Comptrollers espie any thing in these mennes conuersation Naye such as these sate highest among them Yet are the Apostles who hitherto had hurt no man but profited a great many cyted examined and commaunded to prison So in these dayes where men burne in hatred of the truth all men may freely be naught But to preache Christ and to call mennes mindes through his doctrine from superstition and ydolatrie that is an heynous matter I warrant you This is the olde corruption of the worlde which neuer is afrayde of punishment for sinne but abhorreth and hateth them most which endeuour to bring them to God. After Peter had reprehended their vniust proceeding he answereth their question more apparantly and testifyeth that Iesus Christ is the only author of the myracle Be it knowne sayth he to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whome you crucified whome God raysed agayne from death euen by him doth this man stande here present before you whole He repeateth the same here againe that he sayde in the Church For he so ascribeth to Christ only the glorye of the myracle that therewith also he casteth in their teeth their wickednesse committed against the sonne of god He maketh mention also of Christes resurrection to shewe them that they stroue against him in vaine seeing he whome they thought to haue made out of the waye had ouercomme death and nowe liued in glory Peters example is to be well marked for thereby we are taught howe to deale with the professed enimies of the truth He giueth them such honor as God doth vouchsafe to giue vnto Iudges as euen nowe was declared Yet he abstaineth from all kinde of vile flatterie yea rather he freely and frankly vttereth those thinges which make for the setting forth of Christes truth and glorie For both he telleth them of their wicked deede and sheweth them that he whome they persecuted liueth and reigneth This waye must we also take least eyther we suffer our tongue to runne at ryot or else for cowardly feare or fauour dissemble the truth For as it is not meete we should followe the children of this worlde in euill speaking so the enimies of the truth are not worthy to haue their tyrannie and wickednesse spared We haue other examples of this kinde both in the Prophetes and in the Apostles But it shall be best to followe the prompting of the holy spirite which neuer fayleth them that are zealous towarde Christ. Howbeit where the Apostles were chiefely appointed to preach Christ vnto the worlde here Peter also forgetteth not his dutie but taking occasion of the premisses teacheth in fewe wordes that all our saluation is conteyned in Christ alone But this seemed a great stumbling blocke bicause Iesus Christ was condemned by them which had power in the Church by Gods appoyntment to teache and administer euery thing Therfore he first remooueth this blocke out of the waye alleaging the wordes of Dauid out of the Cxviij Psalme which wordes Christ also vsed as we reade in the Gospell For Dauid who was a figure of Christ speaking of himselfe sayth The same stone which the builders refused is become the heade stone in the corner Which wordes Peter expressely expounding of Christ and the Priestes of the Iewes sayth This is the stone which was cast away of you builders which is become the chiefe of the corner The sense of the wordes is this I knowe that both you and also other marueyle greatly why we ascribe so great prayse and glory vnto Christ and say that he liueth and raigneth and is risen againe from death whom you by shamefull death would haue made out of the waye But this ought to offende no man Nay rather ye maye learne that he is the same Iesus whome the Prophetes long before sayde shoulde come haue you forgotten that saying of Dauid which teacheth vs that so God had appointed that the Messias shoulde be reiected of them which ought to haue builded vp Gods Church and to bring all men vnto him you your selues are those builders For vnto you was committed the office of teaching and the whole ordring of religion You haue reiected Iesus and would giue him no place in the Church of god Him hath God raised from death and made him the head of the corner that is a Lord and a sauiour and the ruler of his Churche And hath so inclosed in him only all saluation that without him the same is no where else to be founde For among men vnder heauen there is none other name giuen wherein we can be saued Peter therefore so preacheth Iesus to be a sauiour that he therewith denieth all hope of saluation to them which disdaine to embrace him Here are three things to be considered the consideration whereof is no lesse profitable than necessary The first is howe the holy ghost foresheweth that Christ should be refused of those which by Goddes appoyntment were the chiefe among the people This reprooueth the wicked pride of the Bishops of Rome which say they cannot erre For although it were manifest they were appointed of God yet that they cannot erre shoulde neuer be graunted them seeing they which were ordeyned by God haue so often erred But while they saye they cannot erre they bewray their follie whereas now their errors are open not onely to Barbours and bleare eyed as is in the Prouerbe but also to boyes and children Clement the seauenth being Pope confessed this grosse ignorance or rather impudent lust of theirs to lye For where at his table two Monks as their maner is were disputing whether the Pope could erre or no after many words to fro they agreed he might erre as he was a man but as he was Pope Christes vicar on earth he could by no means erre Clement offended with this most impudent more than slauelike flatterie sayd to the Monke with angrie moode nay I confesse that euen as I am Pope I both may and often doe erre For whyle I bestowe benefices and other ecclesiasticall dignities as I suppose vpon good godly persons I find at length they be very knaues worthy of no honor Let them listen to this oracle of their Caiphas which now a dayes haue the Popes in such admiration that they thinke it an heinous matter to swarue one nailes bredth from their decrees Furthermore this place teacheth vs not to be offended when we see Christ reiected of the states of the world of those which some men take for the pillers henges heads of the church This is the auncient guise of the world which vseth to preferre darcknesse before light which thing Esaias complaineth of when in declaring of the mysteries of Christ he saith there were but few that would beleeue him truly acknowledge the power of the Lorde And Christ testifieth that these mysteries are reuealed to little ones hidden from the wise of this world Yea
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
that are purified But as many as beleeue in Chryste are purified forasmuche as Chryste hathe sanctified and purged them by his bloud from their sinnes See the fifth sixt chapters of the first Epistle to the Corinthians Why then are we called now a dayes prophaners of Churches seeing we acknowledge Chryst our sauiour from the hart and to our power defend the auncient vse of Churches which is to serue for prayers teaching of the worde and administration of the Sacramentes Fourthly this name agreeth more rightly vnto them which set holy things to sale in Churches setting vp Idolles and practising many other things wherewith it is euident God hath bene offended in all ages Fifthly Paule layeth this faulte vpon the Iewes of Asia who as wee hearde before were the begynners of all thys adoo and were nowe absent For this is the continuall practise of all seditious mates that when they haue raised a multitude among whom good men be moste times in daunger they secretly conuey them selues away and stande out of Gunshot wayting the successe of the matter Would to God the poore commonaltie would alwayes remember this thing when suche rakehels as these abuse their distemperaunce and boldnesse to compasse and bring to passe their deuises Moreouer after confutation of these obiections Paule boldly prouoketh his aduersaries If these men here saith he will pleate the Asians cause goe too let them declare what euill they haue found in mee I know they haue nothing to lay to my charge except perhaps it bee a businesse made in their owne Counsell for the free confession that I vttered touchyng the resurrection of the deade But with what face can they thus doo seeing they shall bee enforced to confesse the resurrection them selues excepte they wyll altogither bee wycked the confidence of Paule and hys bolde speeche which declareth a manyfest argument of hys innocencie is worthy to bee considered The lyke it becommeth all Chrystes Ministers to haue and to persuade them selues that the worlde hateth them for the truthes sake onely For thys shall make them constante and bolde agaynst all daungers See Peter in his first Epistle the third and fourth Chapters Nowe remayneth the ende of this businesse which was farre other than the Iewes looked for For Felix deferreth all the matter vnto Lysias the Capraynes comming both for that he was not ignorant of the things concerning that way that is to say stubborne obstinate controuersies about faith religion and of the way warde and vnruely conditions of the Iewes but also for that they grouÌ„ded their whole accusatioÌ„ vpon the testimonie of Lysias In the meane season he hath a consideration of Paule whose innocencie he manifestâ—y perceiued For he coÌ„maundeth him to haue rest and permitteth his friends to come minister vnto him For certayne acquaintance abode with Paule in time of his captiuitie of whose number it appeareth that Luke was whose example teacheth vs that we must not forsake those that are in daunger for Christes sake seeing that he taketh whatsoeuer pleasure is done vnto them as done to himself Agayn Magistrates lerne by example of Felix to beware that for meÌ„s sakes they be not to rash in iudgement For iudgement is Gods whose ministers they must remeÌ„ber they are Therfore let them folow his equitâ—e tempered with long suffring In the mean season let theÌ„ not intreat prisoners to vncurteously seeing that wicked malefactors haue some pitie to be shewed on them for humanitie manhoodes sake Aboue all things let vs marke the truthe of God towardes those that honour him his power agaynst his enimies For it is his worke that Felix contrary to his nature wherof we haue oftentimes intreated is gentle and curteous vnto Paule And it is an easie matter vnto God to mollifie cruell hearts and to get his people fauour with their enimies also seeing he hath full power vpon all creatures and euen ouer the hearts of men Let none of vs therefore feare men nor doo any thing otherwyse than becommeth vs for their sake But rather let vs labour to commende our selues and our dooings vnto God which is able to defende hys seruaunts in the middest of their enimies to assuage their moody minds atlength to take vs â—rom al troubles into his kingdome the inheritaunce whereof he hath prepared for all them that honour hys name through Iesus Chryst To whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Clv. Homelie AND after a certayne dayes when Felix came with his wife Drusilla which was a Iewesse he called foorth Paule and heard hym of the fayth which is towarde Chryste And as he preached of righteousnesse temperaunce and iudgement to come Felix trembled and answered Go thy way for this tyme when I haue a conuenient season I will sende for thee He hoped also that money should haue bene giuen him of Paule that he might loose him wherefore he called him the oftener and communed with him But after two yere Festus Portius came into Felix roume And Felix willing to shew the Iewes a pleasure left Paule in prison bounde IT was a wonderfull and a rare example both of Gods mercy and power that Paule founde suche courtesie and gentlenesse in Felix the President whose wycked tyrannie euen prophane wryters haue lefte reported in Hystories But it is farre more notable that Luke reporteth heere in thys place For Paule lyueth not onely in safetie but also fyndeth occasion to preach before him Wherby the truth of that saying of Paule appeareth which is that though the Ministers of God be sometimes in prison and bondes yet his word can not be bounde For that that happened vnto Paule the same falleth out in many Martyrs of Chryst also now a dayes that they which are led bound vnto the stake or fyre preache the worde of God boldly to the terrour of the wicked and consolation of the godly But let vs consider all the poyntes of this place in order First Paules hearers are described whom if wee diligently marke wee may playnly gather what the occasion was that Paule was appoynted to make this Sermon For Felix which had ben absent from Caesarea for a certayne dayes was now returned agayne with his wife Drusilla which I thinke was the chiefe procurer of this Sermon For she was a Iewe and daughter to Herode called Agrippa who after he had stayne Iames the Apostle was smitten by the Aungell and suffered greeuous punishement for his vngodlynesse and tyrannie Firste shee was betrouthed to Antiochus called Epiphanes but not maried bycause he would not be maried after the maners and rites of the Iewes After that she maried with Aziazus king of the people called Amazi from whome Felix the President enticed hir and caried hir away through fayre promises and by the conueyance of a certayne Magitian of Cyprus as before was declared wherfore she became not only a filthy adultresse but also wickedly transgressed the law of God and the religion of
more examples heereof than Agrippa in these dayes and that wee hearde not euery where suche as giue the gospell a singular commendation but yet folowe the doctrine of Antichrist still for feare of losing their heades and honor or else for fear of putting their life in danger In the meane season there appeareth in these men what a diuine and wonderful force the Gospel is of which wresteth out of them euen against their willes and striue they neuer so much to the contrary the confession of the truth yet it nothing profiteth them bicause they dare to set them selues against the holy Ghoste But as Paule very wisely and stoutly answereth Festus so bicause hee was able to doe no more he setteth against the wordes of Agrippa a very christian wishe and inflamed with great feruencie of charitie I wold wish saith he of God that not onely thou but also all those that heare mee this day were not only in parte but wholy suche as I am these bondes excepted And there is no doubt but that Paule wished these things euen from the heart who otherwheres prayed for the Iewes bothe day and nighte and wished to be accurssed for their sakes We are taught by the way that it is not sufficient for vs to beleeue in parte but that there is required of vs euery day an increasing in faith that we may at length growe into a perfite man in Christ Iesus And the opinion of those men is not to be allowed which suppose one or two Articles to be sufficient vnto saluation For so all the other should be vnprofitable and superfluous which thing shuld derogate muche both from the wisedome of God and also from his goodnesse Moreouer Paules wishe teacheth vs that Ministers haue no iurisdiction or power vpon the mindes of men but that the spirite of God only worketh in them effectuously For why should Paule trouble himselfe in vaine wishes if he had beene able to haue tourned Agrippa his minde But see what is saide to this purpose bothe by Christe and by Paule And we muste not let this passe howe Paule excepteth his bondes For althoughe they were nothing greeâ—ous vnto him and that he knewe wel the cheefe glory of his Ministerie consisted in them yet he wished the quietnesse and peace of other men as farre forth as it stode with the commoditie of their faithe and saluation For thus it becommeth all men to carie their owne crosse paciently yet in the meane season to prouide for all other mennes commoditie and tranquillitie as muche as they are able Heereby it appeareth with what spirite they are led which enuie at all mennes felicitie or else of rash iudgement condemne them as no good Christians whoÌ„ they see liue in any commodious or wealthy wise After these things Luke ioyneth the ende of all this dooing namely howe all the assembly and auditorie brake vppe and departed beeing neuer a whitte the better by reason of the impedimentes before rehearsed But thys is wonderfull that Paule is absolued and acquited againe by the consente of all menne and yet for all that they sette him not at libertie Whereby it appeareth howe little the worlde regardeth the state of the Godlye whome they see afflycted wythoute deserte The innocencie of Paule so often tymes tryed maketh muche for the setting foorth of the dignitie of the Christian fayth Which thing also reproueth the temeritie of those men which cry out in these dayes that the doctrine of the Gospell is sedicious seeing that Paule a most earnest preacher of the gospel was able so oftentimes to purge himself from the crime of sedition before prophane and heathen Iudges Let no man therefore be moued with the slaunders of this worlde but being constant in the doctrine of true fayth let vs boldely serue God which defendeth those that worship him in the middle of the tempestes of this worlde and giueth them the inheritaunce of his kingdome by Iesus Chryste our Lorde to whom be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxvij. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Clxvj. Homelie WHen it was concluded that we should sayle into Italie they deliuered both Paule and certayne other prisoners vnto one named Iulius an vnder Captayne of Caesars souldiours And we entred into a shippe of Adramicium and loosed from lande appoynted to sayle by the coastes of Asia one Aristarchus out of Macedonia of the Countrey of Thessalonia tarrying styll with vs And the next day we came to Sidon And Iulius courteously intreated Paule and gaue him libertie to goe vnto his friends and to refresh him selfe and when we had launched from thence we sayled harde by Cypers bicause the winds were contrary And when we had sayled ouer the sea of Cylicia and Pamphilia we came to Myra which is in Lycia And there the vndercaptayne founde a ship of Alexandria that sayled into Italie and he put vs therein And when we had sayled slowly many dayes and scarse were come ouer agaynst Cindus bicause the winde withstoode vs we sayled harde by the coste of Candy ouer agaynst Salmo and with much worke sayled beyonde it and came to a place which is called the fayre hauens nye whervnto was the citie of Lasea THe Euangelist Luke in this Chapiter describeth the paynefull and daungerous nauigation of Paule the Apostle sent vnto Rome to appere before Caesar. Where surely at the first sighte suche great diligence of the holy Ghost might seeme vayne superfluous but if a man would weigh euery thing thoroughly he shuld perceiue many things in the same moste worthy to be knowen and considered For this Hystorie teacheth vs what the state of the godly is in this world It setteth foorth vnto vs in Paule examples of pacience and constancie it teacheth vs moreouer the infallible truth of Gods promises For although al things in the world semed to go crosse with Paul to hinder him from coÌ„ming to Rome yet the truth of God which had promised he should be brought before Caesar brusteth through al these impedimeÌ„ts There are yet besides this many other things ful of comfort instruction which we shal consider in their places First is declared how the Apostle was sent vnto Rome where mentioÌ„ is made of one Iulius a Centurion or pâ—â—ie Capitayne vnto whome Festus deliuered Paule among other prisoners to be carried Heere is to be noted a singular diligence of the Romanes in administring the lawe considering they take suche paynes and be at so great charges with sending of prisoners from one place to an other There are also diuerse other examples of this thing which gate them singular commendation and glory Yea it is euident that by this meane chiefly they aduaunced theÌ„ selues to so great a glory of Empire And the Scripture playnly teacheth both in the .lxxij. Psalme and in other places that there is no more ready or commodious way than this either to conserue or to enlarge Empires and kingdomes
not written for Monkes and Friers onely to pore vpon but for our learning that is for as many as professe Christ which thing being spoken by Paule of the olde Testament for as yet the newe was not written howe much more learning may we nowe receyue hauing the writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles ioyned all togither Likewise in his seconde Epistle to Timothie the thirde Chapter he sayth All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach to reprooue to correct and amende in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfite instructed vnto all good workes This epitheton or adiectiue inspired of God quite wypeth awaye all vnwritten verities all mannes gloses and traditions all fayned visions and myracles such as are to be founde in Gregorie the Popes dialogues and throughout the workes of our newe Diuines Since therefore the Scripture teacheth reprooueth correcteth and amendeth maketh men perfite and furnished with all good workes what thing then can there be deuised in all the worlde of more profite and vtilitie Had I not bounde my selfe by a particion to prooue by apparant reason also the truth of this assertion I shoulde néede no further to trouble eyther my selfe with more writing or you with more reading But such promises as these we are bounde to performe First therefore this is one reason verye euident playne that séeing our Sauiour Christ as Paule sayth woulde haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth and for that ende did and suffered whatsoeuer he did and suffred while he liued here on earth the meane whereby men shoulde attaine vnto that truth and saluation which are Gods holy Scriptures ought by no meanes to be kept from them The practise of our Sauiour admitting all men to his sermons and familiar communication Publicanes souldiors artificers Phariseys harlots strayed shéepe vnrighteous persons yea kéeping company most with such abundantly prooue the same And bicause the scriptures as teaching the way to come vnto god best of all other things are méetest for such straglers all men by testimonie of the same scripture of their owne nature disposition are such straglers therfore ought all straglers that is to say all men to haue the law the scriptures wherby they may both sée howe they haue strayed out of the way and how to returne into the same againe The Maior is prooued by Christ Math. 22. Iohn 5. by the olde Doctors as we shall sée when we come to the last part of our particion The Minor God himselfe maketh Genes 8. where he sayth The imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth The writings of the Prophetes and Apostles doe inculcate and repeate nothing more The places are infinite therefore I quote them not The commaundement of Christ a little before his ascention bidding his Apostles to go into all the world and teach the gospell to all Nations doth further prooue it as their practise also declared teaching the same somewhile to Tentmakers somewhile to Tanners somewhile to women that were Dyers otherwhiles to Souldiers yea at all times to all states and degrées of persons And whereas Christ was borne dyed and was buryed rose againe and ascended into heauen for all men and shall come agayne to receyue all states and degrées of men for with God there is no respect of persons but in euery Nation he that feareth him and woorketh righteousnesse is accepted of him What are we that we shoulde withstande god and kéepe this knowledge from any kinde of menne What meaneth it moreouer that Christ will haue his light to shine throughout his house that he will haue his worde preached on the house toppes that the light of his gospell must not be put vnder a bushell why doth he many times conclude his sermons thus generally He that hath eares to heare let him beare Why doth god cry vnto the Prophets bidding them to speake out and exalt their voyces like to a Trumpet and to tell his people their wickednesse Christ suffred all men Tinkers Taylers Carpenters Coblers Masons and Bricklayers to heare his voyce and will these Comptrollers barre them from reading his bookes But I wote what a newe deuine will saye In the primitiue Church when the scriptures were extant for all men to reade what a swarme of heretikes bredde they which disturbed the whole church What heresie hath there bene at any time so absurde but it hath had hir colour of maintenance out of the Scripture Sir by the way I will take it for graunted that you say the Scriptures were extaunt in the primitiue Church for all men to reade as in déede they were And so was it gods will they shoulde be and for that cause did the holy ghost mooue the Euangelistes and the Apostles to wryte the gospels and the Epistles in the Gréeke tongue which then was vniuersallye vnderstoode of most Nations yet notwithstanding these heresies bredde as you say the primitiue church neuer called the scriptures in ne yet forbade any kinde of people the reading of them You haue done both without all example of the primitiue church whereby may and doe appeare your newe proceedings But nowe to aunswere question with question what heresie I praye you euer was there but the same hath bene confuted by the scriptures Bicause some men haue misvsed the scriptures shall all menne be depriued of them shall the Bées be kept frō gathering hony of the swéete flowers bicause spiders make poyson of them shall all they that can vse wine and breade to chéere and strengthen mans heart giuing god thanks for them taste or assay none of them bicause a great many abuse them to surfetting drunkennesse Lay the fault where it is in the men not in the things that they misvse What fault is in the money that lyeth and rusteth in the cofer of the couetous what in the knife or sworde that killeth a bodye Ptholomeus Philadelphus thought himselfe very well occupied as in déede he was when he caused the bookes of Moses and the prophets to be translated into the Gréeke tongue by thréescore and tenne learned men called the seauentie Translators or Interpreters two hundreth thréescore and seauentene yeares before Christ was borne An hundreth and fower and twenty yeares after Christes ascention Aquila a Iewe in the dayes of Adrian the Emperor translated them againe After him Theodotion in Commodus dayes Then Symachus vnder Seuerus Then was there an other translation founde at Hierusalem without anye name called the common translation After this againe Origene tooke great paynes to correct the seauentie Translators adding of his owne where he thought they were not full and taking from them where he sawe redundance and superfluitie All these no doubt labouring to elucidate and make playner as much as in them lay the former translations Yea S. Hierome after all this was not afrayde to translate the whole Bible againe into the Latine tongue which is perished He
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
more Pag. 85 8. Those which hee knowe before those also dyd hee predestinate Pag. 554 8. The spirit of adoption by whom wee crye Abba father 538 8. Neyther death nor lyfe can seperate vs from the loue of GOD. Pag. 328 9. It is not of the will or industrie of man but of the mercie of God. Pag. 135 10. With the harte man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth confesseth vnto saluation Pag. 86 10. Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be safe 665 10. How shall they call on him on whome they haue not beleeued Pag. 509.665 10. How shall they beleeue without a Preacher 509.665.49 10. Howe shall they preache without they be sent 49.510.58 10. Hearing commeth by the worde of God. 625 11. The giftes of God are without repentance 29 11. For if God spared not the naturall braunches 547 11. O the deepenesse of the ryches c. 29.111 12. He that doth mercifully let hym doe it cheerefully 147 12. In gyuing honour â–ª go one before an other 293 12. Reioyce with them that doe reioyce and weepe with them that weepe 491 13. Princes are not fearefull to them that doe well but to them that do euill 321 14. I knowe and am perswaded by the Lorde Iesus that there is nothing common of itself 603 15. Whatsoeuer thinges haue beene written afore time were written for our learning 3 16. The mysterye kept secret since the worlde begonne 674 1. COrinth 1. Wee preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Gentyles foolishnesse 664 1. But vnto them which are called both of the Iewes and Gentiles we preach Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God. Pag. 538 2. The naturall manne perceyueth not the thinges of the spirite of God. 308.554 3. Paule fed the Corinthians with mylke 680 3. We are the Ministers of God by whome you haue beleeued 566 4. disposers of the secrets of God. Pag. 9 4. What hast thou that thou hast not receyued 308.270 4. In Christ Iesu through the Gospell haue I begotten you Pag. 509 6. Whoremongers and adulterers shall not inherite the kingdome of God. 181 9. Woe vnto mee if I preach not the Gospell 212 10. Ye cannot bee pertakers of the Lordes table 602 10. God is faythfull and will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue our strength 578 11. There must bee sectes that they which are tryed among you might be knowne 590 13. Nowe we see in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking but then shal we see face to face 175 14. The spirites of the Prophetes are subiect to the Prophets 70 15. This corruptible must put on incorruption 541 15. O death where is thy sting 23 â— COrinth 1. All the promyses of God in hym are yea â–ª 537 1. As the afflictions of Christ are plenteous in vs c. 637 3. Of our selues wee are not sufficient to thinke c. 620.320 â–ª 5. Wee are messengers in the roome of Christ. 71 5. Euery man shall receyue according as hee hath done in bodye Pag. 175.675 5. God hath made him to bee sinne for vs whiche knewe no synne Pag. 535 9. GOD loueth a cherefull gyuer Pag. 485 1. GAlath 1. I maruell that you are so soone turned froÌ„ Christ Pag. 589 1. If an Angell from heauen preach any other Gospell 607 3. This onely woulde I learne of you whether you receyued the spirite by the deedes of the Law. Pag. 184 3. Though it bee but a mans Testament yet if it bee proued no man c. 186 3. Hee sayeth not to the seedes as of many but to thy seede as of one ibidem 3. The Lawe is our Schoolemayster vnto Christ. 334 3. There is neyther bonde nor free neyther Male nor Female 293. and 656 4. Bycause you are Sonnes God hath sent the spirite of his son c. Pag. 85 4. When the full tyme was come GOD sente hys Sonne c. Pag. 448 5. If you byte and deuoure one another 146. â—24 5. Would GOD they were cut off which trouble you 606 5. I testifie to euery man whiche is circumcised 589 EPhesi 1. Accordinge as hee had chosen vs in him before the fouÌ„dacions of the world were layd Pag. 294.525.202 1. Christ worketh all thinges in vs. Pag. 201 1. God hath made Christ sit on his right hande in heauenly places Pag. 36 4. Christ is ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfyll all things 38. and 51 4. When hee went vp on hyâ— hee ledde captiuity captiue 37 4. Hee gaue some Apostles some Prophetes c. 10 6. Watch with all instancie and supplication 205 PHilipp â— In the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe 309 2. God woorketh in vs both to wil and to doe of good will. 270. and â—54 3. Our conuersation is in heauen Pag. 37 4. I can doe all thinges thoroughe Christ. 169 COlos 2. Hee hath spoyled al principalitie and rule and made a shewe of them openly 37 3. Filthie communication 15 THessalon 2. How they kylled the Lord Iesus 556 4. The Lorde himselfe shall descend from heauen in a showte and in the voyce of the Archangell 35 5. Reioyce euer praye continually 115 5. Examine all thinges holde faste that is good 655 1. TImoth 2. One Mediatoure Pag. 107 2. God would haue all men to come too the knoweledge of the truth 561.655 3. A Bishop must bee the husband of one wyfe 765 4. Meates are Sanctifyed by the woorde of GOD and prayer Pag. 147 5. Bee not partaker of other mens sinnes 15 6. Wee brought nothinge into this worlde and it is certayne wee maye carry naught awaye c. Pag. 299 2. TImoth 2. To deuide the word of Truth rightly and dulye Pag. 680 3. Applye thy reading 15 3. Thou hast perceyued my Doctrine 578.592 3. All scripture is gyuen by inspiration of God. 5â—2 4. Bee instant in season and out of season 351 HEbreor 1. Aungels are ministring spirits 246 2. Hee tooke not on him the Aungels but the seede of Abraham 105.178 4. Wee haue not an hyghe Priest that can not bee touched with the feelinge of oure infirmities Pag. 107 4. The woorde of God is a twoo edged sworde 660 9. Christ came to be an hyghe priest of good things to come 37 10. The bloud of Oxen and Gotes can not â—â—ke away sinnes 545 11. Faith is the grounde of thinges that are hopeâ— for 295 11. Without â—â—ith it is impossible to please God. 47.341.665 11. By fayth Moyses when he was great refused to bee called the Sâ—nne of Pharaos Daughter Pag. 320 13. Forget not to doe good and to distribute 139 13. Remember theÌ„ that are in bonds euen as if you were bound with them 491 IAmes 4â— The friendship of thys world is enimitie with GOD. Pag. 26 1. 〈◊〉 â–ª Christe was ordâ—yned before the worlde was made Pag. 109 4. The tyme is come that iudgement muste beginne at the house of God â–ª 269 5. God resisteth the proude 506 2. PEâ—r 3.
