for euer by the sacrifice of his death by his resurrection he hath purchased for vs eternal life And he is present with vs now also that he may make vs partakers of the fruite of eternall redemption but the reuealing of saluation is handled in this place and wee knowe that the same was so reuealed in Christ that we neede not any longer to say Who shall ascend into heauen Rom. 10. And if so bee this doctrine were deepely imprinted in the mindes of all men Rom. 10.6 then shoulde so many controuersies concerning the causes of saluation be soone at an ende wherewith the Church is so much troubled The Papistes confesse with vs that saluation is in God alone but by and by they forge to themselues infinite wayes to attaine vnto the same But Peter calleth vs backe vnto Christ alone They dare not altogither denie that wee haue saluation giuen vs by Christ but whiles they feigne so manie helpes they leaue him scarce the hundreth parte of saluation But they were to seeke for saluation at the handes of Christ wholly for when Peter excludeth plainely all other meanes hee placeth perfect saluation in Christ alone and not some parte thereof onelie So that they are farre from vnderstanding this doctrine 13 And when they saw the boldnesse of Peter and Iohn and considered that they were men vnlearned and ignorant they wondered and they knewe them that they had beene with Iesus 14 And when they saw the man that had beene healed standing with them they could not say against it 15 But when they had commanded them to depart out of the councell they consulted among themselues 16 Saying What shal we do to these men For a manifest signe is done by them and it is openlie knowne to all the inhabitants of Ierusalem neither can wee denie it 17 But least it bee noised any farther among the people in threatning let vs threaten them that they speake not hence foorth to any man in this name 18 And then when they had called them they charged them that they should not speake at all or teach in the name of Iesus 13 Here may we see an euill conscience for being destitute of right reason they break out into open tyranny the hatred wherof they had assaied to escape Therfore he doth first declare that they were conuict that it may appeare that they did war against God wittingly willingly like Gyants For they see a manifest worke of his in the man which was healed and yet do they wickedly set themselues against him In as much as they knowe that Peter and Iohn were men vnlearned and ignorant they acknowledge that there was somewhat more than belongeth to man in their boldnesse therefore they are enforced to wonder whether they will or no. Yet they breake out into such impudencie that they feare not to seeke some tyrannous meanes to oppresse the truth When as they confesse that it is a manifest signe they condemne themselues therin of an euil conscience When they say that it is knowne to al men they declare that passing ouer God they haue respect vnto men onely For they bewray their want of shame therby that they would not haue doubted to turne their backe if there had beene any colour of deniall And when they aske what they shall doe they make their obstinate wickednesse knowne vnto al men For they would haue submitted them selues vnto God vnlesse diuellish furie had carried them away to some other purpose This is the Spirit of giddines and madnesse wherewith God doeth make his enimies drunke So when they hope shortly after that they can by threatnings bring it about that the fame shall goe no farther what can bee more foolish For after they haue put two simple men to silence shall the arme of God be broken 17 In threatning let vs threaten Here may wee see what a deadly euill power voide of the feare of God is For when that religion and reuerence which ought doth not reigne the more holy the place is which a man doth possesse the more boldly doth he rage For which cause wee alwayes take good heed that the wicked bee not preferred vnto the gouernment of the Church And those which are called to this function must behaue themselues reuerently and modestly least they seeme to be armed to do hurt But and if it so happen they abuse their honor the Spirite declareth there as in a glasse what small accompt wee ought to make of their decrees and commaundementes The authoritie of the Pastors hath certaine bounds appointed which they may not passe And if they dare be so bolde we may lawfully refuse to obey them for if we should it were in vs great wickednes as it followeth now 19 And Peter and Iohn answered them said Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken vnto you rather than to God iudge yee 20 For we cannot but speake those thinges which we haue seene and heard 21 And when they had threatened them they let them go finding nothing for which they might punish them because of the people for all men did glorifie God because of that which was done 22 For the man was more then fortie yeares olde on whom the signe of healing was shewed 23 Furthermore when they were let goe they came to their fellowes and tolde them whatsoeuer thinges the Priestes and Elders had said 19 Whether it be right Let vs remember to whom they make this answere For this councel did vndoubtedly represent the Church yet because they do abuse their authoritie the Apostles say flatly that they are not to be obeyed And as men vse to do in an euident matter they referre ouer the iudgement vnto their aduersaries for a reproch vnto them Furthermore it is worth the noting that they set the authoritie of God against their decrees Which thing should be done out of season vnlesse they were the enemies of God who notwithstanding were otherwise the ordinarie Pastors of the Church Moreouer the Apostles expresse a farther thing also to wit that the obedience which men vse toward euill and vnfaithful Pastors howsoeuer they holde the lawfull gouernement of the Church is contrarie to God This question doth the Pope aunswere pleasauntly because he saith that all those thinges are diuine oracles whatsoeuer it hath pleased him to blunder out vnaduisedly By this meanes the daunger of contrarietie is taken away But the Bishops can chalenge no more at this day than God had giuen then to the order of the Priestes Therefore this is a toy too childish That they can commaund nothing but that which is agreeable to the commaundement of God Yea rather the thing it selfe declareth euidently that there shall be no conflictt then if they suffer their vaine and vnbridled lust to raunge freely hauing vanquished and renounced the doctrine of Christ Therefore by what title soeuer men be called yet must we heare them onely vpon this condition if they leade vs not away from
he offer himself in sacrifice to purge mens sinnes that hee bee punished with the hand of God that he goe downe euen vnto the very hell that hee may exalt vs vnto heauen hauing deliuered vs from destruction In sum this place teacheth plainely how men are reconciled to God howe they obtaine righteousnesse how they come to the kingdome of God being deliuered from the tyrannie of Satan and loosed from the yoke of sinne to be briefe whence they must fet all partes of their saluation Notwithstanding I will only expound those things which Luke here citeth and there be in deed two members in the former hee teacheth that Christe to the end he may redeem the church must needes be so broken that he appeare like to a man which is cast downe past hope Secondly hee affirmeth that his death shal giue life that there shal a singular triumph issue out of great despayre Wheras he compareth Christe to a lambe which suffereth it selfe to be led to be slaine and to a sheepe which offereth herself meekely to be shorne his meaning is that the sacrifice of Christe shal be voluntarie And surely this was the way to appease Gods wrath in that he shewed himselfe obedient Hee spake in deede before Pilate but not to saue his life Iohn 18.34.36 but rather that hee might willingly offer himselfe to die as hee was appointed by the Father and so might bring that punishment vpon himself which was prepared for vs. Therfore the prophet teacheth both things that Christ must needs haue suffred that he might purchase life for vs and that hee was to suffer death willingly that he might blot out the stubbornnesse of men by his obedience And hence must we gather an exhortation vnto godlines as Peter doeth but that doctrine of faith which I haue already touched is former in order 33 In his humilitie his iudgement The Eunuche had either the Greeke volume or els Luke did set downe the reading which was then vsed as he vseth to doe The prophet saith that Christe was exalted out of sorrow and iudgement by which wordes he signifieth a wonderfull victorie which immediately ensued his casting downe For if he had been oppressed with death there could nothing haue beene hoped for at his handes Therefore to the end the Prophet may establish our faith in Christe after that he had described him to be striken with the hand of God and to be subiect to be slaine he putteth vpon him a new person now to wit that he commeth vp out of the depth of death as a conqueror our of the very hell being the authour of eternal life I know in deed that this place is diuersly expounded some there bee which vnderstande by this that he was carried from the prison to the crosse other some there bee who thinke that to be taken away doth signifie as much as to be brought to nought And indeed the signification of the Hebrew word Lacham is doubtfull as is also the signification of the Greeke worde Airesthai But he which shall throughly weigh the Text shall agree with mee in that which I haue said that he passeth now from that dolefull and vnseemely sight which he had set before our eies vnto the new beginning of vnlooked for glory Therefore the Greeke interpretation differeth not much from the words of the prophet in the summe of the matter For Christs iudgement was exalted in his humilitie or casting down because at such time as he might seeme to be cast down and oppressed the father maintained his cause After this sort iudgement shall be taken in this place as in many other for right But it signifieth condemnation in the Hebrew text For the Prophet saith that after that Christ shall bee brought into great straites and shal be like vnto a condemned and lost man he shal be lifted vp by the hand of the Father Therfore the meaning of the words is that Christ must first haue suffered death before the Father shoulde exalt him vnto the glory of his kingdom Which doctrine must be translated vnto the whole bodie of the church because all the godly ought wonderfully to be lifted vp with the hand of God that they be not swallowed vppe of death But when God appeareth to bee the reuenger of his he doth not only restore them to life but also getteth to them excellent triumphes of many deathes as Christ did triumph most gloriously vpon the crosse wherof the apostle maketh mention in the second chapter to the Collossians His generation After that the prophet hath set forth the victorious death of Christe he addeth now that his victorie shall not last onely for a small time but shall goe beyonde all number of yeeres For the exclamation of the prophet importeth as much as if he should deny that the perpetuitie of Christs kingdom can be expressed by the tongue of men But interpreters haue wrested this place miserably Whereas the olde writers haue indeuoured hereby to proue the eternal generation of the worde of God against Arrius it is too far dissenting from the prophetes mind Chrysostome his exposition is neuer a whit truer who referreth it vnto the humane generation Neither doe they vnderstand the prophet his meaning which suppose that he inueigheth against the men of that age Othersome thinke better who take it to be spoken of the Churche saue onely that they are deceiued in the worde generation which they think doth signifie a posteritie or issue But the worde dor which the prophet vseth signifieth amongst the Hebrewes an age or the continuance of mans life Therefore vndoubtedly this is the prophets meaning that Christ his life shall endure for euer when as he shall bee once deliuered by his fathers grace from death although this life which is without end appertaineth vnto the whole body of the church because Christ rose not that he may liue for himselfe but for vs. Therefore he extolleth now in the members the frute and effect of that victorie which he placed in the head Wherefore euery one of the faithfull may conceiue sure hope of eternal life out of this place secondly the perpetuitie of the church is rather auouched in the person of Christ Because his life is taken from the earth This is to looke too to be a verie absurd reason that Christ doth reigne with such renowme in heauen and earth because he was cut off For who can beleeue that death is the cause of life But this was done by the wonderfull counsel of God that hell should be a ladder whereby Christ should ascend into heauen that reproch shuld be vnto him a passage into life that the ioyfull brightnes of saluation should appeare out of the horror and darknes of the crosse that blessed immortalitie shuld flow from the deep pit of death Because he humbled himselfe therefore the Father exalted him Phil. 2.10 that euery knee may bow before him c. Now must we bethinke our selues what fellowship we
of Christ though Israel be not gathered togither Hee addeth afterward by way of exposition that the power of Christ shal not be restrained vnto one people only because his light shal shed abroad his beames vnto the farthest parts of the worlde vnto saluation It seemeth that Paul noteth this occasion of calling the Gentiles namely because seing he found no matter to exercise himselfe in among the Iewes he gaue himself wholly to the Gentiles We must note this by the way in the words of the Prophet that saluation is put after light according to that saying of Christ This is eternall life to know thee the true God c. For if the knowledge of God alone Iohn 17.3 bring to vs saluation it is likewise the onely resurrection from destruction of eternal death for vs to be illuminate into the faith of Christ after that we be deliuered from the darknes of ignorance 48 And when the Gentiles heard The matter of the Gentiles ioy was this when they heard that they were not called to saluation at a sodain as if this had not bin decreed before by God but that that is nowe at length fulfilled which was foretold many yeeres before For doublesse it was no smal confirmation of their faith because saluation was promised to thē by the comming of Christ whereby it did also come to passe that they did with more earnest desire reuerence embrace the Gospel To glorifie the word of God may be expounded two maner of waies either that they did cōfesse that it was true which was prophecied by Isaias or that they imbraced the doctrine which was set before them with faith Assuredly there is a full subscription noted our because they dispute or doubt no longer so soone as they saw that Paul had gotten the victorie And surelie we do then honor the woord of God as we ought when wee submit our selues obedientlie to it by faith as it cānot be more grieuously blasphemed then when men refuse to beleue it And here we see how the Gentiles were not hindered by that stubbernesse which they saw in the Iewes from giuing their name to Christ With like courage must we despise and tread vnderfoot the pride of the wicked when by their obstinacie they studie to stop the waie before vs. And they beleued This is an exposition of the member next going before at least in my iudgemēt For Luke sheweth what maner glorie they gaue to the woord of God And here we must note the restraint whē he saith that they beleued but not al in general but those who were ordeined vnto life And we need not doubt but that Luk calleth those tetagmenous who were chosen by the free adoption of God For it is a ridiculous cauil to refer this vnto the affection of those which beleued as if those receiued the gospel whose minds were well disposed For this ordeining must be vnderstood of the eternal counsel of God alone Neither dooth Luke saie that they were ordeined vnto faith but vnto life because the Lord doth predestinate his vnto the inheritāce of eternal life And this place reacheth that faith dependeth vpon Gods election And assuredly seing that al the whole rase of mankinde is blinde and stubborne those diseases sticke fast in our nature vntil they be redressed by the grace of the spirit and that redressing floweth frō the fountain of election alone For in that of two which heare the same doctrine togither the one sheweth himselfe apt to be taught the other continueth in his obstinacie it is not therefore because they differ by nature but because God doth lighten the former and doth not vouchsafe the other the like grace We are in deed made the children of God by faith as faith as touching vs is the gate and the first beginning of saluation but there is a higher respect of God For he dooth not begin to choose vs after that we beleue but he sealeth his adoption which was hidden in our harts by the gift of faith that it may be manifest and sure For if this be proper to the children of God alone to be his disciples it foloweth that it doth not apperrein vnto al the children of Adam in general No maruel therefore if al do not receiue the Gospel because though our heauēlie father inuiteth al men vnto the faith by the external voice of man yet dooth he not cal effectuallie by his spirit anie saue those whom he hath determined to saue Now if Gods election wherby he ordeineth vs vnto life be the cause of faith and saluatiō there remaineth nothing for woorthinesse or merits Therefore let vs holde and mark that which Luke saith That those were ordeined before vnto life who being ingrafted into the bodie of Christ by faith doo receiue the earnest and pledge of their adoption in Christ Whence we do also gather what force the preaching of the Gospel hath of it selfe For it doth not finde faith in men saue onlie because God doeth cal those inwardlie whom he hath chosen and because he draweth those who were his owne before vnto Christ Iohn 6.25 Iohn 6.37 Also Luke teacheth in the same woords that it cannot be that anie of the elect should perish For he saith not that one or a few of the elect did beleeue but so manie as were elect For though Gods election be vnknowen to vs vntil we perceiue it by faith yet is it not doubtful or in suspense in his secret counsel because he commendeth all those whom he counteth his to the safegard and tuition of his son who will continue a faithfull keeper euen vnto the end Both members are necessarie to be knowne When Election is placed aboue faith there is no cause why men shoulde chalenge to themselues any thing in any part of their saluation For if faith wherein consisteth saluation which is vnto vs a witnesse of the free adoption of God which coupleth vs to Christ and maketh his life ours whereby we possesse God with his righteousnesse finally whereby wee receiue the grace of sanctification be grounded without vs in the eternal counsell of God what good thinges so euer we haue we must needs acknowledge that we haue receiued it of the grace of God which doth preuent vs of it owne accorde Againe because manie intangle themselues in doubtfull and thornie imaginations whiles that they seeke for their saluation in the hidden counsel of God let vs learne that the election of God is therefore approued by faith that our minds may be turned vnto Christ as vnto the pledge of Election that they may seeke no other certaintie Iohn 3 3◠saue that which is reuealed to vs in the Gospel I say let this seale suffice vs that whosoeuer beleeueth in the onely begotten sonne of God hath eternall life 49 The word of the Lorde was spread abroad Luke doth in this place declare the proceeding of the Gospel Wherein appeareth how true the parable of Christ is when hee saieth
earthly affections so hauing stript vs out of the vices of our flesh he separateth vs from the world And like as eternall death is prepared for all those which liue after the flesh so in as much as the inward man is renewed in vs that we may go forward in the spirituall life we drawe neerer vnto the perfection of the kingdome of God which is the societie of the glorie of God Therefore God will reigne in and amongst vs now that he may at length make vs partakers of his kingdom Hereby we gather that Christ did principally intreat of the corruption of mankind of the tyrannie of sin whose bondslaues we are of the cursse guiltines of eternall death whereunto we al are subiect also of the meanes to obteine saluation of the remission of sins of the denying of the flesh of spirituall righteousnes of hope of eternal life and of such like things And if we will be rightlie instructed in Christianitie we must applie our studies to these things 4 Gathering them togither he commanded c. They had before done the dutie of Apostles but that lasted but a while and secondlie so farre forth that they might with their preaching awake the Iewes to heare their master And so that commandement to teach which Christ had giuen them whiles he liued with them vpon earth was as it were a certain entrance into their Apostleship which was to come for which they were not yet ripe Therfore their ordinarie function was not laid vpon them vntill such time as Christ was risen againe but they stirred vp their nation as I haue said like criers that they might giue care to Christ And then at length after the resurrection they were made Apostles to publish abroad throughout the whole world that doctrine which was committed to thē And whereas after they were made Apostles Christ commandeth them as yet to abstaine from their office that is done not with out iust cause yea many causes may be alledged why it shold be so That filthy forsaking of their master was yet fresh many notes and tokens of vnbeliefe were yet fresh Whereas they had bin so throughly taught and had so sodainly forgotten al they shewed a manifest token of their great dulnes of wit Neither were they free from sluggishnes which could not otherwise fitly be purged than by deferring the promised grace that he might the more sharpē their desire But this cause is chiefly to be noted that the Lord did appoint a certaine time for the sending of the Spirit that the miracle might be the more apparant Again he suffered them to rest a while that he might the better set forth the greatnes of that busines which he was about to commit vnto them And thereby is the truth of the gospel confirmed because the Apostles were forbidden to addres themselues to preach the same vntill they shoulde be well prepared in succession of time And they were commanded to stay togither because they should all haue one spirite giuen them If they had bin dispersed the vnitie should not haue bin so wel knowne Though they were scattered abroad afterward in diuers places yet because they brought that which they had frō one the same fountain it was al one as if they alwaies had had alone mouth Furthermore it was expedient that they should begin to preach the Gospel at Ierusalem that the Prophesie might be fulfilled There shall a law go out of Syon Esai 2.3 the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem Although the participle sunalizomenos may bee diuersly translated yet Erasmus his translation did please me best because the signification of gathering togither wil agree better with the text They should wait for the. It was meete that these should be accustomed to obey first who should shortly after lay Christs yoke vpon the necke of the world And surely they haue taught vs by their example that we must worke and rest at the Lordes pleasure alone For if during our life we goe on warfare vnder his banner and conduct surely hee ought to haue no lesse authoritie ouer vs than anie earthlie captaine hath in his armie Therfore as warlike discipline requireth this that no man wagge vnlesse hee be commaunded by the captaine so it is not lawfull for vs either to go out or to attempt any thing vntill the Lord giue the watch-word and so soone as hee bloweth the retreat we must staie Moreouer wee are taught that wee are made partakers of the giftes of God through hope But we must marke the nature of hope as it is described in this place For that is not hope which euery man feigneth to himselfe vnaduisedly but that which is grounded in the promise of God Therefore Christ doeth not suffer his Apostles to looke for whatsoeuer they will but hee addeth expreslie The promise of the Father Furthermore hee maketh himselfe a witnesse thereof because wee ought to bee so sure and certaine that although all the engines of hell gainestande vs yet this may remaine surelie fixed in our mindes that we haue beleeued God 2. Tim. 1.12 I knowe saieth Paule whom I haue beleeued And heere hee putteth them in minde of those thinges which are written in Iohn the 14. and 15. and 16. I will pray the father and hee shall giue you another comforter that hee may continue with you I saie the Spirite of trueth Iohn 14.16.14.25 Iohn 15.26 Iohn 16.7 Iohn 7.38 c. Againe I haue spoken these thinges vnto you whiles I am with you And the Spirit whom my Father shall send in my name shall teach you all thinges c. And againe When the Spirite of trueth shall come whom I will sende from my father he shall beare witnesse of me And againe If I shall go hence I will send you the comforter who shall reproue the world And he had saide long before Hee which beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall flowe riuers of liuing water 5 Because Iohn truelie Christ repeateth this vnto his Apostles out of Iohns owne wordes For some part of them had heard that at Iohns mouth which the Euangelistes report I truely baptise you with water but hee that commeth after mee shall baptise you with the holie Ghost and with fire Nowe Christ pronounceth that they shall well perceiue that that is true in deede which he saide Furthermore this serueth greatlie to confirme the sentence next going before For it is an argument drawne from the office of Christ And that thus Iohn was sent to baptise with water he fulfilled his function as it became the seruant of God The sonne of God is sent to baptise with the holy Ghost it remaineth therefore that he do his dutie Neither can it be otherwise but he must doe that which his father hath commaunded him to do and for which also he came downe into the earth But it seemeth a verie absurde thing to restreine that vnto the visible sending of the holie Ghost which was spoken
he maketh not Christe the chiefe authour but only the minister because as we haue alreadie said he determined to goe forwarde by degrees Notwithstanding here may a question be asked whether myracles do suffise to bee a sufficient and iust approbation or no because by this meanes inchaunters might cause their legier-demaine to be beleeued I answere that the iuggling casts of Satan doe much differ from the power of God Christ saith elswhere that the kingdome of Antichrist shall bee in wonders 2. Thes 2.9 but he addeth by and by in lying wonders If any man obiect that we cannot easily discern because he saith that they shal haue so great color that they shall deceiue if it could be the very elect I answere again that this error proceedeth only from our owne want of wit because we are so dull For God doth shew his power manifestly enough Therfore there is sufficient approbatiō of the doctrine and of the ministery in the myracles which God doth worke so that we be not blinde And whereas it is not of sufficient force among the wicked because they may now then be deceiued with the false myracles of Satan this must bee imputed vnto their owne blindnesse but whosoeuer hath a pure heart hee doeth also know God with the pure eies of his minde so often as hee doeth shewe himselfe Neither can Satan otherwise delude vs saue onely when thorow the wickednesse of our heart our iudgement is corrupt and our eies blinded or at least bleared through our owne slothfulnesse 23 Him haue yee slaine He maketh mention of the death of Christe for this cause chieflie that the resurrection might the more assuredlie be beleeued It was a thing full well knowne among the Iewes that Christ was crucified Therefore in that hee rose againe it is a great and wonderfull token of his diuine power In the meane season to the ende he may pricke their consciences with the feeling of sinne hee saith that they slue him Not that they crucified him with their owne handes but bicause the people with one voice desired to haue him put to death And although many of the hearers vnto whom he speaketh did not consent vnto that wicked and vngodlie crueltie yet doth hee iustly impute the same to the nation because all of them had defiled them selues either with their silence or els through their carelesnesse Neither hath the cloake and colour of ignoraunce any place forasmuch as he was shewed before of God This giltines therefore vnder which he bringeth thē is a preparation vnto repentance By the determinate counsell He remoueth a stumbling block because it seemeth at the first blush to be a thing verie inconuenient that that man whom God had so greatlie adorned being afterward laid open to all maner mocking doth suffer so reprochfull a death Therfore because the crosse of Christ doth commonly vse to trouble vs at the first sight for this cause Peter declareth that he suffered nothing by chaunce or because he wanted power to deliuer himselfe but because it was so determined and appointed by God For this knowledge alone that the death of Christ was ordeined by the eternall counsell of God did cut off all occasion of foolishe and wicked cogitations and did preuent all offences which might otherwise be conceiued For wee must know this that God doth decree nothing in vaine or rashly Whereuppon it followeth that there was iust cause for which he would haue Christ to suffer The same knowledge of gods prouidence is a steppe to consider the end and frute of Christ his death For this meeteth vs by by in the counsell of God that the iust was deliuered for our sinnes that his blood was the price of our death And heere is a notable place touching the prouidence of God that we may knowe that aswell our life as our death is gouerned by it Luke intreateth in deed of Christ But in his person we haue a mirror which doth represent vnto vs the vniuersall prouidence of God which doeth stretch it self throughout the whole world yet doeth it specially shine vnto vs who are the members of Christ Luke setteth downe two things in this place the foreknowledge and the decree of God And although the foreknowledge of God is former in order because God doth first see what he will determine before hee doth in deed determine the same yet doth he put the same after the counsell and decree of God to the end we may know that God would nothing neither appointed any thing saue that which he had long before directed to his end For men do oftentimes rashly decree many things because they decree them sodainly Therefore to the end Peter may teach that the counsell of God is not without reason he coupleth also therewithall his foreknowledge Now we must distinguish these two and so much the more diligentlie because manie are deceiued in this point For passing ouer the counsell of God wherewith he doth guide and gouerne the whole worlde they catch at his bare foreknowledge Thence commeth that common distinction that although God doth foresee all things yet doth he lay no necessitie vpon his creatures And in deed it is true that God doth know this thing or that thing before for this cause because it shall come to passe but as we see that Peter doth teach that God did not onely foresee that which befell Christ but it was decreed by him And hence must bee gathered a generall doctrine because God doeth no lesse shewe his prouidence in gouerning the whole worlde than in ordaining and appointing the death of Christe Therefore it belongeth to God not only to know before things to come but of his owne will to determine what he will haue done This second thing did Peter declare when hee saide That he was deliuered by the certain and determinate counsel of God Therfore the foreknowledge of god is another thing thā the wil of God whereby he gouerneth and ordereth all things Some which are of quicker sight cōfesse that god doth not onely foreknow but also gouern with his beck what things soeuer are done in the world Neuerthelesse they imagine a confused gouernment as if God did giue libertie to his creatures to follow their owne nature They say that the Sunne is ruled by the will of God because in giuing light to vs he doth his dutie which was once enioyned him by God They think that man hath free will after this sort left him because his nature is disposed or inclined vnto the free choyce of good and euill But they which thinke so doe feigne that God sitteth idle in heauen The scripture teacheth vs farre otherwise which ascribeth vnto God a special gouernment in all things in mans actions Notwithstanding it is our dutie to ponder cōsider to what end it teacheth this For we must beware of doting speculations wherewith we see many carried away The scripture will exercise our faith that we may know that we are defended
