the people all the world besides being fallen to superstition and Idolatrie But neyther the paucitie of his houshold was able to bereaue him of saluation nor the multitude of his aduersaries to condemne him yea where al the world beside perished he was saued and hath God both to allowe and defend his faith The same we may say of Loth liuing among the Sodomites Besides this Elias onely setteth himselfe aswell against al the Priests of Baal as against king Achab al his Courtyers in the quarell of faith and religion And Micheas alone encountreth with three hundred false Prophetes whome the king fauoured and maintayned Therfore it is meete that we regarde rather the very doctrine of truth which comming from the mouth of God is contayned in the holye Scripture than the authoritie of men Forasmuch as all men are lyars and God alone true in his saying It is profitable also to consider what Peter doth who rising vp amongst the Disciples proposeth this thing to bee entreated of openlye amongst them all Herehence the Bishops of Rome seeke the defence of their supremacie or rather tyranny as also of other places that seeme to attribute any prerogatiue of superioritie to Peter They seeme to mee to doe as men which are in daunger in deepe gulfes and ryuers For as they vse to catch holde of euery thing that commeth next to their hande so these men snatch at euery thing whereby to defende the dignitie of their supremacie so battred nowe and shaken that it threatneth the catholyke and vniuersall ruine therof By this meanes they challenge to Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen which yet were giuen to all the Apostles at once as is euident to be seene in Iohn the .xx. Chapter So they contend that the charge of Christs flocke is committed to Peter onely as to the chiefe consider not what iniury they doe to the residue of the Apostles as though Christ had made them feeders of swyne and Asses and not of his sheepe After lyke maner where they nowe heare howe Peter speaketh first in the congregation by and by they make him Christs Uicar the head of the Churche and the chiefe of the Apostles And going farther they take all this honor to themselues as to the lawfull and ordinary successors of Peter But howe vayne and friuolous these things are the matter it selfe declareth For Peter prescribeth nothing of his owne heade as any ruler of the Church or Lorde ouer the other Apostles but being in the middest of the Disciples as his equals and fellowes proposeth a matter of great weyght to be intreated of indifferently amongst them all In the which treatie hee leaueth to euery man free libertie according as God should put in their harts by his spirite to saye or to doe And that he speaketh first was done by the speciall instinct of the holy ghost which by this meanes would make the example of grace that Christ shewed in Peter being receyued againe into fauour after his foule fall more euident and manifest Furthermore in that the other paciently heare him speake it is a token of vnanimitie which Luke before attributed to them and is not done so much for superiorities sake as for order without which nothing in the Church or common weale can continue in safety Wherfore Paule commaundeth all things in the Church to be done comely and in order As touching the state of the Apostles he maketh them all fellowes and equals and where in one place he calleth himselfe the least of the Apostles hauing respect to the vnworthynesse of his former lyfe the same speaking of the ministery feareth not to match himselfe with Peter saying He that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship ouer the Circumcision the same was also mighty in me among the Gentyles And meaning to roote out from amonge the Corinthians the sectes of them that helde of Paule Peter and Apollo he sayth What is Paule what is Apollo but ministers by whom you haue beleeued euen as the Lorde gaue euerye man grace Peter himselfe acknowledgeth the same who within a little after speaking of Iudas witnesseth that he had receyued a part in the ecclesiasticall ministery And if Iudas had a part therein what ignorance shall it be to ascribe and pull the whole vnto Peter Unlesse perhaps wee will saye that Peter for fauour flattered the wicked traytour and woulde transferre to the childe of perdicion that which belonged onely vnto hymselfe But whereto vse wee so manye wordes seeing it is plaine that Iesus Christ diuers times rebuked with great seueritie the ambicious desire of supremacie that was among his Apostles It is knowne what is written of this matter And Peter earnestly admonisheth the pastors of the Church to beware that they take vpon them no Lordship ouer the Church which is called Christes patrimonye and the lot of his enheritance For whome shall we thinke to be of such great authoritie to be worthy to haue rule and dominion ouer that precious flock that is redeemed with the bloud of Christ And if no man must beare rule ouer the Lordes flocke lyke as Princes of this world vse to doe how much more absurde shall it be for them which haue but one maner of charge in feeding the flocke to arrogate any Lordshippe or rule vnto themselues Therfore what else doe the Bishops of Rome by their so greedye desire of supremacie but forget the preceptes of Christ and bewraye themselues to be nothing lesse than Peters lawfull and true successors But let them passe and come we to Peters Oration And that consisteth of two parts First he pulleth that stumbling blocke out of the waye which myght trouble the mindes of the more simple and vnlearned sort For when they sawe that Iesus Christ was betrayed by Iudas and afterwarde perished himselfe most miserablye both body and soule it was an easie matter for them eyther to doubt whether Christ knewe all thinges or else to suspect all the sort of the Apostles togither with their doctrine Therfore Peter doth not without a cause aunswere this great inconuenience in the beginning of his Oration On the other side he exhorteth the Disciples that they will appoint some other in Iudas roume least his falling from the fayth myght any thing preiudice Christes institution The first part he beginneth with the testimony of holy scripture wherin he plainly vttereth the euerlasting purpose of Gods prouidence which is a most strong reason to put awaye offences that is to beleeue that nothing commeth to passe by chaunce but by the decree and will of god Wherfore he sayth ye men and brethren it behooued thys Scripture shoulde be fulfilled which the holy ghost spake before by the mouth of Dauid touching Iudas which was guide to them that tooke Iesus The sense of which words seemeth me to be this I would not O brethren haue any of you to be offended at the cruell deede of Iudas
and his horrible ende as though these things happened by hazarde or that the sonne of God betrapped by a wicked man had not bene able to haue escaped his crafts and deceytes I would not also that any should so take these matters as though the falshoode of so wicked a man should derogate any thing from our order and holy function which we are in by Christes appoyntment For it seemed good vnto God that these things should so come to passe whose counsayle and purpose it was that his belooued sonne shoulde be betrayed by one of his entire Disciples And he woulde not haue vs ignorant hereof For it is knowne what is read in the Psalme 41. which Christ himselfe repeated in his last supper saying He that eate breade with me hath layde great wayte for mee Nowe I tell you before it come to passe that when it is done you may beleue that I am he Wherfore cast your eyes vpon Gods prouidence reuerence his goodnesse and truth and let not the thinges offende you that are done by his determination and iust permission Yet let no man so vnderstande these things as though Peter went about to excuse Iudas heynous offence and to laye all the faulte thereof in god For that is not the meaning of the diuine prouidence which gouerneth all thing that we shoulde make God the Autor of our sinne bicause whatsoeuer men doe that is naught they doe it not to fulfill Gods purpose but to satisfie the cogitations and desires of their owne wicked will. It is playne in deede that it was Gods determination that his sonne Iesus Christ shoulde be betrayed through the craft of his Disciple and should come into the hands of his enimies and being condemned to death should be nayled to the crosse where he shoulde purge the sinne of the worlde by the Sacrifice of hys bodye But if a man consider Iudas the worker of this treason he in so mischieuous a deede had nothing lesse before his eyes than Gods purpose and the redemption of mankinde but being blinded and wounded with couetousnesse first polluteth himselfe with theft as Iohn sayth afterward with treason The same reason is to be made of Annas Cayphas Pylate all those other whom the Gospell testifieth to haue bene seekers executioners of Christs death The bookes of the holy Scripture are full of examples of the lyke kynde whereby we are aduertised howe grieuously men sinne in committing those things which God in deede will haue done but yet they doe them being mooued thereto through the blinde and inordinate affections of corrupt nature I praye you who is so dull headed to thinke that Ioseph came into Egipt without the speciall counsell of Gods prouidence whereas we reade that God aduertised Abraham himselfe long before of the going downe of his posteritie into Egypt who lykewise acknowledgeth not the marueylous wisedome of God in all this businesse which gouerneth al things most prudently and profitably Shall we therfore excuse Iosephs brethren which being mooued with enuye solde awaye their brother that deserued better of them yea we will expounde all thys businesse by Iosephes owne wordes yee thought euill agaynst me but God turned it to good to bring to passe as it is this daye and to saue much people alyue Yea we haue dayly experience of lyke occurrences and examples For who will saye the theefe killeth the wayfaring man without the prouidence of God considering we knowe that the dayes of our life and the heares of our heade are numbred before God But bicause the murtherer committeth such an heynous offence being mooued with wicked affection therfore is he in all the fault and shal iustly be punished for the same Let no man therfore seeke excuse for his wickednesse in Gods prouidence nor make God the Autor of his sinne but by the consideration hereof let vs seeke comfort whereby to arme and strengthen our selues against the horrible chaunces of this life And that Peter had a respect hereto it is euident by hys words wherein followe other things to be considered And first we are taught by a notable example of what efficacye and strength godlye prayers be For Luke shewed vs aboue that the Apostles continued with one consent in prayers wherby what was brought to passe is now perceyued For Peter which a little before was ignorant of the right maner of Christes kingdome and among the reast had put forth a foolishe question touching the very time of restoring the same by and by beginneth to preach of the Scriptures which he alledgeth most aptly and expoundeth most syncerely So true it is that the Apostle sayth If any of you lacke wisedome let him aske of him that giueth that is of God and it shall be giuen him Further we are taught by the example of Peter that nothing ought to be appointed in the Church without the authoritie of the Scripture For as in well ordred common weales there are certaine lawes yea rather an authentike Code of lawes from the which no man of his owne heade hath authoritie to take anything or to put to any thing or else to appoynt anye thing in the common weale beside the prescript thereof euen so Christ hath deliuered to his Church the bookes of the olde and new Testament wherein are contayned the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen and the lawes of eternall lyfe Therefore out of them must be taken all counsell and the Argumentes of all the sermons that are to be made in the congregation Neyther is there any man of such roume and ordering that must thinke he hath power to ordayne or appoynt any thing contrarye to the same This booke in the beginning was deliuered to the Kings not to th end they should thinke they had iurisdiction ouer the same but for that they should drawe forth of the same good lawes whereby to rule the people well And the Prophets were bounde by this commaundement to take their sermons from Gods mouth Which thing we can interprete to be none other but the Scriptures bicause by these as by a certaine mouth God reuealeth vnto vs the mysteries of his will. And Christ himselfe oftentimes preacheth forth of the scriptures and disdayneth not to turne the holye bookes and to expounde certaine places of them vnto the people An example wherof he shewed in the schoole at Nazareth Therfore Peter following the example of his mayster taketh the beginning of his sermon out of the Scriptures whome woulde God they woulde imitate which highly glorying in the succession of Peter dare yet thrust into the Church diuers thinges repugnaunt to the Scriptures onely vpon mans authoritie Furthermore Peter adourneth the scriptures with an excellent prayse where he sayth the holy ghost is Autor of them which woulde vtter these thinges by the mouth of Dauid The same he confesseth in another place where he sayth that the Prophetes were inspired with the spirite of Christ and
seene these men turned out againe by Monkes and Bishops and that they haue founde no helpe or succour in those goodes which they had layde vp for that vse to defende the Church by force agaynst the open enimies of religion And better successe let them not looke for which commit lyke offence For if Ananias and Sapphira deserued sodeyne death who as Luke writeth tooke nothing from the Church but deceytfully put aside and withhelde part of their owne goods what deathes and mischiefes doe not they deserue â–ª which dare ryfle Churches by open force and publike authoritie Let vs in these things acknowledge the power of Iesus Christ who as he alwayes doth vouchsafe to be mercifull to his Church so will he not suffer hir to be beguiled but will worthily punish both hir professed enimies and persecutors and also all hypocrites and deceyuers that the synceritie of true religion may be preserued to him be prayse honor power glorye for euer Amen The .xxxiiij. Homelie AND great feare came on all the congregation and as many as hearde it By the handes of the Apostles were many signes and wonders shewed among the people And they were all togither with one accorde in Salomons porch Anâ— of other durst no man ioyne himselfe to them Neuerthelesse the people magnified them The number of them that beleeued in the Lord both of men and women grewe more and more in so much that they brought the sicke into the streetes and layde them on the beddes and couches â—hat at the least waye the shadowe of Peter when he came by might shadowe some of them There came also a multitude out of the Cities rounde about vnto Ierusalem bringing sicke folkes and them which were vexed with vncleane spirites And they were healed euery one WEe haue hearde the horrible example of Goddes iudgement whereby Ananias and his wife Sapphira were punished with sodeyne death both for that they falsly counterfeyted a fayth in Christ and al so went about to beguyle the Churche in the goodes that were giuen for the reliefe of the poore This example teacheth vs how great the seueritie of God is in punishing of hypocrytes who as he cannot be deceyued so can he not but be grieuouslye offended with them that go about to beguyle him We haue seene also what a feruent desire was in the primitiue Church to conserue and mainteyne discipline least eyther dissemblers or open malefactors shoulde creepe in and cause the fayth of Christ eyther to be defamed or suspected And to thintent all posteritie myght be enflamed to followe the same this present place followeth which rehearseth manye and singuler fruites of this example whereto are adioyned the traueyles and exercises of the primitiue Church to thintent we maye learne by them what we haue in these dayes to doe if we desire to haue the kingdome of God enlarged or Christ to be fauourable vnto vs. First Luke sayeth And great feare came on all the congregation and on as manye as hearde these thinges Then the Christians feared as well as straungers to whome the report of this thing came And this was no vnprofitable feare for by it the godlye were the more aware and traueyled the more earnestly in Gods affayres â–ª and the enimies durst doe the lesse against the Church which they sawe had the spirite of God so manifestlye with them This is the chiefe fruite of ecclesiasticall discipline that it keepeth the godly in doing their dutie and feareth the vngodly Now a dayes bicause all men may doe what they will the Churches being disordered by licentiousnesse of lyfe become a praye to the enimies Here must we also learne the vse of Gods iudgementes which consisteth in this that by them we learne Gods iustice and being afrayde amende our liues by the godly consideration thereof God taught vs this vse â–ª when he shewed Abraham the horrible destruction of Sodome saying I knowe that he will commaund his housholde and his children after him that they keepe the way of the Lord and doe after right and conscience And for this cause woulde â—e that the presidentes of his iudgementes shoulde be recorded in writing and be reade in the Church both priuately and apertly as Asaph testifieth where he thus writeth He made a couenant with Iacob and gaue Israel a law which he commaunded our forefathers to teache their children That their posteritie might knowe it and the children which were yet vnborne To the intent that when they grew vp they might shew their children the same That they might put their trust in God and not to forget the woorkes of God but to keepe his commaundementes And not to be as their forefathers c. Therefore this vse of Gods iudgement whereby Ananias and Sapphiras dissimulation is punished must also be now a dayes retained that we may conceyue a true feare of God and take heede of hypocrisie and worship God in spirite and truth as Christ hath commaunded vs yea let all men be excited with this example and applye vnto themselues whatsoeuer any where in hystories is written of this kinde that by other mennes examples they maye learne what they haue to doe if they meane to auoyde the wrath of God. Secondlye it is sayde of the Apostles that by their ministerie many signes and woonders were shewed among the people Wherby it appeareth the prayers of the faythfull were hearde also in this behalfe which besought God that the Apostles might be endued with myracles through the authoritie whereof they might be holpen in setting forth the kingdome of christ And they worke not only common myracles but their power is extended so farre that the diseased layde in the streete desire but the shadowe of Peter paâ—sing by and thinke that it will helpe them Nowe beginneth that saying of Christ to be fulfilled He that beleeueth in mee the woorkes that I doe he shall doe the same and greater than these shall he doe This is the second fruit of ecclesiasticall discipline that God heareth the prayers of the Church and encreaseth the gifts of his spirite where contrarily he abhorreth their prayers which stop their eares at his lawe This appeareth by histories which euidently declare that the rarer giftes of the holy ghost and working of myracles began then to cease when discipline beganne to waxe dissolute and corruption of maners encreased Yet let no man thinke that superstition is here defended by that is written of Peters shadowe no more than by that we shall afterwarde heare of Paules handkerchefe â–ª Some vse thus to reason of this place If Peters shadow helped many how much more shall his rayment and bones And herof springeth all that confused Chaos of superstition which we see is in pilgrimages about Saints reliques wherof the most part be counterfeyted But we say that these myracles were not wrought to testifie eyther of Peter or Paules power but to confirme the preaching of the Gospell whereof they were ministers Therefore they
daily 583. Aduersaries to Gods doctrine who were in tymes passed 4. Whereof wee shoulde take comfort in aduersitie 807 How we should vse the promises of God in aduersitie 809. Wee must confirme our fayth in aduersitie ibidem A ante E. The deliuery out of Egypt was a figure of oure saluation in Christ. Pag. 298.314 Aeneas sicke of the palsey is healed Pag. 418. Acquitie in an Heathen Captayne Psal. 797. The Aethiopian is conuerted 376. The Aethiopian is described 377. The Aethiopian teacheth vs that saluation and all thing thervnto belonging commeth of the meere grace of God. 389. The Aethiopians are vnder the kingdome of God according to the Oracles of the Prophetes 376. A ante F. Afflictions remayne for them that ioyne them to the church 325. Afflictions what good they doe vnto the godly 101. Afflictions ought to be an argument of ioy and comfort 271. Afflictions are ouercome wyth constaunt fayth 328 Affliction and aduersitie are not alwayes tokens that God is angrie ibidem Afflictions of the godly and wicked are not all of one sort 102. Which waye afflictions maye bee auoyded ibidem God seeth the afflictions of hys people 328. What the ende of Gods afflictions is 151. The causes of afflictions 269. The godlye haue warning of their afflictions 744. The afflictions of the godlye must offend no man as straunge 263. The afflicted God assisteth 308. Wee must doe good to the afflicted Pag. 809. A ante G. Agabus telleth Paule he shoulde bee put in bandes 766. Agrippa and Bernice 840. Agrippa is skilfull in the Iewes affayres 847. Agrippa is a figure of such as in this worlde choake the seede of Gods worde with cares 867. A ante L. Alexandria Schoole 697. Almesse is a woorke of mercy 427. What this worde almesse conteyneth in it 419. A ante M. Ambition is a pernitious thinge Pag. 24. Ambition in the Church is moste pesâ—ilent 370. and. 371. Ambrose his constancie 358. A ante N. Anabaptistes 463. Anabaptistes confuted which thinke it vnlawfull to come in our Churches or companie 241. Anabaptists are lyke to the Essenes Pag. 803. Anabaptists keepe a perillous coyle whyle they racke things belonging to straungers and those of full age vnto christians children keeping them from baptisme 385. Anabaptistes are barbarous people despysing the knowledge of tongues in a Mynister of the Church 83. The Anabaptists confuse and seditious comminitiâ— of goodes is improued and confuted 147. Anabaptistes dote in going about to condemne the baptisme of infants Pag. 367. The Anabaptistes errour which say it is not meete that a Christian should possesse anye thing of hys owne 143. The Anabaptists errour in the disordred coÌ„munity of their goods 225. The Anabaptistes disorder saying it is vnmeete for a christian to were a weapon 432. Anabaptistes are reprooued of obstinacie for that they wil yeelde no account of their fayth before the magistrates 829. The Anabaptistes temeritie forsaking such Churches as seeme to haue any imperfection in them 275 The Anabaptistes madnesse will not suffer the chyldren of the christians to bee receyued into the Church Pag. 185. and 135. Ananias and Sapphira tempted the spirite of the Lorde 236. Ananias and Sapphiras consent in sinne deserued to be punished 237. Ananias is a figure of such as robbe God of his honor 230. Ananias is a figure of false Christians 229. Ananias lyed vnto the holye ghost Pag. 221. Ananias is kylled by the worde of of Gods iudgement pronounced Pag. 233. Howe great the sinne of Ananias was 229. What the holye ghost iudgeth of Ananias sinne 230. Ananias punishment 232. Ananias is called to ordeyne Paule an Apostle 399. Ananias fearefully findeth delayes agaynst the expresse commaundement of God. 401. Ananias is encouraged of God. ibideÌ„ Ananias calleth Paule brother 405 Ananias layeth hys handes vppon Saule ibidem Ananias commended of Paule for hys godlynesse 399. Ananias obedience 404. Ananias boldenesse 405. Ananias discription 788. Ananias oration vnto Paule 789. Ananias called paynted walle of Paule 800. An Aungell of GOD is sent vnto Paule 878. Aungell of God calleth Moses 325. Aungels Ministery 494. and 495 Angels are seruauntes and keepers of the elect 246. Aungels appearings 38. Aungels haue holpen men in visible wise 36. Aungels Ministery is an argument of Gods goodnesse 428. Aungels ministerie howâ— excellent it is 376. Antichrist sitteth in the Church of God. 282. Antichristes spirite is in them that preache not Christ. 403. Antioche Church referre their controuersie to the Apostles 588. Antioch Church commended 508. Antichristian Prelates pride 256. A ante P. Apparitions of spirits or soules 541. Apostleship whence it hath authoritie 71. The Apostles doctrine must bee referred to the holy ghost 20. The Apostles storie must be ioyned with the Gospell and for what cause 9. Apostles are ordeyned of God. 58. The Apostles doctrine must bee beleeued bycause it is inspired of God. 9. The dignitie and authoritie of the Apostles doctrine 8. The summe of the Apostles doctrine 407. Who must be appoynted to the office of an Apostle 63. The profite that commeth of the ordinaunce and calling of the Apostles 58. The profite of studying the Apostles 711. The Apostles receyue commaundementes of Christ. 9. The Apostles after they had receyued the holye ghost spake wyth straunge and diuers languages 82 The Apostles are accused of sedition and seducing of the people 633. The Apostles after their afflictions returne with more boldnesse to do their office 579. The Apostles had their authoritie of hym that sent them 71 Apostles whypped and cast in pryson 634. The Apostles after their whypping prayse God and praye vnto hym Pag. 636. How the Apostles were chosen 66 The Apostles are Christes witnesses and what the duetie of an Apostle is 30. The Apostles preach to the people of Cyprus 200. The Apostles refuse to obeye the counselles decree and for what cause 209. and 210. The Apostles dyd all thing by the guyding and authoritie of the spyrite 620. The Apostles are sette at libertie for feare of the people 212. The Apostles are the Preachers of Gods truth 78. The Apostles teache in the Sinagoge at Iconium 560. The Apostles commende the Churches vnto the Lorde 585. The Apostles preach the gospel constantly 251. The Apostles beyng delyuered out of prison are commaunded to execute their office 246. The Apostles exhort vs to perseueraunce 581. The Apostles boldely wythstande the Iewes attempts 550. The Apostles flye from Iconium and preach in an other place 563. The Apostles reioyce in slaunders and reproches and why 270. The Apostles by their gestures repell godly worship 570. The Apostles retourne to Ierusalem 42. The Apostles what they doe beyng gathered togyther at Ierusalem Pag. 47. The Apostles excommunicate incurable persons 551. The Apostles preache in the houses of the faythfull 272. The Apostles are called afore the Counsell 197. The Apostles purge them selfe of disobedience new doctrine and sedition 258. The Apostles go into Pisidia 519. The Apostles continue in prayers at Ierusalem and in vnanimitie
and perseueraunce 47. The Apostles remayne at Ierusalem 357. The Apostles did leade about no other mennes wyues 45. The Apostles did thrust nothing into the church of their owne authoritie 569. The Apostles obey the angell 248. The Apostles perceyuing a grutch to aryse in the Primitiue Church consult for a redresse in tyme. 276. The Apostles acknowledge themselues to be but felowes 90. The Apostles preach the Gospell at Perga 585. The Apostles haue taught vs fullye all thinges needefull to our saluation 743. The Apostles depart from Philippi Pag. 645. The Apostles preache the worde of God. 512. The Apostles are not to bee inuocated bicause of the myracles they wrought 892. The Apostles are put in the common Iayle 244. What the Apostles were before they receyued the holy ghost and what after 89. and 90. What maner of God the Apostles preached 163. What the Apostles did at Pisidia of Antioch 519. The Apostles returne to the Cities from whence they were dryuen Pag. 580. The Apostles referre all matters to the church 214. The Apostles are brought backe againe to the councell 252. Why Christ chose rude and vnlearned men to be his Apostles 204. The Apostles boldly withstand the seditious 564. The Apostles giue the holye ghost vnto the Samaritanes 368. The Apostles appoynt Elders in euery church 583. The Apostles are Christes sworne witnesses and whereof they must beare witnesse 786.63.123 The Apostles beare wytnesse of Christ in Samaria and preach the worde of God in all townes and villages 375. The Apostles are despised persons of none account 44. The Apostles are beaten with rods Pag. 267. The Apostles ascribe all thinges to God as to the author of them 9. The Apostles deedes after Christs ascention 42. The Apostles actes were done by the holy ghost 9. The Apostles equalitie 64. The Apostles authoritie in the church was equall 70. The Apostles communitie 143. The Apostles constancie 209.257 and. 262.553 The Apostles boldenesse in defending the truth 257.262 The Apostles grosse question touching the kingdome of Christ the cause of their errour and howe manifolde it was 24.25 The Apostles state when the holye ghost was sent 76. The Apostles saying concerning the appointing of deacons 277. The Apostles doctrine was no new doctrine 538. The Apostles office and doctrine is the benefite of God. 9 The Apostles doctrine howe it was accepted of the worlde 190. The Apostles and Ministers duetie 64. The Apostles fayth and trustynesse Pag. 124. The Apostles enimies and authors of their persecution 191. The Apostles contynuance in preaching 272. The Apostles industrie and modestie 368.758 The Apostles render a reason whye they are sent  The Apostles Sermons 730. The Apostles slippes and falles is no derogation to their doctrine Pag. 55. What the Apostles miracles were Pag. 891.892 The Apostles modestie 758. The Apostles names and why they are so often cyted 44. The duetie of the Apostles inioyned of God. 30.64.417.790 Why the Apostles iourneys are so 〈◊〉 described 759. The Apostles set wholy at lybertie Pag. 642. The Apostles first woorke done in the Ministerie 49. The Apostles common exercyses Pag. 239. The Apostles state while they preached the gospell on earth 4. The Apostles testimonie touching Christ and his resurrection 537. The Apostles wyues 45. The Apostles threatened with death Pag. 262. The Apostles are not suffered to to preache before they bee well instructed 80. A ante Q. Aquilas is Paules hoste 678. A ante R. Aristarchus 870. The argumentes vsed agaynst the faythfull of Christ. 772. The armour wherewith Ministers must defende themselues agaynst the worlde 211. The armour wherewyth Christes kingdome is inlarged 618. A ante S. Ascention of Christ maketh not carelesse of saluation 39. Ascention of Christ is a comfortable thing 36. Ascention of Christ is the ende of the gospell 7. Ascention of Christ is no dispartion or vanishing away 36. What ascention is 33. Who ascended 34. Whether Christ ascended 35. The hystorie of Christs ascentioÌ„ 33. The storie of the ascention is briefe and playne and why ibidem Circumstaunces of Christs ascentioÌ„ into heauen ibidem The ende of Christs ascention ibideÌ„ Christes ascention confirmeth hys victorie agaynst Sathan 37. The maner and causes of Chrystes ascention 36. What thynges followed after Christes ascention 42.43 Christ opened to vs the gates of heauen by hys ascention ibidem Christ is prooued to be the Messias by his ascention 123. Astrologie iudiciall and the abuse thereof 28. Astrologers and Soothsayers of all sortes 28.29 Assemblies at morning and euening Pag. 498. Assemblies ecclesiasticall why they were ordeyned 145.146 Assemblies of the faythfull ibidem Assemblies ecclesiasticall why they are necessary 241. The order of assemblies ecclesiasticall 529. Wicked persons many tymes get into the assemblies of the godly 282. A ante T. Athens praysed 658.659 Athenienses superscription â—65 Athenodorus counsell gyueâ— to â—â—gustus â—64 A ante V. Authors of the Apostles persecution 191. Authors of sedition are the wicked not the faythfull 562. Authoritie of man of what auayle it is in matters of religion 666. How true authoritie may be gotten Pag. 148.149 Mannes authoritie gyueth no commendation vnto Scripture 2. B. B ante A. BAckstarters the authors of schisme and diuision 589. Backstarters not to be taken to soone into the ministerie 519. Backstarters shall be alwaye in the worlde ibidem Banishment is cause of ryfling of goodes and pouertie 557. Banished for their religion must be comforted ibid. and 891. Baptisme delyuered to vs by the Apostles as Christ did institute it 3 Baptisme or the fyre of Christ. 707 Baptisme an outwarde bonde of the church 366. Baptisme of Iohn distinguished from Christs baptisme according to the signe thing that is signed Pag. 22. â—aptisme of Iohn 707. Baptisme of Iohn and of Christ both one 22. Baptisme is called the absolution or assoyling from sinnes 791. Baptisme what it sealeth 366.367 Baptisme howe it washeth vs from sinnes 132.133 Howe baptisme is called the Fountayne of regeneration 305. Baptisme a seale of the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of Iesus christ 23. Baptisme is a signe of the purgation made by the bloude of Iesus Christ. 133. The reason and dignitie of baptisme Pag. 791. Baptisme muste not bee neglected Pag. 640. In baptisme what water ought to be vsed 387. To be baptised in the name of Christ. Pag. 132. To be baptised into the forgiuenesse of sinnes 133. Barnabas commendeth Paule 412. What maner of manne Barnabas was 467. Barnabas called Iupiter by the people of Lystra 567. What Barsabas signifyeth 72. B ante E. Beggers properties of our age 152. Beggers must not be suffred among the people of God. 152. To begyn well profiteth not without contynuing to the ende 549. Begynning of Paules sermon 524. Benefites of Christ towarde the inhabiters of Ierusalem 50. Benefites of God are then profytably receyued when men acknowledge GOD to bee the author of them 155. The remembraunce of benefites receyued soone dyeth with Princes Pag. 315. Berrhea
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
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
much laboure and industrie is required euen from our childhood to learne diuers tongues We see that men growen in yeres are scarse able to learne any one tongue and the perfect vse thereof But the Apostles men of ripe yeres and well striken in age beyng idiotes and vnlearned which had spent their childhood and youth not in the studie of learning but in handy occupasions euen in a moment became notable and excellent in the knowledge and vse not of one tongue or two but of all tongues at once Who here acknowledgeth not the euident worke of God Who reuerenceth not the operation of the holy ghost For what coulde the industrie or dexteritie of mans wyt haue done in so short a tyme Neither was this myracle superfluous as seruing only for bare and vayne ostentation as the thinges done by Iuglers are but very profitable and necessarie for the Apostles in discharging of their dutie and office For where Iesus Christe had appoynted them to be teachers of all the worlde that through their ministerie the doctrine of the Gospell might be published among all nations it was necessarie they shoulde be vnderstanded of all nations But howe coulde all men vnderstande them if they coulde haue vsed but their owne tongue onely in euery place Yea I thinke they founde no greater lacke hitherto in their office than that they perceyued themselues destitute of so necessarie a knowledge of tongues And so great was the incommoditie of the diuersitie of tongues which the bolde enterprise of mans pryde as Moses sheweth brought in that by meanes hereof it seemed the most wholsome doctrine of the Gospell was hyndred and the passage thereof into diuers nations stopped But God in one sounde taketh away all this impediment and stoppell and the Apostles euen in the first comming of the spirite feele them selues eased of that difficultie which was thought woulde much haue hurt them Hereof may be learned a common and generall comfort that none walking in the vocation of God dispayre of his helpe fauour God vseth to cast many thinges in the wayes of such which seeme to be impedimentes wherby they can not go through with their charge and calling But God meaneth not so much to hinder them as to trye their faith and patience Therefore it behooueth vs with constant faith and good courage to set on the thinges that passe mans strength and we shall finde God true and faithfull in the things that seeme impossible to vs to be brought to passe So neither banishment nor stuttyng tongue coulde let Moyses from bringyng Israell out of Egypt Yea when the red sea was in their way and stopped their passage whyle they followed Gods callyng it was taken out of their way and dryed vp I passe ouer infinite examples of lyke sort which are to be seene euery where aswell in holy as prophane hystories Whosoeuer therfore are appoynted teachers or magistrates to gouerne the people let them remember these thinges take vnto them good courage of minde Let priuate men also be mindefull of them and go forwarde with like constancie in their vocation For God wyll finishe the worke he hath begunne in vs so that we repent vs not of the labour that must be taken for his sake Let vs also marke in this place howe Christ Iesus which chose ydiotes and vnlearned men to be Apostles woulde not giue them license to preach abrode in the worlde tyll he had made them perfect and learned in all thinges parteyning to the office of preachyng For they which a litle before vnderstoode none but the Syrian tongue and not that neither so perfectly but by the pronuntiation as appeared in Peter they were taken for Galileans they nowe come foorth furnished with the knowledge of all tongues Besides thexact vnderstanding of the olde Testament which the same spirite taught them as appeareth by their sermons This condemneth the insolent barbarousnesse of the Anabaptistes that step from the Plough and Cart vnprepared into the Pulpet and then thinke themselues very Apostolike felowes when beyng destitute of all good learnyng and manners they can contemne all kinde of knowledge and peruerte the whole order of the Church But so farre are they from beyng defended by the Apostles example that rather the aucthoritie thereof sendeth them to learne the things that are needefull for a minister of the worde Paule certes would haue the Rectour of the Churche to be instructed with habilitie and sufficiencie to teache and requireth in him not the bare knowledge of the Articles of faith and saluation only but such a knowledge as wherby he may be able to confute the aduersarie Therefore he commaundeth Timothie whom he witnesseth was brought vp of a childe in the studie of the scripture to be diligent in readyng We confesse in deede there is no neede of all those tongues now which the Apostles by myracle vnderstoode nor it becommeth vs not to require the same of God who if he had neede of newe Apostles coulde both easily finde them and also furnishe them with meete giftes But we require chiefly the knowledge of those tongues without the which the bookes of holy scripture can not commodiously and sufficiently be declared I meane the Hebrue and the Greke tongues the one hauyng the olde Testament written in it and the other the newe Testament published by the Apostles And Paule in a certayne place saith that the chiefe vse of tongues is in the interpretation of the holy scripture Which thinges whosoeuer lacketh he shall neuer attayne to the certayne knowledge of holy scripture For whyle they depende vpon other mens interpretations they become lyke vnto those that see with other mens eyes heare with other mens eares and go with other mens feete There is needefull to the vnderstanding of these tongues the knowledge of hystories and specially the science of vtteraunce which whosoeuer lacketh certes I will say he shall doe very little good in the ministerie of the Church But bicause all these thinges are not bestowed vpon men myraculously and that that we reade chaunced here to the Apostles happeneth to fewe others therfore our industrie our labor and continuance in studie is requisite where we may both perceyue howe necessarie Schooles and Uniuersities are and also howe needefull it is to haue teachers to trayne vp youth for the ministerie of the worde And I thinke there is none ignoraunt what a speciall care was had alwaye of schooles amongst the people of god For herevnto is to be referred all the things written of the children of the Prophetes and of the Colledges wherof the holy Prophets Samuel and Elizeus had the rule and gouernaunce with great care and diligence And in the Prophete we reade howe they are greeuously reprehended which went about with dissolute manners and conuersation to corrupt the younge men appoynted for the ministerie of the Church Truely the godly Princes in tymes passed perceyued of what profite it was for the settyng foorth and
and accused being at that time taken for the most abiect and despised men of all others hauing neyther nobilitie of birth renoume of succession neyther any other worldly dignitie or honor to commende them of and at whome many men were offended bicause of that slaunderous punishment of the crosse which Christ their maister and teacher suffered Yet the ende of this Tragedie sheweth howe they had the ouerhande of all these persons And let no man thinke it straunge to see such a sort and such maner of men come togither against the Preachers of the truth bicause the Euangelistes manye times shewe vs the reason thereof For where they were ledde with the desire of ambition and priuate lucre and had corrupted the doctrine of truth with the traditions of men and had turned godlynesse into lucre and gaine they were not able to abide the light of the truth the hatred whereof had armed them before against Christ and euen now pricketh them forward to ioyne agaynst the Apostles speedilye to make awaye with them like men that would vtterly quench some great fire begūne in a Citie The consideration hereof in the meane while serueth for our instruction For first we learne that no man ought to be offended at the power and authoritie of Christes enimies so that he eyther dishonestly be afrayde of them or else through any preposterous reuerence submit himselfe and Gods religion to their iudgement For as God can easilye defende those that be his against all the power of the worlde so is there no dignitie of man able to preiudice or countermaunde his worde The Byshops of Rome in these dayes challenge such an authoritie vnto them and imperiouslye inough require men to obey the decrees of their Counsels Their chiefe argumentes are that they sit in Peters chaire that they succeede in the roume of the Apostles that their power is confirmed by the authoritie of Kinges Princes And to graunt them these thinges which yet they falsely chalenge to themselues all these things we maye see here in the Iewes as erewhile we declared Yet for all that the Apostles doe not yeelde to them bicause they had long before swarued and gone out of kinde in that they had both corrupted the true doctrine made outwarde religion their priuate lucre and had openly persecuted Goddes veritie and truth Therefore where our case in these dayes is like why may not we doe as the Apostles did Neyther are they to be regarded which promise themselues I wote not what great commoditie of these mennes counsayles An euill tree cannot bring foorth good fruite And what goodnesse can they establishe which persecute the worde of God and studie both daye and night to establishe their tyrannie And who in their iudgementes haue longe agone condemned vs and haue none whome they stande in awe of They woulde haue the truth oppressed the light whereof they cannot abide Therefore whosoeuer woulde haue the truth betrayed let him commit the iudgement of doctrine and religion to these men But great is the blindenesse of our dayes whereby it commeth to passe that a great many both wittingly and willingly submit not onely religion but also all their goodes and the libertie of their Countrie to the insatiable lust of a sort of ambicious Prelates But it shall be good for vs to consider the question which the Iewishe Priestes vse against the Apostles being brought before them The same is comprehended in fewe wordes for that they woulde seeme to speake with authoritie and to fraye them with a vaine shewe of dignitie For they say By what power or in what name haue you done this These wordes seeme to haue some shewe of godly zeale For they will seeme by vertue of their office to demaund this thing as to whom it belonged to see that the people shoulde not be seduced eyther with false doctrine or false myracles Nowbeit in deede they demaunde it to trie if they coulde take any holde of their wordes whereby to accuse them which craft they many times also practised agaynst christ For what neede had they to demaund that thing againe wherof the Apostles before in the temple had rendred so euident a reason or had they forgotten that Iesus Christ through his owne power wrought myracles and the Apostles long before that in his name Therfore their desire was not to learne the truth but subtillye by craft to circumuent the vnwarie They are like the demaundes of them which now a dayes aske our men where they learned their newe doctrine by what authoritie they sowe new opinions and reforme their Churches Nowbeit we haue long sithence rendred a reason hereof whereof they are not ignorant Therefore it is a farre other thing than the desire of truth that these men be ledde with nay their whole drift and fetch is to catch some occasion or holde of some worde which might vnawares escape vs to accuse vs of Therefore we ought to suspect all such Counsels and deuises and as Christ taught vs to vse the wisedome of the serpent in auoyding them And we must not be afrayde of their craft seeing Christ hath promised vs his spirite wherewith Peter being prompted aunswered with great boldenesse of minde Peters aunswere consisteth of two partes whereof the one answereth the Iudges question and the other preacheth christ The first part he handleth with marueylous prudencie For before he sheweth that Christ is the author of the myracle he grauely reprehendeth their vnrighteousnesse and preposterous iudgement Yet not defrauding them of the honour due vnto magistrates by Gods commaundement least he might seeme to speake of corrupt affection or of ticklenesse of tongue Thus he sayth Ye rulers of the people and Elders of Israell if we this daye be examined of the good deede that wee haue done to the sicke man by what meanes hee is made whole bee it knowne vnto you all c. He seemeth thus to saye we marueyled trulye wherefore we were yesterdaye caried to the prison and what fault we had made that you so earnestly searched for For where it is the Magistrates dutie to enquire after malefactors and euill doers and we by our selues knewe none euill that we had committed we coulde not choose but marueyle much at your doing But as farre as we nowe can perceyue we are called before you for a benefite and good deede that we haue bestowed vpon a poore and pitifull man This seemeth me to be the sense of Peters woordes And in these thinges we haue painted out a plaine portraiture of the enimies of the truth by whose iudgement they only are in fault that only seeke to serue christ For howe many thinke we were then in Hierusalem which by craft lying slaundering vsurie extortion open force and manslaughter had hurt and hindered a many of men how many which through false doctrine superstition blasphemie and infinite other wickednesses had prouoked the wrath of God yet none of them were called Coram Neither could these notable
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
both particulerly and in generall In generall whyle manye conuert the Church goodes as they are called to prophane vses the poore in the meane season not onely pyning away for hunger but also the Churches lying desolate for want of faythfull and fitte teachers We offende also priuately when we glorie that God hath appoynted vs for stewardes of his goodes and in the meane whyle we eyther make hauock of them neglecting the poore or else hoorde them vp at home so that they neyther profite vs nor others Yet such menne as these commonly complaine of the mulitude of beggers as though it were impossible to helpe them all But they are reprooued of lying by their prodigalitie which to maintayne they haue goods ynough by the rust of their money which with insatiable greedinesse they lay vp and looke vpon in their Cofers and by the abundance of their apparell which they rather suffer mothes to eate than they wyll gyue them or the money they might make by selling them vnto the poore and so as Iames sayth they shall one day feele their damnation to be increased by those verie thinges wherevnto they haue bene so much giuen and addicted But that Ananias should haue nothing to excuse hymselfe by Peter sheweth he was forced by no necessitie to doe so wickedly saying Pertayned not thy lande to thy selfe onely and after it was solde was it not in thyne owne power Thou mightest eyther haue solde thy lande or else haue kept all the money therof to thy selfe and no man would haue thought thee euer the lesse worthy the company of the Christians Whereby it may euydently be gathered that no man was compelled by any lawe to sell hys goodes but that this was a free and voluntary contrubution as was declared in the former Sermon and yet Peter leaueth not here but sheweth the heynousnesse of thys offence to be so great that a Christian man shoulde not once haue thought any such thing much lesse haue done it For he sayth Why hast thou conceyued this thing in thy heart For Christ requyreth so great sinceritie and vprightnesse in those that be his that he will not onely haue their maners and outwarde conuersation pure but also their mindes and cogitations voyde of all dissimulation Last of all he rehearseth the chiefe of all the matter Thou hast not lyed to men but vnto God. For thou hast not to doe with men onely but also with God which searcheth the hartes and the reynes who thou shalt perceyue will be a reuenger of thy wickednesse Let vs marke in these thinges howe to take them which vnder the pretence of fayth and religion go about to deceyue menne Amongst whome with Ananias they be the chiefe which haulting on both sides so professe Christes religion that although the kingdome of Christ fayle or fall vpon the earth they will prouyde for themselues well ynough Next vnto these be those which lyke vnto Iudas robbe Christ and his Church eyther by craft or open force and at length betraye him with a kisse Whervnto may be ioyned Ieroboamyshe princes which vse religion to establishe their tyranny whyle they prescribe such articles of fayth and thrust in such rytes of religion as they knowe are not commaunded by Gods worde but depende vpon the meere traditions of men and seeke none other thing but to keepe men in awe and obedience ouer whome they raigne as we reade Ieroboam once dyd the first author of tyranny among the Israelites And as many as vnder the cloke of the gospell and christian fayth seeke to lyue licentiouslye are lyke vnto them whereof there is in these dayes a great number And it is an easie matter for all these eyther to beguyle men or else to put them so to silence that they shall not bewray out their hypocrisie But bycause they lye not vnto men onely but also to God hymselfe they shall neuer escape vnpunished For as nothing can be hidden from hym so vseth he most to hate and abhorâ—e lyers of all others And Christ testifyeth that such shall be shutte out of his kingdome For who would thinke him an honest man which would suffer other to be beguyled vnder the pretence of his name Therefore what folly or madnesse is it to imagine God to be such an one who is truth it selfe But to returne to the history doth Ananias fact seeme so horrible a thing to Peter onely Nay it is more horrible in Gods iudgement as the successe thereof declareth For as soone as he heard these wordes he ended his lyfe by sodaine death casting all them into a great feare by his miserable ende who heard of the same whereof we will speake hereafter when we shall entreate of the like destruction of Sapphira his wife First we haue here to consider the efficacie of Gods worde which God will haue perfourmed though it be vttered but by man For the strength thereof dependeth not on mans authoritie but standeth of and by it selfe Thys is to be vnderstanded as well of the promises as threates which are conteyned in the scripture For whatsoeuer the preachers promise the faythfull seruaunts of God they shall be as well fulfilled as if God from heauen would thunder them out And whatsoeuer they threaten vnto the wicked and prophane contempners of God they shall vndoubtedly fall vpon them The worde of Christ witnesseth the same which sayth that whatsoeuer his ministers binde or loose on earth shall be bounde or loosed in heauen And let no man here obiect vnto me that God alwayes vseth not so present an execution of his iudgements as we here see For although the wicked take occasion hereby to mock and make light all maner of threates Yet shall they buye this carelesnesse full deare when they shall here the voyce of Chryst their iudge whome they shall not be able to abyde Let vs rather acknowledge the long suffering of God which therfore sometimes differreth his punishment to giue vs a time to repent in And sometimes againe sheweth some examples of his iudgement to declare the truth and authoritie of his worde Furthermore it is to be considered how Peter slayeth Ananias by the worde and pronouncing of Gods iudgement whervnto that is not vnlike that Paule did when he strake Elymas the Sorcerer blinde as we shall see in the .xiij. Chapiter These things might seeme to haue beene vnsâ—emely for such as had the Ministerie of lyfe and saluation committed vnto them But the Apostles deserue no maner of reprehension to whome amongst other giftes of the holy ghost Paule teacheth the efficacie of powers was giuen that is an effectuall power of perfourming the thing that they spake Here also is the right and authoritie of the sworde prooued which the Magistrate hath to punishe malefactours by For if Peter and Paule may be excused for that they vsed the gift gyuen them of God agaynst Ananias and Elymas the Sorcerer with what reason shall we accuse the Magistrate who lykewise