Where is the promise of his comming 66â— 1. IOan 2. Let the same abyde in you which you heard from the beginning 129.588 3. Now are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what wee shall bee 540 4. Greater is he that is in you then hee that is in the world 353 4. Here in is loue not that wee loued God. 531 APocaly 3. The Epistle to those of Laodicca 660 14. Blessed are the dead whiche dye in the Lord. 313 20. The Sea shall gyue vp hir dead which are in hir 313 21. There shal bee new Heauens and a newe earth 175 22. Woorship God. 260 FINIS The first chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The first Homelie IN the former treatise deare THEOPHILVS we haue spoken of all that IESVS began to doe and teach vntill the daye in which hee was taken vp after that hee through the holye Ghost had giuen commaundements vnto the Apostles whom he had chosen GReat is the prayse of Hystorie though but prophane for that the wysest men haue called hir the witnesse of tymes the light of truth the life of remembrance the Maystresse of lyfe and the Messenger of Antiquitie yet certaine it is that these titles may be applyed to no Hystorie more deseruedly and truely than to the Hystorie contayned in the Bookes of the olde and newe Testament which the holy Ghost hath deliuered vnto the Church For this Hystorie bringeth vs an exact an infallible account of the tymes from the first beginning of the worlde vnto the birth of Iesus Christ which account with other wryters is founde vncertayne and deceytfull This Hystorie is not onely the light but also the touchstone whereby the writinges and credite of all other Hystoriographers ought to be tryed This Hystorie conserueth vs the memorie of things done in very deede and which in very deede appertayne to our â—aluation And those things which lye hidden in the â—ecrete closets of reuerend antiquitie she most truely reporteth vnto vs and maystresse of life shee onely and none other ought to be called For she layeth before vs the examples not onely of vices and vertues and the chaungeable occurrences of the worlde by the which we may learne how to â—rame this present life but taking hir flight yet higher she giueth preceptes of eternall saluation of the soule shee reuealeth the holy will of God shee layeth before vs presidents of Gods promises and threates shee describeth the iudgement of God against the disobedient and declareth his protection and tuition wherewith hee defendeth those that worship him And to conclude shee setteth before vs to beholde as in a glasse all the nature and propertie of God that euery man may see what an one he vouchsafeth 〈◊〉 be â—o vs what maner of ones he requireth vs againe to be towardes him Which things vnlesse we imprint in our mindes we traueyle in all other hystories but in vaine which may delight vs with vaine ioye but are not able to enflame our mindes with the loue of true vertue and holy religion But amongst the volumes of holy Scripture that make mention and report of things done I thinke there is none extant the reading and knowledge whereof is eyther more profitable or necessarye than this which is entituled the Actes of the Apostles For to say nothing of Luke the Author hereof whose prayse is in the Gospell which was present almost at all the things done for the holy scripture inspired of God needeth not the authoritie or prayse of man such is the dignitie and maiestie of the things comprised in this Booke that if the same be not able to allure mooue any man to esteeme and loue the woorke in vayne shalt thou go about by humane reason to perswade him Amongst the which thinges we will intreate presently of those which containe the argument summe of the whole narration or discourse And first of all Luke descrybeth the beginning proceeding and successe of that kingdome which Christ hath in thys worlde whereof appeareth in the Prophets many things foreshewed and tolde For Dauid testifieth that Christ is declared a King by God his Father whose inheritaunce sayth hee are all the Nations of the earth and who also shall rule the Islandes Zacharie prophecieth that the boundes of hys kingdome should stretch from sea to sea In Daniel it is called the Mountayne that shoulde fill the worlde wherevnto all the thinges are to be referred written in other Prophetes by these wordes In the latter dayes it will be that the hill where the house of the Lord is buylded shall be the chiefe among hilles and exalted aboue all little hilles I passe ouer diuers things for prolixitie which might be alleaged to this purpose But if thou wouldest search these thinges in the Hystorie of Iesu Christ written by the Euaungelistes thou shouldest finde little or nothing answerable to such honorable Oracles For they describe Christ to be lowly poore and subiect to the iniuries and reproches of euery man and who after an infinite sort of calamities abode most shamefull death on the crosse Further they shewe the borders of his kingdome to haue bene very narrow and straite for that the misteries of the same were vnderstanded but of very few But if thou wilt pervse this Booke by by whatsoeuer the Prophets haue prophecied of the same shall appeare to be most true For he that seemed despised and a man of no estimation by his glorious ascention into heauen hath triumphed ouer the Deuill and all his enimies sitteth on the right hande of hys father from thence sendeth the holy Ghost before promysed to his Apostles wherewith they being inflamed beginne to preache Christ and not content within the borders of Iurie are dispersed amonge the Gentiles and amongst them by the playne and simple preaching of the Gospell spredde the kingdome of Christ both farre and neare so that Christ stretcheth his kingdome from sea to sea and the Islandes of the sea beginne to acknowledge him to be theyr King and by the ministerye of the Apostles it commeth to passe that all nations and people flocke vnto this Mountayne exalted aboue all Mountaynes yea reigning in heauen which thing Christ a few dayes before his death prophecied should come to passe in these wordes When I shall be lyft vp from the earth I will drawe all people vnto mee And this is so euident an argument of the kingdome of Christ and of his power that there can be none more euident For no Prince were he neuer so mightie coulde so quickly chaunge the fashion of the whole world as the Apostles in few yeres did being but abiects and contemned persons and by the spirit of Christ woorking in them graffed in the hartes of men a newe and before that time vnknowne desire of fayth and christian religion Except therfore this Booke were extant the truth of the kingdome of Christ and the maiestie therof should appeare eyther
none at all or at leastwise might seeme obscure and vncertaine Beside this there is one other thing very profitable and necessary to be knowne that is to say what maner of countinaunce the Primatiue Church had which was founded by the Apostles according to the which the Church in all ages ought to be refourmed when any errors or abuses shall happen Touching which thing as all men dispute therof in these daies so shall a man finde very fewe which wil take the straight way opened by the Apostles to amende the same Wherby it commeth to passe that we put newe errors in the place of olde driue away olde superstitions with new as pieuish noysome as the olde Whereas if we would obserue the thinges written by Luke wee should haue a certaine an infallible rule aswell of doctrine as ceremonies which the Apostles left vnto the church They taught one Iesus Christ to be the onely Auctor of our saluation and that men which by nature are sinners and in daunger of damnation are by no other meanes iustified saued than by faith in Iesus Christ. Yea this booke aboundeth with most notable examples wherewith the principall and chiefe article of our christian fayth as I sayd eare whyle is warranted and confirmed against all the cauillations of Sophisters and Phariseis For what other did euer the Apostles require of the vncleane Gentiles and straungers from the common weale of the people of God but to leaue their olde superstition and to beleeue in Christ Did they not preache saluation and forgiuenesse of sinnes to them turning from their open ydolatrie Did they not most stoutely stande against those blinde Bayardes which would burthen the Gentiles with the woorks of the lawe as though Christ had not beene of power to saue but those which prepared themselues to him by the deedes of the Lawe Wherfore if the faith in Iesus Christ was once sufficient for the Gentiles and they not to be charged with the workes and ceremonies of the lawe published by God I pray you what shall let why the same faith and beliefe shal not suffise vs in these daies Or shall we say that the traditions of men are more profitable and necessary to the attaynement of Iustification and saluation than they which God once ordayned to remayne till the time of correction As touching ceremonies outwarde rytes the Apostles thought it vnlawfull to charge the Churches with any thing vpon their priuate authoritie Baptisme the order wherof they receyued of Christ the Lorde they haue most sincerely deliuered The vse and maner of the Lordes Supper as Christ did institute it they thought good to retayne In other matters of the Church this was their chiefe care to haue a Discipline wherewith Christ woulde the naughtye disposed to be kept vnder and that the poore shoulde be honestly prouided for whose case and condicion the Lorde did vouchsafe so earnestlye to commende vnto vs The thinges which besides these now a dayes vnder the name of the Apostles and Canons of the Apostles are obtruded wee can not acknowledge for Apostolyke neyther can any good man blame vs therefore forasmuch as Luke maketh no mention of them whose diligence and labour the holy Ghost thought good to vse in writing the Sermons and Actes of the Apostles Surely I will neuer thinke the holye Ghost eyther so vnwyse as to take a negligent wryter of so high matters or else so forgetfull as to let passe any of those things the knowledge and obseruation whereof was so necessarie in hys Church I would speake of euery thing more at large but that they recourse in the treatise of the Hystorie where they will be more commodiously handled Let it suffise for this time to haue shewed the great vtilitie of this booke in that it ministreth to vs a true and an infallible rule of reforming the Church which except they obserue which will be called and counted reformers they may well reioyce in their reformations in the iudgement of the fleshe but they shall neuer giue vs Churches that any man but meanely trayned in the holy Scriptures shall acknowledge in all pointes for sincere and true Apostolike Churches Howbeit this booke sheweth vs not only a forme paterne of the Church of Christ but also it plainely teacheth vs what the state and condicion of the Church is here in earth which to know is both profitable and necessarie aswell for doctrine and information as also for the comfort that thereby commeth vnto vs For we shal see the Apostles in euery part of the world finde it true that Christ foreshewed touching their Crosse and afflictions For God would not so worke by them as that the things both supersticiously and wickedly maintayned in the worlde till that daye shoulde yeelde of their owne accorde to their preaching but he would invre them with labours and contentions And in euery place there were founde that woulde withstande theyr doctrine and those not of the rascall and common sorte but they which for their learning and godlynesse the worlde woondered at such as were the Scribes and Priestes amongst the Iewes and the Philosophers of the Gentyles Neyther was the matter decyded wyth wordes For so great was the authoritie of the enimies of the truth that the Magistrates tooke their partes so that they were fayne to pleade their cause before them and to contrarie their commaundements with hazarde of their lyfe Thus being banished their natiue Countrie they felt the smart of exyle they were in perill by sea and lande they laye bounde in Prisons euerye man hated them and rayled vpon them and finallye they ended their charge of preaching the Gospell with their death and bloudsheading These thinges if wee consider wee shall perceyue what we haue to hope for nowe a dayes neyther shall wee be offended eyther wyth the authoritie or power of men striuing against the Gospell wyth such rage and furie as they did And on the other side the loyaltie and truth of Christ shall marueylously comforte vs whom the Apostles founde so true in his promyses For he promised the ayde of his holy Spirite present counsell in aduersitie and his safegard and defence against all men All which he so perfourmed that they hauing the vpper hande despite of the world and Prince therof obtained their purpose and were able with good successe to perfourme their vocation Let no man therefore feare the threates of tyraunts in these daies let no man be afrayde of Sathans enterpryses let no man be abasshed at the stormes tempestes of this worlde For Christ liueth still and the truth of his promyses is infallible which as they once were made to his Apostles euen so they are continued to all men which beleeue in Christ according to their doctrine And surely if there were no other vtilitie of this booke but this one there is no man but seeth how necessary the knowledge therof is in these dayes where wee see euery where such
shoulde be exercised and tryed But bicause God is faythfull hee suffreth them not to bee tempted aboue their strength but in their temptation maketh a waye that they may beare it There are infinite examples hereof beside this â–ª that wee haue in hande Abraham is called out of his natiue countrie and is commaunded to go into a straunge countrie which he knoweth not inhabited with wicked dwellers But bicause he obeyeth Gods calling all thinge succeedeth luckily and he is increased and instored there not only with riches but also hath the friendship of the mightiest in the countrye His posteritie dwell there also and bicause they walke in Gods vocation they liue in safetie amongst them whom the destruction of the Citie of Sichem myght seeme with iust desire of reuenge to arme against them But God is their faythfull protector which caused this saying to sound in the mindes and eares of the Chananites Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophetes no harme Let all men of what state or degree soeuer they be applye the consideration of these things vnto themselues and let them remember that there is a most large blessing and an infallible promise of Gods helpe ioyned to the commaundementes of God which vndoubtedlye they shall enioy that will endeuour to obey them See touching this blessing Deuter. 28. and Leuit. 26. But chiefly we must take heede that we admit not the counsell of mans witte in the things which we see expressely by Gods worde bidden or forbidden For this is a most present plague which casteâ—h aside all endeuour of obedience and maketh all our lyfe to be hatefull before god For there is no commaundement of God so holy so easie so healthfull wherein our fleshe will not finde some difficultie and daunger yea and some colour of vnrighteousnesse and iniquitie Obedience of fayth is required which as Paule sayth doth captiuate all mans vnderstanding beateth downe all the counsell of mans reason and bringeth whole man to the obedience of God and his worde Hereunto is to be referred that that God prescribeth in the law by these wordes Thou shalt not seeke after thine owne heart or thine owne eyes after the which you vse to go a whooâ—ing but you shall remember rather and doe all my commaundements be holy vnto your God. And againe Ye shall adde nothing to my worde which I haue coÌ„maunded you nor take nothing therefrom And if anye man require examples of them which haue euill thriued by breaking of Gods commaundement he shall finde both otherwheres and in the hystory of Saule diuers See. 1. Samuel 13. 15. But let vs haste to the reast In the seconde place Luke rehearseth the names of the Apostles and that not without a great purpose For besides that they whom Iesus Christ appoynteth to be the teachers of all the worlde ought well to be knowne least naughtye deceyuers might chalenge to them the office and authoritie of the same it was necessary that we might knowe surely howe they after their foule forsaking of Christ were restored againe to their former place and dignitie For all men knowe how shamefully they yeelded when Christ was taken by the souldiers and by the high Priestes seruaunts For then they all fled and left him And Peter which presumed so much of his owne strength committed the grieuouser offence bicause hee three times denyed him Therfore men might doubt not without some cause whether the Lord had taken such as they were into his fauour againe and whether such cowardly slydebacks might be beleeued Therfore to put all doubt out of our mindes and that we shoulde not thinke their foule fall at the first shoulde preiudice the truth of their doctrine the holye ghost woulde haue them againe by name to be rehearsed Iudas onely excepted that were appointed before Christes death to preache the Gospell vnto all the worlde And if you conferre the nameroll of this place with the things written Math. 10. Marc. 3. and Luke 6. you shall finde no maner of difference or disagreeing Nowe this is a singular example of the goodnesse of God which not only would forgiue so dishonest a forsaking of him but also woulde restore such as they to their former office and dignitie Here truly as Paule sayth Grace abounded where trespasse abounded For Peter which had three times denyed Christ heareth Christ three times againe say vnto him feede my shepe Hereof let them take comfort whose consciences are grieued with sinne that they dispaire not eyther bicause of the heynousnesse or multitude of their sinnes Turne vnto mee sayth the Lord and I will turne vnto you As sure as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he returne and liue This also is worthy the considering that in this nameroll the names of none but suche as were the most vylest and contemned persons in the iudgement of the worlde are rehearsed For first he reckeneth Peter Iames Iohn and Andrewe who before that time we reade were rascall fishers Here is also numbred Mathew the Publicane a defamed person by reason of his former trade of liuing As touching the nobilitie riches or honours of the other there is nothing any where mentioned But the sonne of God which hath power ouer the mindes of men might haue brought to his obedience the sonnes of the Princes and high Priestes to haue spred abroade the Gospell by the ministery of those who were of authoritie and power in the worlde but it pleased him to choose base and despised persons both for that we should knowe that God despiseth none in the worlde bee he neuer so vile and contemned and also for that wee shoulde learne to iudge of matters of faith and religion not according to mans authoritie but after the knowledge of the truth and worde of god For a most grieuous and perillous errour are they in which when they should pronounce of matters of the faith turne their eyes to the authoritie of men as though faith and religion depended of the iudgement of men and not rather of the onely word of god Tertullian a most auncient writer derideth the Romanes bicause they consecrated or allowed their Gods after the appoyntment of the Senators and woulde admit none for Gods but such as lyked the Senate And so doe they in these dayes which pronounce of faith and doctrine according to the renoume and authoritie of men which kinde of people are daylye euerywhere seene And for this cause our faith and religion is chieflye condemned of our aduersaries bicause it hath fewe Emperors and Kings fewe Popes Cardinals and Bishops that followe it But howe fowlye these men are deceyued the example of the Iewes declareth whome we reade to haue stumbled at the same stone For when they perceyued the doctrine of Christ somewhat lyked their ministers by and by they beginne to oppresse them with the authoritie of men saying Are yee also deceyued doe any
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
fewe to Hierusalem euen this day that the holy ghost is giuen to the Apostles that among the first they might be wonne vnto Christ by the preachyng of the Apostles as about the ende of this Chapter we shall heare Nowe these men are astonied and woonder at the great myracle of God which they see shewed in the Apostles and they extoll it with many wordes leauyng out nothyng that maketh to the settyng foorth of the same For they both confesse the Apostles are Galileans and they beare witnesse they heare euery one their owne proper phrase of speache and they also recken vp the nations whose tongues they heare them vse Yet they stande not styll in this bashement but goyng further they seeke the ende and vse of this matter saying What meaneth this We are taught by the example of these men who are meete hearers of the doctrine of the Gospell and in whom this doctrine bryngeth foorth worthy fruites They are such which beyng not wholly destitute of religion doe humbly marueyle at the myracles of God and sticke not onely in the outwarde contemplation of them but earnestly thinke of the ende and vse of them God suffereth not these mens studyes to be frustrate whose pleasure it is that men shoulde come to the knowledge of truth And we reade that Salomon sayde If thou seekest after wisdome as after money thou shalt finde hir And Christ saith Seeke and you shall finde Now after these men follow another sort of men whom Christ calleth by the name of Dogges and Swine and the scripture in other places calleth them scorners and mockers For Luke saith there were aswel that mocked the Apostles as those that woondred at them saying These men are full of newe wine The example of these men is set foorth to shewe vs howe farre the wickednesse of such runneth as haue once purposed to persecute the truth For they become incurable and can be reclaymed with no maner of wordes or deedes For with what myracle wyll they be mooued whom this myracle can not mooue which was the greatest that euer was wrought amongst men But they are so farre from being mooued therwith that they take occasion rather to reproche and blaspheme it and they attribute it to the detestable vice of drunkennesse which of force they perceyue to be the workyng of the holy ghost There are diuers examples of this sort apparaunt which serue all to this ende to teache vs that we be not offended with the vniust iudgements of this worlde concernyng the truth For this is alway seene that the doctrine of the Gospell is to some the sauour of lyfe vnto life and to other some the sauour of death vnto death And Paule teacheth vs that Christ crucyfied is a stumblyng block vnto the Iewes and foolishnesse vnto the Greekes Therfore let vs leaue such to the iudgement of God and let vs frame our selues to the doctrine of the Gospell that it beyng quickened in our heartes by the woorkyng of the holy ghost may bryng foorth worthy fruites by the which we may be knowne to be true beleeuers and may enioy the euerlastyng promises of the Gospell in Iesus Christe to whome be blessyng honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .xij. Homelie BVT Peter stepped foorth with the eleuen and lyft vp his voyce and sayde Ye men of Iewry and all ye that dwell at Hierusalem be this knowne vnto you and with your eares heare my words For these men are not drunken as ye suppose seyng it is but the thirde houre of the day But this is that which was spoken by the prophete Ioel. And it shal be in the last dayes saith God of my spirite I wyll poure out vpon all fleshe And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie and your olde men shall dreame dreames And on my seruauntes and on my handmaydes I wyll poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecie WHen Iesus Christ the sonne of God was newely borne into the worlde and was brought by Marie his mother into the Churche accordyng to the appoyntment of Moyses lawe the holy and reuerende olde father Simeon by inspiration of the holy ghost amonge other thynges sayde Beholde this chylde is set to be the fall and vprisyng agayne of many in Israel and for a signe which is spoken agaynst Howbeit that which is spoken of Iesus Christ may be vnderstanded of the Gospell of Christ preached by the Apostles For although the doctrine therof be playne and simple and sheweth also the true way howe to attayne to saluation Yet shall men alwayes haue diuers iudgementes touchyng the same and there shall be no small number of such as shall openly speake agaynst it This dyd Esay the prophete see long agoe who vtteryng a prophecie of Christe and his doctrine begynneth after this sort Who hath giuen credence to our preaching or to whom is the arme of the Lord knowne The Lorde declareth the cause of all this matter where he saith this world can not abyde the lyght bicause the workes therof are euyll The scriptures also set foorth many lyke examples the ende and warnyng of all which is that we shoulde not be offended when the lyke happen in these dayes Among which this example that the Apostles prooued the first day they receiued the holy ghost and went about to administer their office is very notable For where they were indued with a singuler myracle such as the lyke had neuer beene hard of tyll this day which was the vnderstandyng of all languages and preached Iesus Christe in diuers tongues by reason of their hearers of diuers nations by and by the vnconstant people were deuided into sundry and diuers opinions For the more godly sort woondered at the worke of God and diligently searched after the meanyng thereof The wicked scorners accused them of drunkennesse So true it is that Paule saith that Christe seemeth foolishnesse to the wise of this worlde But bicause we spake hereof in the last Sermon let vs haste to the explication of this present place where the fayth and courage of the Apostles is more cleerely and euidently to be seene For they are so litle mooued or feared with the wicked slaunders of men that Peter rather taketh occasion hereof to speak vnto them and with a fruitfull sermon winneth many of them vnto Christ. Before we go about to expounde Peters Sermon let vs consyder what is sayde of hym and the other Apostles Peter sayth hee standyng with the eleuen lyft vp his voyce They stoode therefore without feare and thought neither to flye nor leaue their charge although they were so vniustly iudged And yet there seemed no small cause of feare and desperation For what shoulde they thinke they coulde preuayle in wordes with them whose wicked and frowarde mindes so great a myracle as euer was wrought could not mollifie and mooue But they stoode vnfeared and not onely remayne and tary by it but also begyn to set
worlde betydeth vs for Christes sake And he doth not onely the part of a comforter but is also a most faythfull counsaylour For he telleth vs what to doe and when we be in perplexitie and doubt he lighteth vs the torch of truth by whose conducting we escape the daungers of fayth and ofsaluation Beside all this he is the earnest and sure pledge of our redemption and saluation For as Iesus Christ taking vp into heauen the fleshe that he tooke of vs would haue it there to be a gage of our saluation so he putteth his spirite in our heartes in steede of a pledge to imprint the confidence of saluation in vs and to arme vs strongly agaynst temptations Wherefore he is called of Paule the spirite of adoption because that being regenerated by him we are assured by his testimonie that we be the sonnes and heyres of god Therefore it is not without a cause that the Prophete taketh the gift of this holy spirite amongst all other most to be commended We are also here taught what we ought chiefly to doe in the kingdome of christ In which place we may see the diuers and noysome errours of men which while they followe carnall things onely and vnder the coulour of Christ gape after worldly goodes vse many tymes to denie Christ in their life whome they professe with their mouth And to these shall be ioyned those to whome hereafter it shall be sayde Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Christes kingdome is a spirituall kingdome and not of this world Therefore let vs desire the giftes of the spirite wherewith if we be furnished the other things that we haue neede of shall come of their owne accord Moreouer it is conuenient we see the maner of this promise and to whome it apperteyneth He declareth the maner in this one word of pouring out whereby he promiseth a large and plentifull grace of the spirite As touching the persons to whome he will giue it he treateth more at large saying I will poure out of my spirite vpon all fleshe Therefore this is an vniuersall promise But he addeth for expositions sake sonnes and daughters yong men and olde to teach vs that there is no difference in the kingdome of Christ eyther of age or sexe For in Christ as Paule sayth there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle neyther bonde nor free neyther man nor woman In the meane season least any might thinke that the holy spirite was giuen to good and bad alyke God restrayneth his promise to his seruauntes and handmaydens to the ende we should vnderstande that it ought vniuersally to be expounded of them For where he is the spirite of adoption he can be receyued of none but of them whō God doth vouchsafe to acknowledge for his sonnes But they be sonnes of God which acknowledge him to be their father and call vpon him which serue him which worship him which please him and honour him And although they cannot performe the things that belong to the sonnes of God before they be regenerated by this spirite through the free benefit of God and therforethey be oftentimes vnknowne to vs before we see the effects of the holy ghost in them yet it is euident that none be partakers of this spirite but such as the Lorde taketh for his And he knoweth who be his and so knoweth them that no man can take them out of his hande And here by the waye commeth the difference of the olde and newe Testament to be considered For although one and the same Christ one and the same fayth and way of saluation one and the same spirite is set forth in both of them yet there may be perceyued no little difference wherein easily appeareth howe much greater our dignitie and felicitie is than theirs of the olde Testament This appeareth first in the number of the faythfull and next in the maner of teaching For in the olde Testament it is plaine there were but a small number of worshippers and the knowledge of saluation seemed to be compassed within the boundes of the people of Iurie For the wordes of God be well knowne which he sayth to the Israelites Ye shall be mine owne aboue all Nations For all the earth is mine Ye shall bee vnto me a kingdome of priestes and an holy people Againe You only haue I accepted of all the Nations on the earth For which cause sake me thinketh that is also spoken in the Psalmes In Iewrie is God knowne his name is great in Israell At Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Syon Hee sheweth his worde vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinaunces vnto Israell Hee hath not dealt so with any Nation neyther haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes But in the newe Testament the spirite of the Lorde is poured vppon all fleshe and the way of saluation is stretched to the farthest endes of the earth There it is sayde that they shall come from the East and from the West that shall sitte in the kingdome of God with Abraham Isaac and Iacob There the Apostles receyue a commaundement to preache the Gospell to all Nations There Peter learneth vs howe there is no respect of persons wyth God but in all Nations they that feare him and worke righteousnesse are accepted of him And here is fulfilled that which was spoken before by the Prophete That the barren and desolate should haue more children than shee that was maryed ▪ Againe though there be singuler examples of the faythfull of the olde Testament the like whereof you shall hardly finde in these dayes yet is it plaine that the way and meane of our saluation is now much more manifestly taught than it was woont to be in the olde Testament Before the lawe was published there were in deede large and liberall promises but obscure ynough if we waye them that liued in those dayes which sawe them not as then fulfilled In the lawe our saluation was shadowed with signes and figures but such as whereof many tooke occasion to establishe the righteousnesse of workes Then followed the Prophetes and they declare the mysteryes of Christ somewhere darckely and somewhere more plainely and openly And the thinges which seeme to vs most euident in their writinges seemed without doubt to them in those dayes obscure and darke ynough But in the new Testament the vayle of darcknesse is rent and that light brought in which being come giueth light to all men in the worlde In the Gospell the things are plainely taught which before tyme were hidden and secrete And there fishers and Publicanes see and heare those things which many Prophetes and iust men desired in tymes past to heare and see As touching this plentifull and bounteous gift of the holye ghost and true light thereof Ioel also prophecieth The ende and vse of