Iacob to the ende he may declare vnto the people that hee meaneth nothing lesse than to lead them away from the old and auncient worship of the true God which they had receiued of the Fathers Furthermore God hath giuen himselfe this title that he might disseuer and distinguish himself by some marke from Idols For wee doe not comprehend God in his essence which cannot be seen and which is infinite Therefore hee vseth such meanes as agree best with vs to bring vs to the knowledge of him The Turkes doe boast that they do worship God which is the Creator of heauen and earth but before they come at heauen they vanish away Therefore to the end God might keepe his people from vaine and erronious inuentions he kept them in his couenant Therfore when he calleth himselfe the God of Abraham Deut. 30.12 he did briefly teach that which Moses declareth more at large Say not Who shall ascend into heauen who shall goe downe into the depth Or who shall saile ouer the Seas The worde is nigh c. Furthermore as amongest the Iewes the name of the holy Fathers was in high estimation so Peter doth closely tel them that they were no better than other men without the only begotten sonne of God And at this day God will bee knowen by a more euident marke yet when as he calleth himselfe the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs now returne vnto Peter He saith that he bringeth in no new religion that he may draw away the people from the law and the Prophets For if he should attempt this God had forbidden them to heare him Deut. 13.3 1. Cor. 3.11 Deut. 13. Like as Paule teacheth that we must retaine one foundation in the spirituall building because so soone as we depart euen but a little from Christ there can nothing ensue but ruine And hereby also we may easilie discern in what sense he calleth God the god of the Fathers For neither doth he take this for a generall maxime that what manner worship soeuer the fathers had wee must continue the same as the Papists doe foolishly vaunt that they doe follow the manner of worshipping whiche was vsed amongest the fathers For Peter doth expresly reckon vppe Abraham Isaach and Iacob from whom true religion did proceed and by whom it was diuinely deliuered whereby hee doeth signifie vnto vs that we must not follow all fathers whereof manie did growe out of kinde and became altogether vnlike to the first fathers that this honor is due to the children of God alone and that others are to bee refused Eze. 20.18 Which thing the Prophets doe also beat in euerie where Walk not in the waies of your fathers c. Whom ye haue deliuered Hee mingleth with doctrine a most sharpe chiding according as the matter did require For it was vnpossible to bring them truly vnto God vnlesse they were first brought to the knowledge of their sinnes Neither doth he only lightly touch them but hee doeth very grauely shewe them the horriblenesse of that offence which they had committed To this ende tendeth that comparison that they deliuered him to be put to death whom Pilate would haue loosed And againe that pardoning a murtherer they put the prince of life to death that they did reiect the iust holy Men must bee so stricken that being brought to knowe their giltines they may earnestly flie vnto the remedie of pardon Such vehemencie and earnestnesse did Peter also vse in his first sermon He saith afterward that God raised him vppe Whereby they ought to know that in putting Christe to death they did striue against God Although Peter had respect vnto an higher thing to wit that their crueltie did no whit impayre the glory of Christ because God had neuerthelesse restored him to life When as he saith that he and his fellowes in office were witnesses of the resurrection his meaning is that they saw it with their eyes Luk. 24.48 Therefore this is referred not onely vnto the Apostolicall function but because they saw Christe with their eyes after that hee was risen from the dead Although I doe also graunt that this seconde thing is comprehended vnder these wordes Because it is likely that Peter doeth make mention of that function which was committed vnto him to the ende hee may purchase the greater authoritie 16 And in the faith of his name When as he saith In the faith of his name and His name and again The faith which is by him this repetition is a token of a feruent affection For because hee was wholie giuen to set foorth the glorie of Christe hee beateth in the same thing oftentimes Moreouer wee see that when Paule is occupied about the shewing and setting foorth of the grace of Christ he thinketh that he hath neuer spoken enough touching the same And surely such is the wicked nature of men that Christ cannot be so highly extolled so preached that his honour can remaine sounde vnto him Let vs therefore remember that Peter did vse such varietie and plentie of wordes to the ende he might stay vs in Christ As touching the phrase when as he saith his name in the faith of his name hath strengthened hee sheweth both the cause the maner The power of Christ had healed the Creeple but by faith When as he saith the faith which is by him by this worde hee signifieth vnto vs that our faith cannot arise vp vnto God vnlesse it bee grounded in Christ and so consequentlie that this our faith doth look vnto Christ and stay it selfe vpon him and so he sheweth that there can bee no right faith in God when we passe ouer this meane Furthermore as he said before that he and the other Apostles were witnesses of Christes life so he doth nowe declare that this life was manifestly proued vnto the Iewes by a signe or effect because they see the creeple healed in whom they hadde an excellent and euident token of the diuine power of Christ And when as in this last member he maketh faith the cause of this soundnesse hee layeth vnthankfulnesse to their charge by the way vnlesse they giue faith her due prayse And although faith may be referred as well vnto the man that was healed as vnto the Apostles yet we neede not to stand much about this matter because the power of the Gospel is set foorth by Synecdoche 17 And now brethren I knowe that through ignoraunce you did it as did also your rulers 18 And God hath fulfilled all thinges which hee had spoken by the mouth of his prophetes that Christe should suffer 19 Repent therefore and bee conuerted that your sinnes may be forgiuen 20 When the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lorde and hee shall send him that was “ Or set before your eyes represented preached before Iesus Christe 21 Whom heauen must containe vntill the time that all thinges bee restored which he hath spoken by
the Apostles did consider what particular thing their calling hadde to wit that they should keepe their standing seeing the wolues did inuade the sheepefolde The rigour of Tertullian and such like was too great who did deny indifferently that it is lawful to flie for fear of persecution August saith better who giueth leaue to flie in such sort that the churches beeing destitute of theyr Pastours bee not betrayed into the hands of the enemies This is surely the best moderation which beareth neither too muche with the flesh neither driueth those headlong to death who may lawefully saue their liues Let him that is disposed reade the 180. Ep. to Honoratus That I may returne to the Apostles if they had been scattered here and there with feare of persecution euen at the beginning all men might haue rightly called them hirelings How hurtfull and filthie had the forsaking of the place bin at the present time how greatly wold it haue discouraged the mindes of all men What great hurt should they haue done with their example among the posteritie It shall sometimes so fall out in deede that the pastour may also flie that is if they inuade him alone if the laying waste of the church be not feared if hee bee absent But and if both his flocke and hee haue to encounter with the aduersarie hee is a treacherous forsaker of his office if hee stande not stoutlye to it euen vntill the end Priuate persons haue greater libertie 2 They dressed Steeuen Luke sheweth that euen in the heat of persecution the godly were not so discouraged but beeing alwayes zealous they did those dueties which did belong to godlinesse Buriall seemeth to be a matter of small importance rather than they will foreslowe the same they bring themselues in no small hassarde of life And as the circumstance of time doth declare that they contemned death valiantly so againe wee gather thereby that they were carefull to doe this thing not without great and vrgent cause For this serued greatly to exercise their faith that the bodie of the holy martyr shoulde not bee left to the wilde beastes in whom Christe had triumphed nobly according to the glory of his Gospel Neither could they liue to Christ vnlesse they were readie to be gathered vnto Steeuen into the societie of death Therfore the care they had to burie the martyr was vnto them a meditation vnto inuincible constancie of professing the faith Therfore they sought not in a superfluous matter with an vnaduised zeale to prouoke their aduersaries Although that generall reason which ought alwayes and euerie where to be of force amongst the godly was vndoutedly of great weight with them For the rite of burying doth appertaine vnto the hope of the resurrection as it was ordeined by God since the beginning of the world to this end Wherefore this was alwayes counted cruell Barbarisme to suffer bodies to lie vnburied willingly Profane men did not know why they shuld count the right of buriall so holy but wee are not ignorant of the ende therof to wit that those which remaine aliue may know that the bodies are committed to the earth as to a prison vntil they be raised vp thence Whereby it appeareth that this duty is profitable rather for those which are aliue than for those which are deade Although it is also a point of our humanitie to giue due honour to those bodies to which wee knowe blessed immortalitie to be promised They made great lamentation Luke doth also commend their profession of godlinesse and faith in their lamentation For a dolefull and vnprosperous ende causeth men for the most part to forsake those causes wherein they were delighted before But on the other side these men declare by their mourning that they are no what terrified with the death of Stephen from standing stoutly in the approbation of their cause considering therewithal what great losse Gods church suffered by the death of one man And we must reiect that foolish Philosophie which willeth mē to be altogither blockish that they may be wise It must needs be that the Stoicks were void of cōmon sense who would haue a man to be with out all affection Certaine mad fellowes would gladly bring in the same dotings into the Church at this day and yet notwithstanding although they require an heart of yron of other men there is nothing softer or more effeminate than they They cannot abide that other men should shedde one teare if any thing fall out otherwise than they woulde wish they make no end of mourning God doth thus punish their arrogancy iestingly that I may so terme it seing that he setteth them to be laught at euen by boyes But let vs know that those affections which God hath giuen to mans nature are of themselues no more corrupt than the authour himselfe but that they are first to bee esteemed according to the cause secondly if they keepe a meane and moderation Surely that man which denieth that wee ought to reioice ouer the giftes of God is more like a blocke than a man therefore wee may no lesse lawfully sorrowe when they be taken away And least I passe the compasse of this present place Paule doeth not altogither forbidde men mourning when any of their friends is taken away by death but he would haue a difference betweene them and the vnbeleeuers because hope ought to bee to them a comfort and a remedie against vnpatience For the beginning of death causeth vs to sorrow for good causes but because we knowe that we haue life restored to vs in Christ we haue that which is sufficient to appease our sorrowe In like sort when wee are sorie that the Church is depriued of rare and excellent men there is good cause of sorrow onely we must seek such comfort as may correct excesse 3 But Saul Wee must note two thinges in this place howe greate the cruelty of the aduersaries was and howe wonderfull the goodnesse of God was who vouchsafed to make Paul a Pastour of so cruel a wolfe For that desire to lay wast the Church wherewith he was incensed did seeme to cut away all hope Therefore his conuersion was so much the more excellent afterward And it is not to bee doubted but that this punishment was laid vpon him by God after that he had conspired to put Stephen to death togither with the other wicked men that he shoulde be the ringleader of crueltie For God doeth oftentimes punish sinnes more sharply in the Elect than in the reprobate 4 And they were scattered abroad Luke declareth in this place also that it came to passe by the wonderful prouidence of God that the scattering abroad of the faithfull should bring many vnto the vnitie of faith thus doth the Lord vse to bring light out of darknes life out of death For the voice of the Gospel which was heard heretofore in one place onely doth now sound euerywhere in the meane season we are taught by this example that we must
Lord doth testifie that his mind was thorowly set vpon Dauid for no light cause but he commendeth in him som singular thing and by extolling him so highly his intent is to lift vp the mindes of the faithfull vnto Christ in his person Psal 89.21 The place is taken out of the fourescore and ninth Psalme Only Paul putteth in that which is not there to be found that Dauid was the sonne of Isai which amplifieth the grace of God For seeing that Isai was a breeder of cattell it was a wonderfull worke of God to take the least of his sonnes from the sheepefoldes and to place him in the throne of the kingdome By the worde found God meaneth that he had gotten such a man as hee woulde Not that Dauid had brought to passe by his owne trauell and industrie that he should meete God being such a one but the phrase is taken from the cōmō custome of men But the question is Seing that Dauid sel to greeuously how God giueth testimonie of his continual obedience We may answere two waies for God had respect rather vnto the continual course of his life then vnto euery of his particular actions secondly he did thus set him foorth not so much for his owne merite as for his Christs sake Assuredly hee had deserued by one wicked fact eternall destruction for him and his and so much as in him laid the way of the blessing of God was shut vp that there might nothing but vipers seed come of Bersabe But that so filthie a fact 2. Sam 11.2 in the death of Vrias turneth to a contrary end by the wonderfull counsell of God because Salomon is borne and commeth of that vnlooked for wedlock which was full of treacherie and finally polluted with many spots And though Dauid sinned greeuously yet because he followed God all the course of his life he is ptaysed without exception that he shewed himselfe obedient to God in all thinges Though as I haue said before the spirit carieth vs vnto a farther thing Mat. 22.42 and 15.22 yea the common calling of all the faithfull in Christ the head is here depainted out to vs 23 According to promise This clause doth also proue that whiche I haue alreadie said elswhere that in sending Christ the Lorde had respect only vnto his owne faithfulnesse and goodnesse For hee sent him because he had promised so to doe And as the promise doth testifie that saluation was free so it doeth also purchase no small credite to the Gospel because it appeareth by this that Christ came not at a sodaine of whom there was neuer any thing spoken but that he who was promised from the beginning was now giuen in his time But the promises which Luke here toucheth by the way are famous and well knowen And they were so cōmon among the Iewes that they called Christ commonly by no other name but the sonne of Dauid Hee saith that Iesus was raised vp to Israel because though saluation belong to all the whole world Rom. 15.8 yet was he first a minister of circumcision to fulfill the promises made to the fathers He translateth the Hebrew name Iesus into soter in Greeke So that he vttered one thing twise and yet here is no superfluous repetition because he meant to declare that Christe is in deede and doeth performe that which the name giuen him by God by the voice of the Angel doth import 24 After that Iohn had preached before the face of his entrance the baptisme of repentance to all the people of Israel 25 And when Iohn fulfilled his course he said Whom doe yee thinke me to be I am not But beholde he commeth after mee whose shoe latchets I am not worthie to loose 26 Men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and those who among you feare God to you is the worde of this saluation sent 24 Wee knowe what office Iohn had to wit to prepare the way of the Lorde Therefore Paule bringeth in his testimonie that hee may proue to the Iewes that he preached no false Christ but the true Christ of God whom that most famous forerunner had before commended not that mans testimonie is sufficient to proue so weightie a matter but there was another respect to be had to Iohn whom all men almost did thinke to be a prophet of God Therefore hence commeth the authoritie of the testimonie that a cryer sent from heauen and no priuate man speaketh of Christe And Paule reciteth two thinges summarilie concerning Iohn that he taught the baptisme of repentaunce before Christ his comming Secondly that casting from him of his owne accorde the title and honour of the Messias hee submitted himselfe to Christ The baptisme of repentance Baptisme brought in contrarie to the rite and custome of the lawe was a token of great alteration For it was vnlawful to renue any thing before Christes comming The Iewes had in deed in the lawe their baptismes or washinges which were also exercises of repentaunce but Iohn was the authour of new and strange baptism or rather the minister who put them in hope of the restoring long looked for and desired When he calleth it the baptisme of repentance he doth not exclude remission of sinnes but hee speaketh according to the circumstance of the place because this baptisme was a preparation vnto the faith of Christ And we must note the phrase that hee preached baptisme Whereby we are taught that the sacramentes are then rightly administred when doctrine is ioyned with the visible figure For the mouth of the baptiser must not be dumb because the signe is vaine without doctrine 25 When Iohn fulfilled his course The second member of the testimonie that when Iohn drew neere to the end of his course hee sent his disciples to Christ For he had fashioned thē before with the rudimente of baptisme and then he sent them to Christ as they say from hand to hand And this interrogatiō Whom do ye thinke me to be is not a question of one that doubteth For Iohn reproueth and chideth the Iewes because they did falsly giue to him the honour of the Messias though it may be read in one text I am not he whom you take me to be yet the other reading is more vsuall as it hath also greater force to refute the error Furthermore his testimonie doth deserue greater credite in that he doth willingly refuse the honour offered him which he might haue takē to himselfe not without commendation and doth submit himself to another There cannot assuredly be any suspition of ambition or of seeking after honour here which may discredite his words Behold he commeth That is he is about to come the Hebrew phrase which is common enough euen in the new testament whereas he confesseth that he is vnworthie to loose the latchets of Christes shoes It is a prouerbiall figure wherby he abaseth himselfe so much as he can least his greatnesse darken Christ his glory for he meant to do
certaintie be gathered out of the scriptures and therefore they hold that we must stand to the decrees of men For I demaund of them whether Paul did obserue a right order in disputing or no at least let them blush for shame that the worde of the Lord was more reuerenced in an vnbeleeuing nation then it is at this day among them The Iewes admit Paul suffer him when he disputeth out of the scriptures the Pope and all his count it a meere mocke when the scripture is cited as if God did speak doubtfully there and did with vaine boughts mocke men Hereunto is added that bicause there is at this day much more light in the scripture and the trueth of God shineth there more cleerely then in the law and prophets For in the Gospel Christ who is the sonne of righteousnes doeth shed out his beam with perfect brightnes vpon vs for which cause the blasphemy of the papists is the more intollerable whiles that they wil make the word of God as yet vncertain But let vs know as faith can bee grounded no where els then in the word of the Lord so we must only stand to the testimonie thereof in al controuersies 3 Opening In this place he describeth the sum or subiect of the disputation and he putteth down two members concerning Christ that He must haue died and risen againe that the son of Mary which was crucified is Christ When the question is concerning Christ there come 3. things in question Whether he be who he is what he is If Paul had had to deale with the gentiles he must haue fet his beginning farther because they had heard nothing concerning Christ nether do profane meÌ„ conceiue that they need a mediator But this point was out of doubt among the Iewes to whom the mediator was promised wherefore Paul omitteth that as superfluous which was receiued by common consent of al men But because there was nothing more harde then to bring the Iewes to confesse that Iesus who was crucified was the redeemer therefore Paul beginneth with this that it was meet that Christ should die that he may remoue the stumbling blocke of the crosse and yet we must not thinke that he recited the 〈◊〉 history but he taketh an vndoubted principle that the causes were shewed why Christe must haue suffered rise againe to wit because he preached of the ruine of mankind of sin of the punishment thereof of the iudgement of God and of the eternal curse wherein we be al inwrapped For euen the scripture calleth vs hither when it foretelleth the death of Christ As Isaias saith not simply that Christ should die Isa 53.6 Ib. 5. but plainly expressing because we haue al erred euery one hath gone his owne way he assigneth the cause of his death that God hath laid vpon him al our iniquities that the chastisement of our peace is vppon him that by his stripes we may bee healed that by making satisfaction for vs hee hath purchased righteousnes for vs. So doth Daniel Dan. 9.24 shew the force and fruit of his death in his 9. chapter when he saith that sinne must be sealed vp that eternall righteousnesse may succeed And surely there is no more apt or effectuall way to proue the office of Christ then when men being humbled with the feeling of their miseries see that there is no hope left vnlesse they be reconciled by the sacrifice of Christ TheÌ„ laying away their pride they humbly imbrace his crosse wherof they were before both weary ashamed Therfore we must come vnto the same fountaines at this day from which Paul fetteth the proofe of the death and resurrectioÌ„ of Christ And that definition brought great light to the second chapter It had not beene so easie a matter for Paul to prooue and certainely to gather that the sonne of Mary is Christ vnlesse the Iewes had been taught before what manner redeemer they were to hope for And when that doth once appeare it doth only remain that those things be applied to Christ which the scripture doth attribute to the mediator But this is the summe of our faith that we know that the sonne of Marie is that Christ mediator which God promised from the beginning that done that we knowe vnderstand why he died and rose againe that we do not feigne to our selues any earthly king but that we seeke in him righteousnes and all parts of our saluatioÌ„ Both which things Paul is said to haue proued out of the scriptures we must know that the Iewes were not so blockish nor so impudent as they be at this day Paul might haue drawen arguments from the sacrifices from all the worship of the law whereat the Iewes narre at this day like dogs It is wel knowne howe vnseemelily they rent and corrupt other places of Scripture At that daye they had some curtefie in them also they did somwhat reuerence the scripture so that they were not altogether such as would not be taught at this daye the veyle is laid ouer their hearts so that they can see no more in the cleere light then moales 4 Certaine of them beleeued We see here the fruite of Paul his disputation He prooued flatly that Iesus was Christ 2. Cor. 3.15 who by his death did appease the fathers wrath for vs and whose resurrection is the life of the worlde Yet onely certaine of the Iewes beleeue the rest are blind at noone day and with deafe eares refuse the certaine and playne trueth This is also woorth the noting that whereas onely a fewe Iewes beleeued a great multitude of the Gretians who were farre farther of came vnto the faith To what end can you say they weer noussed vp in the doctrine of the law from their childhood saue onely that they might bee more estranged from God Therefore the Lord doth now begin to shew some tokens of that blindnes in them which the prophetes doe oftentimes denounce vnto theâ—â— Notwithstanding he declareth by this that his couenaunt was not in vaine because he did at least gather some of that people vnto himselfe that the sparkles of the election may shyne in the remnaunt which was saued freely Luke doth moreouer teache that they did not beleeue the sayinges of Paul onely so farre foorth that they subscribed vnto them with a cold consent but that they did testifie their earnest of affection because they had ioyned themselues to Paul and Silas as companions prouoked against themselues the hatred of their nation by the free profession of the Gospel For what meaneth this adioyning saue only because they professed that they allowed that doctrine which he deliuered and that they tooke his part For ther is nothing more contrarie to faith then if when we knowe the truth of God we stand notwithstanding in doubt and are loth to ioyn our selues to any side If any man had rather expound it that they did ioyne them selues to Paul and Silas because
libertie to lie that we might haue no certaine thing left vs after Christs ascension So that vnlesse this work of Luke were extant it might seeme that Christ being taken vp into heauen left no fruit of his death or resurrection vpon earth For all should haue vanished away with his bodie We should not know that Christ was so receiued into his celestiall glorie that neuertheles hee beareth rule in all the world we should not know that the Gospel was published by the Apostles and so came from them vnto vs though by the meanes of others we should not know that they were inspired by the holy Ghost least they should teach any thing but that which was diuine to the end our faith might be grounded onely vpon the vnfallible veritie of God Last of all we shoulde not knowe that that Prophesie of Esaias was fulfilled wherein he foretold that the law should come out of Sion and the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem Seeing this booke proceeding no doubt from the spirite of God taketh from vs all doubting of these thinges wee must count the same as a great treasure as I haue said before not without cause and nowe againe confirme the same The Commentaries of M. Jo. Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles CHAP. I. 1 THe former speech truely haue we had ô Theophilus of al things which Iesus began to do and teach 2 Euen vntill that day wherein after he had giuen commaundement by the holie Ghost to the Apostles which he had chosen he was taken vp 1 THat he may passe ouer vnto those things which followed the ascension of Christ he briefly gathereth the sum of all those which before hee had handled in the former booke that he may annexe this thereunto And he briefly setteth downe this description of the historie of the Gospel that it is a narration of those thinges which Christ did said so long as he was conuersant vpon earth Furthermore whereas they interpret this commonlie that there was first in Christ puritie of life before such time as hee began to preach it maketh nothing vnto Luke his mind Truth it is that the manners of a good and godly teacher ought so to be framed that he speake first with his life then with his tongue otherwise he should differ nothing from a stage plaier Luk. 24.19 But Luke hath respect rather vnto that which he had said about the end of his Gospel namely that Christ was a prophet mightie in deed and word that is such a one as did excell no lesse in deeds than in words Although there be but small difference betwixt these two places For the mightines of works which is commēded there doth belong vnto his miracles but this To do doth reach further in my opinion namely that vnder the same are comprehended all the famous acts which were proper vnto his ministrie wherein his death resurrection are the chiefest For the office of the Messias did not onely consist in doctrine but it was also behoueful that he should make peace betweene God and man that he should be a redeemer of the people a restorer of the kingdome and an author of euerlasting felicitie Al these things I say as they were promised of the Messias so were they loked for at his hands Now we see that the sum of the Gospel consisteth of these two parts namely of the doctrin of Christ of his actes for as much as he did not onely bring vnto men that embassage which was giuen him in charge of his father but also performed al things that could be required of the Messias He began his kingdome he pacified God with his sacrifice he purged mans sins with his owne precious blood hee subdued death and the diuel he restored vs vnto true libertie he purchased righteousnes life for vs. And to the end that whatsoeuer he either did or said might be certaine he proued himself by miracles to be the sonne of God So that this worde to Doe is extended vnto his miracles also but it must not be restreined onely vnto the same Heere must we note that those which haue onely the bare knowledge of the history haue not the Gospel vnlesse the knowledge of the doctrine which maketh manifest the fruits of the Actes of Christ be adioyned thereunto For this is a holy knot which no man may dissolue Therefore whensoeuer mention is made of the doctrine of Christ let vs learne to adioyne thereunto his workes as seales whereby the truth therof is established and confirmed and the effect declared Furthermore that we may reape commoditie by his death and resurrection and also that miracles may haue their vse we must alwayes haue respect vnto him that speaketh For this is the true rule of Christianitie Of all things which he began I do not greatly mislike the interpretation which some giue of this place that Luke saide rather of all then all because it is possible in some measure to intreat of the workes and doctrin of Christ But to set downe the whole course that the narration may be perfect were a matter of great weight Like as Iohn doth declare that the world could not conteine the bookes Iohn 21.25 That is also to be noted that Luke saith that he began his historie at the beginning of the workes of Christ But so soon as he hath declared the natiuity of Christ he passeth ouer vnto the twelfth yeare of his age Luke 2.42 and after he had briefly spoken of his disputation had in the temple with the doctors passing ouer XVIII yeares without speaking any thing of them he entereth the iust narration of the workes of Christ It is therefore manifest that those workes and sayings onely which make any thing vnto the sum of our saluation are noted in this place For after that Christ came abroad into the world clothed with our flesh he liued priuatly at home vntil he was XXX yeeres of age at which time his Father put vpon him another manner of person God woulde haue him to leade the former part of his life obscurely to this ende that the knowledge of these things might be more excellent which do edifie our faith The former speech It seemed good to me to translate this on this wise because logon poiesdhai is the same with the Grecians which verba facere or to speak is with the Latins as Budaeus doth note And we must vnderstand the contrarietie of the second part which he taketh in hand that we may knowe that the Euangelist determined with himselfe afresh to write hauing new matter whereupon to write Euen vntill that day Therefore the ascention of Christ is the ende of the historie of the Gospel For hee hath ascended saith Paul that hee might fulfill all things Ephes 4.10 Our faith gathereth other fruite thereby but it shall be sufficient to note in this place that our redemption was fullie complete and finished then when Christ did ascend vnto his
