ante O. Doctrine of the Apostles 139. Doctrine is tyed to no place 899. Doctrine deuised by the holye ghost must be taught in the church 20. Doctrine of Christ maye be learned out of the Prophets 383. Doctrine of the gospell succeedeth most luckily among the enymies thereof 553. Doctrine of faith is not against good workes 640. Doctrine is the chiefe thyng in the church 280. Doctrine of Paule accused 773. Doctrine of Paule out of the scripture 648. Doctrine Apostolike which is true Pag. 407. Doctrine of truth can neuer bee so wisely modestly preached but the world wyll seke to reprochit 289. Doctrine Apostolike hath Christ hir author 8. Doctrine apostolike whence it springeth 900. Doctrine of Christ whereto it serueth 7. Doctrine of Christ begynning and ende 63. Doctrine is chiefely to bee cared for in the Church 139. Doctrine how Paule vsed it 648. Doctrine taught of the Apostles is true 3. Doctrine of Christ contemned bringeth punishment 547. Doctrines that deface the merite of Christ are pernitious 248. Doctours of the Church called pillers 345. Doctours who be 508. Doctrine Apostolike disturbed by the Professours 407. Doctrine of Christ planteth not licentious lyfe 530. Doinges of mâ—n must be examined after the rule of Gods worde  Domitian a persecutor of the Church kylled by his owne men 300. D ante R. Dronkennesse whereof it beginneth and what euill is in it 92. D ante V. Dutie of christian men in persecutitions 491. Duetie of them whome Christ hath lyghtened 790. Duetie both of Iewes and Gentiles is to seeke the Lorde 601. Duetie of christians what it is 180. Duetie of seruauntes 437. Dust shaken of 557. E. E ante D. EDucation and good bringing vp of children howe profitable it is 617. E ante F. Effect of the Apostles sermon 569. Effect of Gods promisses 846 Effect of Peters sermon 129. Effect of the Apostles counsell 137. Effect of the Apostles doctrine 561. Effect of persecution and banishement 557. Effect of Gods worde in the elect and their duâ—tie 555. E ante L. Election or choosing is from euerlasting 554. Election gratuitie or free the fountayne of all goodnesse 525. Electing of Ministers vnorderlye what hurt it doth 70. Election lawfull getteth Ministers authoritie ibidem Election lawfull confirmeth Ministers in their office ibidem Electing Ministers in the Church asketh heede and dyligence 281. Election is not hyndred through our sinnes 681. Electing must be made openly in the sight of the church 66. Election and Predestination are certaine 687. Election what the ende and marke thereof is 29. Election of Ministers must be vsed as in the primitiue church 68. The elected bee nâ—t free from coÌ„mon calamities 420. The elect acknowledge and receyue the worde of God. 548. The elect easilye knowe the worde of God. 555. The elect what their disposition is Pag. 138. The elect are chosen out of all sortes of men 509. The elect God tryeth diuers wayes and delyuereth them when they looke least for it 805. Electing of Ministers in the Primitiue Church 66. Eloquence a gyft of the holy ghost Pag. 698. Elymas the Sorcerer contendeth with Paule 514. Elimas contention wyth Paule how it ended 517. Enemies of the truth must be boldly reprehended 516. Enemies of the truth what weapons they vse 833. Enemies of the truth what craftes they vse 192.245 Enemies of the Apostles who 191. Enemies of Christ and hys gospell who ibidem Enemies of Christ depriued of all helpe and dignitie 60.61 Christes professed enimies must bee fledde 136. Enemies of Christ howe they shall be punished 59. Enemies of Christ are the persecutors of hys church 393. Enemies of Paule set at debate among themselues by God. 805. Enemies greatest to the truth are Priestes 191.244 Enemies of the truth and of the Ministers who 244. 819. Enemies of the truth are giuen vp into a reprobate sense 287 The attemptes of Christes enemies are vaine 242 The attemptes of the enemies of Christ. 218. Enemies of Christe fight againste God and yet execute his counsell Pag. 218.219 What ende Christes enemies haue in their enterprises 262. Enemies of Christ conspired what their propertie is 268 The enemies of Christes enterprises are folish 251. The enemies of Christes enterprises easely disappointed as appeareth by examples 394 The enemies of the Churches enterprises are nothing but mere conceipte and opinion 856. The enemies of Christ destruction Pag. 59. The craftes of the enemies of the truth 192.245 The enemies of the truthes enterprises defeated and the godly defended Pag. 246. The enemies of the truthes impudencie 833.834 The enemies of the truth how they must be delt with 199. E ante P Ephesus estate and condicion 704. Epicures 26. Epicures opinions 660. Epicurious lyfe shal raigne toward the later tymes 661.662 Epistle of Captaine Lysias and the parts therof 814. E ante R. Errours manifest and knowne must not be denyed 408. Errour of the Apostles what comoditie it hath 25.26 Errour of a carnall kingdome imagined by the Israelites appeareth by scripture to be olde 27. Errours rooted are hard to be pulled vp ibidem E ante S Essenes secte what it was 803. E ante V Euangelists sincere how they may be discerned from false ibidem His Baptisme dilygenly described Pag. 384.387 Eunuch complayneth not of Philips departure 387. Eunuche is zelous although ignoraÌ„t in many things 382.383 E ante X Examples speciall make no rule generall 143. Examples of Auncestours excuse not errours 673. Example of godly persons preserued by the Lord. 233. Excecation and blyndenes of the wicked is incurable 252. Execution or accomplishing the message sent to the Church at Antioch Pag. 610. Execution of Lawes is the lyfe of them 618. Examinacion of Ministers necessary to be had in the church 15 Example of a christian boldnes 90. Example of an effectuouse power working of the holy ghost ibidem Exercise of the Apostles 611. Exhortacions necessary to styrre vp the people 521. Exorcistes or Coniurers in the church Pag. 712. Exorcistes of the Papistes 713. Externe or outwarde religion 640. F ante A FAce of god what is ment by it 120. To be gathered to the fathers what it is 541. Fathers alwaies contemned Moses Pag. 321.366 The vaine braggers in younger and later fathers 164. Fathers neuer obedient to gods commaundements 343. Fathers in the beginning pleased god by fayth onely without the lawe ceremonies 292. Fathers which are to be followed in religion 162. Affiaunce in Fathers beaten downe by Steuen 350 Fathers examples how they are to be followed 292. False Apostles make their hearers vncertain of saluation 606. False Prophets seeke the frendship of great estates 515. False teachers muste bee noted by name and set out in theyr colours Pag. 516.137 Faultes coÌ„mitted by other men cannot excuse vs. 519 False witnesses brought againste Steuen 287 False teachers and their societie must be auoyded 137. False Apostles are nicked 606. False prophets seke nothing but how to turne men from the fayth 137. Fame of those the
horrible attemptes against the Church of Christ and such vnhappy disturbances and troubles in the same Yet besides all these the examples whereof this Hystorie is full bringeth vs no small fruit of learning and godlynesse For in this stage as it were of the Church may wee see the Apostles and Apostolike persons by whose example all the ministers of Christes Church may learne with what trust and prudencie they ought to handle Christs cause with what constancie and truth they may defende the same with what puritie of maners they shoulde leade others and with what courage and pacience they should vanquish all aduersitie Here are set forth Magistrates both good and bad by whose counsel and doings they that be in office may take a president of their gouernment Here want examples neyther of riche nor poore Here haue men of whome they may learne and here are remembred the notable deedes of certaine women of whom all womanhood may take an example to lyue by To be briefe there is no degree or state eyther of the laytie or spiritualtie but this booke instructeth it with many peculyer presidents And although it be but little which I haue spoken in commendation thereof yet I suppose it appeareth therby that God ment to enriche his Church with a singular iewell and treasure whan it liked him by the mynisterie of Luke to haue the storie of the Apostles and primitiue Church to be written It behooueth vs to acknowledge his goodnesse and to follow the diligence of the holy Ghost in searching for the thinges comprysed in this holy writing which Luke beginneth with these woordes In the former treatise deare THEOPHILVS we haue spoken of all that IESVS began to doe and teach c. Before hee entreth into the discourse of the Actes of the Apostles he rehearseth the thinges that Christ did with his Apostles a little before his Ascention He vseth a little short and plaine Preface in the which as it were by rehearsall of thinges done before hee continueth and ioyneth this booke with his first entituled the Gospell of Iesu Christ written by Luke and therwithal sheweth what he purposeth in thys his other booke For the sense of hys woordes seemeth to be this In the first booke I spake of all those thinges which Iesus Christ the Sonne of God did here on earth for our sakes but now in this I am purposed to discourse of the thinges which he would haue done by the mynistery of the Apostles after hys departure in body out of the worlde And he doth dedicate his booke to one Theophilus whom most men do thinke to haue bene some speciall friend of Lukes and singular in the fayth In deede the addition which he putteth to hys name in the Preface of his Gospell calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is most noble or excellent is vsed chiefely to great men in authoritie And afterwarde wee shall heare how he attributeth the same to Festus and Foelix presidents of Iurie He was therefore some godly man of authoritie such as God vseth alwayes to appoint in hys Church to succour and ayde the same beyng in strife and contention And yet no man may hereof gather that the same booke appertaineth not aswell to vs all But rather let all men endeuour to shew themselues to be Theophili that is to saye louers of God and thinke that Luke speaketh no lesse vnto them than to this auncient Theophilus And truly as many as beleeue in Christ being reconciled by him vnto God loue him with all theyr harte and powers But touchyng this opinion it mattereth not much since it is playne ynough that all the doctrine both of the olde and newe Testament appertayneth chiefely to all them that loue God so that thereout they may haue both learnyng and comforte It shall be profitable to examine these fewe woordes of the Euaungelist somewhat more diligently And first is to be considered how he professeth to write of all the thinges For Luke may seeme to repugne with Iohn which about the ende of the Gospell written by him saith There be also many other things which IESVS did which if they shoulde be wrytten euery one I suppose that all the worlde coulde not contayne the Bookes that should be written But these places may be easily reconciled For Luke saith not he hath written euery thing perticularly but he testifieth that he hath spoken of all things necessary to be knowē for the attaynement of our saluation and which may instruct vs with sufficient knowledge of Iesus christ For albeit the Euaungelistes rehearse not all the doings and sayinges of Christ yet is Christ neuerthelesse to be beleeued neither was it needefull they should declare all things For it is euident that Christ which is the selfe truth gainesayth not him selfe in anye place but he obserueth one ende in all his sayinges It is manifest that all his doings tende to one marke and purpose Wherefore though the Apostles had let passe none of them all yet should we haue knowne none other Christ nor learned any other fayth than that wee haue learned by the writinges extant This doth Iohn witnesse when he saith Many other signes truely dyd IESVS in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Booke These are wrytten that yee might beleeue that IESVS is Christ the Sonne of GOD and that in beleeuing yee might haue lyfe thorough his name IOHN witnesseth that wee attayne vnto life through beliefe in christ And forasmuch as this beliefe may fully be learned and perceyued by the thinges written of Christ I thinke no man but he that is past shame can denie but that all thinges concerning the perfect doctrine of our saluation and Christian fayth is comprehended in the writings of the Euaungelistes Therefore Luke in these woordes reprooueth the impudent arrogancye of the Sophisters of these dayes who being tried and conuict to haue thrust many thinges into the Church without authoritie of holy Scripture would fayne slippe away with this slye shift saying that all the thinges necessarie for vs to beleeue and obserue are not contayned in the Scripture Which if wee graunt then must wee confesse that eyther the Apostles Prophetes haue not taught vs the faith in Christ perfectly or that this faith is not sufficient to saluation neither of which is tollerable for Christian eares Furthermore Luke comprehendeth all Christes office and ministery here on earth in two woordes that is to say in Woorkes and Doctrine Wee will not here speake of the dutie of a teacher of whome it is well sayde that hee should teach the people with good example For the Euaungelist meaneth not in this place to describe the properties of a teacher but to propose and set forth such thinges as are to be considered of Christ. And he giueth Woorkes the first place whereby he meaneth not myracles onely but whatsoeuer thinges else hee did for our saluation as Kinge and priest For the Scripture
in their mother tongue Acheldama that is to say the bloudy fielde SAint LVKE hitherto hath declared what the Apostles did in their owne priuate case after Christ departed from the earth attributing to them true obedience vnitie of mindes and continuance in prayer And these verily are wholesome exercises wherewith we must prepare our selues duely to receyue the holye ghost who entreth not into a frowarde soule and whome the worlde cannot receyue but contemneth and derideth such cogitations and studies Nowe in this place he beginneth to declare what the Apostles first did how they settled themselues to the publike ministery of the Church which was committed vnto them And this was the substitution of Matthye in the place of Iudas the traytour and reprobate For where Christ would haue the Apostles to be twelue in number whom hee ordayned to be Iudges of the twelue Trybes of Israel it was requisite the same number should be fulfilled least the falshoode of Iudas should any way hinder the ordinaunce of Christ. In the meane season the example of the Apostles admonisheth vs that the chiefe care of the Church ought to be in prouiding to haue fitte meete ministers For how shal they beleeue in him sayth Paule of whom they haue not hearde howe shall they heare without a Preacher howe shall they preach except they be sent And the same Apostle in another place sayth that himselfe Apollo and Cephas were the ministers of God by whome the Corinthians beleeued For although it belonge onely to God to giue fayth and hee worketh the same in the mindes of men by the vertue of his holy spirite for which cause the worshippers of Christ are called by the Prophet the taught of God yet for our sakes he witteth safe to vse the outwarde ministerie of the worde the vse and dignitie whereof must be defended and retayned in the Church Which thing is the cause why the Prophetes account fitte teachers among the chiefe benefites of God and Christ teacheth his Apostles to praye vnto God to sende worthy and faithfull workmen into his vineyarde And Paule in another place sheweth the maiesty and great care of Christ for his Church by this one argument chiefly that he sendeth from high giftes of his holy spirite and giueth some Apostles some Prophetes some Euaungelists some Pastors and teachers to the increase of the Saintes in the woorke of administration and to the building vp of his bodye They ought well to remember this that take vppon them in these dayes authoritie ouer the Church of Christ whether they be Bishops or secular Magistrates that they fayle not in this most necessary poynt to see to the Church but that they order euery thing in such sort that they maye leaue to their posteritie presidents of sounde and true doctrine Whervnto chiefly belongeth the appointing of schooles and bringing vp of youth which the Prophetes in the olde Testament had a great care of and after that the Christian Emperours likewyse Which things whosoeuer eyther through negligence or wasting of the Church goodes consume they ought to be taken for the greatest enimies of the Church and shall one daye buy such their heynous offences full deere at Christes hande But to addresse vs to the declaration of this present place Luke with great diligence rehearseth this hystorie declaring how the chiefe vse thereof is for vs to learne by example of the Apostles what to obserue and followe in choosing and appoynting ministers of the Church He beginneth with the description of the Church that was at that time In those dayes sayth he when they being gathered togither with one accorde looked for the comming of the holy ghost Peter stoode vp in the midst of the Disciples and proposed a matter which indifferently appertained to them all The number of them that beleeued when they were rehearsed by name was about an hundred and twentie Here both the small number of beleeuers in the Primitiue Church and Peter the Apostle are diligently to be considered For touching the number of them that professed Christ I thinke there is no man but marueyleth that there was no more founde in so famous and populous a Citie that professed and followed christ For what had Christ left vnassayde in that Citie For to omit the teaching aduertisements exhortation of the Prophets if a man consider but the things done in that Citie from the time that Christ came among them he shall perceyue an incredible hardnesse of heart and frowardnesse in that nation Iohn the Baptist went before Christ by reason of the plainnesse of his doctrine and straightnesse of his lyfe had bene able to haue mooued anye kinde of men But howe smally he profited the proofe very well declared Then by and by vpon followed Christ who to his doctrine which he framed and prepaced all maner of wayes to winne them with added myracles of such force and efficacie that they were able to make the verye enimies to confesse the truth Uerily Nicodemus confessed that no man but he that was sent of God coulde doe such things as they sawe him doe euery daye And manye openlye sayde Shall Christ when hee commeth worke more myracles than this man hath done I let passe the signes and woonders which partlye went before Christes death and partly followed which were able to mollifie the harts of the most cruell souldiers And yet after all these thinges there are no more but sixe score persons reckened among all that beleeued by Lukes testimonie who was a most faithfull and true witnesse In this appeareth the great power of Iesus Christ which of this smal remnant as the Prophets afore times tolde was able to multiplie and encrease his Church that in fewe yeares it was spred ouer all the worlde Wee maye learne also the vntowardnesse of mans nature and acknowledge almost an incurable naughtinesse in him and not to be offended though we see but fewe in these dayes that beleeue the doctrine of the Gospell For this did Esaias long ago foresee therfore minding to preach of the redemption that should be made by Christ crieth out who hath beleeued our preaching to whom is the arme of the Lorde declared And Christ speaking to his flocke sayth feare not little flocke for it hath pleased my father to giue you a kingdome And himselfe speaking of the last times declareth that such shall be the fashion and condicion of the worlde when he commeth that he shall finde no faith or truth vpon the earth Therfore great is the errour of those which iudge of faith and doctrine according to the multitude or fewnesse of them that followe it which is a common thing nowe a dayes For such was the state of the Church euen in the verye beginning that the smallest number embraced the doctrine of truth Noah only with his familie in that auncient worlde followed a diuers faith and religion from the residue of
cannot shut vp the bowels of pitie Ouer and besides this the first beleeuers were to be envred by this voluntarye contribution to take the more paciently the losse of their goodes which shortly after should ensue when persecution arose seeing they had learned before to bestow them on others and were contented themselues to liue with a little Therefore this place ministreth no example of confusion whereby these phrenetike disturbers of common weales may be mainteyned but only a certayne liberalitie towardes the poore is in this place commended which God would haue alwayes to flourish in his Church We know what God sayth Deuter. 15. Let there be no begger at all amongst you Yet God was not ignorant there woulde be alwayes that shoulde be pinched with penurie But that the same shoulde runne vagarant about as publike spectacles of pouertie and beggerie is most contrary to the nature of charitie whervnto all Gods people are bounde And there are diuers other lawes of God extant whereby an order is declared howe the poore may be commodiouslye prouided for that they neede not go begging from doore to doore Hereof it commeth to passe that the Prophetes in euery place commend the poore vnto vs And Christ doth vouchsafe so to commende the care and helpe that ought to be taken for them that he testifyeth he will in the later daye reward them that haue done good to the poore for his sake euen as though they had done it to himselfe which order and institution was of such force and authoritie with the Apostles that they were not ashamed to make prouision for the poore Yea when Paule and Barnabas had declared the trade of their ministerie to Iohn Peter and Iames they thought good to admonish them of this one thing that they shoulde not neglect the poore whome they knewe Christ had so diligently commended vnto them Besides that Paule exhorteth the Corinthians that they shoulde not onely see for the prouision of their owne poore but also where they were very rich they shoulde helpe the needye brethren at Ierusalem which were verye poore And surely it is euident that our predecessors had a great care herof if we consider the donations and foundations both of Princes and priuate men which with greater liberalitie had giuen their goodes to the Church to the ende that both puritie of doctrine myght be preserued and the poore and needy relieued and helped But in these dayes religion is growne into such contempt that they are very fewe and scant which will giue ought of their owne but euery where there are ynough which wil rape and reue and prodigally waste that which others haue giuen They shall one daye prooue that Christ is a reuenger which will not contemne the crye of his poore and will most seuerely reuenge the spoyle and waste of his Church And it is to be feared least they shall leaue them to the wicked enimies of the Churche and fayth to be rifled bicause they disdaine to bestowe them on their euen Christians the brethren of Christ. But let vs returne to Luke which describeth the publyke and holy assembly of the Church where he sayth they continued euery day in the temple with one accorde Then they came oftentimes togither in the temple not for that they would be at the Iewes sacrifices which they knew were abolished through the bloude of Christ but bicause of the concourse of the people that they might teach and winne the more vnto christ By this example we are taught to seeke occasion on euery side to set forth the kingdome of Christ and for this cause the people ought oftentimes to meete togither that there may be the greater number to heare the worde of god For where the faithfull are gouerned by the light of the truth they cannot be ashamed thereof and seeke not darckenesse and corners as they doe whose workes be euill Uerily we reade that Christ taught alwayes openly and thereby excused himselfe both when he was taken and afterwarde also before Caïphas And Paule the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the .xj. and .xiiij. Chap. diligently describeth the publike assemblies and holy meetinges which he woulde neuer haue done if he had not vnderstoode they had bene of much force to the setting forth of Gods true religion Two thinges are ascribed to the primitiue Church continuance togither and vnanimitie of mindes which are needefull at all times but specially in assemblies and Churche meetinges For where God as it hath otherwheare bene sayde hath commended them by a singuler promise such an earnest studie and perseuerance in keeping the same is meete for Christians Againe where these assemblies are made both for doctrine sake for publike prayers and vse of the sacramentes vnanimitie for this purpose is chiefly requisite With this it becommeth Ministers of the word to be ioyned togither least they be authors of partaking and sectes suche as we knowe were once in the Church of Corinth but let them with one accord vrge set forth the doctrine of truth labor to bring Disciples vnto Christ as he commaunded in the .xxviij. chap. of Mathew That vnanimitie in praiers is of great weight before god appeereth hereby bicause mutuall loue is euery where commaunded and Christ earnestly desireth of his father that all the beleeuing may be one as he and his father are one The same reason may be made also of the sacramentes For where they seale vnto vs the benefites of Christ and are tokens and pledges of the fellowship and vnitie which we haue in Christ by the vsing wherof we are taken into one body with Christ it cannot be that they can vse them duly which are at enmitie amongest themselues These things ought well to haue bene considered in these dayes where there is great faulte committed on all sides For they that glorye in the doctrine of the Gospell and haue enioyed the same a long whyle waxe slacke for the most part and are quite voyde of perseuerance as though they had attayned already to perfection and had now no more to doe They are deuided into diuers and sundry sectes and one of them excōmunicateth another So that it must needes come to passe that Paule sayth If you byte and deuoure one another take heede least you be likewise consumed one of another And it is no marueyle that the Gospell doth no better succeede and go forwarde considering those men are neither feruent in perseuerance nor ioyned togither in vnanimitie in whome the same of all other is chiefely required Let who so will reade Eusebius preface vpon the eyght booke of the Ecclesiasticall hystorie and he shall finde a most liuely description of these times and what we may looke for Unto these Luke ioyneth the trade of lyfe that these first Christians liued in priuately among themselues And they brake breade sayth he from house to house and did eate their meate togither with singlenesse
out of Paule we declared Christ blesseth vs as he is a priest For it was the Priestes office to blesse the people as Moyses teacheth Numer 6. Although there is great difference betweene them Christ for they were ministers only of the figure and shadowe Christ doth not only wishe vs good but also giueth it and in him God blesseth vs with all spirituall blessing as Paule teacheth Ephe. 1. But Peter addeth the maner also of this blessing saying whyle he turneth euery man from his wickednesse For where of sinnnes the curse springeth there can be no place for blessing afore sinne be taken awaye Nowe Christ taketh them awaye yea he hath long sithence clensed them by the merite of his death for which cause the Baptist calleth him the lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde He taketh not sinne away fo◠one time only but conuerteth all them frō their sinnes that beleeue in him For where he giueth them his spirite they be regenerated and renewed by him so that they which before were giuen to the bondage of sinne doe cast of the yoake of sinne and liue vnto God and beginne to serue him in studie of innocencie and charitie Whereby we gather that they are greatly deceyued which imagine Christ to be a patrone of carnall libertie and saye that by preaching of him we plant carelesse lyfe in the mindes of men Certainlye Christ came into the worlde to destroye the workes of the deuill But among these workes sinne hath the chiefe place as there is none that can denie Nay rather if we will confesse the truth there can be in vs no true turning from sinne but such as Christ is author of through his spirite according to that saying of Ieremie Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted Agayne Turne thou vs vnto thee O Lord and so shall we be turned Furthermore before we make an ende we haue to be obserued that the Iewes abounding in so many prerogatiues dignities as both here and else where are declared in the .ix. to the Romaines receiued no cōmodity by any of them all but were forsaken of God for that through stubborne incredulitie they contemned Christ and despised the preaching of the gospell whereof Paule intreateth at large Rom. 11. Therfore all externe things are but vaine except we embrace Christ with true fayth who onely conuerteth vs from sinnes purgeth our sinnes reconcileth vs to God and maketh vs inheritors of the kingdome of heauen This Christ hath Peter in his sermon taught them and sheweth them that in him the treasure of saluation is opened vnto them notwithstanding it might seeme they were fallen from saluation and the grace of god Let vs therfore thinke these things spoken also vnto vs and labour to become the true members of Christ and to be quickened with his spirite that hereafter we may raigne with him in heauen to whome be prayse honour glory and power for euer Amen The fourth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xxvj. Homelie AS they spake vnto the people the Priestes and the Rulers of the Temple and the Saduceys came vpon them taking it grieuously that they taught the people and preached in Iesus the resurrection from death And they laide handes vpon them and put them in holde vntill the next day for it was now euentyde Howbeit many of them which hearde the wordes beleeued and the number of the men was about fiue thousande HItherto Luke hath described the beginning and successe of the primitiue church There haue we seene what the doctrine of the Apostles was which they deliuered vnto the Church also what the studies and exercises of the primitiue Church were Nowe herevnto is most commodiously adioyned how the worlde receyued this doctrine where we shall see howe the very same thing fell out that Christ before that shewed his Apostles of For in Iohn he sayth The seruant is not greater than his Maister If they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also If they haue kept my saying they will keepe yours Againe They shall deliuer you vp to the Councels and shall scourge you in their sinagoges And these things they whom God had hitherto kept safe from the furie of their enimies vntill the beginning of his Church myght be stablished and settled a little surer beginne nowe to finde true But nowe most fierce enimies sodenlye rushe in vppon them they take and cast them into prison they bring them to examination before the Counsayle and at length being vexed with long disceptation and reasoning they dismisse them with grieuous threates We must in all this narration marke this one thing chiefely aboue all other which shall serue much for our consolation and instruction that is not to be offended at the attempts of the wicked wherewith in these dayes they oppugne the doctrine of Christ and his Church For this worlde whose propertie it is to hate and persecute the light of the truth bicause it bewrayeth their naughtie doings vseth of olde thus for to doe Here it behooueth vs to be armed with the constancie of the primitiue Church that we leaue not our place when we are assaulted but that we wayte for an happie ende and successe of such temptation with a stronge and inuincible fayth which God graunteth vnto them whome he seeth tried and made the better vnder the crosse But bicause we shall haue occasion oftentimes to speake of these things let it suffice vs to haue touched this little hereof least we lose the marke whereto all these things must be directed Nowe we shall discusse euery part and circumstance of the things that Luke hath sayde He describeth who were the Apostles enimies and authors of their persecution what craftes and deceite they vsed what cloke they had for their wicked and vniust enterprise howe violently they layde handes on the Apostles and howe vaine their attempt was bicause through their furie the number of the faythfull were rather increased than diminished Among the enimies of the Apostles there are three kindes of men rehearced The first are Priestes whome by the circumstaunces we may easilye gather were the ringleaders and beginners of all this businesse Howbeit it had bene their partes rather to haue taken vppon them the defence of the truth and to haue preached Christ vnto the people of whome Moyses and the Prophetes bare witnesse After these followeth the Ruler of the Temple who by all likelyhoode was some Capitaine of the Romaine souldiors For where the Temple stoode in the most impregnable place of the Citie and was well fenced with munition I suppose the Romaynes gaue the Presidentes of Iurie a speciall charge thereof least the Iewes vnder colour of religion and holy assemblies shoulde mooue any insurrection or sedition And vndoubtedly the Capitaine of the Temple brought with him his garde or souldiors which alwayes attended on his seruice were at his commaundement There was a thirde kinde of men
beside these called Saduceyes who plainely scoffed at all religion For they denyed the resurrection of the bodye and whatsoeuer else is written of the mysteries of eternall life as may be seene Math. 22. and Actes 23. And it can not be that any syncere religion coulde be in them which durst denye these things without the which religion coulde not stande And if we expende the matter well it shall appeare that the same men came against the Apostles which were sent out to take Christ at mount Oliuete as Luke in his Gospell sheweth Let vs here marke who are alwayes like to be the greatest enimies of the Church and doctrine of Christ and authors of persecution Uerily the Priestes that is to say those which take vpon them the gouernance of doctrine and of the whole Church For as soone as they being ouercome with ambition and couetousnesse beginne to seeke priuate honour and chaunge religion into lucre which the storie of the Gospell abundantly declareth those Iewish doctors did Math. 7.23 Iohn 5. c. it can not be chosen but they will be the first to withstand the truth bicause they are the first that are reproued through the light of the truth Hereof we see it commeth to passe in all ages that these kinde of men haue procured most trouble agaynst the doctrine of truth The times that the Prophets liued in declare this to be true against whome the Bishops and Priestes made most a do The same Iohn the Baptist prooued true whose doctrine and Baptisme the Leuites sent from Ierusalem beganne first to reprehend And Christ had no sorer enimies than the Priestes through whose deuises he was taken condemned and nayled to the crosse The Apostles nowe finde the same to be their grieuousest enimies And those whom Pylate and the Romaine garrison hytherto suffred to preache Christ are disturbed by them whose fauour and defence they ought to haue had in setting forth the kingdome of christ Let vs remember this geare and not be troubled though we perceyue those against vs in these dayes which hitherto haue chalenged to themselues in the Church the name of learning and holynesse I meane the Popes with all the rable of Bishops and Monkes For where it is euident they are all ledde with couetousnesse and ambition and haue long since obscured the doctrine of truth with mannes traditions and haue made lucre of religion it cannot be but they must hate the light of the truth and wish the extinguishment thereof But let vs consider the craft which they vse in setting vppon the Apostles First they enter not into the Church alone and so laye hande vpon the Apostles For so all men woulde haue perceyued howe they had beene led with the desire of their priuate honor and lucre And it was a daungerous matter for them to prouoke the furie and rage of the people against them Wherefore they ioyne vnto them the ruler of the Temple who was authorised by publike order to see there shoulde be no businesse made in the Church and so they woulde seeme to haue a regard of publike tranquillitie where in deede they did it for none other purpose but to vse the ayde of the officer for the defence of their tyrannie Then ioyne they also vnto them the Saduceyes men voyde of all religion bicause they thought such meetest for their purpose For such men as these thinke it a poynt eyther of a foolishe or a seditious minde contrary to custome to alter any thing in religion Last of all they rushe in vpon them as they be in their sermon and that sodenly bicause they would feare the people withall Wherevpon we may thinke they had consulted hereof before and that they did nothing at aladuenture or without deliberation The like craft haue all they vsed against the truth which nowe these many yeares haue conspired against the same For Daniel attributeth to Antichrist the eyes of a man that is to say witte and wylinesse to foresee things And Christ sayth the children of this worlde are wyser in their kinde than the children of lyght And surelye if we well consider the hystories of the Bishops of Rome we shall see they haue vsed the lyke wylinesse these many yeares and that they haue then chiefely set forwarde their owne matters when they haue seemed to do nothing lesse and being bolstred vp by the secular powers haue clymed vp to such rule and tyrannie as nowe they exercise So Boniface the thirde made Phocas embrued with the heynous murther of Maurice his maister the Emperour to thintent that he againe might make him the supreme head of the Church So by the strength of the Lumbardes they draue the Emperors of Greece out of Italie and when the Lumbardes seemed to them more intollerable than the Greekes they vsed the Frenchmens ayde to subdue the Lumbardes Neyther made they Charles Emperor of the west Church where the Romaines had bene without an Emperour more than three hundred yeares for any other cause but to haue a Captaine or ruler of the Church whose ayde and helpe they might vse to defende their vsurped power ouer the Church and to brydle such as woulde speake against it They most plainely bewrayed their meaning when they conueyed the Empire to the Germaines and caused the Emperours to sweare homage and obedience to them and reserued the authoritie of confirming and crowning the Emperour to themselues least any other than such as woulde doe after their pleasure should ascende to such dignitie They shall confesse that I say the truth whosoeuer will reade the fourme of oth wherwith the Emperours are bounde and which they haue put among the Canons of their lawe and also the Canon of Boniface the eyght concerning maioritie and obedience For he speaking of two swordes that is of the ecclesiasticall and secular power doth expressely chalenge them both vnto the Bishops of Rome in these words Both are in the power of the Church namely the spirituall swoorde and the materiall But the one to bee exercised of the Church the other for the Church The one by the hande of the Priest the other by the hande of Princes and souldiours but at the becke and sufferaunce of the priest c. Let vs therefore acknowledge the truth of the olde President when we see Bishops fight against the truth with force of kinges Let vs marke the subtiltie of this beast which compasseth hir matters by strength of others Let vs consider hir continuall traueyâ—e in oppressing the truth and not iudge of them according to our leysinesse They wake when we soundly snort Let vs therfore awake likewise and according to Christes admonition beware of men Howbeit it might seeme a straunge and tyrannicall deede violently to carie men awaye without order of lawe Therefore Luke sheweth what their pretence was They tooke it grieuously sayth he that they taught the people and preached in Iesus the resurrection from the deade In these words he
and accused being at that time taken for the most abiect and despised men of all others hauing neyther nobilitie of birth renoume of succession neyther any other worldly dignitie or honor to commende them of and at whome many men were offended bicause of that slaunderous punishment of the crosse which Christ their maister and teacher suffered Yet the ende of this Tragedie sheweth howe they had the ouerhande of all these persons And let no man thinke it straunge to see such a sort and such maner of men come togither against the Preachers of the truth bicause the Euangelistes manye times shewe vs the reason thereof For where they were ledde with the desire of ambition and priuate lucre and had corrupted the doctrine of truth with the traditions of men and had turned godlynesse into lucre and gaine they were not able to abide the light of the truth the hatred whereof had armed them before against Christ and euen now pricketh them forward to ioyne agaynst the Apostles speedilye to make awaye with them like men that would vtterly quench some great fire begūne in a Citie The consideration hereof in the meane while serueth for our instruction For first we learne that no man ought to be offended at the power and authoritie of Christes enimies so that he eyther dishonestly be afrayde of them or else through any preposterous reuerence submit himselfe and Gods religion to their iudgement For as God can easilye defende those that be his against all the power of the worlde so is there no dignitie of man able to preiudice or countermaunde his worde The Byshops of Rome in these dayes challenge such an authoritie vnto them and imperiouslye inough require men to obey the decrees of their Counsels Their chiefe argumentes are that they sit in Peters chaire that they succeede in the roume of the Apostles that their power is confirmed by the authoritie of Kinges Princes And to graunt them these thinges which yet they falsely chalenge to themselues all these things we maye see here in the Iewes as erewhile we declared Yet for all that the Apostles doe not yeelde to them bicause they had long before swarued and gone out of kinde in that they had both corrupted the true doctrine made outwarde religion their priuate lucre and had openly persecuted Goddes veritie and truth Therefore where our case in these dayes is like why may not we doe as the Apostles did Neyther are they to be regarded which promise themselues I wote not what great commoditie of these mennes counsayles An euill tree cannot bring foorth good fruite And what goodnesse can they establishe which persecute the worde of God and studie both daye and night to establishe their tyrannie And who in their iudgementes haue longe agone condemned vs and haue none whome they stande in awe of They woulde haue the truth oppressed the light whereof they cannot abide Therefore whosoeuer woulde haue the truth betrayed let him commit the iudgement of doctrine and religion to these men But great is the blindenesse of our dayes whereby it commeth to passe that a great many both wittingly and willingly submit not onely religion but also all their goodes and the libertie of their Countrie to the insatiable lust of a sort of ambicious Prelates But it shall be good for vs to consider the question which the Iewishe Priestes vse against the Apostles being brought before them The same is comprehended in fewe wordes for that they woulde seeme to speake with authoritie and to fraye them with a vaine shewe of dignitie For they say By what power or in what name haue you done this These wordes seeme to haue some shewe of godly zeale For they will seeme by vertue of their office to demaund this thing as to whom it belonged to see that the people shoulde not be seduced eyther with false doctrine or false myracles Nowbeit in deede they demaunde it to trie if they coulde take any holde of their wordes whereby to accuse them which craft they many times also practised agaynst christ For what neede had they to demaund that thing againe wherof the Apostles before in the temple had rendred so euident a reason or had they forgotten that Iesus Christ through his owne power wrought myracles and the Apostles long before that in his name Therfore their desire was not to learne the truth but subtillye by craft to circumuent the vnwarie They are like the demaundes of them which now a dayes aske our men where they learned their newe doctrine by what authoritie they sowe new opinions and reforme their Churches Nowbeit we haue long sithence rendred a reason hereof whereof they are not ignorant Therefore it is a farre other thing than the desire of truth that these men be ledde with nay their whole drift and fetch is to catch some occasion or holde of some worde which might vnawares escape vs to accuse vs of Therefore we ought to suspect all such Counsels and deuises and as Christ taught vs to vse the wisedome of the serpent in auoyding them And we must not be afrayde of their craft seeing Christ hath promised vs his spirite wherewith Peter being prompted aunswered with great boldenesse of minde Peters aunswere consisteth of two partes whereof the one answereth the Iudges question and the other preacheth christ The first part he handleth with marueylous prudencie For before he sheweth that Christ is the author of the myracle he grauely reprehendeth their vnrighteousnesse and preposterous iudgement Yet not defrauding them of the honour due vnto magistrates by Gods commaundement least he might seeme to speake of corrupt affection or of ticklenesse of tongue Thus he sayth Ye rulers of the people and Elders of Israell if we this daye be examined of the good deede that wee haue done to the sicke man by what meanes hee is made whole bee it knowne vnto you all c. He seemeth thus to saye we marueyled trulye wherefore we were yesterdaye caried to the prison and what fault we had made that you so earnestly searched for For where it is the Magistrates dutie to enquire after malefactors and euill doers and we by our selues knewe none euill that we had committed we coulde not choose but marueyle much at your doing But as farre as we nowe can perceyue we are called before you for a benefite and good deede that we haue bestowed vpon a poore and pitifull man This seemeth me to be the sense of Peters woordes And in these thinges we haue painted out a plaine portraiture of the enimies of the truth by whose iudgement they only are in fault that only seeke to serue christ For howe many thinke we were then in Hierusalem which by craft lying slaundering vsurie extortion open force and manslaughter had hurt and hindered a many of men how many which through false doctrine superstition blasphemie and infinite other wickednesses had prouoked the wrath of God yet none of them were called Coram Neither could these notable