kingdome of heauen is at hande The same he commaunded the Apostles to preach not so little as once as may be seene Math. 10. and Luc. 24. Therefore Peter remembring his maister and the commaundement which he gaue biddeth them also to repent and declareth that all he had hitherto sayd touching their iniquitie was not to th ende that he would haue them perish through dispayre but that they should repent and be saued Nowe bicause the holy ghost woulde haue this counsell written and registred for our sake something must be sayde of repentaunce that we may learne also what is requisite for vs to doe The Latines saye that they doe poenitere that is to say repent whom it yrketh or grieueth for that they haue committed whereof is deriued this worde poenitentia repentance The Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the correcting or amending of the minde For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Greekes signifieth that excellenter part of the soule which the Latines call mens the minde Wherevpon the Greekes call that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latines call vnderstanding or perceyuing with the minde We saye therefore that he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to repent which vnderstandeth his error and beginneth earnestlye to thinke of amendement The Hebrues call it Theschubach which is as much to saye as conuersion or turning But bicause this conuersion as the nature of the Greeke word signifieth is referred to the minde we maye briefely define repentance to be a conuersion or turning of the minde vnto God from that which is euill and naught The worde of God prooueth this definition speaking thus by Hieremie If thou wilt returne thee ô Israell then returne vnto me And in other places the Scriptures saye they are gone from God which haue sinned Whereof it followeth necessarily that repentaunce whereby we renounce sinne ought to be called a returning and conuersion vnto god And the diligent consideration of this definition helpeth most grieuous errors For there are some which when they haue sinned vse to turne vnto creatures and to the workes of their owne hands and so pollute themselfe with a double fault as the Lorde sayth while they forsake the fountaine of the liuely water and digge themselues pittes that will holde no water There are another sort that imagine penance to be a game or stage playe and thinke it sufficient if after the maner of the Iewish hypocrites they light waxe candles burne incense go barefooted weare hearecloth and doe such lyke exercises the superstition wherof long sithens hath bene condemned by the preaching of the Prophetes See Esay 1.58 Hos. 6. Mich. 6. Zach. 7. But we shall well vnderstand that all these things doe little profite vs if we consider that repentance is a conuersion or turning of the minde vnto god Herevnto belongeth that which the Lord speaketh Turne vnto me with all your heart in fasting weeping and lamentation Rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne to the Lorde your god c. Also we may learne hereby howe manye parts of penaunce there be and wherein it consisteth The chiefe poynt is the acknowledging of our sinne for except we haue that we can neyther be sorye for our sinne nor turne from it vnto god This knowledge is taken out of the glasse of the law which doth not only detect open notorious sinnes but also discloseth the nature of sinne that lieth hidden in vs as Paule teacheth Terror of conscience sorrow of minde contrition follow the knowledge of sinne wherof we spake euen now For it cannot be but he must altogither be afrayde must sorow be contrite in hart that beholdeth in the law the countenance of God which is angry with the heynousnesse of his sinne And suche is the force of this contrition and sorrowe that it extorteth and forceth vs to confesse our sinne not in another mans eare whereof there is neyther commaundement in all the Scripture nor example but euen vnto God himselfe that we be miserable and sinnefull wretches as Iohn the Apostle teacheth vs in his first Epistle and first Chapter To confession is ioyned inuocation which by no meanes can be seperated from it Nowe of all these springeth a feruent desire of amendment of life and not of life onely but as much as maye be of our whole nature For nowe a man beginneth to mortify his flesh now he desireth to die to the world and to be crucifyed with Christ. He is now wholy set on fire with the desire of holynesse innocencie He burneth in the loue of righteousnesse and truth He is wholy occupied in good woorks the exercise wherof he heareth coÌ„mended of God hauing in the meane whyle no regard to them which are prescribed by the superstitious traditions of men Finally bicause he knoweth that all the fountayne of this euill sprang of going from God and his worde he laboureth to addresse himselfe againe wholy to the worde of God and to all his lyfe after the rule of god And this is no purpose or intent for a fewe of dayes only but a permanent and a continuall such as by reason of our continuall slippes and falles is nâ—edefull euery day to be renued For as the iust man falleth seauen times a daye so hee vseth seuen times a daye to rise agayne Hereby it appeareth what Peter would haue them to doe verily to acknowledge their sinnes to feare the iudgement of God to be sory for their offences to be contrite in hart to confesse their faults vnto God and to beseeche him of his grace and finally to labour to amende their lyfe to mortifie the fleshe to giue themselues to innnocencie holynesse righteousnesse and charitie To this purpose the Prophete cryeth Let the vngodly man forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lorde c. Let euery man thinke this is spoken to him and compare his lyfe with these things and it shall easily appeare what wayes he ought to take and what to refrayne The seconde thing that Peter requireth he expoundeth in these wordes Bee you euery one baptised in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes This precept seemeth to conteyne in it two things For first in that he will haue them to be baptised in the name of Christ he sendeth them to Christ and sheweth them that saluation and forgiuenesse of sinne is to bee founde in Christ onely So Christ commaunded them to preach shewing them that remission of sinnes ought to be declared in his name And it was necessarye bicause of the Phariseyes doctrine which taught that men were iustifyed by their owne workes which opinion also manye holde in these dayes And surely if Peter had required nothing but penaunce he might seeme to haue consented to their doctrine But seeing he sendeth them that repent vnto Christ he teacheth
be not mollifyed with the knowledge of Iesus Christ which only seasoneth the mindes of men to saluation and maketh them fruitefull but become the more sauage and of purpose reiect and impugne the same certes they plainly ynough bewray that they be of the number of reprobates of whose saluation nothing is to bee hoped Therefore Peter cleareth his hearers of this sinne to declare that they ought not despaire of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and of saluation bicause they sinned not of purpose but of ignorance And it is lyke he had a respect vnto the prayers of Christ which for this cause prayed for them that crucified him saying Father forgiue them for they know not what they do This place is diligently to be considered to thintent we may learne what that ignorance is whereby sinnes are mittigated and excused For in the Scripture we finde two kindes of ignoraunces The first is of those that be wicked and openly rebell against God which we may call a wilfull ignorance bicause men will be ignorant of that they might know and learn. Example hereof we haue in Pharao which sayeth he knoweth not God notwithstanding long before he knew him by his wonders daily wrought and desired his ministers to praye to God for him and a little before his death sayde The God of the Hebrues fighteth against vs. See Exod. 5. and 14. Such was the ignoraunce of those Iewes which when they had asked counsell of Ieremie tolde him to his face they woulde not obey his worde Such is the ignorance of a number in these dayes which excuse their superstition with the cloke of ignorance and saye they were none otherwise taught And in the meane season refuse the truth offered them will not heare it flie them that would teach them and stoppe their eares lyke serpents This is an ignorance inexcusable bicause it damneth and stoppeth vp the way to amendement Yea Christ testifieth that this is the condemnation of the worlde that men flie the light and wilfullye and wittinglye wrappe themselues in darkenesse least their workes should be reprooued There is another kinde of ignoraunce which springeth of a zeale of godlynesse and the glorie of God whereby men persecute the truth not for the truthes sake but bicause they thinke the glory and worship of God is diminished thereby It is lyke that many sinned through this ignorance against Christ bicause they thought him an enimie of Moses and the lawe of the Temple and of all the seruice appointed by God. And Paule seduced by a like zeale persecuted the Church of christ And thereby he sayeth diuers of the Iewes offended This ignoraunce is worthye of pardon for none other cause but for that it is contented to be corrected and amended which if men refuse then are they culpable of that first and incurable kinde of ignorance Let them marke well this difference which now a dayes eyther flatter themselues or other men vnder the pretence of ignorance For it is euident that many offende of malice and frowardnesse Unto these things he addeth an argument taken from the prouidence of God for the better perswading them that they should be pardoned and saued God sayth he which before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophetes howe Christ shoulde suffer hath thus wise fulfilled The strength of the argument is in this that God vsed their sinne to a good purpose and that therefore they ought not to distrust the fauour of god For it is as much as if he shoulde say you can not nor ought not to denie but you haue committed an heynous offence Howbeit you must not despayre therfore but rather respect the ende wherevnto the great goodnesse of God hath directed all this your doing Your meaning was to blot and wipe out all remembraunce of Christ from amonge men Bicause you thought he was an enimie to God and to true religion ignoraunce blinded you whereby it came to passe that you were madde against the sonne of god But the ende of all this tragedie was most ioyfull For God by this meane which thing no man euer hoped hath fulfilled his eternall counsell of mannes redemption and hath accomplished whatsoeuer in tymes passed was prophecied by the Prophetes Why therfore shoulde you despaire of saluation which you heare is nowe obtayned and gotten Why shoulde you mistrust the goodnesse of God which in your wickednesse as you see hath bene so mercifull Surely God will neuer cast you of bicause of this your sinne which he hath so ordered and directed to your commoditie so that you refuse not his wisedome which nowe is declared vnto you We are hereby taught againe how we should vse the prouidence of God not to seeke therin a defence for our wickednesse but the instruction of our faith and life and the comfort of our mindes For the Apostle so quiteth not the Iewes that he chargeth God with the murthering of Christ but sheweth that God directed the Iewes fact to a good ende and purpose So if we or others offende let vs acknowledge the fault to be in our selfe and not so excuse our selues to make God the author of our wickednesse And if anye goodnesse fall out of our wickednesse yet then let vs not thinke we be altogither faultlesse but let vs embrace the goodnesse of God which turneth the wickednesse that deserued damnation to our saluation We alleaged an example hereof before in the hystorie of Ioseph which was solde away by his brethren to the which if you ioyne this example also you shall as it were in a glasse behold all the reason of this controuersie and matter Furthermore let vs not harcken to them which saye we may sinne on hardly seeing the glorye of God and our saluation is aduaunced by our sinning For as Paule teacheth vs we maye not doe euill that good may follow therof Nay the more arguments we haue of Gods goodnesse toward vs the more we ought to be sorie for our sinnes and to obey the will of god Let vs also here marke that we must not rashly iudge of other mens sinnes They must be examined by the rule of Gods worde We must not hastilye thunder out the sentence of damnation bicause we doe not alwaye knowe the counsell of Gods prouidence which perhaps vseth him whome we of priuate and to hastie affection ment to condemne to the furtheraunce and saluation of manye a man See what is sayde of these iudgementes Mathew 7. Let vs now see the counsell that Peter giueth touching saluation which he comprehendeth in fewe wordes saying Repent you and conuert that your sinnes may be done away This saying contayneth in it both a commaundement and a promise The commaundement is the very same that he gaue to them before that were pricked with the consideration of their sinnes He vttereth one thing in two words First he commaundeth them to repent which properly comprehendeth acknowledging of sinne contrition of hart Whosoeuer will giue
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
rage like the sea being troubled and tossed with the waues and sourges of affections We haue examples hereof euerywhere and in these dayes we see very many For who is ignoraunt howe the light of the Gospell is pierced so farre in our dayes that the very Popes haue many times confessed grieuous abuses in their Church They knowe also that not only the learned but also artificers mariners Carters ploughmen children and women can reason and iudge of religion They see euerywhere how they be reprooued in Sermons by the ministers of the worde howe the common people mocke them howe in publike songes they are nicked and accused and most liuelye set forth and portraytured in all kinde of pictures and payntinges And yet they still chalenge all kinde of iudgement in the Church Still they say they cānot erre forgetting vndoubtedly how they haue oftentimes confessed diuers abuses to be crept into the Church Yet they dare commaunde the Ministers to silence being not ignorant that though they holde their peace the stones will preach as these many yeares they haue prooued and tryed by their Pasquill Yet they still thinke the crakes of their Bulles and their vaine and counterfayte lightnings are of sufficient power to oppresse the truth of Christ now reigning O blinde and foolish people which see not so great light O wicked and deuilishe men which in the sight of all the worlde are not afrayde to striue against God But they shall one day feele howe vnhappy an ende they shall haue who being like vnto Saule will not haue Dauid to reigne ouer them and like vnto the Bishops of the Iewes go about to put Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid out of his kingdome Furthermore we learne by the example of these men howe daungerous a thing it is to committe the rule and authoritie of the Church to men voyde of religion and the feare of god There can be no wisedome in them bicause the beginning of wisedome as Salomon witnesseth is the feare of the Lorde Therefore they runne beyonde the compasse of all reason into all kinde of licentious affections and then thinke they haue well discharged their office if they can notifye to all men that they are not vnder the checke eyther of Gods lawe or mannes It would therefore be chiefely regarded in all elections aswell of ciuill as ecclesiasticall gouernors that they shoulde haue a speciall care what religion they are of as Iethro counsayled Moyses whose aduise God well liked and approoued And let them which are put in office thinke that they haue not power giuen them to doe what they list but that their authoritie is restrained within the boundes of Gods lawe and religion and that they shall one daye giue an account vnto God who in the Scripture is sette forth for a paterne and president of all true iudgement If Magistrates consider not these things then is their power but in the hande as it were of a madde man and they shall be the destruction as well of their common weale as of themselues where they ought to be the fathers and preseruers of their countrie See the Psalme 94. c. Finally here may we behold as in a glasse the disposition and propertie of the worlde Here are three sorts of men all burning in hatred against the truth and desirous to haue Christes name extinguished The first sort be they which chalenge to themselues the glorye of mans redemption and saluation such as it appeareth the Priestes of the Iewes once were when they had turned the Temple and worship of God into a most filthy Fayer and market place as Christ vpbrayded them more than once Their successors in these dayes be those which say the keyes of the kingdome of heauen belong only vnto them and call sinners to kisse their feete selling to them remission and forgiuenesse of their sinnes saying it is in their power eyther to canonize men for Saints in heauen or else to throw them downe headlong into hell Who while they go about to establishe their owne glorie can by no meanes abide the name of Christ which ouerturneth all their gaine and glory The seconde sort is very like vnto these They will not affirme they can saue others but they thinke they are able to saue themselues and as Paule sayth going about with the Iewes to establishe their owne righteousnesse will not be vnder the righteousnesse of God which he giueth vs in his sonne These men stande to their fastinges holydayes almesses Rosaries lyings on the grounde ▪ Mattens Monkes and Friers Cowles hereclothes shauings pylgrimages and an infinite number of such like wherin they both waste and weare their bodies and spende much money These also are the enimies of christ For they see that if we admit Christ all their righteousnesse falleth to the grounde and that they are to be laughed at which wearie and toyle themselfe with such traueyle and are at so great cost and charge in vaine The thirde sort are openlye wicked and hogges of Epicures hearde which onely professe a name of religion bicause they would not be taken for prophane and godlesse people These men cannot abide the worde of God bicause it reprooueth their sinne and wickednesse as Christ sometime sayde For they perceyue that they must eyther chaunge their maners or else go for naughtie packes amongst all that are godly Yet can all the sort of them craftily dissemble their corrupt nature and will not seeme to wreake their owne quarrell they defame the doctrine of Christ of vprore and sedition saying it is cause of all trouble miserie and calamitie It is well knowne howe Achab sayd that Elias disturbed the whole Realme of Israell It is well knowne howe Amasias the Priest of Bethel said that Amos the Prophete conspired against the king and that the countrie coulde not abide his sermons Wherevnto also may be referred what the Iewes in Egipt charged Ieremy with to his face as we reade in the .xliiij. Chapter of his booke And it shall appeare hereafter that this people had none other pretence in the .v. Chapter Nay woulde God they were content to doe but as the world in time past did and woulde not shewe a worse nature in these dayes It is good for vs to know these things that it seeme no straunge matter vnto vs when we heare how Christes wholesome doctrine is forbidden Let vs follow the constancie of the Apostles whereof shall be spoken in the next Sermon that when we haue ouercome the menaces and attemptes of the worlde we may attaine to true saluation in Iesus Christ to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxix. Homelie BVT Peter and Iohn answered and sayde vnto them whether it be right in the sight of God to harken vnto you more than to God iudge you For we cannot but speake that which we haue seene and hearde So threatened they them and let them go and founde nothing howe
to shew our sâ—lues lesse obedient vnto god Daniels fellowes through the consideration hereof refused to obey Nabuchodonozers proclamation wherein he commaunded an ymage to be worshipped against the commaundement of god And Daniel constantly helde on in calling vpon the true God against the Kings proclamation God allowed and approued their obedience with rare and singular myracles There are infinite like examples in the Martyres whome euery man must confesse to haue bene verye fooles if Princes proclamations and commaundementes might haue prescribed Gods preceptes The same ought we to obserue in the duties we owe to our parentes as we are taught by the example of Christ who being chydden of his mother bicause he taried in the Citie without the knowledge of hir and Ioseph aunswered Wyst you not that I must be aboute my fathers businesse The religion of Monkishe vowes is most foolishe and causeth the obseruers of them to commit double offence For while they vowe those things which partly they are not able to perfourme and partly are contrary to the expresse commaundements of God they doe grieuously sinne And that done bicause they would be taken for very religious persons they obstinately holde on in the things they haue vngodly and foolishly vowed albeit they be taught a better waye being lyke vnto Herode who bicause he woulde not seeme periured ioyned murther vnto his vnaduised oth Therfore the safest waye is that we remember what dutie we owe vnto God and promise nor doe nothing for any mannes sake that shall be against the saâ—e And if any thing escape vs vnawares to acknowledge our fault and not to performe our promises with more wickednesse than we made them And if any shall be founde so insolent and prowde that will haue their authoritie to be taken greater than Gods to set our selues against their impietie with an holy and godlye boldenesse as we see in this place Peter and Iohn did Also the Apostles aunswere teacheth vs with what argumentes the Ministers of the Gospell must arme themselues against the assaultes of the worlde For we haue sayde before how the worlde will alwayes hinder the preaching of the Gospell and daylie experience teacheth it Therefore first they must consider that it is Gods commaundement the gospell should be preached that the ministerie of this preaching belongeth to them for that they are called and sent of God about this businesse Therfore if should be a token of wicked and vngracious temeritie to denye God their seruice as Amos well sawe which sayde to the people of his dayes that liked not his propheticall rebukes When a Lyon roareth who will not bee afrayde Seeing then the Lorde God himselfe speaketh who will not prophecie For he sawe howe vnhappily it succeeded with Ionas when he would haue shunned the office of preaching to the Niniuites Therefore Paule cryeth out woe to me if I preach not the Gospell Agayne let them consider howe the testimonie of truth is committed to them and of that truth which concerneth the chiefe glory of Christ and the saluation of mankinde Therefore if they conceale anye thing for fauour of men it can not be but they must committe treason against God and be accounted the publike enimies of mankinde Finally let them remember howe they shall one day come before Christ the Iudge who will not onely punishe eternally the false embasers and corrupters of the talent committed to them but also them that hide their talent and labour not as much as in them is to winâ—e men vnto christ These things must we set against the vaine terrors of the world and then shall we not much passe for them which neyther will haue the waye of saluation plainly taught nor false Christians to be reprooued nor open malefactors to be accused Howbeit this is much to be marueyled at that Luke wryteth the Apostles were let go when they had openly refused to obey them considering there remayned still in the Iudges an obstinate will to persecute the Gospell For least any man might thinke the Councell yeelded to their reasons he saith They threatned them and let them go These things expresse the condicions of the wicked and the great hatred they beare to the truth wherewith being blinded they can neyther giue place to anye reason nor yet feare the iudgement of god Neyther haue they any thing to answere Peters arguments And yet they threaten still And other colour of their doing haue they none but that they thinke the Apostles vnworthy wyth whome to haue any long disputation In the meane time this example teacheth vs that the faithfull so ouercome not that they enioye long anye rest or quiet in this worlde For the worlde continuallye breatheth â—ute threates and the enimies of truth once ouercome are still prouoking to the fight So Elias although he had ouercome the Priestes of Baal in Carmele both by his doctrine and myracle shewed by God and had put them to death yet Iesabel the Queene prepareth freshe persecution and entrappings against him Therfore let the souldiours of Christ neuer gyue them to carelesnesse although they perceyue they haue ouercome their enimyes but let them remember their triumph must be vnder the Crosse vntill tâ—ey be deliuered out of the pryson of the fleshe and shall raigne with Christ in Heauen where they shall haue no occasion to feare Tyrauntes any more But some man may marueyle how the Apostles are let go free from their most cruell enimies considering their great power and authoritie Luke therefore declareth the cause hereof saying They founde no way to punish them bycause of the people For all men praysed God bycause of that which was done For the man was aboue fourtie yere olde on whome thys Myracle of healing was wrought Here is the marueylous power of God to be considered who so easily can bridle the wicked They were of suche power and authoritie before that they were onely taken for Lordes and Rulers and stoode in awe of no mans power But lo they are afrayde of the people and coystrell Commones So God which hath set the flytting and rolling sande for lymites and boundes against the sea a most raging element which the sea can not passe except he permit it doth set most times the people the vnconstantest thing that is against most mightie tyrants or else brydâ—eth them by other vnaccustomed and vnlooked for meanes so that they are not able to doe that against the weake succorlesse people which they most gladly woulde and seemeth most easily to be done So he sometime defended the Patriarches in the middest of the lande of Chanaan putting a certaine secret feare in the mindes of the Chananites So he wythhelde Saul from persecuting of Dauid by the Philisteans and through theyr helpe defended Dauid being his greatest enimies And now through feare of the people keepeth the Priestes that they lay not handes on the Apostles which people before that with a sauage bethleem
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