manifestly set forth Gods helpe and the myraculous deliuerie of the Apostles For they say they finde the prison close shutte and the keepers diligently watching and yet no man in the prison What other could be hereof gathered but that this was the worke of God For who was able so to haue beguyled the keepers and brought out the Apostles without their knowledge They are therefore not without a cause wonderfully vexed in their minde and wote not what to doe For they feele the prickes of conscience which vse to take holde euen on the wickedst But there commeth an other message that more mooueth and grieueth them For there commeth one that telleth them how the Apostles are openly and boldly teaching in the Church which could not but be occasion of great griefe to such ambitious men perceauing that their authoritie was neyther regarded nor their power feared This example teacheth vs howe easie a thing it is for God to frustrate the wicked attemptes of his enimies For who would haue thought the Apostles could haue bene brought out of the prison without the knowledge of the keepers But that which seemeth impossible to man is as easie to God as the dust to be scattered with the winde For he is able to beguile them whom it seemeth no man can beguile eyther by sleepe eyther by benumming of senses eyther by giddinesse of head or many other wayes Furthermore they haue them to witnesse and declare the myracle whose helpe they thought to vse in oppressing the truth Therefore the same thing happeneth here vnto them that did at the first when they sent their seruauntes to take Christ and they returned agayne not onely without him but also gaue a notable testimonie of hys doctrine Whervnto that testimonie was not vnlyke that the souldiours gaue of Christes resurrection whome they therefore hyred to watch his graue bicause he should not rise agayne Lyke examples we reade euerywhere in the scripture Pharao went about to oppresse and destroye the children of Israell And yet he brought hym vp in his owne house and set him on his lap whome God had appointed to be the delyuerer and reuenger of his people Afterwarde when he set the Magitians agaynst Moses he hearde them openly testifie that the finger of God wrought by Moses And this is also like where Balaam hyred by the king of Moabytes to cursse the people of Israell was enforced whether he would or no to blesse them What shall we speake of Achab who most cruelly persecuting the Prophetes of God cherished and reuerenced the most faythfull Patrone of the Prophetes and the verye onely Mecaenas of those dayes amongs the Lordes of his Court I omyt infinite examples of lyke sort which might be brought both out of later and auncient hystories besides those whereof we haue daylie experience I thought good to admonishe the faythfull seruaunts of Christ by these onely that they might diligently marke and obserue the lyke For great and verie profitable is the vse of these examples For first they comfort vs in aduersitie in that we see mannes power farre inferriour to Gods and that mannes enterprises can not hynder the purpose of god Next they profite vs to frame our lyfe after that we rashely withstande not Gods prouydence and ordynaunces For what is impossible to God which in times past so merueylousâ—y did frustrate and disappoint the attempts of the men in the beginning with the wonderfull diuision of tongues and not so fewe tymes as once by the ministerie of one Angell only made kinges and princes to be laughed at of all men Wherfore to humble our selues vnder his mightie hand is both safest and profitablest for our helth and saluation Further let vs consider the priestes and other that satte in thys counsell which yet haue not learned to gyue place vnto God and not content that their folly is nowe opened to all men shewe yet an incurable impietie of minde For the Captaine of the Temple being sent by them bringeth the Apostles without anye resistaunce before the counsell absteyning in deede from vyolence not that the consideration of Gods woorke and myracle made them euer the meeker but bicause they feared least the people would stone them Here we haue to consider not onely the priests and their complyces but also God and the Apostles In the Priestes and Captayne of the Temple may be perceaued the incurable malice and peruerse blindenesse of minde in the wicked For it was sayde before howe they were in doubt and perplexitie what to doe Whervpon maye easily be gathered that they were striken with some perseueraunce of the thing that was done But yet they go not on therein so farre to acknowledge the myracle with their hart and to yeelde vnto god Nay they returne to their purpose and as the things folowing declare go about to kyll them whome they sawe God a little before had so marueylously saued Many examples prooue that thys is the disposition of all wicked Pharao many times ouercome with the maiestie of Gods myracles and griefe of plagues confesseth the God of Israell desyreth Moses to make intercession for him and promiseth he wyll accomplish the commaundement of god By and by he falleth to hys olde vsage being ready to resist God agayne a freshe And euen as these men doe here so did they before in the resurrection of christ For when they knewe it by relation of the souldiours they would neyther beleeue the truth nor feare the inuincible power of Christ but brybed the souldiours with money and spredde false rumours amongst the people of him as though Christes glorie could haue beene defaced by lying whome the authoritie of the Emperours maiestie in whose name the graue stone was sealed could not keepe within the graue And would to God we had onely but olde examples of thys obstinacie and founde not euery where nowe a dayes such as neyther by the iudgements of God nor testimonie of their owne conscience are content to yeelde to Christ and his truth This is an infallible argument of reprobation and a worthy punishment of the contempt of Gods word which once by his Prophete and afterwarde by Christ he threatned to his enymies where he sayth yee shall heare in deede but ye shall not vnderstand ye shall plainely see and not perceaue Harden the hart of this people stop their eares and shut their eyes that they see not with their eyes heare not with their eares and vnderstande not with their hartes and conuert and be healed These things ought to feare vs that we contynue not in hatred of the truth the ende whereof hath so euill successe We are further taught that the wicked can not alwaye doe that they would but that they many times are brydeled by the secret power of god For hereof commeth it to passe that the Captaine and his souldiours holde their handes fearing least the people woulde stone them So he that thinketh he maye contemne
were neglected in the publike distribution of the Church goodes Which examples the holy ghost would therefore diligently to be written to declare what daungers chiefely they ought to shunne and auoyd which purpose not vnprofitable to bragge of their christian calling but in their doings meane to expresse the same For it becommeth not them which eyther haue already forsaken their owne goodes for the name of Christ or else ought to forsake them if necessitie so requyre to bestowe the goodes of the poore fraudulently and guylefully And it is an absurde and neuer ynough punishable offence to purloyne and imbecill away those things which other men haue giuen to the reliefe of the poore for the maynteyning of whome we are commaunded to spend all we haue But woulde God it were as easie a matter herein to correct the vsage of our dayes as we may not without great cause bewayle the same But what doe the Apostles after this grutch is risen Doe they rayle on them whome they heare thus murmure against them for their vniust distribution Doe they forsake these vnkinde murmurers and leaue of in displeasure all care of administration of the Church Doe they of their priuate authoritie prescribe anye newe order to the Church Or which thing might haue had some shewe of charitie doe they dissemble and make delayes as though by delaying and winking at the matter this mischiefe might haue beene qualified Luke maketh no mention at all of anye suche thinges For they see that mindes already to much incensed are not to be more prouoked neyther can they for a fewe of murmurers sakes leaue of the care of the whole Church which Christ had committed to them neyther doe they of their priuate authoritie as aspyrers to tyranny prescribe Gods houshold or inheritance any such thing neither do they thinke it good to dissemble or negligently to passe ouer so apparaunt an inconuenience But in time they prouyde a remedie and calling all the multitude togither they openly and friendly consult of some better order and way to be appointed for the poore This example or president is not onely in all ages to be obserued but also with great diligence to be followed if we desyre the churches preseruation and safetie For neyther must the pleasure of a fewe be so borne with that they shall doe whatsoeuer lyketh them and lyke Lordes prowdely beare rule ouer the church neyther must open vices be winked at especially such as giue occasion of murmurings and complaint For both they gather strength and creepe further with long tarryaunce and so inflame the mindes that that euill which at the beginning might easily haue beene cured or remedied becommeth incurable It also commeth to passe that hereby occasion is gyuen to such as be rashe and seditious to inuade and vsurpe a rule and dominion ouer the Churche and so at their pleasure to make and appoint newe orders and reformation This thing ought they to haue consydered which nowe a dayes bragge of their false succeeding the Apostles and will be taken for chiefe rulers of the Church who thinke it intollerable that the godly Magistrates should appoynt any reformation in their Churches as the complaintes of the whole worlde these many yeares could not awake them to take away the manifest and horrible abuses whereof they haue bene to long both the authors and defendors Yea and we also ought to haue consydered this thing which glory in the name of the gospell and wil seeme to haue refourmed our Churches For who is so foolish that heareth not the poore euery day for the like cause murmuring and complayning And would God the complaynts of poore were not more iust than theyrs of whome it is here intreated For in many places the Magistrates rape and reaue the Church goodes and they are spent and consumed by such as neyther serue the Church neyther are ledde with any desire of Euangelike truth the poore in the meane whyle and the ministers of the church also being in extreme beggerie and ready to sterâ—e for hunger whome Christ so diligently hath commended to hys church To say nothing of the neglecting of studies and wasting of schooles the contempt of discipline and good maners and infinite like mischiefes all which we may thanke this wicked robbing of churches and Colledges of Many wise men see these things and lament them Diuers faythfull Pastours of Churches reprooue them and desyre amendment Many openly bewayle it and there wante not which with seditious murmuring testifie the indignation of their mindes But what profite is there in all these wayes There be men which thinke these murmurers are to be brydeled by threates and proclamations and by punishments And they that seeme to be the best neglect and care nothing at all therfore So no man thinketh earnestly of any reformation bicause no man will be put out of possession of the Church goodes But the Lorde will finde a way one day and by his horrible iudgement will awake these sluggardes whome no admonishment of his diuine worde nor complaintes of the poore can awake But where the matter is of great wayte that is here intreated Luke also reciteth the Apostles Oration wherein they proposed this matter to be discussed of the church The Oration is deliberatiue and the state therof is that Deacons must be ordeyned to whome the distribution of the common money and care of helping the poore may be committed And the Oration consisteth of three pointes The first conteyneth a briefe excuse wherein they both render a reason of their present doing and modestlye put away the crime laide against them by these murmurers so that they take vpon them all the faulte least any occasion of suspicion or vpbrayding should remayne For they say It is not meete that we should leaue the worde of God and serue at the table The argument is deduced of impossibilitie For they declare that it can not be that they can discharge both the offices that they haue hytherto susteyned wherefore it is necessarie that one of them be committed to some other They also declare that no man ought to take it grieuously if they haue made any default consydering the manifold affayres wherein hitherto they had beene occupied It is as much as if they should say Bicause the money was taken vnto vs which certaine godlye disposed had giuen to the churches vse we gladly tooke vppon vs the distribution of the same least we should seeme anye waye to neglect the Churches commoditie But we learne by experience that we are not able both to satisfie the place of teaching and also this office of distribution and we confesse that among so manifolde businesses something might be ouerseene of vs Wherefore we must lay aside the one or the other of these offices But we may not intermyt the office of teaching seing Christ hath commended the same vnto vs and hath appoynted vs witnesses of the thinges he hath done Therefore this other office must be
this saying pleased the whole multitude and they chose Steuen a man full of fayth and of the holy ghost and Philip and Prochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas a Conuerte of Antioch These they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they layde their handes vpon them And the worde of God increased and the number of the Disciples at Ierusalem multiplied greatly and a great company of the Priestes were obedient vnto the fayth AS Luke hath descrybed a sounde and moste perfite paterne of the primitiue Church euen so he declareth with great diligence the vice that sprang in the same The beginning whereof was about the Church goodes and howe manye wayes they offended of late we perceyued The Apostles erred of ignorance and multitude of businesses being not able to discharge two offices at once But of a little errour followeth a great offence For certain conceiued and tooke occasion hereby of discention and became murmurers so that now the Church seemed in a farre other case than heretofore it was when Luke sayde all the people were of one minde and will. The holy ghost ment hereby to teache vs that no man should be offended as at a straunge thing though he perceyued some blemishe or vice to spring in any Church or congregation For what so much argueth vs to be men as to erre and to be deceyued we must therefore studie howe to correct these things that vices spreade not to brode or by delayes become vncurable The Apostles well noted these things which calling the multitude togither modestly excused themselues and also friendly gaue counsell what was best to be done This is the ende and scope of their counsayle that Deacons or Stewards may be chosen to whome both the charge of publike goodes and also the ouersight of the poore in the congregation might be committed and least they shoulde erre in their choyce they diligently declare what maner of menne ought to be chosen Then followeth what was done after the Church by their authority had allowed the Apostles counsaile This is the second part of this present hystorie wherein is described the choosing of the Deacons of the Church In the consideration whereof it behooueth vs to be diligent that we may vnderstande what we also ought to doe in these dayes First he declareth by whome the Deacons were chosen This saying sayth he pleased the whole multitude and they chose Steuen c. Then the Deacons are chosen by the consent and authoritie of the whole Church Therfore the choosing of Deacons to whome the administration of Church goodes is committed belongeth to all the Church For where these goodes be consecrated to the whole Church it must not be suffred that a fewe shall haue the disposing of them at their pleasure or choose the disposers of them For so maye it come to passe that those goodes which the godly and faithfull of a godly and christian zeale gaue for the conseruation of the Church may be an occasion to haue the same spoyled It is worthy of great commendation that Luke sayth the counsell of the Apostles pleased them For they perceyued it was right and necessary that they whome Christ had appoynted to preach the Gospell shoulde not be burthened with temporall affayres They perceyued also that this institution agreed with the example of Christ who had committed to Iudas the purse of his dayly expences and care of the poore for that he woulde haue neyther himselfe nor the other Apostles hindered in the ministerie of the worde Therefore with one consent they agree to the Apostles saying This is the right and proper marke of the true Church that she harkeneth to the voyce of hir shepehearde and striueth not agaynst Christes counsell or example And their frowardnesse is inexcusable which will haue nothing to be altred or chaunged bicause they woulde not seeme to haue erred although they see the order and forme of the Church altogither marred and corrupted The Louianistes offende in this behalfe who thinke this Maxima to be defended with tooth and nayle that the Romaine Church cannot erre c. and will admit no reformation although they are neyther able to dissemble ne yet to excuse great errors and abuses in the same We see diuers Gospellers also stumble at the same stone which whyle they will not swarue one strawe bredth from the first reformation of their Churches doe not onely mainteyne olde errors in some articles but suffer newe also dayly to aryse Let vs therefore followe the readynesse to yeelde that was in the primitiue Church least while we seeke to be cleere from all suspicion of error we become altogither distayned with errours Secondarily is declared who they were that the Church did choose For there is rehearsed a scroll of their names in the which as Steuen is the first so is he commended with a singuler prayse in that it is sayde he was full of fayth and of the holy ghost The occasion of which commendations is partly bicause of the historie of Steuen following and partlye for that we might vnderstande what the Church chiefely obserued in this election For here is no yeelding to priuate affections nor no admission of ambitious mens sleyghts subtelties who are ledde eyther with desire of priuate glory or vtilitie But they iudge that such ought to be chosen as were able to aunswere the rule prescribed by the Apostles Yet among these was Nicholas rehearsed who as the auncient writers saye made his wife common and was the authour of the detestable sect of Nicholaites whose workes Christ sayth he hateth Apoc. 2. Neyther coulde the whole Church with the exhortation of the Apostles vse such diligence but such a beastly and wicked man was able to get into this most holy order Which certainlye was a thing both wonderfull and absurde onlesse we were assured that aswell the affayres of all mankinde as of the Church were ruled by Gods prouidence And the Lorde suffred him by his iust iudgement to obteyne this notable roume in the Church bicause the same serued much for our instruction For first we learne that wicked men manye times creepe and get into the societie of those that are good and godly For Satan ceaseth not to throwe and sowe taxes among the good seede whyle men sleepe So we see Iudas was reckoned among the Apostles whome Christ knewe to be a Deuill and Traytor Wherefore no man ought to be offended if the like fall out in our dayes For God will haue his people tried and exercised And there must needes be heresies or sectes that the chosen may be tried Furthermore he maketh vs attent to examine both our selues and other that we eyther deceyue not our selues or suffer others to deceyue both vs and the Church Which thing in elections is of all other thinges to be regarded For if the primitiue Churche were deceyued in hir iudgement being feruent in an holy zeale of Christ what
thinke we will come to passe if the corrupt affections of the fleshe be taken to counsayle or if iudgementes be rashly and vnaduisedly giuen The example of Nicholas teacheth vs further what a care and consideration they ought to haue which thinke they stande sure least perhaps they fall For as of nature we be proue to all kinde of vice so the deuill our common enimie is not ydle but walk eth still vp and downe like a roring Lion seeking whome hee maye deuoure Neyther ought they to promise them selfe securitie and safety which haue before their eyes the falles of so many holy men and knowe that euen the iust man falleth seauen times in a daye To conclude they are reproued by this example which vaunt themselues in the bare name of Predecessors and succession manifestly offending agaynst the lawes of god We see the Nicholaites which seeme to haue bene the beginners of the heretikes called Gnostici the wickedst kinde of people that euer the worlde brought forth had this Nicholas for their author whome the primitiue Church thought not onely worthy to be of the number of the faythfull but as farre passing others chose him to be one of the Deacons Paule sayeth that Antichrist shall sit in the very Church And Christ out of the Prophetes teacheth vs that abhomination shall occupie the holy place It is therefore foolishnesse to brag of succession and holynesse of order and not to endeuour to aunswere our vocation But let vs rrturne to the Deacons whom we sayde were euen now elected and let vs see what was furthermore done For they enter not by and by into their office but are first confirmed by common authoritie And first they are set before the Apostles as vnto whom belonged chiefely both the charge of the whole Church and care of the poore Wherby those new Deacons were taught that they ought so to behaue themselues in their office that they might be able to giue an accompt to the Apostles whose seueritie in these affayres not long before appeared in the examples of Ananias and Sapphira By thys example the men of our dayes be reprooued which thinke it meete that Ministers of the worde and congregation should be vtterly debarred from the viewe and ouersight of publike goods and that it is vnfit they should talke of the distribution and distributors of Ecclesiasticall goodes Howbeit it is euident that they ought not to neglect the care of the poore whome Christ hath put in charge with his whole church For with what reason shall they neglect one peece which are bounde to see to the whole Therefore these men must eyther denie that the poore belong to the Church or else they must needes let the Ministers haue a care and ouersight of them And howe can they denie but the poore are a part of the Church seeing Christ so tendereth them that he taketh whatsoeuer is done to them as done to hymselfe But it is playne what these men of oures hunt for verilie euen this that without all restraynt and feare of discipline and comptrolment they may make hauock of the Church goodes at their pleasure which goodes were appoynted for the reliefe of the poore Therefore whosoeuer wyll faythfully and with commendation liue in the ministerie must not stowpe or yeelde to this their tyrannie Secondarily Luke maketh mention of prayers These the Church with one consent powred forth for the Deacons newly chosen that they might obteyne for them the giftes of the holy ghost whereof they knewe they had most neede They commend vnto vs by their example the studie and care of religion which as in all other things so in those things which belong to the publike administration of the church it is chiefely to be regarded And they are not vnworthily iudged wicked which contemptuouslye neglect prayers eyther priuate or publike Furthermore we are taught that we should pray earnestly for all them which are in any publike office For as such men labour not for themselues onely but are carefull and vigilaunt for the weale publike so if they offend in any thing commonly it is the occasion of some publike euill Therefore we see howe the Church not long before made their publike and common prayers for the Apostles And Paule commendeth himselfe to the publike prayers of the congregations that he may preache the worde of saluation freely and wyth open mouth He commaundeth the christians to pray for magistrates and all other in authoritie that they that are not able in other things at leastwise with their prayers myght helpe and promote the publike weale Which was a thing so obserued in the primitiue Churche as Ecclesiasticall wryters testifie that the christians daylie prayed vnto God for the Romaine Emperours being yet infidels And surely it is an argument both of an vnthankefull and blockishe minde to haue no care of them to whom the weale publike is committed The thirde thing in their election was the imposition of handes which was partly a signe of their consecration and partly of their commission For as the priestes in times past vsed to laye their handes vpon the sacrifices thereby declaring they were consecrated vnto God so did the Apostles vse to lay handes vpon the Ministers of the Church to the ende they might knowe they were consecrated vnto God and be the more assured of their vocation And it was not a little needefull for them to be admonished hereof by a publike ceremonie For except a man certainely vnderstande that he is called and ordayned of God he shall doe his dutie no longer than he seeth all things proceede prosperously For if aduersity begin once to thunder bicause he is vpholden with no hope of Gods helpe he shall dishonestly forsake his tackle and standing In the meane whyle let vs diligently obserue that they ioyne prayers to the imposition of handes For hereby the declare that the grace of the holy ghost is not tyed to the outwarde signe but that it commeth from God and is to be obteyned by godly prayer And this is the most sincere way of making Ministers and Deacons of the Church which it is euydent the primitiue church vsed many yeares With the which if a man would compare the things that the Papistes obserue he shall see the auncient simplicitie vtterly worne out and all the thinges which belong to the true worship of God and which should admonishe men of their dueties with most vayne and colde ceremonies all to be blotted and blurred But least any man might thinke this ordeining of Deacons and so diligent a correction of this errour had beene superfluous or vnprofitable Luke sheweth that great vtilitie ensued therof For the word of God increased both for that it spread farther vnto others and also for that it did bring forth more fruite in the mindes of them which before had hearde and receyued it Then agayne the number of the faythfull whome the chiefe Byshops and priestes desyred not onely to
encouraged to go about it where he promiseth most prosperous successe to those that walke in hys commaundements An example of this diligence is to be seene in Abraham who being commaunded to go out of his countrie thought good to obey the calling of the Lorde though he were altogither ignoraunt what should folowe thereof Which thing as it most prosperouslye succeeded with him so we reade that Saule was tangled in horrible calamities who had rather folowe the deuises of his owne reason than the commaundementes of god See Samuel 1.13 and 15. Chapter But let vs consider the Aethiopian who is so diligently described First he declareth his state and condicion in that he sayth he was an Eunuch by which name it appeareth the Courtyers of the Kinges and Queenes of the East were called and specially those that were of their Chamber although they were not all gelded Wherefore it maketh for the exposition of thys name that he calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a prince and one that had the charge of all the Queenes treasure whome we may call the Cofferer or Lorde Treasurer Whereby it plainely appeareth that he was none of the inferiour Courtyers but one of the chiefe of the court This place teacheth vs that Magistrates and officers ought not for their office sake which they susteyne to bee excluded from the Kingdome of Christ as the seditious Anabaptistes crie For Paule plainely testifyeth that such are the Ministers of god And there are examples of manye which whyle they were in office were illuminated with the knowledge of Christ and for all that were not commaunded to giue vp their office Of this number was Ioseph a Senator of Ierusalem whome the Euaungelistes write was a Disciple of Christ and of godly affection buried Christ. So Peter bade not Cornelius to giue vp his Captaineship And it was lawfull for Sergius Paulus after he was conuerted vnto Christ to continue in the Proconsulshippe of Cyprus Therefore most vayne are the clamours of the Anabaptistes where they stiffely denie that Christian men ought to beare any office Then he declareth the maners and studie of the Aethiopian by two arguments For he sayth he went vp to Ierusalem for to worship and as he iourneyed was giuen to reading of the Scripture Therfore although he were an aliant and straunger yet he had some vnderstanding of that true God which before time woulde chiefely be knowne in Iurie as the Prophete witnesseth Neyther must we say that he was deceyued through foolishe superstition and so included and tyed religion to certaine places For where he was studious of the Scriptures he reuoked externe worshipping to the rule of Gods worde which is the onely waye of true religion and vndoubtedly he respected the promise of God who long before had promised in that Church to heare the prayers aswell of Straungers as of Iewes The reason of which promise was founded on Iesus Christ a figure of whom aswell the Temple was as the sacrifices made in the same The example of this Eunuch teacheth vs what the studies of Princes and great men ought to bee Let them remember that they shoulde principally and aboue all things haue a care of religion Now let them not appoynt the same after their owne brayne as we reade sometyme Ieroboam did for the establishment of his tyrannie but according to Gods worde which it behooueth them both to heare and reade moste diligently For it was before declared that they be the Ministers of god He hath appoynted them to be the Nourices of his Church as the prophet sayth Esa. 49. He himselfe is in the middle of their Sessions and iudgementes And to him shall they hereafter giue an account of their administration which they neuer can wel doe vnlesse they being enflamed with the desire and loue of religion think that they ought aboue all thinges to followe the worde of god For thys cause the king in tymes past was commaunded to haue an abridgement of the lawe and to be continually exercised in reading of the same And surely it appeareth that all those Princes which haue deserued any prayse before God were most studious of these things such as were Dauid Salomon Asa Ezechias Iosias and after the Apostles time Constantinus Theodosius Carolus and diuers others of whose godlynesse the foundations of Churches and Colledges now a dayes euerywhere beare witnesse If the princes in these daies were occupied in the same studies and as many as beare rule and authoritie Christian affayres shoulde better prosper and goe forwarde But bicause blinde concupiscence the madde desire of dycing sumptuous banquetting immoderate hunting and hauking contempt of Gods worde and his sacraments and insatiable desire of warring and fighting are comen in their place nothing can be hoped for at these Princes that may serue eyther for the publike weale or reformation of the Church and glory of God. Unto these thinges Luke ioyneth what Philip and the Aethiopian dyd For Philip is commaunded to ioyne himselfe neare vnto the Chariot and nowe the holy spirite offreth an occasion of well doing although Philip till this time sawe none For as he drewe neare he heard the Eunuch reading alowde a notable place of Esaye the Prophete concerning Christ and streyght waye being mooued by the spirite he demaundeth whether he vnderstande the place Here some men might thinke Philip of small ciuilitie which being not called woulde approche so neere to a man of authorities Chariot and would aske such a question of one whom he knew not as manifestly vpbrayded him with ignorance But whereas he had betaken him selfe wholy vnto God he diligently fulfilleth all that God commaunded not regarding the doltish reasons of the flesh And that which he doth after the commaundement of god prosperously succeedeth For he findeth notable tokens of great modestie and humanitie in the noble man though he were a straunger who hauing iust occasion disdainefully to haue reiected Philip as is the guyse of great and rich men yet he modestly confesseth his ignoraunce and bicause he was moued by the secrete instinct of the spirite to thinke well of Philip biddeth him to come vp vnto him and taketh him as an expositor of the Scripture which he read Uerily this noble man deserueth singuler prayse whyle he is neyther puffed vp with the affiance of his owne witte neyther refuseth a straunge interpreter neyther disdayneth the Scriptures the most part whereof he perceyued to be more difficult than he coulde easily vnderstande But God alloweth such hearers of hys worde as being endued with humble myndes doe reuerently tremble at his worde In the meane season we are taugâ—â— that the Scriptures ought to be opened by Expositions and interpretatioâ— â–ª And God vttreth those interpretations by men which being illuminaâ—◠〈◊〉 his spirit by comparing of Scriptures togither and obseruing the prâ—pertie and proportion of fayth picke out the true meaning and sense of
Lord both of lyfe and death And the elect acknowledged the same which streight waye when they had seene the myracle beleeued in the Lorde Unto this narration Luke addeth a few other thinges which serue for a preparation to that that foloweth For he sayth that Peter remained at Ioppe certaine dayes in the house of one Simon a Tanner in whose house he was admonished by a vision from heauen to call the Gentiles into the Communion of the church and was sent for by Cornelius the Centurion as shall be shewed in the Chapter folowing Here let vs obserue of what maner of people the Primitiue Church was collected seeing Peter had none other hoste but such an one as got his liuing by an handycraft and that not one of the fynest Hereof Paule teacheth vs that we shoulde reioyce in the Lord alone Furthermore the modestie of Peter is declared who disdayned not such an harbour where as nowe adayes kinges palaces are scarce able to receyue his counterfeyt successor Let vs follow the modestie of the Apostle and therin beleeue and serue Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The tenth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lxx. Homelie THERE was a certaine man in Caesarea called Cornelius a Captaine of the souldiers of Italy a deuout man and one that feared God wyth all his houshold which gaue much almes to the people and was alwayes in prayers vnto god The same sawe by a vision euidently about the .ix. houre of the day an Angell of God comming in to him and saying to him Cornelius When he looked on him hee was afrayde and sayde what is it Lorde He sayde vnto him Thy prayers and thy almesses are come vp into remembrance before god And nowe sende men to Ioppa and call for one Simon whose surname is Peter Hee lodgeth with one Simon a Tanner whose house is by the sea side He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to doe HItherto the first part of this storie hath bene declared wherein hath bene shewed howe the Apostles according to the commaundement of Christ preached the wholesome worde of the Gospell euerywhere to the Iewes And a great many beleeued and Luke declareth a marueylous increase of Christian faith in the Church Yet the greater part and specially those that were of most authoritie withstoode the truth For both they layde handes on the Apostles and stoned Steuen and made hauocke of the whole Church at Ierusalem by horrible persecution and sent Saule with publike commaundements as farre as Damascus to oppresse the growth of Christes Church being euen in the blade as we commonly vse to saye And it is not vnlyke but manye others did as it is here written Saule did Therefore the vncurable and stubborne contempt of so wholesome a doctrine deserued that at length the kingdome of God shoulde be taken from the Iewes and brought to the Gentiles as Christ prophecied should come to passe How this thing beganne to be put in effect Luke rehearseth in this Chapter and declareth the storie of Cornelius which we maye aptly name the first fruites of the Gentiles that were called seeing he was chosen of God to be the beginning of so weightie a matter Aboue all thinges the principall vse of this hystorie must be obserued which consisteth herein howe God vseth to cast of the vnthankfull and wicked enimies of the Gospell by his iust iudgement and is not so bounde to any Nation that he is compelled to beare with it if it be vnwoorthy Herevnto is to be added an other thing that is to saye howe the saluation contayned in Christ belongeth not to the Iewes onely but also to the Gentyles Which as it is no small comfort to vs which come of the Gentyles so it behooueth that wee stande alwaye in feare bicause the Iewes were cast of and forsaken least we by like vnthankfulnesse and disobedience deserue also to be refused For Paules saying shall alwayes stande in his full strength and force If God spared not the naturall braunches take heede least it come to passe that he spare not thee also And this is the sentence of Christ long agone pronounced that euery braunch that bringeth not forth fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire But bicause the vocation adoption of the vncircumcised Gentiles seemed to the Iewes a foolysh and an absurde thing for that they onely so many yeares togither were thought worthye of that name and tytle and therefore abhorred all other Nations as we doe the Turkes and them at this day First God would haue the vocation of the Gentyles to be preached by the Prophetes whereof we may see singuler testimonies in them Psal. 2. and .27 Esay 2. and .19 Agayne 42. and .49 Zach. 9. c. Then declareth he a notable beginning hereof in Cornelius whome he so called that any man might see therein the counsell and deuyse of Gods prouidence For he doth vouchsafe to sende his Aungell from heauen to Cornelius and instructeth Peter by an heauenly vision whereby he declareth that he will haue the Gentyles called into his Church as we shall see when we come to the place At this tyme we haue to consider what God did vouchsafe to doe by Cornelius For Luke beginneth with the description of Cornelius which he knitteth vp in marueylous breuitie and playnenesse First declaring his state and kynde of lyfe hee sayth he was a Captayne of the Italian Souldiers For the Romaynes vsed to entertayne diuers bandes of men of diuers Natiâ—ons according to the which they gaue them their names And bicause among all nations they esteemed none more than the Italians the Italian garrisons were preferred aboue others And there is no doubt but that Cornelius was an Italian forasmuch as he was one of the chiefe of that bande But bicause he dwelt at Caâ—sarea which the auncient wryters call Turris Stratonis the tower or castell of Straton the maner or state of the souldiers in those dayes must be considered that we maye the easilyer vnderstande the state of Cornelius Thus wryte the Romaine Hystoriographers After the victories that Pompey called the great had gotten who was the first that subdued Syria and Iurie vnto the Romaine Empire the people of Rome had no more grieuous enimies than the Parthians who were greatly encouraged with the death of Crassus with the ouerthrowe of the Romayne Legions and number of ensignes and standerdes which they had taken wherein were the pictures of splayed Eagles paynted Wyth whose incursions and roades bicause they were continually molested they thought good to place in the Cities bordering vpon them certayne garrisons of souldiers which within a short warning being mustred myght make a complete armie if neede so required whereby to repulse and beate backe the enimie And those souldiers also were a defence and safegarde for the Cities of Iurie to tame and keepe vnder the courage of the Iewes which were very prone
ghost It seemeth that Peter reasoneth on this wise Christ our Lorde promised to his elect his spirite which the worlde coulde not receyue and he sayd that he alone was the giuer therof Therfore whereas he hath sent the same spirit vnto the Gentiles hath vouchsafed to baptise them with his holy ghost I could not choose but followe the example of such a guyde nor iudge them vnworthy the baptisme of water whom God had iudged worthye of his spirite And Peter maketh a trimme difference betweene Christ the Minister bicause he woulde not haue that wrongfully attributed to the externe ministerie that belongeth onely vnto christ But bicause we haue otherwheres entreated hereof it shall suffise for this time to haue noted thus much by the waye The fifth part conteyneth a very graue conclusion as well in wordes as arguments For he sayth If God therefore gaue vnto them lyke giftes as he gaue vnto vs which beleeued in the Lord Iesus Christ what was I that I should withstande God It shoulde haue bene a wicked part to haue sayde they had bene vnlike whome God had vouchsafed to make like But how much more greater impietie had it bene to haue shut out from the communion of the Church those whome God by so euident an argument had declared to haue pertayned to his Church Yea whome he had openly chosen and adopted Therefore Peter confesseth that he shoulde haue bene an aduersary of God if he had gone about any such thing And if they be the aduersaries of God which keepe those men from the fellowship that is in him whom he doth vouchsafe to make members of his Church bicause they thinke them vnworthy of so great fauor and grace what shall we saye of them which by false doctrine deceyue Christes sheepe or else rage against them with plaine force and tyrannie bicause of their confession of Christ They shall one daye feele his mightie and heauie hande whose enimies they chose rather to be than his friendes followers It is our part so to acknowledge and embrace the grace of God as also to bring and trayne all other to the fellowship of saluation the which God the father hath set out to his elect in his beloued sonne Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxix. Homelie WHEN they heard this they helde their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentyles graunted repentaunce vnto lyfe They also which were scattered abroade through the affliction that rose about Steuen walked throughout vnto Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioche preaching the worde to no man but vnto the Iewes onely Some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene which when they were come to Antioche spake vnto the Greekes and preached the Lorde Iesus And the hande of the Lorde was with them and a great number beleeued and tourned vnto the Lorde AS the Apostle Peter in conuerting of Cornelius dyd the duetie of a godly and faythfull Apostle whyle he thought it good to obey the expresse commaundement of God wythout any lyngering so when his dooing was of some persons vniustly reprooued he shewed an excellent example of a christian and Apostolyke modestie For he declared the reason of his doing most friendly and diligently vnto them of whome he might most iustly haue requyred what authoritie they had so to doe But leauing all other arguments apart he vrgeth this one thing that he did nothing of hys owne deuyse but according to Gods appointment and commaundement By which example we haue learned with what argumentes we shoulde arme our selues against those which nowe a dayes accuse vs with lyke frowardnesse for breaking the traditions and customes of men Let the authority of Gods worde suffise vs which whosoeuer despyseth he is vnworthye of whome the Church of Christ should make any accompt It remayneth in thys hystorie to intreate howe those men which erewhile were such knapped Comptrollers accepted Peters Apologie or defence He sayth they helde their peace and gloryfied God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles graunted repentance vnto lyfe Moreouer they were whysted and dyd not with mans reason argue or replye agaynst the commaundement and wyll of god By which argument is aboundantly declared that they stroue not against it of malice or enuie but rather of an inconsiderate and blinde zeale of godlynesse which Paule also otherwheres layeth to their charge And bicause Peter easily espyed the same affection in them for thys cause he thought to deale with them herein the more gently For they which are ledde with a zeale of the glory of God and vse to credyt and yeelde vnto reasons shewed them must not be cast of as incurable or be ouer bytterlye delt withall And 〈◊〉 is the propertie of those that be truely faythfull that they will willingâ—â— yeelde vnto arguments brought out of the worde of God although they â—â—lly perceyue not the reason of the things that are sayde For this is the true and right exercise of fayth when we submit our reason vnto the commaundementes and worde of God which thing Paule euerywhere teacheth vnder the obedience of fayth which he sheweth to be the ende and scope of preaching the gospel wherby it easily appeareth that they are not to be taken for faythfull which are not ashamed stiffely to contende against the manifest Oracles of Gods worde Furthermore it is sayde they glorifyed God which is a meere euident signe that they receiued Peters excuse and admitted it with good wyll For there be some that being subdued by force of reason holde their peace bycause they haue not what to answere yet as the Poet sayth they hyde their griefe in the bottome of their hart But he that glorifyeth God testifieth by an infallible argument that he is fully satisfyed We are taught that we must reioyce and be gladde at those whome God doth illuminate with the lyght of his truth This we ought to doe both by reason of the desyre that euery christian man is bounde to haue of the glorie of God and also bicause of the loue which we ought to beare to the furtheraunce and profite of our neighbour And surely there is nothing that so reioyceth a faythfull soule as to see the light of truth to spreade it selfe abroade to the increase of Gods glory and the saluation of many Againe we ought to mourne from the hart when we see any neglect or fall from the waye of saluation So we read that Samuel contynually mourned bicause of Saules most wretched fall And Paule contynueth in prayers for the Iewes and desyreth to be accursed from Christ for them that they might be saued But nowe a daies we be a colde in both these pointes which thing is the chiefe cause that the Gospell proceedeth no better But let vs see the wordes wherewith they declare the affection of their minde Then hath God also graunted to the Gentyles say they repentaunce vnto lyfe