bicause Christ greatly hindered and empayred their gayne and honor But Gods spirite bloweth where it pleaseth neyther must we dispayre of any mans health bycause of his profession and trade of lyfe Further where he was a Cypriote he so looued the faythfull of Ierusalem that on them onely he woulde bestowe or shew thys liberalitie For he vnderstoode without doubt that in Christ all difference of nations was abolished as otherwheres the Scripture teacheth And his so great liberalitie wanted not a singuler commoditie For his vertue is enrolled in perpetuall memorie and the Apostles thought good to call hym Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolation For he deserued to haue so singuler a name which by his liberalitie gaue so singuler comfort to so many In the meane season we be taught what names they deserue which defraude the poore of Christ by raping and reauing the Church goodes and as much as in them is let and hinder the religion and doctrine of christ These be in verie deede the children of disturbance and perdition whose iudgement steepeth not as the example of Ananias following will teache vs Let vs marke the exercises of the primitiue Church and gyue our selues to the lyke in thys most troublesome worlde where Sathan euerywhere raiseth vp persecutours against the doctrine of truth Let the preachers be armed with a bold liberty of teaching the word and let them remember they are the seruants of God whome no authoritie of man ought to mooue Let them which professe the name of Christ be at vnitie togither in christ Let them labour to shewe their vnitie and concorde by workes of liberalitie and specially by helping of the poore These be the markes of Christians and these be the strongest weapons and defences of Christians For by these they be knowne to be the Disciples of Iesus Christ who is able easily to defende them against all the assaultes of the worlde and shall at length delyuer them from all perill and daunger and bring them to his celestiall kingdome to him be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The fift chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xxxij. Homelie A Certaine man named Ananias with Sapphiâ—a his wife solde a possession and kept awaye part of the price his wife also being of counsell and brought a certayne part and layde it downe at the Apostles feete But Peter sayde Ananias how is it that Sathan hath filled thine hart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy ghost and keepe awaye part of the price of the lande Pertayned it not to thee onely and after it was solde was it not in thine owne power why hast thou conceyued this thing in thine hart Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto god When Ananias hearde these wordes hee fell downe and gaue vp the ghost And great feare came on all them that heard these things And the yong men rose vp and put him apart and caried him out and buried him THe Euangelist Luke hath declared what exercises and studies the primitiue Church was giuen vnto in the most perillous time of persecution We haue there seene all things belonging to a perfite and most absolute forme and order of a Churche For the Apostles taught the worde of God boldly and trulye The people as meete was receyued the same as their vnanimitie concorde and earnest loue abundantly declared But the holy ghost was not ignoraunt that there would be alwayes phrenetike and troublesome men which herof would take occasion rashly to condemne all Churches wherein all things were not answereable to the perfection of the primitiue Church Wherfore he would haue the historie of Ananias and Sapphira to folow which teacheth vs that Satan had in this holy society his bondmen whose dissimulation at last burst forth and appeared Wherefore nothing is in all poynts sounde and perfite And they are not to be regarded which condemne whole congregations bicause of a few of dissembling merchauntes or voluptuous liuers that are founde in the same considering we reade of Iudas among the Disciples of Christ and that he testifieth that as well badde as good be drawen by preaching of the Gospell Before we beginne the historie we must marke that as Iudas tooke occasion of his sinne by the goodes of the Church so Ananias stumbling at the same stone begunne the first disturbance in the Church The holy ghost thought good to admonishe vs by these examples that the managing of ecclesiasticall goods is a perillous matter â–ª and that they manifestly put their saluation in hazarde that offende therein Therefore whosoeuer glorye in the name of Christ and his Gospell let them diligently take heede to themselues But if they would weigh this one thing they woulde neuer lyke hungrye Cormoraunts runne so greedily to the administring of them The historie hath in it two partes The first declareth what became of Ananias and next what of Sapphira his wife But for the better vnderstanding of the first part we will first consider Ananias facte then Peters iudgement touching the same last of all the punishment which God layde vpon him Ananias deede is tolde with great simplicitie least we shoulde thinke the Apostles leaned any thing to their affections A certain man named Ananias with Sapphira his wife solde a possession and kept awaye part of the price his wife also being of counsell and brought a certaine part and layde it downe at the Apostles feete Here is principally to be enquired what that fault was which the Lorde a little while after punished with sodeine death For after the iudgement of the fleshe here is no fault made but we may thinke Ananias rather worthie of prayse and rewarde For to sell his lande it was no fault bicause it was lawfull for him so to doe both by Gods law and mans And of any craft or collusion vsed in the bargaine and sale here is no mention Neyther hath the Lorde forbidden vs to reserue part of our owne goodes for our necessities bicause Paule sayeth they be worse than Infidels which looke not to their owne families And he teacheth vs that wee must not so giue almes that our liberalitie be occasion to others of ease and to our selues of want and distresse Furthermore it seemeth he is verye beneficiall to the Church of Christ that giueth but the halfe the third or fourth part of his goodes to the vse thereof Also Christ testifyeth that he shall be rewarded that giueth but a cup of colde water to any of his Disciples in his name Therefore we must consider the minde of Ananias which we maye gather in the other part of the historie by the wordes of Sapphira and so we shall see wherein he offended to saye in hypocrisie and counterfeyting of fayth and loue wherwith he went about to deceyue as well God as the congregation For the ambicious man sawe what prayse and glorye Ioses the Leuite had gotten through his liberalitie Wherefore he being desirous also to
in the meane season had a good opinion of them and published theyr prayses abroad bicause they sawe a certayne kinde of heauenly and Aungelike lyfe shine in them Diuers lyke examples of them maye we reade in hystories And vnder Traian the Emperour the Christians lyfe was so vnblameable that where he intended to persecute them at the intreatie of Plinius Secundus who was one of the iudges they were let alone and not medled with Thys place teacheth vs two things most worthy to be obserued First that the Church consisteth onely of faythfull persons and such as are true christians and that lying hypocrites can haue no place therein For where Christ is the king of truth as he testifyed before Pylate he can not abyde nor suffer lyers and hypocrites And in the Gospell he sayth they shall be put out from the maryage which come in without the wedding garment In an other place he adiudgeth them to eternall damnation with the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolators Secondly we learne what getteth christians authoritie and fauour with men verilye when they aunswere to their vocation and lyue a lyfe aunswerable to the name of Christ whereby God our heauenly father may be glorifyed For that that God sayde vnto Heli the priest by his Prophete shall alwayes stand firme and ratified Them that worship me will I worship and they that despise me shall come to shame Which things if we would diligently consyder it should easily appeare howe it commeth to passe that the name of the Gospell in these dayes is euerywhere enuyed and the professours thereof for the most part are hated and slaundered Our vnbrideled and dissolute lyfe deserueth it whereby vnder a pretence of the gospell we burst into all vngodlynesse and we which would seeme holyer than all others doe passe all other almost in lycentious lyuing Let vs amende these things and we shall quickly prooue the Church shall be reuerenced agayne as she was woont Fourthly he sayth that there was daylie added to the Church newe christians as well men as women which were indued with true fayth and were moued thervnto by the holy ghost Thys teacheth vs how vaine the attemptes of Christes enimyes are seeing they that had the supremacy in the Citie of Ierusalem were not able to hynder the growth of the Church nowe springing For as Christ sayth The winde bloweth where it will and is subiect to no mans pleasure or appointment And dyuers examples teach vs that the Church in tyme of persecutions alwaye increased rather than diminished For this is the propertie of Christ to beare rule in the middest of his enimies Let no man therefore be feared with the manaces of wicked enimies as though it were in their power to ouerthrowe the Church For it is buylt vpon Christ against whome the gates of Hell cannot preuayle Besides this the kingdome of Christ beginneth to be spreade abroad in the Cities nigh adioyning For the fame of these myracles being caried to and fro caused a great manye to bring their sicke and demoniake people to Ierusalem and by that occasion they came to the knowledge of christ The chiefe vse of this place is to make vs in these dayes vnderstande by what meanes Christes kingdome may be enlarged Wherein they which vnder the cloke of the Gospell follow carnall wisedome and haue not yet subdued the same to the obedyence of faith take dyuers consultations For there be some that thinke it best for the faythfull to serue the time to graunt many things and to winke at other vntill the worlde maye looke with an other countenaunce and their mindes waxe calmer which now hate the truth Other agayne turning to carnall defences thinke good by confederacie and fight to bring the matter to passe But the successe of things prooueth both these sortes to be farre wyde and deceyued For this is Gods businesse and can be brought to passe with none other power and strength than his Neyther thorow an hoste of men neyther thorow strength but thorowe my spirite as the Lorde sayth by his Prophet And agayne I will saue them in the Lord their God and I will not saue them by bow nor sword nor by battayle nor by horse nor by horsemen c. We know in deede sometime that he vseth the ministerie of Princes and men and warre as the examples of the Machabees of Constantine and Theodosius doe testifie but euen then he so moderateth the matter that the power of his spirite sheweth it selfe in the middle of these thinges and hath onely the preheminencie Therefore let as many as consult how to haue the Church mainteyned and the kingdome of Christ aduaunced regarde him onely For when they go about to bring the matter to passe by mans counsell and defence there will not God worke any longer Therefore let vs continue in the exercises of the primitiue Church such as Luke hitherto hath rehearsed Let the teachers constantly preach the doctrine of truth not suffer themselues to be plucked from the same considering it hath bene confirmed by so many myracles let them that will be taken for christians earnestly harken to the same and let them ioyne contynuall prayers to the studye of the worde for as much as without Gods secrete working nothing can be brought to passe Let the authoritie of Ecclesiasticall discipline be in force that neyther hypocrites nor open naughtie packes may haue any place in the Church Let the studie of loue and liberalitie towarde the poore raigne amongst vs that the household of fayth through our couetousnesse be not gased on like publike stages of beggerie Bycause these thinges nowe a dayes are not onely neglected but also peruerted it is no marueyle that we see so little fruite of the doctrine of the gospell Let vs therefore settle our selues herevnto with all our hartes and our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ wyll helpe our studies and endeuoures to whome be praise honor glory and power for euer Amen The .xxxv. Homelie THEN the chiefe priest rose vp and all they that were with him which is the sect of the Sadduceyes and were full of indignation and layde handes on the Apostles and put them in the common prison But the Aungell of the Lorde by night opened the prison doores and brought them forth and saide Goe and stande and speake in the temple to the people all the wordes of this life When they heard that they entred into the Temple early in the morning and taught THat Oracle of Dauid the King and Prophet saying that Christ should reigne in the middest of hys enimies is verye wonderfull Hereof we gather that Christ shall rule in thys worlde yet so as he shall neuer want those that shall go aboute to subuert and ouerthrowe his kingdome Examples hereof we may euerye where see in the Scriptures and Ecclesiasticall Hystoryes But most manifestlye of all others
is it seene in thys present Booke where in the report of the Apostles actes and description of the primitiue Church Luke alwayes ioyneth these two thinges togyther that is to say the successe of Christes kingdome and the furious rage of the vngodly against the same These thinges serue to the ende that we should neyther be offended at the Crosse and aduersitie whereof Christ so often tymes hath gyuen vs warning neyther hope for anye contynuall peace and tranquillitie of the Church in thys worlde but that we should euen then prepare our selues to the crosse when the Church seemeth to be most in safetie Wherevnto thys present hystorie is chiefely to be referred For Luke a little before setteth forth vnto vs a flowrishing state of the Church shewing vs what aâ—thoritie it grewe in and how it increased day by day in so much that the Citie of Ierusalem was nowe to little to conteyne the kingdome of Christ bicause it began to be caryed abroad among straunge Nations But among these so many and prosperous proceedings there foloweth a grieuous persecution and great daunger bicause Christ gaue his enimies such power that they layde handes on the Apostles and put them in prison thinking also to put them vnto death Yet these things serue more to comfort vs than to feare vs bicause the Lorde so presently helped the Apostles being in daunger for the glorie of his name But that we maye receaue the more vtilitie and profite hereby first we must consider the enimies of Christ and the Apostles Then howe the Lorde did elude and frustrate their enterprise And last of all we will declare what the Apostles did after they were delyuered from the perill they were in Luke wryteth diligently of the enimies and persecutours of the church and of their enterprises For he sayth the high priest rose vp agaynst the Apostles and not he alone but all his complyces and fellowes and they that were his nearest friendes and familiars and these sayth he were of the Sadduceyes secte that we may perceaue what corruption raigned nowe among the Iewes when they were supreame heades of the Church to whome the resurrection of the dead which is the chiefe article of our fayth and religion seemed but a game and pastime as we haue often tymes declared And surely if they had not bene vtterly voyde of all religion eyther the sinceritie of the Apostles doctrine or the reuerente maiestie of the congregation or the wonderfull worthynesse of myracles and so great concursse of all sortes of people to the kingdome of Christ might haue mooued them lesse to haue raged But Luke declareth also what incensed them For he sayth they were full of zeale that is enuie and indignation For they could not abyde them to be had in prise and estimation by whose doctrine theyr honor and aduauntage was defaced Yet is it no doubt but they made the zeale of God and the publike commoditie of all the people to be the pretence of their priuate affections as we reade Caiaphas and his complyces did before Wherevnto came this zeale so farre that they layde hands on the Apostles and commaunded them to the common gayle as breakers of publike peace and open malefactours These things must be applyed to our times also bicause it is manifest al things are written for our sakes that we may haue enstruction and comfort thereby First this example teacheth vs who are alwayes like to be the greatest persecutors of Christes truth Truely they which glorie in the tytle of Priesthoode and will be taken for the chiefe heades of the Church and ought chiefely to maintaine and preach the truth But as soone as vnder pretence of Religion they beginne to seeke their owne gayne and lucre then can they neyther beleue themselues nor yet suffer the light of the truth whose brightnesse discloseth their naughtinesse and deceit And such for the most parte are these Sadduceis yea the Hogges of Epicures hearde For vnlesse they thought the thinges written in Scripture touching Heauen and Hell the immortalitie of the soules and the resurrection of the deade more vaine than fables they woulde neuer neyther so wickedly corrupte the scriptures with their traditions nor yet so impudently turne relygion into priuate lucre and aduantage Therefore Christ and the Apostles shewe vs how Antichrists place and Sea should be euen in the very church that we might perceyue from whence most daunger were to be looked for and feared And if we well marke these tymes it shall appeare they onely haue bene the enimies of the doctrine of the Gospell and kingdome of Christ which heretofore haue bene thought to be the chiefe heades of the Church For it is euident that the matters attempted by Princes and Kings were done for their sakes and by their procurement and instigation This thing offendeth many in these daies and make them thinke that the doctrine in our Churches is not the truth bycause the Popes and Byshoppes are enimies thereto But great folly it is to be offended with that which hath bene the most vsuall and common thing since the worlde beganne as other wher 's hath bene declared But we must as diligently consider wyth what craft and weapons these men fight Where first is to be noted howe egregiouslye they can counterfaite the zeale of God whose glorie they lament to be troden vnder foote and his Church to be so daungerously deuided But this is but a corrupt zeale as we see in Caiaphas to whome the confession of truth which Christ vttered seemed blasphemous and intollerable So nothing seemeth so impious and intollerable to these our heades as that that tasteth of the truth of the Gospell and is repugnant to their proude tyrannye and aduauntage And it appeareth euen by this place that we ought to haue no better iudgement of the zeale of our enimies bicause that as the Bishops of the Iewes coulde beare with the madde errours of the Saduceyes so they woulde helpe to bring downe Christ so these men can beare with the wicked sale and marte of holye things condemned by the Popes owne Canons with the scorcing of Gods doctrine with horrible periurye whoredome and all kinde of vnbridled lyuing so that those things that pertaine to their vaineglory and aduauntage might be left alone vntouched But to graunt them that in deede they haue a zeale to the glory of God yet can they not be excused but are lyke vnto the Iewes which as Paule sayth had a zeale of God but yet were voyde of all knowledge and truth For GOD will not haue vs followe our owne zeale but his woorde which for this cause he hath witsafed to reueale to all ages to the intent no man should followe the suggestions of the fleshe and wisedome of man But what maner of zeale these men had may be iudged by the successe of the thing For they that were Stewardes of the worde of God and ought with argumentes of Scripture to haue
newe amongst which this one is very notable which the Bishops of the Counsell at Constance vsed towardes Iohn Husse agaynst all right and lawe whome they were not afrayde with breach of their owne promise and the Emperours safe conduct cruelly to burne hauing none other cloke to excuse their heynous fact but that promise was not to be kept vnto heretikes Let no man therefore marueyle though he perceyue him vniustlye and vnworthily entreated In the meane season let vs learne in the beginning to quench the fire of hatred glimering against the truth least we also fall into the lyke blindnesse and incurable frowardenesse Now bicause the importunacie of a fewe coulde little or nothing preuayle agaynst the doctrine of the truth these most subtill Sophisters labor earnestly to set al the people with the Elders Scribes in Steuens top And as may be gathered bythe circumstaunces they rayse an open tumult in the citie meaning to apprehend him and bring him before the counsell Which is an olde pollicie of Satan meaning to make them away in an vprore or sedition whom they see armed with the defence of truth and lawe But moste times it commeth to passe that they which with seditious sleyghtes assault thetruth do most miserably perish by sedition as we may see it hath hapned to the nation of the Iewes And here is set forth a notable example of the leuitie inconstancie of the common people It was declared before how the Apostles and all the Church were in great estimation with the people both for the notablenesse of theyr myracles and also for the shew of an heauenly and as it were diuine maiestie that shone in them But now a number circumuented with the sleyghtes of these Sophisters stande vp against the doctrine of truth The lyke lightnesse in the people did Christ also finde whome one whyle they woulde haue made a king another whyle like mad men they cried out to haue him crucified So the men of Lystra at the first cried out saying Paule was a God but within a whyle after they woulde haue stoned him And many like doinges we reade in the histories of the Gentiles the vse of all which is that we hunt not for prayse of the people nor studie not to please the worlde but rather God whose will is certaine and remayneth stable and vnmooueable Nowe let vs see what thinges they laide to Steuens charge by these false witnesses whom Luke saith they brought before the Counsell The summe of their accusation is This man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous wordes against this holy place and against the lawe He is therefore accused of impietie and not thereof only but also of incurable obstinacie which hitherto by no reasons coulde be perswaded They make mention of the holy Citie and Temple by name bicause it seemed to the Iewes an intollerable impietie to speake or intende any thing against these places being commended by so many promises of god Therfore this was chiefly laid to Hieremies charge that he prophecied against the holy Citie and Temple But bicause it behooued the crime shoulde be prooued by witnesses and that the blasphemies shoulde be declared more plainely what they were they adde for we haue hearde him saye howe this Iesus of Nazareth shall destroye this place and shall chaunge the ordinances which Moses gaue vs. Therefore where they thought both their religion and their Citie shoulde endure for euer they iudged him that shoulde saye any thing touching the destruction thereof to be a wicked body Furthermore whence they tooke hold of this accusation may easily be gathered of the Apostles doctrine For they taught that men were iustified and saued by the mere grace of God through the merite of Iesus Christ and that nothing in the businesse of our saluation was to be attributed eyther to mannes workes or outward ceremonies For the one were polluted and imperfite and the other were shadowes and figures of the redemption in Christ to come which Christ had put awaye in the sacrifyce of hys owne body as might be gathered of the renting of the Temple which happened at the death of christ They also exhorted al men to cast away al their vaine hope in the righteousnesse of the lawe and to embrace with sure faith the righteousnesse of God offred them in christ The which thing bicause they woulde the more easilye perswade them they called to their remembraunce the peril of present destruction wherof Christ oftentimes had warned them Therefore the craftie and most impudent sclaunderers take occasion of their accusation hereof saying Steuen spake of the abolishing of their religion and destruction of the Citie but they craftilye conceale the causes moouing him so to saye Yea they so set forth the matter as though Steuen shoulde seeme to haue threatened to set the temple on fire and speaking very contemptuously of Christ they compare him as it were with the glorye and magnificencie of the Temple to make his doctrine to be the more despised This place is with all diligence to be obserued For as it teacheth vs that truth for the most part is assaulted with lyes so it plainly warneth vs that Christes doctrine can neuer be so wysely and modestlye preached but that the wicked world wil take occasion to sclaunder the same We finde it to be true in these our corrupted dayes wherein whatsoeuer the faythfull teachers of the truth say is most vniustly carped at For where we teach that men are iustified by the meere grace of God that our strength and workes haue no prayse in the case of our saluation by and by we are called the enimies of good workes and mainteyners of carnall libertie Agayne if we say that whatsoeuer belongeth to our saluation is conteyned in Christ onely bicause he is the onely mediatour aduocate and intercessor appoynted betweene God and vs streyght way we are condemned as wicked blasphemers of the blessed Uirgin and Saintes Item if we go about to deliuer the Church of Christ from the intollerable yoke of humane traditions to correct abuses and to restore the auncient simplicitie of the primitiue Church by and by there start vp that crie out we are aduersaries of religion and the true worshippe of God deprauers of the Sacramentes and robbers of God of his honour And if we declare vnto the worlde drowned in the filthy â—lowes of wickednesse the imminent wrath of God and the punishments long agone deserued therefore then we are condemned and railed at as disturbers of publike tranquillitie and sowers of sedition And to be briefe nothing can be done so soundly so godlily and so modestly that can escape the censure and checke of the sclaunderous and enuious aduersary But no man must be so mooued with these things that he must leaue or forsake the charge committed to him of the Lorde Let vs consider that this is the olde guyse of the world agaynst the which we must both constantly prudently striue and resist
by the counterfayte Bishops For by this meanes they chalenge to themselues all power to iudge of religion whose ambition and couetousnesse woulde fall to the grounde if the doctrine of truth were not extinguished But God which will not let this trayne and craft go vnreuenged shall full sore punish them and the Byshops of the Iewes togither And this pretence shall not excuse Princes forasmuch as the charge of the Church and hearing of matters in religion pertayneth vnto them For to this ende and purpose was the booke of the lawe deliuered to the king And the Prophete teacheth vs that Kinges ought to be Nurses of the Church And wee want not most notable examples of Kinges which bicause of their setting forth of the truth and maintayning of the Church haue purchased to themselues singuler commendation But let vs also consider what Saules ende and purpose was It was this that whosoeuer he shoulde finde men or women 〈◊〉 Christes profession he should bring them bounde to Ierusalem â–ª There was therefore no difference of sexe with him And surely he that was becomme so cruell spared no age neyther For he was nowe purposed to make all the Christians awaye and so vtterly to extinguishe the name of christ The cause of this cruell attempt he declareth otherwheres to be the zeale of his olde religion which he thought by all meanes was to be retayned and defended For it is manifest he was a Pharisey and himselfe confesseth many times that he persecuted the name of Christ and his Church euen for the looue that he bare to the lawe Let vs here first obserue howe much God suffreth the wicked to doe For Luke sheweth that these thinges were attempted agaynst the Disciples and Christian women But so the Lorde had foreshewed that it shoulde be iudged a Gods seruice to kill any that beleeued in him And the Apostles waâ—ne vs 〈◊〉 many times to thintent that we be not offended at the stormes of persecution and at the Crosse. For why shoulde we in these dayes wishe ourselues a better state or condicion than was in the time of Christ hys Apostles and the primitiue Church Moreouer Saules example teacheth vs howe littâ—e a preposterous zeale in religion which men sometymes conceyue of humaine traditions wythout the prescript of Gods worde auayleth to attaynement of saluation For the more feruent Saule is herein the farther he recedeth from Christ which is the only way of saluation The more he striueth for the righteousnesse of the law the farther he is from the righteousnesse of Christ which alone defendeth vs from the iudgement of god And that that commeth to passe in Saule the same he testifieth came to passe in the Iewes For he sayth they burne in zeale towards God but not according to knowledge Where they fell into this inconuenience that whyle they woulde establishe their owne righteousnesse they lost the righteousnesse that is in god The same maye be affirmed of the Monkes but that the most part of them are more giuen to their belly and to ydlenesse than to religion Yet maye this most truly be sayde of Tyrants that the more constantly they labour to keepe the religion of their forefathers the more feruently they persecute the Gospell Here is that hurtfull error of theirs confuted which thinke those thinges that are done agaynst God and his true religion may be excused by zeale of godlynesse As though God had giuen vs the rules of his worde in vayne and that they ought not chiefly to be obserued as we haue elsewhere declared Furthermore here is to be considered both the goodnesse and power of god who coulde not only make so cruell a Woolfe sodeinly tame but also a most faythfull Shepehearde of his flocke Let no man therefore rashly dispayre of any mannes saluation or of the Church seeing God can both sodaynly chaunge the myndes of men and make them defenders of his Church who euen nowe it seemed woulde haue destroyed the same Let vs come to the hystorie of Saules conuersion which Luke setteth forth in liuely colors And beginning with the time and place And when he iourneyed sayth he it came to passe as hee was nygh to Damascus Therefore when Saule was in most hope of good successe and bringing his matters to passe then â—oth Christ withstande his attemptes Nowe he beholdeth Damascus before his face perhaps as a woolfe hauing espied his pray casteth in his mynde terrible cogitations howe he myght soonest rauishe Christes sheepe Marke hâ—â—e the counsayle and vsage of God which manye times suffreth his enimies to raunge so farre that they seeme scarce a naile bredth from the marke of their purpose Which thing is the cause that the Christians whose destruction the tyrants conspyre sometime conceyue great and horrible terrors of mynde And such terrours it is lyke they of Damascus were in when they heard that Saule came and was almost in their necks But thus vseth God to doe both for that he will the more gloriously shewe his power agaynst the wicked and teach the godly not to bee afrayde nor feare when they see themselues beset rounde about with their enimies So he suffered Pharao to go so farre that the Israelites beganne to deuyse not howe to escape but howe to be buried But when with open mouth like a Woolfe he would haue swallowed vp Israel God sodeinly destroyed him Many thinges of lyke sort myght be rehearsed if time woulde serue But thys ought to be the vse of them all that we prescribe God no time who wil let no oportunitie by any meanes escape whereby to bring his doinges to effect But let vs obserue that saying of the Prophete Tarie thou the Lords leysure be strong and he shall comfort thiâ—e heart Furthermore the euangelist declareth the maner of his conuersion saying Sodenly there shone a light rounde about him from heauen and he fell to the ground and heard a voyce saying vnto him Saule Saule why persecutest thou me This is a terrible sight to mannes senses yet such as sufficiently teacheth vs that these thinges were easily done of the Lorde For he sendeth a light from heauen as it had beene a lightning which was as easie a thing for him to doe as to sende out and call backe the sonne againe Hee woulde haue this light sodainly to appeare to the ende the cruell Woolfe might be the more feared which in his greedie famine had after a sort alreadie deuoured the church of christ Unto these flashings of light was added a voyce in steede of a thunder and sodeinly smiteth him to the grounde when he least feared any such thing These thinges teach vs how easie a matter it is for God to beate downe the enterpryses of his enimyes For where he is the Lorde of hostes he can arme all things agaynst them and there is none so dispysed a creature but is able to punishe those whom God will haue punished So he once sent water
a cause that Luke maketh mention twise or thrise of the grace worke of god For fyrst he sayth they were committed vnto the grace of God in this worke to the intent that all the Church might wytnesse they were able to doe nothing without the grace of god Then declare they what woonders God wrought by them which kinde of phrase attributeth the whole successe of their ambassage and ministerie to God onely Moreouer they declare howe God opened the dore of fayth vnto the Gentyles Then is there a dore opened vnto the fayth when an effectuall operation of the holy spirite is ioyned vnto the outwarde preaching whereby the mindes of men are illuminated and drawne vnto the obedience of fayth This is the only worke of God as Christ testifyeth saying No man commeth vnto me except my father draweth him We are taught therefore by the example of the Apostles to attribute nothing to our owne industrie and wisedome in deede of vs it is required to be faithfull and diligent Howbeit as the successe of our doings must be committed vnto God so must all the prayse and glorye of their well doings be referred vnto him also Which doctrine is not onely for ministers of the worde to remember but also for all Magistrates housholders maryed folke seruauntes and to conclude for all states and degrees of men as we haue oftentimes declared Last of all it is sayde they tarrie a good space at Antioche to the ende doubtlesse to recreate themselues with honest and godly quietnesse hauing bene wearied a long whyle before with many labours and daungers both by lande and sea For it is meete conuenient that they should reape some fruite of their labours whose fayth and diligence had bene so many waies tried So Christ bade his Apostles when they returned from preaching the gospell to go aside out of the waye for a season and to repose themselues a little Let no man yet thinke that the Apostles sate still at Antioche ydely gasing vpon others For without doubt they faithfully taught the brethren and tooke paines in helping the other Ministers But for a certaine time they surceased from traueyling and taking anye enterprise of daunger in hande God the father of mercie graunt that all they that nowe a dayes glory in the gospell may fynishe the course of their lyfe with like diligence and successe as did the Apostles and that in the heauenly Chanaan they may enioy perpetuall rest and peace with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whome be all praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xv. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cj. Homelie AND certayne men which came downe taught the brethren except you be circumcised after the maner of Moses you cannot be saued So when there was rysen discention and disputing not a little vnto Paule and Barnabas and certayne other of them should go vp to Ierusalem vnto the Apostles and Elders about this question And after they were brought on their way by the congregation they passed ouer Phoenices and Samaria declaring the conuersion of the Gentyles and they brought great ioy vnto all the brethren And when they were come to Ierusalem they were receyued of the congregations and of the Apostles and Elders and they declared all the things that God had done by them IN the former part of his treatise or worke Luke hath declared howe the primitiue Church was gathered togither both of Iewes and Gentiles by preaching of the Apostles and howe by the wonderfull assistaunce of GOD it was preserued amonge the contynuall stormes blastes of persecution Herevnto is added a newe hystorie in thys Chappiter that teacheth vs howe the Lorde preserued the same Church agaynst false brethren and teachers least it myghte lose eyther simplicitie of doctrine or puritie of faith For hytherto for fourteene yeares togyther Paule had preached the Gospell and according to the common consent of the Apostles doctrine had taught that all saluation was in Christ Iesus onelye which doctrine being euerywhere receyued certayne of the Iewes specially those of the Phariseys secte that professed the fayth of Christ began to withstande Who albeit they confessed Christ yet they would needes haue circumcision and the ceremonies of the lawes to be ioyned with it which opinion whiles Paule earnestly resisted caused great adooe and contention insomuch that it horribly shooke the whole Church But our Sauiour Christ forsooke not them that stroâ—e for the glory of his merite by whose prouidence it came to passe that the plaine and simple doctrine of Christ was defended and confyrmed by the publike testimonie of the Apostles and the whole Church The consyderation of thys hystorie serueth much both to instruct and comfort all congregations For as by the example of the Apostles we are taught which waye to resist false doctrine â—o learne we that the doctrine of truth standeth fyrme and sure against all inuasions wherefore we will in order consider all the partes of this present place First Luke telleth who were the authors of this strife discention euen certaine persons that came out of Iurie and from Ierusalem Therfore they must needes be of great authoritie considering Ierusalem was the mother Church of all other and was worthily esteemed of all menne bicause from thence the Gospell of saluation did fyrst issue and spring for the which cause Paule also commendeth it saying It was meete the Gentyles shoulde minister corporall thinges vnto those of Ierusalem which had giuen them the spirituall and eternall giftes of saluation And it is no doubt but those deceyuers and seducers did marueylously bragge of the name and authoritie of the Apostles and did make lyght of Paules name as who should saye he deserued not to be counted among the Apostles bicause he had not bene conuersant with Iesus Christ whyle he liued For this maye we gather of Paules Epistles where he is enforced earnestlye to defende his authoritie and Apostleship against them Furthermore we maye here see howe deceyuers breede euen in the Church but were neuer true members of the Church For they that are in deede of the Church vse to continue in the same Therefore Christ sayth they go in sheepes clothing And Paule in another place sayth from among your selues shall ryse grieuous wolues c. And this is a woonderfull craft of Satan which knowing that men doe hate and abhorre him vseth to counterfeyte an Aungell of light and vnder the cloke of holynesse to beguyle and deceyue the simple This place serueth to confute them which constantly beleeue that the Romane Church cannot erre and be deceyued and affirme that whatsoeuer commeth from thence ought to be receyued as an Oracle And yet out of Ierusalem where the Apostles discharged their office and dutie with all diligence came these hypocrites and deceyuers What therefore shall we hope for at their handes amongst whome these many hundred yeres hath bene seene no token eyther of Apostolike lyfe or
