefore that will barre any dwellers in this worlde from hearing or reading of Dauid must there go preache this doctrine Agayne Wherewithall shall a yong man clense his waye euen by ruling himselfe after thy worde Againe Thy worde is a lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my pathes Againe When thy worde goeth forth it giueth light and vnderstanding euen vnto the simple Againe Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the worlde yong men and maydens olde men and children prayse the name of the Lord. Here by an enumeration of al states and degrées sexes and ages may we sée that none are secluded from praysing the Lorde which then is done moste acceptablye when we sing prayse vnto him as the same Dauid sayth with vnderstanding which vnderstanding we can not haue without his worde Infynite more places there be in the Psalter to this effect as the diligent Reader thereof shall finde whereof this is one verye notable and therefore not to be omitted Out of the mouthes of very babes sucklings hast thou ordeyned strength that thou mightest still the enimy and the auenger It is the more notable for that Christ alleageth it in the .xxj. of Mathewe agaynst the Scribes and Phariseyes in defence of the people which so thankefully welcommed and receyued him into Ierusalem in the same sense that it is here brought for But let vs nowe come to the testimonies of the newe Testament Our Sauiour Christ hauing to doe with those Iewes which of all other in the worlde at that time most gloried in the knowledge of God and his religion bicause they had Bishoppes whose succession they coulde shewe by order euen from Aaron and therefore had antiquitie ynough hauing Scribes Phariseyes Sadduceyes Essenes Nobles Communes and all the worlde on their side yet did he plainly tell them that they erred and were deceyued for that they vnderstoode not the Scriptures For to the Sadduceyes which allowed no part of the olde Testament but the bookes of Moses denying the resurrection for that they imagined if there were any men shoulde knowe their wiues as they had before done in the worlde as appeareth by their captious and foolishe demaunde Christ aunswered yee erre not vnderstanding the Scriptures and power of God. Where we maye plainely learne that ignoraunce in the Scripture is the cause of error contrary to these newe Diuines assertion that saye Ignorance is the mother of deuotion Whereas true deuotion cannot be without the true vnderstanding of Gods will and his will by no meanes ordinary can be vnderstanded but by his worde Therefore to auoyde errour it is moste méete that people haue the Scriptures to search and vnderstande the will of God by Another time hauing to doe with the Phariseyes also as these two sectes of men were the greatest assaylantes that Christ euer had whereby we learne it is no newe practise that they most persecute Christes Church that challenge most authoritie and learning in the same he bade them for that they séemed to haue such exact knowledge in the worde of God and yet knew not that he was that Messias and Sauiour that God had promised them to search better in the Scriptures and they shoulde finde that the Scriptures in all places did testifye and beare witnesse that he was the same Whereby Christ plainly giueth vs to vnderstande that without the Scriptures we cannot truly knowe him These two places declare sufficiently howe necessarye the Scriptures are for all that will knowe Christ. We will adde two other testimonies to shewe howe profitable they are S. Paule in his Epistle to the Romaines sayth Whatsoeuer thinges haue bene written afore time they haue bene written for our learning that through pacience and comfort of the Scriptures we might haue hope They are
and troubles of all Christendome doth not only liue in peace hir selfe but also is a most safe sanctuarie for forreyners and straungers resorting to hir from all places Therefore great and weightie causes as me thinketh haue mooued me most honourable and my especiall good Lordes to dedicate this my labour and traueyle vnto you wherein according to the grace of God bestowed vppon mee I haue gone about to open and make plaine that booke which describeth the fiâ—st countenaunce and looke of that Church that is called the primitiue Church wyth the proceedings encrease and whole estate of the same a president wherof I see you haue followed with no lesse industrie and diligence than good and happie successe Which president if they shall follow which shall suceede you in gouernement of the common weale they shall both see howe you haue done nothing rashly and on a head and shall also perceyue themselues woonderfully pricked forwarde to obserue and keepe with all their power that fourme and order of a refourmed Church and Religion that they shall receyue of you And surely it shall be verie profitable to meditate oftentymes by what meanes and beginnings our auncestours deuised such an order and fourme both of Church and common weale For in so doing they shall neyther regarde slaunderers which maliciously depraue thinges done well and godlily neyther shall they be turned from the truth for anye stormes of persecution or threates of the worlde that may aryse It is also profitable manye tymes to talke of these thinges before the people which as they are ledde most commonly with things present so doe they easily forget thinges passed and gone and verie seldome thinke of things to come Therefore they allow not the deuises of the Magistrates but when they see them ioyned eyther with present profite or cleere of perilles and daunger For as soone as daunger once appeareth they finde fault and lacke of wisedome and equitie in those whose councels they ought faythfullye to set forward and obey But if they did vnderstande that their rulers had God for the authour and guyder of their drifts and deuises and that they did whatsoeuer they did according to their duetie then surelye they woulde learne more religiously to iudge of their rulers and more easilye to obey them and woulde not so sodenly bee mooued and turned at euerye rumour of daunger arysing Surely this was the thing that I chiefly ment and intended when I began openly to reade this booke to the flocke of Christ among you and to publishe and set abroade that which I had openly spoken and declared For I sawe that the state of this age waxing euery day woorse and woorse was such that it was most nedefull continually to pervse the bookes of holy scripture and to sette before the people the examples of the primitiue Church conteyned in the same that they shoulde not be deceyued with the gloses of such as vnder a false colour and pretence of antiquitie burthen vs with newe errours and accuse those thinges of noueltie which graue and godly menne haue restored vnto vs out of the worde of god Accept therefore these my labours mine honourable and good Lordes with such fauour as you haue manye yeares borne vnto the truth and vnto mee and manye other my fellowes and coparteners euen from our childehoode Continue your good will vnto the students of diuinitie holde on your accustomed humanitie and gentlenesse toward the pilgrimes and banished for Christes sake abide in the mainteyning of your lawes and correcting of the peoples maners in enhaunceing vertuous exercises and in bridling wickednesse with iustice In many places the horrible contempt of God reigneth Diuers doe wickedly reiect the wholesome benefite of Gods worde and the knowledge of christ Charitie in most men waxeth chill and fayth fayleth euerie day by little and little Iniquitie aboundeth and newe croppes of naughtinesse dayly encrease God therefore being angrie â–ª threatneth vs with punishment and feareth the world with woonders monsters and horrible vprores of kingdomes And yet will he neuer fayle them which abyde and continue in promoting his glorie defende the Church of his Christe and according to the measure of their vocation perseuere in doing their duetie He shall blesse your labours and gouerne your councels by his spirite he shall blesse all your people so that they shall of their owne accorde obey your wholesome lawes and moste happilye enioye the gladsome benefite of euangelicall peace He shall blesse your whole Church so that it shall go forwarde euerie day more and more in the doctrine of godlinesse To him who is the onely Lorde of Lordes the immortall and euerlasting God be blessing honour power and glorie for euer Amen Giuen at Zurich in your famous and chiefe Citie of Heluetia the first daye of August in the yeare of oure Lorde 1557. ⧠Ioannes Parkhurstus Anglus Episcopus Nordouicensis Multa relucenti debent haec tempora Lucae Et debet Lucas multa Rodolphe tibi Lux Lucae luxit totum diffusa per orbem Lux Lucae lucet nunc magè luce tua Ergo tibi Lucae tantum qui luminis adfers Christus cum Luca lucida regna dabit Eiusdem aliud ad Lectorem Quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuerint Apostolorum Qui ritus veteres apudque Patres Et quot discere Lector est ne cordi Huc adsis auido legantur ore Haec quae scripta vides pererudita Sacris eruta scripta quaeque libris Aut è Patribus eruta Orthodoxis Quae multo peperit tibi labore Gualtherus pietate clarus atque Doctrina patriae decus suaeque Praefulgens celebres habendus inter Scriptores potes id negare Liuor Laudes quid memorare pergo plures Vino vendibili haud opus virente Est suspensa hedera Liber loquatur ¶ A Table of the chiefe wordes and things expounded in these Homelies and Annotations A A ante A. AAron and hys chyldren chosen to be ministers Pag. 67. A ante B. Abelles fayth what it was Pag. 853. Abnegation or denying of our selfe is the beginning of Christianitie Pag. 367. Abraham is an example of the obedience of fayth 295. Abraham pleased God wythout the ceremonialles 293. Abraham is in manye daungers after he came into the lande of promyse 297. Abrahams faythe is stedfast althoughe hee bee tryed dyuers wayes ibidem Abrahams singuler faythe is sette forth ibidem Abraham what GOD dyd with him after hee came into the lande of promise ibidem Abrahams faythe in all aduersities is vpholden by Gods promyse onely ibidem A ante C. Actes of the Apostles instructe all states and degrees of men wyth examples Pag. 4. Actes of the Apostles commende the truth and Maiestie of the propheticall Oracles of vtility necessitie dignitie and Maiestie 2 Actes wherewith it begynneth the hystorie 1. A ante D. Adam was a christian 852. Adams sinne depryued vs of lyfe Pag. 119. Admiration of Gods workes is necessary 157 Admonitions out of Gods words are needefull
Contentions of the Iewes with the Apostles 550. Contention about iustification before the Apostles 594. Conuersion of Paule whye it is so dyligently descrybed 399. The hystorie of Paules conuersion Pag. 857. Conuersion what effect it bringeth Pag. 625. Conuersion hath hir begynning of God. 786. Conuersion cōsisteth in three points Pag. 625. The maner of true conuersion 787. An example of true conuersion Pag. 375. The duetyes of those that are conuerted 787. Corinthe what manner of Citie it was 677. Cornelius compared with the souldiours of our dayes 427. Cornelius obedience 431. Cornelius calling 428. Corne throwne into the Sea. 885. Corporall absence of Christ hindereth not the faythfull 124. Corporall presence of Christ is none vpon the earth 38. Corporall presence of Christ wrongfullye maynteyned in the supper confuted by arguments 38. No corporall presence of Christ vppon earth after his ascention ibidē No neede of Christes corporall presence vpon earth 8. They that defende the corporall presence of Christ in the supper denie the veritie of his body 11. Correction in religion is necessarye  Corruption of our nature 531. Man is subiect to corruption 541. Corpses why they were washed in tymes passed  Counsell of the Priestes Scribes Pag. 794. An example of an antichristian counsell 796. The counsels decree agaynst the Apostles 206. Counsell gathered in the holy ghost Pag. 598. A Paterne and fourme of a lawfull counsell 250. Counselles of the Pope descrybed Pag. 196. Counsell called to wythstande the Apostles 249. The question asked in the Priestes counsell 198. What the Popes counsels are 794. Ministers must not bee commytted to antichristian counsels 778.779 How Papistes deale with the faythfull in their counsels 598. Counsell howe to make an vnitie betweene the Iewes and Gentiles 601. Counsell of the elders discussed 771. The ende of mannes counsell is not happie 771.772 The counselles of God are daungerous to search 555. The counselles of God can not bee hindered by mannes deuise 251. The counsels of men agaynst Christ are but vayne 204. The counsell of the souldyours to kyll the prysoners 886. Couetousnesse pulleth the mynde from God. 631. Couetousnesse commonlye maketh men the enimies of truth 631. Couetousnesse in Ministers is to be condempned 756. Paule disswadeth from couetousnesse by his owne example ibidem Couetousnesse in the Church is a great euill 804. Couetousnesse howe hurtefull it is Pag. 631.632 Howe couetousnesse robbeth God of his honor 370. Cowardly feare 25. C ante R. Craft and subtiltie in Steuens accusers 289.291 Craft of the enimies of truth  Craft of Sathan 588. Creple or lame man heareth the gosple and beleeueth 565. Creple from his mothers wombe healed through the power of God. Pag. 151. Creple miraculously healed 566. Creples state most miserable 565. Crosse must Christians beare after Christes example 206. The crosse and slaunderous death is no token of Gods wrath 490. The crosse is not one of the least notes of Christs church 415. The crosses standarde is the tryumph of the faythfull 253.254 The crosse must not offend vs. 647. C ante V. Curious and vnprofitable questions 27.28 Curiositie a great euill 27. Custome of GOD in punishing of sinners 59. Custome must gyue place to y word of God. 442. D. D ante A. DAmascus delyuereth Paule out of daunger 411. Day of refreshing 174. Day of restitution 175. What is the great day of the Lorde Pag. 97. Dauyd prophecied of Christ bicause he was a Prophet 121. Dauid reported to haue fulfilled all the wyll of God in what sence Pag. 529. Dauids authoritie among the Iewes Pag. 121. Dauids prophecie touching Christs ascention declared 125. Dauids prophecie touching Christs resurrection declared 123. Dauids prophecie concerning christ Pag. 122. Dauid praysed 529. Dauids sinnes reprooued by the worde of God. 129. Dauids persecutions are figures of Christes persecutions 59. D ante E. In what state the dead are 541. Deacons openly elected 66. Deacons of the Church dyd sometime Minister 286. Deacons who ought to bee what maner of men 278. Deacons vppon what occasion they were ordeyned 274. Deacons howe they were chosen at the begynning 66.67 c. Deacons of the church 280. Deacons instituted in the Primitiue churches haue three commodities Pag. 283. Death is not the destruction of the fleshe and body 116.117 Death of Christ was voluntarie Pag. 380. Death is a rest or quiet 117. Death hath no power vpō the soule Pag. 116. Death is an enterance into the kingdome of heauen 355.356 Death is a ioyfull thyng 116. Decins after he had shed the bloude of the Martyrs dyed in a barbarous Country with hys Sonne where his body could not be found to be buried 301. Decree of the Synode apostolike declared 608. Decree renewed for the not preaching of Christ. ibidem Deceyuers vse to chalenge godlye honor 570.571 Degrees of dignitie among christians are not abolished 292. Deliuerie out of Egypt cyted by Paule 525. The delyuered must ascrybe the glorie vnto God. 496. The delyuered out of one trouble must prepare them to an other Pag. 810. The duetie of the delyuered out of daunger and trouble 167. Death of the godly expressed by this worde sleeping 355. Death is but a sleepe 356. Death is a passage into heauen ibidē The causes of Christes death 108. The effect of Christes death 111. Death of Christ is included in hys resurrection 64. Death is to be considered 541.746 Death and the Deuill conquered by Christ. 381. The rest after death is grounded vpon hope 117.118 Death must not be procured 638. Death of Christ must not offend vs. Pag. 535. Death must not offende vs. 381. Deade Corpses must bee decentlye buryed 358. Deade men canonized deface the merite of Christ. 359. Deuill what hee maye doe by Gods permission but not of hys owne absolute power 364. Deuils notable pollicie 809. D ante I. Diana called Multiniamia or the nourisher of all thyngs 722. Dianas Image come downe from heauen 726. Difference betwene Saule and Dauyd 529. Difference of the olde and newe Testament 95. Difference betweene Christ and ministers 22. Difference betweene the doctrine of Iohn and Christ. 698. Difference betweene the godlye and vngodly 494. Dignitie of the Ministerie of the church 623. Dignitie of all men is one before God. 601. Dyligence of Herode in watchyng Peter 490. Dioclosian Maximinian and Galerius persecuting the Church are destroyed of God. 301. Disobedience layde to the Apostles charge 256. Disobedience reprehended 878. Disobedience punished 875. Discipline in the Church taught by the Apostles 3. Discipline in the church necessarie Pag. 150. Discipline at the Table 883. Disciples of Christ comforted by aungels 41. Disciples after hys ascension desyre styll his bodily presence 38. Disciples reprehended of the Aungels 38. Disciple what the name teacheth vs. Pag. 419. Disciples at Ierusalem afrayde of Paule 412. Dissention workers 588. Dissentiōs no cause why we should doubt of our saluation 588.589 Dissention in religion must not offende vs. 592.593 Dissention betweene Paule Barnabas 612. D
neuer forsaketh his seruauntes in daunger 349 God hath a rare of those that are his Pag. 834 God tryeth the faythe and pacience of his people 297 God aydeth his seruaunts when they are afflicted 308 Goddes singuler goodnes towardes men 151 Gods knowledge where it muste be sought 665 Gods counsell and vsage letting hys enemyes many tymes runne so farre that it might seeme they had theyr purpose 392 Goddes counselles cannot bee hindred 266 God described of his Omnipotencie Pag. 320 God giueth vs whatsoeuer goodnes is in vs. 308 God alone is the auctour of miracles 161 GODS wonderfull goodnesse Pag. 495.561 Gods goodnes toward synners that repent 761 Gods singuler goodnes speakinge frendly to his enemies 790 Gods goodnes takinge Paule his cruell enemyâ— into fauour againe Pag. 359 Gods iudgements must not be to far waded in 672 Gods vsage in punishing the wycked 207 Gods proper woork is to saue men Pag. 319 Gods wonderfull power against the wicked 212 Gods power in delyuering his people 643 Gods power is inuincible 816 Gods power in defeating his enemies deuises 318 Gods prouidence how it ought to comfort vs in daungers 315 Gods prouidence preserueth the godly in daunger 557 Gods prouidence stretcheth to all aages 315 Gods seruauntes are not ignoraunt of the Lords will. 542 GOD can easely delyuer his people out of daunger and make theyr enemies theyr defendours Pag. 261 God must not bee prescribed in any thing 35 God must be let alone with the successe of all our doings 583 How much we bee bounde to God. Pag. 904 God onely must be worshipped and honoured 891 Gods for defendours and patrones Pag. 668 Goddes can not bee made by men Pag. ibidem New Goddes 343 God Maozim 666 God Remphan 342 GOD'S right hande what it is Pag. 35 Gods right hand 126 God deferreth his helpe but taketh it not vtterly away 497 Godhead of Christ abolisheth not his manhode 39 Godhead and manhod of Christ and the vse thereof 107 Godlynes of the people of Berrhea Pag. 657 Godlynes commended 613 Who are truly godly 789 Godly morne at Paules departure Pag. 758 Godly and religious who be 87.88 Godly men muste defende and delyuer Ministers of the woorde Pag. 411 Godly men are not bounde by pacience to yeld to the vngodlyes pleasure 841 Godly liue not without glorye Pag. 758 Godly yelde vnto reason 471 Godlyes estate 493 Godly haue imperfections 101 Godly are feared with the presence of Goddes maiestie 426.427 Godlyes sayinges 269 God directeth the tribulations of the godly to his glory 841 God alwaye ioyneth with them that take part with the godlye in their daungers 731 Godly being circumuented with false iudgementes maye seeke meanes to escape so it maye bee done without preiudice of the truth 805 Goodes of monasteries wherevnto they ought to serue 372.373 Good can wee none do except we bee drawne of God. 320. Gospelles excellencie of Doctryne Pag. 247 Gospels ende in Preaching 674 Gospels course hindred by Simon Magus 363 Gospell is called the grace of God. Pag. 549 Gospell no cause of publyke miserye and calamitie 363 Gospell in what persones it bringeth foorth worthy frute 88 Gospell first preached to the Iewes Pag. 532 Gospell no cause of dissension or lycensiouse lyuing 76 Gospell can not bee Preached without contradiction 661 Gospell neuer Preached in vayne Pag. 649 Gospell teacheth vs our saluatioÌ„ perfitly 7 Gospell howe it is the kingdome of God. 870 Gospell can not bee preached without tribulation 403 Gospell or preaching of Christe called the wonderfull woorkes of God by the Apostles 85.86 Gospell is called the woorde of lyfe of grace of reconciliacion and is beautified wyth dyuerse other names in the Scriptures c. Pag. 247.248 Gospels course is most prosperous Pag. 763 Gospels worthinesse 277 Gospell why it is euill spoken of Pag. 194 Gospelles dygnitie and efficacie c. Pag. 461 Gospell is set furth in the myddle of tribulacions 553 Gospell is no new Doctryne 852 Gospell howe it ought to be preached Pag. 408 Gospelles ende and vse 860 Gospells ende is the obedience of fayth 297.298 Gospelles happie successe 283 Gospelles enemyes reiected by gods iust iudgement 427 Gospells greatest prayse what is Pag. 367 Gospell beginneth in Iohn 450 Gospell begynneth with the rebuking of sinne â—08 Gospell preached is a stombling stone vnto men 89 Gospel preached and confirmed with myracles by the Apostles of Christ Pag. 149 Gospelles preaching what it comprehendeth in it 184 The right trade of the Gospell preaching 900 Gospelles case or estate 900.901 The summe of the gospell 864 Gospell witnessed by the holy ghoste â–ª and by the Apostles 264 Gospell truely described 413 Gospell called a light and a sworde in what sence 129 Gospelles vse and effecte 79 Gospell must haue threates mixed emong 546 Gospell despisers fall from grace Pag. 336 Gospell gaynesaying howe wicked a thing it is 31 Gospell teacheth not libertie of the fleshe 78 G ante R Grace is gyuen vs in Chryst Iesu. Pag. 543 Grace of god is not tyed to Sacraments 463 Grace of god to miserable sinners Pag. 43 Grace of god and merite of workes cannot stande togyther 596 Grace or thankes gyuing is taught 895. Grace or thankesgyuing for goddes bountie and liberalitie Pag. 114. and 115 Gratitude or thankfulnes 653 Gratitude or kyndnes of Lydia to the Apostles 626 Gratitude or kyndnes of Christians Pag. 205 Gratitude in the people of Malta Pag. 892 Gratitude or kyndnes in Pharao Pag. 311 Greekes make a muttering bycause their Widowes were not releeued wyth the Almes of the Churche Pag. 275 H ante A HArtes must be purified 595 and .596 Hatred of goddes worde how farre it proceedeth 768 Hatred of truth is very bitter 819 Who haue the Lorde before theyr eyes 113.114 Who haue after the meaning of scripture  H ante E Hearers of Paule 841.842 Hearers of diuers kindes 548 Hearers of all nations 87 Hearers of Christes doctrine who bee meetest 88 Hearers of Goddes woorde who Pag. 378 Hebrewes what they vnderstande by this worde Inferi or hell 117 Herisie beginners sinne against the order of nature 667 Heretike who is and who is not Pag. 823 Heretiks how they must be confuted Pag. 826 Henoches fayth-what it was 853 Herordes Agrippa beginneth a persecution 488 Herod desireth to be worshippped as God. 505 Herode molesteth them that border vpon him 503 Herode howe hee was affected at Gods miracle ibidem Herode howe hee persecuted the Church 490 Herodes destruction 505 H ante I Hierusalem why it serued to so godly a purpose beeing so wicked and neere destruction 17 Hierusalem an ensample howe true Gods promises be 17 Hieeusalem in glory and power excelled all other cities 16 Hierusalems sinne and destruction Pag. ibidem At Hierusalem the Apostles receyued the holy Ghost ibidem At Hierusalem beginneth the preaching of the Gospell ibidem Histories of the Bible settâ— out the contemplacion of the inuincible God. 1 The ende of the historie of the Apostles 919 Historie of the olde
the Apostles touching Christes kingdom on earth Pag. 24 Question of the priestes in the councell at Ierusalem 198 R ante E. REdemption in Christe belongeth to all men 78 RedemptioÌ„ of maÌ„ how it was made 455 Regarde muste bee had more of the church theÌ„ of priuate matters 611 Reformation how it may truely bee made 3 Reformacion may haue errours and whereof they spring ibid. Refutacion of such obiections as the people of Lystra might haue made against the Apostles 573 Religion without knowledge of god is nothing 665 Religion standeth not in outward ceremonies but in faith wherby we take hold of the grace of god 313 ReligioÌ„ corrupted must be abolished and true planted 572 Religion may be found in souldiours Pag. 432 Religion is not subiect to councelles Pag. 818 Religion must not be estemed after the multitude auctoritie of men ibi Religion dependeth not on mannes Iudgement 47 Religion beloÌ„geth to god alone 767 Religion is certen and not to bee suspected of obscuritie 838 Religion must not bee iudged by the successe falling out therof 268 Religion can not man rightly walke in except hee be guyded by the spirit of God. 339 Religion muste the Magistrate haue care of 690 Religions shewing vs any other saluatioÌ„ then in Christ ar al false 202 Reliques of Christ and of the faythfull what they are 422 Remission of sinnes is the benefyte of gods grace onely 303 Remission of sinnes in the name of Christ. 458 Remission of sinnes is gyuen vs in Christ. 543 Repentance of the wicked 642 Repentance muste bee vrged by feare of the latter day 674 Repentance must be done as god appointed by his woorde and not after our brayne 788 Repentance after transgression openeth the way to saluation 131 Repentaunce what it is ibid. RepeÌ„tance wherof it consisteth ibid. Repentance and forgyuenes of sinne preached in Christes name seemeth a thing intollerable to the worlde Pag. 270 Repentaunce cause efficient in man what it is 259 Repentance in hir partes 131 Repentaunce howe God gyueth it Pag. 472 Reprehensions without Christs spirit are cold 680 Reprobates can not heare the worde of Christ. 548 Reprobates manners and condicions and how they must bee dealt with Pag. 710 Resurrection of Christe defended Pag. 536 Resurrection of Christ is the foundacion of fayth and of doctrine Apostolike 12 Resurrection of Christ a thing moste approued ibid. Resurrection of Christ why it was so diligently confirmed 11 ResurrectioÌ„ of christ the accomplishment of our redemption 65 Resurrection of Christ why it is confirmed with so many and so sounde argumentes 111 Resurrection declareth the glory of the children of God. 540 Resurrection of the dead ought not to bee thought incredible 854 Resurrection of the dead is vniuersall 823 Resurrection proueth the certayntie and maiestie of Christes kingdome Pag. 11 ResurrectioÌ„ of al other articles most repeated of the Apostles 223 Resurrection of Christ diligently defended 12 ResurrectioÌ„ of the body what ample fruite it hath in it 118 Resurrection scoffers what we maye iudge of them 13 Resurrection scorners take away all fayth and the misteries of mennes saluation 13.14 Resurrections vse and meditacion Pag. 14 Resurrection preached what it comprehendeth in it 65 Resurrection is certayne 117 Resurrection goeth before lyfe euerlasting 118.119 ResurrectioÌ„ of Christ ouercommeth sinne and death and restoreth saluacion vnto man. 12 ResurrectioÌ„ proueth Iesus to be the Messias 1â—3 R ante I Rites of the primitiue Churche in choosing of Priestes 584 Rites and order of the Lordes Supper must not be altered 140 Riches of the wycked are accursed Pag. ibid. Riche mennes dutie 891 R ante O Romayne church iustely forsaken of Christian men 797 Romaine Church woorshippers are vnwoorthy to bee accompted of the Church 188 Romish Prelates may lawfully bee spoken agaynst 293 Romes destruction and misery 60 Romanistes say the church of Rome can not erre 281 Romaine Antichrist must bee reprehended for the merchandize hee vseth in religion 372 Romaine brethren go to meete Paul. Pag. 894 Romaines diligence in administring of Iustice. 870 Romaine Bishoppes presumptuousnes reprehended 335 Romaine Bishops pryde 468 Romaine Bishoppes Supremacie ridiculous 417 S ante A SAbboth keepinge and breakynge Pag. 733.734 Sabbothes must bee reuerentlye kept 521 Sabbothes how they should bee obserued and kept holy 647 Sabboth obseruances and comming to the church 521 Sacramentall speech 304.791 Sacramentes instituted of god must not be contempned 291 Sacramentes are â—eales of Goddes promises and benefites 23 Sacramentall wordes and misteries how they ought to bee considered Pag. 304.305 Sacrament despisers 463 Sacrament despisers are destitute of fayth 385 Sacramentes and the gifts of health are giuen vs by inuocation of gods name 791 Sacramentes haue their efficacie not of the woordes of consecration but bicause of Christes institution 23 Sacramentes truly vsed in the church Pag. 348.366 Sacramentes and doctrine must goe togyther 451 Sacramentes haue not grace tyed oâ— bound to them 366 Sacrifice of Christe pourgeth oure sinnes 455 Sacrifices of Christians 667 Sacrifices how they are called purging sinnes 304.305 Sadduceyes doctrine and religion what it was 191.803 Saluation the free gift of God must be obteyned by prayer 102 Saluation dependeth vpon the meere grace and fauour of God. 133 Saluation consisteth in inuocation Pag. 102 Saluation in Christ onely 202 Saluation belongeth to the Gentyls aswell as the Iewes 423 Saluation hangeth vpon Gods prouidence 585 Saluation in our selues 578 Saluation and preseruation both of men and common weales dependeth on God. 529 Saluation by what order we maye attaine to it 393 Saluation and redemption of man confirmed with an oth 123 Saluation pardon for sinners 170 To be a disciple of Christ is the first steppe to saluation 419 Saluation by Goddes commaundement caried to the Gentiles 508 Saluation more plainely declared in the new testament than in the olde Pag. 93 Saluation is giuen to men in none other than in Christ. 897 Saluation by what meanes it is hindred and stopped 181 Saluation of others we must reioyce in 475 Samaria conuerted 362 Samaritanes giue eare to Christ and beleeue in him onely 393 Samaritanes embrace the Gospell Pag. 362 Samaritans obedience 365 Saintes and holy men haue neede to be strengthned 895 Saintes trustinesse in defending of Christ. 531 Saintes are ignorant in many things Pag. 446 Saintes how they alleadge their innocencie in priuate causes 799 Saintes how we must iudge of them Pag. 409 Saintes are subiect to mocions and affections 613 Saintes giue all glorie vnto Christ. Pag. 160 Saintes worship whereof it sprong Pag. 157 Saintes of all ages wherin they hoped 823 Saintes singuler workes must bee ascrybed to God as to the authour of them 613 Saintes flightes what they are 307 Saintes zeale and condicion 579 Saintes slippes and falles proue our corruption 25.26 Saintes patience is no dastardlinesse Pag. 481 Saintes labours are not in vaine Pag. 696 Saintes estate in this worlde 796 Saintes vertue is to obeye and beeleue God. 113
feare him 548 34. The eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous 497 37. I haue seene the vngodly in great prosperitye and flourishing lyke a greene baye tree 505 48. The Citie of the great king 18 50. Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me 115.116 50. Thinkest thou that I will eate bulles flesh and drinke the bloud of Goates 545 51. washe me throughly from myâ—e iniquitie and clense me from my sinne 545 51. Renewe in mee a right spirite 77 56. Thou haâ—t numbred my flittinges thou hast put my teares in thy bottell 328.745 58. They are as venemous as the poyson of a Serpent they bee like the deafe â—dder that stoppeth hyr eares 548 65. Blessed is the man whome thou choosest 525 68. Thou wentest vp on high thou hast ledde captiuity captiue 124 69. The zeale of thine house hath euen eaten mee 659 69. I will prayse the name of the Lorde with a songue 461 72. His domynion shall be from the one sea to the other 32 72. He shall delyuer the poore when he cryeth the afflicted c. 321 and .453 76. In Iewrie is God knowne his name is great in Israell 91.95 80. Shewe the light of thy countenaunce and we shall be saued 120 89. I haue sworne once by my holynesse that I will not fayle Dauid 24 89. My couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lyppes 298 94. He that made the eye shall he not see 300 94. In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comfortes did refreshe my soule 115 94. The Lorde seeth it not neyther doth the God of Iacob vnderstande it 253 104. Thou that makest the clowdes thy charyot 36 104. He watereth the hylles from aboue the earth is replenished with the fruite of thy workes Pag. 575. â—05 Touch not mine annoynted 142 106. They turned theyr glorye into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth haye 337.574 107. Let them giue thankes whome the Lorde hath redeemed and deliuered out of the hande of the enimie 496 110. The Lord sayde vnto my Lord sitte thou on my right hand 266 and .119.33 110. Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech 37.168.122 110. Rule thou in the myddle among thine enimies 98 113. Hee lifteth the simple out of the dust 330 116. Right deere in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his saintes Pag. 475 116. What rewarde shall I gyue vnto the Lorde for all the benefits that he hath done vnto me 461 118. The Lord is the strength of my lyfe 253 118. The same stone which the builders refused 200 119. It is better to trust in the Lord. Pag. 254 119. It is good for mee that I haue beene in miserye 101 121. I will lyft vp mine eyes vnto the hylles â–ª from whence my helpe shall come 353 123. Beholde euen as the eyes of seruaunts looke vnto the handes of theyr maysters c. 113 132. I will not enter into the tabernacle of my house 346 141. Set a watche O God before my mouth 85 146. Put not your trust in Princes Pag. 317 147. Hee declares hys worde vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israell 95 147. Hee couereth the heauen wyth clowdes and prepareth rayne for the earth 575 1 PRouerb The beginning of knowledge is the feare of the Lorde 416 2. If thou seeke after wisdome as after golde thou shalt finde hyr Pag. 88 6 The Lord hateth a false witnesse that bringeth vp lyes 354 16. Lottes are cast into the lappe but the ordering thereof standeth in Lorde 72 25. He that searcheth the maiestie of of God shall be depriued of the glorie 28 MAtthei 1. Thou shalt call hys name Iesus for he shall c. Pag. 168 3. Repent 130 3. And say not we haue Abraham to our father 350 3. This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased 202 and .449.103 5. Blessed are the poore in heart for they shall see God. 120 5. The Citie of the great King. 18 5. One iote or one title of the lawe shall not scape 335 5. If thou bringest thy gyft to the aulter and there remembrest 48 5. You shall be perfect euer as your father which is in heauen is perfect 512 5. He maketh his sonne to aryse c. Pag. 638 6. Where your treasure is there will be your heart also 632 7. Seeke and you shall finde 88 7. With what measure you meate it shall be c. 301 7. Not euerye one that sayth vnto me Lorde 94 7. Depart fro me yee that worke iniquitie 351 8. Follow me and let the deade burye the deade 511 9. Thy fayth hath made thee safe Pag. 168 10. A mans foes shall be them of his owne housholde 56.563 10. Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I also confesse before my father which is in heauen 86 10. He that receyueth you receyueth me 9.161 It is not you that speake but the spirite of your father that speaketh in you 9 10. Be you wise as Serpents 657 10. Feare ye not them which kill c. Pag. 685 10. If they persecute you in one Citye c. â—01 10. Goe not into the waye of the Gentiles 533 10. Hee that loueth father or mother more than me 591 10. It shal be gyuen you in that same hower what to speake 780 10. Come vnto mee all yee that labour sore and are laden 7 11. No man knoweth the father but the sonne 566 11. I thanke thee O Father bicause thou hast hidde these things from the wise 45.625 12. How can one enter into a strong mans house and spoyle c.  12. Out of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh 85 13. The secrets of the kingdome of Heauen 641 15. Euery planting which my heauenly father c. 342 15. It is not meete to throwe the Childrens breade vnto dogges  15. Nothing that goeth in at the mouth c. 608 15. In vaine doe they worship mee teaching doctrines preceptes of men 589 16. The gates of hell shall not preuayle against it 298 17. This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare hym 449 18. Where two or three are gathered togither in my name  20. Who so will be cheefe among you Let him be your seruaunt 39.70 and .141 21. The kindome of God shall be taken from you c. 683.552 22. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac 327 22. Giue vnto Cesar those thinges which are Cesars and vnto god those things that are Gods. 211 23. All whatsoeuer they bidde you obserue that obserue and doe 56 23. Hierusalem Hierusalem thou that killest the Prophetes 16 24. Heare is Christ or there 8 24. Ye shall heare of warres and rumoures of warres 99 25. The parable of the talentes 308 25. Enter into the ioye of thy Lord Pag. 119 25. I was harbourlesse and yet toke me in 557 27. If
Where is the promise of his comming 66â— 1. IOan 2. Let the same abyde in you which you heard from the beginning 129.588 3. Now are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what wee shall bee 540 4. Greater is he that is in you then hee that is in the world 353 4. Here in is loue not that wee loued God. 531 APocaly 3. The Epistle to those of Laodicca 660 14. Blessed are the dead whiche dye in the Lord. 313 20. The Sea shall gyue vp hir dead which are in hir 313 21. There shal bee new Heauens and a newe earth 175 22. Woorship God. 260 FINIS The first chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The first Homelie IN the former treatise deare THEOPHILVS we haue spoken of all that IESVS began to doe and teach vntill the daye in which hee was taken vp after that hee through the holye Ghost had giuen commaundements vnto the Apostles whom he had chosen GReat is the prayse of Hystorie though but prophane for that the wysest men haue called hir the witnesse of tymes the light of truth the life of remembrance the Maystresse of lyfe and the Messenger of Antiquitie yet certaine it is that these titles may be applyed to no Hystorie more deseruedly and truely than to the Hystorie contayned in the Bookes of the olde and newe Testament which the holy Ghost hath deliuered vnto the Church For this Hystorie bringeth vs an exact an infallible account of the tymes from the first beginning of the worlde vnto the birth of Iesus Christ which account with other wryters is founde vncertayne and deceytfull This Hystorie is not onely the light but also the touchstone whereby the writinges and credite of all other Hystoriographers ought to be tryed This Hystorie conserueth vs the memorie of things done in very deede and which in very deede appertayne to our â—aluation And those things which lye hidden in the â—ecrete closets of reuerend antiquitie she most truely reporteth vnto vs and maystresse of life shee onely and none other ought to be called For she layeth before vs the examples not onely of vices and vertues and the chaungeable occurrences of the worlde by the which we may learne how to â—rame this present life but taking hir flight yet higher she giueth preceptes of eternall saluation of the soule shee reuealeth the holy will of God shee layeth before vs presidents of Gods promises and threates shee describeth the iudgement of God against the disobedient and declareth his protection and tuition wherewith hee defendeth those that worship him And to conclude shee setteth before vs to beholde as in a glasse all the nature and propertie of God that euery man may see what an one he vouchsafeth 〈◊〉 be â—o vs what maner of ones he requireth vs againe to be towardes him Which things vnlesse we imprint in our mindes we traueyle in all other hystories but in vaine which may delight vs with vaine ioye but are not able to enflame our mindes with the loue of true vertue and holy religion But amongst the volumes of holy Scripture that make mention and report of things done I thinke there is none extant the reading and knowledge whereof is eyther more profitable or necessarye than this which is entituled the Actes of the Apostles For to say nothing of Luke the Author hereof whose prayse is in the Gospell which was present almost at all the things done for the holy scripture inspired of God needeth not the authoritie or prayse of man such is the dignitie and maiestie of the things comprised in this Booke that if the same be not able to allure mooue any man to esteeme and loue the woorke in vayne shalt thou go about by humane reason to perswade him Amongst the which thinges we will intreate presently of those which containe the argument summe of the whole narration or discourse And first of all Luke descrybeth the beginning proceeding and successe of that kingdome which Christ hath in thys worlde whereof appeareth in the Prophets many things foreshewed and tolde For Dauid testifieth that Christ is declared a King by God his Father whose inheritaunce sayth hee are all the Nations of the earth and who also shall rule the Islandes Zacharie prophecieth that the boundes of hys kingdome should stretch from sea to sea In Daniel it is called the Mountayne that shoulde fill the worlde wherevnto all the thinges are to be referred written in other Prophetes by these wordes In the latter dayes it will be that the hill where the house of the Lord is buylded shall be the chiefe among hilles and exalted aboue all little hilles I passe ouer diuers things for prolixitie which might be alleaged to this purpose But if thou wouldest search these thinges in the Hystorie of Iesu Christ written by the Euaungelistes thou shouldest finde little or nothing answerable to such honorable Oracles For they describe Christ to be lowly poore and subiect to the iniuries and reproches of euery man and who after an infinite sort of calamities abode most shamefull death on the crosse Further they shewe the borders of his kingdome to haue bene very narrow and straite for that the misteries of the same were vnderstanded but of very few But if thou wilt pervse this Booke by by whatsoeuer the Prophets haue prophecied of the same shall appeare to be most true For he that seemed despised and a man of no estimation by his glorious ascention into heauen hath triumphed ouer the Deuill and all his enimies sitteth on the right hande of hys father from thence sendeth the holy Ghost before promysed to his Apostles wherewith they being inflamed beginne to preache Christ and not content within the borders of Iurie are dispersed amonge the Gentiles and amongst them by the playne and simple preaching of the Gospell spredde the kingdome of Christ both farre and neare so that Christ stretcheth his kingdome from sea to sea and the Islandes of the sea beginne to acknowledge him to be theyr King and by the ministerye of the Apostles it commeth to passe that all nations and people flocke vnto this Mountayne exalted aboue all Mountaynes yea reigning in heauen which thing Christ a few dayes before his death prophecied should come to passe in these wordes When I shall be lyft vp from the earth I will drawe all people vnto mee And this is so euident an argument of the kingdome of Christ and of his power that there can be none more euident For no Prince were he neuer so mightie coulde so quickly chaunge the fashion of the whole world as the Apostles in few yeres did being but abiects and contemned persons and by the spirit of Christ woorking in them graffed in the hartes of men a newe and before that time vnknowne desire of fayth and christian religion Except therfore this Booke were extant the truth of the kingdome of Christ and the maiestie therof should appeare eyther
to his Apostles goyng out of this worlde he vndoubtedly beholdeth them still and will not suffer any of them to be taken out of his hande In the meane while this also serueth for our purpose that he that gaue commaundements when he went forth declareth thereby plainely that he will one day come agayne Let vs therefore prepare our selues against his commyng beyng alwayes mindefull of the woordes of Christ where he sayth Let your loynes be gyrded aboute and your lightes brennyng and yee your selues like vnto men that wayte for theyr Lorde when he will returne from the weddyng that when he commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediatly happy are those sâ—ruaunts whom the Lorde when he commeth shall finde wakyng c. But before wee ende our Sermon some thinges remayne to be discussed which commend vnto vs the dignitie and authoritie of the Apostles doctrine The first is that he sayth they were chosen of Christ He speaketh of a speciall choyse and election whereby they were taken not onely into the number of them that shoulde be saued but were also appoynted for such an ende and vse that they should be Preachers of the grace conferred by Christ and as Paule sayth Stewardes of the mysteries of God. Furthermore he saith they receyued commaundementes of Christ. For as Princes make for their Ambassadours letters of commission which wee call instructions in the which not onely is contayned the remembrance of thinges they haue to doe but also the credite and authoritie they be put in euen so Iesus Christ would instruct his Ambassadours with commaundementes that it might appeare what they had to doe But bicause many consider Christ but as he were man onely and perceyue nothing in the Apostles passing the condition of common persones therefore Luke addeth that these commaundementes were giuen by the holy Ghost If wee would lay all these thinges togither it should appeare that they were no humane but diuine affayres that were committed to the Apostles It shall appeare also that theyr doctrine is to be referred to Christ as to the Auctor thereof For they are Christes messengers as Paule sayth And they are commended with the testimonie of Christ saying He that receyueth whom so euer I sende receyueth me Againe He that receyueth you receyueth mee and he that receyueth mee receyueth him that sent mee It is our partes therefore Brethren to iudge well of the office and doctrine of the Apostles and thankefully to acknowledge the vnspeakeable benefite of God giuen vs by theyr preachyng and to imbrace it with true faith For so shall it come to passe that wee being borne againe of the immortall seede of his diuine Woorde shall leade a life woorthy the children of God and beyng deliuered out of the horrible tempestes of this worlde shall liue for euer in Heauen with the Sonne of God Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour to whom all prayse honour glory and power are dewe for euer Amen The seconde Homelie TO whom also he shewed himselfe aliue after his passion and that by many tokens appearing vnto them fortie dayes and speaking of the kingdome of God. WHyle Luke in writyng the Actes of the Apostles goeth aboute to ioyne that discourse with the story of the Gospell as I tolde you yesterday he doth it not at al-aduentures but admonished and instructed by the holy Ghost who meaneth thereby to teache vs some excellent pointe of learnyng For hereby it appeareth that the story of the Apostles should by no meanes be seuered from the story of the Gospell and that whatsoeuer the Apostles did in setting forth the Gospell and kingdome of Iesus Christ is aswell to be referred to Christ as the Auctor of it as the thinges he did in his owne person while he was here on earth For it is plaine that the Apostles did nothing of theyr owne head and power but were mooued and inspired thereto as Christes chosen instruments by his holy spirite This thing the woordes of Christ teach vs saying It is not you that speake but the spyrit of my Father that speaketh in you And in an other place he promiseth his holy spirite to instruct them with all truth and to giue them counsell what to doe Wherevnto Paule had a respect saying vnto the Corinthians Seeke you experience of Christ that speaketh in mee The knowledge hereof is not in vaine bicause it serueth both for our learning and consolation For by these testimonies wee are taught that wee may safely beleeue the doctrine and writinges of the Apostles not onely bicause they are the Ambassadours of Iesus Christ for wee see that Ambassadours sometime doe their message falsely but also for that they be instructed with his spirite and as he inspyreth and directeth them doe their office It is no small consolation that wee know Christ hath a care of his Church For he that departing from vs in his bodie left vs Apostles by whose mynistery his Church might be gathered togither hee distributing the giftes of his holy spyrite in all Ages giueth vnto his Church some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Shepheardes and Teachers to the edifiyng of the Saintes to the woorke and mynistration euen to the edifiyng of the body of Christ c. But bicause Luke in yesterdaies Sermon made mention of Christs Ascention into Heauen he taketh occasion thereby to intreate of the last thing that Christ did a little before his Ascention bicause it serueth well to the purpose of his discourse or story And in this place he speaketh of two thinges wherof Christ intreated with his Disciples The one is a diligent proofe of his Resurrection the other an instruction touchyng the Kingdome of god Of both which we will speake asmuch as the Lord shall put in our mindes And touching the proofe of his Resurrection he vseth but fewe woordes but they very pithie For the same Iesus saith hee which before hee suffered did and taught many things vpon the earth the very same after he had suffered was dead shewed himself aliue againe to his Disciples euen the very self same person none other neither in any other body but euen in the selfe same in the which he suffered Neither shewed he himself to them as it were by chaunce but prooued by many arguments infallible demoÌ„strations that he was truely risen againe in the very same body wherein he liued while he was here vpon the earth And here Luke speaketh of those things which he more largely in the Gospel describeth that Christ did after his Resurrection And amongst those things first are his apparitions as when he appeared to Mary Magdalene in the Garden by the Sepulchre like a gardener where shee knewe him And a little whyle after meetyng other women also commyng from the graue hee saluteth them and biddeth them shewe his brethren and namely Peter howe he was rysen againe Againe he falleth in company with
mynisters of his woorde And first of all he prooueth the veritie of his Resurrection by many arguments sixe weekes togyther For whereas this is the ground of our saluation whosoeuer wel vnderstandeth knoweth not the same he shall nothing preuayle in preachyng the Gospell Secondly he expoundeth openeth the mysteries of the kingdome of God both bycause he would put out of theyr mynde the opinion conceyued by common error of the earthly kingdome of Christ and also bycause they should perceyue after what order and sorte they ought to handle the businesse of our beliefe and saluation by preaching of the Gospell And vnto these two adhereth a thirde point that is to say the promise of the holy Ghost which he both now repeateth confirmeth the truth thereof by graue testimony least by his sodaine departure from the earth they should be all amazed admonisheth them also of the place when where they should wayte for the same This is a notable place seruing much both to our instruction consolation First of the place he admonisheth them commaundyng them that they departe not from Hierusalem but to wayte there for the promise of the Father Here the Citie of Hierusalem is appointed to the singularest affayres and purposes that euer happened in the world And as the sonne of God by the sacrifice of his body and bloud in this Citie restored mankynde againe to his saluation so in the same place he would first haue his Apostles illuminated with his holy spyrite and beginne the preachyng of the Gospell And here is that thing that would make vs to marueyle if wee consider the state and condition of the Citie For this is that Citie vpon which Christ pronounced such terrible and horrible thinges should fall Against this Citie is spoken that that is in the .xxiij. chapiter of Mathewe Hierusalem Hierusalem that killest the Prophetes and stonest them that are sent vnto thee how often woulde I haue gathered thy chyldren togyther as the Henne gathereth hir chyckens vnder hir wynges and thou wouldest not And while he was in Galyley beyng told how Herode layde wayte for him he aunswered it coulde not be that a Prophet shoulde dye in any other place than at Hierusalem not onely hereby declaring how sinfull the Citie was but also many times denouncing the ouerthrow and destruction of the same What shall wee thinke then was the cause that mooued Christ to appoint so wicked a City and so neare hir destruction to so holy an vse and businesse Surely none other than the infallible truth of God whose promises cannot fayle It was once prophecied by the Prophetes that the preaching of saluation shoulde spring from thence In the latter dayes sayth the Prophetes the hill where the house of the Lorde is builded shall be the chiefe among hilles and exalted aboue all little hilles And all Nations shall prease vnto it and the multitude of people shall go speaking thus one to another vp let vs go to the hill of the Lorde and to the house of the God of Iacob that he may shew vs his way and that we may walke in his pathes For the lawe shall come out of Syon and the worde of the Lord from Hierusalem Where it seemeth me good not to pretermit that whereof Suetonius though an heathen Auctor and enimye to the Christians maketh mention in the life of Vespasian saying that there was an olde and common opinion in the East countrie affirming that it was their destenie which should come from Iurie to be conquerors of all the worlde Which Oracle he as an Ethnicke and Gentile vnderstandeth of Vespasian who by reason of his valiauntnesse â–ª and courage shewed in the warres with the Iewes made an entrye thereby for himselfe and his children to climbe vnto the Empire We may more truly expounde the same of the Apostles which being borne in Iurie beganne to preach the Gospell in the Citie of Hierusalem afterwarde filled all Iurie with their preaching and at length dispersing themselues out of Iurie into all nations subdued and brought all the world to the obedience of christ Nowe bicause Christ was not ignorant that these things were decreed by God his father therefore he bade them they shoulde not depart from Hierusalem In the meane season the consideration of these things serueth muche both for our consolation and instruction For hereby it appeareth that the promises of God through the wickednesse and impietie of a fewe persons cannot be frustrated and made vaine What sayth Paule though some beleeued not Shall their vnbeliefe make the promise of God of none effect God forefende Naye let God be true and all men lyers This ought deepely to bee layde vppe in our memorie bicause we see it commeth often to passe that while we consider the great want of beliefe and wickednesse in man we vtterly dispayre as though the wickednesse of other should be our losse and hinderance which is a most grieuous temptation and as it accuseth God eyther of to much seueritie or of vnrighteousnesse so it hindreth and stoppeth vs most in the race of godlynesse For who woulde holde on in goodnesse that were once perswaded in his minde that he must perishe with the multitude of the vngodly Here therefore it is necessarye that we be armed against such temptations And stronger armour we cannot put on vs than if we thinke that God knoweth his be the multitude of the wicked neuer so great And in the Prophet he confesseth he beareth to vs such affection as mothers vse to beare vnto the children borne of their owne bodies And bicause he is the iust iudge of the earth he will not destroy the godly with the vngodly as Abraham the father of the faithfull well considered Againe bicause he is most wise and omnipotent he can easily discerne betweene the godly and vngodly and can punish the one as they haue deserued and with fauour defende the other Herevnto is to be referred that fanne which Iohn the Baptist attributeth to Christ wherewith he shall purge his floore and separate the chaffe from the corne Hereof wee haue in euery place examples The Lorde knewe Loth in the middest of Sodome He had a care of the Patriarches lyuing among the Chananites although by Gods appoyntment they were ordayned to be destroyed So in this place he knoweth his Apostles and whosoeuer in Hierusalem are of the number of his elect Neither doth the corruption and wickednesse of other more in number and authoritie than they preiudice or hinder them After the same sorte will hee know vs in these dayes for his people and will saue vs so that we will depart from iniquitie and in our lyfe expresse Christianitie It maketh for amendement of life that we learne by the example of the Hierosolimytes that no glory authoritie or prerogatiue of auncestrye can defende them against the iudgement of God which continue in their wickednesse and vnthankfulnesse
all those things the knowledge and vse wherof was necessary in the ministration of their office at length he commeth to the hystory of the glorious ascention of Christ. But first he declareth the last talke that Christ had with his Disciples wherein he comforteth them and reasoneth with them more fullye and at large touching their office which they hytherto seemed not very well to vnderstand And the Disciples gaue the occasion to Christ to discourse hereof while they vtter their grosse ignorance of Christes kingdome with a very foolish and an absurde question And bicause this place contayneth much knowledge of things very necessary no man ought to be weary of the studye or tyme that is to be spent in the consideration of euery part therof First we will see the Disciples question and then how Christ aunswered the same The question they propounde in fewe wordes but such as argue great ignoraunce and rudenesse Lorde saye they wilt thou at this time restore agayne the kingdome to Israel They aske of an earthly and carnall kingdome such as the common people amongst the Iewes misvnderstanding the Prophetes sayings thought woulde nowe come forth For the Lorde had sayde to Dauid When thy dayes be fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy body and will stablishe his kingdome And thine house and thy kingdome shall endure without ende after thee and thy seate shall bee stablished for euer Agayne I haue sworne once by my holynesse that I will not fayle Dauid His seede shall endure for euer and his seate is lyke as the Sunne before me He shall stande fast for euermore as the Moone and as the faithfull witnesse in heauen And againe Beholde the time commeth sayth the Lorde that I will rayse vp the righteous braunch of Dauid which king shall beare rule and shall prosper with wisedome and shall set vp equitie and righteousnesse againe in the earth In this tyme shall Iuda be saued and Israel shall dwell without feare c. I omit diuers other things to this purpose which are euery where to be seene in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Nowe bicause the Disciples vnderstoode these things according to the letter they beleeued that some earthly king shoulde ryse of Dauids posteritie which should deliuer the people of Iurie from the tyranny of the Romanes and restore to them their auncient libertie and should set vp a kingdome flourishing in victory and triumph such as was in Dauid and Salomons dayes With which errour the Iewes being blinded yet till this daye despyse Iesus Christ the true sonne of Dauid and looke vainelye for such a Messias as we haue already declared vnto you The same errour bicause it had infected the mindes of the Disciples also maketh them to propounde so pieuish a question both out of time and place giuing vs a notable lesson what happeneth to such as beeing negligentlye occupied in scriptures sticke in the very barke and endeuour not earnestly to come to the pith and kirnell But let vs examine all the circumstaunces that you maye see almost as many errors in this question as there be wordes First it is a notable error that they enquire of an earthly kingdome where as Christ so often had admonished them of bearing the crosse They hearde him saye If anye man will follow me let him denye himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Beholde I sende you forth as sheepe among Woolues For they shall deliuer you vp to the counsayles and shall scourge you in their synagoges And you shall bee brought to the heade rulers and kings for my sake in witnesse to them and to the Gentyles If they haue persecuted mee they will also persecute you They shall excommunicate you Yea the tyme shall come that whosoeuer kylleth you will thinke that he doth God seruice Againe Possesse yee your soules by pacience These I saye and many such like they had hearde of Christ yet forgetting them all they dreamed of a worldlye kingdome in which they hoped likewyse they shoulde be Lordes This thing prooueth that they were both ambicious and had a cowardly feare where through they abhorred aduersitie and present affliction and desired to beare rule in the kingdome before they lyke good souldiers had fought for the kingdome Further they are in this to be reprehended that enquiring after the kingdome of Christ they make mention of Israel onely nothing carefull for the health of other nations But the olde Testament teacheth vs that Christ the sauiour shal not beare rule in Israel only but also in all the world For to him it is sayd I haue set my king vpon my holye hill of Syon Aske of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine enheritance the vttermost partes of the earth for thy possession Of him are also to be vnderstanded the things read in the Psalme 72. His dominion shall bee from the one sea to the other and from the floud vnto the worlds ende They that dwell in the wildernesse shall kneele before him his enimies shall lycke the dust The kinges of Tharsis and of the Isles shall giue presents the kings of Araby and Saba shall bring gifts All Kings shall fall downe before him all nations shall doe him seruice c. Is not then the blindenesse of the Disciples notable that enquire only but of the kingdome of Israel For thus they derogate much from Christ whose kingdome they driue into such straightes and are very iniurious to other nations whose saluation they ought to haue helde full deare To this if we adde the beginning of all this euill and see what mooued them to aske this question we shall yet perceyue in them a very great fault which Christ not long after findeth in them that is to saye curiositie which no man without great offence to Godwarde can follow neyther can any man satisfie it without great hazarde of his soule health For they enquire not onely of the restoring of the kingdome but they would also know the very time when the kingdome which they doubted not but would come should be restored But how many other things were there the ensearching whereof had bene for them both more profitable and necessary Why rather aske they no questions touching their office and forasmuch as they thinke Christ should raigne on the earth lyke a Prince why aske they not howe they shoulde behaue themselues in their charge in the kingdome Why doe they not cheerefully offer their industrye care studye labour and traueyle to the setting forth of his kingdome But this is the propertie of curiositie that being very carefull about the things which belong not vnto vs we easily neglect the things wherin consisteth the chiefe weight of our duty We are thus diligent and prolixe in finding out the errour of the Apostles not for that we delight with contempt to depraue or defame