a cause that Luke maketh mention twise or thrise of the grace worke of god For fyrst he sayth they were committed vnto the grace of God in this worke to the intent that all the Church might wytnesse they were able to doe nothing without the grace of god Then declare they what woonders God wrought by them which kinde of phrase attributeth the whole successe of their ambassage and ministerie to God onely Moreouer they declare howe God opened the dore of fayth vnto the Gentyles Then is there a dore opened vnto the fayth when an effectuall operation of the holy spirite is ioyned vnto the outwarde preaching whereby the mindes of men are illuminated and drawne vnto the obedience of fayth This is the only worke of God as Christ testifyeth saying No man commeth vnto me except my father draweth him We are taught therefore by the example of the Apostles to attribute nothing to our owne industrie and wisedome in deede of vs it is required to be faithfull and diligent Howbeit as the successe of our doings must be committed vnto God so must all the prayse and glorye of their well doings be referred vnto him also Which doctrine is not onely for ministers of the worde to remember but also for all Magistrates housholders maryed folke seruauntes and to conclude for all states and degrees of men as we haue oftentimes declared Last of all it is sayde they tarrie a good space at Antioche to the ende doubtlesse to recreate themselues with honest and godly quietnesse hauing bene wearied a long whyle before with many labours and daungers both by lande and sea For it is meete conuenient that they should reape some fruite of their labours whose fayth and diligence had bene so many waies tried So Christ bade his Apostles when they returned from preaching the gospell to go aside out of the waye for a season and to repose themselues a little Let no man yet thinke that the Apostles sate still at Antioche ydely gasing vpon others For without doubt they faithfully taught the brethren and tooke paines in helping the other Ministers But for a certaine time they surceased from traueyling and taking anye enterprise of daunger in hande God the father of mercie graunt that all they that nowe a dayes glory in the gospell may fynishe the course of their lyfe with like diligence and successe as did the Apostles and that in the heauenly Chanaan they may enioy perpetuall rest and peace with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whome be all praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xv. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cj. Homelie AND certayne men which came downe taught the brethren except you be circumcised after the maner of Moses you cannot be saued So when there was rysen discention and disputing not a little vnto Paule and Barnabas and certayne other of them should go vp to Ierusalem vnto the Apostles and Elders about this question And after they were brought on their way by the congregation they passed ouer Phoenices and Samaria declaring the conuersion of the Gentyles and they brought great ioy vnto all the brethren And when they were come to Ierusalem they were receyued of the congregations and of the Apostles and Elders and they declared all the things that God had done by them IN the former part of his treatise or worke Luke hath declared howe the primitiue Church was gathered togither both of Iewes and Gentiles by preaching of the Apostles and howe by the wonderfull assistaunce of GOD it was preserued amonge the contynuall stormes blastes of persecution Herevnto is added a newe hystorie in thys Chappiter that teacheth vs howe the Lorde preserued the same Church agaynst false brethren and teachers least it myghte lose eyther simplicitie of doctrine or puritie of faith For hytherto for fourteene yeares togyther Paule had preached the Gospell and according to the common consent of the Apostles doctrine had taught that all saluation was in Christ Iesus onelye which doctrine being euerywhere receyued certayne of the Iewes specially those of the Phariseys secte that professed the fayth of Christ began to withstande Who albeit they confessed Christ yet they would needes haue circumcision and the ceremonies of the lawes to be ioyned with it which opinion whiles Paule earnestly resisted caused great adooe and contention insomuch that it horribly shooke the whole Church But our Sauiour Christ forsooke not them that stroâ—e for the glory of his merite by whose prouidence it came to passe that the plaine and simple doctrine of Christ was defended and confyrmed by the publike testimonie of the Apostles and the whole Church The consyderation of thys hystorie serueth much both to instruct and comfort all congregations For as by the example of the Apostles we are taught which waye to resist false doctrine â—o learne we that the doctrine of truth standeth fyrme and sure against all inuasions wherefore we will in order consider all the partes of this present place First Luke telleth who were the authors of this strife discention euen certaine persons that came out of Iurie and from Ierusalem Therfore they must needes be of great authoritie considering Ierusalem was the mother Church of all other and was worthily esteemed of all menne bicause from thence the Gospell of saluation did fyrst issue and spring for the which cause Paule also commendeth it saying It was meete the Gentyles shoulde minister corporall thinges vnto those of Ierusalem which had giuen them the spirituall and eternall giftes of saluation And it is no doubt but those deceyuers and seducers did marueylously bragge of the name and authoritie of the Apostles and did make lyght of Paules name as who should saye he deserued not to be counted among the Apostles bicause he had not bene conuersant with Iesus Christ whyle he liued For this maye we gather of Paules Epistles where he is enforced earnestlye to defende his authoritie and Apostleship against them Furthermore we maye here see howe deceyuers breede euen in the Church but were neuer true members of the Church For they that are in deede of the Church vse to continue in the same Therefore Christ sayth they go in sheepes clothing And Paule in another place sayth from among your selues shall ryse grieuous wolues c. And this is a woonderfull craft of Satan which knowing that men doe hate and abhorre him vseth to counterfeyte an Aungell of light and vnder the cloke of holynesse to beguyle and deceyue the simple This place serueth to confute them which constantly beleeue that the Romane Church cannot erre and be deceyued and affirme that whatsoeuer commeth from thence ought to be receyued as an Oracle And yet out of Ierusalem where the Apostles discharged their office and dutie with all diligence came these hypocrites and deceyuers What therefore shall we hope for at their handes amongst whome these many hundred yeres hath bene seene no token eyther of Apostolike lyfe or
come might be preuented And fyrst bicause they whose mindes through contention were mooued might happen to suspect Paule and Barnabas credite in this dealing they ioyne vnto them messengers of no small dignitie and estimation Againe least Silas and Iudas might not seeme by craft and subtiltie to be wonne and made on Paules side they commende and defende their authoritie by publike letters By which example we are taught that prudence and wisedome is chiefely to be vsed in publike affayres of the Church least vnaduised rashnesse maye preiudice a cause of it selfe otherwise both good and honest Here is to be considered the order of the Primitiue Church which the same Church was woont to vse in publike affayres The Apostles in deede with the Elders had the rule and ordering of all matters as they who had the ouersight of the Churche committed vnto them Yet they tooke not on them such rule and authoritie to exclude or shut out the people from the hearing of such things as appertayned indifferently vnto the whole Church Againe in the people was great consideration of modestie whereby it came to passe that euerye one gaue place vnto the truth and none of them prouoked eyther with 〈◊〉 or other peruerse affection would vnaduisedly stirre or make businesse Nowe where the ambition of Prelates hath disturbed and broken this order who contrary to the commaundement of Peter the Apostle haue chalenged vnto them a Lordship ouer the inheritance or Church of Christ the congregations are euery daye molested with newe contentions and there appeareth no ende eyther of errors or moste bitter debates But let vs see the letters of the Synode or Counsayle where a thing of most weight and importance is most briefely and plainely entreated For as truth is easily perceyued and voyde of all guile so it desireth no fetches nor affectate ornaments and deckings This Epistle or letter consisteth of fower partes all which for the more perspicuitie we will seuerally speake of The fyrst parte contayneth the superscription which nameth the authors of the Epistle and those to whome the same is written And they are all so named as a man may perceyue nothing is spoken of arrogancie or ambition Yet is there an order obserued wherof a man must haue regard in euery thing First are the Apostles placed bicause Christ appointed them to be teachers of the whole worlde and his witnesses and adourned them with such dignitie that they are called the salte of the earth and light of the worlde After that are the Elders named of whose office we haue spoken already before Last of all all the beleeuers are comprehended vnder the name of brethren Therefore these letters are written in the name of the whole Synode and Congregation And they are written vnto the brethren that dwelt at Antioch in Syria and Cilicia amongest whome schisme and troubles were raysed through the malice and craft of deceyuers We must marke the calling of one another brethren which appeareth to be a moste auncient vsage euen from the time of the Apostles There is two occasions of this name We are called brethren both bicause we haue all one father which is in heauen who hath prepared for vs one inheritaunce of hys kingdome and also for that Iesus Christ the sonne of God taketh vs for his brethren and doth vouchsafe to make vs coinheritours with him As therefore this name serueth much for the mainteyning of concorde among Christians so it bringeth a singular comfort in all kinde of temptations For it is impossible that Iesus Christ shoulde neglect them whom he hath once taken for his brethren and will haue to be heyres of his kingdome Woulde to God they woulde expende this name which now a dayes make such odious differences of Nations as though no dutie of Christian charitie were due vnto those which are borne out of our countrie Yet the Apostles acknowledge the Assyrians and Cilicians people farre distaunt from them and borne of the Gentyles to be their brethren What wickednesse is it therefore to thinke Christian menne whome Christ taketh for his brethren for the Countries sake to be straungers vnto vs Ought the inheritance of the earth to be greater than the inheritance of heauen In the seconde part they grauely controll the deceyuers and false Apostles euen as the weyght of the cause and daunger of saluation by them procured deserued And fyrst they confesse they went forth from them but so as they were no partakers with them And this they laye as a stopple against their vaine vauntes and bragging For they vsed to saye they came from Ierusalem and had learned their doctrine of the Apostles who taught the same learning at Ierusalem Therefore the Apostles denie not that they went forth from their Church but yet therefore they aduise not euery man to credite and receyue that they teach For it is commonly seene that deceyuers come forth of the Church as we haue elsewhere taught Therefore that vaine vanitie of tytles and succession whereby the Bishops of Rome defende their dignitie in these dayes while they alleage the authoritie of the Church of Rome and the Apostles their Predecessours is not sufficient We be not ignorant that the fayth of that Church was once such that Paule worthily commended the same Wee know also that there haue bene many Bishops in the same of notable godlynesse faith and learning of whome diuers haue bene crowned with martyrdome But what is all this to our Bishops now a dayes whose beliefe learning and conuersation is altogither different from those men They that will defende themselues by the authoritie of the Church should followe the steps of the Primitiue Church This done they declare what these deceyuers did They haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your mindes They are therefore disturbers and not builders of the Church as Paule well obserued wryting to the Galathians I marueyle you are so soone turned vnto another Gospell which is nothing else but that there be some that trouble you Againe I woulde to God they were seperated from you that trouble you In these wordes is declared the effect of false doctrine which a man may espie in all them which ascribe not vnto Christ onely all the order and praise of our saluation First they trouble and make the hearers vncertaine of their saluation whiles they ouerthrowe fayth For it cannot be that they haue anye thinge stable and certaine that sticke to the workes of the lawe bicause the lawe exacteth a perfyte and an absolute obedience in all poyntes which is not in mannes power to perfourme Wherefore according to the saying of Paule as soone as saluation is declared to be in workes then faith is in vaine and the promyse of none effect And the false Apostles doe not onely trouble men this waye but also for that they be authors of schisme which must needes ensue as soone as saluation is not attributed to Christ onely For example we haue the Church
that notable marke of the beast which no man can receyue or keepe wythout denying of christ Wherfore it becommeth Christian men rather to impugne these thinges than neuer so little to violate the profession of Christes name Before we passe from this place we haue to consider the mariage of Timothies parents forasmuch as Luke maketh expresse mention thereof He sayth that Eunica his mother was a Iewe and his father a Greeke or a Gentyle Yet we reade that Iewes were forbiden to marrye with the Gentyles Yet such was the state of the people of the Iewes in those daies that being oppressed vnder the tiranny of the Romanes and dispersed here and there they were driuen to suffer many things agaynst their wyll In the meane season the godly woman Eunica by reason of this mariage was in such daunger as God foreshewed in his lawe For she was not able by Circumcision to take hir sonne Timothie into the societie of Gods people who no doubt was borne before Christ suffered and the lawe was abrogated by reason hir husbande withstoode hir who as it is like was deuoyde of true religion bicause Paule commendeth him in no place and yet setteth forth in writing the worthy fayth of Eunica and Lois These thinges ought to feare the professors of Christian fayth from drawing the yoke with Infydels as elsewhere the Apostle sayth Also the example of Eunica is very notable which procured hir sonne to be trayned vp in the scriptures from his childehoode agaynst hir husbandes will least he shoulde be corrupted with the superstition and ydolatrie of the Gentyles Lette Matrones matched in such vnlyke mariages well obserue this thing Let them remember that their children be holy by reason of the promise of the couenaunt as Paule plainly teacheth Let them therefore bring them vp in the doctrine of true godlynesse and trayne them vnto God whose honor if they seeke with all their heart they shall fynde him true of his promises where he sayeth he will be their protector and defender But let vs come to the treatie of this present place where after the vocation of Timothie is declared what they which were with Paule taught in the Churches As they went sayth he through the Cities they deliuered them such things to obserue and keepe as were decreed by the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem Which wordes the Papistes wrest I wote not to what maner of traditions which they imagine the Apostles and their successors deliuered from hande to hande vnto the Church but were neuer written This Sanctuarye being by them once founded whatsoeuer they cannot prooue by authorite of Scripture they saye by and by it is the tradition of the Apostles But Luke sayth no such thyng but speaketh of those decrees whereof mention was made in the chapter before going They were these that man was iustifyed and saued by the onely grace of God through faith in Iesus Christ and not by the works of the lâ—we that we should abstaine from those things which pollute the profession of our fayth and our holynesse as is Idolatrie and fornication that we must labour for loue and in outwarde things yeelde somewhat vnto the weake or else vnto such as are not yet come vnto the fayth if there be any hope of winning them In the meane season that we beware mennes consciences be not snarled or charged with any burthen intollerable These things Luke sayth that Paule and those with him did euerywhere inculcate both to represse the Iewes which to importunately vrged the Gentyles to the obseruing of the lawe and to brydle the licentiousnesse of the Gentyles which abused the Christian libertie with great offence For he chiefly desired that peace might flouryshe in the Church whereby he knewe the same shoulde chiefly increase Agayne where there was no daunger of offence he constantlye defended the libertie of Christ bicause he woulde not preiudice the same which thing the Apostles wynked at for the weakes sake The fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians teacheth the same where he maketh the eating of thynges offered to Idolles free as touching conscience if there be none present that is offended therewith In the meane season Paules example teacheth vs that it is not sufficient to haue good lawes made vnlesse they which haue the charge thereof see them put in execution For dayly experience teacheth vs that execution is the lyfe and sinewes of the lawe Take that awaye and the lawe shall lye as deade and as Anacharsis sayde shall become lyke vnto Spyders webbes which euerye bolde and presumptuous bodye will not sticke to breake Therefore let both Ministers of the Church and gouernors of the common weale imitate Paule if they meane to doe their duetie and not rather with vayne counterfeyting mocke both God and man. Last of all Luke addeth a notable successe of their most godly endeuour and labour where he sayth the Churches were confyrmed in the fayth and grewe and increased euery day more and more in number And bicause he maketh mention of fayth it is euident that Paule chieflye beate that into their heades and not vayne and colde Ceremonies and traditions These are the continuall effectes of the worde of God that lyke vnto a showre it neuer returneth wythout fruite vnto him that sent it These also are the weapons wherby the kingdome of Christ in this world is most prosperously enlarged to saye diligent preaching of the worde and feruent desire to conserue and keepe the same Whensoeuer these cease by and by fayth falleth and all loue of true religion dyeth We haue examples hereof euerywhere whereby they are conuinced which thinke it sufficient if they be not constrayned through tyrannie to be partakers of wicked sacrifyces and yet in the meane season they liue in such places where the worde of God is banished and no duties of Christian religion exercised Let vs all therefore studye to set forth the worde of God that both our selues maye be confyrmed in the fayth and the Church daylye increase in number of beleeuers wherein Iesus Christ onely reygneth the sauiour of mankynde and onely Brydegroome of the Church to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cvij Homelie WHEN they had gone throughout Phrygia and the Region of Galatia and were forbidden of the holy ghost to preache the worde in Asia they came to Mysia and sought to go into Bithynia but the spirite suffered them not But when they had gone thorowe Mysia they came downe to Troada And a vision appeared to Paule in the night There stoode a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come into Macedonia and helpe vs After he had seene the vision immediately we prepared to go into Macedonia being certified that the Lorde had called vs for to preache the Gospell vnto them When we losed forth then from Troada we came with a strayte course to Samothracia and the next daye to Neapolis and from thence to Philippos which is the chiefe
and he setteth out to vs their example â–ª for euery man to followe which if we do not all charitie amongst men shall soone be disturbed It followeth in this present historie what Paule and the brethren at Ierusalem did Which place for many skilles that may serue for our instruction is very worthy of diligent attention and consideration First and formoste Paule and his companions gette them vnto Iames â–ª which at this time was resident in the Citie and there in the hearing of the Elders he declared what things he had done repeating in order eche thing that God vntill that time had wrought by his Ministerie Where we are first taught that order is a necessary thing in the Church and that euery one must not entermeddle in euery thing Paule was an elect vessell of Christ and laboured more than all the other Apostles yet of his priuate aucthoritie he attempteth nothing in an other mannes Churche but before he set on any thing he first goeth to the SuperintendeÌ„ts and Ministers of the Church and reuerently saluteth them and then proceedeth to the narration of his doings This one example is suffisant to conuince the pride of the Romane Bishops which challenge to them selfe a supremacie and Lordship ouer all Churches The troublesome Anabaptistes also are confuted by the same who althoughe they no where plant any Churches yet vse they to disturbe the Churches planted by the laboures and trauailes of others heereby attributing to them selues singular commendation when they can by their franticke and tauntiue chatterie molest and trouble the godly Ministers and bring them in hatred and contempt with euery man Furthermore in this thing also Paules modestie singularly appeareth in that he maketh God the aucthor of all things in the discourse of his doings and attributeth nothing to him selfe but the Ministerie only For he knew that men planted and watered but in vain onlesse God gaue the increase So in another place when he had said he had labored more than all the other Apostles he by and by addeth yet noâ— I but the grace of God which was with me This thing we haue elsewhere declared must be obserued in all manner of vocations For except the Lord build the house their laboure is but â—ost that build it Excepte God prosper and fauoure common weales the cares and counsels of the Magistrates are but in vaine Excepte by his spirite he worke with our studies and sharpen the edge of our witte all our reading and wryting profiteth not Let vs therfore be mindefull heereof and learne to haue a lowly conceite of our selues with our studies intermeddle continuall prayers whereby God will be sued vnto and haue his giftes obtained Furthermore of the Elders it is saide that when they hadde hearde Paules trauailes they glorified the lord This is a rare example of loue that they enuie not at the praise of their fellow Minister and murmur not churlishly at it as commonly they doe which being voide of all charitie are more desirous of their owne glory than of Gods. For as Paule made God the author of the things which he had so commendably done so they also tickle not Paule with counterfet prayses but reioysing in his doings giue the glory vnto god They teache vs by their example how to iudge of the laboures and vertues of Saintes We must know that they were men subiect to humane affections and casualties If therefore they haue done any thing passing mannes power or habilitie we muâ— know it was the working of God who of meere fauor did vouchsafe to vse their Ministerie Let vs therfore reioyce in their felicitie and follow them in yeelding our selues to be Goddes instrumentes but let vs ascribe the whole praise of our doings vnto god And we thus imitating them shall truely honoure them and yet God shal haue his glory remain whole and sound which those men wickedly violate that cleaue vnto the Sainctes and make them aucthors and giuers of goodnesse in such wise that they aske helpe and succor of them in distresse Looke before in the third and fourtienth Chapiters Nowe foloweth a notable Acte wherof these Elders of Ierusalem were the cheefe Counsellers For they counsell him to take vpon him the vowe of a Nazarean and that the time of his vowe being expired he should according to the lawe let him selfe be purified or dismissed of his vowe in the Temple which thing gaue occasion to his wicked enemies to take against him and so to apprehend him and cast him in prison But bicause in this doing there are things which after a sort are tollerable and some by no meanes to be borne with they are therefore the more diligently to be examined Wherefore for the better vnderstanding of eche thing we will more at large open this controuersie Paule taught that men were iustified through the meere fauor of God by faith in Iesus Christ which doctrine the Apostles we see allowed and approued with one consent in the xv Chapter But where Paule preaching among the Gentiles had muche adoe with them that went about to iumble the law and gospell togither and would haue had the Gentiles brought to the obseruation of Circumcision and such like Ceremonies â–ª therfore it was necessary that he should the more diligently intreat of the ende and vse of the law and he was enforced in liuely wise to open all things to the quicke Wherfore he plainly taught that the law and ceremonies therof helped nothing vnto iustification bicause no man was able to satisfie the law but that it was giuen to bewray our corruption and to bring vs being conuicte of sinne vnto Christ in whome onely the fulfilling of the lawe was to be found He further said that by their opinion which attributed merite of iustification to the lawe Christe was not auaileable and that such could not but be condemned bicause they wittingly procured to them selues the cursse of the law Heereof sprang these kindes of locutions The law worketh wrathe while the law endured Sinne reuiued The strength of Sinne is the law As many as are of the deedes of the lawe are subiecte to the curse c. These things seemed very vnpleasant to those which were broughte vp in the lawe from their childehode and knewe that God had appointed the same by Moses And they that were Paules ennemies tooke occasion heereof to slaunder him saying hee was a prophane contempner of the lawe as though he simplie and without respect disallowed the same where as he improued not the lawe but them who inuented a new ende and vse of the lawe and would haue men saued and iustified by the obseruation thereof Therefore all men enuied Paule euen as in these dayes we are called the ennemies of good woorkes when we say they are not auaileable to iustifie and saue by where yet we leaue them still their place and teache that they be dueties which all men must needes pay and perfourme vnto god
An hundred threescore and fiftene Homelyes or Sermons vppon the Actes of the Apostles written by Saint Luke made by Radulpe Gualthere Tigurine and translated out of Latine into our tongue for the commoditie of the Englishe reader IOHN 1. Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions Anno Domini 1572. ECCLESIASTICVS X. The glory of the riche of the honorable and of the poore is the feare of God. In blasoning I haue no skill But yet I say thys of good will. THE Poesie in the Garter set that closeth in your Armes Will keepe your friends confounde your foes and shielde you from all harmes Perfourmde my Lorde for otherwise in Garters wryt alone And not in hart what shamefull fruites it yeeldes we see echeone If worthies erst now wofull wightes had marked well the same They might haue sit in honors seate which nowe haue lost their name TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE and his verye good Lorde Fraunces Earle of Bedforde Knight of the most Noble order of the Garter and one of the Lordes of the Queenes Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell Grace and peace from God the Father with all encrease of temporall dignitie and honor MY VERY GOOD LORD sundry menne haue sundry meanings in dedycating their studyes and traueyles to such men of honor as you are Some seeke their friendshippe and good will some augmentation of lyuing some authoritie to commende and sette foorth their woorkes and labours some one thing some an other And I haue herein beene ledde with none of these considerations For your honors beneuolence and friendship I long sithence well founde and prooued which gaue me the best part of that exhibition wherby I lyued in Italie three or foure yeares togither and whereby also I lyue at this daye the better I meane the experience and knowledge which I learned in that space And mannes allowaunce or authoritie the maiestie of the matter that I offer vnto your honour needeth not which for that it is the worde of God almightie is so farre from taking any authoritie of man that rather man should haue no authority at all if it were not especially men in authority such as you are of whome God sayth Per me Reges regnant c. Otherwise in respect of mine owne simple handling thereof I must plainelye confesse that it hath neede of the meanest and simplest mans allowance that is As for lyuing I haue not hytherto greatly gaped after as knowing I haue more than eyther I euer made great suite for or can well deserue my small sufficiencie and the great charge of Ministerie committed vnto me being well weighed Mine onely intent in this simple labour of mine was to shewe my selfe some maner of wayes not vnmindefull of your Lordshippes liberalitie so longe agone bestowed vpon me nor of that great humanitye which the same vsed about a nine yeres past twise in one Lent at the Court being then at White Hall towarde so poore a man as I preuenting my bashfull nature and slackenesse of speach towarde my superiors with such curteous affabilitie that among the manifolde experiments which I had eftsoones before seene in you of a noble and gentle nature I iudged this not one of the least For true Nobilitie consisteth not somuch in the goodes of fortune gorgeous apparell and prowde and hauty lookes and behauior as in courteous countenance and other vertuous qualities of the minde the verye true implementes and furniture of a right Courtier And in whom soeuer these qualities are to be found he may truely be called Nobilis But peraduenture your Honor will say my gift is the lesse thankeworthy the longer your good desertes towarde mee haue bene forgotten Verilye my good Lorde it was alwayes no lesse truely than commonly sayde of such exercises and enterprises as this of mine is Sat cito si sat bene And to forget a benefite or good turne of all other vnkindenesses is the woorst For vnkinde he is that denyeth a good turne receyued Vnkinde also he is that will not acknowledge it further he is vnkinde that doth not requite it if he be able But of all other he is most vnkinde that forgetteth it And for proofe that I neuer forgat your honors good will friendship I could shewe you the three bookes of Machiauelles discourses translated by me â—ut of Italian into Englishe more than fourtene yeares past which I thought to haue presented vnto your Honour but was stayed therefrom partly bicause I hearde the worke inueighed against at Paules crosse as a treatise vnworthy to come abroade into mennes handes and partly for that I hoped still to haue some other matter more plausible and acceptable to gyue vnto the same Albeit to confesse a truth I heard no such stronge reasons alleaged against the booke but they myght as I thought with ease ynough haue beene answered although the Inueigher was himselfe a discourser In deede I suspected mine owne rude and vnripe translation and therfore I was the easlier induced to suppresse it Therfore with such men of Honor as you are which as Seneca sayeth vse to keepe no kalender of the benefites that they bestowe and as Christ sayth let not their left hande knowe what their right doth but looke for their reward in the world to come these fewe words I hope or rather I am sure may suffise for answere Albeit I see not but as the same Seneca sayth also beneficium reddidit qui libenter debet And for my parte I shall alwayes gladlye confesse that I am more bounden vnto your Honor than I am lyke at anye time to make satisfaction for This booke which I haue here translated shall for many skilles I trust be welcome vnto your Honor. First bicause it is the Actes of the Apostles which conteyne in them the infallible and vndoubted wordes of lyfe and saluation and a true hystorie of those thinges which the Apostles did and taught after Christes ascention Secondly for the wryters sake which was S. Luke whose praise is in the Gospell Thirdlye for his sake to whome Luke did dedicate it which was Theophylus a noble manne and of authoritie but which commendation farre passeth all other a sincere louer and faithfull setter forth of Gods true religion and honour I would make comparison betwene you if I spake of your Honor to others and not to you for so perhaps shoulde I not incurre so much suspition of flatterie as to prayse you to your face Last of all for his sake which by his learned commentaries vpon diuers partes of the scripture hath deserued so well of all vnfeyned Christians but specially in these Homelyes of his written vpon the Actes wherein he hath both most plainly and soundely opened the greatest misteries and controuersies of these dayes most meete and necessarie for euerye true Christian to knowe Of whome I will speake no further least in pervsing the worke your Lordship may finde howe
deserue wel of mens saluacion must bee defended 607. Famine and persecucion vse to come togither 487. Familie well instructed how commodiouse it is 431. Familie brought vp in the feare of God. 427. Faith of Christ no cause of calamities 101.102 Faith must not be dissembled 385. Faith is the gift of God. 566. Faith beloÌ„geth to the elect only 553. Faith is the meane wherby we take holde of saluation 168. Faith thinketh not baptisme in vain or vnprofitable 384. Faith and religion must not bee iudged according to the successe it hath in this world 385. Faith commeth by hearing 565. Faith in Christ is the thing of most auncientie 896. Faith onely in Christ saued the Gentiles 3. Faith diuersly tryed 879 Faith must not be iudged according to the numbre of followers 51. Fayth is not ydle 419. Faith letteth not but that we muste pray 47. Faith of Paule 823. True fayth beleueth aswel the lyfe of the body as of the solue 12. Faith of the fathers is most auncieÌ„t Pag. 852. Fayth ouercommeth the world 142. Fayth of the olde and new Testament both one 597 Faith which waye it is truly defended 854 Fayth must not bee iudged of according to the auctoritie of men 43. Faith of what certaintie and antiquitie it is 183. 122. The chiefe articles of the Christian fayth 105.108.111 The whole summe of the Christian fayth 823. Fayth must be learned confyrmed of Paule 816. Faithes effect taught by the example of the Apostles 42. An example of Faithe and charitie Pag. 679. Faith and the Gospells fruites 823. Faithes fruites 169 Faithes frutte and operation 640. Fayth how certayne and of what auctoritie it is 122. Faythes propertie 138.889 A great argument of fayth 881. Fayth to iustifie taught by the Prophets 459 Faythes nature 138. Faithes dignitie 538 Faythes obedience strength and efficacie 42.320 Faithes woorke paciently to suffer discipline 529. Fayth in Moses singuler 334 Fayth wyll not lye hydden 384 Faythes state in this world 853 Faythes force declared by the example of Abraham 296.297 Fayth can not be separated from charitie 641. Faithe getteth saluacion proued by Steuen 296. Fayth onely is sufficient to mans saluation 3. Fayth of gods people tryed by him Pag. 557. Faythe and constancie of his people how god doth exercise 623. Faith only whether it iustifieth men or whether righteousnes of the law be necessary 589 Fayth taketh holde of the forgiuenes of sinnes 458. Fayth taketh holde of gods promises 879. Faythfull mynde heareth the worde of God willingly 700.701 Faythful prayer of what power and efficacie it is 637. Faythful haue god to reuenge theyr cause 489 Faithfull are chosen in Christe thorough the mere â—auour of GOD. Pag. 29 Faythfull what they abyde in this world 800 Faythfull sometyme erre 462 Faythfull what they seeke in Christ. Pag. 26.27 Faythfull dye happely in euery place and they dye not in misery that dye banished out of theyr Countrye Pag. 313 Faythfulls exercises 461 Faythful in lytle safetie in this world Pag. 212 Faythfulls estate on earthe 299 Faythfulls persecutours Christes persecutours 789 Faythfulls surest marke is the faithfull keeping of the Apostles doctrine 139 Faythfull in daunger too bee layde wayte for of theyr own household Pag. 56 Faythfulls true marke is mutuall loue and agreement 223 Faythfulls condicion or propertie Pag. 298 Faythe of the Fathers of the olde Testament and oures proued all one 597 Faythfull are not destitute of gyftes of the holy ghoste 134 Faythfull haue the effect of goddes holy Spirit among them indifferently 96 Faythfull what they are called in Scripture 148 Faythfulls smal nombre must offend no man. 50 F ante E Feastes instituted of God and why Pag. 75 Feare what it comprehendeth in it Pag. 4â—6 Feare of the wicked is preposterous Pag. 475 Feare the worste Counseller that is Pag. 401 Feare forbydden 681 Felix what he was 814 Felix and Dâ—usolla heare Paule Pag. 828 Felix the husbande of three queenes Pag. 815 Festus a president of suche as the woorde of God with a prophane mynde 865 Festus cause that Paule is herde with attencion 846 Festus beareth Paul wytnes that he is innocent 842 Festus admitteth Paules appeale though vnwillingly 839 Festus oracion to Agrippa touching Paule 841 Festus iniquitie and vnrighteousnes Pag. 837 F ante L Flesh of Christ taken vp into Heauen is a pledge that ours shall go thether also 36 Flesh and bloud in what sence it can not inherite the kingdome of Heauen 38 F ante R Frutes of sainct Paules Doctrine Pag. 649 Frute of fayth is Ioy of the conscience 387 Frute of Apostolike study 618 Frutes of true godlynes 147.148 F ante Y Fylthy communicacion what a sinne it is 84 Fylthines or whoredome with Idolles 335 G ante A GAlerius ende a persecutour of the Church 301 Gamalils counsel 264 G ante E Gentiles called 424 Gentiles fyrst called in Cornelius Pag. 425 Generatione how it is taken in the Scriptures 381 G ante L Glory of Christ what it is 381 Glory gotten by auÌ„cestrie but a vain thing 307 Glorie in tytles and successione but a vanitie 606 Glorying in the Gospell and woorde of God but vaine oneles in deede we followe that is prescribed therby 350 To glorifie the woord of God what it is 555 G ante O GOD of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of the Fathers 163 God the auctour and fountayne of all goodnes 575 God aduaunceth abiect and despised persons to honour 330 GOD warneth vs of daungers and giueth vs Counsell in tyme. Pag. 872 God prouideth for his Church by his prophetes 483 God â—ustifieth vs of fauour through fayth in Christ 594 God may bee better knowen by his woorkemanshippe of the worlde then by Images 671 God scattereth the Councells of his enemies and defendeth his seruants 246 God defendeth his seruauntes in the myddle of wolues 142 God mixeth aduersitie with prosperitie 316 God punisheth no person but fyrste he conuicteth him of his sinne and maketh him vnderstande the cause of his punishment 236 God is not worshipped with sacrifyces 667 God muste not be tempted 236 GOD neglecteth not a mans state though he seeme to forgette him Pag. 807 GOD hath no respect of persons Pag. 446 God can be expressed by no Image Pag. 672 God is the maker and gouernour of all things 573 God of the Fathers 826 God in what sence he is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Pag. 327 God muste be inuocated in Christe Pag. 103 God helpeth his people beyonde all theyr expectacion 316 God resisteth them that withstande the Doctrine that hee reuealeth Pag. 805 God saueth his people euen in the pyt of destruction 527 God deliuereth the Apostles callinge vppon him 637 God helpeth such as laboure faythfully 561 God comforteth his people 688 God delyuereth his people being in daunger 860 God knoweth his seruaunts and defendeth them in the mydle of the wycked proued by Examples Pag. 17 God neglecteth not those that are his Pag. 873 God
much vppon but study to please God onely 818 Mannes power is nothing agaynst God. 875 Manne must haue a regarde of hys dignitie 481 Mannes corruption may be knowen by the faultines in the Sainctes Pag. 26 Menne of three sortes burningâ— in hatred agaynst the truth 208 Mannes infirmitie set forth in the example of Ananias 402 Mannes redemption figured 566 Mannes traditions can not saue vs. Pag. 353 Mannes counsell or deuyse can not quayle Christes kingdome 30 Mannes traditions and godly intentions are daungerous to bee thrust into the Church 21 Mannes origene and beginning teacheth vs to worshippe one God. Pag. 358 Manne for hys behoofe may eate all meates created of God. 406 Mannes naturall dulnes 437 Menne of base degree and rascalles called in this world embrace and receyue the Gospel 624 Menne are all sinners 543 Manne destitute of the knowledge of God soone corrupted 837 Maynteyners of free will confuted Pag. 790 Maynteyners of Popish merites coÌ„futed 428 Manaes a noble man and a Courtier 509 Manasses a wicked Idolater 340 Mary the moother of Christe committed to the tuicion of Iohn Pag. 46 Mary the virgin mother of Chryste Pag. ibidem Mariages with the wicked prosper euill 828 Maryners vnbeleefe and falsehoode Pag. 880 Martyres punishmentes muste bee weighed by Sainct Steuens Example 351 Mathew had a wyfe as appeareth by the house hee kept 45 Matthias chosen to bee an Apostle Pag. 72 Matthie the Apostle hys election Pag. 66 Matthie chosen into the rowme of Iudas 44 Matthias auctoritie of vocation 58 M ante E Meanes ordeyned of God must not bee rashly neglected 814 Meane and indifferent things when they cease to be indifferent 616 Meanes lawfully vsed 882 Meanes vnlawfull must none bee vsed to come by commoditie 870 Meates choyse or difference 434 and 435 Mercie of God towarde Synners Pag. 790 Mercy in what sence it is vsed of S. Paule 540 Merites of men how muche is to bee attributed to them 429 M ante I Ministery of Christe comprehended in two wordes 6 Ministers are not polluted by mariage 765 Ministers to be taken into the church what manner of men they shoulde bee 63 Ministery outward is profitable too be duely administred 399 Ministery of the woorde to bee profitable proued by Examples Pag. 400 Ministery Ecclesiasticall commended 429 Ministery Ecclesiasticalles partes Pag. 279 Ministery Ecclesiasticalles reason Pag. 508 Ministeries dignitie 179 Minister of Christes woorde be hee neuer so sclender and base must not bee contempned 397 Minister of the Churche muste bee apt and fit to teache 63.64 Minister of the Church muste haue a sounde and sure knowledge of Christ. 64 Ministers ought to bee suche as are lyke too perseuer and contyneue Pag. ibid. Minister what thinges is requisite for him ibid. Ministers are ordeyned of GOD. Pag. 750 Ministers must bee desirous of humilitie and agreement 91 Ministers where they must preache Christ his name 403 Ministers of the Church are a benefite of God. 49 Ministers of Christ must bee at vnitie 147 Ministers of the Church are Apostles 70 Ministers of the Churche muste bee admitted to the ouersight of ecclesiasticall goods ibid. Ministers of the Church muste not bee money gatherers 756 Ministers of the Churche whether they may take stypend and wages Pag. 679 Ministers muste further and procure the Saluation of all menne Pag. 740 Ministers of the Gospell muste obeye Goâ—des commaundementes Pag. 19 Ministers must bee lawfully elected Pag. 66 Ministers must be referred and leaft vnto God. 68 Ministers of the Gospell are neyther robbers of goods honor nor blasphemers 727 Ministers what armour they muste do on agaynst the assaultes of this world 211 Ministers haue neede of Gods holy spirit 19 Ministers dutie consisteth chiefly in teaching 64 Ministers vnmeete muste not beâ—â—â—ken into the Church 〈…〉 Ministers 〈…〉 tyll they 〈◊〉 lawfully called 58 Ministers who bee lawfull and who vnlawfull 510 Ministers muste speake and not holde their peace 683 Ministers must not ouer hastely forsake the Church 683 Ministers muste doo their dutie although they profit lyttle 746 Ministers howe they are not culpable of other meâ—nes faultes Pag. 682 Ministers must fight but with scriptures 703 Ministers must be from the crime of sedition 825 Ministers muste haue knowledge in Gods will that will teache other the same 794 Ministers must haue an earnest care to their churches 150 Ministers muste haue a speciall care for their owne Nacion and Country after the Apostle Paules ensample 795 Ministers maye sometymes secke to escape by flying 411 Ministers are not blameable for beating downe superstitioÌ„ and aâ—â—iance in woorkes 896 Ministers must praye for the saluation of the people 793 Ministers what they must teache Pag. 794 Ministers howe vehemently they must rebuke those that deface the glory of God by seeking filthy lucre 373 Ministers muste not seditiously disturbe euerye common weales Pag. 823 Ministers must be stout yet gentle to be spoken too 405 Ministers admonished of their dutie by Paules example 402 Ministers are men and therfore subiect to mans infirmitie 55 Ministers must reproue as well secrete as manifest faultes committed agaynst the truth 230 Ministers faithfull haue diuerse and sundry chaunces folowing them as may be seene in Paule 410. Ministers at variaunce must not offend vs. 612.613 Ministers in the Churche that haue bene couetouse what they haue don Pag. 7â—6 Ministers true praise what it is 474 Ministers described that are false ibideÌ„ Ministers lawfully called a behofefull thing 753. Ministers of the church whence they haue their auctoritie 330. Ministers of the woorde must paint out false teachers in theyr colours and note them by theyr names 136 Ministers muste accuse notorious wyckednes with bold speech 109 Ministers faults must make no man 〈◊〉 bâ—cke 55. Ministers ought lawâ—â—lly to be called 789 Ministers of the woord must bee zelous 375. Ministers how much we are bounde vnto them 895 Ministers may lawfully declare vnto theyr churches what the enemies entend against Christ and his flock Pag. 215. Ministers haue neede of good bringing vp 14. Ministers muste boldly rebuke men Pag. 204. Ministers must be innocent harmeles 838. Ministers must be kindly and thankfully vsed 441. Minisâ—ers must not be so cleued vnto that if god take theÌ„ away we must thinke religion shall quayle 387. Ministers how they should be ordeyned 282. Ministers must haue a regarde who heareth them 678 Miracle of the Apostles 239. Miracle of the lame man healed 565. Miracle of the tounges what it ment Pag. 80. Miracle of the redde Sea. 332. Miracles of the Apostles were the woorkes of Christ. 161 Miracles of Christ and the Apostles were perfect 155. Miracles why Christ wrought 157. Miracles of Moses in Egypte 517. New miracles must not be deuised Pag. 563. Miracles of Moses in the wildernes Pag. 332. Miracles done by Philip. 361. Miracles repugnant to gods woord no miracles 563 Miracles which be true 139. Miracles taught by the Apostles do serue for two endes the cause efficient of
preacheth and writeth 915 Paule reproueth the Iewes of stubbornesse 90â— Paule an example of Christian charitie 412 Paule preacheth to the Iewes 647 Paule preacheth boldly 735 Paule defendeth his Ministery modestly and constantly 866 Paule by a myracle became knowne to the people of Malta â—88 Paule sheweth a token of christiaÌ„ modestie whyle hee can patiently suffer reâ—ulse 412 Paule sayled in an Idolatrouse ship Pag. 892 Paule commaundeth to stay the Marinâ—s 882 Paule taketh on a Nazarites vowâ— Pag. 770 Paule aâ—monished not to go to Ierusalem 761 Paule offendeth not in â—ebuking the Byshop 800 Paule resisteth to be set at libertie in hucker mucker 643 Paule answereth them that suspected the story of his calling 789 Paule confirmed with the meeting of the Brethren 895 Paule is a debtor to all men 864 Paule lawfully ordeyned an Apostle by the ministrye of Ananias 789 Paule preacheth at Philippi 6â—3 Paule preacheth Iesus 407 Paule tooke Christes parte agaynste his will. 856 Paule calleth the chief of the Iewes togyther 896 Paule forbidden to preache in Asia Pag. 619 Paule how hee was conuerted 789 Paule returneth to Ierusalem 792 Paule preacheth the kingdom of god Pag. 916 Paule sent to Ananias to bee further instructed 789 Paule restored to his sight and baptised 404 Paule defendeth him selfe by the Romaine lawes 797 Paule accused of sedition heresie and polluting of the church 820 Paule excuseth himself 8â—2 Paule goeth to the Elders at Ierusalem 769 Paule professeth hee is a Phariseye Pag. 802 Paule was a sower of tentes 756 Paule a prisoner two whole yeares Pag. 915 Paule preacheth a whole daye togyther 900 Paule desyreth ayde of the Captayne Pag. 810 Paule tryed of God diuers wayes Pag. 764 Paule commeth to Ierusalem 412 Paule brought out to preach in chaynes 845 Paule shaketh of the Adder without any hurt 889 Paule commaunded to bee whipped Pag. 796 Paule called into Macedonia 621 Paule in daunger of his lyfe 776 Paules departure out of Asia 758 Paules accusers are of great power and might 818 Paules araynement before Festus the nâ—w President 833 Paules singular feruencie in the office committed vnto him 760 Paules companions 870.397 Paules commendacion 815 Paules state or condition 398 Paules confidence 826 Paules counsell despysed 871 Paules constancie 646 Paules tyrannie agaynst the Church of Christ. 856 Paules dignitie 878.879 Paules traunce 793 Paule excused in forsaking the Iewes religion 784 Paule Barnabas visite the churches Pag. 613 Paules doctrine and Companions Pag. 6â—7 Paule and Elymas the sorcerers first encounter 514 Paules familie 890 Paules fortitude 844 Paules enemies fal out among them selues 850 Paules notable prayse 402 Paules innocency 842 Paules taking vp into paradise 398 Paules nauigation described 870 Paule hath scales fall from his eyes Pag. 405 Paules office enioyned him of God described 792 Paules oration to Agrippa and the argument thereof 848 Paules oration is interrupted 794 Paule taken into the ministery 402 Paules first acte after hee was Apostle 406 Paules iourney into Arabia amitted of Luke 410 Paules wisedome 812 Paules childhod bringing vp 849 Paules iourney to Rome 894 Paules auctoritie in writing 399 Paules passage into Macedonia 622 Paules vocation to preache too the Gentyles proued to be lawful 793 Paules very christian wyfe 868 Paule what happened to him before Felix the president 816 Paule permitted to speake for himselfe ibidem Paules chaunce at Damascus 410 Paule sent to Anania by Christe and to what ende 399 Paule being humbled is receyued of Christ. 396 Paule called Mercurie by the people of Lystra 567 Paule eased of hatred by the Elders Pag. 770 Paule accused by the Bishoppes and Iewes 835.818 Paules pointes of his sermon before Felix 831 P ante E Peace is restored to the Churche Pag. 415 Peace must not be sought with the derogation of Christes glory 591 Peace how it may be procured to the Church 416 Peace in the Churche of what commoditie it is 416 Peace gyuen of God how it was vsed of the godly ibidem Pentecost daye why it was appointed to send the holy ghost on 75 Pentecost feaste when it was instituted and what manner of thing it was ibidem Pentecost and the ceremonies therof Pag. ibidem Peoples reporte must not be trusted to much 577 People of Israell saued and multiplyed in Egypt through the grace of God. 314 Persecution against the Apostles 562 Persecution vniuerâ—al in the Church at Ierusalem 357 Persecution rageth when famine dearth ryseth 487 Persecution raysed by the Iewes 555 Persecution attendeth on Chrystes ministers 410 Persecutions auctors causes 488 Persecution how far it raigeth 562 Persecutions of the Apostles what they teache vs â–ª 811 Persecutions in the church were ten the ende of the persecutors 300.301 Persecutions of the primitiue church why so diligently written of Luke Pag. 219 Persecution being ended the faythfull reioyce 558 Persecution reignyng the faythfull must call to mynde the oracles of God. 217 Persecuted must not by and by forsake their standing 360 Persecutors make men blaspheme God. 857 When Persecutions rage what the Christians must do 216 Persecutors are brydled by the hand of God. 410 Persecutors of the church who be 191 Persecutors of the faythfull persecutors of Christ. 789 Persecutors of the truth who are alwayes most lyke to bee 245 Persecutors of Christ hys Church lyuely portraictured 856.857 Persecutors of the church if their examples be well considered we shal see that none of theÌ„ haue escaped the horrible vengeaÌ„ce of god 300.301 Persecutors incurable impietie 207 Persecutors punished 394 Persecutors haue their limites and boundes prescribed 358 Perseuerance or continuance needful in religion 549 Perseuerance in prayer of what force it is 47 Persones respecte in iudgement is a great mischief 837 Persones respecte with God is their none 446 Peruersâ—nes of men in seeking their saluation 585 Petitions and desires of them that beleeue 220 Peter apprehended 490 Peter lodged with Simon a Tanner 423 Peter comforted by promises 133 Peter will haue goddes benefyte set forth and declared 501 Peter rayseth vp Dorcas 422 Peter desirous to ioyn with the church agayne 497 Peter waked by the Aungell ibid. Peter seketh his escape by flying â–ª 501 Peter maryed â–ª 45 Peter prayeth fasting 432 Peter what hee did after hee was deliuered 496 Peter answereth the offence that might be taken out of gods prouidence 52 Peter quipped but with a light taunâ— constantly defendeth Christ and his Gospell 91 Peter what hee taught in the firste sermon hee made 127 Peter preacheth that Iesus is the Sauiour 200 Peter after he receiued the holy ghost desired no supremacie emonge the Apostles but to bee equall with them 90 Peter is taught by a vision the vocation of the Gentyles 431 Peter how hee was receyued of the faythfull 499 Peter goeth through al the churches Pag. 417 Peters counsell giuen to the Iewes in his first sermon after hee receyued the holy ghoste 130 Peters iudgement touching Anâ—nias facte 230 Peâ—ters opinion touching
