look to but light did bring with it The false Apostles did auouch that no man could attaine vnto saluation vnlesse he did keepe the ceremonies If mans saluation be tyed to workes it shall be no longer grounded in the grace of Christ and so by this meanes free reconciliatiō shal fall flat to the ground Now seeing that mans strength is vnable to keepe the law all men are subiect to the curse which the Lorde there denounceth against the trangressours and so by this means all men shall come in daunger of despayre seeing that they see themselues giltie of eternal death by the law Peraduenture the false apostles vnderstood these things craftily But Peter pearceth the very fountain that he may bring to light the deadly poyson of that doctrine and thus must we do so often as Satan doth craftily thrust in wicked errours At this day we seem to some to be too contentious when as we do so stoutly stand in this that men must not pray for the dead For it is both a most auncient custome neither is it a thing to looke to very dangerous though men powre out superfluous prayers yet it is a plausible opinion because it carrieth some colour of humane godlines Furthermore vnskilfull men iudge thus because they seeke not out the head spring For if we graunt that men may pray for the dead wee must also admit this that they are nowe punished by the iudgement of God because they made not satisfaction in this life for their sinnes And so by this means the force of Christes satisfaction is translated vnto the workes of men secondly the rule of praying aright is ouerthrowen if mē may pray at all aduenture without the word of God this is also a greater absurditie than that we ought lightly to passe ouer it In sum we can neuer giue true iudgement of any question vnlesse hauing throughlye ript vp the fountain of that doctrine which is called in question we deduct all consequents which it bringeth with it Therefore it is no maruell if Peter to the end he may pull the false apostles out by the eares as it were out of their lurking dennes doe generally dispute touching the whol law because he doth nothing els but open the matter it self wherof the simple were ignorant that they may all see what a deadly doctrin it is which doth both extinguish the grace of Christ and drown soules in the horrible dungeon of despaire Neither we nor our fathers Peter doth not only dispute what men haue done in deed but what they were able to do neither doth he speake only of the common riffe raffe but of the holy fathers Seeing that hee denyeth that they were able to beare the yoke of the lawe it is manifest that the law cannot possibly be kept I know that Ierome his saying is so generally receiued that it is as it were an vndoubted and most certaine maxime If any man say that it is a thing vnpossible to keepe the law let him be accurssed but we must not hearken to any voice of man whiche is contrary to the iudgement of the Spirit of God Wee heare what the Spirit pronounceth in this place by the mouth of Peter not concerning the will and workes of men but touching their habilitie and power And hereunto agreeth Paule affirming that it was an vnpossible thing that the lawe should giue vs life forasmuch as it was weak through the flesh In deed if any man were able to fulfill the law he shoulde finde the life which is there promised but forasmuch as Paule denyeth that life can bee gotten by the lawe it followeth that ther is farther higher righteousnesse required there then man is able to perfourme I confesse in deed that Ierome doth not wholy graunt to the strength of nature power to fulfill the law but partly also to the grace of God as hee doth afterward expound himselfe that a faithfull man holpen by the grace of the Spirite may bee said to bee able to fulfill the law But euen that mitigation is not true For if we do weigh the strength of nature only men shall not only be vnable to beare the yoke of the lawe but they shall not be able to moue so much as a finger to perfourme the least iote of the law And surely if that be true that all the cogitations of mans mind are wicked from his childhood that all the vnderstandings of flesh are enemies to god that there is none which seeketh after God and other such places which are common in the Scripture tending to the same ende Gen. 8.21 Rom. 8.7 Psal 14.3 Rom. 3.11 but especially which are cited by Paul in the third to the Romans man his power and abilitie to fulfill the law shal not only be weake and lame but altogether none to begin Therfore we must thus thinke that euen the very faithfull after they being regenerate by the spirite of God doe studie to attaine vnto the righteousnesse of the law doe perfourme notwithstanding but the halfe and far lesse then half not the whole For doutlesse Peter speaketh not in this place of the Epicure or profane mē but of Abraham of Moses and of other holy fathers which wer the most perfect in the world yet he saith that these fainted vnder the burden of the law because it did passe their strēgth It is hatefully obiected that the spirit of God is blasphemed when as abilitie to fulfill the lawe is taken away from his grace and help but we may readily answere because the question is not what the grace of the spirit is able to doe but what that measure of grace is able to do which God doth diuide to euery one in this life For we must alwayes consider what God doth promise to do neither let vs vnaduisedly aske this question whether that can be done which he himself doth testifie shall neuer be and which he wil not haue done He promiseth the grace aid of the Spirit to the faithful wherby they may be able to resist the lusts of the flesh to subdue them yet shal they not quite abolish driue them away Hee promiseth them grace wherby they may walk in newnes of life yea shal they not be able to run so swiftly as the law requireth For he wil haue them kept vnder during their whole life that they may flie to beg pardon If it be vnlawfull to separate from the power of god his counsell the order by him set down it is a foolish and vain cauill whereby the aduersaries goe about to burden vs when as they say that we diminish the power of God nay rather they transforme God when they holde that his counsell purpose can bee altered The Pelagians did in times past in like sort burthen Augustine Hee aunsweareth that though it bee a thing possible that the law shoulde be fulfilled yet is that sufficient for him that no man did euer fulfill it and that the Scripture doth not
testifie that it shall bee fulfilled vntill the end of the worlde By which wordes hee deliuereth himselfe from their importunate subtiltie But there was no cause why he should doubt but freely and flatly graunt that it might be fulfilled the holy ghost being the author For we must limit the grace of the spirit that it may agree with the promises Furthermore we haue alreadie declared how farre the promises reache There is no man which moueth anie question concerning this whether god be not able if he wil to make men perfect but they dote foolishe which separate his power from his counsell whereof they haue an euident plaine testimonie in the scripture God doeth plainely declare an hundreth times what hee will and what he hath determined to doe to goe any farther is sacrilege Hierom was inforced by reason of philosophie to hurl out the thunderbolt of his curse against Peter and Paule because the lawes must bee applied vnto their habilitie for whom they be appointed which as I confesse to take place in mans lawes so I vtterly denie that it is good as touching the lawe of God which in exacting righteousnes doth not respect what mā is able to doe but what he ought to doe Though here ariseth a harder question whether the lawe were not giuen to this end that it might enforce men to obey God And this should be in vain vnlesse the Spirit of god should direct the faithfull to keepe it and that solemne protestation of Moses seemeth to put the matter out of doubt when he saith that hee giueth preceptes to the Iewes not such as they may read but in deed fulfill Deu. 30. Deu. 30.12 Whence we gather that the yoke was laid vpon the necke of the Iewes when the law was giuen that it might make them subiect to God that they might not liue as them lusted I answere that the lawe is counted a yoke two wayes For in as much as it brideleth the lustes of the flesh and deliuereth a rule of godly holy life it is meet that the children of God take this yoke vpon them but in as much as it doth exactly prescribe what we owe to God and doth not promise life without adding the condition of perfect obedience and doth againe denounce a curse if we shall in any point offend it is a yoke which no man is able to beare I will shewe this more plainely The plaine doctrine of good life wherein God doth inuite vs vnto himselfe is a yoke which we must all of vs willingly take vp For there is nothing more absurd then that God should not gouerne mans life but that hee should wander at pleasure without any bridle Therefore we must not refuse the yoke of the law Leuit. 