Helpe They crie out as if they were in extreame danger and they call vpon all men to helpe them as if all religion were in hazard Whereby we see with what furious hatred they were inflamed against Paul onely because in shewing that the full and perfite truth is found in Christ he taught that the figures of the Law had an end Now whereas they conceiue a false opinion hauing seene Trophymus they do more bewray by this headlong lightnes how venemous they be They accuse Paul of sacrilege Why because he brought into the Temple a man which was vncircumcised But they laid a most cruell crime to the charge of an innocent through a false opinion Thus the boldnesse of those men vseth commonly to bee preposterous who are carried away with an opinion conceiued before But let vs learne by such examples to beware of the distemperature of affections and not to let light preiudices haue the raine least we runne headlong vpon the innocent being carried with blind force 30 And the Citie was moued Wee see in this place the vanitie of the common people which count Paul a condemned man before euer they heare him Whereas the citie is moued about godlines it is no maruell but this is a point of peruerse zeale and mad rashnes in that they set themselues against Paule before they knowe his matter For in this corruption of nature frowardnes is ioined with foolishnes so that those will readily of their owne accord make haste to maintaine an euil cause who can hardly be moued with many exhortations to do well This is a hard case that the whole world should be armed against vs at a sodaine through the perswasion of a fewe but seeing it pleaseth the Lorde it should bee so let euery one of vs prepare himselfe by this and such like examples to suffer all manner assaults and to beare and abide albrunts 31 And as they sought to kill him it was told the captaine of the band that all Ierusalem was on an vprore 32 Who tooke with him streightway soldiars and vnder captaines and ranne downe vnto them But they when they saw the chiefe captaine and the soldiars left smiting of Paul 33 Then the chiefe captaine drew neere and tooke him and commanded him to be bounde with two chaines and hee asked what he was and what hee had done 34 And some cried one thing and some another among the people And when he could not know the truth by reason of the tumult he commanded him to be carried into the campe 35 And when he came to the staires it happened that he was carried of the soldiars because of the violence of the multitude 36 For the multitude of people followed crying Away with him 37 And when Paul began to be carried into the campe he saith to the captaine May I speake to thee who said canst thou speake Greeke 38 Art not thou that Egyptian which before these dayes madest an vprore and leddest into the wildernes fower thousand men which were murderers 39 And Paul saide I verely am a man which am a Iewe borne in Tharsus a citizen of no vile Citie of Cilicia But I beseech thee suffer me to speake to the people 40 And when he had giuen him leaue Paul standing vpon the staires beckoned with the hand vnto the people and when there was made great silence he spake in the Hebrew tongue saying 31 As they sought to kill him Assuredly the force of satan appeareth therein in that he driueth the people headlong into such rage that whē they haue shut the doares of the Temple being not content with meane punishment they conspire to put Paul to death Wee must thus thinke with our selues that Sathan doth pricke forward the enimies of godlinesse least their rage how cruell and troublesome so euer it be trouble vs. On the otherside appeareth the wonderfull goodnes of God when as he raiseth vp the chiefe captaine at a sodaine that hee may deliuer Paul from death He himselfe thought vpon no such thing but he came to appease the tumult which was raised among the people but the Lord sheweth a more euident token of his prouidence because Paul his life was deliuered from such present danger without mans counsell Thus doth he suffer the faithful not only to labor but to be almost oppressed that hee may deliuer them from death more wonderfully Luke calleth him the chiefe captaine of the band improperly seing euery chiefe captain was set ouer a thousand which doth also appeare by the text where he saith that the chiefe captaine tooke with him vndercaptaines 32 And when they saw the chiefe captaine Those whose furie neither the maiestie of God ne yet the reuerence of the temple could once stay begin to relent when they see a prophane man Wherby it appeareth that theye were set on fire rather with barbarous crueltie than zeale Nowe whereas the chiefe captaine bindeth Paul with