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
mynisters of his woorde And first of all he prooueth the veritie of his Resurrection by many arguments sixe weekes togyther For whereas this is the ground of our saluation whosoeuer wel vnderstandeth knoweth not the same he shall nothing preuayle in preachyng the Gospell Secondly he expoundeth openeth the mysteries of the kingdome of God both bycause he would put out of theyr mynde the opinion conceyued by common error of the earthly kingdome of Christ and also bycause they should perceyue after what order and sorte they ought to handle the businesse of our beliefe and saluation by preaching of the Gospell And vnto these two adhereth a thirde point that is to say the promise of the holy Ghost which he both now repeateth confirmeth the truth thereof by graue testimony least by his sodaine departure from the earth they should be all amazed admonisheth them also of the place when where they should wayte for the same This is a notable place seruing much both to our instruction consolation First of the place he admonisheth them commaundyng them that they departe not from Hierusalem but to wayte there for the promise of the Father Here the Citie of Hierusalem is appointed to the singularest affayres and purposes that euer happened in the world And as the sonne of God by the sacrifice of his body and bloud in this Citie restored mankynde againe to his saluation so in the same place he would first haue his Apostles illuminated with his holy spyrite and beginne the preachyng of the Gospell And here is that thing that would make vs to marueyle if wee consider the state and condition of the Citie For this is that Citie vpon which Christ pronounced such terrible and horrible thinges should fall Against this Citie is spoken that that is in the .xxiij. chapiter of Mathewe Hierusalem Hierusalem that killest the Prophetes and stonest them that are sent vnto thee how often woulde I haue gathered thy chyldren togyther as the Henne gathereth hir chyckens vnder hir wynges and thou wouldest not And while he was in Galyley beyng told how Herode layde wayte for him he aunswered it coulde not be that a Prophet shoulde dye in any other place than at Hierusalem not onely hereby declaring how sinfull the Citie was but also many times denouncing the ouerthrow and destruction of the same What shall wee thinke then was the cause that mooued Christ to appoint so wicked a City and so neare hir destruction to so holy an vse and businesse Surely none other than the infallible truth of God whose promises cannot fayle It was once prophecied by the Prophetes that the preaching of saluation shoulde spring from thence In the latter dayes sayth the Prophetes the hill where the house of the Lorde is builded shall be the chiefe among hilles and exalted aboue all little hilles And all Nations shall prease vnto it and the multitude of people shall go speaking thus one to another vp let vs go to the hill of the Lorde and to the house of the God of Iacob that he may shew vs his way and that we may walke in his pathes For the lawe shall come out of Syon and the worde of the Lord from Hierusalem Where it seemeth me good not to pretermit that whereof Suetonius though an heathen Auctor and enimye to the Christians maketh mention in the life of Vespasian saying that there was an olde and common opinion in the East countrie affirming that it was their destenie which should come from Iurie to be conquerors of all the worlde Which Oracle he as an Ethnicke and Gentile vnderstandeth of Vespasian who by reason of his valiauntnesse â–ª and courage shewed in the warres with the Iewes made an entrye thereby for himselfe and his children to climbe vnto the Empire We may more truly expounde the same of the Apostles which being borne in Iurie beganne to preach the Gospell in the Citie of Hierusalem afterwarde filled all Iurie with their preaching and at length dispersing themselues out of Iurie into all nations subdued and brought all the world to the obedience of christ Nowe bicause Christ was not ignorant that these things were decreed by God his father therefore he bade them they shoulde not depart from Hierusalem In the meane season the consideration of these things serueth muche both for our consolation and instruction For hereby it appeareth that the promises of God through the wickednesse and impietie of a fewe persons cannot be frustrated and made vaine What sayth Paule though some beleeued not Shall their vnbeliefe make the promise of God of none effect God forefende Naye let God be true and all men lyers This ought deepely to bee layde vppe in our memorie bicause we see it commeth often to passe that while we consider the great want of beliefe and wickednesse in man we vtterly dispayre as though the wickednesse of other should be our losse and hinderance which is a most grieuous temptation and as it accuseth God eyther of to much seueritie or of vnrighteousnesse so it hindreth and stoppeth vs most in the race of godlynesse For who woulde holde on in goodnesse that were once perswaded in his minde that he must perishe with the multitude of the vngodly Here therefore it is necessarye that we be armed against such temptations And stronger armour we cannot put on vs than if we thinke that God knoweth his be the multitude of the wicked neuer so great And in the Prophet he confesseth he beareth to vs such affection as mothers vse to beare vnto the children borne of their owne bodies And bicause he is the iust iudge of the earth he will not destroy the godly with the vngodly as Abraham the father of the faithfull well considered Againe bicause he is most wise and omnipotent he can easily discerne betweene the godly and vngodly and can punish the one as they haue deserued and with fauour defende the other Herevnto is to be referred that fanne which Iohn the Baptist attributeth to Christ wherewith he shall purge his floore and separate the chaffe from the corne Hereof wee haue in euery place examples The Lorde knewe Loth in the middest of Sodome He had a care of the Patriarches lyuing among the Chananites although by Gods appoyntment they were ordayned to be destroyed So in this place he knoweth his Apostles and whosoeuer in Hierusalem are of the number of his elect Neither doth the corruption and wickednesse of other more in number and authoritie than they preiudice or hinder them After the same sorte will hee know vs in these dayes for his people and will saue vs so that we will depart from iniquitie and in our lyfe expresse Christianitie It maketh for amendement of life that we learne by the example of the Hierosolimytes that no glory authoritie or prerogatiue of auncestrye can defende them against the iudgement of God which continue in their wickednesse and vnthankfulnesse
it can not be but God must be angry with the world and therfore it floweth with all kinde of euill For Iohn the Baptist sayth The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all things into his handes Hee that beleeueth the sonne hath lyfe euerlasting He that beleeueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God remayneth vpon him Last of all Christ describeth the boundes of his kingdome which they thought extended not beyond Iurie For where he sayth the Apostles should be his witnesses to th ende of the worlde he plainely declareth that his kingdome stretcheth to all nations of the worlde He manifestly and by name rehearseth certaine places that not without a cause For where the Citie of Hierusalem by reason of their great and horrible offence committed agaynst the sonne of God seemed vnworthy the wholesome testimonye of the grace of the Gospell it behooued to name hir also that they might knowe how the beginning of preaching the Gospell should be there where iniquitie most abounded Againe where the Iewes of an olde and ingenerate hatred could not brooke the Samaritanes therfore he maketh expresse mention of Samaria least the Apostles folowing the common opinion of the Iewes should think they ought not to come at them Now how needefull it was to comprehend all other Nations within the boundes of Christes kingdome the example of Peter sufficiently prooueth who when the countrie of Samaria had receiued Christ abstayned from companying with other Nations vntill hee was instructed by a vision from heauen Howbeit Christ appointeth none other limits of his kingdome in this place than the holye ghost long before had described by the Prophetes For it is knowne what is contayned in the Psalmes whereof I made mention before Moreouer Zacharie speaking of Christ in the ninth Chapter His kingdome shall reach from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the worldes ende But that saying is most euident of all other that Esay hath in the .xlix. Chapter It is but a small thing that thou art my seruant to set vp the kinredes of Iacob and to restore the destruction of Israel for I haue made thee the light of the Gentyles that thou mayst be my helth vnto the ende of the worlde There are diuers other testimonies as is to be seene euerye where of them that reade the Prophetes This is full of all comfort that we see Iesus Christ is the common Sauiour of all Nations in whome as Paule and Peter sayth there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle Barbarous nor Scythian bonde nor free man nor woman but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him They also are here admonished of their office and dutie whom Christ hath appointed to be Preachers of the Gospell that they seeke not the saluation of one nation onely but that as much as in them is they sowe the knowledge of Christ Iesu and of saluation as well by teaching as writing as we reade the Apostles did thorowout the whole worlde And it belongeth to all men to imbrace Christes goodnesse which so liberally offreth vnto al the saluation purchased by his bloud Let vs receiue therfore with thankfull mindes this kingdome of saluation that hereafter we maye reigne with Christ in heauen to whom be blessing honour glory and power for euer Amen The fift Homelie AND when he had spoken these things whyle they behelde he was taken vp on high and a Clowde receyued him vp out of their sightes And whyle they looked stedfastly vp towarde heauen as he went beholde two men stoode by them in white apparell which also sayd ye men of Galiley why stand you gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as you haue seene him go into heauen BIcause LVKE mooued by the holy ghost purposeth to intreat of the Actes of the Apostles he beginneth very aptly to tell of those things which our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ now being readye to leaue the earth did with the Apostles For thereby it may euidently be gathered that the Apostles did nothing of their priuate authoritie or vnaduisedly but that they were executors of the things enioyned them by Christ and therfore their doctrine was not to be taken for mans doctrine but to be acknowledged and receyued as Christes Nowe at length followeth Christes departure from earth into heauen which Luke describeth with great diligence and wee ought to consider the same with as much earnestnesse bicause in the description therof two notable articles of our Christian faith are comprehended in the which the chiefe hope of all Christians is grounded That is to say Christes ascention into heauen and his returne which shall be in the ende of the worlde when he shall come in the clowdes to iudge both the quicke and the deade It shall behooue vs to consider euery thing in such order as Luke describeth it In this place he briefly dispatcheth the hystory of Christes ascention For when hee had thus sayde sayth he he was taken vp on high they looking on and a clowde receyued him out of their sight The cause of this breuitie maye seeme to be both for that afterwarde he reporteth the sayinges of the Aungels which more expressely declare all the matter and also for that himself about the ende of his Gospell had more at large set forth the same For there he sayth Iesus ledde his Disciples forth into Bethany and lyfting vp his handes on high he blessed them And it chaunced that as hee blessed them hee was taken from them and caried into heauen To the which let vs ioyne the things that are written in this wise The Lord after he had talked with them was taken vp into heauen is set downe on the right hand of God. The summe of all is that Iesus Christ which hytherto liued on the earth hath taken his body out of this worlde and hath placed it on the right hande of God his father according to the saying of Dauid The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thyne enimies thy footestoole Although such is the playnesse of this Hystorie that it is put euen in the same wordes almost in the articles of our Christian faith or Apostles Creede wherein our forefathers would all things should be so plaine that it shoulde be perceyued and vnderstanded of verye children yet let vs discusse diligently euery circumstaunce thereof for their sakes which in these dayes dare extenuate the same while of his ascention they make but a disparition or vanishing out of sight and leaue vs nothing but a vaine and bare fantasie or imagination therof which men are gone so farre that they appoint a locall and substantiall presence of Christes body in the breade of the Lorde But being led and bewitched with the desire of contention they marke not how they leaue him no place in
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
of the Princes beleeue in him or of the Phariseyes But this people that know not the lawe are accursed Let vs therefore consider the counsell of God which as Paule sayth vseth to choose the foolish contemned and vile things and of no reputation in the worlde to confounde all wisedome power and authoritie of the worlde And thus doth he not without cause For hereby it appeareth that we ought to glory or reioyce in nothing but in God alone Let others obiect vnto vs Emperours Kings Bishops Cardinals Councels and Uniuersities Doctors in Scarlot and our Maisters illuminate and whatsoeuer else in the worlde is glorious by pretence of wisedome and holynesse and on the other side let them scorne and mocke the miserable and despised state of them in this worlde which haue professed the Gospell and we will aunswere with Iesus Christ our sauiour and doctor Wee thanke thee O father Lorde of heauen and earth bicause thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent and reuealed them to the little ones euen so father was it thy good will and pleasure But Luke writeth that there were women also in the company of the Apostles which some thinke were they only that came with Christ when he came last out of Galiley to Hierusalem But as I will not denie but some of that number might abide with the Apostles so I thinke this place may be very well vnderstanded of the Apostles Wyues For the Gospell plainely expresseth that Peter had a wyfe And if we affirme the same of Mathewe we doe it not in vaine seeing it plainly appeareth he both had a dwelling of his owne and also kept a familie and housholde And Paule manifestlye testifyeth that the Apostles led about their Wiues when they preached the Gospell Although I am not ignorant how the maintayners of vnchaste singlenesse expounde that place of certaine faithfull women that followed the Apostles But the pieuish men perceyue not what iniurie they doe vnto the Apostles whyle they thus saye For what excuse is left for the Apostles if they leaue their owne Wyues and carie about other mens God defende therefore that we shoulde thinke such absurditie pieuishnesse and dishonestie in the most holy Legates and Ambassadors of Iesus Christ. I surelye beleeue that the Apostles Wiues came from Galiley with their husbande 's the Apostles for whom it was not lawfull to depart from the Citie vntill this present daye For where they were ordayned to take part with the Apostles of all their traueyles and daungers it was requisite that they shoulde be prepared and strengthned with some speciall gift of the holy ghost They that contend and affirme that single lyfe is of necessitie to be enioined vnto persons ecclesiasticall are more foolish than whom we neede much to confute in so great light of the Gospell considering as it is playne vnto all men that wedlocke is honorable in all persons and the bed vndefiled Amongest these women also was the holy Uirgin the mother of Iesus Christ and certaine brethren of Christes whom according to the custome of the Hebrew tongue wee vnderstande to haue bene his kinsmen Christ a little before his death had committed the tuition of hir to Iohn the belooued Disciple which tooke the charge of hir vpon him most faithfully kept hir And here is the last place that the Scriptures make any more mention of hir Nicephorus writeth that she dyed in the daies of Claudius the Emperour when she had liued fiftie and nyne yeares Eusebius in his Chronicles sayth she was assumpted or taken vp into heauen but he confesseth this to be an vncertaine doctrine or tradition bicause he addeth as some write it was reuealed vnto them In the dayes afterwarde sprang vp certaine Monkes who were not ashamed to fayne a whole storie of hir Assumption whereof the olde writers knew nothing as appeareth by Epiphanius writing against the heretikes called Antidicomarianitae If some seeme to haue erred let them seeke the steppes of the Scripture and they shall finde neyther the death of Mary neyther whether she died or died not neyther whether she were buried or not buried And a little way after I saye not that she remained still on lyue neyther affirme I that she dyed For the Scripture passeth the mynde of man and leaueth the matter in suspence bycause of that precious and most excellent vessell least any man might suspect any carnall things of hir To the which I adde that it seemeth incredible the holy ghost would haue so marueylous an Assumption concealed if there had bene any seeing he caused the translation of Enoch and Ely so diligently to be written The things that after Christs ascention happened to hir he would should vtterly be forgotten least they might giue any occasion of superstition which he knewe would growe about the worshipping of hir And surely it is marueyle the holy ghost would haue the things that concerned his mother to be kept in silence and the doings and doctrine of the Apostles to be written with such diligence But we are hereby admonished that we should not be so occupied about the supersticious worshipping of them that had bene men as about the doctrine of the Apostles In the meane season it shall profite vs to marke howe Christ Iesus appoynted to his beloued mother and deere kinsfolke so weake a succour and safegarde For if we consider the Apostles after the iudgement of the worlde they had no power no riches no authoritie no armour whereby to defende that most holy vessell of the grace and glory of God against the assaultes of the world Why therefore doth he not rather commende hir to the trust of some mightie Prince whose mynde and will he myght easily encline to take the charge of hir But he that hath mens harts in his rule needeth no fleshlye succors for the defence of his beloued Therfore the charge that Iohn had of hir was sufficient for the blessed Uirgin Let vs also learne to put all our trust not in mans helpe but in the protection of the most highest neyther let vs be discouraged if being forsaken of great personages wee haue none to fauour vs but only such as are strengthlesse and whose selues haue neede of Patrones and defenders and are subiect to all mens iniuries For it behooueth vs to saye with Dauid The Lorde is my light and my saluation whom then shall I feare The Lorde is the strength of my lyfe of whome then shall I be afrayde The Lorde is on my side I will not feare what man doth vnto mee Last of all the Euangelist declareth what the Apostles did whyle the sending of the holye ghost was deferred For if we number the dayes we shall finde it tenne dayes after Christes ascention before the holye ghost was giuen For Christ was fourtie dayes still conuersant with his Disciples and prooued the veritie of his resurrection by manye argumentes And the fiftye daye after the feast of
they fell out For as the Euangelistes write when Iudas sawe Christ deliuered vnto Pylate being stricken with repentaunce of his wicked fact he returneth to the Priests confesseth his offence and rendreth back the money which was the rewarde of his wicked treason But being mocked of them disdainefullye and reiected he hurleth the money downe in the temple and getting him from thence throtleth himselfe with an halter The Priestes bicause they coulde neyther with honestye let the money lye scattered in the Church nor durst put it among the treasure of the Church knowing it to be the pryce of bloude they buye with it a Potters fielde to burye straungers in hereby meaning cleane to wype out the wickednesse whereof they were not long before autors Howbeit by this meanes they purchase to themselues the perpetuall shame of so wicked an acte whyle by Gods prouidence it commeth to passe that the fielde called after the name of the money that was the pryce of bloud beareth perpetuall witnesse of their wicked offence This fielde Peter sayth Iudas himselfe tooke possession of both bicause it was bought with his money and for that the greatest part of so slaunderous a memory belonged vnto Iudas Furthermore in these things let vs marke first in Iudas the sorrowes of a boyling conscience which is playne were most cruell and more intollerable than the paynes of hell bicause they were able not only to make him set naught by his money but also being otherwise a most couetous caytife made him hate the same and brought him to the confession of his fault which Christ at his supper aduertised him of in vaine and made him weary of this present life Adde herevnto his horrible kind of death He knitteth the halter about his owne necke he is his owne hangman and dispatcheth himselfe out of life And for a more aggrauation of his cruell death he brast a sunder in the middest and all his intralles gushed out For he well deserued to haue his intralles poured forth which feared not to sell Christ the onely Autor of true lyfe for filthye lucre And yet the rigor of Gods iudgement here ended not but the remembrance of so heynous an offence endureth for euer So it commeth to passe that the vnhappy childe of perdicion neyther enioyeth his lyfe long nor yet the money which he helde dearer than his lyfe Let them set the eyes of their minde vpon this glasse whosoeuer vse for filthy lucre sake and for priuate gaine to betraye Christ to denye the truth and shamefullye to mocke the Church of christ Let whosoeuer lyueth by bloude well weye these things and such as thinke it a most worthye commendation to bee enriched by wages for their warring and testifie their welth by gorgeous building by trimming their sarmes by costly housholde stuffe by braue apparell and sumptuousnesse in all their doings For what doe these else but openly bewraye themselues to be bloudthirsty and leaue after them the monuments of a lyfe led in cruelty But whereas some poyntes pertaining to this matter remaine to be spoken in the things that followe Let the vnhappye ende of Iudas warne vs to mortifie slaughter our sinnes with the syncere feare of God that we may imbrace Iesus Christ with sure fayth to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The eyght Homelie FOR it is written in the booke of Psalmes His habitation be voyde no man be dwelling therein And his Byshopricke let another take Wherfore of these men which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lord Iesus had all his conuersation among vs beginning at the baptisme of Iohn vnto that same day that he was taken vp from vs must one be ordayned to be a witnesse with vs of his resurrection BIcause our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ woulde haue his Apostles witnesses of our redemptiō which he hath purchased vnto vs by his merite it shal not be superfluous to consider the more diligently the things that are sayde of their calling ordering For except we well knowe these things their authoritie shall be of no such weyght with vs as it ought to be Which thing is the chiefe cause that their vocation whom Iesus Christ chose while he was here on earth is written with such diligence by the Apostles that no man can doubt but they were ordayned by god But bicause the authoritie of Matthie shoulde not seeme the lesse which after Christes ascention succeeded in the place of Iudas was numbred with the Colledge of the Apostles Luke therfore so describeth his election that it may appeare he was no lesse appoynted to the administration of this office by Christ than the other Apostles For he neither ran of his owne head nor Peter which propounded this matter to the congregation to be consulted of doth any thing of his priuate authoritie but falling to prayer with the residue of the Church leaueth al the matter to the ordering of God as in the next Homely shal be declared By which example wee learne that Ministers must wayte till they be lawfully called neyther that anye man must be permitted eyther to thrust himselfe or any other into the Ministery ouer hastily and vnaduisedly For in the Prophete they are grieuously reprehended which runne of their owne heade not being lawfully called of the Lorde And Paule sayth How shall they preach except they be sent Yet Paule was not ignorant that there were many that preached not sent of the Lord whom in some place hee calleth false brethren ▪ which crept in being not lawfully ordayned but he affirmeth that such can not discharge their office duely yea Christ himselfe tooke not vppon him the office of teaching before he was solemnely declared by God the Father to be the teacher of all the worlde whereof the Autor of the Epistle to the Hebrewes maketh mention Which order if it be not obserued neyther can the people take them for Gods Ministers of whose calling they are vncertaine neyther can the Ministers vse themselues in their office with such credite and constancye as becommeth them For with what weapons shall they arme themselues against the threates of the world the attemptes of tyrants perils on euery side which knowing in their conscience how vniustlye they haue vsurped can conceyue in their mindes no hope of Gods ayde or assistaunce But let vs returne to Peter who in the beginning of his Oration as wee sayde yesterday taketh away the offence that might ryse of Iudas fall by referring or sending them to the decree of Gods prouidence which the holy ghost many yeres past gone reuealed to vs by Dauid And bicause he had made mention of the holy scripture now he bringeth forth certaine testimonies of the same And omitting the testimonies wherein Iudas transgression which before was sufficiently declared was prophecied he rehearseth onely those that are extant of his horrible punishment And he ioyneth two testimonies togither wherof the first
to be so bolde in the house of God to doe it and to commit a matter of so greatweyght to the iudgement of our blinde reason Further in the choosing of Ministers no man will denye but that the chiefest regarde ought to be of the minde For in the minde is the residence of such vertuous qualities as the holy ghost requireth in a Minister But I praye you what man iudging of another mans mynde can be sure of hys iudgement Must we not confesse that men herein are deceyued euery dayâ— since at length we finde by euident tokens howe naughtye they are whom before we tooke for very perfect persons The Apostles may herein be examples vnto vs who were ignorant a great whyle what Iudas was although he were a theefe such a one as robbed God of his honor But God is of such propertie condicion that he can be beguiled with no craft or dissimulation For he seeth not only what is without vs but searcheth the harts and reynes yea he foreseeth the thoughts and counsayles of men long before they aryse in their myndes Therefore all this matter can be to no body more safely committed than to his iudgement Which thing chiefly mooued the Apostles in this businesse to saye Thou Lorde which knowest the harts of all men shewe whether of these twaine thou hast chosen c. In the which words they plainly confesse what mooued them to runne to the iudgement of god Uerily for that they were not able to see into the hartes of other men Whereas we therfore cannot but confesse the same likewise in our choosing of Ministers we must needes seeme ouer rashe if we will make our selues Iudges in a matter where the minde is chiefly to be considered Last of all the maner order of election which the Apostles vsed both getteth the Ministers no small authoritie in the minds of the hearers encourageth them also against the manaces and attemptes of the wicked and other daungers hanging ouer them For thus it commeth to passe that the verye enimies if they will confesse a truth cannot suspect the Ministers eyther of temeritie or falshoode For who can be thought to haue crept into the Ministery by vnlawfull meanes or through fauour and authoritie of men which is declared a Minister by the iudgement of God Or who with a safe conscience dare eyther contemne or hate him whom he knoweth to haue bene elected and ordayned by his owne praiers the praiers of the whole congregation In like sort these things animate and embolden the Ministers a thing very necessary for them against the threates and attemptes of this worlde For where they knowe they are not elected by the counsell and fauour of man but by Gods ordinance they may assure themselues of Gods ayde and assistance if they will be faithfull in their office They knowe it is sayde vnto them Be not afrayde of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee sayth the Lorde Agayne they may be sure they shall finde God a reuenger and punisher if they be slothfull wicked and vnfaithfull in their office For they knowe that it is sayde to all Ministers which is spoken to the Prophet If I saye vnto thee concerning the wicked man that without doubt he must dye and thou giuest him not warning nor speakest vnto him that hee maye turne from his euill way and so liue then shal the same vngodly man die in his owne vnrighteousnesse but his bloude will I require of thine hande The consideration whereof me thinketh gaue such boldenesse to the Prophetes and Apostles that neyther the flatteries of false brethren nor the threates of wicked enimies could daunt or discourage them For after this sort Amos the Prophet deluded the crafty counsell of Amasias For where he exhorted the Prophete to flye awaye least Ieroboam the King shoulde laye holde on him for his sermons that were so full of threates and rebukes and so come in daunger of aduersitie he aunswered on this wise I am neyther Prophete nor sonne of Prophete but a keeper of cattell Nowe as I was breaking downe Mulberies and going after the cattell the Lorde tooke me and sayde vnto me Goe thy waye and prophecie vnto my people of Israell c. By the which wordes the Prophet meaneth that he did nothing of his owne head or priuate counsell but went about the office enioyned him of God and that therefore he coulde not giue ouer the charge that God had layde vppon him The same Amos in the thirde chapter sayth When the Lyon roareth who will not be afrayde Seeing then the Lord God himselfe speaketh who will not prophecy Hereto are to be referred the things that the Apostles did with lyke courage before the counsell at Hierusalem For when they were forbidden to preache any more in the name of the Lorde Iesus they aunswered Wee must rather obey God than man Agayne Whether it be right in the sight of God to harken vnto you more than God iudge yee But for what cause had it bene lawfull for the Apostles thus to saye if they had not certainely vnderstoode they were called and chosen to this office by god And surely in vayne shall a man looke for such boldenesse of speach and affiance in doing in those which through fauour and by vnlawfull meanes creepe into the Ministery before they be called For knowing in their conscience how they come in by craft and being in their daungers by whose meane they come to such promotion they dare doe no notable thing in setting forth the truth and glorye of God but playing the egregious tryflers studie to please both God and man yea at the length casting aside all feare of God they giue themselues wholy to hunt for worldly praise so lyke rattes perish by bewraying themselues bicause as Paule sayth they be not the seruantes of God but men pleasers Therefore whosoeuer woulde haue in the Churche the auncient authoritie of discipline and the boldenesse of the Prophetes and Apostles in the Ministers and to be short the olde integritie and soundnesse of the whole Church let him labour to reuoke and call agayne this auncient order of choosing of Ministers shewed vs by the example of the Apostles But before we goe from this matter it is requisite to see with what wordes they describe the office of the Apostles They call it the lot of the Ministery and Apostleship By this worde lot they allude to the maner of casting lottes whereby a litlte after they meane to enquire Gods minde and pleasure But in the diuision of things a lot is oftentimes taken for a part or portion of any thing that falleth to vs by lot In the which sense they here call the lot of the Ministerie or Apostleship a part of the same Therfore they oftentimes acknowledge and confesse an equalitie of state and condicion among the Apostles For if Matthias receyued a part of that Ministery which was as well
To the which thing Dauid had a respect where he said Whither shall I go from thy spirite or whether shall I go from thy presence If I climbe vp into heauen thou art there if I go downe into hell thou art there also c. Therefore it is manifest that all this Hystorie ought to be expounded of the operation and giftes of the holy ghost And the Apostles are sayde to receyue the holy ghost bicause the same which otherwise is incomprehensible wrought effectually in them and endued and furnished them with all maner of gyftes as was meete to the execution of so weightie an office After which sense euery where in the Scripture they are sayde to haue God and the spirit of God present in them in whom he woorketh and who suffer themselues to be guided and directed by him and they lacke God and his spirite which withstand his woorking and rather giue themselues to the vnruly desires of the fleshe and the worlde than vnto the gouerning of the holy ghost Yet these thinges shall appeare more plaine by the context of the Hystorie wherein first we will note the tyme then the Apostles persons and last of all the maner of this sending all in order Luke beginneth with the discription of the tyme not so much for Hystoricall order sake and to purchase and get credite to the thing that was done as to aduertise vs of verye great mysteryes whereof the diuine prouidence had chiefly a consideration It was the day of Pentecost which otherwheres the scripture calleth the feast of weekes or of newe corne bicause on that day the Shewbread of newe corne was offered It tooke the name of Pentecost amongst the Greekes of the number bicause it was celebrated the fifteth day after Passeouer or Easter He that will see the Ceremonies obserued on that day may looke them in Leuit. 23. and Deut. 16. The chiefe thing here to be considered was the remembraunce of the lawe which the Scripture sayth was giuen that day and vttered by the mouth of Gods Maiestie It shall appeare that this day was appoynted by God for this businesse not without a cause if we consider the number of people which vsed to be present at this feast and well marke Christ to be the truest and best expositor of the olde lawe For it is euery where seene that God vseth to notifie and publishe to all men the things that concerne our saluation For he would haue as Paule sayth all men to be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of truth It was therfore most commodious that the preaching of the Gospell should begin vpon one of the greatest holy dayes and amongst the greatest number of people that both the more people might be instructed and also that the miracle of the holy ghost which should shortly be published to diuers nations might after a sort prepare for the Apostles the way of preaching And the Lorde obserueth in the Apostles that thing which we reade him selfe obserued while he was on the earth For as he chose publike places alwayes to preach in so was he woont on the holy dayes to go to Hierusalem that aswell his doctrine as miracles might be knowne to the more people Yea he would be crucifyed at the feast of Passeouer that the knowledge of his death being so profitable might the sooner and the wyder be published abroade It shall be profitable for vs diligently to marke the tokens of Gods goodnesse which teach vs that the redemption made by Christ Iesus is offered of God to all men and appertayneth to all men neyther can we haue any surer consolation any where in our temptations Uerily Sathan will not lightly denie that Iesus Christ is a Sauiour and a Redeemer But he vseth this pollicie in assaulting our fayth that the redemption which is by Christ appertayneth not vnto vs and teacheth vs to measure the merites of Christ and the limits thereof according to our worthinesse or vnworthinesse And it cannot bee chosen but here our fayth must quayle forasmuch as there is no man but findeth himselfe most vnworthie of saluation when he throughly hath considered his owne nature But the consideration of those thinges which teach Christ to be the vniuersall Sauiour of all them that beléeue in him and a most bountifull Author of health that is glad to benefite most men doth most strongly prop and beare vp our fayth thus faltring But the other cause is more diligently to be searched where we sayde that the spirite of Christ was giuen in Pentecost bycause of the lawe once published on that day It is manifest that all the things which happened to the Iewes were shadowes and figures of things to come to the accomplishment and performance whereof Iesus Christ from euerlasting was ordayned and appointed Therfore Augustines obseruation seemeth to me neyther superfluous nor curious who in the consideration of this present Hystorie compareth it with the figure of the olde Testament touching the setting foorth of the law where there is a great likenesse of all circumstances and a iust proportion or measure of mysteries on both sides to be obserued which we haue thought good to expounde by Austens wordes A sheepe is slaine sayth he the Passeouer is holden and within fiftie dayes after the lawe written with the finger of God is giuen to make vs feare Christ is slaine who like a sheepe was led to be offered as Esay witnesseth The true Passeouer is celebrated and within fiftie dayes after the holye ghost which is the finger of God is giuen to make vs to loue c. Yea Paule the Apostle diligentlye compareth the preaching of the Gospell which began at Pentecost with the publishing of the law and by that comparison prooueth the authoritie of the Gospell And the Scripture sheweth that Christ is the ende of the law whereof he professeth himselfe to be a true interpreter Therefore there could be no fitter tyme chosen to sende the holy ghost in than the fifteth day after Easter which by reason of the law then published was very notable For hereby we are taught that there is but one spirit of the olde and new Testament and not two diuers as the Manychies in tyme past dreamed For Christ would not take vpon him to haue interpreted the lawe if it had beene published with any other spirite than the spirite of God neyther would haue commended and celebrated the memoriall thereof with so wholesome a myracle Further we are taught that the true sence of the lawe can be gathered of none other than of the spirite of christ For where Christ onely hath satisfyed the lawe to whome the lawe led vs as a guide and Schoolemayster they shall in vaine traueyle about the vnderstanding thereof which are destitute of the spirit of Christ and faith in Christ which he worketh in vs Which thing is the cause that Paule sayth the Iewes haue yet the vayle before their eyes by reason whereof
denie it For whosoeuer hath any taste of the doctrine of the gospell shall confesse that the preaching therof beateth downe the same Neyther doth the spirite of Christ by outwarde worde onely oppugne the same but it also consecrateth the minds vnto God that they which a little while ago were the bondslaues of sinne are now become the Temples of the liuing god In the meane season we denie not but there are many which abuse the colour of the gospell to sow dissention and to plant libertie But ought the gospell to be charged therewith I pray you what wise man condemneth the Magistrate bicause diuers vnder the colour thereof haue become Tyrauntes and oppressors of the libertie of their Countrie Why doe we not rather marke the vse of the Magistrate which is appointed for that ende that the lust of priuate persons should be restrayned and violence and tyrannie be brideled Euen so let vs confesse that the right vse of the Gospell and effect of the holye ghost is onely to set vp true concorde and holly honestie of life Nay if we shall confesse the truth there is none other concorde acceptable before God than that which is amonge the faythfull in Iesus Christ which are borne againe of the worde and spirite of god Neyther can there be any other true holinesse and innocencie than that whereof Christes spirite is the Author For that holinesse which men counterfaite without his spirite is hippocriticall and is not able to abide the iudgement of God as straunge from the righteousnesse of Christ which vseth to supplie all the defectes and wantes of the faythfull Now to these aforesayde poyntes Luke ioyneth the maner of his sending which was visible both bicause the Apostles might conceyue through presence of the spirite the greater confidence and boldnesse to go about their office and also for our cause that it might appeare how Iesus Christ neuer forsaketh his Church but defendeth it by his inuisible grace which he declared by the sending of his holy spirit For hereto serueth that notable promise I will not leaue you comfortlesse And againe Beholde I am with you vntill the ende of the worlde But touching the maner howe this thing was here done three things remaine to be discussed First there was sodainly a noyse from heauen And it is not without a mysterie that these things come to passe sodainly or vnlooked for For this is alwayes Gods vsage that he then most truely performeth his promises when we least looke for them yea when there is no more helpe remayning in man So he performeth his promise in deliuering his people out of the bondage of Egypt foure hundred yeares after the Israelites were bereft of all libertie and were constrayned to beholde most horrible examples of Tyrannie in their newe borne babes and haue nothing safely to trust vnto So in this place he sendeth the holy ghost now sodainely when they least thought of it whose comming he had deferred now a .xj. daies long We are taught by these examples paciently to wayte for the promises of god For where God is truth it selfe he cannot deceiue And forasmuch as he is our Lord we his seruaunts it becommeth vs to attende his leysure and not to prescribe him any time Tarie thou the Lordes leysure sayth Dauid be stronge and he shall comfort thine heart and put thou thy trust in the Lorde And the Prophete sayth If he tarie yet wayte thou for him For in verie deede he will come and not be slacke And such a noyse and sounde came from heauen bicause wee might knowe that the holye Apostles endued with an heauenly and diuine spirite were become preachers of an heauenly and diuine doctrine and not mans the aucthoritie and credite whereof might be called in doubt This serueth to confute the foolishnesse of such as with the ritche glutton require teachers to come from an other worlde from heauen or from hell And whatsouer thinges are sayde of mans saluation and dutie they reiect with this scoffe saying there was yet neuer none that came eyther from heauen or hell to tell vs what is there to do So they disclose how theyr wicked mindes are voyde of all religion For onlesse these wicked men had vtterly put away all shamefastnesse they would know that the sonne of God came downe from heauen into fleshe and rose againe from death and most faythfully declared vnto vs the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen They would know that the holy ghost came downe from heauen and spake these things by the Apostles which they haue taught vs touching the meane of our saluation and what our dutie is But he that would require any newe kinde of learning yea though an Aungell brought it from heauen he ought not to be beleeued but accursed Secondly a certaine blast or violent winde russhing in filled all the house where the Apostles dwelt And that the spirite is signifyed by blast or winde it is no doubt bicause the very name of spirite is a borrowed speache and the diuine power is so called for that it pierceth and by his power conserueth all things And the Hebrues vse this worde Ruach which is as well vsed for the winde as for the spirite Christ woulde in this place therefore vse the token of winde to set before our eyes as it were the strength and efficacie of the holy spirite which is incomprehensible to mans capacitie and can be attayned to by no power of man It is better to here himselfe interpretate the same thing For reasoning with Nicodemus of the operation of his spirite by the which they that beleeue are borne againe he sayth The winde bloweth where it will and thou hearest the noyse thereof but knowest not whence it commeth nor whither it goeth For as the wit of man coulde not hitherto shewe vs for a certayntie the causes and begynnynges of the wynde although they haue long and much searched for the same so the operation of the holy spirite farre passeth the capacitie of man although we effectuallye feele the same in our hartes And euen as the blowyng of windes can not be let by any deuice or force of men so the spirite of Christ which worketh by the gospell feareth not the strength of men nor is not hindred therby to shew his power where and when he wyll Yea foolishe and ridiculous is the endeuour of them whosoeuer wyll striue with God to bryng the spirite and worde of God to their bent wyl holde them within boundes of them appoynted Examples hereof we haue euery where but the Apostles examples of right ought to haue the first place They were commaunded of the Lorde that they should fyll all the world with their preachyng This seemed a thing impossible to be done by simple vnlearned men despised persons Yea as many as were counted eyther of power or wisdome in the worlde withstoode them Yet the spirite of Christe by the ministerie of the