doctrine Furthermore the state of the controuersie that these deceyuers helde is expressed For they called backe the Gentyles vnto Circumcision and Ceremonies of the lawe saying Except you be circumcised you cannot bee saued Which saying it is very like they confyrmed with many articles For they had the lawe of God who ordeyned Circumcision for a perpetuall signe of his couenant amongst the Israelites They had also the example of the Church at Ierusalem where the Apostles yeelded so farre to the weakenesse of the Iewes that they circumcised their infantes Moreouer where through Circumcision they were bounde to obserue the lawe according to that saying of Paule I testifye to euery man that is circumcised that hee is bounde to keepe the whole lawe This being taken awaye they cryed and sayde that the whole lawe was abrogated and a gate opened vnto all wickednesse Yet they confessed Christ notwithstanding and woulde seeme to be followers of the Gospell like goodlye blenders and compounders which thought the lawe might be mingled with the Gospell and the righteousnesse of workes with fayth This therefore was the whole state of the controuersie whether men were iustified through the grace of God by fayth onely in Christ or whether the righteousnesse of the lawe was necessarye vnto saluation And if a man will weygh and expende this matter well it shall appeare that this was the verye same controuersie which is betweene vs and the Papistes nowe in these dayes who professe Christ also but yet affirme that men are iustifyed and saued by their merites and good deedes sauing that in this poynt the Papists case is the weaker and worse for that they grounde not vppon the lawe of Moses once giuen by God but vppon mannes traditions which long sithence haue bene condemned by the sentence of god They worship me in vaine teaching the doctrines of men Therfore it is very necessary for vs to vnderstand this controuersie For if there be no place due vnto the workes of Gods lawe for vs to glory we be iustifyed by then doubtlesse be they very miserable and blinde which dare chalenge this praise vnto the colde obseruances of mannes traditions In the meane season mannes peruersenesse bewrayeth itselfe in this place which where God offreth saluation vnto vs freely contemneth the same and seeketh rather a sumptuous and laborious way of attayning therevnto Examples of this peruersitie appeare in all ages and the Lorde complayneth hereof in Esay 55. saying Wherefore laye you out your money vppon the thing that feedeth not and spende your labour about the thing that satisfieth you not Againe My people hath committed two euils they haue forsaken me the well of the water of life and digged them pits yea vile and broken pits that can holde no water And would God that he had not more occasion to make the like complaint euerywhere at this day Thirdly followeth the effect of false doctrine that these Iewish Christians brought in That was sedition and open schisme through the which Luke sayth the Church at Antioch which hitherto had bene moste quiet and as a common sanctuarie to all the godly was disturbed Therefore they that fall from the simple doctrine of the truth and bring new and false opinions into the Church these are disturbers of the Church By this name doth Paule here sette out these fellowes saying I marueyle that you are so soone turned from Christ that called you by grace vnto another Gospell which yet is none other but that there be some which trouble you And in other places he calleth them Dogges euill workers concision and the verye enimies of the crosse of Christ. I know we are charged by the Papists in these dayes to haue disturbed to disturbe the Church But if the truth of the Apostles doctrine be well marked it shal appeere we are most cleere from this crime the puritie of which doctrine bicause we endeuour to restore maketh vs in deede to disturbe the ydlenesse of them who vnder a false pretence of Christ his Church had a delight to disporte themselues both with the felles and fleshe of the miserable sheepe Furthermore the chiefe vse of this place is that we be not so offended with the discentions rising in our dayes by reason of religion that we therefore thinke all doctrine of fayth and religion to be doubtfull and vncertayne For it is euident that the doctrine of truth hath in all ages bene diuersly assaulted and that therefore diuers discentioâ—s haue risen by meanes thereof This God suffereth to come to passe by his iust iudgement and for the weale of our saluation For fyrst according to the saying of Paule there must needes bee sectes that they which are perfite may be knowne Agayne by this occasion it commeth to passe that the chiefe articles of our fayth and saluation are the more diligently and earnestly examined which vnlesse they were thus called in question woulde for the most part lye vnconsidered and buryed For God can so moderate mischiefes that they serue vnto the saluation of those that be his and to those that loue God all thing worketh to the best And this may we see in thys present controuersie as cleere as daye For hereby came it to passe that the meane of our iustifycation was intreated and discussed the more diligently by the Apostles and that the ceremonies of the lawe were the lesse regarded among the Iewes wherein yet a great many put much trust Euen so in our age the sacrifyce of the Masse was no way more ouerthrowne than by the controuersie which fell out about the supper of the Lorde Therfore their clamour is pieuishe and absurde which complaine and saye that by reason of such discentions religion is doubtfull and vncertaine For vnder this colour they go about to hyde and cloake their prophane and hollowe heartes Furthermore let vs consider what Paule and Barnabas and the faithfull of Antioch did in this disceptation As for Paule and Barnabas it is sayd that they had much contention and daylie disputation with these disturbers Therefore they were no dumbe Dogges which woulde suffer all kindes of doctrine to creepe into the Church but rather they earnestly withstoode these deceyuers so that the true faith was not ouerturned with their gloses Yet otherwheres Paule becommeth all things to all men and earnestly commaundeth those that be strong in faith pacientlye to beare with the weaker Why therefore sheweth he himselfe in this place to be so difficult and vntreatable Bicause it was a matter of more importance than coulde be dissembled For by this opinion the righteousnesse of fayth which we haue in Christ alone is ouerturned For they which by Circumcision make them selfe bonde vnto the law to them is Christ become vnprofitable and they which will be iustified by the lawe are fallen from grace Moreouer by thys meanes the Christian libertie was in hazarde which coulde be purchased with none other pryce
euerywhere extant in hystories and Poetes wrytings the examples of fylthie lust the Poets seeking great commendation of wytte by descrybing such venerious actes and persons Therefore it was needefull to admonishe the Gentyles diligently of both these things Hereof ought to be gathered a generall and perpetuall precept howe it is the duetie of christian people to keepe themselues in all things cleane and vnspotted vnto god Neyther must they be partakers of straunge sacrifyces for as much as God requyreth the whole heart and minde of man. And that saying of Paule is well knowne you can not be partakers of the Lordes tables and of the table of deuilles Agayne as touching our conuersation of lyfe it behooueth vs also to consecrate the same vnto god For it is euident that our bodyes through the bloude of Christ are dedicated to be temples of the holye ghost Therefore God must be glorifyed in our bodyes Wherefore fylthie and abhominable is the error of them which say whoredome is lawfull and free for christian men whereas Paule would not once haue it named among christians and threateneth the horrible vengeaunce of God not onely vnto adulterers but also vnto whoremongers In the second sort are numbred strangled meates and bloude from which he would haue the Gentyles also absteyne For although thys precept be numbred among the ceremonies which are plainely abolished in Christ yet bicause there was an olde lawe concerning the same appointed by God vnto all the worlde after the floude and thys was a thing daylie vsed among men they of the weaker sorte among the Iewes coulde not but be greatly offended seing the Gentiles eate of all those things without any difference Therefore Iames thinketh it meete that the Gentyles in this behalfe should refraine their lybertie and for charities sake absteyne from those things which of themselues were lawfull and graunted by God yet by vsing them inconsiderately and vnwarily might be offence vnto others And that this was the Apostles meaning appeareth by the wordes of Paule I know and am fully certified by the Lorde Iesus that there is nothing common of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth it to be common to him it is common But if thy brother be grieued with thy meate now walkest thou not charitably destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ dyed Cause not your treasure or commoditie to be euill spoken of for the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioye in the holye ghost c. He sayth also that he would neuer eate fleshe rather than offende any man. Therefore this place maketh not for them which thinke they may lawfully prescribe fasting dayes and such lyke by the authoritie of the Apostles commaunding to absteyne from strangled and bloude For theyr reason is not all one bicause they vrge mans traditions onely which are of no authoritie in religion and laye snares for mennes consciences which the Apostles thought by all meanes to be auoyded But hereto also appertayneth the reason that Iames bringeth Moses sayth he hath of olde time in euery Citie those that preach him in the Synagoges where hee is read euery Sabboth daye By the which wordes he meaneth nothing else but that as yet Moses was of such authoritie among the Iewes that it was impossible sodainely to pull them from his ordinances Therefore for the times sake and for charitie this was to be graunted them vntill mens consciences in the meane season being at libertie the olde ceremonies might honorably be layde aside and buried In the meane whyle we haue to consider that this was an auncient vsage in all ages among the people of God that the lawe and sacred scriptures were vsed to be reade on the holy dayes It becommeth vs therefore to keepe the same vse and diligently to defende our libertie and hauing a consideration of charitie and puritie of life beware of gyuing of offences So shall it come to passe that both we our selues shall be saued and shall also bring others vnto Iesus Christ to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Ciiij Homelie THEN pleased it the Apostles and Elders with the whole congregations to sende chosen men of their owne companye to Antioche with Paule and Barnabas They sent Iudas whose surname was Barsabas and Sylas which were chiefe men among the brethren and gaue them letters in their handes after this maner The Apostles and Elders and brethren sende greeting vnto the brethren which are of the Gentyles at Antioche Syria and Cilicia for as much as we haue hearde that certaine which departed from vs haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your mindes saying you must be circumcised and keepe the lawe to whome we gaue no such commaundement It seemed therefore vnto vs good when we were come togither with one accorde to sende chosen men vnto you with our beloued Barnabas and Paule men that haue ieoparded their liues for the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ we haue sent therefore Iudas and Silas which shall also tell you the same things by mouth for it seemed good to the holye ghost and to vs to charge you with no more than these necessarie thinges that is to saye that yee abstayne from thinges oâ—fered to ymages and from bloud and from strangled and from fornication from which if you keepe your selues you shall doe well So fare you well BIcause all power is gyuen vnto Iesus Christ from God his father he can therefore not onely defende and preserue his kingdome but also so moderate and gouerne all thinges that whatsoeuer Satan worketh against the same kingdome he maketh it serue for the setting forth of the same For after Satan could not by persecutions and open violence stop the course of the gospell he set vpon the Church by sowing dissention among them and raysed a grieuous contention about iustifycation which is the chiefe and principall article of christian religion to this ende and purpose that all the doctrine of the gospell might be enuyed and suspected But he preuayled so little that by this occasion the truth was the more knowne and the righteousnesse of fayth the more valiauntly defended agaynst the Phariseys as we haue hytherto seene in the sayings of Peter Paule and Barnabas and last of all by Iames saying Wherevnto chiefely belongeth that ioyfull and victorious ende of all the contention which Luke nowe describeth Fyrst rehearsing the consent and agreement of the whole Church and next a Copie of the Epistle sent from the Synode of all which we shall speake in order First he expresseth the vniforme consent of them all where he sayeth the Apostles and Elders and the whole Congregation decreed that Messengers should be sent with letters to Antioch where this great fyre was fyrst kindled in all their names This was very prudently decreed of them for that the present contention might hereby not onely be alayed but all occasion of strife in time to
The trade of Christians paciencie Defence of lawe is permytted to the godlye The preposterous feare of the wicked The ende of rashe iudgement The Apostles departure from Philippi The constancie of Paule 1 Paule preacheth vnto the Iewes Esay 10. 2. Tim. 2. The obseruing the Sabboth dayes and comming to Church 2 The trâ—de or maner of Paules doctrine 2. Timo. 3. Iohn 5. Luc. 4. 2. Timo. 2. The fruite of Paules teaching Gene. 3. 1 Hypocrites and vagabondes are the enimyes of truth Iohn 5. 2 The indeauours of the enimies of truth Luc. 22. 3 A ioyfull ende of the sedition Math. 10. 1 Berrhoea is lyghtened with the Gospell Iohn 8. 1. Thess. 5. 1. Iohn 4. 1. Tim. 2. Galat. 1. Iohn 10. Esay 10. Galat. 3. 2 The disturbance of the Church at Berrhoea Psal. 2. 3 Paule departeth from Berrhoea Math 10. Luke 16. The prayse of Athens Paule taketh occasion to preach at Athens Iohn 2. Psal. 68. Apoc 3. Paule disputeth at Athens about religion Exod. 4. Heb 4. Ierem. 23. After what maner Paule taught at Athens Psal. 94. Luke 17. 2. Pet. 3. Iohn 3. This storye is written in Sozomenus 2. booke and 3. chap. But this author hath folowed Ruffinus reporting the same in the .x booke of the Ecclesiasticall story and 3. chap. there shalte thou reade it tolde with some more circumstances Howe the Athenians receyued Paules doctrine The argument of Paules sermon 1 The beginning with insinuation The Athenians are more superstitious than other Nations 〈…〉 Iohn 4. Hebr. 11. Psal. 50. Rom. 1â— Iohn 4. Rom. 1. 1. Reg. 18. Esay 29. Math. 15. 2 Paule teacheth the true knowledge of God. The religion in Temples is a vaine thing 1. Reg. 8. Iere. 7. Iohn 4. Matth. 24. God is not worshipped with sacrifices Psal. 50. Esay 63. Wherefore Sacrifices serued Psal. 51. The sacrifices of christians Rom. 12. Math. 26.25 Heb. 13. The beginning of mankind teacheth the worshippe of one God. The prouydence teacheth vs that one God ought to be worshipped Psal. 113. Math. 6.10 The ende of mans creation teacheth vs the worship of God. Esay 1. Ierem. 8. GOD is 〈◊〉 better by the creation of man than by ymages God can not be expressed in any ymage Esa. 40.44 1 An aunswere to them that alleage the ignorance of their forefathers for their errors Rom. 16. Math. 13. 2 He vrgeth repentaunce by terrour of the last iudgement Amos. 3. 2. Pet. 2. Iohn 15. Math. 16.24.25 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 14. Rom. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Math. 16. Cap. 19. Zach. 12. Iohn 19. Psal. 2. 3 He preacheth Christ. 1. Pet. 1. Ephes. 1. Luc. 24. Rom. 4. The effect of the doctrine of Christ among the Athenians 1. Cor. 9. What maner of Citie Corinth was Corinthiari vt graecari c. Aquilas is Paules hoste Aquilas is an ensample of fayth and charitie 1. Cor. 16. Rom. 16. Math. 10. Paule getteth his liuing with the labor of hys handes 2. Cor. 11. Philip. 4. Paule preacheth at Corinth 1. Cor. 3. 2. Tim. 2. Christ is the chiefe poynt of the Apostles doctrine The Iewes withstande Paule bearing witnesse vnto Christ. Degrees of vngodlinesse Paule shaketh of the dust agaynst the Iewes Math. 21. Luc. 19. The conuersion of Crispus and the Corinthians Paule is tempted with feare 1. Cor. 2. The diligence of God in comforting those that bee his Feare is forbidden Deut. 3. Iosue 10. Math. 10. Exod. 18. Ministers must speake and not holde their peace Reasons and argumentes of consolation Psal. 118. Math. 22. The certaintie of election and predestination Iohn 10. Ephe. 1. Rom. 8. Paule taryeth at Corinthe 1. Cor. 3. i. The Iewes are the beginners of a tumult against Paule Psal. 34. Gene. 12. Math. 10. Luke 9. The properties and studies of the enimies of truth Luke 6. 2 The chiefe matter of their accusation 3 Gallio refuseth to heare Paules cause as a matter not belonging to him The ende of this Tragedye is prosperous Psal. 105. Gallio is a president of an vngodly Officer What maner of state those people are in that lyued sometime in freedome but nowe in bondage Paule after his daungers abydeth at Corinth Iohn 10. The trust and friendship of Aquilas and Priscilla towards Paule Gene. 14. Gene. 18. Paules vowe Luke 9. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 9. Paule teacheth the Iewes at Ephesus Ezech. 18. Prouer. 16. Paules labors and diligence What maner of person and of what qualities Apollos was The baptisme of Iohn The giftes wherewith Apollo was endued 1. Cor. 12. Iohn 5. Phil. â— â— Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 13. How Apollos vsed his gifts The trade howe to teach in the church 1. Tim 4. Apollos profiteth in the knowledge of Christ. Math. 25. The prayse of Aquilas and Priscilla Iohn 8. Iohn 5. The modesty of Apollos 1. Cor. 14. Apollos goeth to Corinth 1. Tim. 5. In the church it is necessary that the wicked be confuted Titus 1. The ministers must fyght with scriptures The â—â—ate of Ephesus Apocal. 2. Paule examineth such as aunswered not in life to their profession Roma 8. The grosse ignoraunce of those which truly proâ—esse not Christ. Psal. 33. 〈◊〉 51. 〈◊〉 61. Outwarde profession improoueth counterfeyt christians The baptism of Christ or of fyre Actes 11. Paule preacheâ—h to the Iewes in the Synagoge The place for doctrine must be publike The maner how to teach 2. Tim. 4. The argument of the Apostles doctrine The kingdome of God The vsage and property of reprobates Howe reprobates must be delt with Math. 7.10 The fruite of Euaungelike endeuour is manifolde The Iewes Exorcistes Iosephus in the eyght Booke of his antiquities the second chapter Cod. lib. 9. tit 18.26 quest 5. .7 Aug. de doct Christ. lib. 2. cap. 22. De Trinit lib. 4. cap. 11. The effect of the exorcistes is vnluckye 2. Peter 2. Iacob 2. The true vse of Goddes iudgements and an ensample of true repentaunce Paule is mynded to go from Ephesus Roma 1. Paules purpose is disappoynted A sodayne vprore Math. 12. Iohn 14. Demetrius is author of the vprore The Demetrij of our age Demetrius oration Fift booke and .33 chapter The description of the sedition What Paule did in the sedition A confused countenance of sedition Howe Christians should vse themselues in time of sedition Dianas ymage come from heauen In his second booke of false religion cap. 19. The Ministers of the Gospell are neyther Church robbers nor blasphemers The best form of common weale Rebellions are easily suppressed The Argument of the xx Chapter When and in what wise Paule departed froÌ„ the Ephesians Iohn 10. Ephesi 1. 2. Cor. 11. Paule visiteth Macedoniâ— and Gréece 2. Corin. 11. Paule exhorteth the congregatioÌ„ to perseueraÌ„ce The Iewes lay wayte for Paule Math. 10. Paules gard or garrisoÌ„ An exaÌ„ple of a churche assembly Nehem. 13 Holy places Math. 5 The breaking of bread The manner of the Apostles preaching Eutichê° falleth out of a windowe dieth The miraculous raysing agayne of
which I commaunde thee this daye shall be in thine heart And thou shalt shewe them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thyne house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt binde them for a signe vpon thine hande and they shall be as frontlets betweene thine eyes and thou shalt wryte them vpon thy postes and vpon thy gates And in the same chapter it foloweth further And when thy sonne asketh thee in time to come saying what meaneth these testimonies ordinaunces and lawes which the Lorde God hath commaunded you Then shalt thou saye vnto thy sonne wee were Pharaos bondmen in Egipt and the Lorde brought vs out of Egypt with a mightye hande And the Lorde shewed signes and woonders great and euill vpon Egipt vpon Pharao and vpon all his housholde before our eyes And brought vs out from thence to bring vs in and to giue vs the lande which hee sware vnto our fathers c. The holy prophet Dauid also speaking of the same commaundement of God declared by the mouth of Moses sayth Heare my lawe ô my people enclyne your eares vnto the wordes of my mouth I will open my mouth in a Parable I will declare hard sentences of olde Which we haue hearde and knowne and such as our fathers haue tolde vs That wee shoulde not hide them from the children of the generations to come but to shewe the honour of the Lorde his mightie and wonderfull workes that he hath done He made a couenaunt with Iacob and gaue Israel a lawe which he commaunded our forefathers to teach their children that their posteritie might knowe it and the children that were yet vnborne To the intent that when they came vp they might shewe their children the same Here mayst thou sée O good Reader that the true Christians and faythfull among the Israelytes as they were commaunded euen so they taught and instructed their families and children in the wayes and works of the lord So that of them it coulde not be verified as yet that they had shut vp the kingdome of heauen from menne neyther â—ntring in themselues neyther suffring other that woulde neyther thâ—t they were blinde leaders oâ— the blinde For those broodes of Phariseyes Saduceyes and Essenes were not hatched till many hundred yeares after which when Christ came had turned godlynesse into gaine and religion into rechelesnesse as the like swarmes of religious commonly called but in déede most superstitious did amongst vs and yet doe where they are still suffered And bicause they feare that the Lord in his zeale wil whip such wicked merchants as they are out of his Church in all places as it appeareth very well he doth dailye his name be glorifyed therefore this maketh them to storme fret and fume and to take counsayle against the Lorde and against his annointed This maketh them stirre coales and to play Rex this causeth them to imprison to hang to drawe to drowne to burne to cut mens tongues out to gagge them that they shall not speake to banishe and proscribe séeing they can no longer prescribe but verily all in vaine for as much as there is no wisedome counsayle or deuise that can preuayle against the Lorde But let vs returne to the holy prophet Dauid whose sayings and testimonies bicause they haue alwayes bene of such worthy estimation in the Church of God let vs bring yet furthermore to confyrme the truth of our assertion In the .lxxxj. psalme he bringeth in God thus speaking to the people of Israel Heare ô my people and I assure thee ô Israel if thou wilt hearken vnto mee there shall no straunge god c. If God speake here to all the people in generall high and lowe riche and poore one with another then of congruence belongeth it to all people in generall to hearken and carie awaye what is sayde But howe shall they heare if they haue not his worde marke his saying If thou wilt harken And it must be vnto him we must harken For whosoeuer speaketh not as he doth must not be hearde though it were an Aungell from heauen as Paule sayth yea if Christ woulde come and preach any other Gospell than he hath already preached we ought not as some of the olde writers saye to heare him Howe much lesse then ought we to harken what these newe Gospellers say who speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contorted wrested and peruerse things altogither repugnant to Gods worde and saying The prophetes also in all their sermons and writings crie vnto the people audite verbum domini heare the worde of the Lorde Loe here is no state or degrée no age or sexe excluded but all must heare For populus and turba as is often read in the olde and newe Testament comprehende promiscuam multitudinem the whole multitude one with another Therfore no sort is excepted from hearing But me thinketh I heare what one of these new Diuines replyeth Sir sayth he when did we forbid any kinde of persons from hearing our Sermons No in déede but when men came to heare you they coulde not heare the worde of the Lorde but doctrines that were the preceptes of men wherewith Christ sayth you worship him in vaine It had bene somewhat tollerable to haue forbidden men the reading of the Scriptures so that you had taught them nothing but the scriptures as you ought to haue done But to preach your owne fantasies and inuentions and to forbidde men to search the scriptures which Christ so earnestly commaundeth them to doe was too too presumpteous for a seruant to doe against his Lordes commaundement Howbeit you saye Christ and the Pope haue but one Consistorye and therefore bicause he commaundeth it you thinke you may safely doe it But S. Paule aunswereth all these pretie obiections at once saying Bee yee not the seruants of men Howbeit hereto you will say the Pope is not purus homo a pure man And that I am sure all that knowe what he is will easilye graunt you Surely S. Paule was so little offended that the Thessalonians searched the Scriptures to sée whether his preaching agréed therewith yea or no that he rather much liked and commended them for their doing But you in no poynt resemble Paules condicions but in persecuting Christ his Church The same Dauid likewise in his .xix. Psalme hath matter ynough though there were none other any where else both to prooue howe necessarye the worde of God is for all men to knowe and also to aunswere the obiections of all our newe Diuines The lawe of the Lorde sayth he is an vndefiled or perfite lawe conuerting the soule The testimonie of the Lorde is sure and giueth wisedome vnto the simple He calleth the lawe perfyte to aunswere those controllers which saye the Scriptures are not sufficient and therefore haue forged a sort of vnwritten verities so they call them
at the least in trauell bring forth at length Forsooth Horatius mountaines in Italie were great with childe and after their harde trauell brought forth a Mouse What one error or abuse in their Church of so many as all the worlde nowe séeth and they although they be impudent ynough cannot denie haue they refourmed Surely neuer might that worthy Bishoppe of Nazianzum his saying be more truly spoken than of these Councels If I must needes write the truth sayth he I neuer sawe any good ende or conclusion of these Bishops Councels in his Epistle to Procopius the .xlij. Epist. And yet they shame not still to say the holye ghost is President of their Councels and that he is shut in the closet of the Popes breast But I trowe it is not that holy ghost that Christ sayth breatheth where it will for that it woulde not be so partially tyed to the Popes bosome or that appeared vpon Christ in likenesse of a Doue It is I beléeue that ghastly ghost the Owle that sate so long in the Consistorie on a time ouer the Popes heade a méete holy ghost I assure you for such a consistorie and closet Lette vs therefore leaue them and this president of their Councels and marke what séemeth good to Gods holy spirite and to the Euangelistes and Apostles and fâ—llowe the same considering as S. Augustine sayth in his seconde Epistle to S. Ierome that no Scriptures are to be allowed but the vndoubted Canonicall And in his first booke and seconde chapter against the Epistle of Parmenian he iudgeth it a rashe and presumptuous part to beleeue anye that prooueth not that hee sayth by scriptures And in his thirde booke and .vj. chapter against the letters of Petilian he holdâ—th any thing accursed that is beside the lawe and the Gospell In his first booke of christian doctrine xxxvij chap. he sayth Our faith staggereth if it be not vpholden by scriptures In his .166 Epistle he sayth both Christ and his Church is knowne by the scriptures In his seconde booke of Christian doctrine and .vj. chap. he sayth the holy ghost hath caused the darker thinges in the scriptures to be opened by playner And Chrysostome in his seconde exposition vppon Mathewe the .xxiiij. and .xxix. Homelies sayth The true Church can no waye else bee knowne but onely by the Scriptures bicause whatsoeuer things else in the Church Heretikes haue aswell as Catholikes But now to that they saye diuersitie of translations in Scripture bréedeth error although the same be sufficiently ynough confuted before by the example of the seauentie Translators or Interpreters by those fiue or sixe more that after Christes time corrected them by Origen by Hierome by the Euangelistes and Apostles writing in the Gréeke tongue yet we will alleage one or two places out of olde Doctors for confirmation of the same For touching all obiections that the aduersaries can make they are so fully aunswered by the olde Doctors as partly you maye haue perceyued that it were but vaine further to trauell therein S. Augustine which is one of the fower Cardinall and principall Doctors that our aduersaries allowe who impugne this opinion sayth thus against them They that haue translated the Scriptures sayth he out of the Hebrewe tongue into the Greeke maye be numbred but the Latine interpreters by no meanes For in the beginning of the fayth assoone as one had gotten a Greeke booke into his handes and seemed to haue some knowledge in both the tongues he tooke vppon him to interprete the same Which thing did more further than hinder vnderstanding so that the readers be not negligent For the pervsing of diuers bookes hath often times opened the darker sentences The place is in his seconde booke of Christian doctrine and .xij. chapter And Nicholaus de Lyra one of our aduersaries owne Doctors sayth in his Preface vpon the Genesis that Diuersitie of expositors stirreth vp attention But to bring more testimonies in a matter so cléere as daye is but impertinent séeing that both Gods lawe and mans alloweth the truth though testified but with two or thrée witnesses Thus hast thou gentle Reader my promise made in the beginning confirmed by authoritie of Scriptures euident reasons and testimonies of auncient Doctors though not in such abundant wise as might be yet in as large a sort as the lawe and rule of a Preface will permit Let vs therefore addresse and prepare our selues diligently not onely to reade the Scriptures but also to vnderstande them and not to vnderstande them onely and there to stay as I am afrayde too manye in these dayes make that their onely ende of reading but also to frame our selues to expresse our vnderstanding in our liues and conuersation least hauing the Gospell still in our mouthes and shewing nothing thereof in our maners and yet protesting a more sounde and exact knowledge than others we encrease at length but our owne punishment and damnation knowing that euery one that sayth Lorde Lorde shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of the father which is in heauen And howe the seruant that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Let vs remember that the temple of Salomon and the writings of the lawes and Prophetes among the Iewes little profited them bicause they abused them and woulde not leade a life aunswereable to such blessings of god God spared not that stocke of the Iewes of so many hundreth yeares groweth verily no more will he vs that are but Impes graft and set in the same stocke if we doe not better than we doe and they did But againe if we liue a repentant life as we ought to doe and a thankfull vnto God for his innumerable benefites and specially for the light of his worde nowe shining in our Church of Englande so ordering our works that they may shine before men and glorifie our father which is in heauen then rage the worlde neuer so much by Gods permission against his little flocke for their proofe and triall yet shall it neuer be able to take one of them out of his hand but that he will ayde and assist vs with the presence of his spirite and rule as Dauid sayth in the middle among his enimies and bruse them with his yron rod and breake all them in peeces like a potters vessell that any maner of way without repentance molest and afflict his dearely beloued spouse and Church Let vs not therefore feare any threates or enterprises of this worlde knowing that we shall ouercome in him that hath alreadye ouercome the Deuill and the worlde Greater sayth S. Iohn is the spirite that is in you than hee that is in the world For there was neuer yet tyrant that rose against Gods Church but some shamefull horrible ende folowed him most coÌ„monly in this world The ecclesiasticall story is full of examples of late God hath shewed some notable in this
case both here in our coūtrie and abrode who list to marke and consider them True it is that christians haue bene made away and murthered vpon verye light and tryfling occasions and are also at this daye where tyrants doe reigne For in Tertullians dayes which liued about two hundreth and nine yeares after Christ If the riuer Tybris at Rome had flowed vp to the walles if Nilus the riuer in Aegypt had not watered their fieldes if there had bene no raine if there had bene anye earthquake dearth or plague by and by the people would crye to haue the Christians throwne to the Lions And all this was to ridde the countrie of them and to deface their beliefe and doctrine But what followed hereof Uerily nothing lesse than they wéened For Tertullian tolde them plainely Torment racke condemne and make vs awaye and your vniust dealing with vs is but a tryall of our innocencie Therefore God suffreth vs to suffer this at your handes The more exquisite your crueltie is towarde vs the more it allureth to take our partes And whereas they call vs Sectaries as then they did the Christians lette vs reioyce in that we see our quarrell and theirs our slaunders and theirs so like and tell them as Tertullian telleth Scapula the Romanes President that this sect shall not fayle or decay but the more it seemeth to be cut downe the more let them be assured it is builded vp And considering what they be that are our condemners Let vs also saye Such and such consecrators of our condemnation we reioyce in For as Tertullian sayde whosoeuer knoweth him meaning Nero must needes vnderstande that of force it must be some singuler good thing that he woulde condemne so may we as truely say of Boner Storye and such like that haue condemned our faythfull brethren and sisterne that whosoeuer knewe what they were how they liued and howe they dyed must néedes know also that it coulde be none other than good that they woulde condemne And therefore lette vs saye to them with Tertullian for a short aunswere when you condemne vs God pardoneth vs. Wherfore let vs not feare them that can kill the body but then can doe no more ne yet that but when God permitteth but rather let vs feare him that can cast both body and soule into the fire of hell which is Iesus Christ our Sauiour knowing that he will crowne all those that striue lawfully and continue vnto the ende to him therefore with the father and the holy ghost thrée persons and one eternall maiestie of godheade all honor power and glory be now and euer worlde without ende Amen To the Noble and honorable Consuls and whole Senate of the famous Common weale of Zurich his verye good Lordes and Maysters Raufe Gualthere Tigurine wisheth grace and peace from God the father through Iesus Christ our Lorde IT is an olde custome and confirmed by examples of holy Fathers that the professours of good Artes and learning vse to dedicate the fruites of theyr studyes eyther to theyr friendes or to men of honour and authoritie whereby to procure eyther their fauour and good wyll or else to make them defenders of their labours and paynes And whereas I haue thought good most honourable Lordes and fathers to dedicate my labors vpon the Actes of the Apostles chiefly vnto you many and weightie causes haue mooued me therevnto For priuately your liberalitie towarde mee required the same and publikely the continuall care that you haue to profite your countrey and religion in generall enforced me to shew myne alleageance good hart towards you with some dutie of gratitude thankfulnesse Wherby that feruent desire that you beare vnto godlinesse might be set forth with the publike testimonie of our Church whose example now many yeres diuers excellent states of common weales haue not bene ashamed to ymitate Howbeit to tell you the playne truth the chiefe cause of this my dooyng was for that I perceyued the matter of this booke and the consideration therof appertayned vnto you principally For in this boke is conteyned a most absolute paterne and forme of Christes vniuersall Church which it behooueth all such as are in authoritie beare rule well to knowe and vnderstande For those men that say temporall magistrates haue nothing to doe but with temporall matters and woulde haue them vtterlye to abstaine from entermedling in ecclesiasticall affayres are in no wyse to be regarded which men seeme to mee to be of opinion that they would haue common weales exempt from Gods prouidence without the which the verye Gentyles perceyued they coulde not stande or be preserued And who knoweth not that sentence of the Godly and princely Prophete Except the Lorde keepe the citie the watcheman waketh but in vayne Which also exhorteth kings and Princes to suffer themselues to be instructed in the word of God and to kisse and reuerence Iesus Christ the sonne of god But to what ende should kings be taught the word if there be no vse of the same in the administration of the common weale And howe shall they kisse or reuerence Christ if they neglect his Church which he esteemeth dearer than the apple of his eye yea than his life And how can they neglect that body whereof if they be not members vnder Christ their head they can not be saued We must hearken rather vnto Esaias who prophecying of Christes Church amonge other thinges sayth Kinges and Queenes shall be thy Nurrices In which wordes he seemeth not so much to comfort the Church as to sette foorth the office and dignitie of Kinges and Rulers which chiefly appeareth in this that God doth vouchsafe to commit vnto them the care of his Church which he hath redemed with the bloud of his sonne In dede we must confesse that God hath herein no neede of mans helpe if he would vse his absolute perelesse power Neyther deny we that many times Churches are increased and defended rather by the power and vnspeakeable councell of God than by the industrie of man But this commeth not so to passe bicause God disalloweth the care and dutie of Magistrates but that it might appeare howe all prayse and glorie is to be ascribed to him onely bicause no man should thinke religion depended more vppon the will of man than vppon Gods prouidence In the meane season such is the goodnesse of God that he doth vouchsafe to take men to be hys coadiutors helpers by their ministery to regenerate his elect people through the word defendeth the same vnder godly magistrates against the rage of this world in the midle of present daungers on euery side that they may liue in peace rest as farre forth as is conuenient for their faith and saluation And that this is the will of God not only the scriptures testifie but the whole consent of all nations doth likewise proue the same Certes in that golden world of the Patriarkes we read that one man was both king and
and troubles of all Christendome doth not only liue in peace hir selfe but also is a most safe sanctuarie for forreyners and straungers resorting to hir from all places Therefore great and weightie causes as me thinketh haue mooued me most honourable and my especiall good Lordes to dedicate this my labour and traueyle vnto you wherein according to the grace of God bestowed vppon mee I haue gone about to open and make plaine that booke which describeth the fiâ—st countenaunce and looke of that Church that is called the primitiue Church wyth the proceedings encrease and whole estate of the same a president wherof I see you haue followed with no lesse industrie and diligence than good and happie successe Which president if they shall follow which shall suceede you in gouernement of the common weale they shall both see howe you haue done nothing rashly and on a head and shall also perceyue themselues woonderfully pricked forwarde to obserue and keepe with all their power that fourme and order of a refourmed Church and Religion that they shall receyue of you And surely it shall be verie profitable to meditate oftentymes by what meanes and beginnings our auncestours deuised such an order and fourme both of Church and common weale For in so doing they shall neyther regarde slaunderers which maliciously depraue thinges done well and godlily neyther shall they be turned from the truth for anye stormes of persecution or threates of the worlde that may aryse It is also profitable manye tymes to talke of these thinges before the people which as they are ledde most commonly with things present so doe they easily forget thinges passed and gone and verie seldome thinke of things to come Therefore they allow not the deuises of the Magistrates but when they see them ioyned eyther with present profite or cleere of perilles and daunger For as soone as daunger once appeareth they finde fault and lacke of wisedome and equitie in those whose councels they ought faythfullye to set forward and obey But if they did vnderstande that their rulers had God for the authour and guyder of their drifts and deuises and that they did whatsoeuer they did according to their duetie then surelye they woulde learne more religiously to iudge of their rulers and more easilye to obey them and woulde not so sodenly bee mooued and turned at euerye rumour of daunger arysing Surely this was the thing that I chiefly ment and intended when I began openly to reade this booke to the flocke of Christ among you and to publishe and set abroade that which I had openly spoken and declared For I sawe that the state of this age waxing euery day woorse and woorse was such that it was most nedefull continually to pervse the bookes of holy scripture and to sette before the people the examples of the primitiue Church conteyned in the same that they shoulde not be deceyued with the gloses of such as vnder a false colour and pretence of antiquitie burthen vs with newe errours and accuse those thinges of noueltie which graue and godly menne haue restored vnto vs out of the worde of god Accept therefore these my labours mine honourable and good Lordes with such fauour as you haue manye yeares borne vnto the truth and vnto mee and manye other my fellowes and coparteners euen from our childehoode Continue your good will vnto the students of diuinitie holde on your accustomed humanitie and gentlenesse toward the pilgrimes and banished for Christes sake abide in the mainteyning of your lawes and correcting of the peoples maners in enhaunceing vertuous exercises and in bridling wickednesse with iustice In many places the horrible contempt of God reigneth Diuers doe wickedly reiect the wholesome benefite of Gods worde and the knowledge of christ Charitie in most men waxeth chill and fayth fayleth euerie day by little and little Iniquitie aboundeth and newe croppes of naughtinesse dayly encrease God therefore being angrie â–ª threatneth vs with punishment and feareth the world with woonders monsters and horrible vprores of kingdomes And yet will he neuer fayle them which abyde and continue in promoting his glorie defende the Church of his Christe and according to the measure of their vocation perseuere in doing their duetie He shall blesse your labours and gouerne your councels by his spirite he shall blesse all your people so that they shall of their owne accorde obey your wholesome lawes and moste happilye enioye the gladsome benefite of euangelicall peace He shall blesse your whole Church so that it shall go forwarde euerie day more and more in the doctrine of godlinesse To him who is the onely Lorde of Lordes the immortall and euerlasting God be blessing honour power and glorie for euer Amen Giuen at Zurich in your famous and chiefe Citie of Heluetia the first daye of August in the yeare of oure Lorde 1557. ⧠Ioannes Parkhurstus Anglus Episcopus Nordouicensis Multa relucenti debent haec tempora Lucae Et debet Lucas multa Rodolphe tibi Lux Lucae luxit totum diffusa per orbem Lux Lucae lucet nunc magè luce tua Ergo tibi Lucae tantum qui luminis adfers Christus cum Luca lucida regna dabit Eiusdem aliud ad Lectorem Quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuerint Apostolorum Qui ritus veteres apudque Patres Et quot discere Lector est ne cordi Huc adsis auido legantur ore Haec quae scripta vides pererudita Sacris eruta scripta quaeque libris Aut è Patribus eruta Orthodoxis Quae multo peperit tibi labore Gualtherus pietate clarus atque Doctrina patriae decus suaeque Praefulgens celebres habendus inter Scriptores potes id negare Liuor Laudes quid memorare pergo plures Vino vendibili haud opus virente Est suspensa hedera Liber loquatur ¶ A Table of the chiefe wordes and things expounded in these Homelies and Annotations A A ante A. AAron and hys chyldren chosen to be ministers Pag. 67. A ante B. Abelles fayth what it was Pag. 853. Abnegation or denying of our selfe is the beginning of Christianitie Pag. 367. Abraham is an example of the obedience of fayth 295. Abraham pleased God wythout the ceremonialles 293. Abraham is in manye daungers after he came into the lande of promyse 297. Abrahams faythe is stedfast althoughe hee bee tryed dyuers wayes ibidem Abrahams singuler faythe is sette forth ibidem Abraham what GOD dyd with him after hee came into the lande of promise ibidem Abrahams faythe in all aduersities is vpholden by Gods promyse onely ibidem A ante C. Actes of the Apostles instructe all states and degrees of men wyth examples Pag. 4. Actes of the Apostles commende the truth and Maiestie of the propheticall Oracles of vtility necessitie dignitie and Maiestie 2 Actes wherewith it begynneth the hystorie 1. A ante D. Adam was a christian 852. Adams sinne depryued vs of lyfe Pag. 119. Admiration of Gods workes is necessary 157 Admonitions out of Gods words are needefull