18.5 Deu. 27.26 if the simple doctrine thereof be considered But these sayinges doe otherwise qualifie that I may so terme it the law He which shall do these things shall liue in thē c. Again Cursed is hee which continueth not in all thinges which are written that it may begin to bee a yoke which no man can beare For so long as saluation is promised ro the perfect keeping of the law alone euerie transgression is called into iudgement mankinde is vtterly vndoone In this respect doeth Peter affirme that God is tempted when mans arrogancie doth burthen the consciences of men with the Lawe For it is not his purpose to denie but that men must be gouerned by the doctrine of the lawe and so he graunteth that they be vnder the law not simply to teach but also to humble men with the gilt of eternall death considering that that qualitie was annexed vnto doctrin he affirmeth that the soules of the godly must not be tied with the yoke of the lawe because by this meanes it shoulde of necessitie come to passe that they should be drowned in eternall destruction But when as not only the grace of the holy Spirit is present to gouerne vs but also free forgiuenesse of sinnes to deliuer and acquit vs from the curse of the Lawe then is that of Moses fulfilled that the commandement is not aboue vs Deut. 30.11 Mat. 11.30 and then doe we also perceiue how sweet the yoke of Christ is how light his burden is For because we know that through the mercy of God that is forgiuen vs which is wanting through the infirmitie of the flesh Wee doe cheerefully and without any griefe take vpon vs that which hee inioyneth vs. Wherefore so that the rigour of the lawe be taken away the doctrine of the Lawe shall not only be tollerable but also ioyfull pleasant neither must we refuse the bridle which doth gouerne vs mildly doth not vrge vs sorer then is expedient 11 By the grace of Iesus Christ Peter compareth these two together as contrary the one to the other to haue hope in the grace of Christ to be vnder the yoke of the law Which comparison doth greatly set out the iustification of Christ in as much as we gather thereby that those are iustified by faith who beeing free and quit from the yoke of the lawe seeke for saluation in the grace of Iesus Christ Furthermore I said before that the yoke of the lawe is made of two coardes The former is He which doth these things shall liue in them The other Cursed is euery one which doth not continue in all the commaundements Let vs returne vnto the contrarie member If we cannot otherwise attaine vnto saluation by the grace of Christ vnlesse the yoke of the lawe be taken away it followeth that saluation is not placed in keeping the law neither are those which beleeue in Christ subiect to the curse of the lawe For if he could be saued through grace who is as yet in wrapped in the yoke of the lawe then should Peters reasoning be but foolishe which is drawen from contraries thus We hope for saluatiō by the grace of Christ therfore we are not vnder the yoke of the lawe Vnlesse ther were a disagreement between the grace of Christ and the yoke of the law Peter should deceiue vs. Wherefore those must needes depart from the righteousnesse of the law whosoeuer desire to finde life in Christ For this contrarietie appertaineth not vnto doctrine but vnto the cause of iustification Whereby is also refuted their surmise who say that we are iustified by the grace of Christ because he regenerateth vs by his Spirit giueth vs strength to fulfil the law those who imagin this thogh they seem to ease the yoke of the law a little yet they keep soules bound with both the cordes therof For this promise shall alwayes stand in force He which shall do these thinges shall liue in them on the otherside the curse shal com vppon all which shall not absolutely fulfill the lawe Wherefore wee must define the grace of Christe farre otherwise whereunto the hope of saluation leaneth then they dreame to wit that it bee free reconciliation
mediatour betweene GOD and the worlde if hee haue forged daylie Sacrifices that hee maie put them in Christes place if hee haue inuented a thousande satisfactions for sinnes if hee haue brought fained washings from the lake of hell to make drie the bloode of the sonne of God if hee haue put in his place infinite patrons if he haue torne in a thousande peeces that righteousnesse which must bee set whollie from him if in steed of the holie Ghost he haue erected mans freewill it is without all question that the true Christ is banished farre from papistrie For this cause haue I saide that the Papistes make boast of a deade carkasse in steed of the liuelie bodie of Christ because though they haue extinguished the Doctrine of the Gospel which is the true soule of the Church which duly doth quicken the same yet they do greatly boast of a shadowish trifling kind of church Wee make it full well knowne howe corrupt the puritie of doctrine is amongst them yea with what monstrous errors it is polluted They doe not onely couer all their corruptions vnder the shadow of the Church but also complaine that we doe great iniurie to the Church because we say that the same doeth erre But they shoulde first haue examined the doctrine that the Church might thereby be knowne These iust and honest iudges wil haue the feigned title of doctrine to haue sufficient force of preiudice to couer and suppresse the difference and that not to disceiue men For with what sleights and leigerdemaine would they assaie to bleare euen daseling eies in so great light But because they accompt this libertie of lying a part of their tyrannie they thinke they reigne not as they woulde vnlesse they reprochfully mocke miserable soules That wee may fet an example no farther wee haue seene in our times sometime the Tridentine Fathers sometimes the Fathers of Bononia who although they were euen at daggers drawing among themselues yet did they fome out their vaine Canons on both sides And surely if men assent to their principles the triumph shall be prepared on both sides There sit there I cannot tell how manie Bishops and Abbats peraduenture an hundred horned beastes If the most fine flower of all the nation should shine there yet should it be nothing else but a wicked conspiracie against God And nowe after that the Pope hath gathered togither the branne and chips of his vncleane and filthy rotten flocke shall the representatiue Church suddainly appeare there And are they not yet ashamed to cal that an holy general and lawful Councel which doth not deserue so much as to be called a vaine and Comicall visure of a Councel But as for vs to whom the promise is made that Antichrist who sitteth in the temple of God shall be destroyed with the breath of the Lords mouth let not vs I say cease to refute this filthie and whorish impudencie with that most sacred worde which they so boldlie mocke that al men may see what difference there is betweene the chast spouse of Christ and the stinking whore of Beliall betweene the sanctuarie of God and the Brothelhouse of Satan betweene the spirituall house of the godly and the stie of hogges and finallie betweene the true Church and the court of Rome There can no more certaine or plaine demonstration be brought concerning this matter either by Euclide either yet by Archimedes then if the Church as Luke describeth it be compared with the popish Synagogue Neither am I so streit that I would haue that confused lumpe being altogither repugnant vnto the order of nature and manner of humanitie to be agreeable in al points to the rule of the Apostles which is Angelicall and heauenlie If they can shew any thing wherein they are like vnto them they may triumph for me But for as much as all things are contrarie althogh the more part of men become blind willingly at leastwise seeing the whole heauens doe allow vs we may not onely contemne their braine sicke pride without any feare but also freely speake euill of the same In the meane season we haue no small consolation to support vs that howsoeuer the Papists doe set against vs with sterne countenance the name and title of the Church yet we know that we fight onely against the professed enimies of Christ We ought aboue all thinges to desire that the most renowmed king who according to his wisedome hath long agoe spied out the subtile sleights of the Romish court commanding those vain Buls to auoide wherein the Councel boasteth a farr off may at length more freelie applie his minde vnto the earnest and perfect restoring of the Church Yet ought no lingering to keepe you back but euery one of you must with might and maine indeuour to enlarge and spreade abroade those beginnings which are begun to arise so happilie Farewell most excellent Lord and right renowmed Prince The Lord alwaies gouerne you with his spirite amplifie by all meanes your dignitie and blesse your godlie enterprises euen vnto the ende At Geneua the first of August 1560. The argument vpon the Actes of the Apostles TO the intent that all godly men may with more diligence reade this historie and also be more desirous thereof it shall not be without profite briefly to note what commoditie they shall reape thereby This is the chiefest praise that a prophane historie hath namely that it is the maistres of life If that narration of famous deeds which onely teacheth men what they ought to followe or what they ought to eschewe in their common actions deserue such a title of how great praise are the diuine histories worthie which do not onely frame the outward life of man that he may winne praise by vertue but also which it more which declare vnto vs that God from the beginning hath had a speciall regard alwayes of his Church and faithfull congregation that he hath bene alwaies a most iust reuenger of all wrongs done vnto those that haue betaken themselues vnto his tuition and haue committed themselues vnto his custodie that he hath shewed himselfe fauourable and mercifull vnto most miserable and wretched sinners and lastly by teaching vs faith hoised vs high aboue the heauens I say nothing of this that they do euerie where set forth the prouidence of God that they distingush the true worship of God from the false they neuer erre in the difference of vice and vertue Although I omit nowe also those worthie praises which vse most commonly to bee attributed vnto the sacred histories intending onely shortly to touch those which are proper to this booke which wee haue taken in hande Those things which Luke setteth before vs in this place to be learned are not only great but also of rare profite For first in that he sheweth that the spirite of God was sent vnto the Apostles he doth not only proue that Christ was faithful true in keeping his promise made vnto his Apostles but also he
