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
through the power of the holy ghost the affections be bridled that would carye them awry Or what safetye can there be of publike weales which are not led with the spirite of God but with fleshly wisedome Whereas it is manifest that all good successe and felicitie dependeth of God Salomon the wysest of all men well marked this thing who hauing choyse giuen him of God to aske those thinges that are in greatest price amongest men despising all other craued of God the spirite of wisedome and of that true wisedome which he describeth in his booke of Prouerbes whose beginning and roote is the feare of the Lorde And woulde to God they woulde often remember this that are Rulers in the Church and in the common weale For the same woulde both kindle in them an ardent desire to prayer and godlynesse and woulde make them more listen to the worde of God wherevpon coulde not but ensue a true and perfite safetie of the people committed to their charge But before we depart from this place two things remayne to be discussed which may profitably be gathered of the promise of the holye ghost made to the Apostles For first it hereby appereth that the holy ghost was the auctor of the Apostles doctrine and therefore the same ought to be esteemed as proceeding from God and not from man For where they tooke vppon them to preach after they had receyued the holye ghost which according to Christes promise taught them all truth surely all their teaching must be referred to the same spirite So wee must holde the dignitie and authortie thereof as great as Christ maketh it which sending forth his Disciples to preach sayth He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me With the which argument Paule seemeth to be encouraged to say If an Angell from heauen teache you anye other Gospell beside that which wee haue preached let him be accursed For how great soeuer the maiestie and the glory of Angels is yet if the same be compared with the holy ghost by whom they were created it is of no value We haue therfore in this place what to aunswere to them which hearing vs reiect and condemne the traditions of men crye out that the Apostles were men likewise and thinke hereby to prooue that eyther the Apostles doctrine must likewyse be reiected or else some place is left in the church for mans traditions And in deede we are not ignorant that the Apostles were men But bicause they spake not as men nor in their teaching declared not the cogitations of men but according as the holy ghost inspired their harts shewed the mysteries of saluation and of the kingdome of heauen therfore their opinions by no meanes must be reckoned amongst the traditions of men Secondly this place teacheth vs that nothing ought to be taught and preached in the Church but that that is deliuered by the holy ghost For the Church is the house of God in which the onely voyce of the goodman of the house is to be hearde and according to his prescript all things ought to be ordered And as the Bryde obeyeth the onely voyce of the Brydegrome and is not iudged chaste if she giue eare to the entysements or promises of shamelesse suters so where the sonne of God hath espoused to himselfe the congregation of the faithfull washed with his owne bloud and hath made vs partakers of all his goodes whch is the proper ende of mariage we may not follow any other voyce than that whereby Christ the Bridegrome calleth vs vnto him Further for that Christ hath made vs the sheepe of his pasture and hath redeemed vs with the losse of his owne bloude it behooueth vs to follow his voyce and not to harken to the voyce of any straunger or hyreling Neyther is their opinion to be receiued which thinke it an errour worthye of pardon to chaunge and alter somewhat in the doctrine of faith and saluation so that in all things God onely might be worshipped For to graunt that such haue a zeale of God yet bicause they want the knowledge of the truth they can no more please God than did the Iewes in time past which being inflamed with the zeale of God went about to establishe their owne righteousnesse and reiected that righteousnesse which God offreth vs in his sonne to be imbraced by faith And surely if our zeale had bene sufficient in so weighty a matter it had bene but vaine for the Apostles to haue looked for the sending of the holye ghost why did they not therfore steppe forth to preache and according to the godlye intent of their minde teach the people what they thought belonged to the honor of God and glory of Christ But Christes commaundement stopped them who as he elsewhere appointed them to preach the things he taught them so without the conduct of the holye ghost he will they shall not take vppon them to preach least that being beguiled with the counsell of mans wisedome or seduced by corrupt affections of the flesh they should swarue from the right way And we reade that the olde Prophets were bounde by the same commaundement also in whome the Apostle plainely testifieth that the spirite of Christ did speake It is sayde to Hieremie Behold I haue put my words in thy mouth And God sayth to Ezechiel Thou shalt heare woordes from my mouth and shalt warne them from me Therefore it is a wicked and monstrous temeritie of some men which thinke they haue authoritie to coyne newe articles of the faith and to thrust into the Church traditions inuented by mans brayne And who I praye you woulde thinke him a faithfull friende of the Bridegroomes which woulde not feare to intice and inuegle the Bryde to his lure and purpose Let them therefore which teach in the Church receyue all their doctrine at the mouth of god He speaketh vnto vs in the Scriptures by his holye spirite Let them therefore reade them and they shall not erre But let vs returne to Christes wordes from whence we digressed For he going about to render a cause of his commaundement sayth Of whom you haue hearde of mee For Iohn truely baptised with water but you shall be baptised with the holy ghost after not many dayes These words haue a confirmation of promise and consolation very necessary For as there were diuers other things which might make the Apostles carefull in the consideration of their office so there was no little cause to feare them least some incommoditie might arise of the stay and tariaunce of the holy ghost Therefore to take awaye all feare hee repeateth his promises not in the same words that are in the Euangelists but with such as might bring to their remembrance Iohn the Baptistes saying touching this matter which was verye needefull to be done by reason of the great authoritie that Iohn had amongst all men Neyther ought it to seeme an absurde thing
vse whereof is to learne vs to knowe the order of the Apostolike Church and wherein the same is in these dayes decayed to restore and reforme it thereafter againe They continued sayth he in the Apostles doctri ne and fellowship and in breaking of breade and in prayers He rehearseth foure things of euery which we haue something to say In the first place the Apostles doctrine what that was it shall otherwheres appeare It was Christes commaundement that they should teache all Nations those things that they had before learned of him He commaunded them to preach repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name In the which articles it is plaine the knowledge of the whole law and of Gods will and all the maner of our saluation is contayned A taste of this doctrine we sawe in Peters sermon gone before And their writings abundantly declare that they obserued this forme of doctrine in all places Therefore the faithfull of the primitiue Church abode in that order and trade of doctrine which we see at this daye comprehended in the bookes of the Apostles and in these is no mention made of any mans traditions and inuentions Luke placeth doctrine first bicause by teaching the Church is gathered togither and by the same as Paule declareth commeth fayth and all the beleeuing are borne againe of the immortall and eternal word touching which point see Rom. 10. 1. Pet. 1 c. Here we learne that the chiefe care in the Church ought to be for doctrine For where through it as was sayde euen nowe we be gathered into the vnitie of fayth it cannot be chosen but they must fowly and miserably be scattered that admit diuers and vncertaine doctrines Those be diuers and vncertaine which de pend and consist of the will of man Wherefore it behooueth vs to holde and retaine the Apostolike doctrine which they learned at Christes mouth and which they being illuminated with the holye ghost taught to all Nations vppon the earth This doctrine is both certaine plaine perâ—iâ—e and autentike so that it needeth neyther mannes inuention nor authoritie eyther to commende or confirme it Iohn speaking of this doctrine sayth Let that which you hearde from the beginning remayne in you And Paule will not haue himselfe beleeued no nor an aungell comming from heauen if hee dare to preach anye other Gospell or waye of saluation than the Apostles haue taught This reprooueth the vnconstant wethercockes of these dayes who haue a delight to dally with doctrine and religion and dare euery daye alter and chaunge it at their pleasure and for priuate lueres sake as wee reade Ieroboam vsed to doe As though the vse of religion and doctrine were to none other ende but to keepe men in awe as it were with vayne buggebeggers Here are they also reprooued which like children suffer themselues to be ledde with euery blast of doctrine contrary to the precept of Paule For the chiefe marke of those that be faithfull and true Christians is a faithfull and constaunt keeping of the Apostles doctrine Whosoeuer rashly forsaketh this doctrine he must needes confesse that he knoweth not at all what the Church of Christ is Secondly he sayeth that they continued in communicating he vnderstandeth the beneficence and liberalitie they vsed towarde the poore according to that saying of the Apostle To doe good and to distribute forget not He ioyneth this next vnto doctrine bicause that by it as was euen nowe sayde we are vnited vnto Christ our heade as members of one bodye Therefore they that be in this wise vnited togither must count eche others aduersitie and prosperitie as their owne wherevnto it seemeth Christ had a respect where he shewed that loue was the cognisaunce and badge of his Disciples And this is a singuler and worthy prayse of beneficence to haue the next place vnto doctrine among the exercises of the Church Whereby we may easily perceiue what to thinke of them who are touched with no pitie of their needy brethren but snorting in wealth themselues care not though all other want so they may enioye the riches and delights of this world But bicause we meane hereof to speake more hereafter let this little for this time suffice Thirdly he reciteth breaking of breade by the which he vnderstandeth the mysticall supper of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ. He vseth this name for that in the supper the breade is publikely and solemnely broken partly to set forth the memorie of the Lordes death and partly to put vs in minde that we were the causers of the death of Iesus Christ seeing it was necessary he shoulde suffer and die for our sinnes He maketh mention onely of the supper not for that he barreth baptisme out of the Church but bicause he had spoken thereof before where he sayde they were baptised And he speaketh of those which were alredy receiued into the Church not of their children and those that shoulde afterwarde professe Christ wherof we gather that baptisme ought not to be yterated bicause it is sufficient to be once receyued into the Church of Christ. Another reason why he spake of the supper was bicause Christ ordeyned it to be a solemne memoriall and remembrance of his death which for this cause ought to bee the oftner celebrated Marke here in the meane while the simplicitie of the primitiue Church which being contented with the rites and sacraments deliuered by the Lord neither durst deuise any new ne yet set forth the olde with any newe ceremonies for feare of prescribing christ And although Luke expresse not the rytes and order of the mysticall supper as they vsed it yet there is no doubt but they had a respect to Christes institution bicause Paule afterwarde confesseth that he deliuered vnto the faithfull that order which he receyued of the Lorde and reuoketh them which had swarued from the same to the obseruation and keeping thereof These things ought they to haue marked which glorying in the name of the Gospell are so bolde as to chaunge and alter the maner of the Lords supper ordeyned by Christ himselfe For to saye nothing of the lightes the riot in vestiments the pieuishe gesturing and infinite such like which they perhaps of a good zeale thought to commende the authoritie of the supper the more with this me thinketh can not be pardoned that they haue taken from the supper the breaking of bread whyles they make the peeces of the misticall bread rounde before they come to the supper and put them whole into the mouthes of the receyuers If they take away this breaking what will they leaue vs wherby to remember the death of Christ or to admonish vs of our sinnes and of repentance considering the breaking of breade was of such authoritie in the primitiue Church that vnder that name they comprehended the whole supper of the Lorde Therefore we must holde fast the auncient simplicitie which if any man dislyke certes he to boldly
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
saluation and whatsoeuer things else helpe vs to the attayning thereof ought to be referred to Gods mere goodnesse grace For although all men beare not like hatred agaynst Christes Church as Paule did and that God compelleth not all men by open force to take the way of saluation yet are all men in one state and condition so that they must bee drawne and conuerted by the mightie power of god For if we consider man as he is ruled and led by naturall lore and reede we shall well perceyue he vnderstandeth not the thinges belonging to the spirite of god Wherefore where the vnderstanding is corrupt the will must needes bee euill and corrupted which bringeth forth the impure and wicked desires of the fleshe so that God truly sayd in the beginning The inuentions of mans heart are euill euen from his childehoode But where by reason of sinne all our power is so weakened that of our selues we be not able to thinke well It well appeareth that no man either would or could earnestly think of his saluation except he were illuminated drawne molified by God although some mens corruption is more manifest and notorious than others But bicause in Saules conuersion there are many other things which serue for our information Luke standeth diligently vpon the discription therof And at this time bicause he hath declared the first act or dooing he rehearseth the effect of this harde encounter and diuers other things incident to the same He comprehendeth in few words a marueylous effect of gods punishmeÌ„t in Paule For sayth he trembling and astonyed he sayde Lorde what wilt thou haue me to doe And the Lorde sayde vnto him aryse and go into the Citie c. We haue in this place diligently to consider both Gods person and Paules And first in Paule we may see a token of a minde greatly humbled and readie to all kinde of obsequie and seruiceablenesse For now he doth vouchsafe to call him Lorde whome before he hated woorse than a dogge or Tode And of his owne accorde enquireth what his will and pleasure is folowing those seruaunts which of a dutifull and diligent readinesse to please vse to preuent their maysters commaundement before they heare it Hereout we may gather two thinges belonging to our instruction First whosoeuer feele Gods hande chastyning them are admonished of their dutie Let them acknowledge that God like a father punisheth and beateth them to the entent to amende them and correcteth those that be his least they should be condemned with the world that will not repent Which is the cause that the Prophete pronounceth him happie or blessed whome the Lorde chasteneth Againe let them acknowledge him to bee their Lorde and earnestly enserch after his will that they may knowe how to get his fauour and good will. This is the propertie of Gods elect who thinke nothing more grieuous and intollerable than to perceyue God to be offended with them But the reprobate be of a farre other opinion who although sometime they be compelled to obey and yeelde vnto God yet they frette and fume and by many aâ—guments declare they doe it agaynst their willes Wherefore they by and by â—eturne againe to their nature and to their olde woont scarcely intermitted The Scripture sheweth examples hereof in Pharao and Saule the king With whome may be numbred the Bishops seruaunts that were sent to apprehende Christ who though they were smitten to the grounde by the power of his worde yet they by and by rose againe and layde wicked handes on him â–ª whome they ought to haue acknowledged for their Lorde Let vs therefore doe as Paule did as oft as we be cast downe by sicknesse oppressed with pouertie or become prayes to our enimies or be any other wayes troubled or molested and let vs say with the heart Lorde what wilt thou haue vs to doe And so shall those thinges turne to our health which seemed to vs to be very hurtfull Secondly this example teacheth vs howe necessary a seuere kinde of correction is sometime in matters of fayth and religion For we see many of such a propertie and condicion that vnlesse they be constrayned by force they will not yeelde vnto the worde of god Wherefore Christ commaunded that some shoulde be compelled to come to the heauenly mariage Of which number it is more euident that Paule is one than needeth great declaration Therefore it is no small error they holde which crye out that no man ought to be compelled in matters of fayth and religion bicause God onely hath power and authoritie ouer the mynde of man For to graunt that it belongeth to God alone to inspire to drawe and to giue fayth yet we knowe agayne that God commaundeth false teachers to be conuinced both by argumentes and Scriptures and also to be bridled by the sworde of the Magistrate if they waxe obstinate and incurable By the same reason superstition false worship and blasphemie is commaunded to be made awaye For it were an absurde thing to punishe them which lye in wayte for our bodies and goodes and let them scape free which wickedlye deface the glory of God and lay snares of damnation for mennes soules There are examples euerywhere of them which being restrayned through seuere chastisement haue ceased after that from their blasphemie and haue bene brought to knowledge of the truth But as in all other thinges so herein chiefely we wishe all wisedome and moderation to be vsed But let vs heare Christ who by and by sheweth himselfe courteous and friendly to him whome he seeth so ready to doe his commaundement For as the father in the Prophets crieth Returne vnto me and I will returne vnto you so we reade in the Gospell that hee calleth all vnto him that are heauye loden and openly testifyeth that he will refuse none that coÌ„meth vnto him He commaundeth him to go into the Citie that he maye there learne of Ananias what he hath to doe Two causes maye be rendred of this commaundement For God by this meanes trieth Paules modestie whyle hee sendeth him to them whome not long before he ment violently to laye hold on And also procureth hereby an authoritie and dignitie to the ministerye of his worde For where he knoweth that men oftentimes contemne it he teacheth vs therefore that the vse thereof is necessarye to the attayning of saluation This we sawe in the hystorie of the Aethiop whose heart where 〈…〉 illuminated by the secrete working of his spirite yet woulde he vse the ministerie of Philip to do the same And now although he vouchsafe to talke with Saule yet he sendeth him to Ananias to learne the mysteries of fayth and saluation and by his ministery to be baptised and taken into the fellowship of the Church Wherevnto that also is lyke that hereafter we shall heare tolde of Cornelius the Centurion whome God admonisheth by an Aungell sent vnto him to sende for Peter and to
none other cause graunted to flie but for that they shoulde after such daunger escaped turne vnto doing their dutie againe and to bestowe all their life after in setting forth the glory of Christ. Howbeit Luke maketh a diligent mention also of the places where these men preached And first he nameth Phaenicia which is neare vnto Iurie famous by reason of the Cities and people therin and is accounted notable euen among the prophane writers After that he nameth Cyprus an Islande of great fame in the Poets writings which they say by reason aswell of the pleasantnesse of the soyle as of the dissolute maners of the inhabitants is consecrated vnto Venus And here appeareth partlye the great goodnesse of God which woulde vouchsafe to endue such people with the knowledge of his sonne and partly the woonderfull and inuincible power of the Gospell through the preaching whereof the boundes of Christes kingdome were in short time so enlarged that from the mayne land it passed ouer sea and beganne to come into the Islandes as was long before foretolde of the Prophetes See Psalme 72. Esay 60.66 c. He chiefely maketh mention of Antioch which was the moste famous Citie of all the Cities of Syria For as it was notable by reason of Seleucus the builder thereof and of great renowme bicause of their woonderfull glorie and ryches so as we shall herafter heare the first Church among the Gentyles was there assembled and flourished in such number that they which before were called onely but Disciples of Christ beganne nowe to be called by a more worthy name Christians This Citie hath had Bishops notable both in life and learning It hath also so abounded in Martyrs that scarce any other can be compared therewith It is therefore woonderfull and much to be obserued that God woulde haue so great a Citie conuerted by the ministerie of those men whose names be not extant For this onely is written of them that they were of Ciprus Cyrene Howbeit it might haue pleased God aswell to haue vsed the helpe of notable Apostles But by the vyle and contemned thinges of this worlde after his maner he woulde bring to passe a thing of most importance that we might knowe howe we ought to reioyce and glory in him and not in man. Now let vs see what they preached that layd the foundations of the Church at Antioch They preached sayth Luke the Lord Iesus He was then the argument theme of their doctrine whome Paule also saith he only acknowledgeth He maketh mention onely of Iesus Christ bicause in him is contayned whatsoeuer things make for our saluation For he is giuen vnto vs of God to be the authour of repentance and remission of sinnes to all mankind as hath bene declared in the fyft Chapter For as in him onely remission of sinnes is to be founde so that repentance that is made without fayth in Christ cannot please god We haue here therfore what to answere them which reprehende vs and scorne vs bicause in our Sermons we inculcate and often repeate Christ only Thus we doe following the example of the Apostles and we can not doe otherwyse forasmuch as we can fynde no saluation without Christ. Last of all Luke declareth a notable successe of the Gospell saying And a great number beleeued and turned vnto the Lorde He first declareth the cause efficient least any man might ascribe it vnto the ministerie of men For he sayth the hande of the Lorde was with them Whereby we gather that all successe of fayth and saluation dependeth vppon God and that nothing is to be attributed to man more than the outwarde ministerie This thing Paule declareth at large in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the thirde Chap. And it is good oftentimes to haue the same in remembrance both bicause Ministers shoulde not waxe to prowde and also for that they whome God hath illuminated with true faith might learne to be thankfull vnto him Also the Euangelist expresseth the proper ende of Christian faith which is that they which through ignorance or superstition or sinne haue turned from God might conuert and turne againe vnto him Therefore fayth is not occupied in vayne speculation but is a liuely knowledge of Iesus Christ which draweth whole man vnto the obedience of god And they are not to be taken for Christians which being drowned in superstition and sinne will not conuert vnto the Lorde Let vs therefore set before vs this marke that we turning by true faith vnto God may attayne to saluation in Iesus Christ our onely Sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxx. Homelie Tydings of these things came vnto the eares of the congregation which was in Ierusalem And they sent forth Barnabas that he should go vnto Antioch which when he came and had seene the grace of God was glad and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would continually cleaue vnto the Lorde For he was a good man and full of the holye ghost and of fayth and much people was added vnto the Lorde Then departed Barnabas vnto Tharsus for to seeke Saule And when hee had founde him hee brought him vnto Antioch And it came to passe that a whole yere they had their conuersation with the cōgregation and taught much people insomuch that the Disciples of Antioche were the first that were called Christians BYcause God had appointed Iesus Christ his sonne to be the Sauiour of all the worlde therefore it was requisite that all nations should be brought vnto him by preaching of the Gospell as it appeareth by the Oracles of the Prophetes and by the commaundement of Christ where he bade the Apostles to go into all the world and to bring him Disciples out of all Nations And howe this thing beganne to come to passe Luke declareth in this chapter For although it be described before in the storie of Cornelius conuersion to the fayth of Christ yet bicause it might seeme he was called vpon some speciall fauor or priuiledge the conuersion of the notable citie of Antioch is ioyned therevnto in the which a Church of the Gentyles for many causes notable is gathered togither The beginners whereof were certayne men that came from Cyprus and Cyrene as was yesterday declared of small or no name yet whose names vndoubtedly are written before God in the booke of life These men comming into the Citie preached Iesus Christ onely vnto the Gentyles teaching them that he was sent from God the father to giue repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes to them that beleeue in him And their godly enterprise wanted not a most prosperous successe For Gods power working most effectually by their ministery an innumerable sort of menne learned the fayth and turned vnto the Lorde Now vnto these premisses Luke ioyneth certaine things touching the confirming of the Church at Antioch And first he declareth the kindenesse of those of Ierusalem towardes this newe Church of Christ which
and by lande And there is no doubt but that they caused the doctrine of the Gospell to shine also ouer Pamphilia seeing for that ende they tooke in hande this voyage And this is a rare example of Apostolike zeale and industrie that although they had brought a most famous Island to the knowledge of Christ yet they thinke not nowe to leaue of as though they had fully accomplished their dutie but hold on still and thinke they are the more bounde vnto Christ the more fauourably they see he furthereth their beginnings So Paule in another place hauing fylled all places from Arabia vnto Illyricum with the Gospell of Iesus Christ stayeth not so but purposeth in his minde to go through Italie and Spaine also By which examples their slothfulnesse is reproued which hauing yet scarce begonne and giuen the onset make holyday leaue of thinking they haue done very much already and supposing it neyther meete nor right that men should looke for any more at their handes But it behoueth vs to continue vnto the ende that we be neuer wearie of doing Christ seruice as long as we hope we may set forth Gods glorie and bring any to the knowledge of saluation But being occupied in this most holy businesse and trauayle befalleth an heauy case For while they are busied in training others vnto Christ they lose their companion and fellow minister whome they had chosen out of a great number This was Iohn surnamed Marke sonne to that Mary â–ª to whose house Peter came when he was escaped out of prison as hath bene declared before This Iohn as hereafter shall appeare in the .xv. Chapter being wearied with continuall trauayles and daungers left them and returned to Ierusalem whereby he not onely disapointed them of his helpe to whome he ought fast to haue cleaued in that most godly businesse but also was the occasion of a bitter contention that arose afterward betwene Paule and Barnabas But bicause it is sayde he returned to Ierusalem where his mother was it is like he pretended for his sloth the loue he ought to his mother being a widowe so that he maye be iudged to be of the number of them wherof in the Gospell he is an example which being called of Christ sayde he woulde fyrst go and burie his father The holy ghost setteth out such examples to vs not to be followed but that we might vnderstande there will be alwayes slidebackes and heauy calamities that shall hinder the course of the Gospell For Satan who desired to syft euen the very Apostles is not ydle For although he could not pull them cleane from Christ yet he brought to passe that they were so feared with his apprehension and bandes that they all fled from him So we reade in the .vj. of Iohn that diuers thousandes fell from him at once And Paule which now seeth Marke thus slippe away complaineth afterwarde howe Demades embraced thys present worlde and when he shoulde be brought before Caesar howe all his friendes forsooke him Let no man therefore be offended at the leuitie and inconstantnesse of some people now a dayes who hauing profited very well in Christes religion by and by giue ouer For both Christ and his Apostles prophecied such should come In the meane while let these men remember that they grieuoussy sinne For they forsake Christ his cause which is a kinde of denying him Beside they offende the weaker sort and giue occasion to them that thinke not well of the Gospell and of the Christian faith to sclaunder it so that by their meane the name of Christ is yll spoken of Furthermore they make all them that are vnknowne and forreners to suspect them whome otherwise they woulde succour and relieue Finallye they are authours of diuision while they cause other to take part with them who ought to ioyne both hearts and handes togither to set forth the kingdome of christ And they offende the more grieuously the more they be of authoritie But to returne to the Apostles let vs learne by their examples what we haue to do if the like things come to passe For do they when they vnderstand of Markes sodeine departure leaue the office they are put in charge with No. But they go through Pamphilia passing ouer the mount Taurus come into Pisidia and to Antioch which somtime was also called Caesarea as Plinie testifyeth where they preach the Gospell more earnestly than euer they did before as the things following shall abundantly declare We are by this example admonished that we must not eyther for falshoode or sloth of other suffer our selues to be plucked from doing our dutie For other mennes faults cannot excuse vs whose falles we must rather eschew than imitate And bicause it is the Lordes cause that we stande in it shall be easie for him to defende it though but by a fewe and those of no authoritie in the worldes sight Yea he many times suffreth those to fall away of whom we hoped for most helpe that thereby he might declare howe we should reioyce but in God alone Besides this though we be forsaken of the worlde yet be we not alone For that that Christ pronounced of himselfe must be applied vnto all his members The time commeth sayth he that you shall be scattered euery one into his owne and shall leaue me alone and yet am I not alone for the father is with me Yea he sayth moreouer I will not leaue you succourlesse Beholde I am with you vnto the ende of the worlde Hereto belongeth that saying of Dauid when my father and mother forsooke mee the Lorde tooke me and receyued me And these thinges must not Ministers of the worde onely remember but also Princes and Magistrates For these also haue God for the author of their vocation who testifyeth that he is in the middest of them Wherefore if they be constant in setting forth his glorye there is no cause they shoulde be mooued with the terrors of the worlde forasmuch as they shall haue God for their protector and reuenger Lette priuate persons thinke so likewise that they be not dismayde at the countenance and looke of the worlde For the worlde shall perish but the worde of the Lord wherevpon both our saluation and vocation is founded endureth for euer Further let vs see what the Apostles did at Antioch Vpon a Sabboth daye they go into the Sinagoge and sit downe This Luke writeth to shewe vnto vs that they sought occasion to teache or preach the Gospell For on the Sabboth dayes the Iewes vsed publikely to assemble to be instructed in the lawe and to make their prayers vnto god Which thing was the cause that not long after the Apostles went into the Iewes Sinagoge at Salamine also And there is no doubt â–ª but they did the like also otherwheres forasmuch as there was no hope for them in any other place more commodiously to teach And they were not deceyued For when the solemne
else to the fyre But he respected the promises of Christ wherewith he was so emboldened that no daunger coulde feare him to doe his duetie It is also a token of singuler modestie that he yeeldeth to better counsell and doth not obstinately vrge that which was both daungerous and had little profyte ioyned therewith Let euerye manne followe this example bicause we see many times the greatest wyttes in their owne daungers knowe least what waye or counsell to take It is also worthye the noting that Paule hath great men to his friendes A fewe such we reade Christ had amongst whome Nicodemus and Ioseph are counted the chiefe Iohn 12.3 Math. 27. Here the error of the Anabaptistes is refelled which saye that a christian ought to beare no office But chiefely we learne howe vaine the defence and succour of the worlde is seing their authoritie coulde not keepe Paule from daunger of sedition It becommeth vs therefore to put all our hope and trust in God alone and not in Princes or in the children of men for there is no helpe in them Psalme 146. And that this is the vse of this present example Paule teacheth in hys seconde Epistle to the Corinthians the fyrst chapter Nowe Luke commeth to the seditious of whome he reporteth two things First some sayth he cryed one thing some an other and the most part knewe not wherefore they were come togyther This is a peculiar thing in the time of sedition that like a flowing streame it caryeth many away with it being vtterly ignoraunt of the meaning thereof and a great many good men also euen against their will. Therefore such would be appeased rather by counsell and reason then by force For if force be vsed commonly the Innocentes drinke for it the wicked beginners slylie slipping awaye A dolorous example whereof Germany sawe when in the yere of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundred twentie and fyue horrible streames of husbandmens bloude almost ouerflowed hir Let Princes therefore haue in minde rather that saying of the Prophet where they are commaunded to holde their subiects liues deere Psalm 72. Moreouer the Iewes thrust forwarde one Alexander who by all likelyhoode was one of Paules friendes and drewe him forth bicause they ment to bring him in daunger He desired silence and woulde haue giuen a reason and an accounte of things attempted touching religion But when they perceyued he was a Iewe and an enimie of heathen superstition they turne to their furious exclamations againe and for two houres long fyll all the Citie with the noyse of their Diana For as the belly lacketh eares so commonly they are deafe and wyll heare no reason which mooue sedition for the bellyes sake And this is the contynuall practise of the wicked to barke against the truth wyth furious clamours which otherwyse they knowe is inuincible In the meane season the faintnesse of a great many is reprooued who knowing the truth are yet altogyther colde in the confessing thereof and regarde not the zeale of the vngodlye whome they see bolde euen in the defence of superstition Let vs learne therefore what state the truth standeth in in this worlde and beyng armed wyth the constancie of fayth let vs stowtely beare out whatsoeuer God sendeth that we maye vanquishe all aduersity through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whom be all praise honour power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxxx. Homely WHEN the towne Clarke had ceased the people he sayde yee men of Ephesus what man is it that knoweth not howe that the Citie of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Goddesse Diana and of the Image that came from heauen Seing then that no manne sayth here against yee ought to be content and to doe nothing rashly for ye haue brought hyther these men which are neyther robbers of Churches nor yet despysers of your Goddesse VVherefore if Demetrius and the craftesmen which are with him haue a matter agaynst any manne the lawe is open and their Rulers let them accuse one another But if you go about any other thing it shall bee determined in a lawfull congregation For we are in ieoperdye to be accused of this dayes vprore forasmuch as there is no cause whereby we maye giue a reckoning of this concourse of people And when he had thus spoken hee let the assembly depart WE haue hearde the sedition that Demetrius raised against Paule described by Luke Where beside the propertie of the furious people we noted diuers pointes wherein Paule was chiefely to be considered First he boldly and constantlye woulde haue ventured to go in among the people mynding to haue giuen an account openly both of his fayth and doctrine But seeing he coulde not be permitted so to doe he keepeth him among his friends committing the whole successe of the matter vnto God yet so as he swarued not a nayle breadth from the truth nor yet dissembled anye thing for cowardlye feare Which example admonisheth vs what we shoulde doe in lyke case or in open persecution Before all things it becommeth vs according to Peter the Apostles precept to be ready to giue an account to euerye manne that demaundeth it 1. Pet. 3. But when the enimies shall so raue that there is no place for truth and the confession therof we must proceede warily and wiselye least we put our selfe in daunger without Gods calling and so tempt him In the meane season let vs be constaunt in acknowledging the truth and wayte the Lordes leysure who neuer forsaketh them that put their trust in him and who by his wisedome and power is able easily to cease and alaye all cruell tempestes This present hystorye sheweth vs an ensample hereof where God appeaseth a very daungerous sedition to all seeming by the help of one Scribe or Towneclarke and such a one as the whole course of his Oration proueth manifestly to haue had no vnderstanding in Christes religion where the power of God appeareth the more seeing he vseth the reprobate and their helpe in the defence of his people Let vs examine the Towneclarkes Oration throughout all the partes thereof the chiefe ende whereof is to represse the seditious tumult of the vnruly people himselfe in the meane season being little carefull for religion He beginneth with that the most vexed these seditious They stoode in great feare of their Diana for hir sake they so cryed out as we haue heard before bicause if the worshipping of hir were layde awaye they sawe their gayne was lyke to be gone But the Towneclarke sayth this was no iust or sufficient cause for them to make such a stirre For what man is there sayeth he but knoweth that the Citie of Ephesus is a worshipper of the great Goddesse Diana and of the Image that came from heauen As who shoulde saye To what purpose repeate you so often with furious clamor the name of Diana Who denyeth you to be hir honourers Who knoweth not that Dianas Image came downe from heauen Or who letteth you
to go on in the religion receyued of your forefathers Since all these be things cleare and out of question it becommeth you to be quiet and to doe nothing vppon a heade and without aduise But the Towneclarke coulde not be ignoraunt that Paule by his doctrine impugned the worship of Diana But of a politike wit he dissembleth all these things thinking this sufficient to appease them to let them vnderstande howe they were vrged or compelled by no publike authoritie to forsake their olde religion And as we sayde erewhyle thys politike man seeketh onely how to bring downe this sedition at ones which he sawe beganne to growe so hote which thing he supposed to bringe to passe more commodiously by craftie dissembling of the matter than by open disputation which the seditious woulde haue little regarded Here we may not omit that he sayth the Image came downe from heauen For hereby it appeareth it was a cōmon opinion among the Ephesians that they thought Dianas Image was sent downe from heauen For after Satan had bewitched men with his iuglings so that they presumed to chaunge the glorye of the immortall God into the forme of Creatures then deceyued he them euerye day with newe fetches and deuises for the surer establishing of his kingdome Hereby he perswaded them that the Image of Pallas came downe from heauen that through hir protection they gate the victories which they had So was it thought that the shielde which the Romaynes vsed as the armes and scutchion of the Empyre in the reigne of Numa their king came downe from heauen Unto the which this that the Towne clarke sayth of the Image of Diana at Ephesus may worthily be ioyned But it had bene tollerable if the Deuill in times past with such sleyghts had deluded but the heathen onely so that we had not seene the like among Christians also For who knoweth not the fable of the Chappell at Lauretum myraculously conueyed ouer the sea Who is ignorant of the Chappelles that God himselfe and his Aungels haue dedicated There are to be seene diuers Images of the virgin mother which the Monkes most impudently affirme Luke painted where as the hystories declare he was a Phisition and no Painter Wherevnto are to be referred whatsoeuer myracles are tolde of Images in Monkes bookes whereof they say some remooued out of their place some coulde not be remooued some wepte some prophecied and other some had some notable properties or other By the which maye plainely be gathered what a ranke crop of errors vseth to spring of Images where they are once receyued and worshipped so that it was not without a cause that Lactantius sayde there could be no religion wheresoeuer any Image was Which also is the chiefe cause that all the Scripture is so diligent and earnest in oppugning them so that it is woonderfull how it commeth to passe that so many are founde to defende them seeing there are so many vnhappye Presidentes of superstition euerywhere in euery mannes eyes This being premised whereby he thought their moodie mindes were somewhat asswaged he plainly rebuketh them and accuseth them of great rashenesse in that he apprehended and layde handes on Caius and Aristarchus being straungers and knowing no cause why saying ye haue brought these men hyther which are neyther robbers of Churches nor yet despysers of your Goddesse So perhaps he might truly saye of them bicause they tooke not vpon them to teach But of Paule he shoulde not haue sayde true who earnestly inueyed against the worship and ydolatrie done to Diana as may easily be gathered by that he did at Athens And it is credible he would not haue suffred this defence of the Towneclarke if he had bene present For he being enflamed with the zeale of God thought any thing intollerable that made against the glory and honor of god In the meane whyle the Towne clarkes wordes declare what faultes for the most part are laide to the Ministers charge namely Sacriledge and blasphemie against God and the Saintes These things we heare commonly in our dayes neyther are we decked with any other names or tytles at their handes that are the professed enimies of the Gospell But if a man woulde throughly weygh the matter they are both false For they be Church robbers which eyther by stelth conuey away the goodes dedicated to God and to his Church or else violently inuade them and conuert them to prophane vses But who doth this more impudently than Popes Bishoppes Monkes Priestes and the other of this marke For to say nothing howe they prouide for their kinsfolke commonly of the Church goodes let vs consider their families and it shall appeare that the greatest part of the Church goodes is spent vpon Harlottes Dyce Horses Houndes and a lubberlyke sort of seruantes yea they disdaine vs for no cause so much as for that we labor by preaching of the gospell to restore the goodes to Christ and his Church againe For we defend not them which vnder a colour of the Gospell prouide and satisfye their auarice of the Church goodes Againe they are blasphemous against God and the Saintes which abuse the name of God and robbe the Saintes of their due honor It is as manifest as can be that they doe both these rather than we For they abuse the worde of God and the name of Christ to establishe their ydolatrie and tyrannie They giue vnto Creatures the honour due vnto god They accuse the faith and doctrine of the Saintes of heresie and vse both fyre and sworde against their bookes and them that follow them And in the meane season go about to defame vs of sacriledge and of blasphemie But oh the iniquitie of our times Among the Ephesians was founde an Heathen to defende the innocent And nowe adayes amongst the professors of Christ are scarce anye that will testifye the innocencie of Christes Ministers Let vs marke also howe the Towneclarke sayeth these men are no Church robbers nor blasphemers for surelye he woulde haue iudged them worthy of punishment if they had bene such For although the Gentyles sometime greatlye erred in the faith and in religion yet the lawe of nature was of great force amongst them which declared that robbers of Churches and blasphemers ought to be punished But nowe a dayes all things are so farre out of frame that the faythfull defenders of the Gospell are in more daunger than those which pollute the Church with manifest sacriledge and blasphemie But let vs consider the later part of this Oration where he prescrybeth a maner and fourme to be followed as well in priuate matters as publike saying But if Demetrius and the Craftes men with him haue anye matter agaynst any man the lawe is open and there are Rulers let them accuse one another Thus he accuseth them all of iniustice in that they make a publike case of a priuate and belonging vnto a fewe persons and endaunger themselues for another mannes cause Then adding
Trogyllion The day following we came to Miletum For Paule had determined to saile ouer by Ephesus bicause he would not spend the time in Asia for he hasted if it were possible to keepe at Ierusalem the feaste of Pentecoste AFter that the Apostle Paule had accomplished at Ephesus all things that appertained to the establishment of the same Church theâ— went hee on with the voyage that hee had before purposed to make in the which hee visited the Churches of Macedonia and Greece and confirmed them in the true faithe Wee haue seene there notable argumentes of the Apostles faythe and diligence when as Paule lette for no laboure or daunger eyther to gette Churches or to preserue those that were gotten At length hee came to Troas where fell oute certaine peculiare things in the describing whereof Luke is very diligent And first hee setteth out an ensample of Ecclesiasticall assemblie and next a myracle that God would haue wrought in that place bothe for the commendation and setting forthe of Paules Ministerie and for diuers causes else Hee describeth this Churche assemblie with all the circumstaunces thereof very diligently And beginning with the time he saythe they came togither on a Sabboth day which day as yet was muche celebrated bicause of the auncient custome Afterward when the Church began more and more to increase the next day following the Sabothe was appoynted for Goddes seruice and in remembraunce of Christes resurrection it was called the Lordes day By this place we learne that suche dayes as God hathe appoynted for seruice or religion ought not to bee neglected of Christian menne For they are not onely needefull bicause of outwarde woorshippe but also inwarde which cheefely consisteth in the studie of Goddes woorde and in the diligent meditation of his benefites the bodie and minde for the time beeing cleane separated from all prophane matters whiche thyng was the cause that GOD commaunded the breakers of the Sabothe to bee punished with deathe And the breaking of the Saboth is accoâ—â—ted of the Prophetes amongest the moste haynous sinnes and causes of the Captiuitie of Babylon so that it was not without a cause that Nehemias thought it is duetie to see that day kept so holy when the people retourned from their captiuitie Whereunto appertaineth also the example of Christ who as he oftentimes vppon the saboth day went into the Sinagoges so he diuers times disputed diligently of the right vsing of that day to deliuer it both from superstition â–ª and also from contempte Then he sheweth also the place where this companie or assemblie mette This was a loft or chambre in the priuate house of some one of the faithfull who appointed it for the Churche or Congregation bicause the Christians for good cause abhorred the Temples of the Idolaters and they had no publike place permitted them by reason the Romane Presidentes bare rule in euery place which either were no fauourers of Christian religion or else were open enimies thereof He sayth there were diuers candles lighted in the chamber to putte away the darkenesse of the nighte and for auoyding the suspition of dishonestie Therefore it is a peeuishe erroure of them which of a foolishe imitation make that a seruice of God which in times past serued for necessitie and thinke that God which is the light euerlasting is woorshipped with candles of tallowe or waxe and for the defense of their inuention vse both this place and the example of Moses lawe For heere is plainely expressed the night time when it is needefull for candles to bee lighted And for the same cause afterwarde the Christians vsed candles in their assemblies bicause they coulde not meete togyther but in the morning before day by reason of the lying awayte of their ennimies as appeareth by the Epistles of Plinius Secundus and may be gathered oute of the Churche wryters The which cause being taken awaye it is but foolishnesse to helpe the day lighte with artificiall lightes It is euident there was a farre other meaning of the Candlesticke in Leuiticus For as all the ceremonies of that Priesthoode were figures of things that Christ shoulde perfourme and were ordained only till the time of correction so the candlesticke also was a figure of Christ which is the true and eternall lighte of the worlde and which by the ministerie of the Gospell lighteneth his Churche for the which cause the Apostles and they which are theyr true and lawful successoures are called the light of the world In the meane season wee learne that it is necessary to haue certaine places for the outwarde woorshipping and for the Congregation to meete in suche as in the olde Testament the Temple and Sinagoges were and suche as after the Apostles times when the Churche began somewhat to be at rest the Oratories that were builded were In these places all things must serue for honestie and for religion and nothing must be suffered that declareth any superstition too much riotous cost or prophane contempt Thirdly he sheweth the cause of this meeting which was as he writeth to breake bread He meaneth the holy supper of the Lorde which in times past they called breaking of bread bicause the bread was broken therein according to Christes institution bothe for that wee shoulde confesse oure selfe sinners and guiltie of the death of Christ and also for that we should vnderstand that the merite of Christ was dealt among vs and pertained indifferently vnto all beleeuers It is very worthy to be obserued howe our forefathers in the time of the Apostles vsed to order and celebrate this Supper Firste of all Paule maketh a sermon as the things following declare bicause the supper was ended after Eutychus was raised Therfore when the sermon was ended they went to the supper and that in the open sight of the assemblie in a place and time appoynted for Gods seruice and after none other fashion than was appointed by christ For that they obserued the same manner and rites in all pointes both the woorde breaking of breade and the example of Paule declareth which reuoked the Corinthians so carefully to that forme of supper that Christ ordained Thus is it euident that Christ also vsed to teach before the supper and did ordaine nothing tending more to superstition than religion Therefore let the Papistes regarde with what argumentes or examples they defend their Masse wherin there is no word of God taught al things are don in a straÌ„ge tong the people haue nothing to muse or think on but wearish and peeuish gestures and stage playes to say nothing in the meane while of the impairing of Chrystes sacrifice of the derogation of his merit and how the faith religion of Christ is ouerthrowne euen vnto the foundations But so ought they to be seduced which had leauer folow the imagination of their own braine than the institution of Christ. Moreouer the manner that Paule vsed in his preaching pertaineth to the description of the assembly of
the Churche which we may coniecture by the time For first it is sayde that he prolonged his sermon vntill midnight then when supper was done howe he discoursed till breake of the day of things appertaining to religion Therefore his teaching was not for a fashion sake and as though he cared not whether he did it or not but with great zeale and diligence For where he had a righte iudgement of his ministerie and knewe he was sent of God to be an Embassador for Christ as he testifieth in this later Epistle to the Corinthians the fifthe Chapter he therefore was very feruent in zeale bicause he would not be coumpted an vntrustie Ambassadoure vnto god Also it is euident that the hearers had as good a iudgement of Paules ministerie as of his doctrine bicause they did vouchsafe to beare him so paciently all the night long By this example is the slouth of our age reproued and the great contempt of Goddes woorde For in the Ministers appeare not those tokens of the Apostolike zeale bicause many of them are occupied more in vaine studies than in the meditation of Gods woorde and thinke they haue well discharged their duetie if they make one or two cold collatiōs in a weke Again the people that can not stand long to heare thinke euery minute of an houre that they spend in hearing of Goddes woorde an whole day whereas in trifeling studies yea in filthie and dishonest they thinke no time no cost no laboure too muche Hereof it commeth to passe that the authoritie of the Ministerie is despised and the word of God kept from a great many See what God sayth of both these euils in Malach. 2. cap. and Amos. 7. Now followeth the myracle by the which God thought good both to approue the ministerie of Paule and also to stirre men vp to the diligente consydering of Paules doctrine In the fyrst part whereof Eutychus is to be consydered vpon whome the myracle was shewed As Paule was preaching he sat in a window either bicause the number of hearers were so many that there was no seate for him elswhere or else bicause he wold haue so shaken of slepe which he perceiued came creping on him Howbeit at length being ouercome of sleepe he fel downe and died of the fall But if this thing came vnto him whose sleepinesse might many wayes be excused what thinke we may come to passe and fall on those which heare the worde of God in contemptuous wise and while they seeme to sit to heare either of purpose settle them selues to slepe or else being ouercome with surfe◠and quaffing are enforced to sleepe As these men are negligent of their saluation so they much regard not the maiesty of god Wherfore it can not be but the preaching of the gospel must tend to their destruction which otherwise is the administratrix of saluation vnto the diligent hearers and them that beleeue it Also we are taughte by this place that God permitteth vs sometimes to be tempted with doleful and heauie troubles For what thing I pray you could make Paules doctrine to be suspected seeing his industrie was disturbed with so dolorous a trouble Yea what enuie should the Apostle haue had who should haue bene iudged the cause by reason of his long sermon But the Lord faileth not those that are his but by a notable myracle sheweth by and by that the gospell bringeth saluation so that whatsoeuer seemeth to make most against it serueth to the confirmation therof Let vs learne therefore to iudge rightly of all aduersities that falleth oute God sendeth them to feare vs and to haue occasion to exercise his power Let vs therfore paciently suffer al things and not doubt of the knowne truth For so it shal come to passe that the ende of those things shall be ioyfull whose beginning seemed to vs to be altogither vnprosperous and dolefull as shall be most euidently declared in the second parte of this miracle to omit other examples which might be brought After this Luke describeth the myraculous raising vp of Eutychus againe wherein all thing that Paule did must be considered in order First assone as he knewe of the matter he gate him downe to helpe him and alleageth for his excuse neither the dishnoouring of the Sabothe nor of the supper He is not therfore superstitious but remembring the doctrine of Christe vnderstandeth that the Sabothe was ordained for man and that all externe ceremonies must giue place vnto charitie Therfore they are foolishe superstitious yea wicked which in like necessitie saye it is vnlawfull to breake the traditions of men as they which are so bounde vnto Monkishe rules that they may not helpe their kinsfolke being in daunger or distresse and thinke no cause sufficient to interrupt the sacrifice of the Masse Then falling vpon the yong man he embraceth him not bicause he thought he could bring him to life againe by the touching of his body but for that he knew this must be done by the power of Christ whose ambassadour he was Wherfore this gesture of Paule conteineth the mysterie of our saluation For by the proud fal of Adam sinne death by meane thereof fell on vs all But in Christ life and saluation is offred vs partakers wherof shall all such bee which being drawne by the doctrine of the Apostles as it were by the armes doe come into the fellowship of Christ through fayth Furthermore he friendly comforteth them that are in feare saying Make nothing adoe or be you not troubled For he was not without cause afraide as we saide before least the weake in faith would hereby much haue swarued Wherefore he by and by addeth His life is yet in him By the which wordes he denieth not the myracle but pronounceth modestly of him selfe bicause he would not seeme to attribute any thing to him selfe and for that he would giue occasion to no man to thinke of him aboue that becommed them Then returning forthwith into the chambre againe he maketh an ende of the distributing the Supper and beginneth a newe sermon which he continueth vntill morning and then by sunne vp taketh his iourney Herein is Paules wonderfull diligence to be commended which hauing wrought such a myracle goeth yet on in his vocation and thinketh he hath not yet fulfilled all his duetie as some sluggardes vse but yet great vaunters of their owne labors and trauailes let vs imitate Paules industrie and thinke that we owe God the more seruice the greater tokens we perceiue in oure selues of his power and grace Luke ioyneth vnto this myracle a notable frute of this endeuor and studie For they brought the yong man aliue For the woorkes of God are perfecte and the Apostles beguiled no man with myracles of legierdemaine as Iuglers vse to do Then the beleeuers were not a little comforted not only bicause the yong man was restored to life againe but for that they sawe set before their eyes such an euident testimonie of Gods
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