chaines hee declareth thereby sufficiently that he came not to ease him The vnbeleeuers wold attribute this to fortune but the Spirit hath depainted out vnto vs the prouidence of God as in a table reigning amidst the confused vprores of men And though this be very hard that this holy minister of God is so shamefully handled yet the equitie of the chiefe captaine is to be commended if hee bee compared with the Iewes Hee bindeth him with chaines as if he were some euill doer or some wicked person yet doth he vouchsafe to heare him when he is bounde whom they did beat vnmercifully neither doeth hee determin to handle him hardly before he knew his cause Yea this was the best way to mitigate their cruelty because they thought that Paul should be punished immediatly 34 Some cried one thing and some another The madnesse of the raging people doth bewray it selfe on euery side They make horrible outcries whereof one is contrary to another Neuerthelesse they desire with one consent to haue him put to death who was conuict of no offence In the meane season we need not doubt but that they were blinded with a color of holy zeale but the truth of the cause wel known maketh mē truly zealous as it maketh them true martyrs of God but rage bewraieth diuellish madnes Whereas mention is made in this place of the campe or fortresse we must know that the soldiars which were placed to gard the City had a place which was trenched fortified on euerie side which they might defend as if it were a castle from which they might beat backe all assaultes if any sedition were raised For it had not been good for them to haue been dispearsed here and there in diuers Innes seeing the people were treacherous and the Citie troublesome And wee gather by this that the place was high because Luke saith that when they came to the steps Paul was carried of the soldiers And whether the soldiers did lift vp Paul on high that they might bring him safe to the station or campe
they doe all thinges so tyrannously that yet notwithstanding luste beareth a shew of right and libertie is driuen farre away and at length the truth may seem to be condemned by good right But the Lord bringeth vpon them a sodain feare so that they dare not do that which they can and which they do most of all desire whatsoeuer the Apostles shall bring in defence of their cause that shall remaine buried and shut vppe with the walles where there is none which doth beare them any fauour And therefore there is no place left for the truth Yet wee see how the Lord bringeth their counsell to nought whiles that beeing kept backe with feare of the people they stay themselues and bridle their furie to the ende they may auoid enuie But I maruell much why Luke doeth mâ—ke Annas the highest priest in this place seeing that it appeareth by Iosephus that this honour was not taken from Caiphas vntill Vitellius had entred Ierusalem to beare rule after that Pilate was commanded to depart vnto Rome All men graunt that the Lord was crucified in the eighteenth yeere of Tiberius And that empire did continue foure yeres longer And it must needs be that there were 3. yeres complete after the death of Christ before Pilate was put from the office of the proconsull For when Tiberius was dead he came to Rome So that Caiphas was hie priest yet 3. yeeres after the death of Christ Wherfore it is to be thoght that that wherof Luke speaketh in this place did not happeÌ„ immediatly after the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ Althogh the dout caÌ„not thus be answered For Iosephus reporteth that Ionathas was chosen into the place of Caiphas but because this Ionathas was the sonne of Annas it is a thing not vnlike to bee true that the sonne was called by the name of the father as Caiphas also had two names for they did also call him Ioseph 7 In what power They do yet seeme to haue some zeale of God For they feigne that they are carefull that the honor due vnto God may not bee giuen to any other Name is taken in this place for authoririe In summe they deal as if they were most earnest defenders maintainers of Gods glory In the mean season their importunatenes is wonderful in that they go about to driue the apostles to make deniall by asking many questions concerning a manifest matter to wring out by fear some â—â—her thing than they had confessed But God doeth bring their craftie wilinesse to naught maketh them heare that which they woulde not 8 Peter being filled with the holy Ghost It is not without great cause that Luke addeth this to the ende wee may know that Peter spake not with such a maiestie of himself And surely seeing hee had denied his master Christ being afraid at the voice of a sielie