whome they thought good to haue the distribution thereof vntill Deacons were ordeyned by publike consent of the congregation to take that office vpon them Neyther did the Apostles so publishe the money brought vnto them that euery man might take therof what he lysted but distribution was made to euery man according as he had neede Therefore there was here no disordinate communion of goodes no confusion of things no vyolent vsurping of other mens goodes such as the phrenetyke and seditious ymagine And if we consider all the circumstaunces well it shall easily appeare that this contribution was ordeined to the ende that the Church might haue some publike treasure to help to serue the poore that they neede not be compelled through pouertie to shrinke from the fayth of Christ and the bodye of the congregation And they had no part of these goodes who eyther had goodes of their owne or were able by any honest labour to get their lyuing Here haue we to consider how Ecclesiasticall goodes should be vsed The beginning of them was such as is here declared For as in the primitiue Church those that were of the rycher sort of their godly liberalitie gaue their goodes to the Church so came it to passe in the dayes afterwarde that as the number of christians increased Kings and Princes and others who had great wealth following the example of these men inriched Churches and Colleges with yearely reuenues and tythes as manye olde foundations testifye Wylling that these goodes should be so vsed that by them true doctryne might be conserued and the poore maintayned who they knewe were chiefely commended of Christ to his Church Which vse were meete in these dayes also eyther to be obserued in Churches or beyng decayed to be restored if we wyll haue a forme and presydent of the primitiue Church remayning But we may easilyer with sighing seeke thys vse than call it agayne For vngodlynesse is come to such boldenesse that a many are not afrayde to chalenge to themselues those things which in tymes past our auncestours of their liberalitie gaue to the whole congregation And here in thys poynt we haue seene all the reformations almost of the Churches in our dayes stoppe as though it had bene sufficient to haue taken from Monkes and Fryers the administration of Church goodes and not rather to haue restored them agayne to the auncient and right vse wherefore they were first ordeyned and serued Yea it were better to leaue them still to those filthie hypocrytes than to stumble at the same stone with them And if we ought according to the example of the primitiue Church to bestow our owne goods vpon the congregation if neede so requyre then must they grieuously sinne which gyuing nothing of their owne openly bereaue men of that which other haue gyuen them Hereof we see it commeth to passe that both the poore are neglected and Ministers the more rare and selde and all religion decayeth But let vs see the singuler fruite of this christian distribution whiche Luke intermedleth with this discription that we maye hereby perceyue what we haue in these dayes to trust to which so easily neglect the exercise thereof The Euangelist sheweth a double commoditie ensuyng hereof First it came to passe that none among them lacked Wherefore they fulfilled the lawe that commaundeth there shoulde bee no begger in Israell This seemeth nowe a dayes an impossible thing to many while they consider the multitude of the poore But they are confuted by the example of the primatiue church For by what reason can it seeme impossible to them that liue in rest and peace seeing the godlye brought it to passe in the midst of their enimies in a bloudthirstie Citie Were they able with theyr owne goodes to finde all their poore and shall we furnished with the helpe of rich donations and great treasures wherewith the Churches in tymes passed haue beene indowed thinke it impossible for vs to doe Let a meane be obserued that euery one may haue according to his neede and we shall perceyue we shall be holpen with the blessing of the Lord and liberalitie of the godly in such wyse that we shall find no such lacke herafter That which we requyre is both difficult and impossible bicause the thing is handled preposterously and out of order For they haue least which haue most neede and on them is most bestowed whose partes it had bene to giue their owne goodes to the Church And if we would consider what daunger trouble and discommoditie both publikely and priuately vseth to ensue of the multitude of beggers and poore we should see that the commoditie of this christian contribution which the primitiue church receyued was of inestimable value But one other commoditie springeth of this that great grace was with them that is they were in fauor and accepted with all the people and with those also that as yet were not illuminated with the knowledge of christ For such is the force of liberalitie that it draweth very enimyes to woonder at it and loue it And bicause the Lorde taketh it as bestowed on him that is giuen to the poore in his name he vseth to recompence them with this rewarde that they shall be in fauour and authoritie with many men If we would consider this one thing wâ— should not marueyle why they be hated and enuyed which professe the Gospell For besides that the worlde hateth the light of the truth and God will haue vs exercised and invred with the naughtinesse thereof our stonie heartes which neglect the christian pouertie deserueth the same to say nothing in the meane while of our naughtinesse whereby we hale to vs the goodes of the Church vnder colour of refourming the Gospell A number of poore in the meane while criyng out to whose finding and reliefe the same should haue gone Let vs compare the vsage of the primitiue Church with those thinges that we doe and then if we be not ashamed of our selues we shall worthily be called men not onely without blushing but also of more impudencie than harlots Howbeit he addeth to thys treatise a singuler example of beneuolence and christian collation that one Ioses a Leuyte of Cyprus shewed who solde hys lande and layde the price thereof downe at the Apostles feete that is to be bestowed as they thought good It maye seeme that thys example is therefore first declared before the example of Ananias and Sapphira to the intent their naughtynesse mought be the more perceyued who coulde not be mooued with so notable a Presydent The holy Ghost also teacheth vs howe they ought to be commended which shewe any notable token of vertue that the prouocation of their prayse might stirre vppe the mindes of other of more towardnesse to followe them Twee thinges are tolde of Ioses which make hym the more to be commended For where he was a Leuyte he was conuerted to the fayth of Christ to whome the priestes were moste enimyes
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
most high and vnder the shadowe of the almightie although a thousande fall beside him and tenne thousande on his right hande Luke in this present hystorie giueth vs an euident example hereof where he declareth what they did with the Apostles in the Counsell wherein we shall heare they were whipped and so escaped the handes of their enimies Yet before the Euangelist commeth therevnto first hee describeth howe the Priestes accused the Apostles and howe they aunswered and defended themselues Hereof at this present we purpose to saye so much as the Lord shall giue vs grace and leysure for The Apostles are accused by the high Priest who also is the chiefe Iudge in this controuersie Neyther doth he so accuse them as though it were a matter doubtfull wherein they had offended but his intent is with great exaggeration of wordes to fraye them and almost to ouerwhelme them as persons conuicted of heynous offences For he sayth Did not we straightly commaunde you that you shoulde not teach in this name And beholde you haue filled Ierusalem with your doctrine and intende to bring this mannes bloude vpon vs. By which wordes if they be well marked we shall perceyue the Apostles are accused not of one but of diuers most weightie offences For first they accuse them of contumacie and disobedience bicause they continued preaching agaynst the manifest Edict and decree of the sacred Counsell And this was no small offence bicause the authoritie of the high Priest was of great account euen by Gods appoyntment and it was death to resist him Furthermore they might be called transgressors and breakers of Goddes constitution in that neyther being called nor annoynted they tooke vppon them so boldlye the Priestes authoritie and to teache as we reade Corah with those of his conspiracie did And that the Bishops had a speciall care that none shoulde thrust themselues into the roume of teachers except they had taken their orders of them after the accustomed maner appeareth by this that they oftentimes demaunded of Iohn the Baptist and of Christ who gaue them authoritie to teach as they did But the seconde crime is more grieuous where they saye they had filled all Ierusalem with their doctrine For this is as if a man would saye It is an heinous offence that you haue thus continued teaching against the Counsels decree But in that you haue spreade abrode yours that is to say a new and false doctrine this is by no meanes to be suffered forasmuch as God in the beginning appoynted them to dye that were authours of anye false doctrine To these they adde yet a third offence more heynous grieuous than the rest where they saye you meane to bring this mannes bloude on vs. For by these wordes they charge them with sedition as though therfore they preached to the people that Iesus Christ was vniustly put to death bicause they woulde incense and mooue the mindes of the people agaynst them as open tyrauntes But it is a marueylous matter that they nowe so much abhorre to be charged with Christes death seeing before Pylate they tooke vppon them with solemne protestation all the fault thereof For when they perceyued Pylate somewhat slacke to pronounce sentence of death agaynst him bicause it stoode not with his conscience they cryed His bloude be vpon vs and vpon our children And nowe as though they had forgotten all this they thinke they are much wronged to be counted the authors of such an offence This is the perpetuall guyse of the vngodly that although they glory in their wickednesse as the holye Psalmist sayth and seeke prayse of their mischieuous actes yet will they not haue them reprooued and accused by the worde of God. But chiefely we haue here to consider the tyrannie and insolencie of false and wicked Bishops which when they haue gotten the supremacie in the Church vnder the colour of Gods ordinance dare exact and require what pleaseth them and will haue men obey their commaundementes without further adoe Hereof came it to passe that they thought the Apostles had so grieuously offended bicause they continued teaching contrary to their commaundement And would to God this tyranny had reigned but in the daies passed only and did not in these days also beare to great a swinge For since the Bishops of Rome haue persuaded the people that they be the lawfull successors of the Apostles and that it is sayd vnto them he that heareth me heareth you I will giue you the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. We see howe they are gone so farre that they haue not onelye chaunged lawes and times as Daniel prophecied long sithence Chap. vij but also they saye they are not to be reprehended though they shoulde by heapes tumble mennes soules into hell See the .xl. Distinction Chapter If the Pope O shamelesnesse O blindnesse And yet euen in these dayes when they see their iuggling and craft disclosed by the light of the Gospell they dare require obedience of vs and striue most egarly for them where they ought with all diligence to defende both their owne libertie and theirs which are committed to their charge of which libertie Christ is the author Let vs also here marke what crimes the Ministers are commonlye charged with For the worlde holdes his owne and striueth against the truth at this daye euen with the same weapons and sleightes that it vsed at the beginning Disobedience and contumacie was alwayes layde to the charge of Gods Ministers and that they woulde be Lordes and Rulers and obeye neyther Princes proclamations nor Counsels decrees They were also called deceyuers and beginners of sedition as men delighting in tumultes and vprores There are many examples hereof in Moses and the Prophetes Achab calleth Elias the disturber and troubler of the people of Israel and sayth he is his enimie He sayth also he hateth Micheas bicause he prophecieth nothing but aduersities and troubles towardes him Amos is accused to Ieroboam for that the Citie and whole Countrie coulde not awaye with his sermons They laye to Ieremies charge that he feareth the mindes of the souldiers with his sermons whose strength serued for the defence of the Countrie and they openly saye he was the cause of all the aduersitie trouble that they suffred What things the enimies of Christ layde to his charge are more manifest than neede greatly to be rehearsed It is no marueyle therefore if the Apostles be charged with the lyke and as many as in these dayes followe their steppes Let no man therefore to rashly beleeue those which lay such faults to the Ministers charge but let him search the truth that he be not deceiued through to rash iudgement In the meane season let vs acknowledge the naughtynesse of the worlde and the ingratitude of the people who being blinded take them for their enimies by whose ministerie the benefite of saluation is offred them But let vs
heare the Apostles aunswere very Apostolike and venerable by reason of the grauitie thereof which may be deuided into three partes First they put awaye the crime of disobedience Secondly they aunswere the other two obiections briefely And last of all they declare the whole matter of Christs kingdome if happily they might winne any of them vnto the same The fault of disobedience they excuse briefely not denying they were forbidden to preache but replying that they ought to obey God more than men Which sentence they before also so propounded that they made the Priestes themselues Iudges thereof bicause all men endued with common reason and vnderstanding might easilye perceyue the authoritie and truth thereof But forasmuch as they perceyue the Priestes growne to such impudencie that they sticke not to preferre their owne authoritie before Gods they boldlye and plainely repeate the same agayne In these wordes we may learne the true trade of obedience For they deny not that men must be obeyed to whome God hath giuen rule ouer vs such as be our parentes teachers Officers maisters and Lords but that we must obey God more than them They therefore appoynt certaine boundes and limittes of obedience within the compasse whereof they must walke which shall prescribe others what to doe For parentes haue left them their authoritie ouer their children Magistrates haue their power reserued by doctrine of the Gospell ouer their subiectes And that authoritie which God hath giuen to the Ministers of his worde must not be broken or violated And Peter in another place commaundeth seruants to obey their maisters though they be vnreasonable and waywarde The lyke reason is also of persons maried and of all others whome God hath made superiours ouer other But if they beginne to abuse their power and dignitie and will take vpon them to commaunde things contrary to the lawes of God and to the dutie that we owe him we must then run vnto the rule of Peter not suffer the authoritie of man and counterfayte shewe of Gods institution to preiudice or derogate any thing from Gods commaundement For assoone as they beginne to passe their boundes and to resist God they are but meere men and not to be accounted as the ministers of god But bicause we haue spoken hereof before let these fewe wordes suffice for this time Secondly they aunswere the other two crimes in one saying The God of our fathers hath raysed vp agayne Iesus whome yee slewe and hanged on tree In fewe wordes they dispatch two things The first is the God of our fathers hath raysed vp Iesus that is to saye we preache that Iesus and sauiour which we haue not imagined of our owne heade but which the God of our fathers once promised yea whome he from euerlasting ordeyned to be the sauiour of the world Therfore no man ought to accuse our doctrine eyther as new or false And I see none other cause why they make mention of the fathers but for that they woulde put them in minde of the promises reuealed to the fathers concerning christ Where by the waye may be perceyued the antiquitie and infallible certaintie of the Christian fayth and religion And we maye vse the same argument in these dayes against them which accuse our doctrine of newnesse and falshoode For why is it called new which preacheth Christ that was promised from the beginning of the world Why is it called false which sheweth vs saluation in him that is the way the light and the truth The seconde is where he speaketh of Iesus saying whom ye slewe and hanged on tree As though he should say we go not about to bring vpon you the blode of Christ nor to charge you with his death For you your selues were the authors principalles of that heynous deede you condemned him by your consents delyuered him to Pylate you required him to be put to death when Pylate iudged him to be let loose It was you that sayd His bloud be vpon vs vpon our children These things al men know bicause they were openly done And though we would holde our peace yet the thing it selfe cryeth out and will not be kept hid c. We learne by the Apostles example with what constancie and libertie we must cope with the professed enimies of the truth It behooueth vs boldly to defend the quarrel of the truth We must also freely reprooue their wickednes that they thinke not men be afraid of them For such is the nature of wicked Bishops that the more they be feared the more fierce they waxe bicause they think their craft is not yet espied But if a man withstand them to their face then their combe is cut Hence springeth that constancie of the prophets wherby they withstoode most mightie princes For this cause Christ which was the myldest of all other men seemeth to thunder when he hath to doe with the Scribes Phariseis whom he knew to be altogither incurable Therfore their modestie is preposterous that now a dayes flatter Popes Bisshops who in deede are greater enimies of the truth worse than the Iewishe Priests Howbeit least they might seeme to neglect them which perhaps might be woonne they briefly set forth the whole hystory of Christ and of our saluation and confirme the same with most sure testimonies which is the thirde part of this Apologie or defence For they say Him hath God lift vp with his right hand to be a ruler and a Sauiour for to giue repentance vnto Israel and forgiuenesse of sinnes And we be witnesses or recordes hereof c. In these wordes both Christ himselfe and the maner and meane whereby he giueth vs saluation is described And they saye Christ is not onely a sauiour but the Prince of saluation exalted by the right hande and power of god In the Scriptures mention is oftentimes made howe Christ is a King and Prince chiefely in the Psalmes and sermons of the Prophetes For herevnto belong the things reade in the Psalmes ij xlv.lxxxix.cx c. Mich. 5. And the Aungell Gabriel seemeth to haue alluded herevnto where he sayth he shall sit in the chaire of Dauid his father and of his kingdome shall be none end Thus the holy ghost teacheth vs that Christ is not only the minister of our saluation but is the author which by his owne power hath deliuered vs from the tyrannie of the deuill also that he is so mightie a sauiour that no man is able to resist him Neither did he by force take vnto him that honor but when he had most lowly humbled himselfe that name was giuen vnto him that is aboue all names in the which euery knee shoulde bowe c. This serueth for our comfort in temptations For where Christ is a mightie king whome the right hande of God hath exalted and to whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth it shall be an easie matter for him to defende vs neyther
Euangelist Luke yesterdaye declared vnto vs what crymes the highe Priest obiected to the Apostles and howe the Apostles aunswered them Which hystory serueth chiefly to this purpose that we myght vnderstande with what crymes the wycked are wonte to defame the truth and the Ministers thereof and also what constancie and boldenesse it behooueth vs to vse in the defence of the same Where the first and chiefe care must be for the dutie that we owe vnto God that for any mans fauour or pleasure we offende not against the same Then we must take heede that through our fearefulnesse our enimies waxe not the more insolent as it appeareth their propertie is Furthermore we must constantly holde fast and keepe the confession of Christ that we be not ashamed of him before men who was not ashamed to become man and suffer death for our sake Nowe it foloweth what effect this aunswere or Apologie had with the wicked enimies of Christ which is a verie notable place bicause it reprooueth both the incurable obstinacie of the wicked and also teacheth vs howe easilie God beateth downe theyr bloudy enterprises First speaking of those which had conceaued an implacable hatred against the truth he sayth when they heard that they claue a sunder and were as men ready to burst for anger For it spited the prowde and ambitious men to see their authoritie so little regarded and it seemed a thing to them intollerable to here the truth of Christ so boldly and stoutely defended Therfore in the verie presence of the Apostles they consult howe to put them to death And it is verie lyke they rather vsed furious exclamations than any graue deliberation This example teacheth vs that the wicked and reprobate which are hardned in the hatred of Christ can no maner of waye be mytygated and mollified For such can not receiue the holy ghost who onelye hath power to alter and chaunge the hartes as we sayde in the last sermon For although the outwarde worde of God pierce their mindes and touch their consciences yet it hardeneth them and maketh them the more fierce And as great heate in the vpper region of the ayre dissolueth not a colder matter drawne vp thyther but maketh it congeale into yse Euen so the mindes of the wicked the more they are vrged with the worde of God the more fierce they wax and hard hearted Or else as the heate of the sunne melteth the wax but hardneth myre and claye so the worde of God wherewith the mindes of the vngodly are wonte to be taught and enfourmed maketh the vngodly more stubborne and frowarde Not that the fault is in the worde of God but bicause the corruption of nature in the wicked is such that it letteth stoppeth the true effect of the word Examples here of we haue in Caine and Pharao in Saul and Achab in Iudas the traitor and infinite others wherevnto these men may also be adioyned as the matter well declareth Here let vs learne what to iudge of the men in our dayes which manifestly vtter their â—ankred hatred against the worde where we are further taught what an heynous offence it is to persecute the truth especially if it proceede not of ignoraunce and of a foolishe zeale towarde God but of the instigation of most corrupt affections This thing deserueth that we are made vnfitte for the medicine of Gods worde which onely is able to restore vs to health and lyfe Furthermore thys example teacheth vs what the wicked enimies of the truth meaning and purpose is in their counsels surely none other but that the ministers of truth maye be made out of the waye who alone they suppose hinder their desyres wyshes For this they all peculiarly thinke that there is nothing more against them than the worde of God which reprooueth their wickednesse whereby it commeth to passe that they are not ashamed to shewe all their power against a fewe of simple men and to striue with all their might and mayne against them whome valiaunt men and of haultie courage would scarce vouchsafe to take any labour or paine about But these men be of an other opinion for they haue perswaded themselues that then they are safe when they be no more troubled with the painefull sermons of Gods worde So Achab thought Elias onely was his enimie and the disturber of the people of Israell and promised himselfe certaine victorie against the Assyrians till he tooke Micheas to counsell who as he was perswaded delighted in nothing but in telling of vnlucky tydings Euen so these men beleeued they should then be free from the gylte of Christes bloude and in safegarde and sure if the Apostles might be dispatched out of the waye that they could ring no more in their eares And euen nowe a dayes if a man happen to demaunde of some men what it is that most grieueth them they onely complayne of the Ministers of Gods worde And hereof commeth it to passe that this worlde so rageth against the preachers of the truth that it beleeueth they onely are the disturbers of all publike peace and tranquilitie which thing since it hath in all ages beene done let vs not marueyle at the vsage of our dayes nor be offended at the attempts of the wicked of whome Christ hath so often gyuen vs warning Let vs rather arme our selues with the spirite of constancie fortitude and pacience let vs also walke warely and circumspectly in the vocation wherevnto the Lorde hath appointed vs as Christ long agoe hath taught vs. But some man may marueyle by whose helpe and intercession the Apostles were deliuered out of the handes of their most cruell enimies and from the perill of present death Luke sheweth there stoode vp a patrone and defender of them one of their owne bench and number that is to saye Gamaliel whose profession he diligently describeth For he sayeth he was a Pharisey which sect as it ascribed to it selfe a countenance of outwarde iustice so was it most aduersary to the Christian faith and doctrine Further he was a doctor of the lawe wherevnto it appeareth he gaue more studye than the residue of his profession his studie wanted not a profitable successe Beside this he was of great authoritie which made all the people to loue him and reuerence him And that was a thing in this matter verye commodious and auaileable For where the residue of them feared the people his authoritie they coulde not reiect vpon whome they knewe all the Commons depended He therefore being mooued with the importunate deuises of his fellowe Phariseyes and meaning to withstande their furiousnesse commaundeth the Apostles for a little whyle to stande aside that he myght the more freely intreate of this cause declaring by this his doing howe much more prudent and wyse he was than the residue which in the presence of the Apostles so bewrayed the impotencie and rage of their mindes Then by and by declareth he his iudgement whereby he mittigateth
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
in the zeale of Christes glory He ioyneth power to his fayth whereby we vnderstande the gift of myracles according to that treatise of Paule touching the diuision of gifts in the first to the Corinthians .xij. Chap. And as he declared his fayth by his feruencie of zeale so he testified that other gifte of the holy spirite by notable myracles and woonders And although nothing is saide of his publike sermons it appeareth yet by order of the text that he vsed to preach both often earnestly and effectuously Wherefore we may here note by the way that the Deacons in the primitiue Church were not wholye debarred from the ministerie of the worde but although they were chiefely busied about distribution of the Church goodes yet they bestowed their labour as farre as they were able in other seruices of the Church that by this meane as Paule sayth they might winne themselues a good degree Heere chiefely is to be obserued the veritie of Christes promises whereby he instructeth his faythfull and industrious seruauntes For he sayth they shall be set ouer great and many thinges which are faithfull in small matters He promiseth that they that haue shall receyue more Steuen prooueth the same true as this place teacheth For where he well vsed the giftes of the holy ghost which he had in the beginning and did faithfullye administer temporall goodes he is encreased with more giftes and aduaunced to higher degree yea being made match with the Apostles he beginneth to distribute the eternall and heauenlye treasures of the Gospell with great prayse and vtilitie whome Christ hath vouchsafed to adourne with the crowne of martyrdome Let vs therefore be stirred vp with the consideration of this example not suffer our selues to be pulled backe from well doing with the consideration of our vnworthynesse whereas we maye attaine to the increasing of the holy ghost by fayth and diligence and may prepare for our selues an entrance and degree into more excellent ministeries Howbeit this valiant and stoute souldiour of Christ findeth by and by such as withstoode his godly purposes and enterprises For there stoode vp men of diuers Nations of the schoole or Colledge of the Libertines which disturbed and troubled him For where the citie of Ierusalem was ordeyned to be a place both for outwarde religion and for an vniuersitie and studie of the lawe there were in it diuers Colledges of Iewes which eyther for religion sake or for studie came thither from diuers nations of the which number this Sinagoge of the Libertines was who were the principall and chiefe Captaines of this conspiracie deuised against Steuen But howe this Sinagoge came so to be called there are diuers opinions amongst the Interpreters Howbeit I lyke best their opinion which suppose there was a certaine Colledge builded by those of Rome which were called Liberti wherein straungers were taught and instructed For we knowe that these Liberti were of great power and authoritie and that many of them went about to winne the fauour of the people by such benefits we learne by example of the Centurion whome the Priestes for thys cause commended vnto Christ bicause he had builded them a Sinagoge But it is not without a cause that Steuen is resisted by men of diuers Nations and such as are learned and of experience For as the mysteries of the kingdome of Christ are for the most part hidden from the wyse of the worlde so the greater is the glory of the Saintes which they get by such conflicts This serueth also to comfort vs that we yeelde not for feare if at any time we see our selues assaulted by many and furnished enimies Now it is profitable to consider after what sorte and with what conueyances these conspirators appoint their onset against Steuen Luke sayth they beginne with disputation the ende and drift wherof as appeareth was none other but to catch entangle him in his owne words which thing the Scribes also many times assayed against christ For trusting in their wit learning they hoped easily to haue the victorie of a rude and vnlearned bodye or at least such an one as yet had no great name of learning But the matter fell out farre otherwise than they looked for For he whome they supposed to be rude and vnprouyded being instructed with heauenly wisedome and prompted with the holy spirite doth not onely answere the questions they propone but vseth such plentie and force of argumentes that they by no meanes were able to resist him Whereby we see agayne that Christ who is the very truth it selfe neuer fayleth of his promise He promised his spirite to be a comforter and counseller to lead those that be his into all truth He promised them vtteraunce and wisedome against the which men shoulde not be able to stande He hath hitherto perfourmed his promises as we haue seene in the examples of the Apostles And the treasure of this heauenly wisedome is not yet spent and drawne out but Steuen also draweth out thereof such things as are necessary in this conflict Let no man therefore feare eyther the wisedome or authoritie of the worlde forasmuch as it is not our businesse but Christes that we haue in hande who is made vnto vs of his father wisedome and in whome all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome are hidden Let vs also consider that he is greater that is in vs than he which maketh suche a stirre in the worlde But doe these Sophisticall Libertines being ouercome by disputation yeelde No but turning them vnto vnlawfull and craftie conueyances they labour to oppresse him by lyes and false witnesses whome they perceyued strengthned with truth and therefore inuincible They suborned men that had their tongues to sell which through slaunders went about to bring the most faythfull Preacher of Christ in enuye of all the people And of these we will speake a little hereafter Nowe let vs consider how farre they vse to go which nourishe hatred in their heartes agaynst the truth and will not yeelde being yet ouercommen Such men are giuen vp into a reprobate sense and become so blinde that vnder the pretence of godlye zeale wherein they wickedly glorie they thinke they may doe what they will and feare not moste manifest and heynous wickednesse For these Libertines coulde not be ignorant of the lawe of Talio appoynted by God for false witnesses And though there were no lawes anye where extant yet common reason teacheth vs that they commit grieuous a fault which eyther beare false witnesse themselues or else bring forth and alledge false witnesse But they that burne in hatred of the truth make no count of these thinges and it commeth to passe by the iust iudgement of God that they are bereft of common reason and therefore pollute themselues with great wickednesse chasing and driuing away the truth after she hath shyned in their heartes There are diuers examples hereof extant as well olde as
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