by the hand of God least we be subiect to the iniuries of Satan and the wicked It is good for vs to imbrace this one thing neither did Peter meane any thing els in this place Yea wee haue an example set before vs in Christ whereby we may learne to bee wise with sobrietie For it is out of question that his flesh was subiect to corruption according to nature But the prouidence of God did set the same free If any mā aske whether the bones of Christ could be broken or no it is not to be denied that they were subiect to breaking naturally yet could there no bone be broken Iohn 19.36 because God had so appointed and determined By this example I say we are taught so to giue the chiefest roome to gods prouidence that we keepe ourselues within our bounds and that we thrust not our selues rashlie vndiscretly into the secretes of God whither our eiesight doth not pearce By the handes of the wicked Because Peter seemeth to graunt that the wicked did obey God hereupon followeth two absurdities the one eyther that God is the author of euils or that men do not sin what wickednesse soeuer they commit I answere concerning the second that the wicked do nothing lesse than obey God howsoeuer they doe execute that which God hath determined with himself For obedience springeth frō a voluntarie affection And we know that the wicked haue a farre other purpose Again no man obeieth God saue he which knoweth his will Therfore obedience dependeth vpon the knowledge of Gods will Furthermore God hath reuealed vnto vs his will in the law wherfore those mē do obey god who do that alone which is agreeable to the law of god And againe which submit themselues willingly to his gouernment Wee see no such thing in al the wicked whō god doth driue hither thither they themselues being ignorant No man therfore will say that they are excusable vnder this colour because they obey god for as much as both the wil of God must be sought in his lawe and they so muche as in them lyeth doe couet to resist God As touching the other point I denie that God is the Authour of euill because there is a certaine noting of a wicked affection in this worde For the wicked deede is esteemed according to the ende whereat a man aymeth When men committe theft or murder they offend for this cause because they are theeues or murderers And in the theft and murder there is a wicked purpose God who vseth their wickednesse is to be placed in the higher degree For he hath respect vnto a farre other thing because he will chastice the one exercise the patience of the other so he doth neuer decline from his nature that is from perfect righteousnesse So that whereas Christ was deliuered by the hands of wicked men wheras he was crucified it came to passe by the appointment and ordinaunce of God But treason which is of it selfe wicked and murther which hath in it so great wickednesse must not be thought to be the workes of God 24 Hauing loosed the sorrowes of death By the sorrowes of death I vnderstand some farther thing than the bodily sense or feeling For those which dulie cōsider the nature of death because they heare that it is the curse of God must needes conceiue that God is angrie in death Hence commeth marueilous horror wherein there is greater miserie than in death it selfe Furthermore Christe died vppon this condition that hee might take vpon him our guiltinesse That inward feare of conscience which made him so afraid that he swet blood when he presented himself before the throne and tribunall seate of God did more vexe him and brought vpon him greater horror than al the torments of the flesh And whereas Peter saith that Christ did wrastle with such sorrowes doth also declare that he had the victorie by this it commeth to passe that the faithfull ought not now to be afraid of death For death hath not the like qualitie now which was in Adam because by the victorie of Christe the curse of God is swallowed vp 1. Cor. 15.54 Wee feele in deede yet the pricking of sorrowes but such as do not wholy wound vs whilest that we hold vp the buckler of faith against them He addeth a reason because it was vnpossible that Christ should be oppressed by death who is the authour of life 25 For Dauid saith of him I saw the Lord before me alwaies because hee is on my right hand least I should be moued 26 For this my heart reioyced and my tongue was glad moreouer my fleshe shal rest in hope 27 Because thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption 28 Thou hast made knowen vnto me the wayes of life thou shalt fill mee with gladnes with thy face 29 Men and brethren seeing that I may boldly speak vnto you of the Patriark Dauid because he is both dead and buried and his sepulchre remaineth with vs vntill this day 30 Therefore seeing he was a Prophet and did knowe that God had sworne vnto him with an oth that it should come to passe that Christe shoulde rise of the frutes of his loynes concerning the fleshe who shoulde sit vpon his throne 31 He knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Christe that his soule was not left in hell neither did his flesh see corruption 25 The resurrection which was both declared and witnessed by certaine and euident testimonies and which might also haue been gathered out of the continuall doctrine of the prophetes was to be proued to the Iewes as some new and strange thing And no maruell For wee see that although Christe had oftentimes beat the same into his Disciples heads yet did they profite but a little And yet did they retaine certaine principles of true doctrine which might haue made a way for them vnto the knowledge of Christ as we shall see by by Therfore because the gift of the Spirite was a frute of the resurrection of Christ he prooueth by the testimonie of Dauid that Christ must needes haue risen againe that the Iewes may thereby knowe that hee was the authour of the gift For he taketh it as a thing which all men graunt that he was raysed vp from death that he may liue not for himself but for his Nowe wee see Peter his drift That that ought to seeme no straunge thing which was foretolde so long before And that Iesus is also Christe because Dauid did prophesie of him as of the head of the church First of all wee must see whether this place ought altogether to be vnderstood of Christe as Peter affirmeth that done if there bee any thing in the wordes worth the noting wee will in order discusse it Peter denieth that that agreeth with Dauid which is said in this place Thou shalt not suffer thine holie one to see corruption Psal 16.6
because Dauid his carkasse was corrupt in the graue It seemeth at the first blush to be but a light argument For a man might easily obiect That the word is not to be vrged forasmuch as Dauid meant nothing else saue onely to exempt himselfe from destruction Therefore howsoeuer corruption did touche him yet doth that no whit hinder but that he may easily say that he was safe from the danger thereof because he knew that the Lorde would deliuer him Yea it seemeth to be a repetition of the former sentence according to the common custome of the Hebrewe tongue Which if it be so the sense shal be plaine that God will not suffer him to be oppressed with death or that death should consume him And this interpretatiō is confirmed by that that where we read hell it is in Hebrewe Seol where we read corruption there it is Shachat Both these words do signifie the graue By this means Dauid should say twise that he shal be deliuered from death by the grace of God Finally he saith the same thing in this place which he saith Psa 49. God shall redeeme my soule from the hand of hell Psal 49.16 Like as on the other side when he speaketh of the reprobates he is wont to take going downe into the graue for destruction I aunswere brieflie that there is some greater thing expressed in this place than the common redemption or deliuerance of the godly Dauid in deede doeth promise that God wil be his eternall deliuerer as well in life as in death Neither hadde he been muche better for this to haue been once deliuered from one daunger vnlesse he had hoped that he should be safe euen vnto the end through Gods protection but he speaketh of such safetie as is not common And surely the wordes doe sound that he speaketh of some new singular priuiledge Admit I graunt that it is a repetitiō that ther is al one thing vttered in these two members Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell Thou shalt not suffer me to see corruption yet do I denie that it is simpy to bee vnderstood that God will deliuer his holie one from eternall destruction For freedome from corruption is promised by name Neither do I passe for this that Shachat doeth signifie the graue as Seol which is put in the former member For although I do not stand nor contend about the wordes yet must we respect the Etymologie Therefore for asmuch as the graue is called Shachat because it doeth corrupt mans bodye with rottennesse it is not to bee doubted but that Dauid meant to note that qualitie Therfore the place is not so much expressed by this word as the condition of rotting So that the sense is that God will not suffer him of whom the Psalme speaketh To rot or corrupt in the graue And forasmuch as Dauid was not free from this necessitie it followeth that the prophesie was neither truely nor perfectly fulfilled in him And that the Psalm ought altogether to be expoūded of Christe the thing it selfe doth proue Gen. 3.19 For seeing that Dauid was one of the sonnes of Adā he could not escape that vniuersal condition and estate of mankinde Dust thou art into dust thou shalt return the graue standeth opē I say for al the children of Adam that it may swallow thē vp consume them so that no man can exempt himself frō corruption So that beholdding our selues apart from Christ we see the graue prepared for vs which threatneth to vs corruption Wherfore if Dauid be separated from Christ that shal not belong to him which is here said that he shal be preserued from the graue Therfore when he boasteth that he shal be free frō the graue as touching corruption without all doubt he placeth himself in the body of Christ wherin death was ouercome the kingdom therof abolished But if Dauid do promise himself exempting from the graue in another respect saue only so far foorth as he is a member of Christ hereby it appeareth that this freedome must begin at Christe as at the head What man soeuer shal be of sound iudgement shall easily knowe that this is a good argument God did put al mankind vnder corruption Therefore Dauid inasmuch as he was of the number of men could not be free from the same Neither is it to be doubted but that the Iewes before whō this sermon was made forasmuch as without questiō that maxim was of force amongst thē that they were to hope for the restoring of thinges at the hands of Christe alone did the more readily stay themselues vppon the words of Peter because they saw that that could no otherwise be which the words do import vnlesse they should apply it to the Messias For they were not come to that point of impudencie at least those of whom mention is made heere that they durst cauil in matters which were euident For god had then offered vnto his disciples those which were godly hearers and apt to bee taught They sought the Messias in the olde Testament They knew that Dauid was a figure of him There was amongest them some religion and reuerence of the scriptures then But nowe the impudencie of all the whole nation almost is desperate Howesoeuer they be vrged they wrench themselues out one way or other Where ther is no way to escape yet they break through Althogh they be ouercome yet wil they not yeld Neither is it to be douted but that this their shameles frowardnes is a punishment for their vngodlines But let vs return vnto Peter his sermon Seing that Dauid doth not only affirm that God also shal be his deliuerer but doth expresse a singular way means namelie that he shal not be subiect to the corruptiō of the graue Peter doth for good causes gather that that doth not properly appertain vnto him for that his body was corrupt in the graue And now because this had byn somwhat hard to be spoken among the Iewes he mollifieth the hardnes with a circūlocutiō For he doth not flatlie denie in one worde that that was fulfilled in deed in Dauid but doth only by the way signifie so much vnto thē because he lyeth consumed in the graue after the common custom of other men And Dauid did so prophesie of Christ that he did both apply this consolatiō vnto himself priuately also extend the same vnto the whole body of the church For that which is sound perfect in the head is spread abroad being afterward powred out into al the mēbers Neither is it to be denied but that Dauid spake of himself in this place yet only so far foorth as he beheld himself in Christ as in the mirrour of life First he hath respect vnto Christe after that he turneth his eies toward himself other the faithful So that we haue a generall doctrin prescribed vnto vs in this place concerning the nature of faith the spiritual ioy of conscience the
hope of eternall deliuerance I saw We must hold this principle if we will haue God present with vs we must set him before our eies that before he do appear for the prospect of faith pearceth farre further than vnto the present experience Therfore faith hath this propertie to set god alwaies before it as a guide in all dangers cōfused matters For there is nothing that doth so much hold vs vp as when we know that God is present with vs as the opinion of his absence doth often cast vs down at length quite discourage vs. Dauid addeth That he tooke not heed in vain vnto the directiō of God He is saith he at my right hand whereby he doth signifie that we need not to fear least we be deceiued whē as we set him before vs as present for we shal alwaies feel his help most readie Faith in hoping for the help of God ought to preuent ouergoe al experience whatsoeuer is perceiued by the sense but so soone as it shall giue this glorie to God that it doeth beholde him in his worde although he be absent and so consequently inuisible it shall be ouercome with the effect of the thing For the measure of faith is not able to comprehend the infinite greatnesse of the power goodnes of God He draweth a similitude frō those which when they will vnderprop the weak or strengthen the fearefull do ioine thēselues vnto their side Not to be moued is not to be thrown down frō their degree but to remain firme in their estate like as also Psal 46 Psal 46.6 God is in the midst of it therfore shall it not be moued For although it come to passe sometimes that the godly bee sore shaken yet because they come to thēselues again they are said to cotinue firme Therefore there is no cause why they should be afraid of falling who are vpholdē by the help of God Like as on the other side those which place their strength any where els saue only in God they shall be like to fall at euery blast of wind but at any mean wind of temptation they shall fall to the ground For this my hart reioyced Ioy of the soul gladnes of the tonge quietnes of al the whole body do ensu vpō sure hope cōfidence for vnles mē be quite past feeling they must needes bee carefull and sorrowfull and so consequently miserably tormented so long as they feele themselues destitute of the helpe of God But that sure trust which we repose in God doth not only deliuer vs from carefulnesse but doth also replenishe our hearts with wonderfull ioy and gladnesse That is the ioy which Christ promised to his disciples should be full in them and which hee testified could not bee taken from them Ioh. 16.22 and 17.13 Iohn 16. 17. He expresseth the greatnesse of the ioy when he saith That it cannot be kept in but that it will break foorth into the gladnes of the tonge Cabod doth signifie in deed glory but it is taken in that place as in many other for the Tongue And so the Grecians haue truly trāslated the same The rest of the flesh doth signifie the quietnes of the whole man which we haue through the protection of God Neither is this any let because the faithful are continuallie out of quiet and tremble for as in the middest of sorrowes they do neuertheles reioyce so there are no troubles so great that can break thē of their rest If any man obiect that the peace of the faithfull doth consist in the spirite and that it is not of the flesh I answere that the faithfull doe rest in bodie not that they are free from troubles but because they beleeue that God careth for them wholie and that not only their soule shal be safe through his protection but their bodie also 27 Because thou shalt not leaue To leaue the soule in hell is to suffer the same to be oppressed with destruction There be two wordes vsed in this place both which doe signifie the graue amongest the Hebricians Because Shaal doth signifie to Require I suppose it is called Seol because death is insatiable whence also commeth that translation Hel hath enlarged her soule Again they set open their mouth like hel And because the latter Sahath is deriued and fet frō corruption or consumption that qualitie is to bee considered as Dauid meant to note the same Those thinges which are disputed in this place by diuers concerning the descending of Christe into hell are in my iudgement superfluous because they are farre from the intent and purpose of the Prophet For the word anima or soule doth not so much signifie the spirite being of an immortal essence as the life it self For when a man is dead and lieth in the graue the graue is said to rule ouer his life Whereas the Grecians translate it holie it is in Hebrew Chassith which doth properly signifie meek or gentle but Luke did not much regard this because it doth not much appertaine vnto the present purpose Furthermore gentlenesse and meeknes is so often commended in the faithfull because it behoueth them to imitate and resemble the nature of their Father 28 Thou hast made knowen He meaneth that he was restored frō death to life by the grace of God For in that hee was as it were a mā raised frō death to life 1. Cor. 15.20 1. Cor. 15.42 Psa 16.11 Psal 80.4 he acknowlegeth that it was a great good gift of God This was in such sort fulfilled in Christ that there wanted nothing vnto perfection As for the members they haue their measure Therefore Christ was far from corruption that he may be the first frutes of those which rise from death We shal folow him in our order at length but being first turned into dust That which foloweth that he was filled with gladnesse with the countenaunce of God agreeth with that Shew vs thy face and we shal be safe And againe The light of thy countenaunce is shewed vpon vs thou hast put gladnesse in my heart For it is only the pleasantnes of Gods countenance which doth not only make vs glad but also quicken vs againe when the same is turned away or troubled wee must needes faint 30 Therfore seeing he was a prophet He sheweth by two reasons that it is no maruell if Dauid doe speak of things that should come to passe long after his time the former is because hee was a prophet And wee knowe that things to come such as are remoued far from the knowledge of men are reuealed vnto the Prophetes Therefore it were wickednesse to measure their speeches according to the common manner and order which we vse in measuring the speeches of other mē forasmuch as they goe beyond the long courses of yeeres hauing the Spirite for their directer Whereuppon they are also called Seers because beeing placed as it were vpon an high tower they see those things
of the forme of baptisme but hee doeth simplie declare that the whole strength of Baptisme is contained in Christ Although Christ can not be laid hold on by faith without the Father by whom hee was giuen vs and the Spirit by the which he reneweth and sanctifieth vs. The answere consisteth wholly in this that hee intreateth not in this place of the certaine forme of baptising but the faithfull are called backe vnto Christ in whom alone we haue whatsoeuer baptisme doth prefigure vnto vs. For we are both made cleane by his blood and also we enter into a new life by the benefite of his death and resurrection Yee shall receiue the gift of the Spirit Because they were touched with wondering when they saw the Apostles sodainly beginne to speake with strange tongues Peter saith that they shal be partakers of the same gift if they will passe ouer vnto Christ Remission of sinnes and newnesse of life were the principall things and this was as it were an addition that Christ should shew forth vnto them his power by some visible gift Neither ought this place to bee vnderstoode of the grace of sanctification which is giuen generally to all the Godlie Therfore he promiseth them the gift of the Spirite whereof they sawe a paterne in the diuersitie of tongues Therefore this doth not properly appertaine vnto vs. For because Christ meant to set foorth the beginning of his kingdome with those miracles they lasted but for a time yet because the visible graces which the Lord did distribute to his did shewe as it were in a glasse that Christ was the giuer of the Spirite therefore that which Peter saieth doeth in some respect appertaine vnto all the whole Church yee shall receiue the gift of the Spirit For although wee doe not receiue it that we may speak with tongues Rom. 10.10 Iohn 5.24 that we may be prophets that we may cure the sicke that wee may worke miracles yet is it giuen vs for a better vse that we may beleeue with the heart vnto righteousnesse that our tongues may bee framed vnto true confession that wee may passe from death to life that we which are poore and emptie may be made rich that we may withstande Sathan and the world stoutly Therefore the grace of the Spirit shall alwayes be annexed vnto Baptisme vnlesse the let be in our selues 39 For the promise apperteineth vnto you It was requisite that this shoulde be expressely added that the Iewes might certainly thinke and perswade themselues that the grace of Christ did belong as wel to them as to the Apostles And Peter prooueth it thus because the promise of God was made vnto them For we must alwayes looke vnto this because we cannot otherwise know the wil of God saue onely by his word But it is not sufficient to haue the generall worde vnlesse wee knowe that the same is appointed for vs. Therefore Peter saith that those benefites which they see in him and his fellowes in office were in times past promised to the Iewes because this is required necessarilie for the certaintie of faith that euery one be fully perswaded of this that hee is comprehended in the number of those vnto whom God speaketh Finally this is the rule of a true faith when I am thus perswaded that saluation is mine because that promise appertaineth vnto me which offereth the same And hereby we haue also a greater confirmation when as the promise is extended vnto those who were before a farre off For God had made the couenant with the Iewes If the force and fruite thereof come also vnto the Gentiles there is no cause why the Iewes shoulde doubt of themselues but that they shall finde the promise of God firme and stable Exod. 4.22 Gene. 17.7 And we must note these three degrees that the promise was first made to the Iewes and then to their children and last of all that it is also to be imparted to the Gentiles Wee know the reason why the Iewes are preferred before other people for they are as it were the first begotten in Gods familie yea they were then separated from other people by a singular priuiledge Therefore Peter obserueth a good order when he giueth the Iewes the preheminence Whereas hee adioyneth their children vnto them it dependeth vpon the woordes of the promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee Where God doeth reckon the children with the fathers in the grace of adoption This place therefore doeth aboundantly refute the manifest error of the Anabaptists which will not haue infants which are the children of the faithfull to bee baptised as if they were not members of the Church They espie a starting hole in the allegoricall sense and they expounde it thus that by children are meant those which are spirituallie begotten But this grosse impudency doth nothing helpe them It is plaine and euident that Peter spake thus because God did addopt one nation peculiarly And Circumcision did declare that the right of adoption was common euen vnto infantes Therefore euen as God made his couenant with Isaach being as yet vnborne because hee was the seede of Abraham so Peter teacheth that all the children of the Iewes are contained in the same couenant because this promise is alwayes in force I will bee the God of your seede And to those which are a farre of The Gentiles are named in the last place which were before straungers For those which referre it vnto those Iewes which were exiled a farre off and driuen into far countries they are greatly disceiued For hee speaketh not in this place of the distance of place but hee noteth a difference betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles that they were first ioyned to God by reason of the couenant and so consequently became of his familie or housholde but the Gentiles were banished from his kingdome Paule vseth the same speech in the seconde Chapter to the Ephesians Ephes 2.11 that the Gentiles which were straungers from the promises are nowe drawne neere through Iesus Christ vnto God Because that Christ the wal of separation being taken away hath reconciled both the Iewes Gentiles vnto the Father and comming hee hath preached peace vnto those which were nigh at hand and which were a farre off Nowe wee vnderstande Peter his meaning For to the end he may amplifie the grace of Christ hee doeth so offer the same vnto the Iewes that hee saieth the Gentiles are also partakers thereof And therefore hee vseth this woorde Call as if hee shoulde saie Like as GOD hath gathered you togither into one peculiar people heretofore by his voyce so the same voyce shall sounde euerie where that those which are a farre off may come and ioyne themselues vnto you when as they shall bee called by a new proclamation 40 And with many other words did he testifie and exhort saying Bee yee saued from this froward generation 41 Those therefore which willingly embraced his worde were
the mouth of all his holie prophets since the beginning of the worlde 17 Because it was to be doubted least being cast down with despaire they should refuse his doctrine he doth a little lift them vp We must so temper our sermons that they may profit the hearers For vnlesse there be some hope of pardon left the terrour and feare of punishment doeth harden mens heartes with stubbornesse For that of Dauid is true Psal 130.4 That we feare the Lord when wee perceiue that he is vnto vs fauourable and easie to be pacified Thus doth Peter lessen the sinne of his nation because of their ignoraunce For it had been vnpossible for them to haue suffered and endured this conscience if they hadde denied the sonne of God and deliuered him to be slaine wittinglie and willinglie And yet wil he not flatter them when as he saith That they did it through ignorance but he doth only somwhat mitigate his speech least they should be ouerwhelmed and swallowed vp of despayre Againe we must not so take the wordes as if the people did sin simplie of ignorance for vnder this there did lie hid hypocrisie but as wickednesse or ignoraunce doth abounde the action is named of the one or the other This is therefore Peter his meaning that they did it rather through error a blind zeal than through any determined wickednesse But a question may be moued here If any man haue offended wittinglie and willinglie whether he shal surely fall into dispaire or no I answere that he doth not make meÌ„tion in this place of all maner of sin but only of the denying of Christ of the extinguishing of the grace of God so much as in them did lie If any man be desirous to know more concerning this 1. Tim. 1.13 he may read the first chapter of the first epistle to Timothie As did also your rulers First this seemeth to be an vnproper comparison For the Scribes and the priests were caried headlong with a wonderful madnes and they were full of wicked vnfaithfulnesse but the peruerse studie zeale of the law did prick forward the people Again the people were incensed against Christ in as much as their rulers did prouoke them thereunto I answere that they were not all of one minde for without dout many of theÌ„ were like vnto Paul vnto whoÌ„ that doth trulie appertaine which hee writeth elswhere of the princes and rulers of this world if they had knowen the wisedome of God they would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glory Therfore he speaketh not generally of al the rulers but if any of them be curable them doth he inuite to repentance 18 And God Hereby it appeareth more plainly to what end he made mentioÌ„ of ignoraÌ„ce For when he telleth theÌ„ that God hath accoÌ„pliâ—â—ed those things which he had foretold he doth so touch their offeÌ„ce in the death of Christ that it turneth to their saluation Ignorance saieth hee hath made you giltie yet God hath brought that to passe which he had determined that Christ should redeeme you by his death This is a most notable consideration when as we ponder and consider with our selues that through the wonderfull counsell of God our euils are turned to another ende to vs. Yet this doth no whit excuse vs. For so much as in vs lyeth we cast away our selues by sinning but that conuersion whereof I haue spoken is a notable worke of gods mercy whereof we must speak and which we must extol with humilitie The Iewes did what they could to extinguishe all hope of life in the person of Christe And yet neuerthelesse that death gaue life as well to them as to all the whole worlde We must also remember that which we sawe elswhere least there should any false and absurde opinion creep in that Christ was laid open to the lust of the wicked that God is made the chiefe authour by whose wil his only sonne did suffer 19 Repent We must note that when he exhorteth vnto repentance he doth also declare that there is remission of sinnes prepared for them before the face of God For as I said of late no man can be stirred vp to repentance vnlesse he haue saluation set before him But he which doth despaire of pardon being as it were giuen ouer vnto destruction already doth not feare to runne headlong against God obstinately Heereby it commeth to passe that the Papists cannot deliuer the doctrine of repeÌ„tance They babble indeed very much concerning the same but because they ouerthrow the hope of grace it cannot bee that they shoulde perswade their disciples vnto the studie of repentance Moreouer I confesse that they babble a little touching forgiuenes of sinnes but because they leaue mens soules in dout and in fearefulnesse and furthermore do cast them as it were into a Labyrinth or place out of which they knowe not how to come this part of the doctrine being corrupt they confound the other also 20 That when If we followe Erasmus and the olde interpreter this sentence shal be vnperfect which may be made perfect thus When the time of refreshing shall come you may also enioy this refreshing When Christ shall come to iudge the world you may find him a redeemer and not a iudge But because Beza doth fitly translate it After that they shal come it is better to retaine that which is not so rackt so you resolue it thus that sinnes are forgiuen against the day of the last iudgement because vnlesse we be cited to appere before Gods iudgement seat we are not greatly carefull to pacifie God First of all we must note that he setteth before them the day of iudgement to the end the former exhortation may take the greater effect For there is nothing which doth more prick vs than when we are taught that we must once giue an account For so long as our senses are holden kept in this world they are drowned as it were in a certain drowsines that I may so call it Wherfore the message of the last iudgement must sound as a trumpet to cite vs to appeare before the iudgement seat of God For then at last being trulie awaked we begin to think of a new life In like sort when Paule preached at Athens God saith that he doth now wil all men to repent because he hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the worlde The summe is this that Christe who is now vnto vs a master when as hee teacheth vs by the Gospell is appointed of the Father to be a iudge and shall come in his due time and that therefore we must obey his doctrine betimes that we may gather the frute of our faith then But some man may obiect that Peter speaketh otherwise of the last day For this doeth not serue to make them afraid when he saith the time of refreshing I answere that there is a double prick wherewith the faithful are pricked forward when as they are told of the last