that Paule burned in the zeale of the Iewes law when he persecuted the Church But for this cause he confesseth him selfe to be the chiefest and gretest sinner of all other For God will not haue vs ledde with our owne zeale but requireth of vs knowledge that when we haue learned to vnderstande his worde we should do that he prescribeth and commaundeth Looke the .xv. chapter of Numbers But let vs returne vnto Paule and see what he dothe beeing compased about wyth so many daungers Luke reporteth one thing of him wherby we may iudge bothe of his inuincible steadynesse of fayth and of hys coragious minde For in that furie and rage of the people and confused clamour and shouting he meditateth an excuse partly for that he was very desirous of hys Countreymens vtilitie and woulde fayne haue broughte them vnto good and partely for that he woulde free Chrystes quarell of all suspition beeing appoynted a Minister thereof And thys example of Paule is to be followed of all Ministers in their priuate daungers diligently to seeke bothe the saluation of others and the glory of Chryste But it all be good to consider diligently all the partes of thys businesse First he rusheth not out after any rash sort to speake as sedicious persons vse to do but asketh leaue first of the Captaine after a modest and reuerent wise And he setteth him not light bicause he was a souldier but rather worshippeth him bicause of his authority office By which example both the Popes and Anabaptistes are confuted wherof the one simply condemne al Magistrates the other set them to kisse their fete yea they wickedly set their feete vpon them Moreouer the Captaine although he suppose him to be a murtherer answereth him frendly demandeth whether he be not that Egyptian which not many days before had raysed vp the people to rebel with his scattred cōplices robbed men in euery place as they went For it was meet that they which wold not embrace the true Messias shold be deluded by deceiuers as we haue elsewhere shewed The example of the captaine techeth vs to deale curteously with captiues For where the end of imprisonment is to bridle keepe vnder malefactors for feare of doing hurt for an example vnto others it were discourtesie and vniust to passe these bounds by crueltie against him whom we ought rather for humanities sake to haue pitie of Agayne we see in the captaynes demaunde what horrible crymes God suffreth his seruaunts to be suspected charged with and yet vseth he to deliuer them out of all Wherfore there is no cause why they should dismay vs but rather that we should follow Paule who beeing nothing offēded with this vnseemely demaund declareth modestly and frendly what he is and by reason of his modestie God so disposing the matter obteyneth leaue of the Captayne to say his minde But if a man woulde compare this Captayne with the Monkes of our dayes and the Inquisitors of Heresie which cause the tongues of Martyres to be pulled out bycause they shall not speake to the people as they goe to execution it shall easily appeare howe muche more wycked and cruell they bee than hee was But assoone as Paule had gotten leaue of the Captayne to speake strayghte way hee beckened wyth hys hande to the people and obtayneth silence of them also and maketh a diligent Oration to them out of hande which was no small token of a ready mynde and witte Heere is to bee considered bothe the power and truthe of god Hys power appeareth in this that hee was in a momente able to calme and pacifie the myndes of the raging people to giue eare vnto hym whose death euen nowe they so desired Of hys truthe thys is a manyfeste argument that hee is not amased with all that shouting and buffeting but hath his wittes and vtteraunce at will to declare hys cause boldely and artificially before his moste cruell enimies Thus is that saying of Chryst fulfilled Euen in the same houre shall it be giuen vnto you what to speake c. Compare with our Paule beeing in chaynes Cicero the father of the Romane eloquence and thou shalt perceiue how much the spirite of Chryst passeth all industrie of mans wit and long exercise of pleating For he long agone beeing broughte in his Litter into the Hall to pleate Milo his cause when he sawe Pompeyes garde and harnesse glittering in euery place of the hall could scarse for feare once open his mouth to speake But Paule beeing bound in chaynes and feeling the ache of hys late bobbes and buffets among the weapons and armor of the souldiors the Captayne standing by pleateth for his life with constante minde and mouth beeing encouraged with the spirite of Chryste which he promised to his electe to be their Aduocate and comforter Let vs lykewise be emboldened with the meditation of the same that wee may without feare pleate the cause of saluation and fayth before this world for he in whom wee haue beleeued will not leaue vs destitute neither of his spirite nor fauor which is our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Chryst to whom be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxij. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxlij Homelie MEn brethren and Fathers heare yee mine answer which I make now vnto you When they hard that he spake in the Hebrue tong to them they kept the more silence And he saithe I am verily a man which am a Iewe borne in Tharsus a Citie in Cycil neuerthelesse yet brought vp in this Citie at the feete of Gamaliel and infourmed diligently in the lawe of the Fathers and was feruent minded to Godward as yee all are this same day and I persecuted this way vnto the death bynding and deliuering into prison both men and women as the chiefe Prieste dothe beare me witnesse and all the state of the Elders of whom also I receiued Letters vnto the brethren and went to Damasco to bring them which were ther bound to Ierusalem for to bee punished ALthough our Sauiour Iesus Christ would haue his Disciples to be pacient in bearing slaunders and reproches Yet that letteth not but they may bothe openly and boldly protest and defend their innocencie Yea many times necessity constraineth them so to do least by their meanes Christ and the Christian faith be euill reported This dothe Paule therefore in this place prudently consider We heard how the Iewes accused him for a common enimie of gods people of his law and his Temple Besides this the Captaine suspected he was an Egyptian and Captaine of a many of cutte throtes that lately had made an Insurrection All which things seeing they were as well preiudiciall to Paule as vnto Christian religion and truthe therefore he passeth them not ouer without regarde nor holdeth not his peace like a blocke but applieth him selfe busily to get licence of the Captaine to make his purgation which when he had
of iustice be punished for euer Fourthly through the conducte and guyding of this fayth he sayth he laboureth to keepe a good conscience both towarde God and man which thing is the right fruite of fayth For fayth iustifieth men but they that are righteous and iust worke righteousnesse 1. Iohn 3. And it can not bee that they will pollute their conscience with filthinesse of sinne which beleeue stedfastly there shall bee a resurrection of the dead Hereby it appeareth what Paules fayth was And hereby he proueth that he ought to be taken for no heretike As many therefore as by true fayth worship the God of their fathers according to the Scriptures and holde fast the hope of resurrection and labour to keepe a cleane conscience both toward God and man these be true followers of Paule and the Apostles yea true and right Christians howsoeuer the vnhappie world rage and storme agaynst them Let vs therefore sticke to this fayth O brethren and through the stedfaste hope of resurrection to come stoutly passe through all tribulations beeing sure we shall one day haue an eternall rewarde with Iesus Chryst our Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cliiij Homelie BVt after many yeres I came and brought almes to my people and offerings in the which they found me purified in the Temple neither with multitude nor yet with vnquietnesse Howbeit there were certayne Iewes out of Asia which ought to be here present before thee and accuse me if they had ought agaynst me or else let the same here say if they haue found any euil doing in me while I stand here in the Counsel except it be for this one voyce that I cried standing among them of the resurrection of the dead am I iudged of you this day When Felix heard these things he deferred them for he knew very well of that way and sayde when Lysias the Captayne is come downe I will know the vttermost of your matter And he commaunded an vnder Captayne to keepe Paule and to let him haue rest and that he should forbid none of his acquayntaunce to minister vnto him or to come vnto him AS the holy Ghoste woulde haue the accusation which the Iewes made against Paul diligently written that we might learne thereby whereof this worlde doth alwayes accuse the faythfull Ministers of Chryst so as diligently dothe Luke reporte the apologie or oration that Paule made in his owne defence Wherby we are taught how we should behaue our selues in the like case First and formoste he answereth very diligently boldly vnto the crime of sedition teaching vs by his example how the ministers of Christ aboue al things must be free and cleare from such attempts As touching his faith about the which they accused him of heresie and schisme he plainly confesseth the same and rendreth a reason or account therof in fewe words but yet very perspicuous and playne Whereby we gather that confession of fayth doth most become the ministers of Chryst which must so be declared that the reason therof may appeare vnto all men which are led with any feare or feeling of God. Now followeth the crime of polluting the Temple in putting away wherof Paule is very diligent albeit he was not ignorant that the vse and maiestie of the Temple was for the most part abolished by the comming and death of christ And we must not thinke that Paule did beare with the Iewes herein which as yet reuerenced their Temple too supersticiously but hath a respect vnto the right vse of temples which christian men by nâ— meanes can want For although the maiestie of God can not be included or kept within Churches neither can the worship of God be tied vnto them yet outwarde religion requireth a certayne place where the people may assemble togither to heare the worde preached and the Sacramentes administred And common reason telleth vs â–ª that places dedicated to these and suche excellent vses oughte to bee kepte from all kinde of pollution forasmuche as we read that Christ once commaunded that no man should carry any vessel or prophane thing through the temple And it is very like that he hath little deuotion or religion which wickedly contemneth or misvseth the places consecrated to religion Which thing seemeth to bee the chiefe cause wherfore Paule vsed suche diligence in puâ—ting away this obiection By this example we also are taught that the Temples or Oratories of Christians ought stoutly to be kept from all contempt and prophanation Which thing Hystoriographers report that Constantine the great and other Princes in times paste like vnto him dyd to their great prayse and renowne But let vs see Paules apologie which first excuseth him selfe by an argument taken of the tyme For he sayth he had bene many yeres from Ierusalem Wherby it playnly appeareth that he could attempt nothing agaynst the Temple Againe he declareth that the cause of his coÌ„mnig was not for the temples sake but to bring vnto the nedy brethren of Iewry the almes that was gathered among the Gentiles See what is written of this almes in the Epistles to the Corinthians especially in the 8. and 9. Chapters of the .2 Epistle In the meane season he accuseth theÌ„ of discurtesie vnthaÌ„kfulnesse which so vnworthely intreat one that had deserued so wel of the whole nation which brought vnto them a fresh benefit and pleasure We haue here to consider beside the exaÌ„ple of christian liberalitie wherof we spake about the end of the .11 Chapter the vnkindnesse of the world towards Christes ministers which is so great that it wisheth the destruction of those that day night labour for the saluatioÌ„ of al meÌ„ Thus we read the Sodomites enuied Lot for whose sake Abraham deliuered theÌ„ out of the captiuitie of their enimies And Moses receiued nothing of the Israelites but raylings threats who forsoke the delightes of courâ—ly life and the treasures of Aegypt for their sake What chaunced vnto the Prophets and after them vnto Christ our Lord is more apparant than nedeth any long rehersall But that that hapneth here vnto Paul is very notable which after his many yeres trauels his so many wakefull nightes and almes gathered in euery place to releeue the neede of the poore hath none other reward of them whose saluation he earnestly desired and for whose sake he wyshed to be accursed but strypes imprisonment and all kinde of contumelious handling Why therfore are we offended at the ingratitude of the world which being altogither set on mischiefe knoweth not otherwise how to recoÌ„pense the authors of their saluation But let vs returne vnto Paules arguments which in the third place sayth he was purified in the teÌ„ple without any multitude of men raysed or vnquietnesse Wherby agayne it appeareth that he had not polluted the Churche But if Paules argument be true as no Christian man will deny it is also true that the Temples are not polluted by them
not written for Monkes and Friers onely to pore vpon but for our learning that is for as many as professe Christ which thing being spoken by Paule of the olde Testament for as yet the newe was not written howe much more learning may we nowe receyue hauing the writings of the Euangelistes and Apostles ioyned all togither Likewise in his seconde Epistle to Timothie the thirde Chapter he sayth All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to teach to reprooue to correct and amende in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfite instructed vnto all good workes This epitheton or adiectiue inspired of God quite wypeth awaye all vnwritten verities all mannes gloses and traditions all fayned visions and myracles such as are to be founde in Gregorie the Popes dialogues and throughout the workes of our newe Diuines Since therefore the Scripture teacheth reprooueth correcteth and amendeth maketh men perfite and furnished with all good workes what thing then can there be deuised in all the worlde of more profite and vtilitie Had I not bounde my selfe by a particion to prooue by apparant reason also the truth of this assertion I shoulde néede no further to trouble eyther my selfe with more writing or you with more reading But such promises as these we are bounde to performe First therefore this is one reason verye euident playne that séeing our Sauiour Christ as Paule sayth woulde haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth and for that ende did and suffered whatsoeuer he did and suffred while he liued here on earth the meane whereby men shoulde attaine vnto that truth and saluation which are Gods holy Scriptures ought by no meanes to be kept from them The practise of our Sauiour admitting all men to his sermons and familiar communication Publicanes souldiors artificers Phariseys harlots strayed shéepe vnrighteous persons yea kéeping company most with such abundantly prooue the same And bicause the scriptures as teaching the way to come vnto god best of all other things are méetest for such straglers all men by testimonie of the same scripture of their owne nature disposition are such straglers therfore ought all straglers that is to say all men to haue the law the scriptures wherby they may both sée howe they haue strayed out of the way and how to returne into the same againe The Maior is prooued by Christ Math. 22. Iohn 5. by the olde Doctors as we shall sée when we come to the last part of our particion The Minor God himselfe maketh Genes 8. where he sayth The imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth The writings of the Prophetes and Apostles doe inculcate and repeate nothing more The places are infinite therefore I quote them not The commaundement of Christ a little before his ascention bidding his Apostles to go into all the world and teach the gospell to all Nations doth further prooue it as their practise also declared teaching the same somewhile to Tentmakers somewhile to Tanners somewhile to women that were Dyers otherwhiles to Souldiers yea at all times to all states and degrées of persons And whereas Christ was borne dyed and was buryed rose againe and ascended into heauen for all men and shall come agayne to receyue all states and degrées of men for with God there is no respect of persons but in euery Nation he that feareth him and woorketh righteousnesse is accepted of him What are we that we shoulde withstande god and kéepe this knowledge from any kinde of menne What meaneth it moreouer that Christ will haue his light to shine throughout his house that he will haue his worde preached on the house toppes that the light of his gospell must not be put vnder a bushell why doth he many times conclude his sermons thus generally He that hath eares to heare let him beare Why doth god cry vnto the Prophets bidding them to speake out and exalt their voyces like to a Trumpet and to tell his people their wickednesse Christ suffred all men Tinkers Taylers Carpenters Coblers Masons and Bricklayers to heare his voyce and will these Comptrollers barre them from reading his bookes But I wote what a newe deuine will saye In the primitiue Church when the scriptures were extant for all men to reade what a swarme of heretikes bredde they which disturbed the whole church What heresie hath there bene at any time so absurde but it hath had hir colour of maintenance out of the Scripture Sir by the way I will take it for graunted that you say the Scriptures were extaunt in the primitiue Church for all men to reade as in déede they were And so was it gods will they shoulde be and for that cause did the holy ghost mooue the Euangelistes and the Apostles to wryte the gospels and the Epistles in the Gréeke tongue which then was vniuersallye vnderstoode of most Nations yet notwithstanding these heresies bredde as you say the primitiue church neuer called the scriptures in ne yet forbade any kinde of people the reading of them You haue done both without all example of the primitiue church whereby may and doe appeare your newe proceedings But nowe to aunswere question with question what heresie I praye you euer was there but the same hath bene confuted by the scriptures Bicause some men haue misvsed the scriptures shall all menne be depriued of them shall the Bées be kept frō gathering hony of the swéete flowers bicause spiders make poyson of them shall all they that can vse wine and breade to chéere and strengthen mans heart giuing god thanks for them taste or assay none of them bicause a great many abuse them to surfetting drunkennesse Lay the fault where it is in the men not in the things that they misvse What fault is in the money that lyeth and rusteth in the cofer of the couetous what in the knife or sworde that killeth a bodye Ptholomeus Philadelphus thought himselfe very well occupied as in déede he was when he caused the bookes of Moses and the prophets to be translated into the Gréeke tongue by thréescore and tenne learned men called the seauentie Translators or Interpreters two hundreth thréescore and seauentene yeares before Christ was borne An hundreth and fower and twenty yeares after Christes ascention Aquila a Iewe in the dayes of Adrian the Emperor translated them againe After him Theodotion in Commodus dayes Then Symachus vnder Seuerus Then was there an other translation founde at Hierusalem without anye name called the common translation After this againe Origene tooke great paynes to correct the seauentie Translators adding of his owne where he thought they were not full and taking from them where he sawe redundance and superfluitie All these no doubt labouring to elucidate and make playner as much as in them lay the former translations Yea S. Hierome after all this was not afrayde to translate the whole Bible againe into the Latine tongue which is perished He
case both here in our coūtrie and abrode who list to marke and consider them True it is that christians haue bene made away and murthered vpon verye light and tryfling occasions and are also at this daye where tyrants doe reigne For in Tertullians dayes which liued about two hundreth and nine yeares after Christ If the riuer Tybris at Rome had flowed vp to the walles if Nilus the riuer in Aegypt had not watered their fieldes if there had bene no raine if there had bene anye earthquake dearth or plague by and by the people would crye to haue the Christians throwne to the Lions And all this was to ridde the countrie of them and to deface their beliefe and doctrine But what followed hereof Uerily nothing lesse than they wéened For Tertullian tolde them plainely Torment racke condemne and make vs awaye and your vniust dealing with vs is but a tryall of our innocencie Therefore God suffreth vs to suffer this at your handes The more exquisite your crueltie is towarde vs the more it allureth to take our partes And whereas they call vs Sectaries as then they did the Christians lette vs reioyce in that we see our quarrell and theirs our slaunders and theirs so like and tell them as Tertullian telleth Scapula the Romanes President that this sect shall not fayle or decay but the more it seemeth to be cut downe the more let them be assured it is builded vp And considering what they be that are our condemners Let vs also saye Such and such consecrators of our condemnation we reioyce in For as Tertullian sayde whosoeuer knoweth him meaning Nero must needes vnderstande that of force it must be some singuler good thing that he woulde condemne so may we as truely say of Boner Storye and such like that haue condemned our faythfull brethren and sisterne that whosoeuer knewe what they were how they liued and howe they dyed must néedes know also that it coulde be none other than good that they woulde condemne And therefore lette vs saye to them with Tertullian for a short aunswere when you condemne vs God pardoneth vs. Wherfore let vs not feare them that can kill the body but then can doe no more ne yet that but when God permitteth but rather let vs feare him that can cast both body and soule into the fire of hell which is Iesus Christ our Sauiour knowing that he will crowne all those that striue lawfully and continue vnto the ende to him therefore with the father and the holy ghost thrée persons and one eternall maiestie of godheade all honor power and glory be now and euer worlde without ende Amen To the Noble and honorable Consuls and whole Senate of the famous Common weale of Zurich his verye good Lordes and Maysters Raufe Gualthere Tigurine wisheth grace and peace from God the father through Iesus Christ our Lorde IT is an olde custome and confirmed by examples of holy Fathers that the professours of good Artes and learning vse to dedicate the fruites of theyr studyes eyther to theyr friendes or to men of honour and authoritie whereby to procure eyther their fauour and good wyll or else to make them defenders of their labours and paynes And whereas I haue thought good most honourable Lordes and fathers to dedicate my labors vpon the Actes of the Apostles chiefly vnto you many and weightie causes haue mooued me therevnto For priuately your liberalitie towarde mee required the same and publikely the continuall care that you haue to profite your countrey and religion in generall enforced me to shew myne alleageance good hart towards you with some dutie of gratitude thankfulnesse Wherby that feruent desire that you beare vnto godlinesse might be set forth with the publike testimonie of our Church whose example now many yeres diuers excellent states of common weales haue not bene ashamed to ymitate Howbeit to tell you the playne truth the chiefe cause of this my dooyng was for that I perceyued the matter of this booke and the consideration therof appertayned vnto you principally For in this boke is conteyned a most absolute paterne and forme of Christes vniuersall Church which it behooueth all such as are in authoritie beare rule well to knowe and vnderstande For those men that say temporall magistrates haue nothing to doe but with temporall matters and woulde haue them vtterlye to abstaine from entermedling in ecclesiasticall affayres are in no wyse to be regarded which men seeme to mee to be of opinion that they would haue common weales exempt from Gods prouidence without the which the verye Gentyles perceyued they coulde not stande or be preserued And who knoweth not that sentence of the Godly and princely Prophete Except the Lorde keepe the citie the watcheman waketh but in vayne Which also exhorteth kings and Princes to suffer themselues to be instructed in the word of God and to kisse and reuerence Iesus Christ the sonne of god But to what ende should kings be taught the word if there be no vse of the same in the administration of the common weale And howe shall they kisse or reuerence Christ if they neglect his Church which he esteemeth dearer than the apple of his eye yea than his life And how can they neglect that body whereof if they be not members vnder Christ their head they can not be saued We must hearken rather vnto Esaias who prophecying of Christes Church amonge other thinges sayth Kinges and Queenes shall be thy Nurrices In which wordes he seemeth not so much to comfort the Church as to sette foorth the office and dignitie of Kinges and Rulers which chiefly appeareth in this that God doth vouchsafe to commit vnto them the care of his Church which he hath redemed with the bloud of his sonne In dede we must confesse that God hath herein no neede of mans helpe if he would vse his absolute perelesse power Neyther deny we that many times Churches are increased and defended rather by the power and vnspeakeable councell of God than by the industrie of man But this commeth not so to passe bicause God disalloweth the care and dutie of Magistrates but that it might appeare howe all prayse and glorie is to be ascribed to him onely bicause no man should thinke religion depended more vppon the will of man than vppon Gods prouidence In the meane season such is the goodnesse of God that he doth vouchsafe to take men to be hys coadiutors helpers by their ministery to regenerate his elect people through the word defendeth the same vnder godly magistrates against the rage of this world in the midle of present daungers on euery side that they may liue in peace rest as farre forth as is conuenient for their faith and saluation And that this is the will of God not only the scriptures testifie but the whole consent of all nations doth likewise proue the same Certes in that golden world of the Patriarkes we read that one man was both king and
and troubles of all Christendome doth not only liue in peace hir selfe but also is a most safe sanctuarie for forreyners and straungers resorting to hir from all places Therefore great and weightie causes as me thinketh haue mooued me most honourable and my especiall good Lordes to dedicate this my labour and traueyle vnto you wherein according to the grace of God bestowed vppon mee I haue gone about to open and make plaine that booke which describeth the fiâ—st countenaunce and looke of that Church that is called the primitiue Church wyth the proceedings encrease and whole estate of the same a president wherof I see you haue followed with no lesse industrie and diligence than good and happie successe Which president if they shall follow which shall suceede you in gouernement of the common weale they shall both see howe you haue done nothing rashly and on a head and shall also perceyue themselues woonderfully pricked forwarde to obserue and keepe with all their power that fourme and order of a refourmed Church and Religion that they shall receyue of you And surely it shall be verie profitable to meditate oftentymes by what meanes and beginnings our auncestours deuised such an order and fourme both of Church and common weale For in so doing they shall neyther regarde slaunderers which maliciously depraue thinges done well and godlily neyther shall they be turned from the truth for anye stormes of persecution or threates of the worlde that may aryse It is also profitable manye tymes to talke of these thinges before the people which as they are ledde most commonly with things present so doe they easily forget thinges passed and gone and verie seldome thinke of things to come Therefore they allow not the deuises of the Magistrates but when they see them ioyned eyther with present profite or cleere of perilles and daunger For as soone as daunger once appeareth they finde fault and lacke of wisedome and equitie in those whose councels they ought faythfullye to set forward and obey But if they did vnderstande that their rulers had God for the authour and guyder of their drifts and deuises and that they did whatsoeuer they did according to their duetie then surelye they woulde learne more religiously to iudge of their rulers and more easilye to obey them and woulde not so sodenly bee mooued and turned at euerye rumour of daunger arysing Surely this was the thing that I chiefly ment and intended when I began openly to reade this booke to the flocke of Christ among you and to publishe and set abroade that which I had openly spoken and declared For I sawe that the state of this age waxing euery day woorse and woorse was such that it was most nedefull continually to pervse the bookes of holy scripture and to sette before the people the examples of the primitiue Church conteyned in the same that they shoulde not be deceyued with the gloses of such as vnder a false colour and pretence of antiquitie burthen vs with newe errours and accuse those thinges of noueltie which graue and godly menne haue restored vnto vs out of the worde of god Accept therefore these my labours mine honourable and good Lordes with such fauour as you haue manye yeares borne vnto the truth and vnto mee and manye other my fellowes and coparteners euen from our childehoode Continue your good will vnto the students of diuinitie holde on your accustomed humanitie and gentlenesse toward the pilgrimes and banished for Christes sake abide in the mainteyning of your lawes and correcting of the peoples maners in enhaunceing vertuous exercises and in bridling wickednesse with iustice In many places the horrible contempt of God reigneth Diuers doe wickedly reiect the wholesome benefite of Gods worde and the knowledge of christ Charitie in most men waxeth chill and fayth fayleth euerie day by little and little Iniquitie aboundeth and newe croppes of naughtinesse dayly encrease God therefore being angrie â–ª threatneth vs with punishment and feareth the world with woonders monsters and horrible vprores of kingdomes And yet will he neuer fayle them which abyde and continue in promoting his glorie defende the Church of his Christe and according to the measure of their vocation perseuere in doing their duetie He shall blesse your labours and gouerne your councels by his spirite he shall blesse all your people so that they shall of their owne accorde obey your wholesome lawes and moste happilye enioye the gladsome benefite of euangelicall peace He shall blesse your whole Church so that it shall go forwarde euerie day more and more in the doctrine of godlinesse To him who is the onely Lorde of Lordes the immortall and euerlasting God be blessing honour power and glorie for euer Amen Giuen at Zurich in your famous and chiefe Citie of Heluetia the first daye of August in the yeare of oure Lorde 1557. ⧠Ioannes Parkhurstus Anglus Episcopus Nordouicensis Multa relucenti debent haec tempora Lucae Et debet Lucas multa Rodolphe tibi Lux Lucae luxit totum diffusa per orbem Lux Lucae lucet nunc magè luce tua Ergo tibi Lucae tantum qui luminis adfers Christus cum Luca lucida regna dabit Eiusdem aliud ad Lectorem Quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuerint Apostolorum Qui ritus veteres apudque Patres Et quot discere Lector est ne cordi Huc adsis auido legantur ore Haec quae scripta vides pererudita Sacris eruta scripta quaeque libris Aut è Patribus eruta Orthodoxis Quae multo peperit tibi labore Gualtherus pietate clarus atque Doctrina patriae decus suaeque Praefulgens celebres habendus inter Scriptores potes id negare Liuor Laudes quid memorare pergo plures Vino vendibili haud opus virente Est suspensa hedera Liber loquatur ¶ A Table of the chiefe wordes and things expounded in these Homelies and Annotations A A ante A. AAron and hys chyldren chosen to be ministers Pag. 67. A ante B. Abelles fayth what it was Pag. 853. Abnegation or denying of our selfe is the beginning of Christianitie Pag. 367. Abraham is an example of the obedience of fayth 295. Abraham pleased God wythout the ceremonialles 293. Abraham is in manye daungers after he came into the lande of promyse 297. Abrahams faythe is stedfast althoughe hee bee tryed dyuers wayes ibidem Abrahams singuler faythe is sette forth ibidem Abraham what GOD dyd with him after hee came into the lande of promise ibidem Abrahams faythe in all aduersities is vpholden by Gods promyse onely ibidem A ante C. Actes of the Apostles instructe all states and degrees of men wyth examples Pag. 4. Actes of the Apostles commende the truth and Maiestie of the propheticall Oracles of vtility necessitie dignitie and Maiestie 2 Actes wherewith it begynneth the hystorie 1. A ante D. Adam was a christian 852. Adams sinne depryued vs of lyfe Pag. 119. Admiration of Gods workes is necessary 157 Admonitions out of Gods words are needefull
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
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
iustification 594 Peters counsel touching the waye of saluation 130 Peters quiet and securitie beeing in prison 493 Peters two miracles described 4â—7 Peters traunce 433 Peters exhortacion to the Church to place an other Apostle in Iudas rowme 62 Peters expostulation with Symon Magus 371 Peters playnes to the Priestes and Scribes 136 Peters boldnes in rebuking sin 108 Peters maner of deliuery 494 Peters modestie 423 Peters pouertie 153 Peters patrimonie what it comprehendeth ibidem Peters supremacie and prerogatiue in the Churche howe the papistes proue it 51 Peters readinesse and good will too pleasure and benefite all men 153 Peters demaunde of Saphira 234 Peters answer in the councel at Ierusalem and the effect therof 203 P ante H Pharao his wisedome and kyndnes Pag. 311 Phariseys errour what it was 849 Phariseys secte what it was 803 Philip baptiseth the Ethiopiane after hee had made confession of hys Fayth 387 Philip the Euangelist 764 Philip an ensample of an Euangelike pastor ibid. Philip appointed to teache the Eunuche 378 Philip an ensample of christian stoutnes 364 Philip the Apostle of Samaria 361 Philips affabilitie or courtesie 383 Philips obedience 376 Philips sermon wherby hee conuerted the Ethiopiane 379 Philips doughters do prophesie 765 Philosophie whether it be necessary before the studie of Diuinitie 665 Phora what it signifieth 33 Phrygia and Galatia conuerted Pag. 619 P ante I Pilgrimage superstitiouse 665 Pilgrimage of the Apostles howe it was vsed 619 P ante L Please all men can no man. 467 P ante O Poore commended 145 Poore cared for and considered by the Apostles ibi Poore may haue no cause of impacience ministred them by the godly Pag. 274 Poore how they muste bee holpen Pag. 145 Pouertie is not to be ashamed of 153 Pouertie is alway puling and complayning 274 Posteritie of Christ is euerlastinge Pag. 381 Power of God is inuincible 539 Power of this worlde nothing compared with Christ. 485 Power without feare of God is a great mischiefe 207 P ante R Praying lowd what it meaneth 216 Prayer stirred vp by earnest meditacions 400 Praying with diligence profitable Pag. 427 Prayer rightly vsed 216 Prayers continuall 47 Prayers commended 763 Prayers feruent ibi Prayers offered to God in Christe acceptable 75 Prayers of the faythfull are hearde Pag. 221 Prayers of the godly are not vayne Pag. 500 Prayers ioyned to imposition of the handes 369 Publike Prayers acceptable to God. Pag. 141 Prayers require solytarines and going asyde 426 Prayers without faith vnprofitable Pag. 47 Prayers require sobrietie 433 Prayer a token of faith 76 In praying what gestures should be vsed 758 Prayers power and strength 54 Praying in publike commended 758 Prayers are the wings whereby the church flieth vnto God. 215 Prayers had their appointed houres in old tyme. 150 Praying must bee instaunt and feruent 400 Predestination certain 687 Predestination searchers 29 Preparation and watchinge for the comming of Christ thinges necessary 7 Prerogatiues without Christe are vayne 189 Preaching of the Gospell wherwith it must beginne 108 How men ought to preache 916 What men ought to preache 383 Preface to the Actes of the Apostles expounded 5 Presence of Christ vpon earth howe it must be vnderstanded 43 Presidentes of coÌ„mon weales what vertues should be in them 311 Priesthode of Christ confyrmed with an othe 123 Priestes ignoraunt in Christe and in the Scriptures 534 Priestes fulfilled the scriptures 535 Priest auctours of the Apostles persecutions 191 Priestes enterprises hindred not Christ. 536 Priestes wicked are shamed for euer 63.64 Priestes and Scribes an vntowarde generation 136 Primitiue church not voyd of faults Pag. 274 Princes duties 321 Princes studies 377 Princes and Rulers called to beare office ought to heare Ecclesiasticall causes ibidem Priuate order of a Christian lyfe Pag. 146 Prophetes agree with the Apostles Pag. 600 Prophets for shewers of Christ. 350 Prophets bear witnes to Christ. 182 Prophets interpretat prophesies 610 Prophetes foreshew things to come but the end and meaninge of them they often vnderstand not 762 Prophets who were 508 Prophets gods seruaunts â–ª by whom he reuealeth his secret iudgements Pag. 99 Prophetes office 120 Prophets beguÌ„ vnder Samuel 182 Prophetes testimonies concerninge Christ and his resurrection 536 Prophesying what it comprehendeth in it 96 Prophesying what the worde signifyeth ibi Prophesie how beneficiall and profitable it is 185 Prophets sermons are holy Scriptures 54.55 Proposition and sum of the Apostles oracioÌ„ to the people of Lystra 571 Propertie of things lawfull in Christian men 143 Promise concerning the holy ghost 13 Promises of the old testament extend to the Gentyles 134 Promise of the holy Ghoste made by Christe to the Apostles belongeth to all men 85 Promises of God made too Dauid touching his sonne 93 Promises of God must bee receyued by fayth 879 Promises of God are not made frustrat by the wickednes of men 17 Promises of God must be diligently thought on in aduersitie 327 Promises of God are all ratified in Christ. 854 Promises of God must bee patiently wayted for 79 Promises of god vnto the godly 115 Promises of God made first vnto Adam 852 Promises of God how they must bee vnderstanded 688 Promises of god are infallible 870 Promises of God truliest performed when men hope least in them 79 Promises touching the resurrection of Christ. 12 Promises of the holy ghost often repeated and why 73 Promises of the Gospell belongeth to euery man. 184 Promises made to the Fathers why they be so often repeated 163 Promises of saluation belong to Infantes 134 Promises of Christ are true 73 Promises of god certain true 328 Promises of God how they must bee vsed in aduersitie 744 Promises of our saluation true and inuiolable 284 822 Promises of God to what vse they serue 134 Prouidence of God. 437 Prouidence of God in gouerning the world wonderfull 889 Prouidence of GOD must not bee rashly abused 807 Prouidence of God foreknowen and decreed 110 Prouidence of God howe it must bee vsed in aduersitie 882 Prouidence of God excuseth not sinners 53 Prouidence of GOD no defence for wickednes 59 Prouidence of God comforteth sinners 171 Prouidence teacheth vs the honour of God. 670 Prouidence of God hath all thinges subiect to it 573 Prouidence of God exemplifyed in Iudas the traitor 56 Prouidence of God too what vse it serueth 110 Pryde the cause of euill and beginning of sinne 374 Pryde how mightely God reuengeth it 485 Prudencie muste bee vsed in the affayres of the church 604 Prudencie an example 812 Publike offices must bee committed to good and godly men 311 Publius is a president of hospitalitie Pag. 891 P ante V Punishment of contemning Goddes Counsel 875 Punishment of them that condempne Christ. 182 Punishment of Idolatrie and impietie 343 Punishmentes of Christes enemies what they are 59 Punishment is not sent of god without warning 674 Purification is by fayth 596 Purification god is auctour ibid. Puâ—eolane church 893 Q ante V Question made by
Steuen falleth on sleepe 355 Steuen set on by disputations 287 Steuen oppressed and taken by sedition ibid. Steeuen dyeth full of the holy ghost Pag. 334 Steuens enimies and their enterprises against him 286 Steuens description 285 SteueÌ„s enimies rage incurable 354 Steuens example in redinesse to dye must be followed 355 Steuens enimies how they tooke his oration 351 Steuens oration and answere made in the councell of the Priests with the argument narration and partes thereof 292 Steuen being stoned how the faythfull vsed him 358 Steuen being readye to dye comforted of God and how and in what maner 352 Stipendes of the Ministers 676 Stipend must not be withholdeÌ„ from the Ministers 756 Stipende why Paule exacted not Pag. 756 Strangled and bloud 603 Stubbornenesse a thing peculiar to the wicked 268 Studious we must be of charity 618 Studie to please the people cause of persecution 489 Studies and desires of the enimies of truth 656 Study we must to please God. 580 Starre worship a thing common to the Gentiles 368 Starres superstitiouslye obserued Pag. 342 S ante V Supper of the Lorde howe it must be admynystred 735 Supper of the Lorde called breaking of breade 140 Supper of the Lorde a signe and token of Christes death 23 Supper of the Lorde with the rightes and cerimonies must not be altered 140 Supper of the Lorde taught vs by the Apostles in what order and forme to be vsed 3 Supremacie chalengers in the church confuted 5â— Superscription of a letter sent from the Synode  S ante W Swerde to keepe vnder the wicked commended 233 Swerde must be drawne in defence of relygion ibid. S ante Y Synagoge fyt place for the Apostles to beginne to preach in 512 Synâ—cdoche a figure very much vsed in the scriptures 761 Synode or conuocation at Miletum Pag. 738 Synodes and conuocations howe commodious they are ibid. Synne of those that forsake true religion how grieuous it is 516 Synners must be remitted vnto god Pag. 373 Synners not punished but first they are warned 642 Synners God disdaineth not 510 Synners must be wonne rather than destroyed 399 Synners which way God vseth to conuert them 787 Synne of ignoraunce howe it maye be excused 170 Synne agaynst the holy Ghost ibid. Synnes of men must not be rashlye iudged of 171 Synnes be they neuer so manye can not exceede Christes merite 130 Synnes cause of all euill 104 Synnes in preaching must be reproued 127 Synnes are remitted of fauour Pag. 543 Synnes although they bee heynous ought not to make vs dispayre Pag. 130 Sinne how heinous it is declared by the worde of God. 790 Synne needefull to bee rebuked in the Church 108.109 Synnes forgyuen in the name of Christ. 458 Synnes committed by thought and cogitation 373 T ante A TAbernacle was a figure of heauenly thynges 345 Tabernacle caried into the land of the gentiles 346 Tabernacle of witnesse what it was Pag. ibid. Tabernacles vse among the Iewes Pag. ibid. Tabernacle had no resting place a long while ibid. Tabernacle had not the honor of god tyed vnto it 347 T ante E Teachers office in the Churche requireth a deliget tryall 14 Teaching in the Church how it must be ordered 741 To teache which is the best waye Pag. 700 Temperaunce is a fruit of faith 829 Temperaunce what effectes â—he hath Pag. 148 Temple or church of God who build it 201 Temple hath not worship tyed vnto it 345 Temples must not bee prophaned or defiled 825 Temples by whome they are defiled and abused ibid. Templary religion is a vaine thyng Pag. 666 Temple or church commers in pompeous and prowde aray what may be thought of them 844 Tertulous oracion 819 Testament of God contayneth oure saluation 186 Testament of circumcision gyuen to Abraham what it is and how to be vnderstanded 303 Testamente the olde and the new are the law of of godly lyfe 54 Testament olde and newe how they consent 95 Testimonie of Dauid touching the resurrection of Christ. 113 Testimonie of the xvj Psalme prooued 121 Testimonies of the kyngdome of Christ. 33 T ante H Thabita raysed againe by Peter 419 Theophilus who is â— Theudas what he was 265 Threates of the worlde must not feare Christians 213 T ante I Timothey circumcised 616 Timothey borne of a Iewe and a Gentile 617 Titles and styles abused 664 Titles wherefore they ought to serue 5â—3 T ante O Tongue of the faythfull of all nations is but one 84 Tongue keeping a necessary thing Pag. 85 Tongues sitting vpon the Apostles heades were tokens of the holye Ghost 80 Tongues wherefore they serue 82 Songue or speech of Canaan 85 Tormentes must not be vsed of magistrates without a good and iust cause 815 T ante R Traditions of manne must not bee thrust into the Church 20 Traditions the Apostles thrust none into the Church 580 Traiane persecuting the Churche felt the wrath of God. 300 Tribulations of our owne brethren must be thought to be our owne 491 Tribulations ende is most ioyfull Pag. 587 Tribune delyuereth Paule againe out of the Iewes handes 463 Tribune kept from his purpose by feare of lawe 797 Tribunes readynes to succour Paul. Pag. 812 Troublers of the Church 589 Truth fought against by open force Pag. 166 Truth of god infallible 538 Truth of gods promises ibid. Truth of gods promises inuincible Pag. 886 Truth must be preached openly 520 Truth with what colours it is assaulted 193 Truth with what crimes it is charged 633 Truth is not defended with railing Pag. 823 Truth of what effecte 846 Truth Euangelicall what enemies it hath 191 Truth and gospel defendours compted seditiouse of the wicked 192. and 193 Truthes enemies must not be trusted Pag. 834 Truth in what case in this worlde Pag. 853 Truth haters are paineful and hardy therin 766 Truth hatred how much it is able to doe 809 Truth hatred whereto it bringeth men at the length 550 Truth hatred howe farre it proceedeth 810 Truth haters who are most 208 T ante V Turkes doe not honour God. 823 Turkish Ambassadors saying against the ydolatrye of christendome 340 T ante Y Tyranny of clargie ouer the Church Pag. 797 Tyrauntes can not doe alway what they list 213 Tyrauntes haue miserably perished Pag. 506 Tyrauntes sleyghtes set out in Pharao 317 Tyrants properties set out in Saule Pag. 390 Tyran defenders are flatterers 801 Tyrauntes state and condicion 213 Tyre dwellers bring Paule on hys waye 762 Tyre dwellers praye openlye 763 Tyrus visited by Paule 761 V ante A VAlerius Aurilianus moouing persecution against the church being first feared with a thunder bolte falling at his feete and yet not repenting was not long after kylled of hys owne men lying in waite for hym 301 W ante A WAntonnesse in children must be rebuked 766 Waye to attayne to saluacion Pag. 393 Way of Christ. 694 Waye of lyfe made playne in Christ. Pag. 119 Wayes of men are blinde in matters of relygyon 575 Warfayring for money how it
horrible attemptes against the Church of Christ and such vnhappy disturbances and troubles in the same Yet besides all these the examples whereof this Hystorie is full bringeth vs no small fruit of learning and godlynesse For in this stage as it were of the Church may wee see the Apostles and Apostolike persons by whose example all the ministers of Christes Church may learne with what trust and prudencie they ought to handle Christs cause with what constancie and truth they may defende the same with what puritie of maners they shoulde leade others and with what courage and pacience they should vanquish all aduersitie Here are set forth Magistrates both good and bad by whose counsel and doings they that be in office may take a president of their gouernment Here want examples neyther of riche nor poore Here haue men of whome they may learne and here are remembred the notable deedes of certaine women of whom all womanhood may take an example to lyue by To be briefe there is no degree or state eyther of the laytie or spiritualtie but this booke instructeth it with many peculyer presidents And although it be but little which I haue spoken in commendation thereof yet I suppose it appeareth therby that God ment to enriche his Church with a singular iewell and treasure whan it liked him by the mynisterie of Luke to haue the storie of the Apostles and primitiue Church to be written It behooueth vs to acknowledge his goodnesse and to follow the diligence of the holy Ghost in searching for the thinges comprysed in this holy writing which Luke beginneth with these woordes In the former treatise deare THEOPHILVS we haue spoken of all that IESVS began to doe and teach c. Before hee entreth into the discourse of the Actes of the Apostles he rehearseth the thinges that Christ did with his Apostles a little before his Ascention He vseth a little short and plaine Preface in the which as it were by rehearsall of thinges done before hee continueth and ioyneth this booke with his first entituled the Gospell of Iesu Christ written by Luke and therwithal sheweth what he purposeth in thys his other booke For the sense of hys woordes seemeth to be this In the first booke I spake of all those thinges which Iesus Christ the Sonne of God did here on earth for our sakes but now in this I am purposed to discourse of the thinges which he would haue done by the mynistery of the Apostles after hys departure in body out of the worlde And he doth dedicate his booke to one Theophilus whom most men do thinke to haue bene some speciall friend of Lukes and singular in the fayth In deede the addition which he putteth to hys name in the Preface of his Gospell calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is most noble or excellent is vsed chiefely to great men in authoritie And afterwarde wee shall heare how he attributeth the same to Festus and Foelix presidents of Iurie He was therefore some godly man of authoritie such as God vseth alwayes to appoint in hys Church to succour and ayde the same beyng in strife and contention And yet no man may hereof gather that the same booke appertaineth not aswell to vs all But rather let all men endeuour to shew themselues to be Theophili that is to saye louers of God and thinke that Luke speaketh no lesse vnto them than to this auncient Theophilus And truly as many as beleeue in Christ being reconciled by him vnto God loue him with all theyr harte and powers But touchyng this opinion it mattereth not much since it is playne ynough that all the doctrine both of the olde and newe Testament appertayneth chiefely to all them that loue God so that thereout they may haue both learnyng and comforte It shall be profitable to examine these fewe woordes of the Euaungelist somewhat more diligently And first is to be considered how he professeth to write of all the thinges For Luke may seeme to repugne with Iohn which about the ende of the Gospell written by him saith There be also many other things which IESVS did which if they shoulde be wrytten euery one I suppose that all the worlde coulde not contayne the Bookes that should be written But these places may be easily reconciled For Luke saith not he hath written euery thing perticularly but he testifieth that he hath spoken of all things necessary to be knowē for the attaynement of our saluation and which may instruct vs with sufficient knowledge of Iesus christ For albeit the Euaungelistes rehearse not all the doings and sayinges of Christ yet is Christ neuerthelesse to be beleeued neither was it needefull they should declare all things For it is euident that Christ which is the selfe truth gainesayth not him selfe in anye place but he obserueth one ende in all his sayinges It is manifest that all his doings tende to one marke and purpose Wherefore though the Apostles had let passe none of them all yet should we haue knowne none other Christ nor learned any other fayth than that wee haue learned by the writinges extant This doth Iohn witnesse when he saith Many other signes truely dyd IESVS in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Booke These are wrytten that yee might beleeue that IESVS is Christ the Sonne of GOD and that in beleeuing yee might haue lyfe thorough his name IOHN witnesseth that wee attayne vnto life through beliefe in christ And forasmuch as this beliefe may fully be learned and perceyued by the thinges written of Christ I thinke no man but he that is past shame can denie but that all thinges concerning the perfect doctrine of our saluation and Christian fayth is comprehended in the writings of the Euaungelistes Therefore Luke in these woordes reprooueth the impudent arrogancye of the Sophisters of these dayes who being tried and conuict to haue thrust many thinges into the Church without authoritie of holy Scripture would fayne slippe away with this slye shift saying that all the thinges necessarie for vs to beleeue and obserue are not contayned in the Scripture Which if wee graunt then must wee confesse that eyther the Apostles Prophetes haue not taught vs the faith in Christ perfectly or that this faith is not sufficient to saluation neither of which is tollerable for Christian eares Furthermore Luke comprehendeth all Christes office and ministery here on earth in two woordes that is to say in Woorkes and Doctrine Wee will not here speake of the dutie of a teacher of whome it is well sayde that hee should teach the people with good example For the Euaungelist meaneth not in this place to describe the properties of a teacher but to propose and set forth such thinges as are to be considered of Christ. And he giueth Woorkes the first place whereby he meaneth not myracles onely but whatsoeuer thinges else hee did for our saluation as Kinge and priest For the Scripture
to god For if euer there were any Cities notable for power and glory Hierusalem will in that poynt easily haue the superioritie For to omit that for the space of foure hundred three score and seauentene yeares there was among the people of God the seate of the kyngdome and Priesthoode that the kingdome stretched to the riuer Euphrates that it brought forth most valiant kings most holy Priests and most diuine Prophetes this one thing farre passeth all the glorye of the worlde that God did vouchsafe to make it a president and a patterne of the Church of Iesus christ For this cause is she adorned with such prayses in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes Therfore is Christ sayde to reygne in Syon Therfore the Scriptures call hir the Citie of the great King. Besides this glory the Apostles receyue in hir the holy ghost and with good successe doe there begin the helthfull preaching of the Gospell But coulde all this glory deliuer hir from the hande of God being angrye with hir and from imminent destruction when she had forgotten the benefits of God and his commaundementes and followed not the vertues of hir forefathers nor shewed hir selfe thankfull and obedient to God Naye but where they chose rather to follow the multitude of such fathers as brake both Gods lawes and mans shed the bloud of the Prophets neyther the godlynesse of Dauid which first builded there his pallace and temple neyther the wisedome of Salomon neyther the integritie of Iosaphat neither the valiantnesse of Ezechias neyther the zeale of Iosias neither the sermons of the Prophets which rang in euery place of hir neyther the myracles done by Christ and his Apostles in hir neyther the Gospell begonne there to be preached could let but that within fourtie yeares she was vtterly destroyed and being raced and layde euen with the grounde hath scarce any marke or monument there left of so famous and noble a Citie And that we saye happened to Hierusalem both Capernaum that peculiar Citie of Christ and Corozain and Bethsaida notable by reason of the Apostles dwelling there felt euen the same Let them cease therefore to glorye in the vertues of their forefathers and in the olde benefites of God that cease not with vnthankfulnesse and disobedience to prouoke the wrath of god For vnlesse the hearers of the worde of God be aunswereable to Gods benefites they shall haue the same lot and porcion with the vnhappy Cities of Iurie Furthermore to return to the purpose of Christ let vs see what the Apostles haue to do in the citie of Hierusalem He biddeth them to wayte there for the promise of his father by the which he meaneth the holy ghost which he calleth the promise of the father both for that he is truely promised and giuen of the father only and also for that he had promised sundry times by the Prophetes that in the comming of the Messias he would plentifully poure forth his spirit vpō men as Peter afterwards declareth out of Ioel. In the meane season he putteth them likewise in remembrance of his promises which appeare euery where in the Gospell If any man beleeue in me sayth he as the Scripture sayth riuers shall runne out of him of the water of lyfe Which wordes are to be vnderstanded of the holye ghost whom they that beleeued in Christ should receyue as the Euangelist there teacheth And in another place he sayth I will praye vnto my father and he shall giue you another comforter which shall abide with you for euer euen the spirite of truth whome the worlde cannot receyue Againe That comforter which is the holy ghost whom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things and shall put you in remembrance of all things which I haue sayde vnto you And againe When the comforter shall come which I will sende you from my father the spirite of truth which proceedeth from the father he shall beare witnesse of me And a little way after When he commeth which is the spirite of truth he shall bring you into all truth Bicause therefore the father once promised by his Prophetes this spirite to the worshippers of his sonne Iesus Christ and Christ hath obtayned vs the same according as hee is our Mediator and intercessour therefore it is well called the promise of the father Here is to be considered that Iesus Christ suffreth not his Apostles appointed long before to the office of preaching and a great while by him faithfully instructed to leape sodeinly into the ministery but requiring obedience of them cōmaundeth them to waite for the spirite promised of his father We are taught by this example of Christ that obedience to Christs commaūdements is chiefly required in the ministers of his word For it is very meete that they which should bring other to the obedience of faith which is the ende of the preaching of the Gospel should first be obedient to the same themselues and that they should doe nothing without the appoyntment and commaundement of their Captayne For so shall they not onely by their doctrine but also by their owne example perswade their hearers the better to obedience Moreouer this place admonisheth vs that it is not ynough for Ministers of the word to be furnished with knowledge and learning except they haue also the gift of the holy ghost For where no man commeth vnto Christ without hee be drawne by his father they that haue the gouernaunce of the Church shall in vayne teach and admonish men vnlesse the holy ghost work with their studie and industry Paule the Apostle well perceyued this matter which calleth the Church the tillage of God and confesseth that neyther he that planteth neyther he that watreth is any thing but ascribeth all the glorye and successe of this matter to God onely which alone can giue increase Therefore the Ministers haue neede to be prepared by the holy ghost least while they vndertake such a charge without his guyding they procure displeasure and losse not onely to themselues but also to the whole Church Neyther shall he euer be meete for this roume which feeleth not the effectuous motions of the holy spirite within his hart Hereof proceede those preparations of the Prophetes which we reade in Scripture such as Esay Hieremie Ezechiel and other had before they preached which seemeth to be the cause that Paule forbade that yong Studentes shoulde not be chosen to the ministery of the Church bicause such for the most part cannot be verye sure of the operation of the holy ghost and his present ayde But that we speake of the ministers of the worde is to be referred to all men which are appointed to great charges and offices in the common weale In which number Magistrates are not last to be placed who being the expositors and interpreters of Gods iudgements are in scripture called Gods. For what can they eyther well foresee or iudge vnlesse