state be we all in if we consider the case of our saluation and the condition of Christes kingdome into the which through fayth we be grafted and receyued To them that beleeue in Christ is promised peace safetie ioye saluation and victorie against the world and Satan the prince of the worlde But if a man consyder the course of this worlde he shall perceyue that the faythfull are exercised with perpetuall troubles aduersities and calamities and be in subiection to the will and pleasure of Tyrannes But shall we doubt of Gods truthe whyle these things thus fall out and complayne that we are beguiled wyth false promises No. But let vs learne rather that Christes kingdome is not of this worlde and that we must not iudge of it according to the outwarde shewe and appearaunce of it Let vs also learne to extende the eyes of our fayth further and to haue a regarde vnto the promyses of God which will neuer fayle notwithstanding this vnhappie worlde tosse and turmoyle neuer so much For it is Gods saying My couenaunt will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lippes He seeth the counsayles and deuises of Nations and princes and not onely seeth them but bringeth them to naught but his counsayle standeth fast for euer And thys is chiefely to be vnderstanded of the promises of our saluation the truth whereof is inuiolable bicause they are founded on Christ against whom the gates of hell are not able to preuaile Who so shall constantly cleaue vnto him according to the example of Abraham shall prooue at the length that they shall haue the ouerhand of the world and the Deuill And shall see them throwne vnder their feete which now so greedily gape after their liues For they ouercome in all things by him who hath loued them and hath giuen his sonne for vs so that wyth Paule they are able to say If God be with vs who can be against vs who shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God Steuen goeth forth with his hystorie begunne and rehearseth the Oracle of the bondage of the people of Israell in Egypt which is declared in Genesis 15. chap. And albeit he purpose hereafter also to speake thereof yet thought he here to make mention of the same least any man might thinke it came to passe at all aduentures and without the appointment of god And thys place must be referred to that ende wherevnto all the things before be referred For herein appeared the fayth of Abraham that he quayled not at this heauie newes and prophecie and it also teacheth vs that there was a Church sometime in Egypt which God acknowledged for hys people and which of his singuler benefite he set at libertie when they neyther had temple nor ceremonies leuiticall Wherevpon any man maye gather that the grace of God and our saluation is not bounde to outward sacraments but dependeth vpon the meere fauour of God which can none other wayes be taken holde of but by true fayth For this was playne that the deliuerie out of Egypt was a signe of the saluation to come And if the seruitude or bondage of the body could not be put away but by the mighty hande of God who seeth not that mans merites and power can nothing auayle in putting away the seruitude of the soule without the helpe and grace of God These things are to be applyed also to our enformation bicause they set out to vs the condition and state of Gods Church to be beholden as in a Glasse First it is to be considered howe in speaking of the seede of Abraham to whome the inheritaunce of the lande of Chanaan was promised he sayth It shall be a soiourner in a straunge land and they shall euill intreate them fower hundred yeares long These things teache vs what case the faythfull be in vpon the earth For that they be the verie seede or children of Abraham both Christ and Paule testifieth To these is promised the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdome as Christ beareth witnesse saying Feare not little flock for it hath pleased the father to giue you a kingdome Agayne father I will that where I am these be also with me And agayne In my fathers house are many dwellings I go to prepare you a place And I wyll come agayne and take you vnto my selfe that where I am there may you be also Wherevnto Paule seemeth to haue alluded where he sayth Our felowship or conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for Christ our Sauiour And although we be inheritours of the heauenly countrie yet it appeareth not to the world that we shal so be but in the meane season we be Pilgrimes in a straunge land that is to say in thys worlde and haue nothing of our owne And that this lyfe of oures is lyke to a pilgrimage we are taught not onely by the oracles of scripture but also by daylie experience for as much as we come naked into this worlde and depart hence naked And we be not only Pilgrimes but also manye wayes afflicted by the children of this worlde which chalenge to themselues the rule and dominion of this worlde so that the Prophet doth not without a cause compare the Church vnto a stone to the rearing vp whereof all people exercise their force and strength And Chronicles teach vs that euen since the beginning of the worlde as many as haue giuen themselues to God by true faith haue bene in daunger of persecution which things we must beare in minde that we be not offended wyth things that come to passe in our dayes as straunge and vnwoonted Thys must we holde as vndoubted true that nothing happeneth to vs by hazarde or chaunce but according to Gods prouydence and ordynaunce which gouerneth all things rightfully Neyther could thys worlde or Satan the prince thereof doe any thing against vs but through Gods permission and sufferaunce And he permitteth or suffreth him not as one that reioyceth in our calamities or mourning as Tyrannes vse but bicause he seeth it good that the naturall corruption growing and cleauing vnto vs should thys waye be brydeled and punished whereby it commeth to passe that somewhyle we stande amazed at the consyderation of ryches somewhyle at the pompe of honors and dignitie somewhyle with the desyre of carnall pleasures and concupiscence or else decline and swerue from the waye of saluation Then therefore it is needefull to haue thys noysome stupiditie shaken of and the desyres of the fleshe to be quenched with the crosse and tribulations that we may learne to hate this worlde and to be enflamed with the ardent loue of the heauenly Chanaan And let vs promise our selfe no better state in thys life bicause the worlde that can not abyde the truth will alwaye be one and our corrupt fleshe howsoeuer it be corrected wyll vpon euerye light occasion fall to hir olde vsage Yet this
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
enuious Therfore to leape ouer the walles or to breake open the gates of a city was death although no other trespasse had bene cōmitted Yet these brethren vsed a godly and holy ordering of the matter without contempt of the ciuile lawes therfore deserue to be excused For they saw that more regard was to be had of Gods law which biddeth vs to succour them that be in perill commaundeth vs so to obserue mans lawe that we displace not Gods law or preiudice the good and godly Therfore to the intent he might escape this present daunger they let him downe ouer the walle in a basket and Paule refuseth not the benefite thus offered him By the which example first wee are taught that sometime Christian men yea Ministers of the worde may by flying prouide for themselues and not rashly put themselues in ieoperdie of death For we both reade that Christ oftentimes fledde when he conueyed himselfe from the Iewes lying in wayte ▪ and from the rage of Herode and also warned his Disciples to take heede of men and when persecution ariseth to flie from one Citie to another In deede we must be well aduised that we flie not when our tarying maye set forth the glorie of God and doth not pull vs from the office and dutie wherein the Lorde hath appoynted vs For vnlesse we haue a diligent eie to these two things when we flie we shall shamefully betray the glory of God ▪ and forgetting our dutie neglect the saluation of them ▪ whome we ought to holde moste deare Paule had a consideration of both these things forasmuch as when he fled there were notwithstanding at Damascus which set forth Christes quarrell and Paule gaue not himselfe to shamefull ydlenesse but both at Ierusalem and elsewhere set forth the doctrine of saluation with great fruite and vtilitie as the hystorie following sheweth Moreouer the faythfull are admonished of that dutie that the Lorde hath bounde them in to their teachers He requireth that they shall prouide for the safetie of their Ministers with the perill of their owne life For it is playne they are to be accounted as our parentes bicause through their ministerie as Paule sayth we are borne againe to eternall life Therefore the ingratitude and falshoode of those which assoone as persecution ariseth let go their vnbridled tongues against the ministers of Gods worde and redeeme and purchase to themselues peace with their liues is most shamefull But if it be the dutie of a priuate person to defende the Ministers with the perill of his owne life howe much more is it to be required of the ciuill magistrates whom Christ once promised should be the Nurses and defenders of his Church Wherefore their opinion is playne foolishe which saye the Magistrates ought not to defende religion by walles and fight whereas the brethren at Damascus brake the religion of walles with great commendation in the defence of Paule onely Furthermore Luke declareth what Paule did after his prosperous escape out of Damascus saying he came to Ierusalem which came to passe in the iii◠yere after his conuersion as himselfe writeth Where when he would haue ioyned himselfe to the Disciples and chiefely to Peter they mistrusted him bicause of hys former tyrannie vsed agaynst those that beleeued in Christ. But Barnabas of whom mention was made in the ende of the fourth Chapter hauing better intelligence of his doings commended his ministerie with great prayse vnto the Apostles namely to Peter and Iames whome onely Paule sayeth he sawe of all the Apostles beside writing to the Galathians Therefore remayning with them fifteene dayes space hee boldly maintayned Christes religion till he was agayne layde wayte for and compelled to flie Here we haue to consider the Disciples at Ierusalem who Luke writeth were afrayde of Paule This was no dastardly feare but such a feare as Christ commendeth where he requireth of hys people the wysedome of Serpents For where it was scarce credible that so cruell a tyrant could so sodeinly be chaunged they thought they had good cause to beware least he might beguyle them vnawares For they knewe that saying of Christ which testifieth that the children of this worlde are wyser in their generation than the children of light But afterwarde being enformed of the truth they embrace him courteously as a brother and fellowe In these thinges we haue an example both of Christian prudence and charitie whereby we are taught howe both these vertues must be coupled togither For where all men are lyers they knewe that they ought not rashlye to beleeue euery one that coulde egregiously counterfeyte godlynesse For what great harme false brethren doe Paule himselfe confesseth that he had prooued to his great perill And for that cause he biddeth vs to beware of newe brethren or yong scholers and will haue him that desireth to be a Bishop to haue the commendation of them that be abrode and without Agayne we must take heede of that ouer great rigour wherwith many are so stiffe hardened that they thinke all straungers and vnknowne persons ought at once to be reiected For as it is the dutie of Christian charitie to thinke well of all men so it easily admitteth the honest and credible testimonie giuen of vnknown brethren Let vs therefore vse this moderation at these dayes seeing the banished for Christes sake wander vp and downe euerywhere and let vs not yeelde to their sentences which on both sides being to extreeme eyther through their ouermuch facilitie cause all men to laugh at them or by their to great austeritie reiect all men without any difference Moreouer Barnabas is to be considered who as before of his liberalitie he relieued the needye of the whole Church and therefore was called the childe of Consolation so nowe by his testimonie he maintaineth Paules good name being in daunger and is not ashamed of him whome he knewe euery body suspected This deede of charitie is singuler and very necessary bicause there is scarce anything amongst men more ryfe than sinister and wrong suspicion For as being blinded with selfeloue we flatter our selues so we diligently note other mennes maners and seeke euery little occasion howe to backbite their good name Therefore great is their offence which aggrauate the faultes of them that are wrongfully suspected whose good name and fame they rather ought to tender and defende Thirdly let vs consider Paule who Luke writeth declared his fayth at Ierusalem by many and singuler vertues And first he writeth howe hee sought the familiaritie and company of the Church and of Christes Disciples This is worthy of singuler prayse if a man consider howe Paule not long before was accounted amongst the chiefe of that Citie But he iudging all worldly dignities worthy nowe to be stamped vnder his feete is desirous to get Christ and to be ioyned vnto his Church See the thirde to the Philippians Let vs laye this example before
through the infyrmitie of the fleshe shall by Christes merite be supplied and if they fall into any sinne by repentance through guiding of the spirite they shall rise vp againe Moreouer Paule taking occasion of the storie of Dauid passeth to the seconde part of his sermon wherein he declareth that Iesus whome the Apostles preached is the promised Sauiour for whose sake God in times past did so benefyte the fathers And bicause he knewe he had to doe with the Iewes the most grieuous enimies of Christ he prooueth it by manye and strong arguments of the which there are three contayned in this place which we will in order treate of The fyrst is where he sayth he shall be borne of that stocke whence the Prophetes sayde he shoulde come that is to say of the seede of Dauid But it woulde be long to recite all the promises yea superfluous considering they were so common and ryse that the Messias was commonly called the sonne of Dauid Yet if any man desire more let him reade the thinges written 2. Sam. 7. Psal. 132. Esay 11. Ierem. 23. c. That Christ was borne of the seede of Dauid touching his manhoode Mathewe and Luke prooue by a diligent Genealogie or Pedegree And here we haue to marke that he sayth this Sauiour was raysed vp according to the promise This part teacheth vs that he was giuen vnto vs also according to the meere grace of God and that it is to be attributed to no merites of man that God hath sent his sonne to be our Sauiour For that the promise was made of fauour Dauid himselfe confesseth as erewhile we sawe And if any man attribute this vnto Dauids modestie he shall be conuinced by the promise that we reade was made to our fyrst fathers who had deserued death and fledde away to hyde themselues from god And Chryst himselfe truly referreth all this saluation to the grace of God where he sayth Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. Which words the Apostle expoundeth writeth Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs c. Here also appeareth the infallible truth of God which must be extended to all promises that we maye herein fet fyrme comfort in all kinde of temptatioâ—s For he that woulde not deceyue vs when his sonnes death laye vpon it howe shoulde he in other things deceyue vs The seconde argument is that he sayeth he shall come in such sort and wise as the Prophetes prophecied the promised Messias shoulde come For he had a forerunner such as is described Esay 40. Malach. 3. and .4 Chapters That was Iohn which preached the baptisme of repentance whereby he prepared the mindes of men duly to receyue Christ. Marke the Euangelist vseth the same argument where he writeth the Gospell of Iesu Christ beganne as it was foretolde by the Prophetes In the meane season it is worthy to be obserued that it was necessarye to haue a forerunner who by repentance which he declared both by preaching and sacraments should prepare a people vnto christ This prooueth the corruption of our nature whereby it commes to passe that we cannot attaine to saluation except we be wholye chaunged and regenerated Furthermore it confuteth them which thinke that Christes doctrine is the seede of licentious liuing seeing none coÌ„meth vnto him but he that is worthily prepared by true repentance But bicause we haue alreadye often intreated hereof and haue freshe occasion still offered to speake of the same it shall suffyse briefly thus to haue noted it The thirde argument he taketh of testimonie For he alleageth the testimonie of Iohn not for that Christes cause consisteth or stayeth vppon mannes testimonie but for that Iohn was of suche authoritie among the Iewes that he was commonly taken for a Prophete as may be seene Mathew 21. and in Iosephus which sayth that the death of Iohn was cause of the ouerthrow that Aretes gaue vnto Herode In which sense Christ in another place vseth his testimonie Iohn 5. This man sayeth Paule where some thought he was the Messias to put the people out of all suspicion sayeth whome thinke you that I am I am not Christ for behold there commeth one after me c. These things are more at large declared in Iohn 1. Luc. 3. and Math. 3 â–ª Chapters Herein is declared what the propertie of the people is in their iudgements of Gods seruants For eyther they attribute to much vnto them or vtterlye contemne them for meane is there none For they that at fyrst thought Iohn was the Messias suffered him not long after to be the pray of a most cruell tyrant Example whereof we shall see in those of Lystra in the next Chapter Iohn teacheth vs by his example what trustynesse the godlye ought to vse in setting forth the glorye of christ For they dandle not the dulnesse and folly of the people thereby to haue themselues the more magnifyed but that Christ may haue his whole glory they vse to abase themselues and to thinke themselues the woorst of all other Yea they thinke their glorye consisteth in this if by their meane Iesus Christ may euerywhere be glorifyed And if Iohn which was the holyest man that euer was borne of a woman be no body in comparison of Christ who then perceyueth not that the whole prayse of our redemption is to be ascribed to Christ alone The example of Peter and Iohn haue declared the same whereof was spoken in the thirde and tenth Chapters It is our dutie to trust in Christ onely and to acknowledge him to be the Sauiour that was promised in the beginning to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxj Homelie YE men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is this worde of saluation sent For the inhabiters of Ierusalem and their rulers bicause they knewe him not nor yet the voyces of the Prophetes which are reade euery Sabboth daye they haue fulfilled them in condemning him And when they founde no cause of death in him yet desired they Pylate to kill him And when they had fulfilled all that were written of him they tooke him downe from the tree and put him in a sepulchre but God raysed him againe from death the thirde day and he was seene many dayes of them which came vp with him from Galiley to Ierusalem which are his witnesses vnto the people THat that all the Scripture both of the olde and newe Testament with one consent declareth that same in this sermon Paule both plainly and constantly teacheth namely that Iesus Christ is the onely redeemer and sauiour of mankinde in whom alone we haue blessing righteousnesse saluation and life But bicause he had to doe with the Iewes whome he knewe still withstoode Christ with great obstinacie therefore he handleth this cause with great grauitie And fyrst he
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
embrace the kingdome of Christ were fylled with disdaine and fyrst beganne to speake against Paule and at length fell to flatte blasphemy and rayling And bicause this contention went so farre that the Apostles were â—aine to shake of the dust of their feete against them a thing which we reade very seldome done by them therfore it behooueth vs to expende the circumstances of the whole hystorie the more diligently First Luke teacheth vs what the cause was of such a tumult and businesse Uerily for that the Iewes sawe the whole Citie almost came togither to heare the worde of god Howbeit it was euident ynough that they all came not of a godly intent and purpose For otherwise they woulde neuer haue suffred the Iewes a people hated of all Nations to haue intreated the Apostles so vngently Wherefore although the desire of truth drewe some thither as was aforesayde yet the greater part were mooued of vaine curiositie Which thing although the Apostles might easily haue supposed yet woulde they not let passe so commodious an occasion but are prest and ready to teach them Whereby we learne that they which will fruitefully be occupied in setting forth the kingdome of God haue neede of a feruent study and zeale that they must let no oportunitie escape be it in season or out of season as Paule elsewhere admonisheth Christ teacheth vs the same by his owne ensample which taketh occasion of euery thing to teach by and did so little refuse any one that came vnto him that he reiected not Nicodemus comming to him in the night season nor the woman of Samaria giuen to dishonest gayne and aduauntage Yea he sayeth this is his meate to doe that wherevnto his father sent him Hereby is their sloth improoued which being often called on will not teache and haue more regarde of their owne ease than of mens saluation Then next the cause of the tumult is declared which was the enuy of the Iewes seeing such a great throng of people They seeme to be mooued partlye with ambition and enuye while they are afrayde to lose their priuate honor and glory which thing Christ obiecteth vnto them Iohn 5. and partly with a preposterous zeale of the lawe whereby they were led to take in euill part that the vncircumcised Gentyles shoulde be matched with them in saluation which thing was cause that Paule was much troubled as we shall see when we come to the places In the meane while this place teacheth vs that all kinde of zeale is not allowable before God and that they which of zeale and good intent impugne the truth are not streightway to be pardoned For Paule otherwhiles attributeth a zeale of God vnto the Iewes yet he condemneth them in that they are not zealous for the glory of God according vnto knowledge We must therefore beware that no euill affection rule in vs and that we sinne not of ignoraunce in Gods will which must be the onely rule of all our doings Thirdlye here is declared what the Iewes the Apostles aduersaries did which went out before the congregation was broken vp bicause they would not heare the word because they feared they should lose their glory they speake against them also and stryue agaynst the truth by arguments And seeing they cannot that way preuaile they turne vnto rayling whereby no doubt they depraued both the doctrine and persons of the Apostles to make the simple people suspect their doctrine enuie them Such are the craftes of the wicked which euen nowe a dayes also they practise and they of whome men looke for arguments scriptures they thinke by their talke so to preuaile that they will rayle and often times open their wicked mouth against the name and word of god Also this place teacheth vs wherevnto hatred of the truth bringeth men at the length when they will continue in the same For it maketh them blasphemers open enimies and impudent raylers who yet at the beginning seemed good men and tollerable Let men therfore stoppe at the beginning and vse to acquaint their eares with the truth if they meane not to holde on still in stubbornnesse But did the Apostles giue place to this stowtnesse of the Iewes No. But with greater courage and boldenesse of speach resisted them For so must the Ministers of the worde be furnished that they must not onely teach the truth but also be able to withstand the gainesayers And it is vnmeete that they that are the Ministers of Christ shoulde yeelde vnto the enterprises of the worlde Herevnto appertaine the examples of the Prophetes who we reade were alwayes the constanter the more bolde they sawe the enimies of Gods worde were See what is sayde of Micheas in the fyrst booke of the Kinges and .xxij. Chapter and of Ieremie and others in euery place And it seemeth that Christ admonished the Apostles of daungers to come for none other cause so much as for that they shoulde not be discouraged with the boldenesse of their enimies nor be offended at them These things must we remember in these dayes where Antichristes bande is so whote in assaulting the truth Let vs thinke that nowe our constancie and stoutenesse is chiefely requisite faithfully to defende the Churches quarrell being in hazarde And the Apostles saying is diligently to be considered where they with graue and godly weight of wordes pronounce the horrible sentence of excommunication against these incurable persons For what more hope was there to be had of such as they sawe had clymed vp to the toppe of impietie and fyrst had stopped their eares against the worde of God and after that had spoken against it and at length were become blasphemers of it But chiefely the Apostles charge them with vnthankefulnesse and incredulitie which was the cause of their punishment saying it was meete the worde of God shoulde first be preached vnto you whome God did vouchsafe to adorne with the couenant the promises and kindred of his sonne But you make your selues vnworthy of such grace while through your incurable malice you despise the saluation offred vnto you What other thing therfore remaineth but that we turne vnto the Gentyles and gather God a Church out from among them which hitherto haue bene straungers from the couenant and Testaments For so must that saying of Christ be fulylled The kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen vnto a Nation which shall bring forth the fruites thereof In these things it is very diligently to be considered howe these vnbeleeuing perish through their owne iudgement vnto whome Christ is preached for a testimonie Furthermore how notwithstanding mans incredulitie and vnthankefulnesse Gods worde is nothing preiudiced or hindered For God is able of stones to rayse vp children vnto Abraham which shall embrace Christ with true faith as we see commeth to passe in the vocation of the Gentyles For they whose heartes were harder than stones being mollifyed with
with such detestation bicause he seeth he should incurre both treason and fornication if he shoulde committe the like thing Woulde God they did well obserue these things which in these dayes think it most godlynesse and religion to sende the simple and vnlearned Comminaltie vnto Creatures or else teache them to seeke saluation in the merites of men Moreouer it is worthy to be considered how the Apostles call this worship which they of Lystra would haue done vnto them vanitie For hereby we gather that all such religion is vaine of no force as is deuised of mans imagination without the worde of God specially if it tende not to the worship of God onely but vnto creatures to whome God will not impart his glory Herevnto agree the things which Christ alleageth out of the prophet They worship me in vain teaching the doctrines of men Let the Papists here make answere whose religion as it chiefly consisteth in honouring of creatures so it standeth vpon none other foundation than mens traditions Furthermore the Apostles in these wordes comprehende the duetie of those that are mynisters of the worde whyle they affirme that their preaching is to the ende that men should turne from the vayne worshypping of creatures vnto the onely lyuing god Therefore the faythfull ministers of Christ must ioyne these two thinges togyther that is they must both ouerthrowe false religion and plant the true Wherevnto is to be referred that saying of the Prophet Beholde thys day haue I appoynted thee to roote vp and destroy and to buylde vp and plant For as in husbandry and tyllage all the labor taken in plowing and watering is in vayne except the things that hinder the cornes growth be rooted vp and good seede sowne so in the husbanding and dressing of the mynde they haue most vnfruitefully laboured which haue not paynefully and carefully ioyned both these togither Therfore the men of our dayes commit double offence For there are some men that so abhorre Antichrist and his wicked religion that being occupied onely in ouerthrowing the same they haue no remembraunce to restore agayne true and syncere religion Agayne there are other some which wyll haue men taught the true religion by preaching the word but will not haue abuses and superstition touched bicause they would not haue the displeasure of the world And these latter sort hope that superstition will fall of it owne accorde when men are come to the knowledge of the true God and they perceyue not that there is no place for the knowledge of God in mens mindes tyll these superstitions be remooued Therefore who so meaneth profitably and with commendation to traueyle in matters of religion must ioyne both these as is sayde togither Thirdly the Apostles teach vs to know what maner of God he is euen the maker of heauen and earth the Sea and all that in them is Such a God the scripture declareth euery where he is and such an one we openly professe hym to be in the articles of our fayth according to the tradition of the Apostles But they which confesse him to be the Creatour must also needes confesse that he is a gouernour For it is not meete that we shoulde ymagine God to be such a worke mayster as hath no regarde or care of his worke And Dauid confesseth in deede that he dwelleth on high but yet that he beholdeth whatsoeuer is done in heauen and in earth For by his prouidence it commeth to passe that the poore of lowe degree are aduaunced to princely dignitie that kingdomes are conueyed and transferred from one to an other that women that are barren are made fruitfull that the earth bringeth forth all maner of fruites that the seas ebbe and flowe that all the worlde is tossed and turned with such interchaungeable course and varietie of seasons And to conclude there is nothing so excluded from Gods prouidence but that it numbreth euen the dyuers wayes of byrdes flying the flowers of the fyelde and heares of our head By these things is their doting confuted which say that this worlde is eternall which is the fyrst step vp to impietie For hereof it will follow that all thinges come to passe by chaunce and that eyther there is no God at all or else that he walketh vp and downe ydely in heauen and hath no regarde what is done on earth Dauid most diligently discribed this secte of men which thus ymagine and fayne in his Psalm 14. and .53 But at this day this secte so raigneth that a man shall see fewe which are in deede perswaded that God is the creator and gouernour of all things But the ende of these men Peter trimlye setteth forth in his last Epistle and thirde Chapiter But let vs returne to the Apostles who in the thirde part of their oration confute the obiections that might be made against them such as was prescription of tyme and vniforme consent almost of all the world Which arguments at this day are woont to be alleaged against the truth For it seemeth an vnmeete and an absurde thing that so many should haue erred so many yeres togither that the truth should now at the length be knowne but to a small number of men and those of small name and fame But the Apostles aunswere these things in fewe wordes God say they in times past suffred all nations to walke in their owne wayes In these wordes lye two arguments The one that the Gentyles walked not in the preceptes of God but in their owne wayes and inuentions therefore we maye not take them for an example therein to followe The other is that this thing fell out through the permission and sufferaunce of God not that he was pleased with their superstition but that the presumption of such curyous men so deserued who as Paule in an other place sayth woulde seeke further in the mysteries of God then mans reason coulde attaine to and were not content with the ordinarie meanes whereby God had appoynted to be knowne This place teacheth vs that the wayes of man in hys saluation are blinde and deceyueable bicause the naturall man as was said in the begynning of thys sermon perceyueth not the thinges that belong vnto God. Except therfore mans wisedome submit it selfe vnto the word of God it cannot attayne to the true knowledge of saluation yea the higher it shall mount in perswasion of hir owne habilitie the deeper she shal fall into the gulfe of errors Therefore it is a great blindnesse of theirs that thinke matters of religion and controuersies rysing about the same can by mans reason and deuise be calmed and appeased These men doe â–ª as if one should appoynt those for Iudges of causes that can neyther see nor heare we are further admonished by this place that al they are miserably beguyled which alleage the multitude in matters of religion affirme that the Church cannot erre For it is euydent in all ages that the