must not by and by thinke that that is right whiche Luke saieth was done by ignorant men and those which knewe not the pure faith Yet we haue a more certaine answere in readinesse than this For the apostles wer endued with such power for this cause bicause they were ministers of the gospell Therfore they vsed this gift in as much as it serued to further the credite of the gospel yea God did no lesse shewe foorth his power in their shadowe than in their mouth Those myracles wherof the Papists babble are so vnlike to these that they are rather altogeather contrarie For this is the end of their myracles to lead away the world from Christ vnto Saints 17 And the highest priest rose and all that were with him that is to say the sect of the Sadduces and were filled with “ Or Indignation zeale 18 And they laid handes vpon the Apostles put them in the common prison 19 But the Angell of the Lord opened the dore of the prison in the night season and bringing them out said 20 Goe and standing speake in the temple vnto the people all the wordes of this life 21 When they heard this early in the morning they entred into the temple and taught But when the highest priest came and those that were with him they called a councell and all the whole Senate of the children of Israel and sent into the common prison to fetch them 22 But when the Ministers came they found them not Therefore they returned and tolde saying 23 The prison truly found we shut with all diligence and the keepers standing at the dore but when the prison was opened we found none within 24 When the chiefe priest and the captaine of the temple and the priests heard these sayings they doubted of these things what this would be 25 Furthermore a certaine man comming tolde them saying Beholde the men whom ye had put in prison stand in the temple teaching the people 26 Then the captain going with the ministers brought them without violence For they feared the people least they should be stoned 17 Luke hath hitherto declared that the church was wonderfully encreased that it was furnished with diuers gifts that it excelled in myracles finally that the kingdome of Christ did florish there by al means now he beginneth to shew that the furie of the wicked was kindled with these things so that they raged sorer afresh Whēce we may gather with what blind furie rage Satan driueth thē forwarde when as they are so little terrified with such euident power of God that they runne headlong more boldlye and with greater force and bende all their force as it were to ouerthrowe the very heauen As this so great blindenesse is a horrible punishment of almightie GOD so ought it to teach al men to submit themselues betimes to god least that they themselues being taken with the Spirite of giddinesse whiles they runne against the hande of God bee broken in peeces with the same Neuerthelesse let vs knowe that God will so encrease his Church with spirituall good thinges that yet notwithstanding he suffereth the same to be vexed of the wicked Therefore we must alway be ready for the cumbate For our estate at this day is not vnlike to theirs Especially the knowledge of the gifts of God whereby he testifieth that hee is present with vs ought to encourage vs least the furie and boldnesse of the wicked do terrifie and dismay vs. For this is no smal comfort when we knowe that God is present with vs. Which were with him Hee meaneth those which were most familiar and the nighest lincked in friendship with the chiefe Priest whose counsell hee was wont to vse and whom he had being as it were gathered and culled out of the whole order not for iudgement or discretion but for the loue of his faction as they did then contend among themselues shamelesly like mortall enimies Furthermore Luke saith againe that the Sadduces did beare the greatest swinge at that day to the ende wee may knowe that the gouernment was then confused with horrible wastnesse when as such a sect could beare rule But God suffered the Synagogue to be drowned in such extreame reproch after that hee had separated his Church from it to the ende they might haue the lesse excuse who dispising the gospel did continue in such a sinke of filthinesse In the meane season what did enforce and driue forward those swine who were touched with no care of the life to come saue onely meere ambition and desire to keepe that lordship and preheminence which they had gotten They were filled with zeale I had leiffer keepe the greeke woorde still especially seing it is common ynough otherwise then to translate it Emulation or indignation For hee speaketh generally of the peruerse and violent force wherewith hypocrites are carried and inflamed to maintaine their superstitions Wherby it appeareth what account God maketh of zeale and what praise it deserueth when as it is not gouerned by reason and wisedome that is when it is not lead and guided by the Spirite of God Wee see at this day those men mooued and stirred with diuellish furie who will be counted the most deuout of al men who rage horriblie to shedde innocent blood Neuerthelesse let vs note that he speaketh not in this place of an vnaduised or blinde zeale which was in many of the Iewes as Paule affirmeth but wee vnderstande rather a whot and vnbridled violence For although the wicked bee accused of their owne consciences because they wittingly resist godlinesse yet doe they disceiue themselues with a false shewe of zeale because it is lawfull to preuent new thinges So at this day almost in all poperie they boast onely of zeale whereas notwithstanding they are zealous for their bellie But admit we grant that that is true which they pretende how can this excuse the heate of their crueltie whereunto they are enforced by their blindnesse as if this were a chiefe vertue to grant libertie to their wrath to bee auenged of that which displeaseth them But this was former in order to make a difference betweene good and euill least any thing be dissolued vnaduisedly 19 The angell of the Lorde The Lord brought the Apostles out of prison not because he would rid them quite out of the handes of their enemies for he suffered them afterwards to be brought back again to be beaten with roddes But hee meant to declare by this myracle that they were in his hand and tuition to the end hee might maintain the credite of the gospel partly that the church might haue another confirmation thereby partly that the wicked might be left without excuse Wherefore we must not hope alwaies nay we must not alwaies desire that God will deliuer vs from death but we must bee content with this one thing that our life is defended by his hand so far as is expedient In that hee vseth the ministerie of an angell
the vse of the lawe may no longer remaine When as wee maintaine the honour of Christ which they bestowe as it pleaseth them heere and there after that they haue rent it in a thousande peeces like a pray they feigne that wee are enimies to the Saintes They falsely report that wee seeke the licentiousnesse of the flesh in steede of the libertie of the spirite Whiles that wee indeuour to restore the supper of the Lorde vnto his pure and lawfull vse they crie out impudently that wee ouerthrowe and destroy the same Others also which take away all thinges as did the Academikes because that doth not please them which we teach concerning the secret predestination of God and that out of the scriptures lay to our charge dispitefullie that wee make God a tyraunt which taketh pleasure in putting innocent men to death seeing that hee hath alreadie adiudged those vnto eternall death which are as yet vnborne and other such thinges can bee saide on this behalfe 2. Cor. 2.16 whereas notwithstanding they are sufficientlie conuict that wee thinke reuerently of God and that wee speake no otherwise than hee teacheth with his owne mouth It is an harde matter to endure such enuie yet must wee not therefore cease of to defende a good cause For the trueth of God is precious in his sight and it ought also to bee precious vnto vs although it bee vnto the reprobate the sauour of death vnto death But nowe I returne vnto Stephen his accusation the principall pointe whereof is this that hee blasphemed God and Moses They doe for good considerations make the iniurie common to God and to Moses because Moses had nothing in his doctrine which was his owne or separated from God They prooue this because hee spake blasphemously against the temple and the Lawe Furthermore they make this the blasphemie because hee saide that the comming of Christ had made an ende of the Temple and the Ceremonies It is not credible that Stephen spake thus as they report but they maliciously wrest those thinges which were spoken well and godlily that they may colour their false accusation But although they had chaunged nothing in the wordes yet Stephen was so farre from doing anie iniurie to the Lawe and the Temple that hee coulde no way better and more truely praise the same The Iewes did suppose that the Temple was quite dishonoured vnlesse the shadowish estate thereof shoulde endure for euer that the Lawe of Moses was frustrate and nothing woorth vnlesse the Ceremonies shoulde bee continuallie in force But the excellencie of the Temple and the profite of the Ceremonies consist rather in this whiles that they are referred vnto Christ as vnto their principall patterne Therefore howsoeuer the accusation hath some colour yet is it vniust and wicked And although the fact come in question that is whether the matter bee so as the aduersaries lay to his charge notwithstanding the state is properlie of qualitie For they accuse Stephen because hee taught that the forme of the worshippe of God which was then vsed should bee chaunged and they interprete this to bee blasphemie against God and Moses Therefore the controuersie is rather concerning right as they say than the fact it selfe For the question is Whether he be iniurious and wicked against God and Moses who saith that the visible Temple is an image of a more excellent sanctuarie wherein dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead and who teacheth that the shadowes of the Law are temporall This Iesus of Nazareth They speake thus of Christ disdainfully as if the remembrance of him were detestable Neuerthelesse it may be gathered out of their accusations that Stephen did in the abrogating of the Lawe set the bodie against the shadowes and the substance against the figures For if Ceremonies bee abolished by Christ their trueth is spirituall The Iewes which woulde haue them continue for euer did consider nothing in them but that which was grosse carnall earthlie and which might be seene with the eies Briefly if the vse of Ceremonies were continual they should bee fraile and shoulde vanish away because they should haue nothing but the only external shew so that they shoulde haue no soundnes Therefore this is their true perpetuitie when as they are abrogated by the comming of Christ because it followeth here vpon that the force and effect thereof doth consist in Christ Shall chaunge the ordinances It is out of all doubt that Stephen meant this of the ceremoniall part onely but because men are wont to be more addicted to externall pompe these men vnderstande that which was spoken as if Stephen would bring the whole lawe to nothing The principall precepts of the Lawe did in deede concerne the spirituall worship of God faith iustice and iudgement but because these men make more account of the external rites they call the rites which are commaunded concerning the sacrifices ordinances of Moses by excellencie This was bredde by the bone from the beginning of the worlde and it will neuer out of the flesh so long as it lasteth As at this day the Papistes acknowledge no worship of God saue onely in their visures Although they differ much from the Iewes because they follow nothing but the friuolous inuentions of men for the ordinances of God And when they had beheld Men doe commonly in places of iudgement turne their eies towarde the partie arreigned when as they looke for his defense Hee saieth that Stephen appeared like to an Angel This is not spoken of his natural face but rather of his present countenance For whereas the countenance of those which are areigned vseth commonly to be pale whereas they stammer in their speach and shew other signes of feare Luke teacheth that there was no such thing in Stephen but that there appeared rather in him a certaine maiestie For the scripture vseth sometimes to borrowe a similitude of Angels in this sense as 1. 1. Sam. 24.9 2. Sam. 14.17 2. Sam. 19.27 Sam. 24. 2.14 19. CHAP. VII 1 ANd the chiefe Priest said Are these things so 2 He answered Men brethren and fathers harken The God of glorie appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before hee dwelt in Charran 3 And he said vnto him Come out of my countrie and from amongst thy Kynred and come into the land which I will shew thee 4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldees dwelt in Charran After that his father was dead God brought him thence into this lande wherein yee nowe dwell 1 There appeareth as yet some colour of equitie in the highest priest and in the councell and yet notwithstanding there is a most vniust preiudice in his wordes For he asketh him not what cause he had to teach thus neither doth he admit him vnto the defence of right which was notwithstanding the chief but he demandeth precisely whether Steeuen vttered these wordes whatsoeuer they were as the Papistes at this day will not demaund what
Therefore let vs remember that God doeth so lift vppe and comfort his seruant with his worde that he doth not onely deferre the giuing of the thing but also he may seeme after a sort to mock him Iam. 2.5 as he dealeth with vs also in some respect For although he cal vs the heires of the worlde hee suffereth vs oftentimes to want euen a competent liuing and necessarie helpes And this doth he of set purpose that he may bring the wisdome of the flesh to nought seeing that we doe not otherwise giue due honour to his word Thy seed shal be a stranger Steuen putteth the Iewes in mind in how miserable and reprochfull an estate their fathers were in Egipt and sheweth that this their seruitude wherwith they were oppressed came not by chaunce because it was fortolde long before by the oracle of God This historie ought to haue bin of great force partly to tame their loftie courages and to teach them modestie partly to set foorth the grace of God because God had alwayes had a care of that nation For this is a singular benefite in that the people are restored wonderfully as it were from death to life In the meane season the Iewes are taught that the church of God was elswhere than in the land wherein they dwelt that the fathers were chosen to be a peculiar people and that they were kept safe vnder the tuition of God before euer the temple was built or the externall ceremonies of the law were instituted These things appertain vnto the generall scope or drift of the sermon But hence may wee gather a profitable admonition Bondage is of it selfe hard and bitter but when crueltie of masters is added thereunto it seemeth to be intollerable Wherefore it must needes be that the minde of the godly man was sore wounded when he heard that his seed should serue and bee villanouslie and cruelly intreated Moreouer this was no small tryall forasmuch as these thinges were to looke to contrarie the enheritance of the lande of Chanaan which was nowe promised and bondage in a strange countrie For who woulde not haue thought that god had as it were forgotten his former promise when as he telleth Abraham that his seede shall endure miserable bondage He saith at the first that he wil giue his seed the lande But he had as yet no seed yea all hope of seed was nowe cut off But when doth he promise that he will giue it After his death By by he saith that that seed should be carried away to another place that it may serue strangers And how long Foure hundred yeeres Doth hee not seeme by this meanes to pul back his hand that he may not perform that which he had promised Let vs know that this was done not once only for god dealeth oftentimes with vs thus so that he may seem contrarie to himselfe and he speaketh also in such sort as that he may seem to call back that which he had promised Therfore it cannot be but that flesh will iudge that he is contrarie to himselfe but faith doth know that his words do agree wel together amongst themselues with his works And this is the purpose of God to the end hee may extende the sight of our faith the farther to shew his promises a far of as it were a long place being put between Therefore it is our dutie to goe toward to stiue to attaine vnto that saluation which is set before vs through many straits through diuers lets through long distance through the midst of deeps and finally through death it selfe Furthermore seeing that wee see that the people which God had chosen did serue the Egyptians and was vncourteously afflicted we must not bee discouraged if the like condition be prepared for vs at this day For it is no new thing neither any vnwōted thing for the church of God to lie oppressed vnder tyrannie and to be as it were troden vnder foot of the wicked 7 The nation whom they shall serue This iudgement is ioyned with the deliuerance of the people For whereas God doth punish the crueltie and tyrannie of the wicked Egyptians he doeth that for his peoples sake whom he tooke into his tuition that it may be seene that he is the deliuerer of his church Therefore so often as wee are vniustly afflicted by the wicked let vs remember that God is the iudge of the world who wil let no iniuries be vnpunished let euery mā thus think with himself Seing that I am vnder the tuition of God who is the iudge of the world and to whom it belongeth to punish all iniuries Deu. 32.43 Rom. 12.19 those shall not escape his hand who trouble me now There is the like place in Deut. 32. Where god saith that vengeāce is his Whēce Paul gathereth that we must giue place to wrath as if he should say that this ought to serue to reform impatience to bridle our euil affectiōs in that god promiseth that he wil reuenge For he which reuengeth himselfe doth take Gods office from him And let vs still remember that which I haue alreadie said that God is touched with an especial care to reuenge iniuries done to his childrē as it is in the Psalme Hurt not mine annointed and be not trouble some to my prophetes They shall come thence and serue me Therfore their deliuerance went before the temple the worship of the law Wherupon it foloweth that the grace of God was not tyed to ceremonies Neuerthelesse Steeuen noteth the end of their deliuerance that god chose both a peculiar people a peculiar place for the true worship of his name Whence we gather again that we must regard what he commandeth alloweth Other nations also were determined to worship God but because their rites were corrupt and bastardly God doth separate the Iewes from the rest and assigneth them a place where he wil haue them to worship him sincerely duly as they ought This place teacheth vs that Gods benefites must be referred to this end that men might be brought to addict giue ouer themselues wholy to him Now since that god hath dispearsed the treasures of his grace throughout the whole world wee must endeuor to sanctifie him by worshipping him purely and holily in what countrie soeuer we dwel 8 He gaue him the couenant When as he confesseth that circumcision is the couenant of God hee cleereth himselfe sufficiently of that crime which was laid to his charge but in the mean season he sheweth that the Iewes deale amisse if they place the beginning of their saluation in the externall signe For if Abraham was called the lande redemption promised to his seed before such time as hee was circumcised it appeareth that the glory of the whole stock doth not depend vpon circumcision Paul vseth the same argument in the 4. chap. to the Romans For seeing that Abraham obtained righteousnes pleased God before he was circumcised
of the Hebrewes that they wer vtterly vndone when as the kings coÌ„mandement appointeth al the men children to be put to death For which cause the meditating vpon that doctrine is the most necessarie for vs that god doth kil restore to life he leadeth vnto hell and bringeth back againe 19 Dealt subtillie The old interpreter did not translate this amisse to deceiue For Steeuen meaneth that the king of Egypt did craftily inuent new shiftes and wicked pretences that he might euer now then lay heauier burthens vpon the people like as almost all tyrants doe for how vniustly soeuer they vex their subiects they are too wittie to inuent excuses And it is not to be doubted but that Pharao abused this honest colour that it was not meet that the Iewes which were soiourners shuld haue a place of abode in his realm for nought that they shuld be free froÌ„ all burthens seing they did inioy great coÌ„modities Therefore he deceitfully made theÌ„ vile bonslaues of free meÌ„ WheÌ„ Steuen saith that this tyrant knewe not Ioseph heereby it appeareth howe soone the remembrance of benefits passeth away amongst men For although wee doe all with one consent detest vnthankfulnesse yet is there no vice more common amongst vs. Least they should be encreased Erasmus translateth this vnproperly in my iudgement For Zoogoneisthai expresseth more than Least their children shoulde liue For the worde is set thence because the people doth alwayes remaine aliue in the ofspring And furthermore Steeuen doth not reckon vppe all the partes of their euill intreating but putterh downe one example of extreeme crueltie Whence we may easily gather how neere the whole seed of Abraham was to destruction For Pharao seemed to haue murthered them all with that commandement as with one stroke of a sword But suâ—h violent barbarisme did the more set forth the vnlooked for and incredible power of God because when Pharao hath by all means possible striuen against God yet all is in vaine 20 All that time was Moses borne who was acceptable to God And hee was brought vp three moneths in his fathers house 21 And the daughter of Pharao tooke him vp when he was cast out and nourished him vp for her owne sonne 22 And Moses was taught in all wisedome of the Egyptians and was mighty in word and deed 23 And when the time of fortie yeeres was fulfilled it came into his mind to goe visit his brethren the children of Israel 24 And when he saw one of them suffer wrong hee defended him and reuenged him which had the wrong hauing smitten the Egyptian 25 And hee thought that his brethren would haue vnderstoode that God by his hand should giue them deliuerance but they vnderstood not 26 The next day he was seen as they stroue and set them at one againe saying Sirs yee are brethren why hurt ye one another 27 And hee which did iniurie to his neighbor thrust him away saying Who made thee a prince and a iudge ouer vs. 28 Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday 29 And Moses fled at this saying and became a stranger in the land of Madian where he begate two sonnes 20 It is not without cause that Steeuen noteth the circumstance of time Moses was born at the very same time when the king had commaÌ„ded that all the men children should bee cast out Therefore it seemeth that the minister of deliueraÌ„ce is dead before he is borne But that time is most fit for God to worke in 2. Cor. 12.9 when there is no hope or counsell to bee looked for at mans hands And it appeareth also most plainly how God doth make perfect his power in mans weaknes Moses is kept three moneths but at length his parents that they may saue their own liues are inforced to cast him out into the riuer Only they put him in a little cofer that he may not by by perish When as Pharaoes daughter taketh him vp he escaped death in deed yet so that he goeth into another nation being cut off from the kinred of Israel Yea he was like to bee a most troublesome aduersarie to his nation vnlesse God had restrained his mind It is 40. yeres before he sheweth any token of brotherly goodwill 22 Whereas Luke reporteth that he was taught in all wisdome of the Egyptians hee putteth that in his commendation as a point of excelleÌ„cie NotwithstaÌ„ding it might haue so falne out as it doth oftentimes that beeing puft vp with profane sciences hee might haue despised the base commoÌ„ people yet because god hath determined to redeem his people he doth in the meane season frame both the minde of Moses al other things to finish his worke The reason of mans fleshe should murmur in this place Why doth God winke at so long miseries of the people Why doteh hee suffer Pharao to rage more cruelly daily Why doeth he not suffer Moses to growe vp amongest his owne people Why doth hee after a sort cut him off froÌ„ the kinred of Israel being adopted by the kings daughter Why will he suffer him to remaine amidst courtly pleasures and doth not rather pull him thence But the end it selfe is so wonderfull that we are enforced to confesse that all these thinges were gouerned by singular counsel and order to set forth the glorie of God Wheras I said that Luke speaketh in this place of the learning of the Egyptians for honours sake I would not haue it so taken as if there were in the same no corruption Forasmuch as Astrologie doth coÌ„sider the wonderful workemaÌ„ship of God not only in the placing of the starres in such excellent varietie but also in their mouing force and secrete offices it is a science both profitable worthie of praise The Egyptians bestowed great studie in this but being not content with the simple order of nature they wandered also in manie foolishe speculations as did the Chaldeans It is vncertaine whether Moses were infected with these superstitions or no. Yet howsoeuer it be we see how sincerely plainly he setteth that before vs to be considered in the frame of the world which is appertinent vnto godlines Surely this was excellent modesty in that he which could reason with learned and wittie men of the secretes of nature doth not only omit higher subtilties but doeth also discende vnto the common capacitie of euerie most simple man and doeth in a common style set foorth vnto men vnlearned those thinges which they perceiue by experience When Iustine bableth concerning Moses hee maketh him a Magician which with iugling and inchauntments made passage for the people through the redde sea So that Satan did not only go about to burie the power of God but also to blaspheme the same But we know that Moses did not striue with the enchaunters by Magike but did that only which God had enioined him Furthermore the Egyptians had mysticall diuinitie wherewith they coloured their doting inuentions and monstrous abhominations
discouered And this is a general way to establish doctine when men teach nothing but that which is commaunded them by God For what man dare make Moses inferiour to him who as the Spirit affirmeth ought onely to be beleeued for this cause because he faithfully vnfolded and deliuered the doctrine which he had receiued of God But some man may ask this question why he calleth the lawe a liuing speech For this title seemeth to disagree much with the words of Paul 1. Cori. 3.7 where hee saith that the lawe is the ministerie of death and that it worketh death and that it is the strength of sinne If you take liuely speech for that which is effectuall and cannot be made frustrate by the contempt of men there shal be no contrarietie but I interpret it as spoken actiuely for that which maketh to liue For seing that the Law is the perfite rule of godly and holy life and it sheweth the righteousnesse of God it is counted for good causes the doctrine of life and saluation And to this purpose serueth that solemne protestation of Moses when he calleth heauen and earth to witnesse that hee hath set before them the way of death and life In which sense the Lord himself complaineth Ezechiel 20 that his good Law is broken his good commandements wherof he had said He which shal do these things shall liue in them Therefore the Law hath life in it selfe Yet if any man had leiffer take liuing for that which is full of efficacie and strength I will not greatly stande in contention And whereas it is called the ministerie of death that is accidentall to it because of the corrupt nature of man For it doth not ingender sin but it findeth it in vs. It offereth life but wee which are altogither corrupt can haue nothing but death by it Therefore it is deadly in respect of men alone Though Stephen had respect vnto a farther thing in this place for he doeth not onely speake of the bare commaundementes but comprehendeth all Moses his doctrine wherein the free promises are included and so consequently Christ himselfe who is the onely life and health of men We must remember with what men Stephen had to doe They were such as were preposterously zelous of the law who stayed onely in the dead and deadly letter of the Lawe and in the meane season they raged against Stephen because he sought Christ in the Law who is in deede the soule thereof Therefore by touching thâ—â—eruerse ignorance glancingly he giueth them to vnderstande that there is some greater and some more excellent thing hidden in the Lawe than they haue hitherto knowne For as they were carnall content with an outward shew they sought no spiritual thing in it yea they would not so much as suffer the same to be shewed them That he might giue them to vs. This serueth to refute the false accusation wherewith he was falsely burthened For seeing he submitteth his necke to the yoke of the Lawe and professeth that hee is one of Moses his scholers hee is farre from discrediting him amongst others Yea rather hee turneth backe the fault which was laide to his charge vppon those which were the authours of the slaunder That was as it were a common reproch for all the people because the fathers woulde not obey the Lawe And therewithall hee telleth them that Moses was appointed to be a Prophet not onely for his time but that his authoritie might be in force with the posteritie euen when he was deade For it is not meete that the doctrine of God shoulde bee extinguished togither with the ministers or that it should bee taken away For what is more vnlikely than that that should dye whereby wee haue immortalitie So must wee thinke at this day as the Prophetes and Apostle spake vnto the men of their time right so did they write vnto vs and that the force of their doctrine is continuall because it hath rather God to bee the authour thereof than men In the meane season he teacheth that if any reiect the word appointed for them they reiect the counsell of God 39 They refused and were turned away Hee saith that the fathers reiected Moses and hee sheweth the cause also because they gaue themselues rather vnto the superstitions of Aegypt which was horrible and more than blind furie to desire the customes and ordinances of Aegypt where they had suffered such grieuous thinges of late Hee saieth that they were turned away into Aegypt in their heartes not that they desired to returne thither bodily but because they returned in mind vnto those corruptions which they ought not so much as to haue remembred without great detestation and hatred It is true in deede that the Iewes did once speake of returning but Stephen toucheth not that historie now Furthermore he doth rather expresse their stubbernesse when he saieth that they were turned away For after that they had taken the right way hauing God for their guid and gouernour they start aside sodainly as if a stubberne vnbroken horse not obeying his rider shoulde frowardly run backward 40 Make vs. Though the Iewes bee turned backe diuerse wayes yet Stephen maketh choise of one notable example aboue all the rest of their filthy and detestable trecherie to wit when they made themselues a Calfe that they might worship it in steede of God For there can no more filthy thing be inuented than this their vnthankfulnes They confesse that they were deliuered out of Aegypt neither do they denie that this was done by the grace of God and the ministery of Moses yet notwithstanding they reiect the author of so great goodnesse togither with the minister And vnder what colour They pretend that they cannot tell what is become of Moses But they know full well that he is in the mount They saw him with their eies when he went vp thither vntil such time as the Lorde tooke him vnto himselfe by compassing him about with a cloude Againe they know that Moses is absent for their healths sake who had promised that he would returne and bring vnto them the Lawe which God shoulde giue He badde them onely be quiet a while They raise madde vprores sodainely within a small time and without any cause yet to the ende they may couer their madnesse with the colour of some reason they will haue Gods present with them as if God had shewed vnto them no token of his presence hitherto but his glory did appeare daily in the cloud and piller of fire Therefore we see what haste they make to commit idolatrie through wicked contempt of god that I may in the meane season omitte to declare howe filthie and wicked their vnthankfulnes was in that they had so soone forgotten those myracles which they ought to haue remembred euen vntill the ende of the worlde Therefore by this one backsliding it appeareth sufficientlie what a stubberne and rebellious people they were Moreouer it was more expedient for