their mindes as they read occupied with other cogitations as though the reading of scripture were appoynted but for delyte or to passe the time away Let vs therfore well marke what commaundementes and examples belong to our vocation that we maye continue in the same and declare our industrye towarde god For in thus doing a minister of the worde shall thinke whatsoeuer things are spoken by the Prophetes or Apostles touching the administration of the same worde to be sayde vnto him And they that be Magistrates let them thinke whatsoeuer is sayde in the Scriptures touching the dutie of Officers with examples of auncient Magistrates whether they be good or badde to be spoken vnto them The same shall priuate men also doe of what state or condicion so euer they be So shall it come to passe that with a certayne godly delight and pleasure of minde they shall receyue incredible profite by reading of the Scriptures Let vs examine the wordes of Peter wherein two things most appertayning to this present purpose are handled First he teacheth what maner of person should be chosen to the roume of an Apostle Then he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle And of these two he so disputeth that they may serue to the institution of all Ministers of the word of the congregation To the first part appertayneth this saying Wherefore of these men which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lorde IESVS had all his conuersation among vs beginning at the baptisme of Iohn vntill that same day that he was taken vp from vs must one be ordayned c. Peter requireth here two things of great weyght The first is a sure and sounde knowledge of Iesus Christ and of all the things he did whyle he was amongst his Disciples For vsing an Hebrewe phrase by two contraries that is to saye of going in and comming out he includeth all things that euer Christ did Yet least any man should take occasion hereof ouer curiouslye to inquire after euery thing he compasseth this knowledge within certaine boundes that is to saye the baptisme of Iohn and the glorious ascention of Christ into heauen For before Christ was baptised of Iohn he led a priuate life in Nazareth of Galiley behauing himselfe obediently to his Parents and exercising the Carpenters craft as maye be gathered But the thinges that concerned our redemption and belonged to the office of the Messias he then went aboute when hee had bene baptised of Iohn and was authorized by the visible annoynting of the holy Ghost and by the testimonye of the father which was hearde from heauen For which cause the Euangelists contented with the describing of his incarnation touching his nonage and childehoode haue written very little For the holy ghost ment hereby to bridle the foolish curiositie of mans wit which not many yeares ago vttred and set forth it selfe by no simple writers I warrant you who haue compyled vs the lyfe and whole chyldehoode of Christ to the great mockery open scorne of the Christian profession Howbeit Peter thinketh the knowledge of these things sufficient and inough which Christ did after he was so solemnlye admitted and put in office And this knowledge was necessary bicause Christ ordayned his Apostles to be faithfull witnesses of his doings Secondly he requireth a certaine and euident signe of perseuerance and continuance For he woulde haue none chosen out of that number which were yet but nouices and newly entred into Christes religion but such as began to follow Christ from the beginning of his conuersation amongst men and so continued with him being neyther feared with daunger of persecution nor offended with the crosse and his â—launderous death And these thinges should now a dayes be obserued in choosing ordering of Ministers if they had any care of the Church which chalenge greatest authoritie ouer the same For it is playne that the chiefe dutie of the Minister standeth in teaching as God sayth by the Prophete In the Priestes lippes should be the sure knowledge that men may seeke the lawe at his mouth For hee is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes But how shall he teach who is vnlearned and rude him selfe Surely Paule in a Bishop requireth this thing chieflye that he be able to teach and that not only the playne doctrine of truth to the more tractable sort of men but also that he be able to refell and conuince such as shall gainesay and contrary the same whereof there is alwayes a great multitude Therefore in a Minister of the worde the knowledge of Christ and his misteries is necessary with al the things that concerne the articles of the Christian fayth and the dutie of the faythfull There is required of him diligent reading of the Scripture wherein hee ought to be well exercised He hath neede of the knowledge of the tongues that in reading the Scriptures he depende not vpon the sense of others and be constrayned to looke with other mens eyes and to go with other mens feete Furthermore it is meete he be furnished with the Artes of speaking that hee maye perceyue what to propounde in what place and after what sort and order All which are of such weyght that Paule not without a cause exhorted Timothy to continue on still in reading who yet he confesseth of a childe had learned the Scriptures Moreouer whereas infinite daungers hange ouer the function of Ministers boldenesse of minde is requisite least being ouercome with feare of perill hee drawe backe or sticke in the middest of his course But this shall chiefly be perceyued by perseuerance or continuance whereof no doubt he had giuen manifest tokens The same hath Paule obserued likewyse where he sheweth vs that a Byshop shoulde not be a yong scholer or Nouice least being puffed vp with sodaine dignitie he commit some thing dishonest or vncomely and giue occasion to the aduersary to reprooue him Yea and Christ himselfe at his last supper commendeth his Apostles whom it is plaine were subiect to many faultes and infirmities chiefely for this cause that they abode with him in all his temptations But let vs see Peters last wordes where he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle Let one be appoynted sayth he which may be a witnesse of his resurrection First he will haue a partner or fellow ioyned with the eleuen not a seruant whome the reast at their pleasure might commaunde For he knewe that equalitie was needefull to be amongst Christes Ministers Then he calleth him a witnesse which name Christ called them by a little before he went from hence And the often repeticion and diligent consideration of this name is not a little profitable For hereby the worthynesse of the Christian fayth and certaintye of the doctrine euangelicall may be perceyued bicause Christ had not onely preachers of the things he did â—ut also sworne witnesses which wrate and deliuered to vs the fayth in him Last of
all he sheweth whereof hee shoulde beare witnesse namely of his resurrection Which is not so to be vnderstanded as though the Apostles should preach of nothing else but Christs resurrection but he thought hereby to expresse the chiefe article wherin al the other be contayned yea which plainely teacheth whereto all the other are to be referred For verilye the preaching of his death is of necessitie included and ioyned to the resurrection For how shall he teach that Christ is risen from death which first teacheth not that he died But if any man will teach that Christ dyed he must first speake of that nature of Christ in the which he was able to dye He must teache therefore that the sonne of God which is of one euerlastingnesse substance with the father at the tyme appoynted tooke mans nature in the virgins wombe in the which after many and diuers troubles of this life at length he suffred bitter death vpon the aultar of the Crosse. Therefore he that will be a Preacher and witnesse of the resurrection of Iesus Christ must omitte none of the things that went before the same But there is another cause also why Peter would make mention of the resurrection For this is the ende accomplishment of our redemption as Paule sheweth at large in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the .xv. Chapter For sinne is the sting power of death whervnto all men were subiect But that death is ouercome and vanquished the resurrection of Christ doth manifestly declare Wherefore sinne also by meanes whereof death had power ouer vs by the meryte of the same Christ must needes be taken awaye And if the guylt of sinne be taken awaye death spoyled and vnarmed then who seeth not how the Serpents heade is all to crushed and the tyranny of the Deuill vtterly subdued In deede he rageth yet and maketh an horrible adooe but Christian mindes are not afraide of his terrors For how shoulde he be able to hurt vs who hauing the dartes of sinne and death taken from him is all naked and of no force But this Christ hath taken away whyle he purged the sinnes of the worlde vppon the aultare of the Crosse and by his glorious resurrection hath killed the force of death Therefore syth Peter will haue him which must be taken into the number of the Apostles to be a witnesse of Christes resurrection he appoynteth him the same office that the residue had to whome it was sayde Go yee into all the worlde and preache the kingdome of God vnto all creatures Whosoeuer beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued In the meane season they that in these dayes will be called and taken for successors of the Apostles are admonished of their dutie For although no man can require of them to be such witnesses as sawe Christes resurrection yet their office is truly and boldly to beare witnesse of Christ and of all those things that he aswell did as suffred for vs that all men may vnderstande howe the redemption and saluation of mankinde is contayned in Christ onely For whosoeuer will be taken for Apostolykes being puft vp onely with the bare name thereof and neyther can nor will preache they are not the right successors of the Apostles but foolishe Pastors such as are described in Zachary the .xj. Chapter And on them that sentence of Paule may truly be spoken Woe vnto mee if I preach not It is our partes to acknowledge the goodnesse of God which woulde haue his sonne to dye for our sinnes and to ryse agayne for our iustification and hath also gyuen vs most faythfull witnesses of Christes most profitable resurrection Let vs therefore beleeue their testimonye that being borne agayne of the seede of the immortall worde wee maye be made the heyres of God and coheyres with Iesus Christ to whome be blessing honour glorye and power for euer Amen The ninth Homelie THEN they appoynted two Ioseph which is called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus and Matthias And when they prayed they sayde Thou Lorde which knowest the hearts of all men shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen that he may take the roume of this ministration and Apostleship from which Iudas by transgression fell that he might go to his owne place And they gaue forth their lottes and the lotte fell on Matthias and hee was counted with the eleuen Apostles AS the Church hath great neede of Ministers of the Worde by whose meane it may be instructed and confirmed in the knowledge of God and mysteries of the true fayth so it behooueth that the same be duely truely chosen and ordayned that all men may perceyue they be chosen and appoynted of god Which thing was the cause that in the election of a newe Apostle to be put in the roume of Iudas the primitiue Church proceeded with so great circumspection deliberation And the holy ghost would haue all this hystory diligently described for that a sure rule and president might be left to them that came after whereby to order the election of their Ministers The first thing herein to be obserued is that S. Peter referreth all the matter to the congregation to be discussed by their whole consent and counsell We are taught hereby that nothing ought to be appointed or decreed in the Church by any one mans priuate authoritie For where the Church is as Paule sayth Gods building and Gods husbandry yea the housholde and familye of God. No man must take vpon him so much authoritie as to thinke he hath power giuen him to prescrybe any thing of his owne heade And although the rashnesse of some go so farre yet he shall little profite amongst the true sheepe of Christ which vse to harken and follow the voyce of Christ onely But let vs returne to the narration of the hystory begoon by Luke who hauing recited Peters oration now rehearseth the election of the new Apostle which we must diligently expende in euerye poynt First he sheweth that two be openly named and set in the sight of the whole congregation Then with godly and deuout prayer they commit the election it selfe vnto God whose will and pleasure they seeke to enquire by religious lottes Then they appoynted twoo sayth he Ioseph which was called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus and Matthias Although the order howe this was done is not expressed yet it is likely it was done by common consent of all the congregation For where Peter referred the matter to the whole Church he coulde not pretermit the iudgement of the Church It seemeth therefore euerye mans sentence was asked and that they named all those to the Church whom they thought meetest for the office of an Apostle And here the Church at length agreed that eyther Ioseph or Matthy should be chosen to that roume as men who excelled the others in all kinde of vertues And both of them vndoubtedlye was such that whether had had the place the lot coulde not seeme
denie it For whosoeuer hath any taste of the doctrine of the gospell shall confesse that the preaching therof beateth downe the same Neyther doth the spirite of Christ by outwarde worde onely oppugne the same but it also consecrateth the minds vnto God that they which a little while ago were the bondslaues of sinne are now become the Temples of the liuing god In the meane season we denie not but there are many which abuse the colour of the gospell to sow dissention and to plant libertie But ought the gospell to be charged therewith I pray you what wise man condemneth the Magistrate bicause diuers vnder the colour thereof haue become Tyrauntes and oppressors of the libertie of their Countrie Why doe we not rather marke the vse of the Magistrate which is appointed for that ende that the lust of priuate persons should be restrayned and violence and tyrannie be brideled Euen so let vs confesse that the right vse of the Gospell and effect of the holye ghost is onely to set vp true concorde and holly honestie of life Nay if we shall confesse the truth there is none other concorde acceptable before God than that which is amonge the faythfull in Iesus Christ which are borne againe of the worde and spirite of god Neyther can there be any other true holinesse and innocencie than that whereof Christes spirite is the Author For that holinesse which men counterfaite without his spirite is hippocriticall and is not able to abide the iudgement of God as straunge from the righteousnesse of Christ which vseth to supplie all the defectes and wantes of the faythfull Now to these aforesayde poyntes Luke ioyneth the maner of his sending which was visible both bicause the Apostles might conceyue through presence of the spirite the greater confidence and boldnesse to go about their office and also for our cause that it might appeare how Iesus Christ neuer forsaketh his Church but defendeth it by his inuisible grace which he declared by the sending of his holy spirit For hereto serueth that notable promise I will not leaue you comfortlesse And againe Beholde I am with you vntill the ende of the worlde But touching the maner howe this thing was here done three things remaine to be discussed First there was sodainly a noyse from heauen And it is not without a mysterie that these things come to passe sodainly or vnlooked for For this is alwayes Gods vsage that he then most truely performeth his promises when we least looke for them yea when there is no more helpe remayning in man So he performeth his promise in deliuering his people out of the bondage of Egypt foure hundred yeares after the Israelites were bereft of all libertie and were constrayned to beholde most horrible examples of Tyrannie in their newe borne babes and haue nothing safely to trust vnto So in this place he sendeth the holy ghost now sodainely when they least thought of it whose comming he had deferred now a .xj. daies long We are taught by these examples paciently to wayte for the promises of god For where God is truth it selfe he cannot deceiue And forasmuch as he is our Lord we his seruaunts it becommeth vs to attende his leysure and not to prescribe him any time Tarie thou the Lordes leysure sayth Dauid be stronge and he shall comfort thine heart and put thou thy trust in the Lorde And the Prophete sayth If he tarie yet wayte thou for him For in verie deede he will come and not be slacke And such a noyse and sounde came from heauen bicause wee might knowe that the holye Apostles endued with an heauenly and diuine spirite were become preachers of an heauenly and diuine doctrine and not mans the aucthoritie and credite whereof might be called in doubt This serueth to confute the foolishnesse of such as with the ritche glutton require teachers to come from an other worlde from heauen or from hell And whatsouer thinges are sayde of mans saluation and dutie they reiect with this scoffe saying there was yet neuer none that came eyther from heauen or hell to tell vs what is there to do So they disclose how theyr wicked mindes are voyde of all religion For onlesse these wicked men had vtterly put away all shamefastnesse they would know that the sonne of God came downe from heauen into fleshe and rose againe from death and most faythfully declared vnto vs the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen They would know that the holy ghost came downe from heauen and spake these things by the Apostles which they haue taught vs touching the meane of our saluation and what our dutie is But he that would require any newe kinde of learning yea though an Aungell brought it from heauen he ought not to be beleeued but accursed Secondly a certaine blast or violent winde russhing in filled all the house where the Apostles dwelt And that the spirite is signifyed by blast or winde it is no doubt bicause the very name of spirite is a borrowed speache and the diuine power is so called for that it pierceth and by his power conserueth all things And the Hebrues vse this worde Ruach which is as well vsed for the winde as for the spirite Christ woulde in this place therefore vse the token of winde to set before our eyes as it were the strength and efficacie of the holy spirite which is incomprehensible to mans capacitie and can be attayned to by no power of man It is better to here himselfe interpretate the same thing For reasoning with Nicodemus of the operation of his spirite by the which they that beleeue are borne againe he sayth The winde bloweth where it will and thou hearest the noyse thereof but knowest not whence it commeth nor whither it goeth For as the wit of man coulde not hitherto shewe vs for a certayntie the causes and begynnynges of the wynde although they haue long and much searched for the same so the operation of the holy spirite farre passeth the capacitie of man although we effectuallye feele the same in our hartes And euen as the blowyng of windes can not be let by any deuice or force of men so the spirite of Christ which worketh by the gospell feareth not the strength of men nor is not hindred therby to shew his power where and when he wyll Yea foolishe and ridiculous is the endeuour of them whosoeuer wyll striue with God to bryng the spirite and worde of God to their bent wyl holde them within boundes of them appoynted Examples hereof we haue euery where but the Apostles examples of right ought to haue the first place They were commaunded of the Lorde that they should fyll all the world with their preachyng This seemed a thing impossible to be done by simple vnlearned men despised persons Yea as many as were counted eyther of power or wisdome in the worlde withstoode them Yet the spirite of Christe by the ministerie of the
be counted rather warmelings and cowardly forsakers of the standing and place that they are set in Howbeit in putting away the crime he neyther vseth a bare deniall onlye nor waywardly retorteth slaunder for slaunder but prooueth by arguments that it is false that they layde to theyr charge The first argument he taketh of circumstance of the time These be not sayth he as ye suppose drunken for it is but the thirde houre of the day For the auncient fathers vsed to account twelue howers in the day as may be gathered by the hystorie of the Gospell and prophane wryters also And bicause they beganne theyr count from the day spring or rising of the sunne this thirde hower must be referred to the morning and with vs in the summer time it may be called seauen or eight a clocke in the forenoone Peters argument therfore is of this sort They that are giuen to drunkennesse begin to banquet and bouse towarde euening or the beginning of the night But where it is nowe but morning we cannot of right be accused of drunkennesse But O happie state of those dayes when men might reason after this sort For although it be credible that manye were giuen aswell to drunkennesse as to other vices yet such was the honestie of that time that it was a shame to be drunken and those that were giuen to such drinking were drunken as Paule sayth in the night for feare of open shame In these dayes this argument should be of small force and authoritie where as they euery where now rule the rost which ryse earely to drinke wine as Esay complayneth of the vsage of his dayes Yea there be found amongst the Princes and Magistrates which forgetting the saying of Salomon ryse vp betymes to banquetting and ryot But what speake I of Princes seeing there be deuines not free from this vice I remember once being at the Sessions Imperiall where they went about to establishe a generall peace and to appoynt an vniforme religion through Germanie howe I sawe a deuine of great name and fame yea the standard bearer of the contrarie part that sayde he woulde not dispute of so weightie a matter when he was sober And he was so constant of his worde that I sawe him not so fewe tymes as once well whitteled by one of the clocke But would God there were not to be found euen among them of our owne profession which being infected with this publike and common euill of all Germanie were not giuen to much to this quassing And surely if there were none other argument apparaunt this one were ynough to reprooue the corrupt maners of these dayes For who can denie but the dayes of Noah and Lot be amongst vs where with one mouth all men talke of their cuppes and to be drunken is accounted with all states and degrees a commendable and an honourable matter This vice wee may thanke not onely for corruption of good maners but also for the ouerthrow of iustice and lawes and the decay of religion and oppression of the libertie of our countrie But returne we to Peters Sermon who taketh an other argument of thinges spoken long before to acquite the Apostles of suspition of drunkennesse For where euen the good also might iustly meruaile howe vnlearned men shoulde sodenly come to speake such diuers languages and to bee expert in them and the wicked and mockers imputed it to drunkennesse it was needefull the truth of the matter shoulde be more openly declared Therefore Peter teacheth that this was the worke of the holy ghost the sending of whome he prooueth by the .2 of Ioel to haue beene promised long before in the kingdome of the Messias This Ioel prophecied in the time of Esay and Micheas and forewarned the people of the warres that Sennacherib should make agaynst them And least the godly should despayre and thinke that God had left off to care for his people any more he comforteth them and sheweth how Israell shoulde not quite be destroyed bycause the Messias should be borne of that people whome God had ordeyned to be the Sauiour and redeemer of mankinde and for the more comfort of them describeth in fewe woordes the kingdome of the Messias Which place Peter the more diligently and at large cyteth for that he woulde accuse them of doltishnesse and lacke of witte which ascribed the most manifest effectes of the holye ghost to drunkennesse For this was a most filthie errour not to marke and obserue so great a benefite of God and that promised so long agone and most diligently described but to raile at it This place giueth vs three things to consider The first prophecieth of the plentifull and liberall pouring out of the holy ghost which should be in the tyme of christ The other describeth the troublesome estate of this worlde in the kingdome of Christ insomuch that it reckoneth vp the punishments wherewith God will reuenge the vnthankfulnesse and incredulitie of the worlde The thirde declareth the maner of saluation and sheweth the way howe men may escape safely all daungers But at this present we will declare onely the first part This the Lorde in these wordes vttereth by the Prophete And it shall come to passe in the latter dayes sayth the Lorde that I will poure out of my spirite vpon all flesh And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie And your yong men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames And on my seruaunts and on my handmaydens I will poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecie These wordes are by themselues plaine and euident ynough yet are they more deepely to be considered bycause of the things comprehended in them seruing to our instruction The first thing to be obserued in them is that where the Prophete prophecieth of the kingdome of Christ amongst the great and singuler benefites bestowed on vs by Christ he chiefly commendeth the gift of the holy ghost The cause thereof seemeth to me was not for that the holy Prophete eyther was ignoraunt of other thinges or despised them but bicause next after Christ there can nothing be giuen vs of God more excellent than that spirite of Christ which here is spoken of For our heauenly father hath inclosed in Christ his sonne all the treasures of his grace and of our saluation But men are regenerated by his holy spirite to become the sonnes of God and heyres of the goodes which Christ hath purchased vs Which regeneration is so necessarie for vs that vnlesse we be renued by the same we cannot as Christ testifieth see the kingdome of God. The same spirite illuminateth our mindes to vnderstande the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen and kindleth in vs the desire of them Without the which light the naturall man cannot perceyue the thinges belonging to the spirite of God. This spirite is a comforter by whome we being incouraged are able to abide and ouercome whatsoeuer aduersitie in this
worlde betydeth vs for Christes sake And he doth not onely the part of a comforter but is also a most faythfull counsaylour For he telleth vs what to doe and when we be in perplexitie and doubt he lighteth vs the torch of truth by whose conducting we escape the daungers of fayth and ofsaluation Beside all this he is the earnest and sure pledge of our redemption and saluation For as Iesus Christ taking vp into heauen the fleshe that he tooke of vs would haue it there to be a gage of our saluation so he putteth his spirite in our heartes in steede of a pledge to imprint the confidence of saluation in vs and to arme vs strongly agaynst temptations Wherefore he is called of Paule the spirite of adoption because that being regenerated by him we are assured by his testimonie that we be the sonnes and heyres of god Therefore it is not without a cause that the Prophete taketh the gift of this holy spirite amongst all other most to be commended We are also here taught what we ought chiefly to doe in the kingdome of christ In which place we may see the diuers and noysome errours of men which while they followe carnall things onely and vnder the coulour of Christ gape after worldly goodes vse many tymes to denie Christ in their life whome they professe with their mouth And to these shall be ioyned those to whome hereafter it shall be sayde Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Christes kingdome is a spirituall kingdome and not of this world Therefore let vs desire the giftes of the spirite wherewith if we be furnished the other things that we haue neede of shall come of their owne accord Moreouer it is conuenient we see the maner of this promise and to whome it apperteyneth He declareth the maner in this one word of pouring out whereby he promiseth a large and plentifull grace of the spirite As touching the persons to whome he will giue it he treateth more at large saying I will poure out of my spirite vpon all fleshe Therefore this is an vniuersall promise But he addeth for expositions sake sonnes and daughters yong men and olde to teach vs that there is no difference in the kingdome of Christ eyther of age or sexe For in Christ as Paule sayth there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle neyther bonde nor free neyther man nor woman In the meane season least any might thinke that the holy spirite was giuen to good and bad alyke God restrayneth his promise to his seruauntes and handmaydens to the ende we should vnderstande that it ought vniuersally to be expounded of them For where he is the spirite of adoption he can be receyued of none but of them whō God doth vouchsafe to acknowledge for his sonnes But they be sonnes of God which acknowledge him to be their father and call vpon him which serue him which worship him which please him and honour him And although they cannot performe the things that belong to the sonnes of God before they be regenerated by this spirite through the free benefit of God and therforethey be oftentimes vnknowne to vs before we see the effects of the holy ghost in them yet it is euident that none be partakers of this spirite but such as the Lorde taketh for his And he knoweth who be his and so knoweth them that no man can take them out of his hande And here by the waye commeth the difference of the olde and newe Testament to be considered For although one and the same Christ one and the same fayth and way of saluation one and the same spirite is set forth in both of them yet there may be perceyued no little difference wherein easily appeareth howe much greater our dignitie and felicitie is than theirs of the olde Testament This appeareth first in the number of the faythfull and next in the maner of teaching For in the olde Testament it is plaine there were but a small number of worshippers and the knowledge of saluation seemed to be compassed within the boundes of the people of Iurie For the wordes of God be well knowne which he sayth to the Israelites Ye shall be mine owne aboue all Nations For all the earth is mine Ye shall bee vnto me a kingdome of priestes and an holy people Againe You only haue I accepted of all the Nations on the earth For which cause sake me thinketh that is also spoken in the Psalmes In Iewrie is God knowne his name is great in Israell At Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Syon Hee sheweth his worde vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinaunces vnto Israell Hee hath not dealt so with any Nation neyther haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes But in the newe Testament the spirite of the Lorde is poured vppon all fleshe and the way of saluation is stretched to the farthest endes of the earth There it is sayde that they shall come from the East and from the West that shall sitte in the kingdome of God with Abraham Isaac and Iacob There the Apostles receyue a commaundement to preache the Gospell to all Nations There Peter learneth vs howe there is no respect of persons wyth God but in all Nations they that feare him and worke righteousnesse are accepted of him And here is fulfilled that which was spoken before by the Prophete That the barren and desolate should haue more children than shee that was maryed ▪ Againe though there be singuler examples of the faythfull of the olde Testament the like whereof you shall hardly finde in these dayes yet is it plaine that the way and meane of our saluation is now much more manifestly taught than it was woont to be in the olde Testament Before the lawe was published there were in deede large and liberall promises but obscure ynough if we waye them that liued in those dayes which sawe them not as then fulfilled In the lawe our saluation was shadowed with signes and figures but such as whereof many tooke occasion to establishe the righteousnesse of workes Then followed the Prophetes and they declare the mysteryes of Christ somewhere darckely and somewhere more plainely and openly And the thinges which seeme to vs most euident in their writinges seemed without doubt to them in those dayes obscure and darke ynough But in the new Testament the vayle of darcknesse is rent and that light brought in which being come giueth light to all men in the worlde In the Gospell the things are plainely taught which before tyme were hidden and secrete And there fishers and Publicanes see and heare those things which many Prophetes and iust men desired in tymes past to heare and see As touching this plentifull and bounteous gift of the holye ghost and true light thereof Ioel also prophecieth The ende and vse of
all these things serue to prouoke vs to consider our dignitie Gods liberalitie towards vs to celebrate the goodnesse of God to shew our selues thankful for his gifts which he so merciful a lord so bouÌ„tifully hath bestowed vpoÌ„ vs. Last of all Ioel rehearseth the effectes of the holye ghost which are common to all them that beleeue In which place he maketh mention of prophecie the gift whereof he sayth both yong men and olde men sonnes and daughters shall receyue By prophecie we suppose ought to be vnderstanded not so much the gift of telling things to come as the true and certaine knowledge of the mysteries of saluation and chiefly the vnderstanding of the old Testament according to the exposition of Paule which is to be seene He addeth by way of exposition visions and dreames bicause that by those meanes God vsed in tymes past to reueale his will vnto the Prophetes as may be seene in the booke of Numbers 12. Chap. For the Prophetes vse to set forth the mysteryes of Christ with certaine phrases of speache such as were knowne and in vse with all men in their dayes Examples whereof may be seene euery where of such as reade their wrytings So by thys worde prophecying he promiseth the true knowledge or vnderstanding of Gods will and that saluation that is common to all men in the kingdome of Christ which also we read is promised in other places Esay verily saith that the earth shall be full of the knowledge and vnderstanding of God. And the Lorde sayth I will plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and write it in their heartes and I will be their God and they shall be my people And from thenceforth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother and say Knowe the Lorde But they shall all knowe me from the lowest vnto the highest sayth the Lorde c. And Christ out of the Prophete testifieth that they shall bee all taught of the Lorde Therefore the principall effect of the holy ghost and which is common to all men is a sure knowledge of the will of God and an vnderstanding of saluation and the mysteryes of the kingdome of God and as farre as is requisite for euery man an intelligence both of the olde and newe Testaments By this therefore we may iudge what they be that set naught by the knowledge of the will of God and where they vnderstand it not of themselues will yet be taught of no man whome this one place may prooue to want the spirite of christ To this may be ioyned the Lords ouer the fayth and the Tyrantes of the Church which driue the Christian people from the reading of the Scripture and dare call that generall benefite of the holy ghost which the Prophete so highly commendeth the beginning and seede of heresies and errours It is our partes brethren to acknowledge the gift of Gods grace and to embrace the spirite of Christ that we being borne againe by his operation illuminated and made meete to all good workes may enioy the eternall inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen with Iesus Christ the sonne of God to whome be blessing honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .xiij. Homelie And I will shewe woonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath bloud and fire and the vapoure of smoke The Sunne shall be turned into darcknesse and the Moone into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lorde come And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shall be saued THe Apostle Peter driueth his first sermon which he made at Hierusalem after he had receyued the holy ghost to that ende that the Apostles obserued in all their sermons that is to say to bring his hearers to the knowledge of Christ and to winne them to the saluation that is in him Which thing that he might with the more ease bring to passe he by and by in the beginning is well ware that his doctrine be not reiected before it be knowne and heard For he diligently before hande aunswereth all those thinges which might giue his hearers any cause or occasion to mysiudge or suspect it Among these there were some godly and deuout yet more that were vngodly vntowarde and obstinate And the religious were holden with ignorance so that they were astonyed at so great a myracle and being in doubt could not tell what to iudge or thinke of the matter But the other were in farre woorse case and taking for wyth cauils and slaunders they mock and delude all the meaning of the myracle accusing the Apostles of drunkennesse and those that hearde them of foolishnesse Therefore it was needefull some present remedy should be had which he tooke out of the seconde Chapiter of Ioël For by that place he teacheth that here is nothing done eyther of error or affection of man but that all this doing is the worke of God and promised of God long agone by the Prophets And he is very diligent in cyting the wordes of the Prophet bicause the place not onely serued to confute their reproche but also greatly made for Peters purpose This place as I sayde in the Sermon before goyng hath three members or partes The first comprehenâ—deth the bounteous and most liberall promise of the holye ghost The seconde describeth the troublous state of the worlde which shoulde continue euen to th ende therof in the kingdome of Christ and so rehearseth the punishments wherwith God woulde reuenge the contempt of his sonne and the Gospell which thing serued marueylously to make the Iewes afrayd that they should not thinke they shoulde escape scot free for contemning of Christ and his Gospell The third sheweth the way how to auoide all these euils and mischiefes The first part we declared yesterday It remayneth that we nowe set forth the two later And bicause I see there is a doubt and controuersie touching this great and notable daye of the Lorde whereof the Prophet maketh mention in this place First it seemeth good to me to shew my iudgement concerning the same There be that vnderstande it to be the daye of Christes resurrection and the signes and woonders which are here prophecied should come they expounde to be the things that happened in the death and resurrection of christ Surelye their sense and meaning is godlye But bicause of the prophecies of Iesus Christ which he vttereth almost in the same wordes concerning the state of the later times the ende of this daye is farther to be extended Other thinke the whole time of the worlde after Christes birth is comprehended in the signification of this daye But me thinketh the glorious and notable daye of the Lorde when he shall iudge the whole worlde maye here be vnderstanded For where he had made mention of the later time a little before he sayeth the state and condicion of the time which he now describeth should continue vntill the ende
also is a remedy agaynst the slaunder of the crosse but rather it is to be referred to the order of our redemption and saluation which he purposeth to intreate of But bicause he speaketh of the resurrection in the processe following we will now be the shorter Among other things it is chiefely to be considered that hauing described the person of Christ omitting many other things he maketh mention onely of his death and resurrection The cause was for that in these twoo the whole summe of our saluation is conteyned For by his death he pourged the trespasse of our sinne which otherwyse coulde not haue bene pourged By his resurrection he ouercame death which was the punishment of sinne and subdued the forte thereof according to the saying of the Prophete alleaged by Paule Death is swallowed vp in victorie Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory The same thing Peter seemeth to meane in this place where he sayth that the sorowes of death were loosed by Christes resurrection bicause it was impossible that he shoulde be holden of it Neyther of the dolors of the body which followe death can it be expounded syth yet we feele them to be most bytter But the powers of death are loosed and the terrors taken away wherewith in times past it tormented mens mindes For it vsed sinne as a sting the punishment wherof God appoynted this death and therfore it must needes be terrible seeing it was the punishment of sinne And albeit Christ hath taken sinne away yet death remayneth whereby we passe out of thys life and worlde but by the merite of Christ it is made the doore of lyfe and therefore it can no more feare them that beleeue as Christ sayth He that heareth my worde and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath euerlasting lyfe and shall not come into damnation but is scaped from death vnto lyfe Therfore sayth the Apostle in another place that Christ through death subdued him that had Lordship ouer death Which coulde not haue bene sayde vnlesse he had risen againe after death Therefore these twoo must alwayes be ioyned togither which thing Paule doth diligentlye obserue where he sayth Christ was deliuered for our sinnes and raysed agayne for our iustification Agayne This is the worde of faith which we preach If thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lorde and beleeue in thy heart that God raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe Where he maketh mention onely of the resurrection but he therein includeth death also bicause a resurrection without death can not be imagined Let vs therefore learne to know Iesus Christ who being verye God from euerlasting became man for our sake cleansed our sinnes by his death ouercame the sorrowes and strength of death by his glorious resurrection and being ascended into heauen maketh intercession for vs To him be blessing honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xv. Homelie FOR Dauid sayth of him afore hande I sawe God alwayes before mee for he is on my right hande that I shoulde not be mooued Therfore did my heart reioyce and my tongue was glad Moreouer also my flesh shall rest in hope bicause thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neyther wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Thou hast shewed mee the wayes of lyfe thou shalt make me full of ioy with thy countenance THe Apostle Peter in our yesterdayes Sermon declared the chiefe articles of our Christian faith shewing vs how Iesus Christe was very God and man how he suffred death for vs and rose againe from the deade The ende and vse of all whiche is to teache vs to acknowledge him to be the redeemer of mankinde that was promised Howbeit the article of resurrection for many causes might seeme very incredible among the Iewes For besides that it seemeth doubtfull to mans reason there was no small number of Saduceys which flatly denied it And the souldiours being bribed of the Priestes with money had bruted a false rumour how the disciples of Christ had stolne his bodye out of the graue Yea and Christ himselfe after his resurrection did not shewe himselfe to all the people as before he vsed but was conuersant onely with his disciples Therefore it was necessarye that this article shoulde be both more plainly declared and with more sounde arguments confirmed especially for that the Apostles fayth was had in suspition of all men Wherfore Peter flyeth to the authoritie of Dauid the most notable king and Prophete among the Iewes by the testimony of whom taken out of the .xvj. psalme he prooueth that the resurrection of Christ ought to seeme neyther straunge nor incredible forasmuch as the same came to passe according to the counsell and ordinance of God and was also long before prophecied by the Oracles of the Prhphets And bicause Peter afterward confirmeth the authoritie of this testimony and sheweth that it appertayneth only vnto Christ it should be superfluous nowe to tarie long in proofe of the same For the authority of so great an Apostle ought to suffice vs which the Iewes their selues to whome these things were spoken were not able to refell Let vs rather marke that Dauid so speaketh this in the person of Christ that he himselfe also taketh comfort thereof which comfort belongeth also to all them that woorship Christ bicause the things spoken of the heade must after a sorte belong also vnto the members We must therfore diligentlye consider this place which most absolutely comprehendeth in it all the reason of true religion with the most wholesome fruites of so holy a studie amongst which the resurrection of the bodies is mentioned which the holy Prophet declareth diligently and at large He expresseth in one verse the whole summe of all godlynesse and holy life where he sayth Afore hande I sawe God alwayes before mee For he is on my right hande that I should not be mooued Here are two things sayd First he telleth what he doth then wherefore he so doth Touching the first he sayth Aforehande I sawe God alwayes before me Or as it is in the Hebrue I set God in my sight or before mine eyes Therfore Christ followed this rule of lyfe to set the Lorde alwayes before his eyes and to thinke he liued alwayes in his sight This to doe as it ought to be twoo things are most worthy to be obserued The one is the study endeuour of obedience For we vse to saye they set God before their eyes which haue regarde to his preceptes and being stirred vp with an holye feare of God study to please him from whom they know nothing is hid Concerning this study of obedience God himselfe speaketh where he commaundeth Abraham to walke before him or in his sight The other is fayth whereby in aduersitie we looke onely to God and seeke for helpe succour and deliuery from him onely Hereof Dauid in an other place speaketh saying Beholde euen as
the eyes of seruauntes looke vnto the handes of their Maisters and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hande of hir Mystresse euen so our eyes wayte vpon the Lorde our God vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Both these properties maye easily be seene in Iesus Christ. For so reuerentlye did he behaue him selfe towardes his father that as Paule sayth he was obedient to the death yea euen the death of the Crosse. And such a diligent care and regarde had he of those persons that his father gaue him charge with that going to his death he coulde yeelde an accompt of them saying Those that thou gauest me haue I kept and none of them is perished but that lost chylde Agayne I haue glorified thee vpon earth I haue finished the woorke which thou gauest me to doe Furthermore as a very man with firme and constant fayth he set his eyes vpon God only whom he only called vpon in all aduersitie and thanked him onely for the benefites he receyued as the hystorye of the Gospell teacheth He might therefore by Dauid truely saye I haue set the Lorde alwayes before me By this example must all they which will be accounted the true worshippers and children of God frame all their lyfe and dooings And this was the only cause of all the vertues which we reade flourished sometime in the Saints Seneca gaue counsell in times past that for the better auoyding of faults which vse to be done in secret when we be by our selues we shoulde suppose some seuere person such as was Scipio Laelius or Cato were present as a beholder and witnesse of our doings But howe much more profitable woulde it be to thinke howe God alwayes beholdeth and seeth what we saye and doe Bicause Ioseph did set God alwayes before his eyes neither coulde he be brought by his Mistresse entycements from the tracke of right and honestie neyther was he dismayed when he was in prison and aduersitie The lyke reason may we make of all other thinges And here may we espie the great difference that is betweene the godlye and vngodlye For the vngodly when the worlde goeth well with them set not God before their eyes but as Dauid testifieth blinded with wicked folly deny that there is any God. Whereby it commeth to passe that lyke wilde horses breaking their barres and reynes they burst into all kind of mischief For as it is sayde in another place they are perswaded that God hath neyther eyes nor eares wherewith to see and heare their mischieuousnesse But when God whome they will not set before their eyes sheweth himselfe to them to be angrye and as it is sayde reprooueth them to their faces and punisheth their wickednesse they runne to him agayne but yet aske no helpe and succour as the children of God vse of him that correcteth them but for a season stryue agaynst his iustice with their owne strength whereby when they see they profite nothing they turne and call vpon creatures or else being vtterly at their wittes ende rushe headlong into the pitte of desperation There are infinite examples of such men of which this ought with vs to be the vse to learne to set God before our eies to whome we ought to approoue our selfe and our lyfe and in whome wee ought to haue all our trust and affiance But Christ sheweth the cause of his so godly and holy an industrie adding bicause he is on my right hande that I shoulde not be mooued Therefore sayth he set I God before mine eyes bicause he is present with me what soeuer I doe If I please him he is at hande to ayde me that I be mooued with no feare or terrour If I neglect him he is at hande to beholde all my dooings and in time to come will be a most seuere iudge against me For this cause the worshippers of Christ are mooued to haue Christ before their eyes as they many times professe themselues Herevnto belongeth that that we read Dauid such as he was sayd The Lord is my light and my saluation whome then shall I feare The Lorde is the strength of my lyfe of whome then shall I be afrayde God is our hope and strength a very present helper in trouble Therefore will not we feare though the earth be mooued and though the hilles bee caried into the middest of the sea Againe God is my strength and my saluation he is my defence so that I shall not greatly fall Let no man thinke this a vayne tossing or repeticion of woordes For this confidence of the Saintes stayeth vpon the promises of God and vpon experience and dailye examples For it is the worde of God Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble I will deliuer thee Againe Bicause he hath set his loue vpon mee therefore shall I deliuer him I shall set him vp bicause he hath knowne my name He shall call vpon mee and I will heare him yea I am with him in trouble I will deliuer him and bring him to honour These promises are confirmed by many examples such as in the holy Scriptures we reade of Ioseph Dauid Daniel and his fellowes Susanne Ezechias and many other But we haue no neede of olde examples since we euery day haue experience of the truth of Gods promyses For although there be many tribulations in this life yet God deliuereth his children from them all and his right hande as it were stayeth vs as we slippe and he suffreth vs not to bee tempted aboue our strength And as Dauid confesseth In the multitude of our sorrowes his comfortes refresh our soule And this is that safetie of the godlye a farre other thing than that which maketh the wicked to looke aloft while by reason of their riches and worldly glory they thinke themselues out of daunger and gunshot who must needes be deceyued bicause all fleshe is grasse and the glorye thereof as the flower of the fielde But Christ proceedeth on speaking in his spirite by Dauid and rehearseth the singular fruites of this studie and endeuour For this cause sayth he did my heart reioyce and my tongue was glad moreouer also my fleshe shall rest in hope Here are three thinges sayde euery which of them farre passeth all the riches of the worlde which as I sayde must be considered both in Christ and his members First he speaketh of ioye and of the ioye of the heart to teache vs that that is a true sounde and stable ioye He meaneth the same ioye which he afterwarde promiseth to his Disciples where he sayth Nowe ye haue sorrowe but I will see you againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioye shall no man take from you Paule speaketh of the same bidding the Christians alwaye reioyce Principally it is meete we consider the cause of ioye For this cause sayth he my heart reioyced bicause the Lorde is on my right hande Then the
And although we suffer afflictions in the worlde let vs be encouraged with hys saying where he promyseth that he hath ouercome the worlde and that wee shall haue peace in him But let vs see the ende of this Sermon which Peter inferreth in these woordes Therefore let all the house of Israell knowe for a suretie that God hath made the same Iesus whom you haue crucified Lorde and Christ. This is a very briefe but yet a graue sentence and verye Apostolyke euerye worde whereof is able to minister an argument and matter of a long sermon But bicause we shall euery where haue occasion to speake more at large of these things we will in fewe wordes note vnto you what Peter meaneth by this saying First he speaketh to all the house of Israell In the name of the house he comprehendeth all sortes and degrees of men teaching vs that Christ is the vniuersall sauiour of all men with whom there is no respect of persons And this is no light or slender token of the goodnesse of God that to a most corrupt people and yet embrued with the bloud of Christ he doth vouchsafe to promise all saluation in his sonne Furthermore let them knowe for a suretie sayth he Ergo our saluation in Christ is certaine and such as a man may safely trust to for he cannot deceiue which is the very truth it selfe Thirdly he sheweth what all men ought to know that God hath made this Iesus of Nazareth Lord and Christ. He calleth him Lord bicause he is our redemer For who is ignorant that redeemers haue a certayne rule or Lordship ouer them whome they haue eyther redeemed with their money or with perill of their lyfe For this cause he sayeth in the Prophete I am the Lorde This is my name and my glorye will I giue to none other He calleth him Christ that is to say annointed bicause he is a King and a priest For it is playne by the Scriptures that in the old time kings and priests were vsed to be annointed And concerning the office of a King we spake somewhat before wherevnto also belongeth the name of a Redeemer or lord Surely Christ maketh lawes as a king according to them he gouerneth the citizens of his kingdome and defendeth enricheth them most liberally with heauenly treasure He is also a priest For both in times past he taught at this day doth teach vs by the ministery of that woord wherof he is the Author in his Church And he hath made a full satisfaction by the sacrifice of his body once offered vppon the crosse for the sinnes of all the world And as whyle he was once vpon the earth he prayed for vs so euen at this day he appeareth before God for vs a faithfull high Priest and an aduocate Therefore he is in deede Christ or the annoynted of god And it is euident that they commit horrible sinne which reiect him and appoint them other Lordes Kinges Priestes and Redeemers But as Peter in the beginning of his treatie of Christ admonisheth them of their wickednesse committed against him so he concludeth his sermon with mention of him declaring that he talketh of him whome they crucifyed We may easily iudge the heynousnesse of the offence by the things which he so singularly commendeth in christ And he vpbraydeth them herewith for none other cause but for that he woulde enflame them being pricked with the conscience of their sinne to embrace Christ their saluation as shall appeare by the successe thereof in the sermon folowing Luke hath giuen vs a viewe of the Apostles preaching Peter comprehendeth in these fewe woords all the articles of the Christian fayth He hath spoken of God the father creator of all thinges He hath spoken of the sonne of God which was made man of the stocke of Dauid and therefore in vnitie of person ought to be acknowledged for verye God and man He hath taught vs that he died was buried descended into hell rose againe and ascended into heauen for vs where he sitteth on the right hand of God the father and shall come to be our iudge what time hee shall put all his enimies vnder his feete yea he shall throwe them into the lake burning with brimstone He hath shewed vs that the holye ghost is come being sent from him to gouerne his Church and all the faithfull Finally he hath prooued that this Iesus is the Lorde and sauiour in whome remission of sinnes resurrection of the fleshe and lyfe euerlasting is purchased for all beleeuers Here is no worde spoken of our satisfactions nothing of priuate absolution auricular confession pardons purgatorye and such like wares Let vs therefore keepe the simplicitie of the Apostles doctrine and let vs embrace Iesus Christ with stedfast fayth that by him we maye be saued to whome be all bessing honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xvij. Homelie WHEN they hearde this they were pricked in their heartes and sayde vnto Peter and the other Apostles ye men and brethren what shall we doe Peter sayde vnto them Repent you of your sinnes and bee baptised euerye one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receyue the gift of the holye ghost For the promise was made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre of euen as many as the Lorde our God shall call THus farre hath Luke rehearsed the first Sermon of the Gospell that Peter made at Ierusalem after the receyuing of the holy ghost The content thereof was that Iesus of Nazareth whome the Iewes crucifyed was Christ and the promised redeemer of mankinde But where it was Peters purpose not only to teach that but also as he was once tolde to catch men aliue and to winne them to Christ therfore he set the heynous wickednesse of their sinne against Christ plainelye before their face For in the beginning of his treatise of Christ he sheweth howe they crucifyed him whome God by many myracles declared to be his sonne and the sauiour which he had promised After this gathering all that he had spoken of Christ into a short summe he sheweth agayne that they nayled him to the crosse and leauing this in their mindes as a sting he concludeth his sermon Howbeit the successe of the matter declareth that these thinges were spoken by Peter not of desire to reproche them but for their health and saluations sake which successe Luke now describeth leauing also a notable example wherein the true way of attayning to saluation by Christ is perfectly declared This place therfore is worthy to be diligently considered for the more profite wherof to be had we shall speake of euery part thereof in order First the Euangelist speaketh of the hearers And after that he declareth how Peter further traueyled with them Touching the hearers he sheweth what effect Peters sermon had When they hearde this sayth he they were pricked in their heartes and sayde
vnto Peter and the other Apostles ye men and brethren what shall we doe He attributeth two things vnto them First they are pricked in heart He vnderstandeth the terrours of conscience which rose in them by the acknowledging of their sinne and by the feeling or feare of the wrath of God in them With these must we beginne if we will take any profite by preaching of the worde For as long as we liue carelesse in sinne and are touched with no feeling of our sinnes nor feare of the iudgements of God we can not earnestly thinke of the waye of saluation as men that iudge the care thereof vnprofitable and superfluous And bicause this faulte cleaueth to vs by corruption of nature but being delighted with the enticementes of sinne acknowledge not our selues for sinners it is necessarye that our sinnes be reprooued and accused by the worde of God which thing Christ declareth to be one of the first workes of the holy ghost By reason wherof the worde of the Gospell is called a sworde and the light For being sharper than any two edged sworde it entreth through euen vnto the deuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the marrowe and is a discerner of the thoughts and of the intents of the heart and setteth them not only before our selues but before others to beholde And that this is a thing necessarye we are taught not onely by the expresse worde of God but also by the example of Gods elect to speake nothing in the meane season of the filthye children of the world which cannot repent Surely Dauid although he were a man euen according to Gods owne minde yet did he not acknowledge his grieuous sinnes of adulterie manslaughter and manye such vices as followed them till he was reprooued of the Prophete by the worde of god And then he beginneth to crie out I haue sinned against the Lorde Againe I acknowledge my faults and my sinne is euer before me My bones are vexed and my soule is also sore troubled There is no health in my flesh bicause of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne And such like as are read in the Psalme lj vj.xxxviij and in other places And the lyke we may see euen in our own sinnes There were now fiftie dayes and more gone since the death of christ And how many were there at Ierusalem of them that cried the bloude of Christ be on vs on our children which shewed any token of repentance But rather liued carelesse out of doubt had perished if god had not shaken that carelesnesse of fro their mindes For they being prouoked by Peters sermon begin now at length to be pricked in their harts to tremble and to thinke of their saluation We must saye the same euen of our selues if we will confesse the truth They therefore are greatlye deceyued which will not haue sinnes rebuked by the worde of God and crie out that it belongeth not to the dutie of Ministers to be busied in reprehending of sinne Such men finde sometime dumbe dogges which frame their doctrine according to their lustes but then is that saying of the Prophete fulfilled that the sworde of the Lorde commeth vpon the carelesse and the bloude of them that perish shall be required at the handes of the flattering preachers To this pricking of heart and terrour of conscience is added an other thing that is to say they séeke counsell at Peter and the Apostles howe to be deliuered from their sinne and to be restored againe to Gods fauour And this is no lesse necessary than the first whereof we spake euen nowe For it is manifest that the verye wicked are compunct and stricken sadde with the worde of God and the accusing of their sinne But as all thinges worke to the best in the elect so the wicked take occasion on euerye side to offende the more grieuouslye as we see in this place it commeth to passe For where their sinnes are openlye detected eyther through impacient fiercenesse they rise against the worde of God and will not seeme to haue sinned wherof we haue examples in Achab and afterwards in the Priests of the Iewes or else turning them to their owne workes they seeke by them howe to satisfie the iustice of God and to auoyde his wrath And when they can see nothing but the heynousnesse of sinne and the horrible wrath of God then begin they to crie out with Caine My wickednesse is greater than can be forgiuen and so at length with Iudas come to an vnhappy ende We must therefore after the example of these men go farther and not sticke in the bitter terrors of conscience We must take counsell of the thing whereof our terrour riseth that is to say of the word of God which as Pelias did sometime with his Iaueling against Telephus both woundeth our consciences and maketh them whole againe Neyther must wee here be so afrayde with the grieuousnesse of sinne that we must thinke our selues forlorne and past hope For this sentence of God remayneth still in his full strength which sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that â—ee conuert and liue And Christ our Lord doth not only promise that they that seeke shall finde but also professeth that he is a Phisition for suche as are sicke in conscience and in euery place biddeth them that traueyle and are heauy laden to come vnto him And we must thinke it was not without the secret instinct and working of God that they whose handes as yet reeked with the bloude of the sonne of God were the first that hearde the Apostle preach For God in this doing woulde haue vs perswaded that the merite of Iesus Christ and the liberalitie of his goodnesse coulde not be counterpeysed or outweyed with any sinnes so that we woulde cleaue vnto him by faith But let vs heare Peters short and sweete counsayle Repent you and be you euery one baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receyue the gift of the holy ghost For to you was the promise made c. He requireth of them three things but we will entreate onely of two at this present of the thirde we will speake in the sermon following The first thing he dispatcheth in one worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth he which the Latine interpreter translateth poenitentiam agite that is repent ye He beginneth with that which the Scripture euery where exacteth Moyses verily sheweth them which shoulde be punished for their offences and for transgressing of the lawe that their way to be saued stoode only in repentance That this repentance is that thing which the Prophets chiefâ—y vrge is more manifest than needeth to be prooued Iohn the Baptist the first minister of the newe Testament beginneth his preaching with the same And Christ when he begunne to preache cryed Repent ye for the