woman he should haue vtterly fainted in such an assembly Mat. 26.70 wheÌ„ he did only behold their pomp vnles he had been vpholden by the power of the Spirite He had great need of wisdome strength He excelleth in both these so much that his answer is in deed diuine He is another maner of man here than he was before Furthermore this profiteth vs two maner of wayes For this title or coÌ„mendation is of no small force to set foorth the doctrine which shall followe immediatly when it is saide that it came from the holy God And we are taught to craue at the hands of the Lord the Spirit of wisedome and strength when we make profession of our faith to direct our hearts minds The fulnes of the spirit is taken for a large no coÌ„moÌ„ mesure 9 If we be iudged Vndoubtedly Peter layeth tyrannie to the charge of the Priestes the Scribes because they examine them vniustly concerning a benefit which deserueth praise as if he and his felow had coÌ„mitted some haynous offence If saith he wee bee accused for this cause because we haue made a sick man whole Peter hath in this place more respect vnto the wicked affection of the mind than vnto the very order of the question For if vnder colour of a miracle the Apostles woulde haue drawen away the people from the true sincere worshippe of God they should haue been worthily called to answere for themselues because religion doth far excell all the good thinges of this present life But seeing they hauing no cause at al did wickedly make an offence of that which they ought to haue honored Peter being supported with this coÌ„fidence doth at the first gird them wittily with a taunting preface because they sit as iudges to condemne good deedes Yet he toucheth this point but lightly that he may passe ouer vnto the matter 10 Be it knoweÌ„ vnto you Peter might as I haue alredy said haue turned aside vnto many starting holes if hee would not haue entred the cause but because the myracle was wrought to this ende that the name of Christ might be glorified he descendeth by and by vnto this For hee knewe that he was the minister of such excellent power of GOD that he might haue a seale to confirme his doctrine In the meane while the wicked will they nill they are enforced to heare that which they would haue had buried full deepe When they haue done what they can this is all they cause Peter to auouch and obiect to their faces that wherewith they were so grieued when it was spoken to others And first he maketh Christ the authour of the myracle Secondly because it seemed to be an absurde and vncredible thing that a deade man should bee endewed with diuine power he testifieth that Christ is aliue because God hath raised him vp from the deade howsoeuer they had crucified him So that the myracle giueth him occasion to preach the resurrection of Christ And by this testimonie Peter meant to prooue that he was the true Messias He saith that they had crucified him not onely to the end he may vpbraide this vnto them that they may acknowledge their fault but also that they may vnderstand that they haue in vaine striuen against God and so consequently cease to rage so vnluckely and with such deadly successe 11 This is the stone He confirmeth by testimonie of Scripture that it is no new thing that the ringleaders of the Church which haue glorious titles giuen them and haue the chiefe roome in the Temple of God haue notwithstanding wickedlie reiected Christ Therefore hee citeth a place out of the hundreth and eighteenth Psalme Psa 118.22 where Dauid complaineth that he is reiected of the Captaine of the people and yet notwithstanding hee boasteth that hee was chosen of God to haue the chiefe roome Moreouer hee compareth the Church or the state of the kingdome by an vsuall metaphor to a building Hee calleth those which haue the gouernment the masters of the woorke and hee maketh himselfe the principall stone whereon the whole building is staied and grounded Fot that
number of men yet were they not vnlike to a bush For the thicker the bush is and the more store of shrubbes it hath the more subiect is it to take fire that it may burn on euery side so the people of Israel were but a weake band and such as was laide open to all iniuries and this vnwarlike multitude being pressed downe euen with their owne weight hadde incensed the crueltie of Pharao onely with the prosperous successe of increasing Therefore the people being oppressed with cruell tyrannie is as it were a pile of woode set on fire at euery corner neither is there any thing which keepeth it from being consumed to ashes saue this because the Lord sitteth in the middest thereof And although the vndoubted fire of persecution did then burne yet because