that Iesus Christ which otherwheres receyueth no testimonye of man woulde prooue his promise by an argument taken from the authoritie of Iohn and his baptisme For this is the guise and maner of God to accommodate himselfe to our capacitie for that he would haue it appeare that Iohn spake by the holy ghost This therfore seemeth to me to be the meaning of Christes words If you remember with your selues both the things which I haue sundry times promised you and which you haue heard of Iohn my forerunner you can no longer doubt of the sending of the holye ghost For when he baptised those that came to him in Iordane he gathered the people not to himselfe but to me whom he truely confessed to be more excellent than himselfe and shewed them what I would giue them that beleued in me euen the holy ghost which is the spirite of adoption and earnest of saluation kindled in the beleeuing people a great desire of my kingdome The water of baptisme was a figure of this benefite which afterward I should bestow vpō them Which seeing ye haue receyued of Iohn not without the inspiration of God doubt not of the things which he hath promised you For as Iohn hath discharged his dutie towardes you and hath receyued you being sprinkled with water into the felowship of my body which is the Church euen so wil I not fayle truly to accomplishe that that belongeth to my charge that is to poure out my spirite most abundantly vpon you the signe whereof you haue already receyued This sense I say seemeth of all other most agreeable to Christes purpose Neyther ment Christ here to make a difference betweene his and Iohns outwarde baptisme For it is plaine that Iohns baptisme and Christs was all one forasmuch as Christ would be baptised of him He rather maketh a difference betweene the signe and the thing signified by the signe and betweene his and Iohns office He calleth the sending of the holy ghost by the name of baptisme by an allusion and bicause of the proportion that is perceyued to be betweene the outwarde signes and the things signified But we haue in these wordes two things most worthy to be considered First that we ought to make a difference betweene the Ministers and Christ whose Ministers they are least we attribute to them that that belongeth only to christ Iohn baptiseth with water but Christ giueth the holy ghost So the Minister is occupied about outward things while he preacheth the word admonisheth exhorteth rebuketh comforteth prayeth for the congregation ministreth the sacraments But they themselues be subiect to Christ which according to his good will quickneth the seede of the word in them by his holy spirit worketh holy motions cheereth them with comfort and to conclude reformeth and frameth them after the image of God neyther mattereth it that all these thinges sometimes be attributed to the Ministers and that Paule sayth he had begotten the Corinthians in Christ and that he traueyleth againe with the Galathians For where God hauing no neede of vs doth vouchsafe to vse men as his coadiutors bicause he would haue the Ministery by him ordeyned in the more authoritie therefore vseth he to adorne it with such titles For the which cause the same Paule sayth vnto the Corinthians whom he perceyued too much addicted to the Ministers What is Paule what is Apollo but Ministers by whom you haue beleeued and as the Lorde hath giuen to euery man I haue planted Apollo hath watred but it is God that giueth the increase So neyther is he that planteth any thing neyther he that watereth but God which giueth the increase If these thinges be obserued both we shall worthily esteeme of the Ministerie and giue all the glory of our saluation to Christ for the which his spirite euery where in the Scriptures so earnestly laboureth Secondarily it is very worthye the consideration that Christ taketh an argument from baptisme to prooue to his Apostles the truth of his promise Wee are taught hereby that the Sacramentes doe so seale the promises and benefites of God that wee neede no whit to doubt of the same For God mocketh vs not with vaine shewes and promises but whatsoeuer he promiseth in worde and sealeth with sacraments the same hee vseth to perfourme in deede He promiseth vs by the preaching of the gospell forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of Iesu Christ and the spirite of adoption whereby we are made the children of god He addeth as a seale to his promise baptisme where we being visibly washed are receyued into the outwarde societie of the Church or children of god Therfore whosoeuer beleeueth the promise of the Gospell hee is so certayne of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes of his adoption and the possession of the heauenly inheritance as he is certayne hee is washed with baptisme By a lyke reason are we taught in the Gospell that the flesh and bloude of Christ were gyuen and offred on the aultar of the crosse for the lyfe of the worlde that the sinnes of the worlde should be purged with the sacrifice of the immaculate lambe Christ hath ioyned to this promise his supper the remembraunce of hys death in steade of a seale therof Therefore whosoeuer beleeueth the Gospell is as certaine that Christes body and bloude was offred for his sinnes and is as surely fedde with the merite of Christes bodye and bloude vnto lyfe euerlasting as hee is sure that he receyueth part of the breade and wine at the Lordes table according to Christes institution And after this sort the sacraments are sayd to seale the righteousnesse of fayth and to confirme and feede our fayth not that the outwarde elements conceyue anye secrete vertue or power by the wordes of consecration for that efficacy and power must be attributed to all that holy businesse by reason of Christes institution which institution if thou take away alter or breake thou prophanest and ouerthrowest the sacrament vtterly Therfore our myndes must be lift vp that the thing we testifye by outwarde action wee may perfourme by fayth which only apprehendeth Christ and the benefites which he hath bestowed on vs and gathereth vs into the number of those which shall raigne with him in heauen to whom be blessing honour glory and power for euer Amen The fourth Homelie WHEN they therefore were come togither they asked of him saying Lorde wilt thou at this time restore againe the kingdome to Israell And hee sayde vnto them It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his owne power But yee shall receyue power after that the holy ghost is come vpon you And you shall be witnesses vnto me not onely in Hierusalem but also in Iurie and in Samarie and euen vnto the worldes ende AFter Luke with great diligence hath declared how our sauiour Iesus Christ instructed his Apostles whō he would haue to be teachers of al the world with
shoulde be exercised and tryed But bicause God is faythfull hee suffreth them not to bee tempted aboue their strength but in their temptation maketh a waye that they may beare it There are infinite examples hereof beside this â–ª that wee haue in hande Abraham is called out of his natiue countrie and is commaunded to go into a straunge countrie which he knoweth not inhabited with wicked dwellers But bicause he obeyeth Gods calling all thinge succeedeth luckily and he is increased and instored there not only with riches but also hath the friendship of the mightiest in the countrye His posteritie dwell there also and bicause they walke in Gods vocation they liue in safetie amongst them whom the destruction of the Citie of Sichem myght seeme with iust desire of reuenge to arme against them But God is their faythfull protector which caused this saying to sound in the mindes and eares of the Chananites Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophetes no harme Let all men of what state or degree soeuer they be applye the consideration of these things vnto themselues and let them remember that there is a most large blessing and an infallible promise of Gods helpe ioyned to the commaundementes of God which vndoubtedlye they shall enioy that will endeuour to obey them See touching this blessing Deuter. 28. and Leuit. 26. But chiefly we must take heede that we admit not the counsell of mans witte in the things which we see expressely by Gods worde bidden or forbidden For this is a most present plague which casteâ—h aside all endeuour of obedience and maketh all our lyfe to be hatefull before god For there is no commaundement of God so holy so easie so healthfull wherein our fleshe will not finde some difficultie and daunger yea and some colour of vnrighteousnesse and iniquitie Obedience of fayth is required which as Paule sayth doth captiuate all mans vnderstanding beateth downe all the counsell of mans reason and bringeth whole man to the obedience of God and his worde Hereunto is to be referred that that God prescribeth in the law by these wordes Thou shalt not seeke after thine owne heart or thine owne eyes after the which you vse to go a whooâ—ing but you shall remember rather and doe all my commaundements be holy vnto your God. And againe Ye shall adde nothing to my worde which I haue coÌ„maunded you nor take nothing therefrom And if anye man require examples of them which haue euill thriued by breaking of Gods commaundement he shall finde both otherwheres and in the hystory of Saule diuers See. 1. Samuel 13. 15. But let vs haste to the reast In the seconde place Luke rehearseth the names of the Apostles and that not without a great purpose For besides that they whom Iesus Christ appoynteth to be the teachers of all the worlde ought well to be knowne least naughtye deceyuers might chalenge to them the office and authoritie of the same it was necessary that we might knowe surely howe they after their foule forsaking of Christ were restored againe to their former place and dignitie For all men knowe how shamefully they yeelded when Christ was taken by the souldiers and by the high Priestes seruaunts For then they all fled and left him And Peter which presumed so much of his owne strength committed the grieuouser offence bicause hee three times denyed him Therfore men might doubt not without some cause whether the Lord had taken such as they were into his fauour againe and whether such cowardly slydebacks might be beleeued Therfore to put all doubt out of our mindes and that we shoulde not thinke their foule fall at the first shoulde preiudice the truth of their doctrine the holye ghost woulde haue them againe by name to be rehearsed Iudas onely excepted that were appointed before Christes death to preache the Gospell vnto all the worlde And if you conferre the nameroll of this place with the things written Math. 10. Marc. 3. and Luke 6. you shall finde no maner of difference or disagreeing Nowe this is a singular example of the goodnesse of God which not only would forgiue so dishonest a forsaking of him but also woulde restore such as they to their former office and dignitie Here truly as Paule sayth Grace abounded where trespasse abounded For Peter which had three times denyed Christ heareth Christ three times againe say vnto him feede my shepe Hereof let them take comfort whose consciences are grieued with sinne that they dispaire not eyther bicause of the heynousnesse or multitude of their sinnes Turne vnto mee sayth the Lord and I will turne vnto you As sure as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he returne and liue This also is worthy the considering that in this nameroll the names of none but suche as were the most vylest and contemned persons in the iudgement of the worlde are rehearsed For first he reckeneth Peter Iames Iohn and Andrewe who before that time we reade were rascall fishers Here is also numbred Mathew the Publicane a defamed person by reason of his former trade of liuing As touching the nobilitie riches or honours of the other there is nothing any where mentioned But the sonne of God which hath power ouer the mindes of men might haue brought to his obedience the sonnes of the Princes and high Priestes to haue spred abroade the Gospell by the ministery of those who were of authoritie and power in the worlde but it pleased him to choose base and despised persons both for that we should knowe that God despiseth none in the worlde bee he neuer so vile and contemned and also for that wee shoulde learne to iudge of matters of faith and religion not according to mans authoritie but after the knowledge of the truth and worde of god For a most grieuous and perillous errour are they in which when they should pronounce of matters of the faith turne their eyes to the authoritie of men as though faith and religion depended of the iudgement of men and not rather of the onely word of god Tertullian a most auncient writer derideth the Romanes bicause they consecrated or allowed their Gods after the appoyntment of the Senators and woulde admit none for Gods but such as lyked the Senate And so doe they in these dayes which pronounce of faith and doctrine according to the renoume and authoritie of men which kinde of people are daylye euerywhere seene And for this cause our faith and religion is chieflye condemned of our aduersaries bicause it hath fewe Emperors and Kings fewe Popes Cardinals and Bishops that followe it But howe fowlye these men are deceyued the example of the Iewes declareth whome we reade to haue stumbled at the same stone For when they perceyued the doctrine of Christ somewhat lyked their ministers by and by they beginne to oppresse them with the authoritie of men saying Are yee also deceyued doe any
in their mother tongue Acheldama that is to say the bloudy fielde SAint LVKE hitherto hath declared what the Apostles did in their owne priuate case after Christ departed from the earth attributing to them true obedience vnitie of mindes and continuance in prayer And these verily are wholesome exercises wherewith we must prepare our selues duely to receyue the holye ghost who entreth not into a frowarde soule and whome the worlde cannot receyue but contemneth and derideth such cogitations and studies Nowe in this place he beginneth to declare what the Apostles first did how they settled themselues to the publike ministery of the Church which was committed vnto them And this was the substitution of Matthye in the place of Iudas the traytour and reprobate For where Christ would haue the Apostles to be twelue in number whom hee ordayned to be Iudges of the twelue Trybes of Israel it was requisite the same number should be fulfilled least the falshoode of Iudas should any way hinder the ordinaunce of Christ. In the meane season the example of the Apostles admonisheth vs that the chiefe care of the Church ought to be in prouiding to haue fitte meete ministers For how shal they beleeue in him sayth Paule of whom they haue not hearde howe shall they heare without a Preacher howe shall they preach except they be sent And the same Apostle in another place sayth that himselfe Apollo and Cephas were the ministers of God by whome the Corinthians beleeued For although it belonge onely to God to giue fayth and hee worketh the same in the mindes of men by the vertue of his holy spirite for which cause the worshippers of Christ are called by the Prophet the taught of God yet for our sakes he witteth safe to vse the outwarde ministerie of the worde the vse and dignitie whereof must be defended and retayned in the Church Which thing is the cause why the Prophetes account fitte teachers among the chiefe benefites of God and Christ teacheth his Apostles to praye vnto God to sende worthy and faithfull workmen into his vineyarde And Paule in another place sheweth the maiesty and great care of Christ for his Church by this one argument chiefly that he sendeth from high giftes of his holy spirite and giueth some Apostles some Prophetes some Euaungelists some Pastors and teachers to the increase of the Saintes in the woorke of administration and to the building vp of his bodye They ought well to remember this that take vppon them in these dayes authoritie ouer the Church of Christ whether they be Bishops or secular Magistrates that they fayle not in this most necessary poynt to see to the Church but that they order euery thing in such sort that they maye leaue to their posteritie presidents of sounde and true doctrine Whervnto chiefly belongeth the appointing of schooles and bringing vp of youth which the Prophetes in the olde Testament had a great care of and after that the Christian Emperours likewyse Which things whosoeuer eyther through negligence or wasting of the Church goodes consume they ought to be taken for the greatest enimies of the Church and shall one daye buy such their heynous offences full deere at Christes hande But to addresse vs to the declaration of this present place Luke with great diligence rehearseth this hystorie declaring how the chiefe vse thereof is for vs to learne by example of the Apostles what to obserue and followe in choosing and appoynting ministers of the Church He beginneth with the description of the Church that was at that time In those dayes sayth he when they being gathered togither with one accorde looked for the comming of the holy ghost Peter stoode vp in the midst of the Disciples and proposed a matter which indifferently appertained to them all The number of them that beleeued when they were rehearsed by name was about an hundred and twentie Here both the small number of beleeuers in the Primitiue Church and Peter the Apostle are diligently to be considered For touching the number of them that professed Christ I thinke there is no man but marueyleth that there was no more founde in so famous and populous a Citie that professed and followed christ For what had Christ left vnassayde in that Citie For to omit the teaching aduertisements exhortation of the Prophets if a man consider but the things done in that Citie from the time that Christ came among them he shall perceyue an incredible hardnesse of heart and frowardnesse in that nation Iohn the Baptist went before Christ by reason of the plainnesse of his doctrine and straightnesse of his lyfe had bene able to haue mooued anye kinde of men But howe smally he profited the proofe very well declared Then by and by vpon followed Christ who to his doctrine which he framed and prepaced all maner of wayes to winne them with added myracles of such force and efficacie that they were able to make the verye enimies to confesse the truth Uerily Nicodemus confessed that no man but he that was sent of God coulde doe such things as they sawe him doe euery daye And manye openlye sayde Shall Christ when hee commeth worke more myracles than this man hath done I let passe the signes and woonders which partlye went before Christes death and partly followed which were able to mollifie the harts of the most cruell souldiers And yet after all these thinges there are no more but sixe score persons reckened among all that beleeued by Lukes testimonie who was a most faithfull and true witnesse In this appeareth the great power of Iesus Christ which of this smal remnant as the Prophets afore times tolde was able to multiplie and encrease his Church that in fewe yeares it was spred ouer all the worlde Wee maye learne also the vntowardnesse of mans nature and acknowledge almost an incurable naughtinesse in him and not to be offended though we see but fewe in these dayes that beleeue the doctrine of the Gospell For this did Esaias long ago foresee therfore minding to preach of the redemption that should be made by Christ crieth out who hath beleeued our preaching to whom is the arme of the Lorde declared And Christ speaking to his flocke sayth feare not little flocke for it hath pleased my father to giue you a kingdome And himselfe speaking of the last times declareth that such shall be the fashion and condicion of the worlde when he commeth that he shall finde no faith or truth vpon the earth Therfore great is the errour of those which iudge of faith and doctrine according to the multitude or fewnesse of them that followe it which is a common thing nowe a dayes For such was the state of the Church euen in the verye beginning that the smallest number embraced the doctrine of truth Noah only with his familie in that auncient worlde followed a diuers faith and religion from the residue of
called backe to Byzantium he was faine to leaue the Citie to Totylas to be taken and sacked againe Infinite examples of this sort myght be shewed which testifie that most certaine destruction hangeth ouer the heades of the enimies of Christ and his Church The other kinde of punishment is And his Byshoprick let another take By the which wordes he declareth that such kinde of men by no maner dignities or other excellent priuiledges that they enioy can escape the imminent iudgement of god For whatsoeuer excellent and singular gifts they haue obtayned through the goodnesse of God bee taken from them and gyuen vnto other as Iudas hereof is a most manifest example He was called to be an Apostle and therewithall was as it had bene the stewarde of christ Therefore great was his dignitie and such as passed the dignity both of king Emperour Herevnto is to be added his continuall conuersation with Christ and that he sawe and hearde many things with the other Apostles which many Prophets and righteous men although they greatly desired the same coulde neyther see nor heare But all these coulde not helpe this vnhappy body which deserued through his falshoode to be bereeued of them all For he departeth this world with an horrible ende and the dignitie of his Apostleship is cast vpon Matthie The like iudgement of God is seene in Saule who was so bolde as to persecute Dauid bearing a figure of christ For as soone as he had once purposed that thing in his minde the good spirite of God was taken from hym the euill spirite of Sathan entred in his place wherewith he was continually haunted vntill that both he killed himselfe left the kingdome to Dauid to possesse Hereto is the sentence of Christ to be applyed To euery one that hath shall be giuen and from him that hath not shall be taken euen that he hath For they by Christs iudgement are sayde to haue which being indued with the giftes of God acknowledge them in themselues and vse them with all their power to the glorie of God and the saluation of many And God of his liberalitie and bountie increaseth his gifts euery daye in them and maketh them more and more to appeare But they which neglect them as though they had receyued none at Gods hande and applying their owne businesse haue no regarde to that that appertayneth to the glorye of God they are at length so punished for their negligence and contempt that they are depriued of all their graces they become infortunate despised and vtterlie shamed For that sentence shall remayne for euer neither shall it be broken with any force of the worlde which God speaketh among other things to Hely the Priest in his wrath shewing him how he shoulde be punished I will honour those that honour mee and they that despyse mee shall come to shame And in another place he threateneth extreme ignominie and shame to the wicked which regarde not the glory of God I will sayth hee sende a curse vpon you and will curse your blessinges yea curse them will I if you doe not take heede Beholde I shall corrupt your seede and cast dunge in your faces euen the dunge of your solemne feastes I would we did often consider these things in these dayes and then would we not marueyle how all they haue lost their authoritie and estimation in the Church common weale which ought to be reuerenced The Bishops complayne of this misfortune can not tell where the authoritie of the Church is become But they should cease to complayne and marueyle if they would remember the counterfeyting of true doctrine their buying and selling of holye thinges the corruption of maners the couetousnesse and pryde many such other lyke brought into the Church by their meanes whereby they haue abundantly declared themselues to bee rather the successors of Iudas than of Peter The teachers of the Gospell also complayne of the contempt of their office and ministery saying that the authoritie of ecclesiasticall disciplyne is vtterly extinguished And it is no marueyle considering that in their number also a man maye see verye manye of small habilitie to set forth Gods glorye and other some vnder the fayre colour of Euangelike doctrine giuen to couetousnesse fraunching and feeding to pamper their bodies and to satisfie their lust Therefore the dignitie and authoritie due to the Ministery is of right taken from them Whosoeuer therefore will keepe and maintaine the degree and authoritie wherin God hath set him let him principally haue a care to set forth the glorye of God let him vrge that and in despyte of the world study with all his power to aduaunce the same and not swarue one nayles bredth from his vocation and dutie Nowe let vs come to the other part of Peters Oration wherein he exhorteth the congregation to choose another in the roume of Iudas Where he deduceth his arguments aptly out of the Oracles of the Scripture aforesayd For he seemeth thus to say bicause the holy ghost long time since prophecied that Iudas should betraye Christ and after his horrible ende of life shoulde leaue his Bishopricke and Apostleshippe to another we must seeke one to succeede him out of the number of them which haue continued with vs and haue seene all the thinges that Christ did whyle he was here on earth And Peters argument is very worthy to be considered which being made in fewe wordes is this in effect Another must haue Iudas Byshopricke according to the Oracle of the holy ghost Ergo it is our partes to prouyde a worthye and meete successor in his place And at the first sight this seemeth to be an absurde consequence For be it that another must haue Iudas Bisshopricke shall it therefore follow that the Apostles and they that were gathered with them must choose him that shoulde haue his Bishopricke But all this countenance of absurditie quickly vanisheth away if we consider the office that the Apostles sustayne by reason of Christes office For Christ being readye to leaue the worlde commended the cure of his Churche to them and they were of the number of them which should giue meate to the Lordes family as we reade Math. 24. Therefore where it is chiefly requisite for conseruation of the Church that there be worthy and fit Ministers appoynted Peter not without a cause gathereth that it appertayned to them to ordayne a newe Apostle bicause there was a manifest Oracle of the holy ghost apparaunt touching the placing of another in Iudas roume We are taught by Peters example howe we shoulde be occupied in reading of holy Scripture For here must we alwayes haue our vocation before our eyes that whatsoeuer belongeth thereto we should thinke spoken to vs. For the Scriptures are giuen of God for our learning as Paule witnesseth Therefore great is their error which reade the holy bookes with no more heede than if they were prophane wryters hauing
to haue erred When they were named they were bidden stande forth that all men might looke vpon them and know them And this example of the Primitiue Church is very notable wherby wee are taught that the election of Ministers of the worde and of the Churche shoulde not be done in corners secretly and within the house by a fewe persons but shoulde be done openly in the sight of the congregation and before all the people For if a Bishop must haue the testimony of them that be without as Paule sayth how much more ought he to be well knowne to them ouer whom he is put in charge Which thing if it be not obserued or be neglected eyther obscure or vnknowne persons eyther else wicked and infect with corrupt maners shall be appointed ouer the Church And they shall be ouerseers of the Church which deserue not the lowest roume in the Church This we are taught by the rytes of the olde Testament where by Gods commaundement Aaron and his children were openly chosen into the holye ministery all the people looking on Neyther let it trouble vs that Paule seemeth to giue authoritie to Titus and Timothie to choose Bishoppes For he woulde not haue them of their priuate authoritie to doe any thing but according to the dutie of Superintendentes to take heede that such as were worthy and meete might be chosen for Ministers And it is not likely that they had more graunted to them than the Apostles had which without the Churches counsayle woulde neuer doe any thing in this matter For not long after they chose Deacons openlye before the congregation and Paule and Barnabas by election ordayned Elders in euery congregation Hereby is reprooued that most corrupt and pernicious vsage of choosing of ministers which many yeares hath borne all the rule in this matter Where manye times some one person in many Churches vseth to choose and order Ministers of his owne authoritie Wherein chiefly Abbots Bishops and Prouostes be to blame And many of them also that glory in the name of the Gospell will be taken for reformers of the Church handle not the matter much better For whyle they put Monkes and Bishops out of their vsurped possession as right is yet they restore not to the Church the libertie which by tyranny they tooke from it but at their owne pleasures administrate the things vsed before time vsurped by the same Bishops and Monkes And hereof in many places sprang that preposterous order for such to choose and order Ministers of the Church as neyther well knowe the Ministers nor yet the Churches ouer which they are set And bicause manye naughty affections are ioyned with ignorance they are manye times therewithall so ledde out of the waye that without all regarde of religion in so weyghtye a matter they seeme to minde none other thing but to shewe the power they haue ouer Churches with as great pride as the Bishops and Monkes did before them Which euill and inconuenience vnlesse it be shortly repressed it will bring vs forth both Simonie the deadly confusion of all ecclesiasticall discipline And all this we are bound to the Bishops of Rome for which haue extorted from the Emperors by bloudy warres that they alone might haue authority to giue Bishopricks and al other whatsoeuer ecclesiasticall Benefices There be yet in Germany not a fewe places which can remember these battayles the Christian bloudshed about the â—ame Certes it is manifest that Henrie the fourth being Emperour both for this diuers other causes ioyned battayle and fought with the Popes in open fielde threescore and two times And at length through the craft and counsayles of the Bishops had his owne sonne as an enimie sent by them against him into the field who at length perceyuing their subtiltie and sleyghtes beganne to withstand them but being ouercome with their importunitie and boldnesse graunted to Calixtus the second all his authority since which time the liberty of the Church pining away as of a deadly disease is at length vtterly lost which libertie whosoeuer will haue restored againe be they Ministers or Magistrates they must knowe that they ought all to labour to haue the auncient vsage of choosing Ministers to be restored againe Nowe to come to the exposition of this present hystory when they had set two before the congregation Ioseph and Matthy men furnished and endued with all kinde of vertues yet none of the Apostles woulde take so much vpon him as to pronounce whether of them should be Apostle naye they thought it not safe to commit so weighty a matter to the number of voices but turning to deuout prayers referre all the successe of the matter to the infallible iudgement of god For they saye Thou Lorde that knowest the hartes of all men shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen c. This is a singular document of godly mindes and of such as will not ouer boldly chalenge to themselues any thing in Gods causes Which example if they would with lyke religion imitate which nowe a dayes haue the handling of Church matters and affayres many things vndoubtedly would succeede more happily than they doe Hereof we gather that the election of Ministers dependeth of God alone and must be referred to him We thinke it the dutie of the Church in this case being lawfully assembled to laye aside all priuate affections to search out such as to whom the function of the Church may safely and conueniently be committed And here we principally require a feruent desire of religion wherevnto fasting was woont to be ioyned that their prayers might be the more ardent and earnest And when there are any found that are thought worthy of so great a charge yet must we not then attribute to much to the iudgement of men But the most commodious and safest way is to referre all the successe of our counsayles to the iudgement of god Although I am not ignoraunt that we finde certaine places of Scripture wherby Ministers myght seeme to be chosen by the iudgement of men and the matter appeareth not to haue bene determined by lottes as here it was wherevnto these sayinges seeme chieflye to be referred which are written 1. Timoth. 3. 5. Titus 1. But I suppose mention is there made only of such things as are requisite in this case for men to doe as ministers and guides the order and president of the Primitiue Church standing still in force the which for diuers and weightie causes is necessary to be obserued still in the Church For first it is euident that the Church is the housholde and family of God as was aforesayde wherein the Ministers be as it were Bayliffes and Stewardes Howbeit none that is wise taketh so much vppon him in another mans house as to prescribe at his pleasure eyther the most vnderlyng seruant or else the Stewarde of the same What absurditie therfore shall it be for any man
maynteyning of religion to haue Schooles duely and truely appoynted who for the preseruation and continuaunce of them thought good to prouide for them both by their counsayle and aucthoritie as appeareth easely by the foundations of most auncient Colledges Which after they had degenerated that they were become the dennes of ydle men giuen to the throte and belly or of pieuishe supersticiouse then sprong therof the horrible ruine and decaye of the Church Which Iulian the Apostata a subtyll and craftie man well forespyed who for this cause commaunded that the Christians should be kept from learning that through ignoraunce and lacke of knowledge the subtyltie and mockerie of Philosophie might take place Therefore if Christian Princes wyll not be taken for folowers and fellowes of Iulian let them knowe that the prouidyng and caryng for Schooles belongeth to them principally But let vs returne to the Apostles who we sayde erewhyle were instructed with the gift of tongues by the holy ghost For although this seemeth to haue come to passe in the Apostles onely Yet is it further to be extended For this is alway the effect of the holy ghost to chaunge and instruct the tongues of the beleeuyng For bicause the naturall man perceyueth not the thinges belongyng to the spirite of God therefore he can not reason of them as meete is And as often as he goeth about to dispute of diuine matters so often he bewrayeth his follie and infancie which thing chaunced to the gentile Philosophers as Paule saith Besides that man is delighted in vanitie and reioyceth in filthy talke and oftentymes giueth the bridle of his tongue to blasphemie as euery daye may be seene in the dayly communication of the children of this worlde Ouer and besides these mischiefes he cannot speake no not when he would be taken for most religious For when he goeth about by prayer to craue the helpe of God his mynde is pulled away either by vayne thoughtes or else he is troubled with the conscience of his sinnes that he can not pray with sure affiaunce of mynde and the prayer that is without faith can not auayle But the spirite of Christ remedieth all these faults For where he regenerateth the mindes of men and powreth into them the true knowledge of the mysteries of saluation he maketh vs able to reason of the nature of God of his wyll and of his iudgementes And the tongues which were vsed to blasphemie backbyting raylyng periurie filthie talke and all kinde of vncleannesse he loseth them to prayse God to giue him thankes and maketh them speake those thinges that set foorth the glorie of God and serue to the edifying of other to abstayne from those thinges that corrupt good maners Againe bicause he is the spirite of adoption and beareth witnesse that we certaynly be the sonnes of god He is the aucthour that wee dare call vppon GOD the father and distruste his good wyll and fauour no longer And Paul expresseth this effect of the spirite saying You haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but you haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba Father And againe Bicause you are sonnes God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into our heartes crying Abba Father Whereunto the large promises of Christ are to be referred that promise them that pray to his father in his name to be hearde This spirite lykewise withstandeth the cogitations of the fleshe and enflameth the minds as they are praying with the desire of saluation glory of god Besides that the spirite of Christ worketh here a newe myracle For as hee deuided the tongues of the Apostles that they might be able to speake the languages of all nations so hee giueth to the faithfull of all nations one and the same tongue whereby in all partes of the worlde they inuocate one and the same father with one and the same sounde and with one and the same faith And so those tongues be knit againe in one which the insolent and bolde presumption of man had deuided in sunder And this seemeth to me to be that tongue of Chanaan which the Prophete sayde the Cities of Egypt and all nations should speake And if the holy ghost chaunge the tongues of men so that he maketh them to speake the thinges that are holy and godly and which edifie many and make them with sure confidence to aske helpe of God then it easely appeareth with what spirite they are led with vtter blasphemies and cursinges with open mouth which breath out the poyson of slaunder and cursed speaking which offende the mindes of many with their impure and filthy talke hauing no regarde neither of age nor sexe and which in prayer are either altogither colde or else inuocate creatures and are not afrayde to ascribe to them the glory due to God alone or else are voyde of that sure trust and affyaunce which they shoulde call vpon God with For these are not the effectes of that holy spirite but of that maligne and vncleane spirite And Christ saith The mouth speaketh of the aboundaunce of the hart Therefore the hartes of suche are vndoubtedly possessed of the vncleane spirite of Sathan Christ therefore doth not without a cause confesse that we shall either be iustified or condemned by our sayinges And Dauid among the preceptes of lyfe numbreth this very grauely as the cheefe Kepe thy tongue from euyll and thy lippes that they speake no guile Adde hereunto that Paul the Apostle commaundeth all scurrilitie of tongue and filthy communication to be farre from the mouthes of Christians and numbreth filthynesse of speache in that roule for the which the wrath of God commeth vpon the chidren of disobedience Let Christian men therefore haue this prayer of Dauid often in their mouth Set a watche O Lorde before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lippes Let vs consider the other effect of the holy ghost in the Apostles which we may gather of the whole context of the storie The same is a bolde confession of Iesus Christ deuoyde of all feare For they begyn openly euery where to preach him to euery one that they meete with diuers languages they set forth the great workes of God as they that hearde them beare witnesse For they call the preaching of Christ or the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the great and wonderous workes of God bicause that in Christe the whole maiestie of God is most euidentlye of all other thinges seene And although there are many workes of God whereby he sheweth vs his nature and power yet amongst them all this worke that Christe did is the chiefest For in him the rigour of Gods iustice was seene who woulde not haue his owne sonne spared to th ende our sinnes shoulde be purged with due punishment This also declareth the vnspeakeable fauour and mercie of God wherewith he so tenderly loued vs that he had rather
the eyes of seruauntes looke vnto the handes of their Maisters and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hande of hir Mystresse euen so our eyes wayte vpon the Lorde our God vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Both these properties maye easily be seene in Iesus Christ. For so reuerentlye did he behaue him selfe towardes his father that as Paule sayth he was obedient to the death yea euen the death of the Crosse. And such a diligent care and regarde had he of those persons that his father gaue him charge with that going to his death he coulde yeelde an accompt of them saying Those that thou gauest me haue I kept and none of them is perished but that lost chylde Agayne I haue glorified thee vpon earth I haue finished the woorke which thou gauest me to doe Furthermore as a very man with firme and constant fayth he set his eyes vpon God only whom he only called vpon in all aduersitie and thanked him onely for the benefites he receyued as the hystorye of the Gospell teacheth He might therefore by Dauid truely saye I haue set the Lorde alwayes before me By this example must all they which will be accounted the true worshippers and children of God frame all their lyfe and dooings And this was the only cause of all the vertues which we reade flourished sometime in the Saints Seneca gaue counsell in times past that for the better auoyding of faults which vse to be done in secret when we be by our selues we shoulde suppose some seuere person such as was Scipio Laelius or Cato were present as a beholder and witnesse of our doings But howe much more profitable woulde it be to thinke howe God alwayes beholdeth and seeth what we saye and doe Bicause Ioseph did set God alwayes before his eyes neither coulde he be brought by his Mistresse entycements from the tracke of right and honestie neyther was he dismayed when he was in prison and aduersitie The lyke reason may we make of all other thinges And here may we espie the great difference that is betweene the godlye and vngodlye For the vngodly when the worlde goeth well with them set not God before their eyes but as Dauid testifieth blinded with wicked folly deny that there is any God. Whereby it commeth to passe that lyke wilde horses breaking their barres and reynes they burst into all kind of mischief For as it is sayde in another place they are perswaded that God hath neyther eyes nor eares wherewith to see and heare their mischieuousnesse But when God whome they will not set before their eyes sheweth himselfe to them to be angrye and as it is sayde reprooueth them to their faces and punisheth their wickednesse they runne to him agayne but yet aske no helpe and succour as the children of God vse of him that correcteth them but for a season stryue agaynst his iustice with their owne strength whereby when they see they profite nothing they turne and call vpon creatures or else being vtterly at their wittes ende rushe headlong into the pitte of desperation There are infinite examples of such men of which this ought with vs to be the vse to learne to set God before our eies to whome we ought to approoue our selfe and our lyfe and in whome wee ought to haue all our trust and affiance But Christ sheweth the cause of his so godly and holy an industrie adding bicause he is on my right hande that I shoulde not be mooued Therefore sayth he set I God before mine eyes bicause he is present with me what soeuer I doe If I please him he is at hande to ayde me that I be mooued with no feare or terrour If I neglect him he is at hande to beholde all my dooings and in time to come will be a most seuere iudge against me For this cause the worshippers of Christ are mooued to haue Christ before their eyes as they many times professe themselues Herevnto belongeth that that we read Dauid such as he was sayd The Lord is my light and my saluation whome then shall I feare The Lorde is the strength of my lyfe of whome then shall I be afrayde God is our hope and strength a very present helper in trouble Therefore will not we feare though the earth be mooued and though the hilles bee caried into the middest of the sea Againe God is my strength and my saluation he is my defence so that I shall not greatly fall Let no man thinke this a vayne tossing or repeticion of woordes For this confidence of the Saintes stayeth vpon the promises of God and vpon experience and dailye examples For it is the worde of God Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble I will deliuer thee Againe Bicause he hath set his loue vpon mee therefore shall I deliuer him I shall set him vp bicause he hath knowne my name He shall call vpon mee and I will heare him yea I am with him in trouble I will deliuer him and bring him to honour These promises are confirmed by many examples such as in the holy Scriptures we reade of Ioseph Dauid Daniel and his fellowes Susanne Ezechias and many other But we haue no neede of olde examples since we euery day haue experience of the truth of Gods promyses For although there be many tribulations in this life yet God deliuereth his children from them all and his right hande as it were stayeth vs as we slippe and he suffreth vs not to bee tempted aboue our strength And as Dauid confesseth In the multitude of our sorrowes his comfortes refresh our soule And this is that safetie of the godlye a farre other thing than that which maketh the wicked to looke aloft while by reason of their riches and worldly glory they thinke themselues out of daunger and gunshot who must needes be deceyued bicause all fleshe is grasse and the glorye thereof as the flower of the fielde But Christ proceedeth on speaking in his spirite by Dauid and rehearseth the singular fruites of this studie and endeuour For this cause sayth he did my heart reioyce and my tongue was glad moreouer also my fleshe shall rest in hope Here are three thinges sayde euery which of them farre passeth all the riches of the worlde which as I sayde must be considered both in Christ and his members First he speaketh of ioye and of the ioye of the heart to teache vs that that is a true sounde and stable ioye He meaneth the same ioye which he afterwarde promiseth to his Disciples where he sayth Nowe ye haue sorrowe but I will see you againe and your heart shall reioyce and your ioye shall no man take from you Paule speaketh of the same bidding the Christians alwaye reioyce Principally it is meete we consider the cause of ioye For this cause sayth he my heart reioyced bicause the Lorde is on my right hande Then the
And although we suffer afflictions in the worlde let vs be encouraged with hys saying where he promyseth that he hath ouercome the worlde and that wee shall haue peace in him But let vs see the ende of this Sermon which Peter inferreth in these woordes Therefore let all the house of Israell knowe for a suretie that God hath made the same Iesus whom you haue crucified Lorde and Christ. This is a very briefe but yet a graue sentence and verye Apostolyke euerye worde whereof is able to minister an argument and matter of a long sermon But bicause we shall euery where haue occasion to speake more at large of these things we will in fewe wordes note vnto you what Peter meaneth by this saying First he speaketh to all the house of Israell In the name of the house he comprehendeth all sortes and degrees of men teaching vs that Christ is the vniuersall sauiour of all men with whom there is no respect of persons And this is no light or slender token of the goodnesse of God that to a most corrupt people and yet embrued with the bloud of Christ he doth vouchsafe to promise all saluation in his sonne Furthermore let them knowe for a suretie sayth he Ergo our saluation in Christ is certaine and such as a man may safely trust to for he cannot deceiue which is the very truth it selfe Thirdly he sheweth what all men ought to know that God hath made this Iesus of Nazareth Lord and Christ. He calleth him Lord bicause he is our redemer For who is ignorant that redeemers haue a certayne rule or Lordship ouer them whome they haue eyther redeemed with their money or with perill of their lyfe For this cause he sayeth in the Prophete I am the Lorde This is my name and my glorye will I giue to none other He calleth him Christ that is to say annointed bicause he is a King and a priest For it is playne by the Scriptures that in the old time kings and priests were vsed to be annointed And concerning the office of a King we spake somewhat before wherevnto also belongeth the name of a Redeemer or lord Surely Christ maketh lawes as a king according to them he gouerneth the citizens of his kingdome and defendeth enricheth them most liberally with heauenly treasure He is also a priest For both in times past he taught at this day doth teach vs by the ministery of that woord wherof he is the Author in his Church And he hath made a full satisfaction by the sacrifice of his body once offered vppon the crosse for the sinnes of all the world And as whyle he was once vpon the earth he prayed for vs so euen at this day he appeareth before God for vs a faithfull high Priest and an aduocate Therefore he is in deede Christ or the annoynted of god And it is euident that they commit horrible sinne which reiect him and appoint them other Lordes Kinges Priestes and Redeemers But as Peter in the beginning of his treatie of Christ admonisheth them of their wickednesse committed against him so he concludeth his sermon with mention of him declaring that he talketh of him whome they crucifyed We may easily iudge the heynousnesse of the offence by the things which he so singularly commendeth in christ And he vpbraydeth them herewith for none other cause but for that he woulde enflame them being pricked with the conscience of their sinne to embrace Christ their saluation as shall appeare by the successe thereof in the sermon folowing Luke hath giuen vs a viewe of the Apostles preaching Peter comprehendeth in these fewe woords all the articles of the Christian fayth He hath spoken of God the father creator of all thinges He hath spoken of the sonne of God which was made man of the stocke of Dauid and therefore in vnitie of person ought to be acknowledged for verye God and man He hath taught vs that he died was buried descended into hell rose againe and ascended into heauen for vs where he sitteth on the right hand of God the father and shall come to be our iudge what time hee shall put all his enimies vnder his feete yea he shall throwe them into the lake burning with brimstone He hath shewed vs that the holye ghost is come being sent from him to gouerne his Church and all the faithfull Finally he hath prooued that this Iesus is the Lorde and sauiour in whome remission of sinnes resurrection of the fleshe and lyfe euerlasting is purchased for all beleeuers Here is no worde spoken of our satisfactions nothing of priuate absolution auricular confession pardons purgatorye and such like wares Let vs therefore keepe the simplicitie of the Apostles doctrine and let vs embrace Iesus Christ with stedfast fayth that by him we maye be saued to whome be all bessing honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xvij. Homelie WHEN they hearde this they were pricked in their heartes and sayde vnto Peter and the other Apostles ye men and brethren what shall we doe Peter sayde vnto them Repent you of your sinnes and bee baptised euerye one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receyue the gift of the holye ghost For the promise was made to you and to your children and to all that are a farre of euen as many as the Lorde our God shall call THus farre hath Luke rehearsed the first Sermon of the Gospell that Peter made at Ierusalem after the receyuing of the holy ghost The content thereof was that Iesus of Nazareth whome the Iewes crucifyed was Christ and the promised redeemer of mankinde But where it was Peters purpose not only to teach that but also as he was once tolde to catch men aliue and to winne them to Christ therfore he set the heynous wickednesse of their sinne against Christ plainelye before their face For in the beginning of his treatise of Christ he sheweth howe they crucifyed him whome God by many myracles declared to be his sonne and the sauiour which he had promised After this gathering all that he had spoken of Christ into a short summe he sheweth agayne that they nayled him to the crosse and leauing this in their mindes as a sting he concludeth his sermon Howbeit the successe of the matter declareth that these thinges were spoken by Peter not of desire to reproche them but for their health and saluations sake which successe Luke now describeth leauing also a notable example wherein the true way of attayning to saluation by Christ is perfectly declared This place therfore is worthy to be diligently considered for the more profite wherof to be had we shall speake of euery part thereof in order First the Euangelist speaketh of the hearers And after that he declareth how Peter further traueyled with them Touching the hearers he sheweth what effect Peters sermon had When they hearde this sayth he they were pricked in their heartes and sayde
glorye of God that the sonne of God may be glorified by it Hereby it appeareth howe we shoulde iudge of those myracles and signes wherewith some men labour to seeke their priuate glorye and to bring men vnder them as schollers and seruantes whome Christ hath redeemed and sanctifyed with the pryce of hys bloude But bicause Peter had occasion to make mention of Christ he admonisheth his hearers very aptly and commodiously of the heynous trespasse which they committed against him And this doth he not lightly as one that doth but touch and go but layeth all the heynousnesse thereof open before their eyes For his Oration ascendeth as it were by certaine steppes the ende whereof is that they shoulde be striken with the consideration of so grieuous an offence and be enflamed with repentance and desire of saluation in christ First he sayth they deliuered the sonne of God to the Gentiles to be mocked and crucifyed But it is an horrible offence to deliuer an innocent to death and there are terrible iudgements of God against them that pollute themselues with bloude Looke Numer 35. But here is a greater and a more horrible thing For where God had chosen and consecrated to himselfe the Iewes out of all Nations none of them ought to haue bene deliuered to the prophane Gentyles to be mocked and put to death without a prophane contempt and treading vnder foote of God and his glorye Which seemeth to me was the cause that Christ speaking of his death maketh mention so many times how they should deliuer him to the Gentyles And that they thus did not by chaunce and at all aduentures but by the common counsell and consent of the Elders and with the lyking and allowance of the people which followed them vnto Pylates house as the Euangelistes testifie Besides this in the seconde place he sayth And yee denied him before Pylate And he speaketh not of a certaine light and tryfling deniall of him but of such an one as whereby they renounced all the promises of God touching their Messias and king that shoulde redeeme them and denied the hope of the fathers wherewith so many yeares they wayted for the comming of their Sauiour as we reade they did Iohn 19. For where Pylate still repeated to them the name of their king respecting no doubt the Messias promised which they all hytherto looked for they with great impietie crie out we haue no king but Caesar. Was then the promise made vnto Dauid to be vnderstanded of Caesar that of his sâ—ocke one shoulde be borne that should be a king for euer And is it to be vnderstanded of Tiberius that naughtie and wicked person where it is sayd Behold thy king commeth vnto thee euen the righteous and sauiour lowlye and so forth Therefore Peter chargeth them with such an impietie as whereby they spoyled themselues of saluation and all the promises of health and hope of saluation And least they shoulde lay the fault on Pylate as though they did it for feare of him he sayeth they themselues did it where Pylate iudged him to be loosed and gaue openly a testimonie of his righteousnesse and innocencie Therefore he affirmeth the Iewes were in fault who to fulfill all wickednesse and mischiefe made both themselues and their children guiltie of his bloude by publike and solemne protestation These thinges be horrible and yet the Iewes wickednesse did not herein staye or ende For Peter addeth you haue denyed that holy and righteous and desired a murtherer to be giuen you and haue kylled the author and Lorde of life He chargeth them with so bitter hatred against Christ and with such blindnesse that they were not ashamed to preferre a bloudye murtherer before christ And to make their wickednesse seeme the more heynous he vseth a comparison You denyed Iesus which was an holy person and a iust and in whome neyther the Bishops although they did what they coulde nor Pylate nor Herode coulde finde any faulte Furthermore you stewe him which was the author of lyfe yea the Lorde of lyfe and death whome you ought to haue knowne by reason of his myracles the late raising againe of Lazarus In the meane season you required a theefe a murtherer and a rebell to be deliuered you and set at libertie And where it was in your choyse and election whether you woulde haue forgetting all the benefites of Christ you were not ashamed to preferre a wicked theefe before him What coulde be sayde more cruell grieuous and horrible Yet Peter speaketh these things in that Citie yea in that Temple where they bare all the swinge that were the chiefe authors of this wyckednesse and who he knewe as yet breathed hatred against christ Therefore we are here againe taught with what libertie open wickednesse should be reprooued by them whome the Lorde hath appointed to be watchmen in his Church to shewe the daunger and sworde hanging ouer vs least men shoulde perishe through their owne slothe and negligence And there is no cause why we shoulde harcken to them which saye there is no neede of such vehemencie in these dayes forasmuch as there is none to whome such crueltie can be obiected Nay the Iewes onely haue not thus sinned but there be euen in these dayes that sinne as grieuously as euer they did A number deliuer Christ vnto death in that they euery where kill and burne the faithfull seruantes of christ Many denye him for feare more for fauour following the pleasure of men And they sinne not of simplicitie and ignorance as Peter herafter excuseth the Iewes For we haue seene many which quite against their conscience haue denyed christ My heart trembleth as oft as I remember that heynous offence that was committed by them who not onely denied the truth themselues but compelled those that belonged to them to denie the same and embraced a forme of religion which the very author and inuentor thereof allowed not The like impietie to that that was then committed hath not bene hearde of And God graunt they may all repent of their wickednesse that were faultie therein In the meane season we see howe these bloudye Barabasses euerye where reigne flourishe and are had in great price which for money are hyred and vsed to shed bloude and prouoke the wrath of God and horrible destruction against their countrie through their vngodlynesse Therfore such must be accused and where these things be openly committed and accounted no more for wicked there ought no modestie at all to be vsed But oh impietie and vngraciousnesse For nowe a dayes amongst the professours of Christianitie it is not lawfull to saye that that was lawfull for Peter to saye in the bloudie Citie of Ierusalem Wee be therefore in this respect woorse than Iewes that where we committe the same offences that they committed we cannot with like pacience abide to heare the worde of correction as they hearde it Peter returneth to his purpose to describe more plainly how God