forasmuch as he was full of the holy Ghoste he looked vp stedfastly into heauen and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God 56 And he said Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hande of God And they cryed with a lowde voyce and stopped their eares 57 And with one accord they ran vpon him 58 And hauing cast him out of the citie they stoned him 54 When they heard The beginning of the action had in it some colour of iudgement but at length the Iudges can not bridle their furie First they interrupt him with murmuring and noise now they break out into enuious and deadly cryings least they should heare any one worde Afterwarde they hale the holy man out of the citie that they may put him to death And Luke expresseth properly what force Satan hath to driue forward the aduersaries of the word When he saith that they burst asunder inwardly he noteth that they were not only angrie but they were also striken with madnesse Which furie breaketh out into the gnashing of the teeth as a violent fire into flame The reprobate who are at Satan his commaundement must needs be thus moued with the hearing of the word of God this is the state of the Gospell it driueth hypocrites into madnesse who might seeme before to be modest as if a drunken man which is desirous of sleepe be sodainly awaked Luke 2.35 Therefore Simeon assigneth this to Christ as proper to him to diclose the thoughts of many heartes Yet notwithstanding this ought not to bee ascribed to the doctrine of saluation whose end is rather this to frame mens minds to obey god after that it hath subdued them But so soone as Satan hath possessed their mindes if they bee vrged their vngodlinesse will breake out Therfore this is an accidentarie euil yet we are taught by these examples that we must not looke that the worde of God shoulde drawe all men vnto a sound mind Which doctrine is very requisite for vs vnto constancie Those which are teachers cannot do their dutie as they ought but they must set thēselues against the contemners of God And forasmuch as there are alwayes some wicked men which set light by the maiestie of God they must euer now and then haue recourse vnto this vehemencie of Steuen For they may not winke when Gods honour is taken from him And what shal be the end therof Their vngodlines shal be the more incensed so that we shall seeme to powre oyle into the fire as they say But whatsoeuer come of it yet must we not spare the wicked but wee must keepe them downe mightilie although they could powre out all the furies of hel And it is certaine that those which will flatter the wicked doe not respect the frute but are faint hearted through feare of daunger But as for vs howsoeuer we haue no such successe as we could wish let vs know that courage in defending the doctrine of godlinesse is a sweet smelling sacrifice to God 55 For asmuch as he was full We cannot almost expresse into what straites the seruant of Christ was brought when hee saw himselfe beset rounde with raging enemies the goodnesse of his cause was oppressed partly with false accusations and malice partly with violence and outragious outcries he was inuironned with sterne countenaunces on euery side he himselfe was hailed vnto a cruell and horrible kinde of death he could espie succour and ease no where Therfore being thus destitute of mans helpe he turneth him selfe to warde God We must first note this that Steuen did looke vnto God who is the iudge of life and death turning his eyes from beholding the world when he was brought into extreeme despaire of all thinges whiles that there is nothing but death before his eyes That done we must also adde this that his expectation was not in vaine because Christ appeared to him by and by Although Luke doth signifie that he was now armed with such power of the Spirit as could not be ouercome so that nothing could hinder him frō beholding the heauens Therefore Steuen looketh vp toward heauen that he may gather courage by beholding Christ that dying he may triūphe gloriously hauing ouercom death But as for vs it is no maruel if Christ doe not shew himself to vs because we are so set tyed vpon the earth Hereby it cōmeth to passe that our harts faile vs at euery light rumor of danger and euen at the falling of a leafe And that for good causes for where is our strength but in Christ But we passe ouer the heauens as if we had no helpe any where els saue only in the world Furthermore this vice can be redressed by no other meanes then if God lift vs vp by his Spirit being naturally set vpon the earth Therefore Luke assigneth this cause why Steuē loked vp stedfastly toward heauē because he was full of the spirite We must also ascend into heauen hauing this spirite to be our directer and guid so often as we are oppressed with troubles And surely vntill such time as he illuminate vs our eyes are not so quicke of sight that they can come vnto heauen Yea the eyes of the fleshe are so dull that they cannot ascend into heauen Hee saw the glory of God Luke signifieth as I haue said that Christ appeared foorthwith to Steuen so soone as he lifted vp his eyes towards heauen But he telleth vs before that he had other eyes giuen him than the fleshly eyes seeing that with the same he flieth vp vnto the glory of God Whence we must gather a generall comfort that God will be no lesse present with vs if forsaking the worlde all our senses striue to come to him not that he appeareth vnto vs by any externall vision as hee did to Steeuen but he will so reueale himselfe vnto vs within that wee may in deed feele his presence And this maner of seeing ought to be sufficient for vs when God doth not only by his power and grace declare that he is nigh at hand but doth also proue that hee dwelleth in vs. 56 Behold I see the heauens God ment not only priuately to prouide for his seruant but also to wring and torment his enemies as Steeuen doth couragiously triumph ouer them when he affirmeth plainely that he saw a myracle And here may a question be moued how the heauens were opened For mine owne part I think that there was nothing changed in the nature of the heauens but that Steeuen had new quicknesse of sight graunted him which pearced through all lets euen vnto the inuisible glory of the kingdome of heauen For admit we graunt that there was some diuision or parting made in heauen yet mans eye could neuer reach so farre Againe Steeuen alone did see the glory of God For that spectacle was not only hid frō the wicked who stoode in the same place but they were also so
whit excuse him And Luke will shortly after declare that he was sent by the high Priest to persecute the faithful Therfore he was no childe he might well be counted a man Why then is his youth mentioned That euery man may consider with him selfe what great hurt he might haue done in Gods Church vnlesse Christe hadde brideled him betimes And therin appeareth a most notable token both of Gods power and also of his grace in that he tamed a fierce and wilde beast in his chiefe furie euen in a moment and in that he extolled a miserable murtherer so highly who through his wickednesse was drowned almost in the deepe pit of hell 59 Calling on Because he had vttered wordes enough before men though in vaine he turneth himselfe now vnto God for good causes and armeth himselfe with prayer to suffer all thinges For although we haue need to run vnto Gods help euerie minute af an houre during our whole warfare yet we haue greatest need to call vpon God in the last conflict which is the hardest And Luke expresseth again how furious mad they were because their crueltie was not aswaged euen when they saw the seruāt of Christ praying humbly Furthermore here is set downe a prayer of Steeuen hauing two members In the former member where he commendeth his spirite to Christ he sheweth the constancie of his faith In the other where he prayeth for his enemies he testifieth his loue towarde men Forasmuch as the whole perfection of godlinesse consisteth vpon these two partes we haue in the death of Steeuen a rare example of a godly holy death It is to be thought that he vsed many mo words but the summe tendeth to this end Lord Iesu I haue alreadie said that this prayer was a witnesse of confidence and surely the couragiousnesse and valiauntnesse of Steeuen was great that when as he saw the stones flie about his eares wherewith he should be stoned by and by when as he heareth cruell curses and reproches against his head hee yet stayeth himselfe meekely vppon the grace of Christ In like sort the Lord wil haue his seruants to be brought to nought as it were sometimes to the end their saluation may bee the more wonderfull And let vs define this saluation not by the vnderstanding of our flesh but by faith Wee see how Steeuen leaneth not vnto the iudgement of the flesh but rather assuring himselfe euen in very destruction that he shal be saued he suffereth death with a quiet mind For vndoubtedly he was assured of this Col. 3.3 that our life is hid with Christe in God Therefore casting off all care of the bodie hee is content to commit his soule into the handes of Christe For hee coulde not pray thus from his heart vnlesse hauing forgotten this life he had cast of all care of the same Psal 31.6 It behoueth vs with Dauid to commit our soules into the handes of God daylie so long as we are in the worlde because we are inuironed with a thousand deaths that God may deliuer our life from all dangers but when we must die indeed and we are called thereunto we must flie vnto this prayer that Christe will receiue our spirite For hee commended his owne Spirite into the handes of his Father to this end that hee may keepe ours for euer This is an vnestimable comfort in that wee knowe our soules doe not wander vppe and downe when they flit out of our bodies but that Christ receiueth them that hee may keepe them faithfully if wee commend them into his handes This hope ought to encourage vs to suffer death patiently Yea whosoeuer commendeth his soule to Christ with an earnest affection of faith he must needes resigne himselfe wholy to his pleasure and will And this place doth plainelie testifie that the soule of man is no vaine blast which vanisheth away as some frantike fellowes imagine dotingly but that it is an Essentiall spirite which liueth after this life Furthermore wee are taught hereby that we call vpon Christ rightly and lawfully because all power is giuen him of the Father for this cause that all men may commit themselues to his tuition 60 Kneeling down he cried This is the other part of his prayer wherein he ioyneth the loue of men with faith in Christ and surely if we desire to be gathered to Christ for our saluation we must put on this affection Whereas Steeuen prayeth for his enemies and those most deadly and euen in the very instant whē their crueltie might prouoke him vnto desire of reuenge he declareth sufficiently what affection hee beareth toward all other men And we know that we are all commanded to do the same which Steuen did Mat. 5.93.94 but because there is nothing more hard than so to forgiue iniuries that we will wish wel to those who would haue vs vndone therfore we must alwaies set Steeuen before our eyes for an example He crieth in deed with a loud voice but he maketh shew of nothing before men which was not spoken sincerely and from the heart as God himselfe doth witnesse Yet he cryeth aloud that he may omit nothing which might serue to asswage the cueltie of the enemies The fruite appeared not foorthwith yet vndoubtedly he prayed not in vaine Paule is vnto vs a sufficient testimonie that this sinne was not laide to all their charges I will not say as Augustin that vnlesse Steeuen had praied the church should not haue had Paul for this is somwhat hard only I say this that whereas God pardoned Paul it appeareth thereby that Steeuen his prayer was not in vaine Here ariseth a question How Steeuen prayeth for those which he said of late did resist the holy ghost but this seemeth to be the sinne against the Spirit which shall neuer be forgiuen We may easily answere that that is pronounced generally of all which belōgeth to many euery where Therfore he called not the body of the people rebellious in such sort that he exempted none againe I haue declared before what manner of resisting hee condemned in that place for it followeth not by and by that they sin against the holy ghost who resist him for a time When he prayeth that God will not lay the sinne to their charge his meaning is that the guiltines may not remain in them And when hee had said thus hee fell on sleepe This was added that wee may knowe that these wordes were vttered euen when he was readie to yeeld vppe the Ghoste which is a token of wonderfull constancie also this word sleepe noteth a meeke kind of death Nowe because hee made this prayer when he was at the point of death hee was not moued with any hope of obtaining pardon to bee so careful to appease his enemies but only that they might repent When this worde sleepe is taken in the scripture for to die it must bee referred vnto the bodie least any man imagine foolishly with vnlearned men that the soules doe
of the temple he sought the way of saluation quietlie at suche time as hee was at rest 28 Hee read Isaias The reading of the Prophet sheweth that the Eunuch did not worship a God vnaduisedly according to the vnderstanding of his owne head whom he had feigned to himselfe but whom hee knew by the doctrine of the law And surely this is the right way to worship God not to snatch at bare and vaine rites but to adioyne the word thereunto otherwise there shall bee nothing but that which commeth by chaunce and is confused And certainly the fourme of worshipping prescribed in the law differeth nothing from the inuentiōs of men saue only because God giueth light there by his word Therfore those which are Gods scholers do worshippe him aright only that is those who are taught in his schoole But hee seemeth to loose his labour when he readeth without profite For he confesseth that he cannot vnderstande the Prophetes meaning vnlesse he be holpen by some other teacher I aunswere as he reade the prophet with a desire to learne so hee hoped for some fruite and he found it indeed Therefore why doth he denie that he can vnderstand the place which he had in hand For because he manifestly confesseth his ignorāce in darker places There be many things in Isaias which need no long exposition as when hee preacheth of the goodnesse and power of God partly that he may inuite men vnto faith partly that he may exhort and teach them to lead a godly life Therfore no man shall bee so rude an idiote which shall not profite somewhat by reading that booke and yet notwithstanding hee shall peraduenture scarce vnderstand euery tenth verse Such was the Eunuches reading For seeing that according to his capacitie hee gathered those thinges which serued to edification he had some certain profite by his studies Neuerthelesse though he were ignorant of many things yet was he not wearied so that hee did cast away the booke Thus must wee also reade the scriptures we must greedily and with a prompt mind receiue those thinges which are plaine and wherein God openeth his minde as for those things which are yet hid frō vs we must passe them ouer vntill we see greater light And if we be not wearied with reading it shal at length come to passe that the scripture shal be made more familiar by continuall vse 31 How should I. Most excellent modestie of the Eunuch who doeth not only permit Philip who was one of the commō sort to questiō with him but doth also willingly confesse his ignorance And surely wee must neuer hope that he will euer shew himselfe apt to be taught who is puffed vp with the confidence of his owne wit Hereby it commeth to passe that the reading of the scriptures doth profite so few at this day because we can scarse finde one amongst an hundreth which submitteth himself willingly to learne For whiles all men almost are ashamed to bee ignorant of that whereof they are ignorant euery man had rather proudlie nourish his ignorance than seem to be scholer to other men Yea a great manie take vpon them hautilie to teach other men Neuerthelesse let vs remember that the Eunuch did so confesse his ignorance that yet notwithstanding he was one of Gods scholers when he read the scripture This is the true reuerence of the scripture when as we acknowledge that there is that wisdome laid vp there which surpasseth all our senses and yet notwithstanding we do not loath it but reading diligētly we depend vpon the reuelation of the Spirite and desire to haue an interpreter giuen vs. He prayed Philip that he would come vp This is another token of modestie that he seeketh an interpreter and teacher Hee might haue reiected Philip according to the pride of riche men for it was a certaine secrete vpbraiding of ignorance when Philip said vnderstandest thou what thou readest But rich men think that they haue great iniurie done thē if any man speake homely to them And therfore they break out by and by into these speeches What is that to thee or What hast thou to doe with me But the Eunuch submitteth himselfe humbly to Philip that by him he may be taught Thus must we be minded if we desire to haue God to bee our teacher whose Spirite resteth vppon the humble and meek Isa 66.2 And if any man mistrusting himselfe submit himself to be taught the angels shall rather come downe from heauen than the Lorde will suffer vs to labour in vaine Though as did the Eunuch we must vse all helpes which the Lorde offereth vnto vs for the vnderstanding of the scriptures Frantike men require inspirations and reuelations from heauen and in the meane season they contemne the minister of GOD by whose hand they ought to bee gouerned Othersome which trust too much to their owne wit will vouchsafe to heare no man and they will read no commentaries But God will not haue vs to despise those helps which he offereth vnto vs and hee suffereth not those to scape scotfree which despise the same And here we must remember that the scripture is not only giuen vs but that interpreters and teachers are also added to be helpes to vs. For this cause the Lorde sent rather Philip than an Angell to the Eunuch For to what ende serued this circuit that God calleth Philip by the voice of the Angell and sendeth not the Angell himselfe foorthwith saue only because he would accustome vs to heare men This is assuredly no small commendation of externall preaching that the voice of God soundeth in the mouth of men to our saluation when angels hold their peace Concerning which thing I will speake more vpon the nienth and tenth chapters 32 Furthermore the sentence of scripture which he read was this He was lead as a sheepe to be slaine and as a lambe dumbe before the shearer so opened hee not his mouth 33 In his humilitie his iudgement is exalted Who shal declare his generation because his life is taken from the earth 34 And the Eunuch answering Philip said I pray thee of whom speaketh the Prophet this Of himself or of some other 35 And Philip opening his mouth beginning at this scripture preached Iesus to him 32 The sentence of scripture It is properly a text or period Let vs know that he light not vppon this place by chaunce but that it came to passe by the wonderfull prouidence of God that Philip shoulde haue a proposition or principle from which the whole summe of Christianitie might be set Therefore first he hath matter of full instruction brought to his hand by the secret direction of the Spirite secondly the fourme is plainely applied to the ministerie of man This is an excellent prophesie of Christ and aboue all others to bee remembred because Isaias saieth plainly there that such should be the maner of redeeming the churche that the sonne of God doe by his death purchase life for men that
hath no confirmation by baptisme for they reasoned thus the Eunuch is commanded to bring perfect faith vnto baptisme therfore there could nothing be added But the scripture taketh the whole heart ofteÌ„times for a sincere vnfeigned heart whose opposite is a double heart So that there is no cause why we should imagine that they beleeue perfectly who beleeue with the whole heart seing that there may be a weak faint faith in him who shal notwithstaÌ„ding haue a sound minde and a mind free froÌ„ all hyporcisie Thus must we take that which Dauid saith that he loueth the Lord with all his heart Philip had in deede baptized the Samaritans before yet hee knewe that they were yet far from the mark Therfore the faith of the whole heart is that which hauing liuing rootes in the heart doth yet notwithstanding desire to encrease daylie I beleeue that Iesus Chrâ—st As Baptisme is grounded in Christe and as the truth and force thereof is contained there so the Eunuch setteth Christ alone before his eyes The Eunuch knewe before that there was one God who had made the couenant with AbrahaÌ„ who gaue the Law by the hand of Moses which separated one people from the other nations who promised Christ through whom hee would be mercifull to the world now he confesseth that Iesus Christ is that redeemer of the world and the sonne of god vnder which title he comprehendeth briefly al those thinges which the scripture attributeth to Christ This is the perfect faith whereof Philip spake of late which receiueth Christe both as hee was promised in times past also shewed at leÌ„gth that with the earnest affection of the heart as Paul will not haue this faith to be feigned Whosoeuer hath not this when he is growne vp in vaine doth hee boast of the baptisme of his infancie for to this end doth Christ admit infants by baptisme that so soone as the capacitie of their age shall suffer they may addict themselues to be his disciples and that beeing baptised with the holy ghost they may comprehend with the vnderstanding of faith his power which baptisme doth prefigure 38 They went downe into the water Here wee see the rite vsed among the men of old time in baptisme for they put all the bodie into the water now the vse is this that the minister doth only sprinkle the bodie or the head But we ought not to stand so much about such a smal differeÌ„ce of a ceremonie that we should therefore diuide the churche or trouble the same with brawles We ought rather to fight euen an hundred times to death for the ceremonie it selfe of baptisme in as much as it was deliuered vs by Christ than that we shoulde suffer the same to bee taken froÌ„ vs. But forasmuch as we haue as well a testimonie of our washing as of newnesse of life in the signe of water forasmuch as Christe representeth vnto vs his blood in the water as in a glasse that we may fet our cleanenesse thence forasmuch as he teacheth that we are fashioned againe by his Spirite that being dead to sinne we may liue to righteousnesse it is certain that we want nothing which maketh to the substaÌ„ce of baptism Wherefore the churche did graunt libertie to her selfe since the beginning to change the rites somewhat excepting this substance For some dipped them thrise some but once wherefore there is no cause why wee shoulde bee so strait laced in matters which are of no suche weight so that that externall pompe doe no whit pollute the simple institution of Christe 39 When they were come vp To the ende Luke may at length conclude his speech coÌ„cerning the Eunuch he saith that Philip was caught away out of his sight and that was of no small weight to confirme him forasmuch as he saw that that man was sent vnto him by God like to an Angell and that he vanished away before he could offer him any reward for his paines whence he might gather that it was no gainefull insinuation seeing that he was vanished away before he had one halfe pennie giuen him Whereas Philip had no rewarde at the Eunuches hande let the seruauntes of Christ learne heereby to serue him freely or rather let theÌ„ so serue men for nothing that they hope for a rewarde froÌ„ heauen The Lorde graunteth leaue in deede to the ministers of the Gospell to receiue a reward at their hands whom they teach but he forbiddeth theÌ„ therewithall to be hyrelings which labour for lucres sake 1. Cor. 9.9 Ioh. 10.12.23 For this must bee the marke whereat they must shoote to gaine the men themselues to God Reioysing Faith and the knowledge of God bring foorth this frute alwayes of theÌ„selues For what truer matter of ioy can be inuented than when the Lord doth not only set open vnto vs the treasures of his mercie but powreth out his heart into vs that I may so speake giueth vs himself in his sonne that we may want nothing to perfect felicitie The heauens begin to looke cleer and the earth beginneth to be quiet then the conscience being then deliuered from the dolefull and horrible feeling of Gods wrath being loosed from the tyrannie of Satan escaping out of the darknesse of death beholdeth the light of life Therefore it is a solemne thing amongst the prophets to exhort vs to be ioyfull and to triumph so often as they are about to speake of the kingdom of Christ But because those men whose mindes are possessed with the vaine ioyes of the world cannot lift vp theÌ„selues vnto this spiritual ioy let vs learne to despise the world and all vain delights therof that Christ may make vs mery in deed 40 He was found at Azotus It is well knowen out of the booke of Iosua cha 11. Iosua 11.22 that Azotus was one of the cities out of which the sonnes of Enack could not bee expelled It is distant from Ascalon almost 200. furlongs the Hebrewes cal it Asdod Thither was Philip caried there began he to take his iourney on foot after the maner of men sowing the seed of the Gospell wheresoeuer he became This is surely rare wonderful stoutnesse that hee spreadeth the name of godlinesse in his iourney And whereas Luke saith expresly that he preached in all cities vntill he came to Cesarea and doth not declare that he returned to Samaria we may thereby coniecture that he stayed at Cesarea for a time and yet I leaue this indifferent CHAP. IX 1 AND Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord comming vnto the highest priest 2 Required epistles of him to Damascus vnto the Synagogues that if he should finde any of this sect whether they were men or women he might carrie them bound to Ierusalem 3 And as he was in the way it hapned that he drew neere to Damascus and sodainly there shined a light about him from heauen 4 And falling flat to the ground he heard