them vnto creatures and thinke their causes must be relieued by intercession of Saintes In which doyng they plainly testifie that they are voyde of the knowledge of Christe forasmuch as they are ignoraunt of his office and of the causes for the which he being God from euerlasting would take verye manhoode into the vnitie of his person He surely sayth in the Gospell No man commeth to the father but by me And Paule as he acknowledgeth one God so he testifieth that there is but one mediatour betweene God and man that is Iesus Christ. But bicause we shall otherwheres haue occasion to speake more largely of these things let these fewe suffice for this present And let vs take it for a great comfort that we see his Godheade whome we reioyce in as our sauiour and redeemer and after whose name we be called Christians prooued by so many argumentes Let vs now returne to Peters sermon and to the explication thereof Secondarilye he setteth forth the passion and death of Christ in suche sort that he laboureth to bring them in feare considering howe heynous a matter they had committed For he sayth This Iesus haue you taken by the handes of vnrighteous persons after he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God and haue crucyfied and slayne him Three things are here affirmed concerning the death of christ First he accuseth all the people of so horrible a murther You sayth he haue crucified him and slayne him Yet Peter was not ignoraunt that the souldiours hong him on the crosse with their owne handes And yet truly doth he lay this crime to all the peoples charge bicause they did not only consent to his death but also required with importunate and sedicious clamour to haue him crucified and with their importunacie ouercame Pylate which long withstoode them as the Euangelists teach vs. By this example of Peter we are taught howe to beginne the preaching of the Gospell verily with the rebuking of sinne the which must be detected published and accused For except men acknowledge their sinnes they will not care much for Christ so long as they thinke they haue no great neede of him For it fareth in this matter as in the diseases of the bodye They that eyther perceyue not their sickenesse or else go about to hide it care not for Phisicke neyther will they receyue the Phisition though he offer himselfe So whosoeuer feele no conscience of their sinnes or thinke their sinnes may be dissembled or purged by their owne satisfactions they neyther seeke Christ greatly themselues nor worthily receyue him shewing himselfe to them in his Gospell but standing rather vpon the affiance of their owne righteousnesse feare not to withstande him Whereof we haue manye examples in the Phariseys For the which cause Christ professeth he is the Phisition of those that be sicke and that he came not to saue the righteous but to call sinners to repentance And speaking of the holy ghost amongst his properties he first reckeneth that he shall reprooue the worlde of sinne Agayne when he commendeth the preaching of the Gospell to his Apostles he will first haue repentance to be taught next after which he will haue remission of sinnes to be ioyned Therefore Peter doth not without a cause proceede in this order that speaking of the death of Christ he first prooueth his hearers to be guiltie and to be the auctors thereof And so were it necessary to haue Christes death preached in these dayes that all men myght vnderstande the sonne of God dyed for their sinnes and that they were the auctors thereof For thus it shall come to passe that men shall learne to be sorye in their heart for their sinnes and shall embrace the saluation offered them in Christe with the more feruencye of fayth But least Peter might seeme to accuse the Comminaltie only he addeth another thing whereby the heades and chiefe are accused to be the ringleaders of so heynous a deede For you sayeth he haue taken him by the handes of vnrighteous and slayne him But who are those wicked and vnrighteous The first among them is Iudas sometime a disciple of Christ and an Apostle but afterward a capitayne to them that tooke Iesus The next to him are the high Bishops with all the Colledge of Scribes and Priestes who brybed Iudas with money and hyred him to doe so outragious a mischiefe In the same number may Pylate be reckoned which sitting in iudgement as Lieutenant to the Emperour pronounced sentence of death vpon him And Herode is not altogither faultlesse who when he myght haue set him at libertie being sent vnto him thought it better when he had mocked him to sende him backe agayne All these Peter comprehendeth vnder the name of vnrighteous whose power and authoritie was greatest in the Citie of Hierusalem Howe daungerous a matter it was thus to saye he shall easily perceyue that diligentlye considereth the state and degree of these persons It is an heynous offence to saye the sentence of the Iudge condemning the guiltie is vniust and vnrighteous Yet Peter boldly sayth so in a most populous Citie where the remembraunce of Christ whome he so highly commendeth was yet very freshe Here therefore as in a glasse we maye beholde howe stoute and bolde defenders of Christ the holy ghoste maketh them whome he doth vouchsafe to inspire with his spirite We are also taught what libertie and freedome of speach ought to be in the ministers of the worde to accuse publike offences and how little they are to be regarded who require I can not tell what maner of modestie in the ministers For we neede not thus to extenuate sinne which otherwyse of it selfe as Dauid sayeth vseth to flatter vs Nor wee must haue no respect of persons seeing the person or the auctor can not excuse sinne yea howe much more of authoritie the offender is so much more hurtfull is the offence Besides the minister is a publike person to whose office and charge it is manifest all men are subiect For Christ hath made him a stewarde of his housholde wherein are riche poore Nobles and Commons Magistrates and subiects And that the Lord saith to Hieremie is spoken to all ministers Beholde this daye doe I make thee a strong fensed towne an yron piller and a brasen wall against the whole lande against the kings and mighty men of Iuda against the priests and people of the lande Therefore whosoeuer haue taken vppon them the office of teaching in the Church let them regarde no reasons of the worlde nor of the flesh wherby to be made afrayde but let them rather followe the examples of Iesus Christ the Prophetes and the Apostles all which it is plaine vsed the like libertie in reprehending of sinne that Peter vseth in this place And whereas the things he spake of Christes death myght giue occasion of much offence as though he had bene oppressed by the
also is a remedy agaynst the slaunder of the crosse but rather it is to be referred to the order of our redemption and saluation which he purposeth to intreate of But bicause he speaketh of the resurrection in the processe following we will now be the shorter Among other things it is chiefely to be considered that hauing described the person of Christ omitting many other things he maketh mention onely of his death and resurrection The cause was for that in these twoo the whole summe of our saluation is conteyned For by his death he pourged the trespasse of our sinne which otherwyse coulde not haue bene pourged By his resurrection he ouercame death which was the punishment of sinne and subdued the forte thereof according to the saying of the Prophete alleaged by Paule Death is swallowed vp in victorie Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory The same thing Peter seemeth to meane in this place where he sayth that the sorowes of death were loosed by Christes resurrection bicause it was impossible that he shoulde be holden of it Neyther of the dolors of the body which followe death can it be expounded syth yet we feele them to be most bytter But the powers of death are loosed and the terrors taken away wherewith in times past it tormented mens mindes For it vsed sinne as a sting the punishment wherof God appoynted this death and therfore it must needes be terrible seeing it was the punishment of sinne And albeit Christ hath taken sinne away yet death remayneth whereby we passe out of thys life and worlde but by the merite of Christ it is made the doore of lyfe and therefore it can no more feare them that beleeue as Christ sayth He that heareth my worde and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath euerlasting lyfe and shall not come into damnation but is scaped from death vnto lyfe Therfore sayth the Apostle in another place that Christ through death subdued him that had Lordship ouer death Which coulde not haue bene sayde vnlesse he had risen againe after death Therefore these twoo must alwayes be ioyned togither which thing Paule doth diligentlye obserue where he sayth Christ was deliuered for our sinnes and raysed agayne for our iustification Agayne This is the worde of faith which we preach If thou knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lorde and beleeue in thy heart that God raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe Where he maketh mention onely of the resurrection but he therein includeth death also bicause a resurrection without death can not be imagined Let vs therefore learne to know Iesus Christ who being verye God from euerlasting became man for our sake cleansed our sinnes by his death ouercame the sorrowes and strength of death by his glorious resurrection and being ascended into heauen maketh intercession for vs To him be blessing honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xv. Homelie FOR Dauid sayth of him afore hande I sawe God alwayes before mee for he is on my right hande that I shoulde not be mooued Therfore did my heart reioyce and my tongue was glad Moreouer also my flesh shall rest in hope bicause thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neyther wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption Thou hast shewed mee the wayes of lyfe thou shalt make me full of ioy with thy countenance THe Apostle Peter in our yesterdayes Sermon declared the chiefe articles of our Christian faith shewing vs how Iesus Christe was very God and man how he suffred death for vs and rose againe from the deade The ende and vse of all whiche is to teache vs to acknowledge him to be the redeemer of mankinde that was promised Howbeit the article of resurrection for many causes might seeme very incredible among the Iewes For besides that it seemeth doubtfull to mans reason there was no small number of Saduceys which flatly denied it And the souldiours being bribed of the Priestes with money had bruted a false rumour how the disciples of Christ had stolne his bodye out of the graue Yea and Christ himselfe after his resurrection did not shewe himselfe to all the people as before he vsed but was conuersant onely with his disciples Therefore it was necessarye that this article shoulde be both more plainly declared and with more sounde arguments confirmed especially for that the Apostles fayth was had in suspition of all men Wherfore Peter flyeth to the authoritie of Dauid the most notable king and Prophete among the Iewes by the testimony of whom taken out of the .xvj. psalme he prooueth that the resurrection of Christ ought to seeme neyther straunge nor incredible forasmuch as the same came to passe according to the counsell and ordinance of God and was also long before prophecied by the Oracles of the Prhphets And bicause Peter afterward confirmeth the authoritie of this testimony and sheweth that it appertayneth only vnto Christ it should be superfluous nowe to tarie long in proofe of the same For the authority of so great an Apostle ought to suffice vs which the Iewes their selues to whome these things were spoken were not able to refell Let vs rather marke that Dauid so speaketh this in the person of Christ that he himselfe also taketh comfort thereof which comfort belongeth also to all them that woorship Christ bicause the things spoken of the heade must after a sorte belong also vnto the members We must therfore diligentlye consider this place which most absolutely comprehendeth in it all the reason of true religion with the most wholesome fruites of so holy a studie amongst which the resurrection of the bodies is mentioned which the holy Prophet declareth diligently and at large He expresseth in one verse the whole summe of all godlynesse and holy life where he sayth Afore hande I sawe God alwayes before mee For he is on my right hande that I should not be mooued Here are two things sayd First he telleth what he doth then wherefore he so doth Touching the first he sayth Aforehande I sawe God alwayes before me Or as it is in the Hebrue I set God in my sight or before mine eyes Therfore Christ followed this rule of lyfe to set the Lorde alwayes before his eyes and to thinke he liued alwayes in his sight This to doe as it ought to be twoo things are most worthy to be obserued The one is the study endeuour of obedience For we vse to saye they set God before their eyes which haue regarde to his preceptes and being stirred vp with an holye feare of God study to please him from whom they know nothing is hid Concerning this study of obedience God himselfe speaketh where he commaundeth Abraham to walke before him or in his sight The other is fayth whereby in aduersitie we looke onely to God and seeke for helpe succour and deliuery from him onely Hereof Dauid in an other place speaketh saying Beholde euen as
cannot shut vp the bowels of pitie Ouer and besides this the first beleeuers were to be envred by this voluntarye contribution to take the more paciently the losse of their goodes which shortly after should ensue when persecution arose seeing they had learned before to bestow them on others and were contented themselues to liue with a little Therefore this place ministreth no example of confusion whereby these phrenetike disturbers of common weales may be mainteyned but only a certayne liberalitie towardes the poore is in this place commended which God would haue alwayes to flourish in his Church We know what God sayth Deuter. 15. Let there be no begger at all amongst you Yet God was not ignorant there woulde be alwayes that shoulde be pinched with penurie But that the same shoulde runne vagarant about as publike spectacles of pouertie and beggerie is most contrary to the nature of charitie whervnto all Gods people are bounde And there are diuers other lawes of God extant whereby an order is declared howe the poore may be commodiouslye prouided for that they neede not go begging from doore to doore Hereof it commeth to passe that the Prophetes in euery place commend the poore vnto vs And Christ doth vouchsafe so to commende the care and helpe that ought to be taken for them that he testifyeth he will in the later daye reward them that haue done good to the poore for his sake euen as though they had done it to himselfe which order and institution was of such force and authoritie with the Apostles that they were not ashamed to make prouision for the poore Yea when Paule and Barnabas had declared the trade of their ministerie to Iohn Peter and Iames they thought good to admonish them of this one thing that they shoulde not neglect the poore whome they knewe Christ had so diligently commended vnto them Besides that Paule exhorteth the Corinthians that they shoulde not onely see for the prouision of their owne poore but also where they were very rich they shoulde helpe the needye brethren at Ierusalem which were verye poore And surely it is euident that our predecessors had a great care herof if we consider the donations and foundations both of Princes and priuate men which with greater liberalitie had giuen their goodes to the Church to the ende that both puritie of doctrine myght be preserued and the poore and needy relieued and helped But in these dayes religion is growne into such contempt that they are very fewe and scant which will giue ought of their owne but euery where there are ynough which wil rape and reue and prodigally waste that which others haue giuen They shall one daye prooue that Christ is a reuenger which will not contemne the crye of his poore and will most seuerely reuenge the spoyle and waste of his Church And it is to be feared least they shall leaue them to the wicked enimies of the Churche and fayth to be rifled bicause they disdaine to bestowe them on their euen Christians the brethren of Christ. But let vs returne to Luke which describeth the publyke and holy assembly of the Church where he sayth they continued euery day in the temple with one accorde Then they came oftentimes togither in the temple not for that they would be at the Iewes sacrifices which they knew were abolished through the bloude of Christ but bicause of the concourse of the people that they might teach and winne the more vnto christ By this example we are taught to seeke occasion on euery side to set forth the kingdome of Christ and for this cause the people ought oftentimes to meete togither that there may be the greater number to heare the worde of god For where the faithfull are gouerned by the light of the truth they cannot be ashamed thereof and seeke not darckenesse and corners as they doe whose workes be euill Uerily we reade that Christ taught alwayes openly and thereby excused himselfe both when he was taken and afterwarde also before Caïphas And Paule the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the .xj. and .xiiij. Chap. diligently describeth the publike assemblies and holy meetinges which he woulde neuer haue done if he had not vnderstoode they had bene of much force to the setting forth of Gods true religion Two thinges are ascribed to the primitiue Church continuance togither and vnanimitie of mindes which are needefull at all times but specially in assemblies and Churche meetinges For where God as it hath otherwheare bene sayde hath commended them by a singuler promise such an earnest studie and perseuerance in keeping the same is meete for Christians Againe where these assemblies are made both for doctrine sake for publike prayers and vse of the sacramentes vnanimitie for this purpose is chiefly requisite With this it becommeth Ministers of the word to be ioyned togither least they be authors of partaking and sectes suche as we knowe were once in the Church of Corinth but let them with one accord vrge set forth the doctrine of truth labor to bring Disciples vnto Christ as he commaunded in the .xxviij. chap. of Mathew That vnanimitie in praiers is of great weight before god appeereth hereby bicause mutuall loue is euery where commaunded and Christ earnestly desireth of his father that all the beleeuing may be one as he and his father are one The same reason may be made also of the sacramentes For where they seale vnto vs the benefites of Christ and are tokens and pledges of the fellowship and vnitie which we haue in Christ by the vsing wherof we are taken into one body with Christ it cannot be that they can vse them duly which are at enmitie amongest themselues These things ought well to haue bene considered in these dayes where there is great faulte committed on all sides For they that glorye in the doctrine of the Gospell and haue enioyed the same a long whyle waxe slacke for the most part and are quite voyde of perseuerance as though they had attayned already to perfection and had now no more to doe They are deuided into diuers and sundry sectes and one of them excōmunicateth another So that it must needes come to passe that Paule sayth If you byte and deuoure one another take heede least you be likewise consumed one of another And it is no marueyle that the Gospell doth no better succeede and go forwarde considering those men are neither feruent in perseuerance nor ioyned togither in vnanimitie in whome the same of all other is chiefely required Let who so will reade Eusebius preface vpon the eyght booke of the Ecclesiasticall hystorie and he shall finde a most liuely description of these times and what we may looke for Unto these Luke ioyneth the trade of lyfe that these first Christians liued in priuately among themselues And they brake breade sayth he from house to house and did eate their meate togither with singlenesse
to the grace of God which worketh in vs according to his good pleasure those things that make for his glory and for our and other mennes saluation Let these suffice for declaration of the order of the primitiue Church Let vs knowe it is our partes to be occupied in the same exercises which they sometime were giuen vnto Let the ende of them all be the glorye of God and the saluation of manye whome we must labour to bring vnto christ For so shall it come to passe that we shall haue fauour and authoritie amongest men and shall receyue plenteous fruite of our traueyle in Iesus Christ to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The thirde chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xx. Homelie PETER and Iohn went vp togither into the Temple at the ninth houre And a certaine man that was halt from his mothers wombe was brought whome they layde dayly at the gate of the Temple which is called bewtifull to aske almes of them that entred into the Temple When hee sawe Peter and Iohn that they woulde go into the Temple he desired to receyue an almes And Peter fastened his eyes on him with Iohn and sayd Looke on vs And he gaue heede vnto them trusting to receyue something of them Then sayde Peter siluer and golde haue I none such as I haue giue I thee In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth aryse vp and walke And he tooke him by the right hande and lift him vp And immediatly his feete and ancle bones receyued strength And hee sprang stoode and walked and entred with them into the Temple walking and leaping and praysing God. WE haue perceyued in the Sermon before going what the trade successe and encrease of the primityue Church was This thing of all other was notable that the faythfull grewe in fauoure and authoritie with manye men and caused the wicked to be afrayd of them Among other things mention was made of manye and diuers myracles which Luke sayth the Apostles did Wherefore out of a number he taketh one which gaue occasion of a newe sermon by the which Peter bringeth certaine thousands to the knowledge of Christ as we shall see when we come to the place Nowe bicause this is so singuler a myracle it is meete we diligently discusse all the circumstances therof with as much regard as Luke hath penned them who beginneth first with the occasion of the myracle then he describeth the lame mannes person on whome the myracle was wrought and last of all sheweth what successe folowed of the myracle and what the lame man did after he was healed The occasion of the myracle was that Peter and Iohn about the ninth houre went vp into the temple at what time this lame man was brought thither to aske almes of the people The ninth houre of the day with them was three a clocke at the after noone with vs as maye be gathered of that we sayde in the seconde Chapter touching the counting of houres He calleth it the houre of prayer bicause the people of God had certayne appointed houres when they made their publike prayers as maye be seene as well otherwheres as also in Daniel the sixt Chapter And God had appoynted in the law the morning and euening sacrifice which no man being in his wit will saye was done without prayers Touching the time of mid-day or noone which also was appointed for prayers we shall speake hereafter in the tenth Chapter where Peter at the same houre being in Simon the Tanners house went into the vpper storie thereof to praye And it is not without a cause that the Scriptures make such diligent mention of the houres of prayers For first we are taught hereby that we ought to beginne finishe and ende all our doings with calling on the name of God bicause without his helpe and grace it is impossible for vs to accomplishe any thing well For as Salomon sayth A man deuyseth a waye in his heart but it is the Lord that ordreth his goings Wherevpon the Apostle S. Iames sharpely reprooueth them which without respect vnto the will of God so deliberate and appoint their matters as though the successe of them depended of their owne power Also we are admonished that disciplyne is needefull in the Church according to the which as Paule sayth all things appertayning to religion and the honour of God ought to be done decently and in order We confesse in deede that it is the dutie of Christians in euery place to lift vp pure and cleane handes vnto God when and where we haue neede of his helpe and that he may heare vs Yet bicause Christ hath commended vnto vs publike prayers by a peculiar promise it becommeth vs to haue a speciall care and consideration therof and not without a cause to refraine from the holye congregation which it is euident was instituted long agoe for doctrine and prayers sake And though many things afterwarde grewe into superstition yet ought that to be no impediment vnto vs For the superstition ought to be taken awaye and the primitiue and lawfull vse to be restored Now there is nothing left but the iangling of belles whereby we are called in the morning at noone and at euening to prayers The superstitious vsage whereof many accuse but very fewe traueyle to haue the solemne houres of prayers as they were at the first vsed to be restored The Apostles are specially to be marked who sayth Luke went into the Church at the houre of prayer Which was not for the sacrifice sake that then was offred as was heretofore declared But bicause they were desirous to praye and also hoped to finde some occasion whereby to teache the people And they would not bicause of the pieuishe superstition of the Iewes which easily might be corrected leaue their dutie vndone and let slippe such an occasion and opportunitie to doe good Whose example teacheth vs that we must seeke all maner of occasion to set forth the doctrine of the Gospell and knowledge of christ The dutie that we owe vnto Christ bindeth vs herevnto For as he intermitted nothing belonging to our saluation so must not we fayle of our duties in enlarging the boundes and borders of his kingdome This caused Paule to thinke the weight and care of all congregations laye on his shoulders And in another place he reioyceth in the attemptes of his aduersaries and yllwillers bicause he perceyued they serued after a sort to the setting forth of the Gospell Let vs be ashamed therefore of our negligence and slouth who like sluggardes to say no woorse doe daily let passe the occasions that the Lord offreth vs And here chiefely hath that saying of the Prophete place Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lorde negligently Secondly Luke diligently describeth the lame mans person on whome the myracle was afterwarde wrought In which description the excellencie of the myracle and the power of Christ the
A Prophet shall the Lord your God rayse vp vnto you euen of your brethren like vnto me him shall you heare in all things whatsoeuer he shall saye vnto you For the time will come that euerye soule which will not heare that same Prophete shall bee destroyed from among the people All the Prophets also from Samuell and thenceforth as many as haue spoken haue in likewise tolde of these dayes AFter that the Apostle Peter had grieuouslye accused the heynous wickednesse of the Iewes which they committed against the sonne of God in the thirde part of his sermon he gaue them counsell howe to obteyne saluation as we declared in our last Sermon He bade them repent and conuert vnto God which we partly doe by repentance and partly by faith in Iesus Christ through whose merite we be reconciled vnto god But it was no small blocke that kept the Iewes from embracing of christ For where they were not yet come to the knowledge of him a great many feared that if they shoulde receyue him they shoulde offende against Moyses and the lawe giuen them from god And it seemed a weightie matter to them to forsake the religion which God had giuen vnto them and which they had helde so many yeares after that order and according as they receyued it of their forefathers Therefore the Apostle in the fourth part of his oration correcteth this errour teaching them that both Moyses and the Prophetes direct the true worshippers of God vnto Christ and that therefore they so little offended against the lawe by beleeuing in Christ that rather they disobey Moyses and beleeue not the Prophetes truly except they receyue Christ of whome they beare witnesse Againe least they shoulde distrust the goodnesse of Christ whome they nowe so oftentimes hearde they had offended by their great crueltie he declareth that he that was promised to the fathers belongeth to them also and is their sauiour as well as the fathers so that they woulde embrace him with true fayth But at this present we will speake but of those thinges onely which Peter alledgeth concerning the mysterie of Christ grounded vppon the bookes of the olde Testament He beginneth with Moyses bicause he was of greatest authoritie among the Iewes Out of whome where he might haue brought diuers testimonies he taketh one among a manye whereby he teacheth vs that Christ was long agone appointed to be the teacher and schoolemaister of Gods people Which thing serued much to this present purpose bicause as I saide euen nowe many thought it a grieuous matter to forsake Moyses who they knewe was appointed of God to be their lawmaker and maister He sheweth therefore that it was not Moyses minde that they should alwaye hang vppon him but that he pointed them to another Prophete which shoulde more perfitely teache them all things The place is in Deuteronomie .xviij. Chapter In that place are prohibited all superstitious and soothsaying Artes of the heathen whereby they go about to search out the knowledge of thinges to come and the secretes of God by diuination by the wicked Mathematicalles by the noise of birdes flying by Necromancie and such like kinde of diuinations And Moyses doth aduertise them that they shoulde forsake these things and turne to the only worde of God and wholy depend vpon the same And bicause they should not thinke it an harde matter to finde out the meaning of Gods word he sayth they should neuer want Prophetes whome God would rayse vp from among themselues by whose ministerie they shoulde learne what the will of God was in all things they shoulde take in hande And they are not deceyued which thinke that an vniuersall promise is conteyned in this place whereby the gift of prophecie is established and confirmed in the people and Church of god But Peter wittily applieth this generall promise vnto Christ who it is euident is the chiefe of the Prophetes and by whose spirite as he sayth in another place all the Prophetes were ledde and inspired And that the things here spoken by Moyses belong vnto Christ is more euident than needeth anye long demonstration For he was both borne of the Iewes and was sent of God as appeareth by his doctrine and myracles whiche we see in all pointes conformable to the doctrine of the Apostles Therefore Peters argument seemeth most strong whereby he laboureth to perswade them to beleeue in Christ according to Moyses saying euen as if he shoulde say Moyses so little challengeth to him selfe alone all authoritie of teaching that he commaundeth vs to giue eare and credite to euerye Prophete teaching the worde of God and hath appointed all those that despise the Prophetes sayings to be punished with death Therfore how much more ought you to beleeue Christ who hath taught vs the will of God the father more plainly and perfitely than anye man and in whome most truly are verified whatsoeuer Moyses sayth of that Prophete And so Peter trimlye toucheth the ende and scope of his purpose that is to take out of their mindes that preposterous religion which let and hindred them with the ouermuch reuerence of Moyses and the law and their pieuish opinion and woulde not let them to embrace Iesus Christ. Yet bicause both Peter and Steuen as appeareth hereafter expounde this place of Moyses as ment of Christ we also will here search out such thinges as maye enstruct vs in the knowledge of christ And first of all Moyses doth elegantlye describe vnto vs Christ our sauiour Next he teacheth vs what dutie we owe vnto him and pronounceth sentence of death agaynst them that doe contemne him First in the description of Christ he sheweth of whome he shall spring or be borne The Lorde your God shall rayse him vp of your brethren He must then be borne of the Iewes which is an infallible argument of hys incarnation and of his true manhoode whereby they are conuinced which saye Christ brought his flesh from heauen and tooke it not of the substance of the virgin but came through the virgin into the worlde as water runneth through a conduite Verily Paule testifieth that he tooke not on him the aungels nature or any heauenly creatures but the seede of Abraham And speaking of the prerogatiues of the Iewes wherewith God aboue other nations did vouchsafe to endue them among other things he maketh mention howe Christ touching the fleshe shoulde be borne of them which is God in all things to be praysed for euer Wherevnto the promises of the olde Testament are to be referred where often times he is called one whyle the seede of the woman another whyle the seede of Abraham and of Dauid We must here obserue the singular goodnesse of God who hauing appointed his sonne to be our sauiour and teacher woulde haue the same incarnated and made man least eyther we might be afrayde of his maiestie or thinke he disdained our infirmitie which Paule also considered Heb. 2. 4. Secondlye he
those thinges which by Moyses were prefigurated But it sufficeth to giue occasion to them that list more deepely and exactly to search them Now vnto this description of Christ he ioyneth what the dutie is that we owe him for Moyses saith him shal you heare in al things whatsoeuer he saith to you The same God the father commaunded vpon the hill of Thabor as we declared a little before saying Heare him Yet let no man thinke he hath fulfilled the cōmaundement of God if he receiue the word of God but into his eares as Iudas and the Phariseyes Pylate and many others did But first an earnest desire of the Gospell is required bicause among manye thinges whereabout men be most vainly occupied one thing is necessary as Christ teacheth vs From the studie of the worde the beliefe which we haue in it cannot be secluded For howe can we labour to get that thing the credit and truth whereof we suspect Obedience followeth beliefe whereby we acknowledge Christ to be the teacher of fayth religion and director of our whole life and to our power obey him These markes of the children of God did he teach vs where he sayth He that is of God heareth the wordes of God. Agayne My sheepe heare my voyce and follow me Whervpon we gather for a suretie that they be not the children of God nor the sheepe of Christ which refuse to heare Christes voyce speaking in the Gospell Aboue all things we must note that whatsoeuer Christ speaketh we are commaunded to heare it For there be which heare Christ in deede but they heare him but in those things only which like their fleshlye appetyte against the which if anye thing be spoken they thinke that apperteyneth not vnto them Of this number be they which gladly heare and marueylously embrace the promises of the Gospell where the grace of God is preached and free forgiuenesse of sinnes but the same will not admit the doctrine of repentaunce which rebuketh and accuseth sinne They be like vnto those which after a sort can suffer the doctrine of truth to be preached but cannot abyde if a man reprooue the deceyuers and Antichristes And we see many so affected that they will greatly extoll and commende whatsoeuer is spoken of the kingdome of Christ of his victorie of the glorye of the elect which they shall possesse in heauen but yet they so abhorre the crosse persecutions that they can suffer no mentions to be made thereof But these men are farre deceyued For Christ is not deuided neyther can the parts of Christ his doctrine be separated For he that commaunded forgiuenesse of sinnes to be preached in his name the same requireth all men likewise to repent And he that sayde to the woman that was a sinner and bewayled hir sinnes Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee The same sayd vnto him that was sicke of the Palsey being nowe healed Beholde thou art made whole sinne not againe heereafter least a worse thing happen vnto thee And afterwarde he sayde by Paule that whooremongers and adulterers without repentance shoulde not enter into the kingdome of god Likewise he that confesseth himselfe to be the light and the truth and biddeth vs to walke in him the same reprooueth false Christes and Antichristes and biddeth vs beware of them Againe he that promiseth the treasures of heauen to those that be his the same affirmeth constantly that in the world they shall suffer tribulation And he that gloriously rose from the dead and with great triumph was taken vppe into heauen a little before that was despitefully hanged betweene two theeues Therfore as we must embrace whole Christ so is it necessary that we giue eare to his whole doctrine vnlesse we will wholy be depriued of him A figure hereof went before in the Paschall lambe which the Iewes were commaunded to eate whole and the bones and other things which coulde not be eaten were commaunded to be burned So must whole Christ be receyued and if anye thing seeme in him vntollerable that same must be consumed and ouerpassed with the fire of fayth and loue of God. Furthermore bicause our fleshe herein maketh much resistance which very vnwillinglye commeth to this yoake Moyses vrgeth vs with grieuous menace and threatening It will come to passe sayeth he that euerye soule that will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among that people This punishment comprehendeth the whole destruction of man both body and soule For what hope of saluation can remayne for him which is secluded and cut of from the Church people of God which only is receyued into the fellowship and communion of all Gods goodnesse But why shoulde he not be reiected from the fellowshippe of him which refuseth to heare him whome God hath appoynted to be his maister and the teacher of his whole Church How much more grieuous punishment doth he deserue which dare treade the sonne of God vnder his feete Hereof are taken those heauye threates in the Gospell which seeme to manye too vehement and more cruell than reason woulde such as is that saying of the Baptist He that beleeueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe and the wrath of God abideth vpon him And Christ when he had promysed eternall life to the beleeuers addeth He that will not beleeue shall be condemned But Peter thought to admonishe the Iewes hereof bicause they should not thinke the contempt of Christ and his Gospell to be a game and pastime but shoulde knowe that the daunger of their soule laye thereon And let vs thinke the same is sayde vnto vs For such is the authoritie of Iesus Christ with his father that no man can be accepted and welcome to him except he be graffed in Christ. But the bare and emptye profession of a Christian name graffeth vs not in him but a liuely faith which maketh vs to obey his doctrine and firmely to beleeue in him See what is said of the true and counterfeite hearers of Christ Math. 7. and Luc. 6. Chapters Although the authoritie of Moyses was great with the Iewes yet bicause Peter will omit nothing he ioyneth hereto testimonies of the Prophetes diuers of the which it is like he rehearsed But here he taketh all saying All the Prophetes from Samuell and thencefoorth as manye as haue spoken haue tolde of these dayes He beginneth the number of the Prophetes with Samuel bicause before him was no Prophete after Moyses whose writings are extant Yea before he prophecied the worde of the Lorde was a rare and precious thing as we reade 1. Samuel 3. Which afterwarde by many Prophetes began most clearely both to be preached and writen euery where And as many as were from that time haue prophecied of Iesus Christ as may plainely appeare to all them which haue reade their sermons or bookes with diligence It is a plaine and manifest oracle of God that Nathan telleth to Dauid of Christ
noysed no further among the people let vs threaten and charge them that they speake hencefoorth to no manne in this name And they called them and commaunded them that in no wise they shoulde speake nor teach in the name of IESV THe Apostle Peter so aunswereth the question propounded to him and to Iohn in the counsell at Ierusalem concerning the lame man that was healed that he teacheth them not onely that they enquire of but also declareth to them after a compendious and briefe sorte the whole effect and summe of saluation We are taught by this example so to traueyle with the professed enimies of the truth as to laboure to winne them to Christ and to saluation Which ende Christ as it is manifest set before him as often as he had contention with his aduersaries But nowe let vs see what effect ensued of Peters answere which in so great vehemencie of speach and earnest ayde of the holy ghost coulde be of no small force Where we may see a marueylous confusion of mindes which that it might be the more perceyued is so described of Luke that first he declareth what an abashment it wrought in the counsell then what deuise and counsell they toke concerning the Apostles both which we meane to entreate of in order First they are filled with admiration and amazednesse and wotte not what way to take in so much that they know not what to say against it And least any man might thinke they were fooles or at their wittes ende for feare he sheweth the causes which made them so perplexed and in doubt First was the confidence and boldnesse of speach in the Apostles which they here perceyued did surpasse their expectation For they knewe they were simple and vnlearned men not brought vp in faculties or artes beside their mother tongue They knewe they were taken from fyshers craft to be the Apostles of christ And euen yet still did that olde opinion bewitch their mindes which caused them once to saye that none of the Scribes or Phariseys but the accursed and rascall people which were ignorant in the lawe and scriptures helde with christ Therefore presupposing they shoulde easily haue ouercome the Apostles they could not choose but be amazed when they see them aunswere with such discretion to their question reprooue their iniustice so boldlye and defende Christes quarell with such wisedome and constancie For they are compelled will they nyll they to acknowledge some power of God in them and perceyue they are ledde with a farre other wisedome than the wisedome of the fleshe And this was the chiefe cause why Christ woulde choose ignorant and vnlearned Apostles that the doctrine of the Gospell might be acknowledged to be set forth by the power of God and not through mans wisedome eloquence or authoritie and that all the prayse and glorie thereof might redounde vnto God alone whereof Paule disputeth at large in the first to the Corinthians the first Chapter The other cause of their amazednesse was the euident truth of the myracle wrought by the Apostles which they are neyther able to call in doubt nor yet to charge with any suspicion of Magicke or enchauntment For they see the man stande before them on whome the Apostles had bestowed this benefite of health whether called by them or of his owne accorde ioyned to them to see the ende and successe of the matter I wote not Therefore they are in a perplexitie of minde and haue not one worde to answere So they which thought to haue ouercome and caught the Apostles in some trip by demaunding of one question are shamefully vanquished and confounded Here is fulfilled that which Christ promised saying I will giue you vtteraunce and wisedome against which all your aduersaries shall not be able to make resistaunce It appeareth also howe vaine the deuises of men are against christ He knoweth their cogitations to be vaine and bringeth the counsayle of the heathen to naught but the counsayle of the Lorde endureth for euer as Dauid sayd Psal. 33. and. 94. For it is he verily who as Elephas the Themanite sayth destroyeth the deuises of the subtill so that their handes are not able to perfourme any stedfast thing he compasseth the wyse in their owne craftynesse and ouerthroweth the counsayles of the wicked The Gospell sheweth vs a like example in a blinde man restored by Christ to his sight againe who being both vnlearned and a begger doth marueylously hold the whole Colledge of Scribes and Phariseyes at a baye that the more questions they aske of him the more they vtter their foolishnes Let no man therefore be afrayde eyther of the power or craft of these enimies where as God so easily turneth them both vpside downe For it is not our cause that we haue in hande but Gods which will giue vs both a mouth and vtterance nor it is not we that speake but the spirite of our father which is in vs. But before we leaue this place we must speake somewhat of two things very worthy to be obserued First it is not without a cause that Luke writeth the wicked enimies of Christ were so amazed at the bolde and free speach of the Apostles For by this example we are taught that there is nothing so effectuall to bridle the wicked as is freedome of speach where they are reprooued to their faces and the truth which they withstand is boldly defended For such is the force of wordes that they easily pierce the minde But if the zeale of Gods truth and glorie be ioyned therevnto it cannot be but the consciences of the hearers must be wounded howsoeuer â–ª they many times dissemble the same Whereby it commeth to passe that although they alwayes do not truly repent yet many times they counterfeyte repentaunce and abstayne from doing euill where of we maye see a manifest example in Achab after that Elias had with such libertie as beseemed a Prophete vpbrayded him with the vnworthy slaughter of Naboth Againe when the ministers of the word suffer their tongues to be brydled or else of themselues keepe silence to please the worlde by and by we see the wicked are encouraged to runne into all kinde of licentious sinne and fill vp the measure of iniquitie and at length miserably perishe with their blinde watchmen and dumbe dogges See Ezechiel the .iij. and .xxxiij. Chapters For the which cause a franke and bold kinde of reprehension is euerywhere required in the Ministers The Lorde sayth vnto Esaye crye now as lowde as thou canst leaue not of lift vp thy voyce like a Trumpet and shewe my people their offences and the house of Iacob their sinnes And the Lorde commaundeth Hieremie to stande against the Priestes people Princes and Kinges like a brasen wall without feare Therefore Paule woulde haue sinners openly rebuked afore all men that other thereby might be brought in feare Yea where being iâ— prison he commendeth himselfe and his cause to the
prayers of the congregation Watch sayth he with all instancie and prayer for all the Sainctes and for me that vtteraunce may be giuen vnto me that I may open my mouth freely to vtter the secretes of my Gospell whereof I am a messenger in bondes that therein I may speake freely as I ought to speake Therefore let the Ministers neuer suffer this boldnesse to be taken from theâ— for the which they see the Apostle is so carefull Next we must diligently consider how he writeth the lame man which was healed stoode with the Apostles when they pleaded their cause and therefore was in daunger with them This teacheth vs the slate and condicion of the godly in this worlde Assoone as they haue receyued the benefite of saluation in Christ they are vnder the perill and threates of the wicked So Lazarus raised againe by Christ was by and by in great hazarde bicause the Clergie of the Iewes sought to make both Christ and him out of the waye For as the wicked seeke to haue the glory of Christ extinguished so can they not abide them by whome the same is set forth and declared This is diligently to be obserued least while Christ offreth vs eternall saluation we promise our selues the felicitie and friendship of this world and being brought into a fooles paradyse when tribulation afterwarde coÌ„meth we fall away from him as we see many doe in these dayes with the daunger of their saluation Also this lame man is an example of a Christian thankfulnesse and courage bicause he forsaketh not his benefactors in their perils but to his power standeth with them and helpeth them Yet there were diuers reasons wherewith he might haue excused himselfe and haue obtayned pardon of the Rulers for the benefite which he receiued of the Apostles Yet we reade he vsed none of these things His example reprooueth such as are glad to receyue the benefite of Christes saluation but will abide neyther perill nor tribulation with him Of whose number they also are which are contented to haue all our saluation in Christ preached but will not haue those thinges ioyned therewith which Christ pronounceth against Antichristes and deceyuers bicause they see many in the world are offended therewith To whome also they are lyke which greedily embrace the doctrine of saluation preached by the ministers and reioyce that they are deliuered out of the entanglinges and caltroppes of errour But when they see the worlde rageth and stormeth against the Ministers they denie them all helpe and succour yea they shunne the sight of them least they might seeme to holde with them The worlde in these dayes is full of such men and they may goe for the best which openly rayle not at the ministers when they be in daunger and giue them not vineger to drinke as they hang vpon the crosse But let them remeÌ„ber Christ cannot be deuided but that we must altogither be without him or else receyue him in such sort as he is giuen vs of his father The Scriptures set him forth crucifyed and teach vs that by the crosse he is entred into the glory of the father We must embrace him in such sort and come by the same way into the glory of heauen He calleth those that be his to the bearing of the crosse and promiseth them no better condicion nor being in the worlde than that which he tasted and founde in the worlde He cannot abyde those disciples and seruantes which are ashamed of him before this naughtie adulterous and wicked worlde Let vs therefore after the example of this lame man be armed with a Christian stowtenesse and saye euery one with Paule I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to all that beleeue in him Nowe let vs come to the seconde part of this place wherein is conteyned what the Counsell decreed against the Apostles For when they had commaunded them â—o go aside they begin to consult among themselues where maye be seene a marueylous perturbation and confusion of mindes in them First what shall we doe say they to these men O foolish and preposterous question Were they ignorant that Innocents ought to be set at libertie and those to be rewarded which had done good But this way they bewray their pretensed malice seeking some meanes howe to vse crueltie against well doers and those that were guyltlesse But going yet further they more and more vtter their selues in that they confesse the truth of the myracle saying A manifest signe is wrought by them and it is knowne to all the inhabiters of Hierusalem and we cannot deny it They are therefore wicked bicause they yet conspire togither against Christ the author of the myracle They confesse also what chiefely vrgeth and offendeth them For they make no mention neyther of God nor of Christ but are only grieued that the matter is so knowne and spredde abrode among the people Therefore they had more regarde of the people than of God as who altogither depended vpon the estimation of the ignorant and superstitious multitude and had no care for the glorie of God which thing Christ in one place sayth was the chiefe cause of their incurable vnbeliefe At length they conclude what they will doe The thing that was done coulde not be vndone But perceyuing the daunger like to ensue by the peoples falling awaye from them they thinke it good that the matter be noysed no further abrode So with obliuion and forgetfulnesse they thinke to burie all memorie and remembraunce of christ And this they labour to bring to passe by threates and tyrannie when they see they haue no reason therefore Let vs threaten them saye they that they henceforth speake to no man in this name And so they send for the Apostles with great grauity of words publish that godly decree of their sacred oecumenicall counsel What shal we here first either marueyle at or detest O brethren Their impudencie wicked tyrannie or their dulheadnesse and follye They openly confesse that they cannot denie the myracle and yet they woulde haue it kept close And that that was in euery bodies mouth they forbidde the Apostles to speake of Furthermore they take vpon them to wrastle with Christ whome they coulde not keepe in his graue when he was deade and buried with a garrison of armed men and authoritie of the Romaine president which sealed the grauestone with his signet And nowe he is on liue and in his reigne the blockheaded Disardes thinke with vaine bragges and threates to suppresse and extinguishe his glorie Let vs here consider wherevnto obstinate impietie of minde and hatred once conceyued against the truth bringeth men They are not able to cease from striuing against Gods counsayle and ordinaunce no not when they perceiue themselues guiltie in their owne consciences For surely there is no peace with the wicked as the Prophet sayth And their mindes