and perseueraunce 47. The Apostles remayne at Ierusalem 357. The Apostles did leade about no other mennes wyues 45. The Apostles did thrust nothing into the church of their owne authoritie 569. The Apostles obey the angell 248. The Apostles perceyuing a grutch to aryse in the Primitiue Church consult for a redresse in tyme. 276. The Apostles acknowledge themselues to be but felowes 90. The Apostles preach the Gospell at Perga 585. The Apostles haue taught vs fullye all thinges needefull to our saluation 743. The Apostles depart from Philippi Pag. 645. The Apostles preache the worde of God. 512. The Apostles are not to bee inuocated bicause of the myracles they wrought 892. The Apostles are put in the common Iayle 244. What the Apostles were before they receyued the holy ghost and what after 89. and 90. What maner of God the Apostles preached 163. What the Apostles did at Pisidia of Antioch 519. The Apostles returne to the Cities from whence they were dryuen Pag. 580. The Apostles referre all matters to the church 214. The Apostles are brought backe againe to the councell 252. Why Christ chose rude and vnlearned men to be his Apostles 204. The Apostles boldly withstand the seditious 564. The Apostles giue the holye ghost vnto the Samaritanes 368. The Apostles appoynt Elders in euery church 583. The Apostles are Christes sworne witnesses and whereof they must beare witnesse 786.63.123 The Apostles beare wytnesse of Christ in Samaria and preach the worde of God in all townes and villages 375. The Apostles are despised persons of none account 44. The Apostles are beaten with rods Pag. 267. The Apostles ascribe all thinges to God as to the author of them 9. The Apostles deedes after Christs ascention 42. The Apostles actes were done by the holy ghost 9. The Apostles equalitie 64. The Apostles authoritie in the church was equall 70. The Apostles communitie 143. The Apostles constancie 209.257 and. 262.553 The Apostles boldenesse in defending the truth 257.262 The Apostles grosse question touching the kingdome of Christ the cause of their errour and howe manifolde it was 24.25 The Apostles state when the holye ghost was sent 76. The Apostles saying concerning the appointing of deacons 277. The Apostles doctrine was no new doctrine 538. The Apostles office and doctrine is the benefite of God. 9 The Apostles doctrine howe it was accepted of the worlde 190. The Apostles and Ministers duetie 64. The Apostles fayth and trustynesse Pag. 124. The Apostles enimies and authors of their persecution 191. The Apostles contynuance in preaching 272. The Apostles industrie and modestie 368.758 The Apostles render a reason whye they are sent  The Apostles Sermons 730. The Apostles slippes and falles is no derogation to their doctrine Pag. 55. What the Apostles miracles were Pag. 891.892 The Apostles modestie 758. The Apostles names and why they are so often cyted 44. The duetie of the Apostles inioyned of God. 30.64.417.790 Why the Apostles iourneys are so 〈◊〉 described 759. The Apostles set wholy at lybertie Pag. 642. The Apostles first woorke done in the Ministerie 49. The Apostles common exercyses Pag. 239. The Apostles state while they preached the gospell on earth 4. The Apostles testimonie touching Christ and his resurrection 537. The Apostles wyues 45. The Apostles threatened with death Pag. 262. The Apostles are not suffered to to preache before they bee well instructed 80. A ante Q. Aquilas is Paules hoste 678. A ante R. Aristarchus 870. The argumentes vsed agaynst the faythfull of Christ. 772. The armour wherewith Ministers must defende themselues agaynst the worlde 211. The armour wherewyth Christes kingdome is inlarged 618. A ante S. Ascention of Christ maketh not carelesse of saluation 39. Ascention of Christ is a comfortable thing 36. Ascention of Christ is the ende of the gospell 7. Ascention of Christ is no dispartion or vanishing away 36. What ascention is 33. Who ascended 34. Whether Christ ascended 35. The hystorie of Christs ascentioÌ„ 33. The storie of the ascention is briefe and playne and why ibidem Circumstaunces of Christs ascentioÌ„ into heauen ibidem The ende of Christs ascention ibideÌ„ Christes ascention confirmeth hys victorie agaynst Sathan 37. The maner and causes of Chrystes ascention 36. What thynges followed after Christes ascention 42.43 Christ opened to vs the gates of heauen by hys ascention ibidem Christ is prooued to be the Messias by his ascention 123. Astrologie iudiciall and the abuse thereof 28. Astrologers and Soothsayers of all sortes 28.29 Assemblies at morning and euening Pag. 498. Assemblies ecclesiasticall why they were ordeyned 145.146 Assemblies of the faythfull ibidem Assemblies ecclesiasticall why they are necessary 241. The order of assemblies ecclesiasticall 529. Wicked persons many tymes get into the assemblies of the godly 282. A ante T. Athens praysed 658.659 Athenienses superscription â—65 Athenodorus counsell gyueâ— to â—â—gustus â—64 A ante V. Authors of the Apostles persecution 191. Authors of sedition are the wicked not the faythfull 562. Authoritie of man of what auayle it is in matters of religion 666. How true authoritie may be gotten Pag. 148.149 Mannes authoritie gyueth no commendation vnto Scripture 2. B. B ante A. BAckstarters the authors of schisme and diuision 589. Backstarters not to be taken to soone into the ministerie 519. Backstarters shall be alwaye in the worlde ibidem Banishment is cause of ryfling of goodes and pouertie 557. Banished for their religion must be comforted ibid. and 891. Baptisme delyuered to vs by the Apostles as Christ did institute it 3 Baptisme or the fyre of Christ. 707 Baptisme an outwarde bonde of the church 366. Baptisme of Iohn distinguished from Christs baptisme according to the signe thing that is signed Pag. 22. â—aptisme of Iohn 707. Baptisme of Iohn and of Christ both one 22. Baptisme is called the absolution or assoyling from sinnes 791. Baptisme what it sealeth 366.367 Baptisme howe it washeth vs from sinnes 132.133 Howe baptisme is called the Fountayne of regeneration 305. Baptisme a seale of the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of Iesus christ 23. Baptisme is a signe of the purgation made by the bloude of Iesus Christ. 133. The reason and dignitie of baptisme Pag. 791. Baptisme muste not bee neglected Pag. 640. In baptisme what water ought to be vsed 387. To be baptised in the name of Christ. Pag. 132. To be baptised into the forgiuenesse of sinnes 133. Barnabas commendeth Paule 412. What maner of manne Barnabas was 467. Barnabas called Iupiter by the people of Lystra 567. What Barsabas signifyeth 72. B ante E. Beggers properties of our age 152. Beggers must not be suffred among the people of God. 152. To begyn well profiteth not without contynuing to the ende 549. Begynning of Paules sermon 524. Benefites of Christ towarde the inhabiters of Ierusalem 50. Benefites of God are then profytably receyued when men acknowledge GOD to bee the author of them 155. The remembraunce of benefites receyued soone dyeth with Princes Pag. 315. Berrhea
Contentions of the Iewes with the Apostles 550. Contention about iustification before the Apostles 594. Conuersion of Paule whye it is so dyligently descrybed 399. The hystorie of Paules conuersion Pag. 857. Conuersion what effect it bringeth Pag. 625. Conuersion hath hir begynning of God. 786. Conuersion cōsisteth in three points Pag. 625. The maner of true conuersion 787. An example of true conuersion Pag. 375. The duetyes of those that are conuerted 787. Corinthe what manner of Citie it was 677. Cornelius compared with the souldiours of our dayes 427. Cornelius obedience 431. Cornelius calling 428. Corne throwne into the Sea. 885. Corporall absence of Christ hindereth not the faythfull 124. Corporall presence of Christ is none vpon the earth 38. Corporall presence of Christ wrongfullye maynteyned in the supper confuted by arguments 38. No corporall presence of Christ vppon earth after his ascention ibidē No neede of Christes corporall presence vpon earth 8. They that defende the corporall presence of Christ in the supper denie the veritie of his body 11. Correction in religion is necessarye  Corruption of our nature 531. Man is subiect to corruption 541. Corpses why they were washed in tymes passed  Counsell of the Priestes Scribes Pag. 794. An example of an antichristian counsell 796. The counsels decree agaynst the Apostles 206. Counsell gathered in the holy ghost Pag. 598. A Paterne and fourme of a lawfull counsell 250. Counselles of the Pope descrybed Pag. 196. Counsell called to wythstande the Apostles 249. The question asked in the Priestes counsell 198. What the Popes counsels are 794. Ministers must not bee commytted to antichristian counsels 778.779 How Papistes deale with the faythfull in their counsels 598. Counsell howe to make an vnitie betweene the Iewes and Gentiles 601. Counsell of the elders discussed 771. The ende of mannes counsell is not happie 771.772 The counselles of God are daungerous to search 555. The counselles of God can not bee hindered by mannes deuise 251. The counsels of men agaynst Christ are but vayne 204. The counsell of the souldyours to kyll the prysoners 886. Couetousnesse pulleth the mynde from God. 631. Couetousnesse commonlye maketh men the enimies of truth 631. Couetousnesse in Ministers is to be condempned 756. Paule disswadeth from couetousnesse by his owne example ibidem Couetousnesse in the Church is a great euill 804. Couetousnesse howe hurtefull it is Pag. 631.632 Howe couetousnesse robbeth God of his honor 370. Cowardly feare 25. C ante R. Craft and subtiltie in Steuens accusers 289.291 Craft of the enimies of truth  Craft of Sathan 588. Creple or lame man heareth the gosple and beleeueth 565. Creple from his mothers wombe healed through the power of God. Pag. 151. Creple miraculously healed 566. Creples state most miserable 565. Crosse must Christians beare after Christes example 206. The crosse and slaunderous death is no token of Gods wrath 490. The crosse is not one of the least notes of Christs church 415. The crosses standarde is the tryumph of the faythfull 253.254 The crosse must not offend vs. 647. C ante V. Curious and vnprofitable questions 27.28 Curiositie a great euill 27. Custome of GOD in punishing of sinners 59. Custome must gyue place to y word of God. 442. D. D ante A. DAmascus delyuereth Paule out of daunger 411. Day of refreshing 174. Day of restitution 175. What is the great day of the Lorde Pag. 97. Dauyd prophecied of Christ bicause he was a Prophet 121. Dauid reported to haue fulfilled all the wyll of God in what sence Pag. 529. Dauids authoritie among the Iewes Pag. 121. Dauids prophecie touching Christs ascention declared 125. Dauids prophecie touching Christs resurrection declared 123. Dauids prophecie concerning christ Pag. 122. Dauid praysed 529. Dauids sinnes reprooued by the worde of God. 129. Dauids persecutions are figures of Christes persecutions 59. D ante E. In what state the dead are 541. Deacons openly elected 66. Deacons of the Church dyd sometime Minister 286. Deacons who ought to bee what maner of men 278. Deacons vppon what occasion they were ordeyned 274. Deacons howe they were chosen at the begynning 66.67 c. Deacons of the church 280. Deacons instituted in the Primitiue churches haue three commodities Pag. 283. Death is not the destruction of the fleshe and body 116.117 Death of Christ was voluntarie Pag. 380. Death is a rest or quiet 117. Death hath no power vpō the soule Pag. 116. Death is an enterance into the kingdome of heauen 355.356 Death is a ioyfull thyng 116. Decins after he had shed the bloude of the Martyrs dyed in a barbarous Country with hys Sonne where his body could not be found to be buried 301. Decree of the Synode apostolike declared 608. Decree renewed for the not preaching of Christ. ibidem Deceyuers vse to chalenge godlye honor 570.571 Degrees of dignitie among christians are not abolished 292. Deliuerie out of Egypt cyted by Paule 525. The delyuered must ascrybe the glorie vnto God. 496. The delyuered out of one trouble must prepare them to an other Pag. 810. The duetie of the delyuered out of daunger and trouble 167. Death of the godly expressed by this worde sleeping 355. Death is but a sleepe 356. Death is a passage into heauen ibidē The causes of Christes death 108. The effect of Christes death 111. Death of Christ is included in hys resurrection 64. Death is to be considered 541.746 Death and the Deuill conquered by Christ. 381. The rest after death is grounded vpon hope 117.118 Death must not be procured 638. Death of Christ must not offend vs. Pag. 535. Death must not offende vs. 381. Deade Corpses must bee decentlye buryed 358. Deade men canonized deface the merite of Christ. 359. Deuill what hee maye doe by Gods permission but not of hys owne absolute power 364. Deuils notable pollicie 809. D ante I. Diana called Multiniamia or the nourisher of all thyngs 722. Dianas Image come downe from heauen 726. Difference betwene Saule and Dauyd 529. Difference of the olde and newe Testament 95. Difference betweene Christ and ministers 22. Difference betweene the doctrine of Iohn and Christ. 698. Difference betweene the godlye and vngodly 494. Dignitie of the Ministerie of the church 623. Dignitie of all men is one before God. 601. Dyligence of Herode in watchyng Peter 490. Dioclosian Maximinian and Galerius persecuting the Church are destroyed of God. 301. Disobedience layde to the Apostles charge 256. Disobedience reprehended 878. Disobedience punished 875. Discipline in the Church taught by the Apostles 3. Discipline in the church necessarie Pag. 150. Discipline at the Table 883. Disciples of Christ comforted by aungels 41. Disciples after hys ascension desyre styll his bodily presence 38. Disciples reprehended of the Aungels 38. Disciple what the name teacheth vs. Pag. 419. Disciples at Ierusalem afrayde of Paule 412. Dissention workers 588. Dissentiōs no cause why we should doubt of our saluation 588.589 Dissention in religion must not offende vs. 592.593 Dissention betweene Paule Barnabas 612. D
neuer forsaketh his seruauntes in daunger 349 God hath a rare of those that are his Pag. 834 God tryeth the faythe and pacience of his people 297 God aydeth his seruaunts when they are afflicted 308 Goddes singuler goodnes towardes men 151 Gods knowledge where it muste be sought 665 Gods counsell and vsage letting hys enemyes many tymes runne so farre that it might seeme they had theyr purpose 392 Goddes counselles cannot bee hindred 266 God described of his Omnipotencie Pag. 320 God giueth vs whatsoeuer goodnes is in vs. 308 God alone is the auctour of miracles 161 GODS wonderfull goodnesse Pag. 495.561 Gods goodnes toward synners that repent 761 Gods singuler goodnes speakinge frendly to his enemies 790 Gods goodnes takinge Paule his cruell enemyâ— into fauour againe Pag. 359 Gods iudgements must not be to far waded in 672 Gods vsage in punishing the wycked 207 Gods proper woork is to saue men Pag. 319 Gods wonderfull power against the wicked 212 Gods power in delyuering his people 643 Gods power is inuincible 816 Gods power in defeating his enemies deuises 318 Gods prouidence how it ought to comfort vs in daungers 315 Gods prouidence preserueth the godly in daunger 557 Gods prouidence stretcheth to all aages 315 Gods seruauntes are not ignoraunt of the Lords will. 542 GOD can easely delyuer his people out of daunger and make theyr enemies theyr defendours Pag. 261 God must not bee prescribed in any thing 35 God must be let alone with the successe of all our doings 583 How much we bee bounde to God. Pag. 904 God onely must be worshipped and honoured 891 Gods for defendours and patrones Pag. 668 Goddes can not bee made by men Pag. ibidem New Goddes 343 God Maozim 666 God Remphan 342 GOD'S right hande what it is Pag. 35 Gods right hand 126 God deferreth his helpe but taketh it not vtterly away 497 Godhead of Christ abolisheth not his manhode 39 Godhead and manhod of Christ and the vse thereof 107 Godlynes of the people of Berrhea Pag. 657 Godlynes commended 613 Who are truly godly 789 Godly morne at Paules departure Pag. 758 Godly and religious who be 87.88 Godly men muste defende and delyuer Ministers of the woorde Pag. 411 Godly men are not bounde by pacience to yeld to the vngodlyes pleasure 841 Godly liue not without glorye Pag. 758 Godly yelde vnto reason 471 Godlyes estate 493 Godly haue imperfections 101 Godly are feared with the presence of Goddes maiestie 426.427 Godlyes sayinges 269 God directeth the tribulations of the godly to his glory 841 God alwaye ioyneth with them that take part with the godlye in their daungers 731 Godly being circumuented with false iudgementes maye seeke meanes to escape so it maye bee done without preiudice of the truth 805 Goodes of monasteries wherevnto they ought to serue 372.373 Good can wee none do except we bee drawne of God. 320. Gospelles excellencie of Doctryne Pag. 247 Gospels ende in Preaching 674 Gospels course hindred by Simon Magus 363 Gospell is called the grace of God. Pag. 549 Gospell no cause of publyke miserye and calamitie 363 Gospell in what persones it bringeth foorth worthy frute 88 Gospell first preached to the Iewes Pag. 532 Gospell no cause of dissension or lycensiouse lyuing 76 Gospell can not bee Preached without contradiction 661 Gospell neuer Preached in vayne Pag. 649 Gospell teacheth vs our saluatioÌ„ perfitly 7 Gospell howe it is the kingdome of God. 870 Gospell can not bee preached without tribulation 403 Gospell or preaching of Christe called the wonderfull woorkes of God by the Apostles 85.86 Gospell is called the woorde of lyfe of grace of reconciliacion and is beautified wyth dyuerse other names in the Scriptures c. Pag. 247.248 Gospels course is most prosperous Pag. 763 Gospels worthinesse 277 Gospell why it is euill spoken of Pag. 194 Gospelles dygnitie and efficacie c. Pag. 461 Gospell is set furth in the myddle of tribulacions 553 Gospell is no new Doctryne 852 Gospell howe it ought to be preached Pag. 408 Gospelles ende and vse 860 Gospells ende is the obedience of fayth 297.298 Gospelles happie successe 283 Gospelles enemyes reiected by gods iust iudgement 427 Gospells greatest prayse what is Pag. 367 Gospell beginneth in Iohn 450 Gospell begynneth with the rebuking of sinne â—08 Gospell preached is a stombling stone vnto men 89 Gospel preached and confirmed with myracles by the Apostles of Christ Pag. 149 Gospelles preaching what it comprehendeth in it 184 The right trade of the Gospell preaching 900 Gospelles case or estate 900.901 The summe of the gospell 864 Gospell witnessed by the holy ghoste â–ª and by the Apostles 264 Gospell truely described 413 Gospell called a light and a sworde in what sence 129 Gospelles vse and effecte 79 Gospell must haue threates mixed emong 546 Gospell despisers fall from grace Pag. 336 Gospell gaynesaying howe wicked a thing it is 31 Gospell teacheth not libertie of the fleshe 78 G ante R Grace is gyuen vs in Chryst Iesu. Pag. 543 Grace of god is not tyed to Sacraments 463 Grace of god to miserable sinners Pag. 43 Grace of god and merite of workes cannot stande togyther 596 Grace or thankes gyuing is taught 895. Grace or thankesgyuing for goddes bountie and liberalitie Pag. 114. and 115 Gratitude or thankfulnes 653 Gratitude or kyndnes of Lydia to the Apostles 626 Gratitude or kyndnes of Christians Pag. 205 Gratitude in the people of Malta Pag. 892 Gratitude or kyndnes in Pharao Pag. 311 Greekes make a muttering bycause their Widowes were not releeued wyth the Almes of the Churche Pag. 275 H ante A HArtes must be purified 595 and .596 Hatred of goddes worde how farre it proceedeth 768 Hatred of truth is very bitter 819 Who haue the Lorde before theyr eyes 113.114 Who haue after the meaning of scripture  H ante E Hearers of Paule 841.842 Hearers of diuers kindes 548 Hearers of all nations 87 Hearers of Christes doctrine who bee meetest 88 Hearers of Goddes woorde who Pag. 378 Hebrewes what they vnderstande by this worde Inferi or hell 117 Herisie beginners sinne against the order of nature 667 Heretike who is and who is not Pag. 823 Heretiks how they must be confuted Pag. 826 Henoches fayth-what it was 853 Herordes Agrippa beginneth a persecution 488 Herod desireth to be worshippped as God. 505 Herode molesteth them that border vpon him 503 Herode howe hee was affected at Gods miracle ibidem Herode howe hee persecuted the Church 490 Herodes destruction 505 H ante I Hierusalem why it serued to so godly a purpose beeing so wicked and neere destruction 17 Hierusalem an ensample howe true Gods promises be 17 Hieeusalem in glory and power excelled all other cities 16 Hierusalems sinne and destruction Pag. ibidem At Hierusalem the Apostles receyued the holy Ghost ibidem At Hierusalem beginneth the preaching of the Gospell ibidem Histories of the Bible settâ— out the contemplacion of the inuincible God. 1 The ende of the historie of the Apostles 919 Historie of the olde
preacheth and writeth 915 Paule reproueth the Iewes of stubbornesse 90â— Paule an example of Christian charitie 412 Paule preacheth to the Iewes 647 Paule preacheth boldly 735 Paule defendeth his Ministery modestly and constantly 866 Paule by a myracle became knowne to the people of Malta â—88 Paule sheweth a token of christiaÌ„ modestie whyle hee can patiently suffer reâ—ulse 412 Paule sayled in an Idolatrouse ship Pag. 892 Paule commaundeth to stay the Marinâ—s 882 Paule taketh on a Nazarites vowâ— Pag. 770 Paule aâ—monished not to go to Ierusalem 761 Paule offendeth not in â—ebuking the Byshop 800 Paule resisteth to be set at libertie in hucker mucker 643 Paule answereth them that suspected the story of his calling 789 Paule confirmed with the meeting of the Brethren 895 Paule is a debtor to all men 864 Paule lawfully ordeyned an Apostle by the ministrye of Ananias 789 Paule preacheth at Philippi 6â—3 Paule preacheth Iesus 407 Paule tooke Christes parte agaynste his will. 856 Paule calleth the chief of the Iewes togyther 896 Paule forbidden to preache in Asia Pag. 619 Paule how hee was conuerted 789 Paule returneth to Ierusalem 792 Paule preacheth the kingdom of god Pag. 916 Paule sent to Ananias to bee further instructed 789 Paule restored to his sight and baptised 404 Paule defendeth him selfe by the Romaine lawes 797 Paule accused of sedition heresie and polluting of the church 820 Paule excuseth himself 8â—2 Paule goeth to the Elders at Ierusalem 769 Paule professeth hee is a Phariseye Pag. 802 Paule was a sower of tentes 756 Paule a prisoner two whole yeares Pag. 915 Paule preacheth a whole daye togyther 900 Paule desyreth ayde of the Captayne Pag. 810 Paule tryed of God diuers wayes Pag. 764 Paule commeth to Ierusalem 412 Paule brought out to preach in chaynes 845 Paule shaketh of the Adder without any hurt 889 Paule commaunded to bee whipped Pag. 796 Paule called into Macedonia 621 Paule in daunger of his lyfe 776 Paules departure out of Asia 758 Paules accusers are of great power and might 818 Paules araynement before Festus the nâ—w President 833 Paules singular feruencie in the office committed vnto him 760 Paules companions 870.397 Paules commendacion 815 Paules state or condition 398 Paules confidence 826 Paules counsell despysed 871 Paules constancie 646 Paules tyrannie agaynst the Church of Christ. 856 Paules dignitie 878.879 Paules traunce 793 Paule excused in forsaking the Iewes religion 784 Paule Barnabas visite the churches Pag. 613 Paules doctrine and Companions Pag. 6â—7 Paule and Elymas the sorcerers first encounter 514 Paules familie 890 Paules fortitude 844 Paules enemies fal out among them selues 850 Paules notable prayse 402 Paules innocency 842 Paules taking vp into paradise 398 Paules nauigation described 870 Paule hath scales fall from his eyes Pag. 405 Paules office enioyned him of God described 792 Paules oration to Agrippa and the argument thereof 848 Paules oration is interrupted 794 Paule taken into the ministery 402 Paules first acte after hee was Apostle 406 Paules iourney into Arabia amitted of Luke 410 Paules wisedome 812 Paules childhod bringing vp 849 Paules iourney to Rome 894 Paules auctoritie in writing 399 Paules passage into Macedonia 622 Paules vocation to preache too the Gentyles proued to be lawful 793 Paules very christian wyfe 868 Paule what happened to him before Felix the president 816 Paule permitted to speake for himselfe ibidem Paules chaunce at Damascus 410 Paule sent to Anania by Christe and to what ende 399 Paule being humbled is receyued of Christ. 396 Paule called Mercurie by the people of Lystra 567 Paule eased of hatred by the Elders Pag. 770 Paule accused by the Bishoppes and Iewes 835.818 Paules pointes of his sermon before Felix 831 P ante E Peace is restored to the Churche Pag. 415 Peace must not be sought with the derogation of Christes glory 591 Peace how it may be procured to the Church 416 Peace in the Churche of what commoditie it is 416 Peace gyuen of God how it was vsed of the godly ibidem Pentecost daye why it was appointed to send the holy ghost on 75 Pentecost feaste when it was instituted and what manner of thing it was ibidem Pentecost and the ceremonies therof Pag. ibidem Peoples reporte must not be trusted to much 577 People of Israell saued and multiplyed in Egypt through the grace of God. 314 Persecution against the Apostles 562 Persecution vniuerâ—al in the Church at Ierusalem 357 Persecution rageth when famine dearth ryseth 487 Persecution raysed by the Iewes 555 Persecution attendeth on Chrystes ministers 410 Persecutions auctors causes 488 Persecution how far it raigeth 562 Persecutions of the Apostles what they teache vs â–ª 811 Persecutions in the church were ten the ende of the persecutors 300.301 Persecutions of the primitiue church why so diligently written of Luke Pag. 219 Persecution being ended the faythfull reioyce 558 Persecution reignyng the faythfull must call to mynde the oracles of God. 217 Persecuted must not by and by forsake their standing 360 Persecutors make men blaspheme God. 857 When Persecutions rage what the Christians must do 216 Persecutors are brydled by the hand of God. 410 Persecutors of the church who be 191 Persecutors of the faythfull persecutors of Christ. 789 Persecutors of the truth who are alwayes most lyke to bee 245 Persecutors of Christ hys Church lyuely portraictured 856.857 Persecutors of the church if their examples be well considered we shal see that none of theÌ„ haue escaped the horrible vengeaÌ„ce of god 300.301 Persecutors incurable impietie 207 Persecutors punished 394 Persecutors haue their limites and boundes prescribed 358 Perseuerance or continuance needful in religion 549 Perseuerance in prayer of what force it is 47 Persones respecte in iudgement is a great mischief 837 Persones respecte with God is their none 446 Peruersâ—nes of men in seeking their saluation 585 Petitions and desires of them that beleeue 220 Peter apprehended 490 Peter lodged with Simon a Tanner 423 Peter comforted by promises 133 Peter will haue goddes benefyte set forth and declared 501 Peter rayseth vp Dorcas 422 Peter desirous to ioyn with the church agayne 497 Peter waked by the Aungell ibid. Peter seketh his escape by flying â–ª 501 Peter maryed â–ª 45 Peter prayeth fasting 432 Peter what hee did after hee was deliuered 496 Peter answereth the offence that might be taken out of gods prouidence 52 Peter quipped but with a light taunâ— constantly defendeth Christ and his Gospell 91 Peter what hee taught in the firste sermon hee made 127 Peter preacheth that Iesus is the Sauiour 200 Peter after he receiued the holy ghost desired no supremacie emonge the Apostles but to bee equall with them 90 Peter is taught by a vision the vocation of the Gentyles 431 Peter how hee was receyued of the faythfull 499 Peter goeth through al the churches Pag. 417 Peters counsell giuen to the Iewes in his first sermon after hee receyued the holy ghoste 130 Peters iudgement touching Anâ—nias facte 230 Peâ—ters opinion touching
Steuen falleth on sleepe 355 Steuen set on by disputations 287 Steuen oppressed and taken by sedition ibid. Steeuen dyeth full of the holy ghost Pag. 334 Steuens enimies and their enterprises against him 286 Steuens description 285 SteueÌ„s enimies rage incurable 354 Steuens example in redinesse to dye must be followed 355 Steuens enimies how they tooke his oration 351 Steuens oration and answere made in the councell of the Priests with the argument narration and partes thereof 292 Steuen being stoned how the faythfull vsed him 358 Steuen being readye to dye comforted of God and how and in what maner 352 Stipendes of the Ministers 676 Stipend must not be withholdeÌ„ from the Ministers 756 Stipende why Paule exacted not Pag. 756 Strangled and bloud 603 Stubbornenesse a thing peculiar to the wicked 268 Studious we must be of charity 618 Studie to please the people cause of persecution 489 Studies and desires of the enimies of truth 656 Study we must to please God. 580 Starre worship a thing common to the Gentiles 368 Starres superstitiouslye obserued Pag. 342 S ante V Supper of the Lorde howe it must be admynystred 735 Supper of the Lorde called breaking of breade 140 Supper of the Lorde a signe and token of Christes death 23 Supper of the Lorde with the rightes and cerimonies must not be altered 140 Supper of the Lorde taught vs by the Apostles in what order and forme to be vsed 3 Supremacie chalengers in the church confuted 5â— Superscription of a letter sent from the Synode  S ante W Swerde to keepe vnder the wicked commended 233 Swerde must be drawne in defence of relygion ibid. S ante Y Synagoge fyt place for the Apostles to beginne to preach in 512 Synâ—cdoche a figure very much vsed in the scriptures 761 Synode or conuocation at Miletum Pag. 738 Synodes and conuocations howe commodious they are ibid. Synne of those that forsake true religion how grieuous it is 516 Synners must be remitted vnto god Pag. 373 Synners not punished but first they are warned 642 Synners God disdaineth not 510 Synners must be wonne rather than destroyed 399 Synners which way God vseth to conuert them 787 Synne of ignoraunce howe it maye be excused 170 Synne agaynst the holy Ghost ibid. Synnes of men must not be rashlye iudged of 171 Synnes be they neuer so manye can not exceede Christes merite 130 Synnes cause of all euill 104 Synnes in preaching must be reproued 127 Synnes are remitted of fauour Pag. 543 Synnes although they bee heynous ought not to make vs dispayre Pag. 130 Sinne how heinous it is declared by the worde of God. 790 Synne needefull to bee rebuked in the Church 108.109 Synnes forgyuen in the name of Christ. 458 Synnes committed by thought and cogitation 373 T ante A TAbernacle was a figure of heauenly thynges 345 Tabernacle caried into the land of the gentiles 346 Tabernacle of witnesse what it was Pag. ibid. Tabernacles vse among the Iewes Pag. ibid. Tabernacle had no resting place a long while ibid. Tabernacle had not the honor of god tyed vnto it 347 T ante E Teachers office in the Churche requireth a deliget tryall 14 Teaching in the Church how it must be ordered 741 To teache which is the best waye Pag. 700 Temperaunce is a fruit of faith 829 Temperaunce what effectes â—he hath Pag. 148 Temple or church of God who build it 201 Temple hath not worship tyed vnto it 345 Temples must not bee prophaned or defiled 825 Temples by whome they are defiled and abused ibid. Templary religion is a vaine thyng Pag. 666 Temple or church commers in pompeous and prowde aray what may be thought of them 844 Tertulous oracion 819 Testament of God contayneth oure saluation 186 Testament of circumcision gyuen to Abraham what it is and how to be vnderstanded 303 Testamente the olde and the new are the law of of godly lyfe 54 Testament olde and newe how they consent 95 Testimonie of Dauid touching the resurrection of Christ. 113 Testimonie of the xvj Psalme prooued 121 Testimonies of the kyngdome of Christ. 33 T ante H Thabita raysed againe by Peter 419 Theophilus who is â— Theudas what he was 265 Threates of the worlde must not feare Christians 213 T ante I Timothey circumcised 616 Timothey borne of a Iewe and a Gentile 617 Titles and styles abused 664 Titles wherefore they ought to serue 5â—3 T ante O Tongue of the faythfull of all nations is but one 84 Tongue keeping a necessary thing Pag. 85 Tongues sitting vpon the Apostles heades were tokens of the holye Ghost 80 Tongues wherefore they serue 82 Songue or speech of Canaan 85 Tormentes must not be vsed of magistrates without a good and iust cause 815 T ante R Traditions of manne must not bee thrust into the Church 20 Traditions the Apostles thrust none into the Church 580 Traiane persecuting the Churche felt the wrath of God. 300 Tribulations of our owne brethren must be thought to be our owne 491 Tribulations ende is most ioyfull Pag. 587 Tribune delyuereth Paule againe out of the Iewes handes 463 Tribune kept from his purpose by feare of lawe 797 Tribunes readynes to succour Paul. Pag. 812 Troublers of the Church 589 Truth fought against by open force Pag. 166 Truth of god infallible 538 Truth of gods promises ibid. Truth of gods promises inuincible Pag. 886 Truth must be preached openly 520 Truth with what colours it is assaulted 193 Truth with what crimes it is charged 633 Truth is not defended with railing Pag. 823 Truth of what effecte 846 Truth Euangelicall what enemies it hath 191 Truth and gospel defendours compted seditiouse of the wicked 192. and 193 Truthes enemies must not be trusted Pag. 834 Truth in what case in this worlde Pag. 853 Truth haters are paineful and hardy therin 766 Truth hatred how much it is able to doe 809 Truth hatred whereto it bringeth men at the length 550 Truth hatred howe farre it proceedeth 810 Truth haters who are most 208 T ante V Turkes doe not honour God. 823 Turkish Ambassadors saying against the ydolatrye of christendome 340 T ante Y Tyranny of clargie ouer the Church Pag. 797 Tyrauntes can not doe alway what they list 213 Tyrauntes haue miserably perished Pag. 506 Tyrauntes sleyghtes set out in Pharao 317 Tyrants properties set out in Saule Pag. 390 Tyran defenders are flatterers 801 Tyrauntes state and condicion 213 Tyre dwellers bring Paule on hys waye 762 Tyre dwellers praye openlye 763 Tyrus visited by Paule 761 V ante A VAlerius Aurilianus moouing persecution against the church being first feared with a thunder bolte falling at his feete and yet not repenting was not long after kylled of hys owne men lying in waite for hym 301 W ante A WAntonnesse in children must be rebuked 766 Waye to attayne to saluacion Pag. 393 Way of Christ. 694 Waye of lyfe made playne in Christ. Pag. 119 Wayes of men are blinde in matters of relygyon 575 Warfayring for money how it
those thinges which by Moyses were prefigurated But it sufficeth to giue occasion to them that list more deepely and exactly to search them Now vnto this description of Christ he ioyneth what the dutie is that we owe him for Moyses saith him shal you heare in al things whatsoeuer he saith to you The same God the father commaunded vpon the hill of Thabor as we declared a little before saying Heare him Yet let no man thinke he hath fulfilled the cōmaundement of God if he receiue the word of God but into his eares as Iudas and the Phariseyes Pylate and many others did But first an earnest desire of the Gospell is required bicause among manye thinges whereabout men be most vainly occupied one thing is necessary as Christ teacheth vs From the studie of the worde the beliefe which we haue in it cannot be secluded For howe can we labour to get that thing the credit and truth whereof we suspect Obedience followeth beliefe whereby we acknowledge Christ to be the teacher of fayth religion and director of our whole life and to our power obey him These markes of the children of God did he teach vs where he sayth He that is of God heareth the wordes of God. Agayne My sheepe heare my voyce and follow me Whervpon we gather for a suretie that they be not the children of God nor the sheepe of Christ which refuse to heare Christes voyce speaking in the Gospell Aboue all things we must note that whatsoeuer Christ speaketh we are commaunded to heare it For there be which heare Christ in deede but they heare him but in those things only which like their fleshlye appetyte against the which if anye thing be spoken they thinke that apperteyneth not vnto them Of this number be they which gladly heare and marueylously embrace the promises of the Gospell where the grace of God is preached and free forgiuenesse of sinnes but the same will not admit the doctrine of repentaunce which rebuketh and accuseth sinne They be like vnto those which after a sort can suffer the doctrine of truth to be preached but cannot abyde if a man reprooue the deceyuers and Antichristes And we see many so affected that they will greatly extoll and commende whatsoeuer is spoken of the kingdome of Christ of his victorie of the glorye of the elect which they shall possesse in heauen but yet they so abhorre the crosse persecutions that they can suffer no mentions to be made thereof But these men are farre deceyued For Christ is not deuided neyther can the parts of Christ his doctrine be separated For he that commaunded forgiuenesse of sinnes to be preached in his name the same requireth all men likewise to repent And he that sayde to the woman that was a sinner and bewayled hir sinnes Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee The same sayd vnto him that was sicke of the Palsey being nowe healed Beholde thou art made whole sinne not againe heereafter least a worse thing happen vnto thee And afterwarde he sayde by Paule that whooremongers and adulterers without repentance shoulde not enter into the kingdome of god Likewise he that confesseth himselfe to be the light and the truth and biddeth vs to walke in him the same reprooueth false Christes and Antichristes and biddeth vs beware of them Againe he that promiseth the treasures of heauen to those that be his the same affirmeth constantly that in the world they shall suffer tribulation And he that gloriously rose from the dead and with great triumph was taken vppe into heauen a little before that was despitefully hanged betweene two theeues Therfore as we must embrace whole Christ so is it necessary that we giue eare to his whole doctrine vnlesse we will wholy be depriued of him A figure hereof went before in the Paschall lambe which the Iewes were commaunded to eate whole and the bones and other things which coulde not be eaten were commaunded to be burned So must whole Christ be receyued and if anye thing seeme in him vntollerable that same must be consumed and ouerpassed with the fire of fayth and loue of God. Furthermore bicause our fleshe herein maketh much resistance which very vnwillinglye commeth to this yoake Moyses vrgeth vs with grieuous menace and threatening It will come to passe sayeth he that euerye soule that will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among that people This punishment comprehendeth the whole destruction of man both body and soule For what hope of saluation can remayne for him which is secluded and cut of from the Church people of God which only is receyued into the fellowship and communion of all Gods goodnesse But why shoulde he not be reiected from the fellowshippe of him which refuseth to heare him whome God hath appoynted to be his maister and the teacher of his whole Church How much more grieuous punishment doth he deserue which dare treade the sonne of God vnder his feete Hereof are taken those heauye threates in the Gospell which seeme to manye too vehement and more cruell than reason woulde such as is that saying of the Baptist He that beleeueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe and the wrath of God abideth vpon him And Christ when he had promysed eternall life to the beleeuers addeth He that will not beleeue shall be condemned But Peter thought to admonishe the Iewes hereof bicause they should not thinke the contempt of Christ and his Gospell to be a game and pastime but shoulde knowe that the daunger of their soule laye thereon And let vs thinke the same is sayde vnto vs For such is the authoritie of Iesus Christ with his father that no man can be accepted and welcome to him except he be graffed in Christ. But the bare and emptye profession of a Christian name graffeth vs not in him but a liuely faith which maketh vs to obey his doctrine and firmely to beleeue in him See what is said of the true and counterfeite hearers of Christ Math. 7. and Luc. 6. Chapters Although the authoritie of Moyses was great with the Iewes yet bicause Peter will omit nothing he ioyneth hereto testimonies of the Prophetes diuers of the which it is like he rehearsed But here he taketh all saying All the Prophetes from Samuell and thencefoorth as manye as haue spoken haue tolde of these dayes He beginneth the number of the Prophetes with Samuel bicause before him was no Prophete after Moyses whose writings are extant Yea before he prophecied the worde of the Lorde was a rare and precious thing as we reade 1. Samuel 3. Which afterwarde by many Prophetes began most clearely both to be preached and writen euery where And as many as were from that time haue prophecied of Iesus Christ as may plainely appeare to all them which haue reade their sermons or bookes with diligence It is a plaine and manifest oracle of God that Nathan telleth to Dauid of Christ
shoute required to haue Christ most shamefully crucifyed There are infinite lyke examples which teach vs that Tirauntes cannot allwaye doe what they list These serue to encourage vs that we be not afrayde at the vaine threates of the worlde but to follow our vocacion boldely and not to doubt of Gods defence and ayde who hauing nombred the heares of our heade will suffer nothing to happen vnto vs without his good prouidence and pleasure He defendeth those that be his in the middle of Babylon and Egipt as long as he seeth they serue to set fourth his glorie and to bring other into the way of saluation And when they haue finished their course he calleth them vnto him And although it may then seeme the wicked haue some power vpon them yet is it none other but that they ryd the godly out of this myserable dungeon of the flesh whereas they themselues in the meane season fill vp the measure of their iniquitie and be receiued into Hell among them which brought feare into the lande of the lyuing Furthermore we may behold the state and condicion that tyrants are in when they seeme to be of most power and authority that is to say how while they go about to put many in feare they stande in feare of many The same cōmeth to passe in them that we see fal out among cruell beasts such as are Beares Lions Panthers other like These beasts are fierce against all they meete with are feared of all men Yet men make taltrops digge pits for them and make engines to kill them wherby it commeth to passe many times that that beast which not long before made an whole country afraid is killed by the hande of some one man the most cowarde and fearefullest of al other men Tyrants many times find it so commeth to passe by them and therefore they are still vexed wyth the preposterous feare and dread of the people and going about to make all men afrayde liue in feare of them that are nearest about them as Luke in this place saith these men did Hence proceede those exquisite gardes that Tyrauntes haue about them for preseruation of their bodies and lyfe For this cause most times they wage souldiours and armed men out of straunge Countries and promyse them selues more safety in the defence of straungers than in their owne countrymen bicause among straungers they thinke there be none that hope for any gaine by their death For this cause Masinissa King of Numidia being both in amitie and league with the people of Rome and hauing foure and fiftie children garded his bodie with mastiues and bande dogs reposing in them a more sure succour and defence than in men whome he knewe hee had many times offended What shall we say of Dionysius which caused his daughters to learne the Barbers craft bycause he woulde not commit his throte to the handes of men And after his daughters were mariageable woulde trust them no longer nor neuer woulde company wyth any of his wyues before they were dilygently searched and ransaked But Histories be ful of these examples which may both comfort vs against tyrantes and teach all men that be in authoritie to doe iustlye and truely and not to thinke their lyfe safe through vnbrydeled authoritie For the more they make afrayde the more they prouoke to lye in wayte for their goodes and lyues And whosoeuer be ledde wyth the feare of God and thinke to follow his commaundements and moderate their authoritie and power after the same although sometimes the wicked craftily laye wayte for them yet shall they perceyue that God defendeth them who can easily scatter the deuyses of all that are seditious as we are taught by the examples of Dauid and Ezechias Last of all Luke telleth what the Apostles did after they were let gone saying They came vnto their fellowes and shewed them all that the highe Priestes and Elders had sayde So they declare all the matter to the congregation both for that they woulde mooue them to prayer as the things following declare and also that perceyuing the threates and attemptes of their enimies they might all arme themselues with a christian valiantnesse and pacience and as farre as they might without preiudice of religion take heede of their ginnes and snares By which example we are taught that it is lawfull for Ministers of the Church to declare openly to the congregation whatsoeuer the professed enimies of the truth take in hande agaynst Christ and his flocke Which thing manye nowe a dayes thinke not onely superfluous but also to haue in it some likelyhoode of sedition when eyther the Popes Bulles or the decrees of Synodes and Counsayles and horrible threates of Antychrist are recited before the Congregation But by these mennes iudgement both Christ and his Apostles shall be accused of sedition who it is euident many times thus did Let vs rather remember that the Ministers of the Churche are appointed to be shepeheardes and watchmen It is therefore their dutie to rebuke Woolues and to warne the sheepe of daungers at hande The ende of all these things is that the faithfull shoulde turne vnto God by prayers and amendement of lyfe and be armed with Christian fortitude and constancie of fayth that when we haue ouercome all the attemptes of our enimies we may be taken at length into the blessed kingdome of Iesus Christ to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xxx. Homelie AND when they hearde that they lift vp their voyces to God with one accorde and sayde Lorde thou art God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is which by the mouth of thy seruaunt Dauid hast sayde why did the heathen rage and the people imagine vaine things The kinges of the earth stoode vp and the Rulers came togither against the Lorde and against his annoynted for of a truth against thy holy childe Iesus whom thou hast annoynted both Herode and also Pontius Pylate with the Gentyles the people of Israel gathered themselues togither to do whatsoeuer thy hande and thy counsell determined before to be done And nowe Lorde beholde their threatenings and graunt vnto thy seruantes that with all confidence they may speake thy worde So that thou stretch foorth thine hande that healing and signes and woonders bee done by the name of thy holy chylde Iesus And as soone as they had prayed the place moued where they were assembled togither and they were all filled with the holy ghost AS our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ doth oftentimes make mention of the persecutions of the godly so the holy ghost woulde haue Luke diligently to set forth the persecutions of the primitiue Church not only for to maintaine the truth of Christes sayinges but partly for that we shoulde not be offended at the aduersitie and tribulation wherwith the church is now a dayes troubled as at a straunge and vnwoonted thing and partly for that we