that in Claudius dayes they were all driuen out of Rome and Italie And surelye it might seeme a grieuous attempt for Iewes defamed persons almost with all men to prescribe lawes vnto the Romanes the Lords seigniors of the whole world And this accusation was of such force and effect that all the people ranne vpon the Apostles as it had bene to the quenching of some great fyre begun Thou shalt in this place consider what the crafts of the enimies of the truth are We heard how they were incensed led with the desire of priuate lucre aduantage But bicause it was an vnhonest poynt to disturbe the whole citie for a fewes sake they make of a priuate case a publike with marueylous arte and craft so proceeding as though they tooke the publike weales cause in hande Thus we heare Caiaphas played the Rhetorician when he sayde vnto the Scribes consulting agaynst Christ It is expedient for vs that one man dye for the people and not all the Nation perishe And now a dayes nothing is so common a thing as to set a pretence of common weale vpon priuate affections when men desire the doctrine of truth to be banished This craft they haue learned of their Captaine the Deuill who we reade vsed the same trickes euen from the beginning For did he not this wayes entyce our fyrst parents to breake Gods commaundement so propose his matter as though he had sought no whitte for his owne auayle but was onely carefull for theirs When he begoonne also to dispute with Christ he seemed to go about to cause Christ to declare his Godheade vnto the worlde by some woonderfull and myraculous wise and not to holde the worlde anye longer in suspence and doubt what he was For to this ende were his sayings touching turning of stones into breade and casting himselfe downe from the pinnacle of the Temple We haue euerywhere examples of such sleyghtes the chiefe ende whereof is to warne vs that we suffer not our selues to be circumuented and beguiled eyther with the craftes of the deuill himselfe or of his members This place also teacheth vs with what crimes commonly the truth is charged in this worlde Namely that she troubleth and disquieteth common weales and beguyleth the simple Commons with new and false religion Hereof commeth it to passe that the Ministers and teachers of the truth are counted for seditious fellowes seducers and beguilers The faythfull seruauntes of God Moses and Aaron are so called of Pharao the tyrant For thus he aunswereth them desiring him that the people myght be set at libertie You Moses and Aaron why pluck you the people away from their labour But the wicked Achab more bitterly vpbraydeth the Prophete Elias with the same saying Art not thou he that troublest Israel Yet is that more grieuous that Amasias the Priest layeth to Amos the Prophetes charge before king Ieroboam in these wordes Amos hath made a conspiracie against thee in the middest of the house of Israel and the lande cannot away with his sermons Yea the wicked Courtyers of Sedechias the king accuse Ieremie of treason and of flying to his enimies the Assirians saying he is the onely authour of all their miseries and destruction But this is no marueyle considering these were the poynts of accusation that were layde vnto Christes charge For the Priestes sayde vnto Pylate wee founde this man peruerting the whole Nation and forbidding to paye tribute vnto Caesar saying he was Christ a king Agayne If thou let him loose thou art not Caesars friend Whosoeuer maketh himselfe a king speaketh against Caesar. These are grieuous matters and argue the great impudencie of the worlde And yet they may seeme tollerable being compared with the things done in our dayes These thinges in times past did they saye which were the professed enimies of the Prophetes and Apostles and which knewe not that Christ was their sauiour But nowe adayes they that will be taken and counted for Christians which challenge vnto them the chiefe gouernaunce of the Church which professe themselues to be the nurses shepeheardes and defenders of the Church vse to persecute the ministers of Christ and his Gospell and call that a newe doctrine a seditious and a deceytfull which according to the scriptures of the olde and newe Testament sheweth that all our saluation is onely in Christ Iesus which teacheth vs the right vse of the sacraments innocencie and puritie of life the duties of charitie commaundeth vs to loue our enimies leaueth lawes and priuiledges free vnto Magistrates biddeth vs giue vnto Caesar that is Caesars and vnto God that belongeth vnto him which commendeth vnto vs principally the desire of peace and commaundeth vs asmuch as lyeth in vs to haue peace with all men Who may not therefore crie out ô maners ô tymes Let vs therfore acknowledge the blindenesse of this world and not esteeme their slaunders one myte whereby they go about to defame and bring in suspition the wholesome doctrine of the Gospell It remayneth for vs to consider what the iudgement of the Gouernour of Philippi was concerning this present cause But what saye I the iudgement whereas without all iudgement they raged like madde men against the Apostles Sreyghtways they tare and rent their garments as though there wanted Ministers of such mischiefe Then they commaunde them without hearing their aunswere and being guiltlesse to be beaten with roddes And when they had bene well scourged at length they cast them in prison commaunding that they shoulde be well watched as though they were worthye of more punishment than other malefactors Which thing was the cause that they were put in an inner prison and their feete thrust into the stockes But what more iniustice coulde Magistrates and men in office shewe He offendeth that doth but denie him leaue that is accused to excuse himselfe But these men besides beate straungers with roddes and when they haue beaten them thrust them in prison meaning afterwarde at leysure to heare their aunswere The cause of this rage was for that they suffered other that slaundered them to much to kindle their choler Therfore let them that sitte in iudgement flie this pestilent plague and remember that they haue two eares giuen them for this cause that one maye be kept open for the Plaintife and that other for the defendant Let them also remember that God is the President of iudgements to whome they also shall one day giue an account of their iudgements In the meane season we are admonished what the state of the godly is in this worlde Notorious malefactors maye liue in safetye but the godlye are hated and persecuted of all men and where they hurt none but doe good vnto all men they haue least thanke of all men in the worlde It was a singular benefite to deliuer the Damsell out of the thraldome of Satan But for their good turne they are punished with strypes and imprisonment as publike enimies of the Citie Hereof we haue euery
day examples But forasmuch as Christ once prophecyed that these thinges shoulde come vnto vs it is our partes not to be offended thereat but with constant fayth and pacience to hye vs vnto the marke appointed vs that we may obtayne the rewarde promised to vs in Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxj. Homelie AT midnight Paule and Sylas prayed and lawded god And the prisoners hearde them And sodeinly there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and immediately all the dores opened euery mans bandes were loosed When the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleepe and saw the prison dores open he drue out his sword would haue killed hymselfe supposing that the prisoners had bene fledde But Paule cryed with a lowde voyce saying Do thy selfe no harme for we are all here Then he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell downe at the feete of Paule and Sylas and brought them out and sayde Sirs what must I doe to be saued And they sayde beleeue on the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy housholde And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lorde and to all that were in his house AS the holy scripture euerywhere doth teach the godly that they must suffer persecutions in this worlde so likewise it promiseth them Goddes abundant helpe and succour and there want not examples whereby God euen from the verye beginning of the worlde hath declared the truth of his promises such as are the examples conteyned in this booke For before this by his Aungell he brought all the Apostles out of the prison who as we hearde before had taught in the Temple And Peter being deliuered out of prison defeated the cruell deuise of Herode and of all the people gaping for his death It is very notable also that your charitie euen nowe hearde recited For here the faythfull Apostles of Christ Paule and Silas are not onely deliuered out of prison but also the keeper of the prison a barbarous and cruell person is deliuered out of the bandes of impietie and being illuminated with the true knowledge of saluation is conuerted vnto Christ. And bicause this hystorie maye many wayes serue both for our instruction and consolation it shall be very profytable to examine all the circumstances thereof Let vs see therefore what God and the Apostles doe in this case which thing being considered then we will also intreate of the Iaylers conuersion We haue hearde howe Paule and Silas were verye euill intreated and beaten with roddes and at length put in the stockes Wherefore some might thinke they shoulde like puling women bewayle their mishappe and euery houre complayne of Gods iustice But Luke reporteth they were farre otherwise occupied For he wryteth that at midnight they made their prayers vnto God and magnifyed him and that not in any soft and secrete wyse but so lowde that the prisoners in the farther prison might easilye heare them This was an argument both of a constaunt fayth and merye conscience which can be found in none other kinde of men but in the faithfull onely in the time of aduersitie For this thing Paule attributeth to them as peculiar that in tribulations they glory and reioyce Luke declareth the cause of this ioy in the .v. chapter where he writeth how the Apostles were beaten with roddes in the Counsell and went out praysing God and reioycing that they were iudged worthy to suffer for the name of christ For they had a regarde to the promise of Christ who promiseth them the fellowship of the kingdome of heauen which haue abidden wyth him in his temptations Wherevpon they gather with Paule that they shall be partakers of the glory of Christ and lyue with Christ for euer which in this world are made like vnto him by bearing the crosse It is very worthy to be considered that we heare the Apostles so feruent and earnest in prayer who being illuminated with the holy ghost and with true fayth knowe that all thinges are ruled and gouerned by the prouidence of god By this example are those fyne and ouercurious wittes confuted which say there is no neede of prayers bicause God of himselfe knoweth all our necessities and by his prouidence all things are administred whose deuyse cannot be reuoked or interrupted by any maner of prayers In deede we declare not our case vnto God as one that is ignoraunt but by carefull and faythfull remembring him we testifye our fayth The holy men and Saintes also know that this is Gods euerlasting decree that as manye as are in distresse and conuert vnto him and call for his helpe and succour those he heareth For it is the commaundement of God Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee c. Agayne Turne vnto me and I will turne vnto you c. The Apostles therefore praye in their afflictions and according to their ensample all the godly in their aduersitie ought to seeke helpe and deliuerye at God onely and in none else We are taught moreouer that we ought not onely in aduersitie to seeke our deliuerie but also to giue God thankes and magnify his holy name when we are afflicted For verily it is an argument of his fatherly affection towards vs when he correcteth the wantonnesse of our fleshe with the rod of the crosse or tribulation And in nothing is the force of Gods comfort more effectually seene than when we are exercised in diuers temptations according to that saying of the Prophete In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comfortes haue refreshed my soule And Paule sayth As the afflictions of Christ abounde in vs so through Christ aboundeth our consolation Wherevnto it seemeth Peter also had a respect when wryting vnto the brethren dispersed among diuers Nations he beginneth with the prayse of God and commendation of hys grace These thinges ought we to remember when we are tempted with impaciencie of the fleshe that we be not ouercome thereof and mutter agaynst God which sinne of all other chiefely prouoketh the wrath of God as the examples of the children of Israel murmuring in the wildernesse abundantly declare Nowe let vs come to the seconde poynt of this place where it is shewed what God did Sodeinly sayth Luke there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and immediately all the dores opened and euery mans bandes were loosed And no man neede doubt but that this was the only worke of God and of none other bicause the Scripture declareth there is none other that can doe these thinges In this place is set forth the force and effect of faythfull prayer For as the wise man sayth it pierceth the Cloudes and ascendeth vp into the sight of God which neglecteth not the same Hereof commeth it to passe that by prayer those
nor hath any faith Therefore this Iayler doth well to declare his faith by workes of charitie which it becommeth vs also busily to apply if we will not be taken and called vaine professours of the faith Fourthly he reioyceth with all his housholde bicause he beleeued in God and knewe he nowe belonged vnto the Church of Christ in whome onely the treasures of saluation are layde vp And yet as we erewhyle declared he was in great daunger thereby For if the Iudges mindes had notbene sodainely altered which alteration he yet wist not of he had dyed for it insomuch as he had let those loose whome the Iudge had commaunded to be laide in yrons But as faith maketh all men obedient vnto God so it ouercommeth all labours and daungers and suffereth not the feeling of heauenly ioye which the spirite of Christ inspyreth to be ouercome with any temptations Therefore Paule wryting to these faythfull of the Phylippians byddeth them alwaies to reioyce and be glad Moreouer if a man would lay togither all things saide hitherto of this Iayler it shall appeare that fayth is not ydle nor can not be seperated from good workes For what good workes are here lacking He recompenseth the iniuries made before vnto the Apostles He obeyeth God duely with present daunger of his lyfe declaring hereby howe readie he ment afterwarde to be in all other thinges Hee receyued the sacramentes duelie as he ought to doe For where he receyued baptisme streight way it is not like he absteyned from the Lordes supper seing he was conuersaunt with the faithfull Furthermore he was carefull for the saluation of his familie and caused them also to be brought vnto Christ and vnto the congregation also he exerciseth charitie and benefycence liberally and euen in the middle of daungers ioyeth altogither in spirituall gladnesse And yet the Apostles being asked the true waye of saluation appointed him but faith onely in Iesus Christ. And this faith brought forth streight way such excellent fruites as we haue heard Wherevnto yet we must not attribute the glorie of saluation bicause he coulde haue done none of them vnlesse by faith he had beene graffed in Christ and quickned with his spirite Here fyrst are they confuted that saye the doctrine of faith is an enimie vnto good workes seing such increase of good workes springeth of none other thing so much as of faith And next they also which vnder a false pretence of the Gospell seeke the vnbrydelled licentiousnesse of the fleshe and to sinne without check Howbeit after the hystory of the keeper of the Prison ended Luke commeth vnto the officers of Philippi and declareth howe the Apostles were delyuered by their commaundement and authoritie For Gods workes are perfyte and beguyle not mens mindes with vaine hope and expectation of his helpe and succour In the meane season yet God marueylously tosseth the Apostles that one maye see he vseth the wicked to fulfyll his pleasure euen against their wyll But let vs discusse all things in order that we may receyue the more comfort and instruction thereby By the breake of daye came Sergeaunts from the Magistrates commaunding the Apostles to be let loose and it shall appeare afterward by Paules words that this was a secret dimission they went about meaning also to sende them out of the Citie But howsoeuer they were dimissed it is plaine that these Iudges did acknowledge both the innocencie of the Apostles and also their owne vnrighteousnesse which they vsed against them But whether it was the meane whyle of the night that caused them to consider so much or the earthquake that strake them in such feare that they durst not holde on in their tyrannie it is vncertaine But assuredly such sodaine chaunge of minde did aboundantly declare both their rashnesse and vnrighteousnesse Yet go they about marueylous craftily to hyde the heynousnesse they had commytted and whereof they were ashamed For therefore woulde they haue the Apostles priuily to be set at libertie to lay all the fault in them as though they mistrusting their cause had broke open the dores and fledde out of Prison Thus the wicked vse with craftes and colours to seeke to seeme righteous being ashamed of their naughtinesse but meaning no earnest repentaunce which causeth them to their further shame to heape freshe offences and sinnes vpon the olde Therefore this place teacheth vs fyrst what the repentaunce of the wicked is for the most part Doubtlesse a counterfeyte repentaunce and such as reuerence and feare of men onely wringeth out of them not repenting in the meane season from the heart nor nothing mindefull of amendement Thus we reade Saule repented when he earnestly required Samuel not to depart from him least his authoritie and estimation should vtterly haue quayled before the Elders and the people That this is a vaine and vnprofytable repentaunce appeareth euen by this for that in the meane season they hate the worde of God woorse than a Tode bicause the light thereof discloseth their wickednesse Let euery man therefore so learne to acknowledge his offences that he may also be sorrowfull for the same and not seeke to hyde them wyth the shaming of other but rather let them publishe them to the amendment of other and to the setting forth of Gods glorie whereof the scripture giueth vs examples in Dauid and Paule Also this place teacheth vs how easilye wicked officers can quit themselues of great heynous offences For what could this men haue done more wickedly and vnworthy their calling than to beate innocent persons without hearing their cause at the â—ry and clamour of the commons and being all gore bloude and their sores not washed to cast them into a darke dungeon And nowe they thinke it is ynnough if they put them not to death with more shame but conuey them priuily out of the Citie And here is no worde of amends making This is a common thing in these dayes especially in their causes whome the world hateth bicause of their sinceritie in truth and religion yea they thinke they deserue great commendation of modestie and equitie if they doe but depriue such Christians of honours and goodes and banishe them their countrie But let officers consider that they are placed of God in such degree of power and honour Let them also remember that iudgement belongeth vnto god Furthermore let them often remember that they shall one day also come before Christ to be iudged where they shall giue an accompt of all their iudgementes And therefore according to the admonition of the Prophete let them holde the bloud of their subiectes deare in their sight Furthermore here appeareth the inuincible power of God whereby he is able to take and deliuer his beloued out of the handes of the wicked although they persist in their wickeddesse For they repent not of their naughtinesse and thinke of no amendment as we sayde euen nowe yea they vndoubtedly wished the Apostles of
the Citie crying These that trouble the worlde are come hyther also whome Iason hath receyued priuilie And these all doe contrarie to the decrees of Caesar affirming an other king one Iesus And they troubled the people and the officers of the Citie when they heard these things And when they were sufficiently aunswered of Iason and of the other they let them go And the brethren immediatly sent away Paule Silas by night vnto Berrhoea which when they were come thyther entred into the Synagoge of the Iewes AS God ordeyned his sonne from euerlasting to be the sauiour of mankinde so he prophecyed in the beginning of the world that there should be perpetuall enmitie and contention betweene the Deuill and him when he sayde vnto the Serpent I will set enmitie betweene thee and the woman betweene thy seede and hir seede The same shall treade downe thy heade and thou shalt treade vpon hys heele Continuall examples of which prophecie this booke of the Apostles actes declareth vnto vs For wheresoeuer in the worlde the Apostles went about to erect and establishe the kingdome of Christ by the preaching of the Gospell there Satan by his instrumentes alwayes withstoode them This he did fyrst at Ierusalem by the Scribes Priests after that at Samaria by Simon the Sorcerer after that againe at Damascus by Areta king of Arabia in Cyprus by Elymas the Sorcerer at Antioch in Pisidia by the Iewes who after that of an obstinate purpose and implacable hatred followed Paule euerywhere by sea and by lande to hynder and stop the course of the gospell For these were his enimies at Lystra These withstoode him as he taught at Derba And nowe being called of God into Macedonia they trouble and molest him For by their meanes as this present place teacheth he is thrust out of Thessalonica where the gospell began prosperously to take roote The chiefe vse of all these things is that we must not be offended if the lyke come vpon these dayes but that we consyder that this alway is the state of the church in this worlde bicause the worlde delyghteth more in seruing the Prince thereof than in Christ. But let vs vewe this present place which marueylously serueth to instruct and comfort vs against the wicked assaultes of the Deuill and the worlde For fyrst it teacheth vs with what instruments the Deuill fought agaynst Paule at Thessalonica After that it describeth their properties and qualities and the good successe of all this Tragedie Among the instrumentes of the Deuill which he here thought good to vse are two kynde of men rehearsed The fyrst are the Iewes which Luke sayth had indignation at the Apostles But they were hypocrites which vsed the pretence of Gods lawe and zeale of auncient religion to cloke their obstinacie and vnbeliefe with where in deede they sought nothing but their priuate gaine and glorye as by their conspiracie may easily appeare For they tooke vnto them certaine vagabundes men of naughtie conditions whose companye they ought to haue shunned as a moste pestilent plague if they had loued truth and religion For thus are ydle and luskishe lubbers worthie to be called who when they haue spent their goodes in waste stande in the market place lyke publyke wares to be solde and are ready to commit all kinde of mischiefe so they may fynde a buyer This is a marueylous society and such as a man would neuer once suspect could be amonge professours of such vnlyke studyes but that the force of hatred once conceyued against the truth is so great that it vseth to ioyne men of most diuers conditions and natures in league togither Thus thou seest the Priestes Scribes and Phariseyes the Sadduceyes Iudas the Apostle the souldiours Herode and Pilate conspire togither against Christ all which otherwise were of diuers countreyes religion and profession This place teacheth vs who are the most earnest and chiefest enimies of the truth Uerily hypocrites which vnder a false pretence of religion seeke their owne aduauntage and such as being nusseled in ydlenesse and cannot away with pouertie are readie to sell their helpe about any thing For as the fyrst sort by the testimonie of Christ can not beleeue bicause they burne in desyre of priuate glorye so the other thinke there is most right where most meede is Therefore Satan vseth craftily to ioyne and consocyate these two sortes of men togither to the ende that these bolde and desperate dickes of Caria hyred and waged by hypocrites may with open violence bring that to passe which they cannot with their craftie and subtile inuentions This is the cause that nowe a dayes so manye Prelates are seene in kings Courtes that Byshops be of Princes counsels and that Monkes which bragge they are men deade vnto the worlde are seene flying in the fyeld among armed men For they can fynde themselues no more trustie defendoures than such as haue solde their soules and consciences and measure all truth and religion by gaine and lucre These things teach vs what kinde of men they shoulde most of all beware of which desyre to haue their Churches in safety In many places now a dayes Abbotes and Bishops craftily insynuate themselues and pretende a kinde of zeale But when they are once let in by and by they fynde men meete for their purpose and deuises which being brybed with golde dare forceably doe anye thing against the doctrine of Christ and they are founde to be most of all other voyde of al religion and righteousnesse which seemed before to beare greatest zeale vnto God. This the seconde part of this place teacheth vs which declareth their doings which hytherto pretended the zeale of godlynesse in their enterprise The fyrst thing that they doe they set all the Citie by their conspiracie in an vprore which was easie for them to doe by false rumours which they spredde both openly and priuily agaynst the Apostles as enymies of the publike weale That done they violently giue an assault to an other mans house meaning to haue brought forth the Apostles if they had found them there But what kinde of zeale is that that maketh men burst open dores and hale innocents vnto death Yet is there a more heynous matter than this For when they could not fynde them they sought for they bring and pull before the Iudges Iason the Apostles hoste a man for his hospitality worthy of singuler prayse and with him certaine of the brethren which beleeued in Christ and accuse them as Traytors vnto the Citie And they so frame their accusation that they intermeddle in euery worde most impudent lyes and slaunders These say they that trouble the worlde are come hyther also whome Iason hath receyued priuilye They call the Apostles which preach peace and mutuall looue troublers of the worlde whereas they themselues had nowe set all the Citie on a roare lyke seditious fellowes But bicause they knewe religion in pretence whereof they made this adooe was smally regarded
among the Thessalonians they exaggerate the matter and say that the Apostles did all things against the lawes and decrees of Caesar and so accuse them of treason saying they appointed an other to be king of the worlde affirming in a maner the same that they of Ierusalem before obiected against Christ before Pylate If you let these men go you are not Caesars friende The chiefe vse of these thinges is to learne vs with what instrumentes and weapons the wicked most assault the truth and hir Ministers First they vse open force For where Satan is a murtherer they thinke they haue a great defence therein for themselfe So Pylate sent forth his crewe with swordes and clubbes to take Christ which plainely sayde he did exercise the power of darkenesse Thus Cain violently kylled Abel And Pharao openly afflicted the Israelites Yea if a man would consyder the hystories of all ages he shoulde see the chiefe argumentes of the enimies of the truth founded vpon seculer power And commonly in these dayes they vse to dispute against the godly with imprisonment chaynes Gunnes Speares fyre and sworde Howbeit bicause the wiser sort abhorre from manifest violence and tyranny Satan knoweth craftily howe to mittigate the heynousnesse of this matter with lying going about by false accusations and slaunders to bring the seruauntes of Christ and faythfull Ministers of the truth in ignominie and suspicion Examples hereof we haue else where alleaged in Achab the king and in the Iewes accusing Christ before Pylate so that we neede tarie no longer in this matter Let vs learne at the least not rashely to beleeue them that grieuously accuse the godly as though they were blasphemers of God iniurious to the saintes and disturbers of the common weale Let vs rather search out the verie truth of the matter and commonly it shall appeare they are most innocent which before seemed worthy of all kinde of punishment This place teacheth vs furthermore what great destruction commeth vnto common weales by ydle and gracelesse persons For when they haue spent and consumed their owne goodes they gape after other mens and will be hyred for a little to commit a great mischiefe whereby it commeth to passe that they which will not by iustice of discipline punishe them are at length much cumbred and endammaged by them and perceyue their common weales by them to be much hyndered So these men being long suffered at Thessalonica wax at length so bolde and desperate that being entised and hyred by the Iewes they beginne a publike sedition and their boldenesse putteth all men in feare which thing seemeth to me to haue bene the cause that Paule afterward wryting to the Thessalonians warneth them so dyligently to see to the ordering of them that liued ydly of other mens labours For to let passe this present example there are euerywhere manye examples of other nations which teache vs that there are no kynde of men more pernitious vnto common weales But in steede of a great many that one may serue that is written in the storie of the Romaines of the coniuration of Catiline and his Complices Most prudently therefore did the Athenians sometyme inact that sluggishe and ydle persons shoulde be brought out into the market place and openlye shamed as men getting their lyuing by no honest arte or trade With the same Athenians the officers called Areopagitae when they suspected anye of inordinate lyfe called them before them and demaunded of them howe they liued and mainteyned themselues Which seueritie and industrie if it were vsed in our dayes woulde make our common weales and Churches more quiet than they be But it is a foule thing for christian men in this poynt to be ouercome of Gentiles whome reason and experience of the fleshe onely taught to be more wise than we Nowe let vs see the ende of this Tragedie whose beginning was such that no man would haue thought it coulde haue bene ended without shedding of bloud First the Iudges and people are both mooued as commonly it vseth to be in sedition so that at the fyrst brunt wisemen and modest also are almost amazed and wote not what to doe But as God with a little blast of winde can chase away the threatning and clowdie countenance of heauen so in this place with small adoe he maketh them quiet calme that erewhile seemed to be starke mad For by the secret working of hys spirite he mittigateth the mindes of the Iudges to heare Iason speake and at length being satisfyed to dismysse hym and the other brethren In the meane while the brethren in the night season sende away Paule and Silas to Berrhoea where they againe go into the Synagoge and preache with great fruit and vtilitie But as in this councell of Thessalonica is set forth a president of ciuile iustice and equitie for all men to follow which are in office and authoritie so in the other persons haue we some thinges also to be obserued And fyrst this thing is verie comfortable that is tolde of Iason He for his kindenesse shewed vnto the Apostles is in great daunger But the Lorde so deliuereth him that he obteyneth an euerlasting praise in the congregation of the saintes And thus is the promise of Christ fulfylled which promised a sure rewarde vnto him that giueth but a Cup of cold water vnto any one of his disciples Let this kindle in vs also a desyre vnto godlynesse that it seeme not to vs intollerable to suffer traueyles and perilles for Christes faythfulles sake Further the brethren of Thessalonica shewe themselues thankefull vnto Paule and Silas in that they accompany them and bringing them on their waye in the night season putting themselues a freshe in daunger so that it is not without a cause that Paule commendeth their fayth in the Epistle he wryteth vnto them The Galathians also are commended of him for the same cause who sayth he were ready to haue giuen him their eyes if he had needed them But nowe a dayes Ministers haue small thanks for they are the fyrst in daunger and sometime deliuered into the handes of their cruell enimies by them which will be taken for most christian people and Gospellers Finally we haue to consyder Paule which embraseth the counsell of the brethren wylling him to flye vnderstanding that it was a thing permytted by Christ when neyther the glorie of God nor the weale of the brethren and congregation was in daunger For God will not haue vs perishe without great cause and for no profyte In the meane season in the flying they are not forgetfull of their duetie but assoone as they come to Berrhoea they teach agayne By which example we are admonished that we must so see to our owne safety that we forsake not our standing and tackle But if we be endued with the zeale of God the cause it selfe time and place shall easily giue vs counsell what to doe Let the power and goodnesse of God also comfort vs wherby we see Paule