the Church of God is neuer free from afflictions in the world the continuall estate thereof is after a sort painted out in this place For what other thing are wee but fewell for fire And there flie abroad innumerable fire brands of Sathan continually which set on fire both our bodies and also our mindes but the Lord deliuereth defendeth vs by his wonderful and singular goodnes from being consumed Therefore the fire must needs burne that it may burne vs in this life but because the Lord dwelleth in the mids of vs he shall so preserue vs that afflictions shal do vs no harme as it is also said in the sixe and fourtith Psalme Psalm 46.6 31 He wondered at the vision Let vs know that God did vse thus to deale with our fathers that they might assuredly know his maiestie For hee meant to make a manifest distinctiō betwene the visions which he shewed and the iuggling casts of Satan And this certaintie is more necessarie For what credit should the Oracles of God otherwise carry wherein the couenant of eternall life is contained Therfore forasmuch as this a loue is the true stay of faith it must needs haue God to bee the authour therof that he may vndoubtedly declare that it is he that speaketh Again forasmuch as Satan walketh about continually doth by many strange shifts insinuate himself and hath so many wayes to deceiue and especially seing he doth pretend the name of God craftilie we must take great heed of his mocks We see how in times past hee deluded all nations and the Papists also For all the monsters of superstitions al the dotings of errors which were in times past and do as yet reigne in popery did proceede from dreames visions and false reuelations Yea furthermore euen the Anabaptists haue their illusions thence Therefore this is the onely remedie that God do distinguish by certaine markes those visions which he sheweth For then are we without dāger of erring whē he hath reuealed his maiestie vnto vs. For this cause was the minde of Moses striken with admiration and then afterward he draweth neere to consider after that he is come neerer the Lorde toucheth him with a more liuely feeling of his presence so that he is afraide For I confesse that ther is none of al these things which Satā cannot imitate yet falsely like an Ape And the Lord doth not only shew himself by such signes but helping our dulnes he doth also open our eyes that we may not be deceiued Againe the holy ghost doeth imprint in our minds certaine marks tokens of Gods presence that there may no doubt remain 32 I am the God of thy fathers Now we see to what end the vision was offered to Moses to wit that the word of God might haue his authoritie For bare visions should do but a little good vnlesse doctrine were ioyned therwithal And it is ioyned with them not as an inferior part but as the cause of al visions the end And whereas he calleth himselfe the God of Abraham Isaach and Iacob there is a double reason why hee calleth himselfe so As the maiestie of God is infinite if we will comprehend it it doth rather swallow vp our senses if we indeuor to ascend vnto it we vanish away Therefore he adorneth himselfe with titles vnder which we may comprehend him But we must marke that God maketh choise of such titles as that he may by them call vs backe vnto his word For he is called the God of Abraham Isaach and Iacob for this cause because he committed vnto them the doctrine of saluation that he might thereby be made knowne to the worlde But God had respect properly vnto the present circumstance when he spake to Moses on this wise For both this vision and the hope of the deliuerie of the people and the commandement which he was about to giue to Moses did depend vpon the couenant which he had made in times past with the fathers So that the suspition of noueltie is taken way and the minde of Moses is lifted vp to hope for redemption which was grounded in the olde promise Therefore this title is as much as if God had saide I which haue promised in times past to your fathers that I haue a care of your safetie which haue taken the kinred of Abraham to my tuition by a free couenant yea which haue appointed this time for an end of your bondage I appeare now vnto thee that I may performe that which I promised Like as at this day all the promises of God must leane be stayed vpon this foundation that they may be sure and certaine to vs that God hath adopted vs in Christ and hath promised that hee will bee our God and our father And Christ gathereth out of this place by good reason that the godly liue after they be deade Mat. 22.32 For if the whole man perish in death this were an vnfitte speech I am the God of Abraham Let vs suppose that there is no Rome