vniuersallie of regeneration I answere that Christ did not then onely baptise with the holie Ghost when as he sent him vnder the forme of fyrie tongues for he had baptised his Apostles before this and he baptiseth all the elect thus daylie But because the sending of the holy Ghost after so glorious a sort was a token of the hidden grace wherewith he doth daily inspire his elect he doth fitly applie thereunto the testimonie of Iohn And truely this was as though it had beene the common baptisme of the Church For besides that the Apostles did not receiue the spirit for themselues onely but for the vse of all the faithfull there was also declared the vniuersall fauour of Christ towards his Church whiles that he poured out thereupon the giftes of his spirite in great abundance Although therefore hee doeth daily baptise the elect of his father yet was this no let why he might not shewe foorth this token to be remembred aboue all other that the Apostles might knowe that they were onely entred by Iohn and that not in vaine seeing their perfection was harde at hande And that is friuolous which some gather out of this place most commonly namelie that the baptisme of Iohn and the baptisme of Christ were diuerse For heere doth not he dispute in this place of baptisme but maketh onely a comparison betwixt the person of Iohn the person of Christ When as Iohn did say that he did baptise with water onely hee did not reason of what sort his baptisme was but what he himselfe was least he should arrogate that vnto himselfe which was proper to Christ As also the ministers in these daies ought not to speake otherwise of themselues but they must acknowledge Christ to bee the author of all those thinges which they do prefigure in the outwarde baptisme and leaue nothing to themselues saue onely the outwarde administration For when as these titles are attributed vnto baptisme namely that it is the lauer of regeneration a washing away of sinnes the fellowshippe of death Tit. 3.5 Rom. 6.4 and burying with Christ and a graffing into the bodie of Christ it is not declared what man being the Minister of the outward signe doth but rather what Christ doeth who onely giueth force and efficacie vnto the signes We must alwayes hold fast this distinction least whiles we decke man too much we take from Christ But here may a question be moued why he doeth rather name Iohn here than any other Firsts it is manifest ynough that Iohn did professe himselfe to bee the minister of the outwarde signe namely of water and that Christ was the author of the spirituall baptisme Secondly because it was meete that Iohn shoulde decrease and Christ increase And thirdlie because the Apostles did so much esteeme of Iohn Iohn 3.30 it might haue beene that thereby the glorie of Christ might haue beene obscured Therefore Christ to the ende hee might reclaime them to himselfe telleth them that Iohn did onelie minister vnto them the externall baptisme notwithstanding hee confirmeth them also least they should doubt of the promise For they did attribute verie much vnto Iohn and therefore were they perswaded that the Baptisme which they had receiued by him was not in vaine Now if that the veritie and force thereof must be looked for at Christ his hands then ought the Apostles to hope that that shal surelie be fulfilled which Iohn prefigured So must we in like manner thinke that we are not in vaine baptised with water by men bicause Christ who commaunded the same to bee done will fulfill his office and baptise vs with the spirite So faith draweth a consequent from the outward signe vnto the inwarde effect yet doeth it not attribute anie more than is meete either to the signe or to the minister thereof because in the signe it onely looketh vnto the promise which is Christs and doeth acknowledge him to be the onelie author of grace Let vs therefore vse such a meane that we do in no part diminish Christs honor and yet neuerthelesse let vs hope for that fruit by our baptism which is noted in this place By assigning so short a time our sauiour maketh them more ioyfull to hope well Whereupon it followeth that that death was not to be lamented which brought with it presently so precious fruite And let vs note this also that this worde baptisme is vsed improperlie in this place that the contrarietie may be full Rom. 3.26 After the same sort Paule in his Epistle vnto the Romans after he hath set downe the lawe of workes to the ende that the contrarie may answere on the other side he vseth the law of faith for faith it selfe 6 And when they were gathered togither they asked him saying Lorde doest thou at this time restore the kingdome vnto Israel 7 And he said vnto them It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the father hath placed in his owne power 8 But you shall receiue power when as the spirit shall come vpon you and you shall be witnesses vnto me as well at Ierusalem as in all Iurie and in Samaria and vnto the farthest part of the earth 6 He sheweth that the Apostles were gathered togither when as this question was moued that we may know that it came not of the foolishnes of one or two that it was moued but it was moued by the common cōsent of them al. But merueilous is their rudenes that whē as they had bin diligently instructed by the space of three whol yeres they bewray no lesse ignorance than if they had heard neuer a worde There are as manie errors in this question as words They aske him as concerning a kingdome but they dreame of an earthly kingdome which should flow with riches with dainties with externall peace and with such like good things And whiles they assigne the present time to the restoring of the same they desire to triumph before the batell For before such time as they begin to worke they will haue their wages They are also greatly deceiued heerein in that they restraine Christ his kingdome vnto the carnall Israel which was to be spread abroade euen vnto the vttermost parts of the worlde Furthermore there is this fault in all their whole question namely that they desire to know those thinges which are not meet for them to know No doubt they were not ignorant what the prophets did prophesie concerning the restoring of Dauids kingdome they had oftentimes heard their master preach cōcerning this matter Lastly it was a saying common in euerie mans mouth that in the most miserable captiuitie of the people they should all bee comforted with the exspectation of the kingdome that should bee Now they hoped for the restoring heereof at the comming of the Messias And hereuppon was it that so soone as the Apostles sawe their master Christe risen from the dead they straightway beganne to thinke thereupon but in the meane time they
be driuen headlong into blind furie Wherefore there is no cause why we should marueile that there be so many at this day so blind in so great light if they be so deafe when such manifest doctrine is deliuered yea if they wātonly refuse saluation when it is offered vnto them For if the wonderfull and strange workes of God wherein he doth wonderfully set forth his power be subiect to the mockes of men what shall become of doctrine which they thinke tasteth of nothing but of that which is common Although Luke doth signifie vnto vs that they were not of the worst sort or altogither past hope which did laugh mocke but he meant rather to declare how the cōmon sort was affected when they saw this miracle And truely it hath bene alwaies so in the worlde for verie fewe haue bene touched with the true feeling of God as often as he hath reuealed himselfe Neither is it any maruel for religion is a rare vertue and a vertue which few men haue which is in deede the beginning of vnderstanding Neuerthelesse howsoeuer the more part of men through a certaine hard stifneckednes doth reiect the consideration of the works of God yet are they neuer without frute As we may see in this historie 14 But Peter standing with the eleuen lift vp his voice and spake vnto them Yee men of Iudea and all yee which dwell at Ierusalem let this be knowne vnto you and with your eares heare my words 15 For these men are not drunke as yee suppose for it is the third houre of the day 16 But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Ioel 17 And it shall be in the last dayes saieth God I will powre out of my Spirite vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie and your young men shall see visions and your Elders shall dreame dreames 18 Verely I will powre out of my Spirit in those dayes vpon my seruants and vpon mine handmaids and they shall prophecie 19 And I will shew wonders in heauen aboue signes vpon the earth beneath blood and fire and the vapour of smoke 20 The sunne shall be turned into darknes and the moone into blood before the great and notable day of the Lord do come 21 And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shall call vppon the name of the Lord he shal be saued 14 And Peter standing By this worde Standing hee did signifie that there was a graue sermon made in the assemblie For they did rise when they spake vnto the people to the ende they might be the better heard The summe of this Sermon is this hee gathereth that Christ is already reuealed and giuen by the gifte of the holy Ghost which they sawe Yet first hee refuteth that false opinon in that they thought that the disciples were drunke This refutation consisteth vpon a probable argument because men vse not to bee drunke betimes in the morning For as Paule saieth Those which are drunke are drunke in the night 1. Thes 5.6 For they flie the light for shame And surely so great is the filthinesse of this vice that for good causes it hateth the light And yet this argument were not alwayes good For Iesaias doeth inueigh in his time against those which did rise earlie to followe drunkennesse And at this day there be manie who like hogges so soone as they awake runne to quaffing But because this is a common custome amongest men Peter saieth that it is no likelie thing Those which haue but euen small skill in antiquitie doe knowe that the ciuill day from the rising