shoulde be instructed with the example of the primitiue Church what to doe in time of persecutions And to this ende principally are all those things to be applied which hitherto haue bene sayde of the Apostles They being brought before the counsayle doe plainly and boldly confesse christ Then when the enimies had forbidden them to preach the Gospell they protest with marueylous constancie that they can not obey so wicked a commaundement At length when they perceyue that reason coulde not preuayle with these wicked Counsaylers but that they were still threatened they declare all the matter to the congregation to th ende that ech one being admonished of the daunger ensuing might the more easily prouide for themselues These proceedings let the Ministers imitate as often as they perceyue the world raise stormes of persecutions against them Let their stoute and bolde confession of Christ be an example vnto others Let them not yeelde to the wicked commaundements of Princes Let them faithfully premonish the congregation least any mannes saluation stande in perill through their sloth Luke proceedeth on in his hystorie and sheweth what the Church doth being thus admonished by the Apostles By which example it maye appeare what euery Christian hath to doe both particulerly and in generall when persecutions are stirring They sayth he when they hearde the Apostles lift vp their voyce to God with one accorde And he telleth of the Church howe they sought the succour and helpe of God only by prayer They were not carelesse therefore nor did not set light the daungers approching Neither fledde they to mans wisedome helpe or counsayle but sought all maner of ayde and succour by prayers This is the sure sanctuarie of the Church bicause God euerywhere promiseth to be their defender that seeke their helpe of him And that which he euerywhere promiseth he hath by infinite examples perfourmed so that none that is a true Christian can doubt of the truth of his promises To this may be ioyned how he deliuered the Israelites enuironned with the hoste of the Egyptians at Moyses entreatie and prayers And after that through the prayers of the same Moyses he gaue them victorie ouer the Amalechites In the Psalmes there are infinit examples of them which testifie how God hath bene fauourable and gracious vnto their prayers Yea Ioël the Prophete giueth this only counsell to the Church in distresse that they shoulde all turne vnto God and call vppon him for helpe prescribing also such a forme of prayers as they shoulde openly vse And that his counsayle was not in vaine the successe of the matter prooued For God sent his Aungell which in one night slewe the hoste of the Assirians and deliuered the citie of Ierusalem from the great tyrannie of Sennacharib Wherefore the primitiue Church coulde not doe better than to sue vnto God by praier as they did The corrupt condicions and maners of our dayes are by this example reprooued For we see many with ouermuch carelesnesse contemne the daungers hanging ouer the Church scoffe and deride all admonitions and wholy giue themselues to all vntimely pleasures and exercises But when they feele the fire of persecution burning either they follow the counsell of the fleshe dissembling their fayth or else fortifye themselues in the league of Princes and helpe of man Which is the cause that the more they seeke to be out of daunger the more grieuously they entangle and endaunger themselues Luke also in fewe wordes comprehendeth the right trade and order of praying First they call vpon God who is onely to be inuocated as appeareth both by the couenant made with Abraham by the first commaundement in the Decaloge and by the order of the Lordes prayer And it is manifest by many examples that he only heareth vs euerywhere and can deliuer vs Wherfore great heinous is their error whosoeuer they be that make their prayers vnto Creatures Then they lift vp their voice and pray And yet is it plaine that God heareth euen the groning onely of them that are afflicted and their teares continually are in his sight Howbeit they woulde expresse the synceritie of their fayth by lifting vp their voyce and testifie that they were not ashamed of their prayers and calling vpon God for helpe For this is not the least poynt of the confession of our fayth as we may perceyue Daniel well iudged who hauing before prayed in secret when he perceyued the King had commaunded God shoulde not be inuocated setteth open his windowes and prayeth as it were in the sight of all men bicause he woulde not seeme to like or allowe the wicked proclamation Last of all he attributeth vnanimitie or concorde vnto them which thing except the Church obserue neyther shall their prayers be hearde ne yet their selues be taken for the Church of god For the Church being made one body vnder one head which is Christ is quickened with one selfe spirite calleth vpon one and the same father and hath one and the same inheritance layde vp for them in heauen And they that in these things agree cannot in their mindes be deuided Therefore let vs followe the trade of praying vsed in the primitiue Church and we shall perceyue in our aduersities that Gods helpe will be most neare at hande It shall be good to consider diligently the prayer that they made which may be deuided into three partes The first conteyneth a description of God wherein they acknowledge him for the creator of the whole worlde They make mention first of the creation that men might consider the omnipotencie of God and his singuler power ouer all creatures whereby they might conceyue the greater consolation For thus they were aduertised that the wicked enimies of Christ neyther coulde hinder the worke of God by their enterprises nor yet hurt them in any thing without the deuise and sufferance of god It behooueth vs likewise to haue a consideration of Gods omnipotencie that we acknowledge him not only for the creator but also for the gouernour and preseruer of all creatures who though he hath set his throne on high yet hee humbleth himselfe to beholde whatsoeuer is done eyther in heauen or in earth Which consideration as it is very profitable for the amendement of our life and maners so in tribulations it bringeth comfort and in our prayers chiefely confirmeth our faith wherevpon the effect of prayer principally dependeth And this is the chiefe vse of the first Article in the Apostles Creede where we professe we beleeue in God the Father maker of heauen and earth For it maketh for the confirmation of our faith and taketh awaye all cause of distrust which commonlye springeth by reason we thinke God eyther cannot or will not helpe vs But what is impossible vnto him which hath made heauen and earth by his worde and hath hyther to preserued all this worlde Or is it like he will neglect men whom he hath made Lords ouer all the things
man might iudge them rather kindled and enflamed with the threats of their enimies than made afrayde Whereof more shall be sayde in the next Sermon We are taught by this example that God neglecteth not the praiers of the godlye but that his eyes be fixed vpon the iust and his eares open vnto their prayers Let vs follow the example of the primitiue Church in these dayes where most cruell enimies euerywhere conspire togither against the truth and turning our selues vnto God by prayer let vs commit our whole cause vnto him let vs beseech him of increase of fayth and the holye ghost that we be not ouercome with any daungers or terrors but that after we haue happily ended the course of our life we may be receyued into his heauenly kingdome there to liue with Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxxj. Homelie AND they spake the worde of God boldly And the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule Neyther sayd any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common And with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lord iesu And great grace was with them all Neyther was there any among them that lacked For as many as were possessours of lands or houses solde them and brought the price of the things that were solde and layde it downe at the Apostles feete And distribution was made vnto euery man according as he had neede And Ioses which was called of the Apostles Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolation being a Leuite and of the countrie of Cyprus hauing lande solde it and layde the price downe at the Apostles feete AS Luke the Euangelist hath diligently described the first persecution that was raysed against the Apostles so reporteth he as diligentlye what the faithfull did during the time of these whurly burleys The ende of all which is that we should learne what to doe in like case First and foremost they gaue themselues vnto prayers which they powred out before God with one feruent accorde of minde To God likewise must we resort in our aduersities and not to the vaine helpe of the fleshe And we must aske of him not such things as serue the carelesnesse and ydlenesse of the fleshe but such as concerne the setting forth of Christs kingdome Now let vs see the other exercises of the primitiue Church wherby it shall appeare that they intermitted nothing that belonged to their dutie First Luke speaketh of the Apostles and all those who had the office of teaching committed to them He sayth they preached the worde of God with confidence that is boldly and freely whervnto a little after is added with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lorde Iesu. They accomplished therefore that which they protested they woulde doe contrarie to the decree of the counsayle Luke maketh mention only of the resurrection not for that they only preached the same only but bicause thereby Christ perfited and fulfilled the businesse of our redemption and saluation and for that we shoulde not thinke the Apostles yeelded anye thing to the Saduceyes which then were in greatest authoritie And it is not without a cause that Luke maketh mention of doctrine first of all other things for therevnto a principall care must always be had For where we are regenerate by doctrine and by the same the Church is gathered togither without the same the Church cannot stande in hir full strength and vigour Neyther was it without the prompting of the holy ghost that Salomon in tune past sayde When prophecying fayleth the people go to hauock And that this was truly sayde the examples of all ages abundantly testifye Wherefore as before he sayde the Church continued in the preaching and doctrine of the Apostles so now also he testifieth the Apostles are most mindefull and earnest in their office By which examples Ministers are admonished that they must not suffer the libertie of preaching to be taken from them through feare of persecution and threatning of enimies nor when daunger approcheth cease not to feede Christes sheepe with the word of doctrine and comfort For that is the propertie of hyrelings as Christ sayth and not of those which are readie to lay downe their liues according to the example of Christ for the sheepe committed to their charge But bicause men are much faultie herein it shall be profitable diligently to discusse this example that hereby Ministers may learne what appertaineth to them to doe And first bold libertie of teaching and vnfearefull affiance of minde is attributed to the Apostles Which is necessary for all ministers as it is plaine bicause there will be alwayes some that woulde haue them brydled and musseled For Christ witnesseth that the worlde cannot abide the light of the truth The same worlde cannot abide to be aduertised and reprehended So that there were in the olde time which durst say vnto the Prophetes Prophecie not to vs Looke not out right things for vs but speake faire wordes vnto vs looke out errours get you out of this waye depart out of this path and turne the holy one of Israell from vs. And Paule sayeth there shall be in the later dayes which shall not abide the worde of truth but hauing the ytch in their eares shal get them an heape of teachers which shall bring doctrine agreeable to their corrupt affections And we see it is euerywhere true that he prophecied Here therfore is required an Apostolike liberty bolde affiance of preaching whereby Bishoppes in the Church may applie their office in season and out of season that they maye encourage others of whom there is yet some hope remayning and deliuer their owne soules that the bloude of them that perishe be not required at their handes Furthermore it is sayd they chiefely inculcated the article of resurrection aboue all other And in deede this was the principall and chiefe article wherewith the chiefe of the Iewes were most offended For through this article they were conuinced partly of putting Christ vniustly to death and partly the Saduceyes coulde not suffer the same to be preached as who denied the resurrection Yet notwithstanding the Apostles boldly and stoutly preached the same so that it maye appeare they had a great care of the same This example teacheth vs that those articles are chiefely to be vrged which the aduersaries vse most to impugne For all things in the ministerie of the worde must be directed to edification and profite And the next care must be that the thing which is edified or builded must not fall downe againe But he shall performe none of these prosperously which most constantly resisteth not when the truth of doctrine is assaulted with the craft tiranny of the enimies and is moste in hazarde They that are set to defende Cities and Castelles vse
such mischiefe become a praye for sedicious and wicked persons For who seeth not here that saying of Christ fulfilled I came in my fathers name and ye receyue me not If another come in his owne name him you will receyue Which thing we see coÌ„meth to passe also in these dayes For the nature of the worlde is incurable delighting and reioycing in seducers and deceyuers and hating the Ministers of the truth continually Therefore it commeth to passe by the iust iudgement of God that they taste of effectuall elusion and wittingly and willingly runne into destruction But let vs returne to Gamaliel to see how he vseth these examples For of these he gathereth the foundation of his sentence whose proposition or coÌ„clusion is abstayne from these men and let them alone Which to perswade them he bringeth his argument in fourme of a Dilemma in this wise This businesse wherof the Apostles whome you iudge worthy to die are ministers and stewards is eyther of God or of man But whether soeuer it be I think it good you absteyne from shedding their bloud For if it be of man and is gouerned none other waies than by mans counsayle it wil fall of it selfe as the examples of Theudas and Iudas within these few yeres passed abundantly declare Therfore what madnesse were it to incense and stirre vp the â—urie of the Commons to take that out of the waye which within a shorte space though no man set hande to it will fall to the grounde alone But if it be of God and be gouerned and ordered by him it cannot quayle by anye force or counsayle of man For what is man being but dust and ashes able to preuayle agaynst God Now the ende of this counsell must be diligently obserued the which whyle manye neglect they take occasion hereby of a most pernicious opinion whereby say they no attemptes be they neuer so wicked no errors be they neuer so blasphemous are by force to be kept vnder Whereof can followe none other thing but the ouerthrowe of all discipline aswell ciuill as Ecclesiasticall For the Magistrate shall carie his sworde in vayne And in vayne doth Paule appoynt such Ministers in the Church as shall not onely teache the truth but also be able to confute and conuince the gaynesayers Who will thinke that this so wyse a man ment to loose all the sinewes of Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall gouernement at once It appeareth rather he had this meaning to saue the Apostles from the furie of the Iudges and from present death which he sawe he shoulde most commodiously doe if he shewed them that they could not without manifest daunger conclude any extremitie agaynst them For eyther they must fall in daunger to Godwarde if the Apostles doctrine were true and they the ministers of God or else of the commons whose rage they were better to auoyde than to prouoke speciallye in such a matter as coulde not long stande if it were but mennes working Furthermore whether he vnderstoode the truth or not he yet seemeth ambiguous and doubtfull in his talke Therefore their case is of a farre other sort which being illuminated with the true knowledge of the truth ought by office to defende it and to roote out errors and wickednesse In the meane season this ought to be to vs as an Oracle that we learne Gods counsels can be hindered by no force of men but that mans counsell falleth of it selfe For God is eternall and immutable so is his worde eternall and can by no meanes be infringed And Dauid testifyeth that God scattereth the counselles of the Nations but establisheth his owne counsayle for euer We haue examples euerie where to prooue the same Saul long stryued against the counsell of God who had fully decreeed to make Dauid king of Israel But the more he stryued the lesse he perceyued he preuayled and founde an euill ende of his contending with god But chiefely this thing is to be applyed to matters of fayth and religion It is Gods counsell and decree that his sonne whome he begat from euerlasting should beare rule ouer his holy hill that is to say the church To him it was saide Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thy foes thy footestoole Satan from the beginning of the world hath withstanded this deuise and counsell And in Abel whome for this cause we may call the first Martyr of Christ beganne this persecution which continued all the yeares following and yet to thys houre endureth But the kingdome of Christ and the Church endureth also bicause it is buylt vpon that rocke agaynst the which the gates of hell are not able to preuaile And if on the contrary side a man consider the vsage of the Gentiles and that monstrous Chaos of ydolatrie which most mightie Monarchies followed confirmed by space of manye yeares allowed by the consent almost of all people and nations assaulted at no tyme by force of any man he shall see it is fallen downe of it selfe and scattered abroade by the spirite and worde of christ The lyke reason is of the holy scripture which the Apostle calleth inspired of God. For if a man consider the prophane wryters their Bookes surely were in great estimation and had no enimies to make them away yet the most part of them are perished and scarce are the names of those bookes extant which in tymes past most riche kings sought with great diligence and bought full dearely as is reported of Ptolomeus Philadelphus and such other lyke But the holy bookes of Scripture so many tymes burned banished and hated of most mightie princes are yet forth comming and being almost translated into al tongues be in stead of maysters and teachers ouer all the worlde Let these thinges therefore serue for our instruction and comfort that we rashely doe nothing against God nor feare not the threatning decrees and ordynaunces of the world and of tyrannes against the kingdome of Christ. But let vs so acknowledge God for our reuenger and defender that we may faythfully serue him in buylding vp of his church according to our vocation as Coadiutours of Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor glory and power for euer Amen The .xxxix. Homelie AND to him agreed the other And when they had called the Apostles they bette them and commaunded that they should not speake in the name of Iesu and let them go And they departed from the counsell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name And daylie in the Temple and in euerye house they ceased not to teache and preache Iesus Christ. BIcause it is so ordeyned that all men of a certaine naturall instinct are desyrous of helth welth it can not be chosen but they must be much offended at aduersitie tribulation especially such as accustometh to ryse bycause of religion For it commeth to passe most times that men iudge of religion according to the effect and successe therof and
were neglected in the publike distribution of the Church goodes Which examples the holy ghost would therefore diligently to be written to declare what daungers chiefely they ought to shunne and auoyd which purpose not vnprofitable to bragge of their christian calling but in their doings meane to expresse the same For it becommeth not them which eyther haue already forsaken their owne goodes for the name of Christ or else ought to forsake them if necessitie so requyre to bestowe the goodes of the poore fraudulently and guylefully And it is an absurde and neuer ynough punishable offence to purloyne and imbecill away those things which other men haue giuen to the reliefe of the poore for the maynteyning of whome we are commaunded to spend all we haue But woulde God it were as easie a matter herein to correct the vsage of our dayes as we may not without great cause bewayle the same But what doe the Apostles after this grutch is risen Doe they rayle on them whome they heare thus murmure against them for their vniust distribution Doe they forsake these vnkinde murmurers and leaue of in displeasure all care of administration of the Church Doe they of their priuate authoritie prescribe anye newe order to the Church Or which thing might haue had some shewe of charitie doe they dissemble and make delayes as though by delaying and winking at the matter this mischiefe might haue beene qualified Luke maketh no mention at all of anye suche thinges For they see that mindes already to much incensed are not to be more prouoked neyther can they for a fewe of murmurers sakes leaue of the care of the whole Church which Christ had committed to them neyther doe they of their priuate authoritie as aspyrers to tyranny prescribe Gods houshold or inheritance any such thing neither do they thinke it good to dissemble or negligently to passe ouer so apparaunt an inconuenience But in time they prouyde a remedie and calling all the multitude togither they openly and friendly consult of some better order and way to be appointed for the poore This example or president is not onely in all ages to be obserued but also with great diligence to be followed if we desyre the churches preseruation and safetie For neyther must the pleasure of a fewe be so borne with that they shall doe whatsoeuer lyketh them and lyke Lordes prowdely beare rule ouer the church neyther must open vices be winked at especially such as giue occasion of murmurings and complaint For both they gather strength and creepe further with long tarryaunce and so inflame the mindes that that euill which at the beginning might easily haue beene cured or remedied becommeth incurable It also commeth to passe that hereby occasion is gyuen to such as be rashe and seditious to inuade and vsurpe a rule and dominion ouer the Churche and so at their pleasure to make and appoint newe orders and reformation This thing ought they to haue consydered which nowe a dayes bragge of their false succeeding the Apostles and will be taken for chiefe rulers of the Church who thinke it intollerable that the godly Magistrates should appoynt any reformation in their Churches as the complaintes of the whole worlde these many yeares could not awake them to take away the manifest and horrible abuses whereof they haue bene to long both the authors and defendors Yea and we also ought to haue consydered this thing which glory in the name of the gospell and wil seeme to haue refourmed our Churches For who is so foolish that heareth not the poore euery day for the like cause murmuring and complayning And would God the complaynts of poore were not more iust than theyrs of whome it is here intreated For in many places the Magistrates rape and reaue the Church goodes and they are spent and consumed by such as neyther serue the Church neyther are ledde with any desire of Euangelike truth the poore in the meane whyle and the ministers of the church also being in extreme beggerie and ready to sterâ—e for hunger whome Christ so diligently hath commended to hys church To say nothing of the neglecting of studies and wasting of schooles the contempt of discipline and good maners and infinite like mischiefes all which we may thanke this wicked robbing of churches and Colledges of Many wise men see these things and lament them Diuers faythfull Pastours of Churches reprooue them and desyre amendment Many openly bewayle it and there wante not which with seditious murmuring testifie the indignation of their mindes But what profite is there in all these wayes There be men which thinke these murmurers are to be brydeled by threates and proclamations and by punishments And they that seeme to be the best neglect and care nothing at all therfore So no man thinketh earnestly of any reformation bicause no man will be put out of possession of the Church goodes But the Lorde will finde a way one day and by his horrible iudgement will awake these sluggardes whome no admonishment of his diuine worde nor complaintes of the poore can awake But where the matter is of great wayte that is here intreated Luke also reciteth the Apostles Oration wherein they proposed this matter to be discussed of the church The Oration is deliberatiue and the state therof is that Deacons must be ordeyned to whome the distribution of the common money and care of helping the poore may be committed And the Oration consisteth of three pointes The first conteyneth a briefe excuse wherein they both render a reason of their present doing and modestlye put away the crime laide against them by these murmurers so that they take vpon them all the faulte least any occasion of suspicion or vpbrayding should remayne For they say It is not meete that we should leaue the worde of God and serue at the table The argument is deduced of impossibilitie For they declare that it can not be that they can discharge both the offices that they haue hytherto susteyned wherefore it is necessarie that one of them be committed to some other They also declare that no man ought to take it grieuously if they haue made any default consydering the manifold affayres wherein hitherto they had beene occupied It is as much as if they should say Bicause the money was taken vnto vs which certaine godlye disposed had giuen to the churches vse we gladly tooke vppon vs the distribution of the same least we should seeme anye waye to neglect the Churches commoditie But we learne by experience that we are not able both to satisfie the place of teaching and also this office of distribution and we confesse that among so manifolde businesses something might be ouerseene of vs Wherefore we must lay aside the one or the other of these offices But we may not intermyt the office of teaching seing Christ hath commended the same vnto vs and hath appoynted vs witnesses of the thinges he hath done Therefore this other office must be
haue diminished but vtterly to be extinguished was meruaylously increased and that in Ierusalem where the power and authoritie of the enimies was greatest Furthermore not onely the commons and those of the lay fee but nowe also the priestes beginne to submit themselues to the obedience of fayth and to professe Christ. These thinges haue in them marueylous consolation if they be diligently considered For they teach vs by what armor and weapons Christes church is most profitablie enlarged and conserued Uerily not with the counsailes of fleshly wisedome or mens deuises but with puritie of doctrine and holye discipline whereof this ought to be the ende that all outwarde things may aunswere to the doctrine of Christ and that such errours as happen may diligently be corrected And the ende and marke of all togither must be the glorie of God and the saluation of many When these things be diligently obserued the wiser sort which before were feared with noueltie beginne to giue eare to the doctrine and credite it And no doubt but there would be in these daies better successe in church affayres if we in this behalfe were not vtterly deafe For as though the bare profession of a christian name were sufficient to saluation we stay ydlely in the same and are mooued neyther with publike corruption of maners and manifest errours nor with the iust complaints of the godly earnestly to amende the things that ought to be amended Therfore through our negligence and securitie it commeth to passe that the gospell in these daies goeth no better forward Againe we are taught by an euydent example howe vaine and forcelesse the enterprises of the wicked are against the kingdome of christ For the more they rage the more it spreadeth and nowe the christian fayth findeth place among the priestes which fayth before was thought vnmeete to be suffered in the common people The like thing happened while Christ was yet vpon the earth when Nicodemus and Ioseph of Arimathaea beleeued in him whome all the residue of that order wyshed out of his life Yea whyle Nero by cruell proclamations thundred against the Church yet were there founde in his owne Court which professed Christ as Paule to the Philippians wytnesseth This is also a singuler token of the goodnesse and mercy of God that he doth vouchsafe to illuminate with the knowledge of hys truth a many of that number that had shed Christes bloud and were taken to be the chiefe procurers of his death Who shall henceforth dispayre in his sinnes when we see these men haue founde forgiuenesse Let vs rather hearken to Christ which doth of his owne accorde offer to synners remission and peace and did vouchsafe to pray for them that crucified him And yet this example serueth not onely for our consolation but also for our instruction that we also with like facilitie and readinesse must pardon them that doe vs iniurye For so it shall come to passe that we hauing the true spirite of the children of God giuen vnto vs and being deliuered from all the debt of our trespasses shall come to the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdome with Iesu Christ the onely begotten sonne of God to whome be blessing honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlij. Homelie AND Steuen full of fayth and power did great wonders and myracles among the people Then there arose certaine of the Synagoges which is called the Synagoge of the Libertines and Cyrenites and of Alexandria and of Cilicia and of Asia disputing with Steuen And they coulde not resist the wisedome and the spirite which spake Then sent they in men which saide we haue heard hym speake blasphemous wordes against Moses and against god And they mooued the people and the elders and the Scribes and came vpon him and caught him and brought him to the counsell brought forth false wytnesse which sayde Thys man ceaseth not to speake blasphemous wordes against this holy place and the lawe for we heard him say This Iesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall chaunge the ordinaunces which Moses gaue vs And all that sate in the counsell looked stedfastly vppon hym and sawe his face as it had beene the face of an Aungell FOr as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ is entred into the kingdome and glory of God his father by the bitter death of the crosse the same lotte must all they abyde that desyre to lyue godly and to be partakers with him of the heauenly kingdome And forbicause we are offended with nothing more than the crosse God would haue vs instructed and confirmed not onely with precepts but also with the example of the primitiue church that we should not be offended with persecution and aduersitie as at any straunge and vnwonted thing for as much as we see in times passed prosperous successes amōg horrible persecutions mixed the church for al that stil increasing An example wherof the story that we presently haue in hand shall shewe vs if it be compared with the things that went next before For Luke hath declared vnto vs the most prosperous proceedings of the gospell and how not only the common people but also many of the priestes beganne to beleeue it So that the church affayres seemed nowe to haue bene in quyet and safetie seing it was defended by so many and such singuler Patrones But beholde a newe conflict beginneth more horrible and perillous than any yet before was in the which Steuen by whose side the whole church of Christ was foyned at was constrayned to defende Christes quarrell not onely by wordes but also by stowte protestation of his fayth and by his bloude The vse of the hystorie is chiefely in thys poynt that we must not be offended though grieuous tumults sodainely arise when all things seeme hushte and when they whome we hoped to haue our faythfullest defendours eyther are not able or wylling to helpe vs For God suffereth it so to come to passe to take from vs the trust in carnall helpes and for that we shoulde learne in deede that Christes kingdome is not enlarged neyther by hoste of men nor by force but by the spirite of the Lorde But bicause diuers other things are here concurrent which make both for our instruction and consolation the whole hystorie with all the circumstaunces is diligently described of Luke First beginning with the discription of the person he sheweth who Steuen was and of what calling Then he descrybeth his enimies and their attempts agaynst him Thirdely he declareth howe Steuen behaued himselfe in this concertation and his glorious martyrdome Nowe will we speake of the thinges that belong to the treatise of this present place Luke in the beginning shewed how Steuen was the first in the number of the Deacons Nowe he addeth the things making for this present historie And first he sayth he was full of fayth doing vs to vnderstande that he was syncere and no bragger or counterfaiter of the fayth but endued with true fayth and feruent
Let vs likewise be encouraged with the testimonies of the Scripture which promiseth that the godly are not forgotten with God but haue layd vp for them in heauen a most plenteous rewarde In the meane season the worlde shall not scape scot free for their shamelesse sclaundering but as the Iewes were enforced with extreme miserie to abide the horrible destruction of their Citie and nation which they would not haue had the Apostles to speake of so this is alwaies founde true that they shall feele the smart of deedes that will not be amended by wordes and disdaine to be threatened But what sayth Steuen in all this adoe which is snatched at of euerye one lyke a sheepe in the middle of a sort of Woolues Is he dismayed with feare bewrayeth he his feare of heart with palenesse of face or trembling Nay rather he rendreth a reason of his fayth and doctrine with great boldnesse and libertie and sharpely reprehendeth their impietie and incurable contending with God as we shall see in the chapiter following And least any man should ascribe his saying vnto rayling it is declared that there shyned in his countenaunce a token of a couragious minde and conscience reioysing in christ For where the Iudges as is oft times seene earnestlye countenaunced him they sawe his face as it had beene the face of an Aungell This me thinketh is to be expounded of an vnaccustomed and more than humane brightnesse wherewith God would dazell the eyes of his enimies to the intent they should perceyue that such as he was feared them not And without all doubt Steuen in the meane whyle had some incredible comfort of Gods spirite rysen in his minde Furthermore God gaue him herein a token or taste of the glorye to come thorowe the hope wherof they may ouercome all aduersitie that shall happen to be in daunger for the testimonie of his name Examples wherof we haue many in the histories of Martyrs amongst the which one that was to be seene not farre from vs aboue thirtie yeres past is worthy for euer to be remembred A certaine husbandeman of the countrie for his profession of the gospell was brought to the fyre to be burned And where before whyle he was in prison he had shewed manye tokens of a christian stowtenesse yet the neerer his death approched the more euydent the same appeared For being bounde to the Gybet and ready to be let downe into the fyre he sayde alowde that he would fayne speake to the Iustice eare he dyed to whome when he came though the Iustice vsed many delayes to put him of he said on thys wise Sir quoth he you haue this daye condemned me to be burned for heresie Howbeit though I confesse my selfe a sinner yet I acknowledge no cryme of heresie in me For I professe and imbrace with all my heart that fayth which is conteyned in the Apostles Creede and so recyted the articles thereof Nowe good Sir sayth he I craue this last bowne or peticion of you that you would lay your hande first on my heart and then on your owne and so testifie vnfaynedly vnto this people here standing about whether your hart or mine quake and tremble more for feare I trulye with cheerefull heart haste vnto Christ in whome I haue beleeued Nowe of what minde and opinion you be see you to it The Iudge had neuer a worde to say but bade hast the execution so yet that there was perceyued more pensiuenesse in his countenaunce than in the Martyrs This is a great glorye of our fayth that euen then it most comforteth and cheereth our hartes when all things seeme most horrible and fearefull Let vs therefore labour to keepe thys fayth with all diligence that hauing passed the race of thys lyfe and goulfe of persecutions with merie mindes and cheerefull conscience we may attayne to the ioy of the glory in heauen promised vs in Christ Iesu to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The seuenth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xliij. Homelie THEN sayde the highe Priest is it euen so But he sayde ye men and brethren hearken The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was yet in Mesopotamia before hee dwelt in Charran and sayde vnto him Go out from thy countrie and from thy kyndred and come into the lande which I shall shewe thee Then he went out of the lande of the Chaldeys and dwelt in Charran And from thence after his father was deade hee brought hym into thys lande in the which yee nowe dwell WE haue heard how the blessed martyr Steuen was accused of his enimies through false wytnesses that he was a blasphemer of God of the law giuen by Moses how he threatned both the citie the Temple with destruction These things are set forth to thys ende that we should vnderstande how the first Martyr of the Apostolike Church in the beginning as well as all the other afterwarde were oppressed with false accusations and that we should learne hereby what case the Ministers of the truth stande in in this worlde and all others which go about to promote the glorie of God and the common saluation of all people For such are iudged for wicked enemies of Gods glorie and of publike tranquillitie as Christ oftentimes admonished and hath bene declared long sithence by the examples of many Therfore the wronge iudgements of the men of our dayes concerning the mynisterie and Ministers of the truth ought not to offende any man wherby he should lysten the lesse vnto Gods calling But bicause we spake of these things in the last sermon and at dyuers other times we wyll nowe let them passe and intreate of this present place in the which Luke sheweth howe thys matter was handeled in the counsell And first he beginneth with the highe priest and sayth he demaunded whether these things were euen so as was declared by Steuens accusers yea or no Wherein is set forth vnto vs a notable example of crafte and wylinesse wherewith these counterfeyte Byshops vse to set on the Ministers and followers of the truth For therfore doth he aske Steuen this question and prouoke him to aunswere for that he would vnder the visure of iustice deceyue the vnwarie as though he gaue Steuen libertie to pleate and defende his matter where it is euydent he ment nothing lesse For as yet that wicked decree whereby they had forbidden all men to preache in the name of Iesus stoode with these men in force And nowe he enquyreth not touching the right or equitie of the deede but simplie of the fact onely as though it might seeme a sufficient accusation to all men if Steuen shoulde haue bene founde to haue sayde any of the things which were obiected to him by his vngodlye accusers The lyke trade vse our persecutors in these dayes neyther beginne they any other wayes with the true worshippers of Christ than to know by their owne confession
discouraged to flie any more neyther could he haue auoyded the name of a deceyuer if nowe he woulde rather haue prouyded for his owne safegard than obeyed god So read we that Christ fledde when he knewe his howre was not yet come But when it was come he went to his death pacientlye and without feare Therefore whosoeuer is in any publike office or charge let them set this rule before them and let them not thinke they may leaue them whose mindes they see bent to persist in Gods vocation But if the malice of the people be such that they first forsake their dutie and dishonestly reiect their magistrates be they secular or preachers of the worde faythfully doing their dutie there is no cause but that they maye as Christ hath commaunded seeke their owne suretie by flying and spare themselues for better times and oportunitie Here the obedience of fayth tempered with the loue of God and our neyghbour shall be much profitable For this shall cause that we be not blinded and deceyued with priuate affections God graunt that we all being mindfull of his grace and good will maye diligently defende our vocation that being with right course come to the marke of blisse we maye liue in heauen with Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xlix. Homelie AND when fourtie yeres were expyred there appeared to him in the wildernesse of Mount Sina an Aungell of the Lorde in a flame of fire in a bushe When Moyses sawe it he woondred at the sight And as he drewe neare to beholde the voyce of the Lorde came to him I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob Moyses trembled and durst not beholde Then sayde the Lord to him Put of thy shooes from thy feete for the place where thou standest is holye grounde I haue perfitely seene the affliction of my people which is in Aegypt and I haue hearde their groning and am come downe to deliuer them And now come and I will sende thee into Aegypt BIcause Steuen was accused by his aduersaries that he had spoken wicked and blasphemous wordes agaynst Moyses and all the ceremonies of God giuen by Moyses therefore he comprehendeth in fewe wordes yet with sufficient exposition all the hystorie of Moyses partly to shewe that he thought reuerently of him and partlye to prooue that the saluation of manne ought to be attributed to no ceremonies bicause whatsoeuer good or excellent thing was in Moyses he had it through no desert of his but by the meere grace and fauour of god The principall scope and ende of all these thinges is to call the Iewes from the vayne affiaunce that they had in the Ceremonialles of the lawe and to trust in the onely grace of God through christ And to this ende he declared Moyses maner of birth his bringing vp and first conuersation among the Israelites shewing further howe vnworthie their fathers declared them selfe to be of such a deliuerer seeing they reiected him with the greatest ingratitude that could be in so much that he was fayne to liue like a banished man among the Madianites Nowe foloweth the solemne calling of Moyses wherby he was restored to his office agayne in the which that we may the more easily perceyue the tokens of Gods fauour we will consider euery poynt thereof in order First the time is noted when Moyses was called It was the fourtyeth yeare of his banishment in Madian which came to passe in the fowrescore yeare of his age Then he ioyneth the place where he was and his kinde of lyfe For he sayth he was in the wildernesse where he kept the sheepe of Iethro his father in lawe as may be seene Exod. 3. Nowe if we consider all the time of these fourtie yeares it shall appeare Moyses serued God without anye Temple or ceremonies of the lawe Bicause it is playne these things were instituted afterwarde And where he was in the meane while excluded from the company and common weale of the Iewes it remayneth that it must be the onely and meere grace of God that he was thus called In the meane season we haue diligently to consider howe that as soone as he would haue ioyned himselfe to the church of God he felt the griefe of long banishment and of a noble man came to be a keeper of sheepe For hereof may be gathered a generall rule teaching vs what we all may trust to when we forsake the worlde to be ioyned vnto the Church of god We fall into diuers afflictions bicause this worlde can neyther suffer that falling from it nor cannot abyde the light of the truth And as Moyses found Iethro to be his hoste and father in lawe but yet is made no more account of than to keepe sheepe so the godly with them that giue them houseroume and seeme greatlye to fauour their part liue yet but miserablye and as it were in contempt This is the greatest temptation of all other and which sometime more woundeth the heart than that that open enimies cruellye commit agaynst vs Therefore Christ warneth vs that we rashly take not vpon vs the profession of his name but that we first trie our selues whether we be able if neede so requyre to suffer banishment pouertie infamie persecution or such other lyke for his names sake And when these thinges come to passe let vs followe Moyses modestie and constaunt fayth which no doubt was sundry wayes tempted Yet he ouercommeth through that fayth which before caused him to preferre the rebuke of Christ before the riches of Egypt Let vs also by the same ouercome the assaultes of temptation and not be ashamed of the crosse of Christ which he for our sake hath first vouchedsafe to beare For so it shall come to passe that he will not be ashamed of vs when he shall come in the glory of the father to iudge the quicke and the deade Secondarily Steuen sheweth who called Moyses verily an Aungell of the Lorde which he sayth appeared to him in the desert Yet the same Aungell within a whyle after sayth I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob And againe afterwarde he sayth it wash e through whose working and power Moyses wrought signes and woonders in Egypt and which was guyde vnto the people by the way of the desert whom Paule the Apostle testifieth to haue bene Iesus Christ that promised sauior of the world Steuen therfore calleth this Iesus the Angell of the Lord not for that he acknowledged in him no greater thing or of no more excellencie than in an Aungell but as seeming to imitate Esay who on a time called him the Aungell or messenger of the great Counsell not in that he tooke on him a nature Angelicall which thing Paule to the Hebrewes 2. cap. expressely denieth but in that he was sent of God the father into the world and accomplished that