shall not hee bee laught at which shal call himselfe Consul of Rome For this is requisite in Relation that the members be aunswerable betweene themselues There is also another reason to be considered that for as much as God hath in his hand both life and death without all doubt he preserueth those aliue whose father he will be and whom hee counteth his children Therefore though Abraham Isaach and Iacob died concerning the flesh yet doe they liue in spirite with God And Moses being afraide This might seeme to bee an absurde thing that a voyce full of consolation doeth rather terrifie Moses than make him glad but it was good for Moses to bee thus terrified with the presence of God that hee might frame himselfe vnto the greater reuerence Neither doeth the voice of God alone strike his minde but his maiestie whereof he saw a signe in the burning bush And what marueile is it if man bee afriade when hee feeth God And especiallie let vs remember that mens mindes are by this meanes prepared vnto feare reuerence as in Exod. xx Thou hast seen signes Exod. 20.22 thou hast heard the sound of the
separation was pulled downe and the couenant of life is nowe common to them both alike he saith that those are not to be counted aliants who are made partakers of Gods adoption 29 We must also note that which hee addeth that he came without gainesaying For this is the holy silence of faith when as without murmuring against God we receiue that meekely which he commandeth abandoning all contrary reasons which intrude themselues 30 Then saith Cornelius Foure dayes agoe vntill this houre I was fasting and about the ninth houre I praied at my house and behold a man stoode before me in a shining garment 31 Who said Cornelius thy praier is heard and thy almes is come into remembrance before God 32 Therefore send men to Ioppa and fetch Simon whose surname is Peter this man lodgeth in the house of Simon the tanner when he shall be present he shal speake to thee 33 Therefore after that houre I sent vnto thee and thou hast done well that thou art come Therefore all we are now present before God to heare all things which are appointed for thee of God Because this answere of Cornelius containeth onely the bare repetition of the historie I shall not need to stand long about that The sum is that he called Peter at the commandement of God 30 I was fasting Many greeke bookes haue emen I sate The olde interpreter omitteth the word Fasting which I thinke was done through errour or negligence because it is expressed in all the Greeke bookes Furthermore hee maketh expresse mention of fasting partly that wee may know that he praied not coldly or ouerfields at that time secondly that the vision may be the lesse suspected For doubtlesse the braine of a man that is fasting where there is moderate sobrietie doeth not easily admit anie strong imaginations wherein appeare images and strange formes whereby men are disceiued Therefore Cornelius his meaning is that he was earnestly bent to pray at such time as the Angel appeared to him and that his minde was free from all such lets which vse to make men subiect to fantasies imaginations And to the same end tendeth the circumstance of time tha◠this was done when it was now faire day light three houres before the going downe of the sunne A man stoode in shining garment Hee calleth him a man who he knew was an Angel of God but it is a common thing for the name of the visible forme wherein God or his Angels appeare to bee translated vnto him or them So Moses doth sometimes cal them Angels sometimes men which appeared to Abraham in shape of men The shining garment was a token of heauenly glory and as it were a signe of the diuine maiesty which appeared in the Angel The Euangilistes declare that there was such brightnes in Christs garment when he shewed his glory to the three disciples in the mount The same thing do they witnesse of the Angels which were sent to testifie Christes resurrection For as the Lord beareth with our infirmitie thus farre that hee commaundeth his Angels to descend vnder forme of our flesh so he casteth out vpon them certaine beames of his glory that the commandements which he hath committed to them may be the more reuerenced and beleeued Heere ariseth a question whether that were a true and naturall bodie whether that were a garment in deed or Cornelius did only see such a shape and shew And though this be not so necessarie to bee knowne and wee can scarse affirme any thing for a truth yet it seemeth to me more probable as touching coniecture that God to whom it belongeth to create all things gaue to the Angel a true body and did cloath the same with a most gorgeous garment But so