vs plainely that we must of dutie repent and yet that al desert of iustification is to be had in Christ only Therfore whosoeuer maketh no mention of Christ in teaching of repentance offendeth against the example of Peter And so be they cause to the ignorant to establish their owne righteousnesse wherin they can finde no certaintie nor soundnesse Next he speaketh of outward baptisme which he commaundeth them to receiue for forgiuenesse of sinnes Which wordes are not so to be vnderstanded as though outwarde baptisme washed vs from sinne For it is euident that wee be clensed from all our sinnes by the bloude of Iesus Christ. This is attributed to baptisme bicause it sealeth in vs the benefite of purification which is gotten vs by the bloude of christ Which thing we may see in Circumcision For where Abraham was iustified by faith he receyued Circumcision as a signe of the righteousnesse of fayth So they which are conteyned within the Testament of Christ and be therefore iustifyed receyue baptisme for remission of sinnes that is to saye the righteousnesse of God which he hath giuen vs in Christ is sealed in them by baptisme Wherefore Peter by this maner of speach assureth them of their saluation and comforteth them by an argument deduced or taken of the ende of baptisme In the meane season bicause we be taken into the Church of God by baptisme and are become professors of Christ as people which vnder his conduct must fight agaynst this worlde and the Prince thereof Peter requireth further of them a free and an open confession of their fayth in christ For Christ will haue no such worshippers as shall be ashamed of him Howbeit the Iewes did openlye denye Christ before Pylate whyle they cried they had no King or Messias beside Caesar. Wherfore it was necessary that they shoulde as freely confesse Christ least they might be iudged stil to be of the number of the false runnagates This could be done no way more commodiously than by baptisme which Christ woulde haue administred to the ende to get and bring him disciples as may be read Math. 28. Nowe if a man will compare the things togither which haue hitherto bene sayde it will appeare after what order Peter taught the way of iustification and saluation He began with rebuking of sinne as we haue hard before Then when he saw them pricked and contrite in hart he requireth them to repent by this meanes bringing them to some hope of grace and fauour Then againe least they should trust in the workes of penance and leane vppon their owne righteousnesse he sendeth them to the name of Christ and to his merytes At length he commaundeth them to professe Christ openly and to ioyne themselues to his Church This order of teaching we see the Apostles euerye where obserued which they had learned of Christ their maister as no man can deny For thus he sayd a little afore his departure from hence It is necessary that repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes shoulde be preached to all Nations in my name Go ye therefore into all the worlde preach the Gospell to all creatures and bring me disciples from out all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Which things if a man compare with auriculer confession satisfactions merites pardons yeremindes purgatory and infinite such like exacted of those that should doe penance he shall finde they are farre wyde a sunder Furthermore bicause Peter had to doe with them which felt themselues guiltie of such an heynous wickednesse as had not bene seene the lyke he comforteth them with a double promise as is the maner of the Gospell for feare they should be swallowed vp of desperation First you shall receyue sayth he the gift of the holy ghost He seemeth to speake of a peculiar gift of the spirite such as in the time of the primitiue Church the beleuers were endued with either to speak with diuers tonges or else to be notable in other myracles as hereafter in the eight Chapter it shall appeare more plainely For it behooued to haue the ministerye of the Apostles adorned with some singular giftes to th ende men might the more easily be woonne vnto christ And although these gifts in these dayes for the most part be ceased yet there remayne other more necessary effects of the spirite through whose operation the beleeuing are regenerated mortified renued assured of their saluation emboldened and confirmed in perils so that they dare stoutly without any feare stand to the confession of the name of christ For it is the spirit of adoption which vseth to worke al these things in the children of God that they haue neede of in this world This promise was able singularlye to comfort them whose consciences were afrayde by reason of sinne For howe coulde they doubt to haue forgiuenesse of their sinnes which heard they should haue the same spirit that the Apostles had In the meane season this promise serueth also for our instruction For it teacheth vs that true beleeuers and Christians cannot vtterly be destitute of the giftes of the holye ghost There are diuers operations and diuers gifts of the spirite as Paule sayth and we see that some excell other some therein But there is not the meanest of them all that is vtterly voyde of the spirit bicause they be not the members of Christ which haue not the spirite of Christ. Therefore â—aine is the profession of Christ except we shewe and declare that we be quickened and gouerned by the spirite of Christ which thing caused the Apostle to saye that fayth is knowne by workes and Christ commaundeth vs to followe his father in our doings Secondly he alledgeth an auncient promise To you sayth he was the promise made and to your children and to all that be a farre of euen as many as the Lord our God shall call These things are to be vnderstanded of the couenant promises which were made in the olde Testament the summe wherof may be seene Genes 17. yet doth Peter extend the same promises to those that are a farre of that is to the Gentiles which as yet were straungers and alienes from the societie of the people of God bicause he woulde the easilier induce and perswade them For they which were borne of Abraham coulde doubt no longer of Gods goodnesse seeing they hearde the same extended also vnto the Gentiles These things teache vs to what vse Gods promises serue verily to confirme our wauering fayth in temptations and all other aduersities But before we make an ende of our sermon two things in these wordes are to be noted First he sayth the promises appertayne not to the fathers only but also to the children The wordes of the couenant teache vs the same where the Lorde sayth thus I will make my bonde betweene mee and thee and thy seede after thee in their generations
spirite for diuers weightie causes vrged Peter to paint them out by these names First where they despised the faith of Abraham which only maketh vs the children of God and in the meane season chalenged to themselues the names of his children they ought not to be taken for any such Next bicause their authoritie was great with all men for that they were in an office long before appointed of God and gloried in that they successed most holye men it was needefull they should be reprooued and knowne vnto all men for swarâ—ers from them least anye man should be deceyued with their glorious styles and vaunt of their succession Therefore Peter doth wisely godlily and boldly in calling them a naughty and peruerse generation For in so doing he both admonisheth vs that they ought to be auoyded and putteth the simple out of feare and doubt which thought it an heynous matter openly to forsake them By Peters example we also in these dayes are taught what to doe A great many suppose a bare and simple knowledge of the truth is sufficient whereof they vse marueylously to glory â–ª amonge those that are desirous of the truth And yet they are still conuersaunt with the wicked and with the professed enimies of Christ yea they keepe company with the authors of false doctrine and can not abide that the Ministers of the Gospell should openly reprooue them But it is plaine that Peter the Apostle was of a farre other iudgement who would haue the faithful separate themselues from the wicked and feareth not to note deceyuours by the name of an vntowarde generation contrary to the common opinion of all the people He tooke example of Christ so to doe which euery where biddeth vs to eschue false teachers and teacheth vs that their company is pernicious and hurtfull The same the other Apostles also did as it is manifest which thought not they had done their dutie to point at the false teachers of their dayes with their fingers but also warned vs of them whome by inspiration of the holy spirite they knewe shoulde come in the later age of the worlde whereof we haue testimonies 1. Timoth. 4. 2 Timoth. 3. and .4 2. Thess. 2. 1. Iohn 2. and .4 Therefore whosoeuer hath in these dayes the ministery of the Gospell committed to him let him imitate the faithfulnesse and diligence of these men Bicause it is euident the sheepe are so foolishe that they can scarse beware of the Woolfe when they are warned yea for hope of a little lucre they will creepe into the mouthes of them Let them therefore paint out in their colours and terme by their true and proper names all these deceyuers and take no regarde to them which for priuate gaine hold with them Let other also learne to obey their faythfull aduertisementes and to flie the professed enimies of Christ whose company if they auoyde not they can not be taken for the members of christ Let them at the least be mooued with feare of the daunger which we knowe hangeth both ouer their heades and them that follow them For they that refuse to come forth of Babilon the mother of whoredome shal taste of those plagues also which the Lorde hath ordeyned for hir We haue therefore Peters counsell touching the waye of saluation wherevnto Luke ioyneth the notable successe that followed thereof For he sayth that they that gladlye embraced his preaching were baptized and the same day there were added vnto them about three thousande soules The godly writer in marueylous breuitie comprehendeth a great matter For here is fulfilled that that Christ sayde vnto Peter when he was called to be an Apostle Hereafter thou shalt take men on lyue For he which a little before was but a rude fisher letting slippe the nette of the Gospell bringeth three thousande people vnto the obedience of the faith in Christ who both gladly receyued his preaching and willingly continued in the same This place teacheth vs two things very needefull to be knowne First we learne that godly and faithfulfull ministers doe neuer preach the worde of God in vaine although many things seeme to stoppe and hinder the course thereof This the Lorde witnesseth by his Prophete Lyke as the rayne and snowe commeth downe from heauen and returneth not thither agayne but watreth the earth maketh it fruitefull and greene that it maye giue corne to the sower and breade to him that eateth so the worde also that commeth out of my mouth shall not turne agayne voyde vnto mee but shall accomplishe my will and prosper in the thing whereto I sende it We haue in this matter a moste manifest example hereof where we maye also see things that might hinder the profite and fruite of Gods worde A people of nature rebellious and stubborne such as Moyses the Prophetes describe and set forth As many as were of any power authoritie wâ—â—e enimies to the doctrine Great daunger and perill in receyuing the doctrine of the Gospell bicause before this as many as followed Christ were excommunicated The Apostles were rude contemned and despised persons yet the worde of the moste high God driuen lyke a shower or storme with hys winde or breath which as Christ sayth bloweth where it liketh bursteth through all these stoppes and impediments This ought to comfort vs in this age that we despayre not of Christes Church and the successe therof notwithstanding we see so diuers enterprises and attemptes euery where busily bent and ment against the same Next we are taught what the nature of faith is and what the propertie of Gods elect people is For here are two thinges ascribed vnto them One is that they gladly embraced Peters sermon For where the mindes of those that beleeue are drawne with the spirite of God they streyght way knowe his voyce and the chiefe shepeheards and follow it Neither haue they any greater pleasure than in the study of the worde of God wherein they vnderstande that that most mercifull father and the onelye author of saluation talketh with them The other is that Luke sayeth they continued in the same which is as necessarie a propertie as the first For Christ sayeth He that abydeth vnto the ende shall be safe But hee that setteth his hande to the plough and looketh backwarde is not meete nor woorthy of the kingdome of God. If we compare these thinges with the maners of our age it wyll easily appeare how vnhappy an age it is For with many and continuall sermons can very fewe be woonne vnto christ And we maye see euen in them that haue professed Christ eyther a negligent contempt of Gods worde or else some detestable lightnesse whereby vpon euery trifling occasion they dishonestly starte from the truth that they haue knowne and professed But let vs returne to Luke which in fewe words setteth out the forme of the primitiue Church the maners the rites and the exercises of the same the chiefe
Church and declare the benefite of Gods grace that it seeme not to be bestowed vpon vnworthy persons But Luke passeth to other matters declaring what effect this great myracle tooke among the people and howe an occasion of preaching was thereby offered to Peter where the proper and right vse of the whole hystorie sheweth it selfe The people sayeth Luke sawe the lame man walking and praysing god And not only sawe him walking but knew certainly it was he that was woont to sitte at the gate of the Temple to aske almes Which thing maketh for proofe of the truth of the myracle least anye man might deeme there were anye craft or sleyght vsed in the matter Then being rauished with admiration they ranne thicke and threefolde to the Apostles whome the lame man for ioye had not yet let go and forsaken Here we haue two things to obserue the one worthy of great commendation the other of reprehension as more plainly shall appeare by Peters wordes First being striken with marueylous admiration Luke sayth they were prouoked to runne to the Apostles and to bethinke them of so straunge and vnwoonted a matter which no manne can denye but was well done of them and not without a cause For we ought diligently to consider the workes of God and to marueyle at the excellencye of them for the which ende some Philosophers not altogither vnwittily haue sayde that God made manne Bicause that obseruation and marueyling stayeth not in a certaine blinde and amazed dulnesse of the minde but is a certayne preparation of the mynde whereby we are drawne to the true knowledge of god For God verily reuealeth himselfe and his will in his worde which being long since written he hath commaunded alwayes to be preached in his Church But such is the corruption of our minde that vnlesse we be drawne by some forcible motion we can neuer be brought from earthly things to the consideration of heauenly Wherefore God ioyneth to his worde many times certaine signes and most singuler works that they may awake our mindes out of that dull sleepe and bring them to the consideration of his worde and will. And for this cause Christ oftentimes eyther before his teaching or in his teaching vsed myracles to make men the more ready to receyue his doctrine Which myracles howe much good they did appeareth by the example of Nicodemus and others who by them came first to the knowledge of christ Nowe in all the myracles iudgementes and workes of God this is the chiefe ende and purpose that by them we shoulde take occasion to ryse higher to the better knowledge of Gods will and pleasure But here the sluggishnesse of this age is to be bewayled whereby it commeth to passe that many are waxed so deafe that they neyther can heare nor see anye of the thinges whereby God puncheth vs and waketh vs vp to acknowledge our saluation The word of the Gospell is preached andthe Lord commaundeth vs to watch We see euery where horrible examples of Gods iudgements wherewith he bridleth and punisheth the vncurable wickednesse of this world There are signes woonders and tokens of all sortes and kindes shewed To conclude whatsoeuer thinges Christ prophecied shoulde come to passe in the later age before his glorious comming are dayly done in our sight and fulfilled But we lying bolt vpright and snorting regarde none of all these things so that if there were none other signe or token surely by the ouer great securitie and carelesnesse of the worlde it maye be perceyued that these be the daungerous dayes wherof the Apostles many times haue admonished vs. But let vs awake O brethren and learne by this present example the workes of God that our marueyling at them maye be an helpe for vs to come to a more perfite knowledge of God. The other thing in the people is to be reprehended For although God pricked and stirred them vp by so notable a myracle yet were their mindes and eyes still vpon the Apostles whome they thought to be the authors of the myracle whereas they ought to haue lift vp their mindes to the consideration of Iesus Christ in whose name and by whose power the myracle was wrought This is the propertie of the fleshe to sticke to the present and next causes and to lift their minde no higher to knowe the true and onely author of all things that are done And this is no small errour for of this all superstition and ydolatrie tooke their beginning For hereof it came to passe that the Gentiles worshipped the Sunne Moone and the other planets as Gods. For in ascribing to them the benefites that God by them bestowed on mankinde what other thing did they The same errour mooued them to make these men Gods which had beâ—â—e authors to them of any publike weale or pleasure And this errour stayed not in men but bicause of the benefites they receyued by beastes and other creatures they thought there was a certaine kinde of Godheade in brute beastes riuers fountaines trees and herbes and turned the glorye of the immortall God into the likenesse of men flying fowles and fourefooted beastes Neyther did the ydolatrie vsed among the Christians spring of anye other occasion For when the myracles wrought in times past by Saints began to doltishly to be written by those that were vnlearned were also more foolishly preached and blazed in the pulpets straight way the ignorant people thought them to be done through the vertue and power of the Saints And so another errour sprang of that false opinion and caused them that were sicke or in other great daungers to make vowes to the Saintes by whose helpe they hearde that eyther themselues or other before had bene deliuered And bicause God sometymes mainteyned the remembrance of his Saintes by myracles wrought at their sepulchres they thought some godly power was also in those places whereof it came to passe that they tyed worshipping and inuocation to places peculiar And least anye thing shoulde be wanting to this superstition and ydolatrie Saâ—an beganne to beautifie the images of the Saintes with signes and myracles whereby the matter came so farre out of frame that nowe the thinges due to Christ alone were not only attributed to Saintes but also to the Saintes images which superstitions men had set vp against the commaundement of Gods maiestie And it was not ynough to make vowes to the Saintes but there must also be some famous place ymage of the Saint wrought and carued That these things were of a truth done we are taught both by histories and examples of superstitious men which shew vs in these dayes an infinit number of them Wherfore where the negligent consideration of myracles and the foolish admiration of them hath giuen occasion of fowle error and manifest vngodlynesse we are warned that whatsoeuer myracles are done without the doctrine of Gods worde which teacheth vs trulye to iudge of them they ought neuer to be
those thinges which by Moyses were prefigurated But it sufficeth to giue occasion to them that list more deepely and exactly to search them Now vnto this description of Christ he ioyneth what the dutie is that we owe him for Moyses saith him shal you heare in al things whatsoeuer he saith to you The same God the father commaunded vpon the hill of Thabor as we declared a little before saying Heare him Yet let no man thinke he hath fulfilled the cōmaundement of God if he receiue the word of God but into his eares as Iudas and the Phariseyes Pylate and many others did But first an earnest desire of the Gospell is required bicause among manye thinges whereabout men be most vainly occupied one thing is necessary as Christ teacheth vs From the studie of the worde the beliefe which we haue in it cannot be secluded For howe can we labour to get that thing the credit and truth whereof we suspect Obedience followeth beliefe whereby we acknowledge Christ to be the teacher of fayth religion and director of our whole life and to our power obey him These markes of the children of God did he teach vs where he sayth He that is of God heareth the wordes of God. Agayne My sheepe heare my voyce and follow me Whervpon we gather for a suretie that they be not the children of God nor the sheepe of Christ which refuse to heare Christes voyce speaking in the Gospell Aboue all things we must note that whatsoeuer Christ speaketh we are commaunded to heare it For there be which heare Christ in deede but they heare him but in those things only which like their fleshlye appetyte against the which if anye thing be spoken they thinke that apperteyneth not vnto them Of this number be they which gladly heare and marueylously embrace the promises of the Gospell where the grace of God is preached and free forgiuenesse of sinnes but the same will not admit the doctrine of repentaunce which rebuketh and accuseth sinne They be like vnto those which after a sort can suffer the doctrine of truth to be preached but cannot abyde if a man reprooue the deceyuers and Antichristes And we see many so affected that they will greatly extoll and commende whatsoeuer is spoken of the kingdome of Christ of his victorie of the glorye of the elect which they shall possesse in heauen but yet they so abhorre the crosse persecutions that they can suffer no mentions to be made thereof But these men are farre deceyued For Christ is not deuided neyther can the parts of Christ his doctrine be separated For he that commaunded forgiuenesse of sinnes to be preached in his name the same requireth all men likewise to repent And he that sayde to the woman that was a sinner and bewayled hir sinnes Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee The same sayd vnto him that was sicke of the Palsey being nowe healed Beholde thou art made whole sinne not againe heereafter least a worse thing happen vnto thee And afterwarde he sayde by Paule that whooremongers and adulterers without repentance shoulde not enter into the kingdome of god Likewise he that confesseth himselfe to be the light and the truth and biddeth vs to walke in him the same reprooueth false Christes and Antichristes and biddeth vs beware of them Againe he that promiseth the treasures of heauen to those that be his the same affirmeth constantly that in the world they shall suffer tribulation And he that gloriously rose from the dead and with great triumph was taken vppe into heauen a little before that was despitefully hanged betweene two theeues Therfore as we must embrace whole Christ so is it necessary that we giue eare to his whole doctrine vnlesse we will wholy be depriued of him A figure hereof went before in the Paschall lambe which the Iewes were commaunded to eate whole and the bones and other things which coulde not be eaten were commaunded to be burned So must whole Christ be receyued and if anye thing seeme in him vntollerable that same must be consumed and ouerpassed with the fire of fayth and loue of God. Furthermore bicause our fleshe herein maketh much resistance which very vnwillinglye commeth to this yoake Moyses vrgeth vs with grieuous menace and threatening It will come to passe sayeth he that euerye soule that will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among that people This punishment comprehendeth the whole destruction of man both body and soule For what hope of saluation can remayne for him which is secluded and cut of from the Church people of God which only is receyued into the fellowship and communion of all Gods goodnesse But why shoulde he not be reiected from the fellowshippe of him which refuseth to heare him whome God hath appoynted to be his maister and the teacher of his whole Church How much more grieuous punishment doth he deserue which dare treade the sonne of God vnder his feete Hereof are taken those heauye threates in the Gospell which seeme to manye too vehement and more cruell than reason woulde such as is that saying of the Baptist He that beleeueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe and the wrath of God abideth vpon him And Christ when he had promysed eternall life to the beleeuers addeth He that will not beleeue shall be condemned But Peter thought to admonishe the Iewes hereof bicause they should not thinke the contempt of Christ and his Gospell to be a game and pastime but shoulde knowe that the daunger of their soule laye thereon And let vs thinke the same is sayde vnto vs For such is the authoritie of Iesus Christ with his father that no man can be accepted and welcome to him except he be graffed in Christ. But the bare and emptye profession of a Christian name graffeth vs not in him but a liuely faith which maketh vs to obey his doctrine and firmely to beleeue in him See what is said of the true and counterfeite hearers of Christ Math. 7. and Luc. 6. Chapters Although the authoritie of Moyses was great with the Iewes yet bicause Peter will omit nothing he ioyneth hereto testimonies of the Prophetes diuers of the which it is like he rehearsed But here he taketh all saying All the Prophetes from Samuell and thencefoorth as manye as haue spoken haue tolde of these dayes He beginneth the number of the Prophetes with Samuel bicause before him was no Prophete after Moyses whose writings are extant Yea before he prophecied the worde of the Lorde was a rare and precious thing as we reade 1. Samuel 3. Which afterwarde by many Prophetes began most clearely both to be preached and writen euery where And as many as were from that time haue prophecied of Iesus Christ as may plainely appeare to all them which haue reade their sermons or bookes with diligence It is a plaine and manifest oracle of God that Nathan telleth to Dauid of Christ
for their faithfull endeuour and godlynesse and not to be offended if the like also fall out vpon vs. But least we shoulde haue any iust occasion to be offended the Euangelist teacheth vs how little the wicked with all their tyrannie preuayled against Christ and his Church Many sayth he of them that heard the words beleeued and the number of the men was about fiue thousande What shoulde we here first saye or marueyle at O brethren The vnspeakable power of God or the woonderfull constancie and boldenesse of the faythfull of that time Here appeareth the inuincible power of Christ which doth not only scatter the counsell of his enimies but also turneth it vpside downe which Dauid once prophecied he should doe They go about to stoppe the course of the Gospell and by feare to pull men from the Church of Christ. But they are so deceyued that rather maye be perceyued a marueylous fruite of the Gospell and newe scholers are added vnto the Church of Christ. This is the perpetuall condicion of the Church that by persecutions it encreaseth The same came to passe longe agone in Babylon what time the kinges of Assiria and Persia did set forth God and his religion Under the Romaine Emperours the whoter the persecution was the more there were that thought it a goodlye matter to confesse Christ with their bloude This is it that Dauid sayth Christ shall reigne or beare rule in the middle of his enimies Let vs followe the boldenesse of the primitiue Church and not be feared with the crosse or rage of persecutors They shewe crueltie but vppon our bodies and that no further than God permitteth but vppon our soule they haue no power at all They binde the Preachers of the worde and the faithfull hearers but the worde of God cannot be bounde For the spirite of the Lorde bloweth not where the worlde will but where it selfe will. Further he is greater that worketh in vs than he that so rageth in the worlde Christ worketh in vs through whose comfort we are able to doe all things He is a strong and faithfull shepeherde which will not suffer his sheepe to be taken from him He hath prepared for vs a place in heauen to the which it becommeth vs by the crosse and all maner of tribulations to come that we may liue with him and reigne in the house of his father To whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxvij. Homelie AND it came to passe on the morowe that their Rulers and Elders and Scribes and Annas the chiefe priest and Caiphas and Iohn and Alexander and as many as were of the kinred of the high priestes gathered togither at Ierusalem And when they had set them before them they asked By what power or in what name haue you done this Then Peter full of the holye ghost sayde vnto them you Rulers of the people and Elders of Israel if we this daye be examined of the good deede that we haue done to the sicke man by what meanes he is made whole Be it knowen vnto you all and to all the people of Israell that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whome you crucified whome God raysed vp againe from death euen by him doth this man stande here present before you whole This is the stone which was cast awaye of you builders which is become the chiefe of the corner Neyther is there saluation in any other For amonge men vnder heauen there is giuen none other name wherein we must be saued ALthough our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ according to his promises neuer fayleth those which embrace him with true fayth yet hee chiefly succoureth them when they are persecuted of their enimies and finde no helpe in man wherevnto to leane And then he comforteth them not onely with his spirite but also sheweth them what to doe and to saye This present hystorie giueth vs an example hereof whyle the wyse men and of greatest power in the world after the worlds iudgement be ouercome and shamefully confounded by Christes Apostles being but vnlearned men and of no estimation We haue seene howe the Apostles were had to prison bicause they tooke vpon them the office of preaching and taught howe Christ was risen from death being not licensed thereto of the Bishops But now Luke declareth how they handled Christes cause before the counsell at Ierusalem which place as well for many other skilles as for this chiefely is notable bicause it containeth the craftynesse of the enimies of truth and an example of a counsell of Bishops assembled against the truth He beginneth with the benche of the Iudges which he painteth out with a diligent rehearsall of all them that were gathered togither not only bicause we should vnderstande who and what maner of men were assembled but also that we might perceyue howe the enimies of truth trust more in the authoritie and power of men than in any thing else It came to passe sayde he that their Rulers and Elders and Scribes of Hierusalem c. Whatsoeuer was of any excellencie or authoritie among the Iewes he comprehendeth in three degrees They are Rulers to whome the Romaines had committed the gouernaunce of such thinges as chiefely concerned the constitutions and rules of Iurie wherein they differed from others The Elders were the state of the Senators as appeareth by other places of the Scripture The Scribes are they which attributed to themselues the knowledge of the lawe and the Scriptures and who had the keeping of the publike writings and recordes And not contented to haue rehearsed these degrees he reciteth also the names of certaine other of most authoritie amongest them that is to saye Annas who seemeth here to be the high Priest not bicause he was then Bishop for the hystories report that Caiphas was this yeare Bishop but bicause he had bene Bishop before then Caiphas Iohn and Alexander wherevnto afterwarde he ioyneth all those that were of the high Priests kinred Now if you consider well this bench you shall perceiue there was nothing at that present of greater honour For they whose power was of most authoritie with the Romaine Presidentes were all assembled togither They also were there to whome the publike administration of the Church was committed And they whose name and fame for learning and doctrine was greatest among the people were there But herein stoode the chiefe poynt of all others that these degrees of men were instituted of God and commended for the succession of about a thousande and fiue hundred yeares if we count from the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt or from the time that Aaron was Byshop vntill the dayes of Christ and his Apostles And in deede they might call themselues the successors of Aaron Eleazar Abiathar Iehosuah and others to whome there is no small prayse attributed in the Scriptures With these men are the Apostles coped yea they are brought before them
shoute required to haue Christ most shamefully crucifyed There are infinite lyke examples which teach vs that Tirauntes cannot allwaye doe what they list These serue to encourage vs that we be not afrayde at the vaine threates of the worlde but to follow our vocacion boldely and not to doubt of Gods defence and ayde who hauing nombred the heares of our heade will suffer nothing to happen vnto vs without his good prouidence and pleasure He defendeth those that be his in the middle of Babylon and Egipt as long as he seeth they serue to set fourth his glorie and to bring other into the way of saluation And when they haue finished their course he calleth them vnto him And although it may then seeme the wicked haue some power vpon them yet is it none other but that they ryd the godly out of this myserable dungeon of the flesh whereas they themselues in the meane season fill vp the measure of their iniquitie and be receiued into Hell among them which brought feare into the lande of the lyuing Furthermore we may behold the state and condicion that tyrants are in when they seeme to be of most power and authority that is to say how while they go about to put many in feare they stande in feare of many The same cōmeth to passe in them that we see fal out among cruell beasts such as are Beares Lions Panthers other like These beasts are fierce against all they meete with are feared of all men Yet men make taltrops digge pits for them and make engines to kill them wherby it commeth to passe many times that that beast which not long before made an whole country afraid is killed by the hande of some one man the most cowarde and fearefullest of al other men Tyrants many times find it so commeth to passe by them and therefore they are still vexed wyth the preposterous feare and dread of the people and going about to make all men afrayde liue in feare of them that are nearest about them as Luke in this place saith these men did Hence proceede those exquisite gardes that Tyrauntes haue about them for preseruation of their bodies and lyfe For this cause most times they wage souldiours and armed men out of straunge Countries and promyse them selues more safety in the defence of straungers than in their owne countrymen bicause among straungers they thinke there be none that hope for any gaine by their death For this cause Masinissa King of Numidia being both in amitie and league with the people of Rome and hauing foure and fiftie children garded his bodie with mastiues and bande dogs reposing in them a more sure succour and defence than in men whome he knewe hee had many times offended What shall we say of Dionysius which caused his daughters to learne the Barbers craft bycause he woulde not commit his throte to the handes of men And after his daughters were mariageable woulde trust them no longer nor neuer woulde company wyth any of his wyues before they were dilygently searched and ransaked But Histories be ful of these examples which may both comfort vs against tyrantes and teach all men that be in authoritie to doe iustlye and truely and not to thinke their lyfe safe through vnbrydeled authoritie For the more they make afrayde the more they prouoke to lye in wayte for their goodes and lyues And whosoeuer be ledde wyth the feare of God and thinke to follow his commaundements and moderate their authoritie and power after the same although sometimes the wicked craftily laye wayte for them yet shall they perceyue that God defendeth them who can easily scatter the deuyses of all that are seditious as we are taught by the examples of Dauid and Ezechias Last of all Luke telleth what the Apostles did after they were let gone saying They came vnto their fellowes and shewed them all that the highe Priestes and Elders had sayde So they declare all the matter to the congregation both for that they woulde mooue them to prayer as the things following declare and also that perceyuing the threates and attemptes of their enimies they might all arme themselues with a christian valiantnesse and pacience and as farre as they might without preiudice of religion take heede of their ginnes and snares By which example we are taught that it is lawfull for Ministers of the Church to declare openly to the congregation whatsoeuer the professed enimies of the truth take in hande agaynst Christ and his flocke Which thing manye nowe a dayes thinke not onely superfluous but also to haue in it some likelyhoode of sedition when eyther the Popes Bulles or the decrees of Synodes and Counsayles and horrible threates of Antychrist are recited before the Congregation But by these mennes iudgement both Christ and his Apostles shall be accused of sedition who it is euident many times thus did Let vs rather remember that the Ministers of the Churche are appointed to be shepeheardes and watchmen It is therefore their dutie to rebuke Woolues and to warne the sheepe of daungers at hande The ende of all these things is that the faithfull shoulde turne vnto God by prayers and amendement of lyfe and be armed with Christian fortitude and constancie of fayth that when we haue ouercome all the attemptes of our enimies we may be taken at length into the blessed kingdome of Iesus Christ to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xxx. Homelie AND when they hearde that they lift vp their voyces to God with one accorde and sayde Lorde thou art God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is which by the mouth of thy seruaunt Dauid hast sayde why did the heathen rage and the people imagine vaine things The kinges of the earth stoode vp and the Rulers came togither against the Lorde and against his annoynted for of a truth against thy holy childe Iesus whom thou hast annoynted both Herode and also Pontius Pylate with the Gentyles the people of Israel gathered themselues togither to do whatsoeuer thy hande and thy counsell determined before to be done And nowe Lorde beholde their threatenings and graunt vnto thy seruantes that with all confidence they may speake thy worde So that thou stretch foorth thine hande that healing and signes and woonders bee done by the name of thy holy chylde Iesus And as soone as they had prayed the place moued where they were assembled togither and they were all filled with the holy ghost AS our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ doth oftentimes make mention of the persecutions of the godly so the holy ghost woulde haue Luke diligently to set forth the persecutions of the primitiue Church not only for to maintaine the truth of Christes sayinges but partly for that we shoulde not be offended at the aduersitie and tribulation wherwith the church is now a dayes troubled as at a straunge and vnwoonted thing and partly for that we
shoulde be instructed with the example of the primitiue Church what to doe in time of persecutions And to this ende principally are all those things to be applied which hitherto haue bene sayde of the Apostles They being brought before the counsayle doe plainly and boldly confesse christ Then when the enimies had forbidden them to preach the Gospell they protest with marueylous constancie that they can not obey so wicked a commaundement At length when they perceyue that reason coulde not preuayle with these wicked Counsaylers but that they were still threatened they declare all the matter to the congregation to th ende that ech one being admonished of the daunger ensuing might the more easily prouide for themselues These proceedings let the Ministers imitate as often as they perceyue the world raise stormes of persecutions against them Let their stoute and bolde confession of Christ be an example vnto others Let them not yeelde to the wicked commaundements of Princes Let them faithfully premonish the congregation least any mannes saluation stande in perill through their sloth Luke proceedeth on in his hystorie and sheweth what the Church doth being thus admonished by the Apostles By which example it maye appeare what euery Christian hath to doe both particulerly and in generall when persecutions are stirring They sayth he when they hearde the Apostles lift vp their voyce to God with one accorde And he telleth of the Church howe they sought the succour and helpe of God only by prayer They were not carelesse therefore nor did not set light the daungers approching Neither fledde they to mans wisedome helpe or counsayle but sought all maner of ayde and succour by prayers This is the sure sanctuarie of the Church bicause God euerywhere promiseth to be their defender that seeke their helpe of him And that which he euerywhere promiseth he hath by infinite examples perfourmed so that none that is a true Christian can doubt of the truth of his promises To this may be ioyned how he deliuered the Israelites enuironned with the hoste of the Egyptians at Moyses entreatie and prayers And after that through the prayers of the same Moyses he gaue them victorie ouer the Amalechites In the Psalmes there are infinit examples of them which testifie how God hath bene fauourable and gracious vnto their prayers Yea Ioël the Prophete giueth this only counsell to the Church in distresse that they shoulde all turne vnto God and call vppon him for helpe prescribing also such a forme of prayers as they shoulde openly vse And that his counsayle was not in vaine the successe of the matter prooued For God sent his Aungell which in one night slewe the hoste of the Assirians and deliuered the citie of Ierusalem from the great tyrannie of Sennacharib Wherefore the primitiue Church coulde not doe better than to sue vnto God by praier as they did The corrupt condicions and maners of our dayes are by this example reprooued For we see many with ouermuch carelesnesse contemne the daungers hanging ouer the Church scoffe and deride all admonitions and wholy giue themselues to all vntimely pleasures and exercises But when they feele the fire of persecution burning either they follow the counsell of the fleshe dissembling their fayth or else fortifye themselues in the league of Princes and helpe of man Which is the cause that the more they seeke to be out of daunger the more grieuously they entangle and endaunger themselues Luke also in fewe wordes comprehendeth the right trade and order of praying First they call vpon God who is onely to be inuocated as appeareth both by the couenant made with Abraham by the first commaundement in the Decaloge and by the order of the Lordes prayer And it is manifest by many examples that he only heareth vs euerywhere and can deliuer vs Wherfore great heinous is their error whosoeuer they be that make their prayers vnto Creatures Then they lift vp their voice and pray And yet is it plaine that God heareth euen the groning onely of them that are afflicted and their teares continually are in his sight Howbeit they woulde expresse the synceritie of their fayth by lifting vp their voyce and testifie that they were not ashamed of their prayers and calling vpon God for helpe For this is not the least poynt of the confession of our fayth as we may perceyue Daniel well iudged who hauing before prayed in secret when he perceyued the King had commaunded God shoulde not be inuocated setteth open his windowes and prayeth as it were in the sight of all men bicause he woulde not seeme to like or allowe the wicked proclamation Last of all he attributeth vnanimitie or concorde vnto them which thing except the Church obserue neyther shall their prayers be hearde ne yet their selues be taken for the Church of god For the Church being made one body vnder one head which is Christ is quickened with one selfe spirite calleth vpon one and the same father and hath one and the same inheritance layde vp for them in heauen And they that in these things agree cannot in their mindes be deuided Therefore let vs followe the trade of praying vsed in the primitiue Church and we shall perceyue in our aduersities that Gods helpe will be most neare at hande It shall be good to consider diligently the prayer that they made which may be deuided into three partes The first conteyneth a description of God wherein they acknowledge him for the creator of the whole worlde They make mention first of the creation that men might consider the omnipotencie of God and his singuler power ouer all creatures whereby they might conceyue the greater consolation For thus they were aduertised that the wicked enimies of Christ neyther coulde hinder the worke of God by their enterprises nor yet hurt them in any thing without the deuise and sufferance of god It behooueth vs likewise to haue a consideration of Gods omnipotencie that we acknowledge him not only for the creator but also for the gouernour and preseruer of all creatures who though he hath set his throne on high yet hee humbleth himselfe to beholde whatsoeuer is done eyther in heauen or in earth Which consideration as it is very profitable for the amendement of our life and maners so in tribulations it bringeth comfort and in our prayers chiefely confirmeth our faith wherevpon the effect of prayer principally dependeth And this is the chiefe vse of the first Article in the Apostles Creede where we professe we beleeue in God the Father maker of heauen and earth For it maketh for the confirmation of our faith and taketh awaye all cause of distrust which commonlye springeth by reason we thinke God eyther cannot or will not helpe vs But what is impossible vnto him which hath made heauen and earth by his worde and hath hyther to preserued all this worlde Or is it like he will neglect men whom he hath made Lords ouer all the things
man might iudge them rather kindled and enflamed with the threats of their enimies than made afrayde Whereof more shall be sayde in the next Sermon We are taught by this example that God neglecteth not the praiers of the godlye but that his eyes be fixed vpon the iust and his eares open vnto their prayers Let vs follow the example of the primitiue Church in these dayes where most cruell enimies euerywhere conspire togither against the truth and turning our selues vnto God by prayer let vs commit our whole cause vnto him let vs beseech him of increase of fayth and the holye ghost that we be not ouercome with any daungers or terrors but that after we haue happily ended the course of our life we may be receyued into his heauenly kingdome there to liue with Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxxj. Homelie AND they spake the worde of God boldly And the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule Neyther sayd any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common And with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lord iesu And great grace was with them all Neyther was there any among them that lacked For as many as were possessours of lands or houses solde them and brought the price of the things that were solde and layde it downe at the Apostles feete And distribution was made vnto euery man according as he had neede And Ioses which was called of the Apostles Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolation being a Leuite and of the countrie of Cyprus hauing lande solde it and layde the price downe at the Apostles feete AS Luke the Euangelist hath diligently described the first persecution that was raysed against the Apostles so reporteth he as diligentlye what the faithfull did during the time of these whurly burleys The ende of all which is that we should learne what to doe in like case First and foremost they gaue themselues vnto prayers which they powred out before God with one feruent accorde of minde To God likewise must we resort in our aduersities and not to the vaine helpe of the fleshe And we must aske of him not such things as serue the carelesnesse and ydlenesse of the fleshe but such as concerne the setting forth of Christs kingdome Now let vs see the other exercises of the primitiue Church wherby it shall appeare that they intermitted nothing that belonged to their dutie First Luke speaketh of the Apostles and all those who had the office of teaching committed to them He sayth they preached the worde of God with confidence that is boldly and freely whervnto a little after is added with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lorde Iesu. They accomplished therefore that which they protested they woulde doe contrarie to the decree of the counsayle Luke maketh mention only of the resurrection not for that they only preached the same only but bicause thereby Christ perfited and fulfilled the businesse of our redemption and saluation and for that we shoulde not thinke the Apostles yeelded anye thing to the Saduceyes which then were in greatest authoritie And it is not without a cause that Luke maketh mention of doctrine first of all other things for therevnto a principall care must always be had For where we are regenerate by doctrine and by the same the Church is gathered togither without the same the Church cannot stande in hir full strength and vigour Neyther was it without the prompting of the holy ghost that Salomon in tune past sayde When prophecying fayleth the people go to hauock And that this was truly sayde the examples of all ages abundantly testifye Wherefore as before he sayde the Church continued in the preaching and doctrine of the Apostles so now also he testifieth the Apostles are most mindefull and earnest in their office By which examples Ministers are admonished that they must not suffer the libertie of preaching to be taken from them through feare of persecution and threatning of enimies nor when daunger approcheth cease not to feede Christes sheepe with the word of doctrine and comfort For that is the propertie of hyrelings as Christ sayth and not of those which are readie to lay downe their liues according to the example of Christ for the sheepe committed to their charge But bicause men are much faultie herein it shall be profitable diligently to discusse this example that hereby Ministers may learne what appertaineth to them to doe And first bold libertie of teaching and vnfearefull affiance of minde is attributed to the Apostles Which is necessary for all ministers as it is plaine bicause there will be alwayes some that woulde haue them brydled and musseled For Christ witnesseth that the worlde cannot abide the light of the truth The same worlde cannot abide to be aduertised and reprehended So that there were in the olde time which durst say vnto the Prophetes Prophecie not to vs Looke not out right things for vs but speake faire wordes vnto vs looke out errours get you out of this waye depart out of this path and turne the holy one of Israell from vs. And Paule sayeth there shall be in the later dayes which shall not abide the worde of truth but hauing the ytch in their eares shal get them an heape of teachers which shall bring doctrine agreeable to their corrupt affections And we see it is euerywhere true that he prophecied Here therfore is required an Apostolike liberty bolde affiance of preaching whereby Bishoppes in the Church may applie their office in season and out of season that they maye encourage others of whom there is yet some hope remayning and deliuer their owne soules that the bloude of them that perishe be not required at their handes Furthermore it is sayd they chiefely inculcated the article of resurrection aboue all other And in deede this was the principall and chiefe article wherewith the chiefe of the Iewes were most offended For through this article they were conuinced partly of putting Christ vniustly to death and partly the Saduceyes coulde not suffer the same to be preached as who denied the resurrection Yet notwithstanding the Apostles boldly and stoutly preached the same so that it maye appeare they had a great care of the same This example teacheth vs that those articles are chiefely to be vrged which the aduersaries vse most to impugne For all things in the ministerie of the worde must be directed to edification and profite And the next care must be that the thing which is edified or builded must not fall downe againe But he shall performe none of these prosperously which most constantly resisteth not when the truth of doctrine is assaulted with the craft tiranny of the enimies and is moste in hazarde They that are set to defende Cities and Castelles vse
heare the Apostles aunswere very Apostolike and venerable by reason of the grauitie thereof which may be deuided into three partes First they put awaye the crime of disobedience Secondly they aunswere the other two obiections briefely And last of all they declare the whole matter of Christs kingdome if happily they might winne any of them vnto the same The fault of disobedience they excuse briefely not denying they were forbidden to preache but replying that they ought to obey God more than men Which sentence they before also so propounded that they made the Priestes themselues Iudges thereof bicause all men endued with common reason and vnderstanding might easilye perceyue the authoritie and truth thereof But forasmuch as they perceyue the Priestes growne to such impudencie that they sticke not to preferre their owne authoritie before Gods they boldlye and plainely repeate the same agayne In these wordes we may learne the true trade of obedience For they deny not that men must be obeyed to whome God hath giuen rule ouer vs such as be our parentes teachers Officers maisters and Lords but that we must obey God more than them They therefore appoynt certaine boundes and limittes of obedience within the compasse whereof they must walke which shall prescribe others what to doe For parentes haue left them their authoritie ouer their children Magistrates haue their power reserued by doctrine of the Gospell ouer their subiectes And that authoritie which God hath giuen to the Ministers of his worde must not be broken or violated And Peter in another place commaundeth seruants to obey their maisters though they be vnreasonable and waywarde The lyke reason is also of persons maried and of all others whome God hath made superiours ouer other But if they beginne to abuse their power and dignitie and will take vpon them to commaunde things contrary to the lawes of God and to the dutie that we owe him we must then run vnto the rule of Peter not suffer the authoritie of man and counterfayte shewe of Gods institution to preiudice or derogate any thing from Gods commaundement For assoone as they beginne to passe their boundes and to resist God they are but meere men and not to be accounted as the ministers of god But bicause we haue spoken hereof before let these fewe wordes suffice for this time Secondly they aunswere the other two crimes in one saying The God of our fathers hath raysed vp agayne Iesus whome yee slewe and hanged on tree In fewe wordes they dispatch two things The first is the God of our fathers hath raysed vp Iesus that is to saye we preache that Iesus and sauiour which we haue not imagined of our owne heade but which the God of our fathers once promised yea whome he from euerlasting ordeyned to be the sauiour of the world Therfore no man ought to accuse our doctrine eyther as new or false And I see none other cause why they make mention of the fathers but for that they woulde put them in minde of the promises reuealed to the fathers concerning christ Where by the waye may be perceyued the antiquitie and infallible certaintie of the Christian fayth and religion And we maye vse the same argument in these dayes against them which accuse our doctrine of newnesse and falshoode For why is it called new which preacheth Christ that was promised from the beginning of the world Why is it called false which sheweth vs saluation in him that is the way the light and the truth The seconde is where he speaketh of Iesus saying whom ye slewe and hanged on tree As though he should say we go not about to bring vpon you the blode of Christ nor to charge you with his death For you your selues were the authors principalles of that heynous deede you condemned him by your consents delyuered him to Pylate you required him to be put to death when Pylate iudged him to be let loose It was you that sayd His bloud be vpon vs vpon our children These things al men know bicause they were openly done And though we would holde our peace yet the thing it selfe cryeth out and will not be kept hid c. We learne by the Apostles example with what constancie and libertie we must cope with the professed enimies of the truth It behooueth vs boldly to defend the quarrel of the truth We must also freely reprooue their wickednes that they thinke not men be afraid of them For such is the nature of wicked Bishops that the more they be feared the more fierce they waxe bicause they think their craft is not yet espied But if a man withstand them to their face then their combe is cut Hence springeth that constancie of the prophets wherby they withstoode most mightie princes For this cause Christ which was the myldest of all other men seemeth to thunder when he hath to doe with the Scribes Phariseis whom he knew to be altogither incurable Therfore their modestie is preposterous that now a dayes flatter Popes Bisshops who in deede are greater enimies of the truth worse than the Iewishe Priests Howbeit least they might seeme to neglect them which perhaps might be woonne they briefly set forth the whole hystory of Christ and of our saluation and confirme the same with most sure testimonies which is the thirde part of this Apologie or defence For they say Him hath God lift vp with his right hand to be a ruler and a Sauiour for to giue repentance vnto Israel and forgiuenesse of sinnes And we be witnesses or recordes hereof c. In these wordes both Christ himselfe and the maner and meane whereby he giueth vs saluation is described And they saye Christ is not onely a sauiour but the Prince of saluation exalted by the right hande and power of god In the Scriptures mention is oftentimes made howe Christ is a King and Prince chiefely in the Psalmes and sermons of the Prophetes For herevnto belong the things reade in the Psalmes ij xlv.lxxxix.cx c. Mich. 5. And the Aungell Gabriel seemeth to haue alluded herevnto where he sayth he shall sit in the chaire of Dauid his father and of his kingdome shall be none end Thus the holy ghost teacheth vs that Christ is not only the minister of our saluation but is the author which by his owne power hath deliuered vs from the tyrannie of the deuill also that he is so mightie a sauiour that no man is able to resist him Neither did he by force take vnto him that honor but when he had most lowly humbled himselfe that name was giuen vnto him that is aboue all names in the which euery knee shoulde bowe c. This serueth for our comfort in temptations For where Christ is a mightie king whome the right hande of God hath exalted and to whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth it shall be an easie matter for him to defende vs neyther
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
forth with the charge giuen him of god The seconde is that he sayth he spake with the Aungell which both appeared to him before and afterwarde was familiarly conuersant with him when he appoynted him to be Gods interpreter to the people We declared before out of Paule that thys Aungell was christ Wherefore Moses dignitie is here declared to be such as wherein he excelled all the Prophetes of all ages For thus we reade God sayde If there be a Prophet of the Lordes among you I will be knowne of him in a vision and will speake vnto him in sleepe My seruaunt Moses is not so which is faythfull in all my house Vnto him will I speake mouth to mouth These things Steuen calleth to their remembraunce to make them vnderstande howe great the authoritie of Moses and the Oracles which God gaue by him ought to haue bene both with the fathers in time passed and ought nowe also to be with them And to that ende he afterwarde addeth This man receiued the worde of lyfe to giue vnto vs. And it is not without a cause that he calleth the lawe the word of lyfe For so he purgeth himselfe from all cryme of contemning the lawe and setteth forth in one word the effect of the lawe For truly the lawe is a liuely worde or the worde of lyfe although otherwheres Paule calleth it the strength of sinne and ministerie or working of death For it teacheth vs the rule howe to liue holily and promiseth lyfe to all them that fulfill the same Next it leadeth men vnto Christ in whome all the meane of saluation yea and very life it selfe is conteyned For the which cause Paule resembleth it to a schoolemayster And Moses sayth he had set lyfe before the Iewes â–ª bicause he had shewed them in the lawe the true way howe to attayne vnto lyfe And these things it becoÌ„meth vs to acknowledge in the lawe if we will rightly iudge therof But if we compare the corruption of our nature with it it may worthily be called the strength of sinne ministery of death For it bewraieth sinne which otherwise lurketh in vs vnknowne and witnesseth that we haue deserued death Furthermore it teacheth vs that we are so weake that we are not able to fulfill the righteousnesse therof nor of our owne power and merites to escape the wrath of God. But of these things Paule entreateth at large We ought well to marke howe he sayth that Moses deliuered not to the Israelytes the deuyses of his owne brayne but the worde of lyfe which he receyued of god Which thing it appeareth he perfourmed with such diligence that without the certaine and expresse word of God he neuer durst institute or decree any thing in doubtfull matters as we may see in the case of the blasphemer and of the man that brake the Sabboth daye and of those which being polluted with touching of dead coarses myght not come to the passeouer feast with the congregation And that that Moses obserued that same the Prophetes and Apostles in time past were commaunded also to obserue that they should teach nothing of their owne head vnder colour of Gods name but shoulde diligently set forth the worde of God speaking in the scriptures So God putteth his wordes into Hieremies mouth and commaundeth Ezechiel to take the worde at his mouth that he should shew vnto the people And the Apostles are commaunded to teache all Nations the things which before they had learned of christ If they which bragge of their succeeding the Apostles had with like diligence obserued the same we shoulde haue in the Church more true godlynesse and fayth and lesse errour and superstition And if we consider Moses the Prophetes and Apostles we shall finde the boldenesse of the Popes of Rome to be detestable which arrogate to themselues power to make new lawes and newe Articles of faith through whose licentious lust it is come to passe that the yoke of the christians is more grieuous burthenous than the yoke of the Iewes Secondly it is to be obserued how Steuen testifieth that the law was not giuen to the fathers liuing onely in Moses time but also vnto their posteritie yea he includeth himselfe and all others that had nowe professed Christ in the number to whome it was giuen By which place the errour of them is manifestly confuted which thinke the things done by Moses and the Prophetes according to Gods appoyntment belong only vnto the fathers Howbeit it is euident that God is euerlasting and vnchaungeable And therefore his will must needes be alwayes one vnchaungeable And it maketh no matter though manye thinges be abrogated which sometime were appoynted for the olde fathers For they ought to haue remayned but vntill a time of correction and to be resemblaunces and shadowes of those things the verity whereof was to be fulfilled in Christ. And in those things consisted not the worshipping of God which ought to be spirituall bicause God is a spirit In the meane time the true points of faith religion which were first declared in the beginning of the world and more fully afterward set forth by Moses and the Prophetes remayne safe and sounde wherevnto the Prophete had a respect saying The worde of the Lorde endureth for euer And Christ sayth the worlde shall peryshe but one tytle of the lawe shall not perishe Let no man therfore beguyle himselfe through any false hope as though the thinges deliuered to the fathers in time past were not also spoken to vs seeing our fayth lyfe and all our deedes must be tryed and examined according to the rule of the olde lawe But let vs returne vnto Steuen whiche setteth agaynst the publication of the lawe the ingratitude and naughtynesse of the fathers vniustly reiecting Moses and the lawe And although he myght haue recyted diuers other naughty deedes of theirs yet bringeth he but the sinne of Idolatrie onely whereby it appeareth plainely of howe small authoritie Gods law was with them when contrary to his commaundement they durst make an ymage of God and appoynt newe kyndes of worshipping him whereas not many dayes before they had heard the terrible 〈◊〉 of his diuine maiestie The storie is in Exodus the xxxiâ— â—ha Steuenâ— â—arke and ende herein is to prooue that the fathers were alwayes 〈◊〉 of Moses â–ª and that they present trimly trode in the steppes of their frowardnesse â–ª therefore as the fathers in olde time were saued by grace onely so there was none other hope of saluation for them than such as was founded vppon the grace of god It shall profite vs diligently to consider these fewe wordes wherein this heynous disobedience is comprehended bicause they cunningly paynt out vnto vs the begynninges and proceedinges of Idolatrye First declaring the fountayne of all this euill he sayth that the fathers would not obey the liuely worde of Gods lawe but in their heart returned into Egypt And by the