tyme warneth vs at length to awake and casting from vs all vayne inuentions of men to worship the God of our fathers according to his prescript in truth and in spirite through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The .liij. Homelie OVR fathers had the Tabernacle of witnesse in the wildernesse as he had appoynted them speaking vnto Moses that he should make it accordyng to the fashion that he had sene Which Tabernacle also our fathers that came after brought in with Iosue into the possession of the Gentyles whome God draue out before the face of our fathers vnto the tyme of Dauid which found fauour before God and would fayne haue founded a Tabernacle for the God of Iacob but Salomon built him an house Howbeit he that is highest dwelleth not in Temples made with handes as sayth the Prophete Heauen is my seate and the earth is my footestoole What house will you builde for mee sayth the Lorde Or which is the place of my rest Hath not my hand made all these thinges THe accusation against Steuen consisted of two speciall pointes the one was that he went about to abolish and put away the law the other that he had spoken blasphemye against the Temple and all their rites and ceremonies The first he hath thus farre answered vnto disputing both earnestly and reuerently touching the lawe and Moses the minister thereof For he hath shewed that it was giuen of god by Moses and confesseth it to be the worde of lyfe bicause it comprehendeth in it the rule of life and leadeth vs as a guide teacher vnto christ Furthermore bicause the Iewes gloried very much in the name of the fathers he declared that they were alwayes disobedient so that it appeareth they were not saued by the merite of the righteousnesse of the lawe but through the benefite of Gods mercy and fauouâ— This done he passeth to the other parte of his accusation and reasoneth of the holy place or Temple wherin their chiefe hope of helpe consisted And to be short the ende of all Steuens saying is to prooue that God and the right worshipping of hym is not tyed vnto the Temple Wherevpon it followeth that they oughte not straight wayes to be taken for blasphemers of God which speake agaynst the abolishing therof First therfore he intreateth of the Tabernacle then of the Temple builded about a foure huâ—dred and fourescore yeares after their comming out of Egipt The Tabernacle was a place ordeyned for to do Gods seruice in made of boordes of Sechim woode and hanged rounde about with Curtines being caried vpon two staues running through ringes of gold and the Curtines fastened togither with loupes buttons of silke In this Tabernacle was the Arke of the Couenaunt the Golden table the Candlesticke the Altare of Incense the Altare to burne sacrifices on the Brasen Lauer with the residue of the implementes belonging to the seruice concerning which see Exod. 25.26.27.30 c. All these thinges he easily graunteth that the fathers had in the wildernesse by Moses appointment which was Gods mouth and Interpreter And he calleth it the Tabernacle of witnesse bicause God by it testified his presence and gaue answere in that place for the resoluing of the peoples doubtes He addeth three things wherby he prooueth that the worshipping of God and God himselfe is not bound to this place First he saith it was made according to the paterne and saumpler shewed to Moses in the mountaine Whereby it appeareth it was but a figure and serued to shadow the mysteries of heauenly things as Paule also in the viij ix Cap. to the Hebrewes hath declared For this Tent was a figure of the Church which God will haue to be but one althoughe it consist of diuers kyndes and orders of men For it hath teachers which are in steade of pillers as Paule calleth Iames Peter and Iohn Gal. 2. It hath boordes of Ceder tree couered ouer with golde wherby all the faythfull are signified whome fayth and beliefe maketh vncorrupt shining in heauenly brightnesse All these are ioyned togither with the band aswel of doctrine as belief loue are builded vpon Christ which is the only buttrace foundation of the whole church He is in the Arke conteyning the true treasures of heauenly mysteries He prepareth vs a table where we may receiue the breade of eternall lyfe He is as it were in place of a candlesticke and by the light of his word shineth vpon his church The prayers also that are offered in him are as a pleasaunt incense odoure and sweete smell before God the father And he is the true Altare vppon whome we must offer our selues and the whole conuersation of our lyfe These thinges might be more largely intreated but we touche but the chiefe pointes of them that it may appeare to euery man why Steuen sayth the Tabernacle was made after the heauenly paterne to the ende verilye that we might therby vnderstande that no man in tyme past cleaued to the Tabernacle onely but that by fayth he was holden in contemplation of Christ and his church the mysteries wherof were by this Tabernacle signified And that the fathers then pleased God best when with myndes lyfte vp into heauen they worshipped God in spirite and truth And there are many places of Scripture wherin they are grieuously rebuked which cleaue to the outwarde ceremonies and neglect the spirituall worshipping See the Psalme 50. Esay 1.3.4 Micheas 6. Ieremy 7 c. In the meane while we are taught that nothing ought to be instituted in Gods seruice and religion according to mans deuise and pleasure For it in tyme past when outwarde ceremonies were most in vse Moses was bounde to obserue the paterne prescribed of God and where there appeare horrible examples of them which durst attempt the contrary then must we now a dayes be much more diligent to obserue those things which the sonne of God hath appointed to be in his churche for euer 〈◊〉 in the tyme of his laste comming we be taken with hym into the Tabernacle of heauen Secondly he sayeth that when Iosua was captayne the fathers brought the Tabernacle into the possession of the Gentiles that is into an vnholy laâ—d Wherby it appeareth again that the worshipping of god the way of saluation cannot consist therin Here we are taught by the way that the holy institutions of God are not polluted by the place so that the right lawfull vse of them be obserued For God is present euerywhere and by his presence sanctifieth both those that worship him and the ceremonies instituted by him Therfore in an vnholy lande the inhabitauntes wherof were a little before worshippers of ydoles might the tabernacle be placed and all the ceremonies appointed exercised That that is spoken of the outwarde seruice ought to be vnderstanded also of prayers which if they proceede of fayth are acceptable and allowable before
sodeynly and destroyed all the worlde Upon Sodome he rayned fire and brimstone from heauen The haughtie and stowte stomaked Aegyptians he brought downe one while by darknesse one other while by swarmes of flies sometime by the hopping of filthie frogges sometime by twinging and byting of Lice Antiochus and Herod he killed with wormes and vermine that bred of their owne fleshe He killed Saul the Tyranne wyth his owne sworde I let passe an infinite number of like sort bicause this fall of Saul may serue in steade of many examples It shall profite vs well to beholde him What doe the letters procured from the high Bishop profite him being nowe sodeinly fallen What auayleth the power graunted by his authoritie agaynst the Christians Can he be helde vp by the ministerie of that garde of his that he brought with him No with what engines and weapons lyeth he ouerthrowne that euen now seemed an other Enceladus Then was no clap of thunder as yet heard no ratling of clowdes among themselues no renting or reauing with fall of thunderbolte Onely a light from heauen flashing in hys face and the voyce of Christ sounding in his eares so stryketh him both in bodie and soule that he lyeth wide open and yeeldeth to Christ his Conquerour whome a little before he ment to put cleane away out of all mens remembraunce As these things serue for our consolation agaynst the wicked enimies of Christ so they must be applyed to our instruction For they teach vs how vnprosperously the pride of them succeedeth which seeing euery day the examples of Gods power Maiestie dare yet stowte and waxe fierce against God and his worde which I iudge to be one of the chiefe arguments of our corruption when we puffed vp in affiaunce of well fauourednesse kindred dignities or ryches forget God who can so easily pull downe our prowde stomackes Let vs rather acknowledge Gods power and humble our selues willingly vnder his valiaunt hande least we prooue to our vtter losse and hinderaunce how much he is able to doe Nowe let vs beholde Saule thus lying prostrate along who hearing a voyce from heauen asketh Who art thou Lorde He hearde he was cast downe by him whome he persecuted and yet he asketh who he is Yet is this saying a token of an humbled and asswaged minde Which would God we might see in these dayes in those whome God vseth to cast downe either by sicknesse by pouertie or other affliction or calamitie and yet acknowledge not the Lorde nor that God hath cast them downe But bicause Saule sheweth himselfe nowe to be somewhat meeker the Lorde doth vouchsafe to make him aunswere saying I am Iesus whome thou persecutest It is harde for thee to kicke agaynst the pricke Which aunswere standeth in two poyntes In the first he teacheth who he is and also reprooueth him of his heynous offence as though he shoulde saye Thou thinkest thou goest about to persecute men and such who as they are hated of all men so haue they no reuenger or defender amongst men But they are not without a reuenger neyther doest thou persecute them alone For I am that Iesus whome they professe I reigne in heauen and diligently obserue their condition and case I long since promised to be their patrone and defender yea such familiaritie is betweene me and them that I thinke it done to my selfe whatsoeuer thou doest to the least of them c. Hereof may be gathered a generall doctrine that whatsoeuer is done to them that worship Christ the same is done to christ For it is his saying that is reade in the Prophetes He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye And Esay in the .lxiij. chapter speaking of the beneuolence of God towarde hys people amongst other things sayth In all their afflictions I am afflicted Let this serue for the instruction of Tyrannes that they forget not howe they haue Christ their enimie while they persecute the Church who shall one day bruyse them with a rodde of yron and breake them in peeces lyke a Potters vessell Againe let the Godly take comfort hereof that in tribulation they haue Christ a companion with whome if they suffer they shall one daye reigne In the other part of his aunswere he layeth a punishement before their eyes saying It is hard for thee to spurne agaynst the pricke He vseth a Metaphore or translation taken from Oxen or Horse which if they winse agaynst the Goade they do not only not preuayle in so doyng but also pricke themselues the deeper into the fleshe and are occasion of their further hurt The Lorde threatneth the same shall come to passe in Saule and in all other which after his example persecute the Church that is to saye that their attemptes shall not onely be in vaine but daungerous and hurtfull also for the beginners For the Church of Christ is the heauie stone in lifting vp whereof no man shall trie maystryes without some hurt as God promiseth by his Prophete And there want not examples whereby to prooue the same For hereto belongeth the storie of Pharao which spurning against the pricke hath renowmed the waues of the redde sea with his and hys peoples destruction The same iudgement tryed Sanheribe who warring with God and the people of Israell by the hande of one Aungell lost hys whole armie bagges and baggage Of Antiochus and Herode we spake ere while To whome may be ioyned the Emperours of Rome as manye as after Christes tyme persecuted the Churche and within short space bought their crueltie full deare To these if wee ioyne the examples of Gods iudgementes in our dayes agaynst the enimies of the Church we shall say that the truth of this sentence which Christ here pronounceth is infallible To vs this must be the vse of all these things that we feare not the power of the worlde and persecution of Tyrannes nor be not therewith discouraged For that verie Christ lyueth still and will not forsake hys Church which he hath promised to be with vnto the ende of the worlde to him be blessing honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .lxiiij. Homelie AND he both trembling and astonyed sayd Lorde what wilt thou haue me to doe And the Lorde sayde vnto him â–ª Aryse and go into the Citie and it shall be tolde thee what thou must doe The men which iourneyed wyth him stoode amazed hearing a voyce but seeing no man And Saule arose from the earth and when he opened his eyes he sawe no man But they led him by the hande and brought him into Damascus And he was three dayes without sight and did neyther eate nor drinke AS Saule before hee was conuerted vnto Iesus Christ with great crueltie persecuted the name and Church of Christ so God chose him to set forth in him a peculiar ensample of his grace and goodnesse teaching vs hereby that we haue nothing that we may glorie in before God but that both our
our eyes when the glory and friendship of this world inuegleth vs to forsake christ For although Christes flocke be but little and the state of the Church seemeth but miserable and vnhappie yet is this the common saying of all that are godly One day in thy Courtes is better than a thousande I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of the Lorde than to dwell in the tentes of the vngodly Also Paule giueth vs a great argument of Christian modestie whyle being suspected and reiected of the godly he doth not stubbornely murmure against them nor immodestly setteth out his owne prayse nor forsaketh the Church disdainfully but paciently abideth all this doing For remembring his former lyfe he marueyleth nothing at the matter Yea he acknowledgeth the iudgement of God who woulde haue him so humbled and exercised that he shoulde as it were in humble and lowly wyse seeke their societie whome before he had disdainefully contemned and cruelly persecuted Let vs followe this example as often as the iniurie that other doth vnto vs grieueth vs And although we knowe our selues vniustly iniuried by them yet lette vs thinke we are not vnworthye of this iniurie but that we haue deserued more than this if God woulde deale with vs according to our deserts Finally when he seeth himselfe reconciled to the brethren he prooueth himselfe in deede to be a true Disciple of christ For he speaketh freely and boldly in the name of Iesus Christ. This is a description of the Gospell which preacheth to vs repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of Iesus Christ onely as we haue oftentimes declared He disputeth also with the Greekes who we sawe heretofore were the authors of a murmure and grutch that greatly disquieted the Church These men vsed to mingle the lawe with the Gospell and to ouerthrowe the fayth in Christ with the iustification of workes To the confutation of whome Paule was appoynted by the peculiar counsell of God as his Epistles declare This place teacheth vs that saluation must so be preached in the name of Christ only that therewithall we must also earnestly withstande all those things that maye ouerthrowe the same Touching which poynt bicause we haue intreated in the last Sermon it shall suffyse by the way to haue noted thus much But in the ende it is sayde that Paule had no better successe at Ierusalem than he had before at Damascus For the Iewes made a newe conspiracie agaynst him and woulde haue killed him And these are the argumentes of hypocrites which most egerly contending about the righteousnesse of workes thinke it but a tryfle to slea innocentes and to shed guiltlesse bloude But here agayne appeareth the fayth and loue of the Disciples which accompanie him to Caesarea and so sende him to Tharsus in Cilicia which was Paules natiue countrie And here Paules constancie is worthy of singuler commendation who being on euery side still in daunger yet forsaketh not Christ and his fayth For he knew by reading of the Prophetes that many were the tribulations of the iust He knewe that all they which professed Christ were called to beare the crosse He knewe also that he had deserued much grieuouser punishmente bicause he had procured the like vnto the christians before Wherfore he thought he ought rather to reioyce seeing he suffred that for Christes sake â–ª which God might haue layd on him as a punishment for his owne sinnes Which consideration if it were in our mindes it woulde easily cause vs also not to be offended at any aduersitie In the meane season Paule deserueth great prayse for that according to Gods commaundement when h ehad escaped he preached the Gospell in Tharsus being his owne countrie as appeareth hereafter in the xxij Chapter following the example of Christ who had a regarde of hys owne countrie though it were ingratefull and vnkinde Lette vs imitate Paules fayth godlynesse and constancie So shall it come to passe that God being our protector and defender we shall be deliuered from all the troubles of this lyfe present and liue hereafter in heauen with Iesus Christ the sonne of God our only Sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxviij. Homelie THEN had the congregation rest throughout all Iurie Galiley and Samarie and were edified and walked in the feare of the Lord and multiplied by the comfort of the holy ghost And it came to passe as Peter walked throughout all quarters he came also to the Saintes which dwelt at Lidda And there he founde a certaine man named Aeneas which had kept his bed eyght yeares and was sicke of the palseye And Peter sayde vnto him Aeneas The Lorde Iesu Christ make thee whole Aryse and make thy bedde And hee arose immediatly And all that dwelt at Lidda and Assaron sawe him and turned vnto the Lorde WE haue hitherto seene the beginninges of the Apostle Paule howe he entred hys Apostleshippe with great labors and daungers For he was twyse in ieoperdie of his lyfe and twyse he escaped through the faythfull helpe and industrie of the Disciples thoughe not without their daunger These things teach vs what troubles are ordeyned for the faythfull seruauntes of Christ whome yet it becommeth to follow the constancie and fayth of Paule that they suffer not themselues to be drawne from Christ wyth any perils or aduersitie For blessed is he which abydeth vnto the ende But he that putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe thereby declareth sufficiently that he is not worthy and meete for the kingdome of heauen But whereas the things hitherto declared may seeme such as threaten the vniuersall ruine and destruction of the Church the godlye writer breaketh of the storie of Paule and not without the instinct of the holy spirite passeth to Peter the Apostle and describeth the cheerefuller successes of the Church which shortly followed In the consideration whereof we ought to bee the more diligent the more comfort they be able to minister vnto vs wading in the waues of these tempestuous dayes He beginneth with the generall state and condicion of all the Churches gathered togither and founded in Iurie Galiley and Samarie and he declareth that there was a most ioiful prosperous ende of all the troubles and turmoyles which the enimies of the truth began The Churches sayth he were at rest This may seeme a sodeyne chaunge of thinges and passing all expectation if we consider the state of the Church before and compare the fierce mindes of the enimies their deuises and power with the Church as it nowe was But this is Gods vsage who hauing regarde to our infirmitie intermedleth prosperitie with aduersitie and suffereth vs not to bee tempted aboue our strength And where afflictions abounde there giueth most comfort And this is no difficult thing for him to do which euery day sheweth lyke examples in things naturall So after Winter being grieuous to vs with frost and colde commeth the
Lord both of lyfe and death And the elect acknowledged the same which streight waye when they had seene the myracle beleeued in the Lorde Unto this narration Luke addeth a few other thinges which serue for a preparation to that that foloweth For he sayth that Peter remained at Ioppe certaine dayes in the house of one Simon a Tanner in whose house he was admonished by a vision from heauen to call the Gentiles into the Communion of the church and was sent for by Cornelius the Centurion as shall be shewed in the Chapter folowing Here let vs obserue of what maner of people the Primitiue Church was collected seeing Peter had none other hoste but such an one as got his liuing by an handycraft and that not one of the fynest Hereof Paule teacheth vs that we shoulde reioyce in the Lord alone Furthermore the modestie of Peter is declared who disdayned not such an harbour where as nowe adayes kinges palaces are scarce able to receyue his counterfeyt successor Let vs follow the modestie of the Apostle and therin beleeue and serue Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The tenth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lxx. Homelie THERE was a certaine man in Caesarea called Cornelius a Captaine of the souldiers of Italy a deuout man and one that feared God wyth all his houshold which gaue much almes to the people and was alwayes in prayers vnto god The same sawe by a vision euidently about the .ix. houre of the day an Angell of God comming in to him and saying to him Cornelius When he looked on him hee was afrayde and sayde what is it Lorde He sayde vnto him Thy prayers and thy almesses are come vp into remembrance before god And nowe sende men to Ioppa and call for one Simon whose surname is Peter Hee lodgeth with one Simon a Tanner whose house is by the sea side He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to doe HItherto the first part of this storie hath bene declared wherein hath bene shewed howe the Apostles according to the commaundement of Christ preached the wholesome worde of the Gospell euerywhere to the Iewes And a great many beleeued and Luke declareth a marueylous increase of Christian faith in the Church Yet the greater part and specially those that were of most authoritie withstoode the truth For both they layde handes on the Apostles and stoned Steuen and made hauocke of the whole Church at Ierusalem by horrible persecution and sent Saule with publike commaundements as farre as Damascus to oppresse the growth of Christes Church being euen in the blade as we commonly vse to saye And it is not vnlyke but manye others did as it is here written Saule did Therefore the vncurable and stubborne contempt of so wholesome a doctrine deserued that at length the kingdome of God shoulde be taken from the Iewes and brought to the Gentiles as Christ prophecied should come to passe How this thing beganne to be put in effect Luke rehearseth in this Chapter and declareth the storie of Cornelius which we maye aptly name the first fruites of the Gentiles that were called seeing he was chosen of God to be the beginning of so weightie a matter Aboue all thinges the principall vse of this hystorie must be obserued which consisteth herein howe God vseth to cast of the vnthankfull and wicked enimies of the Gospell by his iust iudgement and is not so bounde to any Nation that he is compelled to beare with it if it be vnwoorthy Herevnto is to be added an other thing that is to saye howe the saluation contayned in Christ belongeth not to the Iewes onely but also to the Gentyles Which as it is no small comfort to vs which come of the Gentyles so it behooueth that wee stande alwaye in feare bicause the Iewes were cast of and forsaken least we by like vnthankfulnesse and disobedience deserue also to be refused For Paules saying shall alwayes stande in his full strength and force If God spared not the naturall braunches take heede least it come to passe that he spare not thee also And this is the sentence of Christ long agone pronounced that euery braunch that bringeth not forth fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire But bicause the vocation adoption of the vncircumcised Gentiles seemed to the Iewes a foolysh and an absurde thing for that they onely so many yeares togither were thought worthye of that name and tytle and therefore abhorred all other Nations as we doe the Turkes and them at this day First God would haue the vocation of the Gentyles to be preached by the Prophetes whereof we may see singuler testimonies in them Psal. 2. and .27 Esay 2. and .19 Agayne 42. and .49 Zach. 9. c. Then declareth he a notable beginning hereof in Cornelius whome he so called that any man might see therein the counsell and deuyse of Gods prouidence For he doth vouchsafe to sende his Aungell from heauen to Cornelius and instructeth Peter by an heauenly vision whereby he declareth that he will haue the Gentyles called into his Church as we shall see when we come to the place At this tyme we haue to consider what God did vouchsafe to doe by Cornelius For Luke beginneth with the description of Cornelius which he knitteth vp in marueylous breuitie and playnenesse First declaring his state and kynde of lyfe hee sayth he was a Captayne of the Italian Souldiers For the Romaynes vsed to entertayne diuers bandes of men of diuers Natiâ—ons according to the which they gaue them their names And bicause among all nations they esteemed none more than the Italians the Italian garrisons were preferred aboue others And there is no doubt but that Cornelius was an Italian forasmuch as he was one of the chiefe of that bande But bicause he dwelt at Caâ—sarea which the auncient wryters call Turris Stratonis the tower or castell of Straton the maner or state of the souldiers in those dayes must be considered that we maye the easilyer vnderstande the state of Cornelius Thus wryte the Romaine Hystoriographers After the victories that Pompey called the great had gotten who was the first that subdued Syria and Iurie vnto the Romaine Empire the people of Rome had no more grieuous enimies than the Parthians who were greatly encouraged with the death of Crassus with the ouerthrowe of the Romayne Legions and number of ensignes and standerdes which they had taken wherein were the pictures of splayed Eagles paynted Wyth whose incursions and roades bicause they were continually molested they thought good to place in the Cities bordering vpon them certayne garrisons of souldiers which within a short warning being mustred myght make a complete armie if neede so required whereby to repulse and beate backe the enimie And those souldiers also were a defence and safegarde for the Cities of Iurie to tame and keepe vnder the courage of the Iewes which were very prone
Iewes who went out sayeth he of the Sinagoge before the congregation brake vp And this they did for none other cause but for that they coulde not abide to heare the doctrine of Christ as shall appeare by that that followeth where it is written howe they made much adoe and striuing against the Apostles For as they that are borne of God heare the worde of Christ and knowe by and by the voyce of their shepehearde so the reprobates and children of this worlde hate that voice as euill as a Tode and can not be brought willinglye to seeke it and if at any time they seeme to heare it otherwise than they looked for or agaynst their will then they turne their heades from it and gette them out of the place where such noyse soundeth This is an euident token of incurable malice as we reade Dauid also noted comparing them to a deafe Adder which will in woonderfull wise stoppe his eares bicause he will not heare the voice of the charmer And although somtime they pretend they doe it for modesty yet it is alway the beginning of a greater impietie For they which at the fyrst doe but a little lothe the worde of God and refuse to heare it if they shall more stronglye be vrged there with then without all reason they rage against it The Scripture sheweth vs examples in Pharao Saul Achab and many others which to rehearse woulde be superfluous forasmuch as we shall streightway heare how stowtly and impiously these men bende themselues against the doctrine of saluation Nowe against these men Paule setteth other which worthily embraced the Apostles doctrine who Luke sayth were partly Gentyles and partly Proselytes And that these Proselytes were the more apt to receiue Christ it is euident for that they had not that prowde affiance in their owne worthynesse that hindred the Iewes from the fayth in Christ as Paule otherwheres teacheth Although among these were also some Iewes bicause God did not so vtterly cast of that Nation but that he reserued certayne remnantes to be saued Moreouer as in the fyrst sort we may see the maners of the reprobate so in these other sorts the propertie of the elect and children of God doth notablye appeare Which therefore is the more diligently to be considered bicause by them we may see what is wanting in our selues and what we ought to doe First they desire the Apostles that they will the next Sabboth day preach to them againe the same doctrine of saluation Ergo they loue the worde of God and they are not weary of it bicause by the secret suggestion of the holye ghost they perceyue the voyce of their heauenly father soundeth in the same Then when the Church brake vp they followed the Apostles and openly acknowledge them for teachers of the truth and their saluation who yet they knewe were hated of a great number Then they are not ashamed of the worde of God before men and they preferre the grace of Christ before the friendshippe of the worlde These are the principles and rudimentes of true religion wherein who so well exercise themselues shall at length bring forth fruites of fayth and saluation not to be repented of By these may we iudge of the maners of our dayes For a great many nowe a dayes despise the worde and thinke nothing so voyde of true wisedome as for a man to take aduise of the worde of God concerning his doings and sayings And though we no way else declare the same yet we abundantly testifye it by this one token in that we be not onely ashamed of the Ministers but also hate them abhorre them flie from them rayle at them and euery way iniurie them as the publike enimies of saluation and authors of all euill And yet on Gods name we bragge egregiously of our fayth and zeale towarde Christ and his Gospell But God is not beguiled with vaine wordes nor delighted with any kinde of religion but such as hath truth ioyned therwith But what saye the Apostles herevnto They exhort them to continue in the grace of God For they knewe well that saying of Christ No manne that layeth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is worthye of the kingdome of God. Againe He that abideth to the ende shall be safe And bicause they had good experience of mannes infyrmitie they knewe that exhortation was needefull for them for that they had but newlye layde the fyrst foundation of their faith and saluation For many times it cōmeth to passe that they which haue begonne well being eyther afraide of daunger or caried away and maystred of their affections fall away againe and swarue Therefore we must note the example of the Apostles that we thinke not faithfull admonitions superfluous without the which faith and the knowledge of saluation are very seldome retayned In the meane season it is very worthy the noting how they which perseuere in the Gospell are sayde to continue in the grace of god For by the Gospell is the grace of God offred vs And Christ sayth that that peace that the Gospell preacheth shall dwell in that house where the children of peace be who are such as embrace with true faith the peace and grace of god Wherevpon we gather againe that all they which refuse the Gospell which is the only message of that grace doe fall from the grace of god And hereof followeth all kinde of euill so that they are the most vnworthie people in the worlde which forsake Christ for the worldes sake This appeareth by the example of the Iewes whome the contempt of the Gospell brought to that miserable state that they haue liued in nowe more than .xv. hundreth yeares Therfore let vs thinke that sayde vnto vs that the Apostles sayde to these men in this place and let vs embrace the Gospell and perseuer in the same that we may likewise enioy the vndoubted grace of God and his assured helpe in all aduersities Howbeit Luke adioyneth to these premisses a grieuous contention following this prosperous successe of the Gospell wherby we are taught that the kingdome of Christ in this worlde beginneth neuer so prosperously but that some stormes of persecution are ready for them which go about to sette forth the same For the saying of Christ fayleth not If they haue hearde my voyce they will heare yours also And where this worlde commonly hateth the light of the truth the more they perceyue the same shineth the more they vse to rage and be madde Therefore no man ought to thinke it a straunge thing if the like fall out in our dayes and that we see troubles aryse among them to whom the Gospell at the fyrst is preached For Paule and Barnabas the faythfull Apostles of Christ doe here fynde the same to be true For the next Sabboth daye when almost all the Citie was gathered togither to heare the worde of God the Iewes beholding such a great company readye to
than wyth the bloude of Christ and they which were iustifyed by the fayth in Christ and enfrauncised with the libertie of the children of God were not subiect to the commaundement and intollerable yoke of the lawe as Peter hereafter will declare Besyde this the true vse of the lawe was peruerted which was to bring men as a tutor and gouernour vnto christ And these fellowes sent those that were graffed in Christ vnto the principles and beginnings of the lawe Moreouer it coulde not be chosen but the light of the Gospell shoulde haue bene obscured and darkened with the shadowes of the lawe Therefore Paule might not in any case haue borne with these deceyuers vnlesse he woulde haue bene counted an vntrustye Minister of christ By the which example we are taught that we must for concorde and vnities sake admit nothing that may any waye obscure the glory of Christ and simple confession of the fayth For that is a verye hurtfull concorde that is redeemed with the prophanation of the name of Christ and denying of the fayth For this saying of Christ standeth fyrme and strong he that loueth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me Againe whosoeuer shall bee ashamed of mee before this adulterous and naughty worlde him will I be ashamed of when I come in the glorye of my father Furthermore let vs hereof be perswaded that Christian menne can haue no peace without christ For if they will be true Christians in the world they shall haue afflictions and in Christ onely peace Howbeit they of Antioch that beleeued when they perceyued this contention euery day more and more to kindle they decree at length with one consent that Paule and Barnabas with certaine other Disciples shoulde go to Ierusalem to propounde this question vnto the Apostles and Elders there to be discussed And Paule easily yeeldeth vnto this decree not meaning to put the cause of truth to the iudgement of manne but for that he well knewe these deceyuers abused the name of the Apostles Therefore for the more commoditie of the vnlearned and simple people whose eyes they had dazeled with the brightnesse of Apostolike authoritie he easily admitted this counsaile as the most commodious and readyest waye that coulde be deuised And this hath bene the chiefe cause of all the Sinodes and Counsayles that heretofore haue bene gathered by godlye Kinges and Bishops For it was neuer the minde of those holy men that the cause of fayth and saluation shoulde be in subiection to mannes iudgement But where Heretikes vsed impudently to vaunt them of the consent of Apostolike doctrine and vniuersall Church vnto the vnlearned people the Catholikes thought good most commodiously to bridle them by Synodes and the publike testimonie of the Church to th ende that they shoulde not afterwarde be beleeued We haue diligently to consider the modestie that Paule here vseth For it is manifest he was endâ—ed with such constancie that he woulde not haue yeelded vnto the Apostles if they woulde haue pronounced any thing against the truth For he durst boldly reprehende Peter at Antioch and he teacheth vs that we ought not to beleeue an Aungell if he woulde preach any other Gospell Yet he despiseth not a meane and deuise of peace vttred by the godly brethren whereas he sawe the glorye of God coulde thereby no way be obscured and that the quiete of the weaker sorte might thereby be procured This modestie must be ioyned with constancie least whyle we will seeme constant we be founde obstinate and wayward For the spirit of Christ is tractable and maketh men which vse him as their counsayler desirous of his glory In the meane season their leuitie is not to be allowed which while they will seeme tractable and easie to be intreated be obedient to such counsayles they see doe quite deface and ouerthrow the veritie of faith and glorye of christ Furthermore this place teacheth vs which is the best waye to calme controuersies and contentions that rise about fayth and religion Some there be that thinke these matters might be taken vp and ended by mannes wisedome and pollicie if eche part woulde somewhat yeelde one to another as though men might daily in religion and Gods causes as in other worldly affaires Why rather doe we not resort vnto the Apostles to heare what they haue taught and appoynted whose doctrine is manifestly confyrmed with the testimonie of Christ himselfe For vnto them it is sayd He that heareth you heareth me c. And we know that Christ prayed for them which should beleeue in him according to their preaching Moreouer they were openly endued with the holy spirit which shewed manifest arguments of his presence and operation in them Wherefore we must earnestlye take heede that we swarue not one nayles breadth from their doctrine The Apostle Iohn teacheth vs the same where in his fyrst Epistle and seconde Chapter he sayeth Lette that remayne in you which you hearde from the beginning If that which you hearde from the beginning shall remaine in you you also shall continue in the father and in the sonne Paule also where he aduertiseth vs of such as presume to peruert the truth sayth But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned which also were committed vnto thee knowing of whome thou hast learned them and forasmuch as thou hast of a child knowne the holy scriptures which are able to make thee learned vnto saluation through the fayth which is in Christ Iesu. Therefore they are fowlye deceyued which by this example will obtrude vnto vs Counsayles as though religion ought by them to be ruled where it is euident these many yeres they haue bene such as haue had no signe or token of any Apostolike spirite in them And if they woulde heare the Prophetes and Apostles we would according to the example of Paule and Barnabas willingly go vp with them vnto the Apostles to heare what the spirite of God speaketh in them But if they will harken vnto men farewell they seeing we haue none other maister to harken vnto but Iesus Christ. But Luke also descrybeth Paules going to Ierusalem bicause there be diuers things therein worthy to be considered Amongst which the fyrst is howe Paule and Barnabas are brought on their waye by the congregation which appointed them worthy and faythfull companions to iourney wyth them Whereby it appeareth the congregation tooke their part and had no suspition in their doctrine and beliefe Let all congregations follow thys ensample that they leaue not the faythfull ministers of Christ destitute of helpe For what else doe they but susteyne open warre in the Churches quarrell and behoofe And surely their ingratitude is execrable which prouyde to stande out of Gunneshot when troubles arise about religion and will stande ydely gasing on as though the matter pertayned nothing vnto them but onely vnto the Ministers Then also to the ende their iourney should not be