soone as the Angel had ended his imbassage I thinke he was restored to his owne nature the body and garment being brought to nought and that hee suffered no humane thing so long as he was in the shape of man 33 Therefore we are all now present To the end Peter may be more readie and willing to teach Cornelius affirmeth that himselfe and the rest will be apt to bee taught and ready to obey God for this serueth not a litle to moue the teacher to take paines with the hearers when as hee hopeth assuredly that they shall profite thereby These words before God may haue a double meaning they may either be an oath or Cornelius may thereby simply professe that that company was gathered togither at his house as in the sight of God that they may heare mans voyce in like sort as if it proceeded out of Gods owne mouth Whethersoeuer you choose there shal be alwaies one end For to the end Cornelius may the more procure the credite of his synceritie he testifieth that he hath God before his eyes whom no man may mock by dissimulation And assuredly so oftē as the word of God is set before vs we must thus thinke with our selues that wee haue not to deale with a mortall man but that God is present and doth call vs. For from this respect of God ariseth the maiestie of Gods worde and reuerence in hearing the same Notwithstanding he seemeth to promise vnaduisedly for others in a matter so weightie for who can be a fit borrow for another mans faith But because euery man had promised obedience for himselfe hee doth for good causes hope that they were so affectioned and vndoubtedly we may thinke that they had promised that they would bee obedient to his sayings so soone as the matter was shewed them and that euen then euery one confirmed by himself that which one had spoken in the name of all To heare all things This only is true faith when wee embrace not the one halfe of the worde of God alone but addict our selues wholly vnto it and yet notwithstanding there bee few examples in the world of this full and vniuersall faith For the more part doth not submit themselues to the doctrine of God as if they had made a couenant with God saue onely so farre forth as it pleaseth them if any thing displease them they either carelesly contemne or mislike the same But Cornelius doth wisely distinguish betweene God and man for he maketh God the authour of the doctrine and leaueth nothing for man besides the ministery and embassage Thou shalt saith he haue attentiue scholars and those which will be obedient in all things which God hath commaunded thee that he alone may be principall and thou onely his minister that hee alone may speake but out of thy mouth Which thing God prescribeth to all his seruants in the person of Ezechiel Take saith he the word out of my mouth Ezec. 33.7 and thou shalt shew vnto them from me 34 And Peter opening his month said Of a truth I finde that God is no accepter of persons 35 But in euery nation he that feareth him and doth righteousnes is accepted of him 36 Concerning the thing which God sent
yeeres of age 1. 1. 2. 1. How daungerous the deniall of Christ is 3. 17. and 5. 40. and 26. 10. Christ his comming is comfortable to the godly but fearefull to the wicked 14. 23. The afflictions of the church are common to Christ 9. 5. Christs assention is one of the principall poyntes of the christian fayth 1. 9. Howe great the authority of Christ is 3. 23. Christes body is not infinite 1. 11. How Christs body is in heauen 1. 11. and 7. 56. All the sayinges of Christ are not sette downe in writing 20. 35. How great the dignity of Christ is 10. 38. and 17. 31. Howe necessarye the knowledge of christ his doctrine is 1. 1. The summe of christ his doctrine 1. 3. Christs glorie is wonderful 8. 33. What great account we ought to make of the glory of christ 11. 25. and 26. 10. Christ his grace reacheth vnto all degrees 17. 11 Christ his grace must not bee separated from his presence 26. 19 How we must handle the contemners of the grace of christ 13. 40. How gently christ dealeth with those that be his 10. 41. Christ his innocency 13. 28. How great the maiesty of christ is 2. 34. and 9. 3. and 13. 25. To what ende christ his miracles did tend 10. 38. Christ his death was slanderous 5. 30. Christ his death was foretold 8. 32. Christs death is liuely 8. 32. Christ his death was voluntarie 8. 37. To beare the name of christ 9. 15 Christ his office 1. 1. 5. and 2. 33. and 3. 25. and 10. 43. and 13. 38. and 17 3. and 26. 22. Christ his kingdom was in times past shadowed by figures 21. 7. Christ his kingdom is eternal 2. 35. 8. 33. and 13. 34. Christ his kingdom is spiritual 17. 7 Christ his kingdome is neuer quiet in the world 4. 