of the Sunne vntill the going downe thereof was diuided into twelue houres So that the houres were longer in sommer and shorter in winter Therefore that which shoulde nowe be the ninth before noone in winter and in somer the eight was the thirde houre amongst the olde people Therefore whereas Peter doeth onely lightlie remooue the opinion of drunkennesse hee doeth it for this cause because it had beene superfluous to haue stoode about any long excuse Therefore as in a matter which was certaine and out of doubt hee doeth rather pacifie those which mocked than labour to teach them And hee doeth not so much refute them by the circumstance of time as by the testimonie of Ioel. For when hee saieth that that is nowe come to passe which was foretolde hee toucheth briefely their vnthankefulnesse because they doe not acknowledge such an excellent benefite promised vnto them in times past which they nowe see with their eyes And whereas hee vpbraideth the fault of a fewe vnto all hee doeth it not to this ende that he may make them all guiltie of the same fault but because a fit occasion was offered by their mocking to teach them all togither he doth not for-slow the same 17 It shall be in the last dayes By this effect he prooueth that the Messias is alreadie reuealed Ioel. 2.29 Ioel in deede doth not expresse the last dayes but for as much as he entreateth of the perfect restoring of the Church it is not to bee doubted but that that prophecie belongeth vnto the last age alone Wherefore that which Peter bringeth doeth no whit dissent from Ioel his meaning but he doth onely adde this word for expositions sake that the Iewes might knowe that the Church could by no other meanes be restored which was then decayed but by being renewed by the Spirit of God Againe because the repairing of the Church should be like vnto a new world therefore Peter saieth that it shall bee in the last dayes And surelie this was a common and familiar thing among the Iewes that all those great promises concerning the blessed and well ordered state of the Church shoulde not bee fulfilled vntill Christ by his comming shoulde restore all thinges Wherefore it was out of all doubt amongst them that that which is cited out of Ioel doth appertaine vnto the last time Nowe by the last dayes or fulnesse of time is meant the stable and firme condition of the Church in the manifestation or reuealing of Christ I will powre out of my Spirite Hee intendeth to prooue as wee haue alreadie saide that the Church can be repaired by none other meanes sauing onely by the giuing of the holy Spirite Therefore for as much as they did all hope that the restoring drewe neere hee accuseth them of sluggishnesse because they doe not once thinke vppon the way and meanes thereof And when the Prophet saith I wil powre out it is without all question that he meant by this worde to note the great aboundance of the Spirite And we must take I will powre out of my Spirite in the same sense as if he had saide simplie I will powre out my Spirite For these latter wordes are the wordes of the Prophet But Peter followed the Grecians who translate the Hebrew word eth hapo Therefore some men doe in vaine more subtillie play the Philosophers because how soeuer the wordes be
Therefore vnlesse you your selues bee the cause of let yee shall receiue with vs of this fulnes And as for vs let vs know that the same is spoken to vs at this day which was then spoken to the Iewes For although those visible graces of the Spirit be ceased yet God hath not withdrawne his Spirit from his Church Wherefore he offereth him daily vnto vs all by this same promise without putting any difference Wherefore we are poore and needie onely through our owne sluggishnes and also it appeareth manifestly that those are wicked and sacrilegious enimies of the Spirite which keepe backe the Christian common people from the knowledge of God and for as much as hee himselfe doth not onely admit but also call by name vnto himselfe women and men yonge and old 18 Vpon my seruants In these words the promise is restrained vnto the worshipers of God For God doth not prophane his Spirite which hee should do if he should make the same common to the vnbeleeuing and despisers It is cetaine that we are made the seruants of God by the spirite and that therefore we are not vntill such time as we haue receiued the same but first whom God hath adopted to bee of his familie and whom he hath framed by his Spirite to obey him those doth he furnish with new giftes afterward Againe the Prophet did not respect that order of time but his meaning was to make this grace proper to the Church alone And for as much as the Church was onely among the Iewes he calleth them honorablie the seruants and handmaids of God But after that God did gather vnto himself on euery side a Church the wall of separation being pulled downe so many as are receiued into the societie of the couenant are called by the same name Onely let vs remember that the Spirit is appointed for the Church properly 19 And I will shew wonders Wee must first see what is meant by this great day of the Lorde Some do expound it of the former comming of Christ in the flesh and othersome referre it vnto the last day of the resurrection I doe allowe neither opinion For in my iudgement the Prophet comprehendeth the whole kingdome of Christ And so he calleth it the Great day after that the sonne of God began to be reuealed in the flesh that he may lead vs into the fulfilling of his kingdome Therefore hee appointeth no certaine day but hee beginneth this day at the first preaching of the Gospel and he extendeth the same vnto the last resurrection Those which restraine it vnto the time of the Apostles are mooued with this reason because the Prophet ioyneth this member and that which goeth next before togither But in that there is no absurditie at all because the Prophet doeth assigne the time when these thinges beganne to come to passe howsoeuer they haue a continuall going forwarde euen vntill the ende of the world Furthermore whereas he saith that the sunne shall be turned to darkenesse and the moone into blood they are figuratiue speeches whereby he doth giue vs to vnderstand thus much that the Lord wil shew tokens of his wrath through out the whole frame of the worlde which shall bring men euen to their wits ende as if there shoulde bee some horrible and fearefull chaunge of nature wrought For as the sunne and moone are vnto vs witnesses of Gods fatherlie fauour towards vs whiles that by course they giue light to the earth so on the otherside the Prophet saith that they shall bee messengers to foreshewe Gods wrath and displeasure And this is the seconde member of the prophecie For after that hee had intreated of the spirituall grace which shoulde bee aboundantlie powred out vppon all flesh least any man shoulde imagine that all thinges shoulde bee quiet and prosperous togither therewithall hee addeth that the estate of the worlde shall bee troublesome and full of greate feare vnder Christ As Christ himselfe doeth more fully declare Math. 24. and Luke 21. But this serueth greatlie to the setting foorth of grace that where as all thinges doe threaten destruction yet who so euer doeth call vppon the name of the Lorde is sure to be saued By the darkenesse of the Sunne by the bloodie streaming of the Moone by the blacke vapour of smoke the Prophet meant to declare that whither so euer men turne their eyes there shall manie thinges appeare both vpwarde and downewarde which maie make them amased and afraide as hee hath alreadie saide Therefore this is as much as if hee shoulde haue saide that the worlde was neuer in a more miserable case that there were neuer so manie and such cruell tokens of Gods wrath Hence may wee gather howe vnestimable the goodnesse of God is who offereth a present remedie for so great euils and againe howe vnthankefull they are towardes God and howe frowarde which doe not flie vnto the sanctuarie of saluation which is nigh vnto them and doeth meete them Againe it is out of all doubt that God meaneth by this so dolefull a description to stirre vp all Godlie men that they may with a more feruent desire seeke for saluation And Peter citeth it to the same ende that the Iewes maie knowe that they shall bee more than miserable vnlesse they receiue that grace of the Spirite which is offered vnto them Yet heere may a question bee asked howe this can hange togither that when Christ is reuealed there shoulde such a sea of miseries ouerflowe and breake out therewithall For it may seeme to be a thing verie inconuenient that hee shoulde bee the onely pledge of Gods loue toward mankinde in whom the heauenlie father doeth lay open all the treasure of his goodnesse yea he powreth out the bowels of his mercie vppon vs and that yet by the comming of the same his sonne his wrath shoulde bee more whot than it was woont so that it should as it were quite consume both heauen and earth at once But we must first marke that because men are too slowe to receiue Christ they must bee constrained by diuerse afflictions as it were with whippes Secondly for as much as Christ doeth call vnto himselfe all those which are heauie loden and labour Mat. 11.24 wee must first bee tamed by manie miseries that wee may learne humilitie For through great prosperitie men doe set vp the hornes of pride And hee cannot but despise Christ fiercelie who so euer hee be that seemeth to himselfe to bee happie Thirdly because wee are more than we ought set vpon the seeking of the peace of the flesh whereby it commeth also to passe that manie tye the grace of Christ vnto the present life it is expedient for vs to be accustomed to thinke otherwise that we may knowe that the kingdome of Christ is spiritual Therefore to the ende God may teach vs that the good things of Christ are heauenly he doth exercise vs according to the flesh with manie miseries Whereby it commeth to passe that we