to punishe them bicause of the people For all men praysed God bicause of that which was done For the man was aboue fourtie yeare olde on whom this myracle of healing was shewed As soone as they were let go they came to their fellowes and shewed all that the high Priestes and Elders had sayde CHrist Iesus our Sauiour not without a cause doth oftentimes preach of persecutions and afflictions before his Apostles saying they woulde alwayes follow his disciples And the ende of these admonitions is not by feare to driue them from the faith but his purpose is lyke a faithfull Captaine to arme vs with faith and pacience against daungers foreseene For the which cause he promiseth vs present ayde and sayth we shall ouercome all the perils and attemptes of our enimies The first trouble the Apostles were in doth euidentlye shewe vs an example of the same which is therefore the more diligently to be considered bicause both so faithfull a defence of Christ succouring his belooued in their distresse doth comfort vs and the example of the Apostles admonisheth vs of our dutie being in like case and daunger We haue hearde how all they that were of any power or authoritie among the Iewes conspired against the Apostles through whose tyranny first they were cast in prison then were they called before a counsell to giue an account of their faith and doctrine before most wicked Iudges yet the truth ouercommeth and that in such wyse that they are all amazed and wote not what to do hauing not long before promised themselues the conquest and victorie And they perceyue there is no waye left them but by threates to discourage the constancie of the Apostles wherefore they commaunde them that from thenceforth they make no more mention of Iesus Christ nor preache his doctrine anye more This is the continuall vsage of the worlde to oppresse the preaching of the Gospell both with publike proclamation and open force But with what constancie of minde Christian people ought to withstande their threates and enterprises the happy ende of this tragedie which Luke now declareth teacheth vs euery part whereof must be the diligentlyer discussed that we may receyue the more consolation and instruction thereby The Apostles aunswere is here first to be placed who plainely testifye that they neyther can nor ought to obey their commaundements Yet least they should seeme frowarde impudent or rashe they alleage such reasons as no man coulde easilye disalowe or disprooue The first standeth vpon the authoritie of God which is greater than ought to yeelde to any mannes commaundement be he neuer so excellent The Argument is on this wise God must be more obeyed than men But God commaunded vs to preach and the commaundement of the sonne of God is Go yee into all the worlde and preach the Gospell to all creatures Againe you shall be witnesses vnto me at Hierusalem and in all Iurie Wherefore we may not obey you commaūding the contrary The Maior they prooue by a figure called concession or graunting leauing the matter to their owne iudgement as men are woont in such thinges as are cleare and out of controuersie And surely it were an impietie more than deuilish for any man to challenge to himselfe more authoritie and reuerence than is due vnto God bicause it is euident that he is not only Lord of priuate persons but also of Kings and Princes to whom we are all bound by publike sacraments The other reason of the Apostles is on this wise we haue seene and heard all those things that we teach Ergo we may not keepe them in silence but disclose them The force of this consequence standeth in this point for that they were not chosen appoynted to be ydle beholders of the things that Christ did but for witnesses as the Lord saith Iohn 15. Therfore they might not conceale any of the things which they had seene and hearde vnlesse they would incurre the daunger of false testimonie the which Salomon saith God doth chiefely detest Furthermore bicause the redemption and saluation of man cōsisteth in those things which were committed to the Apostles as witnesses that sawe the same to be preached they might not suppresse or keepe close any of them without the manifest detriment and losse of publike saluation and Christes glory For as much as in them had bene they shoulde haue suppressed by silence the glory of Christ and hindered the saluation of many a man which by preaching of the Gospell they might haue wonne vnto god Therefore Peter reasoneth truly and his arguments ought to haue bene of great force and weight with the Iudges if they had not openly striuen against God as afterward Gamaliel plainely telleth them This aunswere of the Apostles is verye notable For first it declareth the right trade of obedience wherein men vse diuersly and daungerouslye to erre For as all men vnderstande that obedience is necessary both publikely in common weales and in the Church and priuately in all affaires so for the most part it is most rigorously exacted in the decrees and constitutions of men which is manye times the fountaine of most errours and wickednesse For hereof it commeth to passe that Princes and Magistrates dare by their proclamations commaunde menne to forsake the fayth of Christ to denie the truth and to embrace superstition ydolatrie and many for this cause the easilier obey their commaundements for that they thinke they owe them this obedience and are out of all fault if they obey them Of this fountaine it springeth that children contract mariage with the vnbeleeuing and soiourne and dwell with them bicause they will not seeme to disobey their parents And some deceyued with the same error holde fast their professed Monkerie and supersticiousnesse wherevnto they bounde themselues by vowe of obedience But Peter aunswereth all these squaring obedience after the iudgement of God whether it be right in the sight of God to harcken vnto you more than to God iudge yee Therefore we must not so much consider what seemeth right and good vnto men as what God requireth of vs To him we sayde erewhile all men were bounde by the sacraments The Magistrate is his minister as Paule teacheth He is in the Scripture called a Iudge and the President of all iudgement To him shall our parents one day giue a reckoning and as many as haue the rule and authoritie ouer vs Therefore we must haue a singuler regarde vnto him and thinke no mannes authoritie so great that we let our selues be drawne thereby from the obedience we owe vnto him Herevnto appertaineth that saying of Christ which so teacheth vs to pay vnto Cesar the things that belong vnto him that we also giue vnto God that which is due vnto him True faith syncere and sounde religion studie of innocencie and charitie inuocation and such like belong vnto god Let vs not suffer these things to be taken from vs by any commaundement of man whereby
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
hath the authoritie of the sworde committed him of God And me thinketh there needeth no long disputation agaynst them which in matters of religion will haue the authoritie of the sworde altogyther to cease For though we graunt them that no man ought violently to be compelled to the fayth for that it is the gift of God yet is it the Magistrates duetie by the sworde to keepe vnder both blasphemers deceyuers and false teachers least for lacke of punishment they doe and speake agaynsâ— the glorie of God and publike tranquilitie See the â—aw Leuit. 24. Deut. 13. Neyther seemeth Peter in thys present place nor Paule afterwarde to haue sought any other thing than the defence of religion In primis let vs beare in minde the chiefe poynt of this hystorie and being frayde with the horrible example of Ananias let vs flye dissimulation let vs worship God in spirite and truth and cleaue to Iesus Christ with mindes burning in godly fayth to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxxiij. Homelie AND it came to passe that as it were about the space of three houres after his wyfe came in ignorant of that which was done And Peter sayd vnto hir Tell me Solde ye not the lande for so much And shee sayde yea for so much Then Peter saide vnto hir Why haue yee agreed togither to tempt the spirite of the Lorde Beholde the feete of them which haue buryed thy husbande are at the dore and shall carie thee out Then fell she downe streyte waye at his feete and yeelded vp the ghost And the yong men came in and founde hir deade and caryed hir out and buryed hir by hir husbande BYcause our Sauiour Iesus Christ was not ignoraunt that there would be alwayes false brethren and hypocrites in the Church which would be authors of great offences he would therefore in the beginning and springth of the Church haue some terrible example shewed agaynst them whereby we myght learne what such as they be shoulde looke for and trust to We haue seene the first part hereof in Ananias in whom the conditions of hypocrytes are trimly expressed These men are destitute of true fayth which thing is the fountaine beginning of all euill For hereof it commeth to passe that they wickedly mocke and despise as well God as his Church Herevnto maye we adde incurable obstinacie the accomplishment of all vice wherby it commeth to passe that a man may easilier conuert open synners than such as haue once purposed in theyr minde to deceyue the congregation by hypocrisie and dissimulation These things shall appeare the more plainely if we consyder the other part of thys storie which contayneth as dolorous and lamentable an ende of Sapphira which within three houres after not knowing of hir husbandes death came in vnto Peter and the faythfull which were with him as Luke reporteth For commonly it so commeth to passe that we knowe those things last which it behooued vs first to knowe bicause menne vse rather in our absence to disclose our faultes than to reprooue vs to our face Then also the affection of loue so worketh in the godly that they vnwyllingly bring tydings of anye thing which may giue occasion of griefe to their neighbours Which seemeth me to be the cause that Sapphira as yet knewe not of the death of hir husband But to the ende we may receyue the more vtilitie by consideration of thys hystorie first of all we will speake of the question wherewith Peter beginneth with hir and then of the ouer bolde confidence of Sapphira and last of all of the punishment wherewith God was reuenged on hir Peters demaunde was neyther light nor superfluous For thereby Sapphiras impietie did appeare the playner which otherwise might eyther haue seemed ignoraunt of hir husbandes craft or else to haue bene induced by hys authoritie so to haue dissembled Therefore Peter requireth of hir a reason of this their doing saying Tell me solde you the lande for so much Furthermore where the successe of the matter declareth that Peter did nothing of priuate affection but by the instinct of the holy ghost it behooueth vs here to marke the order that God vseth in punishing the wicked The incurable naughtinesse of Sapphira could not be hidden from him neyther coulde any man haue letted him to haue punished the same by and by But he woulde haue a time of repentaunce graunted hir and hir minde to be tryed and stirred vp by a straunge demaunde least he might seeme ouer hastie to anye man by his seueritie Such examples of Gods long sufferaunce are euerywhere extant For he is well ware of vsing any crueltie against the guiltie as Tyrannes doe but will haue them vnderstande by what offences they haue prouoked his wrath and punishment agaynst themselues Thus we read he did with our first parents and he gaue them that liued in the beginning of the worlde an hundred and twentie yeares space wherein to repent them and did also vouchsafe to sende them Noah the preacher of righteousnesse Likewise he would not destroy the Chanaanites and Amorrhites vntill he saw they filled the measure of iniquitie and were become alltogither incurable But what neede examples seeing we haue plentie both in the holy prophane hystories to let passe those things whereof wee see experience daylie both in others and in our selues Let vs rather apply these matters to our instruction and first of all let vs not abuse the long suffering of god For he prouoketh vs to repentaunce Let vs not therefore like reprobates procure vnto vs the wrath of God by contynuing in synne without repentaunce and waxe euery day woorse and woorse For God is slacke in punishing but this slacknesse as the heathen haue vsed to saye he recompenceth with weight and heauinesse of punishment Also let vs followe the goodnesse of God and not be to hastie in our iudgement although it appeare some haue deserued punishment For where God euery where desyreth the saluation rather than destruction of men what boldnesse is it I pray you to sâ—ryue to ouercome Gods iustice by our rigour and seueritie which thing they haue chiefely to consider which haue receiued power and authoritie from God to punishe other least through their seueritie and hastinesse of iudgement they bring the bodyes and soules of them in ieopardie whose saluation they shoulde principallye seeke But let vs harcken to Sapphira who boldly lyeth without all shame and feare of god And she doth not simply affirme the thing but vsing a signe of contestation confirmeth as it were by an oâ—h that which she knew to be false For where euery man had libertie to giue what seemed him good it was lyke hytherto that no man was required to giue account before the congregation what he receyued and layde forth Therefore Sapphira should haue thought that it was not without some mysterie that such a question was now mooued especially knowing in hir selfe that
she was guiltie But where without all care and boldly she dareth to lye she prooueth by a strong argument that she is altogither incurable â–ª For what goodnesse may a man there hope for where shame is banished wherewith honest natures as it were with a bridle are kept in doing their dutie In the meane season Sapphira expresseth a confident audacitie which is the peculiar propertie of hypocrites For whome feare they that haue minded to beguyle God and are not afrayde of his sight â–ª Wherefore the Scripture by many examples prooueth that that there is nothing more bolde and confident than hypocrisie And where open sinners for the most part fall downe at the first worde that God speaketh and are afrayde to come in his sight Hypocrites dare euen then vaunte of their integritie perfection when they feele their consciences wounded layd open before the iudgement of god Caine sheweth vs an example of this thing who being asked for Abel his brother durst malapertly answere God say who hath made me my brothers keeper And in the Prophete the Hypocrytes expostulate with God as being to wayward where they saye wherefore fast we and â—hou seest vs not wee put our liues to straightnesse and thou regardest vs not Againe It is but lost labour to serue God what profite haue we for keeping his commaundementes and for walking humbly before the Lorde of hostes What shall we saye of Iudas the Traytour who when he knewe Christ was not ignoraunt of his wickednesse and perceiued he was grieuously rebuked and reprehended yet with the other Apostles he dare to aske Christ whether he suspect him of so great an offence And Sapphiras confidence is as great considering there were so many examples that declared the Apostles were inspired with the holy ghost It is very profitable to marke well these thinges that through their boldenesse and temeritie hypocrites beguile vs not or by their wicked sayings put vs of But let vs returne vnto Peter who by inspiration of the holy spirite vnderstandeth this fraude and guyle and suffreth himselfe not to be mooued with this womanish and hypocriticall boldenesse but pronounceth the sentence of God which the same spirite put in his minde agaynst hir which consisteth of two partes The first accuseth and reprooueth hir sinne For God punisheth no person but first conuict of his sinne that he may vnderstande wherefore he is punished Howe commeth it to passe that you haue agreed togither to tempt the spirite of the Lorde He amplifyeth the boldenesse and heynousnesse of the fact by admiration and interrogation and he sayth they haue conspired togither to tempt the spirite of the Lorde But if a man woulde haue asked Ananias or Sapphira of this their doing I beleeue they woulde haue earnestly denyed they had had any such meaning But it maketh no matter what iudgement we haue of our sinnes for they are examined after the rule of Gods lawe And bicause these two maried folke went about to beguyle the congregation in whome the spirite of God is resident and reigneth it cannot be denied but through wicked temeritie they tempted the spirite of god Therefore by their hypocriticall wilynesse they sinned against the lawe which forbiddeth to tempt god And they are lymed with the same fault which go about in these dayes to beguyle the Church of Christ with counterfayting of fayth and holynesse who also shall well find that God will not let them go vnpunished for their tempting of him And least Sapphira might be excused by the authoritie and commaundement of hir husbande Peter first accuseth the consent that was betweene them and by that argument taketh from hir all excuse Where we learne that no man must consent to euill men if he will escape the iudgement of God no not to those which haue authoritie ouer vs giuen them of god For the man had power giuen him ouer his wife when it was sayde to Eue Thy lust shall pertayâ—e to thy husbande and hee shall haue the rule ouer thee And the Apostles commaunde wiues to be obedient vnto their husbandes But Sapphira is blamed for this onely that she consented to hir husbande who craftily withhelde a part of the money which he woulde seeme to haue giuen to the church Therfore the sinne that is committed against the lawes of God can be excused by no authoritie or commaundement of man bicause we must obeye God rather than man as Peter before had sayde and shall be repeated agayne in this Chapter Nowe if it be not lawfull to consent to their sinâ—es which haue power ouer vs by the ordinaunce of God what sâ—all become of those which allowe and defende not onely with consent of minde but by vnlawfull company and publike prayse the wickednesse of them whose companie they maye altogither forbeare yea which by the lawes of God they ought to forbeare To say nothing of them which are companions with them in their traueyle and daungers and helpe them forwarde in their mischieuousnesse The other part of Gods sentence pronounced by Peter conteyneth the punishment which Sapphira had with hir husbande Beholde sayeth he the feete of them which buried thy husbande bee ready at the doore to carye thee out And by and by she fell downe deade at Peters feete and was caried forth and buried by hir husbande This is the tenour of Gods iustice that they which commit like fault are punished with like punishment as he testifieth in the Prophete saying Should I not punishe these things and should I not be auenged of all such people as these be Hereof ought a generall rule to be taken which must extende to all sinnes and wickednesse For he that in times past reuenged most seuerely the oppression of the poore vniust violence tyrannie vsurie slaughter adulterie whoredome and such like he will punishe the same in vs at this day except we repent as be commeth Christians Yet the chiefe ende and meaning of this place is that we should learne what remayneth for them which vnder the pretence of Christ seeke their owne lucre and dare deceyue the Church It seemeth sometimes that the worlde laugheth vpon them but their felicitie is not stable and they long enioye not their goodes wrongfully gotten For the gladnesse of the vngodly is quickly ended and the ioy of hypocrites continueth but the twinkling of an eye We haue also an example hereof in Iudas the Traytor who when he thought he had best prouided for his owne behoofe and seemed to haue bene in high fauour with the Bishops feeleth in himselfe such seueritie of Gods iustice that it driueth him to the halter so that he coulde long enioye neyther his lyfe nor his money which was dearer to him than his lyfe And God graunt that a number in these dayes taste not of the lyke punishment which vnder colour of the Gospell haue sought nothing else but the spoyle and possession of the Church goods We haue
morning the Bishops come togither and call an assembly or counsell consulting which waye they maye quench the fire of the Gospell But the Lorde from aboue laughing at them and meaning to make all the worlde laugh at them by the helpe of one Aungell deliuereth the Apostles out of prison and marueylously eludeth the counsell of their enimies who thought themselues craftie and wyly ynough But bicause it seemed good to the holy ghost to describe all the partes of this hystorie we also must thinke no studie or diligence to much to search them out bicause we maye receyue much profite by our traueyle therein First therefore let vs consider the Counsell to the which we sayd they busily addressed and hyed themselues the circumstaunces whereof beyng considered we shall perceyue all things declaring a shew and countenance of a lawfull Counsayle The chiefe in the Counsayle is the high Priest who in these cases was appoynted of God to haue the highest authoritie and who by Goddes apoyntment was most to be obeyed For sentence of death was long ago giuen against them which durst obstinately despise the Priestes saying To him be adioyned the other Priestes least anye man might thinke the Bishop did any thing of his priuate affection And least any man also might suspect the whole order of Priests the Elders were also called the institution of which order was long before appoynted of God and represented the forme of the whole Church Furthermore they take vnto them the Capitaine of the Temple with the other publike Officers that bicause they woulde seeme to doe nothing against the common weale These things being thus ordeyned what letteth nowe that this should not be a Counsell lawfully gathered togither Surely touching outwarde appearance you can easily require none other thing But if a man regarde the ende of all this doing it shall appeare they were not gathered togither by the holy ghost but by the instigation of Satan and that therefore no good or godly person ought to obey or submit himselfe to them For they assembled togither to oppresse the truth and they go about to ouerthrowe the kingdome of Christ by conspiracie Thys place teacheth vs to iudge of counsayles which are now a daies in euery mans mouth bicause manye suppose controuersies of religion can not be decyded wythout a generall counsayle Touching whose opinion as I will not nowe dispute so it seemeth to me it would be very profitable if such a free and generall counsell might be obteyned wherein all controuersies might be concluded by the onely worde of God such as was the Synode of the Apostles whereof shall be spoken in the .xv. chapter and such as we knowe those olde counsayles were of Nicaea Constantinople Ephesus and Chalcedon and such other as the godly Emperours by their authoritie gouerned and ruled least the ambition of Byshops might kindle more cōtention But whether we may hope for any such like in these dayes I can not easily tell bicause I see none of the contrary parte contented to forsake their possession of the Church wrongfully vsurped nor wylling to submyt themselues to the iudgement of others Agayne if we consider what counsels haue beene these many yeres since the Bishops of Rome gate the supremacie ouer the Church no man that is in hys right wits can looke for any goodnesse to come of them bicause they obserue not so much as any outwarde shewe of a lawfull counsayle For to beginne with the chiefe poynt Their counsayles vse to be summoned and called by the Byshops of Rome whose supremacie is not ordeyned of God and is most contrarie to the glorie of christ They also will be the chiefe rulers Presidents and Iudges of the counsell which ought rather to pleate their cause and to gyue an account of their stewardship which many yeres now hath bene requyred of them They haue Bishops sytting which them not such as Paule requyreth but such as the God on earth vseth to create from whome if a man take their pieuishe and stage play apparell and vayne names and tytles they shall haue nothing left that representeth any show of Byshoply duetie or dignitie And they onely haue authoritie to gyue sentence which are not worthy the lowest rowme in the Church but are by Gods sentence long since excommunicated For the Prophet affirmeth that the Chanaanites that is to say sellers of holye thinges shall haue no place in the Lordes house And such as they did Christ long since dryue out of the Iewish temple And Christ sayth in his reuelation that Infidels Murtherers Whoremongers Wytches Idolaters and all lyers haue their place prepared in the lake burning with fyre and Brymstone And who I pray you is so impudent that will denie but a many of them are polluted with these vyces which yet haue onely the power and authoritie to iudge matters of religion And although they vse to call Emperours kings and princes to their counsayle it skilleth not bicause it is euident they haue all sworne obedience to the Pope and are not accounted for Catholikes onlesse they giue vp themselues wholy to the Sea of Rome Wherfore thys outward shewe representeth no lawfull counsayle but with a vayne visure beguyleth the simple and vnwarie And if a man marke the ende wherevnto they referre all thing it shall appeare more plainely that they seeke onely the oppressing of the truth and the ghospell than needeth with many words to be declared For this doth the bloud of the Martyrs of Christ testifie which they haue shed and most greedily thirst after The warres whereof they haue bene the first authors agaynst the mainteyners of the true fayth doe prooue the same They confesse the same in their Bulles wherby they summon and call counsellers For they so burne in hatred of the truth that where they are wholy couered with hypocrisie and furnished at all points to cloke and dyssemble all things yet can they herein little or nothing dissemble their great hatred but openly professe that which they long ago haue conceyued against the Ghospell Therefore let them that desyre the ouerthrowe of Christes church and kingdome and will wittingly perishe submit matters of fayth and religion to their iudgement But whosoeuer hath a care of his owne saluation of the glorie of Christ and safetie of the Church let him vnderstande that this saying of Dauid chiefly belongeth to this place Blessed is that man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly nor stande in the way of sinners and hath not sitte in the seate of the scornefull But let vs let passe these matters and come to the priestes and Elders who hauing consulted about the Apostles sende their seruaunts to the prison to bring them before the counsell And here the Lorde agaynst whom they stroue doth marueylously mocke and deryde them For the seruaunts finde the Apostles deliuered out of prison They returne to their maysters and so declare the matter that they
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
their moodes who iudged the Apostles to be put to death But before wee declare Gamaliel his wordes we haue to consider howe easie a thing it is for God to deliuer his people from daunger seeing he can raise vp for them defenders euen from among their enimies by the counsell and authoritie of one man can confounde the enterprises attempts of a great many For as euen now was sayd no kinde of men were more bent against Christ and his doctrine than the Phariseyes who had a good whyle before this pronounced sentence of excōmunication against all those that professed christ And yet of this Colledge also was Nicodemus who before this defended Christes quarell Now commeth Gamaliel out of the same Colledge whose meanes it pleaseth the Lorde to vse for the deliuerie of the Apostles And this one man without any armour or weapon only by prudent counsayle dasheth all the deuise of the whole counsayle There are other examples of lyke sort which teach vs to take a generall doctrine consolation hereof Herevnto apertayneth it that Ruben only who also hated Ioseph in his hart yet afterwarde saued him from present death To this maye we adde also howe the Philistines deliuered Dauid being inclosed on euerye side wyth Saules souldiors What shall we speake of Moyses the Capitaine of the people of Israel whome the daughter of cruell Pharao saued from drowning in the riuer Nilus But it woulde be very long if we shoulde tarie in all the examples which might be brought It behooueth vs rather to obserue the vse of them which is that we be not feared with the attempts of men which the Lord can forthwith bring to naught to whose seruice we all are bound Which one thing if men as well in generall as particulerly woulde thin ke on they woulde by no meanes suffer themselues to be pulled from fulfilling their vocation Let vs marke Gamaliel his counsayle full of wisedome in deede yet such as wherein a man may perceyue diuers things wanting which declare hee was not yet fully instructed in the truth Yet it pleased the Lorde to vse his helpe and it is to be thought that he afterward grewe to more godlynesse His saying consisteth in three poyntes First he vseth a pretie preface wherby he apeaseth the furious and exhorteth them to do nothing rashly or vnaduisedly Take heede to your selues sayth he concerning these men what you intende to doe As though he shoulde saye I heare that you determine they shall suffer death But I feare your deuyse is to headie and therefore to daungerous I woulde therefore haue some diligent and sober deliberation taken that in our wrath we commit not that which afterwarde wee may repent This is a most profitable and in all ages necessary admonition that in our anger we doe or appoynt nothing For the auncient wryters sayde anger was an euill counsayler as the which is a very phrenesie for the whyle And what goodnesse or equitie maye a man hope for of a madde man wherefore Iames most truly sayth The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God. And would God the authoritie of this sentence were as much in these dayes as we reade it was among the Ethnickes It is sayde of Augustus that he thought the companye of Athenodorus the Philosopher very necessary for him bicause vpon his departure from him he admonished him that he shoulde decree or appoynt nothing to be done in his anger before he had first recyted the Alphabet or names of the .xxiiij. letters For the wyseman vnderstoode that wrath by leysure woulde coole and abate And as notable is it that another of the Philosophers said to his seruant that had offended him Thou shouldest be beaten if I were not angry But now a dayes among Christians many thinke that men in their anger may doe what they list and they go about vnder the cloke of anger to excuse most heynous offences And in deede if God had made vs Beares or Lyons their excuse might take some place But forasmuch as we be men who ought to be ruled with the bridle of reason and word of God we shall be inexcusable as many as let our selues be caried and ruled with the lust of our affections But chiefely men of authoritie and Iudges must be myndefull hereof least they being caried awaye with wrath swarue from equitie and righteousnesse Gamaliel his saying also is worthye to be diligently considered Take heede to your selues c. Why the Apostles case was in question and their lyfe in daunger But the wise man and diligent obseruer of Gods law perceiued that Iudges commonly were more in daunger through giuing false iudgement than they that were accused For what thing can chaunce vnto them more acceptable than death that chaunge this mortall lyfe for an immortall But these Iudges prouoke the wrath of God against them which sitteth in the middest of them as is written Psal. 82. and will not suffer their boldnesse to go vnreuenged which vnder the pretence of godly iudgement exercise vnrighteousnesse Therfore whosoeuer beare office let them thinke this sayd vnto them and take heede to themselues that being blinded with affections they stray not from the tracke of righteousnesse In the seconde part of his Oration he intermedleth examples out of the which a little after he draweth the arguments of his sentence He first alledgeth examples very prudently and so telleth them that at the first it appeareth not what he will conclude thereof least eyther they shoulde not harken to his saying or without expending of it reiect it Out of a great many he chooseth two specially which as they were to all men knowne so were they able most to mooue their minds the one was of Theudas the other of Iudas of Galiley Iosephus also maketh mētion of them but touching the order of the storie he much dissenteth from Luke bicause he writeth Iudas was many yeares before Theudas whome yet Gamaliel openly testifieth to haue risen long before him But the authoritie of an holy writer must be of more credite with vs than Iosephus who it is euident was deceiued in many other things also whose writings might easily be corrupted and peruerted In the histories there is no difficultie and Gamaliel his purpose is to teach none other thing thereby but that none hitherto went vnpunished that tooke vpon them the name and office of the Messias but that they with all their sect perished which vnder this pretence went about to seeke their owne profite and aduauncement whereof afterwarde he gathereth that the lyke woulde come to passe by the sect of the Christians if Christ had bene a fraudulent and deceytfull worker and that therefore they ought to abyde the iudgement of god c. We haue to obserue in the rehearsal of these examples what shal become of them which wil not embrace Iesus Christ the true Messias For such men commonly as are authors and beginners of
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
ruler and a delyuerer by the hand of the Aungel â–ª c. Nowe bycause he acknowledged Moses to be a ruler and delyuerer of the people of God thys one thing might haue bene sufficient proofe ynough agaynst his aduersaryes which complayned on him as hauing spoken blasphemie agaynst Moses We haue here chiefely to consider howe God maketh him the ruler and deliuerer of hys people who was already hated of the Egyptians refused of hys bretherne the Israelites and had a long time bene in banishment By which example we learne that we should not iudge neyther of our owne case nor other mennes according to the iudgement of the worlde where oftentimes it falleth out that they are in greatest fauour with God whome the worlde contemptuously abhorreth and disdayneth For thys is Gods propertie to choose the humble and base and by them to confounde the pryde of the worlde And we reade in the hundred and .xiij. Psalme how God taketh vp the simple out of the dust and lyfteth the poore out of the mire that he may set him with the Princes euen with the princes of his people Wherevnto that that the holy Uirgin singeth is lyke He hath put downe the mightie from their seate hath exalted the humble and meeke Examples hereof we haue not onely in Moses but also in dyuers others So God of an Assekeeper made Saule a king and Dauid he tooke from the sheepefolde and set hym vp in a Princely throne Wherevnto may also be referred that that was done in the Apostles who being for the more part Fyshermen and of no authoritie in the worlde were aduaunced so high that they might be called conquerors of the whole world which by preaching of the worde they brought to the obeysance of Christ within fewe yeres Here may they that are despysed and wythout glory receyue comfort Also they that be aloft and in hyghe degree may learne to be humble least presumption as Salomon sayth go before destruction Furthermore let vs see in what respect Moses is called the delyuerer of the people For thys is not so to be vnderstanded as though he dyd anye thing of his owne priuate power or authority For Steuen plainly testifieth that he was sent to be a delyuerer by the hande of the Aungell which appeared to him in the bushe that is that he did all that belonged to the delyuerie of the people by the appoyntment and commaundement of Iesus Christ whome in the last sermon we declared to be the Aungell It is manifest therefore that Moses was but a Minister and that all the glorye of their delyuerie is due onely to christ After which sense all the places of Scripture must be taken and expounded wherein anye thing peculyer vnto God is attributed to â—â—n â–ª For that is after none other sort but by the waye of Ministerie which they take in hande at the commaundement of god So it is sayde the Ministers plant buylde wynne men vnto God remyt sinnes and keepe them vnremitted not bicause they doe these thinges of their owne power and at their pleasure but bicause God doth vouchsafe to vse their ministerie in bringing them to passe who also euen wythout them at his pleasure is able to rule and gouerne all things But bicause he sayde Moses was made the Ruler and deliuerer of the people of God he sheweth howe he vsed his office He brought them forth shewing wonders and signes in Aegypt and in the redde sea â–ª and in the wyldernesse fortie yeares So that Steuen acknowledgeth in Moses no bare name of a delyuerer onely but wyllingly confesseth that he faythfully discharged and fulfilled his office And bicause he would seeme to conceale nothing that made for hys glory he maketh mention of the signes and woonders which God wrought by him These woonders and signes be deuided into three sortes and are diligently set out in Moses wrytings The first sort of them is those that were done in Egypt amongst which those are first to be placed which he wrought to purchase a credite to his vocation such as was the turning of his rodde into a Serpent which Serpent did eate by the Sorcerers roddes which they by enchauntment had transformed into Serpents Then followed the ten horrible and prodigious plagues wherewith God marueylously afflicted Pharao and the Egyptians For all the Egyptians waters were turned into bloud and were made not onely vnfyt for any vse but also vpbrayded the Egyptians with their bloudy tyranny and babeslaughter Then were there Frogges sent which not onely in their fieldes but also crawling in their houses with their troublesome â—oyse vexed their guiltie consciences After them followed Lyce more troublesome than the Frogges bicause they stacke fast vnto their bodyes eating into their fleshe By and by after that came dyuers swarmes of flyes by heapes vexing both men and beastes And bicause thys might perhaps seeme but â—â—eaâ—ytings and tryfles they had yet more grieuous than thys sent among them â–ª For an horrible and contagyous rotte of murhen kylled vp their cattle both small and great In the mennes bodyes rose filthy botches and sores vgly running Monstrous hayle destroyed their whole yeares crop and increase And that the hayle touched not or sproong afterwarde out of the grounde againe the Caterpyllers deuoured lying in their fieldes as thicke as bayle And bycause wyttingly and wyllingly they persisted in their blinde and wilful ignorance of God he sent among them fearefull and feeleable darkenesse And at length by an Aungell that strake them all Egypt was fylled with the slaughter of all their first borne so that no house was voyde of this horrible calamitie and mourning The consideration of all which teacheth vs howe easie it is vnto God to keepe downe and vanquishe most mightie Tyraunts For he is in deede the Lorde of hostes which vseth to send forth as well the good Aungels as badde yea and all the creatures of the world against his enimies And there is no creature so vyle or weake which is not able ynough to vexe yea and to kill man if it please God to arme it therevnto By his iustice and iudgement it came to passe that Pharao was so troubled with Frogges and so vexed with swarmes of Lice and Flies who not long before had prowdely reâ—ected 〈◊〉 God of the Hebrues So by Mice he reuenged the wicked contempt of his name amonge the Philistines when they had gotten the Arke of God into their handes which was a sacrament and signe of his presence And we reade how Antiochus Sylla Herode and diuers other were eaten vp of Lice and vermine that bredde of their owne fleshe Let vs therefore humble our selues in the sight of God and not like mad men suffer our selues to be bewitched with the vaine hope and confidence of things temporall The seconde sorte of myracles wrought by Moyses were those which came to passe in the red sea For when the Israelites were inclosed with the chariots
and horsemen of the Egyptians and thought they must needes perishe eyther vpon their swordes or else be swallowed vp of the sourges of the sea sodeinly the sea stricken with Moyses rodde as God commaunded deuyded it selfe in two parts lyke a walle standing on both sides and the winde blowing roughly dryed vppe the myerie fourde that the Israelites went through the middle of the sea on drie foote whome when the Egyptians with deadly hatred pursued sodeynly the heapes of waters ioyned togither agayne and oppressed and swallowed them vp By which myracle God euidently taught vs that he is able to helpe his people by those things which seeme to them most hurtfull and agaynst them and that he can giue them a passage to escape through the middle of all the thinges that lye in their waye that waâ—ke in hys vocation Agayne he vseth to punishe his enimies by those things in which they haue their most hope and affiaunce yea he can blinde their eyes and sende them the spirite of gyddinesse that they shall runne into their owne mischiefe and not be able to anoyde the daungers lying before their face For it is certayne the Egyptians tooke the redde sea for a sure bulwarke and thought that the Israelites their wiues and children shoulde pershe therein yet Gods prouidence so ordreth all things that the Israelites passe safely through both body and goodes and the Egyptians bee drowned and of their owne heade enter into the middle of the sea betweene the two mayne walles of water notwithstanding they had so often before felt Gods heauye hande Whereby we learne that we shoulde despayre in no aduersitie nor put any trust or confidence in outwarde thinges bycause God is able so quickly to turne all thinges vpside downe In the thirde sort Steuen comprehendeth those that were done in the wildernesse where the people had Manna giuen vnto them which fedde them fourtie yeares togither where Quayles fell rounde about their tentes where Moyses opened the veines of quicke springs out of the hard rockes where by godly prayer he gate a glorious victorie of the Amalechiâ—es where God marueylously defeated the sleyghtes of Balaam where the wicked murmurers perished with straunge plagues where their garmentes in fourtie yeares space neyther consumed with wearing neyther dyd rotte for oldenesse I omit diuers other things which by Moyses are more diligently rehearsed But seeing Steuen so willinglye acknowledgeth all these things and so highly commendeth them he abundantly declareth that they doe him no small iniurie to accuse him as a contemner of Moyses And bicause he sendeth the Israelites from Moyses to Christ he euidently sheweth that al these signes serued but to confirme Moyses doctrine and ought not to be racked to the ende to cause the people to depende and hang vpon Moyses And they are confuted by this place which abuse the myracles wrought sometime by the Saintes to proâ—ue the superstitious inuocating and worshipping of them â–ª whereas they 〈◊〉 witnesse but of their doctrine whereby we were brought vnto Christ. And bicause he was not ignorant that his aduersaries chiefelye vrged him with this argument that he ledde his hearers by this doctrine from the ceremonies of the lawe vnto Christ and the beliefe in him he prooueth that he doth not so in contempt of Moyses but according to his example and commaundement For this is that Moyses sayeth he which sayde vnto the children of Israel A Prophete shall the Lorde your God rayse vp vnto you of your brethren lyke vnto me him shall you hearâ— â–ª Wherevpon he gathereth that it was not Moyses meaning that the Iewes shoulde sticke in the ceremonies giuen by him but that he promised them another Prophete whose sayings they must all hearken vnto or else perish both body and soule This Prophete was Christ whom the Scripture calleth the Prince of all Prophetes by whose spirite all other Prophets were inspired Also he beateth backe their accusation of his contemning of Moyses vpon their owne heades whyle he sheweth that they refuse Iesus Christ whome Moyses so earnestly and with such authoritie commended The place is in the .xviij. of Deuteronomie vpon the explication whereof we haue spoken more largely in the .xxiiij. Sermon where we expounded the same place in Peters sermon which brought the same text Let vs learne that it is God the fathers will that we shoulde heare Christ and be obedient vnto him by true obedience of fayth and so obteyne saluation in him to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .lj. Homelie This is he that was in the congregation in the wildernesse with the Angell which spake to him in the Mount Sina and with our fathers This man receiued the worde of life to giue vnto vs to whome our fathers would not obey but cast it from them and in their hearts turned backe agayne into Aegypt saying vnto Aaron make vs Gods to go before vs For as for this Moyses that brought vs out of the lande of Aegypt wee wote not what is become of him And they made a Calfe in those dayes and offered sacrifice vnto the ymage and reioyced ouer the workes of their owne handes BYcause the Iewes had all the trust of their saluation in outwarde ceremonies and gloryed in keeping the fayth of their auncesters and forefathers they accused all those which taught men to seeke saluation in Christ onely of great blasphemie both agaynst God agaynst Moses and the fathers This Steuen founde true as before we haue declared who for that he would the more easilye cleere himselfe hereof breaketh forth into the prayse of Moyses greatly extolling him and declaring how vnworthily their fathers intreated him The ende of all which is to laye the crime wherewith they charged him both vpon their fathers in whome they so greatly gloryed and also vpon themselues which stubbornely refused Christ of whome he sheweth that Moses bare witnesse Moreouer he gathereth hereof that the fathers were saued through none of their desertes but by the meere mercy of God and that therefore they ought to put their hope and trust in none other The same is the ende also of this present place where first he rehearseth the setting forth of the lawe whereof Moses was the minister afterwarde he declareth the heynous trespasse of their fathers in offending both agaynst Moses and the lawe of God. And in speaking of the setting forth of the lawe he maketh mention of two other things which were able to purchase no small credit vnto Moses â–ª First he sayth he was in the congregation with the fathers in the wildernesse In these wordes he comprehendeth fourtie yeares space wherein he suffered with so great fayth and pacience the Nation of the Iewes that there is to be founde in no hystories any to be compared with him This is an argument of a singuler fayth which coulde be ouercome by no terrors by no continuall labours nor by no vnkindenesse of the people but would stoutly go
Tharsus for behold he prayeth and hath seene in a vision a man named Ananias comming vnto him and putting his handes on him that he might receyue his sight Then Ananias aunswered Lorde I haue hearde by many of this man howe much euill he hath done to thy Saints at Ierusalem and here he hath authoritie of the high Priestes to bynde all that call on thy name The Lorde sayde vnto him Go thy way for he is a chosen vessell vnto me to carie my name before the Gentyles and Kinges and the children of Israel For I will shewe him howe great things he must suffer for my names sake ALthough we ought diligently to consider the conuersions and callinges of all the Apostles yet Paules conuersion of all others deserueth singulerly to be marked partly bicause it contayneth in it a rare example of Gods mercye towarde sinners and partly for that Paule laboured more than alâ— the Apostles neyther is there anye other whose writings are more often alledged eyther of the olde writers or newe in matters of fayth and religion It is therfore necessary that we knowe who he was howe God called him and conuerted him that we may haue his doctrine in the more authoritie which thing is the cause that Luke writeth his hystorie so diligently And hitherto he hath declared howe the Lorde interrupted his fiercenesse and horrible attempts in the middle of hys race and businesse and that so forceably that he was fayne to offer himselfe to the Lord to be obedient and to be taught being a whyle before his grieuous enimie Herevnto he conueniently addeth howe he is appoynted to the office of an Apostle which contayneth a notable discourse betweene the Lorde Iesus Christ and Ananias by whose ministerie Paule was to be ordered Euery part whereof we will declare as farre forth as God shall permit First the Lorde calleth Ananias that Paule may take orders by his ministerie And of Ananias Luke speaketh but little in this place but Paule at large where he commendeth him of his godlinesse and sayth he deserued among the Iewes the testimonie of a good and an innocent man Him the Lorde certifyeth of his will by a vision and likewise prepareth Paule being in his prayers by an other vision worthily to receyue Ananias Here our Sauiour Christ is well to be marked which instructeth them both by euident visions For hereby is perceyued the ardent desire that Christ hath to the saluation of mankinde shewed and declared ingenerall towardes all men and especially in seeking the lost sheepe as himselfe elsewhere testifyeth Which thing as it is for our comfort so it also serueth for our instruction that we should traueyle rather to saue sinners than to destroy them and not follow those which glorying in their feruent zeale of Gods glorie rashly reiect and condemne all those whome they see once to haue swarued from the way of truth Moreouer we are taught how expedient it is that all things be done rightly duely in the outwarde ministerie of the worde For except the ministers be duely called and well assured of their calling and the hearers well prepared to receyue their sayings there can followe no worthie fruite and auayle of their doing For howe shall they preach except they be sent Or with what argumentes shall they bee emboldened agaynst the threates and enterprises of the wicked which craftily haue vsurped and intruded vpon the office of teaching Againe if the hearers come not well minded and prepared to heare the worde of the Lorde then shall they receyue that wholesome seede eyther into the way eyther into stonie places or among thornes and there shall be many impediments that shall cause that they shall bring forth no worthie fruites Wherfore Christ requireth honest mindes which will holde fast the seede they haue once receyued and being armed agaynst all suggestions of Satan the worlde and the flesh bring forth worthie fruits with pacience And that we haue neede of diligent preparation hereto euery man may easily vnderstande that well considereth the corrupt nature of man These things if we will well weigh and expend it shall easily appeare why there is so much preaching in these dayes with so little profite For most part of the Ministers without wayting for the lawfull calling of the Lorde get into the ministerie by vnlawfull meanes for the belly sake and they that will not seeme the vngodlyest of the hearers of the worde come vnto it more for custome sake than of any earnest desire of amendment beeing altogither like vnto those which in the Prophete sayde Come I praye you let vs heare what woorde is gonefoorth from the Lorde Furthermore we haue also to consider Paule whom the Lord speaking to Ananias witnesseth to be in his prayer This is to be vnderstanded of the continuall prayers he made all the three dayes long as easily appeareth by the circumstaunces bicause there were many thinges which might mooue Paule vnto prayer For he felt the horrible hande of God which threw him downe He hearde howe he was accused from heauen to be the professed enimie of the sonne of god Then came to his minde the wicked enterprises crueltie that he had vsed against the name of Christ and his Church also the banishments chaynes imprisonment and torments with the lamentation and crying of women and children whereofhe had beene the authour Yea his guiltie conscience as yet troubled him Then againe the wayting for the promise of reuelation and instruction was able to styrre him vp to earnest prayer and yet in this earnestnesse and diligence of praying God disappoynteth him as I might say whole three dayes togither These things commend vnto vs an incessant earnestnesse of prayer bicause there are as many and as vrgent causes to styrre vs vp also theretoo For if we discende into our selues wee shall finde they are no tryfling sinnes whereby we haue deserued Gods wrath We many tymes feele the hande of Gods anger The conscience of our wickednesse oftentymes molesteth vs We are still in daunger of all kindes of aduersitie And if the thinking hereof be not able to kindle in vs heartie and ardent prayer then shall wee worthily be called colder than yron or yce Paule for these causes commaundeth vs continually to pray And let vs so remember to continue in prayer that we be not ouercome with distrust or impaciencie and rashely prescribe God any tyme to heare or helpe vs in For he sometime deferreth the helpe he promiseth vs not bicause he meaneth to disappoynt them that trust in him but bicause he will exercise and trie our fayth Examples wherof we haue both in Paule in Abraham in the woman of Chanaan and in many others Here therefore let vs bende the force of our fayth and follow the example of that Widdow by whose importunatenesse Christ sayth the wicked Iudge was ouercome But O miserable and vnhappie wretches that we be which as we scarce take vs vnto prayer