God in what place so euer they be sayd So God heard Ionas praying in the belly of the Whale â–ª and Daniels fellowes crying out of the fornace found how God was able to deliuer them And the roaring of the Lyons could not let but that Daniels prayers ascended vp before the Lorde Unto these is added an other argument taken of the place whereby he prooueth the worshipping of God not to be tyed to the Tabernacle For he sayth it had no abyding place but was caried vp and downe for fower hundred yeares vntill the time of Dauid who was the first that through the singuler goodnesse of god had by the Aungell a place shewed vnto him where the Temple shoulde be builded which thing we reade he obtayned by most hartie and feruent prayers where he sayth I will not come within the Tabernacle of my house nor climbe vp into my bedde I will not suffer myne eyes to sleepe nor myne eye liddes to slumber neyther the Temples of my head to take any rest vntil I finde out a place for the Temple of the Lord an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob See the hystorie in the second booke of Samuel 24. chap. Item in the first of the Chronicles .xxj. chap. Before this time the Scripture playnely teacheth that the Tabernacle had no resting place For first it was placed in Silo where it seemeth it rested vnto the time of Heli. Whyle Saule was king it was first in Gilgal then in Nobe one of the Cities of the Priestes Under Dauid it was placed in Gabaon At length all the things belonging to it were by Salomon layde vp in the Temple as it had bene some singuler treasure Who nowe that is in his witte will say that the worshipping of god and meane of saluation was tyed vnto the Tabernacle where it had neuer no sure abyding place It is worthy to be diligently considered where he sayth it was through the singuler grace of God that Dauid knewe a certayne place wherein God would be worshipped vntill the time of correction This made for the confirmation and stabilitie of his kingdome which thing Ieroboam euidentlye obserued who perceyued that his kingdome could not be firme stable without some certayne place house for religion In the meane season we learne that this is a singuler gift of god vpon earth if externe religion be firmly established and that men may safely follow it This is a most strong bande to conserue Ecclesiasticall vnitie and an vnspeakeable argument of Gods goodnesse and fauour They that lyue vnder the tyrannous persecutors of the church acknowledge this thing and earnestly desire the same Let vs likewise acknowledge it which liue in rest peace least we prouoke the wrath of God by our notorious vnkindenesse and being in aduersitie let vs vnderstande howe great a commoditie that is which nowe a dayes so many men make so little account of Nowe hauing discoursed the thinges belonging to the Tabernacle he entreth to reason of the Temple also which succeeded in the Tabernacles place and which had the very same vse the Tabernacle had And this the scripture declareth was builded by Salomon whereas before tyll religion had a place appoynted there was none But bicause Dauid through diuine reuelation knew this place the Iewes seemed not all in vayne to thinke that the true worshipping of God was in that place onelye where Steuen sharpely rebuketh their blockheadnesse For although he graunt them that the Temple was builded by Gods appoyntment yet he by and by agayne sayth But hee that is the highest dwelleth not in Temples made with handes And bicause he would not be reprooued of rashnesse he bringeth the words of God speaking on this wise in Esay 66. cap. Heauen is my seate the earth is my footestoole what maner of house will you builde vnto me sayth the Lord or which is the place of my rest Hath not my hande made all these things By arguments taken of his owne nature he prooueth that he is included in no certain place nor hath no neede of these things which are done by men For he that is of all power and might and whom the heauen of heauens is not able to receyue as Salomon himselfe confesseth 1. Reg. 8. it is impossible that he can be conteyned within any house Agayne he that is the Creator and maker of all things hath no neede of our benefites as is declared at large Psal. 50. These things serue both for our consolation and instruction For whereas God is euerywhere he may therefore euerywhere be worshipped so that we neede to be neyther troubled with ouermuch costes ne yet with any great labour about the same And for bicause he hath no neede of our goodes the true trade of worshipping him and his fauour can not consist in such things Therfore it is a fowle and filthie error of these hypocrytes which when they had done these things thought they had fully discharged their duties vnto god Wherefore it behooueth vs rather to consider what the true vse and meaning of these outwarde things is They consist of time place ceremonies Tyme and place is conuenient for order sake For as it behooueth vs to appoynt certayne dayes for religion to be obserued on so the same cannot be done but in some place also But as saluation is not tyed to obseruation of dayes no more is it to this or that place Yet these things haue their vse in religion For they serue for the vse of the holy congregations whome it behooueth oftentimes to meete togither by reason of the preaching of the worde publike prayers and administring of the sacramentes And bycause Temples be appoynted to these exercises therefore they shoulde be exempt from all prophane and secular vsances Which was the cause that Aggeus the Prophet so much called on the building vp of the Temple But let vs not supersticiously be tyed in opinion to the ouermuch reuerencing of the place Nowe the vse of the Ceremonies appointed by God for of mans constitutions here is no one worde such as common custome calleth Sacraments is to seale or confirme vnto vs the benefites of God and therefore they lift vp our mindes by contemplation of fayth into heauen and admonishe vs of our duties both to God and to man These things it be commeth vs well to obserue and to be contented with them least being occupied in outwarde things we be wrapped in the olde errour of the Iewes and so lose the heauenly goodes Let vs therefore worship God the father in spirite and in truth who hath fully giuen vs in his sonne our onely Priest and Sauiour Iesus Christ all those things which he sometimes figured to the fathers in signes of ceremonies and the Temple to him be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .liiij. Homelie YE stiffe necked and of vncircumcised harts and eares you haue alwayes resisted the holy ghost As your fathers did so doe you
way by the most cruell death of the crosse Thus you haue not only fulfilled the measure of your fathers but farre exceeded theÌ„ And as these things were not spoken by Steuen without the secret working of Gods holy spirite so must we thinke it was not without the will of God that the same thinges were written and left vnto posteritie For they teache vs howe we should deale with them which glory in the vertues of their ancestors and in the title of lawful succession and beguile the simple people with the authoritie they chalenge to themselues In which number we now adayes see the Bishops of Rome are who notwithstanding they persecute the doctrine of the Apostles with fire and sworde infecting the whole worlde with the example of a most abhominable and corrupt lyfe and turne true religion into lucre and gayne yet they vaunt themselues to be Christes Uicares the successours of Peter and Paule and constantly affirme that the Churche of Rome cannot erre And with their fleightes it is manifest that the worlde hath bene deceiued these great many yeares Therfore this visure must be pulled of from their faces and the faythfull ministers of the churche must not suffer that great Asse disguised in a Lions skinne to iet vp and downe and fraye the consciences of simple people any longer And they are not in this behalfe to be heard which would not haue these thinges talked so but prescribe vs rules of modestie meekenesse For where the glory of Christ is assaulted and the saluation of the soule imperilled there remayneth no place for feare or meekenesse This thing Christ well perceyued whome I thinke no man will finde fault with about his modesty and meekenesse And he thought it good to beate downe the false Byshops with all kynde of seueritie rather than by cowardly or preposterous lenitie Whose example both Steuen and the other Apostles most rightlye followed But before we let this peece passe you shall note that the Prophetes were foreshewers of christ This thing Christ himselfe confesseth And Peter attributeth to them the â—ame thing This maketh for the certaintie and dignitie of our faith that we thinke it not a thing either newly inuented or an vncertaine perswasion of a small number of persons Steuen goeth on with his purpose and taketh from them the vayne affiaunce of the lawe which seemed to be the chiefe thing amongst Gods benefites Dauid testifying that god shewed to no Nation the like declaration of his goodnesse He confesseth this was giuen them by ministery of Aungels by whose presence God thought good to shewe vnto them the glorye of his maiestie But he sheweth that the glory which they sought therin was but vayne bicause they were neuer obedient therevnto For they being ouercome with the desire of sinne neglected the lawe and wickedlye persecuted Christ to whome the law brought them Whereupon we gather that that glory also is in vayne which we haue in the word of God and doctrine of the Gospell vnlesse we expresse in our lyues the thinges prescribed by them For Blessed saith Christ are they that heare the worde of God and keepe it And in an other place he putteth from him and refuseth the workers of iniquitie whiche neglect the will of his father In the consideration wherof we now a dayes ought diligently to meditate For if the transgressors of Moses lawe were grieuously punished what shall come vnto them whiche wickedly contempne the woorde of the Gospell deliuered to vs by Christ Surely Christ sayeth they shall be more grieuously punished than those of Sodome and Gomorrhe And this is the most graue and iust defence of Steuen the first Martyr which as it ought to haue bene of great force and weight with the godly so with the professed enemies of Christ it lacked not only successe but also did exâ—sperate their myndes as with a sharpe goade of greater vngodlinesse For Luke writeth that when they had hearde this their heartes claue a sunder and they gnashed on him with their teeth The cleauing of heartes signifieth the sorrow of an heart boyling in rage and fury wherwith they were cruelly set on fire For their yre was so great that they could not hide it no not in the place appointed euer for Iustice and Gods religion Now the gnashing of teeth testified they were become like vnto madde dogges Hereby is expressed the propertie of the wicked who the more they are vrged with the word of God the more intollerably they scorne rage and are inflamed against them whome God hath appointed preachers of his worde So we reade that Caine was the more incensed by Gods speaking and admonition And there are infinite examples of these men the which it is not needefull to rehearse bicause we see the like euery day Let vs learne that this is an infallible token of extreme vngodlinesse For what good can a man hope for of him who is not the better but the woorse for the word of God Let vs therfore subdue this affection assoone as we feele our selues touched or mooued therwith In the meane season let vs learne that the ministers of the worde must not therefore holde their peace bicause the vngodly are incensed with their reprehension For Paule commaundeth them to be instant both in season and out of season And let no man be offended though he preuayle nothing by his saying among them For albeit there ensue no other effect of the worde yet the faithfull minister therof shall at least deliuer his owne soule And in the meane while there shall not want electe seruauntes of Christe who shall be instructed by that that is preached to the wicked for a testimony of iust condemnation God the father of mercy graunt that we may duely heare the Oracles of his worde and that wee being transformed into the same may no maner of way displease his Maiestie through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lv. Homelie BVT he being full of the holye Ghost looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God and sayde Behold I see the heauens open and the sonne of man standing on the right hand of god Then they gaue a showt with a lowde voyce and stopped their eares and ranne vpon him all at ones and cast out of the Citie and stoned him And the witnesse layde downe their clothes at a younge mannes seete whose name was Saule And they stoned Steuen calling on and saying Lord Iesu receyue my spirite And he kneeled downe and cryed with a lowde voyce Lorde laye not this sinne to their charge And when he had thus spoken he fell on sleepe ALthough the worde of GOD be both fruitefull and wholsome yet it bringeth forth fruite but in them only which heare the same with mindes rightly framed and disposed But it so little profiteth the wicked that
and clamor with vniust force wyth stones swordes firebrandes and whatsoeuer other instrumentes of the power of darckenesse With these we reade the Prophetes were in tymes past assaulted With such they disputed agaynst christ And the hystorie following will shewe howe they vsed the same agaynst the Apostles But bicause Christ hath many times giuen vs warning of these thinges we must not be offended at the same Let vs therefore be so prepared that they light not vpon vs vnawares and vnlooked for It is worthy of great obseruation and heede that whyle they rage most in violence and wrong yet they seeme to obserue a kinde of lawe and equitie For bicause they had accused him of blasphemie agaynst God and false doctrine therefore they gyue him the punishment appoynted of God for blasphemers and seducers And the witnesses as is prescribed in the law threwe the first stones at him which to doe with the more ease they put of their apparel and deliuer it vnto Saule to keepe who after he was conuerted vnto Christ was called Paule Therefore here wanteth nothing belonging to the forme of lawe And Steuen myght seeme iustly to haue suffered and according to the lawe But that is not alwayes lawfully done which hath a shewe of lawe and we must deepely wey the causes of punishments or else we shall grieuouslye erre in our iudgement In the meane season marke howe God sometime suffreth the wicked with whose rage he will haue his people exercised to fyll vp the measure of their wickednesse And by example of the witnesses we are taught howe farre impietie proceedeth if it be not stopped at the beginning They sinned in bearing of false wytnesse being neyther ignoraunt of the lawe of God neyther of the punishment appoynted for false wytnesses And they are not afrayde that Salomon sayth the Lorde hateth and vtterly abhorreth a false witnesse They are not yet contented to haue committed so horrible a fault but they go further and embrue their handes with innocent bloude where also they were not ignorant of that that is written in the lawe touching murtherers So true it is that Salomon sayth when the wicked are once ouer their shooes there is no hoe with them Let vs therefore feare the entycing beginnings of sinne least whyle they instill into vs an hatred to the worde of God we sticking fast in the toughe myer thereof be at length wholye swallowed vp of the great gulfe of vngodlynesse The things sayde of Saule who as it is written consented to the death of the holye man and receyued great pleasure therein make a waye and preparation to the hystorie following and for the setting forth of the glory of god But of these things more shall be sayde in their place It remayneth that we declare howe Steuen behaued himselfe when he was put to this cruell death where three thinges are tolde of him First he called vpon the Lorde which thing we beleeue he continually vsed to doe And it is expressed that he prayed in three wordes Lorde Iesu receyue my spirite These wordes haue in them the confession of a true fayth and an argument and token of a great and strong beliefe For being on euery side beset with the terrors of death yet he acknowledgeth and confesseth that Christ is his Sauiour folowing the example of the theefe crucified with Christ. Further he beleeueth that the soules dye not in death but passe to the state of a better life yea he knoweth that euen in death through fayth in Christ men fynde lyfe This is a great prayse of fayth that euen then it is inuincible and comforteth vs when all other helpes fayle Also Steuens example teacheth vs to whome to commende our soules when we be at the poynt of death Not to Saintes as the superstitious vse but vnto Christ our Lorde who as he hath redeemed them with the pryce of his bloude so by his resurrection he hath ouercome death and by his ascention into heauen hath prepared for vs a place in the which we shall be gathered vnto him Secondarily Steuen sheweth a token of charitie which can not be seperated from fayth For folowing the example and commaundement of Christ he prayeth for his enimies that God woulde not punishe them for their sinne as they deserued This reprooueth the wickednesse of his enimies which put him to death as an enimie of the common weale which witnesseth by his last wysh he made that no man was more desirous of all mennes welfare than he But this is the state of the vngodly in this worlde the chiefe cause of whose infelicitie is this that they neyther can knowe their benefactors nor beware of the most daungerous enimies of the publike weale Let vs learne to extende our charitie euen to the ingratefull and with godly prayers commende them to God which moste grieuously offende agaynst vs And let vs not suffer our selues to be feared with the wickednesse of men forasmuch as Gods iudgements be vnknown to vs and God lightly vseth not to reueale vnto euery man who they be that are incurable amongest men as we reade he did sometime vnto Ieremie 7.14.15 cap. Let vs also be stirred vppe with the effect of this prayer which the conuersion of Saule alone prooueth was not fruitelesse Last of all is sayd that Steuen hauing thus spoken fell on sleepe whom yet his enimies hoped now with his doctrine to haue now bene cleane dispatched out of the way The scripture oftentimes vseth this word slepe speaking of the death of the godly For so is the condicion propertie of death set forth Death is the resolution or dissolution of man consisting of soule and body In this death the soule neyther dyeth nor sleepeth but passeth into lyfe euerlasting as Christ sayth Iohn 5. Wherevpon death hath aptly bene called a passing into heauen The body is sayde to sleepe bicause it is layde in the earth as it were to sleepe out of the which in the latter daye it shall be raysed vp by Christ that it may also enioye the blysse of heauenly lyfe There are euerywhere testimonies of Scripture concerning these things and occasion shall serue oftentimes to intreate of the same Wherefore we nowe meane to be briefe Let vs set Steuen before vs to imitate that when we shall depart this lyfe our soules being gone before to the dwellings of the blessed and happy we being at the last gloriously raysed vp also in body may attayne to the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The eyght chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lvj. Homelie AT that tyme there was a great persecution agaynst the congregation which was at Hierusalem and they were all scattered abrode throughout the regions of Iurie and Samarie except the Apostles But deuout men dressed Steuen and made great lamentation ouer him As for Saule he made hauocke of the
soweth the seede of dissention among them by whose concorde and labour the peace and tranquilitie of the Church ought to be mainteyned Examples wherof we haue set forth in Core Moses enimie and in the often contentions of the Apostles the which Christ so many times and so earnestly repressed But the euill of discention might seeme but a tryfle although for the most part it be pernitious in the congregation if there were not a greater plague ensued that is to saye a wicked robbery and mart which ouerturneth all religion and vseth to plucke mennes myndes wholy from religion This thing is more euident in Simon than that it needeth long demonstration For assoone as he had taken ambition and couetousnesse to counsayle in matters of religion by and by he discendeth to spirituall merchandise and robberie But would God one Simon were herewith slaundered and that we eueriwhere sawe not others which offende more wickedly than he For after that a certayne earnest zeale and desire of religion had endowed the Church wyth great abundaunce of riches and that Byshops beganne to be had in reuerence and honor then beganne Simons not very syncere ledde with the spirite of ambition and couetousnesse by vnlawfull meanes to aspire to Byshopricks and cathedre dignities These afterwarde when they had gotten the supremacie deuised wayes how they might recouer againe that which they had spent in purchasing of voyces and hereof was hatched that slaunderous buying and selling of religious matters These beginninges may we thanke of selling of Sacramentes of buying of pardons of hyring of prayers merites of supererrogation gaynefull dispensations buying of buriall places and whatsoeuer like kinde of inuentions That a man may marueyle howe the chiefe Byshops of the Church are become so impudent to glory in the succession of Simon Peter and so manifestly bewraye themselues to be rather the successors of Simon Magus These men haue reygned many yeares in the Church vntill the Lorde with the whippe of hys worde began to driue them out And yet they repent not but being taken in their owne mischieuousnesse rather crye out still that they are the true and lawfull gouernours of the Church And yet we accuse not them onely but also lament that among the professors of the Gospell many times such plagues are to be founde For we see many come to the Gospell of none other minde but for that they woulde be fensed vnder this plausible colour and so most greedily inuade the Church goodes and most dishonestly abuse them And many times they meete with Ministers lyke vnto themselues who hauing gotten by vnlawfull meanes to haue the rule ouer Churches can neyther reprooue nor keepe vnder these raueners Therefore the spirit of Simon nowe a dayes stretcheth the boundes of his kingdome farre and neere which seemeth to me to be the greatest plague of the Church wherby it commeth to passe that they which are as faultie as are the Antichristians doe little preuayle by preaching of the Gospell But let vs see what Peter sayth who expostulateth with Simon This is both a most graue and sharpe expostulation and consisteth of two poynts First he accuseth his fault and denounceth what punishment it deserueth and figureth or fashioneth his saying with an imprecation or kynd of curse beginning on this wise Thy money sayth he perishe wyth thee that is to saye thou and thy cursed money perishe togither The Apostle beginneth on this sort not of moodynesse of minde or of any vnbrydeled affection of anger but mooued by the holye Ghost which woulde after this phrase and maner of speache vtter the heynousnesse of his wickednesse and punishement Therefore such imprecations as these must be referred vnto a certaine kynde of prophecying as we see diuers in the Psalmes and wrytings of the Prophetes But the grieuousnesse of his punishment is more amplified by the sentence next adioyned where he sayth Thou hast no part nor fellowship in this businesse By which wordes he declareth that he is vtterly excluded from all participation of spirituall giftes and excommunicated out of the Church of the Lorde And least Peter might seeme causelesse to vse any kynde of rage he addeth the cause of so cruell threates bycause thou hast thought that the gift of God maye be obtayned with money Which one thing abundantly declareth that thy hart is not right with God forasmuch as thou thinkest he is lyke vnto couetous merchaunts and vsurers Hereof is gathered a generall sentence whereby we are taught that no such are allowed before God as make vauntage and gaine of religion and vnder the colour of religion seeke their owne lucre We are taught also by Peters example with what zeale and feruencie of spirite â–ª Ministers ought to reprooue those which for filthie lucres sake distayne the glory of god They must so be handled that they maye vnderstande howe they haue horriblye sinned and deserued the grieuous punishment of eternall damnation For there is no place for modestie and meekenesse to be vsed where the glory of God is openly assaulted and where the gifts of Gods grace are made subiect to the gainefull pleasure of most couetous persons We reade therfore that Elizaeus vsed the lyke zeale towarde Giezi his naughtie seruant whom he sodeinly strake with the plague of leprosie bicause he required of Naaman the Assirian a rewarde for that health that was freelye giuen him of god And Iesus Christ a most perfite paterne of meekenesse was so mooued with that impious sale of holynesse that he layde hands on the authors of such wickednesse and draue them out of the Church with a whippe lyke impudent Dogges We may therefore iustly complayne of their iniustice in these dayes that say we offende agaynst the rules of Christian modestie and charitie when we accuse the Antichrist at Rome and his Creatures the Cardinals Bishops Monkes and Priestes which by reason of their wicked and prophane Fayer or Mart these many yeres haue caused Christes religion to be mocked and scorned of the Iewes and Turkes and yet to this daye haue no serious or earnest thought of any reformation or amendement notwithstanding they be euery where spoken against But it is the perpetuall and euerlasting decree of God appoynted by his Prophete that in his house there shoulde be no dwelling for Chanaanites that is to saye for such kinde of merchaunts Moreouer it is woorthy to be noted how Peter by a graue sentence condemneth not onely Simon but also Simons money Therfore what thing so euer serueth the wicked against the glory of GOD is accursed as well as they So that money wherwith kyng Balaac would haue hyred Balaam to haue hindred Gods appointment towarde his people is called the rewarde of iniquitie And the money for the which Iudas solde Christ appeareth to haue beene accursed bicause Iudas could neyther long enioy it neyther serued it the priestes for any other vse than to purchase them a perpetuall blot and memorie of their
bloudie impietie What neede we to speake of the goodes and reuenues of Monasteryes whereof a great part as appeareth was gathered togither by Simonicall sleightes of such persons as vsed to sell all thinges in Religion For it is as cleere as the day light that these goodes are so vnhappie that commonly they are a stumbling stone to them whome the Gospell hath shined vpon while they are more earnestly busied in getting them into their handes than in setting foorth of Christs glorie So vnhappie vnprosperous is this mischieuous simonie And that that is here sayde of these goodes may iustly be vnderstanded and verified of all goodes vniustly gotten of the which this is the propertie that they procure vnto the owners of them the horrible malediction and cursse of god For the saying of the Lorde is well knowne Wo to him that hourdeth vp the things that be none of his In the seconde part of his Oration Peter exhorteth him to repentance whereby he plainly putteth him in comfort of pardon For to what ende should one repent or conuert which should thinke his doing therein vnprofitable Here it appeareth what the ende and marke of all reprehensions in the Congregation ought to be truely that men might turne from their sinnes and be reconciled vnto God which marke vnlesse it be obserued the libertie of rebuke and reprehension shall nothing differ from euill speaking or rayling Wherefore least Simon shoulde suspect Peters wordes hereof he addeth Repent of this thy wickednesse and pray God that the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee He mencioneth his thought that the heynousnesse of his fault might appeare the more the cogitation wherof ought to be farre from a christen mannes minde And here by the way we learne that men sinne not onely in deedes but also by thoughts and desires For where men ought to be giuen vnto God both in bodie and soule it deserueth to be called sinne if we swarue neuer so little from the obedience of god Herevnto belong the things which Christ speaketh in Mathew the fift Chapter touching the exposition of the lawe Furthermore for that he would pearce Simons minde the deeper whome he perceyued to be grieuously tempted by the deuill he toucheth the fountaynes rootes of sinne thereby shewing that he hath neede earnestly to repent Wherevnto this is to be referred which hee sayde in a maner doubtingly If happily the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee But nowe he addeth For I perceyue that thou art full of bitter gall and wrapped in iniquitie In the first member or part he alludeth to that saying of Moses where the Israelites are commaunded to beware of themselues least there be among them some roote that beareth gall and wormewood He noteth the inwarde malice or corruption of the minde which causeth whatsoeuer men doe to be bitter and vnpleasaunt before god For as the true worshipper of God out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth out that is good so the vngodly bring nothing but that that is wicked out of the euill treasure of their hart such as in deede Christ sayth polluteth men And by this wrapping or binding is expressed the state of them which being intangled in the snares of sinne cannot vntwine themselues without much a doe and feruent zeale of repentance He teacheth vs that Simon is in such a condition or case that he shoulde thinke a colde and superfluous shewe of repentaunce as not sufficient This place teacheth vs whether sinners ought to be sent verily vnto God with whome vnlesse they be made at one there can be no hope of their saluation Therefore we see in the Prophetes this one thing still repeated that the people should conuert and returne vnto God from whom by sinne they had strayed But for the more commodious doing hereof it behooueth to obserue two things both which Peter prescribeth vnto Simon The first is the woorke of repentance which as we haue elsewhere taught comprehendeth acknowledging of our sinne contricion of heart and amendment of our whole lyfe The other consisteth in godly prayers wherby we aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes bicause the same is a free gift and commeth not through any merites of our workes But Christ alone worketh them both who by his spirite both regenerateth the beleeuing and by the merite of his death washeth away our sinnes reconcyleth the father vnto vs againe Therefore all the order of our saluation consisteth in fayth whereby we take holde of him Therefore aboue all things it behooueth to vrge or require fayth not a deade fayth such as Hypocrites bragge of but a liuely and effectuall power of the spirite whereby it commeth to passe that we both liue in Christ and he by his spirite worketh in vs For this onely grace of God certifyeth the wauering conscience of man and vseth to bring forth in vs most plentifull fruites of true Godlinesse Nowe how did Simon take this graue and wholesome expostulation His wordes declare that he was striken in conscience and mynde For he sayth Praye yee for me vnto the Lorde that none of these things which you haue spoken fall on me It seemeth he commendeth himselfe to the prayers of the congregation but it is a manifest argument of distrust that he sayeth nothing of himselfe but thinketh he may be holpen onely with the prayers of other But in vaine are the prayers of others vnlesse we returne our selues vnto the Lorde This the places of the Prophets teache vs where we are forbidden to pray for them that are wicked and will not repent See Iere. 7.14.15 Ezech. 14. Therefore the errour of them is peeuishe and noysome which think they may be relieued with the hyred prayers of Monkes and Priestes where they themselues holde on in their wickednesse and where the prayers they murmure in a straunge tongue are many tymes not vnderstanded of the Monkes that mumble them We knowe that the prayers of the faythfull are effectuall whereby they commende vnto God the traueyles and burthens of their brethren seeing that Paule desireth to be relieued by them But these prayers take place for them whose selues are mindefull of their duetie and with constant fayth watch for their owne saluation Let vs therefore be mindefull of these thinges and praye earnestly that we be not blinded with the affections of ambition and couetousnesse and so lose our saluation but that we may serue God in sinceritie of heart and attaine vnto saluation in Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .lx. Homelie AND they whenâ—they had testified and preached the worde of God returned towarde Ierusalem and preached the Gospell in many Cities of the Samaritanes The Aungell of the Lorde spake vnto Philip saying Arise and go towarde the South vnto the way that goeth downe from Ierusalem vnto the Citie of Gaza which is in the Desert And he arose and went on And beholde a man
of Aethiopia a Chamberlane and of great authoritie wyth Candace Queene of the Aethiopians and had the rule of all hir treasure came to Ierusalem for to worship And as he returned home againe sitting in his Chariot he read Esay the Prophete Then the Spirite sayde vnto Philip go neere and ioyne thy selfe vnto yonder Chariot And Philip ranne to him and he hearde him reade the Prophete Esaye and sayde vnderstandest thou what thou readest And he sayde how can I except I had a guide And he desired Philip that he woulde come vp and sit with him BIcause God hath appointed Iesus Christ his sonne to be the vniuersall Sauiour of the whole worlde therefore it behooued that the Gospell also wherin is contayned the way of saluation purchased by him shoulde be preached among all Nations Howe this was done Luke declareth in this Chapter He beginneth with the conuersion of Samaria which Christ himselfe expressely commendeth vnto the Apostles as we haue seene in the Historie of his Ascention And thither came Philip and first sowed the seede of Euangelike doctrine and fayth Shortly after the Apostles being sent thither gaue vnto them that were alreadie baptised in the name of Christ the gyftes of the holy spirite which thing was the occasion of the adooe that they had with Simon Magus The beginning of this present place appertayneth to the hystorie of the conuersion of Samaria wherevnto after is ioyned a newe discourse declaring howe the knowledge of Christ came vnto the Aethiopians And first Luke meaning to conclude his former narration proposeth in fewe wordes what the Apostles did furthermore at Samaria saying When they had testified and preached the worde of God they returned to Ierusalem and preached the Gospell in many Cities of the Samaritanes In the which wordes the Apostles are sayde to haue done three things First they beare witnesse of Christ whom Philip had preached Therefore they fulfill the office wherevnto Christ appoynted them when he commaunded them to bee his witnesses Then they preached the worde of GOD not the deuises of their owne head And herein also they haue a respect vnto Christes commaundement who charged them to preach the things which he commaunded them Thirdly in their returne they pretermit not the inferior places but preach Iesus Christ euery where in the Townes and Uillages This is an argument of a great and feruent zeale wherewith they being inflamed thinke they ought to let slip no occasion that may serue to set forth the kingdome of god In these thinges are most fully set forth the dutie of the Ministers of the worde and of the congregation Let the Ministers remember that they be not onely Preachers but also witnesses of christ And it is the propertie of witnesses to say the truth and boldly and without feare to speake that they knowe And he shall be called no faythfull witnesse that for fauour of men or any other affection shall obscure or hide the truth Moreouer let them know that the worde of God is committed vnto them whereof the Lorde hath made them Preachers and not Authors of newe opinions Therefore let them thinke that spoken to them that is sayde to Ezechiel who is commaunded to take his wordes from the mouth of the Lorde And let them not thinke it is graunted them to ioyne theyr gloses vnto Gods worde For what hath chaffe to doe with corne Howbeit in all these things is required a certaine zeale wherewith if they be not inflamed they shall doe no great good Therefore let them imitate Christ which we see euery where sought occasion to teach and to preach And Paule sayth he fashioned himselfe in all thinges to all men to winne many vnto Christ. Nowe vnto these premisses Luke ioyneth a newe hystorie as we before sayde wherein he telleth vs howe the doctrine of the Gospell came into Aethiopia by the ministerie of one man but such an one as we shall thinke laboured not in vaine bicause he was of great authoritie among the people And here is most manifestly fulfilled that that was long agone prophecied by the Prophete touching the subduing and bringing of the Aethiopians vnto the kingdome of christ See the Psalmes lxxij lxviij .lxxxvij. Nowe bicause this hystorie conteyneth an ensample of true conuersion it grieued not the godly writer to declare all the circumstances thereof And first he treateth of Philip whose ministerie it pleased God herein to vse After that he diligently describeth the Aethiopians person who was conuerted vnto the fayth of christ And last of all he beginneth to declare what Philip and he did being togither In Philip by whose meane the Aethiopian was conuerted we haue two things to note The speciall calling whereby God appointed him to this businesse and his obedience in following Gods calling It was a very singuler vocation forasmuch as it was a thing of no small importaunce which God had appoynted to be done For the Aungell of the Lorde appeareth vnto Philip and instructeth him diligently what to doe Aryse sayeth he and get thee towarde the South vnto the way that leadeth from Ierusalem vnto Gaza c. And although the Aungell doth not plainely declare what he shoulde there doe yet it was easie for Philip to coniecture that he was appoynted to some great and heauenly businesse This place teacheth vs by the way the dignitie of the Gospell forasmuch as we heare that Philip is called to the preaching thereof by an Aungell For where God hath appointed the Aungels as the Apparitories or Bedels of his maiestie whome he sendeth out for the saluation of his elect as Paule witnesseth to the Hebrues the first chapter it must needes be some great and excellent matter that is to be done by their ministerie seruice We learne also that the beginning of our saluation ought to be referred to the meere grace and fauour of god For as God in this place appoynteth to the Eunuche nothing thinking hereof a preacher of saluation so moste times when we thinke least of it he vseth to bring vnto vs the doctrine of saluation Which grace of God we ought so to acknowledge as to attribute nothing ouer arrogantly to our selues in that matter that may any thing blemishe or deface the maiestie of Gods grace The obedience of Philip deserueth singuler prayse which neyther replyeth vpon the Aungell nor curiously enquireth why he so commaundeth him but without al delay goeth on to the place he was commaunded committing all the successe of the matter to God which commaunded him Let vs thinke that the lyke obedience is required of vs least whyle we call Gods commaundements to the account of our reason we first become foolishe tryslers and lyngerers and then after that rashe and heady transgressors And as oft as the Lorde shall simply commaunde any thing not rendring any reason why he so cōmaundeth so often let vs thinke he tryeth our obedience and let vs with his general promises be
the worde of fayth which wee preach For if thou acknowledge with thy mouth â–ª that Iesus is the Lords and beleeue in thine hart that God raysed him vp from death â–ª thou shalt be â—aâ—e For to beleeue with the heart iâ—stifieth and to acknowledge with the mouth maketh 〈…〉 Nowe when Philip had gotten of the Eunuch that he chiefly desired by and by without any â—ariaunce he went downe with him into the water and there baptiseth him Where we haue to consider howe baptisme is ministred in common water whether it were ryuer or fountayne as Ierome thinketh I knowe not Neyther is there any mention made of newe hallowing it or of salt sprinckled or of oyle or of exorcisme and many such like as the superstition of Popes in the ages following brought in For Philip knewe the example of Iohn which had baptised in the ryuer of Iordane He knewe also that by the ordinaunce of Christ all water was consecrated to the vse of baptisme and had no neede of newe purging and coniuring Away therfore with the wicked and peeuish inuentions of most bolde merchaunts which would haue religion to serue for priuate honour and gaine Yet I would none by these examples shoulde take occasion euery where to baptise in fountaynes or ryuers For as we confesse it may be godlily done if necessitie so require so where Churches be appoynted all things ought to be done decentlye and according to lawfull order least libertie bursting out into vnbrideled licence disturbe both discipline and vnitie of Churches It remayneth to tell of the ende of all this hystorie which comprehendeth the departure of Philip from the Eunuche which Luke sheweth was after a myraculous sort For when they came out of the water the spirite of the Lorde caught Philip and the Eunuch sawe him no more God woulde by this myracle confirme the fayth of the Eunuch For after this sort hee might vnderstande that nothing was done in all this businesse by chaunce but all things through the prouidence of god Let vs see what they both did after they were seperated Luke sayth the Eunuch helde on his way reioycing Then he complayned not of Philips so sodaine departure neyther carefully enquired after him and much lesse detested him as though he had beene some craftie Apostle or Iugler Hereof must be gathered no argument of any inconstant or vnkinde minde But whereas he was now indued with fayth and taught by the holy ghost who according to Christes promise brought all things to his minde and by his testimonie confirmed the doctrine of fayth which Philip had taught him Therefore he coulde easily settle and quiet hys minde By which example we learne that we must not so sticke to the ministers that when they are gone we must dispayre in matters of fayth and religion Let vs acknowledge them as Gods coadiutours and stewardes of the mysteries of God by whome he giueth vs fayth Againe let vs vnderstande that the spirite of Christ truely supplyeth the dutie of a Teacher and that Christ will not fayle vs although he sometime take them away to whom we knowe we are much bounden For Gods spirit can be bounde neyther to persons nor places but bloweth where him lyketh Moreouer the fruite of fayth which the Eunuch receyued is declared where Luke sayth He helde on his waye greatly reioycing So before hee wrote that great ioye was made in Samaria when Philip had preached the Gospell there The ioy of a faythfull minde must hereby be vnderstanded which vseth to spring of the peace and quiet of conscience For after Christ is receiued by fayth then man vnderstandeth that God the father is reconciled vnto him whose wrath and horrible iudgement he was before afrayde of And as that peace of God as Paule beareth witnesse passeth all vnderstanding so it chaseth from the minde all the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 it â—lâ—ereth the whole minde and maketh vs to be without all â—eaâ—e in the 〈◊〉 of all afflictions For this is the saying of all those that are faythfull â–ª If God bee with vs who can be agaynst vs Who shall lay any thing to the 〈◊〉 of Gods chosen â–ª It is God that iustifieth vs who is it that can condemne For they knowe that the gates of hell are not able to preuayle agaynst that liuelye rocke on whome they are buylded Therefore bicause the Eunuch had obtayned this suretie of a quiet minde he returneth home with greater ioye than if he had gotten the great treasure of kings or if he had returned to Candace with the triumph and victorie of the greatest enimies of Aethiopia For what ryches deserue to be compared with the treasures of the kingdome of heauen Or what victorie is there so great as that which the faithfull haue gotten by Iesus Christ against the deuill and hell If princes in these dayes were as desirous of this victorie as they are of the Kingdomes and vaine glorie of this worlde then would they also more reioyce and the worlde also should be in better case But let vs returne to Philip which was founde at Azotus and from thence passing a long by the sea coast preached the Gospell to all the Cities in these quarters vnto Caesarea where it seemeth he tooke house to dwell in bicause Paule hosted there as we maye see in the .xxj. Chapter You shall marke diligently the feruent and great desire that the men of the primitiue Church had to set forth the kingdome of christ For although Philip had traueyled greatly in conuerting Samaria and now might greatly haue gloried in conuerting the great man of Aethiopia yet he thinketh not he had done his duetie but enioyneth himselfe freshe labours and refuseth not to vndertake new daungers for Christes sake We see the lyke desire in Paule who hauing laboured more than all the Apostles yet holdeth on his course with great feruencie These things reprooue the slouth of our dayes where all sortes and states of men as soone as they haue borne a little brunt make holyday for any more they will doe as though it were at our disposition and libertie to start from the calling of God and the dutie committed to vs Furthermore these thinges teache vs howe vaine the enterprises of the wicked are agaynst the doctrine of christ For the more they rage the more the truth shineth and ouercommeth Yea in the tyme of persecution by their meanes and diligence it is most opened and set forth who before seemed dastardes and cowardes Hereof haue we an example in Philip of whom there was no mencion made almost while the Church was in quiet at Ierusalem but that we hearde he was numbred among the Deacons But now being become an outlaw and banished man he winneth Samaria vnto Christ he sendeth the Eunuch whome he conuerted into Aethiopia to be an Apostle and spreadeth the Gospell ouer all Iurie Thus vseth God to frustrate the attempts of his enimies Therefore no man ought
saluation and whatsoeuer things else helpe vs to the attayning thereof ought to be referred to Gods mere goodnesse grace For although all men beare not like hatred agaynst Christes Church as Paule did and that God compelleth not all men by open force to take the way of saluation yet are all men in one state and condition so that they must bee drawne and conuerted by the mightie power of god For if we consider man as he is ruled and led by naturall lore and reede we shall well perceyue he vnderstandeth not the thinges belonging to the spirite of god Wherefore where the vnderstanding is corrupt the will must needes bee euill and corrupted which bringeth forth the impure and wicked desires of the fleshe so that God truly sayd in the beginning The inuentions of mans heart are euill euen from his childehoode But where by reason of sinne all our power is so weakened that of our selues we be not able to thinke well It well appeareth that no man either would or could earnestly think of his saluation except he were illuminated drawne molified by God although some mens corruption is more manifest and notorious than others But bicause in Saules conuersion there are many other things which serue for our information Luke standeth diligently vpon the discription therof And at this time bicause he hath declared the first act or dooing he rehearseth the effect of this harde encounter and diuers other things incident to the same He comprehendeth in few words a marueylous effect of gods punishmeÌ„t in Paule For sayth he trembling and astonyed he sayde Lorde what wilt thou haue me to doe And the Lorde sayde vnto him aryse and go into the Citie c. We haue in this place diligently to consider both Gods person and Paules And first in Paule we may see a token of a minde greatly humbled and readie to all kinde of obsequie and seruiceablenesse For now he doth vouchsafe to call him Lorde whome before he hated woorse than a dogge or Tode And of his owne accorde enquireth what his will and pleasure is folowing those seruaunts which of a dutifull and diligent readinesse to please vse to preuent their maysters commaundement before they heare it Hereout we may gather two thinges belonging to our instruction First whosoeuer feele Gods hande chastyning them are admonished of their dutie Let them acknowledge that God like a father punisheth and beateth them to the entent to amende them and correcteth those that be his least they should be condemned with the world that will not repent Which is the cause that the Prophete pronounceth him happie or blessed whome the Lorde chasteneth Againe let them acknowledge him to bee their Lorde and earnestly enserch after his will that they may knowe how to get his fauour and good will. This is the propertie of Gods elect who thinke nothing more grieuous and intollerable than to perceyue God to be offended with them But the reprobate be of a farre other opinion who although sometime they be compelled to obey and yeelde vnto God yet they frette and fume and by many aâ—guments declare they doe it agaynst their willes Wherefore they by and by â—eturne againe to their nature and to their olde woont scarcely intermitted The Scripture sheweth examples hereof in Pharao and Saule the king With whome may be numbred the Bishops seruaunts that were sent to apprehende Christ who though they were smitten to the grounde by the power of his worde yet they by and by rose againe and layde wicked handes on him â–ª whome they ought to haue acknowledged for their Lorde Let vs therefore doe as Paule did as oft as we be cast downe by sicknesse oppressed with pouertie or become prayes to our enimies or be any other wayes troubled or molested and let vs say with the heart Lorde what wilt thou haue vs to doe And so shall those thinges turne to our health which seemed to vs to be very hurtfull Secondly this example teacheth vs howe necessary a seuere kinde of correction is sometime in matters of fayth and religion For we see many of such a propertie and condicion that vnlesse they be constrayned by force they will not yeelde vnto the worde of god Wherefore Christ commaunded that some shoulde be compelled to come to the heauenly mariage Of which number it is more euident that Paule is one than needeth great declaration Therefore it is no small error they holde which crye out that no man ought to be compelled in matters of fayth and religion bicause God onely hath power and authoritie ouer the mynde of man For to graunt that it belongeth to God alone to inspire to drawe and to giue fayth yet we knowe agayne that God commaundeth false teachers to be conuinced both by argumentes and Scriptures and also to be bridled by the sworde of the Magistrate if they waxe obstinate and incurable By the same reason superstition false worship and blasphemie is commaunded to be made awaye For it were an absurde thing to punishe them which lye in wayte for our bodies and goodes and let them scape free which wickedlye deface the glory of God and lay snares of damnation for mennes soules There are examples euerywhere of them which being restrayned through seuere chastisement haue ceased after that from their blasphemie and haue bene brought to knowledge of the truth But as in all other thinges so herein chiefely we wishe all wisedome and moderation to be vsed But let vs heare Christ who by and by sheweth himselfe courteous and friendly to him whome he seeth so ready to doe his commaundement For as the father in the Prophets crieth Returne vnto me and I will returne vnto you so we reade in the Gospell that hee calleth all vnto him that are heauye loden and openly testifyeth that he will refuse none that coÌ„meth vnto him He commaundeth him to go into the Citie that he maye there learne of Ananias what he hath to doe Two causes maye be rendred of this commaundement For God by this meanes trieth Paules modestie whyle hee sendeth him to them whome not long before he ment violently to laye hold on And also procureth hereby an authoritie and dignitie to the ministerye of his worde For where he knoweth that men oftentimes contemne it he teacheth vs therefore that the vse thereof is necessarye to the attayning of saluation This we sawe in the hystorie of the Aethiop whose heart where 〈…〉 illuminated by the secrete working of his spirite yet woulde he vse the ministerie of Philip to do the same And now although he vouchsafe to talke with Saule yet he sendeth him to Ananias to learne the mysteries of fayth and saluation and by his ministery to be baptised and taken into the fellowship of the Church Wherevnto that also is lyke that hereafter we shall heare tolde of Cornelius the Centurion whome God admonisheth by an Aungell sent vnto him to sende for Peter and to
be taught of him These things teache vs that we must not thinke the ministery of the worde vnprofitable and superfluous and that we must looke for no Angelicall or heauenly reuelations to instruct and teache vs For where the Lorde will haue vs to be taught by the Scriptures and preaching of the worde whosoeuer contemneth the same declareth plainely that he is vnworthy of his kingdome and shall neuer come to the knowledge oâ— the sayth For why shoulde God vouchsafe to teache a despiser of his order after a newe sort Therefore this saying of Paule standeth sure how shall they beleeue if they haue not hearde howe shall they heare without a Preacher Agayne that saying of Christ They haue Moses and the Prophets whome if they will not heare neyther will they heare those that ryse from the deade to declare their saluation We are admonished also that none be he neuer so simple a Minister of Christ and his worde ought to be despised so he be lawfully ordeyned seeing that singuler vessell of God Paule is sent to Ananias of whome till this time no mention hath bene made For the authoritie of Gods word dependeth not vppon the dignitie of man but standeth in his full strength and force whatsoeuer he be whome God sendeth to vs to teach and preach his will. Furthermore Luke enterlaceth among these premisses a short treatise of Paules companions whome he sayth to stande amazed and to haue hearde a voyce but to haue seene no man. But if we hearken to Paule declaring these things before Agrippa it shall appeare that they also in the beginning fell downe and albeit they first roâ—e againe yet they stoode as menne amazed in their minde by reason of the great feare they were put in Luke seemeth somwhat to vary from Paules narration wheras he saith they neyther hearde the voyce nor sawe any man But here is no contradiction in these things For here they are sayde to heare a voyce bicause they hearde a sounde and noyse And it is sayde they hearde it not bicause they vnderstoode not what was sayde and God would not haue them vnderstande the things that belonged not to them Or else that that is spoken here of the voyce must be referred to Paules voyce only which his companions heard where they heard not the voyce of Christ talking with Paule as which pertayned not to them And thus seemeth Paules wordes to meane which are thus written in the .xij. Chapter following And they that were with me saw verily a light and were afrayde but they hearde not the voice of him that spake with mee In this place is chiefly to bee considered what remayneth for all them which ioyne with the open enimies of Christ and are partakers of their deuyses For they are punyshed with them whether they be seruants subiects or children For all priuiledges of men must giue place to that obedience wherewyth God hath bounde vs to him and the authoritie of thys saying shall remayne firme and sure for euer we must obey God rather than men Therefore as many as for fauour of men forget the dutie they owe vnto God deserue to perishe with them whome they haue looued more than god These things teach vs to auoyde the company of the wicked and if we cannot so doe at leastwyse to take heede that we allowe not their wicked enterprises with our consent nor defende them wyth our authoritie The fable of the Storke taken among the Cranes is well knowne in the writings of the Heathen which the Husbandman kylled pleading hir innocencie all in vayne bicause she was taken among the Cranes that cropped and eate downe his corne And Paule in another place pronounceth them worthy of punishment that not onely doe euill but which also consent to euill Which thinges if we in these dayes woulde consider we shoulde lesse marueyle at the manifolde miseries of our tyme for all men are faultie in contemning and oppressing the Gospell whereas one sorte cruellye persecute it another sort busily seeke the friendship and league of the persecutors and others stande ydlely looking on and suffer those to be punished and oppressed whome they ought to maintaine and defende But let vs returne to Paule whose state Luke nowe descrybeth And first he sayth he rose vp whereas Christ the Lorde had giuen him power so to doe He addeth that when he had opened his eyes he sawe nothing being blynded with the brightnesse of the light that came from heauen Wherfore he commeth to Damascus ledde by his companions where he remayned whole three dayes and neyther eate nor dranke all the whyle All these are no small tokens of a great feare he was stricken in both in bodye and mynde That that some tell here of Paules being taken into Paradyse wee leaue as vncertayne bicause we will not seeme ouer boldly to affirme anye thing In the meane season it shall suffyse that we marke howe God vseth to defeate the deuises of his enimies and turneth vpon their owne heads the things they procure agaynst his faythfull seruants Paule vnto diuers other seemed till thys tyme to see more than other as who had profited more than many of his fellowes as himselfe testifieth otherwheres But nowe he is blynde both in body and minde vntill he be illuminated of god He commeth accompanied with his trayne of companions and seruaunts whome he had picked out to the ende to bring the Christians bounde to Ierusalem But himselfe is ledde by them more than captiue and bounde Al so it is very like he woulde haue brought many to famine and pouertie but nowe he suffreth famine three dayes togither and knoweth not what to doe There are lyke ensamples euerywhere in the Scryptures So we see Balaam and Balaac deluded whyle they heape blessings vpon the Israelites whome they mynded with curses to ouerwhelme So the Egyptians thrust them out of their countrie laden with their owne treasures whome they ment to oppresse with perpetuall bondage So Saule ministred vnto Dauid euery day matter of greater glorie whyle he seeketh his destruction Herevnto is the storie of Haman and Mardocheus to be referred with infinite others which confirme the saying of Dauid where he declareth that God from heauen laugheth at his enimies deuises Let vs therefore learne to acknowledge the power of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and let vs not feare the threatnings and enterprises of any of his enimies Let vs submit our selues to him by faithfull obedience that we may hereafter be heyres with him in heauen of the glorie that he hath promised vs to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxv. Homelie AND there was a certaine Disciple at Damasco named Ananias and the Lorde sayde to him in a vision Ananias And hee sayde behold I am here lord And the Lord sayd vnto him arise and go into the streete which is called straight and seeke in the house of Iudas after one called Saule of
Tharsus for behold he prayeth and hath seene in a vision a man named Ananias comming vnto him and putting his handes on him that he might receyue his sight Then Ananias aunswered Lorde I haue hearde by many of this man howe much euill he hath done to thy Saints at Ierusalem and here he hath authoritie of the high Priestes to bynde all that call on thy name The Lorde sayde vnto him Go thy way for he is a chosen vessell vnto me to carie my name before the Gentyles and Kinges and the children of Israel For I will shewe him howe great things he must suffer for my names sake ALthough we ought diligently to consider the conuersions and callinges of all the Apostles yet Paules conuersion of all others deserueth singulerly to be marked partly bicause it contayneth in it a rare example of Gods mercye towarde sinners and partly for that Paule laboured more than alâ— the Apostles neyther is there anye other whose writings are more often alledged eyther of the olde writers or newe in matters of fayth and religion It is therfore necessary that we knowe who he was howe God called him and conuerted him that we may haue his doctrine in the more authoritie which thing is the cause that Luke writeth his hystorie so diligently And hitherto he hath declared howe the Lorde interrupted his fiercenesse and horrible attempts in the middle of hys race and businesse and that so forceably that he was fayne to offer himselfe to the Lord to be obedient and to be taught being a whyle before his grieuous enimie Herevnto he conueniently addeth howe he is appoynted to the office of an Apostle which contayneth a notable discourse betweene the Lorde Iesus Christ and Ananias by whose ministerie Paule was to be ordered Euery part whereof we will declare as farre forth as God shall permit First the Lorde calleth Ananias that Paule may take orders by his ministerie And of Ananias Luke speaketh but little in this place but Paule at large where he commendeth him of his godlinesse and sayth he deserued among the Iewes the testimonie of a good and an innocent man Him the Lorde certifyeth of his will by a vision and likewise prepareth Paule being in his prayers by an other vision worthily to receyue Ananias Here our Sauiour Christ is well to be marked which instructeth them both by euident visions For hereby is perceyued the ardent desire that Christ hath to the saluation of mankinde shewed and declared ingenerall towardes all men and especially in seeking the lost sheepe as himselfe elsewhere testifyeth Which thing as it is for our comfort so it also serueth for our instruction that we should traueyle rather to saue sinners than to destroy them and not follow those which glorying in their feruent zeale of Gods glorie rashly reiect and condemne all those whome they see once to haue swarued from the way of truth Moreouer we are taught how expedient it is that all things be done rightly duely in the outwarde ministerie of the worde For except the ministers be duely called and well assured of their calling and the hearers well prepared to receyue their sayings there can followe no worthie fruite and auayle of their doing For howe shall they preach except they be sent Or with what argumentes shall they bee emboldened agaynst the threates and enterprises of the wicked which craftily haue vsurped and intruded vpon the office of teaching Againe if the hearers come not well minded and prepared to heare the worde of the Lorde then shall they receyue that wholesome seede eyther into the way eyther into stonie places or among thornes and there shall be many impediments that shall cause that they shall bring forth no worthie fruites Wherfore Christ requireth honest mindes which will holde fast the seede they haue once receyued and being armed agaynst all suggestions of Satan the worlde and the flesh bring forth worthie fruits with pacience And that we haue neede of diligent preparation hereto euery man may easily vnderstande that well considereth the corrupt nature of man These things if we will well weigh and expend it shall easily appeare why there is so much preaching in these dayes with so little profite For most part of the Ministers without wayting for the lawfull calling of the Lorde get into the ministerie by vnlawfull meanes for the belly sake and they that will not seeme the vngodlyest of the hearers of the worde come vnto it more for custome sake than of any earnest desire of amendment beeing altogither like vnto those which in the Prophete sayde Come I praye you let vs heare what woorde is gonefoorth from the Lorde Furthermore we haue also to consider Paule whom the Lord speaking to Ananias witnesseth to be in his prayer This is to be vnderstanded of the continuall prayers he made all the three dayes long as easily appeareth by the circumstaunces bicause there were many thinges which might mooue Paule vnto prayer For he felt the horrible hande of God which threw him downe He hearde howe he was accused from heauen to be the professed enimie of the sonne of god Then came to his minde the wicked enterprises crueltie that he had vsed against the name of Christ and his Church also the banishments chaynes imprisonment and torments with the lamentation and crying of women and children whereofhe had beene the authour Yea his guiltie conscience as yet troubled him Then againe the wayting for the promise of reuelation and instruction was able to styrre him vp to earnest prayer and yet in this earnestnesse and diligence of praying God disappoynteth him as I might say whole three dayes togither These things commend vnto vs an incessant earnestnesse of prayer bicause there are as many and as vrgent causes to styrre vs vp also theretoo For if we discende into our selues wee shall finde they are no tryfling sinnes whereby we haue deserued Gods wrath We many tymes feele the hande of Gods anger The conscience of our wickednesse oftentymes molesteth vs We are still in daunger of all kindes of aduersitie And if the thinking hereof be not able to kindle in vs heartie and ardent prayer then shall wee worthily be called colder than yron or yce Paule for these causes commaundeth vs continually to pray And let vs so remember to continue in prayer that we be not ouercome with distrust or impaciencie and rashely prescribe God any tyme to heare or helpe vs in For he sometime deferreth the helpe he promiseth vs not bicause he meaneth to disappoynt them that trust in him but bicause he will exercise and trie our fayth Examples wherof we haue both in Paule in Abraham in the woman of Chanaan and in many others Here therefore let vs bende the force of our fayth and follow the example of that Widdow by whose importunatenesse Christ sayth the wicked Iudge was ouercome But O miserable and vnhappie wretches that we be which as we scarce take vs vnto prayer