which by reason of great distaunce are hidden from other men Another reason is because Christ was promised to him peculiarly This maxime was so common amongest the Iewes that they had euer now and then the sonne of Dauid in their mouth so often as there was any mention made of Christ They bee no such arguments I confesse as doe necessarilie proue that this prophesie is to be expounded of Christ neither was that Peter his intent and purpose but first he meant to preuent the contrarie obiection whence Dauid had such skill to foretell a thing which was vnknowen Therefore he saieth That hee knewe Christe both by propheticall reuelation and also by a singular promise Furthermore this principle was of greate force amongst the better minded sort which Paule setteth downe Rom. 10.4 that Christ is the ende of the lawe No man therefore did doubt of this but that this was the marke whereat all the Prophetes did ayme to lead the Godlie vnto Christe as it were by the hande Therefore what notable or extraordinarie thing soeuer they did vtter the Iewes were commonlie perswaded that it did agree with Christe Furthermore wee must note that Peter doeth reason soundely when hee gathereth that Dauid was not ignoraunt of that which was the chiefest point of all reuelations Hee had sworne with an oth God sware not only to the ende he might make Dauid beleue his promise but also that the thing promised might be had in greater estimation And to this end in my iudgement it is here repeated that the Iewes may think with thēselues of what great weight the promise was which God did make so notable so famous The same admonition is profitable for vs also For we neede not to doubt of this but that the Lorde meant to set foorth the excellencie of the couenant by putting in a solemne othe In the meane season this is also a fit remedie for the infirmitie of our faith that the sacred name of God is set foorth vnto vs that his wordes may carrie the greater credite These wordes according to the fleshe do declare that there was some more noble thing in Christe than the fleshe Therefore Christe did so come of the seed of Dauid as he was man that he doth neuerthelesse retaine his diuinitie and so the distinction betweene the two natures is plainely expressed when as Christ is called the sonne of God according to his eternall essence in like sort as he is called the seed of Dauid according to the fleshe 32 This Iesus hath God raised vp whereof we all are witnesses 33 Hee beeing therefore exalted by the right hand of God and hauing receiued the promise of the holy Ghost of the Father he hath now shed foorth that which ye now see and heare 34 For Dauid is not ascended into heauen But he saith The Lord said vnto my Lord Sit at my right hande 35 Vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a suretie that God hath made this Iesus Lorde and the same Christ whom yee haue crucified 32 This Iesus After that he hath proued by the testimonie of Dauid that it was most requisite that Christ should rise again he saith that hee and the rest of his fellowes were suche witnesses as sawe him with their eies after his resurrection For this texte will not suffer this worde raised vp to be drawne vnto any other sense Whereupon it followeth that that was fulfilled in Iesus of Nazareth which Dauid did foreshew concerning Christ After that he intreateth of the frute or effect For it was requisite for him to declare that first that Christ is aliue Otherwise it had been an absurd and incredible thing that he should bee the authour of so great a myracle Notwithstanding he doth therwithall teach vs that he did not rise for his own sake alone but that he might make the whole church partaker of his life hauing powred out the Spirite 33 Hee beeing therefore exalted by the right hande of God The righte hande is taken in this place for the hande or power in like sort it is taken euerie where in the scripture For this is his drifte to declare that it was a wonderfull work of God in that he hath exalted his Christ whom men thought to be quite destroyed by death vnto so great glorie The promise of the Spirit for the Spirite which was promised For he had oftentimes before promised the Spirite to his Apostles Therefore Peter doth signifie that Christe had obteined power of God the Father to fulfill the same And he maketh mention of the promise in plaine wordes to the ende the Iewes may knowe that this came not to passe sodainlye but that the wordes of the prophet were nowe verified which went long time before the thing it selfe Furthermore whereas it is saide That he obteined it of the father it is to be applyed to the person of the Mediatour For both these are trulie saide That Christ sent the Spirite from him selfe and from the Father He sent him from himselfe because hee is eternall God From the Father because in as much as hee is man hee receiueth that of the Father which he giueth vs. And Peter speaketh wisely according to the capacitie of the ignorant least any man shuld moue a question out of season concerning the power of Christ And surely forasmuche as it is the office of Christ to direct vs vnto his Father this is a most apt forme of speaking for the vse of godlinesse that Christe being placed as it were in the middest betweene God and vs doth deliuer vnto vs with his owne hande those giftes which he hath receiued at the handes of his Father Furthermore we must note this order that hee sayeth that the Spirite was sent by Christe after that he was exalted This agreeth with those sentences The Spirite was not yet giuen because Christe was not yet glorified And againe Vnlesse I goe hence the Spirite will not come Ioh. 7.39 Ioh. 16.7 Not because the Spirite began then first to be giuen wherewith the holie Fathers were endued since the beginning of the worlde but because God did deferre this more plentifull abundaunce of grace vntil suche time as he had placed Christe in his princely seate which is signified by this worde poured out as we saw a little before For by this meanes the force and frute of Christe his death and resurrection is sealed and wee doe also thereby knowe that wee haue lost nothing by Christe his departing out of the worlde because though hee bee absent in bodie yet is hee present with vs after a better sort to wit by the grace of his holie Spirite 34 For doubtlesse Dauid Although they might easily gather by the very effect which they sawe with their eyes that the principalitie was graunted and giuen to Christe yet to the ende his glory may carrie the greater credite hee prooueth by Dauid his testimonie that it was so appointed in
and doe also looke for the promise let them knowe for a suretie that this is he and none other He vseth the worde house because God had separated that name and familie from all other people And he saith asphalos or for a suretie not only that they may repose their sure confidence and trust in Christe but that he may take away all occasion of doubting from those which doe oftentimes willingly doubt euen of matters which are certaine sure In the end of his oration he vpbraideth vnto them again that they did crucifie him that being touched with greater griefe of conscience they may desire remedie And nowe forasmuche as they knowe that Iesus is the annointed of the Lorde the gouernour of the church and the giuer of the holy ghost the accusation hath so much the more force For the putting of him to death was not onely full of crueltie and wickednesse but also a testimonie of outragious disloyaltie against God of sacrilege and vnthankefulnesse and finally of Apostacie But it was requisite that they shoulde bee so wounded least they should haue been slow to seeke for medicine And yet notwithstanding they did not crucifie him with their owne handes but this is more then sufficient to make them guilty in that they desired to haue him put to death And we also are accused by this same voice if we crucifie him in our selues Heb. 6.6 being alreadie glorified in heauen making a mocke of him as saith the Apostle Heb. 6. 37 And when they heard these things they were pricked in heart and said vnto Peter and to the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe 38 Peter saide vnto them Repent and bee baptized euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gift of the holy Spirite 39 For the promise appertaineth vnto you and vnto your children and vnto all which are farre off whomsoeuer the Lorde our God shall call 37 They were pricked in heart Luke doeth now declare the frute of the sermon to the ende we may know that the power of the holie ghost was not only shewed foorth in the diuersitie of tongues but also in their hearts which heard And he noteth a double frute first that they were touched with the feeling of sorrowe and secondly that they were obedient to Peter his counsell This is the beginning of Repentance this is the entrance vnto godlines to be sory for our sinnes and to be wounded with the feeling of our miseries For so long as mē are carelesse they can not take such heed vnto doctrine as they ought And for this cause the word of God is compared to a sword Iohn 15.16 Heb. 4.12 Gen. 4.13 Mat. 27.3 because it doth mortifie our flesh that we may be offered to God for a sacrifice But there must bee added vnto this pricking in hart readinesse to obey Cain and Iudas were pricked in heart but despaire did keepe them backe from submitting themselues vnto GOD. For the minde beeing oppressed with horrour can do nothing els but flie from god And surelie when Dauid affirmeth that a contrite spirite and an humble heart is a sacrifice acceptable to God he speaketh of voluntarie pricking forasmuche as there is fretting and fuming mixed with the prickings of the wicked Therefore we must take a good hearte to vs lift vp our minde with this hope of saluation that we may be ready to addict giue ouer our selues vnto God to follow whatsoeuer he shall commaund We see many oftentimes pricked who notwithstanding do fret and murmure