to euery one that asketh vs And with howe great trust and diligence Paule discharged the office committed to him of Christ the Text shall declare For he confesseth that from Ierusalem and the coastes rounde about to Illyricum he filled all Countries with the Gospell Thirdly least any man might thinke that so great a Minister of Christ was endued with any priuiledge of immunitie to escape alway free he maketh mention also of his afflictions I sayth he will shewe vnto him howe great things he shall suffer for my sake Which wordes haue in them no commination but a promise For first we knowe that Christ maketh them partakers of his glorie whome he doth vouchsafe to haue parteners of hys crosse Insomuch that Paule afterward commendeth the Philippians for this cause that it was giuen them not onely to beleeue in the â–ª Lord but also to suffer for his sake Further he sayth he shall be inuincible promiseth him hys succor and ayde in bearing the crosse Paule himselfe shall be the best expositor of this saying which writing vnto the Corinthians sayth Of the Iewes fiue times receyued I euery time fourtie stripes saue one Thryse was I beaten with roddes I was once stoned I suffred thryse shipwracke Night and daye haue I bene in the deepe sea in iourneying often in perils of waters in perils of robbers in ieoperdies of myne owne Nation in ieoperdies among the heathen in perils in the Citie in perils in wildernesse in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren c. See the place â–ª 2. Cor. 11. and .12 Furthermore these things teach vs that the Gospell can not be preached without the crosse and tribulation For this worlde cannot abyde the lyght thereof bicause the workes thereof bee naught Therefore euen as Paule in this place so Christ in euery place admonisheth those that be his to beare the Crosse. Therefore they be most foolishe of all other men which thinke that in the ministerye of the Gospell the matter may be brought to passe without daunger and go about to please the worlde Nay he shall be little meete for this office and function except he well haue prepared himselfe to beare the crosse and all kinde of aduersities Touching which poynt see Luke xiiij Let vs remember that God onely giueth vs power and strength whose looue wherewyth he looued vs if we well perceyue we shall be prepared and ready to all assayes as Paule afterwarde teacheth Let vs therefore make our continuall prayers vnto him that he will graunt vnto vs to be able both to suffer for the name of Christ and also to come to the inheritance of heauen with him to whome all prayse honor power and glory is due for euer Amen The .lxvj. Homelie And Ananias went his waye and entred into the house and put his hands on him and sayde Brother Saule the Lorde that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mayst receyue thy sight and be filled with the holy ghost And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had bene scales and he receyued sight and arose and was baptised and receyued meate and was comforted Then was Saule a certayne dayes with the Disciples which were at Damasco And streyghtwayes hee preached Christ in the Sinagoges howe that he was the sonne of god But all that heard him were amazed and sayde Is not this hee that spoyled them which called on thys name in Ierusalem and came hither for that intent that hee myght bring them bounde vnto the high Priests But Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Iewes which dwelt at Damasco affirming that this was very Christ THe Euangelist Luke descrybeth the conuersion of the Apostle Paule very diligently partly for that we myght vnderstande thereby what grace and goodnesse God sheweth vnto sinners and partly for that Paules doctrine myght be of the more authoritie with vs as which he commendeth vnto vs with so earnest protestation that he sayth an Aungell of heauen is not to be beleeued that woulde teache the contrary To both these appertaine that singuler and notable testimonie wherewith Christ as we hearde yesterday set forth Paule For he calleth him a chosen vessell who a little before seemed to be the vessell of wrath Furthermore he attributeth to him in handling of his affayres fayth dexteritie constancie paciency of mynde Whereby we gather that the goodnesse of God towarde sinners is great and that we maye not contemne the doctrine of Paule vnlesse we will contumeliously sinne against Christ and accuse his testimonie of falshoode But let vs see this present place which comprehendeth the restitution of Paule and the first thing he did in his Apostleship or ministerye of the Gospell Concerning Paules restitution which was three dayes blynde and at length receyued hys sight agayne and was by baptisme receyued into the Church of Christ the persons both of Ananias and Paule are to be considered with the marueylous effect which the Euangelyst sayth by and by followed But first we will speake of Ananias whose ministery it pleased God herein to vse He as it is sayde went his waye and entred into the house of Iudas where he hearde that Paule was lodged The earnest repeating of Gods commaundement did put from him the stupiditie that he was in before neyther alleageth he any more the talke of the people or the reasons of fleshlye wisedome agaynst the commaundements of the Lorde which mynde we may see in all the true worshippers of God which haue this speciall care that no feare withholdeth them from the dutie of obedience which they owe vnto god Let vs also imitate these people and knowe that they are vnworthye of all pardon and excuse who are so ouercome of the infirmitie of the fleshe and feaâ—e of daunger that they forget and denye God and the dutie they owe vnto him Further Ananias layeth his handes vpon Saule whych ceremonie is for good purpose borowed of the olde testament in the ordering and making of our Ministers For in tymes past the priests layde their handes vppon the sacrifices whereby declaring that the thing which they did was in the behalfe of all the people and so consecrated the beastes standing at the aultar vnto god By a lyke reason the publike cure and charge of the Church is commended vnto the Ministers by imposition of handes and they are therby admonished to remember howe they be consecrated vnto God and that therfore they must apply all their study care labour and watching to set forth the glory of God. But bicause there is no vse or profite of a bare ceremonie Ananias ioyneth the word thereto wherby he declareth to him whatsoeuer Christ commaunded him to say Wherein the bolde courage of Ananias is to be considered who plainely professeth the name of Iesus Christ and acknowledgeth himselfe to be his seruaunt before him whome he knewe hytherto to be Christes mortall enimie Agayne
gathered a generall rule whereby we are taught that we must simply obey God and not take our reason to counsell when we haue hearde the expresse commaundement of god For as God hath this authoritie ouer vs to commaunde vs what it pleaseth him so is it the propertie of fayth as it were to captiuate all reasons vnderstanding and to subdue it vnto the word of God not to suffer it to reason against the manifest commaundementes of god For that is an ouer wicked audacitie to go about to make the authoritie of Gods preceptes to gyue place to our reasons Therfore that that the olde Testament sheweth that Abraham sometime did who neyther doubted of Gods promise although he sawe it to be agaynst the course of nature nor disobedientlye gaynesayde his commaundements though absurde and vnreasonable to see to the same doth the holye ghost in this place require of Peter We are admonished also that it ought to suffise vs when we vnderstande that God hath appoynted or spoken any thing forasmuch as it is euident he ordreth all things both wisely and for our saluation And this is that wrastling of fayth wherein all such ought to be exercised as will be taken for the true and faithfull worshippers of god In the which if nowe a dayes we were more obediently and diligently occupied we should be much lesse troubled than we be and finde better successe in our doings But let vs see the obedience of Peter which he declared when he had hearde the commaundement of the holy ghost First without all delaye he went downe to them and did nothing mutter as the wayward doe vse eyther that he was interrupted of his prayers or let from his dinner Then when he sawe the messengers whome by their apparell he might easilye iudge were Gentyles and souldiers he friendly telleth them that it is he they seeke for and asketh them what the cause of their comming is And streightway the messengers courteously aunswere him and faithfullye declare vnto him all that their maister had commaunded them For both they singulerly commende their maister and diligently report the Oracle vttered by the Aungell to the intent they might the easilier obteyne the purpose for the which they came And by the waye maye be seene with what diligence and trust Christian seruauntes ought to go about their maisters businesse that they onely serue them not in their sight as Paule sayth but as much as in them is labor when they are absent to set forth their honestie to worke for their commoditie Ephe. 6. By and by as Peter had heard their message he vnderstoode the mysterie and secret of the vision and perceyued that the Gentyles were signified by the vncleane beastes whome God woulde nowe haue brought by preaching of the Gospell into the fellowship of Christ and to saluation Wherefore he bringeth them into the house and the next day goeth with them being accompanied by certayne brethren of Ioppa who both woulde this waye declare their good affection vnto Peter also were chosen of God to be witnesses of so weighty a matter Moreouer as in all these things there appeareth a faithfull obedience such as erewhyle we hearde the spirite of God commaunded vnto Peter so Peter is a notable example of hospitalitie which as it is in all men a thing most commendable so it most becommeth Bishops and Ministers of the worde that whyle herein they giue others good ensample they cause their doctrine to be the better spoken of which is the cause that among the properties of a Bishop Paule thinketh this also worthy to be rehearsed Therfore by Peters example the waywardnesse of them is reproued who for that they will be taken to be of authoritie beare themselfe verye straunge and will shewe no maner of friendly familiaritie eyther to straungers or those of their owne house Whome if the example of Peter cannot yet the authoritie of Christ ought to mooue who euen then as Marke writeth did friendlye receyue all men when by reason of the peoples importunitie preasing vpon him he had scarce leysure to eate his meate After these things Luke declareth the meeting of Cornelius and Peter And of Cornelius he telleth two things First that he called togither hys kinsfolke and alliance and all other which he was acquaynted with who all wayted for Peters comming These thinges expresse the propertie of a true fayth For where fayth stayeth onely vpon the worde of God she seeketh and wayteth carefully for the same Agayne where it burneth in desire of Gods glory and loue of hir neighbour she is desirous to communicate saluation also vnto many others Both these properties doth Cornelius performe and that not without his great perill For we haue alreadye oftentimes declared that it was a daungerous matter among the Romaynes to alter or chaunge religion Therefore it coulde not be but daungerous to haue so many witnesses therof But that fayth standeth in no feare of daunger as well the Scriptures as many other examples euerywhere declare Let vs followe this endeuour and desire least whyle we make prouision for our selues we betraye the glory of God and neglect the saluation of them which ought to be most deare vnto vs according to the law of nature But Cornelius doth yet another thing For assoone as he seeth Peter the Apostle by and by he runneth to meete him falleth downe at hys feete and worshippeth him These are tokens of a deuout minde and that hath a very good opinion of the worde of God and his minister Yet Cornelius exceedeth herein and offendeth in ouermuch veneration whyles as may be gathered of Peters words he attributeth more vnto him than belongeth to a man This many times cometh to passe when we vse the vnaduised zeale of our reason in reuerencing Gods Ministers And of none other beginning sprong that superstitious worshipping of Saintes pilgrimages for deuotion sake kissing of reliques and infinite other such lyke things then bicause men being beguyled with an inconsiderate zeale of religion thought there was some sparke of godheade in them whome God had vsed sometime to the enlargement of his glorye and the saluation of others It behooueth vs therefore to lift vp our eyes to God himselfe least whyle we will seeme to be to religious we defraude God of his due honor To this purpose belongeth the answere of Peter who doth not dissemble Cornelius error but friendly reprehendeth him saying Arise for I also am a man as though he shoulde saye I perceyue you haue an opinion of me farre aboue that I am And bicause you thinke there is in me some godheade therefore you doe vouchsafe to giue me this honor but you are farre deceyued For although the grace of God hath made me an Apostle yet as touching my essence and nature I am nothing but a man that is to saye mortall frayle and sinfull which had neede my selfe also of Gods grace and Christes merite Therefore giue me no diuine
honour but bestowe it on him whose ministers and seruantes aswell I am as you This is the meaning of Peters wordes which Paule also expressed when he sawe the men of Lystra in lyke sort deceyued saying ye men and brethren why doe you thus we be men subiect to such infirmities as you be Thus the Apostles put from them ouermuch honor which they might yet haue excused vnder this pretence that it made for the authoritie of the gospell But they thought it vnmeete that any man shoulde abuse the zeale of men and by craft goe about to purchase authoritie vnto their doctrine These things teach vs that all such honor is ouermuch as is giuen vnto creatures vnder pretence of godly worship Paule prescribeth duties of ciuilitie and commaundeth that one goe before another in honour It is a wicked blaspheming of Gods honor if we applye vnto Creatures that that is due to God alone Here is also reprooued the outragious pryde of the Bishop of Rome which chalengeth to him the supremacie vnder pretence of Peter and suffreth all that come before him not onely to fall downe at his feete but also compelleth Kings and Emperors to kisse his feete and is not afeard to treade on their neckes with his fowle feete wherein he followeth not the faythfull Minister of Christ but Caligula and Dioclesian the monsters of mankind which heinousnesse is so much the more grieuous and intollerable bicause it is admitted vnder this pretence as though there were some peece of godhead in so wicked a creature But to let passe the aduersary of Christ and our saluation let vs acknowledge the mercie of God whereby he did witsafe to call the Gentyles let vs remember our dutie and serue him who hath made vs heyres of his kingdome and coheyres with Iesus Christ his sonne and our Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .lxxiij. Homelie AND as he talked with him hee came in and founde many that were come togither And he sayde vnto them you know how that it is an vnlawfull thing for a man that is a Iewe to company or come vnto an Aliant But God hath shewed me that I shoulde not call any man common or vncleane Therefore came I vnto you without delaye as soone as I was sent for I aske therefore for what intent haue you sent for me And Cornelius sayde This daye now .iiij. dayes about this houre I sate fasting and at the .ix. houre I prayed in my house and beholde a man stoode before me in bright clothing and sayde Cornelius thy prayer is hearde and thine almes deedes are had in remembrance in the sight of god Sende men therefore to go to Ioppa and call for Simon whose surname is Peter He is lodged in the house of one Simon a Tanner by the sea syde which as soone as hee is come shall speake vnto thee Then sent I for thee immediatly and thou hast well done that thou art come Nowe therfore are we all here present before God to heare all things that are commaunded vnto thee of God. BIcause the calling of the Gentyles seemed to the Iewes who were puft vp in the confidence of their ceremonies of the lawe a thing not onely absurde but also vniust the holy ghost vseth a singuler diligence in setting forth the conuersion of Cornelius which was receyued into the Church without Circumcision and such other Ceremonies that it maye appeare to all men howe nothing is here done by mannes aduyse but all by Gods ordinance and appoyntment The chiefe vse of this hystorie is as well to represse the prowde boasting of the Iewes as to confirme our myndes in the fayth which be all come of the Gentyles seeing we perceyue the preachinge of saluation belongeth aswell to vs as to the Iewes An euident and an infallible argument whereof is this that we heare howe Peter commeth to Caesarea by Gods leading and appoyntment to preache saluation vnto Cornelius The same shall here appeare more playne if we consider Peters first communication with Cornelius wherein he excuseth his comming to the Gentyles and Cornelius declareth his purpose why he sent for him Peter therefore beginneth with his excuse partly bicause of the Iewes his brethren who came with him from Ioppa as we hearde before leasâ— they mght be offended at this straunge and vnaccustomed doing and partly bicause of Cornelius friendes and kinsefolkes which were Gentyles least they should suspect him of lightnesse if he had rashly transgressed the auncient vsage of his people without a iust cause Hee confesseth therefore the custome of the Iewes least he shoulde seeme rashly to haue forgotten the same And he layeth against the same the oracle or will of God whose only authoritie was sufficient to excuse his doing We must intreate of both these pointes particulerly Speaking of the custome of the Iewes he calleth his hearers to witnesse you knowe sayth he that it is not lawfull for a man that is a Iewe to company with or to come vnto an aliaunt And although there be no lawe of God extant which expressely doth inhibite it yet the custome seemeth to take his beginning of this bicause God forbade them to marie or make league with the Gentiles and speciallye the Chanaanites least through companying with them they might fall from the true God and the right worshipping of him And it is very credible that manye vnder the pretence of such affayres as of necessitie fall out amongst menne were therefore the more familiar with the Gentyles and so become the slacker in honouring of god Which thing was the cause that the deuout and godly fathers made the boundes of this lawe yet straighter willing to take awaye all occasion of falling from god Hereof may be taken a generall and perpetuall precept that they which will be called and accounted the honorers of God must auoyde the companye of them who they knowe are swarued and fallen from God eyther by false religion or else by corrupt maners and conuersation of life For where of nature we be prone vnto euill we are easily infected with the custome of other mennes vngodlynesse and dayly examples declare of what force companying with the euill is in this case and wicked talke whereby Paule sayth good maners are corrupted Beside this they are also partakers of their punishments that delite in the company of the vngodly Wherof the Scripture sheweth vs an example in Lot who dwelling among the Sodomites was first vexed with cruell warre after that lost his wife and all his goodes and at length by hys daughters company prooued howe much the company of a wicked Nation had hurt him whereas by craftie and subtile meanes they committed incest by lying with their father Therfore it is not without a cause that Paule warneth them that are consecrated vnto Christ not to beare the yoke wyth vnbeleeuers And our maister Christ speaking of the punishment of Antichrist and that wicked Babilon
warneth his people earnestly to come out from among them least they be partakers of hir plagues And if the companye of the common people doe so entrappe and beguyle the godlye then must false teachers be much more diligently auoyded which vse craftily to creepe into mennes bosomes and to instill the deadly poyson of false doctrine into their hearts vnawares See Math. 7. and .15 2. Iohn 1. chap. Howbeit the Apostle layeth the late oracle of God agaynst the receyued custome of the Iewes saying But God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or vncleane He calleth them vncleane in this place that be vnworthye the doctrine of the Gospell and of saluation For else it is euident that all men are and ought to be counted vncleane forasmuch as we be conceyued and borne in sinne the thoughts of our harts be wicked from our childehoode and our righteousnesse is lyke filthye and arayed clowtes and ragges as the Scriptures testifye But bicause the bloude of Christ hath clensed vs from our sinnes 1. Iohn 1. cap. and our hearts are purged by fayth in him no man ought rashly to be iudged vnworthy of that purification which Christ of his exceeding liberalitie offreth to all men and most louingly giueth to as many as beleeue in him except we finde anye men to be of that kinde of dogges and hogges before whome Christ forbiddeth vs to throwe the pearles and holy mysteries of the kingdome of heauen They are therfore greatly deceyued which enuiously hide the secretes of saluation and vse to keepe those that haue professed Christ from the knowledge of them It is chiefely to be considered how the Apostle layeth the oracle of God agaynst an olde receyued custome We are taught by this example that such is the authoritie of Gods worde that vnto it the things which were instituted by men of a godly zeale and holye intent ought to giue place as soone as they seeme any wayes to make against the will of god Therfore their obstinacie is very pieuish and pernicious which go about to retayne those ceremonies in the Church which it appeareth haue bene deuysed by foolishe men for the confirmation of superstition and are very derogatory vnto the merite of christ They thinke it a daungerous matter to alter or chaunge any thing But it is much more daungerous to sticke to the obseruation of olde errors with the losse of saluation And we ought to remember that the obedience of fayth is the ende of true Christianitie which requireth of vs to denie our selues and to resigne and yeelde vppe all our thoughtes and iudgements vnto the will and power of God. Moreouer Peter after his apologie and defence demaundeth a question to saye for what intent they had sent for him And this demaunde seemeth not superfluous although Peter was both instructed before by the heauenly vision and also by them that were sent vnto him For by this meane he thought he woulde stirre vp in the mindes of his hearers a diligent and an attentiue heede to hearken to him which thing if it be wanting the Worde cannot be preached with any profite And it doth not a little prouoke the minde and zeale of the teacher when he seeth those men desirous to heare him whome God hath appoynted him to teache and instruct Nowe followeth the aunswere of Cornelius which as it is simple and without colour so it hath in it diuers things which serue for the instruction of all men For he declareth the cause of his counsell and giueth thanks vnto Peter that he woulde vouchsafe to come vnto him and also promiseth to giue good eare vnto him wherein he plainely admonisheth Peter of his dutie all which we will pervse in order He beginneth with the cause wherfore he sent for Peter least he shoulde seeme to any man eyther negligent about his saluation or else arrogant in that he went not to Ioppa himselfe Therefore he repeateth the things before mencioned touching the appearing of the Aungell and it grieueth not Luke oftentimes to rehearse one thing to th ende the truth and certaintie of the hystorie might appeare the more The summe of all the matter is that he was admonished by an euident Oracle and commaundement of God to sende for Peter Let vs here marke howe he sayth he abode fasting and in prayer vntill the .ix. houre of the day which is three a clocke at after noone with vs This thing expresseth an ardent desire of the truth wherabout it is like he was greatly troubled by reason of the diuersity of religions forasmuch as he saw the Iewes differed from the Gentyles and that there begonne a new religion among the Christians Therefore being very carefull least he should swarue from the truth he made continuall prayer vnto God adding vnto his prayers holy fastes that a man may plainly perceyue that he trusted not in the merite of his fastings but sought by them onely the vnderstanding of a truth Compare nowe this souldier with the Monkes of these dayes that thou mayest perceyue howe farre he passed them both in godlynesse and discipline of the fleshe And being a publike Officer he gaue himselfe to these exercises whereby their errour maye appeare vnto all men which denye that perfite studie of godlynesse can consist without solitarie life It appeareth also in this place what the cause is that men profite so little nowe a dayes in the studie of godlynesse God will be incessantly called on by prayers which then are most feruent when they proceede of a sober subduing of the flesh But now a dayes there is small regard of prayers and the studie of sobrietie is chaunged into surfetting and ebrietie which thinges vse to make men vnapt eyther to serue God or man This drunkennesse reigneth in many places euen among the Ministers of the worde so that a man maye marke in them such maners as Esaye attributeth to false teachers Chap. lvj The Princes and those that are in office are commonlye at their banquets betimes in the morning and are giuen to surfetting altogither vnmindefull of that saying of Salomon Wo be vnto thee ô thou land whose king is but a childe and whose Princes are early at their banquettes In the Commons a man may see the dayes of Noah and Loth as Christ in times passed taught Why marueyle we therfore that there is so little knowledge of the truth since those desires reigne among vs that vse to styfle Truth and vtterly to suppresse hir Secondlye Cornelius giueth Peter thankes that he woulde witsafe to come vnto him For so meaneth that kinde of speach which he vseth Thou hast done well that thou art come For where he acknowledgeth that he hath done well herein he plainly confesseth that he is beholding to him therfore By which example we are taught that we must be thankefull to the Ministers of the worde For they bring vnto vs peace and saluation according to that saying
more strong and effectuall comfort for the godly than to vnderstand there shall be a day of iudgement wherein Christ shall declare their innocencie gyue vnto them the reward of lyfe which he promised them Therefore Christ reasoning of the signes which shall go before the later day sayth when these things begin to come to passe lift vp your heades for your redemption draweth nye And Paule teacheth vs to looke for a sauiour from heauen which shall chaunge our vyle bodye that he maye make it lyke vnto his glorious bodye He teacheth also that the faythfull shoulde comfort one another with the meditation of Christes last comming This is a great glory of our fayth that maketh that daye merry and ioyfull vnto vs whereof the wicked children of this worlde cannot thinke without great feare and sorrowe of heart Nowe let vs passe to the seconde part of this place wherein we are taught howe we be made partakers of the saluation which is in christ This thing Peter setteth forth with great grauitie of wordes saying To him giue all the Prophetes witnesse that through his name whosoeuer beleueth in him shall receyue remission of sinnes Here must euery thing be distinguished that this doctrine being so necessary may seeme the more euident For first shewing the vtilitie of the thinges which he hath hitherto declared he teacheth vs that we haue forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the name of christ And whyle he maketh mention thereof he plainely testifieth that we be sinners in that we haue neede thereof And whyle he teacheth that the same is giuen in Christ he sheweth that it is free as proceeding of the meere grace of God without our desert so that here we may heare that saying of Paule All men haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God but are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesu. And herevnto is to be referred that that was saide before of the clensing of our sinnes made on the aultar of the Crosse. For there the sonne of God was made sinne for vs that we by his meanes should be that righteousnesse which is allowed before God. By this saying are all maner sectes of other religion taken cleane awaye For where Peter sheweth vs that we haue forgiuenesse of our sinnes in the name of Christ onely he teacheth vs that they lose all their labour that seeke it any otherwhere and so with a newe argument he confirmeth that graue sentence that he vttered before the Senate at Ierusalem that there was none other name vnder heauen giuen vnto man in which he could be saued The same Christ himselfe affirmeth where he sayth I am the way the truth and the lyfe No man commeth vnto the father but by me Secondarily Peter declareth to vs by this sentence the meane whereby we take holde of the remission of sinnes offred vs by christ For he sayth euerye one that beleeueth in him obtayneth the same Then by fayth we obtayne forgiuenesse of our sinnes The reason of which doctrine is that faith onely grafteth vs into Christ as he sayth himselfe He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude that is to say whosoeuer beleeueth in me dwelleth in me and I in him And forasmuch as forgiuenesse of sinnes dependeth vpon Gods free promise it can none other waye be taken holde of than by fayth For fayth taketh holde of Christ as he is set forth in the Gospell and cleaueth altogither vnto the promise of god For the which cause Christ euerywhere attributeth saluation vnto faith and euerywhere repeateth that generall sentence He that beleeueth in me hath lyfe euerlasting Agayne He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued And he sayth to the woman Great is thy fayth be it vnto thee as thou wilt And agayne Thy fayth hath made thee whole And from hence tooke the Apostles their opinion where they teach that men are iustified by fayth onely in Christ that is to saye deliuered and purged from their sinnes By the which opinion iustification of workes is plainely excluded For where iustification as euen nowe was declared is to be had in Christ onely which we can take holde of none other waye than by fayth it must needes followe that by fayth onely we are iustified And yet we condemne not the exercise of good workes but take from them the insolent tytle of merite and iustification the glory whereof is due onely to Christ that Christ maye haue his glory wholye to himselfe For otherwise we be not ignorant that all kinde of innocencie and righteousnesse is required of them whome Iesus Christ hath restored to the libertie of the children of God through the merite of his bloude But whereas Peter a little before had confirmed his doctrine by the testimonie of the Apostles bicause no man shoulde thinke there was anye collusion or craft among them he defendeth this cause yet by grauer authoritie telling vs that all the Prophetes testifye the same of christ And there is no doubt but he stoode some pretie whyle in reciting their testimonies albeit that Luke who thought it ynough to touch but the chiefe poynts of his Sermon only for breuities sake hath passed them ouer But it is a very easy matter to prooue that which Peter here sayth out of the writings of the Prophets For to begin with Moses yet not to rehearse the first promises he writeth that Abraham beleeued God and that fayth was imputed to him for righteousnesse And it is playne that Abraham had none other faith than the wayting for that seede in which all Nations shoulde be blessed And Iesus Christ sayth that he desired to see his day and that he reioyced therein Moses also setteth out vnto vs figures of the law all which no man will denie but to haue beene shadowes of Christ especially if he haue diligentlye reade but that one Epistle to the Hebrues And Paule plainely prooueth the iustification of fayth out of the .xxxij. Psalme Of Esaye what neede we to speake whereas we haue heard his testimony before where vnto he addeth this also by the knowledge of him which is my righteous seruaunt he shall iustifie the multitude for he shall beare awaye their sinnes And Ieremâ—e speaking of our Sauiour Christ sayth This shall bee hys name whereby they shall call him the Lorde our righteousnesse I omitte diuers other testimonies which might be alleaged bicause I woulde not be to long and for that it is good to leaue occasion to the studious to seeke them In the meane season let vs marke howe Peter groundeth vpon none other testimonies than the Prophetes and Apostles Whereby we learne what consent and what maner authoritie of men shoulde preuayle in matters of fayth and religion euen theirs doubtlesse whome it appeareth did speake by the holy ghost Those are they by whose ministerye God woulde haue the bookes of the olde and newe Testamentes
no aunswere to or at least he might snappishly haue put them back and rebuked them But he knewe that the same lawe aswell belonged to himselfe as to other where he commaunded all Christian men to be ready to giue a reason or aunswere of their doing to euery man. And as in this place he paciently suffereth the vniust censure and checke of men in a iust quarrell so when he was accused of Paule before all men for his dissimulation and inconstancie we reade he aunswered nothing disdainefully And this we reade was alwaye the custome in the primitiue Church that Bishoppes coulde suffer and beare to bee iudged and corrected by other Byshoppes Thus it appeareth Victor the Bishop of Rome was reprehended and admonished of his dutie by Iraeneus and certaine other Bishops of lesse famous Churches for his ouer hastie sentence of excommunication giuen against the Bishoppes of Asia These things reprooue the pride of the bishops of Rome that folowed who are not only not ashamed to make themselues Iudges ouer all the world but also refuse the iudgement of all men My hart quaketh as often as I remember that blasphemous Canone which will not haue the Pope condemned no not though he forget his owne and other mennes saluation and leade with him headlong into hell whole heapes of mennes soules Howbeit he coulde no maner of way more euidently haue prooued himselfe to be Antichrist than in that he refuseth the iudgement of the Church and Bishops challenging to themselues the supremacie ouer them all But to let this passe let vs hearken to Peter intreating his cause and matter Peter in his Apologie vseth a diligent narration or discourse as euen nowe we declared the which he so ordereth that he reporteth not onelye what was done but sheweth also that it was well done and lawfully And this narration consisteth of fiue partes or members of all which we will speake as much as appertaineth to this present matter letting passe that that hath bene sayde in the Chapter before going In the first part is contayned the vision of a great vessell or sheete let downe to him from heauen by which God taught him that no man from thenceforth should be iudged vnworthy of the Gospell and fellowship of the people of God for neglecting the ceremonies of the lawe forasmuch as the stoppe of the lawe was broken downe by Iesus Christ who had made one people of both Peter thought it good to beginne his narration with this that it might appeare to all men that he did nothing of his owne head but according as God appointed In the second part he alleageth the sure commaundement of God â–ª least he might be thought to haue bene beguyled by some dreame or ydle phantasie For euen at the same time he sayeth by the prouidence of God they stoode at his Hostesse doore that were sent from Cornelius and he addeth The spirite sayde that I shoulde go with them nothing doubting And this is the strength of his whole defence which he setteth against his aduersaries accusation For they sayde Thou wentest in to menne that are vncircumised and hast eaten with them Therefore Peter aunswereth them The spirite of the Lord bade me so to do And being with this simplicitie of words content he letteth passe all Rhetoricall colors wherwith he might haue confirmed garnished this argument Which example teacheth vs that they are not to be accused or if they be accused they may easily be defended before Christian men which cast of the traditions and customes of men at Gods appoyâ—tment For the authority of this saying of the Apostles shall remaine in force for euer we must obey God more than men Let vs also in these dayes with this argument defende our selues against the Papistes which with lyke frowardnesse accuse vs for hauing broken the traditions of men and take occasion of offence on euery side without any giuen on our behalf It offendeth them that we deny Christ is offred in the sacrament of the aultar for the sinnes of the quicke and the deade But we laye against them the word of Christ who yeelding vp his life vpon the crosse declared that all maner of expiation for sinne and our redemption was nowe accomplished Furthermore we heare Paule say that Christ being once offered can be offred no more They are offended bicause they see we haue put the ymage of Christ and the Saintes out of our Churches But we laye for our selues agaynst them the authoritie of God forbidding ymages to be made and commaunding those that are made to be made out of the way and destroyed They are offended bicause we haue taken awaye the differences of meates But the Apostle defendeth vs which sayth it is a doctrine of the Deuill to bring it vp The lyke reason there is of all other thinges in controuersie betweene vs These we haue alleaged onelye for example sake And if our aduersaries will not yeelde vnto the word of God but will holde on and set the customes and traditions of men against the authoritie of the same then shall it easily appeare that they are not the seruauntes of God but of men The thirde part of the narration contayneth the vision of the Aungell which we heard was sent from God vnto Cornelius Hereof Peter thought to make mention to declare that Cornelius did nothing vnaduisedly but was mooued by God to sende for him to teach him Here is diligently to be obserued howe the Aungell speaketh of the ministerie or preaching of the Gospell Peter sayth he shall speake wordes whereby thou and all thy house shall be saued Then he testifyeth that saluation commeth by preaching of the Gospell This the holye Psalmist sawe when he sayde God sent hys worde and they were healed And Paule sayth that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all beleeuers It is not thus sayd bicause the sounde of wordes bringeth saluation as the supersticious thinke of their exorcismes but bicause through the preaching of the Gospell Christ is offered to vs and they that preach the Gospell be messengers in the roume of Christ that by their ministerie men might be reconcyled to God the father through christ Therefore no common weales nor familyes can haue any sounde health or saluation without they receiue the gospell of Iesus Christ. Therfore their ingratitude that saye the worde of saluation is the cause of all euils as well priuate as publike is most execrable as we read was somtime obiected to Ieremie These men are ledde with the spirite of Caiphas who also sayde that Christ woulde be the author and cause of their destruction vnlesse he were made awaye by the wicked conspiracie of the priests Fourthly he declareth the marueylous sending of the holy ghost The expositor whereof he alleageth Iesus Christ to be I remember sayeth he the worde of the Lorde howe he sayde Iohn baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy
congregation thereof Afterwarde seperate mee sayeth he Paule and Barnabas Then they were in the ministerye or seruice of God when they preached vnto the Gentyles Besides he sayeth for the worke wherevnto I haue called them These thinges make for the assuring of our saluation against the insolent bragging of the Iewes which saye they are onely the people of God and hereout may be taken arguments whereby Christ may be prooued to appertaine vnto vs also if any mennes consciences incline vnto desperation Here ought we to consider the order of ministery whereof this place teacheth vs to iudge The author hereof is the holy ghost as hereafter also shall appeare in the .xx. Chapter For as by the spirite the dignitie of Ministers appeareth so it is plainely manifest that they are not to be taken for lawfull Ministers vnlesse they be called by the spirite For howe shall they preach except they be sent Which is the cause that aswell the Prophets as the Apostles so often and so constantly inculcate and defende their vocation Yet let no man alwayes looke for a voyce to come from heauen to call men vnto the Ministerie For we must iudge them called of God that are furnished with necessary giftes of the holy ghost and chosen by the lawfull voyce of the congregation For that the Church hath herein hir voyce and election appeareth plainly by this place For although the holy ghost doth expressely confesse that he called these two and Paule testifyeth that he was appointed from his mothers wombe for the ministery yet the holy ghost requireth the allowance of the Church And I thinke that it is requisite chiefly for this cause that hereby the Ministery might haue the more credit and authoritie bicause the holy ghost knewe it to be a thing subiect to the reproch of a great many In the meane season we are taught that order is necessarie in the Church as well in all other things as chiefly in the choosing of Ministers least any man as the Apostle sayeth shoulde take vnto himselfe honour For howe much such things displease God we learne by the example of Corah and by the hystories of manye ages whereby it may be prooued that there hath risen in the church scarce of any thing greater troubles than of the disordinate and vnlawfull choosing of Ministers Furthermore as the electing of Ministers in some part belongeth vnto the Church so it behooueth the Church to vse all holynesse in a matter of so great weight and importance Wherevppon they are sayde here agayne to haue fasted and prayed Howbeit they coulde not erre in the persons forasmuch as the holy ghost had named them that were appointed for this present businesse yet they pray that they may be increased with the holye spirite forasmuch as they hearde they were called to an office of such labour and perill Woulde God those men woulde weigh these things that vse to choose Ministers among their cuppes and in a matter of most weyght vse their affections which are the woorst Counsaylers that can be whose wickednesse we may thanke for the most part of the euils that are seene at these dayes in the Church Also these Antiochians adde vnto their prayers the solemne ceremonie of laying on of handes which we declared heretofore was an outwarde signe of consecration where we spake of the institution of Deacons Nowe remayneth the last part of this diuision that is howe Paule and Barnabas began to discharge the office committed to them by God and the congregation This part Luke so ioyneth vnto the premisses that it appeareth they forthwith tooke their iourney from thence This is a notable example of godly industrie and zeale For what excuses they might haue layde for themselues all men may easily vnderstande that haue but lightly run ouer the stories of that time The Romaines at that time were Lords almost of the whole worlde who they knewe would not admit the abrogation of their olde ceremonies and superstition They knewe also that they shoulde haue to doe with the Gentyle Philosophers men very subtile and greatly exercised in extemporall and ready vtterance of speach Moreouer they knewe the condicion of the Comons howe they vse so stowtelye to maintaine their olde Mumpsimus in so much that they will rather lose their lyfe than it Howbeit all these things cannot stoppe them from preparing themselfe herevnto being ready to take in good worth whatsoeuer trauels and daungers shoulde ensue These mens diligence ought all such to imitate as are appoynted of God to any publike office forthwith to obey the calling of God constantly to go on in the same For the Lorde cannot away with lingerers and triflers as who of most right challengeth all thinges to himselfe For this cause it is sayde he was angry with Moses in time past bicause he refused the office he called him vnto And Christ sayth to the Disciple that woulde fyrst go and burie his father followe mee and let the deade burie their deade Howbeit Luke maketh mention here of three thinges of eche whereof somewhat is to be sayde First he sheweth whither they went To Seleucia which was not farre distaunt from Antiochia and from thence to Salamine a Citie of Cyprus The olde Cosmographers for the most part attribute vnto Cyprus among all the Islandes of the Mediterranean sea the chiefe prayse for fertilitie and riches For this cause all the Cypriotes were so giuen to ryote and lecherie as ere while we declared that the whole Islande was dedicated to Venus who as it is reported was borne there Now this one thing declareth what great corruption of lyfe and maners reygned in that Nation which had dedicate it selfe and the whole lande vnto Venus Wherefore we must thinke it was not without a great cause that they first went thither being sent by the holy ghost to preach the Gospell vnto the Gentyles For this is a singuler example of Gods fauour which vseth not to forsake sinners but to seeke their saluation that as Paule sayth where sinne abounded â–ª there might grace also abounde Whervnto chiefly belongeth that saying of Christ where he testifyeth that he came into the worlde to saue sinners And there be notable examples of sinners whome Christ very bountifully and graciously embraced amongst which this present example is neyther least nor last These things as they serue for our consolation so they teach vs that we may not rashly cast of sinners but rather comfort and traine them if by any meanes they may be amended and saued Furthermore here is noted the argument of their doctrine and preaching where it is sayde they preached the word of god And it is certaine that in the worde of God all saluation is contained Wherefore it was not needefull to rehearse all the articles of their doctrine which may easilye be gathered of other as well Sermons as Epistles of the Apostles Let vs rather obserue this that no mannes authoritie ought