in extreeme necessitie so we by and by faint and giue ouer if God doe not graunt our peticions at the first being verie little mindefull of our state who being seruauntes ought paciently to abyde our Lordes leysure and not imperiously to appoynt him But let vs consider Ananias which being ouercome with feare of daunger putteth of the expresse and euident commaundement of the Lorde For he sayth Lorde I haue hearde of this man by many howe great euill he hath done to thy saintes at Hierusalem and here hee hath power from the highe priestes to binde all that call vpon thy name He alleageth the testimonie of others least he might seeme to feare in vaine But it is a ridiculous matter to stande more vpon the testimonie of man than vpon the worde of god It is also ridiculous to rehearse Saules doings of others mouthes before the Lorde as though he had hitherto beene ignoraunt of them But herevnto feare a naughtie and foolish Counsaylor vseth to bring vs if we once take him to consult with in discussing of Gods commaundements Yet it appeareth by this example that it taketh hold many times euen of holy men and faythfull worshippers of God. With this feare we reade Abraham was so ouercome that he denyed Sara to be his wife Moses striken with lyke feare can scarcely be induced to take vpon him the conduct and leading of the people of Israel Elias the Prophete tasted of this feare when after the slaughter of Baals Priestes he wiâ—t not whither to flie for feare of Iesabell the Queenes manaces and threats Ionas also deceyued through feare promised himself more safetie among the flouds of the sea and barbarous shipmen than in the ayde and vocation of the lord Here might also be brought forth the examples of others both Prophetes and Apostles But this is mans infirmitie for the which no man is rashely to be condemned bicause we see many tokens hereof appeared in Christ also when the howre of his death drewe nigh We must take heede that we be not so ouercome herewith that we leaue the charge inioyned vs of the lord But rather hauing a respect to the prouidence of God committe our selues wholy to the will of God as Christ teacheth his Apostles Wherevnto also are to be referred the general promises of Gods helpe which promise them that walke in his vocation sure and certaine ayde and succour And herewith I beleeue Ananias also was confirmed who although at the first seemed somewhat timerous yet he yeeldeth to God being instant vpon him and the seconde tyme of commaunding he faythfully obeyeth him It is a singuler consolation wherewith the Lorde comforteth Ananias wauering and fearefull minde Go sayth he for he is a chosen vessell vnto mee to beare my name before the Gentiles and kinges and children of Israell For I will shewe him howe great thinges he must suffer for my names sake It seemeth there are two reasons alleaged wherefore Ananias ought not to feare and both of them are taken of Paules person First he sayth he is not a Tyranne and persecutor as he was heretofore but of the number of the elect hereafter should be a most valiant and faithfull defender of Christes name Then that there is so little feare to be had of any persecution to be made by Paul that rather he had to suffer many things for the name of Christ. These wordes contayne a singuler and worthie prayse of Paule which we ought diligently to consider both for that the excellencie of Gods goodnesse may the better be knowne and also that we may vnderstande howe great authoritie Paules doctrine is of First he is called after an Hebrue phrase the vessell of election that is to say a chosen picked or culled instrument For the Hebrues by this name vessell vnderstande all kinde of instruments vtensiles or implements And they vse the Genitiue case of the Substantiue for the Adiectiue Men are called the vesselles or instrumentes of God bicause God executeth hys iudgementes by them So Paule otherwheres calleth the elect the vessels of glorie and mercie and againe the reprobates the vessels of wrath And Senacherib by the same reason is called the rodde of Gods furie Christ calleth Paule a chosen vessell bicause he executed many thinges by him yea most wholesome workes in setting forth the Gospell and the fayth In the meane season this word vessell or instrument teacheth vs to remember our state and condition that if we haue any thing in vs that is excellent wee should not thinke it to be ours but learne to giue all the prayse and glorie vnto God who hath vouchsafed to vse their helpe The reprobates and such as want the knowledge of God vnderstande not this therefore they attribute to their owne power and witte whatsoeuer is of any excellencie in them But howe much such doing displeaseth the Lorde Senacherib the Assirian and Nabuchodonosor the Babilonian aboundauntly testifie Paule much better weighed these thinges which plainely confesseth that he is by the grace of God whatsoeuer he is The same teacheth all Ministers that they must arrogate nothing to themselues or to others but that they remember all effect and successe of Ministerie commeth of the Lorde which giueth the increase The consideration hereof serueth very much to make men humble in heart and minde For it maketh them to take heede that they exceede not in pride or securitie and so become the vessels and instruments of wrath Secondlye Christ declareth the ende and vse of this instrument and sheweth that Paule is appoynted to beare his name that is to aduaunce and extoll his name before the Gentyles and Kings and people of Israel He vnderstandeth the preaching of the Gospell whereby Christes name vseth to be extolled and celebrated when repentaunce and remission of sinnes is preached in him Here all Ministers are admonyshed of their duetie To them it belongeth to beare the name of Christ that is to preache him to be a Sauiour King and Priest and to declare that all thinges that appertayne to our saluation are in him So Paule sayth he knoweth nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified The same sayth he reioyceth onely in the crosse of christ The same name did Peter cary where he sayde there was none other name vnder heauen giuen vnto manne in which he coulde be saued Wherby we gather that they be not the ministers of Christ but ledde with the spirite of Antichrist that declare any other name wherein repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes is preached See concerning these men 1. Iohn 4. Let Ministers remember also that they must not cary this name into corners but before Nations Kings and Iewes For although we be not all Apostles yet it appertayneth to all Ministers not to be ashamed of Christ but to speake of the testimonies of the Lorde as Dauid sayth before Kings and Princes being readye to giue an account of our fayth
to euery one that asketh vs And with howe great trust and diligence Paule discharged the office committed to him of Christ the Text shall declare For he confesseth that from Ierusalem and the coastes rounde about to Illyricum he filled all Countries with the Gospell Thirdly least any man might thinke that so great a Minister of Christ was endued with any priuiledge of immunitie to escape alway free he maketh mention also of his afflictions I sayth he will shewe vnto him howe great things he shall suffer for my sake Which wordes haue in them no commination but a promise For first we knowe that Christ maketh them partakers of his glorie whome he doth vouchsafe to haue parteners of hys crosse Insomuch that Paule afterward commendeth the Philippians for this cause that it was giuen them not onely to beleeue in the â–ª Lord but also to suffer for his sake Further he sayth he shall be inuincible promiseth him hys succor and ayde in bearing the crosse Paule himselfe shall be the best expositor of this saying which writing vnto the Corinthians sayth Of the Iewes fiue times receyued I euery time fourtie stripes saue one Thryse was I beaten with roddes I was once stoned I suffred thryse shipwracke Night and daye haue I bene in the deepe sea in iourneying often in perils of waters in perils of robbers in ieoperdies of myne owne Nation in ieoperdies among the heathen in perils in the Citie in perils in wildernesse in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren c. See the place â–ª 2. Cor. 11. and .12 Furthermore these things teach vs that the Gospell can not be preached without the crosse and tribulation For this worlde cannot abyde the lyght thereof bicause the workes thereof bee naught Therefore euen as Paule in this place so Christ in euery place admonisheth those that be his to beare the Crosse. Therefore they be most foolishe of all other men which thinke that in the ministerye of the Gospell the matter may be brought to passe without daunger and go about to please the worlde Nay he shall be little meete for this office and function except he well haue prepared himselfe to beare the crosse and all kinde of aduersities Touching which poynt see Luke xiiij Let vs remember that God onely giueth vs power and strength whose looue wherewyth he looued vs if we well perceyue we shall be prepared and ready to all assayes as Paule afterwarde teacheth Let vs therefore make our continuall prayers vnto him that he will graunt vnto vs to be able both to suffer for the name of Christ and also to come to the inheritance of heauen with him to whome all prayse honor power and glory is due for euer Amen The .lxvj. Homelie And Ananias went his waye and entred into the house and put his hands on him and sayde Brother Saule the Lorde that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mayst receyue thy sight and be filled with the holy ghost And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales and he receyued sight and arose and was baptised and receyued meate and was comforted Then was Saule a certayne dayes with the Disciples which were at Damasco And streyghtwayes hee preached Christ in the Sinagoges howe that he was the sonne of god But all that heard him were amazed and sayde Is not this hee that spoyled them which called on thys name in Ierusalem and came hither for that intent that hee myght bring them bounde vnto the high Priests But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Iewes which dwelt at Damasco affirming that this was very Christ THe Euangelist Luke descrybeth the conuersion of the Apostle Paule very diligently partly for that we myght vnderstande thereby what grace and goodnesse God sheweth vnto sinners and partly for that Paules doctrine myght be of the more authoritie with vs as which he commendeth vnto vs with so earnest protestation that he sayth an Aungell of heauen is not to be beleeued that woulde teache the contrary To both these appertaine that singuler and notable testimonie wherewith Christ as we hearde yesterday set forth Paule For he calleth him a chosen vessell who a little before seemed to be the vessell of wrath Furthermore he attributeth to him in handling of his affayres fayth dexteritie constancie paciency of mynde Whereby we gather that the goodnesse of God towarde sinners is great and that we maye not contemne the doctrine of Paule vnlesse we will contumeliously sinne against Christ and accuse his testimonie of falshoode But let vs see this present place which comprehendeth the restitution of Paule and the first thing he did in his Apostleship or ministerye of the Gospell Concerning Paules restitution which was three dayes blynde and at length receyued hys sight agayne and was by baptisme receyued into the Church of Christ the persons both of Ananias and Paule are to be considered with the marueylous effect which the Euangelyst sayth by and by followed But first we will speake of Ananias whose ministery it pleased God herein to vse He as it is sayde went his waye and entred into the house of Iudas where he hearde that Paule was lodged The earnest repeating of Gods commaundement did put from him the stupiditie that he was in before neyther alleageth he any more the talke of the people or the reasons of fleshlye wisedome agaynst the commaundements of the Lorde which mynde we may see in all the true worshippers of God which haue this speciall care that no feare withholdeth them from the dutie of obedience which they owe vnto god Let vs also imitate these people and knowe that they are vnworthye of all pardon and excuse who are so ouercome of the infirmitie of the fleshe and feaâ—e of daunger that they forget and denye God and the dutie they owe vnto him Further Ananias layeth his handes vpon Saule whych ceremonie is for good purpose borowed of the olde testament in the ordering and making of our Ministers For in tymes past the priests layde their handes vppon the sacrifices whereby declaring that the thing which they did was in the behalfe of all the people and so consecrated the beastes standing at the aultar vnto god By a lyke reason the publike cure and charge of the Church is commended vnto the Ministers by imposition of handes and they are therby admonished to remember howe they be consecrated vnto God and that therfore they must apply all their study care labour and watching to set forth the glory of God. But bicause there is no vse or profite of a bare ceremonie Ananias ioyneth the word thereto wherby he declareth to him whatsoeuer Christ commaunded him to say Wherein the bolde courage of Ananias is to be considered who plainely professeth the name of Iesus Christ and acknowledgeth himselfe to be his seruaunt before him whome he knewe hytherto to be Christes mortall enimie Agayne
bicause he had hearde what testimonie Christ gaue of Paule he disdayneth not to call him brother Therefore in Ministers a strong and bolde courage of minde must be ioyned with a gentle and milde facility of speach least either they suffer themselues to be beaten from the confession of Christ and hys due obedience or else through their hawtie port and ouermuch seueritie driue them awaye whome they ought to embrace as brethren and by all meanes to winne vnto Christ. Unto these premisses Luke ioyneth a marueylous successe For hee wryteth that there fell from the eyes of Paule a thing as it had bene scales and that then by by he had his sight againe He maketh mention of scales to th ende we myght vnderstande that his eyes were not lightly blasted as vseth to be in lightning but that he was striken into a great and marueylous blindenesse And it is not without a great marueyle that wythin so fewe dayes scales coulde gather on his eyes so to take his sight from him And it is no lesse marueylous to see that he is so soone agayne restored to the sight which he had lost In the meane season it appeareth that Christ would after a sort admonishe Paule of the state he lyued in being in his Iudaisme or Phariseyisme For when he was Gamaliel his scholer he profited so incredibly amonge his fellowes that he seemed to be wyser and to see more than all they But that wisedome which so highly pleased him was meere blyndenesse For the vayle was yet drawne before his eyes whereby the Iewes were hindered that they coulde not see Moses face bicause they wanted the knowledge of Christ in whome God the father hath giuen vs that heauenly light which is able to put awaye all darkenesse of ignorance and carnall zeale Bicause this lyght began to shyne on Paule scales fell from his eyes and he seeth that hitherto he had bene fowly and miserably beguyled with the blinde zeale of ignorance Therefore whosoeuer will continue in fayth and saluation without falling let him followe that lyght which is Christ and walke in him See Iohn 1.8 and .12 Chapters But what doth Paule after he had receyued hys sight He aryseth is baptised eateth and is made whole First he sayth he was baptised bicause he was hereof admonished by Ananias as himselfe witnesseth in the .xxij. of the Actes Howbeit some will saye baptisme was superfluous in him who Christ knewe was a câ—osen vessell â–ª who had felt the marueylous power of Christ who was nowe endued wyth the holy ghost and whose eyes aswell of the mynde as of the body the Lorde had lyghtened But the Saintes iudge nothing superfluous and vnprofitable which they know is ordeyned of god And bicause they reade that the obseruing of the thinges that were ordeyned in the olde Testament till the tyme of correction was commaunded with such seueritie that it was death to transgresse them they woulde neuer take vpon them to neglect any of the thinges which Christ deliuered to be obserued till the ende of the worlde Therefore the impudencie and rashnesse of those which now a dayes contemne the vse of baptisme and the Lordes supper is execrable and herein they declare what perfection of fayth they are of in that they dare wickedlye despyse the ordinaunces of the Lorde Moreouer Paule taketh meate and refresheth and cheereth his decayed strength of body The Saintes therefore vse the things which serue for preseruation of their health and which God hath giuen vs for that vse such as are meate and drinke clothing and all kyndes of such lyke So Paule admonisheth Timothy to vse Wine nowe and then bicause of the cruditie and rawnesse of his stomack By these examples is the pieuish superstition of them confuted whych bicause they abstayne from things necessarye attribute to themselues the tytle of singuler holynesse For although we condemne not fasting whereby the pryde of our wanton fleshe is subdued and tamed the rather to obey Christ so we allowe not those which set merite in that that by Gods worde is no where commaunded For to such men agreeth that saying of the Lorde when ye eate and drinke doe yee not eate and drinke for your owne selues By the which reason may be sayde to these also when ye fast ye fast for your selues Yea Paule teacheth vs to beware of those which bidde vs after a superstitious sort to abstaine from certayne things and sayth they bring the doctrine of Deuils which commaunde vs to abstayne from meates created of God for mans vse But let vs go on in the treatise of this present place and consider the first thing that Paule doth in the ministery of the Gospell of whome two things are reported First it is sayde he was conuersant with the Disciples that is to saye the Christians that were at Damascus Then he ioyned not himselfe to the Iewes or Gentyles which were the publike enimies of Christ but vnto the faythfull and such as professed the name of christ We are hereby taught that they that will be taken for Christians ought to vse the company of the godly and to abstaine from them whome they knowe to be the professed enimies of christ For although the godly are permitted to keepe company with infidels as farre forth as necessitie requyreth yet the faythfull finde that the company they keepe with them without necessitie for worldly friendshippe and pleasures sake is to their hurt and hinderance We reade that Iesus Christ was diuers times at the Phariseyes tables and at publyke feastes But it is euident it was not for the satisfying of his owne pleasure but to winne them to saluation For he neuer was so forgetfull of his dutie to wynke at their errours but he woulde powder their table talke with wholesome precepts and the mysteries of the kingdome of god And if any seeke the companye of the vngodly for thys ende we allowe their purpose and endeuour But they that winke at the blasphemies of the wicked their abhominable ydolatrie their foolish superstition most corrupt maners and filthy desires of a dastardly and sluggish minde to seeme trimme companions and enioy their friendship and fauor we alleage to them that saying of Dauid which accounteth them among the citizens of heauen that dâ—spyse the wicked and make much of them that feare the Lorde The same sayth all his delyght is in the Saintes that are in the earth For why shoulde we see Christes souldiour in Antichristes tentes sitting ydle why should he suffer their doings and sayings which he knoweth to deface the honor and glory of Christ Secondly he speaketh of Paules doctrine which worthily is placed first in this dooing he sayth he preached openly in the Synagoges And what did this newe Apostle preache Uerily Iesus to be the sonne of God and christ These things he taught not after a slender and colde sort but so confirmed them with Scriptures and arguments that he
Prophete to winke when they may plainly see It is our duties to acknowledge Iesus whome Paule preached to be the sonne of God and Christ and to trust in hym and serue him that we may hereafter lyue in heauen with him to whom be all prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .lxvij. Homelie AND after a good whyle the Iewes tooke counsayle togyther to kill him but Saule knewe of their laying awayte And they watched the gates daye and night to kill him Then the Disciples tooke him by night and lette him downe in a basket ouer the wall And when Saule was come to Ierusalem he assayed to ioyne himselfe to the Disciples but they were all afrayde of him and beleeued not that he was a Disciple But Barnabas tooke him and brought him to the Apostles and declared to them how he had seene the Lorde in the waye and that he had spoken to him and howe hee had done boldly at Damasco in the name of iesu And hee had his conuersation wyth them at Ierusalem speaking boldly in the name of the Lorde iesu And hee spake and disputed agaynst the Greekes but they went about to sâ—ea him which when the brethren knewe they brought him to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tharsus AS Luke hath bene very diligent in describing Paules conuersion so hath hee as you haue hearde declared his doctrine wyth no lesse diligence The summe whereof was that Iesus which was borne of Marie â–ª the Uirgin was also the Sonne of God and Christ that is to saye our King and our Priest and that Redeemer that once was promised vnto mankinde Thys agreeth with the confession of the Apostles which we reade Peter made in the name of them all and comprehendeth also in it the whole order of our saluation as was sayd in the last sermon Wherefore as Paule otherwheres teacheth it becoÌ„meth vs to vse such constancie in retayning and keeping thys doctrine that we be not drawne from it by the authoritie of any man no not of an Aungell And bicause Chryst sayde Paule should be a chosen vessell the Euangelyst in thys place rehearseth a briefe declaration of the things done about the beginnning of his Apostleshippe to declare thereby what faith and industrie he vsed in aunswering to so great a commendation of christ Thys narration is the diligentlyer to be considered bicause it plainly teacheth howe variable and grieuous the misfortunes of the faythfull ministers of Christ be in thys lyfe and howe faythfully he aydeth them being in daunger for the glorye of hys name according to hys promyse And Luke beginneth hys discourse wyth the thinges that came to passe vnto Paule at Damascus But before we report his words the course of the hystorie must be set in order whych it appeareth Luke obserued not verye greatly as who was not purposed particulerly to rehearse all the thinges that were done but onely to declare such thynges as myght suffyse for the instruction of the Church And he plainly declareth that he hath wittinglye and willingly pretermitted many thinges forasmuch as he confesseth that the things which he here rehearseth came to passe many dayes after Paules conuersion Wherfore we must perclose make vp the order of the history out of the things which Paule himselfe rehearseth of his owne doings Writing vnto the Galathians first he sayth he went from Damascus into Arabia before he came to Ierusalem As he returned out of Arabia where it is credible he preached Christs gospell to Damascus he then fell into this daunger which he here speaketh of The authors whereof as it is here sayde the Iewes were But in hys later Epistle to the Corinthians the .xij. Chap. he sayth this ambushe to take him was layde by king Aretas his Lieuetenant Wherby we gather that the Iewes suborned him thus to doe whervnto for thys cause they might the more easily perswade him for that Paule had aduentured to preach the Gospell in Arabia which was vnder the king Aretas hys obeysance Therefore Luke hath omitted Paules voyage into Arabia which of force must be ended before he was in this hazarde forasmuch as shortly after his escape it is sayde he came to Ierusalem Furthermore touching the present hystorie the chiefe point thereof is to note what men may looke for of the worlde as soone as they ioyne themselfe vnto christ For where Christ consecrateth to hymselfe onelye those whome he chooseth out of the worlde the worlde afterwarde cannot abyde them as he teacheth And there are euerywhere so manye examples to prooue this true that it is marueile to see how so many at this day are offended with those aduersities which the Scripture giueth vs warning of so often and wherewith all the faythfull of Christ haue bene so invred from the first beginning of the world In the meane season let vs obserue that Luke sayth these things came to passe a good while after or after a certaine daies Therfore Paule had a time giuen him to preach in and in the meane whyle God stayed the rage of hys enimies which vndoubtedly woulde haue stopped him at the beginning but that they were kepte backe with the brydle that he layde on them Whereby we learne that the wicked cannot alwaye doe what they lyst nor that they seemed chiefely most able to doe For the like reason may be made of them as is of their heade For as Satan is vnder the power of Gods prouidence and can doe nothing agaynst man but by Gods sufferance so the Lord brydleth tyrants manger all their might and will they nill they and that many tymes in such vnknowne wyse that they themselues marueyle how their deuises come no better to passe which they see no manne is able to withstande but yet see not God which vseth to bring them to naught Therfore let vs alway set Gods prouidence before our eyes as often as we heare the enterprises of the enimies of the word and let vs remember that the heares of our heade be numbred in his sight But what dyd the faythfull at Damascus whyle the wicked enimies lay wayte for Paule Doe they forsake hym or leaue him suâ—courlesse Or vse they that saying of the Lorde resist not agaynst euill Or be they so carelesse that they looke for helpe from the Lorde doing nor daring to doe nothing themselues for Paule in the meane season Here is no such thing sayde of them Naye they aduenture to deliuer Paule with the daunger of their owne liues yea transgressing the common lawe which commaundeth the walles to be inuiolable For it appeareth that our auncestors counted the walles and gates of Cities amongst things that were holy and consecrated their walles vnto the Gods verily for that they knewe as the Lawyer sayth that mans affaires coulde by mans industrie be sufficiently gouerned and ordered of any one in so great falshood of men the citizens somewhiles being so negligent the borderers about them being so malicious
bloude of christ For he is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken downe the wall that was a stoppe betweene vs. This Peter affirmeth with great grauity partly to make the hearers thinke well of him at whose saluation he enuied not after the maner of other Iewes and partly bicause they shoulde be the more diligent to heare those thinges which belonged to their saluation It shall be good to examine the wordes particulerly for our more comfort and instruction First by waye of an exclamation as we declared euen nowe he sayth of a truth or in dede I finde Which word declareth that he was before ignorant of this mysterie For being heretofore beguiled with the coÌ„mon errour of the Iewes and bewitched with the blind preiudice of the flesh he vsed to abhorre the Gentyles as menne prophane and abhominable before god But nowe by the heauenly vision the appearing of the Aungell and wordes of Cornelius he is taught another thing bicause he findeth in Cornelius words apparant tokens of a very Christian and regenerated mind Peters example teacheth vs that the Saintes sometime are ignoraunt of some things and therefore that we shoulde not beleeue the preiudice of our reason but that we shoulde diligently examine all thinges according to the rule of Gods worde Secondly he teacheth what he founde verily that God is no accepter of persons This word person declareth the outward shewe or appearance of man whereby he vseth eyther to be commended or contemned such as is Nobilitie high parentage riches honors Nation or Countrie basenesse of birth pouertie bondage and infinite such like The consideration whereof God commaundeth to be farre of from all Iudges bicause where these things take place there can be no vpright iudgement It can not be therefore that that thing is to be founde in God which he vseth to detest in men And surely the Scriptures euerywhere attribute this vnto God that he is mooued with no mannes kindred or stocke with no riches no pouertie no outwarde appearance no consideration of Countrie but sheweth himselfe iust and mercifull to all men alyke This thing is of great auayle in the cause of saluation For it serueth to our instruction that wee contemne no man by reason of these outwarde things forasmuch as it appeareth that God is not mooued herwith whose children we be and it comforteth men that are in affliction and of lowe degree when they heare that in Christ there is neyther bonde nor free Iewe nor Gentyle Scythian not Barbarous man nor woman rich nor poore See Galat. 3. Colos. 3. c. It maketh for the explication hereof that he streyght waye addeth what maner of men God accepteth in all kind of men least any man might thinke he gouerned things at all auentures For he addeth but in all people he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him He comprehendeth in two poyntes the whole lyfe of man such as God requireth of them that honor him For he percloseth all religion vnder the feare of God forasmuch as it is manifest that this feare cannot be without the knowledge of God nor without fayth and obedience By this worde righteousnesse he vnderstandeth that excellent vertue that giueth to euery man that that is his which is the best gouernor of mans whole lyfe and springeth out of the fountaynes of Christian charitie But if thou compare the corrupt nature of man with these thinges thou shalt perceyue that these thinges are not founde but in those people that are regenerate and that they cannot be attayned to without the grace of God and fayth in christ For howe shoulde they that are aliauntes from Christ please God by their outwarde workes seeing he is that onely mediatour in whome the father is well pleased Therfore they are greatly deceyued which of these wordes of Peter thinke the merit of mans righteousnesse may be established forasmuch as the grace of God onely is the cause efficient of those things that are here so highly commended Their error also is to be confuted which abusing this place affirme that euerye man may be saued in the religion of hys Nation whether he be Iewe or Turke so that being illuminated with some reuerence of God he seeke to accomplishe this common ryghteousnesse But Peters meaning in this place is farre other who rather goeth about to prooue that the doctrine of the Gospell wherby saluation in Christ is preached appertayneth to all men indifferently But I praye you what needeth it to be pubâ—ished to all men if saluation may be had without Christ This kinde of people of all other is moste pernicious who vnder the pretence of christian modestie bicause they wil not seeme to boldly to condemne any man do plainly extenuate the merit of Christ yea they call in doubt the righteousnesse of god his goodnesse wisedome truth whatsoeuer vertues besides are in god For if any man may be saued without Christ then it appeereth saluation must depend vpon our free wil zeale Then came Christ into the world in vayn then was he incarnated suffred died in vaine then rose he from the dead ascended into heauen in vayne And he shall be conuinced of a lie in that he said No man coÌ„meth to the father but by me Peter also shall be reproued as a lyer who according as the spirit of Christ did prompt him sayde there was no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men in which they could be saued Furthermore who I pray you shal say that god the father is eyther iust or wise or true or mercifull which without very great cause woulde put his sonne to such bitter sorrowes and afflictions Away therefore with these men which whyle they will seeme modest adnihilate the mysteries of our religion Let vs obserue the ende and marke of Peters words and leaue them to whome the light of the Gospell hath not yet shined to the iudgement of God who if they be saued must needes be saued through the merit of Christ vnlesse we will be contumelious both against Christ God. Let vs come to the seconde part of this Sermon which in these words conteyneth the proposition or declaration of the whole matter ye know the preaching that God sent vnto the children of Israel preaching peace by Iesu Christ which is Lorde ouer all things Which wordes seeme vnto me thus to signifie I woulde not haue you O brethren to looke for anye newe or straunge matter For I purpose to intreate of such a matter as is nowe in euery mannes mouth the report whereof is vndoubtedly come euen vnto you that is howe God sent his sonne Iesus Christ which is coeternall with him and Lorde of all things vnto the children of Israel being made man of the Uirgin Marie and by him hath preached peace vnto them In these wordes doth Peter comprehende all the mysteries of Christ Iesu and of his Gospell which shortly after he dilateth more
at large by narration Wherfore in all these things we will briefely touch those things only which serue for this present place First he plainely teacheth what this Christ is where he calleth hi m Lorde of all things This is an euident testimonie of his diuinitie For it is manifest that the rule of all things pertayneth vnto God alone bicause he alone is the creator of all things And it is playne that all thinges were made by that eternall worde and that all power is giuen him of the father He must needes therefore be true god And lette no man here obiect vnto vs this worde of giuing as though he were therfore the lesse bicause he receyueth of another For this is to be referred to the nature of manne which he tooke vpon him to the which in a certayne time appoynted God the father gaue that which Christ according to his Godheade had from euerlasting For thus he speaketh himselfe a little before he went to hys death Now glorifie me ô father with thine owne selfe with the glory which I had with thee ere the worlde was The Arrians are hereby confuted and the Seruetanes which nowe a dayes follow their steppes and the dignitie of Christian fayth is defended against the Iewes and Turkes which saye we glory and trust in one that is no more but a man. Then Peter toucheth by the waye the meane of our saluation where he sayth that that eternall worde of God Iesus Christ was sent from God the father For in this worde sent he comprehendeth all the mysterie of his incarnation euen as Paule also where he sayth when the fulnesse of tyme came God sent his sonne made of a woman c. In his incarnation are comprised whatsoeuer things Christ did or suffred in the flesh for our saluation sake of the which things we shall hereafter intreate Furthermore he sayth he was sent to the children of Israel not that he belonged to them alone but for that he tooke fleshe and was borne of them and shoulde first shewe himselfe to them vntill through their vnbeliefe he should be caryed vnto the gentiles Thou shalt obserue in these things that al these affaires of Christ which are preached in the gospell are not of man but of Gods ordering and appoyntment For this worde was sent from god And it is euident that this is the eternall decree of God that Iesus Christ should be the King and Priest of his people Psal. 2.110 Wherevpon we gather that men striue in vaine by their owne power against his Gospell which thing before this we hearde that Gamaliel sawe and is abundantly declared by the examples of all ages Last of all he commeth to the ende and marke of all this matter which is that peace shoulde be preached by Christ Iesus So Esaias cap. 52. speaking of the Preachers of the Gospell sayth O how bewtifull are the feete of the Ambassadour that bringeth the message from the mountayne and proclaymeth peace c. Peter maketh mention of preaching not for that Christ is the Minister therof only but bicause that peace wherof he is the author is offred to vs by preaching of the Gospell receiued by hearts of fayth He specially speaketh of that peace which is betweene god and vs by the meane of Iesus christ For before times by reason of our sinnes we were seperated from god reputed as his enimies And Paule writeth that the wrath of God was declared from heauen agaynst all vngodlynesse and vnrighteousnesse of men Therefore there was neede of a peacemaker and reconcyler which the scriptures declare God the father hath giuen vs euen Iesus christ For he hath taken vpon him our sinnes which were cause of the seperation betweene God and vs he hath purged them by the merite of his death and satisfied the rigour of Gods iustice And he being made ours by fayth doth clothe vs with his righteousnesse and doth defende and shielde vs that wee be able to abyde the iudgement seate of God who otherwyse had deserued by reason of our sinnes to be damned for euer Thus it commeth to passe that according to Paules doctrine we being iustified by fayth are at peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Thys the father himselfe confesseth when from heauen he sounded that ioyfull and comfortable voyce This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased And this is that peace which passeth all vnderstanding and which can by no maner of afflictions be disturbed bicause it maketh them seeme light and easie to them which vnderstande that God is become mercifull to them in Christ and that they are made the children of god This peace also breedeth ciuill brotherly concorde amongst men bicause that by meane of Christ all that respect of persons among the faythfull wherby mutuall concorde among men is chiefly broken is taken away And bicause it kindleth mens mindes wyth the fire of charitie it so graffeth in them the desire of peace that they hate no things more deadly than such as they knowe hinder it Great therefore and very execrable is the ingratitude and iniquitie of those men which exclame and crye out saying the preaching of the gospell is the disturbaunce of publyke peace and policie For thus they make Iesus Christ the Prince of true and euerlasting peace the author of those offences which they may thanke the wicked worlde of who therefore maketh tumultes and businesses agaynst Christ and his worde bicause they can not suffer the light thereof whereby their naughtie workes are reprooued Let vs acknowledge the goodnesse of God which doth vouchsafe to offer the doctrine of saluation vnto all men and let vs with true fayth embrace Iesus Christ the onely author of saluation and peace to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .lxxv. Homelie YOV I saye knowe that woorde which was published throughout all Iurie and beganne in Galiley after the baptisme which Iohn preached howe GOD annoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy ghost and with power Which Iesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the deuill For God was with him ALthough Peter made this Sermon at Caesarea in the house of Cornelius the Captayne yet the same apperteyneth to all men and is meete at this daye to be most diligently considered of vs For beside that manye thinges are gone before which teach vs that the spirit of God was the author hereof in this part Peter fully includeth the whole order of our iustification and saluation And hereof he admonished his hearers in the proposition as erewhile we sawe whereas he promised them to speake of the eternall worde of God which is Iesus Christ who being Lorde of all things and therefore very God did yet vouchsafe to come into the worlde to reconcyle mankinde vnto God the father and to be the author and preacher of that moste wholesome peace Now bicause by these wordes he
of God suffred themselues to be seduced with the lying Oracles of the deuill that they whome it became to haue worshipped God onely worshipped woode and stone and did abhominable sacrifice vnto Deuils And for bicause fewe acknowledged the great tyrannie of the deuill God suffred also that many were corporallye possessed of him and raged aswell agaynst themselues as agaynst others as we may learne in the hystorie of the Gospell But for all these maladies Iesus Christ is gyuen to be our Phisition who according to the promyse made in the beginning shoulde breake the Serpents heade and as the Apostle sayeth destroye the workes of the Deuill This thing he abundantly declareth he was both able and willing to doe whyle by his worde he healeth them whych were scourged with the horrible whippes of sicknesses while he draue forth of men deuils and vncleane spirites and would not suffer them which before seemed Lordes ouer all thinges once to hysse Heereto are to be referred whatsoeuer myracles of lyke sort the Euangelistes write whereby is declared vnto vs that that strong man is come which hath entred the Deuils house that is to saye the worlde hath bounde him and taken awaye all his armor harnesse as Christ teacheth vs in the Gospell Peter testifyeth that all these things were done by the power of God to aunswere the Scribes which sayde that he cast forth Deuils by the helpe of Belzebub There are examples in hystories which declare that the kingdome of the Deuill is destroyed by the power of christ For it is euident that all Oracles ceassed and kept silence when Christ died And Constantinus wryteth that when Dioclesian reygned the Deuill complayned out of Apollos caue or denne that the Christians whome he called iust did let that he could not gyue true Oracles as before he vsed Howbeit we shall a little hereafter see more euident proofes of Christes victorie agaynst the Deuill where Peter disputeth of his death and resurrection In the meane whyle it becommeth vs to remember our dutie which is that being taken from the power of darkenesse into the kingdome of the sonne of God we defende our libertie and fight continually agaynst Satan our common enimye that we be not at any time founde vnthankefull to Iesus Christ our deliuerer to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxvj. Homelie AND wee are witnesse of all thinges which hee did in the lande of the Iewes and at Ierusalem whome they slewe and hanged on tree Him God raysed vp the thirde day and shewed him openly not to all the people but vnto vs witnesses chosen before of God for the same intent which did eate and drinke with him after he arose from death And hee commaunded vs to preache vnto the people and to testifie that it is hee which was ordeyned of God to be the iudge of quicke and deade To him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoeuer beleeueth in hm shall receyue remission of sinnes THe Apostle Peter hath taught Cornelius the Centurion being appoynted therevnto of God in such wyse that he hath also set out before all men a generall and most absolute doctrine of saluation For he preacheth vnto him Iesus Christ the onely sauiour of mankinde in whome all the Scripture testifyeth that all the meane of our saluation is conteyned And hereof in the discourse before â—oâ—e he sayd two things First that God annoynted him that is ordeyned him to be the King and Priest of his people Wherevpon we gather that all those which appoynt to themselues any other mediatours or patrones of saluation doe sinne agaynst the eternall purpose of god Next he teacheth howe diligently and faythfully Iesus Christ vsed himselfe in his office For he sayeth he went about and of his exceeding liberalitie offred the benefite of saluation to them that sought it not And this was the ende and purpose of all his doyng to bring all those that were oppressed of the deuill into the kingdome and liberty of the sonnes of god which deliuery he declared and shewed by myracles thorowe the which he most faythfully releeued those that were vexed and troubled as well wyth incurable diseases as wyth rage of deuils by the wholesome helpe and power of his worde Now vnto these things Peter in thys place addeth that which perfyteth and maketh vp the doctrine of saluation For first he declareth the order and maner that Christ vsed in the redeeming of mankynde then he sheweth what vtilitye and profite commeth to vs thereby Therefore this place is worthye to be considered of vs verye diligently Before he declareth the order and maner of mannes redemption he confirmeth his doctrine by witnesses saying And wee are witnesses of all the thinges which he did in the lande of the Iewes and at Hierusalem And it ought to seeme no absurde or straunge thing to any man that Peter so boldlye produceth himselfe among his fellowes as witnesses of his sayinges For we haue already oftentimes hearde howe Christ appoynted them to that charge and a little hereafter it shall be declared that they were chosen of God to beare witnesse of Iesus Christ and of those things that he did concerning our saluation These things teach vs howe grieuously they offende which disdayne to beleeue the Gospell For where the narration of the thyngs that Christ did is not bare and emptye but hath the testimonie of God it easily appeareth that this contumely or reproch must needes redounde vnto God as hath bene otherwhere at large declared Howbeit as concerning the maner of our redemption which we sayde is chiefly intreated of in this place there are three thinges sayde of Christ in the which all those thinges are contayned that was needefull to be done in this behalfe Among which the first is the death of Christ the which he toucheth but briefly bicause it was well knowne He saith he was by the Iewes hanged on a tree and killed He maketh mention of a tree not so muche bicause he would expresse his cruell and horrible kinde of death as to put the hearers in remembraunce of the mistery of that sacrifice that Christ offred when he dyed for our sinnes For it appeareth that sacrifices were woont to be offered and burned vpon bundels of woode And thus doth Peter himself see me to interpretate this place where as in the second chapiter of his first epistle he writeth that Christ bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that is purged them by the sacrifice of his body vpon the altare of the crosse Christ teacheth vs the very same where he sayth that he will giue his flesh for the lyfe of the world which it is playne he did no where but on the crosse Esaias the Prophete is a copious expositor of these things who sayth Chap. liij He was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse For the chastisement of our peace was layde vpon him and with
obserue the order of iustification and saluation in the example of Cornelius We see that he was holpen and stirred vp by the grace of God to doe that that was good and acceptable vnto God whereas before that he had bene a Gentyle and estraunged from the people of god But being receyued into fauour Peter the Apostle was appointed to be his teacher to preach to him the doctrine of saluation Cornelius beleeueth the worde being preached The holy ghost followeth after his beliefe which both regenerateth the minde and also bringeth forth diuers marueylous vertues Being illuminated with this spirite he is giuen wholy to prayse God and at length being baptized he is receyued into the fellowship of Christs Church This order we see obserued euerywhere For the beginning of our saluation springeth of the grace of God who chose vs before the foundations of the worlde were layde He hauing chosen vs instructeth vs by his outwarde worde giueth vs fayth illuminateth vs being regenerate with his spirit and maketh vs meete vnto euery good work And that which he promiseth by his worde and offreth by his spirite vnto the faythfull minde the same he confirmeth by outwarde Sacramentes also See Rom. 9.10 Finally it is declared howe Cornelius behaued himselfe after all these things They besought Peter sayth Luke to abyde with them a few dayes And there was none other cause of this desire but for that they were enflamed with the looue of the Gospell and desired to heare him euery daye bicause they woulde be the more confirmed in the knowledge of true saluation Furthermore they coulde not be so soone satisfyed with the presence of their very friende who they perceyued had ministred so great grace vnto them And here is truly expressed the propertie of those that faythfully beleeue They lothe not the teaching of that worde nor attribute not so much to themselues to thinke that they shall haue hereafter no more neede of it Yea they acknowledge themselues to be men and bicause they will be taken for the children of God they can not be filled with the voyce of their father but desire to haue him still speake vnto them Moreouer they shewe themselues thankefull and kinde towarde the Ministers of God by whose diligence they are taught in matters of fayth and saluation For they thinke it a matter of no great weyght to requite them with carnall benefits which giue vnto them spirituall riches For they vnderstande that their saluation dependeth chiefly on them For the which cause they can suffer themselues to be rebuked and chidden as we may see in Dauid and Ezechias But the wicked be of a farre other minde which vse to condemne the Ministers as molesters of their vngodly desires and publike enimies whereof the scripture sheweth examples in Pharao Achab the Phariseys and infinite others Whose vngodlynesse deserueth to feele the vengeaunce of Gods iustice bicause they woulde not suffer to be faythfully admonished Lette vs therefore acknowledge the grace of God and embrace his worde wyth thankefull myndes studying to frame our selues thereafter that we maye hereafter be made partakers and heyres of the saluation promised in Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The eleuenth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lxxviij. Homelie AND the Apostles and brethren that were in Iurie hearde that the Heathen also had receyued the worde of god And when Peter was come vp to Ierusalem they that were of the Circumcision contended against him saying Thou wentest in to men vncircumcised and diddest eate with them But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning and expounded it by order vnto them saying I was in the Citie of Ioppa praying and in a traunce I sawe in a vision a certayne vessell descende as it had bene a great sheete let downe from heauen by the fower corners and it came to mee â–ª into the which when I had fastened mine eyes I considered and sawe fowerfooted beastes of the earth and vermin and wormes and foules of the ayre â–ª And I hearde a voyce saying vnto me Aryse Peter slea and eate And I sayd not so Lord for nothing coÌ„mon or vnclean hath at any time entred into my mouth But the voyce aunswered me agayne from heauen Count not thou those things common which God hath clensed And this was done three tymes And all were taken vp agayne into heauen And beholde immediatlye there were three men already come into the house where I was sent from Caesarea vnto me And the spirite sayde vnto mee that I shoulde go with them without doubting Moreouer these sixe brethren acâ—ompanyed me and wee entred into the mannes house And he shewed vs howe he had seene an Aungell in his house which stoode and sayde to him Sende men to Ioppa and call for Simon whose surname is Peter He shall tell thee words wherby both thou and all thine house shall be saued And as I began to preache the holy ghost fell on them as he did on vs at the beginning Then came it to my remembraunce howe that the Lorde sayde Iohn baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy ghost Forasmuch then as God gaue them lyke giftes as hee gaue vnto vs when we beleeued on the Lorde Iesus Christ what was I that I shoulde haue withstanded God ALthough the blessed Euaungelyst Luke hath both abundantlye and diligently described the hystorie of Cornelius which was conuerted vnto the fayth in the Chapter before going yet in this Chapter he repeateth the same againe after another sort and maner of narration The cause of which his doing was for that it might appeare to all men that the Gentyles were vndoubtedly called according to Gods appointment by preaching of the Gospell and receyued into the communion of the Church by the sacrament of baptisme That the declaration hereof was necessarye bicause of the Iewes hath already oftentimes bene shewed And the same serueth very much for our instruction both bicause the grace of Gods goodnesse is thereby marueylouslye set forth and the certaintie of all our saluation which springeth of the Iewes is most firmely prooued Therefore no man must accuse the holy writer for to often repeating of one thing or of needelesse loquacitie or babling but rather they ought to be prouoked by his diligence the more earnestly to weygh consider a matter of such importance Furthermore Luke taketh occasion to rehearse agayne the same hystorie by reason of the vniust iudgement of a certaine sort of persons who being deceyued accuse Peter whereby he is enforced thus to declare and open the meaning of his dooing vnto them First therefore let vs see howe the Church which was here and there dispersed through Iurie iudged concerning the vocation of the Gentyles For this thing coulde not long lye hidden both bicause of the notable worthynesse of the persons and also for that it was a straunge thinge and not seene before Therefore
he sayth the fame hereof was streyght waye published ouer all Iurie Here are two sortes of men vttering and bewraying themselues The first are the Apostles and brethren by which name I suppose the Ministers of the word and their fellowes are here ment Of these the Euaungelist sayeth but this one thing and no more that they hearde the Gentyles had receyued the word of God also Wherevpon may be gathered that although they yet vnderstoode not very well the mysterie of this matter yet being mindefull of Christian modestie they woulde not blame or accuse Peter ouer hastily whose credite and diligence they had by manye proofes tryed Whose modestie the holy ghost hath set before vs to imitate least in iudging other mennes doinges we be ledde with vnaduised zeale and so breake the rules of Christian charitie Here is also to be considered the phrase or maner of speaking where he sayth the Gentyles receyued the worde of God whereas he might haue sayd they receyued Christendome were made partakers of Christ his Church But this way he thought to saye somewhat more and to make a difference betweene the true Christianitie and counterfayte dissembling of some kinde of persons For they receyue the worde of God which acknowledge it to be the worde of God and therefore labor to be transfourmed into it and to become followers of god So Paule writeth that the Thessalonians receyued the word where he sayth when you receyued of vs the worde whereby you learned to knowe God you receyued it not as the worde of man but as it was in deede the worde of God. Agayne And you became followers of vs and of the Lord receyuing the worde with much affliction They that receyue the worde of God after this sort bring forth marueylous fruites by the same For denying themselues and mortifying the affections of the fleshe they forsake their olde vngodlynesse and as children of light followe innocencie For they know that God is light and that they which will haue fellowship with him must walke in the light And they which bragge of the Gospell had neede oftentimes to consider this thing least whyle they crye with open mouth that they haue receyued the word of God they accuse themselues of lying shewing forth no fruites agreeable to the worde But let vs come to the other kinde of men which were not so indifferent iudges of Peters singuler doing Luke sayth these were of the Circumcision But whereas the first sort also were circumcised and Iewes I suppose he meaneth not here the people of the Iewes onely but those rather which would be taken for Christians yet did cleaue to fast vnto Circumcision and the Ceremonies of the lawe as necessary vnto saluation These men sayth Luke ouer boldly reprehended Peters doing and openly contended with him And this they lay to his charge as a matter of life and death that he went in to men vncircumcised that is to Gentyles and Heathen men and did eate with them For thus doing they accuse him of breaking the traditions of the Elders and of custome the origine whereof we haue otherwheres declared to haue sproong of the law of God being ouer straitly strayned By this example we are taught howe hurtfull a thing it is once to be bletched with error and to continue long in the same For commonly a certaine frowarde feruencie to defende error is ioyned therevnto bicause such is the inclination of mannes nature that none will seeme to haue erred With which vyce these men were also blinded which woulde not admit the Gentyles into the congregation albeit it was manifest by the playne testimonie of God that they were admitted thereinto So great and so tough is the corruption of mannes nature and so inuincible is his stubbornnesse in the defence of errors once receiued And would God there were not at this day infinite examples of this kinde in those men who being the heades of the Church thinke it but a tryfle to defende those things which they knowe to be contrary to the expresse Oracles of Gods worde Furthermore this place teacheth vs that no man can so prosperously and godlily doe any thing that he shall satisfie all men For this rather is the state of the worlde that they that shoulde be commended are accused and blamed This the Scripture teacheth vs came to passe vnto Moses both amongst the Egyptians and the Israelites We reade howe the Prophetes had experience of the same who while they watched and laboured for all mennes saluation were called disturbers of the Realme enimies of their countrie and authors of all euill And it appeareth the worlde had none other iudgement of Iesus christ For one while he is accused for neglecting washing of the handes another while for being conuersant with sinners by by againe as a breaker of the Sabboth after that they crie out he is a Samaritane possessed of the deuill Therfore Peter now suffreth the same that his maister did where he was worthy of singuler prayse for bringing the kingdome of God so prosperously vnto the gentiles he is faine rather to abide the venymous bitings of slaunderers And they onely which are manifest enimies of Christ doe not thus vniustly controll him but they also which would be taken for Christians brethren yea the schollers take the fetula and rod against the Maister The consideration herof ought to make vs pacient if the like at any time do fal out vnto vs It also teacheth vs that we must labour rather to approoue our doings to God than to the worlde which many times is both vnkinde to his benefactours and for the moste part deceyued in his iudgement Againe let vs learne that it is a great offence dishonestly to defame and slaunder the well doinges of our brethren For they that so doe declare the Deuills disposition whome the Greekes therefore haue called Diabolum that is to saye Deuill bicause he vseth to slaunder misreport and misconstrue all our doing and sayings And they also breake the rules of charitie whose propertie it is alwayes to hope well of the brethren and rather to couer the multitude of sinnes than to disclose and open them But after the vniust accusation of these waywarde men â–ª followeth Peters Apologie or defence deuoyde of all bitternesse the only ende and scope whereof is to shewe that nothing is herein done â–ª of priuate diuise but all things by the commaundement of God who woulde haue the Gentyles to be receyued into the communion of Christ and his Church And bicause he sawe his aduersaries mindes greatly exasperated he frameth a diligent narration of all things done euen from the beginning and confirmeth the same with sounde argumentes The which narration before I touch the modestie of the Apostle is to be considered who thought good so humblye and carefully to excuse himselfe to those whome hauing so iust a cause as he had he might eyther haue set light and giuen
no aunswere to or at least he might snappishly haue put them back and rebuked them But he knewe that the same lawe aswell belonged to himselfe as to other where he commaunded all Christian men to be ready to giue a reason or aunswere of their doing to euery man. And as in this place he paciently suffereth the vniust censure and checke of men in a iust quarrell so when he was accused of Paule before all men for his dissimulation and inconstancie we reade he aunswered nothing disdainefully And this we reade was alwaye the custome in the primitiue Church that Bishoppes coulde suffer and beare to bee iudged and corrected by other Byshoppes Thus it appeareth Victor the Bishop of Rome was reprehended and admonished of his dutie by Iraeneus and certaine other Bishops of lesse famous Churches for his ouer hastie sentence of excommunication giuen against the Bishoppes of Asia These things reprooue the pride of the bishops of Rome that folowed who are not only not ashamed to make themselues Iudges ouer all the world but also refuse the iudgement of all men My hart quaketh as often as I remember that blasphemous Canone which will not haue the Pope condemned no not though he forget his owne and other mennes saluation and leade with him headlong into hell whole heapes of mennes soules Howbeit he coulde no maner of way more euidently haue prooued himselfe to be Antichrist than in that he refuseth the iudgement of the Church and Bishops challenging to themselues the supremacie ouer them all But to let this passe let vs hearken to Peter intreating his cause and matter Peter in his Apologie vseth a diligent narration or discourse as euen nowe we declared the which he so ordereth that he reporteth not onelye what was done but sheweth also that it was well done and lawfully And this narration consisteth of fiue partes or members of all which we will speake as much as appertaineth to this present matter letting passe that that hath bene sayde in the Chapter before going In the first part is contayned the vision of a great vessell or sheete let downe to him from heauen by which God taught him that no man from thenceforth should be iudged vnworthy of the Gospell and fellowship of the people of God for neglecting the ceremonies of the lawe forasmuch as the stoppe of the lawe was broken downe by Iesus Christ who had made one people of both Peter thought it good to beginne his narration with this that it might appeare to all men that he did nothing of his owne head but according as God appointed In the second part he alleageth the sure commaundement of God â–ª least he might be thought to haue bene beguyled by some dreame or ydle phantasie For euen at the same time he sayeth by the prouidence of God they stoode at his Hostesse doore that were sent from Cornelius and he addeth The spirite sayde that I shoulde go with them nothing doubting And this is the strength of his whole defence which he setteth against his aduersaries accusation For they sayde Thou wentest in to menne that are vncircumised and hast eaten with them Therefore Peter aunswereth them The spirite of the Lord bade me so to do And being with this simplicitie of words content he letteth passe all Rhetoricall colors wherwith he might haue confirmed garnished this argument Which example teacheth vs that they are not to be accused or if they be accused they may easily be defended before Christian men which cast of the traditions and customes of men at Gods appoyâ—tment For the authority of this saying of the Apostles shall remaine in force for euer we must obey God more than men Let vs also in these dayes with this argument defende our selues against the Papistes which with lyke frowardnesse accuse vs for hauing broken the traditions of men and take occasion of offence on euery side without any giuen on our behalf It offendeth them that we deny Christ is offred in the sacrament of the aultar for the sinnes of the quicke and the deade But we laye against them the word of Christ who yeelding vp his life vpon the crosse declared that all maner of expiation for sinne and our redemption was nowe accomplished Furthermore we heare Paule say that Christ being once offered can be offred no more They are offended bicause they see we haue put the ymage of Christ and the Saintes out of our Churches But we laye for our selues agaynst them the authoritie of God forbidding ymages to be made and commaunding those that are made to be made out of the way and destroyed They are offended bicause we haue taken awaye the differences of meates But the Apostle defendeth vs which sayth it is a doctrine of the Deuill to bring it vp The lyke reason there is of all other thinges in controuersie betweene vs These we haue alleaged onelye for example sake And if our aduersaries will not yeelde vnto the word of God but will holde on and set the customes and traditions of men against the authoritie of the same then shall it easily appeare that they are not the seruauntes of God but of men The thirde part of the narration contayneth the vision of the Aungell which we heard was sent from God vnto Cornelius Hereof Peter thought to make mention to declare that Cornelius did nothing vnaduisedly but was mooued by God to sende for him to teach him Here is diligently to be obserued howe the Aungell speaketh of the ministerie or preaching of the Gospell Peter sayth he shall speake wordes whereby thou and all thy house shall be saued Then he testifyeth that saluation commeth by preaching of the Gospell This the holye Psalmist sawe when he sayde God sent hys worde and they were healed And Paule sayth that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all beleeuers It is not thus sayd bicause the sounde of wordes bringeth saluation as the supersticious thinke of their exorcismes but bicause through the preaching of the Gospell Christ is offered to vs and they that preach the Gospell be messengers in the roume of Christ that by their ministerie men might be reconcyled to God the father through christ Therefore no common weales nor familyes can haue any sounde health or saluation without they receiue the gospell of Iesus Christ. Therfore their ingratitude that saye the worde of saluation is the cause of all euils as well priuate as publike is most execrable as we read was somtime obiected to Ieremie These men are ledde with the spirite of Caiphas who also sayde that Christ woulde be the author and cause of their destruction vnlesse he were made awaye by the wicked conspiracie of the priests Fourthly he declareth the marueylous sending of the holy ghost The expositor whereof he alleageth Iesus Christ to be I remember sayeth he the worde of the Lorde howe he sayde Iohn baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy
ghost It seemeth that Peter reasoneth on this wise Christ our Lorde promised to his elect his spirite which the worlde coulde not receyue and he sayd that he alone was the giuer therof Therfore whereas he hath sent the same spirit vnto the Gentiles hath vouchsafed to baptise them with his holy ghost I could not choose but followe the example of such a guyde nor iudge them vnworthy the baptisme of water whom God had iudged worthye of his spirite And Peter maketh a trimme difference betweene Christ the Minister bicause he woulde not haue that wrongfully attributed to the externe ministerie that belongeth onely vnto christ But bicause we haue otherwheres entreated hereof it shall suffise for this time to haue noted thus much by the waye The fifth part conteyneth a very graue conclusion as well in wordes as arguments For he sayth If God therefore gaue vnto them lyke giftes as he gaue vnto vs which beleeued in the Lord Iesus Christ what was I that I should withstande God It shoulde haue bene a wicked part to haue sayde they had bene vnlike whome God had vouchsafed to make like But how much more greater impietie had it bene to haue shut out from the communion of the Church those whome God by so euident an argument had declared to haue pertayned to his Church Yea whome he had openly chosen and adopted Therefore Peter confesseth that he shoulde haue bene an aduersary of God if he had gone about any such thing And if they be the aduersaries of God which keepe those men from the fellowship that is in him whom he doth vouchsafe to make members of his Church bicause they thinke them vnworthy of so great fauor and grace what shall we saye of them which by false doctrine deceyue Christes sheepe or else rage against them with plaine force and tyrannie bicause of their confession of Christ They shall one daye feele his mightie and heauie hande whose enimies they chose rather to be than his friendes followers It is our part so to acknowledge and embrace the grace of God as also to bring and trayne all other to the fellowship of saluation the which God the father hath set out to his elect in his beloued sonne Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxix. Homelie WHEN they heard this they helde their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentyles graunted repentaunce vnto lyfe They also which were scattered abroade through the affliction that rose about Steuen walked throughout vnto Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioche preaching the worde to no man but vnto the Iewes onely Some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene which when they were come to Antioche spake vnto the Greekes and preached the Lorde Iesus And the hande of the Lorde was with them and a great number beleeued and tourned vnto the Lorde AS the Apostle Peter in conuerting of Cornelius dyd the duetie of a godly and faythfull Apostle whyle he thought it good to obey the expresse commaundement of God wythout any lyngering so when his dooing was of some persons vniustly reprooued he shewed an excellent example of a christian and Apostolyke modestie For he declared the reason of his doing most friendly and diligently vnto them of whome he might most iustly haue requyred what authoritie they had so to doe But leauing all other arguments apart he vrgeth this one thing that he did nothing of hys owne deuyse but according to Gods appointment and commaundement By which example we haue learned with what argumentes we shoulde arme our selues against those which nowe a dayes accuse vs with lyke frowardnesse for breaking the traditions and customes of men Let the authority of Gods worde suffise vs which whosoeuer despyseth he is vnworthye of whome the Church of Christ should make any accompt It remayneth in thys hystorie to intreate howe those men which erewhile were such knapped Comptrollers accepted Peters Apologie or defence He sayth they helde their peace and gloryfied God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles graunted repentance vnto lyfe Moreouer they were whysted and dyd not with mans reason argue or replye agaynst the commaundement and wyll of god By which argument is aboundantly declared that they stroue not against it of malice or enuie but rather of an inconsiderate and blinde zeale of godlynesse which Paule also otherwheres layeth to their charge And bicause Peter easily espyed the same affection in them for thys cause he thought to deale with them herein the more gently For they which are ledde with a zeale of the glory of God and vse to credyt and yeelde vnto reasons shewed them must not be cast of as incurable or be ouer bytterlye delt withall And 〈◊〉 is the propertie of those that be truely faythfull that they will willingâ—â— yeelde vnto arguments brought out of the worde of God although they â—â—lly perceyue not the reason of the things that are sayde For this is the true and right exercise of fayth when we submit our reason vnto the commaundementes and worde of God which thing Paule euerywhere teacheth vnder the obedience of fayth which he sheweth to be the ende and scope of preaching the gospel wherby it easily appeareth that they are not to be taken for faythfull which are not ashamed stiffely to contende against the manifest Oracles of Gods worde Furthermore it is sayde they glorifyed God which is a meere euident signe that they receiued Peters excuse and admitted it with good wyll For there be some that being subdued by force of reason holde their peace bycause they haue not what to answere yet as the Poet sayth they hyde their griefe in the bottome of their hart But he that glorifyeth God testifieth by an infallible argument that he is fully satisfyed We are taught that we must reioyce and be gladde at those whome God doth illuminate with the lyght of his truth This we ought to doe both by reason of the desyre that euery christian man is bounde to haue of the glorie of God and also bicause of the loue which we ought to beare to the furtheraunce and profite of our neighbour And surely there is nothing that so reioyceth a faythfull soule as to see the light of truth to spreade it selfe abroade to the increase of Gods glory and the saluation of many Againe we ought to mourne from the hart when we see any neglect or fall from the waye of saluation So we read that Samuel contynually mourned bicause of Saules most wretched fall And Paule contynueth in prayers for the Iewes and desyreth to be accursed from Christ for them that they might be saued But nowe a daies we be a colde in both these pointes which thing is the chiefe cause that the Gospell proceedeth no better But let vs see the wordes wherewith they declare the affection of their minde Then hath God also graunted to the Gentyles say they repentaunce vnto lyfe
sent Barnabas to them as it were to helpe them After that he sheweth the singuler diligence that Barnabas vsed in accomplishing the charge committed vnto him and last of all his prosperous successe And touching the Ierosolymites amongst whome it seemeth he numbreth the Apostles he sayth but little bicause their meaning may easily be perceyued by Barnabas doing This is it therefore that he sayth that when worde was brought to Ierusalem how Antioch was conuerted vnto Christ they that by reason of their office were the chiefe among them and watched for the saluation of all men sent Barnabas thither to confirme the beliefe of the newe Disciples and to nourishe mutuall good will amonge the congregations The lyke whereof we sawe done before when they sent Peter and Iohn to Samaria which being wonne by the preaching of Philip set open hir gates vnto the worde of god This is a very notable example whereby we are taught that congregations farre distant when neede so requireth shoulde be holpen both with counsell and trusty diligence of Ministers that they are greatly to be praysed that in this case vse most diligence For if Christ so greatly commende the benefite that is done but to one of his least Disciples that he will at the later daye testifye it was done to himselfe and promiseth a sure rewarde to him that giueth but a cup of colde water to him that he sendeth with howe much more glory will he rewarde those which confirme or saue whole congregations by their helpe and counsell Lette Bishops and Christian Magistrates remember this well that they suffer not themselues to be plucked from doing their dutye by such as saye they are authors of sedition which vse to prescribe or giue counsayle to straungers in matters of religion But let vs see Barnabas of whome Luke diligentlye speaketh For he declareth what maner of man he was and what he did in these affaires of the Antiochianes And although his person is sufficiently described by the things which he did at Antioch yet haue we first to consider the same that we may be the better able to iudge of the cause of so excellent vertues as shined in him specially bicause Luke for that ende and intent describeth his propertie and condicion He sayth he was a good man and full of the holy ghost and of fayth This is so singuler a commendation of this holy man as Demosthenes and Cicero coulde haue deuised no greater For what greater prayse can there be than to be called of the holy ghost good whereas by the testimonie of Christ there is not one good but onely God But least anye man might thinke that Luke had forgotten that saying he sheweth straight waye whyle he was bolde to call him a good man doubtlesse bicause he was full of the holy ghost and of fayth For although God onely be of himselfe good in deede yet bicause he doth vouchsafe to giue vnto men his spirit and by him his other vertues there is no let but we maye call them good in whome appeare any arguments of Gods goodnesse by reason of Gods spirite dwelling in them And where fayth onely maketh vs partakers both of the spirite of God and all other goodnesse the same doth Luke attribute to Barnabas saying he was full of fayth For by fayth are men iustifyed bycause thereby they take holde of Christ through whose desert they are purifyed from all iniquitie and made meete for all good workes to performe faithfully both towardes God and man whatsoeuer duties they owe vnto them It is very good that we remember this definition of a good man to laye it against the fonde iudgement of the worlde which vseth to call them that are hypocrytes and giuen to the pleasures and desires of the fleshe good men Furthermore we are taught by this place what maner of men shoulde be called to beare office in the Common weale and specially in Ecclesiasticall affaires Euen good men surely who it is euident are gouerned by the holy ghost and endued with faith For vnto such men may any thing safely be committed And whosoeuer commit vnto wicked men voyde of Gods spirite eyther publike or priuate matters to them it falleth out for the most part as we reade it did vnto Noah which sent the Rauen out of the Arke And Salomon sayth very wisely as he doth all things He is lame of his feete yea drunken he is in vanitie that committeth his message to a foole For both they are deceyued of their hope and manye times paye for their follye and lightnesse Moreouer we must see what Barnabas did in the Church at Antioch all which Luke comprehendeth in fower articles First he sayth when hee came and had seene the grace of God hee was glad He vnderstandeth by the grace of God the profite of faith and the giftes of the holy ghost which followe it And he vseth this worde grace to teach vs that all these thinges are giuen of Gods goodnesse This is a notable argument of a good man and faythfull Minister of Christ that Barnabas reioyceth in the profite of other men For they which lacke faith and the lightning of the holy ghost they enuie other for the most part seeking their owne glory And all men followe not the modestie of Moses which desired that all the Israelites might be filled with the holy ghost and be instructed with the gift of prophecying Yea there are euerywhere the more pitie many examples of ambicious men which while they go about to take from other their due honour breede great contentions in Congregations But they which are gouerned by the spirite of Christ and illuminated with true fayth they easilye despyse the losse of priuate glorye so that they perceyue they maye aduaunce the glorye of GOD. After this Barnabas exhorteth the Antiochianes that with purpose of heart they woulde cleaue vnto the Lorde For as in all other exercises and studies so chiefly in religion is perseueraunce and continuation needefull For he that wrastleth is not crowned or rewarded except he wrastle or stryue lawfully And Christ alloweth not them which haue once layd their hande to the plough and looke behinde them Therefore Barnabas doth well in requiring perseuerance of the Antiochians But least he might seeme to require onely an outwarde shewe and bare bragge of wordes he exacteth purpose of heart For that is a true perseuerance and ioyning with our sauiour Christ when we haue dedicated and giuen our harts to his seruice And those which haue so done no terror of perils can feare them from the Lorde For they esteeme all thinges but losse and dammage so that they may winne Christ. But bicause Barnabas was not ignorant that there were many things which vsed to call men from Christ he thought that exhortation also was needefull for them notwithstanding there appeared notable tokens of Gods grace in them which thing caused Paule to commaunde Timothie continually to exhort those
that were committed to his charge and by all meanes to be alwayes instant vppon them Therefore their error is most absurde which thinke all doctrine vnprofytable and superfluous for those which haue already once attayned to the knowledge of truth Thirdly Barnabas goeth to Tharsus from thence he bringeth Paule to Antioch to thintent the congregation through his ministery might the more be strengthened This is an other argument of a true faithfull minde and feruent in loue towarde christ For Barnabas coulde not be ignorant howe great giftes of the spirite were in Paules brest and how much authoritie he should lose if Paule came to Antioch who was the singularest instrument that Christ had But we haue before shewed that they which are feruent in faith seeke not to be glorifyed of men but desire to promote the glory of god Yea it is certayne that all they lacke fayth which are led with the desire of their owne glory prayse which argument Christ vseth against the Scribes of the Iewes In the meane season Barnabas example teacheth vs that in well ordred congregations the chiefe care is to haue fit Ministers of the word and that they shoulde be sought for and brought from all places Christ teacheth the same where he biddeth vs to praye vnto the Lorde of the haruest that he will sende forth labourers Herof we see it came to passe that the chiefe of the Prophetes and most noble Kings had so diligent a care and consideration of schooles bicause without them they perceyued the Church coulde not stande nor the pure doctrine of fayth be maintayned Wherefore their ingratitude is very grosse which do not onely contemne the Ministers as persons vnprofitable whome the Lorde of his mercy offreth but also hate them as the greatest malefactors that can be and woorse than Toades Last of all is adioyned howe Barnabas and Paule continued a whole yeare togither at Antioch For this cause vndoubtedly for that they sawe the congregation had neede of their help For Luke writeth not that they sate ydelie there like sluggards but declareth that they instructed there a great company of men in the true faith and religion of christ Let ministers of the Church followe this example and while they perswade other men to perseuerance let them constantly perseuer in their duty and not boaste themselues of the bare name of Pastors but lette them doe that that belongeth to true Pastors least they become followers and successors of that foolishe shepeherde which is described in Zachary .xj. Chapter Nowe remayneth the profite and successe of this godly and feruent diligence which Luke sayth was notable For first he sayth a great company was added vnto the Lorde Whereby it is euident that the traueyles of the godly Ministers was not without effect For as the worde of God like vnto a fruitefull seede hath power or vertue in it selfe to bring forth fruite so it alwayes falleth vpon some which being well disposed to receyue it bring forth worthy fruites And although some bring stony hearts some thorny giuen to all kinde of pleasures yet hath God his people euerywhere which receyue his seede into good hearts and there keepe it till it bring forth much fruite And the Prophete beareth witnesse that the worde of God returneth not without fruite or in vaine but is like vnto a showre of raine which watereth the grounde and maketh it fruitfull Moreouer God blesseth the studies of his Ministers so that they shall not labour in vayne This ought to encourage those that labour in the Church of Christ to thinke their traueyles can not be lost For if they deliuer but a fewe soules from destruction let them thinke they haue gotten great treasure bicause Christ witnesseth that the saluation of one soule cannot be redeemed with all the substance of the world In the meane while marke howe he sayth this compaâ—ye was added vnto the Lorde Then Paule and Barnabas gathered not scholers to themselues but vnto the Lorde For they knewe well that they must glory in Christ alone as their teacher and maister And they knewe Christ commaunded them to bring schollers vnto him Therefore great is their insolencie which be authors of sectes among Christians and make them the seruauntes of men whome Christ hath purchased to himselfe with the price of his bloude See what Paule sayth against this doing in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1.3.7 c There ensueth yet another commoditie which hath gotten perpetuall and immortall glory to the Citie of Antioche For where in that Citie the first Church of the Gentyles was gathered togither it came to passe that they which hytherto were called but Disciples are now first adourned with the name of Christians And this is that newe name which God long before promised hee woulde giue vnto his elect And what greater glorye coulde comme vnto the Antiochianes Let the Bishoppes of prowde and haultie Rome be compared with these men and they shall whether they will or nill be inforced to giue place And yet we neuer reade that that prowde tytle was giuen to Antioch to be called the heade of the Church But to let passe these matters let vs rather expende the force of this name bicause it is not giuen vs without the prouidence of god It is euident that we be so called of the sonne of God which according to the figure of the olde â–ª Testament wherewith Kings and Priests were annointed is of the Greekes for excellencie sake called Christ of the Hebrues Meschias and of vs annoynted bicause God hath appointed him the vniuersall and euerlasting King and Priest of his people as may be seene Psalm 2. and .110 And where he giueth himselfe and all that is his wholye to his people therefore he woulde haue them to be called Christians after his owne name And he hath not giuen vs a naked and an emptie name but as the Apostle sayth he hath annointed vs and made vs Kings and Priestes to God his father Therfore the vse of this name is manifolde For first it admonisheth vs of the dignitie which we haue in Christ wherevnto there is none like as they shall confesse which throughly weigh the matter For it is plaine that there was neuer King which was able to make all the subiectes of his Realme Kings no not his Courtyers or those that were of his counsayle But such is the vertue power of Iesus Christ that he is able to make them Kings for euer that acknowledge him to be their king Then this name serueth to confirme the beliefe and certaintie of our saluation For in Iesus Christ is God the father well pleased Therefore he can not be angrye with vs nor forsake vs whome he hath vouchsafed to call after the name of his belooued sonne Hence therefore may we fett arguments of consolation in aduersity especially in the temptations of our conscience Finally this title admonisheth vs of
with any maiesty of Godheade So when Peter sawe Christ glorifyed in the mount with Moses and Helias he vttered certaine vnfyt sayings being ignorant what he sayd Yet are they more daungerously deceiued which marke not the manifest iudgements of God whereby they are prouoked to repentance which is a thing to common in these dayes In the meane whyle Peters obedience deserueth no small prayse which though he were ignorant what this thing ment yet obeyed the Aungels admonition teaching vs by his example howe wee shoulde vse our selues to obey fayth as hath bene oftentimes declared But when he was come to himselfe and perceyued he was at libertie then he greatly magnifyed God the author of so great a benefyte Nowe sayth he I knowe for a suretie that the Lorde hath sent his Aungell and deliuered mee from the hande of Herode â–ª c. By which example we are taught that we must giue God only all the thanks for any our deliueries For although he vse the ministery of angels or men he must yet haue the whole praise which vseth his creatures onely according to his pleasure This thing himselfe teacheth by the Prophet saying Call vpon me in the time of trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt prayse me Wherevnto appertayneth this saying of Dauid Let them giue thankes whome the Lorde hath redeemed and deliuered from the hande of the enimie Therfore Peter truly acknowledgeth God onely to be his reuenger which thing Paule also doth where he confesseth himselfe to be deliuered from the mouth of the Lion by Gods power Wherefore their error is intollerable which being deliuered out of prison from sickenesse or other like kinde of daungers ascribe the prayse of their deliuerye vnto Saintes Howe much more ought the redeeming of mankinde from the tyrannie of hâ—ll to be ascribed to God as the onely author Let vs acknowledge these things O brethren and with thankfull mindes prayse God which hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse and hath brought vs vnto the fellowship of his kingdome by his sonne Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxiiij. Homelie AND as hee considered the thing he came to the house of Marye the mother of one Iohn whose surname was Marke where many were gathered togither in prayer As Peter knocked at the entry doore a Damsell came forth to harken named Rhoda And when she knewe Peters voyce she opened not the entry for gladnesse but ranne in and tolde how Peter stoode before the entrie And they sayd vnto hir thou art madde But she affirmed that it was euen so Then sayde they it is hys Angell But Peter continued knocking and when they had opened the doore and saw him they were astonied And when he had beckened to them with the hande that they might holde their peace he tolde them by what meanes the Lorde had brought him out of prison And he sayde go shewe these things vnto Iames and to the brethren And he departed and went into another place Assoone as it was daye there was no little adoe among the Souldiours what was become of Peter When Herode had sought for him and founde him not he examined the keepers and commaunded them to be caried awaye And he descended from Iurie to Caesarea and there abode AS the Euangelist Luke by suggestion of the holy spirit hath described in this Chapter a most grieuous persecution of the Church of Christ by the example whereof wee are taught what state the Church is in here vpon earth so lykewise he setteth forth a notable example of the goodnesse and prouidence of God which defendeth the faythfull in their distresse and most faithfully perfourmeth the helpe which long agone he promised For as we sawe erewhyle then the Lorde was at hande with Peter the Apostle when he seemed destitute aswell of Gods helpe as mannes And he did not onely shew a semblant and token of good will but vsed his inuincible power to deliuer him For he sent his Aungell to vnloose the yron chaynes he openeth the doores in woonderfull wise he defeateth the watche of the souldiours and bringeth Peter out of all daunger and setteth him at libertie when sentence of death was already giuen agaynst him And albeit all they that are imprisoned and in bands for Christes sake are not deliuered in such woonderfull wyse yet there are generall promises that all they that giue themselues to Gods seruice are vnder his protection For Dauid affirmeth that the eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their prayers And the sonne of God testifyeth that the heares of our head be numbred But to let these things passe as is already sufficientlye entreated of let vs consider this present place where we are taught what Peter did after he was deliuered out of his bandes and prison what the exercise of the Church was in the meane season and howe Herode the tyraunt tooke this iudgement of God. Peter after he perceyued the Aungell gone and himselfe at libertie weyghing and expending diligently with himselfe all thinges that recoursed in his minde getteth him to the house of Mary which by all likelyhoode was not farre of and where he supposed some of the faythfull were assembled as the custome was This Mary was the mother of Iohn Marke which of diuers both of the olde and later writers is thought to be Marke the Euangelist Which opinion as it is not altogither certaine so it appeareth that this Marie was a woman of a rare fayth and godlynesse euen by thys one argument that while Agrippa did so cruellye persecute the Disciples of Christ yet would she let them resort to hir house as to a publike Temple where they did meete togither and exercise themselfe in the worde of God and in prayers which she coulde not doe without apparaunt and manifest perill Here the Lord thought good to teach vs by the example of this weake vessell howe boldly Christians ought to stande by their tackle and defende their cause euen in the middle of daungers and troubles But when Peter came thither the doores opened not myraculously as before the yron gate did bicause now there was no neede of any straunge myracle but he knocketh to haue some body to come open the doore Peters example is to be well considered of vs which hauing escaped the daunger of death is desirous aboue all things to be ioyned to the congregation agayne agaynst whome yet he knewe the tyraunt still raged Hereby we be taught what care wee ought to haue of Ecclesiasticall vnitie or fellowship and howe the spirite of Christ scattereth not the faythfull in sunder but ioyneth them togither as well inwardly as outwardly And they cannot fynde in their hart easilye to contemne this coniunction For as they knowe that all saluation is contayned in Christ alone so they vnderstand the same is deriued from Christ their head vpon them which are members of
is before God acceptable Fifthly thou ceasest not sayth he to peruert the straight wayes of the Lorde In the which wordes he comprehendeth two most heinous offences incurable maliciousnesse and earnest desire to peruert the worde of the Lorde For his worde is simple and pure and sheweth vnto vs a most playne waye of saluation But through the naughtinesse of manne it seemeth vncertaine and full of perplexitie Last of all he thundreth against him the heauy sentence of punishment And nowe beholde the hande of the Lorde is vppon thee and thou shalt be blinde and not see for a season Where yet among the terrible thunder crackes of Gods threates we see there is hope of saluation left if he will repent and turne vnto the lord For God so vseth to reueale his wrath by his worde that yet he will not haue them swallowed vppe of despaire whome he will haue saued The chiefe vse of this place is that we learne what the faythfull Ministers of Christes Church haue to doe in these dayes where many Elymae are buzeing in the eares of Kings and Princes to bring them from the fayth that they may at their pleasure oppresse the ruder sort and the Comminaltie For we can iudge the Monkes and Priests none other which deceytfully sell their trifles vnder color of Gods holy name and like the presumpteous Gyauntes arrogate to themselues power vpon heauen who of set purpose striue against the righteousnesse of Christ and the faith that maketh righteous who impudently set light the authoritie of Gods word and corrupt the same with the traditions of men who make the most plaine way of saluation most intricate and vnfyndable with their infynite mazes of Monkish vowes of orders of rules of merites of bulles of pardons and of cases reserued who fynally not herewith content procure Princes to committe slaughter and murther and to shedde innocent bloude These must be accused with like boldenesse and libertie that men maye learne to beware of them which hitherto haue beguiled them with their stagelike maiestie Neyther lette vs giue eare vnto them which in this case prescribe vs rules of modestie and charitie forasmuch as it is euident that many of them be incurable and are bent onely to defende their vsurped tyrannie be it right or be it wrong Nowe remayneth the ende and successe of this contention heauy for Elymas the deceyuer but most ioyfull for Sergius the Proconsull For on Elymas falleth by and by the punishment pronounced by Paule and being striken blinde he gropeth for one to leade him by the hande The like we saw fall out before to Ananias and Sapphira whereby it behoueth vs to learne the power of Gods word The chiefe thing to be marked in this place is what remayneth for false teachers and deceyuers which dare to withstande the worde of God eyther for vauntage or honour They are made blinde for the most part if not in body yet it minde and the Lorde of his iust iudgement hath giuen them vp into a reprobate sense so that they are neyther able to embrace the truth nor yet to forsake and auoide manifest and knowne errours Furthermore being in Gods iudgement defamed they lose the strength and ayde of fleshe wherein they so much trusted So is fulfylled that that is written in Zachary 11. chap. ô Idols shepehearde that leaueth the flocke The sworde shall come vpon his arme and vpon his right eie His arme shall be cleane dryed vp and his right eye shall be sore blinded And there want not examples of this iudgement in our dayes but we want eyes to behold them And these our Elymae are so much the more miserable that being blinde yet they thinke still they see and seeke for none to leade them but contemptuously disdaine those which God offereth them Furthermore as this contention came to passe vnprosperouslye for Elymas so great profyte came thereby vnto the Proconsull whome the Lorde by this meanes deliuered out of darkenesse For he seeing the iudgement of God beleeued and beganne to make much of Christes doctrine This is the peculiar propertie of Gods children that they acknowledge the iudgementes of God are amended by others example where the euill and deceyuers waxe worse and worse But in all this storie this thing is most comfortable that we see the truth can be vanquished neyther with open force of Tyrants nor subtile conueyance of the Deuill For being pressed and borne downe it riseth againe and by striuing gathereth the more strength Therefore let vs embrace the truth and constantly stande by the author and defender thereof Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxviij. Homelie WHEN Paule departed from Paphos they that were with him came to Perga in Pamphilia and Iohn departed from them and returned to Ierusalem But they wandred through the countries and came from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia and went into the Sinagoge on the Sabboth daye and sate downe And after the lecture of the lawe and the Prophetes the Rulers of the Sinagoge sent vnto them saying ye men and brethren if you haue any sermon to exhort the people say on THere appeare many and notable tokens of diuine power and maiestie in the workes of Iesus Christ but among them al this is the most notable and euident that by the ministerie of the Apostles within few yeres he subdued all the world For where it is manifest that they were furnished with no fleshlye succors but were the least esteemed of all men and yet brought to passe things of such importance we must needes acknowledge that Gods power wrought by them whereby it came to passe that the worlde was brought to a newe countenance and the Gentyles deliuered from the errors of their olde superstition and receyued the true religion This is the chiefe thing that we haue to consider in this present voyage of Paule and Barnabas For these two being sent forth by the appoyntment of God to preach the Gospell indifferently to all Nations they prosperously passe through all impedimentes standing in their waye And fyrst cōming to Cyprus they subdue vnto the kingdome of Christ the inhabiters of a most rich Islande giuen to all riotousnesse and worshipping of Venus and they doe not onely winne vnto them the common people but Sergius also the Romaine Proconsull whose authoritie onely had bene ynough to haue resisted them if it had bene mans affayres only they had gone about and they leade about Elymas the sorcerer a chosen instrument of the Deuill and striken with horrible blindenesse in triumph so that in one conflict it appeareth mannes force and the Deuils sleightes were ouercommen both togither Nowe let vs see howe such a prosperous beginning gaue a good occasion to the Apostles farther to spreade the kingdome of Christ. Hauing gone through Cyprus they passe from Paphus into Pamphilia and came vnto Perga a Citie of that Region making a great voyage both by sea
and by lande And there is no doubt but that they caused the doctrine of the Gospell to shine also ouer Pamphilia seeing for that ende they tooke in hande this voyage And this is a rare example of Apostolike zeale and industrie that although they had brought a most famous Island to the knowledge of Christ yet they thinke not nowe to leaue of as though they had fully accomplished their dutie but hold on still and thinke they are the more bounde vnto Christ the more fauourably they see he furthereth their beginnings So Paule in another place hauing fylled all places from Arabia vnto Illyricum with the Gospell of Iesus Christ stayeth not so but purposeth in his minde to go through Italie and Spaine also By which examples their slothfulnesse is reproued which hauing yet scarce begonne and giuen the onset make holyday leaue of thinking they haue done very much already and supposing it neyther meete nor right that men should looke for any more at their handes But it behoueth vs to continue vnto the ende that we be neuer wearie of doing Christ seruice as long as we hope we may set forth Gods glorie and bring any to the knowledge of saluation But being occupied in this most holy businesse and trauayle befalleth an heauy case For while they are busied in training others vnto Christ they lose their companion and fellow minister whome they had chosen out of a great number This was Iohn surnamed Marke sonne to that Mary â–ª to whose house Peter came when he was escaped out of prison as hath bene declared before This Iohn as hereafter shall appeare in the .xv. Chapter being wearied with continuall trauayles and daungers left them and returned to Ierusalem whereby he not onely disapointed them of his helpe to whome he ought fast to haue cleaued in that most godly businesse but also was the occasion of a bitter contention that arose afterward betwene Paule and Barnabas But bicause it is sayde he returned to Ierusalem where his mother was it is like he pretended for his sloth the loue he ought to his mother being a widowe so that he maye be iudged to be of the number of them wherof in the Gospell he is an example which being called of Christ sayde he woulde fyrst go and burie his father The holy ghost setteth out such examples to vs not to be followed but that we might vnderstande there will be alwayes slidebackes and heauy calamities that shall hinder the course of the Gospell For Satan who desired to syft euen the very Apostles is not ydle For although he could not pull them cleane from Christ yet he brought to passe that they were so feared with his apprehension and bandes that they all fled from him So we reade in the .vj. of Iohn that diuers thousandes fell from him at once And Paule which now seeth Marke thus slippe away complaineth afterwarde howe Demades embraced thys present worlde and when he shoulde be brought before Caesar howe all his friendes forsooke him Let no man therefore be offended at the leuitie and inconstantnesse of some people now a dayes who hauing profited very well in Christes religion by and by giue ouer For both Christ and his Apostles prophecied such should come In the meane while let these men remember that they grieuoussy sinne For they forsake Christ his cause which is a kinde of denying him Beside they offende the weaker sort and giue occasion to them that thinke not well of the Gospell and of the Christian faith to sclaunder it so that by their meane the name of Christ is yll spoken of Furthermore they make all them that are vnknowne and forreners to suspect them whome otherwise they woulde succour and relieue Finallye they are authours of diuision while they cause other to take part with them who ought to ioyne both hearts and handes togither to set forth the kingdome of christ And they offende the more grieuously the more they be of authoritie But to returne to the Apostles let vs learne by their examples what we haue to do if the like things come to passe For do they when they vnderstand of Markes sodeine departure leaue the office they are put in charge with No. But they go through Pamphilia passing ouer the mount Taurus come into Pisidia and to Antioch which somtime was also called Caesarea as Plinie testifyeth where they preach the Gospell more earnestly than euer they did before as the things following shall abundantly declare We are by this example admonished that we must not eyther for falshoode or sloth of other suffer our selues to be plucked from doing our dutie For other mennes faults cannot excuse vs whose falles we must rather eschew than imitate And bicause it is the Lordes cause that we stande in it shall be easie for him to defende it though but by a fewe and those of no authoritie in the worldes sight Yea he many times suffreth those to fall away of whom we hoped for most helpe that thereby he might declare howe we should reioyce but in God alone Besides this though we be forsaken of the worlde yet be we not alone For that that Christ pronounced of himselfe must be applied vnto all his members The time commeth sayth he that you shall be scattered euery one into his owne and shall leaue me alone and yet am I not alone for the father is with me Yea he sayth moreouer I will not leaue you succourlesse Beholde I am with you vnto the ende of the worlde Hereto belongeth that saying of Dauid when my father and mother forsooke mee the Lorde tooke me and receyued me And these thinges must not Ministers of the worde onely remember but also Princes and Magistrates For these also haue God for the author of their vocation who testifyeth that he is in the middest of them Wherefore if they be constant in setting forth his glorye there is no cause they shoulde be mooued with the terrors of the worlde forasmuch as they shall haue God for their protector and reuenger Lette priuate persons thinke so likewise that they be not dismayde at the countenance and looke of the worlde For the worlde shall perish but the worde of the Lord wherevpon both our saluation and vocation is founded endureth for euer Further let vs see what the Apostles did at Antioch Vpon a Sabboth daye they go into the Sinagoge and sit downe This Luke writeth to shewe vnto vs that they sought occasion to teache or preach the Gospell For on the Sabboth dayes the Iewes vsed publikely to assemble to be instructed in the lawe and to make their prayers vnto god Which thing was the cause that not long after the Apostles went into the Iewes Sinagoge at Salamine also And there is no doubt â–ª but they did the like also otherwheres forasmuch as there was no hope for them in any other place more commodiously to teach And they were not deceyued For when the solemne
alone conteyneth more in it than any manne is able to perfourme And if thou haue to speake vnto Christians what canst thou deuise more amiable than the name of brother or more honourable than the name of Christian wherby both the Priestly dignitie and Princely maiestie whervnto Christ hath aduaunced vs is expressed But nowe a dayes the worlde is come to such foolishnesse that they are iudged rude and rusticall that stuffe not their orations and writings with counterfeyted and most pâ—euish and ridiculous tytles whereby they make men already not well in their wits starke staring madde How much better did Augustus Caesar who thought this name Dominus or Lorde more honorable than sitting for a mortall man as he was Secondly we are taught what maner of men they shoulde be that will heare the worde of God worthily and to their profyte and vtilitie First they must be Israelites which in the wrastling of temptations must take fast holde of the worde of God and not suffer it by anye aduersitie to be taken from them Therefore is fayth required whereby the Apostle witnesseth we ouercome Then must they be such as feare God and tremble with great reuerence at his worde as the Lorde admonisheth by his Prophet Esay 66. For it cannot be that any can obey the worde of God but he that hath learned to thinke well of it For the which cause when Moses came to talke with God he was commaunded to put of his shooes that is to say all beastly and fleshly affections whereby the maiestie of God vseth to be driuen awaye Nowe seeing there be so fewe such hearers in these dayes for that cause we see the worde of God is so much preached in vaine But to returne vnto Paule he addeth to his beginning the narration of an hystorie wherein the fyrst part of his Oration is ended And he taketh the beginning of his narration of the fathers therby declaring that he preached neyther newe God nor newe fayth but the same by the which the fathers in time past were saued For he affirmeth that they had in deede many singuler giftes but yet nothing but that God of his grace gaue them who woulde haue the Sauiour that he promised borne of their posteritie But bicause they which trust in their owne worthinesse can hardly acknowledge the grace of God Paule vseth a diligent rehearsall of Gods benefyts which both maintaineth the grace of god against the boasters of their merits and also contayneth manifest examples of our whole redemption Wherefore it shall not be from Paules purpose if we runne them all ouer and expende such poyntes as serue for our instruction First he toucheth the fountaine of all goodnesse which is free election The God of this people sayeth he chose our fathers He calleth him the God of the people of the Iewes not after the maner of the gentiles which appoynted to euery Nation their peculiar God but bicause that God which was the Lorde and gouernor of all Nations chose vnto him the people of Iewes before all other by whom he would be knowne vnto all the world That this election or choyse was of his free mercie the Scripture teacheth in euery place Uerily Iosue testifyeth that Abraham serued straunge Gods before he was called And Moses doth many times inculcate this election that they might vnderstande whome to thanke for all those benefytes that they had receyued And hereto belong the things which we read in Ezechiel 16. and Amos. 3. and they take from the Iewes all occasion of glorying Hereby also appeareth that our saluation and whatsoeuer we haue that good is ought to be referred vnto the grace of God whereby he did vouchsafe to choose vs also before the foundations of the worlde were layde Dauid therefore doth well saye Blessed is the man whome thou hast chosen And if we haue no goodnesse of our selues but are chosen of God what madnesse is it I pray you to attribute saluation to our merites or works which vnlesse free election go before cannot please God. Secondly he alleageth the glory and notable deliuerye of this people out of Egypt For when they were Pilgrimes and straungers in Egypt God did marueylously exalt them fyrst by Ioseph who being made ruler of Egypt obtained fauour for them of the king of that Countrie After that being oppressed with tyrannie he brought them out of the house of bondage into libertie wiâ—h an high or mighty arme that is to saye by myracles and wonders with great power And that this was a free benefyte and goodnesse appeareth in this that they were pilgrimes and men most abiect For what coulde such deserue To saye nothing in the meane season howe they were polluted and defyled with the superstition of Egypt whereby they deserued rather to be kept in bondage still than to be sette at libertie These things containe in them a fygure of our common redemption much agreeing with this present argument For it is manifest we are all pilgrimes vpon the earth and haue here no continuall dwelling place Such therefore as we who deserued no possession vpon earth hath God lift vppe into heauen yea he hath witsafe to take as his children He also hath deliuered vs being oppressed with the deadly tyrannie of the deuill with his highe arme that is to saye by his sonne whome Esaye the Prophete cap. 53. calleth the arme of the Lorde Thirdly he sayth God suffered their maners fourtie yeares in the wildernesse Herein is noted a marueylous and more than fatherly bearing and tendernesse such as no mortall man woulde vse towarde his only sonne or seruaunt most profytable vnto him This thing well appeareth if we read the storie of Moses Howe often reade we they murmured against Moses howe often rose they sediciously against him howe often went they about to murther him But to let passe the thinges they did against Moses what did they not commit against God himselfe They forgate his commaundements and made a Calfe and chaunged the glory of God immortall into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth haye How often preferred they the seruitude of Egypt before the benefyte of their glorious deliuery how often did they tempt the will and power of God yet God bare with their incurable malice although they daily deserued with newe punishments to be destroyed This might seeme a wonderfull meekenesse of God if we daylye founde not the like For what daye or houre passeth in the which we prouoke not the iudgement of God against vs eyther in wordes deedes or thoughts and wicked desires Yet the Lorde spareth vs as though he had not thunderboltes and diuers other weapons at hande wherewith to punishe and strike vs. For he knoweth whereof we be made to vse the wordes of the Prophet and remembreth that we are but dust Yet least any man might thinke he maye hereby sinne without checke let vs note that this lenitie of God serued but hereto
collation he applyeth to the matter present For it is euident this Prophete preached in the reigne of Manasses what time both ydolatrie and all kinde of vice reygned vnder that wicked and cruell king For it is reported that he brought Iurie into errour and the Citizens of Ierusalem so that they exceeded the Gentyles in naughtynesse whom God before that had destroyed Besides this he greatly contemned the worde of God and passing all measure hated the truth against the which he was so inflamed that he fylled the whole Citie with the bloude of Innocents And yet they puffed vp in the confydence of Gods couenant of their forefathers of the temple and ceremonies thought they might without checke thus doe and those that admonished them to doe otherwise or threatened them with the iudgement of God they wickedlye scoffed at Therfore Abacuc then prophecied the comming of the Chaldeyes which he sayde shoulde ouerthrowe the Citie and Temple and shoulde carye all the people awaye a thing which they thought was impossible to be done Herevnto Paule hauing a respect seemeth to say you knowe what befell vnto your forefathers when they despised the sayinges of the Prophetes They sawe the destruction both of the Citie and Temple neyther coulde that prowde name of the people of God and trust in their ceremonies deliuer them from the punishment at hande For although it woulde seeme incredible vnto you if a man woulde saye that God woulde destroy your nation yet I say there are greater and more horrible punishments prepared for you For the kingdome of God shall be taken from you and you shall be forsaken and that saluation that was promised to your forefathers shall be conueyed vnto the Gentyles This example of Paule teacheth vs that the worde of saluation must so be preached that the iudgement of God must also be layd before the eyes of those that despise it and be vnfaythfull Therfore they are not to be heard that saye such preaching is not fytte for the myldenesse of the Gospell and vnseemely for charitie For so Christ taught his Apostles when he sayde it shoulde be easier for those of Sodome and Gomorrha in the daye of iudgement than for those which refused to heare them Yea himselfe thundreth out that horrible wo vnto those vnthankefull Cities of Bethsaida Corozaim and Capernaum Doth he not also threaten Ierusalem with besieging with the sworde with famine and with destruction This the frowardnesse of mannes nature partlye requireth which sometime must bee brought vnder by threates and partly the dutie of a pastor or shepehearde whome it becommeth like a watchman to giue warning of the sworde hanging ouer the peoples heades that though they be incurable yet he may deliuer his owne soule that the bloude of them that perish be not required at his hands This place also teacheth vs that there is no sinne more grieuous than the contempt of Gods worde forasmuch as God vseth to punish no sinne more grieuously For whatsoeuer sinnes else a man committeth might after a sort be ascribed to mans infyrmitie by reason whereof sometime euen the best men that be doe fall But if a man ioyne vnto licentious life contempt of Gods worde that is a token of a deuilishe and incurable wickednesse Which was the cause that God alwayes most seuerely reuenged the same It is knowne what came to passe in the beginning vnto the world for despising Noah the preacher of righteousnesse The lyke felt Pharao Saule Achab Manasses and all the people of Israel being ledde into Assyria Yet were these things but a pastime and fleabyting to that that afterwarde came to the Iewes for reiecting of Christ whereof to discourse any further the time will not suffer vs In the meane season it is necessarye to tell you this one thing that in the Iewes is set out to vs and to all ages an example whereby we are taught that no man shall scape vnpunished that is so bolde as to contemne the doctrine of christ For he that spared not the naturall braunches will much lesse spare the impes and graffes set in that stocke if they be barren Which thing we see the Churches of Asia and Greece hath many dayes since prooued which being once founded by the Apostles are nowe deuided from Christ and beare the horrible yoke of Mahomets impietie And woulde to God we sawe not in these dayes the preambles of calamitie to come in a great many which to much disdainefully lothe the saluation of the Gospell Let vs therfore apply to our selues that which Paule sayth in this place and embracing the doctrine of the Gospell with constant fayth and thankfull mindes let vs giue our selues wholy to Iesus Christ our Sauiour and redeemer to whom be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxiiij Homelie WHEN the Iewes were gone out of the congregation the Gentyles besought that they woulde preach the word to them the next Sabboth When the Congregation was broken vp manye of the Iewes and vertuous Proselytes followed Paule and Barnabas which spake to them and exhorted them to continue in the grace of god And the next Sabboth day came almost the whole Citie togither to heare the worde of god But when the Iewes sawe the people they were full of indignation and spake agaynst those thinges which were spoken of Paule speaking against it and rayling on it Then Paule and Barnabas waxed bolde and sayde It was meeâ—e that the woorde of God shoulde first haue bene preached vnto you But seeing you putte it from you and thinke your selues vnworthye of euerlasting lyfe loe wee turne to the Gentyles For so hath the Lorde commaunded vs I haue made thee a light of the Gentyles that thou be the saluation vnto the ende of the worlde THat saying of God vttered in this wise by the Prophete Esaye 55. concerning his worde is verye notable and comfortable Like as the rayne and snow commeth downe from heauen and returneth not thither againe but watreth the earth and maketh it fruitefull and greene So the worde also that commeth out of my mouth shall not turne agayne voyde vnto mee but shall accomplish my will and prosper in the thing whereto I sende it For although there be many that wickedly repell it yet hath God alwayes his chosen in whome it vseth to bring forth fruite An euident example whereof we haue at this present For after that Luke hath reported Paules sermon he sheweth also how he had diuers kinde of hearers whereof some we must imitate and other some for their wickednesse and boldenesse we must diligently eschue And in these diuers hearers we see the worde also to haue a diuers effect For to some it is the sauour of lyfe vnto life and to other some the sauour of death vnto death as Paule himselfe beareth witnesse in the last Epistle to the Corinthians cap. 2. Paule beginneth with those which hearde the Gospell preached without any fruite that is to say the
the spirite and worde of God came with great chearefulnesse vnto the kingdome of Christ. Howbeit bicause the Apostles woulde seeme to doe nothing rashlye and of their owne heades they alleage the Oracle of God out of the .xlix. Chapter of Esay whereby they teache that God long agoe decreed that the Gentyles also shoulde knowe howe they had saluation in Christ and that the same shoulde no longer be deferred seeing the Iewes vnto whom the same was fyrst to be preached despised it Here therefore is the calling of the Gentyles prooued whereof we haue heretofore oftentimes spoken Moreouer the place of Esay teacheth vs what is giuen to vs in christ First and foremost a light which worketh in vs the true knowledge of God and saluation which the industrie of mans reason cannot attaine vnto for no man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him Uerily saluation followeth this light For this is life euerlasting that wee knowe God the father and Iesus Christ whome he hath sent This is a woonderfull bountie and goodnesse of God which woulde in so short and briefe a summe set out vnto vs all that belongeth to our saluation Let vs therfore walke in this light that darkenesse do not ouerwhelme vs that we may attaine to saluation in this light that is in Iesus Christ to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxv Homelie WHEN the Gentyles hearde this they were gladde and glorifyed the worde of the Lorde and beleeued euen as many as were ordeyned vnto eternall lyfe And the worde of the Lorde was published throughout all the region But the Iewes mooued the deuout and honest women and the chiefe of the Citie and raysed persecution against Paule and Barnabas and droue them out of their coastes But they shooke off the dust of their feete against them and came vnto Iconium And the Disciples were filled with ioye and with the holy ghost ALthough God gaue vnto his Sonne Iesus Christ a kingdome and all maner of power yet the scriptures euerywhere testify that he should haue many enimies in the worlde and Christ himselfe oftentimes admonished his Disciples thereof least they shoulde hope for a temporall felicitie and kingdome and so be offended with the crosse and aduersitie This present hystorie sheweth vs an euident example of such things as Christ sayde shoulde come to passe Paule after he had conuerted Cyprus and Pamphilia came to Antioch in Pisidia and there according to his custome preached Christ in the Sinagoge of the Iewes By and by he hath both Iewes and Gentyles to embrace the doctrine of fayth yea the whole Citie almost beganne to listen and giue eare to the gospell so that the matter seemed to be brought to passe euen as he woulde haue it But sodeinly the Iewes stande vp and openly speake against the Apostles in their sermons refrayne not from rayling In the which contention the constancie and boldenesse of the Apostles is specially to be noted whereby they did not only resist their wicked enimies but also pronounced the horrible iudgement of God against them declaring howe God woulde forsake them and transferre his kingdome vnto the Gentyles yet coulde not this contention be so appeased but more grieuous matters yet ensued of the which Luke intreateth in this place For he teacheth vs howe the doctrine of the Gospell was most faithfully published euen in the middle of the enimies After this he sheweth a newe persecution by meanes whereof the Apostles were driuen out of Pisidia and came to Lycaonia The ende of this Tragedie at length is declared to haue bene prosperous and ioyfull to the godly but very horrible and miserable for the vngodly To the fyrst part of this place appertaineth this saying when the Gentyles hearde this they were glad and glorified the worde of the Lorde and beleeued euen as many as were ordeyned vnto eternall life And the worde of the Lorde was published throughout all the Region The Gentyles which hearde Paules wordes reioyced not bicause the Iewes were forsaken for that had bene vnsitting both for their faith and Christian charitie but for that they hearde that saluation belonged to them also and that Christ was the sauiour not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentyles according to the Oracles of the Prophetes Therefore with thankefull mindes they embrace the worde of God and worthily commende it And this saluation is not contayned within the walles of the Citie onely but is caried and spred abrode by preaching of the worde ouer all the Countrie of Pisidia There are in these things certaine poyntes worthy of diligent consideration of all which we will intreate orderly And first it is to be considered what these men were of whome these thinges are reported verily such as were ordeyned vnto eternall life And Luke so describeth them that it is manifest what the cause is that men beleeue the Gospell when the same is impugned of many and cruell enimies Surely it is the free election of God who ordeyneth those vnto lyfe whom it pleaseth him and likewise leaueth them in destruction and eternall damnation whome it seemeth him good For if we consider man as he is of nature we shall see it is not in his will or power to beleeue the Gospell and to take holde of Christ. For the naturall man perceyueth not the things belonging vnto the spirite of God. And wee bee not able of our selues so much as to thinke a good thought Our sauiour Christ teacheth vs the very same where he sayth it is needefull that we be borne againe from aboue and that none cōmeth vnto him but whome his father draweth He sayde likewise vnto Peter making confession of his faith Happy or blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas For flesh and bloude hath not opened that vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Of the which sayings we may easily gather that faith belongeth to them onely whome God hath chosen and predestinate vnto life euerlasting And it is plaine that this election was made from euerlasting and before the beginning of the worlde and that in Christ who was ordeyned to be our sauiour and Redeemer before this world was made Therefore our election is free and of Gods mercie Furthermore those whome he chose in Christ the same when he seeth good he calleth by preaching of the Gospell and draweth effectuously by his spirite that being graffed in Christ through faith they may be iustifyed by his merite and made partakers with him of the heauenly glorye according to that saying of Paule Those which he knewe before he also ordeyned before that they shoulde bee like fashioned vnto the shape of his sonne Moreouer whome he appointed before them also he called And whome he hath called them also he iustified and whome he iustified them he also glorified And as many as be of this number