or els frowardly striue and struggle and so consequently goe furiously madde Yea this is the cause why they goe mad because they feele such prickings against their wil. Those men therefore are profitablie pricked alone who are willingly sorrowfull and doe also seeke some remedie at Gods handes 38 Peter said Hereby we see that those do neuer go away empty which ask at the mouth of the Lord do offer thēselues vnto him to be ruled and taught Mat. 7.7 for that promise must needes be true Knocke and it shal be opened vnto you Therfore whosoeuer shal be rightly prepared to learn the Lord will not suffer his godly desire to be in vaine for hee his a most faithfull master so that hee haue scholers which are apt to bee taught studious Wherfore there is no cause why he should fear least he suffer vs to be destitute of sound counsell if we be attentiue and readie to hear him and do not refuse to imbrace whatsoeuer we shall teach vs. And let vs suffer our selues to be gouerned by the counsell authoritie of those men whom he offreth vnto vs to teach vs. For this readie obedience cōmeth thence so sodainly in those which addict themselues vnto the apostles because they are perswaded that they are sent of God to shewe them the way of saluation Repent There is greater force in the Greeke word for it doth signifie the conuersion of the mind that the whole man may be renued made another mā Which thing must be diligently noted bicause this doctrine was miserablie corrupted in the time of Poperie for they translated the name of repentance almost vnto certain externall rites They babble somwhat in deed about the feigned contrition of the heart but they touche that part very sleightly they stand principallie vpon the externall exercises of the body which were little worth Yea though ther were in thē no corruption But they vrge nothing els in a manner but feigned trifles wherwith men are wearied in vain Wherfore let vs know that this is the true Repentance when a man is renued in the spirit of his mind as Paul teacheth Rom. 12. Neither need wee to doubt of this Rom. 12.1 but that Peter did preach plainly of the force nature of Repentance but Luke doth only touch the chief points and doth not reckon vp the wordes of the oration which he made We must therfore know thus much that Peter did at the first exhort the Iewes vnto repentance that done he lifted thē vp with hope of pardon For he promised thē forgiuenes of sins Which two things are the two parts of the gospel as we know full well And therfore when Christ will briefly teach what the doctrine of the Gospel doth cōtain he saith that that repentance remission of sinnes must bee preached in his name Furthermore because we are reconciled vnto god Luk. 24.47 only by the intercession of Christ his death neither are our sinnes otherwise purged done away saue only by his blood therfore Peter calleth vs back vnto him by name Hee putteth Baptisme in the fourth place as the seale whereby the promise of grace is confirmed Wherefore wee haue in these few words almost the whole summe of christianitie namelie how a man renouncing himself taking his fare well of the worlde may addict himself wholy to God Secondly
of the forme of baptisme but hee doeth simplie declare that the whole strength of Baptisme is contained in Christ Although Christ can not be laid hold on by faith without the Father by whom hee was giuen vs and the Spirit by the which he reneweth and sanctifieth vs. The answere consisteth wholly in this that hee intreateth not in this place of the certaine forme of baptising but the faithfull are called backe vnto Christ in whom alone we haue whatsoeuer baptisme doth prefigure vnto vs. For we are both made cleane by his blood and also we enter into a new life by the benefite of his death and resurrection Yee shall receiue the gift of the Spirit Because they were touched with wondering when they saw the Apostles sodainly beginne to speake with strange tongues Peter saith that they shal be partakers of the same gift if they will passe ouer vnto Christ Remission of sinnes and newnesse of life were the principall things and this was as it were an addition that Christ should shew forth vnto them his power by some visible gift Neither ought this place to bee vnderstoode of the grace of sanctification which is giuen generally to all the Godlie Therfore he promiseth them the gift of the Spirite whereof they sawe a paterne in the diuersitie of tongues Therefore this doth not properly appertaine vnto vs. For because Christ meant to set foorth the beginning of his kingdome with those miracles they lasted but for a time yet because the visible graces which the Lord did distribute to his did shewe as it were in a glasse that Christ was the giuer of the Spirite therefore that which Peter saieth doeth in some respect appertaine vnto all the whole Church yee shall receiue the gift of the Spirit For although wee doe not receiue it that we may speak with tongues Rom. 10.10 Iohn 5.24 that we may be prophets that we may cure the sicke that wee may worke miracles yet is it giuen vs for a better vse that we may beleeue with the heart vnto righteousnesse that our tongues may bee framed vnto true confession that wee may passe from death to life that we which are poore and emptie may be made rich that we may withstande Sathan and the world stoutly Therefore the grace of the Spirit shall alwayes be annexed vnto Baptisme vnlesse the let be in our selues 39 For the promise apperteineth vnto you It was requisite that this shoulde be expressely added that the Iewes might certainly thinke and perswade themselues that the grace of Christ did belong as wel to them as to the Apostles And Peter prooueth it thus because the promise of God was made vnto them For we must alwayes looke vnto this because we cannot otherwise know the wil of God saue onely by his word But it is not sufficient to haue the generall worde vnlesse wee knowe that the same is appointed for vs. Therefore Peter saith that those benefites which they see in him and his fellowes in office were in times past promised to the Iewes because this is required necessarilie for the certaintie of faith that euery one be fully perswaded of this that hee is comprehended in the number of those vnto whom God speaketh Finally this is the rule of a true faith when I am thus perswaded that saluation is mine because that promise appertaineth vnto me which offereth the same And hereby we haue also a greater confirmation when as the promise is extended vnto those who were before a farre off For God had made the couenant with the Iewes If the force and fruite thereof come also vnto the Gentiles there is no cause why the Iewes shoulde doubt of themselues but that they shall finde the promise of God firme and stable Exod. 4.22 Gene. 17.7 And we must note these three degrees that the promise was first made to the Iewes and then to their children and last of all that it is also to be imparted to the Gentiles Wee know the reason why the Iewes are preferred before other people for they are as it were the first begotten in Gods familie yea they were then separated from other people by a singular priuiledge Therefore Peter obserueth a good order when he giueth the Iewes the preheminence Whereas hee adioyneth their children vnto them it dependeth vpon the woordes of the promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee Where God doeth reckon the children with the fathers in the grace of adoption This place therefore doeth aboundantly refute the manifest error of the Anabaptists which will not haue infants which are the children of the faithfull to bee baptised as if they were not members of the Church They espie a starting hole in the allegoricall sense and they expounde it thus that by children are meant those which are spirituallie begotten But this grosse impudency doth nothing helpe them It is plaine and euident that Peter spake thus because God did addopt one nation peculiarly And Circumcision did declare that the right of adoption was common euen vnto infantes Therefore euen as God made his couenant with Isaach being as yet vnborne because hee was the seede of Abraham so Peter teacheth that all the children of the Iewes are contained in the same couenant because this promise is alwayes in force I will bee the God of your seede And to those which are a farre of The Gentiles are named in the last place which were before straungers For those which referre it vnto those Iewes which were exiled a farre off and driuen into far countries they are greatly disceiued For hee speaketh not in this place of the distance of place but hee noteth a difference betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles that they were first ioyned to God by reason of the couenant and so consequently became of his familie or housholde but the Gentiles were banished from his kingdome Paule vseth the same speech in the seconde Chapter to the Ephesians Ephes 2.11 that the Gentiles which were straungers from the promises are nowe drawne neere through Iesus Christ vnto God Because that Christ the wal of separation being taken away hath reconciled both the Iewes Gentiles vnto the Father and comming hee hath preached peace vnto those which were nigh at hand and which were a farre off Nowe wee vnderstande Peter his meaning For to the end he may amplifie the grace of Christ hee doeth so offer the same vnto the Iewes that hee saieth the Gentiles are also partakers thereof And therefore hee vseth this woorde Call as if hee shoulde saie Like as GOD hath gathered you togither into one peculiar people heretofore by his voyce so the same voyce shall sounde euerie where that those which are a farre off may come and ioyne themselues vnto you when as they shall bee called by a new proclamation 40 And with many other words did he testifie and exhort saying Bee yee saued from this froward generation 41 Those therefore which willingly embraced his worde were