apt to deceyue specially when the matter hath a pretence of religion and colour of any custome receyued Then by them is there an entry made vnto the husbandes with whome by flattery and enticements they are able to doe very much but specially if they be commended for their honestye and godlynesse Heua the fyrst mother of vs all maye serue for example whom Satan in the beginning thought a meete instrument to abuse whereby to deceiue mankinde And bicause his fyrst enterprise succeeded so well he thought afterwarde to vse the same instrument still Therefore through women he deceyued Salomon which was the fyrst sower of Idolatrie among the Israelytes which Idolatrie afterwarde coulde not be rooted out with all that the kings and Prophetes coulde doe And by the authoritie of Iesabel he brought in the worshipping of Baal I let passe infynite other examples which might be alleaged Paule had so well marked this thing that he wrote howe this was commonly the propertie of deceyuers to beguyle women specially such whose consciences they see are clogged with sinne And this is so common a thing in our daies that he is blinder than a Mole or Want that seeth it not Yet let no man thinke I speake this in reproch of womankinde But let it serue rather to teach women to beware that they suffer not themselues to be beguyled vnder so false a visor and pretence of religion And where women alone perhappes might be made light account of they mooue the Magistrates also and the chiefe of the Citie against them in exasperating of whome they doubtlesse vsed the helpe of the women They make the Magistrates offended with them as with disturbers and breakers of publike peace which hath in all ages bene the onely argument wherewith the wicked haue most impugned the doctrine of truth as the hystories of the Propetes teache vs all which it is plaine were for the most part accused with Christ of sedition And at this daye there is nothing more ryfe and common But let vs marke howe there is nothing in all Antioch of any power eyther by reason of holynesse or publike authoritie but it is bent and armed against the Apostles hauing none but the Commons onlye to take their part They that measure religion according to the authoritie of men are hereby reprooued For if this opinion may preuayle the Apostles cause must be in daunger of quailing Therefore Christ teacheth vs a farre other maner of lesson who testifyeth that the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen are hidden from the wise and reuealed vnto little ones Referre also to this place the things spoken 1. Cor. 1. about the ende to this purpose Nowe the effect of the persecution was that the Apostles were exyled the borders of Pisidia by publike authoritie Yet was not the gospell vtterly banished and put to flight forasmuch as there is mention made hereafter of Disciples which were endued with all kinde of giftes of the holye ghost It was a common thing in all ages that alwayes the true worshippers of God were put in exylement as publike plagues Where in the meane season the wicked might without checke walke vp and downe in the middle of the streetes for whose sake the wrath of God vseth to be kindled And after banishment commonly followeth losse of goodes and miserable pouertie God suffreth these things to light vpon his elect for many causes For this waye he declareth his power which then most appeareth when he preserueth his Church in the middle of the waues of persecution Then also he trieth the faith of those that be his as gold is tried in the fyre mortifieth the vnworthy reliques of the flesh that we be not therby deceyued â—warâ—e aside Moreouer he maketh vs like vnto his sonne y they which suffer with him may also reigne with him Furthermore he vseth this waye to make those that be his weary of the worlde which worlde otherwise our fleshe vseth to esteeme and make to much of Therefore these things ought to offende no man but let vs rather often thinke on the promises of Christ such as are these There is none that hath forsaken house or brethren or sistren or father or mother or wife or children or landes for my sake but hee shall receyue an hundreth folde nowe in this life with persecutions and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting Againe ye are they which haue bidden with mee in my temptations and I appoynt vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appoynted to me that you may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome c. And againe where I am there shall my minister also bee They which diligently consider these things can haue nothing come vnto them so grieuous or intollerable but they knowe the ende thereof shall be ioyfull In the meane season let vs earnestly shew our dutie of charitie vnto those that are banished for Christes sake and which come vnto vs being driuen out of their owne Countrie and let vs not suffer them by our meanes wrongfullye to be suspected seeing they suffer for the same cause that Christes Apostles did Let vs remember that saying of Christ I was harbourlesse and you tooke me in c. Nowe let vs see the ende of this Tragedie which Luke writeth was very horrible and miserable to the obstinate Iewes but very ioyfull to the godly those that beleeued For the Apostles seeing y malice of the Iewes to be inuincible shooke of the dust of their feete against them and departed vnto Iconium a Citie of Lycaonia which thing they did according to Christes commaundement who sayde on this wise to his Disciples whosoeuer will not receyue you when you go out of the Citie shake of the verye dust from your feete for a testimonie against them And againe in the same Euangelist he sayth cap. 10. Into whatsoeuer Citie you enter and they receyue you not go your wayes out into the streetes of the same and saye euen the very dust of your Citie which cleaueth on vs wee wype of against you Notwithstanding be ye sure of this that the kingdome of God was come nigh vpon you Therefore this shaking off of dust was a solemne and publike signe of execration whereby was signifyed that all the wicked contemners of the Gospell shoulde be scattered abrode like dust and that such horrible curse of God hong ouer them that they which woulde be saued shoulde not so much as be partakers of the dust belonging vnto them And these thinges God woulde haue done for a testimonie or witnesse against them to take awaye from them all maner of excuse For the wicked commonly pretende ignorance when they are vrged with Gods iudgementes And to the ende they shoulde not so doe but be choked with the testimonie of their owne conscience the Apostles might not depart thence without publike protestation and denunciation of punishment which shoulde come vpon them as if
than wyth the bloude of Christ and they which were iustifyed by the fayth in Christ and enfrauncised with the libertie of the children of God were not subiect to the commaundement and intollerable yoke of the lawe as Peter hereafter will declare Besyde this the true vse of the lawe was peruerted which was to bring men as a tutor and gouernour vnto christ And these fellowes sent those that were graffed in Christ vnto the principles and beginnings of the lawe Moreouer it coulde not be chosen but the light of the Gospell shoulde haue bene obscured and darkened with the shadowes of the lawe Therefore Paule might not in any case haue borne with these deceyuers vnlesse he woulde haue bene counted an vntrustye Minister of christ By the which example we are taught that we must for concorde and vnities sake admit nothing that may any waye obscure the glory of Christ and simple confession of the fayth For that is a verye hurtfull concorde that is redeemed with the prophanation of the name of Christ and denying of the fayth For this saying of Christ standeth fyrme and strong he that loueth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me Againe whosoeuer shall bee ashamed of mee before this adulterous and naughty worlde him will I be ashamed of when I come in the glorye of my father Furthermore let vs hereof be perswaded that Christian menne can haue no peace without christ For if they will be true Christians in the world they shall haue afflictions and in Christ onely peace Howbeit they of Antioch that beleeued when they perceyued this contention euery day more and more to kindle they decree at length with one consent that Paule and Barnabas with certaine other Disciples shoulde go to Ierusalem to propounde this question vnto the Apostles and Elders there to be discussed And Paule easily yeeldeth vnto this decree not meaning to put the cause of truth to the iudgement of manne but for that he well knewe these deceyuers abused the name of the Apostles Therefore for the more commoditie of the vnlearned and simple people whose eyes they had dazeled with the brightnesse of Apostolike authoritie he easily admitted this counsaile as the most commodious and readyest waye that coulde be deuised And this hath bene the chiefe cause of all the Sinodes and Counsayles that heretofore haue bene gathered by godlye Kinges and Bishops For it was neuer the minde of those holy men that the cause of fayth and saluation shoulde be in subiection to mannes iudgement But where Heretikes vsed impudently to vaunt them of the consent of Apostolike doctrine and vniuersall Church vnto the vnlearned people the Catholikes thought good most commodiously to bridle them by Synodes and the publike testimonie of the Church to th ende that they shoulde not afterwarde be beleeued We haue diligently to consider the modestie that Paule here vseth For it is manifest he was endâ—ed with such constancie that he woulde not haue yeelded vnto the Apostles if they woulde haue pronounced any thing against the truth For he durst boldly reprehende Peter at Antioch and he teacheth vs that we ought not to beleeue an Aungell if he woulde preach any other Gospell Yet he despiseth not a meane and deuise of peace vttred by the godly brethren whereas he sawe the glorye of God coulde thereby no way be obscured and that the quiete of the weaker sorte might thereby be procured This modestie must be ioyned with constancie least whyle we will seeme constant we be founde obstinate and wayward For the spirit of Christ is tractable and maketh men which vse him as their counsayler desirous of his glory In the meane season their leuitie is not to be allowed which while they will seeme tractable and easie to be intreated be obedient to such counsayles they see doe quite deface and ouerthrow the veritie of faith and glorye of christ Furthermore this place teacheth vs which is the best waye to calme controuersies and contentions that rise about fayth and religion Some there be that thinke these matters might be taken vp and ended by mannes wisedome and pollicie if eche part woulde somewhat yeelde one to another as though men might daily in religion and Gods causes as in other worldly affaires Why rather doe we not resort vnto the Apostles to heare what they haue taught and appoynted whose doctrine is manifestly confyrmed with the testimonie of Christ himselfe For vnto them it is sayd He that heareth you heareth me c. And we know that Christ prayed for them which should beleeue in him according to their preaching Moreouer they were openly endued with the holy spirit which shewed manifest arguments of his presence and operation in them Wherefore we must earnestlye take heede that we swarue not one nayles breadth from their doctrine The Apostle Iohn teacheth vs the same where in his fyrst Epistle and seconde Chapter he sayeth Lette that remayne in you which you hearde from the beginning If that which you hearde from the beginning shall remaine in you you also shall continue in the father and in the sonne Paule also where he aduertiseth vs of such as presume to peruert the truth sayth But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned which also were committed vnto thee knowing of whome thou hast learned them and forasmuch as thou hast of a child knowne the holy scriptures which are able to make thee learned vnto saluation through the fayth which is in Christ Iesu. Therefore they are fowlye deceyued which by this example will obtrude vnto vs Counsayles as though religion ought by them to be ruled where it is euident these many yeres they haue bene such as haue had no signe or token of any Apostolike spirite in them And if they woulde heare the Prophetes and Apostles we would according to the example of Paule and Barnabas willingly go vp with them vnto the Apostles to heare what the spirite of God speaketh in them But if they will harken vnto men farewell they seeing we haue none other maister to harken vnto but Iesus Christ. But Luke also descrybeth Paules going to Ierusalem bicause there be diuers things therein worthy to be considered Amongst which the fyrst is howe Paule and Barnabas are brought on their waye by the congregation which appointed them worthy and faythfull companions to iourney wyth them Whereby it appeareth the congregation tooke their part and had no suspition in their doctrine and beliefe Let all congregations follow thys ensample that they leaue not the faythfull ministers of Christ destitute of helpe For what else doe they but susteyne open warre in the Churches quarrell and behoofe And surely their ingratitude is execrable which prouyde to stande out of Gunneshot when troubles arise about religion and will stande ydely gasing on as though the matter pertayned nothing vnto them but onely vnto the Ministers Then also to the ende their iourney should not be
plaine wordes if we saye we be saued by fayth through the grace of God in Iesus Christ which is the summe of all the doctrine aswell of the Prophetes as the Apostles Nowe after Peter had ended his saying all the multitude were appeased and with silence testifyed their consent By this maye be gathered as by a most euident argument that they were gathered togither in the holye ghost For as he is the spirite of truth so whosoeuer he breatheth on cannot choose but yeelde vnto the truth And we must neuer beleeue that those Counsayles are gouerned by his guiding where mennes eares are stopped vp from hearing the truth and vse all libertie of speach against the same such as we see the Bishoppes of Rome nowe many hundreth yeares haue summoned and kept For as in them they haue ratifyed opinions cleane false and vngodly so no man coulde without manifest daunger of his life speake against their decrees Howbeit Paule and Barnabas take occasion of Peters wordes to declare what myracles and woonders God wrought amongst the Gentyles for the confyrmation of their ministerye that hereby it might the more euidently appeare how God made no difference betwene the Iewes and the Gentyles seeing he would haue such myracles wrought amongst the Gentyles as vsed to be shewed among the Iewes Thus we see the ende ofall myracles is to confyrme the Apostles doctrine whereof we haue oftentimes spoken heretofore It shall be our duties with attent minde and fyrme fayth to embrace that way of saluation that Peter hath declared For so shall it come to passe that we also being purifyed and made cleane through grace shall attaine to the inheritance of heauen with Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Ciij Homelie AND when they helde their peace Iames aunswered saying Men and brethren harcken vnto me Simeon tolde howe God at the beginning did visite the Gentyles to receyue of them a people in his name And to this agree the wordes of the Prophete as it is written After this I will returne and will builde agayne the Tabernacle of Dauid which is fallen downe and that which is fallen in decaye of it will I builde againe and I will set it vp that the residue of men may seeke after the Lorde and also the Gentyles vppon whome my name is named sayeth the Lorde which doth all these thinges Knowne vnto God are all his workes from the beginninge of the worlde Wherefore my sentence is that we trouble not them which from among the Gentyles are turned vnto God but that we wryte vnto them that they abstaine themselues from fylthinesse of Images and from fornication and from strangled and from bloude For Moses of olde time hath in euery Citie them that preach him in the Synagoges when he is read euery Sabboth daye THe Euangelist Luke hath very diligently described the controuersie that came to passe in the primitiue Church about the matter of iustifycation In this description we haue seene what Peters iudgement was who hath taught vs that faith onely was sufficient to iustify the Gentiles and that they were not to be burthened with the yoke of the law And bicause many menne were mooued with the example of the fathers supposing they were iustified by the law he answereth this obiection shewing that they coulde be iustifyed none other waye than by the grace of God the author and mediator whereof is our Sauiour Iesus Christ. But bicause we haue intreated hereof in the Sermon that is gone before let vs now see what Iames the Apostle the sonne of Alpheus of whom Paule speaketh .2 Galat. sayth whose wordes consist of two members or partes For fyrst he subscribeth vnto Peter and then he declareth his counsell howe a peace and true concord might be made and conserued betweene the Iewes and Gentyles But before we come vnto Iames wordes we must marke howe he beganne not to speake afore he sawe other holde their peace For hereof a man may gather the order of the Apostles Counsayle howe they did all things with modestie and howe there was none of them that would prescribe another An example of the like we sawe also before For while diuers did egerly contende Peter helde his peace But when he saw time serued he arose vp both with modestie and grauitie and beganne to speake his iudgement and was hearde of others with like pacience as he not long before had hearde others After he had done Paule and Barnabas were hearde without interruption of any bodye who confyrmed Peters sentence by an argument taken of myracles And when these also had spoken their minde Iames steppeth forth and almost is the last manne that speaketh although he was accounted among the pillers of the Church This modestie was an euident signe of the holy ghost which gouerned their mindes that by ouer great heate of contention there shoulde rise no vncomelye tumulte or trouble and that men shoulde not stoppe their eares against the truth This order ought to be obserued in all publike actes and affayres so that no man shoulde be so ready to speake as to heare what other shall say For as that kynde of men is foolishe who for that they onely woulde seeme wyse thinke it meete for them onely to speake and suppose they haue great iniurie done vnto them if any man dissent neuer so little from them so are they also vnprofytable and pernicious But let we these things passe and hearken vnto Iames which in the beginning of his Oration yeeldeth vnto the iudgement of Peter saying Simeon tolde howe God at the beginning did visite the Gentyles to receyue of them a people in his name Iames acknowledgeth here Gods counsayle and purpose which by the calling of Cornelius did abundantly declare that the Gentyles had neede of none other preparation to be iustifyed and saued than of faith in Christ and therefore he plainly subscribeth vnto Peters opinion And least the Apostles only might seeme to be of this opinion he proueth the same by the vniforme consent of the Prophetes although he bring but one testimony out of them Neither was it needefull to bring any more forasmuch as all the Prophetes were inspyred with one and the selfe same spirite and agreed in the declaration of mannes saluation It is worthy to be diligently marked howe the Apostles of their meere authoritie obtrude and charge the Church with nothing but by scripture prooue all the things that they teach For they acknowledged themselues to be the seruantes of Christ and his Church and therfore they thought they ought to establishe nothing that was repugnant to the will of Christ and the holy Scripture Which modestie if they had obserued which woulde be taken and called their successors we should at this day haue lesse superstition in the Church and more godlynesse and syncere religion Concerning the oracle of the Prophet it is in the .ix. chapiter of Amoz He had before
euerywhere extant in hystories and Poetes wrytings the examples of fylthie lust the Poets seeking great commendation of wytte by descrybing such venerious actes and persons Therefore it was needefull to admonishe the Gentyles diligently of both these things Hereof ought to be gathered a generall and perpetuall precept howe it is the duetie of christian people to keepe themselues in all things cleane and vnspotted vnto god Neyther must they be partakers of straunge sacrifyces for as much as God requyreth the whole heart and minde of man. And that saying of Paule is well knowne you can not be partakers of the Lordes tables and of the table of deuilles Agayne as touching our conuersation of lyfe it behooueth vs also to consecrate the same vnto god For it is euident that our bodyes through the bloude of Christ are dedicated to be temples of the holye ghost Therefore God must be glorifyed in our bodyes Wherefore fylthie and abhominable is the error of them which say whoredome is lawfull and free for christian men whereas Paule would not once haue it named among christians and threateneth the horrible vengeaunce of God not onely vnto adulterers but also vnto whoremongers In the second sort are numbred strangled meates and bloude from which he would haue the Gentyles also absteyne For although thys precept be numbred among the ceremonies which are plainely abolished in Christ yet bicause there was an olde lawe concerning the same appointed by God vnto all the worlde after the floude and thys was a thing daylie vsed among men they of the weaker sorte among the Iewes coulde not but be greatly offended seing the Gentiles eate of all those things without any difference Therefore Iames thinketh it meete that the Gentyles in this behalfe should refraine their lybertie and for charities sake absteyne from those things which of themselues were lawfull and graunted by God yet by vsing them inconsiderately and vnwarily might be offence vnto others And that this was the Apostles meaning appeareth by the wordes of Paule I know and am fully certified by the Lorde Iesus that there is nothing common of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth it to be common to him it is common But if thy brother be grieued with thy meate now walkest thou not charitably destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ dyed Cause not your treasure or commoditie to be euill spoken of for the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioye in the holye ghost c. He sayth also that he would neuer eate fleshe rather than offende any man. Therefore this place maketh not for them which thinke they may lawfully prescribe fasting dayes and such lyke by the authoritie of the Apostles commaunding to absteyne from strangled and bloude For theyr reason is not all one bicause they vrge mans traditions onely which are of no authoritie in religion and laye snares for mennes consciences which the Apostles thought by all meanes to be auoyded But hereto also appertayneth the reason that Iames bringeth Moses sayth he hath of olde time in euery Citie those that preach him in the Synagoges where hee is read euery Sabboth daye By the which wordes he meaneth nothing else but that as yet Moses was of such authoritie among the Iewes that it was impossible sodainely to pull them from his ordinances Therefore for the times sake and for charitie this was to be graunted them vntill mens consciences in the meane season being at libertie the olde ceremonies might honorably be layde aside and buried In the meane whyle we haue to consider that this was an auncient vsage in all ages among the people of God that the lawe and sacred scriptures were vsed to be reade on the holy dayes It becommeth vs therefore to keepe the same vse and diligently to defende our libertie and hauing a consideration of charitie and puritie of life beware of gyuing of offences So shall it come to passe that both we our selues shall be saued and shall also bring others vnto Iesus Christ to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Ciiij Homelie THEN pleased it the Apostles and Elders with the whole congregations to sende chosen men of their owne companye to Antioche with Paule and Barnabas They sent Iudas whose surname was Barsabas and Sylas which were chiefe men among the brethren and gaue them letters in their handes after this maner The Apostles and Elders and brethren sende greeting vnto the brethren which are of the Gentyles at Antioche Syria and Cilicia for as much as we haue hearde that certaine which departed from vs haue troubled you with wordes and cumbred your mindes saying you must be circumcised and keepe the lawe to whome we gaue no such commaundement It seemed therefore vnto vs good when we were come togither with one accorde to sende chosen men vnto you with our beloued Barnabas and Paule men that haue ieoparded their liues for the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ we haue sent therefore Iudas and Silas which shall also tell you the same things by mouth for it seemed good to the holye ghost and to vs to charge you with no more than these necessarie thinges that is to saye that yee abstayne from thinges oâ—fered to ymages and from bloud and from strangled and from fornication from which if you keepe your selues you shall doe well So fare you well BIcause all power is gyuen vnto Iesus Christ from God his father he can therefore not onely defende and preserue his kingdome but also so moderate and gouerne all thinges that whatsoeuer Satan worketh against the same kingdome he maketh it serue for the setting forth of the same For after Satan could not by persecutions and open violence stop the course of the gospell he set vpon the Church by sowing dissention among them and raysed a grieuous contention about iustifycation which is the chiefe and principall article of christian religion to this ende and purpose that all the doctrine of the gospell might be enuyed and suspected But he preuayled so little that by this occasion the truth was the more knowne and the righteousnesse of fayth the more valiauntly defended agaynst the Phariseys as we haue hytherto seene in the sayings of Peter Paule and Barnabas and last of all by Iames saying Wherevnto chiefely belongeth that ioyfull and victorious ende of all the contention which Luke nowe describeth Fyrst rehearsing the consent and agreement of the whole Church and next a Copie of the Epistle sent from the Synode of all which we shall speake in order First he expresseth the vniforme consent of them all where he sayeth the Apostles and Elders and the whole Congregation decreed that Messengers should be sent with letters to Antioch where this great fyre was fyrst kindled in all their names This was very prudently decreed of them for that the present contention might hereby not onely be alayed but all occasion of strife in time to
at Corinth the which Paule complaineth to haue bene deuided into many and diuers factions through the subtiltie offalse teachers Both these thinges they founde true which were ledde about with the doctrine of the Monkes before the light of the Gospell appeared But the Apostles adde a notable sentence vnto the description of these deceyuers whereby they manifestly declare that they gaue the false Apostles no such thing in commaundement Therefore they accuse them of lying and therby likewise declare that there shall be lyers in all ages that shall preache the iustifycation of workes vnder the pretence and name of the Apostles Lette them therefore crye till they be horce againe that they are Legates sent from the Popes side let them pretende Fathers and Counsayles let them wrest scriptures let them glorie in the authoritie of Kings and Princes and we shall sette against all these the Counsayle and authoritie of the Apostles which openly testifyeth that the Apostles make nothing for them which dare ouerthrowe the righteousnesse of faith and attribute the glory of our saluation any way vnto workes Naye we will referre that saying of Paule vnto this place who doubted not to strike with Cursse an Aungell presuming to preach any other Gospell than this In the thirde member of their deuision they greatly commende Paule and Barnabas bicause they knewe that these deceyuers did greatly impugne their authoritie which also was the cause that Paule diuers times defended his Apostleship not without some suspect of ambition as his Epistles to the Galathians and Corinthians declare Therfore they call them their beloued by which name they accuse all those of lying which affirmed that Paule discented from the other Apostles They ioyne herevnto a praise which is the greatest that can be deuised where they say they ieoperded their liues for the name of Iesus Christ. The example of the Primitiue Church teacheth that their name and fame which deserue well in setting forth the saluation of men ought to be maintained defended And this is not to be iudged as any flatterie when it is done modestly and to that ende to keepe their authoritie vnblemished Thus it pleased Christ to adourne the sonnes of Zebede with worshipfull tytles as long as their vertuous doings so deserued And Paule sometime digresseth and taketh occasion to commende Titus Luke Timothie Epaphroditus and such like both to spurre them forward and also that their ministery might the more profytably proceede and go forwarde And this is to be obserued not onely in the Church but also in the common weale bicause liuely and couragious spirites are no waye more effectually cheared to take in hande vertuous and worthy exploytes than by prayse and honor And there are euerywhere examples that teach vs that no common weales haue long flourished where there haue not bene appoynted worthy rewardes of commendation and honor for well deseruers Furthermore in this place is expressed what the true prayse of a Minister is verily when necessitie so requireth to laye downe his life for the testimonie and name of Iesus christ For as he deserueth not to be called a good souldiour who is not redy to hazard his life if the coÌ„maundement of his Captaine publike weale so require so can he be no faythfull minister of Christ which is not ready to forsake all he hath yea his life to for the glory of Christ thus doth Christ euen of very equity and right require of vs seeing he fyrst did vouchsafe to laye downe his life for the saluation of all mankinde And yet these thinges are not so to be vnderstanded as though none shoulde be taken for a faythfull Minister of Christ but he that hath hazarded his lyfe For Christ woulde not haue vs rashe and to prodigall of our liues but rather he commaundeth vs to vse the prudence of serpents shunning and taking heede of daungers And many times there appeareth no daunger why we should feare our life yet in the meane time it is required that we should be prompt and ready in minde that we steppe not backe when with perill of our life we shoulde defende the glorye of christ This promptnesse of minde doth Paule shewe when being admonished howe he shoulde be layde in bondes he confessed that he was ready not onely to suffer bondes or imprisonment but also death for the name of christ See the Actes .xx. and .xxj. And that that is sayde of the Ministers of the worde is vnderstanded also of all that be Christians For it is an vniuersall rule which commaundeth vs to confesse Christ before the world and teacheth that he is not fytte for the kingdome of God which looketh backe agayne after he hath once sette his hande vnto the plough The fourth part expoundeth the decree of the Synode in the which Peter and Iames sayings are repeated and reconcyled in the which place we haue orderly to consider three things First they alleage the author of the decree namely the holy ghost It hath seemed good saye they vnto the holy ghost and to vs. They ioyne themselues with the holye ghost not meaning to match their authoritie with his or that they woulde be beleeued alone without the consent of the spirite but bicause Christ made them Ministers of his spirite by whom he thought good to vtter his Oracles In the which meaning also it is sayde He that heareth you heareth me and he that despyseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee Therefore bicause the Apostles pronounced nothing but that the holy ghost bade them they ioyne themselues after none insolent sort but after a modest and conuenient grauitie vnto the holye ghost â–ª least they might seeme to dissent from him And that the thing they write is the oracle of the holye ghost it appeareth by this that they decree nothing repugnant vnto the holy Scriptures And if the President of y Popishe Counsayles may say the same of their decrees we will confesse that they also are gathered togither in the holy ghost and that the thinges they enact are the decrees and Statutes of the spirite But as oft as they shall put forth opinions varying froÌ„ the Scriptures and repugnant vnto them so oft will we denie that they are ledde with the holy ghost bicause he cannot disagree with himselfe forasmuch as he is the spirite of truth Secondly they declare what it is that seemeth good vnto the holy ghost namely that we shoulde charge you with no more yoke and burthen Therefore whatsoeuer is beside the fayth in Iesus Christ is a yoke and a burthen For mennes consciences are burthened with the vnprofytable obseruation of traditioâ—s which can not further our saluation They repeate also what Iames had prescribed touching the eating of things offered to Idols touching whoredome strangled and bloude and they saye these are necessary to be obserued Here is to be noted what we sayd in the last Homelie touching the differences of these
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
grace and fauor By this place are declared vnto vs the frutes that vse alwayes to followe the studie of the gospell For it bothe bringeth life vnto vs bicause the gospell is the power of saluation vnto all that beleeue in it and it recreateth the minde with sounde ioy while it teacheth vs that the Father is reconciled vnto vs through the Sonne Which ioye as it is full and perfite so no man is able to take it from vs. Furthermore the Euangelist returneth to the description of Paules voiage rehersing in order both the Cities and places which either they sailed by or else made abode in for any time The situation and standing of which places if any man desire to knowe he may peruse the tables and bookes of the Geographers From Troas vnto Asson Paule went on fote sending his companions afore by Barche For he ment either to visite the congregation as he went or to auoide the anoyance of sailing by Sea. Where yet his humanitie is to be praised that he would ease his felowes of trauaile and not abuse their industrie and good will. At length passing by Ephesus they come vnto Miletum or Malta wher he called the ministers of Asia vnto a Synode It is wrytten that he made great haste bicause he purposed to be at Ierusalē at Pentecost not after the vsage of the Iewes but bicause of the concursse of people which he thought should heare him preach to their great auaile and profite This place is very notable containing Paules trauailes and ieoperdies By the which we learne howe difficult a matter it is duely and truely to serue God who can abide none worse than idle and sluggish worshippers Thus we read Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses the Prophets and after them Christ were troubled and embrued with continuall laboures and perilles Therefore let vs also prepare our selues to labours and daungers that we be not troubled when they sodainly fall on vs This place teacheth vs also of what authoritie the gospell ought to be with vs which we know was set forth with such paines and trauaile and with the effusion of so much bloud For to this ende laboured all the Apostles and the Prophetes before them and the very sonne of God who testifieth that he came also to preach and set forth the gospell Therfore their slouthfulnesse is execrable which so easely let such a treasure be taken from them Their religion likewise is preposterous which alwayes hauing in their mouthes the Saintes and honouring of the Saintes doe in the meane season lothe the doctrine of the gospell for whose sake tyll the Saintes suffered suche paines abode so many daungers and at length shed their bloud Let vs therfore haue a true opinion of this treasure O brethren by the which only saluation is offered vs the aucthor wherof is Iesus Christ to whom be praise honoure power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxiij Homelie And from Miletus he sent Messengers to Ephesus called the elders of the congregation which when they were come to him he saide vnto them ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue bene with you at all seasons seruing the Lorde with all humblenesse of minde and with many teares and temptations which came to passe vnto me by the laying await of the Iewes bicause I would kepe backe nothing that was profitable vnto you but to shew you and teach you openly thorow out euery house witnessing both to the Ievves and also to the Greekes that the repentance that is towarde God and that faith which is toward our Lord Iesus THe holy Ghost by the holy wryter Luke moste diligently reporteth the Actes of the Apostles of Iesus Christ partly for that all ministers might haue a presidēt to follow and partly that all men might vnderstande of what aucthoritie the gospell ought to be with vs which they haue set forth with such great paines and trauailes And heereunto is this presente Acte of Paule the Apostle to be referred Who although he made great haste to Ierusalem and ment to spend no time in Asia yet he intermitted none of the things which belonged to the vtilitie of the Churches of Asia For he calleth before him at Miletus the Elders or Ministers of Ephesus and the Cities adioyning and in a general Coūcel concludeth with them things of much waight and importance By which example as the faith and industrie of Paule appeareth so we are taught that the conuocation of ministers with the common consent of all parties is very necessary for the determination of Ecclesiasticall matters This maketh for the maintenance of discipline in the Church to kepe vnder the ambition of prelates to conserue an vnitie in true doctrine and to beat downe heresies which many times vse to creepe in if ministers doe not faithfully sette to their helpes Heere therfore the error of those that would mingle the workes of the lawe with the faith in Christ was abolished by a general conuocation and the truthe defended by aucthoritie of the same Heereunto that moste godly and prudent Prince Constantine the great had a respecte when he vsed to cal the Synodes of Bishops togither against the which Licunus the publike ennimie of Christian religion did greatly resiste who by publike Proclamation as Eusebius wryteth forbade the pastoures of the churches to meete or assemble togither For the craftie subtile Foxe perceiued that by consent and vnitie of the Ministers the Churche and the confession of a true faith were cheefely established and that this consent was cheefely maintained by aucthoritie of Counsels And Antichrist as craftily hath pulled vnto him selfe all aucthoritie of Counsels to the end that he would not haue his tyrannie kepte vnder by Counsels lawfully assembled Also in the Ministers of Asia is declared a singuler example of modestie who although they were more in number yet refused not the appointment of Paule being but one who had preached Christ first in those quarters and whome by many arguments they had proued was a chosen instrument of christ For although the dignitie of all Ministers in the Church is alike and none ought to chalēge power or aucthoritie ouer other yet an order is necessary in the Churche which can neuer be kept and maintained except Ministers will obserue modestie and humilitie among themselues And Paule did not therefore call these Pastors of Asia before him bicause he chalenged any priuate aucthoritie or iurisdiction ouer them but bicause it was for the behoofe auaile of the whole church that they should haue warning of matters of importance wherein he thought not to be behinde for his parte bicause as he confesseth other wheres he knewe him selfe to be a debter bothe to the Iewes and to the Gentiles Furthermore let vs see Paules oration containing in it the causes of the calling of this Synode For it hath in it a vehement and pithie exhortation that for as muche as they
were with me For he was a maker of Tentes by the which occupation we heard afore that he got his liuing at Corinth Heere in this place marke the modestie of the Apostles which had rather lose their righte than to be chargeable to any body Touching which thing more is to be seene in the latter Epistle to the Thesâ—alonians the thirde Chapter and in the second to the Corinthians the eleuenth Chapter The like example of modestie we haue also in Samuel who in an open and great assembly of al the people did reioyce in the like thing as Paule doth heere These examples teache vs with what spirite those men are ledde which eyther in the Church or in the common weale are onely carefull for their own commoditie and not contented with necessaries seke their pleasures and delites of the labors and sweat of those that are needie Furthermore he rendreth diligently the reason of his doing least his example might preiudice or hinder the publike right of other Ministers For it is manifest inoughe that Paule thought not that thing vnlawfull that Christ had ordained namely that they should liue of the gospell that serue the gospell nay he proueth most plentuously in other places that it is moste lawfull of all other things both by aucthoritie of scripture and also by lawe of nature Moreouer he confesseth that he receiued money of the Macedonians to the intent to serue the Corinthians of free coste Therefore Paule had a farre other meaning that was to beare with the weake and to teache all others that they should not make luker of religion and so bring religion in suspition but rather by their free ministerie and duetifull demeanor they should commend both them selues and their doctrine to be praised of all men Therfore certaine euill occupied persons in these dayes do most foolishly make a generall doctrine of Paules example in that they would set the Ministers of the word to plow and to harrowe and to keepe Hogges wherein it is manifest the Apostles heerein vsed their right freely and did as seemed good to them where there was no occasion of offence But if they say that Paul refrained to take his stipend at Ephesus Corinth bicause it was vnlawfull for him to require the same then I would haue them answere me with what equitie Paule toke stipend of the Philippians and other contribution of money when he preached to the Corinthians and not to them But if it was lawful for him to vse their liberalitie howe muche iustlier should hee haue done to haue taken a pension of them whom he daily preached vnto It is euideÌ„t therfore that Paule willingly remitted to them his right bicause hee would ther offend the weake nor giue the wicked occasion to slaunder him And as this modestie of Paule is to be commended so the ingratitude bothe of the Ephesians and Corinthians is to be worthily reprehended which suffered the Apostle to liue of the laboure of his handes seeing hee bestowed himselfe and his laboure all togither vpon them But for the more credite and authoritie of his example and for a generall rule to be taken therof he alleageth the saying of Chryst It is more blesâ—ed to giue than to receiue Howbeit the wordes of this sentence are not extant in the writings of the Euangelistes yet there are many lyke whereof this may easily be gathered bycause Chryst euery where exhorteth vs vnto charitie and will haue those that be his more ready to bestowe vpon others than to receiue Moreouer it appeareth sufficiently that all Chrystes words and deedes were not put in writing but out of a great many those that suffised abundauntly for the instruction of our fayth and saluation Wee muste yet see further the reason of this saying and not sticke at the barke that therefore it should seeme vnto vs more blessed to giue than to receyue bicause by giuing our money and goodes we should declare our liberalitie of minde to be praysed for it and to make other men bound vnto vs For these fleshly reasons sauour of vayne glory and of the smell of the kitchin wherewith we reade the very Ethnikes were enflamed to be liberall But Chryst commendeth and requireth liberalitie of Chrystians for farre other causes For firste it is more blessed to giue than to receiue bycause the faythfull that doo it are disposers or Stewards of the goodes that God hath committed vnto them For it is manyfest that God hath giuen to some men more goodes than to other some not without a cause but hath made some richer than other some to make roume and place for charitie and riche men be appoynted as patrons and tutors for the poore to helpe them with their liberalitie And howe can it be but he muste be iudged blessed which is faythfull in the office committed to him of God Agayne as Salomon sayth They which giue vnto the poore lende vnto the Lorde For he counteth whatsoeuer is bestowed on them to be giuen to him and he is both a faythfull and liberall rewarder Wherfore it can not be but he will keepe his promise where he allureth men vnto liberalitie as by these places it appeareth Blessed is the man that disperseth abroade and giueth to the poore His righteousnesse remayneth for euer and euer his horne shall be exalted with honour Psalm 112. Deale thy bread to the hungry and bring the poore wandring home into thy house When thou seest the naked couer him and hyde not thy face from thine owne fleshe Then shall thy light breake foorth as the morning and thy health flourishe right shortly thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lorde shall embrace thee Then if thou callest the Lorde shall heare thee if thou cryest he shall say heere I am Finally bicause we are in nothing so like vnto God as in dooing well we no maner of wayes â—ore resemble the nature and similitude of God than by helping of many For as God only is blissed of him selfe so is there no more certayn way of bilsse than to be most like vnto God which thing christian liberalitie chiefly performeth Wherefore although there be no recompence of benefites in this world yet in deede it is a much more blessed thing to giue than to receiue These things if we consider as we oughte it shall appeare howe farre the Monks religion is distant from Chrystes doctrine who set all blisse and felicitie in receyuing whyle they renounce all such things as fall lawfully to them by inheritaunce or other lawfull meanes and professe wilfull pouertie liuing of the labour of other men where they ought rather to minister to other men foode and rayment And so vnder a plausible pretence of wilfull pouertie they lyue carelesse in delightes beeing subiect to no misfortunes as other men be But let vs returne vnto Paule which endeth his Sermon made to the Cleargy with publike prayers For streightwayes he fell on his
committed to Peter as others then none of them obtayned the whole whereby he might be called the heade or Lorde of others Neyther coulde Peters authoritie in preaching the Gospell be greater than eyther Iohns or Matthias bicause they all receyued but one and the same commaundement of the Lorde Iesus as is playne Againe they ioyne the names of Ministerie and Apostleship togither both to withstand ambition and to fortifie the worthynesse of the office For where it is a Ministerie that is here entreated of it is foolishnesse and great absurditie vnder colour thereof to seeke reuerence of the people or to exercyse tyrannicall Lordship ouer them But rather it behooueth vs to obserue the rule of Christ Whosoeuer will be great among you let him be your minister and who so will be chiefe among you let him be your seruant And for this cause Paule shoulde be preferred before many of the Apostles bicause he laboured more than all the other in the Church of christ There is a preposterous order in the Church in these dayes where they are counted the first and chiefe that labor least in the ministery of the Church that liue most pompeously of all others vpon the Churches goods and which heape vp treasures to them and their posteritie of the same Agayne least the name of Ministerie might seeme to signify any vile or base condicion that the contemners of the Gospell should take no occasion of vngodlynesse thereby nor the Ministers themselues esteeme euer the worse of their office they make mention also of an Apostleship By the which worde we are taught that they are the Ministers of Christ his Church which are occupied in that ministery For an Apostle signifieth as much as a Legate or one that is sent But he is no Legate that runneth of his owne heade and handleth his owne matters but he that is sent from a more excellent and superiour and is appointed for the intreatie and discussion of publike affayres In so much that Legates are not esteemed with wise men so much for their owne persons sake as they be for his worthynesse from whome they are sent And the Apostles were sent from Iesus Christ as we hearde before who would haue them to be witnesses ouer all the worlde of the redemption and saluation of mankinde which he had purchased by the merite of his incarnation and death Such therefore ought they to be esteemed and not to be contemned bicause of their outwarde port which is vyle and abiect in the sight of the worlde For it is Christes saying If any man receyue whomsoeuer I sende hee receyueth mee And whosoeuer receyueth me receyueth him that sent me And Paule to the same purpose sayth We be messengers in the roume of Christ euen as though God did beseech you thorowe vs. Therefore euen as in the Apostleship the ministery must be considered least the Ministers puft vp with ambicion aspyre to Lordship and bearing of rule so in the ministerie let both the Ministers and hearers remember the Apostleshippe least eyther the hearers contemne the Ministers or the Ministers thinking to slenderly of the ministery forget their dutie and dignitie Now let vs come to the last part of this place wherein is declared how they sought the will and pleasure of God by casting of lottes They gaue out their lottes sayth he and the lot fell on Matthias and he was counted with the eleuen Apostles Here we first haue to speake of lottes For there are places of Scripture not a fewe wherein soothsaying Artes and curiositie of mans wit in searching for secretes and things to come are earnestly condemned See Leuiticus the .ix. and Deuter. viij Chapter And the Prophete Esaye in the .viij. Chapter calleth all men to the law and testimonie as for all other meanes of seeking Gods counsayle he forbiddeth with great authority And Micheas in the fifth Chapter excludeth out of the kingdome of Christ all soothsayers and such lyke rabble of men But we must marke how there is two kindes of lotteries or casting of lottes the one lawfull the other vnlawfull That is vnlawfull when they go about after the curiositie of mans brayne by sciences condemned of God to search out secrets and what is to come the knowledge whereof belongeth not vnto vs This the Astrologers vse which wryte Prognostications of the course and successe of yeres to come according to the Clowdes the Planets and influences of heauen Which kinde of men reigneth nowe a dayes amongest Christian men not without the great shame of christian religion To these may we ioyne those that when they haue the houre of ones Natiuitie looke vppon the Ascendent and according to the position and figure of heauen pronounce of the course of his whole life of the nature condicions and disposition and come to such impietie that they put man the excellentest creature of God yea and Lorde of all the things that God hath created vnder the rule and gouernance of the Planets and starres To these appertaine they which are giuen to the studie of Geomantie and thinke they are able to foretell the successe and effects of all thinges And as manye as by any Art forbidden by God search after secret matters and things to come For where these men of a curious audacitie go about to pierce into Gods secrets their boldnesse must plainly be iudged to be wicked The lawfull kinde of lottery or drawing of lottes is when the successe of a thing lawfull yea necessary and belonging to vs is committed by lottes to the iudgement of god And this is vsed commonly for the more authoritie of thinges in hande and for the auoyding of contentions which men ledde with hatred or priuate lucre vse for to seeke And this kinde of drawing lottes Salomon sheweth vs where he sayth The lot pacifieth variance and parteth the mighty a sunder The vsage of this kind of lottery is very auncient and the very Ethnicks thought it not irreligious or vnlawfull Homere writeth that the Greekes in times past vsed it when they chose any out of the number of the valiaunt Captaynes to fight with Hector demaunding the combate The Romanes vsed the same when they sent forth their Magistrates to beare rule abroad in the Prouinces bicause they shoulde not seeme to take authoritie or beare office without the Gods appoyntment The Israelites also were commaunded to deuyde or distribute the lande of Chanaan by lottes And the vse of lottes in the deuiding of inheritance hath bene vsed amongst vs may be retayned without hurt of Christian religion so it be not corrupted with anye other kinde of superstition Therefore the Apostles in this doing take no vngodlye thing in hande but are onely carefull to vnderstande Gods will and to that ende make their harty and faythfull prayer before And it is plaine by Salomon that men in these dayes also should not offende if they would vse lottes with the lyke godlynesse