be not mollifyed with the knowledge of Iesus Christ which only seasoneth the mindes of men to saluation and maketh them fruitefull but become the more sauage and of purpose reiect and impugne the same certes they plainly ynough bewray that they be of the number of reprobates of whose saluation nothing is to bee hoped Therefore Peter cleareth his hearers of this sinne to declare that they ought not despaire of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and of saluation bicause they sinned not of purpose but of ignorance And it is lyke he had a respect vnto the prayers of Christ which for this cause prayed for them that crucified him saying Father forgiue them for they know not what they do This place is diligently to be considered to thintent we may learne what that ignorance is whereby sinnes are mittigated and excused For in the Scripture we finde two kindes of ignoraunces The first is of those that be wicked and openly rebell against God which we may call a wilfull ignorance bicause men will be ignorant of that they might know and learn. Example hereof we haue in Pharao which sayeth he knoweth not God notwithstanding long before he knew him by his wonders daily wrought and desired his ministers to praye to God for him and a little before his death sayde The God of the Hebrues fighteth against vs. See Exod. 5. and 14. Such was the ignoraunce of those Iewes which when they had asked counsell of Ieremie tolde him to his face they woulde not obey his worde Such is the ignorance of a number in these dayes which excuse their superstition with the cloke of ignorance and saye they were none otherwise taught And in the meane season refuse the truth offered them will not heare it flie them that would teach them and stoppe their eares lyke serpents This is an ignorance inexcusable bicause it damneth and stoppeth vp the way to amendement Yea Christ testifieth that this is the condemnation of the worlde that men flie the light and wilfullye and wittinglye wrappe themselues in darkenesse least their workes should be reprooued There is another kinde of ignoraunce which springeth of a zeale of godlynesse and the glorie of God whereby men persecute the truth not for the truthes sake but bicause they thinke the glory and worship of God is diminished thereby It is lyke that many sinned through this ignorance against Christ bicause they thought him an enimie of Moses and the lawe of the Temple and of all the seruice appointed by God. And Paule seduced by a like zeale persecuted the Church of christ And thereby he sayeth diuers of the Iewes offended This ignoraunce is worthye of pardon for none other cause but for that it is contented to be corrected and amended which if men refuse then are they culpable of that first and incurable kinde of ignorance Let them marke well this difference which now a dayes eyther flatter themselues or other men vnder the pretence of ignorance For it is euident that many offende of malice and frowardnesse Unto these things he addeth an argument taken from the prouidence of God for the better perswading them that they should be pardoned and saued God sayth he which before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophetes howe Christ shoulde suffer hath thus wise fulfilled The strength of the argument is in this that God vsed their sinne to a good purpose and that therefore they ought not to distrust the fauour of god For it is as much as if he shoulde say you can not nor ought not to denie but you haue committed an heynous offence Howbeit you must not despayre therfore but rather respect the ende wherevnto the great goodnesse of God hath directed all this your doing Your meaning was to blot and wipe out all remembraunce of Christ from amonge men Bicause you thought he was an enimie to God and to true religion ignoraunce blinded you whereby it came to passe that you were madde against the sonne of god But the ende of all this tragedie was most ioyfull For God by this meane which thing no man euer hoped hath fulfilled his eternall counsell of mannes redemption and hath accomplished whatsoeuer in tymes passed was prophecied by the Prophetes Why therfore shoulde you despaire of saluation which you heare is nowe obtayned and gotten Why shoulde you mistrust the goodnesse of God which in your wickednesse as you see hath bene so mercifull Surely God will neuer cast you of bicause of this your sinne which he hath so ordered and directed to your commoditie so that you refuse not his wisedome which nowe is declared vnto you We are hereby taught againe how we should vse the prouidence of God not to seeke therin a defence for our wickednesse but the instruction of our faith and life and the comfort of our mindes For the Apostle so quiteth not the Iewes that he chargeth God with the murthering of Christ but sheweth that God directed the Iewes fact to a good ende and purpose So if we or others offende let vs acknowledge the fault to be in our selfe and not so excuse our selues to make God the author of our wickednesse And if anye goodnesse fall out of our wickednesse yet then let vs not thinke we be altogither faultlesse but let vs embrace the goodnesse of God which turneth the wickednesse that deserued damnation to our saluation We alleaged an example hereof before in the hystorie of Ioseph which was solde away by his brethren to the which if you ioyne this example also you shall as it were in a glasse behold all the reason of this controuersie and matter Furthermore let vs not harcken to them which saye we may sinne on hardly seeing the glorye of God and our saluation is aduaunced by our sinning For as Paule teacheth vs we maye not doe euill that good may follow therof Nay the more arguments we haue of Gods goodnesse toward vs the more we ought to be sorie for our sinnes and to obey the will of god Let vs also here marke that we must not rashly iudge of other mens sinnes They must be examined by the rule of Gods worde We must not hastilye thunder out the sentence of damnation bicause we doe not alwaye knowe the counsell of Gods prouidence which perhaps vseth him whome we of priuate and to hastie affection ment to condemne to the furtheraunce and saluation of manye a man See what is sayde of these iudgementes Mathew 7. Let vs now see the counsell that Peter giueth touching saluation which he comprehendeth in fewe wordes saying Repent you and conuert that your sinnes may be done away This saying contayneth in it both a commaundement and a promise The commaundement is the very same that he gaue to them before that were pricked with the consideration of their sinnes He vttereth one thing in two words First he commaundeth them to repent which properly comprehendeth acknowledging of sinne contrition of hart Whosoeuer will giue
declareth the office of Christ calling him a Prophete Howbeit Moyses was not ignorant that Christ should be both a King and the Redeemer of mankinde and denyeth it not in this place but maketh mention of his office which for his purpose and matter in hand was chiefly to be required Prophetes whether they shewe of things to come or else by the worde of God admonish men of things present are the interpreters and openers of Gods will. But bicause Christ shoulde be a Priest in the Church of God for euer he must not abstayne from teaching which is the chiefe poynt required in a Priest as maye be seene Malachie 2. Wherfore also in another place he is described in the person of a Prophete or preacher as in Esay 61. Which place he himselfe expoundeth of himselfe in the sinagoge at Nazareth And he is not declared to be such an one in the olde Testament only but God hath set him forth also being here on earth by a very solemne and open authorisement to be the vniuersall and vndoubted teacher of all the worlde Whereas vpon mount Thabor before most credible witnesses both of the deade and of the liuing that is to saye before Moyses and Elias Peter Iames and Iohn he pronounced that notable saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him And Christ himselfe followed the office of teaching with great studie and diligence and openly confesseth that he was sent for that cause Therefore it is not without a cause that Moyses and Peter calleth him a Prophet And we are taught by this place that it is not sufficient if we confesse Christ to be our sauiour and Redeemer vnlesse we acknowledge him to be a teacher sent of God and doe that dutie to him that schollers owe to a faythfull and trustie schoolemaister Thou shalt moreouer consider howe we ought to reuerence the ministerie whereby the Gospell is preached For whereby can it more singularly be commended than by the example of the sonne of God who both himselfe was a minister on the earth and appoynted the ministerie to be alwaye in his Church wherevnto Paule hauing a respect sayth that wee be messengers in the roume of Christ and preache vnto the worlde the worde of attonement Which woulde God both the hearers and ministers woulde alwaye remember least the one sort thinke to contemptuously of the ministerie and the other through their naughtynesse make it to be laughed at Thirdly is declared what maner a Prophete Christ should be to saye like vnto Moyses Which is not so to be taken as though we shoulde acknowledge in Christ nothing of more excellencie than in Moyses whereas Moyses was but a meere man and a sinner and Christ was both God and man the author of our saluation But this similitude or comparison must be referred to the office of a Prophete and figure of Christ which Moyses bare wherein many things both pleasant and profitable come to be considered First Paule testifieth of Moyses that he had rather to suffer sorrowe and affliction with the people of God than to be taken for Pharao his Nephewe and enioye the treasures and delightes of Egypt The same affection we see in Christ who being in the shape of God humbled and abased himselfe and taking on him the shape of a seruaunt chose rather to be afflicted with vs and to die for vs than to see vs any longer in misery Furthermore as Moyses was of his brethren moste vnworthilye refused so when Christ came amongst his owne his owne receyued him not and before Pylate they denyed him saying wee haue no king but Caesar. Yea and nowe a dayes also he is most vnworthily reiected of manye to whome he offreth himselfe and in himselfe eternall life and saluation through the Gospell Thirdly as Moyses deliuered the people of God from the cruell tyrannie of Pharao brought them out of Egypt and drowned them in the surges of the read sea so the sonne of God hath deliuered mankinde from the power of the deuill and brusting the bondes of sinne and death hath slayne Satan the spirituall Pharao with all his preparation engines and armor through the merite of his bloude Fourthly as Moyses lyke a faithfull shepehearde ledde the people of Israell safely through the vnknowne wayes of the wildernesse so Iesus Christ is that faythfull shepeherde that goeth before his sheepe and leadeth vs safelye through the deserte of this worlde being full of all kinde of daungers by the light of his worde and guiding of his spirite Fifthly as Moyses gaue Manna to the people being an hungred and gat springes of water out of the rocke for them being a a thirst so Iesus Christ feedeth our soules vnto life euerlasting by the merite of his flesh hath opened in his side a most plentifull fountaine of saluation by the which only al thirsty drouthes of the soule are quenched See Iohn 6.4.7.19 Sixthly as Moyses was the interpretor of Gods worde to the people when they were not able to abide the maiestie of God speaking to them so where none of vs hath seene God nor can see him as long as we be clothed with this mortall fleshe the sonne of God which is in the bosome of his father hath declared vnto vs whatsoeuer behooueth vs to knowe of God and prooueth by that argument that he taketh vs for his friendes bicause he hath hid none of these things from vs which he heard of his father Seuenthly as all the weyghtie causes which coulde not be discussed by the ordinarie Iudges vsed to be referred and brought vnto Moyses and he receyuing sentence from the mouth of the Lorde declared it and that was taken for vndoubted and ought not to be countermaunded as may be seene Exod. 18. and .33 Leuit. 24. Numer 15. c. so whatsoeeuer things eyther in the mysteries of faith and kingdome of heauen or in the conuersation of our whole lyfe passe the capacitie of our reason it behooueth they be referred to Christ onely and we must stand to his sentence so that we must subdue all our vnderstanding to the obedience of fayth which Paule testifieth is the end and scope of the Gospell Eightly as Moyses alwaye made intercession so God for the people as oft as they sinned and did it so faythfullye that for their sakes he desired to be wyped out of the booke of God So Christ when the sentence of damnation hoong ouer all our heades made intreatie for vs and woulde become accursed for vs to deliuer vs from the curse The same also being made a mediatour betweene God and man maketh alwayes intercession for vs to the father And as manye as feele they haue deserued Gods wrathe through their sinnes must vse him for their aduocate and spokesman vnto god Many other things might be alleaged in the which it is manifest Christ was like vnto Moyses or rather an absolute and perfite accomplisher of
beside these called Saduceyes who plainely scoffed at all religion For they denyed the resurrection of the bodye and whatsoeuer else is written of the mysteries of eternall life as may be seene Math. 22. and Actes 23. And it can not be that any syncere religion coulde be in them which durst denye these things without the which religion coulde not stande And if we expende the matter well it shall appeare that the same men came against the Apostles which were sent out to take Christ at mount Oliuete as Luke in his Gospell sheweth Let vs here marke who are alwayes like to be the greatest enimies of the Church and doctrine of Christ and authors of persecution Uerily the Priestes that is to say those which take vpon them the gouernance of doctrine and of the whole Church For as soone as they being ouercome with ambition and couetousnesse beginne to seeke priuate honour and chaunge religion into lucre which the storie of the Gospell abundantly declareth those Iewish doctors did Math. 7.23 Iohn 5. c. it can not be chosen but they will be the first to withstand the truth bicause they are the first that are reproued through the light of the truth Hereof we see it commeth to passe in all ages that these kinde of men haue procured most trouble agaynst the doctrine of truth The times that the Prophets liued in declare this to be true against whome the Bishops and Priestes made most a do The same Iohn the Baptist prooued true whose doctrine and Baptisme the Leuites sent from Ierusalem beganne first to reprehend And Christ had no sorer enimies than the Priestes through whose deuises he was taken condemned and nayled to the crosse The Apostles nowe finde the same to be their grieuousest enimies And those whom Pylate and the Romaine garrison hytherto suffred to preache Christ are disturbed by them whose fauour and defence they ought to haue had in setting forth the kingdome of christ Let vs remember this geare and not be troubled though we perceyue those against vs in these dayes which hitherto haue chalenged to themselues in the Church the name of learning and holynesse I meane the Popes with all the rable of Bishops and Monkes For where it is euident they are all ledde with couetousnesse and ambition and haue long since obscured the doctrine of truth with mannes traditions and haue made lucre of religion it cannot be but they must hate the light of the truth and wish the extinguishment thereof But let vs consider the craft which they vse in setting vppon the Apostles First they enter not into the Church alone and so laye hande vpon the Apostles For so all men woulde haue perceyued howe they had beene led with the desire of their priuate honor and lucre And it was a daungerous matter for them to prouoke the furie and rage of the people against them Wherefore they ioyne vnto them the ruler of the Temple who was authorised by publike order to see there shoulde be no businesse made in the Church and so they woulde seeme to haue a regard of publike tranquillitie where in deede they did it for none other purpose but to vse the ayde of the officer for the defence of their tyrannie Then ioyne they also vnto them the Saduceyes men voyde of all religion bicause they thought such meetest for their purpose For such men as these thinke it a poynt eyther of a foolishe or a seditious minde contrary to custome to alter any thing in religion Last of all they rushe in vpon them as they be in their sermon and that sodenly bicause they would feare the people withall Wherevpon we may thinke they had consulted hereof before and that they did nothing at aladuenture or without deliberation The like craft haue all they vsed against the truth which nowe these many yeares haue conspired against the same For Daniel attributeth to Antichrist the eyes of a man that is to say witte and wylinesse to foresee things And Christ sayth the children of this worlde are wyser in their kinde than the children of lyght And surelye if we well consider the hystories of the Bishops of Rome we shall see they haue vsed the lyke wylinesse these many yeares and that they haue then chiefely set forwarde their owne matters when they haue seemed to do nothing lesse and being bolstred vp by the secular powers haue clymed vp to such rule and tyrannie as nowe they exercise So Boniface the thirde made Phocas embrued with the heynous murther of Maurice his maister the Emperour to thintent that he againe might make him the supreme head of the Church So by the strength of the Lumbardes they draue the Emperors of Greece out of Italie and when the Lumbardes seemed to them more intollerable than the Greekes they vsed the Frenchmens ayde to subdue the Lumbardes Neyther made they Charles Emperor of the west Church where the Romaines had bene without an Emperour more than three hundred yeares for any other cause but to haue a Captaine or ruler of the Church whose ayde and helpe they might vse to defende their vsurped power ouer the Church and to brydle such as woulde speake against it They most plainely bewrayed their meaning when they conueyed the Empire to the Germaines and caused the Emperours to sweare homage and obedience to them and reserued the authoritie of confirming and crowning the Emperour to themselues least any other than such as woulde doe after their pleasure should ascende to such dignitie They shall confesse that I say the truth whosoeuer will reade the fourme of oth wherwith the Emperours are bounde and which they haue put among the Canons of their lawe and also the Canon of Boniface the eyght concerning maioritie and obedience For he speaking of two swordes that is of the ecclesiasticall and secular power doth expressely chalenge them both vnto the Bishops of Rome in these words Both are in the power of the Church namely the spirituall swoorde and the materiall But the one to bee exercised of the Church the other for the Church The one by the hande of the Priest the other by the hande of Princes and souldiours but at the becke and sufferaunce of the priest c. Let vs therefore acknowledge the truth of the olde President when we see Bishops fight against the truth with force of kinges Let vs marke the subtiltie of this beast which compasseth hir matters by strength of others Let vs consider hir continuall traueyâ—e in oppressing the truth and not iudge of them according to our leysinesse They wake when we soundly snort Let vs therfore awake likewise and according to Christes admonition beware of men Howbeit it might seeme a straunge and tyrannicall deede violently to carie men awaye without order of lawe Therefore Luke sheweth what their pretence was They tooke it grieuously sayth he that they taught the people and preached in Iesus the resurrection from the deade In these words he
sheweth not only what grieued them but also what things they layde to the Apostles charge Uerily two thinges First it seemeth to them a thing intollerable that Peter and Iohn being rude and vnlearned men which all their time before this had gotten their liuing by fishing and had taken none orders shoulde teache the people â–ª This seemed a thing tending to schisme and to bring the people from the vnitie of the Churche For the matter was come to that passe among the Iewes that all administration of the Church was in the Priestes handes which woulde admitte none to teache in the Church but those that were sworne to them which thing we see the Bishops of Rome haue done these many yeares in whose Church as Christ hath prophecied in his reuelation no man may buye or sell except he haue the marke of the beast Yet we woulde not haue our meaning so taken as though all men in the Church should be permitted to preach without exception For we know what the Apostles haue taught touching the ordering of Ministers But we condemne the tyrannie of them which challenge to themselfe onely all power whereas they chiefely are authors of all the mischief in the Church and deserue not to haue the lowest rouine and place in the Church Secondly they thinke this worthy of punishment that they preach Iesus to be risen from the deade The Saduceyes wholy condemned the doctrine of resurrection But another thing grieued some of them more For euerye man might gather of this rising againe that Christ was the sonne of God and the author of life and vniustly condemned of the Priestes and of Pylate as Peter openly sayd in his sermon But this was not only an intollerable slaunder but also a sedicious matter to charge the Apostles that they went about to rayse the people against the bloudy and vniust Iudges The Apostles therefore are charged with two most heynous crimes to say with schisme in the Church and sedition in the common weale both which not without a cause seeme to all good men both hatefull and detestable But if we weygh and consider the intent of the Priestes and their condicions we shall easily perceyue this was but a vaine pretence For if they cannot abide schisme in the Church why regarded they the Saduceyes so much who it is euident were not ashamed to denie the chiefe article of fayth and saluation that is to say the resurrection of the body Why suffer they the Essenes and Phariseys men plainly of diuers sectes and opinions If they abhorre the crime of sedition so much why were they the authors that the people asked Barrabas a seditious felow and murtherer to be giuen them and required that Christ might be crucified Therefore they are not so much mooued with daunger of schisme and sedition as ledde with hatred of the truth and it grieueth them that their naughtinesse and wickednesse is disclosed through the light thereof In the meane season we maye see with what pretence the wicked â—tryue and contende against the truth For it is euident in all ages that the defenders of the truth were taken for schismatikes and sedicious persons Elias is charged that he troubleth all Israel Amos the Prophete is accused to Hieroboam of sedition Christ also before Pylate is called a deceyuer of the people and charged to affectate or aspire vnto the kingdome against Caesar The same crimes also in times passed were layde to the Christians charges in the times of the Emperours as appeareth by Tertullian Cypryan Arnobius Lactantius and others writings wherein they make answere to the reproches and slaunders of the Gentyles And in these dayes also the Gospell is for this cause chiefely spoken against bicause it rippeth Christes coate without the seame that is to say the Church deuideth mens mindes and kindleth warres But the aunswere to these things is easie and it is well knowne that it is a farre other thing that wringeth and disquieteth these men For if they will not haue the Church deuided why I beseech you doe they so highly commend the rules and orders of Monkes whereby they which only ought to professe the name of Christ are deuided into most sundrye rytes and factious names why hearcken they not to Paule which most grieuously condemneth such thinges If they abhorre diuision so greatly how commeth it to passe that the Bishops of Rome are the authors of all the warres that haue bene these many yeares We may thanke them for the horrible schisme and neuer ynough bewayled of all Christendome whereby the East Church was rent and deuided from the West and at length subdued to the tyrannie of the wicked Turkes who can iustly be named the author and beginner of the holye warre whereby all Christendome most vnhappily was set by the eares and riuers of mans bloud were shedde but the sea of Rome I appeale vnto hystories which shall beare witnesse that I speake the truth and leane not to priuate affection See we not at this daye the Popes Legates in Princes Tentes and in the Campe among souldiers See we not howe they encrease through the discorde of Princes and establishe tyrannie in the Church And where the lyght of the Gospell reprooueth these things by and by they accuse vs of schisme and sedition Wherfore O Christian Princes acknowledge once their craft and hauing so often bene warned be wyse and vse not crueltie against your brethren and Christes members for their sakes who it is manifest are the greatest plagues of all other vnto publike peace and tranquillitie But some men maye marueyle why the Apostles aunswered not the crimes layde to their charge But Luke teacheth plainelye what the let therof was For by and by they layde handes on them and had them to prison and that they did with the more haste bicause they shoulde haue no leysure to make their purgation before the people This is the propertie of the enimies of truth with open force to proceede against the professors thereof hauing alwayes an eye vnto this that the faithfull shall haue no place or leysure to excuse themselues For they knowe the force of veritie is such that the light thereof will easily disclose all their attemptes and they wote well howe they are in most safetie when the people are in most ignorance Therefore as they vse to spreade false accusations amonge the people of such as are godly so they labour all they can that no man shoulde vnderstande their innocencie Therefore where they should by reasons and scriptures go to worke they vse plaine force halters prisons sworde fire and such other like This is more euident than needeth any long proofe Yet let them remember as Christ testifyeth that this is the power of darkenesse and that with the Prince of darkenesse they shall one daye be punished for their tyrannie and vngodlynesse We learne by the example of the Apostles who they be that are vnworthily recompenced of this vnkinde worlde
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
shoulde be instructed with the example of the primitiue Church what to doe in time of persecutions And to this ende principally are all those things to be applied which hitherto haue bene sayde of the Apostles They being brought before the counsayle doe plainly and boldly confesse christ Then when the enimies had forbidden them to preach the Gospell they protest with marueylous constancie that they can not obey so wicked a commaundement At length when they perceyue that reason coulde not preuayle with these wicked Counsaylers but that they were still threatened they declare all the matter to the congregation to th ende that ech one being admonished of the daunger ensuing might the more easily prouide for themselues These proceedings let the Ministers imitate as often as they perceyue the world raise stormes of persecutions against them Let their stoute and bolde confession of Christ be an example vnto others Let them not yeelde to the wicked commaundements of Princes Let them faithfully premonish the congregation least any mannes saluation stande in perill through their sloth Luke proceedeth on in his hystorie and sheweth what the Church doth being thus admonished by the Apostles By which example it maye appeare what euery Christian hath to doe both particulerly and in generall when persecutions are stirring They sayth he when they hearde the Apostles lift vp their voyce to God with one accorde And he telleth of the Church howe they sought the succour and helpe of God only by prayer They were not carelesse therefore nor did not set light the daungers approching Neither fledde they to mans wisedome helpe or counsayle but sought all maner of ayde and succour by prayers This is the sure sanctuarie of the Church bicause God euerywhere promiseth to be their defender that seeke their helpe of him And that which he euerywhere promiseth he hath by infinite examples perfourmed so that none that is a true Christian can doubt of the truth of his promises To this may be ioyned how he deliuered the Israelites enuironned with the hoste of the Egyptians at Moyses entreatie and prayers And after that through the prayers of the same Moyses he gaue them victorie ouer the Amalechites In the Psalmes there are infinit examples of them which testifie how God hath bene fauourable and gracious vnto their prayers Yea Ioël the Prophete giueth this only counsell to the Church in distresse that they shoulde all turne vnto God and call vppon him for helpe prescribing also such a forme of prayers as they shoulde openly vse And that his counsayle was not in vaine the successe of the matter prooued For God sent his Aungell which in one night slewe the hoste of the Assirians and deliuered the citie of Ierusalem from the great tyrannie of Sennacharib Wherefore the primitiue Church coulde not doe better than to sue vnto God by praier as they did The corrupt condicions and maners of our dayes are by this example reprooued For we see many with ouermuch carelesnesse contemne the daungers hanging ouer the Church scoffe and deride all admonitions and wholy giue themselues to all vntimely pleasures and exercises But when they feele the fire of persecution burning either they follow the counsell of the fleshe dissembling their fayth or else fortifye themselues in the league of Princes and helpe of man Which is the cause that the more they seeke to be out of daunger the more grieuously they entangle and endaunger themselues Luke also in fewe wordes comprehendeth the right trade and order of praying First they call vpon God who is onely to be inuocated as appeareth both by the couenant made with Abraham by the first commaundement in the Decaloge and by the order of the Lordes prayer And it is manifest by many examples that he only heareth vs euerywhere and can deliuer vs Wherfore great heinous is their error whosoeuer they be that make their prayers vnto Creatures Then they lift vp their voice and pray And yet is it plaine that God heareth euen the groning onely of them that are afflicted and their teares continually are in his sight Howbeit they woulde expresse the synceritie of their fayth by lifting vp their voyce and testifie that they were not ashamed of their prayers and calling vpon God for helpe For this is not the least poynt of the confession of our fayth as we may perceyue Daniel well iudged who hauing before prayed in secret when he perceyued the King had commaunded God shoulde not be inuocated setteth open his windowes and prayeth as it were in the sight of all men bicause he woulde not seeme to like or allowe the wicked proclamation Last of all he attributeth vnanimitie or concorde vnto them which thing except the Church obserue neyther shall their prayers be hearde ne yet their selues be taken for the Church of god For the Church being made one body vnder one head which is Christ is quickened with one selfe spirite calleth vpon one and the same father and hath one and the same inheritance layde vp for them in heauen And they that in these things agree cannot in their mindes be deuided Therefore let vs followe the trade of praying vsed in the primitiue Church and we shall perceyue in our aduersities that Gods helpe will be most neare at hande It shall be good to consider diligently the prayer that they made which may be deuided into three partes The first conteyneth a description of God wherein they acknowledge him for the creator of the whole worlde They make mention first of the creation that men might consider the omnipotencie of God and his singuler power ouer all creatures whereby they might conceyue the greater consolation For thus they were aduertised that the wicked enimies of Christ neyther coulde hinder the worke of God by their enterprises nor yet hurt them in any thing without the deuise and sufferance of god It behooueth vs likewise to haue a consideration of Gods omnipotencie that we acknowledge him not only for the creator but also for the gouernour and preseruer of all creatures who though he hath set his throne on high yet hee humbleth himselfe to beholde whatsoeuer is done eyther in heauen or in earth Which consideration as it is very profitable for the amendement of our life and maners so in tribulations it bringeth comfort and in our prayers chiefely confirmeth our faith wherevpon the effect of prayer principally dependeth And this is the chiefe vse of the first Article in the Apostles Creede where we professe we beleeue in God the Father maker of heauen and earth For it maketh for the confirmation of our faith and taketh awaye all cause of distrust which commonlye springeth by reason we thinke God eyther cannot or will not helpe vs But what is impossible vnto him which hath made heauen and earth by his worde and hath hyther to preserued all this worlde Or is it like he will neglect men whom he hath made Lords ouer all the things
that we be not afrayd with the power of our enimies when we see our selues to weake for them For this is not our fight but a battell taken in hande vnder Gods conduct who can most easilye subdue their force and attemptes Which thing Iohn teacheth vs when he sayth that he that is in vs is of more power than he that is in the worlde Last of all the faithfull expresse more euidently the effect and ende of these mischieuous attempts where they say They gathered themselues togyther to doe whatsoeuer thy hande and thy counsaile determined before to be done Howbeit the wicked consult not nor meete not togither to put Gods will and purpose in execution but they declare vnto vs how they are able to doe nothing but that which God hath decreed to haue done and that then they most further Gods purpose when they most studie to hinder it This shall appeare to be manifest if we consider what the Priestes of the Iewes dyd They woulde keepe Christ oute of his kingdome Therefore they mooued the Romane Presidents and communaltie against him and sâ—ynted not vntill they sawe him vpon the Crosse dead and buried But what other did they in all these things but helpe Christ being the Sauiour of the worlde according to the eternall purpose of his Father to enter into his kingdome And by the consideration hereof the Apostles remooue out of the way that blocke whereat such stumble as thinke the wicked are able to ouercome Christ by power and force Here serueth the vse of Gods singuler prouidence to make men vnderstande that the enterprises of the wycked can go no further nor doe no more than God hath appoynted Here haue we to obserue that they acknowledge in Gods prouidence not onely his prescience and foreknowledge but also his stable decree and hande whereby he doth execute at his pleasure that which he hath decreed that himselfe may be all in all And yet the wicked are not therfore excused bicause they respect not the decree and will of God but followe their owne corrupt affections as we haue alreadie many times declared And although the primitiue Church doth truely beleeue and professe the same yet she prayeth and with feruent sute beseecheth God of his succour and ayde Therefore the doctrine that submitteth all things and the successe of them vnto God taketh not praying away For God will be prayed to and inuocated And for this cause the godly vse it the more ardently for that they knowe all thinges are gouerned by his appoyntment For they doe that which he commaundeth and they search not ouer curiously after his secret counselles but permit the successe of all things vnto him whome they knowe to be faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength and bringeth all things to an happy ende for all them that loue him Nowe let vs see the thirde part of this prayer which contayneth the peticions of those thinges which they perceyued then they had most neede of The first of them is And now Lorde beholde their threatnings By this worde beholde they meane iudgement and punishment and it is as much to saye as if they should desyre God to reuenge theyr cause For who had more right to reuenge him than he for as much as agaynst him this warre was made as they had prooued by the wordes of the Psalme Thys is the peculiar vsage of the godly that when they perceyue they are hyndered in their vocation or not able to make their parte good to appeale vnto the iudgement of God as we see Dauid oftentymes dyd when Saule persecuted hym yet shall we neuer doe it wyth more affyaunce than when the glory of God by the wycked is openly impeached Thus Ezechias layde the blasphemous letter of the king of Assyria open before the Lorde and beseecheth hym that he wyll defende hys quarrell And it is no doubt but he heareth them which be carefull for the glorie of his name seeing he so mercyfully heareth the pryuate quarrels of those that be hys But to the ende they woulde not seeme so to commyt thys matter vnto God as to withdrawe themselues out of all daunger they beseeche God also to gyue them such grace that they maye speake and declare his worde boldely which thing chiefely is to be vnderstanded of the Apostles and other Ministers of the worde who vnlesse they be boldened and guyded wyth the spirite of God may easily be made afrayde with the threats and assaultes of the worlde to intermyt their office Which thing Paule after hys manifolde traueyles in the ministerie acknowledged and therefore thought good to be holpen wyth the publike prayers of the congregations that he might speake the worde of God freely and with open mouth Yet is thys also to be referred to euery singuler christian and it behooueth to pray for euery particuler person that they may confesse Christ boldely and stowtely before thys naughtie and adulterous worlde It is necessarie that we vnderstand how this boldenesse is gyuen vs of god For so shall we be prouoked to pray oftentymes for the increase of fayth crying with the Apostles Lorde increase our fayth Thirdly they require that the power of working myracles may be increased bycause God hath appoynted them as certayne publike seales and testimonials to the Apostles doctrine And they desyre the same may be done by the name of Christ to declare that theyr care is onely for Christes glorie In thys place there shyneth a marueylous stoutenesse and most ardent zeale towardes Christ in the primitiue Church They perceyued a little before that the mindes of the Iewes were incensed with the doctrine and myracles of the Apostles yet desyre they that the Apostles may haue more boldenesse graunted them and their giftes of myracles to be increased so little place doe they gyue to their enimies furie though but for a season which yet the men in our dayes wyll doer who thinke that to be the best trade of teaching that most pleaseth the professed enymies of truth and seeke nothing but ydlenesse and the peace of the worlde being little or nothing carefull for the increase of Christes kingdome These men thinke the Ministers are to feruent and manye tymes also those that be scarce luke warme which seemeth to me is the chiefe cause that Christes kingdome is so little inlarged amongst vs. To conclude Luke sheweth what effect ensued of their praying For God heard their prayers which was declared both by a sensible signe that is to saye by the moouing of the house which signified the presence of God and also by most wholesome effectes For they were filled with the holye ghost that is to say they perceyued an effectuall comfort of the holye ghost and courage giuen them where before this the feare of daunger did somewhat dismay them And they to whome the ministerie of the Gospell was committed preached the same with great constancie so that a
serue to commende and set forth the Gospell and sende men vnto Christ whom vaine superstition hath hitherto entangled in trifles of no profite Furthermore we may more firmely reason of Peters wordes which we heard in the thirde chapter There is more regarde with God of vertue and godlynesse than is of garmentes or of all mannes bodye yea the vertue and godlynesse of the Saints auayled nothing to the working of myracles Therfore much lesse ought they to be ascribed to their garmentes or to their bones We will adde to this argument how in an other place it is sayd that power went from Christ himselfe not from his cote But superstition will quickly fall if we consider the ende and marke wherto all myracles are to be referred and directed which is of two sortes First it behooued that by them the doctrine of the Apostles shoulde be confirmed as Christ himselfe teacheth Wherevpon we gather that he is to be beleeued and that nowe a dayes we neede no newe myracles For if the Ministers preache the doctrine of the Apostles that doctrine hath long sithence bene prooued and confirmed by miracles And if they teach a doctrine not agreable with that they ought not to be receyued though they worke neuer so many myracles forasmuch as myracles are permitted to false and Antichristian teachers to th ende the fayth of the elect maye appeare the more manifest and euident See Deuter. 13. Math. 24.2 Thess. 2. The other ende and vse of myracles is to teach the knowledge of Iesus Christ in whose name they were wrought by the Apostles and Apostolike men Diuers diseased with sicknesses and infirmities are in Christes name healed and with them some Demoniackes whome the naughtie spirite of Satan did haunt Therefore let vs acknowledge Iesus Christ to be hee which as sayeth the Prophete hath borne our diseases and infirmities and he that healeth not onely our bodies but also our soules For we being borne againe of his spirite and word receiue fresh strength so that we are able to do all things through his comfort He only deliuereth vs from the tyranny of Satan For he therfore came into the world as Iohn saith to destroy the workes of the Deuill And the first promise of saluation teacheth vs that through his power and merite the serpentes heade must be troden downe Which to be done alredy himselfe partly teacheth in the gospell and partly the myracles wrought in his name abundantly testifie And Luke sayth they were all healed in the name of Christ that were brought vnto the Apostles to be healed Wherevpon we gather that he is an vniuersall Sauiour who as he calleth all men vnto him that labour and are laden euen so he excludeth none that come vnto him He adioyneth to the Apostles myracles the publike exercise of the whole Church where he sayth they all continued with one accorde in Salomons porch Which is to be vnderstanded of their holy assemblies as appeareth by the ende of the seconde Chapter where there is mention made of houses in which they brake breade The Euangelist by this place meaneth none other thing but that the faythfull had a speciall care to come vnto the Church and there to be vnited togither not so much in bodies as in myndes by fayth and charitie Wherein they shewe vs an example of christian stoutnesse and constancie who being not ignorant of the threates and decrees of the Counsell woulde not yet for all that refrayne from commyng among the congregation Howbeit it woulde haue sufficed mannes wisedome to haue kept their fayth in their myndes and to haue commoned of Christ with their faythfull brethren wythin their priuate houses And now a dayes many excuse their dastardlynesse by these reasons wherby they account the confession of Christ amongest indifferent thinges and suffer Princes by their decrees and lawes to wring and wrest it from them yea it is thought a poynt of prudencie in tyme of daunger to dissemble our fayth to intermit comming to the Church and all Sacraments eyther vtterly not to meddle with articles in controuersie or else to make a shypmans hose of them or else wholye to denye the fayth But what yll ende the successes of this wisedome hath the Church findeth not without great griefe and the destruction of manye They doe muche better which haue learned of Christs wordes that confession can not be seperated from faith For with the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse but with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation And it is Christes saying Whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and my wordes in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with the holy Aungels Let vs consider that it is not without a cause that mention is so often made of comming to the Church For hereof we gather that the Church can by no meanes stande wythout these assemblies both bicause of publike prayers which Christ hath commended to vs not without a peculiar promyse and also to preuent false teachers whose propertie Paule wryteth is to go into houses and to bring into bondage women laden with sinne and all such as lye open to their craftynesse And that no man shoulde take occasion to trouble or breake so necessary an order Christ himselfe neuer shunned comming to the Church but taught therein openly and by that argument prooueth that he ought to be taken neyther for schismatike nor false teacher And for this cause it seemeth that the first beleeuers abhorred not the Iewes temple bicause they had no more commodious place in all the Citie The Anabaptistes are confuted by this example a fanaticall broode and kinde of seditious people which thinke it vnlawfull to come within our Churches and in our congregation and haue a great warynesse that they be not polluted with them where notwithstanding it seemeth to them but a trifle to make a schisme in the Church of Christ which is the most horrible and detestable crime that is But let vs returne to the discipline and exercises of the primitiue Church amongst which in the thirde place is conteined a certaine maiestie that made the enimies afrayde of them and all the people to reuerence them For Luke sayth Of other durst no man ioyne himselfe vnto them But the people magnified them Which is to be vnderstanded of those which were not vtterâ—y godlesse and voyde of all religion and yet were ledde with the carke and cares of the worlde and the fleshe For when they had seene the horrible and vnhappie ende of Ananias and Sapphira they were afrayde to ioine themselues to the company of those that punished hypocrisie so seuerely their consciences well knowing their owne imperfection Therfore the societie and company of the Church was from thence forth the purer into the which perhaps at the first many such as Ananias was had craftily crept in yet these men
brought them that erred into the waye and to haue conuinced the gaynesayers as men hauing forgotten their dutie turne vnto force and shut them in the common prison which as yet were conuicted of no fault or crime And this is it that Christ layde to their charge when they came out armed with swordes and Clubbes to take him whom they dayly hearde teaching in the Temple where he ought to haue bene conuinced if he had taught any thing repugnaunt to Gods truth Naye they vsed open force euen in their Counsell in that they suffer the high Priestes seruaunt to strike Christ on the cheeke without check Histories declare howe they haue fought these many yeares with the same weapons agaynst the doctrine of truth Neyther neede we to heape many examples togither bicause that one fact of the Counsell at Constance is sufficient which the heades of the Romaine Church commytted agaynst that holy martyr of Christ Iohn Husse whome neyther his safe conduyct neyther the Emperours maiestie neyther lawe of armes neyther intreatie of the godlye nor threates of the Bohemians coulde deliuer out of their bloudy handes And our maisters and Bishops in these dayes vse no argumentes more often against the Teachers of the truth than to arme Princes against the same and those that teache it and then thinke they are notable defenders of the Church when they persecute the true Church of Christ with fire and sworde To speake nothing in the meane season of such as saye the examination and hearing of these matters appertaine nothing to Princes and so hale they the martyrs of Christ to their execution without hearing their cause first cutting out their tongues bicause they shall not declare their fayth and cause of their death to the people looking on But howe farre these men passe the tyrannie of the Iewishe Bishops so much more grieuous shall that punishment be that Christ hath ordeyned for them whose kingdome can be oppressed by no force of man. This doth the other part of the storie declare wherein is shewed what the Lord did in the meane whyle who myght seeme to haue cast of all care of his Church and suffered his enimies to long But he neyther sleepeth nor forsaketh those that be in daunger for his sake For the Aungell of the Lorde came who neyther feared the authoritie of the Priestes nor yet the lawe for breaking the prison but openeth the doores bringeth out the Apostles and commaundeth them to returne to the Temple there to preach the wordes of lyfe that is to saye the Gospell of Iesus Christ in whome only lyfe is to be had These thinges teache vs howe God hath a care for those that be his and that his worde cannot be bounde although his Ministers lye bounde in prison For the breath of God breatheth where it will and is not subiect to the iudgement of the worlde And Paule sayth that he lyeth bounde but that the worde of God cannot be bounde Let no man therefore be offended with the imprisonment of the Ministers of Goddes worde no not with their death seeing the setting forth of his worde dependeth not of vs but of the pleasure and power of god It shall be good more diligently to consider the maner and ende of this deliuery In their deliuery this is chiefely to be obserued that God would haue the prison doores opened by the ministerie of an Aungell which he myght many other wayes haue brought to passe But God woulde this waye testifie and declare the great dignitie of his elect whereas not onely the inferiour and earthly creatures but also the heauenly spirites and Aungels are appoynted to doe them seruice We are taught by manye places of Scripture to gather a generall rule hereof Paule verily teacheth vs that the Aungels are ministering spirites sent out for the seruice of them which shall be heyres of saluation And that saying of Dauid is well knowen The Aungell of the Lorde tarieth rounde about them that feare him and deliuereth them And that which the malignaunt Tempter expoundeth of Christ only is to be referred to euery one of his members whome God hath commended to the charge and custodie of the Aungels that they shoulde not dashe their foote agaynst a stone And there wanteth not examples of them which haue bene holpen by the visible ministerie of Aungelles Loth was deliuered from the burning of Sodome by the aungelles Iacob â—eeth an hoste of Aungelles and perceyueth himselfe in safetie by their ayde and succour Whole armies of Aungels deliuer Elizeus out of the handes of the Assirians Daniel confesseth the Aungell of the Lorde did shutte the mouthes of the Lyons that they coulde doe him no hurt An Aungell many daies faithfully serued Thobias sonne in visible shape and likenesse An Aungell smiteth the first borne of the Egyptians and guideth the people of Israel through the wildernesse And it appeareth Ezechias was deliuered from the siege of the Assirians by the helpe of an Aungell These examples and such other lyke are rehearsed not to th ende we also shoulde require the ministerie of Aungels in visible wyse but that we shoulde not doubt of their ayde and helpe although they appeare not to vs We manye times finde this true when we be deliuered from secrete daungers and so escape vnknown ieoperdies without all counsell or helpe of man Let vs therefore acknowledge the dignitie of our nature and condicion wherein we be set through the benefite of Gods grace Let the same serue for our comfort that we despayre not in aduersitie and for our instruction that we offend not through our impure and naughty life the Aungels and so driue from vs so holy and necessary a succor and defence Furthermore the Aungell sheweth the ende why they are deliuered where he saith to the Apostles being brought out of prison Go and stand and speake in the Temple all the wordes of this lyfe to the people He appoynteth them therefore to returne to the execution of that office and charge that Christ had put them in and co mmaundeth them to their vttermost power to set forth the kingdome of Christ whose ayde and helpe they nowe presently had prooued This agreeth with Goddes commaundement in other places that being deliuered out of any distresse we shoulde glorifie him For this was not spoken onely to the Apostles but appertayneth indifferently to all men For God will haue all men diligently to applye their vocation and being deliuered out of daunger to returne therevnto with the more feruencie the longer they haue intermitted it Therefore their offence is grieuous which being deliuered from sickenesse or pouertie or other kinde of calamitie giue themselues vnto vice and naughtynesse and pollute the name of God with impuritie of lyfe who seeme vnto me to bee lyke those souldiours which being sent out to take Christ when they were cast to the grounde by his secrete power yet when they were permitted to
such mischiefe become a praye for sedicious and wicked persons For who seeth not here that saying of Christ fulfilled I came in my fathers name and ye receyue me not If another come in his owne name him you will receyue Which thing we see coÌ„meth to passe also in these dayes For the nature of the worlde is incurable delighting and reioycing in seducers and deceyuers and hating the Ministers of the truth continually Therefore it commeth to passe by the iust iudgement of God that they taste of effectuall elusion and wittingly and willingly runne into destruction But let vs returne to Gamaliel to see how he vseth these examples For of these he gathereth the foundation of his sentence whose proposition or coÌ„clusion is abstayne from these men and let them alone Which to perswade them he bringeth his argument in fourme of a Dilemma in this wise This businesse wherof the Apostles whome you iudge worthy to die are ministers and stewards is eyther of God or of man But whether soeuer it be I think it good you absteyne from shedding their bloud For if it be of man and is gouerned none other waies than by mans counsayle it wil fall of it selfe as the examples of Theudas and Iudas within these few yeres passed abundantly declare Therfore what madnesse were it to incense and stirre vp the â—urie of the Commons to take that out of the waye which within a shorte space though no man set hande to it will fall to the grounde alone But if it be of God and be gouerned and ordered by him it cannot quayle by anye force or counsayle of man For what is man being but dust and ashes able to preuayle agaynst God Now the ende of this counsell must be diligently obserued the which whyle manye neglect they take occasion hereby of a most pernicious opinion whereby say they no attemptes be they neuer so wicked no errors be they neuer so blasphemous are by force to be kept vnder Whereof can followe none other thing but the ouerthrowe of all discipline aswell ciuill as Ecclesiasticall For the Magistrate shall carie his sworde in vayne And in vayne doth Paule appoynt such Ministers in the Church as shall not onely teache the truth but also be able to confute and conuince the gaynesayers Who will thinke that this so wyse a man ment to loose all the sinewes of Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall gouernement at once It appeareth rather he had this meaning to saue the Apostles from the furie of the Iudges and from present death which he sawe he shoulde most commodiously doe if he shewed them that they could not without manifest daunger conclude any extremitie agaynst them For eyther they must fall in daunger to Godwarde if the Apostles doctrine were true and they the ministers of God or else of the commons whose rage they were better to auoyde than to prouoke speciallye in such a matter as coulde not long stande if it were but mennes working Furthermore whether he vnderstoode the truth or not he yet seemeth ambiguous and doubtfull in his talke Therefore their case is of a farre other sort which being illuminated with the true knowledge of the truth ought by office to defende it and to roote out errors and wickednesse In the meane season this ought to be to vs as an Oracle that we learne Gods counsels can be hindered by no force of men but that mans counsell falleth of it selfe For God is eternall and immutable so is his worde eternall and can by no meanes be infringed And Dauid testifyeth that God scattereth the counselles of the Nations but establisheth his owne counsayle for euer We haue examples euerie where to prooue the same Saul long stryued against the counsell of God who had fully decreeed to make Dauid king of Israel But the more he stryued the lesse he perceyued he preuayled and founde an euill ende of his contending with god But chiefely this thing is to be applyed to matters of fayth and religion It is Gods counsell and decree that his sonne whome he begat from euerlasting should beare rule ouer his holy hill that is to say the church To him it was saide Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thy foes thy footestoole Satan from the beginning of the world hath withstanded this deuise and counsell And in Abel whome for this cause we may call the first Martyr of Christ beganne this persecution which continued all the yeares following and yet to thys houre endureth But the kingdome of Christ and the Church endureth also bicause it is buylt vpon that rocke agaynst the which the gates of hell are not able to preuaile And if on the contrary side a man consider the vsage of the Gentiles and that monstrous Chaos of ydolatrie which most mightie Monarchies followed confirmed by space of manye yeares allowed by the consent almost of all people and nations assaulted at no tyme by force of any man he shall see it is fallen downe of it selfe and scattered abroade by the spirite and worde of christ The lyke reason is of the holy scripture which the Apostle calleth inspired of God. For if a man consider the prophane wryters their Bookes surely were in great estimation and had no enimies to make them away yet the most part of them are perished and scarce are the names of those bookes extant which in tymes past most riche kings sought with great diligence and bought full dearely as is reported of Ptolomeus Philadelphus and such other lyke But the holy bookes of Scripture so many tymes burned banished and hated of most mightie princes are yet forth comming and being almost translated into al tongues be in stead of maysters and teachers ouer all the worlde Let these thinges therefore serue for our instruction and comfort that we rashely doe nothing against God nor feare not the threatning decrees and ordynaunces of the world and of tyrannes against the kingdome of Christ. But let vs so acknowledge God for our reuenger and defender that we may faythfully serue him in buylding vp of his church according to our vocation as Coadiutours of Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor glory and power for euer Amen The .xxxix. Homelie AND to him agreed the other And when they had called the Apostles they bette them and commaunded that they should not speake in the name of Iesu and let them go And they departed from the counsell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name And daylie in the Temple and in euerye house they ceased not to teache and preache Iesus Christ. BIcause it is so ordeyned that all men of a certaine naturall instinct are desyrous of helth welth it can not be chosen but they must be much offended at aduersitie tribulation especially such as accustometh to ryse bycause of religion For it commeth to passe most times that men iudge of religion according to the effect and successe therof and