For it skilleth much whether mens mindes be directed in seeking the graces of God because they shal not receiue one drop without Christ Therfore there is this generall difference between Christ all the ministers of the church because they giue the externall signe of water but he fulfilleth and perfourmeth the effect of the signe by the power of his Spirite The Readers were to be admonished of this thing againe in this place because many doe falsly inferre that Iohns baptisme ours are not all one whiles that Christ challenging to himselfe the spirite doeth leaue nothing for Iohn saue water alone But if any man trusting to this testimonie do make Baptisme a colde spectacle and voide of all grace of the Spirite hee shall bee also greatlie deceiued For the holy Scripture vseth to speake two manner of wayes of the Sacramentes For because Christe is not vnfaithfull in his promises he doth not suffer that to be vain which he doth institute But when as the scripture doth attribute to baptisme strength to wash regenerate it ascribeth al this to Christ and doth onlie teach what he woorketh by his spirit by the hand of man and the visible signe Where Christ is thus ioined with the minister and the efficacy of the spirit with the sign Tit. 3 5. there is so much attributed to the sacraments as is needful But that coniunction must not be so confused but that mens mindes being drawn from mortal and frail things and things like to themselues and from the elements of the world they must learn to seek for saluation at Christes hande to look vnto the power of his spirit alone because he misseth the mark of faith whosoeuer turneth aside euen but a little from the spirit vnto the signes he is a sacrilegious person who taketh euen but an inch of Christes praise that he may deck man therewith And we must also remember that Christ did comprehend vnder the word spirit not only the gift of tongues and such like things but all the whole grace of our renuing But because these gifts were an excellent argument of Christ his power this sentence may wel bee applyed vnto them I will make this more plaine seeing that Christ did bestow vpon the Apostles the visible graces of the Spirite hee did plainly declare that the Spirite was in his hand So that by this meanes he did testifie that he is the alone authour of cleannesse righteousnesse of the whole regeneration And Peter applyeth it vnto his purpose thus that for as muche as Christe did goe before carrying with him the force of Baptisme it became him to followe with the addition that is the outwarde signe of water 17 Who was I. Now doe we see to what end Peter made that narration to wit tha he might declare that God was the authour and gouernour of all the whole matter Therefore the state of the question consisteth in the authoritie of God whether meat bee not of more weight then mens counsels Peter affirmeth that hee did nothing but that which was rightly and orderly done because he obeied god hee sheweth that he preached the doctrin of the gospel neither amisse neither rashly where Christ bestowed the graces of his Spirit The approbatiō of our doctrine and also our deedes must be brought to this rule so often as mē call vs to an account For whosoeuer stayeth himselfe vpon the commādement of god he hath defence enough if men be not content there is no cause why he should passe for their iudgements any more And Hereby wee gather that the faithfull ministers of gods worde may in such sort giue an account of their doctrine that they may no whit impayr the credite and certaintie thereof to wit if they shew that it was giuen thē by God but if they shall deale with vniust men who will not be enforced with the reuerence of God to yeeld let vs let them alone with their obstinacie appealing vnto the day of the Lorde And we must also note that we doe not only resist God by striuing against him but also by lingering if we doe not that which our calling requireth and which is proper to it For Peter saith that he cannot denie baptisme and brotherly fellowship to the Gentiles but that he should be an enemie to God But he should haue assayed nothing which was manifestly contrarie to the grace of God That is true in deed but he which doth not receiue those whom god offereth and shutteth the gate which god openeth he hindereth the work of God so much as in him lieth as we say at this day that those men make warre against god who are set against the baptising of infants because they most cruelly exclude those out of the church whō god hath adopted into the church and they depriue those of the outward signe whom God vouchsafeth to call his children Like vnto this is that kind of resisting in that many dissemblers who whiles they bee magistrates ought to assist according to their office the martyres of Christ goe about to stop their mouthes and to take from them their libertie For because they hate the truth they woulde haue it suppressed 18 When they heard these things they were quieted The end doth shew that those were not moued with malice which did contend with Peter For this is an euident signe of godlinesse in that beeing throughly instructed touching the will of God they cease foorthwith to contend By which example we are taught that those are not to be despised who being offended through vnaduised zeale reproue any thing wrongfully but that their consciences must be appeased by the worde of god which are troubled by errour and that their docilitie is tryed at least thus far foorth As touching vs we doe hereby in like sort learne whereuppon our iudgemēt must depend namely vpon the sole simple beck of god For this honor is due to him that his will be to vs the certaine and principall rule of truth and iustice So often as it is requisite for vs to know the cause of any thing the Lorde doth not conceale the same from vs but to the end he may accustome our faith vnto iust obedience hee telleth vs sometimes simply and plainely that this or that thing pleaseth him Hee which graunteth libertie to himselfe to inquire farther and taketh a delight in his curiositie doth nothing els but throw himself headlong with diuelish boldnesse And Luke doth not only declare that these men held their peace but that they gaue glory also to God Some are inforced by shame to hold their peace who notwithstanding keepe in that in their minds which they dare not vtter That is rather a dissemblance of modestie thē docilitie But these men doe so throughly submit themselues to God that they are not afraide nor ashamed to recant by and by Then hath God Luke doth briefly declare in these wordes what the gospell containeth and to what end it tendeth to wit
Lord doth testifie that his mind was thorowly set vpon Dauid for no light cause but he commendeth in him som singular thing and by extolling him so highly his intent is to lift vp the mindes of the faithfull vnto Christ in his person Psal 89.21 The place is taken out of the fourescore and ninth Psalme Only Paul putteth in that which is not there to be found that Dauid was the sonne of Isai which amplifieth the grace of God For seeing that Isai was a breeder of cattell it was a wonderfull worke of God to take the least of his sonnes from the sheepefoldes and to place him in the throne of the kingdome By the worde found God meaneth that he had gotten such a man as hee woulde Not that Dauid had brought to passe by his owne trauell and industrie that he should meete God being such a one but the phrase is taken from the cōmō custome of men But the question is Seing that Dauid sel to greeuously how God giueth testimonie of his continual obedience We may answere two waies for God had respect rather vnto the continual course of his life then vnto euery of his particular actions secondly he did thus set him foorth not so much for his owne merite as for his Christs sake Assuredly hee had deserued by one wicked fact eternall destruction for him and his and so much as in him laid the way of the blessing of God was shut vp that there might nothing but vipers seed come of Bersabe But that so filthie a fact 2. Sam 11.2 in the death of Vrias turneth to a contrary end by the wonderfull counsell of God because Salomon is borne and commeth of that vnlooked for wedlock which was full of treacherie and finally polluted with many spots And though Dauid sinned greeuously yet because he followed God all the course of his life he is ptaysed without exception that he shewed himselfe obedient to God in all thinges Though as I haue said before the spirit carieth vs vnto a farther thing Mat. 22.42 and 15.22 yea the common calling of all the faithfull in Christ the head is here depainted out to vs 23 According to promise This clause doth also proue that whiche I haue alreadie said elswhere that in sending Christ the Lorde had respect only vnto his owne faithfulnesse and goodnesse For hee sent him because he had promised so to doe And as the promise doth testifie that saluation was free so it doeth also purchase no small credite to the Gospel because it appeareth by this that Christ came not at a sodaine of whom there was neuer any thing spoken but that he who was promised from the beginning was now giuen in his time But the promises which Luke here toucheth by the way are famous and well knowen And they were so cōmon among the Iewes that they called Christ commonly by no other name but the sonne of Dauid Hee saith that Iesus was raised vp to Israel because though saluation belong to all the whole world Rom. 15.8 yet was he first a minister of circumcision to fulfill the promises made to the fathers He translateth the Hebrew name Iesus into soter in Greeke So that he vttered one thing twise and yet here is no superfluous repetition because he meant to declare that Christe is in deede and doeth performe that which the name giuen him by God by the voice of the Angel doth import 24 After that Iohn had preached before the face of his entrance the baptisme of repentance to all the people of Israel 25 And when