people through false accusations and by sedition to oppresse the truth But in the meane season they goe about with marueylous conueyance to put the godly in the fault wherof we haue examples in Achab the king and in the Iewes accusing Christ before Pylate It behooueth vs to marke these things that we nowe a dayes to quickly beleeue not those which say that common weales and publike peace is disturbed by preaching of the Gospell Secondly it is declared what maner of men the Apostles shewed themselues to be in this tumult They go on and yeelde not at the fyrst to the wicked but abiding a long space at Iconium doe the businesse of the Lorde with great trust and boldenesse And God assisteth them with his fauour and by myracles and signes giueth testimonie vnto the worde of grace that is to saye to the Gospell whereby the grace of God in Christ is preached vnto vs The example of the Apostles teacheth vs that they which will be Ministers of Christ must not yeeld ouer soone to the attemptes of the wicked although they see great trouble like to follow therof For we must admit nothing against the glory of God the rather to agree with the world which Christ calleth naughty adulterous and vntowarde and therefore teacheth it to be vnmeete that the true seruants of God shoulde haue so much regard thereof In the meane season this place sheweth vs what the vse of myracles is They be done by the handes of the Ministers God being the author of them not for that men shoulde attribute vnto the Ministers more than vnto men but that they shoulde be as seales for them that beleeue not and which haue not bene vsed to the worde of God. Christ our Lorde confesseth the same of his myracles And he teacheth vs that those which the Apostles shoulde doe shoulde serue for none other vse Here therefore are confuted two errours reigning euerywhere in our dayes The fyrst is the errour of them which requyre myracles of vs whereof there is no great neede among Christian people whose faith must stande vpon the worde of God and which confesse that the Apostles doctrine hath long since bene sufficientlye prooued by myracles The other is of the Papistes which alleage a number of most pieuish myracles against the manifest truth for their inuocation of Saints transubstantiation Purgatorie other such kinde of trifles Howbeit it behooued they shoulde fyrst haue prooued their opinions by the worde of God which thing seeing they cannot doe they ought to be taken for false and lying signes that are brought forth for the proofe of them such as Christ long agone prophecied Antichrist shoulde worke in the later dayes Thirdly it is declared howe farre this persecution went The whole multitude of the Citie was deuided sayth he and part helde with the Iewes and part with the Apostles This was not therefore a little trouble among a fewe of persons but all the whole Citie was deuided and take part one against another which thing is the greatest plague that can happen in a Citie Howbeit this is it that Christ sayde shoulde come to passe I came not to sende peace but a sworde For I came to set a man against his father and the daughter against hir mother and the daughter in lawe against hir mother in lawe and a mannes foes shall be they that are of his owne housholde Here yet must we remember what was sayde before of the vnbeleeuers which were the procurers of this persecution For Christ is not properly and truely anye authour of diuision forasmuch as in all places he commendeth peace vnto vs and commaundeth vs to loue our enimies But such is the malice of the wicked that the more they are vrged with the wholesome doctrine of Christ the more they raue and at length professe open enmitie which thing cannot be ended without sedition For as the vngodly will holde fast their vngodlynesse with tooth nayle so the godly must not forsake their standing wherin they are placed of God least they seeme to make more of the friendshippe of the worlde than of the glorye of Christ and the saluation of mennes soules For the which cause the Apostles shewe not themselues to be Neutrales in this contention although they were straungers whome Cicero forbiddeth to be curious in other mens common weales For where some are sayde to take part with them it easily appeareth that they also tooke a part Therefore they are little like vnto the Apostles which assoone as controuersies fall out in matters of religion thinke it an high poynt of wisedome to stande as neutrales and indifferentes Solon sayth he was no good Citizen which in a sedition woulde be of no syde And shall we call them Christians who when Christes glory is assaulted will sit like ydle gazers without all daunger and looke on Surely these men are those warmelinges neyther colde nor hote which Christ threateneth he will spewe out Fourthly the same ende commeth of this persecution which was before of that at Antioch For the enimies of Christ with the rulers and Magistrates rose vppe in such rage that the Apostles were in daunger to haue bene stoned Wherefore they following the counsayle and example of Christ fled from thence reseruing themselues for a more seasonable time And yet are they not to be blamed bicause they fled in a sedition raysed by their occasion For what shoulde they else doe seeing the matter tended to open violence Let vs diligently marke what they did after they were escaped For they gaue not themselues to fylthie ydlenesse but comming to Lystra and Derba spred the doctrine of the Gospell ouer all Lycaonia As therefore it is lawfull to flie when neyther the glory of Christ nor the saluation of the Church is in hazarde least by putting our selues in daunger rashlye we seeme to to tempt Christ so must we take heede that we followe not the counsayle of rascall feare and forsake the office that God hath called vs to Let vs therefore haue alwayes before our eyes the glory of God as the marke of all our deuises For so shall it come to passe that hauing passed all daungers we shall keepe both our fayth and soules in Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whome be all prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxvij Homelie AND there sate a certaine man at Lystra weake in his feete being a creple from his mothers wombe and neuer had walked The same hearde Paule preach which beholding him and perceyuing that he had faith to be whole sayde with a lowde voyce I saye to thee in the name of Iesus Christ stande vpright on thy feete And he start vp and walked And when the people saw what Paule had done they lift vp their voyces saying in the speach of Lycaonia Goddes are come downe to vs in the lykenesse of men And they called Barnabas Iupiter and Paule Mercurius bicause hee was the Preacher
Then Iupiters priest which dwelt before their Citie brought Oxen and garlandes vnto the porch and woulde haue done sacrifice with the people WHen our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ fyrst sent forth his Apostles to preache the Gospell he warned them of nothing so diligently as of persecutions that shoulde come vnto them in going about that businesse Of these he foretolde they shoulde suffer both many and grieuous not hereby meaning through feare to dismay them but to arme them with fayth against troubles foreseene that thereby they might learne to ouercome them Paule and Barnabas the chosen vessels of Christ well vnderstoode this thing who at the speciall commaundement of the holye ghost were sent forth as we hearde before to preach among the Gentyles For they vse such fayth and constancie in their office and charge that after persecution as men increased with more force and strength they returne with more alacritie to their office againe For being driuen out of Antioch they fyll Iconium with the doctrine of christ Agayne beinst expulsed Iconium by reason of a sedition there raysed they come to Lystra and Derba and there they beginne to teach And it is sayde they preached the Gospell least any man might thinke they had chaunged their doctrine for their enimies pleasure Their constancie is set forth to be imitated of all men to th ende that they which will seeme the true worshippers of Christ shoulde giue no place to the wicked enimies of the worde For he is vnworthy of Christ that more setteth by the friendship of this vntowarde and adulterous worlde than by the glory of christ Howbeit bicause mention was made of myracles whereby God gaue testimonie to the Apostles doctrine nowe Luke rehearseth one myracle among a great many which by reason of the effect falling out thereof seemed verye worthy to be declared For the more profyte that may come vnto vs by the consideration thereof fyrst we will discusse the myracle with the circumstances and then declare the effect thereof Luke beginneth with the description of him on whome the myracle was wrought He was a townesman of Lystra many wayes very miserable For he was lame of his feete and that from his mothers wombe so that thereby it appeareth his disease was incurable such as they be for the most part that cleaue to vs from our natiuitie and birth It is also added that he neuer went on his feete or walked So diligent a description of this Creple maketh for the certaintie of the myracle that the power of Christ might appeare the more euident in whose name not long after he was healed Here is to be obserued how Christ commonly setteth forth the glorye of his name by them which eyther are sicke of incurable diseases from their natiuitie or else are otherwise in great calamitie Such an one we reade the blinde man was whom Christ restored to his sight Such another was he that had the Palsie who at length after he had bene .xxxviij. yeares diseased was restored againe to his health Such an one was the woman which had eyghtene yeares gone stowping and bowed as it were togither Such were the Demoniakes that so raged and were by his benefyte deliuered These thinges serue fyrst for our consolation that we shoulde not take the aduersities that God sendeth impaciently considering that hereby Christ knoweth howe to fetch matter to glorifye his name by For God so little hateth vs therefore that rather by bearing them pacientlye he maketh vs the instruments of his glory Furthermore they make for our instruction that we rashly ryde not on them whome God hath punished with anye deformities or blemishes of nature For according to the saying of Salomon he that derideth the poore contemneth god his maker so is he very wicked which by tauntes and scornes nicketh them whom God hath chastened or afflicted with his hande Which thing is the cause that the lawe pronounceth them accursed that layeth a stumbling blocke in the blindes waye or curseth the deafe Let vs see what this Creple did before he was made whole He heard Paule preach and beleeued he should be made whole Whereby it appeareth that Paule preached of the saluation of christ Which when the creple heard to be confyrmed with many myracles he conceyued also good hope of his restitution who by like had also some secret suggestion of the holy spirite forasmuch as there is no promises vniuersall that promiseth health of bodye to all that beleeue in the name of christ Luke ment to shewe the cause of his saluation where he sayth hee beleeued For all the Scripture teacheth vs that by faith we are made partakers both of Christ and of all his benefytes and Christ many times teacheth vs the same saying when he healed any Be it done vnto thee according to thy fayth or thy fayth hath saued thee or made thee whole It is very worthy to be considered how fyrst it is sayde he hearde and afterwarde mention is made of his beliefe which he gatte by hearing the worde This teacheth vs after what sort and meanes fayth commeth vnto vs It is manifest that faith is the gift of God and that it consisteth not in the will eloquence or wisedome of manne For no man knoweth the father but the sonne and hee to whome the sonne will open him And God vseth men for Ministers and instrumentes of his worde when he meaneth to teach men his word according to that saying of Paule We be the Ministers of Cod by whome you haue beleeued euen as the Lorde gaue euery man grace Therfore whosoeuer will attaine vnto fayth must diligently harken to the worde of god For how shall they beleeue except they haue hearde howe shall they heare without a Preacher for faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God. Wherefore Christ ioyning both these togither sayth He that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath life euerlasting These things serue for commendation of the outward word that we contemne it not nor imagine another word of God nor search for such wayes of fayth as the Saintes neuer knewe of Which who so doe they lye open commonly to the assaults of the Deuill and are troubled with marueylous illusions and fare like men which hearing howe God giueth the encrease of corne leaue of tillage a thing that God hath ordeyned for the maintenance of man. After this Luke sheweth the myracle For Paule well beholding this Creple perceyued certaine tokens of fayth in him which coulde not be without some secret working of the holy spirite For who is able by a mans countenance which is the most variable and deceyueable thing that is to iudge surely of any mannes faith it must needes therefore be the suggestion of the spirite that certifyed Paule of this lame mannes fayth Then turning about vnto him he giueth him perfyte helth of his body And as it is written in
this example in the later Epistle to Timothy cap. 3. by these wordes Thou hast seene the experience of my doctrine fashion of liuing purpose fayth long suffring loue pacience persecutions and afflictions which came on mee at Antioch at Iconium and Lystra which persecutions I suffred paciently and from them all the Lorde deliuered me yea and all they that will liue godly in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution Wherefore fyrst let vs laye this foundation in our minde that nothing can come vnto vs without the ordinance and pleasure of God who hath numbred euen the heares of our head Next let vs thinke he ordreth all things after his righteous and holy iudgement Thirdly let vs be fully perswaded that he will neuer cease to take care for vs but beareth a fatherly minde and affection to vs and that euen then he moste careth for vs when we seeme most in daunger of our enimies Therefore he will deliuer vs out of all daunger if he thinke it so meetest for our behoofe And if it seeme not so good vnto him which farre better knoweth our case and what is meete for vs than we our selues what be we I pray you to replye against him But hereof we shall haue occasion to say more about the ende of the sermon Nowe what did the Disciples whose minds were lightened with sounder knowledge of Christ in all thys businesse Did they denie their fayth and take part with the Gentyles or were they ashamed of Paule so being stoned and in shamefull wise haled through the Citie No truely But they gathered about him by likelyhoode of good will. For where they were not able to defende him against the open violence of the furious people they doe yet as much as in them lyeth And whome they thought to be deade him they stande about bewayling him and desirous to accomplishe the last dutie of buriall vnto the most valyaunt minister of Christ as we heard the faithfull at Ierusalem did before when Steuen was martyred And yet was this a daungerous enterprise if a man well consider the Iewes cankred hatred towardes Christ and the rage of the people not yet calmed by reason of the late disdayne conceyued But our Sauiour Christ fayleth not to further such godlye duetie For whome they lamented as deade hym dyd God in such woonderfull wise restore agayne that he by and by rose vp and went into the Citie We are taught by this example what duetie we owe vnto the faythfull ministers of Christ being in daunger for doing of their duetie First they that are able must faythfully helpe them being in distresse wherein many dueties are to be considered and fall out amongst which there is none so small that hath not his rewarde before God considering that he shall not lose his recompence that gyueth but a Cup of colde water vnto a Disciple of Christ. And if any denie them the succour they are able to giue them let them thinke that sayde vnto them that Mardocheus sometyme sayde vnto Queene Hester If thou holde thy peace at thys time then shall the Iewes haue helpe and delyueraunce some ootherwayes and thou and thy fathers house shall perishe Cap. 4. The seconde degree of duetie is that they that are not able to helpe them consent not vnto the counsell of the wicked enimies of Christ and by al meanes possible declare that they neuer consented vnto them The storie of the Gospell sheweth vs as example hereof in Ioseph of Arimathaea The thirde and last is that we comfort those whome other tyrannouslye afflict by all the meanes we are able and if we lacke abilitie yet to testifye by our teares howe we lament their state And let vs not be ashamed of them in whom we knowe Christ lyeth bounde is banished afflicted and put to sorrowe This did Iosephus most faythfully perfourme whyle he caused Christ to be honorably buried whome his aduersaries shamefully hong on crosse If we would nowe a dayes thus dutyfully vse our selues towardes the members of Christ we should see God would helpe and ayde vs beyonde our expectation For God will not suffer the indeauours of his beloued to be lost nor the kingdome of Christ his sonne to be shrowne downe by the enterprises of the wicked But let vs returne to the Apostles and see what they did after they had escaped these broyles of whom thus much is reported as followeth The next daye following Paule accompanyed with Barnabas went from Lystra and came vnto Derba where he preacheth the Gospell of Ieâ—us Christ bringeth many disciples vnto Christ. This is a notable and rare example of christian constancie and faythfull endeuour that by daunger being made the more bolde and feruent they returne againe vnto their office and duetie Hereby is reprooued the sluggishnesse of those slydebackes which after they haue bene once in daunger as though they had then done all their duetie can neuer be brought againe to suffer anye more for Christes sake Howbeit in deede they should rather haue considered that by reason God of late had so deliuered and helped them they should haue bene the more incouraged and bolde For hath God therefore set vs at libertie to the intent we should afterwarde stande ydle and looke on whyle others are in perill Nay but for this cause rather he maketh good his promise to the ende we should stande the more boldely in the defence of his name Paule remembring thys coulde not fynde in his heart to rest scarce one day togither and yet it might seeme he had deserued to haue his Quietus est This also is to be obserued that wheresoeuer Luke reasoneth of the Apostles doctrine he maketh mention of nothing but the gospell the Ministerie and preaching whereof Christ had committed vnto them This is a great argument of the fayth and credite which they vsed in the office commytted to their charge and also teacheth vs what ought to be preached in the Church For if the Apostles durst not take so much vpon them as to giue back starte from the commaundement of Christ and to infeoffe the Church with newe traditions Doubtlesse their boldnesse can not be excused which now a dayes impudently presume so to do vnder the name and pretence of the Apostles Moreouer the Apostles returne to the three Cities from whence they were expulsed that is to Antioche Iconium and Lystra to confirme and establishe those that they had woonne vnto Christ in the fayth For as in ordering of an house it is as much prayse to saue that is gotten as to get more vnto the same so in the Church of God we must haue a care not onely to gette more vnto it but also to take heede that none fall from their duetie and fayth through our negligence And as seede must not onely be throwne into the grounde but also be tended and cherished that thornes and bryers ouergrowe it not so that it perishe so the seede of Gods worde being once
euerywhere extant in hystories and Poetes wrytings the examples of fylthie lust the Poets seeking great commendation of wytte by descrybing such venerious actes and persons Therefore it was needefull to admonishe the Gentyles diligently of both these things Hereof ought to be gathered a generall and perpetuall precept howe it is the duetie of christian people to keepe themselues in all things cleane and vnspotted vnto god Neyther must they be partakers of straunge sacrifyces for as much as God requyreth the whole heart and minde of man. And that saying of Paule is well knowne you can not be partakers of the Lordes tables and of the table of deuilles Agayne as touching our conuersation of lyfe it behooueth vs also to consecrate the same vnto god For it is euident that our bodyes through the bloude of Christ are dedicated to be temples of the holye ghost Therefore God must be glorifyed in our bodyes Wherefore fylthie and abhominable is the error of them which say whoredome is lawfull and free for christian men whereas Paule would not once haue it named among christians and threateneth the horrible vengeaunce of God not onely vnto adulterers but also vnto whoremongers In the second sort are numbred strangled meates and bloude from which he would haue the Gentyles also absteyne For although thys precept be numbred among the ceremonies which are plainely abolished in Christ yet bicause there was an olde lawe concerning the same appointed by God vnto all the worlde after the floude and thys was a thing daylie vsed among men they of the weaker sorte among the Iewes coulde not but be greatly offended seing the Gentiles eate of all those things without any difference Therefore Iames thinketh it meete that the Gentyles in this behalfe should refraine their lybertie and for charities sake absteyne from those things which of themselues were lawfull and graunted by God yet by vsing them inconsiderately and vnwarily might be offence vnto others And that this was the Apostles meaning appeareth by the wordes of Paule I know and am fully certified by the Lorde Iesus that there is nothing common of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth it to be common to him it is common But if thy brother be grieued with thy meate now walkest thou not charitably destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ dyed Cause not your treasure or commoditie to be euill spoken of for the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioye in the holye ghost c. He sayth also that he would neuer eate fleshe rather than offende any man. Therefore this place maketh not for them which thinke they may lawfully prescribe fasting dayes and such lyke by the authoritie of the Apostles commaunding to absteyne from strangled and bloude For theyr reason is not all one bicause they vrge mans traditions onely which are of no authoritie in religion and laye snares for mennes consciences which the Apostles thought by all meanes to be auoyded But hereto also appertayneth the reason that Iames bringeth Moses sayth he hath of olde time in euery Citie those that preach him in the Synagoges where hee is read euery Sabboth daye By the which wordes he meaneth nothing else but that as yet Moses was of such authoritie among the Iewes that it was impossible sodainely to pull them from his ordinances Therefore for the times sake and for charitie this was to be graunted them vntill mens consciences in the meane season being at libertie the olde ceremonies might honorably be layde aside and buried In the meane whyle we haue to consider that this was an auncient vsage in all ages among the people of God that the lawe and sacred scriptures were vsed to be reade on the holy dayes It becommeth vs therefore to keepe the same vse and diligently to defende our libertie and hauing a consideration of charitie and puritie of life beware of gyuing of offences So shall it come to passe that both we our selues shall be saued and shall also bring others vnto Iesus Christ to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Ciiij Homelie THEN pleased it the Apostles and Elders with the whole congregations to sende chosen men of their owne companye to Antioche with Paule and Barnabas They sent Iudas whose surname was Barsabas and Sylas which were chiefe men among the brethren and gaue them letters in their handes after this maner The Apostles and Elders and brethren sende greeting vnto the brethren which are of the Gentyles at Antioche Syria and Cilicia for as much as we haue hearde that certaine which departed from vs haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your mindes saying you must be circumcised and keepe the lawe to whome we gaue no such commaundement It seemed therefore vnto vs good when we were come togither with one accorde to sende chosen men vnto you with our beloued Barnabas and Paule men that haue ieoparded their liues for the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ we haue sent therefore Iudas and Silas which shall also tell you the same things by mouth for it seemed good to the holye ghost and to vs to charge you with no more than these necessarie thinges that is to saye that yee abstayne from thinges oâ—fered to ymages and from bloud and from strangled and from fornication from which if you keepe your selues you shall doe well So fare you well BIcause all power is gyuen vnto Iesus Christ from God his father he can therefore not onely defende and preserue his kingdome but also so moderate and gouerne all thinges that whatsoeuer Satan worketh against the same kingdome he maketh it serue for the setting forth of the same For after Satan could not by persecutions and open violence stop the course of the gospell he set vpon the Church by sowing dissention among them and raysed a grieuous contention about iustifycation which is the chiefe and principall article of christian religion to this ende and purpose that all the doctrine of the gospell might be enuyed and suspected But he preuayled so little that by this occasion the truth was the more knowne and the righteousnesse of fayth the more valiauntly defended agaynst the Phariseys as we haue hytherto seene in the sayings of Peter Paule and Barnabas and last of all by Iames saying Wherevnto chiefely belongeth that ioyfull and victorious ende of all the contention which Luke nowe describeth Fyrst rehearsing the consent and agreement of the whole Church and next a Copie of the Epistle sent from the Synode of all which we shall speake in order First he expresseth the vniforme consent of them all where he sayeth the Apostles and Elders and the whole Congregation decreed that Messengers should be sent with letters to Antioch where this great fyre was fyrst kindled in all their names This was very prudently decreed of them for that the present contention might hereby not onely be alayed but all occasion of strife in time to
commaundementes For the two fyrst are simplye and plainely necessarye bicause it becommeth Christian men to abhorre all kinde of ydolatrie and to keepe their vessell or body holye and vnspotted and not to make that the member of an harlot that Christ by his bloude hath consecrated to be a Temple for the holy ghost But concerning the decree of strangled and bloude they are necessary per accidens as they say or by reason of another thing that is to saye bicause of offence which the weake brethren might take by the eating thereof For where it is an heynous matter to destroye him by thy eating whom Christ hath vouchsafed to redâ—eme by the merit of his bloude we must of necessitie abstaine from those things for the weakes sake which otherwise of themselues are graunted lawfull least our libertie may giue vnto other occasion of destruction Otherwise this saying of Christ standeth in his full force and strength Nothing that goeth in at the mouth can defyle man. And Paule permitteth men to eate of the thinges offered to Idols if there be no daunger of offence and sayth that the conscience is no whit polluted thereby And in another place he calleth it a doctrine of Deuils when such a difference of meate is appoynted as wherein saluation is sayde to consist Therfore they most foolishly abuse this place which saye the decrees of Counsaylers are necessary to be obserued whereas diuers of them serue onely to yoke mennes consciences and manifestly repugne against the euident Oracles of Scripture In the meane season Christian libertie must not be ouerthrowne for their sakes which being rather obstinate than weake will not forsake their once conceyued errors but by all meanes cleaue to the defence of the same Against whome Christ his saying must rather be vsed Suffer not them for they are blinde leaders of the blinde Finally they declare the vtilitie and profyte hereof saying from these things if you keepe your selues you shall doe well For both you shall keepe your selues cleane and vndefyled and offende no man This must be the marke wherevnto all our doings must be leuelled In Christ onely by fayth we must seeke iustifycation and saluation In the meane season let vs keepe our selues from all contamination both of Idolatrie and other vncleannesse and endeuour as much as in vs lyeth to bring other men to saluation and let vs not giue offence vnto them for whome Christ hath vouchsafed to die These things whosoeuer will obserue they cannot be deceyued and erre and hauing prosperously ended the course of this lyfe they shall obtayne the fellowship of eternall life with Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be blessing honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cv. Homelie WHEN they therfore were departed they came to Antioch and gathered the multitude togither and deliuered the Pistle which when they had read they reioyced of the consolation And Iudas and Silas being Prophetes exhorted the brethren with much preaching and strengthned them And after they had taryed there a space they were let go in peace of the brethren vnto the Apostles Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still But Paule and Barnabas taryed still at Antioch teaching and preaching the worde of the Lorde with other many But after a certaine space Paule sayde vnto Barnabas let vs go againe and visite our brethren in euerye Citie where wee haue shewed the worde of the Lorde and see howe they doe And Barnabas gaue counsayle to take with them Iohn whose surname was Marke But Paule would not take him vnto their company which departed from them at Pamphilia and went not with them to the woorke And the contention was so sharpe betweene them that they departed a sunder one from the other and so Barnabas tooke Marke and sayled vnto Cyprus and Paule chose Silas and departed being committed of the brethren vnto the grace of god And hee went through Syria and Cilicia establishing the Congregations AFter the Euangelist Luke hath diligently described the Actes of the Counsayle at Ierusalem and shewed with what dexteritie that contention was calmed and appeased which beganne among the Christians about the matter of iustifycation nowe in the last part of this chapter which we haue here recyted he rehearseth fower things chiefely to be considered whereof we meane to intreate so much as the grace of God obtayned by your prayers shall suffer vs. First is described the execution of the ambassage or message which the Ierosolymites sent to them of Antiochia wherein is to be considered what the Ambassadours Paule and Barnabas did and next howe the Churche of Antioch receyued them Touching the Ambassadors three things are sayde First when they came to Antioch after the congregation was wholye assembled they deliuered the letters taken them by the counsayle For where it was a publike matter and indifferently appertaining vnto all men they thought they would not haue any thing hidden from the people Where we may agayne see the maner of the primitiue Church in the which such matters as belonged to the knowledge and saluation of all men were intreated in all mens hearing The ambition of Masklike Bishops hath vtterly taken awaye this custome with the great detriment of publike saluation who haue iudged the ignorance and blindnesse of the people to be the chiefe boutrace and defence of their tyrannie Then next Iudas and Silas with manye exhortations and consolations confyrme the brethren in the receyued and acknowledged truth For the which ende and purpose the Apostle abundantly declareth that they were sent Yet is there a reason rendred of their so doing bicause they were Prophetes that is to saye publike expositors or interpreters of scriptures lawfully ordeyned For that the name of a Prophete is taken in this sense it manifestly appeareth by the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians .xiiij. Chapter This place in the meane season admonisheth vs that no man ought to take vpon him to doe anye thing publikely in the church but he that is lawfully called and instructed with worthy and conuenient giftes For pernicious and detestable is the impudency of the Anabaptistes who being neyther called nor furnished with fyt gifts rashly start forth and take vppon them to preach Thirdly they depart not from Antioch before they are dismissed in peace and with solemne blessing and that they see all troubles well composed and asswaged All which if a man conferre and laye togither it shall appeare that in this Legacie of theirs they vsed great diligence and trust and it is no doubt but the holye ghost by a generall example woulde teach vs with what credite and industrie publike affaires aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuile ought to be handled Furthermore as touching the Church it is sayde that she receyued them with ioye and was much recreated by them Before this the Epistle sent from the Sinode declareth they were much disturbed by reason of discention For the godly men were much grieued that the articles of the
day examples But forasmuch as Christ once prophecyed that these thinges shoulde come vnto vs it is our partes not to be offended thereat but with constant fayth and pacience to hye vs vnto the marke appointed vs that we may obtayne the rewarde promised to vs in Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxj. Homelie AT midnight Paule and Sylas prayed and lawded god And the prisoners hearde them And sodeinly there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and immediately all the dores opened euery mans bandes were loosed When the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleepe and saw the prison dores open he drue out his sword would haue killed hymselfe supposing that the prisoners had bene fledde But Paule cryed with a lowde voyce saying Do thy selfe no harme for we are all here Then he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell downe at the feete of Paule and Sylas and brought them out and sayde Sirs what must I doe to be saued And they sayde beleeue on the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy housholde And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lorde and to all that were in his house AS the holy scripture euerywhere doth teach the godly that they must suffer persecutions in this worlde so likewise it promiseth them Goddes abundant helpe and succour and there want not examples whereby God euen from the verye beginning of the worlde hath declared the truth of his promises such as are the examples conteyned in this booke For before this by his Aungell he brought all the Apostles out of the prison who as we hearde before had taught in the Temple And Peter being deliuered out of prison defeated the cruell deuise of Herode and of all the people gaping for his death It is very notable also that your charitie euen nowe hearde recited For here the faythfull Apostles of Christ Paule and Silas are not onely deliuered out of prison but also the keeper of the prison a barbarous and cruell person is deliuered out of the bandes of impietie and being illuminated with the true knowledge of saluation is conuerted vnto Christ. And bicause this hystorie maye many wayes serue both for our instruction and consolation it shall be very profytable to examine all the circumstances thereof Let vs see therefore what God and the Apostles doe in this case which thing being considered then we will also intreate of the Iaylers conuersion We haue hearde howe Paule and Silas were verye euill intreated and beaten with roddes and at length put in the stockes Wherefore some might thinke they shoulde like puling women bewayle their mishappe and euery houre complayne of Gods iustice But Luke reporteth they were farre otherwise occupied For he wryteth that at midnight they made their prayers vnto God and magnifyed him and that not in any soft and secrete wyse but so lowde that the prisoners in the farther prison might easilye heare them This was an argument both of a constaunt fayth and merye conscience which can be found in none other kinde of men but in the faithfull onely in the time of aduersitie For this thing Paule attributeth to them as peculiar that in tribulations they glory and reioyce Luke declareth the cause of this ioy in the .v. chapter where he writeth how the Apostles were beaten with roddes in the Counsell and went out praysing God and reioycing that they were iudged worthy to suffer for the name of christ For they had a regarde to the promise of Christ who promiseth them the fellowship of the kingdome of heauen which haue abidden wyth him in his temptations Wherevpon they gather with Paule that they shall be partakers of the glory of Christ and lyue with Christ for euer which in this world are made like vnto him by bearing the crosse It is very worthy to be considered that we heare the Apostles so feruent and earnest in prayer who being illuminated with the holy ghost and with true fayth knowe that all thinges are ruled and gouerned by the prouidence of god By this example are those fyne and ouercurious wittes confuted which say there is no neede of prayers bicause God of himselfe knoweth all our necessities and by his prouidence all things are administred whose deuyse cannot be reuoked or interrupted by any maner of prayers In deede we declare not our case vnto God as one that is ignoraunt but by carefull and faythfull remembring him we testifye our fayth The holy men and Saintes also know that this is Gods euerlasting decree that as manye as are in distresse and conuert vnto him and call for his helpe and succour those he heareth For it is the commaundement of God Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee c. Agayne Turne vnto me and I will turne vnto you c. The Apostles therefore praye in their afflictions and according to their ensample all the godly in their aduersitie ought to seeke helpe and deliuerye at God onely and in none else We are taught moreouer that we ought not onely in aduersitie to seeke our deliuerie but also to giue God thankes and magnify his holy name when we are afflicted For verily it is an argument of his fatherly affection towards vs when he correcteth the wantonnesse of our fleshe with the rod of the crosse or tribulation And in nothing is the force of Gods comfort more effectually seene than when we are exercised in diuers temptations according to that saying of the Prophete In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comfortes haue refreshed my soule And Paule sayth As the afflictions of Christ abounde in vs so through Christ aboundeth our consolation Wherevnto it seemeth Peter also had a respect when wryting vnto the brethren dispersed among diuers Nations he beginneth with the prayse of God and commendation of hys grace These thinges ought we to remember when we are tempted with impaciencie of the fleshe that we be not ouercome thereof and mutter agaynst God which sinne of all other chiefely prouoketh the wrath of God as the examples of the children of Israel murmuring in the wildernesse abundantly declare Nowe let vs come to the seconde poynt of this place where it is shewed what God did Sodeinly sayth Luke there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and immediately all the dores opened and euery mans bandes were loosed And no man neede doubt but that this was the only worke of God and of none other bicause the Scripture declareth there is none other that can doe these thinges In this place is set forth the force and effect of faythfull prayer For as the wise man sayth it pierceth the Cloudes and ascendeth vp into the sight of God which neglecteth not the same Hereof commeth it to passe that by prayer those
things are obteyned which farre exceede the strength of man and where nature is constreyned to giue place So we reade that by prayer Moses deuided the waues of the redde sea By prayer he gaue the Amalekytes a great ouerthrowe Iames the Apostle testifieth that Elias through prayer locked the heauens that they gaue no raine and by the same opened them agayne Here in this place at the prayers of Paule and Silas the foundations of the prison are shaken gyues and manacles vnloosed and all the doores of the prison opened Wherevnto that which we hearde before of Peter which was deliuered out of prison at the prayers of the congregation is also like Let vs herewith comfort our selues in aduersitie that we be not ouercome of the threates of the worlde forasmuch as no man is able to take praying from vs which is of more force and efficacie as it well appeareth than any other thing And of the more force it is alwaye the more grieuously we are oppressed Likewyse let all men abstayne from oppressing of Innocents whose prayers and gronings we see are of such effect with God. Furthermore let vs see the principall effect of this myracle that is to saye the conuersion of the Iayler of the prison wherein the holye ghost thought good to set forth a generall example for all menne to imitate This conuersion hath in it certayne steppes and degrees which it shall be good for vs in order to consider Fyrst being waked with the earthquake he seeth all the doores opened and where he thought all the prisoners were fledde he drewe his sworde and was about to haue killed himselfe fearing the seueritie of the lawes which made it death for the Iaylers of prisons if any prisoners escaped through their negligence An example of which seueritie Herode before shewed vpon them which he set to watch Peter Thys keeper therefore mynding to escape open shame and being deceyued wyth the common errour of the Gentyles thought it woulde sounde to his great praise of manlynesse in auoyding infamy and shame to kill himselfe Thus had Satan bewytched mens mindes that they sought saluation in destruction and prayse in ignominie and shame Howbeit in deede there is nothing more pernitious and dishonest than to go about by violent death to throwe downe the burthen of the crosse that God layeth vpon vs and this kynde of feare doth vtterly declare cowardlye hearts and such as growe out of kinde which neyther can nor will suffer any thing Agayne thys is an euident argument of a desperate mynde forasmuch as no man will bereue himselfe of lyfe which of all other is the pleasauntest thing that man can wyshe or desire but he that before hande despayreth of the helpe and grace of God and as the example of Iudas the Traytor and such lyke abundantly declare Therefore Paule doth well to call vpon this keeper that he doe himselfe no harme And Christian menne must take heede that they harken not to the suggestions of Satan perswading them to kyll themselues For whatsoeuer colour or pretence he set vppon them yet in deede they are deuilyshe and daungerous bicause it is euident God wyll not the death of a sinner but rather that he shoulde conuert and lyue We are therfore taught by this example what kynde of lyfe they commonly lead which eyther serue the wicked or consent vnto them as it is euident this Iayler did of whome we intreate For beyng to obsequious and double diligent to execute the wicked commaundement giuen him of wicked Magistrates he putteth the Apostles in the stocks in the inner prison But being fast a sleepe as though all thing had bene safe such a chaunce falleth as putteth him in hazard both of body and soule Yea he had euen nowe vtterly perished had not the Lord of hys singular fauour reuoked him from destruction by Paule the preacher of saluation Let vs thynke that to be a notable very golden sentence whych is in the fyrst Psalme Blessed is that man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly nor stande in the waye of sinners and hath not sitten in the seate of the scornefull c. Furthermore we haue in Paule an example of Christian charitie whych is so carefull for his saluation who not long before had so vncourteously and vniustly handled him Let vs imitate this doyng and loue those which hate vs and seeke their saluation that wishe our destruction So shall we be taken to be the true children of God the father which suffreth his sunne to aryse both vpon the good and the bad But let vs returne to the Iayler of the prison which Luke writeth was sodenly chaunged yea become altogither another man For after he heard the prisoners were not fledde but stayed by the hande of God comparing the boldenesse and playnnesse of the Apostles wherof the like hytherto had bene seene in no men with the present myracle being stryken wyth the inwarde inspiration of God he is altogither a whaped in hys minde For he beginneth to feele in himselfe howe grieuously he had sinned by his vngentle vsage of those whome he sawe God so greatly regarded Wherfore calling forthwith for lyght he goeth in vnto them falleth downe at their feete and at length bringing them forth which was contrary to the Magistrates commaundement sayth Syrs what must I doe to be saued Who will not here acknowledge the mightie hande of God which wrought all this matter Surely it must be ascrybed vnto God that he reuerenceth these men being scourged and put to open shame that he breaketh the wicked and vniust commaundement of the Magistrate and that he demaundeth the right way how to be saued Yea he teacheth by his example that those thinges must not lightly or negligently be passed ouer that God worketh myraculously in his seruaunts For there is nothing almost more pernicious than that amazednesse which maketh vs blynde in the manifest workes of god It is euident that this thing in time past brought Pharao to his destruction and at this day this hurteth many men that they iudge all thinges come to passe by fortune and chaunce and search not out the iudgements of God in the things which they see fall out beyonde the course of nature Let vs therfore alway diligently marke and search out the right way of saluation touching which we see this keeper nowe so profytably made inquirie For streyght wayes the Apostles aunswere him friendly and declare vnto him in fewe wordes the right and absolute way of mannes saluation saying Beleeue on the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy houshold They preach fayth onely and that fayth that stayeth vpon none other but Iesus Christ the onely author of saluation For in him is conteyned all satisfaction righteousnesse redemption and sanctifycation all which we obtayne none otherwayes than by fayth whych is the cause that the scripture teacheth we are iustifyed and saued by fayth wherof seeing we haue
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
so often defended and delyuered and hauing this let vs manfully defend our vocation that hauing with stedfast course gotten the Gole we may obteyne the rewarde of eternall life in our sauiour Iesus Christ to whome be praise honor power and glorie for euer Amen The Cxv. Homelie THESE were the noblest of birth among them of Thessalonica which receyued the worde with all diligence of minde and searched the scriptures daylie whether those things were euen so And many of them beleeued also of worshipfull women which were Greekes and of men not a fewe When the Iewes of Thessalonica had knowledge that the worde of God was preached of Paule at Berrhoea they came and mooued the people there And then ymmediatly the brethren sent away Paule to go as it were to the Sea but Silas and Timotheus abode there still And they that guyded Paule brought him vnto Athens and receyued a commaundement vnto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with speede and went their way ALthough the kyngdome of our Sauiour Iesus Christ is daylie and continually assaulted by this world and the Prince thereof yet can it be so little ouerthrowne that in the myddle of persecutions it most prosperously commeth forwarde The contynuall hystorie of this booke declareth the same but chiefely the discourse of the things done by Paule For as he laboured more than all the Apostles else so he suffered more grieuous persecutions than they and found euerywhere enimies of the fayth by whose craft he was still chased and dryuen away But as often as the rage of his enimies compelled him to auoyde any place so often he left the seede of Gods worde in the mindes of the hearers and caryed the Gospell to an other place and so still wanne more vnto Christ the lord Luke wryteth that this was done at Macedonia For we hearde howe he was vniustly and vnworthyly intreated at Philippi yet the Epistle which he wrote vnto the Philippians declareth that he had not laboured there in vaine His persecution was cause that he went vnto the Thessalonians amongs whome he taught three Sabboth dayes At length he was driuen from thence also by his olde enimies the Iewes But the faith of Christ could not be driuen out which now had taken roote in many mens hartes But hee being come vnto Berrhoea preacheth the Gospell with great auayle These things serue to comfort vs against the attempts of the world and the Deuill For as Salomon sayth There is no counsel against the Lord. But it is his counsell or deuise that Christ should haue all power in heauen and in earth and that the borders and boundes of his kingdomes shoulde be stretched ouer all the worlde Wherefore it must needes come to passe for as much as heauen and earth shall sooner fayle then the decrees and ordynances of god But let vs see this present place which declareth what things Paule dyd at Berrhoea He beginneth with the commendation of the Iewes at Berrhoea declaring howe prosperously and in what order the gospell proceeded among them He commendeth them by comparing them with the Thessalonians For these men contumeliously reiected the worde of god But those of Berrhoea being of a more towardnesse and better zeale receyued the same with all readynesse of minde and searching the scriptures by themselues at home they examined tried the things that Paule taught as with a Touchstone Hereof it came to passe that a great multitude of them beleeued and by their example manye of the Greekes and Gentyles as well men as women were brought vnto the fayth of christ This example teacheth vs what maner of men they ought to be that will profytably heare the Gospell Aboue all thinges it is necessarie to haue a certayne readynesse of minde to receyue the same For vnlesse the worde maye haue place gyuen it in the mindes of men it can bring forth no fruite Wherefore they stumble at the verie thresholde and euen in the beginning that disdaine to heare the worde which is the peculiar marke of the children of the Deuill as Christ teacheth This example is to be well obserued of them which are prowde of their nobilitie and byrth and vaunt themselues therof in vaine cognizaunces and badges Howbeit touching the generation of the fleshe it is in all men alyke corrupt and such as maketh vs the children of sinne The seede of regeneration is the worde of God which being quickened in our minde by the spirite we that before were the seruauntes of sinne are borne to be the children of god Therfore they are neyther noble nor gentle which giue not place herevnto and be not borne againe of the same and so be made the children of god Wherefore Luke truely calleth these people of Berrhoea noble for their studie and desyre that they had vnto the worde In the meane season yet we must take heede of to much facilitie least to hastily receyuing whatsoeuer is taught vnder pretence of Gods worde we learne false opinions and be caryed about with vncertayne doctrine as with a blast of winde Therefore we must weygh and expende and examine whatsoeuer is sayde by the Canon of holye scripture according to that saying of Paule Trye or prooue all thinges keepe that which is good And S. Iohn the Apostle sayth Beloued beleeue not euery spirite but try the spirites whether they be of God or no. Two notable errours are confuted in this place which haue grieuously troubled the Church a great number of yeares One of them is the forbidding of the laytie and commons to reade the holy scripture Yet God would haue them alwaye common to all sortes of men For he made a lawe to that ende before all the multitude of Israel called vnto the same And the holye Ghost ordeyned that the bookes of Scripture shoulde be written in none other but the vulgare tongue And sure it were an absurde matter to exclude anye man from the doctrine of eternall lyfe seeing God would haue the same and the knowledge thereof to come vnto all men The other errour they holde which will haue their doctrine iudged of no man but lyke arrogant and Cyclopicall Gyauntes chalenge to themselues authoritie to teache what they will in the Church yea they say it is intollorable and hereticall that any man should demaund of them any reason or accoūt of that they say Are they then better then Paule was which suffred his sermons to be examined according to the rule of scripture Or else shall he be an heretike that now a dayes doth that for the which these people of Berrhoea were counted noble and true chyldren of God Yea howe say you if Paule submit himselfe vnto the censure of the godly His wordes be these If eyther I Paule or an Aungell from heauen preach an other Gospell than hath bene preached he ought to be accursed And Christ sayth this is the propertie of his sheepe to know his voyce from the voyce of a
so oftentimes founde God his ayder and helper is afrayde to go meete his brother Esau. Moses fearing the tyranny of Pharao flieth into Madian and scarce woulde returne againe into Egypt at Gods calling Iosue a valiant warrier discomfyted with one ouerthrowe of his people declareth the feare he had conceyued in his minde by vnmanly weeping and mourning We reade howe Dauid which being but a stripling ouercame Goliath after he was a man growen and had gotten many victories feared oftentimes the threates and attemptes of Saule Helias whome neyther the sight and tyrannie of Achab nor furie of the people coulde withholde from killing the Priestes of Baal being afrayde at the threates of one syllye woman which was Iesabel tooke him to hys heeles and desired god he might die What shall I speake of Peter who being not afrayde of a company of harnessed men was quite dismayde at the worde of one symple wench and denyed Christ Manye like examples might be rehearsed which we repeate not to the ende to detect the infyrmities and falles of holy men but bicause the consyderation of them serueth not a little for our instruction For both we knowe our owne infyrmitie thereby the knowledge wherof maketh vs not to trust to much in our selfe and we are admonished of charitie that we rashly condemne not men which otherwise haue deserued well if they seeme to doe otherwise than becommeth them For God will haue the tokens of common imperfection appeare euen in them also that we be not to much addicted vnto them and so forgette the grace of God which by them had wrought singular workes In the meane season we must helpe them with our prayers that eyther they may beware they fall not or else that they may by Gods grace speedily rise agayne For this deutie did Christ vse towardes his Disciples as the Gospell declareth Luc. 22. Iohn 17. But let vs consider Gods person which by and by comforteth him being in this feare although there is no mention made that he did call vppon God therefore For God doth not onely heare them which open their desire of minde by crying but he seeth the secret sobbes and gronings of the heart and helpeth comforteth them And so is it very needefull he should bicause oft times it commeth to passe that we are so compassed on euery side with aduersitie that we are not able in words to declare the desire of our hearts Then is fulfylled that that God promiseth by his Prophete Esay cap 65. It shall come to passe that or euer they call I shall aunswere them while they are yet but thinking howe to speake I shall heare them So the Lorde speaketh to Moses standing by the redde sea why cryest thou Yet we reade of no worde he spake This is a great argument of the goodnesse of god For as God knoweth whereof we haue neede so he vseth to helpe vs in season and time and although he sendeth vs temptations to teache vs our infyrmitie and to enflame vs the more vnto godlynesse yet he tempereth the same with comfort that we be not vtterly swallowed vp of sorowe Let no man therefore despayre to soone seeing God hath infynite meanes whereby to comfort and helpe vs And here in this place he thought good to vse both vision and Oracle both which were very needefull bicause Paule had no man to comfort him and sawe many causes which might make him thinke that so corrupt a Citie had no regarde of god The words that God here spake conteyne in them three poyntes of euerye whereof we will intreate orderlye First he taketh away the cause of all this euill where he biddeth him not to feare This kind of precept is often times mentioned in the scripture For so sayth god vnto Moses being dismayed at the meeting of the king of Basan To Iosue also being redy to ioyne battayle with the fyue kings it was sayd Be not afrayd of them And the Lord sayth vnto Ieremie when he called him to the office of a Preacher Be not afrayde of their faces c. Christ also biddeth the Apostles that they shoulde not feare those which killed the bodye but coulde not hurt the soule I omitte diuers places of this sort The cause why God so oftentimes forbiddeth his seruauntes to feare is for that there is nothing of more efficacie to pull menne from doing their dutie than feare For assoone as feare is once conceyued in the heart the light of reason is so blemished that it cannot see what is needefull to be done and no deuises or counsels are more vncertaine than such as persons in feare and perplexitie take in hande And if they stande throughly in feare then maketh it men shamelesse also so that for feare of losse of lyfe or goodes they committe moste mischieuous actes and many times they incurre a greater daunger for the auoyding of a perill present Bicause this thing falleth vppon priuate men howe much more necessary is it that men in publike office shoulde be bolde and voyde of feare For if these men offende it is not against them selfe onely but against other also whome God hath committed vnto their charge Which was the cause that the wise man Iethro required boldenesse of minde in Iudges Therefore God did verye aptly make his beginning of comfort in this place In the second part he commaundeth him what to doe Speake sayth he and holde not thy peace Here no manne must thinke that God vsed any superfluitie of wordes He ioyneth these two togither bicause many times diuers speake and yet holde their peace whiles they speake such thinges as they thinke no man will be offended with and in the meane while keepe silence of such things which they ought by Gods commaundement to speake The meaning therefore of the commaundement is that he shoulde preach the gospell plainly and dissemble or keepe close none of the thinges conteyned in the same although he wist many woulde be displeased therwith By this let all Ministers learne that they haue not done their dutie if they preach the worde of God except they preach it all and that plainely and so applye it vnto euery man that he maye thinke it spoken vnto him For as he is an vntrusty ambassadour which speaketh nothing but that he is commaunded and yet vttereth not euery thing but for fauour of some persons omitteth many things so can he not be iudged to be a faythfull Minister of Christ that leaueth out neuer so small a portion of the Gospell to please men with See what is sayde hereof Iere. 1. Ezech. 3. and .33 Math. 28. In the thirde part he sheweth very graue and effectuall reasons wherof this is the fyrst for I am with thee This one reason ought to be sufficient against all daungers For whereas God is almightie they can want nothing with whome he is present For what are Creatures able to doe against God without whose power they cannot stande
Antioche the publike sanctuary as we sayde before of all godly persons From thence he passed through the Galathians and Phrygians confyrming the brethren euerywhere in the fayth for that he was not ignorant of the craftes and enterprises of Satan which lyeth still in wayte for the godly Luke in fewe wordes comprehendeth the great paynes care and marueylous dyligence that Paule vsed in the gouerning of Christ his Church But if a man would compare the Byshops of our dayes with him which bragge of Paule and Peters name good Lorde howe little shall a man fynde in them expressing but one sparkle of Paules breast In the meane season let vs acknowledge the truth of God which prouideth for his Church such faythfull and chosen instruments and let vs beseech him to sende out faithfull labourers into hys haruest which may enlarge the boundes of his Church that our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ may haue a kingdome in all nations to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxiiij Homelie AND a certaine Iewe named Apollos borne at Alexandria came to Ephesus an eloquent man and myghtie in the scriptures The same was enfourmed in the way of the Lorde and spake feruently in the spirite taught dyligently the things of the Lorde and knewe but the baptisme of Iohn onlye And the same beganne to speake boldely in the Synagoge whome when Priscilla and Aquila had hearde they tooke him vnto them and expounded vnto hym the way of God more perfitely And when he was disposed to go into Achaia the brethren wrote exhorting the Disciples to receyue him Which when he was come helped them much which had beleeued thorowe grace for he ouercame the Iewes myghtilye and that openly shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was Christ. VNto the discourse of the thinges done by the Apostle Paule at Corinth and Ephesus Luke annexeth in order the hystorie of Apollos the Iewe borne at Alexandria For fyrst it maketh for the more perfyte declaration of the thinges done among the Corinthians bicause Apollos not long after this went to Corinth and watered the Church there that Paule had prosperouslye planted and lyke a dyligent husbandman brought it to more rypenesse of fruite as the Apostle confesseth in the fyrst to the Corinthians the thirde Chapter Here appeareth likewise the great goodnesse of God in prouyding for his Church For we heard in the Sermon going before howe Paule by secrete instinct of the holye ghost was taken from the Ephesians which being inflamed with the loue of the gospell desyred longer to haue kept him with them Therefore least any man might thinke that God neglected those that were so desyrous of saluation so myght take occasion to thinke yll of God he substituteth Apollos in his place to supply Paules absence by his diligence and endeuour For God neglecteth none that are desyrous of the truth who calleth all men vnto him euery where and allureth them with spreade open armes Therfore this hystorie maketh not a little for the comfort of the Church conteyning also an example of a faythfull and an absolute minister with many other things belonging to our instruction wherefore it shall be profytable to examine all the partes thereof Luke begynneth very commodiously with the description of the person saying fyrst he was a Iewe where partly is declared the great mercie of God which out of a most enuious nation falling and running headlong into destruction chooseth out euery day newe and freshe worshippers of hys sonne and Ministers and partly the Iewes malice is prooued incurable which could be ouercome neyther with the great dyligence of the Apostles nor yet with daylie domesticall examples Next he declareth how he was borne at Alexandria where hystories saye and thys present place prooueth was a most famous Church and schoole erected euen in the time of the Apostles For from thence commeth thys Apollos furnished with so many dyuers giftes whose labour and traueyle afterwarde appeared so great in the buylding vp of the congregation Luke in verye fewe wordes attributeth to him singuler qualities saying he is eloquent that is to saye had a gift aptly and in due maner to speake or reason of any matter also power or might in the scriptures that is a conuenable dexteritie in handling or intreating of them as one that had not learned them onely for ostentation sake Moreouer he declareth he was brought vp in the way of the Lorde thereby attributing vnto him the knowledge of Christ yet declaring he wanted some poyntes thereof where he sayth he knewe but the baptisme of Iohn onely So calleth he the principles of christian religion comprehending vnder this worde baptisme all the doctrine of Iohn and al that businesse whereof he was Minister In the which sence Christ also demaunded the Scribes of Iohns baptisme Math. 21. Yet this place must not so be vnderstanded as though Iohn had had no knowledge of Christ or had taught his Disciples any doctrine contrarie to christ For Iohns doctrine and Christes was all one For as Christ commaundeth the Apostles to preach repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name so reade we that Iohn mooued his hearers vnto repentaunce and shewed them that the grace of God and saluation was to be had in Christ onely For the summe of his doctrine was Repent you for the kingdome of God is at hande Beholde the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all things into his hande that all that beleeue in the sonne may haue lyfe euerlasting See Luke 3. Iohn 1. and thirde chapiters And bicause Iohn was in the myddle betwixt the Prophets and Christ and was therefore but the forerunner of the sauyour that was promised who should prepare and make ready the people to receyue Christ it suffised him to declare but a short and briefe summe of our saluation and knowledge of Christ that all men might vnderstande howe forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting was to be had but in him alone In the meane season it is manifest that he no where taught the secret misteries of Christes death resurrection and ascension or the whole order of our redemption in expresse wordes For the perfyte vnderstanding hereof was reserued for an other tyme yea we reade that the very Apostles were not so skilfull in these thinges although that Christ had oftentimes reasoned hereof vntill after his ascension they were illuminated by the holy ghost that was sent them as Christ had promised them Therefore although Apollos was brought vp in the waye of the Lorde and knewe that Christ was the sauiour of the worlde yet was he ignoraunt in manye thinges which concerned the maner of our redemption whereof he was more at large to be enfourmed as shall followe a little hereafter In the meane tyme we haue two thyngs to consider in the description of this person First is the order and lincking togyther of gyftes wherewith