such as the wyse men in tymes past had learned euen by natures lore and that they were very grosse and barbarous that had suffred such naturall notices and knowledges to be extinguished in them At length concluding the place he thus inferreth forasmuch then as we are the generation of God wee must not thinke that the Godheade is lyke vnto golde siluer or stone grauen by arte or industrye of man. He calleth vs the generation of God chiefely bicause of the ymage after which we be made For as yet there was no place to speake of the adoption of the elect before them which yet vnderstoode not the principles of the knowledge of god The meaning therefore is this Where God woulde haue hys ymage to shyne in man the Lorde and gouernor of all creatures it were to grosse an error to forge a dumbe ymage of hym out of any deade thing For we cannot counterfeyte man as he is the Image of God bicause his ymage is in the soule whose forme and nature by mannes arte can not be expressed nor shadowed Howe much lesse then can manne expresse God in anye Image â–ª He nameth fyrst precious matter golde and siluer shewing that this is not able to represent the ymage of god For howe much soeuer it is esteemed among menne yet are they frayle thinges and corruptible but God is incorruptible and euerlasting Furthermore he speaketh not of the formes and fashions which man at his pleasure giueth vnto God but of the arte and industry of man as if he shoulde say Although the singularest artifycers and maysters woulde lay all their heades togither yet are they not able to conceyue in their mindes much lesse to expresse in any matter or Image the true Image of god Hereof we gather that the Images which are made of God are very lies bicause they are not able to performe that they promise But I pray you what greater iniurie can be done vnto God than to make him which is eternall truth like vnto a lye What is this else but to make of God the Deuill whome Christ calleth the father of lyes No honest man woulde be contented to be represented and made lyke vnto a murtherer or Ruffyan an honest Matrone would much mislyke to be pictured in the attyre of an harlot Shall we then be so bolde to aduenture to represent God by lyes It is not without a cause that Lactantius that eloquent writer vttered this sentence saying there was no religion where any Images were Woulde God they woulde well consider thys geare that nowe a dayes holde with Images who in my iudgement are not the least cause that God sendeth in the Turkes to reforme the worlde seeing that Princes cannot abyde to haue Christendome purged of superstition and ydolatry by the doctrine of the Gospell It is our partes to remember our beginning and dignitie to worship one God in Iesus Christ our Redeemer to whome be all power honor and glory nowe and euer Amen The Cxix Homelie AND the time of this ignoraunce God regarded not but nowe byddeth all men euerywhere repent bicause he hath appoynted a day in the which he will iudge the world with righteousnesse by that man whoÌ„ he hath appointed and hath offred fayth to all men after that he had raised him from death When they hearde of the resurrection from death some mocked and other sayde we will heare thee agayne of this matter So Paule departed from among them Howbeit certaine men claue vnto him and beleeued among whome was Dionisius a senatour and a woman named Damiris and other with them WE haue hearde the fyrst part of Paules sermon wherein he hath most diligently confuted the errors of the Gentyles teaching that God is neyther included within Temples nor worshipped with sacrifyces wyth great and feruent zeale inueyed he agaynst the feygned Gods and Images of the heathen plainly admonishing them that they transgressed the order of nature that worshipped them and that they were vnmyndefull both of the ende and dignitie that they were made for Nowe let vs lysten to the later part of his sermon wherein he exhorteth them to repentance in Christ namely that they shoulde conuert and turne from their impietie and false worship of goddes vnto the true god In which place bicause of the Epicures which laughed at all kinde of religion he most earnestly vrged the mention of the last iudgement We will declare eche thing in that order that Paule vttereth it First he aunswereth a question vsed to be mooued in all ages and is at these dayes euerywhere obiected when the truth is preached that is to saye why God hath suffered the worlde so manye yeares to be seduced And whether it be likely nowe at the length that the truth is disclosed to a fewe persons of no name and estimation But Paule aunswereth these demaundes briefely howe that God hath hitherto winked at the tymes of ignorance not bicause he delyteth in ignorance but bicause so it seemed good vnto him which appoynteth all thinges according to his iust iudgement and that the worlde coulde not choose but erre as long as God hid the light of his truth bicause men of themselues haue no feeling or vnderstanding of god And where he sayth that the truth hydden from the worlde before tymes is nowe reuealed he declareth that henceforth ignorance shall not be excused It is very worthy to be noted howe Paule alleaging Gods doing simply and barely mooueth no disputation at all concerning the causes why God suffered the worlde so long to erre We must also followe this tracke of modestie that we wade not to deepe in searching out the â—auâ—es of Gods iudgements or that we charge not him with the cause of our vngodlynesse For it is euident that he can do no man wrong bicause we all long sithence had deserued eternall damnation and be borne the children of wrath It is also euident that he gouerneth all thinges by iust iudgement And Paule in another place speaking of the reuelation of the Gospell sayth it is a mystery hidden from the beginning of the worlde Christ teacheth the same saying that the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen are not reuealed to euery one It is therefore a folly and to malapert and wicked an offence to call gods dooings to the controlment of mannes reason seeing he requireth of vs obedience of fayth and seeing nothing so well becommeth the children of God as to frame themselues vnto his will which appeareth in his worde and workes Furthermore Paule in this place expresseth the ende of the preaching of the gospell forasmuch as he sayth it is declared to euery man for that they shoulde repent Therfore it is not ynough to haue heard or learned the gospell but it behooueth vs to repent vs of our errors other vices The order and course of the whole story of the gospell teacheth vs the same Iohn the Baptist beginneth with the doctrine of repentaunce Then after him
should see him no more they would followe his example and diligently kepe the doctrine he had taught them that they would carefully watche for the sauegarde of the Churche and stoutly resist those heretickes whereof a numbre very noysome and hurtfull would follow He exhorteth them the rather by his example and vrgeth them the more earnestly bicause that as he was in his owne conscience not culpable so he communed with them to whome his credite and diligence was well knowne And in the beginning he comprehendeth brefely bothe the example of his owne life and the summe of his doctrine Concerning his liuing he sayth thus Yee knowe from the first day I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you at all seasons seruing the Lorde with all humblenesse of minde and with many teares and temptations which happened to mee by the laying await of the Iewes As he calleth them to witnesses so he alleageth all the time of his conuersation among them least any mighte thinke hee had counterfaited godlinesse for a small seasone as a great many vse to doe who when they haue craftily crope and gotte within men through their pretence of vertuousnesse at lengthe moste shamefully bewray their cloked naughtinesse For the wicked can not long counterfet godlinesse But bicause Paule had wholely addicted himselfe vnto Christ and to his religion therefore he alwayes obserued one tenor of conuersation and one like studie and trauaile in the Ministerie Of this studie and trauaile is it to be vnderstanded where it is sayde he serued the Lorde wherein he maketh mention of three things specially humblenesse of minde teares which the earnest desyre of all mennes saluation caused him to shed and greeuous temptations which yet could neuer plucke him from doing his office and duetie By these lette the Ministers of Churches learne what manner of men they ought to be in the Ministerie of the Churche And firste lette them laboure for Humilitie that they ascribe not to them selues impudently any Diuinitie or Godheade which is the propertie of Antichriste or contempne any persone in comparison of themselues and so arrogantly seeke rule and Lordshippe ouer their fellowe Ministers which thing Peter warneth them of in his first Epistle and fifthe Chapter For it becommeth them that will bee Christes Ministers to followe Christes ensample who as hee derogateth nothing from the glory of his Father so hee neuer disdained any persone in so muche that hee liued very familiarely with Publicanes and sinners and did witsafe to washe hys Disciples feete so leauing it to them as an Example of Humilitie teaching them that they shoulde refuse no kinde of duetifulnesse one towardes an other Unto Humilitie must bee ioyned a desire to profite all menne whiche Ministers muste seeke with all diligence yea euen with teares For hereof we haue an ensample in Christe who as Mathewe wryteth in the ninthe Chapter was moued euen from the bottome of the heart when he sawe the Iewes go astray like sheepe lacking a Shephearde And in an other place we read he wepte when hee behelde Ierusalem that vnkinde and bloudy Citie knowing that for their greeuous wickednesse and irrepentant mindes they should shortly come to destruction The like affection of Charitie we see in Moses who chose rather to bee wyped oute of the Booke of life than to see the destruction of his Countrymen Samuel the Prophete had the like in him also who hearing that God hadde forsaken Saule tooke suche a care of heart therefore that he ceased not mourning till God reprehended him for it 1. Sam. 15. and â–ª 16. And that Paule proudely bragged not of this affection bothe his faithfull and continuall diligence to sette foorthe the publike saluation proueth and also this that for the Iewes sake which were hys mortall ennemyes hee wished to be accursed And surely as many as well vnderstande the reason of their Ministerie cannot wante thys affection for where they heare that menne are borne againe by their Ministerie they take them for theyr Children whome they bryng vnto GOD and they vse to embrace them with a Fatherly affection which if any man wante doubtlesse hee aboundantly declareth that hee vnderstandeth not the dignitie of hys Ministerie But there muste bee also ioyned heereunto a thirde thing that they fall not in the time of temptation or being ouercomen with feare forsake not their Churches when persecution ariseth For Christ saithe that this is the propretie of hirelings Yea lette them thincke that their Faithe and constancie is then cheefely required when they see bothe them selues and their sheepe most of all tempted And if a manne woulde compare those that nowe a dayes will bee called Successoures of the Apostles wyth this Example of Paule it shall easely appeare howe little or nothyng of Paules heart and minde is in them bicause in pride they exceede all barbarous Princes they fill the world full of warres they haue no pitie of the sheepe that goe astray but are only careful how to prouide for them and theirs with the common losse and detriment of other men But lette vs retourne vnto Paule who rendering an accompte of hys Doctrine setteth out a perfecte patterne of the same not onely to the Ephesians and those of Asia but to all Ministers for all tymes and all places And fyrste he sayth he didde all things among them of good purpose and intente I kepte backe nothyng that was profitable vnto you but shewed you it c. The sense is that hee kepte from them nothyng that was necessarie for them to knowe The same is required of all Ministers to teache the doctrine of saluation perfectly and to keepe backe nothyng for the worldes pleasure Yea the more the worlde rageth the more muste the trumpe of the worde sounde that they suffer not the truthe to bee oppressed and ouercome with the fury of the worlde Heere is reproued the errour of them whych thinke it good to yeelde somewhat to the enimyes of truthe that they bee not the more incensed by playnenesse of teaching as thoughe they became not the fiercer throughe the slothe of Ministers whyle they thynke men feare them and the Ministers distruste their grounde and quarell It is heere chiefly to bee noted that the Apostles teache all thinges fully and perfectly that concerne the saluation of man so that there needeth no additions or patches to supply or make vp their doctrine For it is euident that Chryst concealeth nothing from them prouing by this argument that he tooke them for his friendes bycause he reuealed all thinges vnto them that he receyued of his father He promised them his spirite to prompt them and put them in remembraunce of all things which we haue seene before they receyued Therefore the doctrine of the Apostles is full and perfecte whereby they taughte Iesus Chryste onely vnto the Churche as their Epistles and Sermons aboundantly declare Therefore they do great iniurie
out among them selues and sayeth Menne and brethâ—en I am a Pharisey the sonne of a Pharisey touching the hope and resurrection of the deade I am iudged Paule seemeth to offende either in crafte or in denying of Christ and his faithe seeing he professeth to be of the order of them who it is euident were the greatest ennimies of Christ. But he may easily be excused For first he was enforced to seeke suche a shifte and escape bicause he perceiued he should haue no libertie otherwise to speake and saw the matter was handled with open tirannie therfore he had rather haue professed his faith plainely and haue giuen an accompt thereof as he began to doe but being interrupted he taketh a newe way Again he confesseth nor alloweth not the Phariseis opinion simply and in all poyntes but in the Article of the resurrection wherein they had a sounde iudgement He ioyneth with them agaynst the Saduces And what he thought of the other opinions of the Phariseis and specially of their trust in workes wherein they had suche a pride his Epistles euery where aboundantly declare Therefore Paules example maketh nothing for them which for the more suretie of their life and estimation will craftely draw backewarde in matters of Religion and receyue and allow Articles playne repugnaunt to the fayth of Chryst. Wee are yet taught that it is lawefull for the godly beeing circumuented with wrongfull iudgement to seeke to escape them as farre foorth as they may doo it without detriment of the truthe least by ouer rashe endaungering them selfe they bring the truthe in perill with them Aboue all things marke how Paule sayth he is iudged touching the resurrection of the deade Howebeit the poyntes of his accusation soundeth farre otherwise But he alleageth the resurrection bycause therein consisteth the principall poynte and whole matter of fayth and religion as he declareth in the firste to the Corinth 15. And bicause the whole hope of the Sainctes standeth herein he sayth he is iudged also concerning that hope For take away the resurrection and what else haue the faythfull wherin to put any trust bycause in the world they see nothing but crosses and tribulations Hereby it appeareth what we may thinke of those which deny the resurrection For bothe they pull downe the foundation of Christian fayth and set open the gate vnto all wickednesse of life Howebeit Paules enterprise succeedeth very luckely For by and by the Phariseis maintayne his parte agaynst the Saduces and making a sedicious noyse on both sides the Phariseis crie out of Paules side We find no euill in this man for if that a spirite or Aungell haue spoken vnto him let vs not striue agaynst God. And herein verily they speake both moste godly and truely and yet they deserue no prayse before God therefore bicause they made this confession not for any loue they had to truthe and equitie but of a corrupte affection of minde And this is a notable example teaching vs what partaking is able to doo for beeing carried with the sway hereof they which a little before thirsted after his bloude become his defendours This thing vseth to happen many times both in religion and also in other controuersies But forasmuche as suche iudgements for the moste parte tende to an euill ende it behoueth vs diligently to auoyde the same There are also two things very profitable to be obserued The first is howe the consent of the wicked can not long endure For as they are tossed hither and thither like the sea with vncertayne affections so God vseth from an high to scatter and scorne their counsels and deuises and that can he doo with suche dexteritâ—e and handsomnesse that somtimes he vseth the helpe of moste wicked enimies in sauing of his seruauntes Thus the roddes and incursions of the Philistines were profitable vnto Dauid whyle they kepte backe Saule from persecuting him And in our dayes we haue seene the Turkes warres an occasion many times of the Churches tranquillitie and quiet Therefore let not the conspiracies of the wicked offende any man but let vs put our assured trust of saluation in god The other is that they which take agaynst that doctrine that God reuealeth striue agaynst god This is an horrible offence but to coÌ„mon in these dayes For in defacing the Gospell both Princes Prelates of the Churche chiefly labour whereas the sonne of God dyd firste voutsafe to reueale it to the worlde by his owne mouth But at length to their great confusion shall these Gyaunts feele how much stronger God is than they and how horrible a thing it is to fall into his hands Furthermore these clamours taken vp on both sides turne to open sedition and the matter proceedeth so farre that Paule is fayne to be delyuered agayne by the helpe of the Captayne and Souldiours and to be brought into the Castle which vndoubtedly were moued therevnto by God as they were at the first Let all magistrates follow the example of this Captayne and remember that it is their duetie to succour and defâ—nde those that are good For the cowardlynesse of suche is to be detested â–ª which either care not for the good or else for mens sakes deliuer them to be tormented wherein it is euident that Pylate offended Let them also marke what to looke for when they commit the ministers of truthe vnto the councels of Antichryst For nether they shall be constrayned shamefully to forsake them or if they will saue them to deliuer them with greater daunger out of the handes of them which make it but a game and pastime wickedly to breake publique Lawes and promyses An example hereof appeareth in Sigismunde the Emperoure circumuented with the crafte and tyrannie of the Councell of Constance when he was not able to deliuer Iohn Husse out of their handes sente for out of Boheme by his letters of safe conducte and vppon the fayth of an Emperour Howebeit howsoeuer thinges fare in the worlde let vs imitate Paule and constantly defende the truthe and Iesus Chryst our Sauiour and redeemer shall not fayle those that bee his To whome bee blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxlix Homelie THE nighte following God stoode by him and sayde Bee of good cheere Paule for as thou haste testified of mee at Hierusalem so must thou beare witnesse also at Rome And when it was day certayne of the Iewes gathered them selues togyther and made a vowe saying That they woulde neyther eate nor drinke tyll they had kylled Paule They were more than fortie men which had made this conspiracie And they came to the chiefe priestes and Elders and sayde Wee haue bound our selues wyth a vowe that wee wyll eare nothing vntyll wee haue slayne Paule Nowe therefore giue you knowledge to the vpper Captayne and to the Counsell that hee bring hym foorthe vnto vs to morrowe as though wee woulde knowe something more perfectly of him But wee or euer he come neere are ready to kyll him When
wold haue that he prophecied proued set forth by the exaÌ„ples of his apostles that we shold be the lesse offended if at any time the like hapned to vs also For as the Apostles suffred al kindes of persecution aduersities so they teach by their example what it becoÌ„meth vs to doo when we be tried by persecutions teÌ„ptations And this is the cheef vse end of al this present matter of the whole history folowing But in this place there is no more rehearsed but the first act against Paul all the circuÌ„stances wherof we shal now examine He beginneth with the discription of the persons that appeared before Felix the Lieutenaunt And of one side stoode Ananias the high Priest the Elders and Tertullus a famous Orator greatly exercised in pleading by reason of his long practise And on the other syde Paule alone and in bondes and for many causes before suspected In this place appeareth againe as we haue often times already declared who are commonly the cheefe enimies of the truthe and of the ministers thereof and with what weapons they fight verily euen they which will seeme to be the greatest mainteyners both of religion and the common weale and amongst them such as make marchaundize of religion For the historie of the Gospel teacheth vs euerye where that Paules aduersaries in this place were euen such And these kind of men for the most part vse to excell in experience in wisedome in vtteraunce and in power aucthoritie for the which cause they haue many that fauour them folowe them Contrariwise the ministers of truth as they be fewe in number so commonly they are of small fame and estimation contempned and despised of all men as who seeme of bitternesse of minde or of ignorance rather than of godlines and loue of mens saluation to withstande the worlde But that it hath alway bene the godlies happe in this world being but few despised persons to cope with numbers in power and aucthoritie is to be seene by the examples of all ages Thus Moses and Aaron were matched with the Magitians of Egipt who were fauoured and defended with the kings aucthoritie and had all the Nobilitie of Egipt on their side So Elias alone encountreth with foure hundreth and fiftie Priestes of Baal and with almost as many Chaplins of the woodes and groues before Achab a most wicked Iudge And we read that Micheas not long after that was faine to set himselfe against foure hundreth false Prophetes Here might also be alleaged the histories of other Prophetes and Apostles of Christ himselfe whiche for breuities sake we omit bicause they that reade the scriptures hitte on them euery where We haue rather to consider the ende of these thinges wherof we shall receyue great profit vtilitie For first they serue for the instruction of euery maÌ„ that we should not iudge of faith or religioÌ„ according to the multitude or aucthoritie of theÌ„ that folow it as we see now adaies men coÌ„monly do But if we graunt theÌ„ this then shal not only Paule take the foile who being but one was accused by the priests Elders but also al the prophets with Christ his Apostles shal be in dauÌ„ger Yea we shal prefer the Turks before the ChristiaÌ„s which far passe vs both in territories dominions in multitude of natioÌ„s in victories other prosperities successe Wherfore we must rather herkeÌ„ vnto Christ which calleth his faithful a litle flock saith the few enter into the narow gate but heapes rashe into destruction through the broader waye Againe the coâ—syderation of these thinges doth not litle comfort vs that we be not afrayde although wee alone be sometime constrayned to stande agaynste manye both of great power glorye and aucthoritie For he that in thys place strengthened Paule will stande by vs also being in lyke daunger For we haue large promyses wherein he promyseth vs the prompting of hys spirite a mouth and wisedome against whiche no aduersaries shall be able to resist See Luke 21. Mat. 10. Mark. 13. But let vs heare Tertullus the Oratour whose Oration consisteth cheefl ye of three pointes The first is the beginning wherein he doth not as arteficiously as craftilye and impudently purchase him selfe beneuolence and good will partlye flattering Felix to his face and partelye the Iewes For they saye they may thanke him for the peace and quietnesse which they liued in and for that through his care and prouidence so many miseries were euery day redressed Againe they confesse they acknowledge this his goodnesse and benefites with thankes giuyng Yet do they lye egregiously in both For we haue hearde before how Felix gouerned the Cuntrey as naughtely as could be how he did infinite things cruelly and vniustlie and in all places where he came committed Whoredome and Murther and prophane wryters abundantly declare the same Againe it is euident to all men that haue but meane knowledge in histories that the Iewes also about these tymes made often and many rebellions agaynst the Romanes And yet the most vaine man is not ashamed to lye and by praising the tyranne dishonestly betraye his whole Nation whose commendation he should most earnestlie haue regarded But therefore do they falsely commende their quiet estate of gouernement to bring Paule the more in hatred with Felix as though hee were a disturber of publique peace and tranquillitie And in them it easelie appeareth what the bitternesse of hatred is once conceyued against the truthe For where the worlde hateth nothing so muche as the truethe bycause the light thereof reproueth theyr euill woorkes therefore it can suffer and beare most cruell enimies rather than the truth they thinke tyrannes tollerable ynough so they will put to their helpe in oppressing the truth So they preferred Tiberius Caesar a cruell and voluptuous tyraunt before Christe our Sauiour when they sayde they had none other king but Caesar. Yea they were not ashamed to preferre Barrabas a Murtherer and Captaine of a secte of Rebels before christ And this vntowarde and peruerse inudgement is no newe thing in the worlde For we reade that the Israelites in the wildernesse in time past offended and withstode Moses likewise maruellousâ—ie commending the seruitude of Egipt by reason of the Melons Amonds garelike fleshe such like things that land did abound in and disdained that state of life in the which euery houre God declared new tokens of his beneuolence good will like most miserable vnhappy men And would God we had not the like examples in our daies where meÌ„ woÌ„derfully extol the great peace we liued in in yÌ„e time of popery say yÌ„t the preching of the gospel hath marred altogither but in the mean seson they can craftily disseÌ„ble the bloudy wars that the Popes haue ben cheefe procurers of this many hundred yeares and will make no mention of suche greeuaunces as haue miserablye weakened both the goodes and consciences of