25. The nature of christ his kingdom 1. 6. The ornaments of christ his kingdom 21. 9. The perfection of christ his kingdom is deferred til the last day 3. 21. Christ his resurrection is true 13. 30. 33. Christ his resurrection is a principall point of the gospel 1. 21. Christ his resurrection is as it were the accomplishing of the gospel 4. 33. The knowledge of christ his resurrection is very necessary 1. 3. The vse of christs resurrection 13. 34. The voluntary sacrifice of Christ 8. 32 Christs triumph in death 8. 33. Christ his victory gotten of his aduersaries 8. 33. Christes life lasteth euer Ibid. The force of the voyce of Christ 9. 40. The difference betweene Christ his Apostles 3. 13. The comparing of Christe and Iohn baptist together 1. 5. The difference betweene Christ the pastors or ministers of the word 1. 5. and 7. 36. and 11. 16. All things are subiect to Christ 7. 59. and 9. 5. Christianitie cannot be without doctrine 9. 36. The true rule of christianity 1. 1. The summe of christianity 1. 3. and 2. 38. and 8. 32. Christians were somtimes called disciples 9. 36. 14. 23. 18. 22. 21 4. Who be true christiās 14. 23. 15. 22. How farre forth Christians ought to flee persecution 11. 20. Chrysostomes place 8. 33. 36. 18. 3 Ciceroes place 9. 25. and 17. 21. In what sence Circumcision is called the eternal couenant 15. 9. There hath alwaies been a Church in the world 23. 6. How hurtfull domesticall aduersaries are 15. 1. 20 30. How the restoring of the Churche ought to be accomplished 1. 17. The maiesty of the Church 5. 15. The warfare of the Church is not yet come 3. 21. Foure markes of the Church 1. 42. The peace of the Church is of no long continuance 12. 1. The perpetuity of the church is auouched in the person of Christ 8. 33. The persecutors of the Church shal be sore punished 1. 20. 9. 5. Why the Church did erre so long 14. 16. The Churche may erre in the election of Min. 6. 5. The Church hath alwayes something which may be reformed 6. 1. The Church is assaulted on euery side for diuers causes 12. 3. How hard and laborious the edifying of the Church is 18. 11. The condition of the Church is stable in the manifestation of Christ 2. 17. The state of the Church 7. 30. Looke the state of the faithful The true and right ordering of the Church 15. 16. The perpetuall gouernement of the church belongeth to Christ 10. 42. The church is the body of Christ 1. 18. The Churche is the house of God 9. 31. The Churche is compared to a buylding 4. 11. The Church is the temple of God 9. 31. The domestical Church 10. 2. The church gathered of the Iewes and Gentiles 15. 16. The church was for the most part gathered of the cōmon sort of mē 9. 43 How precious the Church is to God 20. 28. The church ought not to bee wythout discipline 3. 1. The church cannot be without an ordinary ministery 14. 23. How the church increased 1. 15. 2. 41. 4. 32. 5. 14. and 6. 1. 7. and 9 32. and 11. 19. and 13. 49. and 16. 5. 16. and 17. 12. and 19. 1. 20. The state of the Churche among the Iewes in the time of the Apostles 2. 7. The horrible dissipation of the church of Ierusalem in the time of Paul 23. 2. Principal Churches serue not a litle to keep other churches in order 15. 36 How farre we must imitate the example of Churches 15. 1. How profitable and necessary the vnity of Churches is 8. 14. Circumcision was to the Iewes a tokē and pledge of free adoption 7. 8. Whence some gather that the Iewes ought at this day to obserue circumcision with the appurtenances therof 15. 21. and 16. 3. Cōmon for that which is profane 10. 14 The cōplaint of Gregory Nazianzene of the successe of councels 15. 2. Brotherly concord is commended 1. 14 and 4. 32. Auricular confession of the papistes 19. 19. The conscience hath two parts 24. 16. Security of Conscience is very necessary 10. 20. An euill conscience driueth men vnto madnesse 7. 26. Examples of an euill conscience 5. 2. and 6. 12. Consent of the wicked in oppressing the gospel of Christ 23. 6. The Consolation of the faithfull 3. 20. and 4. 18. and 5. 17. 41. 7. 55. 59. and 8. 2. 9. 5. 37. and 12. 3. 23 and 14. 21. and 22. 7. Conspiracie to put Paul to death 23. 12. Contention is to be auoyded 23. 9. 10 Corinthus a sumptuous and populous citie 18. 1. How long Paul preached the gospel at Corinthus 18 11. Cornelius the Centurion 10. 1. 2. Cornelius was brought vnto the faith of Christ after an heauenly maner 10. 3. Cornelius was one of the faithfull before Peter was sent vnto him 10. 4. Wherin Cornelius offended in giuing honor to Peter 10. 25. Cornelius his willing obedience 10. 7. Couetousnes is condemned 5. 1. 10 2. and 19. 24. and 20. 33. How great the authority of Councels is 15. 2. 28. The decree