Iohn fulfilled his course he said Whom doe yee thinke me to be I am not But beholde he commeth after mee whose shoe latchets I am not worthie to loose 26 Men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and those who among you feare God to you is the worde of this saluation sent 24 Wee knowe what office Iohn had to wit to prepare the way of the Lorde Therefore Paule bringeth in his testimonie that hee may proue to the Iewes that he preached no false Christ but the true Christ of God whom that most famous forerunner had before commended not that mans testimonie is sufficient to proue so weightie a matter but there was another respect to be had to Iohn whom all men almost did thinke to be a prophet of God Therefore hence commeth the authoritie of the testimonie that a cryer sent from heauen and no priuate man speaketh of Christe And Paule reciteth two thinges summarilie concerning Iohn that he taught the baptisme of repentaunce before Christ his comming Secondly that casting from him of his owne accorde the title and honour of the Messias hee submitted himselfe to Christ The baptisme of repentance Baptisme brought in contrarie to the rite and custome of the lawe was a token of great alteration For it was vnlawful to renue any thing before Christes comming The Iewes had in deed in the lawe their baptismes or washinges which were also exercises of repentaunce but Iohn was the authour of new and strange baptism or rather the minister who put them in hope of the restoring long looked for and desired When he calleth it the baptisme of repentance he doth not exclude remission of sinnes but hee speaketh according to the circumstance of the place because this baptisme was a preparation vnto the faith of Christ And we must note the phrase that hee preached baptisme Whereby we are taught that the sacramentes are then rightly administred when doctrine is ioyned with the visible figure For the mouth of the baptiser must not be dumb because the signe is vaine without doctrine 25 When Iohn fulfilled his course The second member of the testimonie that when Iohn drew neere to the end of his course hee sent his disciples to Christ For he had fashioned thē before with the rudimente of baptisme and then he sent them to Christ as they say from hand to hand And this interrogatiō Whom do ye thinke me to be is not a question of one that doubteth For Iohn reproueth and chideth the Iewes because they did falsly giue to him the honour of the Messias though it may be read in one text I am not he whom you take me to be yet the other reading is more vsuall as it hath also greater force to refute the error Furthermore his testimonie doth deserue greater credite in that he doth willingly refuse the honour offered him which he might haue takē to himselfe not without commendation and doth submit himself to another There cannot assuredly be any suspition of ambition or of seeking after honour here which may discredite his words Behold he commeth That is he is about to come the Hebrew phrase which is common enough euen in the new testament whereas he confesseth that he is vnworthie to loose the latchets of Christes shoes It is a prouerbiall figure wherby he abaseth himselfe so much as he can least his greatnesse darken Christ his glory for he meant to do
remeÌ„brance of things to come Wherfore the oracle was not superfluous Those former things whereby he was taught that God cared for him ought to haue sufficed to nourish his hope and to haue kept hym from fainting but because in great dangers Satan doth oftentimes procure new feares that he may thereby if he cannot altogether ouerwhelme Gods promises in the hearts of the godly at least darken the same with cloudes it is needfull that the remembrance of them bee renued that faith beeing holpen with new proppes and stayes may stand more stedfastly But the summe is that Paul may behaue him selfe boldly because hee must bee Christe his witnesse at Rome also But this seemeth to bee but a colde and vaine consolation as if he shoulde say Feare not because thou must abide a sorer brunt for it had beene better accordyng to the fleshe once to die and with speede to ende his dayes then to pine awaye in bandes and long time to lie in prison The Lord doth not promise to deliuer him no he saith not so muche as that he shall haue a ioyfull end only he saith that those troubles and afflictions wherewith hee was too sore oppressed alreadie shall continue long But by this we gather better of what great importance this confidence is that the Lord hath respect vnto vs in our miseries though hee stretch not foorth his hand by and by to helpe vs. Therefore let vs learn euen in most extreeme afflictions to stay our selues vppon the woord of God alone and let vs neuer faint so long as hee quickneth vs with the testimonie of his fatherly loue And because Oracles are not nowe sent from heauen neither doeth the Lorde himselfe appeare by visions wee must meditate vpon his innumerable promises whereby he doth testifie that he will be nigh vnto vs continually If it be expedient that an angel come downe vnto vs the Lord will not denie euen this kinde of confirmation Neuerthelesse we must giue this honour to the word that being content with it alone wee wait patiently for that helpe which it promiseth vs. Moreouer it did profite some nothing to heare Angeles which were sent downe from heauen but the Lord doth not in vaine seale vp in the hearts of the faithfull by his Spirite those promises which are made by him And as he doth not in vaine beate them in and often repeat them so let our faith exercise it selfe diligentlye in the continuall remembrance of them For if it were necessarie that Pauls faith should bee oftentimes set and shoared vp with a new help there is none of vs which needeth not many moe helps Also our minds must be armed with patience that they may passe through the long and troublesome circuits of troubles and afflictions 12 And when it was day By this circumstaunce Luke sheweth howe necessary it was for Paul to gather new and fresh strength of faith that he might nor quake in most great and sodaine danger For being told of this so desperate madnesse of his enemies he could not otherwise think but that he should loose his life This vow whereof Luke speaketh was a kinde of curse The cause of the vow was that it might not be lawful for them to change their purpose nor to cal back that which they had promised There is alwaies in deed in an oath a secret curse if any man deceiue or forsweare but sometimes to the end men may the more bind themselues they vse certaine formes of cursing and they make themselues subiect to cruell torments to the ende they may be thee more afraid This historie doeth teache that zeale is so blooddy in hypocrites that they weigh not what is lawfull for them but they runne carelesly whither soeuer their lust doth carry them Admit we graunt that Paul was a wicked man and worthie to die yet who had giuen priuate men leaue to put him to death Now if any man had asked why they did so hate Paul they would quickly haue answered because he was a reuolt schismatike but it was but a foolish opinion and an opinion conceiued of an vncâ—rtaine report concerning this matter which had rashly possessed their minds The same blindnesse and blockishnes doth at this day prick forward the Papists so that they thinke nothing vnlawfull for them in destroying vs. Hypocrisie doth so blinde their eies that as men freed from the lawes of God and men they are carried by their zeale sometimes vnto trecherie sometimes vnto guile sometime vnto intollerable crueltie finally to attempt whatsoeuer they will Moreouer we see in this historie how great the rashnesse of the wicked is They bind themselues with a curse that they will eat no meat till they haue slaine Paul as if his life were in their hands Therefore these brainsick men take to them selues that which the Lord doth so often in Scripture say is his to wit Deut. 32.39 to haue the life and death of those men whom hee hath created in his hande Moreouer there bee not onely two or three who are partners in this madnesse but more then fortie Whence wee doe also gather how willing and bent men are to doe mischief seeing they runne together thus on heapes Furthermore seeing Satan doeth driue them headlong into their own destruction how shamefull is then our sluggishnesse when as wee scarce moue one finger in maintaining the glory of God Wee must vse moderation that wee attempt nothing without the commaundement of God but when God calleth vs expresly our loitring is without excuse 14 They came to the chiefe priestes Seeing that the priests agree to such a wicked and vngodly conspiracie by this they proue that there was in them neither any feare of God neither yet any humanitie They doe not only allowe that which is brought before them concerning the murthering of the man by laying awaite but also they are readie to be partners in the murder that they may deliuer him into the handes of the murtherers whom they woulde haue made away some way they passe not howe For what other thing was it to take a man out of the handes of the iudge and to slea him then like murtherers to rage euen in the very place of iudgement The priests surely would neuer haue alowed suche a wicked purpose if there had been in them any droppe of godly and right affectioÌ„ or of humane feeling Moreouer they did what they could to bring destruction vpon all the people and themselues also But the Lord did by this means disclose their wicked impietie which lay hid vnder a colour of honour 16 Paul his sisters sonne Wee see in this place how the Lord doth crosse the purposes of the vngodlye Hee permitteth them to attempt many thinges and he suffereth their wicked indeuours but at length hee sheweth euen in the twinckling of an eye that hee doth from heauen deride whatsoeuer men go about vpon earth There is no wisdome sayeth Salomon there is no counsell against the Lorde