Hebrew which Luke did turne into Greek that we might know that it was not like to the vertues of the holy women and that shee was debased in such a simple name For Dorcas signifieth a goat but the holines of her life did easily wipe away the blotte of a name not verie seemely 37 It hapned that she was sicke He saith in plaine words that shee was sicke that he may the more plainely expresse her death which followed To the same end he saith that the corps was washt and laid in an vpper chamber Therefore these circumstances serue to make the myracle to be beleeued Whereas they carry her not streight way to the graue but lay her in the vpper part of the house that they may keep her there we may thereby gather that they had some hope of recouering her life It is likely that the rite of washing whereof Luke maketh mention was most auncient And I doe not doubt but that it came from the holy fathers by cōtinual course of times as if it had bin deliuered from hand to hand that in death it selfe some visible image of the resurrection might comfort the minds of the godly and lift them vp vnto some good hope to wit seing the manifestation of eternall life was not so euident yea seing that Christ the pledge and substance of eternal life was not as yet reuealed it was requisite that both the obscuritie of doctrine and also the absense of Christ should be supplied by such helpes Therefore they washed the bodies of the deade that they might once stand before the iudgement seat of God being cleane Finally there was the same reason for washing the deade which was for the liuing the dayly washing put them in minde of this that no man can please God saue he who should be purged from his filthynes So in the rite of burying God would haue some signe extant whereby men might be admonished that they went polluted out of this life by reason of that filthines which they had gathered in the world Washing did no more help those which were dead than buriall but it was vsed to teach the liuing For because death hath some shew of destruction least it should extinguish the faith of the resurrection it was requisite that contrary shewes should bee set against it that they might represent life in death The Gentiles also tooke to thēselues this Ceremonie For which cause Ennius saith A good woman did wash and anoynt Tarquinius his corps But their imitation was but apish in this thing as in all other Ceremonies And Christians also haue taken to themselues this example vnaduisedly as if the obseruation of a figure vsed vnder the Lawe ought to continue alwayes For at the beginning of the Gospel although the necessitie were abolished yet the vse was lawfull vntill such time as it might growe out of vse in tract of time But the munkes do at this day no lesse imitate Iudaisme then did the Gentiles in times past without choise and iudgement For they wash corpses that they may bury Christ in shadowes which being buried with him in his graue ought neuer to haue bene vsed any more 38 The disciples which had hearde The washing of the corpes sheweth that the disciples knew not what would come to passe For by this means they make the corps readie to be buried Yet this is some token of hope that they lay her in an vpper Chamber and send to Peter Furthermore they murmur not against God neither do they crie out that it is an vnmeete thing but they humblie craue Gods help not that they wil make Thabita immortall but their onely desire is to haue her life prolonged for a time that she may yet profit the Church 39 And Peter arose and came with them whom when he was come they brought into the vpper chamber and all the wydowes stoode about her weeping and shewing the coates and garments which Dorcas made when shee was with them 40 And when they were all put out Peter kneeled downe and prayed and turning himselfe toward the coarse hee saide Thabita arise And she opened her eies and when she saw Peter she sate vp 41 And hee reached out his hande and lift her vp and when hee had called the saints and wydowes he restored her aliue 42 That was noised through all Ioppa and manie beleeued in the Lord. 43 And it happened that he staied many dayes at Ioppa with a certaine man named Simon a tanner 39 And Peter arose It is doubtfull whether the messangers declared to Peter the matter and cause why they fet him yet it is more like to be true that they requested him absolutely that he would come to work a myracle But there ariseth another question Whether hee knew Gods purpose or no. First if he should mistrust the successe hee shoulde goe with them vnaduisedly I answere Although he did not yet know what the Lord would doe yet can hee not be blamed for yeelding to the request of the brethren Also there were other reasons why hee shoulde come to wit to mitigate their sorrowe to strengthen them with godly exhortations least they shoulde faint being discouraged with the death of one woman to establish the Church which was as yet tender and but as it were an infant Lastly this one thing ought to haue beene sufficient for him because in refusing he shuld haue ben thought proudly to despise his brethren notwithstanding we must know this also that so often as the Lorde determined to worke some myracle by his Apostles he did alwayes direct them by the secreat motion of the Spirit I do not doubt but that although Peter were not yet certaine of the life of Thabita yet did he vndoubtedly perceiue that God was his guide and conducter in that iorney so that he addressed himselfe to go not vnaduisedly though being vncertaine of the euent All the widowes Luke expresseth in this place the causes for which Thabita was raised from death to wit because God pittied the poore and did at their desire restore the woman to life There were also other ends for seing she liueth two liues those vertues which Luke commended before are adorned in her person but the chiefe ende is that the glorie of Christ may bee set forth For God coulde haue kept her aliue longer neither doth he chaunge his purpose as being mooued with repentance when he doth restore her to life againe but because many of the disciples were weake and nouices who had neede of confirmation God declareth by the second life of Thabita that his Sonne is authour of life Therefore God did respect the poore and widowes in such sort that by releeuing their pouertie hee established in their mindes the faith of his Gospel For in this myracle hee gaue ample matter of profiting 40 When they were all put forth When as he taketh a time to pray he seemeth as yet to doubt what will be the ende When he healed Aeneas he brake out into these
wordes without making any stoppe Aeneas Iesus Christ make thee whole But as the operation of the Spirite is not alwaies alike and the same it may be that though he knew the power of God yet he went forward vnto the myracle by degrees Yet it seemeth to be an absurde thing that he putteth all the Saintes out of the chamber for whom it had bene better to haue seene it with their eyes but because the Lorde had not as yet reuealed the time when and the manner how he would shew forth his power hee desireth to bee alone that he might the more fitly pray Also it might be that he knew some other reason which moued him to doe this which we know not It is recorded in the sacred history that Eliseus did the same 2. King 14.32 for hee being alone and not so much as the mother of the child with him doth stretch himselfe thrise vpon the dead corps For the Spirite of God hath his vehement motions which if any man wil square out according to the common vse of men or measure by the sense of the flesh he shal do wickedly and vniustly We must this think when as Peter as it were douting seeketh a by place he preuenteth superstition least any man should ascribe to his power the worke of God whereof he was onely a minister For he which withdrew himselfe from company and did pray so instantly did plainly confesse that the matter was not in his own hand Therfore whē Peter waiteth to know what pleaseth the Lord he cōfessed that he alone was the author of the worke Kneeling in time of praier is a token of humilitie which hath a double profite that all our members may be applied vnto the worship of God and that the externall exercise of the body may helpe the weakenesse of the mind But we must take heede so often as we kneele downe that the inwarde submission of the heart bee answerable to the ceremonie that it be not vaine and false Turning toward the corps This seemeth also to bee contrary to reason that hee speaketh vnto a corps without feeling But this speaking vnto the dead corps was one point of the vehemency whereunto the Spirit of God enforced Peter And if any man desire a reason this forme of speech doth more liuely expresse the power of God in raising the deade than if it should be said in the thirde person Let this body receiue life againe and liue Therefore when as Ezechiel doeth shadowe the deliuerance of the people vnder a figure of the resurrection O deade bones saith he heare the word of the Lord. And Christ saith The time shall come when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God Ezec. 37.4 Iohn 5.28 For this was in deed the voice of Christ which was vttered by the mouth of Peter and gaue breath to the body of Thabita The circūstances following serue to cōfirm the certainty of the myracle 41 Luke repeateth againe in the end that she was shewed openly to the disciples Whence we gather that she was raised againe rather for other mens sake than for her owne Brainsicke fellowes who dreame that the soule of man is onely a blast which vanisheth away vntill the day of the resurrection snatch at this place to proue their doting withall To what ende was it say they to call backe the soule of Thabita into the prison of the body where it shoulde suffer such misery if it were receiued into blessed rest As if it were not lawfull for God to haue respect of his glorie as well in death as in life and as if this were not the true felicitie of the godly to liue and die to him yea as if Christ were not to vs a vantage as well by lyuing as dying when wee dedicate our selues to him Therefore there shall no inconuenience follow if the Lord had greater respect to his owne glory Phil. 1.21 than to Thabita although as the commodity of the faithfull is alwayes annexed to the glory of God this turned to her greater good that she reuiued that she might be a more excellent instrument of Gods goodnes and power 42 And manie beleeued Now appeare manifold fruits of the myracle For God comforted the power a godly matron was restored to the Church in whose death it suffered great losse and many are called vnto the faith For although Peter were a minister of so great power yet he keepeth not the men in himselfe but doeth rather direct them vnto Christ 43 When as he saith that Peter dwelt with a tanner we may hereby gather of what manner men the Church of Ioppa did consist For if the chiefetaines of the Citie had beene conuerted to Christ some one of them would haue lodged Peter For it had bene too cruell a thing to suffer an Apostle of Christ to bee so despysed Therefore the Lorde did gather togither there as euery where a Church of the common sort of men that he might throwe downe the pride of the flesh and also thereby appeareth Peter his curtesie in that he vouchsafeth to lodge with a man of that calling Although it seemeth that he was rather a merchant of some good estimation than one of the basest sort of workemen for Luke will say afterward that ther were there some which ministred vnto Peter whereby it appeareth that he was well and honestly vsed CHAP. X. 1 AND there was a certaine man of Cesarea named Cornelius a captaine of the band which was called the Italian band 2 A deuout man and one that feared God with his whole houshold and one which gaue almes to all the people and which prayed to God continually 3 He saw plainly in a vision about the ninth houre of the day an angel of God comming in vnto him and saying to him Cornelius 4 And beholding and being afraid he said What is it Lorde Then he saide to him Thy prayers and thy almes are come vp into remembrance before God 5 And now send men to Ioppa and fet Simon which is called Peter 6 He lodgeth with Simon a Tanner whose house lyeth to the Sea he shal tel thee what thou must doe 1 Luke passeth ouer now vnto a worthie historie to wit that God vouchsafed to aduaunce a straunger and one vncircumcised vnto singular honour aboue all the Iewes because he doth both send his angel vnto him and for his sake bringeth Peter to Cesarea that he may instruct him in the Gospel But first of all Luke sheweth what maner person this Cornelius was for whose cause an angel descended from heauen and God spake to Peter in a vision He was a captaine of the Italian band A band did consist vpon a thousand footemen he which was chief captaine was called a Tribune or Marshal Againe euery hundreth had a captaine A legion had for the most part fiue bands That band was called the Italian bande because the Romanes did choose souldiers oftentimes from amongst those which dwelt in
in them his image whence riseth that second respect For God doth not finde man bare and naked then and voide of all grace but he knoweth his own work in him yea himself Therfore God accepteth the faithful because they liue godlily and iustly And we doe not denie that God accepteth the good works of the saints but this is another question Whether man preuent the grace of God with his merits or no and insinuate himselfe into his loue or whether he be beloued at the beginning freely and without respect of workes forasmuch as he is worthy of nothing else but of hatred Furthermore forasmuch as man left to his owne nature can bring nothing but matter of hatred he must needs cōfesse that hee is freely beloued whereupon it followeth that God is to himself the cause that he loueth vs and that he is prouoked with his own mercy and not with our merits Secondly we must note that although the faithful please God after regeneration with goods works their respect of works yet that is not done with the merit of works For the cleannes of works is neuer so exact that they can please God without pardon yea forasmuch as they haue alwaies some corruption mixed with them they are worthy to be refused Therfore the worthines of the works doth not cause them to be had in estimation but faith which borroweth that of Christ which is wanting in works 36 Cōcerning the matter Because the greek text is abrupt some think that the Accusatiue case is put in steede of the Nominatiue that the sense is this This is the word which God hath sent vnto the children of Israel Othersome refer it vnto the word ye know which followeth afterward they think that there was another word added to make the sentence more pleasant For Luke putteth logon in the former place and afterward rema But forasmuch as it is comō familiar amongst the grecians to vnderstand the prepositions this sense which I haue set down seemeth to me more agreable though if the harshnes of the speech can be any better mittigated I wil willingly yeeld Therfore I take this member to be a preface which appertaineth vnto this worthy worke of God which he shewed amongst the children of Israel preaching peace by Christ that done there is added a narration at length in the cōclusion of his speech Peter sheweth to what end Christ was sent into the world Furthermore he beginneth with this commemoration not without cause That God sent his word vnto the children of Israel And Speech is put for Thing in the Hebrew phrase The eternall couenant which God had made with that people was at that time famous There was nothing more cōmonly knowne amongst the Iewes than that there was a redeemer promised in times past to the fathers who should restore things which were decaied vnto a florishing and blessed estate This did those also know who were familiarly conuersant with the Iewes Therefore to the ende Peter may purchase greater credit he saith that he wil speak of no new or vnknown thing but of the restoring of the Church which did depend vppon the eternall couenant of God and which was nowe manifestly shewed and almost in euery mans mouth Preaching peace Peter teacheth here what maner rumour thing that was which was spread abroad to wit such as that it did make peace I take peace in this place for the recōciling of men God which notwithstanding hath in it the perfit saluation of the church For as horrible cōfusion as it were a huge lumpe do follow after that god is once estranged from vs so so soone as his fatherly fauour doth once appeare he gathereth his church togither true felicity ariseth Therfore this is Peter his meaning that god shewed himself merciful to his people in Christ that he receiued into fauor Abraham his children again whom he seemed to haue cast away for a time that he might establish among them a florishing estate And as he maketh God the author of this peace so he placeth Christ in the mids as the pledge therof that it may be certain holy He coupleth peace and preaching expresly togither because this is one way whereby the fruite of the reconciliation purchased by Christ commeth vnto vs. Ephes 2.17 In like sort after that Paul hath taught that Christ is our peace he addeth immediatly that hee came to preach peace vnto those who were nigh at hand and farre off 37 Ye know howe the word This sermon of Peter consisteth vppon two members principally for in the former he reciteth an historie secondly he discendeth vnto the fruit of the historie For seing that the comming of Christ into the world his death and resurrection are the matter of our saluation Christ cannot otherwise be set before vs to saluation than if we first know that hee hath put on our flesh that hee was in such sort conuersant amongst men that he proued himselfe by certaine testimonies to be the son of God that he was at length nailed vpon the crosse and raised vp from the deade by the power of God Againe least the knowledge of the historie be vnprofitable and colde we must also shewe the end why he came downe from his heauenly glorie into the worlde why he suffered such a death so reprochfull amongst men and accursed by the mouth of God The cause of his resurrection must bee shewed whence the effect and fruite of all these things is gathered to wit that Christ was humbled that he might restore vs vnto perfite blessednesse who were quite lost Isai 53.4 and also that hee put on brotherly loue togither with our flesh that by taking vpon him our infirmities hee vnburdened vs thereof that hee made satisfaction for our sinnes by the sacrifice of his death that he might purchase the fathers fauor for vs that when as he had gotten the victorie of death he purchased for vs eternall life that hee set heauen open for vs by his entrance into the same that all the power of the Spirit was powred out vpon him that he might enrich vs with his abundance This order of teaching doth Peter obserue when hee beginneth with the history of the gospel and afterward sheweth what we haue by Christ his descending into the earth by his death and resurrection First he saith that Iesus of Nazareth came abroade after Iohn his Baptisme For because Iohn was appointed to this end by the counsell of God that he might lift vp the mindes of the people to waite for Christ it was not meete that this point should be omitted Hee was counted an excellent Prophet of God therefore his authoritie was of great importance to make Christ to be beleeued especially amongst the ignorant and those which were but nouices We must note the phrase that Iohn preached Baptisme For Luke comprehendeth in deed vnder the worde Baptisme all the whole ministery of Iohn neuerthelesse hee sheweth that it
appeareth what great regard Christ had of our rudenesse and ignorance who did abase himselfe so farre for our sake that when he was now endewed with heauenly glorie hee did yet notwithstanding eate and drinke as a mortall man Wherefore there is no cause why wee shoulde complaine that the resurrection of Christ is obscure and doubtfull For he suffered his disciples to be slow and hard of beliefe for this cause that being better confirmed they might take from vs all occasion of doubting Yea rather wee must indeuour our selues that our vnworthinesse and vnthankfulnesse doe not darken so great kindnesse of the sonne of God toward vs. But when as the scripture saith that Christ did eate curious men moue a question what became of that meate But the answere is easie that like as it was created of nothing so was it easily brought to nothing by the diuine power of Christ That meate which is taken for the sustenance of the bodie is concoct and afterward digested but wee knowe that Christ tooke this meate to feede our faith and in this vse was it spent And those men are deceiued who thinke that Christ did onely seeme to eate For what good coulde such a visure or vaine shewe haue done For when as wee say that Christ was not enforced with any necessitie of his owne to eate but that hee meant onelie to prouide for those that were his all occasion is cutte off from the friuolous inuentions of men 42 And he commaunded vs. Hee beginneth in this place to intreat of the kingdome of Christ when he saith that Christ did rise againe for this cause that hee may once iudge the worlde For by the same right are the gouernement of heauen and earth and the perpetuall gouernment of the Church due to him he saith that he shall be iudge of quicke and deade because when as the deade shall rise againe others also who shall then remaine aliue 1. Cor. 15.51 52. 1. Thessa 4.17 shall be chaunged in a moment as Paule teacheth in the fifteenth Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians and in the first to the Thessalonians and the fowerth Chapter In the word Testifie there is great weight because as men are naturally inclyned vnto vnbeliefe the simple preaching of the Gospel should not be so effectual vnlesse the Lorde should establish it with strong protestations And chiefely euery one of vs doeth feele in himselfe too much what a hard matter it is both to lift vp our mindes to hope for the comming of Christ which are intangled in earthly snares and also continually to keep them fixed in this meditation seing they cease not with their lightnesse to be carried hither and thither continually 43 To him beare all the Prophets Luke toucheth and gathereth the summe of the sermon briefly as we haue said therefore is he so short in noting the fruit of the historie Let vs knowe that the wordes vttered by Peter are not recited in this place but that it is onely declared of what things he intreated And wee must consider three things That it is the proper office of Christ to reconcile men to God whē their sins are done away that we haue remission of sinnes by faith that this doctrine is not newe or of late inuented but that it had all the Prophets of God since the beginning of the world to beare witnesse of it As touching the first if God be pleased and pacified by not imputing our sinnes it appeareth hereby that he hateth and is displeased with all mankinde vntill such time as they begin to please him by free pardon Therefore wee are all condemned of sinne which maketh vs subiect to the wrath of God and bindeth vs with the guiltinesse of eternall death and because we are destitute of righteousnesse in our selues we are taught to flie vnto the mercie of God as vnto our onely fortresse When as he saith that the faithfull receiue remission of sinnes there is vnderstoode a hidden contrarietie betweene them and God For God must needs offer it of his own accord that the faithful may receiue it When as he saith that it is giuen by the name of Christ his meaning is that we retune into Gods fauour by the benefite of Christ alone because he hath once reconciled him to vs by his death or as they say commonly that we obtaine forgiuenesse of sinnes by Christ his mediation and comming betweene and by none other meanes Satan could neuer blot out of the minds of men the feeling of their giltinesse but that they were alwayes carefull to craue pardon at Gods hands but forasmuch as there was but one way and means to obtaine pardon miserable men being deluded with the iuglings of Satan did inuent to themselues wonderful Labarinths in whose crooks and turnes they wearied themselues in vaine This first errour did first leade them away from the right way because they assayed to deserue pardon which is offered freely and is receiued by faith alone Afterwarde there were innumerable kindes of satisfactions inuented whereby they appeased God The beginning thereof flowed in deede from the word of God but forasmuch as when God gaue vnto the fathers the sacrifices and rites of oblations hee shadowed Christ blind and prophane men setting Christ aside and following a vaine shadowe did corrupt all that which was Gods in sacrifices and satisfactions Wherefore what sacrifices soeuer the Gentiles did vse since the beginning of the worlde and those which the Turkes and Iewes vse at this day may bee set against Christ as thinges altogither contrarie The Papistes are neuer a whit better saue onely that they sprinkle their satisfactions with the bloode of Christ but they deale too disorderedly therein because being not content with Christ alone they gather to themselues on euerie side a thousande manner of sacrifices or satisfactions Therfore whosoeuer desireth to haue remission of sins let him not turne aside from Christ euen the least nayles breadth When as we heare that we haue remission of sinnes by beleeuing wee must vnderstande and knowe the force and nature of faith as vndoubtedlie Peter intreated aboundantly of this after what sort we must beleeue in Christ and this is nothing else but with the syncere affection of the minde to embrace him as hee is set before vs in the Gospell so that faith dependeth vppon the promises Yet Peter seemeth to deale amisse because whereas wee haue two principal thinges by our Sauiour Christ hee doeth onely make mention of the one of them for he speaketh nothing of repentance and newnesse of life which ought not to be omitted in the summe of the Gospel But we may easily answere That the regeneration of the Spirit is comprehended vnder faith as it is an effect thereof For wee beleeue in Christ for this cause partly that he may restore vs into the fathers fauor by the free imputation of righteousnes partly that hee may sanctifie vs by his Spirit And we know that we are adopted by God
the world 2 They reasoned with him Obstinacie doeth for the most part accōpanie error This was now a fault hauing in it too grosse ignorance in that they did not quietly receiue the Gentiles into their bosom vnited to them by the same Spirite of faith But they doe not only leape backe but also contend with Peter contentiously and blame him for his fact which deserued great praise They heare that the gentiles haue embraced the word of God what letteth them then from imbracing them that they may be coupled together vnder the gouernment of one God For what more holy bond can there be then when al mē with one consent are coupled ioyned to God And why should not those grow together into one body who make the Messias of God their head But because they saw the externall forme of the law broken they thought that heauen and earth did goe together And note that although Luke saide before that the apostles and brethren had heard this fame yet he spake nothing of offence but he bringeth in now as it were a new sect of men which did contend with Peter The brethren saith he heard and there an ende it followeth When Peter was come to Ierusalem those which were of the circumcision did contend with him who were vndoubtedlie vnlike to the first againe these wordes peri tomes doe not simplie signifie the Iewes but those who were too much addicted to keepe the ceremonies of the lawe For there were none of Ierusalem in Christs flock at that time saue only those which were circumcised from whom then could he distinguish those men Lastly it seemeth to be a thing vnlike to be true that the Apostles and those which were moderate beeing of the number of the faithfull did attempt this cumbate For though they had been offended yet they might haue conferred with Peter priuately haue demanded some reason of his fact By these reasons am I moued to think that those are said to be of the circumcisiō who did make so great account of circumcision that they graunted no man a place in the kingdom of god vnlesse he took vpon him the profession of the law and being admitted into the church by this holy rite did put off vncleannesse 3 Vnto men being vncircumcised This was not forbidden by the lawe of God but it was a tradition which came from the fathers And yet not withstanding Peter doth not obiect that they dealt too hardly with him in this point and that he was not bound by the necessitie of mans lawe he omitteth all this defence and doth only answere that they came first vnto him that they were offered vnto him as it were by the hande of God And here we see the rare modestie of Peter because whereas trusting to the goodnesse of the cause he might haue iustly despiced vnskilfull men who did trouble him vniustly yet doth he mildely excuse himselfe as it becommeth brethren This was no small triall in that hee was vnworthilie accused because he had obeied God faithfully but because he knew that this lawe was inioyned the whole church that euery man be ready to giue an account of his doctrine and life so often as the matter requireth he remembred that he was one of the flocke hee doth not only suffer himselfe to bee ruled but submitteth himselfe willinglie to the iudgement of the church Doctrine in deede if it be of God is placed aboue the chaunce die of mans iudgement but because the Lord will haue prophesie iudged his seruants must not refuse this condition that they proue themselues to be such as they will be accounted But we shal see anone how farre the defence both of doctrine as also of facts ought to extend For this present we must know this that Peter doeth willingly answere for himselfe when his fact is reproued And if the pope of Rome be Peter his successour why is not he bound by the same lawe Admit we graunt that this submission was voluntarie yet why doth not the successour imitate suche an example of modestie shewed vnto him Although we need no long circumstance here for if that be true whiche the Popes spue out in their sacrilegious decrees Peter did treacherouslie betray and forsake the priuiledges of their seat and so hee betraied the sea of Rome For after that they haue made the Pope the iudge of all the whole world affirming that he is not subiect to mans iudgement after that they haue lifted him vp aboue the cloudes that being free frō giuing an account his will and pleasure may stande for a reason they make him foorthwith patrone of the Apostolike seate stoutlie to defend the priuiledges thereof Of what great sluggishnesse shall Peter then be condemned if hee did loose his right giuen him of God by yeelding so cowardly Why did not he at least obiect that that he was free from the lawes and exempt from the common sort But he vseth no such preface but entreth the cause without making any delay And let vs remember that there is nothing which hindereth vs from contemning that idoll safely seeing that vsurping such vnbrideled tyrannie he hath blotted himselfe out of the number of the Bishops And Peter beginning Because this narration is all one with that which we had in the chapter next going before and because it is repeated almost in the very same wordes if any thing need to be expounded let the Readers repayre thither The purpose of Peter and all the whole summe of his speech shall appeare by the conclusion Yet before I come thither we must briefly mark that he maketh the preaching of the Gospell the cause of saluation Thou shalt heare saith he wordes wherin thou maiest haue saluation not because saluation is included in mans voice but because God offering his sonne there vnto eternal life doth also cause vs to inioy him by faith This is assuredly wonderfull goodnesse of God who maketh men ministers of life who haue nothing but matter of death in themselues and which are not only subiect to death in themselues but are also deadly to others Neuerthelesse the filthie vnthankefulnesse of the worlde bewrayeth it selfe in this point which loething true and certaine saluation offered vnto it and forsaking it when it lyeth at the feete doth imagine diuers and vaine saluations in seeking which it had rather gape beeing hungrie then to bee filled with the grace of God which meeteth it and is present 16 I remembred the worde of the Lorde Wee haue sufficiently declared in the first chapter that when Christ vttered that sentence hee did not make a comparison between two baptismes Acts. 1.5 but that he intended to declare what difference there was betweene him and Iohn For as wee distinguish the signe from his truth so it is good to distinguish the minister from the authour least mortall man challenge that which is proper to God Man hath the signe in his hand it is Christ alone which washeth and regenerateth