plaine wordes if we saye we be saued by fayth through the grace of God in Iesus Christ which is the summe of all the doctrine aswell of the Prophetes as the Apostles Nowe after Peter had ended his saying all the multitude were appeased and with silence testifyed their consent By this maye be gathered as by a most euident argument that they were gathered togither in the holye ghost For as he is the spirite of truth so whosoeuer he breatheth on cannot choose but yeelde vnto the truth And we must neuer beleeue that those Counsayles are gouerned by his guiding where mennes eares are stopped vp from hearing the truth and vse all libertie of speach against the same such as we see the Bishoppes of Rome nowe many hundreth yeares haue summoned and kept For as in them they haue ratifyed opinions cleane false and vngodly so no man coulde without manifest daunger of his life speake against their decrees Howbeit Paule and Barnabas take occasion of Peters wordes to declare what myracles and woonders God wrought amongst the Gentyles for the confyrmation of their ministerye that hereby it might the more euidently appeare how God made no difference betwene the Iewes and the Gentyles seeing he would haue such myracles wrought amongst the Gentyles as vsed to be shewed among the Iewes Thus we see the ende ofall myracles is to confyrme the Apostles doctrine whereof we haue oftentimes spoken heretofore It shall be our duties with attent minde and fyrme fayth to embrace that way of saluation that Peter hath declared For so shall it come to passe that we also being purifyed and made cleane through grace shall attaine to the inheritance of heauen with Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Ciij Homelie AND when they helde their peace Iames aunswered saying Men and brethren harcken vnto me Simeon tolde howe God at the beginning did visite the Gentyles to receyue of them a people in his name And to this agree the wordes of the Prophete as it is written After this I will returne and will builde agayne the Tabernacle of Dauid which is fallen downe and that which is fallen in decaye of it will I builde againe and I will set it vp that the residue of men may seeke after the Lorde and also the Gentyles vppon whome my name is named sayeth the Lorde which doth all these thinges Knowne vnto God are all his workes from the beginninge of the worlde Wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them which from among the Gentyles are turned vnto God but that we wryte vnto them that they abstaine themselues from fylthinesse of Images and from fornication and from strangled and from bloude For Moses of olde time hath in euery Citie them that preach him in the Synagoges when he is read euery Sabboth daye THe Euangelist Luke hath very diligently described the controuersie that came to passe in the primitiue Church about the matter of iustifycation In this description we haue seene what Peters iudgement was who hath taught vs that faith onely was sufficient to iustify the Gentiles and that they were not to be burthened with the yoke of the law And bicause many menne were mooued with the example of the fathers supposing they were iustified by the law he answereth this obiection shewing that they coulde be iustifyed none other waye than by the grace of God the author and mediator whereof is our Sauiour Iesus Christ. But bicause we haue intreated hereof in the Sermon that is gone before let vs now see what Iames the Apostle the sonne of Alpheus of whom Paule speaketh .2 Galat. sayth whose wordes consist of two members or partes For fyrst he subscribeth vnto Peter and then he declareth his counsell howe a peace and true concord might be made and conserued betweene the Iewes and Gentyles But before we come vnto Iames wordes we must marke howe he beganne not to speake afore he sawe other holde their peace For hereof a man may gather the order of the Apostles Counsayle howe they did all things with modestie and howe there was none of them that would prescribe another An example of the like we sawe also before For while diuers did egerly contende Peter helde his peace But when he saw time serued he arose vp both with modestie and grauitie and beganne to speake his iudgement and was hearde of others with like pacience as he not long before had hearde others After he had done Paule and Barnabas were hearde without interruption of any bodye who confyrmed Peters sentence by an argument taken of myracles And when these also had spoken their minde Iames steppeth forth and almost is the last manne that speaketh although he was accounted among the pillers of the Church This modestie was an euident signe of the holy ghost which gouerned their mindes that by ouer great heate of contention there shoulde rise no vncomelye tumulte or trouble and that men shoulde not stoppe their eares against the truth This order ought to be obserued in all publike actes and affayres so that no man shoulde be so ready to speake as to heare what other shall say For as that kynde of men is foolishe who for that they onely woulde seeme wyse thinke it meete for them onely to speake and suppose they haue great iniurie done vnto them if any man dissent neuer so little from them so are they also vnprofytable and pernicious But let we these things passe and hearken vnto Iames which in the beginning of his Oration yeeldeth vnto the iudgement of Peter saying Simeon tolde howe God at the beginning did visite the Gentyles to receyue of them a people in his name Iames acknowledgeth here Gods counsayle and purpose which by the calling of Cornelius did abundantly declare that the Gentyles had neede of none other preparation to be iustifyed and saued than of faith in Christ and therefore he plainly subscribeth vnto Peters opinion And least the Apostles only might seeme to be of this opinion he proueth the same by the vniforme consent of the Prophetes although he bring but one testimony out of them Neither was it needefull to bring any more forasmuch as all the Prophetes were inspyred with one and the selfe same spirite and agreed in the declaration of mannes saluation It is worthy to be diligently marked howe the Apostles of their meere authoritie obtrude and charge the Church with nothing but by scripture prooue all the things that they teach For they acknowledged themselues to be the seruantes of Christ and his Church and therfore they thought they ought to establishe nothing that was repugnant to the will of Christ and the holy Scripture Which modestie if they had obserued which woulde be taken and called their successors we should at this day haue lesse superstition in the Church and more godlynesse and syncere religion Concerning the oracle of the Prophet it is in the .ix. chapiter of Amoz He had before
come might be preuented And fyrst bicause they whose mindes through contention were mooued might happen to suspect Paule and Barnabas credite in this dealing they ioyne vnto them messengers of no small dignitie and estimation Againe least Silas and Iudas might not seeme by craft and subtiltie to be wonne and made on Paules side they commende and defende their authoritie by publike letters By which example we are taught that prudence and wisedome is chiefely to be vsed in publike affayres of the Church least vnaduised rashnesse maye preiudice a cause of it selfe otherwise both good and honest Here is to be considered the order of the Primitiue Church which the same Church was woont to vse in publike affayres The Apostles in deede with the Elders had the rule and ordering of all matters as they who had the ouersight of the Churche committed vnto them Yet they tooke not on them such rule and authoritie to exclude or shut out the people from the hearing of such things as appertayned indifferently vnto the whole Church Againe in the people was great consideration of modestie whereby it came to passe that euerye one gaue place vnto the truth and none of them prouoked eyther with 〈◊〉 or other peruerse affection would vnaduisedly stirre or make businesse Nowe where the ambition of Prelates hath disturbed and broken this order who contrary to the commaundement of Peter the Apostle haue chalenged vnto them a Lordship ouer the inheritance or Church of Christ the congregations are euery daye molested with newe contentions and there appeareth no ende eyther of errors or moste bitter debates But let vs see the letters of the Synode or Counsayle where a thing of most weight and importance is most briefely and plainely entreated For as truth is easily perceyued and voyde of all guile so it desireth no fetches nor affectate ornaments and deckings This Epistle or letter consisteth of fower partes all which for the more perspicuitie we will seuerally speake of The fyrst parte contayneth the superscription which nameth the authors of the Epistle and those to whome the same is written And they are all so named as a man may perceyue nothing is spoken of arrogancie or ambition Yet is there an order obserued wherof a man must haue regard in euery thing First are the Apostles placed bicause Christ appointed them to be teachers of the whole worlde and his witnesses and adourned them with such dignitie that they are called the salte of the earth and light of the worlde After that are the Elders named of whose office we haue spoken already before Last of all all the beleeuers are comprehended vnder the name of brethren Therefore these letters are written in the name of the whole Synode and Congregation And they are written vnto the brethren that dwelt at Antioch in Syria and Cilicia amongest whome schisme and troubles were raysed through the malice and craft of deceyuers We must marke the calling of one another brethren which appeareth to be a moste auncient vsage euen from the time of the Apostles There is two occasions of this name We are called brethren both bicause we haue all one father which is in heauen who hath prepared for vs one inheritaunce of hys kingdome and also for that Iesus Christ the sonne of God taketh vs for his brethren and doth vouchsafe to make vs coinheritours with him As therefore this name serueth much for the mainteyning of concorde among Christians so it bringeth a singular comfort in all kinde of temptations For it is impossible that Iesus Christ shoulde neglect them whom he hath once taken for his brethren and will haue to be heyres of his kingdome Woulde to God they woulde expende this name which now a dayes make such odious differences of Nations as though no dutie of Christian charitie were due vnto those which are borne out of our countrie Yet the Apostles acknowledge the Assyrians and Cilicians people farre distaunt from them and borne of the Gentyles to be their brethren What wickednesse is it therefore to thinke Christian menne whome Christ taketh for his brethren for the Countries sake to be straungers vnto vs Ought the inheritance of the earth to be greater than the inheritance of heauen In the seconde part they grauely controll the deceyuers and false Apostles euen as the weyght of the cause and daunger of saluation by them procured deserued And fyrst they confesse they went forth from them but so as they were no partakers with them And this they laye as a stopple against their vaine vauntes and bragging For they vsed to saye they came from Ierusalem and had learned their doctrine of the Apostles who taught the same learning at Ierusalem Therefore the Apostles denie not that they went forth from their Church but yet therefore they aduise not euery man to credite and receyue that they teach For it is commonly seene that deceyuers come forth of the Church as we haue elsewhere taught Therefore that vaine vanitie of tytles and succession whereby the Bishops of Rome defende their dignitie in these dayes while they alleage the authoritie of the Church of Rome and the Apostles their Predecessours is not sufficient We be not ignorant that the fayth of that Church was once such that Paule worthily commended the same Wee know also that there haue bene many Bishops in the same of notable godlynesse faith and learning of whome diuers haue bene crowned with martyrdome But what is all this to our Bishops now a dayes whose beliefe learning and conuersation is altogither different from those men They that will defende themselues by the authoritie of the Church should followe the steps of the Primitiue Church This done they declare what these deceyuers did They haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your mindes They are therefore disturbers and not builders of the Church as Paule well obserued wryting to the Galathians I marueyle you are so soone turned vnto another Gospell which is nothing else but that there be some that trouble you Againe I woulde to God they were seperated from you that trouble you In these wordes is declared the effect of false doctrine which a man may espie in all them which ascribe not vnto Christ onely all the order and praise of our saluation First they trouble and make the hearers vncertaine of their saluation whiles they ouerthrowe fayth For it cannot be that they haue anye thinge stable and certaine that sticke to the workes of the lawe bicause the lawe exacteth a perfyte and an absolute obedience in all poyntes which is not in mannes power to perfourme Wherefore according to the saying of Paule as soone as saluation is declared to be in workes then faith is in vaine and the promyse of none effect And the false Apostles doe not onely trouble men this waye but also for that they be authors of schisme which must needes ensue as soone as saluation is not attributed to Christ onely For example we haue the Church
Apostles doctrine For fyrst they shewe whence Paule fet his doctrine verily out of the wrytings of Moses and the Prophets which otherwheres he sayth were inspyred of God and in the which Christ witnesseth that the mysteries of eternall lyfe are conteyned Therefore out of the same also in these dayes must the doctrine taught in the congregation be taken Neyther must their impudencie be borne with which will not haue the controuersies of our dayes deuided by the Scriptures but alleage vnto vs the traditions and Canons as they call them of the Apostles and the fathers and the counsels as though they had left vs thinges of more imperfection and certaintie than the Apostles Further we are taught howe Paule handled the scriptures He opened them that is to saye by dyligent interpretation he picked out the true sense and meaning of them applyed the things therin conteyned to his present purpose Which he coulde no wayes more commodiouslye doe then by conference of places By this example of Paule is theyr errour confuted which saye it is sufficient to haue the scripture read ouer in the Church and wyll not suffer the same by exposition to be opened Therefore in these mennes iudgement Paule offended verie much yea Christ himselfe who as we may reade vsed the same order of teaching in the schoole at Nazareth But whosoeuer followeth the example of Christ can not offend And Paule doth much better which requireth such a teacher of the Church as can distribute and deale as it were the worde of truth iustly and duely and can apply it to the instruction and comfort of euery body Thirdely is declared the argument of Paules doctrine which conteyneth in it chiefely two poyntes setting them as it should seeme agaynst so many errours of the Iewes For fyrst they were offended at the crosse of Christ bicause they vnderstoode the oracles of the Prophetes according to the letter and ymagined that the kingdome of Christ should be temporall and looked for a Messias wythout a crosse Which errour may now a dayes also be perceyued in them which would haue the Gospell preached without the crosse and where they desyre to be saued by Christ will not suffer and be afflicted with him The other errour of the Iewes was that they denyed Iesus the sonne of Mary to be their Messias or Christ. Paule laboureth to put both these errours away going about to prooue by testimony of scriptures that God had from before the begynning of the world ordeyned this way for man to be saued by that is to say by the incarnation death and resurrection of his sonne Againe applying those things vnto Iesus the sonne of Marie which the Prophets in tymes past spake before of the Messias he euidently declareth that he ought to be acknowledged for the Messias and that none other ought to be looked for Nowe as Paule declared these things at large by testimonies of scriptures gathered out of all places so might they be by vs in ample wise prosecuted But bycause it appeareth easily by the sermons both of Paule and the other Apostles going before what places they for the most part vsed and they that vse to reade the scriptures fynde euerywhere such things as conteyne in them the knowledge of Christ we wyll of purpose be the shorter In the meane while we haue here two things to obserue Fyrst what ought to be preached in the Church Uerily euen Iesus Christ only whome Paule otherwheres confesseth onely that he knoweth and none other For where he alone is sufficient for vs in all things bicause he is giuen to vs of the father to be our Brydegrome Shephearde King and Priest head righteousnesse wisedome satisfaction sanctifycation and redemption he himselfe would haue men brought vnto him it is vnmeete to teach any thing not agreeable with him The seconde thinge is howe Christ should be preached To be euen such an one as the Scriptures declare him to be who dying for vs on the Aultar of the crosse purged our sinnes and by his glorious resurrection ouercame death who reigneth not in this worlde lyke vnto the kings here on earth but being taken vp into heauen comforteth vs by his spirite and through our afflictions and infyrmitie of the flesh triumpheth ouer all our aduersaries They that haue conceyued in their mindes Christ to be such an one can be offended at no worldly attempts but being voyde of care and merie laugh at all that the worlde goeth about against the Church Learne therefore hereby to iudge of the doctrine of these dayes and harken not vnto them which in the businesse of our saluation teach any more then Christ seing that Paule knewe him onely notwithstanding he was rapt vp into the thirde heauen Moreouer the successe declareth that Paules preaching was not in vaine For certaine of the Iewes beleeued yet but a fewe bicause nowe beganne the blindnesse of that nation Yet God keepeth and fulfylleth hys truth while he saueth certaine remnauntes out of the innumerable multitude And that they were vnfayned beleeuers appeareth by this that they openly ioyne themselues vnto Paule and Silas both for learning sake and also to protest openly their beliefe Yet a greater company of the Greekes beleeued whome he calleth religious bicause before this they had tasted a little of true religion which it is lyke they learned by being conuersaunt with the Iewes For although the incredulitie of that nation was past hope yet God would vse them being dispersed abroade in the worlde to bring the Gentyles from ydolatry vnto the worshipping of the true God and euerywhere to sowe certaine principles and grounds of pure religion touching the honouring and inuocating of one god With this company of the faithfull are numbred certaine noble and chiefe women that a manne maye see howe God hath a regarde of his elect in all states and degrees of persons This place teacheth vs that the Gospell is neuer preached in vaine as hath bene already oftentymes declared Here are also touched the dueties of them that truely beleeue ardent desyre of true doctrine and religion thankefulnesse towarde the teachers of saluation and playne and open profession of the true fayth For God will haue none of them to worship him that can dissemble and play on both handes God graunt that we also being illuminated with the light of true fayth may declare our fayth both in worde and deede and by the same maye come vnto the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen with the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxiiij Homelie BVT the Iewes which beleeued not had indignation and tooke vnto them euill men which were vagabondes and gathered a company and set all the Citie on an roare and made assault vpon the house of Iason and sought to bring them out to the people And when they founde them not they drewe Iason and certayne brethren vnto the heades of
Antioche the publike sanctuary as we sayde before of all godly persons From thence he passed through the Galathians and Phrygians confyrming the brethren euerywhere in the fayth for that he was not ignorant of the craftes and enterprises of Satan which lyeth still in wayte for the godly Luke in fewe wordes comprehendeth the great paynes care and marueylous dyligence that Paule vsed in the gouerning of Christ his Church But if a man would compare the Byshops of our dayes with him which bragge of Paule and Peters name good Lorde howe little shall a man fynde in them expressing but one sparkle of Paules breast In the meane season let vs acknowledge the truth of God which prouideth for his Church such faythfull and chosen instruments and let vs beseech him to sende out faithfull labourers into hys haruest which may enlarge the boundes of his Church that our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ may haue a kingdome in all nations to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxiiij Homelie AND a certaine Iewe named Apollos borne at Alexandria came to Ephesus an eloquent man and myghtie in the scriptures The same was enfourmed in the way of the Lorde and spake feruently in the spirite taught dyligently the things of the Lorde and knewe but the baptisme of Iohn onlye And the same beganne to speake boldely in the Synagoge whome when Priscilla and Aquila had hearde they tooke him vnto them and expounded vnto hym the way of God more perfitely And when he was disposed to go into Achaia the brethren wrote exhorting the Disciples to receyue him Which when he was come helped them much which had beleeued thorowe grace for he ouercame the Iewes myghtilye and that openly shewing by the Scriptures that Iesus was Christ. VNto the discourse of the thinges done by the Apostle Paule at Corinth and Ephesus Luke annexeth in order the hystorie of Apollos the Iewe borne at Alexandria For fyrst it maketh for the more perfyte declaration of the thinges done among the Corinthians bicause Apollos not long after this went to Corinth and watered the Church there that Paule had prosperouslye planted and lyke a dyligent husbandman brought it to more rypenesse of fruite as the Apostle confesseth in the fyrst to the Corinthians the thirde Chapter Here appeareth likewise the great goodnesse of God in prouyding for his Church For we heard in the Sermon going before howe Paule by secrete instinct of the holye ghost was taken from the Ephesians which being inflamed with the loue of the gospell desyred longer to haue kept him with them Therefore least any man might thinke that God neglected those that were so desyrous of saluation so myght take occasion to thinke yll of God he substituteth Apollos in his place to supply Paules absence by his diligence and endeuour For God neglecteth none that are desyrous of the truth who calleth all men vnto him euery where and allureth them with spreade open armes Therfore this hystorie maketh not a little for the comfort of the Church conteyning also an example of a faythfull and an absolute minister with many other things belonging to our instruction wherefore it shall be profytable to examine all the partes thereof Luke begynneth very commodiously with the description of the person saying fyrst he was a Iewe where partly is declared the great mercie of God which out of a most enuious nation falling and running headlong into destruction chooseth out euery day newe and freshe worshippers of hys sonne and Ministers and partly the Iewes malice is prooued incurable which could be ouercome neyther with the great dyligence of the Apostles nor yet with daylie domesticall examples Next he declareth how he was borne at Alexandria where hystories saye and thys present place prooueth was a most famous Church and schoole erected euen in the time of the Apostles For from thence commeth thys Apollos furnished with so many dyuers giftes whose labour and traueyle afterwarde appeared so great in the buylding vp of the congregation Luke in verye fewe wordes attributeth to him singuler qualities saying he is eloquent that is to saye had a gift aptly and in due maner to speake or reason of any matter also power or might in the scriptures that is a conuenable dexteritie in handling or intreating of them as one that had not learned them onely for ostentation sake Moreouer he declareth he was brought vp in the way of the Lorde thereby attributing vnto him the knowledge of Christ yet declaring he wanted some poyntes thereof where he sayth he knewe but the baptisme of Iohn onely So calleth he the principles of christian religion comprehending vnder this worde baptisme all the doctrine of Iohn and al that businesse whereof he was Minister In the which sence Christ also demaunded the Scribes of Iohns baptisme Math. 21. Yet this place must not so be vnderstanded as though Iohn had had no knowledge of Christ or had taught his Disciples any doctrine contrarie to christ For Iohns doctrine and Christes was all one For as Christ commaundeth the Apostles to preach repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name so reade we that Iohn mooued his hearers vnto repentaunce and shewed them that the grace of God and saluation was to be had in Christ onely For the summe of his doctrine was Repent you for the kingdome of God is at hande Beholde the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all things into his hande that all that beleeue in the sonne may haue lyfe euerlasting See Luke 3. Iohn 1. and thirde chapiters And bicause Iohn was in the myddle betwixt the Prophets and Christ and was therefore but the forerunner of the sauyour that was promised who should prepare and make ready the people to receyue Christ it suffised him to declare but a short and briefe summe of our saluation and knowledge of Christ that all men might vnderstande howe forgiuenesse of sinnes and life euerlasting was to be had but in him alone In the meane season it is manifest that he no where taught the secret misteries of Christes death resurrection and ascension or the whole order of our redemption in expresse wordes For the perfyte vnderstanding hereof was reserued for an other tyme yea we reade that the very Apostles were not so skilfull in these thinges although that Christ had oftentimes reasoned hereof vntill after his ascension they were illuminated by the holy ghost that was sent them as Christ had promised them Therefore although Apollos was brought vp in the waye of the Lorde and knewe that Christ was the sauiour of the worlde yet was he ignoraunt in manye thinges which concerned the maner of our redemption whereof he was more at large to be enfourmed as shall followe a little hereafter In the meane tyme we haue two thyngs to consider in the description of this person First is the order and lincking togyther of gyftes wherewith
of the things done by Paule at Ephesus beginneth to tell fyrst howe he brought certaine persons to frame that vaunted themselues of the gospell but were not throughly instructed therein and howe he adourned that church with the giftes of the holye ghost Which hystorie as it serueth much to our instruction so is it for this cause dyligently to be considered bycause dyuers men in times past haue contended by authoritie of this place to baptise those againe which before had bene baptised by Heretiques At this day also the Anabaptistes abuse the same a verie frowarde and phrentike kinde of persons keeping infantes from their baptisme and affirming that none ought to be baptised but such as are of yeares of discretion and well infourmed in the principles and knowledge of Christ. But that both these and the olde wryters were deceyued it shall easily appeare by the text it selfe whereby it shall be prooued that Paule ment nothing lesse in this dooing than that which they go about to gather thereof For fyrst it is sayd Paule went about to examine certaine disciples which he met withal after he came again to Ephesus But it is not lykely that these and no more had professed Christ bicause we may gather a greater vtilitie of the gospell among the Ephesians by that we heard in the ende of the .xviij. chapiter Nowe that Paule taketh these to examine rather then any other this seemeth to be the cause for that they liued not agreeably to the profession of christian men For it is like it hapned at Ephesus as it doth commonly in euery place when the truth is fyrst preached but the discipline of the church not fully established For then we shall see many which will professe to be gospellers more for hatred of the olde state then for loue of the truth bicause they would vnder a cloke of the gospell liue the more licentiously Bycause Paule perceyued that these were such a kinde of people to the intent they might be brought to better conformitie and passe and not perishe like those that receyued the seede of the gospell into a stonie grounde Paule beginneth to examine them of their beliefe and so to laye before their eyes howe farre they were as yet from the marke of perfection He demaundeth therefore if they had receyued the holy ghost This question must be vnderstanded of the giftes of the holye ghost which God at that time vsed to giue to the faithfull that is to say the knowledge of tongues and exposition of the scripture whereof we haue already manye times intreated This place teacheth vs howe to know true christians from false and counterfeyte For although those speciall giftes of the holye ghost which were sometime miraculously giuen be at this day ceassed yet the promise of Iesus Christ remayneth fyrme which promised his spirite to those that were his And as Paule elsewhere sayth they that haue not the spirite of Christ can not be his members And the other effectes of Gods holye spirite are as necessary at this daye as the vnderstanding of tongues and interpretation of scripture was in time passed namely the mortifycation of the olde man the regeneration and innouation of our minde purifycation sanctifycation and such other like As many therefore as lacke all these things it is certaine they boast in vaine of the faith name of Christ except we shall say that the spirite of Christ is an ydle and sluggishe spirite But let vs heare the aunswere of them whome Paule examineth in which they vtter a very grosse and barbarous ignoraunce saying No we haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no. But howe were they ignoraunt of the holy ghost which had heard so often mention of him in the lawe and in the Prophets For it is out of doubt they were Iewes bicause they were baptized with the baptisme of Iohn Were they ignoraunt then of that saying of Moses which in the beginning of his hystorie wryteth that the spirite of God mooued vpon the waters Or else had they neuer heard that saying of Dauid by the worde of the Lorde were the heauens made and all the hostes of them by the breath of his mouth Againe take not thy holye spirite from me Besides they might haue knowne the voyce of the Messias speaking by the Prophet the spirite of the Lorde God is vpon me c. How is it therefore that they say they haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no The aunswere is easie For as Paule demaunded of the effectes of the holy ghost so they make aunswere concerning the same as if they should say we being content with those things which we haue heretofore learned seeke no farther neyther care we whether there be any holye ghost or no which worketh such peculiar giftes in mens mindes bicause we thinke the knowledge hereof to high for vs and not to appertaine to vs So these men be an example of carnall people which professe the truth with their mouth but haue denyed the power thereof as Paule sayth and in deede refuse that which with mouth they confesse 2 Timoth. 3. Tit. 1. A great number of these are euery where to be founde who being perswaded that the bare name of Christ is sufficient vnto blisse doe little regarde the giftes of the holy ghost namely the mortifycation of the fleshe the renewing of the minde regeneration sanctification and such lyke And through these mens faulte it commeth to passe for the most part that the doctrine of the gospell is so yll spoken of in the worlde Therefore such must not be suffered but be reprooued and their dissimulation must be disclosed that both they may vnderstande their errour and other be the lesse offended So doth Paule in this place For he gathereth nerer vpon them vrgeth them to confesse that they were not come to the christian perfection For he sayth In whose name then were you baptized That is to say what professed you when you fyrst receyued the Gospell and ioyned your selues to the Church of Christ They aunswere they were baptised with the baptisme of Iohn and so they testifye that they professed that doctrine religion wherof Iohn was a Minister and teacher and therby they plainly shewe they care little for any other than that Nowe Paule here catcheth them and holdeth them fast and inferreth Iohn sayth he baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying to the people that they shoulde beleeue on him that was to come after him that is in Iesus Christ hereby teaching that Iohn requyred a farre other thing of his Disciples than a bare profession of his name and of the Gospell For fyrst he appoynted repentaunce wherevnto with great earnestnesse he exhorted all degrees of persons as appeaâ—eth Luc. 3. Neyther requyreth he onely repentaunce but sheweth also remission of sinnes preaching Iesus Christ whose forerunner he was appoynted of God to be He taught men to embrace him by true fayth to
man and redeemed the Churche with the price of his bloud Therefore the Church is deare vnto Christ and they are guiltie of the bloud of Christ that neglecte the Church and either abolishe the profite thereof themselfe or else suffer it to perishe and decay Marke howe the Churche belongeth to no one man but vnto God who hath redeemed and purged hir with his bloud and espoused hir vnto him selfe Therefore as no man may challenge vnto him selfe rule ouer the spouse of God so euery one that is a membre of the same must looke that they consecrate them selues to God onely and addicte not them selues to worship any creature that they be not punished for their execrable fornication Also this serueth for our consolation that it is impossible that God should neglecte them whome hee redeemed with so great a price Thinke that there is the like reason before God of all creatures For as euery man is created after the image of God so are they redeemed and purchased with the bloud of the sonne of god Shalt thou then go vnpunished if thou slaunder any of them do him wrong violently hurt him or contumeliously disdaine him or offend him in religion or conuersation of life Read the things wrytten of Paule Rom. 14. which make muche for this place and the .8 chapter of the first to the Corinthians The fourth reason is borowed of necessitie For he declareth that it is necessary that the church be diligently seene vnto bicause it was in great daunger of wolues or false teachers For althoughe the shepheard may sometimes be at leasure or take his sleepe when there is no suspition of daunger yet then is it no time of idlenesse nor sleepe when the Wolues begin to howle and to be seene comming in companies togither I am sure saith Paule that after my departure grieuous wolues shall enter in which shal not spare the flock yea of your owne selues shall men arise which shall miserably peruert the simple doctrine of truth labouring rather to gette to them selues schollers than to Christ whose glory they ought only to seke Paule knew that such should arise euen by peculiar reuelation of the holy spirite For otherwheres prophesying of false teachers he maketh the holy Ghost the aucthor of prophesie Howbeit let vs marke in this place the faithfull care of God in vsing to prouide for his Church The Church is as a flock or Kid in the midle of a sort of wolues But God so careth for hir that he giueth hir diligent warning not only of present dangers but also of daungers to come For there are Prophesies of Antichrist and Antichristian teachers Christ also reasoning of the later dayes so describeth these false Prophets that he must willingly and wittingly perish that beleeueth them The wrytings of the Apostles are full of the like aduertisements which for breuities sake I omit In the meane time we learne howe they dote which nowe a dayes would haue nothing but the bare doctrine of truthe taught but will not haue the Church admonished of present daungers and the Wolues to be reproued bicause they see that the exclamations of the shepherdes vexe make the Wolues the more fierce As thoughe it were possible to tame Wolues or if no man take them in hand to alter their nature and that the shepherds ought not rather to haue this marke before their eyes to teache the sheepe to beware of the Wolues How foolishly was it done of the Apostles to admonish vs of Wolues to come if no man now a dayes must finde fault with them that go abrode Secondarily let vs marke how he saith these Wolues shall come when he is gone For they are afraide while the faithfull Ministers are present and throughe their diligence and care they are kepte backe from breaking in among vs But bicause this vnkinde world commonly little esteemeth the diligence of such men God suffereth Wolues to burst into the whole flocke like wilde and vnbrideled horsses when the faithful Ministers are gone And we lacke not examples inough to proue the same Let vs learne therfore how much we haue to make of faithfull and diligent ouerseers as well of the Church as of the common weale the deathes and departures of whom be commonly tokens of great misfortunes and publike calamities to come Thirdly lette vs see the description of false teachers and what their trade is The Apostle calleth them Wolues after the example of Christ who it appeareth called them by the same name They are so called bicause of their naturall hatred against the flocke of Christ and also greedinesse for that insatiable and rauine of theirs to spoile and wurrie the Church He declareth also from whence these Wolues arise They shall arise sayth he from among your selues So sayth Iohn â—hey went out from vs c. And Paule sheweth vs Antichristes seate euen in the very Church 2. Thess. 2. It is profitable diligently to obserue the same that we be not offended with the falling away of some light persons considering we see such become sodenly the enimies of truth which a little before semed stout defenders of the same For what new or strange thing is this Seeing Iudas for a certaine space had a roume among the Apostles and Paule knew that from among them to whome he so carefully commended the Church wolues wold arise Also heereby is confuted the peeuish and dâ—ltish vaunts of the Bishops of Rome which they now adayes stand so much vpon For they think it is impossible that the bishops of that church shuld erre whose accompte of succession they can make from the times of the Apostles But to graunt them that Peter and Paule had once bene Bishops of Rome which yet they shall neuer be able to proue will they deny that their successoures may erre But Paules successoures among the Ephesians were these rauening Wolues of whome he biddeth them to beware But as the Papacie consisteth of nothing but visures shewes so must the maiestie therof ready shortly to fal downe be vpholden with counterfet and visured arguments Furthermore he toucheth their doctrine where he sayth they shall speake wâ—ested and peruerse things For the declaration of truthe is plaine and simple which false teachers with their gloses vse to peruert to make intricate and by so doing to make all things vncertaine Moreouer their ende is to draw disciples after them They deuide the Church therefore with sectes as Peter foretolde should come to passe But Histories declare that Paules warning was not in vaine For it is well knowne what swarmes of Heretickes most miserably disturbed the Church the whole world ouer And if a man would compare these things with our dayes it shall appeare that Paules admonition is as needefull in these dayes as euer it was For out of the Church euery day procede those greuous Wolues which nowe are growne to suche impudencie that they go about to couer them selues no longer in sheepe
which example wee are taught that Gods will and calling muste be preferred before all affections For it is impossible for vs to be wholly voyde of these affections as long as we liue in the fleshe and it is euident that they beare a stroke euen in the godly But a moderation muste be vsed to bring them vnder the obedience of fayth And this must be obserued in all cases but specially when by death our friendes be pulleâ— eyâ—her from vs or we from them whose good counsell and help we found to be very profitable for vs Lette vs then remember we are vrged with Gods calling whome to gaynesay or striue againste as it is a verie rashe enterprise so is it both foolish and daungerous Secondly Luke describeth Paules long and tedious voyage which al men must confesse to haue bene both painefull and perillous Wee will not tarie long in the description of the places for that is to be sought for in the Geographers And bicause there are so many places recited which Paule sayled by without making any abode in them it is a token that hee made very great haste to be at Ierusalem by the feast of Pentecost Here is to be considered Paules feruente industrie and diligence in the office committed to his charge and his constant fayth Hee might haue liued in the worlde as he testifieth of himself writing to the Philippians quietly and in honor And his first state of life abundantly declareth that he was of no smal authoritie among the Iewes He saw moreouer that in folowing of Christ there was continuall paines and trauell and euerye day freshe daungers springing Yet he embraced this kinde of life according to Gods will and calling and with a constant course ouercame them all and whatsoeuer things in this worlde were either of gayne or glory vnto him those he counted as damageable set light of them only for that he would winne Christ. Wherin it appeareth he was not a litle encouraged with the hope of that heauenly crowne which he knew was laid vp for him and al that were godly Let vs folowe the Example of so notable an Apostle least we be either ouercome with trauails and dangers or else being enticed with the allurement of the world leaue of the course of our vocation prescribed by christ For what is there in this world stable or permanent What thing is able to satisfie the desire of the minde and of the flesh Only God is omnisufficient and perfect good who hath opened to vs in Christ his sonne the treasures of all goodnesse in whome onely mennes mindes are quieted and at rest He that drinketh of this fountaine shall not thirst for euer Happy therfore and blessed are they that can exchaunge the counterfayte felicitie of this worlde for the fountayne of this eternall blisse Thirdly he telleth howe they came at lengthe vnto Tyrus where wee haue diuerse things in order to bee considered Among which this is one of the chiefe that he sayth they founde Disciples at Tyrus that is is to say certaine christian brethren and such as might seeme to haue passed all those of whom any mention hath bene made hitherto in dueties of fayth and charitie Which may seeme a maruellous thing if a man consider the auncient state of the Citie of Tyrus and the horrible Oracles of the prophets agaynst the same reporting hir to be both riotous proud couetous and lecherous Yea Chryst our Lord detesting the vnthankfulnesse of the Cities of Galilee compareth them with Tyre and Sidon vpon the which God in times past had shewed seuere examples of his iustice Yet euen in this same Citie shone the light of the Gospell and heere would Chryste haue a Churche planted and endued with notable gyftes Herein appeareth the truth of God and his goodnesse towardes sinners which turne vnto him For so he long agone prophesied by Esay it should come to passe After the ende of seauenty yeres shall the Lorde visite Tyre and she shall conuert vnto hir reward and she shal traffique with all the kingdomes of the earth And hir traffique and wares shall be holy vnto the Lord. And in the .45 Psalme And the daughter of Tyre shal be there with a gyft like as the riche also among the people shall make their supplications beâ—fore thee These things I say this present place declareth to haue ben fulfilled when Paule found christians there so feruent in fayth and loue And this is a notable example of Gods goodnesse wherby we are taught how we should not ouer hastely dispaire either of our selues or of other men seeing God would build him a Church in such a Citie as vpon which he had in times before shewed so heauy an example of his iustice by reason of the sinnes and offences of the same Againe Luke writeth how the brethren of Tyrus admonished Paule by the spirite that he shoulde not goe vp to Ierusalem This seemeth to repugne agaynst that whych Paule spake in the congregation at Malta saying he was bounde by the spirite to go thither But these places are easily reconciled if a man consider the figure called Synecdoche which is very common in the holy scripture where the whole coÌ„munication of these disciples is atributed to the holy ghost he being in dede the author but of one part onely For they by inspiration of the spirite admonished Paule of the imprisonment afflictions which Paule was like to fynd at Ierusalem But the Counsell they gaue him that he shoulde not go vp thyther was of their owne deuise bycause of a louing affection they wished well vnto him but were ignoraunt of Gods determination For many times it commeth to passe that the Prophetes through the reuelation of God vnderstande what is to come and yet are vtterly ignoraunt of Gods meaning and the ende of his dooing which is the cause that many tymes they erre in their dooings whyles they are not contented with the reuelation of God but take the wisedome of the fleshe vnto Councell whereof we haue examples in Ionas diuers others In the mean season marke howe many wayes God woulde haue Paule to bee tempted He draweth him to Ierusalem beeing bounde by his spirite In euery Citie and congregation he telleth him howe he shall be layde by the heeles and imprisoned And nowe come others endued with the spirite of prophesie and warne hym that he goe not thyther Whereto serue all these things Uerily God mente heereby to prepare his Apostle to the crosse by continuall premeditation least he shoulde fall from him thorough the manyfolde clamour of the furious people and entrappings of his enimies Also he learneth vs heereby an example of christian constancie and obedience whiche wee muste so earnestly laboure to haue that wee muste not obey men though wee see rare examples of Gods holy spirite in them if they councell vs any thing contrary to the will and commaundement of god Adde therevnto the vnhappie ende of