but shadows of Chryst and of the things that belonged vnto hym I omitte the testimonies of the Prophetes for breuitie sake Let this suffise for them al where Christ teacheth vs that the mysteries both of his death and resurrection were long before prophesied by Moses the Prophets and wryters of the Psalmes Therefore Paule very well professeth that he teacheth none other fayth or hope of saluation than that which the fathers had which beleeued the promises that God had made Let vs also obserue howe he complayneth that he is accused for thys selfe fayth and that of the Iewes which did moste glory in the fathers and in the promises This thing teacheth vs what state the truth is in in this world verily euen suche that not only the open enimies take against hir but also those that will seeme to be the most earnest followers of hir This we read came to passe in the time of the Prophets long agone And as Chryst teacheth vs they made muche of the Prophetes tombes and graues which yet hated their doctrine worse than a tode So wheÌ„ Christ came vnto them which euery day looked for him according to the Oracles of the Prophets yet they neither knew him nor receiued him The same we see falleth out also euen in our dayes For they that bragge of the name of Chryst and supersticiously worship the mother of Chryst the Uirgin and the Sainctes with their reliques for Chrystes sake the same persecute the true fayth of Chryst and the doctrine of the Apostles for no cause so muche as for that it chalengeth to Chryste onely all the glory of our redemption and saluation And now a dayes euery where among the Christians suche men are accused of vngodlynesse and heresie as do teach that men ought to trust in Chryst onely and to seeke all their saluation in him alone Therefore we haue as great occasion in these dayes to complayne as Paule had who thought it vnmeete to be accused of the Iewes for the promise sake made sometime vnto the fathers But this is the vntowardnesse of this worlde wherat we must not be offended seeing it is both an olde practise and examples of al ages teach vs that the true worshippers of God haue alwayes wrastled and striuen agaynst the same Let vs obserue moreouer in what order and after what sorte Paule defendeth bothe his fayth and doctrine First he alleageth the promise or word of God and therevnto he ioyneth the consent of the whole Church For he nameth the twelue tribes togither therby playnly declaring that he hath no regarde what a certayne few of the Priestes thinke but what the whole company of the faythfull haue beleeued in all ages according to the word of god This is the best way of mayntayning and defending the fayth For where mannes traditions are of no authoritie with God the worde of God muste principally be brought foorth and by it a reason must be rendered of all opinions This foundation beeing layde then must we also haue an eye vnto the Churche not to the company of a certayne fewe which chalenge to them selues alone the name thereof but vnto that vniuersall assemblie and congregation which wee knowe hath bene from tyme to tyme continually since the beginning of the worlde although sometymes it hath bene somewhat selde and obscure somewhile somewhat more in number and more euident euen as it seemed good vnto him which chose vs in his sonne before the foundations of the worlde were layde Therefore the errour of our age is enormious and playne absâ—rde where many by and by at the firste choppe wyll alleage the consente of the Churche constituting the same vppon a certayne sorte of conspired counterfaytes that is to say smered and shauen creatures of Antichryst to whome they make the worde of God and the interpretation thereof to bee in subiection and gyue them power to decree and appoynte what they wyll concerning the fayth Whome if a man would examine according to the markes of the Primatiue Churche they shall so little be accounted worthy to be heades of the Church that they ought scarse to be taken for any members thereof Laste of all we see that the Article of resurrection ought to be taken for certayne and assured seeing that Paule alleageth the same with a certayne kind of indignation agaynst those that douted therof saying Why seemeth it vnto you an incredible thing that God should raise vp thâ— deade agayne As if he should say Is it not a maruayle that men should doubt of that which is euery where proued by so many argumentes â— For to let passe the Scriptures the reason of Gods iustice requireth that the dead should ryse agayne and receiue a recompence for the things which they heere haue done considering we see the wicked lyue mosâ—e commonly welthyly in this worlde and the godly in miseâ—ie Wee haue more ouer examples appearing euery yere in plants trees and in euery lyuing creature Do we not reade also that the first man was made of the earth â–ª and howe many were raysed agayne to life miraculously firste by the Prophets and then at length by Chryst him selfe But letting passe these arguments Paule sendeth his hearers to the consideration of Gods power onely verily to preuent this mischiefe that measureth the mysteries of fayth according to the capacitie and reache of mans reason It is also a ridiculous errour to thinke that impossible to God whereof we can not perceyue a reason by and by And this is to be obserued not onely in the Article of resurrection but also in all others to the ende wee shoulde subdue our reason to the obedience of fayth Yet must we not bring in as some men vse new and absurde opinions vnder the pretence of Gods omnipotencie For where we are certayne of the will of God according to his worde there it shal be lawfull for vs to reason of his omnipotencie which thing thou shalt in vayne doo if thou doo not first proue that God is willing to do that which thou meanest Furthermore let vs holde faste the chiefe poynt of this place that we trusting in the hope of the ancient promises worship God day and night which hath opened to vs life and eternall saluation in the promised seede Iesus Christ our sauiour to whom be praise honour power and glory for euer Amen The Clxij Homelie I Also verily thoughte in my selfe that I ought to doo many contrary things cleane agaynst the name of Iesus of Nazareth which thing I also dyd in Ierusalem and many of the Sainctes dyd I shutte vp in prison and had receiued authoritie of the highe Priestes And when they were put to death I gaue the sentence and I punished them oft in euery Sinagoge and compelled them to blaspheme and was yet more madde vpon them and persecuted them euen into straunge Cities About which things as I went to Damascus with authoritie and licence of the high Priestes euen at Mid-day
that they were taken for men out of their wiâ—tes Yea Christe himselfe was mocked of Pilate what time he confessed he came into the world to preache the truthe For Pilate thought him to be of the number of those men which had labored long in vaine to finde out the truthe bicause all things among men are doubtfull and vncertaine why therefore are we offended bicause the gospell preuaileth so little in these dayes seeing there is suche a multitude of men euery where which blinded with the reason of the fleshe and distract in their mindes receiue the word of God into the way which the infernall Iayes that is to say the affections suggestioÌ„s of sathan by and by peck vp But what doth Paul Is he so feared with Festus importunate interruption that he holdes his peace and so throughe his silence confirmeth the sinister suspition that they had of his being out of his wit No. Yea rather he boldly defendeth the aucthoritie both of his ministery and of the gospell I am not mad saith he moste deare Festus but I speake the wordes of truthe and sobrietie Therfore he boldly putteth such slaunder away yet modestly with such reuerence as is due vnto Magistrates least through impatiencie and ire and rendering of railing againe he should haue declared he had bene out of his wit in deede Therefore after a wise sort he vtterly denieth he was mad and those wordes which seemed vnto Festus to be of a madde man he declared to be most true and vttered by him after no curious sort but with as muche sobrietie as could be and this he proueth by most credible witnesses among whome firste hee produceth the King who could be ignorante of none of those things which hitherto had beene said concerning Christ bicause they were not done in a corner or in secrete but in the most famous Citie of all nations and at the greatest principallest feast of all other Againe he calleth all the Prophets also to witnesse who foreshewed that these things should so come to passe as he declared a little before more at large And bicause his saying should haue the more waighte and aucthoritie he boldly and freely defendeth the aucthoritie of the Prophets For he turneth him vnto the king and saith Beleeuest thou O king Agrippa the Prophetes And not waiting till he had an answere he preuenteth it adding moreouer I knowe that thou beleeuest For he knew well that the maiestie and truthe of the scripture Propheticall was yet such euen among the most corrupt nation of the Iewes that if any maÌ„ called it in dout all men would take him to be an vngodly person And it is to be thought that Paul handled this mater the more at large bicause Agrippa confessed by and by that he was greatly moued with his words Now be it here we haue certain things to be diligently considered bicause they make not a little for the coÌ„mon instruction of all men First this place teacheth vs that the best way of teaching is that that Paul confesseth he had hitherto obserued where he saith he spake the words of truth sobrietie For aboue al things ministers must haue a regarde of the truth least they sel leasing wherof Christ saith the deuill is the father vnder the pretence of Goddes worde And in treating of the mysteries of truth let them vse a godly and holy sobrietie giuing heede only to suche things as may edifie men vnto godlinesse Least while they folowe the curiositie of the fleshe they bothe entangle themselues in vnprofitable and hurtfull questions and also offende the weake and ruder sorte Let them therefore remember that we knowe but in parte onely and our Prophesying is vnperfite but that heereafter there shall come a day when withoute all impediment we shall beholde all the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen openly in the face of God. Furthermore Paules woordes teache vs that the affaires of our saluation and Christian religion are certaine and that nothing of them is difficult or to be suspected For as none of the things which happened vnto Christ was done in corners so those things which concerned Christ and the way of saluation in him were done in times past publikely and openly among the Fathers For the Patriarkes to whome the promisses were made at the beginning were no rascalles or diffamed Also the deliuery of the people of Israell out of Egipte was a thing well knowen vnto the Gentiles The publishing of the lawe with so many myracles was a famous and a renoumed matter all which things were figures of the mysteries of christ As touching the Prophets no good man did euer suspect any falshoode in them Furthermore all the Monarchies bothe of the Assirians Persians Grecians and Romanes had to doe with the nation of the Iewes among whome the affaires of saluation were taughte The voices of the Apostles did freely sound abrode in all the world in so muche that all men knewe bothe what they did and preached This is a great dignitie of our faith which is to be found in none other religion This reproueth the impudencie of those men which nowe a dayes call our beleefe in doubte and question Furthermore this place teacheth vs that the aucthoritie and credite of the holy scripture is moste certaine and that wee must suffer no man to call it in controuersie For seing it is inspired of God it is vnlawfull to doubt of it For this cause Paule putteth it ouâ— of controuersie that Agrippa beleeued the Prophetes And Christ hauing to doe with the Scribes of the Iewes attributeth this vnto them that they firmely beleeue that life euerlasting is contained in the scripture â–ª Iohn 5. Howe muche more execrable is the impudeneie of our dayes where some men wickedly cauill and scoffe at the scriptures and other some wonderfully deminishe the aucthoritie of them while they contende they ought to be alowed and confirmed by the iudgement of men Furthermore lette vs see the seconde kinde of hearers of the woorde of whome wee haue a patterne sette foorthe in Agrippa the King and these are suche as being giuen vnto the worlde lette the seede of the worde be ouergrowen with the cares and desires of the same For hee dare not denie the Scriptures the aucthoritie whereof hee knewe was of God and infallible He seeth also that those things which Paule saythe are agreeable wyth the Scripture Hee feeleth also certaine euidente motions of the mynde whereby hee was allured to take parte wyth Christe and hee dissembleth not the same bicause hee openly confesseth that hee was somewhat persuaded What letteth hym therefore that hee goeth not forewarde and publikely professeth Christe Uerely the vnhappy liking that he had of the worlde the â—rendshippe and glory wherof seemed to him more excellent than that he would forsake it and goe vnto them whome many men hated and enuied and other some thought to be out of their wittes But would God we had no
notable and is the oftenest cyted and alleaged of any other in the new Testament For all the Euangelists make mention heereof Mathew in the thirtenth Marke in the fourth Luke in the eyght and Iohn in the twelfth Chapiters And Paule repeateth the same in the tenth Chapiter to the Romanes Therfore we muste not thinke the consideration thereof superstuous For it conteyneth in it three thynges greatly belonging to vs also Fyrst the sinne of the Iewes is described in that they wittingly and willingly are blinde and despise the knowen light of the truthe like vnto men that hauing their perfecte sighte and hearing make yet as if they were blinde and deafe And that these were such the Gospell in many places teacheth vs Would to God these onely in times paste had bene suche and that we had not euery where the lyke in our dayes also who beeing conuinced euen by the testimonie of their conscience fayne yet as though they could not vnderstande the mysterie of the fayth Yet here appeareth the brightnesse of Goddes woorde which is so greate that it mightily pierceth both the eyes and eares of men For that worde which God hath set oute vnto vs as a Candle is not darke and obscure Therefore all the darkenesse is of man a grosse and wilfull darkenesse as the thinges following declare Secondly the Prophet describeth the cause of this euill namely an hart waxed grosse So calleth he the mynd which is indurate or hardned with naughtie affections so that it can be moued with no admonitions or exhortations of men All suche dooings as thys Chryste expresseth in the Parable of a mariage and Gestes bydden to the mariage wherein some hadde maryed a wyfe some hadde bought Oxen some other farmes whereabout they beeing occupied refused to come vnto the mariage Heereby are vnderstanded suche men as beeing addicted to the flesh and to earthly thinges neglecte and despise thinges heauenly Such e it appeareth the chiefe of the Iewes were who had a greater regarde to their honour and aduauntage than vnto Chryst and the kingdome of heauen and nowe a dayes there can scarse bee shewed any other cause of the Gospelles contempte than for that menne studie euery where to heape vp ryches and to fulfyll the pleasures of the fleshe so that they hadde rather lacke Chryste than forsake these their desires Thus it appeareth that all they which perishe in their incredulitie are inexcusable For The lyghte is come into the worlde and menne haue loued darkenesse more than it c. And Paule sayth that a tyme should come when menne shoulde not suffer the doctrine of truthe but shoulde gette them selues false teachers whiche shoulde speake thinges agreable to their fantasie and affections It is euidente that this also hathe bene these many yeres fulfylled according to the Letter and at thys day is so fulfylled that a man shall fynde a greate many whiche shall confesse that in the Gospell is taughte the true doctrine of Fayth and Religion and yet wyll preferre the Popishe Religion before it both bicause it betteâ— lyketh the fleshe and also for that it is more acceptable to the worlde To speake nothing in the meane season of them which openly and with great clamour testifie that they will neither heare nor suffer those that shall teach better or holesomer doctrine Howebeit the Prophete pronounceth the punishement that these men deserue which is bothe manyfolde and horrible For firste they are not conuerted that they may be healed Therefore all hope of saluation is taken from them For where there is none other way of saluation than to turne vnto God and to be at one with him it can not be but that all they that disdayne the worde of God wherby they are called vnto this holesome conuersion and wherby the right way therto is taught them must vtterly fall from saluation Wherefore it muste needes be that they must perish in their sinnes as Chryste threatneth the Priestes of the Iewes Then the next is that this saluation is translated and caried vnto other This god often threatneth vnto the Iewes therby to mollifie their stony confidence For where they were once adopted of God and became his peculiars they thought it was impossible that they shoulde fall from their dignitie Yea they persuaded them selues that the kingdome of God muste fall if God should forsake them Paule therfore teacheth them that this affiance of theirs is most vayne bicause God could easily translate his kingdome whole sound in all parts vnto the Gentiles And this he affirmed not of his owne head but as hauing a respecte vnto the Oracles of God wherby it was long agone prephesied that it shuld so come to passe Herevnto belong the things read in Deut. 32. They haue angred me with that which is no God and prouoked me with their vanities And I also will prouoke them with those which are no people I will anger them with a foolishe Nation c. See also what is sayde in Oseas to this purpose And Christ sayth also expressely The kingdome of God shall bee taken from you and giuen to a Nation which shall bring foorth the fruites thereof Nowe howe this came to passe and was verified the whole order of this Booke abundauntly declareth And Paule in the tenth and eleuenth to the Romanes more at large sheweth And least any man shoulde thinke the iudgement of God stayeth heere wee muste also marke that an horrible destruction bothe of the Citie and whole Nation followed as Chryste threatâ—eâ— assoone as the doctrine of the Gospell was taken from them and caryeâ— vnto the Gentyles These thinges are worthy to be diligently and continually obserued that we also may learne heereby what to hope for if we follow the Iewes and become vnkinde vnto God and wickedly wrastle agaynst the doctrine of the Gospell as they did For God is constante in his iudgements and the nation that doth the like he vseth to punish with like iudgements Ierem. 5. And there is no cause why wee should thinke that the Gospell and kingdome of Chryste shall fayle though we be forsaken which persuasion as we sayde erewhyle deceiued the Iewes For God is able of stones to rayse vp children vnto Abraham And there be diuerse coniectures which portende or shewe that the Empire is lyke to returne into the East and that the West shal be in seruitude agayne aâ—cording to the opinion of Lactantius Whiche thing if it come to passe we shall see the kingdome of Chryst greatly increase among the Turkes and perhaps among the Iewes also Touching which thing Paule in the eleuenth Chapter to the Romanes seemeth to prophesie some things not altogither obscurely But let vs returne vnto Paules hearers â–ª which Luke sayth â–ª wente out hauing begonne a great contention among themselues while some helde on in striuing against the doctrine of truth and other some â–ª labored to maintayne the same And here that sentence of Chryst is
fulfilled which saith he woulde sende a sworde and diuision whereby it shoulde come to passe tha◠they which were before moste intie◠and familiar friendes shoulde moste bitterly contende one with an other Yet let no man thynke thys happeneth through any defaulte of the Gospell seeyng the ende thereof is to vnite and knitte vs all togither in Chryste Therefore all thys commeth to passe through the naughtinesse of the wicked and reprobate Whose propertie it is the more earnestly they are vrged with the worde of God the more to rage and become madde as the examples of Cayn Pharao Achab Zedechias others do testifie But bicause the godly which know it is their dueties to defend the glory of God against all men can not yeld vnto these men ▪ hereof burst out al these flames of contention But by this present place it easily appeareth Paule profited somewhat with these men bycause therewere that openly withstoode these wycked persons For the word of God is neuer preached in vayne bycause it is of it selfe fruitfull and Chryst hath in all places his people which know his voyce and followe him In the meane season we are taught our duetie that if we will be godly and faythfull persons wee muste constantly defende the quarell of truthe agaynst all men For God requireth suche worshippers as are feruent and ardent in zeale no warmlings and dastards which can winke at all kinde of impietie and can with pacient minds and eares suffer all the scoffes of the wicked suche as a man nowe a dayes may finde a number who for this cause thinke them selues moste worthy to be praysed for wyse men and modest But in deede they bee very dullardes and destitute of all sense of godlynesse which are not prouoked with blasphemies and fooles also which so muche esteeme the friendship of the worlde ▪ that they denie vnto Chryst the duetie of godlynesse Therfore let vs prepare our selues to that holesome conflicte and strife which all the godly in this worlde muste suffer For there is no cause why wee should feare the power of this worlde forasmuche as we knowe we fight in his quarell which one day shall breake in peeces all the gaynesayers with a Scepter of Iron which is the sonne of God our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Chryste to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Clxxv. Homelie AND Paule dwelte two yeres full in hys lodging and receyued all that came in vnto hym preachyng the kingdome of God and teaching those things which concerne the Lorde Iesus with all confidence no man forbidding him OUr Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Chryste comforteth hys Disciples many times with this argument that he wyll not leaue them destitute and succourlesse but will be present ▪ with them vntill the ende of the worlde The truthe of which promises appeareth euery where aswell at all other times as also chiefly in aduersities for thē is Chryst so nigh at hande vnto his seruauntes that not onely he defendeth them mightely and faythfully but also directeth those thinges which seeme dolefull and infortunate vnto their saluation and to hys glory Wherein the captiuitie of Paule may bee vnto vs in steede of a number of testimonies Whiche in the beginning mighte haue seemed vtterly to haue stopped the course of the Gospell howebeit the Lorde so moderated it that through the same the doctrine of the Gospell was rather aduaunced than hindred For by the occasion thereof bothe the Romane Presidents and Souldiours heard the Gospell And at lengthe the preachyng thereof fylled Rome yea the iudgement place and the Emperours court But bycause these thinges haue bene spoken of before other thynges whiche remayne to bee considered in thys Hystorie muste briefly bee runne ouer Firste the Euangelist expresseth the tyme of Paules captiuitie saying that he abode two yeres togither in an house which he had hyred of hys owne charges beeing garded with that Souldiour of whome we made mention before And before that he lay in pryson whole two yeres also vnder Felix And it is lyke that there ranne some monethes betweene Felix his departure out of the Prouince and the tyme of Paules sending vnto Rome Furthermore wee muste allowe foure monethes at the least for his Nauigation and tyme that he spent in Malta Thus Paules captiuitie endured fiue yere all which time he found this one commoditie that he was not thrust into prison but was in open warde whereby he had occasion to preache euery where offred him Heere wee haue to consider the state which the godly bee in in this worlde who alone for the most parte are counted suche wicked persons as are vnmeete to enioy either libertie or lyfe But in the meane season what a sorte of wicked and slaunderous menne trowe yee lyued at their pleasure vnder Nero a moste ryotous tyrante But Paule alone as it were some publike plague or calamitie of the whole worlde is kepte in prison The like curtesie the Prophetes in tymes paste and after them Iohn the Baptist and at length the sonne of God him selfe founde who was put to death among theeues and murtherers and was counted a greater malefactour than Barrabas the murtherer The ende of all which thinges is that we should not be offended at the lyke in these dayes For it is not meete that the Scholers and seruauntes state shoulde be better than the teachers and masters Furthermore we knowe that they which are partakers of Chrystes afflictions in this worlde shall reigne with him hereafter in heauen Here appeareth also the infinite goodnesse of God which preserued Paule so long a tyme in open warde verily for his electes sake vnto whome by this occasion he woulde haue his Gospell to be reuealed For this farre passed the hope bothe of Paule and of all other the faythfull Bycause vnder Nero a moste vicious and cruell tyraunt no man woulde euer haue looked for the same Here therefore let as many as walke in Gods callyng fetche counsayle For as long as wee bee occupied in Gods affayres and so as it is requisite for our saluation God will easily defende vs among moste cruell enimies who was able to saue Noah in the middest of the waues of the floude which ouerflowed all the worlde and Ionas that lay hidde in the belly of the houge Whale And the same when tyme shall so require will translate vs from all misfortunes into the internall kingdome of his sonne Furthermore let vs see what Paule dyd in this two yeres space He receiued sayth he all that came in vnto him preaching the kingdome of God and teaching those thinges which concerne the Lorde Iesus with all confidence no man forbidding him He dyd then th◠same in bondes which he had done before beeing at his libertie bycause he vnderstoode he was nowe the Apostle and seruaunt of Iesus Chryst aswell as before And he dyd not onely preache but also sent letters now to one place nowe to an other and bothe instructed and
comforted the congregations abroade insomuche as if a man consider those times we shall confesse we haue receiued more profite and commoditie by Paules bondes than of all his doings and sayings beside while he went at libertie oueral the world For those times may we thāke for those singular Epistles written as the holy Ghost endited them to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Collossians to the Hebrues to Philemon and the seconde to Timothe Which the Churche vntill this day hathe kepte and preserued as moste singular and precious Iewels Howbeit many thinges mighte haue feared Paule either to haue written or to haue taughte For this doctrine was the cause he was put in pryson Also he alone trauayled in this quarell at Rome Lykewise at the firste meeting he founde the Iewes lyke vnto them selues that is to say stubborne and disobedient Furthermore that earnest desire that he had to write vnto forrein nations might seeme to declare a minde somewhat inconstant and vnquiet And it might be thought next neighbour to sedition to teache and confirme men in that fayth and religion which we sayde before was condemned by the whole consent of the Senate Againe he was in daunger to be depriued at length of this libertie and to haue had more bonds layde vpon him to haue ben cast into some inner prison and dungeon And we muste not thinke that he was so blockishe that he did not perceiue and consider these thinges But he that knew that he ought his life vnto Christe coulde not by these persuasions be pulled from doing his duetie And this is verily a wonderfull example whereby we be taught how muche we owe vnto God if at any tyme we perceiue we be holpen and defended by him in the middest of dangers and aduersitie For then we must be feared neither with dangers paste neither with dangers present or to come but must be inflamed with greter zeale that by our bolde defending the glory of God we may shewe our selues thankful to him accordingly Therfore that reason of fleshly wisdome that many in these dayes follow is playnly foolish and peruerse which thinke we should hold our peace bicause of enimies dangers on euery side appering as though it were in the enimies power to hinder or further the course of the Gospel Nay it becommeth vs the more boldly to go forward with Gods quarel bicause we plainly find his truth power so apparant in the middle of our dangers But touching Paules doctrine Luke sayth three things which we must not let passe The first is what he preached namely the kingdome of God wherof we haue intreted oftē times before And here by way of exposition he addeth teaching those things which concerne the Lord Iesus Wherby we gather that then the kingdome of God is preached when Chryste is preached For there is none other way to come vnto that kingdome than the same which all the Scriptures with one consent shew vs to be in Christe Iesus For he onely it is that hath destroyed the kingdome of the diuel the works therof he only is the mediator betweene God and vs. He only hath put out the hande writing of sinne that was against vs and purchased vs the good will of his father Therfore it is not without a cause that he saith No man cōmeth vnto the father but by me These things only are sufficient to disproue all other religions which shew vs the kingdome of God or any way of saluation beside christ Secōdly is declared how Paule preached with al confidence or boldnesse that is to say plainely and freely so that for fauour of men he cloked dissembled nothing For he was not ashamed of the gospel of Iesus Christ as he testifieth otherwheres Neither feared he the tirānie of the world prince thereof bicause he had learned of a long time to wrastle therewith And verily Chryst requireth such ministers as will do his businesse diligently and leaue nothing vnto the worlde nor to the wisedome of the flesh which vnder a fayre pretence of modestie bringeth in a dastardly dissembling of the truthe and a denyall of the right fayth Thirdly is declared the successe that Paule had in his preaching Which by this onely argument appeareth was moste prosperous or luckie bycause there was none whiche forbadde him to preache And this me thinketh is the greatest miracle of all others that God wrought to Paule For alwayes before this tyme whersoeuer he came he founde enimies who either by secrete awaytes or else by open force and sedition alwayes troubled him and would hynder him in his teaching and at lengthe draue him out of their Cities But when he was brought to Rome as a prisoner there he teacheth beeing in bondes where Nero a monster of mankinde was Emperoure where bothe the Christian and Iewishe religion was hated and enuied where all men were bewytched either with the vayne superstition of the Gods or with an Epicurious contempte of all religion Where finally the diuell seemed to haue the chiefe See of his kingdome there preached he Chryste freely two yeres togither no man forbidding hym Of whiche thing wee can shewe none other cause but that God woulde brydle the mindes of all men with a mightie hande that though all would not yelde to the doctrine of the Gospell yet they shoulde not be so bolde as to withstande it Thus in a Citie that was the Lady and maistresse of the world the Apostle beeing a captiue triumpheth by preaching Chryste crucified bringing many more vnto the obedience of Chryste than any Emperoure euer subdued The lyke wee reade happened in tymes paste when Daniell beeing ledde captiue to Babylon defended the true Religion bothe constantly and prosperously And althoughe the chiefe of the kingdome were muche agaynst it yet firste he instructed Nabuchodonosor and afterwarde Darius with some knowledge of the true God and was the authour that they dyd by publike Proclamations spread farre and neare the honour and glory of God ouer all their kingdomes Wherevnto also this deserueth to be referred that when the Romane Emperours vsed all kinde of outragious crueltie agaynst the name of Chryste and his Churche yet were there many tymes founde euen in their owne courtes and among the chiefe of them suche as greatly fauoured the Christians and openly defended the true religion Some of which afterwarde when the enimies of Chryst were taken away were aduaunced to the Empire as may be seene in the Stories of Iouinian and Valentinian the Emperours Thus Christ declareth his power where a man would least thinke Nor it is no harde thing for him to brydle the willes of men bycause he compasseth in the sea with bounds which causeth the same to lay down his swelling waues and surges Therfore as many as are strong in him let them hope for his present ayde and they shall neuer be disappoynted of their hope Nowe what Paule dyd after the two yeres were expired Luke dothe