that God may reconcile men to himselfe being renued by his Spirite The worde Repentaunce alone is expressed in this place but when he addeth vnto life it appeareth plainly that it is not separated from faith Therefore whosoeuer will rightly profit in the gospel let him put off the old man and thinke vpon newnesse of life that done let him know for a certaintie that he is not called in vain vnto repentance Ephe. 4.22 but that there is saluation prepared for him in Christ So shall it come to passe that the hope assurance of saluation shall rest vpō the free mercie of god alone that the forgiuenes of sins shall notwithstanding be no cause of sluggish securitie This member to giue repentance may be expoūded two maner of wayes either that God graunted to the Gentiles place for repentaunce when as hee would haue his gospel preached to them or that he circumcised their heartes by his Spirite as Moses saith and made them fleshy harts of stonie hearts as saith Ezechiel For it is a worke proper to God alone to fashion Deut. 30.6 Eze. 11.9 and to beget men againe that they may begin to bee new creatures and it agreeth better with this second sense it is not so much racked and it agreeth better with the phrase of scripture 19 Those therfore which were dispersed by reason of the tribulation which happened about Steeuen went into Phenicia and Cyprus and Antioch speaking the word to none saue only to the Iewes 20 And there were certain of them men of Cyprus and Cyrena who entering into Antioch spake with the Grecians preaching the Lord Iesus 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them Therfore a great number when they beleeued were turned vnto the Lord. 22 And the tidings of them came vnto the eares of the church which was at Ierusalem and they sent Barnabas that he might goe to Antioch 23 Who when he was come and had seen the grace of god he reioyced and did exhort all that with purpose of heart they would continue cleeuing to the Lord. 24 Because he was a good man and full of the holy ghost and faith And there was a great multitude added vnto the Lord. 19 Those which were scattered abroad Luke returneth now vnto the former historie vnto that which folowed in the same For he had said before that after that Steeuen was slain the crueltie of the wicked increased many fled hither thither for feare so that the Apostles were almost left alone at Ierusalē whēas the church was thus torn in peeces feare did cause those which were fled to keep silence or els contempt of strangers He declareth that that euent did folow which no man woulde haue hoped for for as the seed is sowen that it may bring foorth frute so it came to passe through their flight scattering abroad that the gospel was spred abroad in nations which were farre of which was included before within the walles of one citie as in a barne In like sort it came to passe that the name of Christ passing ouer mountains seas did flow euen vnto the farthest parts of the world And by this meanes according to the prophesie of Esay the consumption did abound in righteousnes If so many godly mē had not been expelled out of Ierusalem Cyprus had heard nothing Phenicia had heard nothing of Christ yea Italy Spain which wer farther off had heard nothing But the Lord brought to passe that of many torne mēbers did arise mo bodies For how came it to passe that there were churches gathered at Rome at Puteolum saue onely because a few exiled men such as fled away had hrought the Gospell thither with them And as God did at that time make the indeuours of Satan frustrate after a wonderfull sort so we need not doubt but that euen at this day he will make to himself triumphes of the crosse and persecution that the church may better grow together though it be scattered abroad Phenicia ioyneth to Syria is nigh to Galilee Antioch is a most famous citie of Syria at which part it is ioyned to Cilicia Speaking to none Peraduenture they were letted not only with fear of persecutiō that they durst not speake to the Gentiles but also with that foolish religion Mar. 16.15 in that they thought that the childrens bread was throwen to the dogs wheras notwithstanding Christ had commanded that the gospel should be preached to all the world after his resurrection 20 Luke doth at length declare that certain of thē brought this treasure euen vnto the Gentiles And Luke calleth these Grecians not ellenes but ellenistai Therfore some say that those came of the Iewes yet did they inhabit Grecia which I do not allow For seing the Iewes whom he mētioned a little before wer partly of Cyprus they must needs be reckoned in that nūber because the Iewes count Cyprus a part of Grecia But Luke distinguisheth thē frō those whom he calleth afterward ellenistas Furthermore forasmuch as hee had saide that the worde was preached at the beginning only to the Iewes he ment those who being banished out of their owne countrie did liue in Cyprus Phenicia correcting as it were this exception he saith that some of them did teach the Grecians This contrarietie doth cause me to expound it of the Gentiles For Luke his meaning is that a few did more freely preach the Gospell because the calling of the Gentiles was not vnknowen to thē But the constancie of them all deserueth no small prayse because being deliuered as it were out of the midst of death they are not afraid to do their dutie toward God euen with danger whence we gather to what end how far foorth christians may flie persecution to wit that they may spende the residue of their life in spreading abroad the glory of God If any man demaund how it came to passe that strangers lately comming and such as might haue bin suspected among all the Iewes hated of them because they were banished out of Ierusalem were so bold I answeare that this came to passe through the singular motion of God that they consulted together sodainly according to the occasion offered them For this deliberation is not of flesh and blood 21 The hand of the Lord was Luke proueth by the successe that the gospel was offered vnto the Gentiles also by the brethren of Cyprus Cyrenea not rashly nor vnaduisedly because their labour was frutefull and profitable But such increase should neuer haue folowed vnlesse god had commaunded fauoured Therfore it followeth that it pleased god that the Gententiles should be called The hand as it is wel knowē doth signifie power strength Therfore this is Luke his meaning that god did testifie by his present aid that the Gentiles were called together with the Iewes through his directiō to be made partakers of the grace of Christ And this blessing of God serued not
he would sticke to winne peace or the peoples fauour with the punishent of an hundred men or moe Wherefore we must thinke with our selues that hee was tyed by one that had the rule ouer him that hee might not more vehementlye oppresse the Churche Hee slue Iames as when any sedition is raised the heads and captaines goe first to the pot that the common riffe raffe may by their punishment be terrified Neuerthelesse the Lord suffered him whom he had furnished with constancie to bee put to death that by death he might get the victorie as a strong and inuincible chāpion So that the attempts of Tyrants notwithstanding God maketh choyce of sweete smelling sacrifices to establish the faith of his gospell Luke calleth this Iames which was slaine the brother of Iohn that hee may distinguish him from the sonne of Alpheus For wheras some make him a thirde cosin of Christes who was only some one of the disciples I doe not like of that because I am by strong reasons perswaded to think that there were no more Let him that will repayre to the second to the Galathians Therefore I thinke that the Apostle and the sonne of Alphe were al one whom the Iewes threw down headlong from the top of the temple whose death was so highly commended for his singular prayse of holinesse 3 Seeing that it pleased the Iewes It appeareth more plainely by this that Herod was not moued either with any zeale that he had to Moses lawe or with any hatred of the Gospell thus to persecute the Churche but that he might prouide for his owne priuate affayres For hee proceedeth in his crueltie that hee may winne the peoples fauour Therfore wee muste knowe that there bee diuers causes for whiche the Churche is assaulted on euery side Oftentimes peruers zeale driueth the wicked headlong to fight for their superstitions and that they may sacrifice an offering to their idols by sheeding innocent blood but the more parte is moued with priuate commodities onely So in times past at such time as Nero knewe after the burning of the citie that hee was lothed and hated of the people hee sought by this subtill meanes to get into fauour againe or at least he went about to stay their slaunders and complaintes by putting certaine thousandes of the godly to death In like sort that Herod may winne the peoples fauour who did loue him but a litte hee putteth the Christians to death as a price wherewith hee might redeeme their fauour and such is our estate at this day for though all men runne by troupes vppon the members of Christe yet fewe are pooked forwarde with superstition but some sell them selues to Antichriste like profitable bond slaues othersome beare with and commende the outragious outcries of Monkes and the common people but wee in the meane season beeyng abiectes must bee glad to beare their mockes yet there is one comfort which doeth excellently keepe vs on foote in that wee knowe that our blood is precious in the sight of Almightie GOD which the worlde doth shamefullye abuse yea the more shamefullie and reprochefullie the wicked doe handle vs so muche the lesse shall Gods goodnesse forsake vs. 4 Adding foure quaternions of souldiars Luke doth in this place declare by circumstances that Peter was as it were shut vp in his graue so that it might seem that hee was quite past hope For as they diuided the day and night into foure partes by three houres so Herod diuided the watches that foure souldiars might alwayes keepe watche and that one quaternion might succeede another euery third houre He sheweth the cause why hee was not foorthwith put to death because it had been an haynous offence to put him to death in the Easter holidayes Therefore Herod doeth not delay the time as doubtfull what to doe but doth only waite for opportunitie Yea hee maketh choice of a time when as his gifte may bee more plausible because there came a great multitude together from all partes vnto the holy day 5 But prayers were made Luke teacheth here that the faithfull did not in the meane season foreslowe their dutie Peter stoode in the foreward alone but all the rest fought with their prayers together with him and they ayded him so much as they were able Heereby we doe also gather that they were not discouraged for by praier they testifie that they persist so much as they are able in defence of the cause for which Peter is in danger of life This place teacheth first how we ought to be affected when we see our brethren persecuted by the wicked for the testimonie of the gospell For if wee bee slothfull and if we be not inwardly touched with their daungers we doe not only defraude them of the due dutie of loue but also treacherously forsake the confession of our faith and assuredly if the cause be common yea if they fight for our saftie and saluation we do not only forsake them but euen Christ and our selues and the present necessitie requireth that they be farre more feruent in praier then commonly they are whosoeuer will bee counted christians We see some of our brethren being brought to extreeme pouertie liue in exile others we see imprisoned many cast into stinking dungeons manie consumed with fire yea we see newe torments oftentimes inuented whereby being long tormented they may feele death Vnlesse these prouocations sharpen our desire to pray we be more then blockish Therefore so sone as any persecution ariseth let vs by and by get our selues to prayer Also it is a likely thing that the church tooke greater thought for Peters life because they shoulde haue suffered great losse if hee had gone Neither doth Luke say barely that prayer was made but he addeth also that it was earnest and continual Whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that the faithfull prayed not coldly or ouer fields but so long as Peter was in the conflict the faithfull did what they coulde to helpe him and that without wearisomnesse We must alwayes vnderstande the name of God which is here expressed whensoeuer mention is made of prayer in the scripture For this is one of the chiefest and first principles of faith that we ought to direct our prayers vnto God alone as he challengeth to himselfe this peculiar worship Psal 50.15 Call vppon mee in the day of tribulation 6 And when Herod was about to bring him foorth the same night slept Peter betweene two souldiars bound with two chaines And the keepers kept the prison before the dore 7 And behold the Angel of the Lord stood and a light shined in the habitation And he smoote Peters side saying Arise streightway and his chaines fel from his hands 8 And the Angell saide to him Gyrde thy selfe and binde on thy sandales And hee did so Then he saith to him Put thy garment about thee and follow mee 9 And going out he folowed him neither vnderstood he that that was true which was done by the angell
thinke because God by sending his sonne into the world did fulfill his promise made to his seruants in times past by the effect it selfe Like as in the second Psalme Though the Greeke bookes agree in the number yet we must not passe ouer that which Erasmus saith that many of the old writers read the first Psalme And it may be that Luke wrot so For that which at this day is counted the second Psalme might haue bin called the first not without reason seing that it is likely that the first Psalme was added in steed of a Proeme by the Scribes and Priestes by whose industrie the Psalmes were gathered into one bodie For the name of the authour is not set to it and it doeth onely exhort to meditate vpon the Law of God But there is no great weight in that matter For this is the chiefest thing that we know how properly and how well Paul applieth the testimonie taken out of the Psalme vnto the matter which he hath in hand We do not denie that Dauid when he saw that he was on euery side assailed by his enimies and that they were of greater power might than that he was able to resist them doth set against them Gods aide who he knew was the authour of his kingdome and Reigne But forasmuch as he was a figure of the true Messias we know that those things were shadowed in his person which doe appertaine wholy and perfectly to the Messias alone And the text it self doth proue sufficiently that there is not onely a simple and bare thankesgiuing contained there agreeable to Dauids kingdome but it is a higher prophecie For it is wel knowne that Dauid did in his life scarce tast of the hundreth part of the glory which is spokē of in this place concerning which we haue spoken more at large Chapter 4. Now let vs looke nigher into the words kings are in deed called sonnes of God Psal 82.6 But seing that God doth intend to prefer Dauid before all other kings and to exempt him out of the number of them this title of honor is giuen to him principallie aboue all other not because so great honour resteth in his person because by this meanes he should passe the Angels as it is in the Epist to the Heb. 1. cha Therfore he is thus gorgeously set out in respect of Christ whose image he was that God doth not take him for one of the common sort or for some one of a great multitude but he doth as it were acknowledge him to his onely begotten sonne The proofe followeth Because God did beget him when he established the kingdome in his hand For that was not done by mans industrie but God shewed from heauen the inuincible power of his hand whereby it might plainly appeare that he reigned according to Gods counsel Therefore this Begetting by him mentioned must be referred vnto the vnderstanding or knowledge of men to wit because it was then openlie known that he was begotten of God when as he was set vpon the throne of the kingdome wonderfully contrarie to the hope of all men and did by the heauenly power of the Spirit breake infinit conspiracies because hee could not reigne vntill he had brought all nations round about him in subiection as if a certaine world were subdued Now let vs come vnto Christ He came not into the world without testimony whereby he did proue that he was the son of God For his glory did appeare as became the only begotten son of god as it is written Iohn 1.14 and he saith euerywhere that he hath God for the witnesse and maintainer of this honor Therefore God begat Christ when he gaue him certaine markes whereby he might be knowne to be his true liuely image son And yet this doth not let but that Christ is the wisedome begotten of the eternall father before time but that is the secreat generation now Dauid declareth that it was reuealed to men so that the relation is as we haue said vnto men and not vnto God because that which was hidden in the heart of God was made known to mē And it is a verye fine figure because Christ his diuinitie was no lesse declared and established then if he had bin begotten of God before the eyes of men I know that Augustine his deepe sight doth please some that by to day is meant perpetuitie But when as the spirit of God himself is his owne interpreter whereas he doth expound that by the mouth of Paul which he had said by Dauid we must not inuent any other sense And forasmuch as the same Paul doth witnes that Christ was declared to be the son of god in power when he rose from the dead we gather that this was the principal token of celestiall excellency that the father did then bring him truly to light that the world might know that he was begotten of him Therefore though God began to raise Christ when he came into the world yet his raising was then as it were perfect full because whereas he was humbled before hauing taken as it were the forme of a seruant he did then appeare to be the conqueror of death the Lord of life so that he wanted nothing of that maiesty which was meet for the son of god that for the onely begotten sonne 34 That he should not returne He addeth now the other member that Christ was once raised from death that he may liue for euer as Paul teacheth Rom. 6.10 Rom. 6.10 He dieth no more neither shall death haue dominion ouer him any more because he liueth to God For the hope conceiued of Christ his resurrection should be slender and cold if he were yet subiect to destruction or to any change Therefore he is said to be entred into the kingdome of God that he may also giue to his eternal felicity liuing for euer For because Christ rose rather for our sake then for himselfe the perpetuitie of life which the father hath giuen him reacheth vnto vs all and is ours Notwithstanding the place of Isay which is here cited seemeth to make but a litle for proofe of Christ his immortalitie I will giue you the holy things of Dauid But it is not so For seing Isaias speaketh of the redemption promised to Dauid Isai 55.3 and affirmeth that the same shal be firme and stable we doe well gather by this the immortall kingdome of Christ wherein the eternitie of saluation is grounded And Paul followed the Greek interpreters when he put Holy things for mercies Chessed which signifieth meeke merciful and gentle is wont by the Grecians to be translated Holy Therefore they translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Dauid the holy thinges of Dauid whereas the Prophet meaneth rather the grace promised to Dauid But Paul granted this to the ignorant and weake who were better acquainted with the Greeke reading especially for as much as the force of the testimonie consisteth in another point For
this is Paul his meaning in summe If the grace bee eternall which God saieth hee will giue in his sonne the life of his sonne must be eternall and not subiect to corruption For wee must hold this rule that all the promises of God are in Christ yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 and that therefore they can not be of any force vnlesse he do quicken them 35 Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one This place was likewise cited by Peter in the first sermon set downe by Luke in the second Chapt. where I expounded the same therefore let the readers repaire thither Acts. 2.27 Onely I will touch this briefly that Dauid putteth two Hebrew words for the graue as he vseth repetitions commonly the former whereof is deriued of desiring or lusting because the graue deuoureth all things as an vnsatiable gulfe the other of corruption according to this etymologie Dauids meaning is faithfully expressed in Greeke For the qualitie of the graue is noted when as it receiueth the corpes and doeth as it were swallow it vp that it may rot there and may at length perish when it is consumed Paul affirmeth that that belongeth to Christ alone that hee was free and saued from corruption For though his bodie was laide in graue corruption had notwithstanding no title to it seing that it laide there whole as in a bedde vntill the day of the resurrection 37 When Dauid had serued his time Least any man should thinke that that place entreateth of Dauid Paul sheweth briefely that this agreeth not to Dauid in all points whose corps was rotten in the graue Therefore it remaineth that because this was a priuiledge belonging to Christ alone that Dauid Prophecied of him in Spirite Neuertheles we must note the proportion betweene the members and the head for as the truth of this prophecie was found whole and perfect in Christ alone as in the head so it taketh place in all the members according to the measure and order of euerie man And for as much as Christ rose to this ende that hee may fashion and make our base bodie like to his glorious bodie vpon this condition do the godly go downe into the pit Phil. 3.21 that rottennes may not consume their bodies Therefore according to the hope of the resurrection to come Dauid saith by good right that he shall not see corruption for that ought not altogither to be counted corruption for which there is a better restoring prepared for the bodies of the faithfull corrupt to this end that they may put on blessed incorruption in their time Yet this is no let but that the estate of the head and members may be farre vnlike and that wee may follow the sonne of God a farre off and lasily Now we see that both things are true and fitlie said that Dauid and the rest of the faithfull in as much as they shall be like to their head shall not see corruption and yet the sonne of God alone shall be free from corruption wholly We must note the phrase when he saieth that Dauid serued his age or the men of his time The olde interpreter distinguisheth it otherwise and certein Greek copies agree therto to wit that Dauid serued the wil of God in his time Which reading though it be to be allowed yet it dooth not cause me to mislike the other For it is neither superfluous nor colde that he slept by the wil of God or the counsel of God because the meaning thereof is that God in the death of Dauid did not forget that prophecie as if he should saie that the bodie of Dauid laid in the graue not without the counsel or purpose of God vntil it should rise againe that the effect of the prophecie might be extended vnto Christ If no man mislike that which I saie we are taught heerby to what end men liue in the world to wit that one man maie help another For euerie man doth not liue neither is born for himselfe but mankinde is knit togither with an holie knot Therfore vnlesse we be disposed to ouerthrow the lawes of nature let vs remember that we must not liue for our selues but for our neighbours But heer maie a question be asked whether we ought not also to care for our posteritie I answer that the ministerie of the godlie is also profitable for the posteritie as we see that Dauid being dead doth profit vs more at this daie then a great part of those which liue with vs but Paul meaneth simplie that the faithful during their whole life employ themselues and their offices to help their neighbours and that death is vnto thē as a goale because they haue made an end then when the Lord calleth them out of the world The sum is that we must haue respect first to our time that we maie serue our brethren with whom and among whom we lead our life and secondlie we must do our indeuour that the fruit of our ministerie maie redound vnto our posteritie Seing that God prescribeth his seruants this law their rashnes cannot be excused who faigne that the dead praie for vs and that they doo no lesse serue the Church then whiles they liued By the counsel of God he fel on sleep Paul might haue said simplie that Dauid died he addeth by the counsel of God that we maie know that that was not fulfilled in the person of the Prophet which is read in the psalme Notwithstanding we are taught that the bond of life and death is in like sort appointed for vs by God as it is Psa 90.3 Thou sendest out men and makest them to passe ouer again thou saist Come again ye children of men Yea Plato setteth down this verie eloquentlie that it is meet that men passe out of the world not without the leaue and pleasure of God by whose hand they are placed there as a stāding for a time And for this cause whē he speaketh of Dauids death he maketh mention of the counsel of God that we maie know that corruptiō did not happen to him by chance as if God had forgotten his promise but that it came to passe by Gods prouidēce that the faithful might know that the prophecie was to be referred vnto another To sleep and to be laid vnto the Fathers are formes of speeches so wel knowen and so common that they need no exposition 38 Therefore be it knowen vnto you that through him remission of sins is promised to you 39 And from all thinges from which yee could not be iustified in the Lawe of Moses 40 Whosoeuer beleeueth in this man is iustified 41 Therefore take heed least that befall you which is said in the Prophets 42 Behold yee despicers and wonder and vanish away because I do a worke in your dayes a worke which yee shall not beleeue if a man tell it you 38 Therefore be it knowne vnto you After that he hath declared the meane whereby saluation is purchased through Christ he doth
now intreat of his office and power And this is the principall point to know what good things we haue by the comming of Christ and what we are to hope for at his hands And although Luke setteth downe in a worde that Paul preached of the benefits of Christ yet there is no cause why any man should doubt but that so great matters were handled weightily and onely according as their dignitie did require By this word Be it knowne vnto you Paul meaneth that nothing should hinder them from knowing such an excellent plain matter saue only sloth that therefore it was an absurd thing that those benifits of God should be hidden from the faithfull which were offered by Christ For he was sent with the shrill preaching of the Gospel which our faith ought to heare that it may enter into the sure possession of his good things For we must know what he is that we may inioy him truely Forgiuenes of sinnes is set first whereby God doth reconcile vs vnto himself That which God will haue preached to all his people doeth he shewe to be necessarie for all men For Paul speaketh not to one or two but to all the Iewes which were at Antioch Therefore we must first marke that we be all enimies to God through sinnes 2. Chapt. Collos Whereupon it followeth that we are all excluded from the kingdome of God and are giuen ouer to eternall death vntill God receiue vs to fauour by the free forgiuenesse of sinnes We must also note this that God doth pardon to vs our sinnes and that he is reconciled through the Mediator because like as without him there is no satisfaction so neither is there any pardon or forgiuenesse of guiltines These be principles of our faith which are not learned in the schooles of the Philosophers That all mankinde is condemned and drowned in sinne that there is in vs no righteousnes which is able to reconcile vs to God that the onely hope of saluation resteth in his mercie whiles that he doth freely forgiue vs and that those remaine vnder the gilt which flie not vnto Christ and seeke not forgiuenesse in his death And from all things He doth secreatly preuent that which might seem contrary to the former doctrine For looke how many ceremonies of the Law there were so many exercises were there to obtaine remission of sinnes Therefore the Iewes might readily obiect if he alone doe reconcile God to vs our sinnes being done away to what end serue so many washings and sacrifices which we haue hitherto vsed according to the prescript of the Law Therefore least the Ceremonies of the Law hinder the Iewes Paul teacheth that Christ doth that which they were not able to do Not that Paul spake so briefly and compendiously for he did not hope that the Iewes would at the first come vnto Christ casting from them sodainly the affiance which they had in the righteousnesse of the Law but it was sufficient for Luke briefly to collect the sum of those things which he then taught in iust and due order His meaning is that the Mediator tooke away that let from the Iewes wherein they did sticke The ceremoniall Law ought in deede to haue bin a schoolemaster to leade them by the hand vnto Christ all rites commanded by God were helps to help and further their faith but as men vse preposterously to corrupt the holy ordinances of God they stopt the way before themselues by their ceremonies they shut the gate of faith that they could not come to Christ They thought they had righteousnes in sacrifices that by washings was gotten true cleannes that god was pleased with them so soone as they had ended their external pompe in sum forsaking the bodie they laid hold vpon vain shadowes God did in deed appoint no vnprofitable or vaine thing in the Law Wherefore ceremonies were sure and vndoubted testimonies of remission of sins For God did not lye in these words Let the sinner doe sacrifice and his iniquitie shal be purged But as Christ was the end of the Law and the heauenly patterne of the tabernacle so the force and effect of all Ceremonies did depend vpon him Whereby it is proued that they were vaine shadowes when he was set aside Now we see Pauls drift and purpose to wit that he meant to draw away the Iewes from the false and peruerse confidence which they reposed in the Law least being puffed vp they should thinke that they had no need of Christs helpe Heb. 8.5 or least they should seeke onely externall felicitie in him Be iustified in the Law This place doth plainly shew what the word Iustifie doth import in all other places where it is vsed to wit to be deliuered acquitted There was mention made of remission of sins Paul affirmeth that there is no other way whereby we can obtain the same but the grace of Christ Least any man should obiect that there be remedies to be found in the law he answereth that ther was in thē no force Therfore the sense is plain That they cannot be iustified from sin in the law bicause the rites of the law were neither iust nor lawful prices to remoue giltines they were nothing worth of thēselues to deserue righteousnes neither were they sufficient recompences to appease God Certainely it cannot be denied but wickedly that that iustification annexed to remission of sins is as it were the meanes way to obtaine the same For what else doth Paul go about but to cōfirm that saying that our sins are forgiuē vs through the benefit of Christ by answering contrary obiections And he proueth it because neither satisfactions neither al the rites of the law can iustifie vs frō sin Therfore he is iustified by Christ who is freely losed from the gilt iudgment of eternal death to which he was subiect This is the righteousnes of faith whiles that God counteth vs iust by not imputing our sins This only proprietie of the word is sufficient to refute the cauils of the Papists who hold that we are not iustified by pardon or by free accepting but by habit and infused righteousnes Therfore let vs not suffer them to rent in peeces vnworthely wickedly this text of Paule when he saith that we are iustified from all things that we may be assured of remission of sins And now we must know that the law of Moses is set against Christ as the principal meane to obtaine righteousnes if there had bin any besids Christ Paul disputeth in deed of ceremonies but we must note that there was nothing omitted in thē which might serue to purge sins to appease god Yet there was not one of al the ceremonies of the law which did not make man gilty as a new handwriting as Paul teacheth Col. 2. What then Assuredly God meant to testifie that men are iustified by the death of his son alone Col. 2.14 because he made him sin for vs who did no sin that we