that Prophet which beeing seduced by an other Prophet vnder the pretence of Gods oracle eate meate in Bethell contrary to the commaundement of God and was deuoured of a Lyon. Learne also heereby to iudge of the apparicion of spirites by the authoritie whereof Monkes commonly vse to proue their fictions of Purgatorie and such other superstitions which they know they can not proue by any Scriptures Furthermore â–ª perceyuing that Paule folowed rather the calling of God than their councell and helde on his voyage they also yeelded vnto the will of God and accompanyed him worshipfully with their wyues and children out of the Citie Wherin we may perceiue both a rare example of Christian charitie and the truth of Chrystes promises which are to be seene in the tenth of Marke in these words Verily I say vnto you who so euer forsaketh house or brethren or sistren or father or mother or wyfe or childreÌ„ or lands for my sake the Gospels he shal receyue an hundred fold nowe in this time with persecutions and in the worlde to come life euerlasting For wee knowe that Paule forsooke all these thinges for Chrystes sake Therefore he fyndeth euery where brethren and sisters whiche willingly serue him bothe with their bodies and goodes Yea he hath their wyues and children ready to declare their good willes towards him Moreouer this place teacheth vs that Christians ought to assigne and appoint all they haue to the worshipping of God also to be carefull that not only themselues be curteous and kind towards the seruantes of Chryst but also to trayne vp their families in the performaunce of lyke dueties Paule in an other place requireth the same in the widowe chosen for Church affairs And that which it becoÌ„meth widows to do may with more right be required of others to doo But O detestable slouth of our daies wherein diuers householders so bring vp their families that they teache them rather howe to molest straungers to contemne and hate them than duetifully to fauoure and make of them Let suche remember what hapned to the children that vpbraided Helizeus with his baldenesse whome the scripture sayth were woorried with Beares Last of all the brethren of Tyre kneele downe vpon the shore and pray Where againe we see howe prayer is commended vnto vs whereof then there is mooste neede when publike and waightie affaires are in hande But bicause wee haue otherwheres intreated heereof lette vs onely heere marke howe they kneele openly vpon the sea shore which could not bee but in the sight of all men who perhappes derided suche kinde of religion But they which are truely graffed in Christ are ashamed neither of their faith nor of their religion For they knowe what glory remaineth for them which confesse Christ before this so adulterous and naughtie a world Would to God wee woulde well remember the same and shake off that execrable cowardlynesse and feare which we vse now a dayes in euery thing playing bopeepe like dissemblers to purchase vs the fauour of men Fourthly and finally Paule with his company arriueth at Ptolemais where agayne he made one dayes abode with the brethren Therefore it appeareth there was a Churche erected in that place also And surely it is worthy to be diligently considered howe the doctrine of the Gospell in the space of so fewe yeres spredde so farre and wyde that it established so many Congregations For if a man consider the order of the story it seemeth these things happened about the .xxiij. yere after Paules conuersion Therefore in the space of .xxiij. yeres the voyce of the Gospell was hearde throughout Asia and Europa and euery where lefte behinde it most plentyfull fruite and increase So wee reade in tymes past the Prophets tolde and foreshewed it should bee These things declare howe happily suche things proceede as are taken in hande by Gods appoyntmente howsoeuer the worlde wrastleth agaynst Gods purpose and councell They are fooles therefore that feare the threates and enterprises of the worlde Let vs meditate and thinke of these things in these dayes and beeing armed with constant fayth let vs labour to set foorth the kingdome of Iesus Chryste To him be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxviij Homelie THE nexte day wee that were of Paules company departed and came vnto Coesarea And wee entered into the house of Philippe the Euangeliste whiche was one of the seauen and abode with hym The same man hadde foure daughters virgins whiche dyd prophesie And as wee tarryed there a good many of dayes there came a certayne prophete from Iury named Agabus when hee was come vnto vs hee tooke Paules gyrdle and bounde hys feete and hys handes and sayde Thus saythe the holy Ghoste So shall the Iewes at Hierusalem bynde the manne that oweth this gyrdle and shall deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles When we hearde this both we and other which were of the same place besought him that he woulde not goe vp to Hierusalem Then Paule aunswered and sayd what do you weeping and vexing mine heart I am ready not to be bounde onely but also to die at Hierusalem for the name of the Lorde iesu When we could not turne his minde we ceassed saying the will of the Lorde be fulfilled Afteâ— those dayes we toke vp our burthens and went vppe to Hierusalem There went with vs also certaine of the Disciples of Coesarea and broughte with them one Mnason of Cyprus an olde Dysciple with whome we shoulde lodge And when we were come to Hierusalem the brethren receyued vs gladly IT pleased God that Luke shoulde most diligently describe howe he woulde haue the Gospell of his sonne Iesus Chryste to be commended and set oute by Paules emprisonment and captiuitie in so muche that Paule hasted and hyed him to the same Heereby he ment to lay before all men a president of stedfaste fayth and obedience to follow For we haue hitherto heard howe Paule hasted to Ierusalem one whyle by sea an other whyle by lande and that through manyfolde dangers and perill where he knew he should be apprehended and woulde not regarde â—ny warnings of the Prophetes dehorting him from that whervnto he knew he was called of god And Luke prosecuting the Hystorie begonne declareth nowe what he dyd at Coesarea which was the laste place that Paule made any abode in and then at length howe he came to Ierusalem He begynneth the thinges doone at Coesarea with the description of their Hoste which was Philippe one of the seuen that were appoynted by the primâ—tiue Churche to haue the administration and distribution of the Church goods among the poore as we heard before in the sixth Chapiter For the Church at Ierusalem beeing miserably dispearsed by reason of the persecution there raging wherein Paule shewed him selfe to be very cruell Philippâ— came to Samaria â–ª and there sowed the seede of Gods worde And there he nowe had his dwelling and seemeth
fellowes follow Paule into all places and stirre vp sedition in a straunge Citie which they well knew could not be done without euident daunger But would God we had not in our days the lyke examples euery where Moreouer hauing opportunitie thervnto they moue and set al the people a running as it were to the quenching of some great fyre newly begunne For they lay hands on Paule and cry Yee men of Israell helpe c. What needed any helpe or succour agaynst him that went about neyther secret sedition nor playne force agaynst any man You see therefore who they are that commonly be the authors of sedition This fault most tymes is layde to the Ministers charge as wee see euery where But if wee waygh the matter well wee shall see none other are the begynners hereof but those that hate the Ministers and be their enimies For whereas they can not away with the light of truthe if they can by none other meanes they will extinguishe and put away the same with publike tuine as Catiline once sayde Referre heerevnto that that is sayde in the 14.16.17.18 and 19. Chapters But bicause they woulde not seeme to make suche a doo without some cause they intermeddle with their sedicious clamours certayne accusations And firste they accuse his doctrine as a thing preiudiciall to the people of God to the Lawe and to the Temple This they seeme to gather hereof bycause Paule to bridle the vayne affiaunce in the fathers which his Countrey men had declared that the true Israelites were not borne of the fleshe but of the spirite and that all they were not by and by to be accompted for the people of God which were borne of Abraham after the flesh except they beleeued in Christ after the example of Abraham Also bicause in reasoning of the true vse of the lawe he taught that iustification was not to be attributed therunto as we sawe in the Sermone before going and for that he sayd the Leuiticall lawes were abolished by the comming of Christ and by the merite of his death And least their accusation might seeme to consist but in bare woordes onely they complaine them also of a fact by Paule newly committed namely that he had brought Gentiles into the Temple and by meane thereof had polluted that holy place But this was a moste false and slaunderous reproche yet founde it credite wyth all men bycause they had seene one Trophimus an Ephesian in the Citie among Paules companions Thus they suspecte that he had broughte him into the Churche Agayne this place teacheth vs what thinges are commonly layde to the Ministers charge euen that they wickedly sinne against the elect people of God that they impudently coÌ„demne the lawes and traditions of the Church and that they are the subuerters of the Churche and of all auncient religion Thus we reade Chryste was accused And euen the same did the enimies of truthe lay vnto Stephens charge And the very same doo certayne persons in these dayes obiecte agaynst vs also who are moued no whit neither with the respect of Gods Churche nor with the aucthoritie of Gods Lawe nor yet wyth any care or desire of true Religion Yet suche is the happe of truthe that none is more impudently and effectuously slaundered than hir Ministers For where they are enuied of the worlde and condemned aforehande in all mens iudgementes moste men easily admitte and receiue any thing agaynst them and no man is ashamed of his lightnesse in so dooing But let vs paciently beâ—re that which we know not onely the Prophets and Apostles suffred but euen the sonne of God also Moreouer being not contented to haue apprehended the man to lode him with false accusations they vse plaine force against him For they draw him out of the Temple they lay vppon him and beate him without ceasing yea they goe about in shamefull wise to kill him yet first shutting the Churche gates bicause they would haue the Temple by no meanes polluted Which example teacheth vs howe farre impietie and hatred of Gods woord proceedeth For although it lieth long hidden yet when occasion serueth it will burste forthe and it thirsteth for nothing but the bloud of the Ministers which onely is that thing that assuageth and satisfieth them The examples heereof are more aboundant euery where than neede any long declaration First and formost marke I pray you the singular sanctimonie of these men which will seeme to fight for God and his religion For they haue great care that they pollute not the Churche with bloud and therefore they shut the doores But in the meane whyle they feare not to embrue their hands and them selues in innocent bloud Suche lyke things as these Chryst vpbraydeth them with in the Gospel where he sayth they strayne at a Gnat and swalowe downe a Camell So the Priestes would not goe into the Iudgement hall bycause they would not prophane their Feast day but they could deliuer an Innocent vnto Pylate and with all maner of vnrighteousnesse and importunacy require his bloud But how this hypocrisie and dissimulation pleased God appeareth hereby that not many yeres after he caused the Romanes to destroy those bloudy hypocrites with their Temple and vngracious citie Howbeit God â—ayleth not his Apostle beeing in this daunger who when he thought he was vtterly caste off sent him a deliuerer and reuenger which he neuer hoped or looked for For the Captayne moued with the clamour of the Commons and with the rumor of a sedition was straight way at hande with a garrison of souldiers and taketh Paule out of the handes of these harebrayned Commons And heere he played the parte of a good Magistrate which thing those men haue a sclender consideration of that suffer harmlesse persons to be oppressed with the violence of desperate people Here haste thou to consider the truth and fatherly care of God which alwayes preserueth those that be his althoughe somewhiles he seemeth little to regarde them And it is no great matter for him to deliuer them forasmuche as he is able to bring it to passe euen by those which are straungers from the fayth and religion For in thys place Paule is defended by the Romane souldiers And it appeareth that Ieremie in tyme paste was preserued by Nabuzardes the publike enimie of Gods people Many like examples might be brought the ende of all which is that we should not dispaire in time of the crosse and tribulation nor flye to vnlawfull meanes of remedie but put all our care and trust in God and wayte for his helpe and succour which Paule at thys tyme fyndeth to be moste effectuall and ready For the sedicious whome neither feare of God nor shame of man could stay or holde backe assoone as they espied the Captayne and Souldiers helde their handes and ceased smiting of Paule This is the propertie of all the wicked that they are more stayed with the feare of men than of God and therefore the
men Yea some menne haue so farre exceeded in madnesse that they haue thoughte it better to dallie with their aunciente enimies than to abyde the lyght of the Gospell But these men shall once fynde the same true that the vnhappie nation of the Iewes felte by the Romanes not many yeares after they had driuen away the Apostles Nowe let vs returne to Tertullus whiche in the seconde parte of his Oration frameth a greeuous accusation agaynst Paule consisting of three pointes Fyrste he sayth he is a seditious person yea and woorsse than the plague it selfe bycause he troubled and disturbed the Iewes euerye where in the worlde And so they put Paule in faulte of that thing wherof their selues were the cheefe doers For the whole discourse of thys booke teacheth that the Iewes were the cheefe mouers of sedition hitherto both agaynste Paule and his companions For hereunto maye be referred the sturres and tumultes whiche wee haue hearde were made at Corinth Thessalonica Ephesus Antioch Iconium Lystra and diuers other Cities Next they cal him a maintener of the sect of the Nazarits Therfore accusing him of schisme and heresie a faulte in all ages compted the greatest in the Churche Tertullus seemeth in contempt to call the Christians Nazarites as who had but an obscure beginning and of small regarde or estimation For it appeareth by the first Chapiter of Iohns Gospell that the village of Nazareth was of small or no accompt forasmuch as Nathanael sayde to Philip telling him of Iesus of Nazareth Can there any good thyng come out of Nazareth And this is an olde pollicie of the Diuell to cause true religion to be suspected as a vile thing and of no reputation By reason whereof Iuliane the Apostata also sometyme called Christ and the Christians Galileyans Thereby they accuse him of polluting the Church and vnder the name of the Churche they comprehende all outwarde kinde of religion These thinges we at this daye ought the more diligentlye to obserue that we myght vnderstande what crimes are commonly layde against the truthe and not be offended if at any time we be called seditious scismatikes heretikes prophaners of Temple and Images Church robbers and subuerters of auncient religion For as all these thinges ought not to offende vs so neither muste we by and by beleeue them which impudently burthen innocent and godlie men with these crimes But bycause they woulde not seeme to charge Paule with false matter and accusation they produce witnesses Firste the Captaine hym selfe whom yet they accuse by the way as seeming to importunate to set a person at libertie lyke shortly to be punished according to the lawe Then againe they all affirme Tertullus saying to be true Where we haue to behold an example both of great audacitie and impudencie For they dare to accuse the Captaine and complaine that they are restrained from shedding of bloud by him who deserued great praise therefore So little the wicked repente them of their mischeeuous deedes that they continually hate them which hinder or let their wicked enterprises Moreouer where first they were accusers and next Iudges of the matter now they are also witnesses and will be beleued in euery thing and feare not the iudgement of God which hateth and abhorreth all false witnesses and commandeth them to be punished by the lawe of Talio or suffring of lyke These things serue for our great vtilitie For bothe we may learne to suspecte suche as nowe a dayes are lyke vnto these men and shall the lesse be offended if the lyke happen vnto vs For Iesus Chryst which was oppressed with lyke preiudices liueth and reigneth and hath ouercome all the power of hell and beeing ascended into heauen derideth the deuices of his enimies and moste faythfully maintayneth the quarell of his chosen seruaunts To him be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cliij Homelie THen Paule after that the Deputie him selfe had beckened to him that he should speake aunswered with a more quiet minde do I aunswere for my selfe forasmuche as I vnderstande that thou haste beene of many yeres a iudge vnto this people bycause that thou mayest knowe that there are yet but twelue dayes since I went vp to Hierusalem for to worship and they neither founde me in the temple disputing with any man neither raysing vp the people neither in the Sinagoges nor in the Citie Neither can they proue the things wherof they accuse me But this I confesse vnto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my fathers beleeuing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets and haue hope towards God that the same resurrection of the dead which they them selues looke for also shall be bothe of iuste and vniuste And therefore studie I to haue alway a cleare conscience towarde God and towarde men WE heard yesterday the poyntes of a most haynous accusation made agaynst Paule which the holy Ghoste woulde haue diligently written as it was spoken by Tertullus partly for that the truth of the Apostolike storie should not be suspected seeing the wordes of the enimies also are reported so truely and partely bycause we should not be offended when we heare the lyke obiected agaynst vs or others which followe the true fayth Nowe therefore let vs heare Paul the Apostle which after Felix had made a signe vnto him to speake putteth away all these obiections both boldly and truely But before we come to the wordes of the Apostle we haue two things to consider The one is the example of Felix which teacheth vs that in iudgements both partes must be hearde The other is in Paule who beeing moste greeuously slaundered yet rusheth not foorth impudently to aunswere for him selfe nor is not led with suche rage to slaunder agayne but abyding till he had leaue giuen him of the President to speake pleateth his cause soberly and wisely Let all the godly do likewise least they cause the truth wherof they stand in defence to be suspected by reason of hastinesse and rayling which many times suche do as will rather satisfie the passions of their minde than follow the rule of reason These things beeing premised let vs proceede vnto Paules aunswere which consisteth in confuting of the obiections made agaynst him In his beginning he getteth him the beneuolence or good will of Felix yet in such sorte that he priuily quippeth his aduersaries without all foolishe kinde of lying and flattery For he saith he is the willinger to declare hys matter before Felix for that he had many yeres bene a gouernour of thys natiō for that cause was wel acquaynted with their natures cōditiōs For this thing alway the defendant most desireth to haue a Iudge of skill vnderstāding bycause many times it commeth to passe that they which otherwise are great fauourers of iustice offend of ignorance which daunger Paul confesseth he is not in ne feareth that Felix can be deceiued by
Actes 10. Math. 8. Christ is first sent to the Iewes Math. 15. Math. 10. Actes 1. The office of Christ. Iohn 1. 1. Iohn 3. Ierem. 31. Thren 5. All Prerogatiues with out Christ be of no value Iohn 15. Math. 10. Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 10. The authors of the Apostles persecution Luke 22. 1 The enimies of Christ and his Gospell Iohn 1. 2 The craft of the enimies of truth Dan. 7. Luc. 16. Platina Sabellicus Carion Math. 10. 3 By what preteÌ„ce truth is assaulted Apoc. 13. 1. Tim. 3. and .5 c. 1. Reg. 18. Amos. 7. 1. Cor. 1.3 4 They fight agaynst the truth by open force Luke 22. 5 Through persecution the Church encreaseth Psal. 2.33 Dan. 3.6 Psal. 110. Math. 10. 2. Tim. 2. Iohn 3. Iohn 12.16 Phil. 4. Iohn 10. Math. 10. Marc. 13. Luke 21. 1 The description of the counsel of the Rulers and Elders 2 The question of the counsayle of Priestes 3 Peters aunswere Howe wee must deale with the enimies of the truth The seconde part of Peters answere The place of the .118 psal Christ is reiectâ—d of the builders The Pope erreth by his owne confession Looke also if you wil what Platina reporteth of Benedict the .ix. who appered after he was deade and sayde he was damnâ—â— bicause he had liued lawles They that liue lawlesse and are damned must needes erre Esay 53. Math. 11. Math. 21. Psal. 2. The Ministers of the Church are reseÌ„bled vnto builders 2. Cor. 6. 1. Tim. 3. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 2. Esay 28. 1. Pet. 2. Math. 16. Ephe. 2. Iohn 10. Mat 24.25 Math. 15. Saluation is in Christ onely 1. Pet. 2. Math 3.17 Esay 4 â–ª 2. Iohn 1. Coloss. 1.2 1. Cor. 1. Ioh. 4.6.7 Math. 11. Iohn 14. Ephe. 1. 1 They are amazed and wotte not what to doe Iohn 7. Luc. 21. Iohn 5. Iohn 9. Math. 10. Boldenesse of speache doth moste confoâ—â—d the wicked 1. Reg. 21. Esay 58. Ierem. 1. 1. Tim. 5. Ephe. 6. The lame man standeth with the Apostles Iohn 12. Math. 16. Iohn 15.16 Marc. 8. Rom. 1. 2 The decre of the counsayle agaynst the Apostles Iohn 5. oecumenicall signiâ—â—eth vniuersall or generall The wickednesse of persecutors is incurable Esa. 48.57 Psalme 2. Power with out the feare of God is pernicious Prouer. 1. Exod. 18. Deut. 1. Psal. 82. The worlde caÌ„not brooke Christ and his Gospell Iohn 2. Mat. 15.21 Rom. 10. Iohn 3. 1. Reg. 18. Amos. 7. 1 The Apostles refuse to obey the Counsels decree Mar. 16. Actes 1. Prou. 6. A right trade of obedience Rom. 13. Psal. 82. Math. 22. Dan. 3.6 Luc. 2. Amos. 3. 1. Cor. 9. Math. 25. 2 The Apostles are let go free The Apostles are let go for feare of the people Gene. 35. Psal. 105. 1. Sam. 23. Math. 10. Ezech. 32. The state and condicion of Tyrants Looke Vâ—ler â–ª Mâ—x .ix. boâ—e and .14 chap. 3 The Apostles declare all the matter to the congregation Iohn 10. The Church flieth to God by prayer Exod. 14. Exod. 17. Ioel. 2. The true trade of praiyng Psal. 12.56 1 They describe God of his omnipotencie Psal. 113. Iacob 1. Math. 21. 2 The narration Iohn 15.16 2. Timo. 3. 1. Pet. 4. The enterprises of Christes enimies Psal. 94. Psalme 7. Psalme 33. Esay 8. In the tripartite historie .vi. booke .xliiii. chap. Christes enimies warre with God. Iohn 5. Iohn 3. 1. Iohn 4. The enimies of Christ fulfill the wyll of God. 3 The prayers of them that beleued Psal. 7.17.26 and others Esay 37. Ephes. 6. Luke 17. Maâ— 16. Iohn 14. The prayers of the godly are heard Psalm 34. 1 The Apostles constantly preach the Gospell Iohn 10. Iohn 3. Amos. 3. Esay 30. 2. Timo. 4. Ezech. 33. 1. Cor. 14. 2. Cor. 10. 2 The coÌ„gregation gyuen to concord 3 Cor. 12. Ephes. 4. Iohn 13. 1. Cor. 3. Galath 5. 3 Beneuolence and helping of the poore Goodes were common by wyll not by lawe 1. Timo. 6. Psal. 62. Math. 6. Luke 16. The maner and order of distribution 1. Tim. 5. Actes 6. The fruite or commoditie of contribution Deut. 15. The liberaliâ—iâ— of Ioses Barnabas Math. 13. 〈…〉 1. Tim. 5. 2. Cor. 8. Math. 10. Math. 28.6 Psal. 14.94 Math. 6. Iohn 12. 2 Peters iudgement touching Ananias fact Math 10. Iohn 8. Iohn 13. 1. Reg. 12.13 Psalme 5. Prou. 12. Apoca. 21. 3 The punishment of Ananias Math. 16. Iohn 20. 1. Cor. 12. Rom. 13. Peter reprooueth Sapphiras naughtinesse Gene. 3. Gene. 6. 2. Peter 2. Gene. 15. Roma 2 â–ª Valerius Maximus 1. booke 2. chap. Gene. 4. Esay 58. Malach 3. Math. 26. Ananias and Sapphira tempted the spirite of the Lorde Deuter. 6. Consent in synne deseruâ—th punishment Gene. 3. Epheâ—â— 5. Colod 3. The punishment of Sapphira was the same that Ananias had Ierem. 5. Iob. 20. Discipline keepeth both good and bad in their duty The vse of the iudgementes of God. Gene. 18. Psalm 78. The mâ—racles of the Apostles Prouer. 28. Luke 6.8 Math. 10. Mark. 16. Phil. 4. 1. Iohn 3. Gene. 3. Math. 11. Iohn 6. The exercises of the primitiue Church Rom. 10. Marc. 8. 2. Tim. 3. Iob. 18. The maiestie of those that be vnfayned Christians Plinius the yongâ—r in his epystles Tertullian in hys Apologie for the Christians whome Eusebius cyteth in the .iii. booke of his history cha 32. 33. Math. 22. Adoc 21. Math. 5. 1. Sam. 2. The Church is encreased by persecutions Iohn 3. Psal. 110. Math. 16. The kingdome of Christ spreadeth to them neare vnto Ierusalem zach 4. Psal. 110. 1 The enymies persecutours of the Church 1. Cor. 15. Rom. 15. From the companie of the Priestes come the greatest enimies of the truth 1. Thes. 2. 1. Iohn 1. The crafts of the enimies of truth Rom. 10. Luke 22. Iohn 18. 2 God disappoynteth his enimies purpose and delyuereth hys 2. Timo. 2. The Angels are the Ministers keepers of the elect Hebr. 1. Psal. 34. Psal. 91. Gene. 19. Gene. 32. 2. Reg. 6. Daniel 6. Danâ— 6. Esay 37. The ende of deliuerye Psal. 50. Abac. 2. Luc. 9. Math. 24. The Gospell is the worde of lyfe 2. Cor. 5. Rom. 1. 1. Pet. 1. Esay 40. Iohn 6. Rom. 8. Ephe. 1. 3 The Apostles obey the Aungell Num. 15. 2. Cor. 10. Rom. 1.16 Psal. 2. 1 They vse pretence of a Counsell agaynst the Apostles Deut 17. Num. 11. Of Counsels zâ—ch 12. Ioâ—n 2. Math. 21. Apoc. 21. Apoca â–ª 21. Psalm 1. 2 God disappointeth the enterprises of his enimies Iohn 7. Math. 28. Exodus 8. Numer 23. and .24 3 The Apostles are brought back againe before the counsell The blindenesse of the wicked is incurable Esay 6. Math. 13. The wicked can not doe what they list Psal. 27.118 Psalm 94. The faythful triumph vnder the banner of the Crosse. 1. Peter 2. The modesty of the Apostles 1. Sam. 24.26 Among hys Orations in the .v. boke of his Epistles after the .xxxij. Epistle In his .xxxiii Epystle Psal. 91. 1
that bodies are committed to the ground as seedes vnto the earth which afterward shall be raysed vp with more glory Howbeit it is like the holy men had an other consideration For while they decently bury him that was condemned by the sentence of the counsell they manifestly reproue the vnrighteousnesse of their aduersaries giue an euident testimony of the fayth which Steuen had preached Furthermore they declare how they reuerenced him whō they saw was so singular an instrumēt of christ And they are not like vnto those which now adays vse to let slip the raynes of an impotent vnbridled tonge against the ministers of the word by whose free speach and doctrine they see their enimies are incensed and so seeke after the bloud of the faithfull ministers of Christ deride their cōstancy boldnesse whom they ought to reuerence honor In the meane time we learne by this example what we owe to the bodies of the deade that is to say honest and comely buriall forasmuch as Paule sayeth our bodies be the Temples of the holy ghost We must in our buryinges vse no pryde or superstition wherin diuers faultes are now adayes committed For there are some which puffed vp with vanitie doe so forgette their mortall estate that they will after death also be prowde while they fasten the armes cognizances of vayne glory about their Tumbs There are other again which labour by Diriges and sacrifices to do away the sinnes of the dead or else after a peculiar sorte of ceremonie vse to canonize them and make them saintes wherof the one is peeuish and without example the other derogatory and repugnaunt vnto Christes merite and doctrine which teacheth vs that those that beleeue passe from death vnto lyfe and haue neede of no new expiacions Moreouer they make great lamentation ouer Steuen And that is not against the rule of Paule whiche forbiddeth vs we shoulde not mourne as the heathen do For they lament not as vncertaine doubtfull of Steuens estate but for that they see the wicked to haue such power and the church depriued of so excellent a Minister which might yet haue done very much good in setting forth the kingdome of christ Neither are they to be blamed which cannot by and by forget their friendes like men voyde of all humanitie and common sense but are enforced to weepe forasmuch as God hath not made vs blockes and the scripture euery where condemneth those that be destitute of naturall affections On this sort we reade Abraham bewayled Sara his wife Ioseph with his brethren Iacob their father the people of Israell Aaron Moses and Samuel wyth godly dutie Yea Christe when he sawe the two sisters mourne wepte for his belooued Lazarus In deede a meane must be kept lest we may be thought either to enuy the dead their heauenly felicitie or else to stande in doubte or not firmely to beleeue the inheritaunce of the same Last of all Luke setteth vs out a singuler example of tiranny that Saule vsed against the church wherin first the great crueltie of the tyranne next the vayne successe of his purpose and intent is to be considered Of this Saule it was sayd before that he consented to the death of Steuen and kept their clothes that stoned him wherby is signified that he was guiltie of innocent bloude But now he can not be satisfied with the tirannye of an vniuersall persecution but deuiseth a peculier way and goeth about vtterly to pull vp the church as it were by the rootes And he setteth not on them alone which openly professed the faith but bursteth into priuate houses and draweth out not onelye men but women also whome the infirmitie and weakenesse of sexe defended and putteth them in prison in so muche that certaine writers thinke not vnwittily the Oracle of a Woolfe that shoulde come out of the tribe of Beniamin ought to be applied vnto this Saule For he was in deede a rauenyng Woolfe which yet at length when he was conuerted distributed the wholesome spoyles of Euangelicall preachyng almost ouer the whole world And the thinges which Luke here reporteth of him he himselfe oftentimes confesseth yea he lamenteth hym of the same verye often See Actes 26. 1. Cor. 15. Galath 1. The vse of them all is that we shoulde acknowledge the goodnesse of God whiche did vouchsafe to take into his fauour so great an enimy For as he himselfe interpreteth the matter On hym would Iesus Christ shewe all long pacience to declare an example vnto them which should beleeue on him vnto eternall lyfe But what preuayled Saules great enterprise Coulde he make hauocke of the church Nothing lesse Yea he was the cause that they beyng scattered hither and thither spred the word of saluation kingdome of Christ the further Thus God knewe how to set forth the glorye of his sonne euen by those wayes which seemed most to hinder it Whervnto also is to be referred how the euill spirites in the gospell euen against their will brought before Christe and threw to the ground those whom they thought they had all power ouer Therefore their feare is foolishe which suffer themselues to be discouraged with the attemptes of tyrannes In the meane while we are aduertised of our dutie that we be not ouercome with persecutions nor forsake not our dutie by and by Which thyng diuers doe in these dayes who hauing bene once or twise in daunger make holyday for euer after as though they had fully discharged their dutie toward Christ already But they of whom Luke here speaketh do better which being driuen out of Ierusalem are by their banishment made the bolder and preach Christ euerywhere being myndfull of that sentence which sayth they shall be saued not which begin well but which continue vnto the ende Let vs therfore follow their zeale that after we haue faithfully finished this race of life we may attaine to the garland of the heauenly reward through Iesus Christ to whom be all praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lvij. Homelie THEN came Phillip into a Citie of Samarie and preached Christ vnto them And the people gaue heede vnto those thinges which Phillippe spake with one accord hearing and seyng the myracles which he did For vncleane spirites crying with lowde voyce came oute of many that were possessed of them And manye taken with palseyes and many that halted were healed And there was great ioye in that Citie But there was a certaine man called Simon which before tyme in the same Citie vsed witchcraft and bewitched the people of Samarie saying that he was a man that coulde doe great things whome they regarded from the least to the greatest saying this man is the power of God which is called great And hym they set much by bicause that of long tyme he had bewitched them with sorceries ALthough the Kingdome of Christ and the church is alway assaulted and set on by the
wicked yet can it not be ouercome bicause the truth of Gods Oracles and promises is infallible who hath appointed to Christ his sonne an euerlasting kyngdome This haue we seene hitherto prooued and declared by many examples For oftentymes did they striue stoutely both in the Senate and in the Counsell against the Apostles but the truth had alwaye the victory At length Steuen was stoned and the enimies being made the more fierce therby shew their vttermost power amongst whome the rage of Saule chiefly appeareth But so little is Christes kingdome amongst these rages brought vnder that rather where it seemed heretofore to be hedged in within the narrow walles of Ierusalem it stretcheth it self now through all Iury and Samarie And hereof Luke taketh occasion to shew with what successe the gospell beganne to be preached out of Iurye And first he treateth of the cōuersion of Samaria which we reade was foretold of by the prophetes in the historye whereof we haue the longer to stande for that the thinges which are most diligently proponed in it serue greatly both for our comfort and instruction First he sheweth whose ministery God vsed in conuerting of Samaria It was Philips not the Apostle but he which before was numbred amonge the Deacons as the auncient writers of the Church with one consent declare chiefly Epiphanius writing of Simon and the Simoniakes For although it was the Deacons office to take the charge of the Church goodes and of the poore yet they were also permitted to preache the Gospell when necessitie so required as hitherto we haue seene by the example of Steuen And maye be there was not so great neede of Deacons at Ierusalem by reason the congregation was so scattred in the tyme of persecution and therefore they gaue themselues wholy to the ministerye of the worde where before they were distributers of the goodes ecclesiastical And Paule afterward bade that the Deacons by their well ministring should get themselues a degree to a greater office and function Nowe it is reported that Philip did two things at Samaria First he preached Christ to them And that that Luke toucheth briefly in this place he afterwarde declareth more at large where he saith he preached the mysteries of the kingdome of God and of the name of Iesus christ In this place he maketh mention but of Christ onely bicause vnder his name he comprehendeth the whole Gospell And Christe hath appoynted the Gospell to consist of two partes that is to saye repentaunce and remission of sinnes Both which Iesus Christ giueth as Peter before hath manifestly taught For he alone giueth the spirite of regeneration and succoureth our corrupt nature He alone also forgiueth sinnes and hath purged them with the price of his bloud Therefore he that preacheth Christ the same of necessitie must preache repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes And this is a sure note whereby the true preachers may be knowne from the false For whosoeuer teache that Iesus Christ is come in the fleshe and hath performed the things needefull for the amendement and saluation of mankynde they are to bee taken for the true Ministers of Christ. But whosoeuer sheweth that these thinges be other where to be had than in Christ and inuenteth newe meanes of attayning to saluation he is to be called a false teacher though he were an Aungell from heauen Therfore Paule plainly testifyeth that he knoweth but Iesus Christ only and reioyceth but in his crosse onely Unto this preachyng were ioyned myracles which Philip wrought according as Christ had promised For he draue out vncleane spirites from men and healed folke sicke of the palsey whose diseases were incurable And this working of Christes spirit was not superfluous For although by the worde all those thinges are offered vs which serue to our saluation yet it is needefull that our myndes drowned in a certaine naturall slumber be awaked by outwarde signes and prepared to receyue the worde Furthermore where as diuers things fall out otherwhile wherby our fayth is tryed and tempted it is very profitable to haue it propped vp with these outwarde signes In the meane season we reade that such signes were wrought by the Apostles as for the most part admonish vs of the benefites of christ For he vanquished the force of the Deuil ouerthrew his kingdome and valiauntly deliuered vs from his tirannye He hath restored to vs againe the strength of our corrupted nature that we which were able to do no good thing of our selfe be able through him to doe all thinges And he himselfe in the Gospell sayeth that without him we can do nothing But it is very worthy the consideration where it is sayd the euill spirites went out of them crying It is playne that they did the lyke otherwheres also For in Christes presence they complaine that they are driuen out before their tyme and leaue them miserablye torne out of whome they depart against their willes These things set before our eyes the propertie and disposition of Satan who is altogither giuen to destroy men For as from the beginning he was a murtherer so he alwayes runneth vp and downe like a roaryng Lion and seeketh whome he may deuoure For the which cause he vnwillingly departeth out of them whose myndes he hath possessed Yea being one 's cast forthe he studieth and laboureth to gette into his olde possession agayne as Christ teacheth These thinges as they stirre vp in vs an ardent desire to take heede that we be not circumuented by the craft of so hurtfull an enimy and lose our saluation so they declare vnto vs the power of Christ which by his spirit and worde is able so easily to expell the Deuill though he struggle and striue neuer so much against it Nowe let vs see howe the Samaritanes receyued Iesus Christ whome Philip preached And the people gaue heede sayth Luke vnto those thinges which Philip spake with one accorde hearing and seeing the myracles which he did And a little after There was great ioye in that Citie In these wordes the Euangelist comprehendeth two speciall thinges First he teacheth that they receyued Christ how they came to the knowledge of him Then he sheweth the fruite of this earnestnesse and beliefe To the first this belongeth where he sayth they hearde Philips sermons they saw his myracles and gaue their mindes and studies to all the thinges he sayde and did Of this studie and earnestnesse sprange fayth which as we shall afterwarde heare they sealed with baptisme We haue herein to consider the order of saluation For although we acknowledge God only to be the author hereof which worketh in men according to his pleasure yet for the moste part he vseth to bring men orderly and by a certaine rule to their saluation In this order first is hearing of the worde For where God offereth vs saluation by the worde and as Dauid sayth sendeth his worde and healeth vs we must not
to be offended at the manaces of Tyrannes which now a dayes threaten destruction to the Gospell and to our Churches But let vs rather trust in God who is both able to saue his elect in this worlde and to make them coheyres with Christ in the world to come to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The ninth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lxiij. Homelie AND Saule yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter agaynst the Disciples of the Lorde went vnto the highe Priest and desired of hym letters to carye to Damascus to the Sinagoges that if hee founde anye of this waye whether they were men or women he myght bring them bounde to Ierusalem And when he iourneyed it came to passe that as he was nygh to Damascus sodeinly there shyned round about him a lyght from heauen and he fell to the earth and hearde a voyce saying to him Saule Saule why persecutest thou me And he sayde what art thou Lorde And the Lorde sayde I am Iesus whome thou persecutest It is harde for thee to kicke agaynst the pricke THat saying of Christ is verye notable No man commeth vnto me except my father drawe him And it is not vnlyke vnto that other where he sayeth to his Disciples You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you For bothe oâ— them teach vs that saluation and whatsoeuer belongeth therto commeth to vs through the meere grace of God and that nothinge is to bee ascrybed to our workes or merites Hereof there are many examples among which this one is notable which of late we sawe in the Aethiop vnto whome Philip a Preacher of true saluation by the meere benefite of God was sent when he thought not of it much lesse seeking after it Yet bicause it is reported that he was endued with certaine singuler gifts least any man myght thinke that he attayned to saluation through the merite of them the hystorie of Saule conuerted vnto Christ is of purpose sette after his conuersion whome Iesus Christ doth not only prouoke and draw agaynst his will vnto saluation but as it is sayd in the Parable of certaine guestes Luke 14. compelleth him to come in And surely Luke so reporteth all this historie that euery man may see nothing is here attributed to the merit of man but that saluation commeth vnto Saule by the benefite of Gods onlye grace Yea Paule himselfe plainly teacheth that this ensample is to bee referred chiefely to this ende where he sayth that he was therefore called and cutte of euen in the middle of hys tyrannicall enterprises agaynst the Church that Iesus Christ might shewe on him first all clemencie and mercye for an ensample vnto them that shoulde beleeue in him And in another place he confesseth he is vnworthy the name of an Apostle if we respect his merite or desert but that hee is by the grace of God whatsoeuer he is Howbeit whereas there be in this hystorie many things most worthy to be knowne and considered it shall be profitable for vs to examine all the poyntes and circumstances thereof And at this present Luke first propoundeth the description of Saule and then he beginneth the hystorie of hys conuersion Luke is very diligent in describing of Saule bicause by his description both Gods power goodnesse is the more euidently knowne First he declareth his disposition and nature where he sayth he breatheth out threatnings and slaughter His mynde therefore was inflamed and incensed agaynst the Church a signe and note whereof he had giuen before at the stoning of Steuen and when he did make hauocke of the Church at Ierusalem as hath bene declared heretofore Yet nowe seeing he preuayleth nothing but that the Church spreadeth euery day further and further he conceyueth such a furie and rage in his mynde that he can doe nothing nowe but breath out and dreame of cruell threates bloudy slaughters and destructions For as we sayde before such is the nature of tyrauntes and the enimies of the Church that after they haue once tasted the bloude of the godly the more they rage and lyke beastes haue cast from them all sense of humanitie and are not able to put awaye that rage of mynde that they haue conceyued vnlesse they be tamed by the mightie hande of god Examples of this crueltie is euerywhere so be seene in hystories The consideration of them serueth vs for this purpose to make vs vnderstande what to hope for of the tyraunts of these dayes whome we see nowe so vsed vnto bloude that they thirst after it more cruelly than any Tygres Whom surely vnlesse the Lord tame no mannes force or reason can mollifie or appease But bicause rage of mynde must be fenced with armour Saule prouydeth him of that also For it is sayde he went vnto the high Priest of whome he receyued letters to the Sinagoges of Damascus whereby full power was giuen him to bynde as many as he coulde fynde to be Christians Wherby we gather that matters of religion the same tyme were committed by the Romaine Presidentes to the high Priestes For they being blinded in Gentyle superstition as it is credible that they were soone wearied with the dayly controuersies about religion so they sought all meanes whereby to ridde themselues of such incombrances and to lay the enuie and hatred of the people vppon others neckes Thys occasion fell out as the Byshops woulde wyshe it whose aduaunâ—age and honor came in perill by preaching of the Gospell Saule therefore garded by their authoritie and taking to him complices and ministers of his mischiefe goeth to Damascus for that he vnderstoode the kingdome of Christ beganne to spring and flourishe marueylously in that place This thing teacheth vs that Byshops will alwayes bee the grieuousest enimies of true religion and Christian doctrine who by their studie and diligence ought most to set it forwarde For assoone as they begynne to conuert religion into lucre they can then abide the lyght of the truth no longer which reprooueth their naughtynesse That these Byshoppes were such is more euident by the hystorie of the Gospell than needeth any long demonstration What we may therefore hope for of the Prelates of our dayes he shall easily perceyue that well marketh their couetousnesse and ambicion In the meane season we haue to consider the prophane cowardlynesse and slouth of Princes and Magistrates who bicause they passe little of religion will get them no enuie or hatred for religion sake And yet least they shoulde seeme Godlesse and voyde of religion they commit such matters to Popes Byshops and Cardinals getting themselues by this pretence a great estimation of godlynesse and seeking an excuse agaynst them that might saye they were persecutors of the truth For they say such controuersies belong not vnto them and perswade themselues that they cannot doe more godlye than to commit all such matters vnto the heades of the Church In which iudgement they are marueylously confirmed