accuse that religion of falsehood whose professours they see exercised with persecutions and aduersities Wherefore it is not so profitable as necessary that we be well instructed agaynst all occasions of offences Which thing is the cause that the holye ghost would haue Luke so diligently wryte the afflictions of the primitiue Church Wherein chiefely is to be obserued what hath alwayes beene the state of Christes Church in this worlde and howe through the present and faythfull ayde of the Lorde it hath in times past beene preserued in greatest tribulations that we neyther be offended at the calamities of our daies as vnwonted nor dispayre of Gods helpe and preseruation of hys Church Thys present hystory sheweth vs examples of both these things the conclusion whereof the Euangelist nowe discribeth and first he telleth what the coniured enimies of Christ did and afterwarde what the Apostles dyd Concerning Christes enimies gathered togyther in the counsell Luke wryteth thus They agreed vnto Gamaliel and when they had called the Apostles they bet them and commaunded them they should not speake in the name of Iesu and let them go He sayth they obeyed Gamaliel his saying when yet they did two things which he counselled them not to doe For they bette the Apostles with roddes and renewed their first decree whereby they go about to prohibite the preaching of the Gospell Yet they herein obey Gamaliel that they put not the seruauntes of Christ to death as they had minded to doe yet could they not refrayne but beat innocent men with whippes and roddes Therefore it must needes be that they were in a verie great rage which when matters seemed done and past was not yet quenched But this is the verie propertie of the persecutours of Christ that when they seeme pleased and appeased yet secretly foster hatred and furie in their mindes and seldome will let any of Christs ministers passe without some marke of ignominie or open punishment least they might seeme vniustly to haue risen against them and for that they would put those that followe them in feare So Pylate although he iudged Christ to be innocent yet would he not let him go before he had scourged him It is yet verie comfortable that the Lorde so brydeled their rage by the onely perswasion of Gamaliel that they durst not put the guyltlesse to death whereof we gather that the wicked can not alwayes doe what they liste but are ruled euen against their willes with the raynes of Gods prouidence There are in this example diuers other thinges the obseruation whereof is also verie profitable for vs in these dayes And first we are taught that it is no straunge and vnwoonted thing though the godly and holy worshippers of Christ in these dayes be subiect to the will and pleasure of the vngodly and suffer afflictions For Christ hymselfe gaue vs warning hereof long agoe tolde vs that a time would come that whosoeuer kylled anye of his people should thinke he dyd God seruice He calleth those that be his to the crosse and by his owne example teacheth vs that we should not hoâ—e for any better state or condition than he suffered The Apostles nowe feele the same and are not offended thereat but rather oftentimes admonishe vs that we be not offended as at any straunge thing if at any tyme we be tryed by fyre See the first of Peter the fourth Chapter It shall be profitable for vs diligently to consyder and thinke vpon the same For in so doing it shall come to passe that we shall neyther vse our selues insolently in prosperity nor yet be discouraged in aduersitie bicause we haue foreseene them both Secondly it is worthy of consideration that the Apostles the elect instruments of Christ in a verie good and holy quarrell which to defend they take vpon them according to Christs commaundement are ignominiouslye beaten Whereof we plainly gather how foule and shamefull an error they are in which iudge afflictions to be a token and argument of a naughtye and vnrighteous cause of whose number are they which now a dayes charge vs as causers of all kinde of miseries and calamities whereby it appeareth say they how we erre in our beliefe and religion But herby it appeareth howe destitute they be of wytte and reason for that they perceaue not those thinges wherein the verie Ethnike Poets gaue a better iudgement For it is well knowne what Naso sayth I wyshe he may misse of successe That of the effect the deede doth gesse For if these mens iudgements preuayle we shall finde fewe or none of the true worshippers of God but they deserue likewise to be condemned bicause a blinde man may see many of them not onely molested with many persecutions but also slayne by the handes of most cruell enimies And that we should hope for no better Christes worde where he aduertiseth vs of the state of the latter dayes aboundantly teacheth vs Wherfore whosoeuer iudgeth of religion according to the falling out and successe of thys worlde may be iudged lyke to the Iewes Souldiours which gaue Christ hanging on the crosse Uineger to drinke and sayd If he be the king of Israel let him nowe come downe from the crosse and we will beleeue him Hee trusted in God let him delyuer him if he will haue him for he sayde he was the sonne of God. And surely what more tarte and eger Uineger can there be than such vpbraydings whereby both the glory of God and the certaintie and truth of his worde is called in question And yet we may not thinke that God hath no care nor prouidence of the worlde when we see the true and holy seruaunts of God afflicted For to say nothing of his secrete iudgementes there are infinite other causes wherefore God suffreth these things so to come to passe For thys wayes God sometime pulleth downe the secret corruption and haultinesse of our flesh which vnlesse it were tamed would burst forth to the great inconuenience and dammage of his people And we may not reply and say that God many times vseth to humble bring downe those that otherwyse are lowly ynough and neuer shewed any great signe of fiercenesse or pride For God knoweth the naughtinesse of mans inclination and wherof we haue neede better and surelier than we can perceaue Therfore he chastiseth vs in time and some whyle preuenteth our naughtinesse before it waxe strong and make vs incurable and to be condemned with the worlde Furthermore he tryeth our fayth by this meanes not that he is ignoraunt of any thing but that both we may be an example to others and also prooue what infirmitie as yet remayneth in vs and howe much we haue neede of the helpe and grace of god Beside this he wyll hereby shewe vnto the worlde howe sinne displeaseth him seeing he so seuerely correcteth the small faultes of his electes yea their secret and hidden naughtinesse And herevnto had Peter a respect where he sayth
occasion the order of Deacons was appoynted and then sheweth after what order and maner those first Deacons were elected and ordeyned by the Apostles And in this narration are many thinges whereof in these dayes the Church hath great neede Wherefore we shall speake of ech thing diligently The multitude of the beleeuers was the occasion and cause of this newe deuised order in the Church by reason of a quarrell and grutch growne among them For at this time the Church of Christ grewe and was marueylously encreased and the enterprises of the wicked Bishops which laboured to oppresse the Church were vtterly vaine Howbeit bicause this Church was gathered togither of diuers kindes of people it could not long agree For there arose a quarrell or grutch among the Greekes against the Hebrewes He calleth them Greekes or Proselites eyther bicause they returned from their Gentilitie to Iudaisme eyther for that they were borne of parents that were Iewes and scattered among diuers nations For it is euident that at this time the Gentiles were not as yet receyued into the fellowship of the Church forasmuch as long after this Peter was rebuked for hauing preached the gospell to Cornelius and his familie men that were not circumcised as appeareth hereafter in the .xj. Chapter The cause of this grutch was for that the Greekes widowes were neglected in the dayly administration that is to saye in the distribution of the liuing delt euery day among the beleeuing For it hath bene heretofore declared howe many layde their moneyes togither to be at the disposing of the Apostles to giue thereof to euerye manne as he shoulde haue neede In this case it chaunced that the Apostles eyther being ouercharged with multitude of businesse ouerhipped some fewe amongest them or else that they deemed they were despised which things these straungers a suspicious kinde of people aboue all other bitterlye complayned of And this thing was the cause why the accustomed order and maner of administration of this money hitherto seemed nowe somewhat to be altered But before we speake hereof we haue here certaine other things to obserue And first is to be considered howe euen the primitiue Church was not voyde of hir defectes and faultes which hitherto yet seemed prosperous and perfite in all poyntes And they are no light faultes which are here recited but horrible For they obserue differences of Nations where in Christ there is none at all For in him is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle Scithian or Barbarous and being factiouslye deuyded they nowe beare not malice and grutch secretly in their hart but vtter the bitternesse of their mindes with vniust complayning We see therefore the primitiue Church infected with that fault for the which we reade manye thousandes vnder Moyses were somtimes ouerthrown in the wildernesse by Gods horrible iudgement To this may be added a detestable ingratitude towards the Apostles who they knewe were occupied in many other affayres yea who were once or twise before cast in prison and who alone they sawe bare all the brunt and daunger almost of the whole Church And where it is a great offence to haue a wrong opinion of those that deserue well of vs and benefite vs these by their murmuring call the Apostles credit into doubt and giue occasion of sedition And this they doe in a time of persecution when it behooued them all to haue bene most carefull of mutual loue and vnity By which example we are taught that there can neuer be appointed so perfite a president of a church but that alway some thing may happen worthy to be amended not that there is eyther such obscuritie in the worde of God or such incertaintie that nothing can be perfitely ordered therby but bicause such is the corruption of our witte that it alwaye seeketh occasion to infringe and breake the moste holy ordinaunces of god Therfore foolish and moste arrogant is the boldnesse of those men which thinke they haue attayned to the highest perfection and will abyde no kinde of admonishment Furthermore the rashnesse of them is here reprooued which forsake those congregations in whom they find or perceiue any blemishes or imperfections are the authors and causes of schisme wherin the Anabaptists commonly are guiltie But if these mennes reason shoulde take place then shall not the primitiue Church be iudged free nor thought worthy to whome a man may ioyne himselfe Also where Christ hath chiefely commended to vs the keeping of vnitie it easily appeareth with what spirite they are sedde which thinke it but a trifle to breake the vnitie of the Church Further it is to be obserued that thys grutch arose when the number of christians increased when they ought most to haue acknowledged Gods grace and to haue imbraced vnitie But this is all way seene where a multitude is there is also murmuring and confusion bicause it is impossible in such diuersitie and desyres of mindes to satisfie all mennes wyshes And nature hath so ordeyned that they which are not pleased and content seeke alwayes some occasion of puling complaint That faythfull seruaunt of God Moses whome the Israelites many tymes went about to stone when they remembred theyr fleshe pottes in Egypt founde thys to be true The like now feele the Apostles who notwithstanding in their administration of these things vsed vndoubtedly all kinde of truth and diligencie Let no man therefore thinke it straunge or wonderfull nowe a dayes though in that multitude of poore and needie which we euerywhere see murmurings and complaynings be heard which as it is in al places vsed so chiefely is it to be seene in Hospitals and in such places where the poore are found and mainteyned For though there be no cause else yet pouertie of it selfe is alwaye whyning and complayning which faulte for this cause chiefely deserueth pardon bicause there chaunceth daylie dyuers occasions which are able to mooue mindes be they neuer so constant Let them rather that haue the charge and ouersight of the poore beware that they giue no iust occasion of murmure and complaint whyles eyther they vnwyllingly distribute suche thinges as they haue neede of or else wickedly conuey away that which is giuen for the finding of the poore For it is no small or tryfling fault that they commit herein For they contamynat themselues with great sacriledge and lye vnto the holy ghost and also be occasions to the poore of no small offence in that they giue them causes to be angrie and mooued which otherwise had neede to be comforted Let it waigh with them howe the primitiue Church was troubled with none other encumbraunces than such as sprang eyther of vniust or negligent administration of ecclesiastical goods For the scripture teacheth that Iudas stumbled at this block We see also how Ananias and Sapphira made wracke of their saluation on this rock And in thys place the Grecians take no other occasion of their seditious murmuring than for that they thought their Wydowes
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
out were accepted for the people of God although they neyther had Church nor other ceremonies of the lawe And that therefore nothing letted why they might not at this daye also be saued without a Temple yea that it ought to be abrogated with all the ceremonies leuiticall forasmuche as it was playne he was already come and exhibited of whome all such things in tyme passed were but signes and shadowes The storie is written in Genesis 42.43 and in other Chapters following where at large are set forth those things which Steuen toucheth but briefely But least we lose the commoditie ensuing of the discourse it behooueth vs to note the chiefe points by themselues and so to apply them to our instruction Let vs examine therefore the cause that mooued the people to go into Egypt then their going downe and last of all what is sayde of the Patriarches death and buriall The cause that Iacob went downe into Egypt was a great dearth wherewith he was troubled in the lande of Chanaan and which he coulde by no meanes more commodiously auoyde bicause through Iosephs counsell Egypt onely had store of corne layde vp for such vse Here it is worthy to be well consydered howe God suffreth Iacob a true worshipper of him and a verie holye man to be troubled and molested with famine Thys might be imputed to his childrens naughtinesse if we read not how the like had bene seene in Abraham and Isaac And there are manye examples that teache vs howe the faythfull and true worshippers of God haue bene afflicted also with other aduersities and calamities Hereof we gather that aduersities and afflictions are not alwayes arguments of Gods wrath and that we should not dispaire in them as though we were quyte out of the fauour of god For eyther God of a fatherly care hereby preuenteth our naughtinesse and bringeth downe our hawtie courage least we shoulde grieuously offende hym or else lyke a father correcteth our faultes and by correction bringeth vs into the waye or else by thys meane executeth hys secret iudgementes not yet perceyued of vs as in thys present hystorie we see it commeth to passe For Iacob with all his familie is constrayned by famine to come into Egypt to make away to the Oracle wherein God had sayde vnto Abraham that his seede shoulde soiorne in a straunge lande out of which after many afflictions God should bring them agayne And the daylie effectes of our afflictions sufficiently teache vs that God bringeth many things to passe by his iust and wholsome iudgement which we before had no vnderstanding of But thys hath in it a singuler comfort that as he would haue Iacob feele the smarte of famine so he sent Ioseph before into Egypt and made hym ruler of all the countrie that by his counsell and prouision he and all hys familie should be fed This goodnesse and trust in God is set forth in the hundreth and fifth Psalme where it is thus sayde God called for a dearth vpon the lande and destroyed all the prouision of breade But he had sent a man before them euen Ioseph which was solde to be a bonde seruaunt c By him therefore had Iacob most succour in whom he supposed he had greatest cause of sorrowe For he had mourned and lamented bitterly for Ioseph whome he thought was deade through whose liberalitie he is nowe notwithstanding mainteyned and cherished Ioseph acknowledged thys counsell of God where he comforteth his brethren being feared with the remembraunce of their wickednesse saying that he was sent before into Egypt by Gods prouydence for the benefite and publike vtilitie of many And oftentimes it commeth to passe that the things that our enimies vniustly and vngently procure agaynst vs serue to our benefite and commoditie And yet their wickednesse is not to be excused therefore bycause they in their doing goe not about to fulfill Gods counsell or purpose but to satisfie their owne vnruly lustes as hath oftentimes already bene declared Also we haue here to consyder both Pharao and Ioseph For Pharao deserueth no small commendation of wisedome and kindenesse in that he maketh Ioseph whome he seeth to be of more wisedome counsell than his other men gouernour of hys kingdome although he knewe he was both a straunger and bonde man and in that he saw things prospered according to his deuise and counsel he liberally considereth rewardeth both him and all his kinsfolke Of which example men in authoritie may learne not onely thankefulnesse but also howe profitable a thing it is to put them in office that worship God truely bicause the blessing of God followeth suche and that which is done vnto them God taketh as done vnto himselfe Thys thing Putiphar before that perceyued well ynough whome God prospered in all his doings whyle Ioseph was ruler of hys house although he little considered the same The same doth Pharao nowe finde where by Iosephs industrie and wisedome he perceyueth himselfe greatly inriched and all Egypt and the nations adioyning preserued and mainteyned So afterwarde in this booke for Paules sake as manye as sayled in his companye were saued from drowning And as by the godly great commoditie vseth to come vnto many so oftentimes through a fewe that be wicked if they be of authoritie and power and may doe what they list ensueth great inconuenience and mischiefe Achan onely through his sacriledge as close as it was was the occasion of a publike calamitie And Ionas flying from Gods sight endaungereth not only himselfe but also the Mariners and as many passengers as were in the shippe So perillous and hurtfull a thing the company of the wicked is What maye therefore be hoped for where such are put in office and authoritie Surely none other but that they will be the cause of publike calamitie and generall destruction Whereof we haue an example in Manasses through whose bloudye and cruell wickednesse it came to passe that God being greatly offended agaynst the Iewes lette them be caryed to Babylon hauing their Citie and Temple first destroyed by fire and sworde Therefore in choosing of Officers for common weales and the Church the chiefe care must be that they be godly vnlesse we will haue destroyers reygne ouer vs rather than benefactors And surely the onely consideration of this place is sufficient to teache vs what the chiefe cause of the euils in our dayes is seeing such are euerywhere put in office and authoritie as are touched with no care of godlynesse nor religion In Ioseph we haue to consider the nature of loue tempered with the rule of equitie and iustice For he acknowledged his brethren who had handled him very naughtily and vncourteously and giueth them foode most liberally but yet he trieth their mindes with a certaine counterfaite a usteritie and sharpnesse of wordes and would not make himselfe knowne vnto them till he sawe they repented and were sorie Herein he followed the propertie of God the father
Congregation and entred into euery house and drew out both menne and women and thrust them into prison Therefore they that were scattered abrode went euery where preaching the worde of God. THe holy ghost would haue the vnworthye death of the blessed Martyr Steuen with great diligence described by Luke not so muche for Steuens sake that his name according to the Oracle of Dauid might be had in perpetuall remembrance but for our sakes for whose instruction and comfort the hystorie doth greatly serue For we are taught by the example of the most holy man and first Martyr how we also ought to suffer all maner of extremitie for Christes sake and the truths and not to shunne death be it neuer so cruell forasmuch as we haue Christ to be our reuenger who hath layde vp for vs a moste excellent rewarde in heauen Agayne it is moste comfortable that we see the kingdome of Christ is not ouerwhelmed with the slaughters and tyrannie of the wicked but rather dylated and enlarged For as this thing hath oftentymes otherwheres bene declared so at this tyme the hystorie following abundantly sheweth it came to passe what tyme as Steuen receyued the garlande of martyrdome to the declaration whereof Luke in this present place prepareth him premising three things whereby that that we now haue sayd is prooued euery one of which three things we will intreate of in order First it is sayde that an vniuersall and cruell persecution was raysed in Ierusalem agaynst the Church We haue seene diuers things before attempted by the Priestes but the Apostles were chiefely then thrust at and the enimies repressed with feare of the people were the more calme But nowe perceyuing all thinges succeede agaynst Steuen as they woulde haue them and that there aryseth no tumult or businesse in the people lyke beastes hauing once tasted bloude they waxe the more thirstie therefore yea more cruell and bolde and set vpon the whole body of the congregation to ouerthrowe it Wherein they so rage and take on that within a short whyle the whole Congregation is scattered throughout Iurie and Samaria which hither vnto dwelt togither in Ierusalem It shal be for our profite diligently to behold this viewe of the primitiue Church For in this Church we see all thinges are verye well ordred after the rule of christ And the Apostles had oftentimes notable victorie when they were apprehended and caused to pleade their cause before Counselles Wherevpon any body would haue hoped that great rest and peace shoulde haue ensued But beholde horrible tumultes aryse vppon the sodeyne and the enimies emboldened wyth the death of Steuen alone cruelly make warre and set on the whole Congregation What shall we therfore in these dayes hope for whose sloth and manifolde defectes deserue a more seuere correction For if God haue suffered these thinges to come to passe in the greene tree what shall he doe in the drie This place also reprooueth their preposterous iudgements which vse to pronounce of fayth and the doctrine of fayth according to the successe of thinges falling out in the worlde For if we shall beleeue these men then must we confesse that the Priestes quarrell was good and right and that the primitiue Church was vtterly deceyued But we must search deeper for the causes of Gods iudgements and then we shall perceyue that it is for our saluation that we be exercised and invred with the furiousnesse of the wicked who in the meane season fill vp the measure of iniquitie and at length receyue worthy punishment for their tyrannie at Christes handes who is the defender of his Church But here is chiefely to be considered how the Apostles remayne in the citie after all the residue were fled Yet we reade that before this they were chiefly molested and troubled Wherfore it must needes be that they were woonderfully preserued by the help of God in this boysterous tempest of persecution For God would haue his gospell long preached in this bloudy citie of Ierusalem to the intent that both his mercy and iustice might the more easily appeere His mercy and goodnesse in that hee suffred the doctrine of grace and saluation so long to bee preached to them that were embrued with the bloude of his sonne His iustice in that he subuerted by horrible destruction those that were incurable and woulde not repent In the meane whyle we haue two thinges to consider First that there are certaine limits bounds appointed for the wicked persecutors of the congregation which they cannot go beyond For he that hath set a border about the sea within the which that great heape of waters is conteyned he that bindeth Satan by his lawes the same bridleth the wicked that they cannot do as they would nor vse crueltie agaynst whom they would Herein receyue we great consolation of mynde when we consider that the lawes of Gods prouidence can not be broken with the rage of the wicked Agayne the Apostles gyue vs an example of faythfull Superindents of the word and of the Congregation For although they knewe that Christ sayde when they persecute you in one Citie flie vnto another â–ª yet bicause they were bounde by a certayne vocation and perceyued that the remnant of the Church was lyke to fall awaye if they also shoulde leaue the Citie they had rather to hazarde their lyfe than by vnhonest flying to forsake the congregation And surely Ministers haue neede in this case diligently to beware For as all are not rashly to be condemned which by flying prouyde for themselues so must we not thinke it lawfull for euery man at all times and in all places But if it be in such a case that the Minister alone is sought for of the enimye or else he be forsaken of them which hytherto woulde haue the name of a congregation or if no ruine or detryment ensue vnto the Congregation by his departing then is there no cause why he may not reserue himselfe for a more commodious season But they that forsake the publyke cause of the Congregation and go from them that holde fast the confession of fayth these in deede be Apostatas and hyrelinges who Christ sayeth vse to flie when they see the woolfe come Woulde to God they had well considered these things which in these dayes to hastily forsooke their Churches whom it behooued rather to haue folowed the ensample of Ambrose which denied to deliuer his Churches vnto the Arrianes although the Emperour commaunded it See the Epistle to Marcella his sister which in number is the thirtie and three Luke going on in his history begunne sheweth what the faythfull which remayned in the Citie did vnto Steuen being thus stoned First he sayeth they dressed him that is they buried him This is a most auncient vsage agreable to that firste sentence pronounced of God where he sayeth that we came of the earth and shall returne to the earth agayne and conteyneth the mistery of the resurrection in
that bodies are committed to the ground as seedes vnto the earth which afterward shall be raysed vp with more glory Howbeit it is like the holy men had an other consideration For while they decently bury him that was condemned by the sentence of the counsell they manifestly reproue the vnrighteousnesse of their aduersaries giue an euident testimony of the fayth which Steuen had preached Furthermore they declare how they reuerenced him whō they saw was so singular an instrumēt of christ And they are not like vnto those which now adays vse to let slip the raynes of an impotent vnbridled tonge against the ministers of the word by whose free speach and doctrine they see their enimies are incensed and so seeke after the bloud of the faithfull ministers of Christ deride their cōstancy boldnesse whom they ought to reuerence honor In the meane time we learne by this example what we owe to the bodies of the deade that is to say honest and comely buriall forasmuch as Paule sayeth our bodies be the Temples of the holy ghost We must in our buryinges vse no pryde or superstition wherin diuers faultes are now adayes committed For there are some which puffed vp with vanitie doe so forgette their mortall estate that they will after death also be prowde while they fasten the armes cognizances of vayne glory about their Tumbs There are other again which labour by Diriges and sacrifices to do away the sinnes of the dead or else after a peculiar sorte of ceremonie vse to canonize them and make them saintes wherof the one is peeuish and without example the other derogatory and repugnaunt vnto Christes merite and doctrine which teacheth vs that those that beleeue passe from death vnto lyfe and haue neede of no new expiacions Moreouer they make great lamentation ouer Steuen And that is not against the rule of Paule whiche forbiddeth vs we shoulde not mourne as the heathen do For they lament not as vncertaine doubtfull of Steuens estate but for that they see the wicked to haue such power and the church depriued of so excellent a Minister which might yet haue done very much good in setting forth the kingdome of christ Neither are they to be blamed which cannot by and by forget their friendes like men voyde of all humanitie and common sense but are enforced to weepe forasmuch as God hath not made vs blockes and the scripture euery where condemneth those that be destitute of naturall affections On this sort we reade Abraham bewayled Sara his wife Ioseph with his brethren Iacob their father the people of Israell Aaron Moses and Samuel wyth godly dutie Yea Christe when he sawe the two sisters mourne wepte for his belooued Lazarus In deede a meane must be kept lest we may be thought either to enuy the dead their heauenly felicitie or else to stande in doubte or not firmely to beleeue the inheritaunce of the same Last of all Luke setteth vs out a singuler example of tiranny that Saule vsed against the church wherin first the great crueltie of the tyranne next the vayne successe of his purpose and intent is to be considered Of this Saule it was sayd before that he consented to the death of Steuen and kept their clothes that stoned him wherby is signified that he was guiltie of innocent bloude But now he can not be satisfied with the tirannye of an vniuersall persecution but deuiseth a peculier way and goeth about vtterly to pull vp the church as it were by the rootes And he setteth not on them alone which openly professed the faith but bursteth into priuate houses and draweth out not onelye men but women also whome the infirmitie and weakenesse of sexe defended and putteth them in prison in so muche that certaine writers thinke not vnwittily the Oracle of a Woolfe that shoulde come out of the tribe of Beniamin ought to be applied vnto this Saule For he was in deede a rauenyng Woolfe which yet at length when he was conuerted distributed the wholesome spoyles of Euangelicall preachyng almost ouer the whole world And the thinges which Luke here reporteth of him he himselfe oftentimes confesseth yea he lamenteth hym of the same verye often See Actes 26. 1. Cor. 15. Galath 1. The vse of them all is that we shoulde acknowledge the goodnesse of God whiche did vouchsafe to take into his fauour so great an enimy For as he himselfe interpreteth the matter On hym would Iesus Christ shewe all long pacience to declare an example vnto them which should beleeue on him vnto eternall lyfe But what preuayled Saules great enterprise Coulde he make hauocke of the church Nothing lesse Yea he was the cause that they beyng scattered hither and thither spred the word of saluation kingdome of Christ the further Thus God knewe how to set forth the glorye of his sonne euen by those wayes which seemed most to hinder it Whervnto also is to be referred how the euill spirites in the gospell euen against their will brought before Christe and threw to the ground those whom they thought they had all power ouer Therefore their feare is foolishe which suffer themselues to be discouraged with the attemptes of tyrannes In the meane while we are aduertised of our dutie that we be not ouercome with persecutions nor forsake not our dutie by and by Which thyng diuers doe in these dayes who hauing bene once or twise in daunger make holyday for euer after as though they had fully discharged their dutie toward Christ already But they of whom Luke here speaketh do better which being driuen out of Ierusalem are by their banishment made the bolder and preach Christ euerywhere being myndfull of that sentence which sayth they shall be saued not which begin well but which continue vnto the ende Let vs therfore follow their zeale that after we haue faithfully finished this race of life we may attaine to the garland of the heauenly reward through Iesus Christ to whom be all praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lvij. Homelie THEN came Phillip into a Citie of Samarie and preached Christ vnto them And the people gaue heede vnto those thinges which Phillippe spake with one accord hearing and seyng the myracles which he did For vncleane spirites crying with lowde voyce came oute of many that were possessed of them And manye taken with palseyes and many that halted were healed And there was great ioye in that Citie But there was a certaine man called Simon which before tyme in the same Citie vsed witchcraft and bewitched the people of Samarie saying that he was a man that coulde doe great things whome they regarded from the least to the greatest saying this man is the power of God which is called great And hym they set much by bicause that of long tyme he had bewitched them with sorceries ALthough the Kingdome of Christ and the church is alway assaulted and set on by the
discerned from others For as the sacraments be no vulgare or common tokens of Christes benefites and Gods grace so is there also no small vtilitie in them in that they separate the people of God from the worlde and knit them togither with the outwarde bande of Christian communion Which is the cause that where Peter before woulde haue the beleeuers to be baptized he by and by teacheth them also that they should saue themselues from that froward Nation And Paule by a like argument teacheth that it is not meete that they that haue bene partakers at the Lordes table should be also partakers at the sacrifices of Idolles Here by the way is the error of them reprooued which accompt the confession of fayth among thinges indifferent and suppose that the faythfull are to bee discerned from the world by none outwarde signe or marke Here also is the dotage of the Anabaptistes to be discussed who where they see in this and such like places fayth go before Baptisme would prooue hereby that the baptisme of children is condemned Howbeit this place maketh mention but such as were of full age which before were farre of and straungers from the people of God whome it should haue bene vnlawfull to haue receyued into the communion of the church and sacramentes without a confession of their faythe least they myght haue seemed to haue caste pearles vnto dogges and hogges But the matter is of a farre other sorte in infantes who being borne of Christian parentes doe manifestly appertaine to the kingdome of god For God in the couenaunt promiseth to be the God of our seede And Christ sayeth that the kyngdome of God belongeth vnto children and plainely testifieth that they haue fayth Yea Paule affirmeth that the children borne either of father or mother onely that is a christian are holy Now returneth Luke vnto Simon that we may vnderstand what he did when he perceyued the people fell from him and betooke themselues earnestly vnto christ First Luke sayth that he beleeued This me thinketh is not to be vnderstanded as though he counterfeyted altogither For it appeareth hys mynde was touched with some feeling of fayth in that he ioyned himselfe to Phillip as an inseparable companion and woondered in beholding the miracles and singuler giftes of the holy spirite Howbeit bicause he denied not himselfe and endeuoured not to forsake the flesh which is the true beginning of christendome his fayth was but temporall and for a season as Christ calleth it and therefore when the heate of persecution came it coulde not abide Here appeareth the great power of Iesus Christ which so easily taketh away the great impediment and hinderaunce that Simon was to the course of the Gospell and so subdueth this great Iuggeler so furnished with the sleightes of Satan that he which a little before had called himselfe the great power of God did now adhere and cleaue to Phillip being a straunger and one of small accompt or estimation Herevnto also belongeth it that otherwheres Christ driueth out Satan with little or no adoe so that it euidently appeareth he is the conqueror of Satan and most valiaunt reuenger of mankynde Further this is a singuler prayse of the Gospell through whose playne and simple preaching the subtile and crafty wisdome both of the world and of the Deuil is so scornefully confounded After this Simon is also baptized and becommeth a continuall companion of Philip. The chiefe cause whereof may seeme to be for that hee desired also to haue like power to worke such myracles as the thinges following declare Here we be taught that there shall be alway in the church false bretherne which shal either craftily counterfeyt the faith or else hauing it for a certaine space fall from it agayne For the Gospell is compared vnto a nette wherein are drawne vp as well naughty as good fishe Let no man therefore be offended if he perceyue himself at any tyme deceyued by such seeing that Christ had Iudas in hys company and Paule oftentymes complayneth hymselfe of false brethren Those men are ouer peeuish and vnpacient which being deceyued by one or two dispise therfore all other without difference and wyll not vouchsafe to take any other for a true christian and brother We are further taught by the example of Simon that the grace of God is not tyed to the sacramentes forasmuche as Simon receyued the signe of grace without the fruite And Paule although he confesse that the olde fathers receyued the same sacramentes that we doe yet sayth they pleased not God bicause they were voyde of fayth And it auayled not Iudas although he sate at the Lordes table and receyued the breade at Christes owne hande It is therfore fayth only which grafteth vs into Christ and maketh vs partakers of the giftes of God which are shadowed and represented to vs by the sacramentes Now forasmuch as we haue seene marueylous effects of the holy spirite flourishing in the Church of Ierusalem Luke teacheth vs that among the Samaritanes also the holy ghost shewed the like power and efficacy least any man myght thynke that the Church of the Gentyles was inferiour to the Iewes church He sayth these giftes were administred by the Apostles to the ende that the vnitie of the church might the more strongly fasten among the people which heretofore were of diuers myndes and at variaunce and discention For howe great a diuision of mindes was betweene the Iewes and the Samaritanes appeareth both in the fourth of Iohn otherwheres And the Iewes of a certayne prowde preiudice vsed to much to despise the people of Samary Therefore God thought good to vse the ministery of the Apostles herein that it might manifestly appeare there was but one fayth of Christ in all churches and that all the faythfull were quickened but with one spirite so that there was no difference of Nation in Christ. Luke sayth that Peter and Iohn were sent from Ierusalem who comming to Samaria prayde for them that had professed Christ that the holye ghost might be giuen vnto them also The cause of this doyng was for that the holy Ghost was as yet come vpon none of them but were only baptised in the name of christ Which place is not so to be vnderstanded as though the faythfull of the Samaritanes were hitherto vtterly voyde of the holy ghost For where they had fayth which is the gift and effect of the holy ghost and were through baptisme planted in Christ they coulde not be vtterly voyde of those benefites of Christ which by the holy Ghost are sealed in vs Which are the washing away of sinnes regeneration mortifying of the olde man adoption or taking into the children of god And the whole scripture testifieth that these thinges come none otherwise vnto vs than by the operation of the holy ghost And these are the common giftes of the holy ghost without the which no man can truly be called a christian Wherfore
soweth the seede of dissention among them by whose concorde and labour the peace and tranquilitie of the Church ought to be mainteyned Examples wherof we haue set forth in Core Moses enimie and in the often contentions of the Apostles the which Christ so many times and so earnestly repressed But the euill of discention might seeme but a tryfle although for the most part it be pernitious in the congregation if there were not a greater plague ensued that is to saye a wicked robbery and mart which ouerturneth all religion and vseth to plucke mennes myndes wholy from religion This thing is more euident in Simon than that it needeth long demonstration For assoone as he had taken ambition and couetousnesse to counsayle in matters of religion by and by he discendeth to spirituall merchandise and robberie But would God one Simon were herewith slaundered and that we eueriwhere sawe not others which offende more wickedly than he For after that a certayne earnest zeale and desire of religion had endowed the Church wyth great abundaunce of riches and that Byshops beganne to be had in reuerence and honor then beganne Simons not very syncere ledde with the spirite of ambition and couetousnesse by vnlawfull meanes to aspire to Byshopricks and cathedre dignities These afterwarde when they had gotten the supremacie deuised wayes how they might recouer againe that which they had spent in purchasing of voyces and hereof was hatched that slaunderous buying and selling of religious matters These beginninges may we thanke of selling of Sacramentes of buying of pardons of hyring of prayers merites of supererrogation gaynefull dispensations buying of buriall places and whatsoeuer like kinde of inuentions That a man may marueyle howe the chiefe Byshops of the Church are become so impudent to glory in the succession of Simon Peter and so manifestly bewraye themselues to be rather the successors of Simon Magus These men haue reygned many yeares in the Church vntill the Lorde with the whippe of hys worde began to driue them out And yet they repent not but being taken in their owne mischieuousnesse rather crye out still that they are the true and lawfull gouernours of the Church And yet we accuse not them onely but also lament that among the professors of the Gospell many times such plagues are to be founde For we see many come to the Gospell of none other minde but for that they woulde be fensed vnder this plausible colour and so most greedily inuade the Church goodes and most dishonestly abuse them And many times they meete with Ministers lyke vnto themselues who hauing gotten by vnlawfull meanes to haue the rule ouer Churches can neyther reprooue nor keepe vnder these raueners Therefore the spirit of Simon nowe a dayes stretcheth the boundes of his kingdome farre and neere which seemeth to me to be the greatest plague of the Church wherby it commeth to passe that they which are as faultie as are the Antichristians doe little preuayle by preaching of the Gospell But let vs see what Peter sayth who expostulateth with Simon This is both a most graue and sharpe expostulation and consisteth of two poynts First he accuseth his fault and denounceth what punishment it deserueth and figureth or fashioneth his saying with an imprecation or kynd of curse beginning on this wise Thy money sayth he perishe wyth thee that is to saye thou and thy cursed money perishe togither The Apostle beginneth on this sort not of moodynesse of minde or of any vnbrydeled affection of anger but mooued by the holye Ghost which woulde after this phrase and maner of speache vtter the heynousnesse of his wickednesse and punishement Therefore such imprecations as these must be referred vnto a certaine kynde of prophecying as we see diuers in the Psalmes and wrytings of the Prophetes But the grieuousnesse of his punishment is more amplified by the sentence next adioyned where he sayth Thou hast no part nor fellowship in this businesse By which wordes he declareth that he is vtterly excluded from all participation of spirituall giftes and excommunicated out of the Church of the Lorde And least Peter might seeme causelesse to vse any kynde of rage he addeth the cause of so cruell threates bycause thou hast thought that the gift of God maye be obtayned with money Which one thing abundantly declareth that thy hart is not right with God forasmuch as thou thinkest he is lyke vnto couetous merchaunts and vsurers Hereof is gathered a generall sentence whereby we are taught that no such are allowed before God as make vauntage and gaine of religion and vnder the colour of religion seeke their owne lucre We are taught also by Peters example with what zeale and feruencie of spirite â–ª Ministers ought to reprooue those which for filthie lucres sake distayne the glory of god They must so be handled that they maye vnderstande howe they haue horriblye sinned and deserued the grieuous punishment of eternall damnation For there is no place for modestie and meekenesse to be vsed where the glory of God is openly assaulted and where the gifts of Gods grace are made subiect to the gainefull pleasure of most couetous persons We reade therfore that Elizaeus vsed the lyke zeale towarde Giezi his naughtie seruant whom he sodeinly strake with the plague of leprosie bicause he required of Naaman the Assirian a rewarde for that health that was freelye giuen him of god And Iesus Christ a most perfite paterne of meekenesse was so mooued with that impious sale of holynesse that he layde hands on the authors of such wickednesse and draue them out of the Church with a whippe lyke impudent Dogges We may therefore iustly complayne of their iniustice in these dayes that say we offende agaynst the rules of Christian modestie and charitie when we accuse the Antichrist at Rome and his Creatures the Cardinals Bishops Monkes and Priestes which by reason of their wicked and prophane Fayer or Mart these many yeres haue caused Christes religion to be mocked and scorned of the Iewes and Turkes and yet to this daye haue no serious or earnest thought of any reformation or amendement notwithstanding they be euery where spoken against But it is the perpetuall and euerlasting decree of God appoynted by his Prophete that in his house there shoulde be no dwelling for Chanaanites that is to saye for such kinde of merchaunts Moreouer it is woorthy to be noted how Peter by a graue sentence condemneth not onely Simon but also Simons money Therfore what thing so euer serueth the wicked against the glory of GOD is accursed as well as they So that money wherwith kyng Balaac would haue hyred Balaam to haue hindred Gods appointment towarde his people is called the rewarde of iniquitie And the money for the which Iudas solde Christ appeareth to haue beene accursed bicause Iudas could neyther long enioy it neyther serued it the priestes for any other vse than to purchase them a perpetuall blot and memorie of their
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
vtterly confounded the Iewes that were Christes greatest enimies and made them in a doubt of their religion In these thinges we haue a compendious abridgement of Paules docdoctrine which ought to be of great authoritie with vs. He confesseth otherwheres that he knoweth nothing but Iesus Christ. Therefore him whom he onely knew he thought best onely to preach He comprehendeth in few yea in two poyntes whatsoeuer is at large sayde of him both in the Prophetes and Apostles writings For first he teacheth that Iesus which was borne of the Uirgin Marie was the sonne of god So he hath herein comprised whatsoeuer belongeth to the knowledge of Christes person Wherein if we acknowledge not the humaine and diuine nature togither the reason of our saluation cannot stande safe and sure which all the Scripture sayth dependeth on Christ onely Paule acknowledgeth both these natures For howe can he but acknowledge his humaine nature which intreateth of him that was taken and crucifyed by the Iewes and who he knewe dyed and who elsewhere he testifyeth was borne of the Iewes concerning hys manhoode But where he sayth he is the sonne of God he cannot denie his diuinitie For what other thing should be borne of God than God So he taught that Iesus was both God and man God from euerlasting and in a tyme therevnto ordeyned made man as otherwhere he sheweth Furthermore he declared his office and sheweth that he was Christ that is the annoynted of god Kinges and Priestes in tyme past were annoynted according to an auncient and olde vsage And bicause the sauiour promised to mankinde must be both a King and a Priest therefore God woulde haue him called by the name of Messias or Christ that is to say annoynted The other poynt of Paules doctrine is that this Iesus which is true God and man was also that promised Sauiour of the worlde whome the ceremonies of the lawe did shadowe and the oracles of the Prophetes sayde was to come And this is that doctrine that deserueth onely to be called Apostolike For it agreeth with that confession that Peter being demaunded of Christ made in the name of all the Apostles saying Thou art Christ that sonne of the liuing god And thou hast the wordes of eternall life And thys is that fayth which is buylt vpon Christ that is the rocke which cannot swarue and agaynst which the gates of Hell cannot preuayle Therefore whosoeuer will be taken for the true worshipper of Christ and reioyce in the Apostolike faith let them constantly keepe this doctrine For it is plaine that Paule pronounced of this doctrine that if an Aungell from heauen preach any other Gospell than this he is to be helde accursed But did Paule superficially and by the way propose this doctrine No But bicause there were at Damascus schooles of the Iewes through whose dotages the knowledge of Iesus Christ was defaced he thought good to confute them and to confirme the true doctrine of Christ with authoritie of the scriptures For it is euident that the Iewes did acknowledge the auncient promises of the Messias But bicause they imagined he shoulde be an earthly Prince onely which shoulde restore that auncient kingdome of the Iewishe Nation and the maiestie thereof and deliuer them from the yoke of the Romane bondage they could neuer fynde in their heart to acknowledge Iesus whose comming to them was so poore his conuersation so humble and his death so reprochfull to be their Messias The errours of these men Paule stoutlye wythstandeth and affirmeth this Iesus to be the sonne of God and the Messias with such authoritie of Scripture and number of arguments that he greatly molested and shamed the best learned of them which hitherto vsed to deny the same Which thing commeth to passe to all them who thynke it a shame to yeelde vnto Chryst and to the truth This place teacheth vs howe the doctrine of the Gospell shoulde be preached wherein some be of this opinion that they thinke a playne and simple exposition of the mysteries of saluation is sufficient and that they which reprooue the tyrannie of Antichrist and his superstition laboure in vayne and are authors of intollerable discention And in deede a playne and simple teaching of our saluation woulde suffyse if there were not such as woulde obscure and deface it with errours and laboured to pull awaye the vnwarye from the right waye But where both there haue bene such and euerywhere at this daye be such the faythfull must be admonished that they giue no eare to them And this shall a man neuer be able to doe vnlesse he shewe how they are altogither deceyued Agayne where some are growne so impudent that they dare openly speake agaynst the truth they must be also openly confuted least by their boldnesse they cause the truth to come in suspicion We reade that both Christ and his Apostles vsed both these wayes whose example they ought of dutie to followe which will bee called and taken for Ministers of his Church which is the cause that Paule will haue such to be teachers as are able not onely to instruct the rawer sort in sounde doctrine but also to refell and conuince them that speake agaynst it And he sayth the Scriptures are giuen vs to that ende to confute the aduersaries thereof Which thing seemed of such importance to the holy ghost that he woulde haue the Apostles not only to reprooue the deceyuers in those dayes but also woulde haue vs warned of those which shoulde disturbe the Church in the later dayes With what right therefore can they which will haue no mannes impietie detected commaunde the Ministers to silence where such menne as these nowe a dayes beare swynge in the Church Nowe let vs see the effect or successe of this meeting togither All they sayth Luke that hearde him were amazed and sayde Is not this hee that made hauocke at Ierusalem of them c. Here he speaketh of the godlye hauing hereafter to intreate of the wicked attemptes of the vngodlye They compare Paules doing nowe wyth those thinges that were past and so they finde the greater cause to woonder Paule sayth in another place that they glorified God in him By which example we are by the waye taught that we so ought to reuerence the Saintes that we must yet giue all the glorie and prayse vnto God who hath vouchsafed so to endue them with hys grace Furthermore Paules ensample teacheth vs that no man shoulde be ashamed to forsake and improoue his knowne errors For although thys seeme to many men a signe of an inconstant and impudent mynde yet is it our dutie so to doe both for Gods cause and our neyghbors He commaundeth vs willingly to yeelde vnto the truth and to bring our neyghbour out of error Therfore it is the heynousest impietie impudencie in the world for a man stiffely to holde and continue in knowne errors and as God accuseth them by his
delectable and pleasaunt Spring the cheerefull and mery Sommer and fruitefull Haruest So after continuall showres and horrible stormes of hayle commeth comfortable Phoebus and chaseth away the Clowdes And Mariners when the terrors of tempests be ouerpast haue afterward cleere weather and prosperous windes And that the state of the Church is ruled by lyke interchaungeablenesse the examples of all ages testifie But the only booke of Iudges may abundantly suffyce to approoue the same Let no man therefore be so abashed at the countenance of present calamitie to thinke he must vtterly perishe For eyther God will cheere them in this lyfe with better successe of thinges or else of his mercy he will take them out of all the stormes of this world into the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome In the meane season this place teacheth vs that the crosse is not alway such a marke of the Church that it can neuer be without it bicause we heare in this place that the primitiue Church had vniuersall peace and the same came to passe also oftentimes in the yeres following Therfore their iudgement is most vayne who rashly condemne euery Church which through the benefite of God enioyeth rest and will graunt vnto Christians no time of breathing nor rest from the crosse Agayne we are admonished that for the attayning of peace there needeth neyther dastardly dissimulation nor false abnegation of the fayth but rather constancie and boldnesse to keepe the word and doctrine of faith For Luke sayth that then peace ensued after Paule had stirred the enimies of the truth both at Damascus and at Ierusalem with earnest preaching and disputation agaynst them Therefore they that nowe a dayes woulde haue vs to dissemble the truth and say that by our vehement inueyghing against errors and superstitions we more exasperate and kindle the enimies mindes talke altogither in vayne as though God were not able to bridle and keepe vnder them which in their rage doe nothing but threaten fire and sworde Naye we are taught by examples that they which for such mens sake can finde in their hart to denye the fayth and truth doe seldome finde them faythfull in friendship Next Luke declareth the fruite of the peace ensuing forasmuch as he saith the congregations were edifyed This may be vnderstanded two maner of wayes For the Church is sayde to be edifyed eyther when new beleeuers be added therevnto or else when they which before beleeued through more plentifull gyftes of the holy ghost profite in the faith And the holy ghost doth not without a cause vse this Metaphore of building forasmuch as the Church is the house of god which is builded of liuely stones that is to say of such as beleeue in Christ 1. Timoth. 3. and. 1. Peter 2. and all the faythfull are called otherwheres the Temple of the holy ghost For the which cause the teachers are called builders and the building of the church is called the building of God. Furthermore beside that by this example it appeareth howe the enterprises of Christes enimies in pulling downe the church are in vayne we are also taught what oughte to be the ende and marke of all them which beare office in the Church Paule diligently inculcateth the same speaking of the publike exercises of the Churche in his first Epistle to the Corinthians and .xiiij. Chapter Herevnto let all Ministers apply themselues with all their power both with teaching and reproouing and let them alwayes remember this saying of Paul that they haue power giuen them to edifie and not to destroy Let them therefore suffer nothing in the Church that serueth to the destruction thereof Let Kinges and Magistrates haue the same ende before them whome the Lorde hath appoynted to be the Nurses of his Church as we haue already oftentimes declared The Elders to whom the discipline of the Church belongeth let them looke vpon the same Let parents and teachers of youth direct all their doinges to this ende This care shoulde euery day stirre vp priuate men also For whosoeuer bringeth any thing to the spirituall building vp of this Church and shall builde but one man as a liuely stone vppon Christ which is the foundation surely he deserueth more prayse than they which with great costes builde Churches of Marble Last of all is declared how the faithfull vsed this peace and tranquility They walked sayth he in the feare of the Lorde and were filled with the comfort of the holy ghost He attributeth to them feare of the Lord whereby he vnderstandeth all things belonging to true religion the knowledge of god sincere faith loue of God fulfilling of his word and faithfull obedience vnto him For how shal he feare god which knoweth him not how shall the knowledge of God lacke fayth and how shall fayth want the looue of God And where these things be there must needes be the loue of the word and obedience to the same He sayth also that they were fylled wyth the comfort of the holy ghost By this we may vnderstande both the preaching of the Gospell and the inwarde suggestion of the spirite which Christ promiseth to those that be his Surely both these marueylously comfort the mindes and afflicted consciences of men in that they teache vs that God is made at one with vs and reconcyled to vs through the merite of Christ and in the middle of the broyle of afflictions besprinkle vs with the promises of Gods helpe as with the most wholesome water of a liuely fountaine And in these thinges Luke sayeth the primitiue Church sought the recreation of their myndes their ioyes and delightes Whereby we gather what their exercises ought to be which are at rest and peace Therefore execrable is the wickednesse and ingratitude of such which abuse quietnesse and peace to the license of the fleshe and in the meane season will neither by helpe counsayle nor at least by comfort ease them whome they see many wayes afflicted for the testimonie of Iesus Christ. This sinne as it is heynous so it is to common in these dayes whereby it commeth to passe that as we abuse peace so we be easily offended and vtterly dismayde at euery light affliction These things being thus premised he passeth to Peters actes or doings out of which he picketh two myracles done orderly one after the other the one done at Lidda the other at Ioppe The occasion of these myracles is said to be Peters traueyling from Church to Church according to his Apostolyke office not for that he vsurped vpon them as a Lorde and ruler but as to succour where neede was such as were heauy laden and in distresse to confirme the weake to pull vp errors where any were growen and to bestow benefits vpon all men For that these were the duties of the Apostles it appeareth by many other places and the very name of an Apostle teacheth the same which forbiddeth them to haue anye certaine or fixed sea or dwelling place we reade