of the things done by Paule at Ephesus beginneth to tell fyrst howe he brought certaine persons to frame that vaunted themselues of the gospell but were not throughly instructed therein and howe he adourned that church with the giftes of the holye ghost Which hystorie as it serueth much to our instruction so is it for this cause dyligently to be considered bycause dyuers men in times past haue contended by authoritie of this place to baptise those againe which before had bene baptised by Heretiques At this day also the Anabaptistes abuse the same a verie frowarde and phrentike kinde of persons keeping infantes from their baptisme and affirming that none ought to be baptised but such as are of yeares of discretion and well infourmed in the principles and knowledge of Christ. But that both these and the olde wryters were deceyued it shall easily appeare by the text it selfe whereby it shall be prooued that Paule ment nothing lesse in this dooing than that which they go about to gather thereof For fyrst it is sayd Paule went about to examine certaine disciples which he met withal after he came again to Ephesus But it is not lykely that these and no more had professed Christ bicause we may gather a greater vtilitie of the gospell among the Ephesians by that we heard in the ende of the .xviij. chapiter Nowe that Paule taketh these to examine rather then any other this seemeth to be the cause for that they liued not agreeably to the profession of christian men For it is like it hapned at Ephesus as it doth commonly in euery place when the truth is fyrst preached but the discipline of the church not fully established For then we shall see many which will professe to be gospellers more for hatred of the olde state then for loue of the truth bicause they would vnder a cloke of the gospell liue the more licentiously Bycause Paule perceyued that these were such a kinde of people to the intent they might be brought to better conformitie and passe and not perishe like those that receyued the seede of the gospell into a stonie grounde Paule beginneth to examine them of their beliefe and so to laye before their eyes howe farre they were as yet from the marke of perfection He demaundeth therefore if they had receyued the holy ghost This question must be vnderstanded of the giftes of the holye ghost which God at that time vsed to giue to the faithfull that is to say the knowledge of tongues and exposition of the scripture whereof we haue already manye times intreated This place teacheth vs howe to know true christians from false and counterfeyte For although those speciall giftes of the holye ghost which were sometime miraculously giuen be at this day ceassed yet the promise of Iesus Christ remayneth fyrme which promised his spirite to those that were his And as Paule elsewhere sayth they that haue not the spirite of Christ can not be his members And the other effectes of Gods holye spirite are as necessary at this daye as the vnderstanding of tongues and interpretation of scripture was in time passed namely the mortifycation of the olde man the regeneration and innouation of our minde purifycation sanctifycation and such other like As many therefore as lacke all these things it is certaine they boast in vaine of the faith name of Christ except we shall say that the spirite of Christ is an ydle and sluggishe spirite But let vs heare the aunswere of them whome Paule examineth in which they vtter a very grosse and barbarous ignoraunce saying No we haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no. But howe were they ignoraunt of the holy ghost which had heard so often mention of him in the lawe and in the Prophets For it is out of doubt they were Iewes bicause they were baptized with the baptisme of Iohn Were they ignoraunt then of that saying of Moses which in the beginning of his hystorie wryteth that the spirite of God mooued vpon the waters Or else had they neuer heard that saying of Dauid by the worde of the Lorde were the heauens made and all the hostes of them by the breath of his mouth Againe take not thy holye spirite from me Besides they might haue knowne the voyce of the Messias speaking by the Prophet the spirite of the Lorde God is vpon me c. How is it therefore that they say they haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no The aunswere is easie For as Paule demaunded of the effectes of the holy ghost so they make aunswere concerning the same as if they should say we being content with those things which we haue heretofore learned seeke no farther neyther care we whether there be any holye ghost or no which worketh such peculiar giftes in mens mindes bicause we thinke the knowledge hereof to high for vs and not to appertaine to vs So these men be an example of carnall people which professe the truth with their mouth but haue denyed the power thereof as Paule sayth and in deede refuse that which with mouth they confesse 2 Timoth. 3. Tit. 1. A great number of these are euery where to be founde who being perswaded that the bare name of Christ is sufficient vnto blisse doe little regarde the giftes of the holy ghost namely the mortifycation of the fleshe the renewing of the minde regeneration sanctification and such lyke And through these mens faulte it commeth to passe for the most part that the doctrine of the gospell is so yll spoken of in the worlde Therefore such must not be suffered but be reprooued and their dissimulation must be disclosed that both they may vnderstande their errour and other be the lesse offended So doth Paule in this place For he gathereth nerer vpon them vrgeth them to confesse that they were not come to the christian perfection For he sayth In whose name then were you baptized That is to say what professed you when you fyrst receyued the Gospell and ioyned your selues to the Church of Christ They aunswere they were baptised with the baptisme of Iohn and so they testifye that they professed that doctrine religion wherof Iohn was a Minister and teacher and therby they plainly shewe they care little for any other than that Nowe Paule here catcheth them and holdeth them fast and inferreth Iohn sayth he baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying to the people that they shoulde beleeue on him that was to come after him that is in Iesus Christ hereby teaching that Iohn requyred a farre other thing of his Disciples than a bare profession of his name and of the Gospell For fyrst he appoynted repentaunce wherevnto with great earnestnesse he exhorted all degrees of persons as appeaâ—eth Luc. 3. Neyther requyreth he onely repentaunce but sheweth also remission of sinnes preaching Iesus Christ whose forerunner he was appoynted of God to be He taught men to embrace him by true fayth to
followe him to giue themselues wholy to him bicause in him onely those things were to be founde which are fygured by outwarde baptisme For who is able to performe them without the operation of the holy spirite Therefore the glorye you haue in Iohn your teacher is of so little sufficiencie that his doctrine and baptisme wherewith you were baptized compelleth you to go further so to cleaue vnto Christ that being graffed in him through a liuely fayth and quickened with his spirite you may declare by the very effectes of the holy ghost that you are true Christians And that this is the verye playne and vnracked meaning of Paules wordes the whole order of the hystorye prooueth Wherefore foolish is the error of them which by this place go about to prooue that Iohn his baptisme and Christes was not all one but diuers For that is a thing so farre from Paules meaning that it rather prooueth howe men are sent by the baptisme of water that Iohn ministred vnto Christ in whome onely those thinges are to be taken holde of the tokens whereof we receyue in baptisme Also here is a generall rule confyrmed how it is not to be borne with that they that will be taken for true worshippers of God shoulde stay or rest vpon the authoritie of man but that they ought to be vrged to giue themselues wholy vnto Christ to liue in him by the quickening of his spirite least while they professe him with their mouth they declare by their deedes howe they be farthest of from him Furthermore Luke ioyneth herevnto a moste prosperous ende of this hystorie For these persons being conuict in their consciences through the secrete working of the holye ghost yeelded vnto Paules reasons and were baptized in the name of the Lorde Iesus These wordes must not be expounded of the baptisme of water as though they receiued that againe For so it shoulde followe that Iohns baptisme had not bene lawfull nor sufficient to consecrate men vnto god But that this is an absurde thing to be sayde both the example of Christ teacheth vs which did vouchsafe to be baptised of Iohn and so to become a copartener with vs and also this thing prooueth the same for that we no where read how they were rebaptised whom Iohn had baptised before wherefore this place must be vnderstanded of the baptisme of fyre the Minister or author whereof Iohn before had sayde that Christ shoulde be For the holye ghost was giuen in the likenesse of fyre whereof we spake in the seconde Chapter of this booke And it is manifest that this worde baptising is often vsed for the giuing of the holy ghost and his giftes For so Iohn vseth it speaking of Christ he shall baptise you with the holy ghost and with fire Christ being ready to ascende vp into heauen vseth it in the same sense saying you shall bee baptised with the holye ghost within these fewe dayes Which phrase of speach Peter vttered in the same sense before the congregation intreating of Cornelius conuersion So in this place Luke teacheth vs howe this worde baptising ought to be taken whyle by waye of exposition he addeth And when Paule had layde his handes on them the holye ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and did prophecie Therefore by laying on of handes they were consecrated or appoynted onely vnto Christ and after that followed the holye ghost accoâ—ding as we hearde came to passe at Samaria also Wherevppon it appeareth that the olde writers abused this place whyle by authoritie hereof they contended that those ought to be newe baptised which had bene baptised by heretykes before Herein they were deceyued that they thought Iohn and Christes baptisme of water was diuers And the ignorance of the Anabaptistes is as great that apply vnto the baptisme of water that which ought to be vnderstanded of the baptisme of fyre that is to saye of the receyuing and gyft of the holy ghost But we haue principally to consider the ende and vse of the myracle that is how God ment to confyrme and adorne the authoritie of his Gospell hereby among the Gentyles as we haue already oftentimes declared Let vs therefore beleeue the Gospell whose credite and truth is prooued by so many and notable signes and woonders Let vs in lyfe aunswere to the profession of our fayth that we being quickened with the spirite of Christ maye liue in him to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxvj. Homelie AND he went into the Synagoge and behaued himselfe boldlye for the space of three monethes disputing and giuing them exhortations of the kingdome of god When diuers waxed harde hearted and beleeued not but spake euill of the way and that before the multitude he departed from them and seperated the disciples And he disputed daily in the schoole of one called Tyranus â–ª And this continued by the space of twoo yeares so that all they which dwelt in Asia hearde the worde of the Lorde Iesu both Iewes and Greekes And God wrought speciall myracles by the handes of Paule so that from his body were brought vnto the sicke Napkins and Partelettes and the diseases departed from them and the euill spirites went out of them AFter the Euangelist Luke hath declared how Paule had fullye enstructed those twelue menne at Ephesus which liued not aunswereable to their profession he sheweth afterwarde how by the ministery of the same Paule the kingdome of God was spredde farre and neare both among the Ephesians and ouer all the Countrie bordering vpon Asia And this present place comprehendeth the summe of this hystorie in the consideration whereof we must be the more diligent bicause there are diuers thinges in euery part thereof which serue for the common instruction of vs all After this he sheweth what was done with the reprobate and vnbeleeuing Thirdly he describeth the singuler profyte and commoditie of the Apostles labour and traueyle First the Euangelist comprehendeth the whole summe of Paules doctrine in fewe wordes where he sayeth that he entred into the Synagoge and there disputed three monthes togther boldly and exhorted men to receyue the kingdome of god Therefore as otherwheres so here also he preacheth fyrst to the Iewes Hereby appeareth partly the great mercy of God towarde so rebellious and frowarde a people and partly a moste feruent and syncere affection of charitie in Paule which by so manye and grieuous iniuries coulde not be quenched But bicause we haue hereof intreated diuers times already let vs omit this poynt and see what trade of teaching Paule vsed among the Ephesians wherevnto there appertayne three things whereof Luke discourseth Fyrst he nameth the place and sayth he taught in the open Synagoge That therefore that Paule diligently obserued in other places he thought good to vse also at Ephesus namely to teach in one certayne and publike place although he knewe well the Iewes vsages which in that place bare all the rule Whereby
and becke the Apostle writeth that the Deuils tremble and quake Why then are we afrayde of Satans craft or power whose helpe we see Christ here vse at his pleasure so mightilye Nowe is the Prince of this worlde throwne out of his kingdome which so long he hath so falsely claymed vsurped And it is no harde thing for them to ouercome him that are by fayth graffed in Christ. Nowe let vs come to the last part of this hystorie which conteyneth in it manifolde and singular fruite First this thing was knowne amongst all the Ephesians who were all striken of God whome they sawe so seuerely reuenge the abusing of his sonne and of his name This is the lawfull vse of Gods iudgements to put in our mindes a sense or feeling of Gods religion But O miserable wretches that we be which maye seeme altogither to be waxed deafe seeing we are mooued with no examples that God daily sheweth vppon the blasphemers and contemners of his name and worde Next many of them that beleeued came of their owne accorde and confessed their doings openly This is an euident argument of the mortifycation of the fleshe which being most desirous of honor and estimation can hardly be brought to confesse she hath erred But the desire of truth and glorye of God ouercommeth all affections of the fleshe in those that beleeue By this place it appeareth what maner of confession the Scriptures requyre of vs verily publike and open which serueth to the setting forth of Gods glorye and to the amendement of many Therefore their ignorance is very grosse which thinke by this example to establishe auricular confession wherewith this confession that Luke here speaketh of hath no affinitie For these Ephesians come of their owne accorde and confesse their olde errors giuing thankes vnto God which had vouchsafed to deliuer them from them But the Pope enforceth men agaynst their willes to confesse their secret faultes also which no manne was priuie to before We reade they made confession but once where the Pope commaundeth vs oftentimes to confesse They made open confession and that before all men But the Pope teacheth vs to whisper our sinnes in the eare of the Priest onely They by their confession sought nothing but the glory of god The Pope commaundeth to aske remission of sinnes and satisfaction of the priest What stande we long The more diligently a man examineth the circumstances of this dooing the more manifestly it shall appeere auricular confession is rather ouerthrown than confyrmed by this example But lette vs returne to the Ephesians whereof many were hytherto giuen to curious artes but are nowe so touched with the feeling of Christes spirite that they openly burne their bookes on heapes where we vnderstande not onely their Magicall bookes but also all other bookes that serued rather vnto fruitelesse and offensiue studies than vnto godlynesse such as for the most part are the bookes of Astrologie Geomantie soothsaying bookes and bookes of loue and such like He sheweth also the pryce or value of the bookes which after the Germanes account amounteth to the summe of sixe thousande sixe hundred threescore and sixe florenes By this meane the godly persons thought to take all occasion of offence both from themselues and from other in time to come And this is the true propertie of them that vnfeynedly repent that they hate the instrumentes of sinne as much as the sinne it selfe and are not grieued to lose those things which they knowe had sometime bene occasion of their fall be they neuer so precious Therefore they cannot be iudged to haue truly repented nor to vnderstande the heynousnesse of their offences which vse to retaine and keepe in these dayes the instrumentes of their euill dooinges such as are Images superstitious deckinges of Churches bookes that teach superstition amorous writings wanton apparell and innumerable such like Last of all Luke sayth that the worde of God grewe mightily and was confyrmed in the hearts of the Disciples which was an effect of their former studie For the worde of God vseth marueylously to growe if all impediments be taken out of the waye that may hinder it Let vs therfore followe the example of this famous Church that increasing daily more in fayth we may become perfyte men in Iesus Christ our Lorde to whom be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxviij Homelie AFTER these thinges were ended Paule purposed in the spirite when hee had passed ouer Macedonia and Achaia to go to Ierusalem saying After I haue bene there I must also see Rome So sent hee into Macedonia two of them that ministred to him euen Timotheus and Erastus but he himselfe remayned in Asia for a season The same tyme there arose no little adoe about that way For a certayne man named Demetrius a siluer smyth which made siluer shrines for Diana was not a little benefyciall to the craftes men Whome he called togither with the workemen of like occupation and sayd Sirs you knowe that by this craft we haue aduauntage Moreouer you see and heare that not alone at Ephesus but almost throughout all Asia thys Paule hath perswaded and turned awaye much people saying that they bee not Goddes which are made with handes So that not onely this our Craft commeth into perill to be set at naught but also that the Temple of the great Goddesse Diana shoulde be despysed and hir magnifycence shoulde bee destroyed whome all Asia and the worlde worshippeth BYcause Paule knewe that the Lorde had not appoynted him to be a teacher of one Nation onely therefore he thought he woulde not serue still in one Nation but preach the Gospell euerywhere vnto all people Yea he thought that on him chiefely lay the charge of all Churches as he declareth in his later Epistle to the Corinthians Wherfore being not contented here and there to gather Churches togither he goeth to see and visite those he had gathered and ordeyned least anye thing might fall downe agayne eyther by the wearysomnesse of man or by the craft and subtiltie of the Deuill We haue seene hitherto diuers ensamples of lyke endeuor wherevnto this may also be annexed that Luke telleth in the beginning of this place to the which he ioyneth a newe hystorie of sedition raysed against Paule whereby his purpose of visiting the Churches for a time was stopped The author of this deuise and counsayle was the holy spirite by whose conduct and guyding we haue often shewed that Paule beganne and tooke all his matters in hande He purposed to go into Macedonia and Achaia to visite and confyrme the Churches of the Philippians Thessalonians and Corinthians and also to gather an almesse or reliefe among them to cary to the needy brethren in Syria as may euidently be gathered of his Epistles to the Corinthians which iourney being ended he ment to go to Rome to bestowe some gift of the spirite vpon the faythfull there also and to receyue mutuall consolation of
else to the fyre But he respected the promises of Christ wherewith he was so emboldened that no daunger coulde feare him to doe his duetie It is also a token of singuler modestie that he yeeldeth to better counsell and doth not obstinately vrge that which was both daungerous and had little profyte ioyned therewith Let euerye manne followe this example bicause we see many times the greatest wyttes in their owne daungers knowe least what waye or counsell to take It is also worthye the noting that Paule hath great men to his friendes A fewe such we reade Christ had amongst whome Nicodemus and Ioseph are counted the chiefe Iohn 12.3 Math. 27. Here the error of the Anabaptistes is refelled which saye that a christian ought to beare no office But chiefely we learne howe vaine the defence and succour of the worlde is seing their authoritie coulde not keepe Paule from daunger of sedition It becommeth vs therefore to put all our hope and trust in God alone and not in Princes or in the children of men for there is no helpe in them Psalme 146. And that this is the vse of this present example Paule teacheth in hys seconde Epistle to the Corinthians the fyrst chapter Nowe Luke commeth to the seditious of whome he reporteth two things First some sayth he cryed one thing some an other and the most part knewe not wherefore they were come togyther This is a peculiar thing in the time of sedition that like a flowing streame it caryeth many away with it being vtterly ignoraunt of the meaning thereof and a great many good men also euen against their will. Therefore such would be appeased rather by counsell and reason then by force For if force be vsed commonly the Innocentes drinke for it the wicked beginners slylie slipping awaye A dolorous example whereof Germany sawe when in the yere of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundred twentie and fyue horrible streames of husbandmens bloude almost ouerflowed hir Let Princes therefore haue in minde rather that saying of the Prophet where they are commaunded to holde their subiects liues deere Psalm 72. Moreouer the Iewes thrust forwarde one Alexander who by all likelyhoode was one of Paules friendes and drewe him forth bicause they ment to bring him in daunger He desired silence and woulde haue giuen a reason and an accounte of things attempted touching religion But when they perceyued he was a Iewe and an enimie of heathen superstition they turne to their furious exclamations againe and for two houres long fyll all the Citie with the noyse of their Diana For as the belly lacketh eares so commonly they are deafe and wyll heare no reason which mooue sedition for the bellyes sake And this is the contynuall practise of the wicked to barke against the truth wyth furious clamours which otherwyse they knowe is inuincible In the meane season the faintnesse of a great many is reprooued who knowing the truth are yet altogyther colde in the confessing thereof and regarde not the zeale of the vngodlye whome they see bolde euen in the defence of superstition Let vs learne therefore what state the truth standeth in in this worlde and beyng armed wyth the constancie of fayth let vs stowtely beare out whatsoeuer God sendeth that we maye vanquishe all aduersity through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whom be all praise honour power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxxx. Homely WHEN the towne Clarke had ceased the people he sayde yee men of Ephesus what man is it that knoweth not howe that the Citie of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Goddesse Diana and of the Image that came from heauen Seing then that no manne sayth here against yee ought to be content and to doe nothing rashly for ye haue brought hyther these men which are neyther robbers of Churches nor yet despysers of your Goddesse VVherefore if Demetrius and the craftesmen which are with him haue a matter agaynst any manne the lawe is open and their Rulers let them accuse one another But if you go about any other thing it shall bee determined in a lawfull congregation For we are in ieoperdye to be accused of this dayes vprore forasmuch as there is no cause whereby we maye giue a reckoning of this concourse of people And when he had thus spoken hee let the assembly depart WE haue hearde the sedition that Demetrius raised against Paule described by Luke Where beside the propertie of the furious people we noted diuers pointes wherein Paule was chiefely to be considered First he boldly and constantlye woulde haue ventured to go in among the people mynding to haue giuen an account openly both of his fayth and doctrine But seeing he coulde not be permitted so to doe he keepeth him among his friends committing the whole successe of the matter vnto God yet so as he swarued not a nayle breadth from the truth nor yet dissembled anye thing for cowardlye feare Which example admonisheth vs what we shoulde doe in lyke case or in open persecution Before all things it becommeth vs according to Peter the Apostles precept to be ready to giue an account to euerye manne that demaundeth it 1. Pet. 3. But when the enimies shall so raue that there is no place for truth and the confession therof we must proceede warily and wiselye least we put our selfe in daunger without Gods calling and so tempt him In the meane season let vs be constaunt in acknowledging the truth and wayte the Lordes leysure who neuer forsaketh them that put their trust in him and who by his wisedome and power is able easily to cease and alaye all cruell tempestes This present hystorye sheweth vs an ensample hereof where God appeaseth a very daungerous sedition to all seeming by the help of one Scribe or Towneclarke and such a one as the whole course of his Oration proueth manifestly to haue had no vnderstanding in Christes religion where the power of God appeareth the more seeing he vseth the reprobate and their helpe in the defence of his people Let vs examine the Towneclarkes Oration throughout all the partes thereof the chiefe ende whereof is to represse the seditious tumult of the vnruly people himselfe in the meane season being little carefull for religion He beginneth with that the most vexed these seditious They stoode in great feare of their Diana for hir sake they so cryed out as we haue heard before bicause if the worshipping of hir were layde awaye they sawe their gayne was lyke to be gone But the Towneclarke sayth this was no iust or sufficient cause for them to make such a stirre For what man is there sayeth he but knoweth that the Citie of Ephesus is a worshipper of the great Goddesse Diana and of the Image that came from heauen As who shoulde saye To what purpose repeate you so often with furious clamor the name of Diana Who denyeth you to be hir honourers Who knoweth not that Dianas Image came downe from heauen Or who letteth you
skins but rather publikely professe their thirst of Christian bloude with skarlet coloure and their tyrannie with clinking of armoure and garrisons of men By meane of these the doctrine of truthe lyeth wrapped and entangled in infinite erroures and laberinthes and as it were euen buried And the same parties haue rent the Church which ought most to maintaine vnitie hauâ—â—ent the Church into sixe hundred sectes euery one of them professing a propre and sundry faithe and religion in name habite ceremonies and vsages Lette vs awake O brethren and goe against these Wolues and take heede that we be not found to be hirelings rather than true shepherdes But let vs heare Paule which repeating his example which is the .v. argument exhorteth them most earnestly saying Wherefore awake and remember that by the space of three yeeres I ceased not to warne euery one of you night and day with teares He maketh mention of these three yeres bicause they should thinke no labor or trauaile too much For it should be a shame not to take labor and paines seeing suche an Apostle of Christ refused it not And they be in no small fault which by their negligence let the Churches gathered together by the trauailes and deathes of the Apostles run at hauocke Furthermore as it becommeth the Ministers to follow the example of the Apostles so must all Christians followe their steppes for as much as they were the followers of Christ as Paule himselfe declareth where he sayth be yee folowâ—rs of me as I am the folower of Christ â–ª And this is the true worshipping of the Sainctes not that that standeth in adoration and inuocation of them which al the scripture saith is due to God onely Sixthly he reasoneth of the easinesse and vtilitie of their doing herein to aunswere them which were feared with the difficultie and daunger that was on euery side And for a more vehemencie of speeche he vseth a forme of imprecation saying and nowe brethren I commende you vnto God and to the worde of his grace which is able to build c. As who should say I knowe it is a difficult matter that I require and passing all mans power Howe be it it must not be brought to passe by mans force This is Gods husbandry this is Gods worke He laid the foundation he therefore is able to finishe the building and it is no difficult thing for him to vse your helpe to bring his matter to passe By his assistance therfore you shall easily ouercome all things Hee shall guide you with his spirit and the worde of grace which though it seeme but a slender thing yet it pearseth and cutteth sharper than any two edged swoorde The same God hathe prepared worthy rewardes already for suche trauailes and paines euen the inheritaunce of his kingdome where you shall shine among them that are sanctified like as the starres in the firmament These things must be layde vp in the bottome of our hartes O brethren For as they comfort vs in maruellous wise so they teache vs what the weapons and strength of the Ministers of the woorde are The weapons of our fight be spirituall sayth Paule These be the spirit of God the worde and God him selfe Who shall they then feare Or who shall bee able to withstande them Lette vs fight with these weapons rather than with the frendships of this world as with the confederacie and wisedome of the fleshe which haue very little or no vse at all in setting vp the kingdome of God. Wee learne moreouer that the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of Heauen pertaineth onely to them that are sanctified The sanctified are suche whose heartes faithe hathe purified and whome Christ hathe consecrated to GOD the Father throughe the price of hys Bloude The same beeing quickened with the spirit of God doe their dueties earnestly and striue earnestly to enter into that inheritance through all kinde of daungers the hope whereof they knowe will neuer deceiue them bicause it dependeth vppon the sonne of God our sauioure Iesus Christe to whom all praise honoure power and glory are due for euer Amen The Cxxxvj. Homelie I Haue desired no mannes siluer golde or vesture yea yee your selues knowe that these handes haue ministred vnto my necessities and to them that were with me I haue shewed you all things howe that so labouring yee ought to receiue the weake and to remember the woordes of the Lorde Iesu howe that he saide it is more blessed to giue than to receiue And when he had thus spoken he kneeled downe and prayed with them all And they all wept sore and fell on Paules necke and kissed him sorowing moste of all for the woordes which hee spake that they should see his face no more And they conueyed hym vnto the shippe BIcause the Apostle Paule in that notable assemblie of the Ministers of Asia where he reasoned of the administration and gouernaunce of the Church foretolde of greeuous Wolues that should rise vp euen out of their own selues which throughe peruerse Doctrine should miserably disturbe the flocke of Christ in the later part of his oration he declareth bothe wisely and in time and place what they should cheefely beware of if they would auoide the name of suche Wolues He admonisheth them onely to take heede of couetousnesse bicause it is the roote of all â—uill and bringeth all things out of frame if it once take possession in the mindes of the Cleargie For when they once make lucre of religion it causeth all godlinesse to be set to sale which also is a cause that they defile the doctrine of the woorde with the traditions of men that they hunt after the fauor and frendship of the world that they winke at open malefactoures and set open the doores to all manner of disorder The priestes of the Iewes may be an example vnto vs in whom Christ chefely reprehendeth this as the welspring of all corruption Therefore Paule dothe not without a cause other wheres warne Bishoppes that they be not giuen to filthie lucre and heere in this place he diligently reasoneth of this euill And bicause his admonition should bee the more of waighte he prouoketh them by hys owne Example declaring howe he vsed himselfe whyle hee was in Asia and alleageth waightie reasons and causes of his so doing I haue desired no mannes siluer gold or vesture saith he By the which woordes he declareth that he labored not to enriche him selfe by them forasmuch as he desired not of them the things necessary to his liuing muche lesse receiued or tooke them Hereby he teacheth that the Ministers of Churches must be free from the desire of heaping vp goods bicause they that goe about to enrich them selues shall neuer escape the snares of the Deuill and temptations But least any man might Obiecte againe and say whereof then O Paule liuedst thou He addeth by and by after yee knowe that these handes ministred to my necessities and to those that
Paules sisters sonne hearde of their laying awayte he wente and entered into the Castle and tolde Paule PAule the Apostle in his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians the firste Chapter sayth As the afflictions of Chryst are plentyfull in vs euen so is our consolation plenteous by Chryst. This is a worthy and comfortable saying confirmed with many examples euen from the very beginning vnto the which this example here present tolde of Paule may very well be adioyned For we haue heard how he was hitherto vexed and molested with greeuous perilles and daungers And many thinges happened vnto him whiche mighte haue driuen him to desperation beeing laide in prison by the Romane Souldiours and with one whole consente of the Iewes required to be put to death and sawe none other helpe or succouâ—e but suche as he founde in the Souldiours men farthest off from true Religion But the Lorde fayleth not hys Apostle beeing in this daunger and distresse but most friendly comforteth him beeing tossed vp and downe wyth dyuerse cares and by and by performeth in deede that which he promiseth in words whiles in miraculous sort he deliuereth him out of the handes of most cruel cutthrotes Now bicause these things are writteÌ„ for the instruction and comforte of all people let vs marke euery poynt thereof in order The first thing herein is a consolation wherwith Paules minde is confirâ—ed strengthned For the Lord standeth by him in the night that is to say by his angel to teach him how true it is that he sayd he wold be with vs vntill the end of the world And he biddeth Paule to be of good cheere or to take a good harte vnto him bicause perhaps he began to doubt of Gods care and good will towards him And the cause he sayth to be for that he muste beare witnesse of him at Rome also Here it moste euidenâ—ly appeareth that God neglecteth not mens matters and affayres although he seeme sometymes to forget them For howe can he neglecte men who forgetteth not the Sparrowes as Chryst testifieth Luke 12. In deede it might seeme that God had no regarde of Paule considering howe all the worlde conspired agaynst him But seeyng God standeth by hym in pryson it easily appeareth that nothyng hathe happened vnto hym hythervnto eyther wythout the knowedge of God or without his will. But bycause wee haue examples heereof in euery place lette vs nowe consyder the manner of Consolation the bare wordes whereof beeyng wayed after the capacitie of mâ—nnes reaâ—on seeme to declare that GOD rather threateneth hym than comforteth hym For hee saythe Bee of good cheere Paule for as thou haste testified of mee in Hierusalem so muste thou also beare wytnesse at Rome Therefore the Lorde giueth him warning of newe trauelles and newe contentions lyke as if a Phisitian shoulde say to a sicke body be of good cheere O sonne for thou haste newe sicknesses comming and within these fewe dayes thou shalte haue freshe doloures and greefes Or as if one should encourage a Souldiour weeryed in a late skyrmish vnto a more greeuous fyghte Who woulde say this were a consolatyon or comforte Howe bee it suche a lyke thyng it is that is here sayde vnto Paule For by making mention of Rome he putteth him in remembrance of tediousnesse in iourneys of perils in nauigation and of a number of most cruell kinds of punishment forasmuch as Claudius was now Emperour a very foolish and cruell man and most ready to punishe gâ—â—tlesse persons But if wee waigh the matter deepely it shall appeare there were two things which might not a little encourage Paule the one was that he perceiued God had a care of him The other that he heard he shoulde be a vessell and instrument of glory to declare the name of Chryst among the Romanes also who were Lordes of the whole worlde Here therfore we are taught whence to fetche comforte in aduersitie Not in the fortunate successe of worldly affayres or of hope to lyue idelly and easily but of the prouidence of God and of that he doth vouchsafe to make vs vessels and instruments of his glory And this thing Chryst teacheth vs where he promiseth to his disciples not prosperous successe of their attempts but sayth nothing shal happen vnto them without the councell of Gods prouidence We are taught also that whyle God deliuereth comforteth vs he calleth vs not to idlenesse but prepareth vs to greater businesses And he therefore recreateth vs with the taste of his truthe and promises to make vs to returne to our businesse agayne the more cherfully as we may see all godly men vse to doo Therefore it is a shamelesse errour of them which after they haue tryed the ayde and helpe of God clayme vnto them selfe a certayne immunitie and freedome from all perilles and labours or else giue them selues altogither to the desire of the flesh and follow an vnvnbridled licentiousnesse both in saying and dooing Furthermore bycause the Apostle was like to be molested with many perilles before he came at Rome God confirmeth hys late courrage and manlynesse with a freshe benefite deliuered him out of a great and vnlooked for hazarde For there had fourtie persons conspired his death and had made a vowe that they would neyther eate nor drynke tyl they had killed him In whose wicked enterprise a man cannot tell whether he may more wonder at their audaâ—itie or bloudie myndes For beside that they intend and meane the deathe of a guyltlesse bodie whiche is contrarie to the Lawe of God they bynde themselues with an othe and vowe beeing not ignorant how many things myght happen or chaunce that might hinder and dashe all their attempt But by their example wee learne to iudge of the boldenesse and audacitie of the wicked and of all them which meane to defend the Religion they professe â–ª by force rather than by Scripture But lette vs returne to these votaries agayne who declare their bloudie intent vnto the Priestes and Counsell thinking to haue greate thankes at their handes and desiring to haue them partners of their enterprise Giue you say they knowledge to the Captaine and to the Counsell to bring him foorth vnto vs to morrowe as though wee woulde knowe something more perfectly of him and wee will be readie to kyll him or euer he come neare Heere appeare the craftes and traynes of the wicked and howe farre the hatred of trueth proceedeth These men professe a zeale and auncient Religion and can wonderfully counterfet Iustice yet in the meane season they can conceyue a deuice in their mynde voyde both of all reason and iustice Howbeit Sathan hath lefte this pollycie also in remembraunce for posteritie where it hath been seene howe the Ministers of Chryst being oftentymes called foorth vnto Disputations haue fallen into the handes of Murtherers And there want not examples of our age which teache vs to be afrayde of such sleightes in these dayes also Agayne consider what great corruption there
comparing of them togither it might appeare he became a Christian man not of any lightnesse or inconstancie of mind but euen beeing compelled through the power of god And herevnto chiefly is to be referred the diligent declaration of all the circumstances For he alleageth both the place and the tyme and Chrystes talke and his companions for witnesses bycause no man shoulde thinke that he had bene beguyled with any vayne apparition or distraction of minde But bycause we haue spoken otherwheres of conuerting vnto God and of the duetie of those that conuerte it shall not now neede to repeate the â—ame againe Let vs nowe marke the ende of all these things which was none other but the defending of his vocation Yet is it not in vayne that he so diligently reporteth the wordes of Chryste sharpely reprehending his temeritie For heereby he teacheth the hearers that if they withstande the doctrine of the Gospell they shal not haue to do with any mortal man but with the sonne of God which will punishe their bolde enterprise to their great losse and hinderaunce These thinges ought to serue for our comforte that we abiding constantly in the true fayth may cleaâ—e faste vnto God alone among all the broyles and enterprises of this worlde who hath promised to all those that worship him the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen in his sonne Iesus Chryst to whom be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Clxiij Homelie BVt ryse and stande vp on thy feete For I haue appeared vnto thee for this purpose to make thee a minister and a witnesse both of those things which thou haste seene and of those thinges in the which I will appeare vnto thee deliuering thee from the people and from the Gentiles vnto whom I now sende thee to open their eyes that they may be turned from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan vnto God that they may receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritance among them which are sanctified by fayth that is towarde me BIcause Paule knew that the Iewes accused him principally of two poyntes namely for that he had forsaken the Iewes religion and turned to the fayth in Chryst and for that he had matched the Gentils with the Iewes by preching the Gospel among them therfore he diligently declareth the story of his conuersion bicause that alone was sufficieÌ„t to put away bothe the crimes Unto the first belong those things which haue hitherto ben said wherin he declareth that he chaÌ„ged not his religion vpon any light fantasie but whyle he was an enimie vnto Christ was compelled to yelde vnto Gods calling The seconde he will confute in this place where he rendreth a reason of his whole ministerie euen in the very wordes of Chryst which ministerie he sheweth was committed vnto him vpon this condition that he should preach the Gospell not only to the Iewes but also to the Gentiles But bycause these things belong aswell to our instruction as to the defence of Paule who may learne hereby both the reason of the ministerie ecclesiastical and also the whole meane of our saluation Therefore euery thing is to be considered in order The firste thing wee haue to note is howe Chryst commaunded Paule nowe friendly to arise and to stande vp on hys feete whome erewhyle he had horribly throwen downe as his enimie and persecutour But this thing happened not as wee haue other where 's heard before his heart was pulled downe and that he humbly enquired what the will of Chryst was and acknowledged him to be his Lorde Which thing yet he woulde neuer haue done but that he felt in his minde an effectuous working of the spirite of Chryst. This truelâ— is a notable example of Gods goodnesse which euen then euidently declareth it selfe when he seemeth to be angry For he will not alwayes be chiding with vs but forasmuche as he desireth to haue men saued he obserueth this scope and ende in his iudgements that he will haue men rather instructed to saluation than destroyed Neither will he draw foorth his whippes and scourges vntill he see he can not preuayle by his wordes Neither yet doth he beate vs for any other ende than to haue vs conuerte vnto him and to truste to be saued wherof we haue both testimonies and examples euery where in the scriptures wherewith we may confirme our wauering fayth in all troubles and aduersities But although it seeme a great thing for Chryste to giue his cruell enimie leaue to aryse yet is this greater and euen to be wondered at that he appoynteth him to the office of an Apostle which is the moste honorable and commendable function in the worlde Yea he sayth that he appeared to him to this ende to make him a minister and witnesse of all the thinges which he had bothe seene before and shoulde see heereafter Heere in two wordes he comprehendeth the whole office or duetie of Byshoppes of the Churche Firste he saythe that Paule shoulde bee a Minister not a Lorde and king So are the Apostles euery where called and suche as muste serue the whole Churche publikely in setting before them the foode of the soule and in taking care for the affayres of mannes saluation Reade Matthew the .20 and .24 Luke the .12 Herevnto it seemeth Paule had a respecte when he confessed he was a detter vnto all men to the Iewes and Gentiles to the learned and vnlearned Heereby is excluded the great desire of bearing rule agaynst the which Chryste oftentimes in the hearing of the Apostles entreated at large being not ignoraunt that many afterwardes would come which vnder the pretence of this ministerie would looke to reigne like tirauntes ouer the Church This done he sayth he should be a witnesse by the which name we reade the Apostles were called also in the first chapter Thus it liked him more playnly to set out the trade of the ministerie declaring also what things he should beare witnesse of verily euen of those which he had seene and which afterwarde he woulde reueale vnto him For Paule had seene and not seene onely but had also proued by experience that Christ liued and reigned and was an earnest defendour of his people Wherby it was easie for him to gather that he was the redeemer of mankinde and not onely a meere man but also suche a God as he knewe the Apostles preached that he was These therefore were the thinges that he should beare witnesse of By this place it appeareth as wee haue else where admonished For howe certayne and infallible a thing the doctrine of the Apostles ought to be taken seeing they which published the same were no runners about with pedlary wares but the very sworne witnesses of Iesus Chryst hauing their vocation confirmed with infinite miracles Therfore let al ministers remember they are witnesses and therfore must not preach new opinions at their owne pleasure but such things as they finde for certaintie in the holy
altogither to the world and to sinne if at any time they be in sicknesse or other daunger they will seeke counsell and helpe at the onely ministers of the worde whome otherwise they yet hate worse than the Deuill Furthermore least Paule might seeme some vaine trifler or busie body he alleageth an Oracle saying For there stode by me this night the angell of the Lord whose I am and whome I serue saying feare not Paule thou must be brought before Caesar and loe God hath giuen vnto thee all those that saile with thee Heere euery worde hath his weight and teacheth vs diuers things worthy to be considered For first God declareth vnto vs his goodnesse which is so great that he cannot forget the same not when he correcteth vs according to our desertes Neither is he alwayes angry but comforteth vs in the middest of afflictions and helpeth vs with his counsell that we be not tempted farther than we be able to beare ▪ and he hath also suche a care of vs that he hathe appoynted the Angels to be occupied in safegarding vs wherof we haue hitherto sene diuers examples Furthermore Paules plainnesse and simplicitie vsed about faithe and religion is to bee considered for wee knowe hee was laide in bandes for the faithes sake yet hee confessed the same freely and plainely In so muche that he boldely affirmeth that he is not onely the seruaunt of God but also worshippeth him This is it that Christe requireth of vs where hee commaundeth vs to confesse him before men And wee reade howe the Martires also did folowe this example of Paule who would not so much as dissemble their faithe in Christe muche lesse flatly deny it Moreouer Paules woordes teache vs that it is not enoughe for vs to say we belong vnto God for as muche as it is euident that the Deuils also are subiecte to his commaundemente But God requireth of vs all kinde of woorship and obedience which excepte wee perfourme the professing of Chrystes name shall serue more to condemne vs than to saue vs Yet further this place teacheth vs howe profitable it is to dwell among holy menne and worshippers of god For as God gaue vnto Paule the liues of all them that were passengers with him so is it euident that he hathe oftentimes spared many which haue deserued destruction for a fewes sake that haue bene good For euery man knoweth what the scriptures say of Noe Lot Moses and infinite others And yet these Examples muste not bee racked to the ende to attribute godly honoure vnto Sainctes and to aske of them such things as belong onely vnto God for to giue For the vse of them serueth to farre other purpose For God partely maketh the wicked beholding vnto his seruaunts to the ende they may liue the more safely and commodiously among them and partely by suche testimonies commendeth their faithe and religion And as the godly vse to be profitable to those that liue with them so again a fewe wicked when they are lette runne at the long line are moste times the destruction of whole common weales as may be seene in the Example of Ionas for whose sake we reade that bothe the Mariners and all the Passengers were in ieoperdie Which things if all men would wel marke and obserue the godly should both be better regarded and the companie of wicked men should be more detested Laste of all Paule concludeth hys Oration and biddeth them to be of good cheare Hee addeth thys moreouer For I beleeue that it shall be euen as it was tolde mee And for that they should the lesse dout heereof hee declareth howe and after what sorte they shoulde escape saying they muste bee caste oute into a certaine Ilande Where we are taughte that the promisses of God muste bee receiued by faithe bicause so they be ratified and confirmed not for that Goddes truthe dependeth vppon vs but bicause he promiseth vs his helpe and saluation vpon this condition that none shall haue it but those onely that beleeue it In the Gospell we haue examples heereof euery where Heere is one thing very comfortable that althoughe there bee but a fewe that beleeue yet God can easily discerne betweene them and the wicked and hath a regarde of those that be his as the scripture teacheth vs it happened in times past to Iosue and to Caleb whome onely God broughte into the lande of promisse bicause they onely beleeued his promisses Let vs diligently occupy our selues in the consideration of these things and wheras God offereth vs comfortes and counsels of saluation in these dayes also let vs embrace them with stedfast faithe for so shall it come to passe that when we haue sailed through the tempestuous sea of this life we shall be broughte to heauen the hauen of eternall saluation throughe Iesus Christ our Lord to whome be praise honoure power and glory for euer Amen The Clxix Homelie BVt when the fourtienth night was come as we were sailing in Adria about midnight the shipmen deemed that there appeared some country vnto them and sounded and founde it .xx. fadomes And when they had gone a litle further they sounded again and found .xv. fadomes Then fearing least they should haue falne vppon some rocke they cast foure ankers out of the sterne and wished for the day As the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship when they had let downe the boate into the sea vnder a coloure as though they wold haue cast ankers out of the foreship Paule saide vnto the vnder captain and to the souldiers except these abide in the ship yee can not be safe Then the souldiers cut of the rope of the bote and let it fall away And when the day began to appeare Paule besought them all to take meate saying this is the fourtenth day that yee haue taried and cōtinued fasting receiuing nothing at all Wherefore I pray you to take meat for this no doubt is for your health for there shall not an haire fal from the head of any of you And when he had thus spoken he tooke breade and gaue thankes to God in presence of them al and when he had broken it he begun to eat Then were they all of good chere and they also toke meate ALthough God suffreth his seruauntes many wayes to be tempted yet as we haue oftentimes declared he assisteth them both with counsell and comforte so that they be not ouercome with temptations An euident example heereof we haue in this storie For where the tempest increased so vehemently that there was no more hope left in man God sendeth his Angell vnto Paule to renue the former promisse wherewith he was a freshe so confirmed that he was able to confirme and comforte others also And God did not with vaine wordes only holde the miserable creatures in hope but most faithfully performed that he promised as we shall see when we come to the place But before Luke commeth therevnto he declareth what was done in
neglect the same if we will be saued But bicause hearing alone is not ynough for wicked men and spirites doe many times heare it behooueth that our mindes also be mooued and stirred This thing is brought to passe partly by outwarde thinges as we see here by signes and partly by the inwarde working of the holy spirite which working if we feele not it shall nothing profite vs to heare the outward preaching or reading of the worde as Paule diligently and plainely teacheth Howbeit when God reuealeth his worde to vs and pricketh our mindes by the inwarde suggestion of his holy spirite he requireth earnest attention and taking heede least we let the infernall birdes eate vp the seedes out of our minde or suffer the same to be choked with thornes or to be troden vnder of naughtie affections which thing Christ hath faithfully warned vs of Whosoeuer therefore after this sort proceede in the businesse of saluation as we reade the Samaritanes here did they shall quickely receyue great profite thereby And if we compare these things with our doings we shall perceyue what answere to make them who marueyle how it commeth to passe that so few profit by the preaching of the word For who is it almost that stumbleth not as they say at the thressholde or in the beginning We see fewe hearers of the worde at the Church and they thinke they haue sufficiently done their dutie if they heare the Sermon vppon Sundaye onely And fewe there are that heare the same attentiuely and with desire to learne But fewest of all muse or meditate diligently of that they haue hearde In the meane season the naughtie affections of the fleshe beare rule euery where carying vs headlong vnto the blinde desires of the worlde Therefore how can it herein otherwyse come to passe than as in a fielde ouergrowne with thornes and full of stones except it be diligently â—ylled Let vs cast of this noysome sloth of mynde and followe the Samaritanes and then shall that fruite shortly ensue that Luke sayth they receyued For he sayeth There was great ioye in that Citie This is the fruite of fayth that vseth to spring of the feeling we haue of Gods reconcilement with vs For as the countenaunce of God being angry with vs doth vexe and trouble our mindes being feared with the conscience of our sinfulnesse so the doctrine of the Gospell which teacheth that God is reconcyled to vs in Iesus Christ his sonne doth marueylously cheere and recreate our spirites Therefore the Aungels when they tolde the shepeheardes how Christ was borne sayde that they brought them great ioye And that olde father Simeon filled with the feeling of this ioye desired to haue leaue to depart and to be deliuered from the prison of his body Paule also byddeth the Christians alwayes to reioyce bicause this ioye cannot be taken away by any aduersitie forasmuch as the godly vse to reioyce in afflictions as we sawe before in the Apostles which reioyced in that they were thought worthy for Christes sake to be scourged Therefore they are wicked and most vnkynde men that saye the Gospell is the cause of aduersitie and publike calamitie Wheras it is euident God sendeth such things bicause of mennes sinnes and disobedience But they are lyke vnto those which obiected the same vnto Ieremie saying that from the time he beganne to preache they felt all kyndes of distresse and miserie Furthermore to returne vnto Luke there fell out a great hindraunce vnto Christes kingdome thus luckily succeeding among the Samaritanes For Simon the sorcerer which long time had borne a swinge in that city had bewitched the miserable people with his magicall Artes. God would haue Philip his Apostles coped with this Merchant to thintent partly that we might knowe how there will be alway hypocrites in the Church at whose leuitie and falshoode no man shoulde be offended and partly that all men might knowe by an euident and infallible argument that the Apostles wrought their myracles by no magicall sleyghtes but by the power of God seeing that so famous a Magitian ouercome of them acknowledged in them a greater power than his was which power he thought he might with money haue purchased In lyke sort woulde God haue the Magitians of Egypt ioyne agaynst Moses Here it shall be profitable for vs diligently to consider euery person And first Philip sheweth vs a singuler example of valiaunt fayth For this Simon was no small hinderance vnto syncere doctrine bicause the errour of the Samaritanes was confirmed both with antiquitie and superstition For they did not onely thinke that Simon was indued with heauenly power but also they beleeued he was the very selfe power of god But Philip is feared neither with the iuglings of his Magicall enchauntments nor with the rooted error of the foolishe people but rather hath a respect to Christes comaundement who bade the Gospell shoulde also be preached in Samaria Let them followe such a minde as this whosoeuer haue any office committed vnto them whether they be publike or priuate persons For they must not be afrayde of Bugbeares which professe Christ whose power by so many arguments is prooued to be so great Let vs consider that he is stronger and greater that is in vs than he which rageth in the world This Simon is a notable ensample of a deceyuer whome a man might fitly compare with Baalam the false Prophet It is sayde that of long time he had bewitched the people of Samaria For being skilfull in Magicall sciences he shewed straunge woonders and chalenged to himselfe go dly honor calling himselfe not onely the great power of God but also God the father and the sonne and Helena his harlot the holy ghost as Epiphanius a most diligent searcher out of olde heresies hath written By this example we are taught that the Deuill is able to doe much by his Ministers not of his owne free power but by the permission of god For through Gods sufferaunce the Magitians of Egypt did handsomely imitate certayne of Moses myracles And the Witch at Saules request seemed to haue raysed vp Samuelles corpes out of the graue Wherewith may worthily be num bred the Oracles vttered long agone at Delphi or Pytheum although for the most part they were doubtfull in their signification Of lyke kynde are those things which we reade of Images whereof some haue spoken some haue gone out of their places and infinit others haue bene notable by reason of many myracles to say nothing of those which were manifest in the kingdome of Antichrist as Christ and his Apostles foretolde God permitteth these thinges by his iust iudgement partlye bicause of the wicked which deserue to be deceyued whereas they will not imbrace the truth as the examples of Pharao and Saule euidently prooue partlye for the elects sake whose faith must this waye be tryed that they maye learne to cleaue to the simple word of God and admit
nothing contrary to the same though it seeme neuer so worthy of authoritie And hereof the Lord himselfe giueth vs warning where he forbiddeth vs in the law to beleeue false Prophets although they confirmed their doctrine with myracles For the Lorde your God sayeth Moses tempteth you to see whether you loue the Lorde your God with all your heart c. Therefore they obiect myracles to vs in vaine which go about to perswade vs in things varying from Gods worde See 2. Thess. 2. Math. 24. Besides in Simon is set forth a manifest marke whereby a deceyuer may be knowne For he challengeth to himselfe godly honor which Satan chiefly desireth to th ende to spoyle God of his honor wherein he farre differeth from the good Aungels which refuse godly honor being offered them and put it ouer vnto god See Apocal. 19. and .22 And the faythfull seruaunts of God being well remembred of their naturall corruption be most free from this sacrilegall desire of godly honor and giue all the prayse to God for whatsoeuer they doe well and laudably Example hereof we haue seene before in Iohn and Peter and shall hereafter see the lyke in Paule Therfore let them be driuen from vs and clapped out of our company which dare to take vpon them any be it neuer so little a peece of diuine honor For he can be no faythfull seruant that will take vnto him his maisters glory Last of all we haue in the Samaritanes an example of the inconstancy and lightnesse of the Commons in that they yeelde to this crafty deceyuour and suffer themselues to be beguiled This is the propertie of the world to delite in deceyuers and to reioyce in deuisers of straunge subtelties But if there be any hope of neuer so little gayne yee shall see them who oughte to depend onely vpon the word of God by and by striken in a great rage They that in these dayes seeke after Soothsayers to heare tell of thinges lost or who hath taken them away giue vs examples of this madnesse And there be woorse than these which thinke diseases may be put awaye by incantations and certaine conceiued formes of wordes and with costly superstition hyre such as professe such kynd of witchcraft But the obedience of the Samaritanes being better instructed deserueth prayse This it becommeth vs to imitate and not to giue our studye to curious sciences which are long since plainely condemned by Gods sentence See Exod. 22. Leuit. 20. Deut. 18. Mich. 5. God the father hath appointed Iesus Christ to be our teacher and Sauiour Him it behooueth vs to heare and to doe his commaundement to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lviij. Homelie BVT assoone as they gaue credence to Philips preaching of the kingdome of GOD and of the name of Iesu Christ they were baptized both men and women Then Simon himselfe beleeued also And when he was baptized he continued with Phillip and woondered beholdyng the my racles and signes which were shewed When the Apostles which were at Ierusalem heard say that Samaria had receyued the worde of God they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn which when they were come downe prayed for them that they might receyue the holy Ghost For as yet he was come on none of them But they were baptized only in the name of Christ iesu Then layde they their handes on them and they receyued the holy ghost BIcause the kingdome of our Sauiour Iesus Christ was to be extended ouer all the world it was therfore necessary that the gospell by the teaching wherofmen are brought vnto Christ should be preached vnto all Nations whereof we haue seene how the Apostles receyued a commaundement of the Lorde himself being ready to ascende vp into heauen The great persecution which Luke sayth beganne at Ierusalem gaue an occasion of the putting this matter in execution For where before the tyme of this persecution the sermons of the Apostles sounded but in Ierusalem onely the other faithful ministers of Christ beyng thence dispersed beganne to preach in other places and had such good successe that within short space Phillip being come to Samaria wanne vnto Christ by his continuall preachyng the Gospell the people of the Citie which Simon long tyme had bewitched with his Magicall sciences For they contempning his Magicall conueyaunces began to giue eare vnto Christ to heare him only And how prosperously they tooke this thing in hand this present place declareth which setteth out vnto vs a more full constitution and ordering of that churche and most diligently sheweth the great going forwarde of those men in fayth and other gifts of the spirite First it is declared how they grew into one body of a congregation where he sayth Assone as they gaue credence to Philips preaching of the kingdome of God and of the name of Iesu Christ they were baptized both men and women Therefore this place is attributed chiefly to the beliefe which they gaue vnto Philips preaching in such sort that they thought his doctrine was confirmed with authority inough by the myracles which he wrought We learne therfore that through fayth congregations do duely grow in one are most stronglye knit with an inwarde bande For this Fayth only grafteth vs in Christ Iesu and maketh vs members of one body in him as Paule in many places testifieth Whervpon we euidently gather agayne that where men want faith there can be no church of Christ for such must needes be led with most variable and contrary senses and meanings We are taught by the example of the Samaritanes that the worde of God where men teache must be beleeued and that it must not be comptrolled by mans reason so that it shall nede euery day new authority For as Paule testifieth that the scriptures are inspired of GOD so the ministerye of the worde instituted of Christ in his church expressely teacheth the same Therfore whosoeuer beleeueth the ministers of Christ bringing Christes voyce and his worde we may saye hee beleeueth Christ and not men For vnto all suche belongeth this saying of Christ He that heareth you heareth me And whosoeuer receyueth hym that I sende receyueth me Wherefore Paule iudgeth the Thessalonians for this cause woorthy to be praysed for that they receyued his doctrine not as the worde of a man but as of an Aungell And the same prayse the Samaritanes deserue and as many as haue beleeued the Gospell according to their ensample Furthermore to this inwarde communion consisting of Fayth is ioyned also an outwarde bande of communion or societie For it is sayd that all as well men as women were baptized in the name of Iesus christ For as Christ chose his elect out of the world so will he haue them separated from the world and consecrated to himselfe onely To the which ende he requireth of them a playne confession of their fayth and furnisheth them wyth sacraments whereby they be