our dutie that we should not forget that we be made Kings and Priestes by Christ and that we should valiauntly maintayne the dignitie of our name It is the propertie of a King to be at his libertie and not to be in subiection vnder the rule of another Let vs therfore abide in the libertie wherevnto the sonne of God hath called vs and not suffer our selues to be oppressed hereafter with the seruitude of sinne which is the fylthiest and miserablest thing that can be It is the property of a King to vanquish and ouercome his enimies Let vs therefore subdue and vanquishe the moste cruell enimies of our saluation Satan the world and the fleshe with all the concupiscences therof It is the part of a king to cōmaunde and beare rule Let vs therfore rule our selues mightily ouercome al those things which leade vs crosse the way of saluation So let vs lykewise performe the dutie of Priests to teach to pray to consecrate and offer Wherefore it shall be our dutie to teach those that belong vnto vs both by word and example of lyfe as farre forth as the dutie of our calling bindeth vs It shall be our parts to pray both in secret and openly and to make intercession to God not onely for our owne necessities but also for our neyghbors It shall also be our duties to consecrate our selues for liuely sacrifyce vnto God and to offer to him euery day the bullockes of our lippes that is to say giuing of thankes which is the moste acceptable and thankefull sacrifyce that we can giue vnto him These thinges myght at large be drawne through the whole lyfe of man but it shall suffyse to giue the vnlearned an occasion to expende and consider better of them Whosoeuer perfourmeth these things is worthy to be called a Christian. And such it appeareth the Patriarches were in times past whome God in the hundreth and fyft Psalme calleth his annoynted that is to saye Christians Such it is credible those men of Antiochia were which first enioyed that name And if any will presumptuously bragge of the name they shall surely deceyue themselfe but God they cannot deceyue Let vs therefore diligently thinke of these thinges that remembring both our dignitie and dutie we may aunswere to so notable and excellent a name and being taken from this lyfe may raigne in heauen with Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxj. Homelie IN those dayes came Prophetes from the Citie of Ierusalem vnto Antioch And there stoode vp one of them named Agabus and signified by the spirite that there should be great dearth throughout all the world which came to passe in the Emperour Claudius dayes Then the Disciples euerye man according to his abilitie purposed to sende succour vnto the brethren which dwelt in Iurie which thing they also did and sent it to the Elders by the handes of Barnabas and Saule ALthough our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ is alwaye present with his Church yet he suffereth it as he foretolde diuerslye and manye wayes to be troubled hauing aduersitie as it were by continuall enterchaunge still following prosperitie The principall cause wherof is partly for that he woulde brydle the lustynesse of our fleshe and partlye bicause he woulde teache vs that he is as well able to deliuer his people in aduersitie as to maintaine them in prosperitie We haue heretofore seene certayne notable examples hereof For the Gospell in the beginning being prosperouslye preached at Ierusalem brought a great number of Disciples vnto Christ shortly after riseth a tempest of persecution that driueth down the florishing of the Church flat to the grounde By and by againe when Saule was conuerted vnto Christ sodeinly the Church was quiet the doctrine of Christ being caried vnto the Gentyles gaue likelyhoode of great encrease seeing that at Antioch the noblest Citie in all Syria there was a Church of Gentyles assembled togither and were there first called after that noble name of Christians But beholde a great and straunge aduersitie following namely a dearth which as it troubled the whole worlde so it most miserablye afflicted the faythfull whose goodes were spent partlye in finding the poore of the Church and partly were taken from them in the rage of persecution The consideration herof is most profitable for vs for herby we may learne the lesse to be offended if the lyke aduersity betide vs in these dayes And of all other this present place is worthy to be diligently considered as well for the manifolde comfort as also the instruction which the holy ghost here setteth forth For it declareth the dearth that was in the Church and it setteth out the fatherly prouidence of God hauing a care for the same and also sheweth what way and counsayle the faythfull tooke seeing the publike calamitie like to ensue And of all these we meane orderly to intreate First we will speake of the dearth wherof prophane writers but chieflye Iosephus and Suetonius make mention This dearth no man will deny but was sent by the iudgement of God except such an one as will deny God to be the gouernor of the whole worlde For the Prophete witnesseth that there is no plague in a Citie without the Lordes doing And in the lawe among the punishmentes wherewith God reuenged the contempt of hys worde barrennesse of grounde and scarcitie of victuals ar◠chiefely reckoned See Leuiticus 26. Deuter. 28. And we must not thinke that anye thing commeth vnto man by fortune forasmuch as it appeareth that the care of Gods prouidence extendeth it selfe euen to the sparrowes flowres of the field It shall be good when such things come to passe to search the causes of Gods iudgements which can be founde no where sooner than in mennes conuersation And surely Luke seemeth to poynt as it were with his fynger the causes of this dearth where he writeth it was in the dayes of Claudius Caesar. For he therefore named the Prince of the world who had then all authoritie and rule in his hande that by him we might iudge of the whole state of the worlde and the condicions of those dayes For it appeareth that the vices of Princes first infect with their contagiousnesse the Nobilitie and then their corrupt example poysoneth the Comminaltie And euen prophane writers report that Claudius was in all poyntes a moste naughtye Prince For from his childehoode he was cumbred with diuers and continuall diseases so that being dulled and made lumpish both in bodye and spirit growing further in age he was thought vnable to discharge any office publike or priuate Insomuch that Antonia hys mother vsed to say he was a monster a worke of nature begunne but not fynished and when she woulde note any body of blockishnesse or dulnesse she would say he was more foole than hir sonne Claudius And his sister Liuulla hearing on a time that he should be chosen Emperour did openly and alowde
detest the vnworthy vnprosperous state of the people of Rome For he declared his corrupt nature many wayes First he wan the good will of the souldiers with mony wherby he came to be Emperour during which time he so vsed himselfe that he had much more care of his belly and that vnder his belly than he had of the Empyre as who would neuer rise from banquetting as long as his paunche woulde holde and till he had well whittled himselfe alwayes burning in insatiable desire and lust after women And it is not lyke that such a Prince coulde delight in other Nobles and Counsaylers than such as were like to himselfe what publike corruption of maners was in all degrees at that time maye easilye be coniectured by the writers of those dayes and by the continuall sermons of Iohn of Christ and his Apostles concerning repentaunce whereof there had bene no such neede if all had not bene naught And for an accomplishment of all vice there was the contempt and hatred of God and his worde For where God had sent his sonne into the worlde and by him had appoynted to reconcyle mankind againe vnto himselfe and had euerywhere published the healthfull worde of grace a great many were bolde not onely to contemne and hate it but also moste cruellye to persecute it insomuch that euen among the Iewes which gloryed in the name of God aboue all other Nations the worde of God coulde not be brooked Is it then any marueyle if God denyed the fruits of the earth to this drunken and corrupt world despising the wholesome foode of the heauenly worde and woulde tame and bring vnder with famine those that woulde so rage agaynst his Christ verily the Hystoriographers testifye that by reason of continuall drowthes and scarcitie of victuals reygning aswell euerywhere as at Rome Claudius Caesar was once in daunger of his lyfe hardly escaping but that the people being wearye of that dearth had lyke to haue stoned him Such examples as these teach vs what the cause of publike calamities is verily publike vyces and contempt of Gods worde And this cause God alleageth both in the lawe and in the Prophetes And they are here confuted which say these things growe of the doctrine of the Gospell For although the godly also feele and taste of these afflictions yet are they in farre other case than the vntowarde worlde is For they acknowledge the chastysement and discipline of God the father they ouercome aduersitie by fayth and pacience and bicause they can rightly vse aduersitie to the amendement of their lyfe it commeth to passe for the more part that they are most prosperously deliuered frō all aduersity by the mercifull hande of god For God is faythfull and will not suffer his people to be tempted aboue their strength And the thinges following will teach vs howe faithfullye the Lorde prouided for his Church in those dayes And that that we reade came to passe in the yeares after following is not much vnlyke herevnto For Eusebius writeth that in the reygne of Maximinus who did cruellye persecute the Christians God sent forth such dearth of victuals that the rich men welthy died openly in the streetes and that they which not long before had caused the Christians to be deuoured of wylde beastes to satiate their cruell eyes with their miserable death were openly eaten vp and deuoured of Dogges And while they miserably perished the Christians had not onely sufficient to liue by but also charitably relieued a great many readye to sterue for hunger These thinges woulde be considered of vs nowe a dayes where one Claudius alone reigneth not but drunkennesse beareth swinge in euery place and so little preuayleth godly admonition that men rather ioyne vnto their dissolutenesse of lyfe most wicked contempt and deadly hatred of Gods worde And surely there want not also in these dayes examples of Gods iudgements but we want both eyes and eares to perceyue that which might serue to our saluation See Esay ▪ 5. Eccles. 10. Amos. 6. Math. 24. But let vs see howe God prouided for his Church in this daungerous time of calamitie He raysed vp Prophetes and some of them he sent from Ierusalem to Antioche to lighten the late sproong Church of the Gentyles with the gift of prophecie Among these one Agabus stirred vp by the instinct of the holy ghost gaue the Christians warning of this famine to ensue and was the cause that they made prouision aswell for themselues as other Here we haue to consider the fatherly goodnesse of God who being prouoked through our sinnes to sende punishment yet vseth first to admonishe vs of the same both for that all men might see that nothing commeth to passe in this lyfe by chaunce and that also when wee are admonished we might conuert and be saued The which thing he hath so constantly obserued euer since the beginning of the worlde that the Prophete Amos durst saye the Lorde God doth no maner of thing but he telleth his secretes before vnto his seruants the Prophetes This appeareth in the men of the first age to whom God sent Noah the preacher of righteousnesse and graunted them an hundred yeares space to repent in before he woulde sende the floude to destroy them He sent Lot also to the Sodomytes by whose doctrine and example of lyfe they might be prouoked to amendement By Ioseph he warned the Egyptians of the dearth to come whereby he succoured the lyfe of a great manye He afterwarde prouoked them by Moyses not onely by wordes but also by horrible woonders to doe their dutie What needeth it to speake of the captiuitie of Babilon which it is manifest was foreshewed by the Prophetes many yeares or euer it came And Christ did not only foretell the last destruction of the Iewes but also Iosephus declareth that they were warned therof by many woonders And though God should neuer call sinners backe by any aduertisements yet are there generall warnings confirmed with innumerable examples of Gods iudgements which are sufficient to teach vs what all they maye trust too that rashlye transgresse the lawes of God and dare without repentance liue dissolutely See Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. Ierem. 5. Let vs I beseech you acknowledge this goodnesse of the Lorde in these dayes least whyle we despyse his faythfull admonitions he punishe vs the more grieuously But before wee passe from this place this also is to bee considered that Agabus is sayde by the spirite to signifye this dearth to come For here is declared the maner and order howe the Prophetes in those dayes vsed to prophecie least any might thinke they coniectured by the Planets or else were giuen to the study of other vnlawfull sciences For the holy ghost was the author of their prophecying as the Lorde before had promised by Ioel. And Paule reckoneth prophecying among the gifts of the holy ghost Therfore the example of Agabus nothing defendeth the deceyuers of our dayes
And if we compare the proceedings of these dayes herewith wee shall fynde but a fewe tokens of the primitiue Church For a great number conueye awaye the goodes of the Church and dishonestly make hauock of them and there are very fewe or none which of their owne goodes will exercise christian contribution But there is a great number of them which will abuse publike calamitie to their priuate commoditie And they that bee the best men will not releeue the neede of the poore before he see him brought to extreeme beggery be compelled to go from doore to doore God graunt that we maye be enflamed with true fayth and charitie that we may by our works be knowne for Christians at that day when Christ our Lorde and Sauiour shall come to iudgement in the glory of his father to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xij. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lxxxij. Homelie AT the same time Herode the King stretched forâ—h his handes to vexe certaine of the Congregation And hee killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword And bicause he sawe that it pleased the Iewes he proceeded farther and tooke Peter also Then were the daies of sweete bread And when hee had caught him hee put him in prison also and deliuered him to fower quaternions of souldiers to be kept entending after Easter to bring him forth to the people And Peter was kept in pryson But prayer was made without ceasing of the congregation vnto God for him BEfore this the Euangelist Luke described to vs the persecutions raysed by the Priests agaynst the congregation which though they might seeme grieuous and horrible yet the persecution here reported was much grieuouser For a king of great power and one which had the ruling of all the Iewishe Nation was the beginner and procurer thereof And whereas tyll this time the Apostles abode safe and vntouched nowe hath this wicked Tyrant such power that by cruell death he maketh awaye one of the chiefe among them The ende of all this hystorye is that hereby we should learne the state of the Church and being myndefull of Christes admonitions prepare our selues to the like Howbeit where in these thinges there appeareth alwayes a great dulnesse of our nature all the circumstaunces of this place must be the more diligently considered And first Luke coupleth this present hystorie with the ende of the Chapiter before going and beginneth his narration or discourse of the tyme For where he had entreated of the dearth foreshewed by Agabus he writeth that the same time Herode begunne to persecute the Church And if you conferre this place with the ende of the Chapter it shall appeare this was done in the last yeare of Herode a little before he ended his lyfe at Caesarea by the horrible iudgement of god And if we cast the time according to hystories we shall fynde that this last yeare of Herode fell in the fourth yere of Claudius the Emperor what time the Hystoriens say that this dearth reygned There came two most grieuous calamities dearth and persecution togither eche of which seemed intollerable to the congregation Thys state of the Church is to be diligently considered of vs bicause God suffreth his Church with so many afflictions to be tryed and exercised For God which a little before had stirred vp the mindes of those at Antiochia and others to releeue the necessitie of the Iewes with their liberalitie suffreth now the furious blasts of this wicked king to rise against them But it is no straunge thing that here commeth to passe For there are infynit examples of this sort We reade of Abraham howe when at Gods calling he had forsooke his natiue Countrie and was come into the lande of Chanaan hee was driuen from thence by famine and inforced to flye into Egypt Isaac his sonne fynding the like trouble sustained great want of victuals among the enuious Nation of the Chanaanites So we reade that Ioseph hauing lost his libertie was put in prison and like also to lose his lyfe What shall I speake of Iacob his father which was still invred with troubles and vexation insomuch that euen in his extreeme age he confessed before Pharao that he had led the more part of the dayes of his lyfe in trouble and cares And if a man would consider and weigh the people of Israels estate as well in Egypt as in the wildernesse he shall see continuall traueyles and as it were freshe floudes of afflictions flowing by course And that which the Primitiue Churche nowe prooueth came to passe also in the yeares following Neyther is there any cause why we shoulde looke for any better in these dayes than the Oracles of Christ declare shall be about the last days where we are taught that the Church shall be exercised with famine plague wars persecutions in all parts Wherfore it behooueth vs to prepare our selues vnto pacience that wheÌ„ these things come to passe we may consider howe iudgement must beginne at the house of God and that wee bee iudged of God to the ende we should not be condemned with the irrepentaunt worlde Here also is the error of them confuted which iudge of religion and faith according to the things that fall out in this worlde as though the Citie of the godly were on earth whereas the Scripture euerywhere sheweth howe it is prepared for vs in heauen Secondlye Luke nameth the author of this persecution and wryteth that it was Herode By this place it appeareth that the Kinges of Galiley and Iurie were commonly called Herodes verily of that famous and great Herode which being an aliaunt first obteyned to be king of Iurie For it is plaine that this of whome Luke speaketh in this place was Agrippa Nephewe to this great Herode by Aristobulus his sonne whose death Iosephus in all poyntes agreeing with Luke describeth in the .xxix. booke of his antiquities and .vij. Chapter This Herode was both a moste mightye Prince and a craftie For after he was let out of prison by Caius Caesar where Tiberius had put him bicause of his ouermuch familiaritie with Caius and was declared king of the Tetrarchies of Philip and Lysanias a little after he tooke from Herodes Antipas his vncle by the fathers side and sisters husbande the kingdome of Galiley procuring him to be banished by Caius to whome by his letters he had accused him And after the decease of Caius Caesar Claudius being Emperor he gaue him the Prouinces both of Iurie and Samarie And thus Agrippa obtayned almoste the whole kingdome of Herode the great his grandfather It shall behooue vs diligently to consider the power of this king that the power of Christ may appeare the greater which so easily subdued so mighty an enimie For God would set Christ and his Church togither with such an one as this to shew a singuler example and to declare that all the
reioyced in the blasphemous wordes of flatterers whome it had behooued him to haue detested and abhorred Let them therefore learne by this example what to looke for at Gods hande which with lyke impietie set vp themselues against him It behooueth vs chiefly to note how mightily God reuengeth pride seeing he doth not onely punishe the prowde grieuously but also shamefully the more to tame and pull downe their haultie heartes and courages So it pleased him that Pharao shoulde not dye valiauntly in the fyelde but be drowned in the waues of the redde sea which is a shamefull kynde of death So he slewe Sanherib miserably in the Church of his owne God by his owne sonnes And with the same disease which is here described before that was Antiochus Herode the great Sylla and at length Maximinian the persecutor vglily consumed Peter therefore sayd most truly that God resisteth the prowde Let all degrees and states of men hereby learne to keepe themselues within the bounds of their vocation and if they perceiue any thing in themselues singuler or excellent to acknowledge that it commeth altogither of the goodnesse of god So shall it come to passe that humbling themselues vnder the mightye hande of God they shall vse his giftes as they ought to doe Furthermore this place teacheth vs what hurt flatterers procure vnto Princes For of nature we be selfelouers and like best our owne doings and sayinges Then if we admit flatterers we become starke blinde so that we see not manifest vices grow to be such as cannot abide to heare the truth or to be admonished Which thing hath bene the cause that great Realmes haue bene ouerthrowne by the tongues of flatterers as hystories declare And surely Herode had bene most prosperous if he had giuen eare rather to the Apostles reprehending his vice than to the voyces of flatterers and clawbacks For they caused him being swollen in a wicked and prowde contempt of God to be destroyed with horrible death Ouer all this hauing shewed the ende of the tyraunt Luke returneth to the story of the Church which he begonne howe the Gospell did spreade to declare that by Herode it was nothing hindered For the worde of God sayth he encreased and was multiplied spreading it selfe euery daye farther abrode This he will declare in the thinges following wherevnto he maketh a digression touching Paule and Barnabas returne from Ierusalem For we hearde about the ende of the eleauenth Chapter howe they were sent thither to cary that mony that was here and there gathered to the poore and needy brethren in Iurie pinched with dearth and famine Which businesse after they had faithfully discharged they return vnto Antioch from whence shortly after they departed with Marke whom they brought with them and published the Gospell both farre and neare This is very comfortable that we see the Church stande fast and suruiue all hir enimies and all tyrantes For she is borne and conserued by the worde of God which endureth for euer This thing the hystories of all times and nations teach vs. For miserably and fylthily died Phaâ—ao the Chanaanites Sanherib the Babylonians Antiochus the three Herodes Nero Domitian Traiane Antonye Seuerus the Maximini Decius Valerianus Aurelianus Dioclesianus the two Maximinianes Liciuius Maxentius Iulian and as many as euer after all these durst to set vpon Christes Church For she flourisheth and liueth and shall for euer liue vnder hir trusty and most victorious defender and reuenger Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xiij. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lxxxvj. Homelie THERE were in the congregation that is at Antioch certayne Prophets and Teachers as Barnabas and Simon that was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manahen Herode the Tetrarches nursefellowe and Saule As they ministred to the Lorde and fasted the holy ghost sayde Seperate me Barnabas and Saule for the worke wherevnto I haue called them And when they had fasted and prayed and layde their handes on them they let them goe And they after they were sent forth of the holy ghost departed vnto Seleutia â–ª and from thence they sayled to Cyprus And when they were at Salamine they shewed the worde of God in the Sinagoge of the Iewes and they had Iohn to their Minister THe Euaungelist Luke nowe in the two Chapters following describeth howe the doctrine of the Gospell by the ministerie of Paule and Barnabas began with full course to be preached indifferentlye to all Nations For where the Iewes onely vntill this time as hath oftentimes bene declared challenged to them the name of the Church and people of God and the benefyte of redemption purchased by Christ seemed to appertaine but vnto them alone and that that hath bene sayde of Cornelius the Centurion and of the Antiochians might seeme came to passe of some speciall priuiledge or fauour Therefore that no doubt might remayne the doctrine of saluation is nowe caryed indifferentlye vnto diuers Nations and those thinges are openly accomplished which the Prophetes long before prophecied of the calling of the Gentyles But least any one shoulde thinke that Paule and Barnabas did in this businesse ought of their owne heade and presumption Luke beginneth this hystorie with their calling and sending the chiefe scope wherof is that the kingdome of God and the whole matter of saluation was transferred brought to the gentiles not by mans deuise but by the appointment commaundement of God and that the Gentyles appertayned no lesse vnto the church of God than the beleeuing Iewes And that it was needefull to haue this matter so diligently declared shall appeere by that contention which hereafter is described in the .xv. Chapter Yea we maye see in the Epistles of Paule that the Iewes oftentimes withstoode the saluation of the Gentyles stoode in doubt of it And the Iewes were for no cause so much offended with Paule as for that he made the vncircumcised Gentiles all one with the Iewes in Christ which they thought was not without the notorious iniurie and prophane contempt both of the lawe of Moses and also of the people of the Iewes which thing also was cause that euerywhere he vsed such earnestnesse in defending his vocation who could well ynough haue borne the contempt of his owne name but that he sawe the glory of God and saluation of the Gentyles indaungered thereby But to come to the treatie of this present place fyrst Luke describeth the Church at Antioch from whence Paule and Barnabas were sent to preach the Gospell to the Gentyles Then declareth he their vocation and sending with the circumstances thereof Last of all he sheweth howe they vsed themselfe in the office committed vnto them He fyrst describeth the Church of Antioch not without a cause For herof it may be gathered that they coulde rashlye ordayne or appoynt nothing hauing the spirite so abundantly among them Neyther can Paule and Barnabas be accused as to
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
to be so great in the Church as to preach what him listeth seeing that we heare how Paule and Barnabas preached nothing of their owne brayne but the worde of God only For where the Church is the house of God in it must the word and voice of God onely sounde And it is a poynt of sacrilegall boldenesse to teach any thing in the Church vnder pretence of Gods name which is not agreeable with the worde of god For the which cause we reade that aswell all the Prophetes as the Apostles were bounde vnto this commaundement to propone nothing vnto the Church but that they receiued from the mouth of god See â–ª Ezech. 3. Ierem. 1. Math â–ª 28. Thirdly is declared where they taught to say in the Sinagoges of the Iewes For although they were sent vnto the Gentyles yet order was to be obserued that saluation should fyrst be preached vnto the Iewes For so it behooued that after they through their owne default had fallen from saluation the kingdome of God shoulde be caried vnto the Gentyles that their fall might serue vnto the saluation of other Nations Yea if we well expende the matter it shall appeare it was not without the deuise of Gods prouidence that at that time the Iewes shoulde dwell scattered almost among all Nations For hereby was offered the Apostles a very good occasion to preach the Gospell For out of the law and Oracles of the Prophets it was declared that Iesus Christ was that Sauiour of the worlde that was promised Which thing when the Gentyles hearde and perceyued that the hystorie of Iesus Christ agreed in all poyntes with the writings of the Prophetes they beganne to haue a good opinion of the holy scriptures which was the first steppe vnto saluation and thus it came to passe that they by true fayth embraced that â—auiour that was preached among them Therfore the Apostles did very well and wisely to beginne their preaching in the Iewes Sinagoges Lette vs acknowledge the goodnesse of God through whose benefyte true saluation by preaching of the Gospell is offered to vs also in these dayes though we be vnworthy in Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxvij. Homelie WHEN they had gone through the Isle vnto Paphos they founde a certaine sorcerer a false Prophete a Iewe whose name was Barâ—esu which was with the ruler of the countrie one Sergius Paulus a prudent man The same Ruler called vnto him Barnabas and Saule and desired to heare the worde of god But Elymas the sorcerer for so is his name by interpretation withstoode them and sought to turne away the Ruler from the fayth Then Saule which also is called Paule being full of the holy ghost sette his eyes on him and sayde ô full of all subtiltie and deceytfulnesse thou chylde of the Deuill thou enimie of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to peruert the straight wayes of the Lorde And nowe beholde the hande of the Lord is vpon thee and thou shalt be blinde and not see the sunne for a season And immediatly there fell on him a myst and a darknesse and he went about seeking them that should leade him by the hande Then the Ruler when he saw what came to passe beleeued and wondred at the doctrine of the Lord. THat sentence of Dauid the King and Prophete is very notable where he prophecieth that Iesus Christ shall rule in the middest of his enimies For hereby a kingdome is promised vnto Christ but we are therewith also admonished of the subtiltie and tyrannie of the Deuill which assaulteth the same kingdome with continuall warre This booke declareth vnto vs many notable examples hereof For hitherto it hath set out to vs those which haue openly encountred with Christ such as were fyrst the chiefe heads of Ierusalem and then Herode called Agrippa Yet Christ our king ouercame their enterprises and they well founde that they stroue against him in vaine And Herode bicause he attempted a bolder enterprise than the rest bought his wickednesse with â–ª horrible punishment Yet Satan pulleth not back his foote but bringeth into the game place a new Champion for his kingdome which is Elymas the sorcerer if by any meanes he coulde by magicall sleightes and conueyaunce ouercame these souldiours of Christ whome he sawe perill of imprisonment and present death coulde not subdue For where Paule and Barnabas had spredde the light of the Gospell almost throughout Cyprus and nowe drewe nigh vnto Paphus a great renoumed Citie he setteth this sorcerer against them by his meane to stoppe the prosperous course of the Gospell among the Cypriotes Yet the Apostles ouercome hauing Christ to their Captaine whose glory the more Satan went about to obscure and darken shined the brighter The describing of this contention is diligently to be considered where Christ setteth his Apostles to wrastle with a famous sorcerer and deceyuer For besides that it teacheth vs alwayes to looke to be contended with it egregiouslye paâ—nâ—eâ—h out the 〈◊〉 and condicions of false Prophetes and teacheth vs howe we shall 〈◊〉 against them But that 〈◊〉 maye receyue the more commoditie hereby â–ª we will fyrst consider the occasion of this contention then their encouâ—â—â—iâ— and ioyning togither and last of all the conclusion The occasion of this â—â—â—â—nesse seemeth to haue bene the prosperous successe of the gospell in the Isle of Ciprus For where beginning at Salamine which standeth on the sea coast Eastwarde the Apostles had gone through the whole Islande as farre as to Paphos westwarde so that the fame of this newe doctrine by them thus published came to the hearing of Sergius Paulus the Proconsull he sent for the Apostles and was desirous to heare them preach the worde of god Whereby it appeareth though he were a Romaine that he was desirous of the truth and that he begonne already to suspect the Gentyle religion which perhappes was the cause that he gaue eare to this sorcerer the Iewe hoping that he was able to teache him the truth And pricked forwarde with like desire he sent for Paule and Barnabas also to heare what they taught But this coulde not Elymas the sorcerer abyde who hitherto had bene very familiar with the Proconsull He therefore diligently watched all meanes to withstande the Apostles as shortly after we shall heare Nowe before we go any further two thinges are to be marked First that God hath some that be his in all degrees of people as we sayde in the sermon before going Here is to be added howe he vseth to call and saue those that be his when they seeme to stande vppon the pit of destruction For Sergius Paulus of whome mention is here made being brought vp from his childhoode in the religion of the gentiles had bene alwayes vsed to ydolatrie Afterwarde although he acknowledged his errour he was encombred with a newe and more hurtfull errour whyle he hitteth vpon this Iewe a Sorcerer
and accustomed lecture of the lawe and Prophetes was ended the Rulers of the Sinagoge supposing them to be no common persons gaue them leaue to speake vnto the people For they send a message to them saying ye men and brethren if you haue any Sermon to exhort the people saye on And so Paule begonne a singular sermon of Iesus Christ and the whole mysterie of our saluation the beginning whereof God willing we shall heare to morowe At this time we haue certaine other thinges to consider of which we will speake in order First and foremost the Apostles spredde not the doctrine of saluation abrode in Tauernes among drunken blowbolles nor yet in corners and woodes among the rude and ignorant people but they come into a publike place and openly teach the Gospell This it appeareth they did after the example of Christ who vsed himselfe to go into the Sinagoges and to teach openly And when he was examined by Caiphas of his doctrine and Disciples as though he had bene an heretike he defendeth himselfe by this argument only that he taught openly in the Sinagoge and in the Church and was not afrayde to abide the iudgement of the whole people touching his doctrine Which examples serue to repoorue them which sowe newe opinions secretly among the people and flie and abhorre nothing so much as the light and iudgement of the congregation This one thing abundantlye prooueth that they are deceyuers seeing that truth desireth nothing so much as the light Where yet we do not condemne them which being compassed about with persecutions exercise the duties of godly religion in secret which thing we reade was done at Ierusalem by the faythfull in the house of Mary and otherwheres so that they be ready to giue an account of their fayth to as many as require the same and not like the Anabaptistes by stubborne silence and craftie dissimulation delude them that go about to trie their fayth and doctrine Then againe it is no superfluous notation of time where it is sayde they went into the sinagoge on the Sabboth dayes For hereby he teacheth vs that they diligently kept the religion of the Sabboth which day it is euident was dedicated vnto God at the beginning of the world was diligently commended by Moses vnto the Israelites For where we be busied with diuers occupations it was necessary that there should be one time appointed free from all cares and businesse wherein we shoulde giue our selues wholy both in body and soule to the honouring of god Therefore God appointed the seauenth daye to this exercise which he for this cause called his daye that when that daye commeth we should abstaine from all other businesses and exercises And he ordeyned it to be kept so holilye that he appointed death for the breakers thereof And in the Prophets this is reckoned for one of the most grieuous offences and causes of the captiuitie of Babilon that they did vnhallowe the Sabbothes of the Lorde For the which cause the sonne of God although he many times reprehended the superstitious keeping of them yet he diligently obserued those thinges wherein the worship of God consisted For on those days he entred into the Sinagoges and was present at their publike assemblies and prayers Moreouer hee taught and hearde others teach and also vsed diligently the deedes of liberalitie Which thing the Apostles remembring they thought good also to followe the example of their maister But now a dayes the matter is come to that passe that among Christians they may go for the best menne that breake the Sabbothes but with handy works toward the getting of their liuing whereas a great many prophane them with heynous wickednesse nor at any time doe men more sinne in pryde and arrogancie in drunkennesse concupiscence and ryot than on that day which ought to be bestowed wholy in the study of godly workes and eternall rest and quiet And notwithstanding these thinges are openly committed yet wee still seeke what should bee the causes of the miseries and wretchednesse of our dayes Howbeit where the religion of the Sabboth as touching the outward obseruation consisteth chiefly in the holy assemblyes which Moses calleth holye conuocations Luke declareth diligently what was done in this assembly First the Apostles sate downe no doubt among the residue that were there gathered togither This is the dutie of modestie and honestie wherof regard must alwaies be had euerywhere but chiefly in the Church that nothing be done out of order and dishonestly Then he maketh mention howe the lawe and the Prophetes were reade which was obserued among the Iewes of a common custome as we shall vnderstand a little after by Paules sermon and by the wordes of Iames in the .xv. Chapter For so Moses ordeyned by the commaundement of God which custome after their returne from Babylon Esdras restored againe as appeareth in Nehemias cap. 8. And Christ vsed none other custome when out of the place of Esay he taught the mysteries of our saluation in the Sinagoge at Nazareth These thinges teach vs that in the congregation the worde of God comprehended in the Scriptures ought to be intreated For this cause Paule commendeth vnto the Ministers of Churches the studie of holy scripture bicause none other voyce than such as speaketh in the scripture must be hearde in Gods house Therfore their errour is enormious and absurde in that Church which declare vnto the simple people most foolish trifles out of the Legendes of Saints or else vrge and exact mans traditions wherwith Christ himselfe out of the Prophete teacheth that all Gods religion is corrupted Which thing as it is in these dayes to much frequented â—o if at any time any place be left for the word of God it is vsed to be sayde or song commonlye in a straunge tongue so that no profyte can come to the people thereby But touching this matter see Paules iudgement 1. Cor. 14. Thirdlye this also is to be commended that none of them taketh vppon him to speake before he be lawfully requested For although of auncient custome the interpreters and Prophetes sate next to the Teachers yet none impudently intruded himselfe so that vndesired or without necessitie he woulde speake vnto the people Wherefore Paule and Barnabas also although they were sent by the holy ghost yet they thinke it not good to breake so profytable and auncient a custome of the Church Therefore the Anabaptistes disorder is not to be suffered which abuse the place of Paule 1. Cor. 14 â–ª saying that all men ought to haue leaue to speake in the Church For Paule in that place speaketh of those that had the gift of interpretation and prophecie and sate with the teachers as was euen nowe sayde But such as were no interpreters he commaundeth to keepe silence And he commaundeth all things to be done decently and in order Neyther lette any man obiect here vnto me what I thinke the Apostles woulde haue done if no
man had giuen them leaue For who can doubt but they woulde then haue vsed the libertie giuen them of the spirite But forasmuch as they might vse the same and not breake the custome of the Church they must needes haue bene reprehended if they woulde without cause haue broken that custome Furthermore this was verye well done of the Antiochians to giue leaue vnto men vnknowne and straungers to saye their minde For they woulde not quench the spirite nor despise prophecying wherof Paule elsewhere giueth warning 1. Thess. 5. Here is chiefly to be obserued that they require a sermon of exhortation For thus they expresse the ende wherevnto all doctrine and preaching in the Church is to be referred namely that the Church be not onely taught what it ought to doe but may also be prouoked with godly exhortation to doe their dutie and so may be builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes and may truly close and ioyne togither vnder Christ their heade And hereto belongeth that commendation of holye scripture which Paule sayth is profitable to teach to improoue to amende and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes These thinges are to be obserued of them which make their sermons in the Church for ostentation sake and are more carefull for their owne glory than for Christes Let euery man rather learne so to order all exercises of the Church that by godly exhortations they may be builded in true faith vnto the glory of Iesus Christ to whom be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxix. Homelie THEN Paule stoode vp and beckened with the hande for silence and sayde Men of Israel and ye that feare God giue audience The God of this people chose our fathers and exalted the people when they dwelt as straungers in the lande of Egypt and with an high arme brought he them out of it and about the time of fourtie yeares suffered he their maners in the wildernesse And he destroyed seauen Nations in the lande of Canaan and deuided their land to them by lot And afterward he gaue vnto them Iudges about the space of foure hundred and fyfty yeares vntill the time of Samuell the Proâ—phete And afterwarde they desired a king and God gaue vnto them Saule the sonne of Cis a man of the tribe of Beniamin by the space of fourty yeres â–ª NOwe followeth it how Luke the Euangelist describeth the Sermon which Paule the Apostle that most chosen vessell made to the Congregation at Antioche and this is the fyrst of Paules sermons that the holy ghost would should be put in writing not that he iudged the rest vnworthy to be knowne but that by this we might iudge of the other which could not be but like vnto this bicause the spirite of God is at all times and places like vnto it selfe Howbeit it is not without a cause that Luke chose this sermon chiefly of all other so diligently to rehearse For as this one comprehendeth in it moste fully all the mysteries of Iesus Christ and of our saluation so when those of Antioch contemned it the Apostles did that which wee reade they very seldome did before For shaking the dust of from their feete vpon the Iewes they caried the doctrine of saluation vnto others Furthermore the argument of the Sermon is the same that Christ commaunded the Apostles to obserue For he laboureth altogither to bring the Iewes from the vaine affiance of the lawe and ceremonies therof vnto the fayth in christ For the better obteyning whereof he proceedeth in most commodious order For fyrst where he knewe they gloryed much in certaine prerogatiues so that they thought it superfluous to search or take any other waye of saluation he teacheth that they haue nothing of themselues wherin to glory but that they haue receyued what so euer good qualitie is in them of the meere mercie of God who for the Messias sake which he had promised did vouchsafe both to saue them and also to giue them those prerogatiues And thereof he gathereth that it is necessarye for them to embrace that Messias least they fall from the grace of God and be depriued of all goodnesse This done he sheweth that this Iesus is the sonne of God and of Mary the virgin and that sauiour and Messias that was promised and here he so reasoneth of his office that he briefely comprehendeth all the businesse of our saluation and confyrmeth the same with euident Oracles of the olde Testament At length he sheweth the threats of the Prophets that as many as despised the sonne of God and the saluation in him offered might knowe that the horrible iudgement of God hanged ouer their heades And this is the summe of all his sermon which it suffyceth in fewe wordes to haue touched bicause we entende to speake more at large of euery thing in his place Nowe let vs come to the treatie of the same The beginning is short after the maner of the Apostles not to be suspected of any curious artifyciousnesse or conueyaunce He fyrst holdeth out or lifteth vp his hande which was a kinde of gesture vsed in the olde time to cause men to keepe silence when others were about to speake as wee shall see in places following not so fewe as one Then to make them the more attent he calleth them by such names as he both knewe woulde get their good will and also admonishe them of their dutie For fyrst he calleth them Israelites in which name they greatlye reioyced not onely bicause of Iacob the Patriarch which was fyrst so called but bicause therein also were conteyned manifest promises of Gods helpe and protection as we may see Gen. 32. And he addeth And yee that feare God giue audience so plainely thereby admonishing them of their dutie that they might perceyue they were then true Israelites when they feared God and obeyed his worde The breuitie of the Apostles beginning admonisheth vs of two things very worthy to be knowne and considered The fyrst is wherefore those tytles serue that wee vse in the beginning when we reuerently and honourably speake vnto the hearers wherein much is to be attributed to honor euen by the testimony of Paule who commaundeth vs in giuing honour to go one before another Yet must we take diligent heede that we nourish not the ambicion of arrogant men with a flattring tongue and meaning which are euen drunke with the pride of glorious names But this rather wee must obserue that with meete and condigne names we admonishe them with whome we haue to doe of their dutie Therefore the simplicitie of our auncesters and elders is very worthy to be commended who being content with the names of their office and dutie only neuer knew what these painted and flattering tytles ment For what wilt thou adde vnto the name of a king that shall be more honourable or noble than it seeing the very name
the saying of Dauid Many are the tribulations of the iust and that Christ foretolde shoulde come vnto vs And in all these things we must remember that so it must be not onely for that God maye be founde true of hys worde but bicause it is expedient thus to tame and brydle our fleshe and to mooue vs to lothe this lyfe and to desire the life to come For we feele in our selues what a loue of this worlde is in our fleshe and with howe much adoe we are brought to the desire of heauenly things And what thinke you woulde come of vs if we should taste of no aduersitie in this world but haue all things come to passe according to our desire lyking Surely the flesh would neuer be brought to renounce this worlde which notwithstanding all these vexations is woonderfully in loue with the worlde The second reason is that they declare how there is a ioyfull ende of tribulations for that by tribulations there is an entrance for vs into the kingdome of god Which wordes are not so to be vnderstanded as though by suffring afflictions we deserue the kingdome of God which is purchased for vs by the bloude of our Sauiour Christ only But they teach vs that Christ by his example hath trode out this way vnto vs that as he by the crosse entred into the glory of his father so the ende of all afflictions is set forth vnto vs to be the inheritaunce of eternall life according to the promise of Christ I will that where I am there my Minister shall also be Who therfore will henceforth abhorre the crosse who will be offended at afflictions seeing he heareth they come also vnto the wicked but by Christes meane worke to the saluation of the godly Let vs remember these things at this day O brethren Let vs consider that it is Gods appoyntment that we should be thus invred with diuers troubles and that it can not be otherwise bicause the naughtynesse of our flesh so requireth Let vs haue an eye to the example of Christ who bicause he woulde be our Captaine suffered fyrst all these things Furthermore let vs fasten the eyes of our minde vppon the glory of the heauenly life and forgette these frayle and temporall things behinde vs Lette vs ioyne herevnto feruent prayer that he maye vouchsafe to accomplish and performe the good worke which is begonne in vs And so shall it come to passe that being inspyred with his spirite and grace and hauing prosperously ended this race of our life and attayned to the rewarde of the heauenly we shall liue and reigne with our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The C. Homelie AND when they had ordeyned them Elders by election in euery congregation and had prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lorde on whome they beleeued And when they had gone thorowout Pisidia they came to Pamphilia and when they had preached the woorde in Perga they descended into the Citie Attalia and thence departed by shippe to Antioch from whence they were committed vnto the grace of God to the woorke which they fulfilled When they were come and had gathered togither the congregation they rehearsed all that God had done by them and howe hee had opened the doore of fayth vnto the Gentyles And there they abode long time with the Disciples AS it was the dutie of the Apostles to bring our Sauiour Iesus Christ Disciples and to gather him a Church out of all Nations by preaching of the Gospell so was it their parts and dutie carefullye and diligently to see vnto the same Churches And this doe Paule and Barnabas most faythfullye For after they had with perill of their lyues planted Congregations at Antioche Iconium and Lystra they laboured with all industrie possible to maintaine and defende the same against the assaults and craftes of Satan And bicause they knewe the Iewes did marueylously vexe them they returned againe to the Churches there notwithstanding they were opprobriously driuen forth of them Neither doe they returne without profyte but confyrme and strengthen the mindes of the Disciples with admonitions and comfortes exhorting them to continue and abide in the doctrine and putting away the slaunder and offence of the Crosse of all which hath bene spoken in the sermon before going Herevnto is to be adioyned that that is sayde in the beginning of this place touching Elders ordeyned by the sayde Apostles When we haue hereof intreated as much as God shall giue vs grace then will we speake of their returne vnto the Church at Antioch agayne to whome they recounted all that they had done abrode When they had sayth Luke ordeyned them Elders by election in euery congregation and had prayed and fasted they commended them to the Lorde on whome they beleeued They are called Seniors or Elders which partlye are Ministers and teachers of his word and partly such as are ayding and assisting the Pastours in the administration of the Church and which by reason of their authoritie see that Discipline be obserued in the Church And where Luke sayth they ordeyned such in euery Church it easily appeareth that it is very necessarye for the conseruation of the Church to haue such as by whose ministery the doctrine of the worde may be had in continuall vse This is requisite both for the infyrmitie of the flesh and also bicause of the corruption of mannes nature which must needes be oftentimes warned to doe his dutie least he be brought to destruction by the craftes and subtiltie of the Deuill For the which cause Christ did not onely sende forth the Apostles to preach the Gospell among all Nations of the worlde but also gaue vnto his Church Pastours and teachers by whose diligence the fayth and knowledge of God which the Apostles taught might be confyrmed and preserued in mens mindes And Paule writeth that he left Titus for this cause in Creta that he should ordeyne Elders in euery Citie of that Islande And herevnto it is manifest the godlyest Kings and Princes that were hertofore had a respect by whose liberalitie Churches were endowed and enriched least for want of prouision the ministery of the word shoulde haue fayled Therefore their error is very pieuishe and absurde which reiect the doctryne of the worde as vnprofytable and superfluous For if these men did well knowe themselues they would perceyue that thys is the readyest waye whereby to attayne vnto saluation as Christ sometime tolde Martha being very much busied and occupyed in other matters Therefore as many as will haue the Church to be maintayned let them diligentlye prouide that the Church want not fytte and worthy Ministers The Euangelyst also declareth the ceremony or maner of choosing Elders wherein prayer and fasting were fyrst placed whereof mention was made as we haue hearde before in the lyke case Act. 1. and .13 When the Scripture vseth to ioyne both these togither it signifyeth that
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
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
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
Christian fayth were contended vpon with such great offence Againe another cause of griefe there was that they sawe the Apostles Paule and Barnabas vnworthilye defamed and their Churches after a sort priuilye accused Therefore they cannot choose but greatlye reioyce when they heare that peace is restored their teachers quitte of slaunder and their Churches confyrmed with the testimonie of the Apostles Of this disposition ought all faythfull Christians to be vnto whome they are farre vnlike that are delighted with contentions with the ignominie and contempt of Ministers and with the disturbance of congregations Secondly Luke describeth the trusty care and industrie of all these persons in the setting forth and mainteyning of Christes kingdome which maye be perceyued by many and euident argumentes And as concerning Silas it is sayde that when he had licence to returne home againe yet he chose rather to remaine at Antioch doubtlesse for that he perceyued his traueyle whereof he sawe good successe followed was yet needefull for that Church Therefore Silas had more regarde of the Church of Christ than of his owne matters considering he preferreth Antioche before the Citie of Ierusalem and his owne proper habitation Which example it becommeth all the Ministers of Christ to imitate that they maye forsake themselues and all earthly things to th ende to traueyle the more easily in the ministerie of Christ and his Church Therefore the couetousnesse of them is execrable who being appoynted to the ministerie of the Church preferre their priuate doings before the saluation of men and for lucre sake leaue the congregation among whome they might with great vtilitie doe good seruice But of Paule and Barnabas is somewhat also sayde namely howe after they had abidden a certaine season at Antioch they preached the Gospel with many other their fellow Ministers Therefore they gaue not themselues vnto lurdenly ydlenesse although they might seeme after so manye daungers and traueyles to haue had iust occasion to haue sought their rest and quiet And in that it is sayde many in the Church at Antioch preached the Gospell it may easily be gathered what myldenesse of mindes was among them and how voyde they were of enuie seeking nothing more than the glory of Christ and the saluation of many And the exercise of the Apostles is most worthy to be considered who as we see chiefely intended the preaching of the Gospell For they knewe that was the message of saluation They knewe that with these weapons Nations were subdued vnto Christ and the worlde brought vnto the obedience of fayth They knew fynally that our Sauiour Christ was chiefely busied about this one thing and did nothing so oftentimes as that And they were not ignorant of the olde fygure where God commaunded that the Priestes vesture shoulde be hoong with belles thereby teaching that the sounde of his voyce that is the doctrine of the gospell was chiefly to be required of the ministers But now adayes it is come to this passe that Bishops abhorre from nothing so much as from the ministerye of the worde thinking it to be more commendable for them to feede Houndes and great Horses and a sluggishe and seruile sort of Courtlings of the reuenues of the Church than to feede Christes sheepe with the foode of heauenly doctrine And so by their example they bring the worde of God in contempt with all states of menne which is the chiefe cause of the calamities of these dayes There is also added an other argument of Paules doctrine namely howe he was carefull also for other Churches consulting with Barnabas touching the visitation of them For he well vnderstoode that it was not sufficient once to plant Churches but also howe it was very necessary to visite and looke vnto them bicause beside the naturall leuitie of mankinde diuers other thinges also fell out which might plucke vs from the fayth and disturbe and ouerturne the best ordred Churches that are Wherefore like a stowte souldiour he keepeth his watch and standing and spareth no labour so the Church may enioye that peace for the which they were once ordeyned which example if a man woulde compare with those which are wholye giuen to disturbe and ouerthrowe the Churches stablished by the fayth and diligence of others it shoulde easily appeare with what spirite they are ledde and what Princes Ministers they are Thirdly is declared a greieuous and infortunate discorde betweene Paule and Barnabas which for many causes is notable We hearde before in the thirtenth Chapter howe these two were made fellowes and Coparteners by the holy ghost They suffred many perils togither both by lande and by sea which is the greatest bande to binde amitie and friendship togither that can be Beside they prooued that God did marueylouslye blesse their labours with good successe But nowe by reason of a grieuous discention fallen among them they depart one from another and we reade not that they afterwarde ioyntly laboured togither any more The cause of this contention was one Iohn Marke of whose defection and falling awaye hath bene spoken in the .xiij. Chapter Barnabas thought good to haue him taken in agayne into the grace and fellowship of the Ministerie and no doubt but he alleaged weyghty reasons for his deuyse For with God there is pardon if men acknowledge and confesse their faulte And it is euident that Peter after he had denyed Christ was restored to his former rowme and dignity agayne And the godlinesse of Marie his mother seemed not a little to relieue his cause who when persecution raged most lette hir house be a certayne hauen and sanctuarye as it were for the godlye But for all these reasons Paule coulde neuer be perswaded to consent to haue such an one to his fellowe whome he remembred had so fowly slidde backe in the middle of his course and perhaps not without the grieuous offence of many For he remembred Christes saying No man that layeth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is meete for the kingdome of God. And if we consider the circumstances it shall seeme that Paule was holpen with the consent and approbation of the Church For he choosing vnto him Silas is commended of the brethren vnto the grace of God that is with solemne prayer is let goe vnto his work or businesse Of Barnabas Luke reporteth but this one thing that he tooke vnto him Marke and sayled into Cyprus which was his countrie as was sayde before in the fourth Chapter being mooued and taking the matter in yll part And although Paules seueritie in euerye poynt seeme not to be excused yet woulde the holy ghost haue this example to remayne as a President against all runnagates and forsakers of their profession whereby we might learne that sinners haue an accesse vnto the grace of God but yet that they must not be to soone admitted into the ministerye of the Church which haue bene authors of any grieuous offence and whose credite by reason of their offences before committed
of one he was He had to his mother a Iewe but one that beleeued but his father was a Greeke that is to saye a Gentyle And Paule in hys later Epistle to Timothie doth at large commend the godlinesse of Eunica his mother and Lois his grandmother whereof this is a most euident argument for that she procured hir sonne to be well brought vp in the fayth religion of christ And here Luke sayth that he was a disciple that is to say a christian before Paule called him to the office of the ecclesiasticall ministerie Besides he sayth he was well cōmended of all y brethren that not of those at Lystra only where he had his dwelling but also by them of Iconium so that his godlynesse was perceiued and knowne to them abrode also This description of Timothie teacheth vs what maner of men ought to be chosen into the ministerie of Gods word church Where it behooueth the greatest care to be had for religion least such as eyther are vtterly deuoyde of fayth or else yong scholers and Nouices be chosen into the Ministerie For as these last sort commonlye are vncertaine and stande in doubt of all things and lyght and inconstaunt so the other vse religion but for lucre which they also laughe at in their sleeue and cause other menne to deryde the same Then must a respect be had of their learning that we maye haue such to gouerne the Church as are well exercised in the holy scripture wherin Paule testifyeth Timothie was brought vp of a chylde For in deede it is impossible that he should teach other whose selfe before hath not learned and such can be none other than blind leaders of the blinde as Christ calleth them Math. 15. And where the doctrine of the Church must be taken out of the holy Scriptures it behooueth that Ministers of the Church shoulde be moste exercised in them and that there is no account to be made of them though they be neuer so expert and prompt in Philosophye if they be rude and ignoraunt in the holy Scripture Which was the cause that Christ woulde not suffer the Apostles to go abroade to preach before they were well instructed Thirdly it behooueth that he haue the testimonie of an approoued lyfe and conuersation least their doctrine be contemned or at the least suspected for their sake Therfore Paule will haue a Bishop to be irreprehensible And how much religion and doctrine is defaced by the dishonest lyfe of Ministers the example of the sonnes of Elye doth abundantlye declare through whose concupiscence and sacrilegious boldenesse it came to passe that all the people for the most part refrayned from the worshipping of God and by that occasion wickednesse so preuayled among all sortes of men that it coulde not be redressed but by publike calamitie and much bloudshedding Therefore Paules prudencie and diligence must be followed in these dayes who woulde take vnto hym no companion in the Ministerie but such an one as was perfyte in all poynts and which had so confyrmed the hope conceyued of him as it seemed he woulde neuer breake the same Secondly let vs fyrst consider what Paule did with this newe partner and fellowe of his Him sayth he bicause Paule ment to haue wyth him in his iourney he tooke circumcised What is this sayest thou that I heare ▪ What lyghtnesse and inconstancie is this Not long before Paule earnestly bent himselfe agaynst those which exacted Circumcision of the Gentyles and such a disturbance grewe herevpon that the matter was harde to bee taken vp and quieted before the Apostles and the whole congregation at Ierusalem And now after the Apostles had decreed that the Gentyles were not to be burthened with Circumcision Paule circumciseth Timothie who had bene a Chrystian a good whyle before But herein is nothyng done of lyghtnesse or frowardnesse bicause Paule hath great reason for his doing neyther doth he varye from himselfe if we well consider the matter For it was well done of Paule to wythstande the Phariseyes or Nazareanes which vrged Circumcision as a necessarye thing forasmuch as by that opinion Christes merite was defaced and extenuated the fayth in hym lyght set by and Christian libertie ouerthrowne and subuerted And bicause of these men he woulde not circumcise Titus for that he perceyued they craftily laide snares for the libertie of the faythfull And here he circumciseth Timothie bicause of a great number of Iewes which dwelt in those parties that by this occasion Timothie might haue an accesse and entry in to them to preach the Gospell among them For it is well knowne howe greatly the Iewes abhorred the vncircumcysed Gentyles insomuch that they openly accused Peter for that he was conuersaunt wyth them and afterwarde layde handes on Paule as a seditious person for bringing the Gentyles into the Temple Unlesse therefore he had circumcised Timothie he shoulde neuer haue had accesse to haue taught among the Iewes and they woulde afterward also haue stopped their eares at Paule as a transgressor of their law and auncient religion Therefore he prudentlye yeeldeth thus farre vnto their infyrmitie and circumciseth Timothie to thintent that by his ministerie he myght make a waye into the Iewes and teache them by little and little howe Circumcision and the other Ceremonyes were by Christ abrogated And he ment none other wayes to circumcise Timothie than as the Apostles in their Synode forbade the eating of strangled and bloude So he confesseth he became a Iewe vnto the Iewes to wynne the Iewes vnto Christ and not to confyrme them in the superstitious obseruation of the lawe Of this may be gathered an vniuersall rule whereby we are taught howe and after what sorte it is lawfull to dispence in outwarde thinges Namely when charitie and the edifycation of the Church so requireth But assoone as we perceyue they bynd worship vnto them or erecte confydence in mannes merite or craftily go about to entrappe Christian libertie then must we not admit or suffer the least of them For those things which might be taken for meane and indifferent as soone as the profession of our fayth and the glory of Christes merite is in hazarde Therfore the Papistes doe foolishly and to impudentlye alleage the example of Paule for their traditions whyles by this reason that Paule circumcised Timothie they saye we ought to retayne and keepe Masses Images pompous Diriges prayers for the beade fastings differences of meates and garments single life Monkishe vowes auricular confession absolution satisfaction and sixe hundreth such lyke For to omytte howe they compare the pieuishe and superstitious deuyses of mannes inuentions wyth Circumcision whych had hys beginning of God Barbers and bleare eyed as they say know howe they set the chiefe part of Gods worship in these thinges howe they repose their greatest truste of righteousnesse and saluation in them and to conclude Christian libertye cannot be mayntayned if these be retayned yea these thyngs conteyne
saying If ye thinke that I beleeue on the Lorde come into my house and abyde there And she constreyned vs. THe Apostle Paule being called of God by the Aungell passed into Macedonia to preach the Gospell vnto the men of that countrie By which example is prooued partly the dignitie of the Gospell and partly that saluation that is giuen vs of meere fauour and grace is declared For if we consider the Macedonians they were in the same case and condicion that other Nations were which Paule otherwheres wryteth were subiect vnto the power of darkenesse were Idolaters were the seruants of sinne and therefore voyde of god Besides that God sendeth Paule now to teach them the waye of saluation when they once thinke not thereof But let vs see what he did at Philippi the chiefest citie of Macedonia Wee were sayth Luke in that Citie abyding certaine dayes The cause of this abode as maye be gathered by all circumstances was for that the Apostles sawe no oportunitie to preache which thing they chiefely wayted for Wherefore at length they sought the same out of the Citie For they went out of the Citie on the Sabboth day and preached the Gospell to certaine women nigh vnto a certaine Riuer whither they vsed of custome to resort vnto publike prayer This is a verye notable example teaching vs howe God vseth to trye and exercise the fayth and constancie of his seruantes For as it hath bene declared the Apostle was called by the Aungell as one speaking in the behalfe of all the countrie and desiring helpe Wherfore a man might haue hoped that the Macedonians should haue receyued Paule when he had come with all kinde of alacritie and declaration of ioy and that euery mans minde had bene prepared to receyue the light of the Gospell But this hope so deceyueth them that in a moste famous and populous Citie there is not one that giueth eare vnto them neyther can they espie any occasion to make a sermon notwithstanding they narrowly wayted for the same And without the Citie women only gaue eare vnto them and but one of them all that beleeued the worde one Lydia which was a straunger Who therefore woulde not thinke this calling of Paule to haue bene a mockery seeing no effect to followe of the same But God vseth to laye many stoppes in the way of them that walke in his calling whereby to hinder and pull them backe to prooue their fayth to trayne them vnto constancie and to teach them to wrastle and ouercome aduersitie So Moses being sent to deliuer the people fyndeth many impedimentes layde in his waye which seemed much repugnaunt to the will and appoyntment of god For the Aungell of the Lorde threatneth him with death bicause he neglected the Circumcising of his sonne and he fyndeth Pharao not onely set and bent against his requestes but also the children of Israel murmurre and rebell against him And when he was out of Egypt the sea laye in his way before him so that nature hir selfe seemed to fyght against him but his constancie of fayth and stedfast purpose to fulfyll the commaundementes of God ouercame all these aduersities So that cruell enimie Saule ryseth vp against Dauid being called and appointed to be king by whose tyrannie or euer he came to the kingdome he was expulsed his countrie And manye such like thinges came dayly to passe whereby God vseth to trye our faith But it is our dutie constantly to holde on and with sure hope to wayte for the assistance of God and so we shall fynde he will neyther fayle of his promises nor want to further our enterprises Furthermore we haue a marueylous example of conuersion set forth in Lydia which by reason of the manifold doctrine therof the Euangelist most diligently describeth with all the circumstances And beginning with the description of the person he sayth there was a woman to admonish vs of that seâ—e or kinde by the which sinne entred into the worlde By hir condicion and calling she was a seller of purple and exercised a kinde of merchandise seruing more to the maintenance of pompe and pride than vnto necessitie to saye nothing of couetousnesse craft and deceyte and such like vices as this kinde of people are commonly giuen vnto Besides she was a straunger borne at Thyatirae a Citie of Lydia These thinges are declared to the ende that we might knowe howe God vseth to despyse no state or degree of men but of al sorts fauoreth embraceth those that are desirous to conuert turne vnto him Infynite other examples of lyke kinde there are which teach vs the same For Christ in manye places reasoneth with harlots about their saluation In other places agayne he openeth the kingdome of heauen vnto Publicanes He disdeyned not the order of Phariseyes seeing he admitted Nicodemus to talke with him in the night season and mosâ—e friendly instructed him Yea he did lighten the Centurion which was appoynted to see him executed with the knowledge of him These places teach vs that we shoulde not despayre of Gods grace by reason of the trade or kynde of lyfe that we haue heretofore ledde For it is euident that the doore of saluation standeth open to euery man which vnfaynedly desireth it In this example also appeareth the counsell of God which of little beginnings promoteth the kingdome of his sonne For he appoynteth Lydia to be the fyrst fruites of that Church whose fayth afterwarde Paule thinketh he coulde neuer sufficiently commende So Christ chose out from among fyshers and Publicanes his chiefe Disciples And we must not thinke it is without a cause that Christes kingdome here on earth touching the outwarde sight is of no reputation and a despysed thing For hereof we may gather that it is not of this worlde nor that we must seeke the thinges of this worlde in the same It is also euident that they which desire to be partakers with Christ must not glory in the wisedome of the fleshe in Nobilitie in pompe and other such like things but only in the Lorde as Paule hath taught at large in the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians the fyrst Chap. Here hast thou what to aunswere those which rayle at the doctrine and fayth of the Gospell bicause none holde with the same but the Comminaltie and men of small or no reputation vsing the same argument that the Phariseyes and Scribes sometime vsed against their seruants which commended Christes doctrine Why rather harken they not what Christ sayth I thanke thee ô father bicause thou hast hidden these thinges from the wyse and prudent and hast shewed them vnto Babes Verilye father euen so was it thy good pleasure But after he had described the person of Lydia he declareth the order and maner of hir conuersion In the which fyrst she is sayd to be religious and to feare God as diuers other did both among the Iewes and Gentyles which yet were ignoraunt in the way of
at Lyddias house and them they exhort to be stedfast in the fayth and comfort them very effectually Moreouer Paule wryteth an Epistle vnto them wherin we are taught how prosperously this cōgregation afterward came forward whose beginning seemed altogither vnprosperouse vntowarde Whereby it appeereth the course of the Gospell can be hyndered by no attemptes of the wicked Sometime the Ministers thereof are bounde but the worde of God can not be bounde Againe they that preach the same are thrust out and banished but the spirite of Christ cannot be banished but breatheth wheresoeuer it pleaseth yea when men holde their peace the stones will preach Christ. Let these thinges make vs constaunt in the fayth that hauing at length ouercome the worlde and Prince thereof we may liue and raigne in heauen wyth Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be all praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xvij. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxiij Homelie NOWE as they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia they came to Thessalonica where was a great Synagoge of the Iewes and Paule as his maner was went in vnto them and three Sabboth dayes disputed wyth them by the scriptures opening and alleaging that Christ must haue suffred and rysen agayne from the death and this is Iesus Christ whome sayde he I preach vnto you And some of them beleeued and ioyned in companye with Paule and Silas also of the Grecians that feared God a great multitude and of the chiefe women not a fewe OUr Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Gospell of Luke sayth No manne which putteth hys hande to the plough and looketh backward is meete for the kingdome of heauen Which wordes doe admonishe vs that of all christians especially of the Ministers of the word is required an inuincible constancie of the minde whereby they maye go forwarde without feare against al traueyle and daunger and not be withdrawne by anye temptations to forsake the office committed to their credit Of which constancie is set out vnto vs a most worthy example in the Apostle Paule who from the fyrst daye he tooke in hande the seruice of Christ and the Gospell was in continuall labour and daunger and yet held on seeking daylie new occasion with great courage of minde to set forth the kingdome of christ And as he had done heretofore in other places the selfe same did he wyth incredible industrie among the Macedonians as this present hystorie declareth For being verie euill intreated at Philippi to the which place he was called by a vision yet he murmureth not against God nor doubteth not of his calling nor leaueth not of his duetie through feare but taketh his iourney directly thorowe Amphipolis and Apollonia and commeth to Thessalonica the chiefe Citie of all Macedonia where after he had spreade the lyght of the Gospell he getteth him to Berrhoea and from thence to Athens where he preacheth Christ among the most learned Phylosophers of the Gentiles and as it were vpon the open stage of all the worlde But to let passe all other thinges let vs see what was done at this tyme at Thessalonica First it is sayde he went through Amphipolis and Apollonia and there is no mention made that Paule preached in those Cities therfore it is lyke the holy Ghost offered him no occasion there to preache But when he came to Thessalonica he went into the Iewes Synagoge which was very notable and full of people and there by the space of three Sabboth dayes he taught them the gospell of Iesus christ And yet it might seeme a straunge thing that Paule woulde offer the doctrine of saluation agayne vnto the Iewes whose incurable malice he had so often tryed and whome he perceyued God had cast of by many euident arguments But he was mooued partly with the feruent desyre he had to set forth the kingdome of God and partly with the constant loue that he bare to his nation for whose sake otherwhyle he wished to be accursed And yet we must not thinke this to be any blinde affection for as much as the Lorde had long before prophecied that though the Iewes were cast off certaine remnauntes shoulde be saued And perhappes he might be mooued by the example of Elias who when he thought all the people had forsaken the God of Israell was tolde that there were yet seauen thousande which had neuer bowed their knees vnto Baal We are taught by this example of Paule that we must not ouer hastily cease from doing our duetie bicause of many mens ingratitude but rather as the Apostle otherwhere teacheth vs tollerate the euill wyth meekenesse instruct those that make resistaunce if at anye time God will giue them repentance to knowe the truth and that they may come to themselues againe out of the snare of the Deuill For where we be the seruauntes of God it becommeth vs to imitate his condition and propertie and not to be offended with the ingratitude of the worlde for as much as we knowe that we haue a rewarde layde vp with the Lorde which shall neuer fayle vs Therefore inexcusable is their waywardenesse which assoone as they perceyue they nothing profyte cease of from doing their duetie are not ledde with the example of God and of Christ which vsed such great lenitie and long sufferaunce towards the incurable malice of the Iewes euen from the fyrst beginning of that nation It is also worthy the obseruation to see howe Paule keepeth the religion of the Sabbothes and goeth into the Synagoges to preach there following the example of Christ who dyd nothing in secret but taught abroade openly In the meane season we see this was an olde vsage amonge the people of God for the godly to come vnto the Church for whose sake we reade holy dayes and holy places were in times past ordeyned of god It is necessarie that we obserue the same both for doctrine sake which can no waye more commodiously be taught and also bicause of externe religion which ought to be openly exercised that the profession of true fayth fayle not For the which cause Christ adourned the congregation and Church comming with hys example and commended it with a notable promise and this is the cause that Paule in his fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians is so diligently occupied in gyuing preceptes for the well ordering of them Wherfore their frowardnesse must needes be detested which deryde and scoffe at the publike assemblies of christians plainely testifying that they are ledde with no care of wholesome doctrine or sincere religion But what doth Paule in the Synagoge of the Iewes euen the same that we heare he vsed to doe in many places For he taught out of the scriptures declaring howe it was necessarie that Christ shoulde die and rise againe from the dead and that this was the same Christ whom he preached Here must we diligently marke all these pointes bicause they fullye conteyne the whole trade of the
can not be in rest and safetie bicause the insatiable auarice of Priestes exacteth tribute of them fayning that their soules are tormented and purifyed in the fornace of Purgatorie Is there not an vnknowne God worshipped amonge vs the God Maozim as Daniel sayeth whome all our fathers knew not which eyther is made of bread or chaunged into breade Would God men woulde nowe a dayes expende these thinges and learne what a miserable case it is to want the lyght of truth For whoso lacketh this lyght are both ignorant themselues of all things in religion and lose their labor before God which neyther can nor will be worshipped with mans traditions Let vs therefore harken vnto Paule and the Apostles whome God ordeyned to teach the blinde worlde his true religion and worship Furthermore Paule so teacheth al these things in the second part of his sermon that therwith also he confuteth the errors of the gentiles wherof sprang those errors which yet bewitch the world In the meane while although he had to do with most subtile Philosophers and curious men yet he disputeth not subtilly of Gods essence or nature which God himselfe testifyeth Exo. 33. is inscrutable but describeth God by his works teaching what we ought to beleeue of him and how to worship him God sayth he that made the world and all things therin conteyned seeing that he is Lorde of heauen and earth c. It seemeth he speaketh this agaynst the Epicures which affirmed the world was from euerlasting or else that all things came togyther by concurrence and meeting of motes togither and that God had no care of worldly things But Paule sayth that God is the creator and lord of the world and layth this for an infallible grounde of hys doctryne such as no man will denie but he that is voide of common reason Herofhe gathereth that templary religion was but a vayne thing which was of such pryce and authoritie among the Grecians that they hated the Persians for none other cause more than for that they euerywhere burned the temples in Greece bicause they sawe they serued more for superstition than godlinesse Thus reasoneth Paule He that is Lord of all things must needes be euerywhere But god as he is creator of all things so is he Lorde of all Therefore he is present euerywhere and so by consequence dwelleth not in Churches which are builded with mens handes But that which is sayde agaynst the Gentyles which iudged that religion stoode in the bewty and furniture of Temples and vnto them tyed the maiestie power and grace of God the same maketh agaynst all those which glorying in the honour of the true God are yet drowned in the dotage of this errour When Salomon had bestowed great costes and treasure in building of a Temple at length he sayth vnto God Behold the heauen of heauens is not able to conteyne thee howe much lesse this Church which I haue builded And God himselfe in Esay cap. 66. sayth Heauen is my seate and the earth is my footestoole where therefore shall this house bee that you will builde for me Ieremie sharpely reprehendeth the Iewes trusting in the religion of their Temple Yea Christ sayeth that true worshippers are not tyed vnto certayne and peculiar places but sheweth vs that they worship God euerywhere in spirite and in truth Here therefore are all pilgrimages taken away in the whych foolish menne of an heathenish error suppose saluation chiefely to stande And yet for all this we vtterlye condemne not the vse of Churches For they serue for outward religion which is necessary for the profession of fayth and for the nourishing of concorde and vnitie whyle we resort thyther to heare the worde of God that is to saye common prayers and to haue the sacraments ministred Wherevnto Temples must be so ordered that we must thynke it vnlawfull to pollute them with any kinde of prophane vsages But Paule continueth on in describing of God saying that God hath neede of nothing Wherevpon he gathereth that he is not worshypped wyth handes and that religion consisteth not in outwarde obsequies and duties of men He prooueth the Antecedent in that he sayth he giueth life and breath vnto all men By this argument he impugneth the vaine affiance in priests in whome our Auncestours reposed the chiefe part of religion It seemeth Paule tooke his argument out of Gods wordes where he accuseth the Israelites that thought he was worshipped and pleased with sacrifyces For he sayth I will take no Bullocke out of thy house nor hee Goates out of thy foldes For all the beastes of the forrest are mine and so are the cattelles vppon a thousande hilles I knowe all the fowles vpon the mountaines and the wylde beastes of the fielde are in my sight If I be hungry I will not tell thee c. But by this argument it appeareth all popish religion is condemned For what else doe they in that religion but being deceyued by wicked superstition take from the poore commended to vs by Christ the duties which they offer to Saintes that haue no neede yea which knowe vs not Yea the most of their oblations serue for Idols voyde of all senses or for Priests that liue wantonly and in ryot In the meane season superstition hath taken so deepe roote that it is thought a lesse offence to kill a man and robbe him than to take a peece of a vayle from an Idoll or the aultar to clothe a poore bodye with O maners O times But some man maye saye If God be not worshipped by sacrifyces why did he appoynt them for the people by Moses and commaunde them Let vs consider there were two kindes of sacrifyces The one was expiatorie for sinnes so called not for that sinnes coulde be purged by the bloude of Oxen and Gotes for that Paule plainly denieth Heb. 10. but for that they prefygured Christ whome all the holy and godly men beleeued shoulde dye for the sinnes of the worlde at a time long before appoynted They taught vs also that we shoulde slaughter and mortifye all beastlye affections and bring a contrite heart before God which Dauid testifyeth is the acceptablest sacrifyce that God requireth Another kinde of them was gratulatorie or of thankes giuing for benefytes receyued Yet all these for the more part consisted in bloud bicause as yet the bloud of Christ was not shed wherwith only the father shoulde be appeased This bloude therefore being shed and the mysterie of our redemption accomplished there remayned no more sacrifyce expiatorie or propitiatorie for sinnes For Christ his merite is sufficient and there is no neede of other sacrifyce as the Epistle to the Hebrues at large teacheth vs Yet Christians want not sacrifyces but yet vnbloudy for since the bloude of Christ was shedde there is no more vse eyther of beastes bloude or mannes in the things pertayning to the ordinary honouring of God. For they make themselues
Corinthians and vsed his helpe in laying the foundation of a most famous Church Thus commeth it oftentimes to passe that the thing which at the fyrst seemed to vs very grieuous and intollerable is yet at length the cause of great commoditie profyte Therefore Paule for diuers occasions taketh vp his lodging with this man For besides that he was well instructed in the fayth his fortune was to be banished with others made him the more gentle vnto straungers whom they that dwell and liue all their lyfe at home for the most part contemne Furthermore being of the same occupation that Paule was that is to saye a sower or maker of tentes which in those dayes were made of hydes and skynnes it was very commodious for the Apostle to dwell with him bicause he might by the same trade helpe to get his liuing It shall be good to consider yet diligently both Aquilas and Paules person Aquilas giueth vs a notable example both of faith and charitie For being a man of handy-craft and banished he receyueth the Minister of Christ to harbour in a straunge Citie by his example reproouing the richer sort of dishonestie and shame which made so litle account of straungers in their owne dwellings yea it appeareth by other places that his hospitalitie was so great that he had a Church or Congregation in his house Let them therfore be ashamed of their inhumanitie and fylthye niggardenesse which abounding in riches and peace haue no compassion on the banished for Christes sake These shall one day learne to their great griefe what the sorrowes of banishment are and what an heape of cares persecution bringeth with it But they which being enflamed wyth the loue of Christ make much of his seruants and take them in shall fynde the Lorde a most thankefull recompencer who promyseth him a worthy rewarde that giueth but a cuppe of colde water to any one of hys Disciples He shall at the last day take whatsoeuer is done for any of his members as done vnto himselfe Lykewyse in Paule are notable and singuler vertues to be seene For this is an argument of constant fayth that he is not so offended at his course lodging that he woulde therefore forsake Corinth For he knewe that God vsed to choose the despysed things of this worlde wyth the which to set forth hys kingdome to the confusion of them which seeme in their owne conceyte excellent and singular Agayne he exerciseth loue and equitie in that he sitteth not ydle in Aquilas house but layeth his handes to worke and getteth his lyuing honestly Which example as it is worthye of singular commendation so doe they naughtily apply it which by the same exact of all Ministers to labour with their handes as though it were not meete for them to liue of the ministery of the worde For Paule laboured not bicause he thought it vnlawfull for any to liue of the stipend of the Church but for that there was yet no church at Corinth gathered of whose stypende he was able to liue In the meane season he thought he woulde not burthen those fyrst fruites of a Church gathered in Aquilas house whose substaunce and goodes were noâ— verye great Afterwardes when the congregation was growne to a full Church he woulde not vse hys ryght and libertie by reason of the slaunderous reportes of certayne false teachers which sayde that he and such as he was laye in wayte to enrich themselues by other mennes goodes and therefore they taught for naught For this cause woulde Paule in no case be inferior to these fellowes thinking it better for a season to want his dutie than by to hastie calling therfore to bring the Gospell in suspition Yet he sayth he robbed other Congregations to preach vnto the Corinthians freelye And he confesseth that the Philippians releeued him with mony which they sent him By this example of Paule our masking Byshoppes are reprooued who lyuing in ryot lyke Persians vppon the goodes of the Church doe no seruice to the Church at all And not these onely but certaine belly Gods also that glory in the name of the Gospell and yet are giuen altogither vnto couetousnesse shamefully forsaking the Churches where they might by their seruice doe much good for a little lucre and aduauntage sake of some greater stypende and wages Both these sortes shall one daye feele the iudgement of God which will not suffer his Church to be so slenderly regarded for naught But bicause Paule came not to Corinth to the end to sowe Tents but to set out the kingdome of Christ it is also declared which waye he did the same After his accustomed maner he frequented the Church on the sabboth dayes And fyrst he prudentlye moderated his doctrine handling it according to the capacitie of his hearers as he otherwheres confesseth saying he fedde them wyth mylke bicause as yet they coulde not awaye wyth stronger meate Thys order Luke expresseth by this worde perswading to declare that he did creepe as it were within his hearers for feare of ofâ—ending them at the begynning And verily it is to be thought that he proceeded in that order that he vsed at other tymes He knewe the Iewes were ledde with a preposterous zeale of their lawe and that they sought saluation and iustifycation in the workes thereof He taught therefore that all men were sinners and that they were not able of themselues to satisfie the lawe Thereby it was easily to be gathered that an other must be sought for by whose merite men might be saued Which was a most commodious waye to come vnto the mysteries of christ Let all Ministers of the word of God and his Church imitate thys example of Paule least whyle they haue no consideration of their hearers speaking all thinges in a confused order they driue them from the kingdome of Christ whome they myght wynne vsing the matter modestly and prudently Surely he requyreth such a Minister of the worde as can breake or deuyde the worde of truth in due order and rightly And Christ requyreth of him not onely trustinesse but also prudencie But least any man might thinke that Paule fedde them styll wyth mylke Luke wryteth that at length vpon occasion offered he more earnestly handeled Christes cause For when Silas and Timotheus were come out of Macedonia he beganne to pull all his wyttes togyther eyther for that he heard the Gospell had good successe among the Macedonians or else for that he was troubled in his minde with the miserable case and blindenesse of so famous a Citie For whose heart would not be mooued to see so notable a Citie running headlong into hir owne mischiefe and destruction and to see the ignorance of such a sort of men so miserably deceyuing themselues Surely what euer that constraint of Paule was it is certaine that he beganne more earnestly to be incensed by the holye ghost and to preache and testifye to the Iewes more openly that Iesus
of those things which we hearde before in the vj. xvj and .xvij. Chapters By example of these things we learne that we must resist things at the beginning least being led at the fyrst with naughtye desires we feare not to speake agaynst the worde of God and so at length through contention fall to blaspheme it And so little by little entangle our selues in that horrible sinne agaynst the holye ghost and at the last driuen and caryed with gyantlyke audacitie fyght agaynst God the ende whereof shall be none other but the miserable and euerlasting destruction of the soule We haue euerywhere examples hereof But what doth Paule nowe Goeth he from Corinth bicause of these obstinate Iewes so that the wickednesse of a fewe persons is the hinderance of all No. But rather bidding these frowarde and wicked persons adewe he turneth him to the Gentyles And least he might seeme to doe anye thing of heate or passion of mynde he diligently obserueth the trade prescribed of Christ. First he shaketh his garments as we declared he did at Antioch in the .xiij. Chap. where may be seene what is to be learned what this ceremonie or doing meaneth Next he threateneth them with punishment declaring that they perished through their owne default saying your bloude be vpon your owne heade from hence I will goe blamelesse vnto the Gentyles He alludeth vnto the wordes of God written in Ezechiel cap. 3. and .33 after this sort Thou sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman ouer the house of Israel that whereas thou hearest any thing out of my mouth thou may est warne them on my behalfe If I say vnto the wicked thou wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou giuest him not warning that he maye beware of his vngodly way then shall the wicked dye in his owne sinne but his bloude will I require of thy hande Neuerthelesse if thou warne the wicked of his waye to turne from it whereas hee yet will not bee turned from it then shall he dye bicause of his sinne but thou hast deliuered thy soule Unto these wordes I say Paule alluded saying I haue done my duetie and sette before you Iesus Christ the onely authour of saluation but bicause you reiect him you are culpable of your owne perdition and I being in no fault thereof will gette me to the Gentyles Thus he threateneth them the same that Christ doth where he sayth vnto the Scribes The kingdome of God shall bee taken from you and giuen to a Nation that shall bring forth the fruites thereof And this that is sayde vnto the Iewes let all contemners of the Gospell thinke sayd vnto them For where through the Gospell God offereth vs a remedye against destruction they must needes perishe through the iust iudgement of God which wickedly despyse the same In the meane season Paules doing teacheth vs that Ministers of the worde are then blamelesse when they haue faithfully fulfylled their dutie towarde sinners by teaching rebuking and exhorting them But if they be dumbe dogges such as Esay describeth cap. 56. then shall the bloud of those that perishe be requyred of them that is to say God shall make them guiltie of all that bloud that is shedde through their negligence But the Scripture euerywhere setteth out the horrible guiltynesse of bloude See Genes 9. Numer 35. Psal. 51. c. We see therefore it is not without a cause that the Prophets and Apostles vse such vehemencie of zeale in their teaching Paule hauing a regarde herevnto sayde Woe vnto me if I preach not And Amos sayth in the thirde Chapter When a Lyon roareth who will not be afrayde Seeing then that the Lorde God himselfe speaketh who will not prophecie Finally Paule goeth into one Iustus house not for that he hated Aquilas but for the more credit of his protestation For it seemeth that this Iustus was a Gentyle except we shall thinke Paule was fantasticall which woulde forsake a beleeuing Iewes house to go into an other Iewes house Yea his wordes signify asmuch from henceforth I will go vnto the Gentyles Yet there appeareth in Paule a feruent good will towarde his owne Nation For although he chose him a Gentyle to be his hoste yet his desire is to dwell nigh vnto the Synagoge bicause he would want no occasion to winne the Iewes Let all Ministers followe this example For where they are called Pastors and fathers it becommeth them to beare such affection towarde those that perishe as shepeheardes doe towarde their straye sheepe and as fathers doe towarde their vntoward children Such affection declareth Christ when he wept looking on Ierusalem and bewayled the destruction that shoulde come vppon hir by the iust iudgement of God. But Paules industrie and trauayle was not in vayne For of the Iewes Crispus the President of the Synagoge was wonne to the beliefe in Christ whome Paule writeth that he baptized in the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians the fyrst Chapter Also many of the Corinthians beleeued who not long before seemed to be drowned in sinne and perdition And it maye be thought by their baptisme that they did not feigne a fayth but that they openly and plainly protested the same Therefore they want not the blessing of God that labour faithfullye in their vocation neyther can the vnbeliefe and frowardnesse of others frustrate the promise of God as Paule in other places teacheth Rom. 2. As many as fynde they haue grieuous and incurable enimyes may here fetch comfort Moreouer a notable place followeth which teacheth vs that Paule in this businesse was comforted by God where fyrst Paules person is to be considered then God who strengthened him with consolation It appeareth by this consolation that God gaue Paule that as a man he was afrayde And he sawe euery daye before his face many thinges to cause him to feare For he well knewe the incurable rage of the Iewes agaynst Christes doctrine The remembraunce of the daungers he had bene in by their meanes was fresh in his memory And such corruption of the citie as was daily noted in common Prouerbes gaue him small hope of doing anye good there Besides the craftes of false brethren and teachers of whome he oftentimes complayneth in his Epistles Yea he plainly confesseth that he was at Corinth in much feare and trembling And as farre as we can gather by the worde of God Paule was minded to leaue the Citie seeing he had so little hope to doe any good there We learne by this example that euen the seruants of God also are subiect vnto affections and that otherwhiles they are so afrayde that they forgette their dutie For this that Paule suffred at Corinth diuers other founde true to their greater ruine Abraham the father of the beleeuing after he had forsaken his natiue Countrie and shewed a notable proofe of his fayth being ouercome with feare stayned his good name with a fowle lye and brought his wife into great perill and daunger Iacob hauing
vnder and repressed by the power of God whyle Gallio a newe President of Achaia lyeth at Corinthe with one consent set vpon Paule take him bring him into the market before the iudgement seate of the Liefetenaunt By which example we are taught that the promises of God are not so to be vnderstanded as though God had ordeyned vs to be out of all maner daunger and hazarde But rather he will haue vs to be invred with troubles bicause it is so requisite for our fleshe and for the order of our saluation which is the cause that as Dauid sayth Many are the tribulations of the iust but the Lorde delyuereth them from them all Herevnto are the examples of all those to be referred which after most large and ample promyses of God haue bene tempted wyth most grieuous daungers God sayth vnto Abraham I will blesse thee and magnifie thy name I will blesse them that blesse thee and cursse them that cursse thee Yet after this by reason of hys wyfe Sara he was in daunger he was troubled with warres and suffered the great distresse of banishment And yet for all this God is no lyer but hys troth is so much the more manifest bicause he delyuereth him out of so manye and such perilles The same we might affirme of Moses Dauid Ieremie and all the Apostles but that we studie to be briefe Therfore they are greatly deceyued which so expounde the promises of the gospell that they by and by reprooue the Ministers of lying so soone as anye crosse or trouble aryseth Let vs remember that Christ promiseth vs a retribution of those things which we lose in persecution for his names sake and that all they which will follow him must beare the crosse after his example Furthermore let vs in this place obserue the maners and conueyances of the enimies of the truth that we maye the easilyer beware of them Fyrst we see the Iewes seeke occasion craftily to doe harme where vntyll this time they might seeme hushte and quyet For in a whole yeare and a halfe almost they sturred not agaynst Paule But assoone as they had a new Lieftenaunt then they beginne eyther for that they hoped that he was a man voyde of religion and iustice and therefore the fytter for their turne or else for that they thought they might safely make a sturre vnder a newe officer who was not as yet acquainted with the state affayres of Corinth Therfore that wisedome appeareth in them wherin Christ sayth they passe the children of light This teacheth vs that we must not snorte in securitie when the enimies of the truth and those that sometime were our enymies for the truth sake seeme to lye still But rather we must vse the wytte of Serpents against their craftes and enterprises which assoone as oportunitie serueth them will burst forth Wherfore that saying of Ecclesiasticus serueth well to this purpose Beleeue not thine enimie c. Next this the Iewes with one accorde make an insurrection agaynst Paule which is one other propertie of the wicked For where through diuersitie of affections they are alwayes at iarre and hurre yet to set on Christ and his worde they cleaue togyther lyke burres bicause they all hate the same alyke Thus the Phariseyes could agree togither well ynough with the Sadduceyes and Herodians when they went about to apprehende christ And we knowe howe Pylate was reconcyled vnto Herode after he had sent Christ vnto him to be mocked Let no man therefore trust the discordes of the wicked but let him put all his trust in Christ the author of true vnitie and consent But let vs consider the chiefe poynt of the accusation that the Iewes layde vnto Paules charge This fellow say they counselleth men to worship God contrary to the lawe Their meaning is that he bringeth in newe maner of worshippings contrarye to the lawes of god Nowe all alteration of religion was an hatefull thing vnto the Romaines And wythout doubt they amplifyed that fault marueylously and brought forth the Romane lawes as we heard before was done at Philippi Thessalonica But that this was a false accusation maye be gathered by this one argument for that Paule preached Christ which was the ende of the law and in whom were fulfylled whatsoeuer things were conteyned in the bookes of Moses and the Prophetes Yet we see alwayes the true worshippers of God are accused for prophaners of religion and yet are there none more earnest defenders and reuengers of the same then they And here they that are farthest of from all religion bragge most howe they are the maynteyners of religion as the Iewes pretende the keeping of the lawe where they had long agone ouerthrowne the same with mannes traditions So the prophane enimyes of the truth nowe a dayes haue the saintes and ymages of saints in their mouthes agaynst vs where as notwithstanding it is euident they little set by eyther saintes or their ymages For if they will defend the honor of the saintes why doe they not imitate their fayth Why persecute they their doctrine and wrytings with fyre and sworde Why call they them heretikes that desyre to follow their steps If they count ymages so godly a thing why neglect they the liuely ymages of God why robbe they the poore to clothe stockes and stones why burne they christian men to whom Christ hath restored the ymage of God by the price of hys bloude What else therefore doe these men but as the Iewes dyd which vnder a faire pretence of religion wyshed all religion and truth extinguished But what doth Gallio in this vprore Commaundeth he Paule to pleade his cause or giueth he him the hearing No. But being about to speake he interrupteth him which yet might seeme tollerable bicause he pronounced no sentence against him the matter being vndeclared But he cleerely putteth of the matter from his hearing saying it appertayneth not to his determination speaking most contemptuously of the Iewes religion as though it had bene a thing consisting onely in bare and vncertaine wordes or names The cause of his thus speaking he seemed to take of the Iewes owne wordes which by their foolishe genealogies and brawles about wordes caused the gentiles to laugh and scorne at all their religion The like thing we see nowe a dayes in papistrie whose iuglings and friuolous opinions causeth the Iewes and Turkes to laugh at our christian religion And woulde God there were not among the professours of the gospell which by their straunge and queynt questions caused not the vngodlye to scorne the christian fayth But as touching Gallio he commaundeth the busie Iewes to leaue of and putteth them from the barre Wherein some thinges are to be allowed and other some to be reprooued It is to be commended that he rashely condemneth not that religion that he knew not For in so doing he is of more equitie and modestie then many magistrates in our dayes who being ignoraunt in
behooueth that Ministers shoulde be bolde to speake that they dissemble not eyther for fauor or feare But herof we haue spoken before where Paule was cōmaunded to speake and not to hold his peace And the things enioyned the Ministers of the word it is necessary al men that beare office should likewise performe as the scriptures euerywhere declare Yea let all men priuately apply these things to themselfe if they meane to be allowed of God in their vocation For where God requyreth vs to serue him with all our harts we that haue giuen our selues wholye vnto him must not choose but paynefully plainely and feruently occupie our selues in these affayres as meete is Now Luke describeth howe Apollos profyted in the knowledge of Christ and saluation while he goeth about to set forth his glory and to further the saluation of others For he sayth when Aquila and Priscilla had hearde him they tooke him vnto them and expounded the waye of God vnto him more perfitely And here aboue all thinges appeareth the truth of that promise of Christ To euery one that hath sayth he shall be giuen and he shall abounde They are sayde to haue which acknowledge the giftes giuen vnto them and which vse them diligently to the glory of God that when the Lorde requyreth an account of them he may receyue it with vsaunce and encrease This bicause Apollos did performe with all diligence and industrie as we sayde erewhyle therefore God fayleth not of his promise but streightway stirreth vp faythfull Ministers which enforme him more fully and perfytely in his will. This ought to serue for the instruction of all men that they may vnderstande howe all the graces of God are no waye more happily increased than by faithfull studie Thus they that vse their wisedome to the setting forth of Gods glory doe feele euery day how God encreaseth the same The like reason is to be made of learning honours riches and of all other things whereof we lacke not examples to prooue the same Agayne there is no greater cause why the giftes of God are quenched in vs than when we giue our selues rather to sloth and ydlenesse than to the setting forth of Gods glory Here for manye considerations both Aquila and Priscilla and Apollos are to be marked For vnder those fewe wordes the Euaungelist comprehendeth great godlynesse and vertues It is a great argument of godlinesse that they giue eare to Apollos while he teacheth wheras yet they had so great intelligence in the mysteries of Christ that they were able to teach both him and others This is the true marke of the children of God whose propertie Christ sayth is to heare his worde both willingly and often They are reprooued by this example which thinke they haue profyted so much in the knowledge of saluation that they haue neede of no farther instruction and therefore will neyther reade the Scriptures at home nor come at the Church to heare Sermons Thus whyle they thinke they haue profyted to much they openly declare they are yet ignorant what the chiefe cognizance of the children of God is For they bicause they knowe the kingdome of God consisteth not in bare knowledge but rather that God requyreth we shoulde order our life according to the rule of his worde they cannot be satisfyed with hearing bicause they feele that they want much euen in the chiefest poynt Moreouer this holy couple of maried folke declare a feruent desire to the glory of God in taking such an one to instruct as they sawe was able greatly to profyte the Church of christ Agayne it is an argument of true loue and cleare of all enuye that they priuately instruct him and enuie him not that glory that he had hytherto gotten by his faithfull traueyle but rather helpe him that both he may be the more perfytely instructed and the more people woonne by his meane If a manne woulde compare this with the doings in our dayes good Lorde howe few or rather no tokens of so Christian a minde shall we fynde in them which will seeme godlye and restorers of the light of the Gospell For assoone as they perceyue the authoritie of any man to increase by and by the gyddinesse of ambition maketh them to enuie him and they seeke all meanes possible if any occasion serue to bring him in enuye and contempt as though they coulde not prouide for their owne honour but with the infamye of others But howe shall they be beleeued that are so desirous of the honor of the worlde Surely this is the spirite of Cain who we reade rose against hys brother for no other cause but for that he perceyued his brother was better than he and more in fauor with God than he Nowe as in religion and in the ministery of the Church it behooueth to auoyde this mischiefe so in priuate doings it becommeth diligently to auoyde all occasions of enuye and hatred if we will be called the true children of god But as in Aquila and Priscilla these vertues appeare so in Apollo maye be perceyued a rare and singuler modestie and tractabilitie For he that excelled in eloquence and in all kinde of learning is contented to be taught of a man of handycraft and of a woman vnknowne to him before this time and straungers For true is that saying of Paule that the spirites of the Prophetes are subdued vnto the Prophetes Nowe compare with this Apollo the arrogaunce of them which cannot abyde to be admonished or rebuked of their Coministers whereof there is to great a number in these dayes But as in times past the insolencie of such did much hurt vnto the Church so this is the chiefe cause in these dayes that there is such contention euerywhere bicause there are in all places which take vpon them such rule in the Church that they esteeme their brethren and Coministers but as dogges or hogs Besides these is there yet an other argument whereby Appollos declareth his feruent desyre to set forth the kingdome of God. For after he perceyued he was sufficiently instructed in the knowledge of Christ he appointed to go into Achaia to Corinth bicause he perceyued that Church had much neede of his helpe For as valyant souldyours of their owne accord choose them such places as where they see is most labour and daunger so they which will traueyle in the warfare of the Church with their commendation and the profyte of the same Church must dyligently obserue where their help is most requisite and thyther haste themselues dyligently that by their negligence the kingdome of God suffer no detriment Here also is the fayth and dyligence of the brethren of Ephesus to be obserued which would not let the faythfull Minister of Christ and one that had deserued so well of their congregation to depart without a publike testimonie of his vertuous behauiour yea they so commend him vnto the Corinthians that they also desyre them to giue him the rowme
of a teacher in their Church For as it is needefull that a Minister of the worde haue the commendation of persons abrode that he fall not into the snare of the slaunderer so they may not be denyed the commendation of their vertue which haue declared their fayth by manifest arguments vnto the Church For they that promote such as these are to the ministerie deserue no small prayse in the kingdome of god Againe they are worthyly accounted wicked both against Christ and the church which of blinde affection keepe backe such as are worthy from the ministerie yet we must beware as Paule sayth that we admyt not euerie one rashely therevnto least we be partakers of other mennes sinnes And that we say of the Ministers of the church is to be obserued of all other in any maner of office or vocation that is to say that the worthy be set forwarde and the vnworthy repulsed and kept backe as much as in vs lyeth least whyle we commende naughtie packes we endammage and indaunger the whole common weale And as concerning Apollos he endeuored himselfe to aunswere the testimony and commendation of the brethren least they might seeme to haue thrust an vâ—meete Minister into an other peoples Church For he much profyted the brethren at Corinth which beleeued through the grace of god Now whether a man referre this worde grace to Apollos or to the Corinthians it commeth all to one sense For he teacheth thereby that nothing is to be attributed to mannes industrie but howe God is to be taken for the author of all goodnesse which did vouchsafe to giue such an increase whereof Paule disputeth at large in the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians the thirde chapter And surely if the Corinthians had well considered this one thing they had neuer giuen place to those which afterwarde disturbed the Church with the factious names of Paules disciples Peters and Apollos But Luke declareth also the meane and waye howe Apollos thus profyted the brethren namely by open confuting of the Iewes and by proouing out of the scriptures that Iesus was Christ that is to say that sauiour of the worlde that was promised which place teacheth vs many things needefull to be obserued For fyrst we learne that not onely the Church hath neede to be instructed but also that the aduersaries should be confuted For they can not much profyte the church which doe not with all their endeuour go about to roote vp false doctrine euen as that tyllage can not be fruitfull which suffreth thornes and coccle to growe among it For this cause Ieremie is commaunded fyrst to weede and pull vp and then after that to builde plant And Paule appointeth such an one to be Byshop as is able to conuince the gainesayers and aduersaryes And that we say of false teachers which must needes be confuted the same is also to be vnderstanded of open and notorious naughtie packes which gyue occasion of offence vnto the weaker sort For the faythfull Minister must set on them also with the sworde of the spirite or else leaue his Church to be torne of the Woolues Therefore they are farre deceyued which woulde haue the gospell so preached nowe a dayes that men must speake neyther against impious doctrine nor vngodlynesse of maners We are furthermore admonished with what weapons church men must fyght verilie with Scriptures which Paule sayth are inspyred of God and profytable to teach improoue exhorte and amende 2. Timoth. 3. They are fowlely therfore deceyued that say the heretikes must not be conuinced by scriptures bicause they are to obscure and darke to conuince them by Wherefore they flye vnto counselles and to the determination of the church But therein they fare as if one should take from a souldyour going to the battayle his sworde of yron and giue him one of leade As though the authority of mans constitutions were greater than the holy ghost which speaketh in the scriptures Finally as we haue oftentimes aduertised here is repeated the ende of preaching the gospell which is to beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord sauiour to whom be praise honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xix. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxxv. Homelie IT fortuned whyle Apollos was at Corinth that Paule passed through the vpper coastes and came to Ephesus and founde certaine disciples and sayde vnto them haue you receyued the holy ghost since you beleeued And they sayde vnto hym no we haue not heard whether there be any holye ghost or no. And he sayde vnto them wherewith then were ye baptised And they sayde with Iohns baptisme Then sayde Paule Iohn verily baptised with the baptisme of repentaunce saying vnto the people that they shoulde beleeue on him which shoulde come after him that is on Christ Iesus When they heard this they were baptised in the name of the Lorde Iesus And when Paule layde his handes vpon them the holye ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophecyed and all the men were about twelue BYcause the Euaungelist Luke beganne to speake of the begynning of the Ephesian church in the chapiter going before he maketh an ende of that hystorie now in this chapiter declaring howe Paule returned to Ephesus according to his promise and there brought the church so happily begonne vnto a perfection But that the power of Gods grace declaring it selfe by preaching of the gospell may appeare the more before all things we haue to consider Ephesus the which writers report was the most famous Citie in all Asia For by reason it was of situation and fruitfulnesse of soyle so commodious for traffiquers it grewe to be passing riche Beside the fame of false religion which called gestes thither from all partes of the worlde For there was the Church of Diana the most sumptuous gorgeous thing that was builded in all the worlde bicause it appeareth that all Asia was occupied in the buylding thereof about a two hundred and twentie yeares togither so that it was worthyly accounted among the miracles of the worlde In this Citie therefore raigned ryot and superstition which commonly hath wayting 〈◊〉 hir as hir companions and handemaydes magicall and curious artes whereof we shall see when we come to the place that the Ephesians were most sâ—udious Yet Paule so conuerted this Citie within the space of two yeares that there was founded a most famous Church there vnto the which afterwarde Christ attributeth no small praise in his reuelation In this place we haue partly to consider the grace of God which Paule hereafter commendeth to the Ephesians by this their owne example as may be seene in his Epistle to them seconde chapiter and partly here appeareth the power of the ministerie of the gospell which neyther the authoritie of rooted superstition neyther pryde and glorie of the worlde could hynder but that Christes kingdome flourished where the same gospell was preached Moreouer Luke purposing to declare a storie
of the things done by Paule at Ephesus beginneth to tell fyrst howe he brought certaine persons to frame that vaunted themselues of the gospell but were not throughly instructed therein and howe he adourned that church with the giftes of the holye ghost Which hystorie as it serueth much to our instruction so is it for this cause dyligently to be considered bycause dyuers men in times past haue contended by authoritie of this place to baptise those againe which before had bene baptised by Heretiques At this day also the Anabaptistes abuse the same a verie frowarde and phrentike kinde of persons keeping infantes from their baptisme and affirming that none ought to be baptised but such as are of yeares of discretion and well infourmed in the principles and knowledge of Christ. But that both these and the olde wryters were deceyued it shall easily appeare by the text it selfe whereby it shall be prooued that Paule ment nothing lesse in this dooing than that which they go about to gather thereof For fyrst it is sayd Paule went about to examine certaine disciples which he met withal after he came again to Ephesus But it is not lykely that these and no more had professed Christ bicause we may gather a greater vtilitie of the gospell among the Ephesians by that we heard in the ende of the .xviij. chapiter Nowe that Paule taketh these to examine rather then any other this seemeth to be the cause for that they liued not agreeably to the profession of christian men For it is like it hapned at Ephesus as it doth commonly in euery place when the truth is fyrst preached but the discipline of the church not fully established For then we shall see many which will professe to be gospellers more for hatred of the olde state then for loue of the truth bicause they would vnder a cloke of the gospell liue the more licentiously Bycause Paule perceyued that these were such a kinde of people to the intent they might be brought to better conformitie and passe and not perishe like those that receyued the seede of the gospell into a stonie grounde Paule beginneth to examine them of their beliefe and so to laye before their eyes howe farre they were as yet from the marke of perfection He demaundeth therefore if they had receyued the holy ghost This question must be vnderstanded of the giftes of the holye ghost which God at that time vsed to giue to the faithfull that is to say the knowledge of tongues and exposition of the scripture whereof we haue already manye times intreated This place teacheth vs howe to know true christians from false and counterfeyte For although those speciall giftes of the holye ghost which were sometime miraculously giuen be at this day ceassed yet the promise of Iesus Christ remayneth fyrme which promised his spirite to those that were his And as Paule elsewhere sayth they that haue not the spirite of Christ can not be his members And the other effectes of Gods holye spirite are as necessary at this daye as the vnderstanding of tongues and interpretation of scripture was in time passed namely the mortifycation of the olde man the regeneration and innouation of our minde purifycation sanctifycation and such other like As many therefore as lacke all these things it is certaine they boast in vaine of the faith name of Christ except we shall say that the spirite of Christ is an ydle and sluggishe spirite But let vs heare the aunswere of them whome Paule examineth in which they vtter a very grosse and barbarous ignoraunce saying No we haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no. But howe were they ignoraunt of the holy ghost which had heard so often mention of him in the lawe and in the Prophets For it is out of doubt they were Iewes bicause they were baptized with the baptisme of Iohn Were they ignoraunt then of that saying of Moses which in the beginning of his hystorie wryteth that the spirite of God mooued vpon the waters Or else had they neuer heard that saying of Dauid by the worde of the Lorde were the heauens made and all the hostes of them by the breath of his mouth Againe take not thy holye spirite from me Besides they might haue knowne the voyce of the Messias speaking by the Prophet the spirite of the Lorde God is vpon me c. How is it therefore that they say they haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no The aunswere is easie For as Paule demaunded of the effectes of the holy ghost so they make aunswere concerning the same as if they should say we being content with those things which we haue heretofore learned seeke no farther neyther care we whether there be any holye ghost or no which worketh such peculiar giftes in mens mindes bicause we thinke the knowledge hereof to high for vs and not to appertaine to vs So these men be an example of carnall people which professe the truth with their mouth but haue denyed the power thereof as Paule sayth and in deede refuse that which with mouth they confesse 2 Timoth. 3. Tit. 1. A great number of these are euery where to be founde who being perswaded that the bare name of Christ is sufficient vnto blisse doe little regarde the giftes of the holy ghost namely the mortifycation of the fleshe the renewing of the minde regeneration sanctification and such lyke And through these mens faulte it commeth to passe for the most part that the doctrine of the gospell is so yll spoken of in the worlde Therefore such must not be suffered but be reprooued and their dissimulation must be disclosed that both they may vnderstande their errour and other be the lesse offended So doth Paule in this place For he gathereth nerer vpon them vrgeth them to confesse that they were not come to the christian perfection For he sayth In whose name then were you baptized That is to say what professed you when you fyrst receyued the Gospell and ioyned your selues to the Church of Christ They aunswere they were baptised with the baptisme of Iohn and so they testifye that they professed that doctrine religion wherof Iohn was a Minister and teacher and therby they plainly shewe they care little for any other than that Nowe Paule here catcheth them and holdeth them fast and inferreth Iohn sayth he baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying to the people that they shoulde beleeue on him that was to come after him that is in Iesus Christ hereby teaching that Iohn requyred a farre other thing of his Disciples than a bare profession of his name and of the Gospell For fyrst he appoynted repentaunce wherevnto with great earnestnesse he exhorted all degrees of persons as appeaâ—eth Luc. 3. Neyther requyreth he onely repentaunce but sheweth also remission of sinnes preaching Iesus Christ whose forerunner he was appoynted of God to be He taught men to embrace him by true fayth to
and voyde of excuse before God forasmuch as they which before had the charge of them are cleare from the bloud of them This ought to be obserued in the Churches of this age reformed by the word of god The reformatioÌ„ hereof was both laborious very dangerous What excuse then shall the light backsliders haue seeing that the very dust of the Ministers shall suffise to conuince theÌ„ as we haue otherwheres declared The like is nedeful to be obserued in the coÌ„mon weale In Heluetia we enioy a libertie redemed with the bloud of our Auncestrie Good lawes are made out of the doctrine of the Gospell a discipline of maners instituted with much labour paynes Then wo vnto vs wretches worthy of all punishmeÌ„t if either through cowardly fear or light demeanor or wickednesse we suffer these things to be takeÌ„ froÌ„ vs in which our publike weale coÌ„sisteth So the faythful industrie care of the parents maketh the children inexcusable if they bee not aunswerable vnto the same Finally it is all mens duetie well to remember this least whyle they flatter them selues they put the faulte in another whereof they are guyltie It is further worthy to bee obserued that Paule hath shewed them all the councell of God namely touching our redemption and saluation Wee knowe otherwyse that there are many thinges in the prouidence of God which it is not lawefull for vs to searche out neither can they be declared by tong suche as Paule testifieth he heard in the thirde heauen But he omitted none of the things whiche concerne our saluation bycause he hath declared the causes and reason thereof and also moste truely reported the dueties of them which are saued Whervpon agayne wee gather that the Apostles doctrine conteyned in the Scriptures is perfect and absolute in all poyntes Therfore the vanitie of them is very rashe which thruste the traditions of men into the Church whereof the greatest part playnly repugne agaynst the doctrine of the Apostles which teache vs that Chryste alone is our Sauiour For it can not be that the things so playnely repugnaunt amongest them selues can haue one selfe spirite of God to bee the author of them Laste of all thou shalte note that thoughe Paule shewed all the counsell of God vnto the Ephesians yet afterwarde he wrote an Epistle to them wherein he expounded the same vnto them agayne By this example wee are taughte what a care and consideration Ministers of the Churche muste haue of all mens saluation and howe lyttle Apostolyke they are which so easily neglecte the Churches In the meane season let vs learne to embrace with true fayth and obedience the councell of God reuealed to vs by the Apostles in Iesus Chryste that wee followyng the same may attayne vnto true saluation throughe Iesus Chryste our onely Lorde and Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxv. Homelie TAke hede therfore vnto yourselues and to all the flocke among whom the holy ghost hath made you ouerseers to rule the congregation of God which he hath purchased with his bloud For I am sure of this that after my departure shall greeuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your owne selues shal men arise speaking peruerse things to draw Disciples after them Therfore awake and remember that by the space of three yeres I ceased not to warne euery one of you night and day with teares And now brethren I coÌ„mend you to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to builde further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified SEing nothing is more deare and precious to God than the church which he hath purchased with the bloud of Christ it becommeth all men that will be compted for Gods seruauntes and frendes to studie for the preseâ—uation therof but cheefely this care belongeth to the Ministers of the woorde bicause God hath made them peculiar ouerseers of his Churche and will heereafter require an accompt of their stewardship For the which cause Paule the Apostle being ready to forsake Asia called to the Ministers of the Church and in open assembly before them discoursed diligently of al things which appertained to the administration of the charge committed vnto them And first he setteth before them his owne example and speaketh of his going away from them with a moste graue protestation that they might know how al the charge of the church hereafter lay on them only and therfore that they ought the more earnestly and zelously to laboure therein Moreouer after these premisses he commeth nearer admonishing them more plainely of their duetie alleaging moste pithie reasons the rather to prouoke them First propounding the summe of the matter in fewe wordes he saythe Take hede vnto your selues and to all the flocke By this worde attending or taking hede he commeÌ„deth to them an earnest studie that they should not think they had then done their duetie when they had but superficially seene vnto it but that they should know there was great neede of care and circumspection And he propoundeth two things wherein they had neede to be circumspect First he saith Take hede to your selues This he commaundeth them bicause they should not think their selues excepted or excused but that their health and wel doing was in hazard as well as other mennes And as it is scarce credible that they shall haue any earnest care of others saluation which neglect their owne so they which beeing set in high degree ought to view the life manners and conuersation of others can not be out of daunger For either they shal swarue at one side and runne into ruine being puffed vp with vaine glory or else they shal be drawne from doing their duetie by being offended with mennes vniuste iudgements of them Therfore it is not without a cause that he admonisheth them to take heede of them selues And heere it behoueth pastoures to haue a special care of two things The one is doctrine wherein they can not erre without manifest detriment That their doctrine therefore may be true let it be taken from the mouthe of God which speaketh vnto vs in the scriptures and distributing the same in prudeÌ„t maner let them vse it duely in time and place that al things may serue to edification Bicause this is a matter of no small importance the continuall studie and reading of holy scripture is needeful as the same Paule teacheth vs in an other place The other is conuersation of life which in Ministers behooueth to be well ordered and blamelesse least they destroy with their euill example that they builde vp by their doctrine and that by their meanes bothe doctrine and religion growe not in contempt as we read it came to passe sometimes vnder the children of Hely and the wicked Priests that returned from Babylon 1. Sam. 2. Malach. 1. and .2 And for the auoyding of these and such like things it is
an angel hath appeaâ—ed to him let vs not stryue agaynst god And when there arose great deâ—bate the Captaine fearyng lest Paule should haue bene plucked asunder of them commaunded the souldiers to go downe and to take him from among them and to bring him into the Castle GOd vseth to exercise his chosen with diuers and greeuous tribulations but agayne he deliuereth them diuers and many times by meanes vnlooked for of both which we haue examples in euerye place But among them all this is very notable which the holy ghost setteth forth by Luke in Paule the chosen vessell of christ For we haue hearde howe he was many wayes layde wayte for by the Iewes and was many times in daunger of his life But God oftentimes raised vp new helpes which for the moste part were suche as Paule once thought not of muche lesse coulde haue wished for or requyred For fyrste he was deliuered out of the furiouse Iewes handes by the Captayne and his Souldiers Shortlye after where he woulde haue pleated his cause he was defended from scourging by priuiledge of the freedome of Rome at length when the Captaine had committed both his matter and life vnto most wicked Iudges God sendeth such a diuision among his enemies that they which not long before wished his death pronounced him innocent These things ought to comfort vs that we through cowardly feare giue not ouer in time of temptation For they confirme the promisses of God wherby he euery where promiseth to be the reuenger of his people But where in this presente place there are many other things also very worthy to be considered it shall bee profitable to examine all the circumstances of the matter which is here rehearsed Fyrst and formost it behoueth throughly to consyder the cause of the dissention which Luke saith was the diuersitie of sectes among the Iewes for some of his aduersaries were Phariseis and some Saduceis And as touching the sectes of the Iewes there are many thinges written in Iosephus which referreth their beginning vnto the time of the Machabees And in deede the approuedst authors testifie that they began vnder Iohannes Hircanus the first for when the Priestes applied them selues more to beare rule than to care for religion diuers opinions began to spring about religion by reason the doctrine of Gods worde ceased which God had appoynted to be still among his people Therfore three sectes sprong vp which deuided the vnitie of the Church and people of god The fyrst was that of the Phariseis who not contented with the lawe folowed traditions and beleued that righteousnes and saluation might be atteyned by workes besides being giuen to the study of Astrologie they taught fatall destenie not much differing in this point from the Stoikes And these men being cloked with the outwarde couering of workes were taken for the most holy of all other The second was the Saduceis who denying that men were subiect vnto destenie attributed freewill vnto them and although they seemed earnestly to commende the studie of vertue yet opened they the windowe vnto Epicure and vnto all kynde of licentious liuing For they denied the Angels and immortalitie of the soule and the resurrection of the body This sect of all other was in most aucthoritie bicause it gaue more libertie than the sharpe traditions of the Phariseis and therfore was very acceptable vnto many Of the thirde sect were the Esseni who perceyuing that the Phariseis and Saduceis measured or weighed vertue but by wordes only and would not them selues expresse the same in their deedes liued a single life would haue no seruantes had their goods common gat their liuing with the labour of their hands and would not come at publique seruice for feare of polluting them selues with other mens companie And bicause these men were fewe in number and sought not to be in office and aucthoritie they got them to dwell in pleasaunt places set with Balsamum where they planted gardens and studied Phisicke wherby bicause they dyd men good they gat great commendation of vertue among all men These mens vsages the Anabaptistes in our dayes doe greatlye resemble sauyng that they more disturbe common weales and fulfill their profession lesse sincerelye bicause they runne headlong into all kynde of beastlinesse and are miserablye vexed and tossed with the perturbations of enuie and hatred Yet bicause thys rule of the Essenes was somewhat austere and vnpleasant it had therefore as we saide the fewer that followed it This is the cause that the wryters of the Gospell make mention onely but of the two first sectes Wee haue to obserue what euill the couetousnesse of Bishoppes and idlenesse that springeth thereof vseth to breede seeing these euilles so defourmed the primitiue Churche For the orders of Monkes in Papistrie bredde of the like beginning abundantly teache vs that this is alwayes the effecte of those vices For the which cause we haue the more neede to take heede in these dayes that the like or worsse happen not againe Also the goodnesse of God is to bee magnified which in so foule a scatterment of his flocke hathe yet reserued some remnauntes in his Churche whereby the same at lengthe might be renewed againe as we see came to passe in the Papacie where the Monkes in euery place ruled the roste For at all times and in all places there haue bene found which durst openly inuey against their hipocrisie and dissimulation to say nothing of those which haue lien lurking in their houses haue thought it great wickednesse to be pertakers of their superstitiousnesse Heere in this place hast thou what to answer the aduersaries which aske if there were no Churche before Luther and Zwinglius dayes Yes wee knowe there was a Churche but the same almoste ouerwhelmed and buryed suche an one as we read was before Christes time among the Iewes and suche an one as was in the dayes of Helias when God saide there were seuen thousand left which had neuer bowed the knee vnto Baal although Helias knewe not one of them Furthermore as concerning this present Historie wee are taught that although the wicked bee diuersly deuided bothe in manners and religion yet they will easily agree togither againste Christe and the truthe For where they all fighte vnder one Prince which is the Deuill they cannot chuse but all take him for their ennimie which specially assaulteth his kingdome Woulde God that they woulde diligently consider these things which seeke their cheefe praise and glory by dissentions and debates which they practise against the Ministers of Christ taking theyr naughtie affections vnto Counsell For heereby they encourage the wicked ennimies of Christe which thinke it an easie matter to vanquishe them whome they see contend so bitterly among themselues But hereof we shall haue more commoditie to speake else where Nowe lette vs see Paule who perceiuing his bande of aduersaries to consist of so diuers sectes deuiseth a way by and by howe to set them
and wyckedlye abused their gifte of libertie they are nowe depriued thereof and constrayned to suffer suche presidentes as had neyther commendation of Nobilitie nor fame of vertue but were defamed and euill reported by reason of filthye luste and beastlye crueltie And where yet they woulde not amende for all these plagues at length they were vtterlye forsaken and shut out of the kingdome of god These thynges suche menne oughte diligentlye to consyder as nowe a dayes also abuse the prerogatiue of libertie and make of it an vnbrydeled licenciousnesse bothe of saying and doyng But returne we to Lysias the Captaynes letter whiche after he had superscribed it begynneth the narration with Paules greate commendation For he declareth that he was apprehended for no demerite or faulte that hee hadde done through the vnreasonablenesse and iniustice of the Iewes Next he sayth he is a Citizen or freeman of Rome At length hee testifieth he is an Innocent where he sayth he had done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment and that the Iewes had made this sturre and adoo agaynst him for no cause but for their lawe and religion sake This is a singuler commendation but we muste remember that these are the wordes of a Souldier and that he speaketh after the maner of the Romanes For where they desyred the vtter abolishment of the Iewes religion they cared not whether the presidents defended the same or not Therfore we see euery where that they litle regarded controuersies in religion But God commaundeth a farre other thyng whiche appointeth Magistrates to haue a speciall care of religion for it is not meete that they whom God of his goodnesse hath placed in such degree of dignitie should suffer the honour of God to be eyther neglected or defaced Yet the craft of the children of this worlde appeareth in the Captayne which so trimly dissembleth his errour committed in bynding and whipping a Citizen of Rome wryting now nothing but that that made for the getting of him praise and fauour Here is cheefly to be marked what a care God hath of his true seruauntes consydering he defendeth their innocencie by testimonie of their enimies Example hereof we nowe see euery day wheras they highly extoll and praise the Prophetes and Apostles which persecute their faith and doctrine with deadly hatred Why therfore feare we the slaunders of enimies or infamie of the worlde Nowe remaineth the latter part of the Epistle which consisteth of a certayne preoccupation or aunswere to an obiection that myght be made For lest Felix myght be offended for that an innocent person was not rather set at libertie than sent to hym with suche coste and charges He sheweth also the cause hereof he saith he did thus bycause of the waites that the Iewes laide for him which Paule shoulde neuer haue escaped if he had ben set at libertie Therfore it behoued in this wyse sayth he to prouide for the safetie of an innocent to see publique peace obserued Where againe the example of this Captayne putteth Magistrates in remembraunce of their duetie namely to take heede that no man suffer violence or iniurie because it is euident they are cheefly ordeyned to the ende that good men should not be oppressed through the insolencie and pleasure of other that are wicked Reade Psalm 72. Rom. 13. It foloweth what successe this matter had verilye a moste happye as God ordered it For the Souldiers faithfully fulfill the charge committed vnto them and bring Paule safely vnto Felix the President and he as though he had chaunged his nature becommeth curteous and easy to be spoken to and asketh him what cuntrey man he is Which when he knew he deferreth the hearing of his matter vntil the comming of his accusers For the lawe of nature teacheth vs that both partes ought to be hearde before sentence be giuen Let vs remember that all these thinges so happened according to Gods prouidence For it was his working that the Souldiers without grutching serued Paules turne that they were ready to defende him with perill of their lyfe that Felix accepteth him more curteously and frendly than his custome was and causeth hym to be kept in Herodes Iudgement Hall being an honest kynde of pryson The vse of these thinges is to teache vs that we must not passe much vpon the enterprises of men but studie onelye to please God which can mollifie barbarous mens heartes tame sauage and wylde maners and turne our enimies heartes to loue vs Let these thinges embolden vs with inuincible constancie of fayth to ouercome the tyrannie of the worlde and so to lyue hereafter eternally in heauen with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xxiiij. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Clij Homelie AFter fiue dayes Ananias the Highe priest descended with the Elders and with a certaine Oratour named Tertullus which enfourmed the Deputie against Paule And when Paule was called foorth Tertullus began to accuse him saying Seeing that wee liue in greate quietnesse by the meanes of thee and that many good things are done vntoo this Nation through thy prouidence that allowe we euer and in all places most noble Felix with all thankes Notwithstanding that I be not tedious vnto thee I pray thee that thou wouldest heare vs of thy curtesie a fewe wordes For we haue found this man a pestilent fellowe and a moouer of debate vnto all the Iewes in the worlde and a maintainer of the secte of the Nazarites which hath also enforced to pollute the Temple whome wee tooke and would haue iudged according to our lawe but the highe Captaine Lysias came vpon vs and with great violence tooke him away out of our handes commaunding his accusers to come vnto thee of whom thou mayest if thou wilte enquire knowe the certaintie of all these thinges whereof we accuse him The Iewes likewise affirmed saying that these thynges were euen so THe Euangelist Luke declareth in this Chapiter how Paule was handled before Felix the Presidente beinge sente to hym from the Captayne that was appoynted for the safegarde of Ierusalem as we haue heard before In the whiche Narration firste it is declared howe the hyghe Priest and Elders layde matter of death vnto Paules charge And albeit that Paule so declared and opened his cause that the Lord Presidente coulde fynde no matter of death agaynst hym yet he keepeth him in pryson two whole yeares together and bicause he woulde shewe the Iewes a pleasure leaueth him bounde in pryson still till Pontius Festus succeeded him in the office These thynges are declared to this ende that we may learne thereby what state the godly are lyke to be in alwayes in this worlde and howe the worlde continually hateth them forasmuch as we see the Iewes spare for no laboure or costes to bryng Paule beyng a most faithful preacher of gods word to his cōfusion But as Christ prophecied these things shold happē to his disciples euē so he
maiestie of the Sainâ—tes which cheefely triumpheth vnder the crosse and afflictions For nowe Paule thoughe he were in bandes yet like a King and Emperoure hath souldiers obedient at his becke and commaundement The like wee haue seene also many times before and the Euangelistes teache vs that the Baptist made Herode afraide Why then are we offended at the crosse and afflictions Let vs rather constantly followe our vocation seeing the hande of God is able to defende vs in the middest of oure ennimies and looke for a rewarde in heauen which oure sauioure Iesus Christ hathe purchased vs through his merite to whome be praise honor power and glory foreuer Amen The Clxxiij Homelie ANd from thence when the brethren hearde of vs they came to meete vs at Appiforum and at the three tauernes When Paule sawe them he thanked God and waxed bolde And when we came to Rome the vnder captaine deliuered the prisonners to the cheefe Captaine of the hoste But Paule was suffered to dwell by himselfe with a souldioure that kepte him And after three dayes Paule called the cheefe of the Iewes togither and when they were come he saide vnto them Men and brethren thoughe I haue committed nothing againste the people or lawes of the Elders yet was I deliuered prisonner from Ierusalem into the hands of the Romanes which when they had examined me would haue let me goe bicause there was no cause of deathe in me But when the Iewes spake contrary I was constrained to appeale vnto Caesar not that I had ought to accuse my nation of For this cause then haue I called you euen to see you to speake with you bicause that for the hope of Israel I am bounde with this chaine And they saide vnto him we neither receiued letters out of Iewrie pertaining vnto thee neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harme of thee But we will heare of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this secte we knowe that euery where it is spoken against ALl Paules affaires done in the time of his Apostleship are very notable and for many skilles singuler yet the chefe among them is his bringing out of Iewrie vnto Rome with so great a preparation there to plead Christes cause the christian faith before Caesar. For how rare and insolent a thing this was in the iudgement of the world it shall easily appeare if a man compare Paules persone being of small account and reputation yea hated enuied almost of all men with the maiestie of Caesar and the whole Romane Empire whereof all nations and people stoode in feare For it could neuer haue beene brought to passe by any meanes of man that either the Romane Presidents shuld haue taken so greate paines in suche a mannes behalfe or that Nero the Emperor a man wholely set on fire with voluptuousnesse and tyrannie should haue suffered suche an one to haue come in his sighte or to heare him onlesse God had mightily stretched out his hande whose affaires all these things in doing were This was the cause that Luke described all this voyage so diligently which the Lord for many causes woulde haue notified that the fame and report of Paule going before should excite and stirre vp the mindes of the Romanes to heare him And this present place teacheth vs that the successe of Gods deuise was not in vaine wherein many other things recourse the consideration whereof is able singularly to enstruct and comfort vs. For Luke wryteth that the Brethren came oute of Rome vnto Appiforum and to the place called in the vulgare tong Tipergote whome when he saw he gaue thankes vnto God and conceiued thereby a greater boldnesse of minde In this place aboue all other things wee haue to consider God by whose dispensation it is certaine all these things came to passe For it pleased him that hys Seruaunte shoulde bee confirmed by the meeting of these Brethren that hee mighte afterwarde the more boldly wade thoroughe with Chrystes cause Whereunto also is to bee referred that wee heard laste touching the Brethren of Puteoli For althoughe Paule was bolde inoughe and ready to suffer not onely bondes but deathe also for the name of Christe yet was hee a man and wanted not his temptations And surely hee mighte well haue feared that hee shoulde haue laboured in vaine in Christes cause in suche a Citie whereas vngodlynesse and tirannie raigned God therefore to plucke this care oute of his minde moueth these Brethren to goe and meete him that hee mighte see howe there wanted not suche as hee mighte confirme by the Example of his constancie and as woulde helpe him with their Prayers in thys conflicte Lette vs therefore bee encouraged by this Example and constantly holde on in our vocation For neither shall the godly zeale of Gods woorde want his frute nor God himselfe faile vs who can most easely gette vs euery where suche as will take parte with vs bothe in laboures and daungers Againe the brethren at Rome are also to be considered For we knowe how Paule wrote an Epistle vnto them before these things came to passe in the which hee declareth aboundantly bothe his good will towardes them and promiseth that hee woulde come vnto them Therefore for this good tournes sake they shewe themselues thankeful vnto him although there were manye things that mighte haue discouraged them therefro For firste hee commeth with no pompe or worshipfull traine but is broughte bounde like a malefactoure with other prisonners Who woulde not haue beene ashamed of suche a man Or who woulde not haue feared some daunger by companying with him Againe it was a thing of it selfe daungerous among the Romanes to professe the Christian faithe and Religion which during the raigne of Tiberius as Tertullian wryteth was condemned by publike statute and decree Furthermore these that mette him were not onely in daunger but the whole Congregation at Rome beside for whome by this occasion more diligent and earnest searche and inquisition myghte haue beene made But howesoeuer these matters wente they thoughte it meete to declare theyr duetie of loue to suche an Apostle which trauailed so earnestly in the behalfe of all menne and therefore they had leiuer to incurre any daunger than to bee founde flacke in dooing their duetie These things teache vs what we owe vnto the Ministers of Christe by whose ministerie wee are broughte vnto saluation if at any time they happen to be in daunger for their faithe and doctrine Lette vs not bee ashamed of them beeing in bandes forasmuche as wee knowe that Christe was bounde and that the woorde of God can not bee bounde Againe hee will heereafter accepte it as bestowed on him that is bestowed on them At lengthe wee haue to consider Paule hymselfe also of whome there are two things affirmed Firste hee giueth thankes vnto God which is not so to bee vnderstanded as thoughe hee hadde lette the brethren passe and not once spoken vnto them For
necessitie vrge vs we nede be carefull neither for time nor place Howbeit when we enioy peace and haue Christian magistrates then we must haue a regard vnto order which requireth bothe time and place Therefore the examples of the primitiue Churche doe nothing defende the furious clamoures of the Anabaptistes bicause necessitie in times passed compelled them in their assemblies to doe diuers things contrary to our vsage Secondly heere is declared the argumente of Paules sermon with the order of teaching that he vsed For he expounded the kingdome of God testifying and preaching vnto them Iesus Christe But by the kingdome of God we haue oftentimes said the Gospell is vnderstanded And hereof Paule coulde not very well intreate but he muste also confute the erroure of the Iewes which of the Prophesies wrongfully vnderstoode dreamed that the kingdome of their Messias should be worldly Wherfore they were to be taught that that kingdom was spiritual the beginning wherof in this world is the whole regeneration of man the newnesse of life the marke end therof eternal felicitie which is prepared for vs in heauen And bicause the Iewes knewe not the aucthor of this kingdome he did teache them that Iesus Christe was hee vnto whome according to the office of an Apostle he beareth witnesse plainely and also exhorted all men to receiue him Let vs heere obserue how the doctrine of the gospell is called the kingdome of God verely of the ende and effecte thereof For it offreth vnto vs bothe the kingdome of God and true felicitie and bringeth vs vnder the rule and gouernaunce of God while it subdueth all our reason and vnderstanding vnder the obedience of faithe Heere as many as glory in the name of the Gospell are warned of their duetie Let them remember that the kingdome of God is preached therein and therefore lette them haue a care that God may raigne in them that the kingdome of the Deuill may bee abolished which we knowe Christe came in the fleshe to destroy Againe the Ministers are admonished of the true trade and way of Preaching the Gospell vnto the which these three things are necessary First they muste declare and open the mysteries of this kingdome that the simpler sorte bee not seduced by false imaginations Then they muste beare witnesse of Iesus Christe that all men may vnderstand howe hee is the aucthoure of this kingdome and of true felicitie Finally they muste instantly exhorte and persuade men that they despise not the saluation offered in Christe Thirdly is declared the fountaine whence this doctrine springeth For Paule reasoneth of Christe oute of the lawe of Moses and the Prophetes prouing that in him were performed whatsoeuer things they foreshewed of the promised sauioure of mankinde Thus he folowed the example of Christ himselfe which vsed many times to bring testimonies out of them This place teacheth vs that no inuentions of man but the worde of God comprehended in the scriptures must be preached in the church For wher the church is the housholde of God it is not meete that any other woorde should be heard therein but the good mannes of the house Which is the cause that all the Prophets and the Apostles are bounde vnto this commaundement as wee haue elsewhere declared Therefore they are not a little to be blamed who either teache other Doctrine themselues or else heare and followe other seeing this is the true marke of the Churche to heare the voice of hir husbande onely See Psal. 45. Iohn 10. Moreouer let vs marke the consent bothe of the Olde and Newe testament least wee say as some brainsicke persons doe that the same belongeth nothing vnto vs and yet they bothe teache one selfe same Christe and one selfe same way of saluation and wee knowe nothing was fulfilled in the newe Testament but the same was promised in the olde Whereby it also appeareth that the faithe of Christe is of moste antiquitie and is the onely way and meane whereby all the electe from the beginning of the worlde haue beene saued But bicause wee haue oftentimes otherwheres intreated heereof it may suffise for this time to haue breefely poynted to these things as it were with the finger Fourthly Luke declareth howe long Paule preached Euen from the mornyng vntill the euening Whereuppon wee maye gather that they also disputed and that Paule aunsweared theyr argumentes For it is not lyke that they which were as yet vtterlye ignorant of Chryst woulde haue hearde Paule wyth suche pacyence but that they woulde sometime haue interrupted him in his saying In the meane season heere is expressed an ardent desire bothe in Paule and in the hearers whereof we had a like example before in the twentith chapter This reproueth the slothfulnesse of our dayes wherwith both diuerse Ministers of the word and hearers also are sicke and accrased who thinke all labour and time to muche that is spent at the sermons But one day shall come that hunger of the worde wherof we reade in the Prophet c. Fifthly the effect of so earnest and diligent a sermon is described For some beleeue and some beleeue not Yea a great disputation or contention riseth amongst them Here we see what case the gospel is in in this world For where Chryst is set vp as a marke or signe to be spoken agaynst it can not be that all men can receiue the Gospell with vniforme consent Let no man therefore be offended with the paucitie or fewnesse of beleeuers nor with the ranke croppe of controuersies in these dayes seeing we heare that in tymes passed when the sonne of God him selfe and the Apostles preached there were fewe that beleeued Let this also serue to comforte ministers when they see they haue little or nothing profited by their preaching For then let them call to their minds that saying of Chryste If they haue kept my worde they will keepe yours also But Paule seuerely rebuketh their stubbornesse and threatneth them with the horrible iudgement of God. For Chryste by his owne example teacheth vs to deale so with those whom the milde and holeseme preaching of the Gospell can not moue who many times rang in the eares of the Scribes and Phariseis greeuous manaces and that horrible wo. So Paule likewise bicause he would not seeme to yeelde in any thing to the affection of the fleshe alleageth a Propheticall oracle out of the vj. of Esai declaring that it was no rare or newe matter that they so stoutly resisted the Gospell For their fathers in times paste had done the lyke and God had fortolde that in the latter days when the kingdome of Chryst should be reuealed men should do the lyke also Thus he confirmeth those that were weake in the fayth whom the multitude and authoritie of the gainsayers might haue hindred and offended And herewith also he feareth other in that he sayth God had long agone ordeyned a punishement for them This place of Esai is very
fulfilled which saith he woulde sende a sworde and diuision whereby it shoulde come to passe tha◠they which were before moste intie◠and familiar friendes shoulde moste bitterly contende one with an other Yet let no man thynke thys happeneth through any defaulte of the Gospell seeyng the ende thereof is to vnite and knitte vs all togither in Chryste Therefore all thys commeth to passe through the naughtinesse of the wicked and reprobate Whose propertie it is the more earnestly they are vrged with the worde of God the more to rage and become madde as the examples of Cayn Pharao Achab Zedechias others do testifie But bicause the godly which know it is their dueties to defend the glory of God against all men can not yeld vnto these men ▪ hereof burst out al these flames of contention But by this present place it easily appeareth Paule profited somewhat with these men bycause therewere that openly withstoode these wycked persons For the word of God is neuer preached in vayne bycause it is of it selfe fruitfull and Chryst hath in all places his people which know his voyce and followe him In the meane season we are taught our duetie that if we will be godly and faythfull persons wee muste constantly defende the quarell of truthe agaynst all men For God requireth suche worshippers as are feruent and ardent in zeale no warmlings and dastards which can winke at all kinde of impietie and can with pacient minds and eares suffer all the scoffes of the wicked suche as a man nowe a dayes may finde a number who for this cause thinke them selues moste worthy to be praysed for wyse men and modest But in deede they bee very dullardes and destitute of all sense of godlynesse which are not prouoked with blasphemies and fooles also which so muche esteeme the friendship of the worlde ▪ that they denie vnto Chryst the duetie of godlynesse Therfore let vs prepare our selues to that holesome conflicte and strife which all the godly in this worlde muste suffer For there is no cause why wee should feare the power of this worlde forasmuche as we knowe we fight in his quarell which one day shall breake in peeces all the gaynesayers with a Scepter of Iron which is the sonne of God our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Chryste to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Clxxv. Homelie AND Paule dwelte two yeres full in hys lodging and receyued all that came in vnto hym preachyng the kingdome of God and teaching those things which concerne the Lorde Iesus with all confidence no man forbidding him OUr Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Chryste comforteth hys Disciples many times with this argument that he wyll not leaue them destitute and succourlesse but will be present ▪ with them vntill the ende of the worlde The truthe of which promises appeareth euery where aswell at all other times as also chiefly in aduersities for thē is Chryst so nigh at hande vnto his seruauntes that not onely he defendeth them mightely and faythfully but also directeth those thinges which seeme dolefull and infortunate vnto their saluation and to hys glory Wherein the captiuitie of Paule may bee vnto vs in steede of a number of testimonies Whiche in the beginning mighte haue seemed vtterly to haue stopped the course of the Gospell howebeit the Lorde so moderated it that through the same the doctrine of the Gospell was rather aduaunced than hindred For by the occasion thereof bothe the Romane Presidents and Souldiours heard the Gospell And at lengthe the preachyng thereof fylled Rome yea the iudgement place and the Emperours court But bycause these thinges haue bene spoken of before other thynges whiche remayne to bee considered in thys Hystorie muste briefly bee runne ouer Firste the Euangelist expresseth the tyme of Paules captiuitie saying that he abode two yeres togither in an house which he had hyred of hys owne charges beeing garded with that Souldiour of whome we made mention before And before that he lay in pryson whole two yeres also vnder Felix And it is lyke that there ranne some monethes betweene Felix his departure out of the Prouince and the tyme of Paules sending vnto Rome Furthermore wee muste allowe foure monethes at the least for his Nauigation and tyme that he spent in Malta Thus Paules captiuitie endured fiue yere all which time he found this one commoditie that he was not thrust into prison but was in open warde whereby he had occasion to preache euery where offred him Heere wee haue to consider the state which the godly bee in in this worlde who alone for the most parte are counted suche wicked persons as are vnmeete to enioy either libertie or lyfe But in the meane season what a sorte of wicked and slaunderous menne trowe yee lyued at their pleasure vnder Nero a moste ryotous tyrante But Paule alone as it were some publike plague or calamitie of the whole worlde is kepte in prison The like curtesie the Prophetes in tymes paste and after them Iohn the Baptist and at length the sonne of God him selfe founde who was put to death among theeues and murtherers and was counted a greater malefactour than Barrabas the murtherer The ende of all which thinges is that we should not be offended at the lyke in these dayes For it is not meete that the Scholers and seruauntes state shoulde be better than the teachers and masters Furthermore we knowe that they which are partakers of Chrystes afflictions in this worlde shall reigne with him hereafter in heauen Here appeareth also the infinite goodnesse of God which preserued Paule so long a tyme in open warde verily for his electes sake vnto whome by this occasion he woulde haue his Gospell to be reuealed For this farre passed the hope bothe of Paule and of all other the faythfull Bycause vnder Nero a moste vicious and cruell tyraunt no man woulde euer haue looked for the same Here therefore let as many as walke in Gods callyng fetche counsayle For as long as wee bee occupied in Gods affayres and so as it is requisite for our saluation God will easily defende vs among moste cruell enimies who was able to saue Noah in the middest of the waues of the floude which ouerflowed all the worlde and Ionas that lay hidde in the belly of the houge Whale And the same when tyme shall so require will translate vs from all misfortunes into the internall kingdome of his sonne Furthermore let vs see what Paule dyd in this two yeres space He receiued sayth he all that came in vnto him preaching the kingdome of God and teaching those thinges which concerne the Lorde Iesus with all confidence no man forbidding him He dyd then th◠same in bondes which he had done before beeing at his libertie bycause he vnderstoode he was nowe the Apostle and seruaunt of Iesus Chryst aswell as before And he dyd not onely preache but also sent letters now to one place nowe to an other and bothe instructed and
comforted the congregations abroade insomuche as if a man consider those times we shall confesse we haue receiued more profite and commoditie by Paules bondes than of all his doings and sayings beside while he went at libertie oueral the world For those times may we thāke for those singular Epistles written as the holy Ghost endited them to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Collossians to the Hebrues to Philemon and the seconde to Timothe Which the Churche vntill this day hathe kepte and preserued as moste singular and precious Iewels Howbeit many thinges mighte haue feared Paule either to haue written or to haue taughte For this doctrine was the cause he was put in pryson Also he alone trauayled in this quarell at Rome Lykewise at the firste meeting he founde the Iewes lyke vnto them selues that is to say stubborne and disobedient Furthermore that earnest desire that he had to write vnto forrein nations might seeme to declare a minde somewhat inconstant and vnquiet And it might be thought next neighbour to sedition to teache and confirme men in that fayth and religion which we sayde before was condemned by the whole consent of the Senate Againe he was in daunger to be depriued at length of this libertie and to haue had more bonds layde vpon him to haue ben cast into some inner prison and dungeon And we muste not thinke that he was so blockishe that he did not perceiue and consider these thinges But he that knew that he ought his life vnto Christe coulde not by these persuasions be pulled from doing his duetie And this is verily a wonderfull example whereby we be taught how muche we owe vnto God if at any tyme we perceiue we be holpen and defended by him in the middest of dangers and aduersitie For then we must be feared neither with dangers paste neither with dangers present or to come but must be inflamed with greter zeale that by our bolde defending the glory of God we may shewe our selues thankful to him accordingly Therfore that reason of fleshly wisdome that many in these dayes follow is playnly foolish and peruerse which thinke we should hold our peace bicause of enimies dangers on euery side appering as though it were in the enimies power to hinder or further the course of the Gospel Nay it becommeth vs the more boldly to go forward with Gods quarel bicause we plainly find his truth power so apparant in the middle of our dangers But touching Paules doctrine Luke sayth three things which we must not let passe The first is what he preached namely the kingdome of God wherof we haue intreted oftē times before And here by way of exposition he addeth teaching those things which concerne the Lord Iesus Wherby we gather that then the kingdome of God is preached when Chryste is preached For there is none other way to come vnto that kingdome than the same which all the Scriptures with one consent shew vs to be in Christe Iesus For he onely it is that hath destroyed the kingdome of the diuel the works therof he only is the mediator betweene God and vs. He only hath put out the hande writing of sinne that was against vs and purchased vs the good will of his father Therfore it is not without a cause that he saith No man cōmeth vnto the father but by me These things only are sufficient to disproue all other religions which shew vs the kingdome of God or any way of saluation beside christ Secōdly is declared how Paule preached with al confidence or boldnesse that is to say plainely and freely so that for fauour of men he cloked dissembled nothing For he was not ashamed of the gospel of Iesus Christ as he testifieth otherwheres Neither feared he the tirānie of the world prince thereof bicause he had learned of a long time to wrastle therewith And verily Chryst requireth such ministers as will do his businesse diligently and leaue nothing vnto the worlde nor to the wisedome of the flesh which vnder a fayre pretence of modestie bringeth in a dastardly dissembling of the truthe and a denyall of the right fayth Thirdly is declared the successe that Paule had in his preaching Which by this onely argument appeareth was moste prosperous or luckie bycause there was none whiche forbadde him to preache And this me thinketh is the greatest miracle of all others that God wrought to Paule For alwayes before this tyme whersoeuer he came he founde enimies who either by secrete awaytes or else by open force and sedition alwayes troubled him and would hynder him in his teaching and at lengthe draue him out of their Cities But when he was brought to Rome as a prisoner there he teacheth beeing in bondes where Nero a monster of mankinde was Emperoure where bothe the Christian and Iewishe religion was hated and enuied where all men were bewytched either with the vayne superstition of the Gods or with an Epicurious contempte of all religion Where finally the diuell seemed to haue the chiefe See of his kingdome there preached he Chryste freely two yeres togither no man forbidding hym Of whiche thing wee can shewe none other cause but that God woulde brydle the mindes of all men with a mightie hande that though all would not yelde to the doctrine of the Gospell yet they shoulde not be so bolde as to withstande it Thus in a Citie that was the Lady and maistresse of the world the Apostle beeing a captiue triumpheth by preaching Chryste crucified bringing many more vnto the obedience of Chryste than any Emperoure euer subdued The lyke wee reade happened in tymes paste when Daniell beeing ledde captiue to Babylon defended the true Religion bothe constantly and prosperously And althoughe the chiefe of the kingdome were muche agaynst it yet firste he instructed Nabuchodonosor and afterwarde Darius with some knowledge of the true God and was the authour that they dyd by publike Proclamations spread farre and neare the honour and glory of God ouer all their kingdomes Wherevnto also this deserueth to be referred that when the Romane Emperours vsed all kinde of outragious crueltie agaynst the name of Chryste and his Churche yet were there many tymes founde euen in their owne courtes and among the chiefe of them suche as greatly fauoured the Christians and openly defended the true religion Some of which afterwarde when the enimies of Chryst were taken away were aduaunced to the Empire as may be seene in the Stories of Iouinian and Valentinian the Emperours Thus Christ declareth his power where a man would least thinke Nor it is no harde thing for him to brydle the willes of men bycause he compasseth in the sea with bounds which causeth the same to lay down his swelling waues and surges Therfore as many as are strong in him let them hope for his present ayde and they shall neuer be disappoynted of their hope Nowe what Paule dyd after the two yeres were expired Luke dothe
is not without a cause suspected For a Bishop must be blamelesse and Paule forbiddeth yong schollers chiefely to be kept out of the Ministery bicause such are in daunger of backbiting and slaundering Nowe adayes bicause we be to soone intreated in admitting of euerye one it is no marueyle though the authoritie of the Ministerie growe so much in contempt Moreouer it maye seeme to anye man marueylous that God woulde suffer such most chosen vessels of his grace to be intangled in such implacable hatred and that the holye ghost woulde haue their errours recorded in wryting for their sake that shoulde come after But to him that shall deepely ponder these things there shall appeare to be diuers iust and weightye causes of this doing For fyrst these things teache vs that euen the holyest men also are subiect to perturbations of minde and therefore haue neede of the grace of god This Paule acknowledgeth where he writeth that he felte the pricke of the fleshe and had the messenger of Satan sent him agaynst the which he had none other wayes to resist but by the grace of God. The same Paule writing of the lawe of sinne which in all men fyghteth against the spirite of God cryeth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body subdued vnto death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lorde The vse of all these things is to teach vs that whatsoeuer things holy men doe commendably we should ascribe them vnto God as to the author and only magnifye him therefore Againe these slydinges of holye men stirre vs vp vnto a feruent and continuall desire of godlinesse that according to Paules saying we may worke our saluation with feare and trembling For who will not be afrayde who will not be stirred vp to watch and praye when he seeth such notable seruaunts of God so grieuously fall Who will not stande in dreade to fall yea euen then when he seemeth to stand sure There is also another vse and commoditie of this contention that we now adayes be not offended with the discentions of the Ministers of the worde nor for discentions sake suspect the doctrine of Gods worde For the authoritie thereof dependeth not on man but as Esaias sayeth endureth for euer when all fleshe with the glory thereof wythereth and falleth away like a flower The fourth and last poynt of this Chapter is the peregrination of Paule and Barnabas in which they execute and perfourme their deuise concerning the visiting and confyrming the Churches in the word of god For although they disagreed among themselues yet is neyther of them vnmindefull of his dutie But Barnabas goeth into Cyprus and Paule into Syria and Cilicia and from thence into Lycaonia And this constancie is worthy of all men to be followed that we suffer not our selues by contention and importunitie of men to be ouercomme and so forgetting our duties become vnfaythfull vnto god In the meane season it behooueth vs to consider the goodnesse and wisedome of God which knoweth best howe to vse the offences of his people For of this lamentable discorde of the Apostles springeth this profyte that diuers Churches are at one very time visited and confyrmed Yea God many tymes vseth the sinnes of the wicked to the setting forth of his glory and the saluation of manne Examples whereof are extant both in the sale of Ioseph and manye other hystories Yet let no man for all this thinke vs voyde of fault For men sinne and by sinne deserue to be made the vesselles of wrath And if any good followe of their offending all that is to be ascribed to the goodnesse and wisedome of god God graunt that by vs his name may be glorifyed and that our most mercifull father woulde vse all our doinges to that ende to serue for the commoditie and saluation of many that we may lyue in heauen with Iesus Christ to whome be all prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .xvj. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cvj. Homelie THEN came he to Derba and to Lystra and beholde a certaine Disciple was there named Timotheus a womans sonne which was a Iewesse and beleeued but his father was a Greeke Of whome reported well the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium Him would Paule that he should go forth with him and toke and circumcised him bicause of the Iewes that were in those quarters For they knew al that his father was a Greke As they went through the Cities they deliuered them the decrees for to keepe that were ordeyned of the Apostles and Elders which were at Ierusalem And so were the congregations stablished in the fayth and increased in number daily THe Apostle Paule appoynted to visite the Churches which he had gathered togither by preaching of the Gospell and to confyrme them in the fayth they had once receyued least being eyther drowned in securitie or circumuented with the subtiltie of Satan or ouercome wyth persecutions they shoulde fall awaye This he so doth that whersoeuer occasion also is offred he laboureth to winne moe congregations vnto christ This hystorie Luke in this place describeth who was Paules continuall companion in this iourney and therfore as a witnesse that sawe all things knewe all things well And fyrst we hearde how they went ouer Syria and Cilicia Then it followeth what they did in Lycaonia the Churches wherof by reason of the Iewes the bitterest enimies that Christ had had more neede to be strengthned than others and hereof Paule stoode in feare bicause he had diuers times tryed the hostyle attemptes and implacable mindes of the Iewes Moreouer the Euangelist taketh his beginning of the calling of Timothie whome Paule tooke vnto him as a companion in his voyage and partener in all his labors For he knewe that without fytte Ministers of the worde the kingdome of Christ and fayth in him could not be enlarged Wherefore as the Princes of this world which labour to dilate and stretch out their borders a farre are altogither occupied about getting of long tryed Captaynes and bolde souldiours from all places so was this the chiefe care of Paule to searche and get many faythfull and fytte Ministers for the Church of Christ by whome the kingdome of Christ might be stretched farre and wyde whosoeuer desire the safetie of the Church whether they be teaching Bishops or ruling Magistrates they must followe this example For as without the preaching of the worde newe Churches cannot be planted so those that are already planted and gathered togither cannot be kept in doing their dutie without the same Hereof proceeded that care and industrye which the Prophetes of the olde Testament had about schooles which our Predecessors being most prudent and godly men did imitate as the foundations of most auncient Colledges doe testifye In the vocation of Timothie there are two things to be considered wherof we shall speake in order Fyrst it is described who and what maner