might haue righteousnes in in him 2. Cor. 5. Wherupon it foloweth that whatsoeuer satisfactions are inuented by men they tend to rob Christ of his honor In the Law and in Christ signifie as much as by the Lawe and by Christ according to the Hebrew phrase From all things By this member is refuted the wicked inuention of the Papists who teach that only original sin and actuall sins committed before baptism are clearely freely forgiuen by Christ and that other are redeemed by satisfactions But Paul saith plainly that we are iustified frō sins by Christ throughout the whole course of our life For we must remember that the ceremonies of the Law were commited to the Iewes that as wel the profit as the vse thereof might florish daily in the church that is that the Iewes might in deed vnderstand that their sacrifices washings were not continually iterated in vaine If the truth substance of them be found in Christ it followeth that there is no other satisfaction or sacrifice to put away sins but his death otherwise there should be no analogie or proportion betweene this the old figures The Papists cal vs back vnto repentance and the Keyes as if the ceremonies of the Law were not exercises to think vpon repentance and as if the power of the Keyes were not annexed vnto them But the faith of the Godly was holpen by such helps that they might flie vnto the grace of the Mediatour alone Therfore let this remaine sure certaine that the righteousnes which we haue in Christ is not for one day or a moment but it is euerlasting as the sacrifice of his death doth daily reconcile vs to God 39 Euerie one that beleeueth Paul sheweth how men obtaine the righteousnes of Christ to wit when they receiue it by faith and that which faith doth obtaine is not obtained by any merits of workes Wherefore Paul his opinion is plaine That we are iustified by faith alone which notwithstanding the Papists oppugne and striue against no lesse obstinatly than bitterly Neuerthelesse it is requisite that we know what the word beleue doth import which is made vnsauery to the papists through ignorance There be also other benefites of Christ which we reape by faith For when he regenerateth vs by his Spirit he restoreth in vs the image of god after that the old man is crucified he fashioneth vs vnto newnes of life But it was ynough for Luke to expresse this one thing how men returne into fauour with God from whom they be estraunged by sinne because we may easily passe thence vnto the residue 40 Take heede that that come not vpon you Because he had to doe with stiffenecked men or at least there were diuerse in the companie which were stiffenecked as if he ment with a hammer to soften their stubbernes he addeth a chiding vnto doctrine For if the Iewes had bin obedient and willing to obey vndoubtedly he would haue sought sweetly to allure them vnto Christ But it was either their sluggishnes or else their wilfulnesse that caused him to be more angrie Like as all those must be cited to appeare before Gods iudgement seat who contemne the grace of Christ and the horrible iudgement of eternal death must be denounced to those He signifieth in deed that there is yet place left for repentance when he willeth them to take heed yet notwithstanding he telleth them therewithall that vnlesse they beware in time the horrible vengeance of God is not far off Abac. 1.5 Which is said in the Prophets The place which is cited is taken out of the first Chapter of Abacuk but because all prophecies were gathered into one volume or bodie Paul saith that it is written in the prophets 41 And yet he doth not recite word for word the words of Abacuk which go thus Behold the Gentiles and see and wonder and be astonied because a worke shall be done in your dayes which no man shall beleeue when it shall be told him Paul saith Behold yee despicers that the Iewes may know that the vengeance which was once brought vpon their fathers is common to the despicers of the worde as if he should say God doth at this day make no lesse account of his word the contempt whereof he did once punish so sharpely Therefore the Prophet his denunciation doeth appertaine vnto all ages so that the despicers cannot hope that they can escape that vengeance now whereof others haue tasted They boasted of the Temple they vanted that they were the people of God being puffed vp with wicked pride they despised all threatnings Therefore Paul putteth them in minde of that which God by his Prophets doth threaten to the despicers A worke in your dayes The sense is Those who refuse to beleeue the word of God shal feale his hand that being at length with plagues conuict they may know that he spake in earnest It is a common prouerbe that experience is the mistresse of fooles So the Lord doth in deede punish the wicked that being tamed with miseries they may begin to confesse his power And what manner punishment doth he denounce Because you saith he do not beleeue my word I will shew an example among you which no man will beleeue by which words he meaneth that he will punish them so that the world shall be afraid to see it For as rebellion against God is a detestable monster so it is no maruel if of it self it beget monsters of punishments Therefore we must beware least if we cease to giue credence to gods word we feele his hand more mighty than all our senses do comprehend and euen vnto the astonying of all the whole world and least euen we be made astonyed through feare Abacuk prophecieth of the destruction brought vppon them by the Chaldeans but the punishment whereby God reuenged the contempt of his Gospel was more cruell Therefore let vs accustome our selues to feare God and reuerently imbrace his worde least some such things befall vs. 42 And when the Iewes were gone out of the Synagogue the Gentiles exhorted them that they would speake to them words betweene the Sabaoths 43 And when the Synagogue was dissolued many of the Iewes and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas who talking with them perswaded them to continue in the grace of God 44 And when the Sabaoth was come almost all the whole citie was gathered to heare the word of God 45 And when the Iewes saw the multitudes they were filled with indignation and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul contrarying them and blaspheming them 42 When they were gone out of the Synagogue It may be also read out of the Synagogue of the Iewes peraduēture more fitly For it is likely that they wer gone out before the multitude was dispersed that is gathered out of the text because Luke saith shortly after that when the Synagogue was dissolued certain of the Iewes did follow Paul Barnabas Therfore the
setteth downe the degree of honor and excellencie wherunto God had exalted them afterward followeth the vpbraiding because they do willingly cast from them so great grace whereupon he cōcludeth that it is now time that the gospel be translated vnto the gentiles In that he saith that it was meete that it should first be preached to them it doth properly appertaine vnto the time of Christ his kingdome For vnder the Law before Christ was giuen the Iewes were not only the first but alone Exo. 19.5.6 Therefore was it that Moses called them a priestly kingdome and the peculiar people of God But the adoption of God rested then with them alone vpon this condition the Gentiles being omitted that they should be preferred as yet before the gentiles by the comming of Christ For though Christ reconciled the world to his father yet they were former in order who were already neere vnto god of his family Therefore that was the most lawful order Actes 1.8 Rom. 1.16 that the Apostles should gather the Church first of the Iewes afterward of the Gentiles as we saw in the first Chapter and in other places so that the fellowship of the Gentiles did not take from the Iewes the right of the first begotten but that they were alwayes the chiefe in the Church of God In this respect Paul saieth that the righteousnesse of God is made manifest in the Gospel first to the Iewes than to the Grecians Such greatnes of grace which God vouchsafed to bestow vppon them doth exaggerate and encrease the greatnes of their sin whiles that they reiect that which is so mercifully offered vnto thē Therfore he addeth that they giue iudgement of themselues that they are vnworthy of eternal life For seing that the reiecting of the gospel is the denial of the righteousnes of God we need no other iudge to condemne the vnbeleeuers And after that ye reiect Paul seemeth to reason vnfitly For first it was not of necessitie that the Iewes should be excluded that the Gentiles might be admitted vnto the hope of saluation secondly this was more conuenient that after the Iewes had imbraced the gospel they shoulde grant the second place to the Gentiles And Paul speaketh in like sort as if they could not grow togither into one body and as if the Gospel could not come vnto the Gentiles vnlesse it were reiected of the Iewes And nowe was he not ordained to be the Apostle of the Gentiles before he found such stubbernes in the Iews I answere that there is great force in the word we are turned For his meaning is that he is now turned away frō the Iewes that he may addict giue ouer himself wholy to the Gentiles If they had remained in their degree such turning had not followed but he should haue drawn the gentiles also with a cōtinual course after that the Iewes were receiued into the bosom he should haue embraced thē both togither Now forasmuch as the Iews turn their backs withdraw thēselues frō his ministery he cannot look vpon thē the gentiles both at once Therefore taking his leaue of them he is enforced to translate his care vnto the Gentiles Therefore vnlesse the Iewes had estranged themselues from the Church the calling of the gentiles should haue bin such as is by the Prophets described In that day shall seuen strangers take hold of the cloake of a man that is a Iew shal say we wil walk with you because God is with you But now the gentiles are called after a new accidental maner because when the Iewes were reiected they entred into the emptie possession They ought to haue bin gathered vnto the Iewes but after that they fel away were driuen out they came in their place So that their death was the life of the gētiles the natural branches being cut off the wild Oliues were ingraffed into the holy root vntil god do at length restore them also vnto life being ingraffed into their former roote that the Israel of God being gathered togither from all quarters may be saued 47 As he hath commanded The place is taken out of Isaias where notwithstāding god doth rather speak vnto his son then vnto the Apostles But we must note that many thinges which the scripture attributeth to Christ do appertain vnto his ministers I say many things not al things For there be certaine titles proper to the person of Christ wherewith to adorn the ministers were wicked sacrilege Christ is called our righteousnes because he was the only purging sacrifice hath reconciled the father to vs by his death did rise again afterward that hauing ouercom death he might purchase for vs eternal life Therefore the whole substance of our saluation is in Christs person but inasmuch as hee worketh by his ministers by resigning to them his office he doth also impart with them his titles Of this sort is the preaching of the Gospel He alone was appointed by the father to be our teacher but he hath put in his place Pastours and Doctors who speake as it were out of his mouth So that the authoritie remaineth wholly to him and he is neuerthelesse heard in his ministers Therfore Paul doth fitly applie vnto himselfe the testimonie of Isaias where he intreateth of the preaching of the Gospel I haue made thee a light It should seeme that he speaketh in that place of such a calling of the Gentiles as doth not carry with it the casting off of the old people For God doeth rather associate strangers vnto the Iewes who were before of the houshold It is but a smal matter saith he that thou be my minister in teaching Israel because I haue made thee a light to the Gentiles God doth seeme to begin his Church among the children of Abraham and that done to reach out his hand to the Gentiles that they may both make one Church by one consent of faith But Paul doeth in such sort cite the prophecie as if it could not be fulfilled vnles the Iewes had bin cast off For he signifieth that the light of Christ was lighted to the gentiles after that they were cast into the darknes of death I answere that this cannot be necessarily proued out of the text that Paul doth affirme that the Gentiles could not haue bin illuminate before the light of the Iewes had bin put out For this may be the sense Forasmuch as you haue depriued your selues of eternall life there is no cause why ye should thinke that the grace of God is prophaned if leauing you we take care charge of the Gentiles For the Messias is not giuen to you alone but he is appointed to be the sauiour of al the whole world as it is written I haue made thee c. Although if you weigh the place of the Prophet more throughly you shal find the casting off of the old people included therein For God pronounceth that he wil be glorious and renowmed in the ministery
break out into the flame of contention because satan seeketh nothing else by the fans of dissention but to kindle so many fires But againe seeing we see the primitiue Church on an vprore and the best seruantes of Christ exercised with sedition if the same thing befall vs nowe let vs not feare as in some newe and vnwonted matter but crauing at the Lords handes such an end as he now made let vs passe through tumults with the same tenour of faith Vnlesse yee be Circumcised Luke setteth downe briefly in these words the state of the question to wit that these seducers went about to bind mens consciences with necessitie of keeping the Law Circumcision is in deed mentioned alone in this place but it appeareth by the text that they moued the question about the keeping of the whole lawe And because Circumcision was as it were a solemne entrance and admission into other rites of the lawe therefore by Synecdoche the whole lawe is comprehended vnder one part These enimies of Paul did not denie that Christ was the Messias but though they gaue him their names they retained therewithall the old ceremonies of the Lawe The Error might haue seemed tollerable at the first glimse Why doeth not Paule then dissemble at least for some short time least hee shake the Church with conflict For the disputation was concerning externall matters concerning which Paule himselfe forbiddeth elsewhere to stande and striue too much But there were three weightie causes which enforced him to gainestande For if the keeping of the lawe bee necessarie mans saluation is tyed to workes which must be grounded in the grace of Christ alone that the faith may bee setled and quiet Therefore when Paule sawe the worshippe of the lawe set against the free righteousnes of faith it was vnlawful for him to hold his peace vnlesse he would betraie Christ For seeing the aduersaries did denie that any should be saued saue he which did obserue the Law of Moses by this meanes they did translate vnto workes the glorie of saluation which they tooke from Christ hauing shaken assurance they did vex miserable soules with vnquietnesse againe it was no small thing neither of any smal importance to spoile rob faithful soules of the liberty gotten by Christs blood Though the inward libertie of the Spirit were cōmō to the fathers as wel as to vs yet we know what Paul saith that they were shut vp vnder the childish ward custodie of the Law so that they did not much differ from seruants Gal. 4.13 but we are loose frō the schoolemastership of the law after that Christ was reuealed we haue more liberty the time of our nonage being as it were ended The third vice of this doctrine was because it darkned the light of the Church or at least did put in as it were certaine clouds that Christ the sonne of righteousnes might not giue perfect light In summe Christianitie should shortly haue come to nothing if Paul should haue yeelded to such beginnings Therfore he entreth the cumbate not for the external vncircumcision of the flesh but for the free saluation of men Secondly that he may acquit and set free godly consciences from the cursse of the Lawe and the gilt of eternall death Last of all that after all hinderances are driuen away the brightnes of the grace of Christ may shine as in a pleasant and cleare heauen Moreouer these knaues did great iniurie to the Law when they did wickedly corrupt the right vse thereof This was the naturall and right office of the Law to lead men by the hand like a scholemaster vnto Christ therefore it could not be worse corrupt then when vnder colour of it the power and grace of Christ were diminished After this sort must we looke into the fountaines of all questions least by our silence we betray the truth of God so often as we see satan by his subtiltie aime right at it neither let our mindes be changed and wax faint through any perils or reproches and slanders because we must constantly defend pure religion though heauen and earth must goe togither 2. Tim. 2.24 The seruaunts of Christ must be no fighters therefore if there bee any contention risen they must rather studie to appease and pacifie the same by their moderation than by and by to blow to the assault Secondly they must take good heed of superfluous and vaine conflicts neither shall they handle controuersies of any smal weight but when they see Satan wax so proud that religion cannot any longer continue safe and sound vnlesse he bee preuented they must needs take a good hart to them and rise to resist neither let them feare to enter euen most hatefull cumbates The name of peace is in deed plausible and sweete but cursed is that peace which is purchased with so great losse that we suffer the doctrine of Christ to perish by which alone wee growe togither into godly and holy vnitie The Papists cause vs at this day to be sore hated as if we had beene the causers of deadly tumults wherewith the world is shaken but wee can well defend our selues because the blasphemies which we indeuoured to reproue were more cruell than that it was lawfull for vs to holde our peace Therefore we are not to be blamed because we haue taken vpon vs to enter cumbates in defence of that cause for which we were to fight euen with the verie Angels Let them crie till their throates bee sore Paul his example is sufficient for vs that we must not bee either cold or slacke in defending the doctrine of godlines when the ministers of satan seeke to ouerthrow it with might and maine For their brainsick distemperature ought not to passe the constancie of the seruāts of god When Paul did zealously set himself against the false Apostles sedition began at length by reason of the conflict and yet the Spirit of God doth not therefore reproue him but doth rather with due praises commend that fortitude which he had giuen that holy man They determined c. The Spirit of God put them in minde of this remedie to appease the tumult which might otherwise haue gone farther with doing much hurt Whereby we be also taught that we must alwaies seeke such meanes as be fit for ending discorde because God doeth so highly commende peace let the faithfull shewe that they doe what they can to nourish the peace of the Church The trueth must alwayes be first in order with them in defense whereof they must be afraid of no tumults Yet they must so temper their heat that they refuse no meanes of godly agreement yea let them of their owne accord inuent what wayes so euer they can and let them be wittie in seeking thē out Therfore we must obserue this meane least being carried away through immoderate vehemencie of zeale we be carried beyond the iust boundes For we must bee couragious in defense of true doctrine not stubberne nor rash
look to but light did bring with it The false Apostles did auouch that no man could attaine vnto saluation vnlesse he did keepe the ceremonies If mans saluation be tyed to workes it shall be no longer grounded in the grace of Christ and so by this meanes free reconciliatiō shal fall flat to the ground Now seeing that mans strength is vnable to keepe the law all men are subiect to the curse which the Lorde there denounceth against the trangressours and so by this means all men shall come in daunger of despayre seeing that they see themselues giltie of eternal death by the law Peraduenture the false apostles vnderstood these things craftily But Peter pearceth the very fountain that he may bring to light the deadly poyson of that doctrine and thus must we do so often as Satan doth craftily thrust in wicked errours At this day we seem to some to be too contentious when as we do so stoutly stand in this that men must not pray for the dead For it is both a most auncient custome neither is it a thing to looke to very dangerous though men powre out superfluous prayers yet it is a plausible opinion because it carrieth some colour of humane godlines Furthermore vnskilfull men iudge thus because they seeke not out the head spring For if we graunt that men may pray for the dead wee must also admit this that they are nowe punished by the iudgement of God because they made not satisfaction in this life for their sinnes And so by this means the force of Christes satisfaction is translated vnto the workes of men secondly the rule of praying aright is ouerthrowen if mē may pray at all aduenture without the word of God this is also a greater absurditie than that we ought lightly to passe ouer it In sum we can neuer giue true iudgement of any question vnlesse hauing throughlye ript vp the fountain of that doctrine which is called in question we deduct all consequents which it bringeth with it Therefore it is no maruell if Peter to the end he may pull the false apostles out by the eares as it were out of their lurking dennes doe generally dispute touching the whol law because he doth nothing els but open the matter it self wherof the simple were ignorant that they may all see what a deadly doctrin it is which doth both extinguish the grace of Christ and drown soules in the horrible dungeon of despaire Neither we nor our fathers Peter doth not only dispute what men haue done in deed but what they were able to do neither doth he speake only of the common riffe raffe but of the holy fathers Seeing that hee denyeth that they were able to beare the yoke of the lawe it is manifest that the law cannot possibly be kept I know that Ierome his saying is so generally receiued that it is as it were an vndoubted and most certaine maxime If any man say that it is a thing vnpossible to keepe the law let him be accurssed but we must not hearken to any voice of man whiche is contrary to the iudgement of the Spirit of God Wee heare what the Spirit pronounceth in this place by the mouth of Peter not concerning the will and workes of men but touching their habilitie and power And hereunto agreeth Paule affirming that it was an vnpossible thing that the lawe should giue vs life forasmuch as it was weak through the flesh In deed if any man were able to fulfill the law he shoulde finde the life which is there promised but forasmuch as Paule denyeth that life can bee gotten by the lawe it followeth that ther is farther higher righteousnesse required there then man is able to perfourme I confesse in deed that Ierome doth not wholy graunt to the strength of nature power to fulfill the law but partly also to the grace of God as hee doth afterward expound himselfe that a faithfull man holpen by the grace of the Spirite may bee said to bee able to fulfill the law But euen that mitigation is not true For if we do weigh the strength of nature only men shall not only be vnable to beare the yoke of the lawe but they shall not be able to moue so much as a finger to perfourme the least iote of the law And surely if that be true that all the cogitations of mans mind are wicked from his childhood that all the vnderstandings of flesh are enemies to god that there is none which seeketh after God and other such places which are common in the Scripture tending to the same ende Gen. 8.21 Rom. 8.7 Psal 14.3 Rom. 3.11 but especially which are cited by Paul in the third to the Romans man his power and abilitie to fulfill the law shal not only be weake and lame but altogether none to begin Therfore we must thus thinke that euen the very faithfull after they being regenerate by the spirite of God doe studie to attaine vnto the righteousnesse of the law doe perfourme notwithstanding but the halfe and far lesse then half not the whole For doutlesse Peter speaketh not in this place of the Epicure or profane mē but of Abraham of Moses and of other holy fathers which wer the most perfect in the world yet he saith that these fainted vnder the burden of the law because it did passe their strēgth It is hatefully obiected that the spirit of God is blasphemed when as abilitie to fulfill the lawe is taken away from his grace and help but we may readily answere because the question is not what the grace of the spirit is able to doe but what that measure of grace is able to do which God doth diuide to euery one in this life For we must alwayes consider what God doth promise to do neither let vs vnaduisedly aske this question whether that can be done which he himself doth testifie shall neuer be and which he wil not haue done He promiseth the grace aid of the Spirit to the faithful wherby they may be able to resist the lusts of the flesh to subdue them yet shal they not quite abolish driue them away Hee promiseth them grace wherby they may walk in newnes of life yea shal they not be able to run so swiftly as the law requireth For he wil haue them kept vnder during their whole life that they may flie to beg pardon If it be vnlawfull to separate from the power of god his counsell the order by him set down it is a foolish and vain cauill whereby the aduersaries goe about to burden vs when as they say that we diminish the power of God nay rather they transforme God when they holde that his counsell purpose can bee altered The Pelagians did in times past in like sort burthen Augustine Hee aunsweareth that though it bee a thing possible that the law shoulde be fulfilled yet is that sufficient for him that no man did euer fulfill it and that the Scripture doth not
testifie that it shall bee fulfilled vntill the end of the worlde By which wordes hee deliuereth himselfe from their importunate subtiltie But there was no cause why he should doubt but freely and flatly graunt that it might be fulfilled the holy ghost being the author For we must limit the grace of the spirit that it may agree with the promises Furthermore we haue alreadie declared how farre the promises reache There is no man which moueth anie question concerning this whether god be not able if he wil to make men perfect but they dote foolishe which separate his power from his counsell whereof they haue an euident plaine testimonie in the scripture God doeth plainely declare an hundreth times what hee will and what he hath determined to doe to goe any farther is sacrilege Hierom was inforced by reason of philosophie to hurl out the thunderbolt of his curse against Peter and Paule because the lawes must bee applied vnto their habilitie for whom they be appointed which as I confesse to take place in mans lawes so I vtterly denie that it is good as touching the lawe of God which in exacting righteousnes doth not respect what mā is able to doe but what he ought to doe Though here ariseth a harder question whether the lawe were not giuen to this end that it might enforce men to obey God And this should be in vain vnlesse the Spirit of god should direct the faithfull to keepe it and that solemne protestation of Moses seemeth to put the matter out of doubt when he saith that hee giueth preceptes to the Iewes not such as they may read but in deed fulfill Deu. 30. Deu. 30.12 Whence we gather that the yoke was laid vpon the necke of the Iewes when the law was giuen that it might make them subiect to God that they might not liue as them lusted I answere that the lawe is counted a yoke two wayes For in as much as it brideleth the lustes of the flesh and deliuereth a rule of godly holy life it is meet that the children of God take this yoke vpon them but in as much as it doth exactly prescribe what we owe to God and doth not promise life without adding the condition of perfect obedience and doth againe denounce a curse if we shall in any point offend it is a yoke which no man is able to beare I will shewe this more plainely The plaine doctrine of good life wherein God doth inuite vs vnto himselfe is a yoke which we must all of vs willingly take vp For there is nothing more absurd then that God should not gouerne mans life but that hee should wander at pleasure without any bridle Therefore we must not refuse the yoke of the law Leuit. 18.5 Deu. 27.26 if the simple doctrine thereof be considered But these sayinges doe otherwise qualifie that I may so terme it the law He which shall do these things shall liue in thē c. Again Cursed is hee which continueth not in all thinges which are written that it may begin to bee a yoke which no man can beare For so long as saluation is promised ro the perfect keeping of the law alone euerie transgression is called into iudgement mankinde is vtterly vndoone In this respect doeth Peter affirme that God is tempted when mans arrogancie doth burthen the consciences of men with the Lawe For it is not his purpose to denie but that men must be gouerned by the doctrine of the lawe and so he graunteth that they be vnder the law not simply to teach but also to humble men with the gilt of eternall death considering that that qualitie was annexed vnto doctrin he affirmeth that the soules of the godly must not be tied with the yoke of the lawe because by this meanes it shoulde of necessitie come to passe that they should be drowned in eternall destruction But when as not only the grace of the holy Spirit is present to gouerne vs but also free forgiuenesse of sinnes to deliuer and acquit vs from the curse of the Lawe then is that of Moses fulfilled that the commandement is not aboue vs Deut. 30.11 Mat. 11.30 and then doe we also perceiue how sweet the yoke of Christ is how light his burden is For because we know that through the mercy of God that is forgiuen vs which is wanting through the infirmitie of the flesh Wee doe cheerefully and without any griefe take vpon vs that which hee inioyneth vs. Wherefore so that the rigour of the lawe be taken away the doctrine of the Lawe shall not only be tollerable but also ioyfull pleasant neither must we refuse the bridle which doth gouerne vs mildly doth not vrge vs sorer then is expedient 11 By the grace of Iesus Christ Peter compareth these two together as contrary the one to the other to haue hope in the grace of Christ to be vnder the yoke of the law Which comparison doth greatly set out the iustification of Christ in as much as we gather thereby that those are iustified by faith who beeing free and quit from the yoke of the lawe seeke for saluation in the grace of Iesus Christ Furthermore I said before that the yoke of the lawe is made of two coardes The former is He which doth these things shall liue in them The other Cursed is euery one which doth not continue in all the commaundements Let vs returne vnto the contrarie member If we cannot otherwise attaine vnto saluation by the grace of Christ vnlesse the yoke of the lawe be taken away it followeth that saluation is not placed in keeping the law neither are those which beleeue in Christ subiect to the curse of the lawe For if he could be saued through grace who is as yet in wrapped in the yoke of the lawe then should Peters reasoning be but foolishe which is drawen from contraries thus We hope for saluatiō by the grace of Christ therfore we are not vnder the yoke of the lawe Vnlesse ther were a disagreement between the grace of Christ and the yoke of the law Peter should deceiue vs. Wherefore those must needes depart from the righteousnesse of the law whosoeuer desire to finde life in Christ For this contrarietie appertaineth not vnto doctrine but vnto the cause of iustification Whereby is also refuted their surmise who say that we are iustified by the grace of Christ because he regenerateth vs by his Spirit giueth vs strength to fulfil the law those who imagin this thogh they seem to ease the yoke of the law a little yet they keep soules bound with both the cordes therof For this promise shall alwayes stand in force He which shall do these thinges shall liue in them on the otherside the curse shal com vppon all which shall not absolutely fulfill the lawe Wherefore wee must define the grace of Christe farre otherwise whereunto the hope of saluation leaneth then they dreame to wit that it bee free reconciliation
gotten by the sacrifice of his death or which is all one free forgiuenes of sins which by pacifying and appeasing God doth make him of an enemie or seuere iudge and which cannot be pleased nor intreated a mercifull father I confesse indeed that we be regenerate into newnes of life by the grace of Christ but when we are about assurance of saluation then must we call to mind the free adoptiō alone which is ioined with the purging forgiuenesse of sins For if workes be admitted that they may make vs righteous euen in part only the yoke of the law shall not be broken and so Peter his contrarietie shall fall to the ground or els be dissolued Euen as they Peter doth testifie in this place that though the seruitude of the law were laid vpon the Fathers as touching the externall shew yet were their consciences free and quit whereby is put away that absurditie which might otherwise haue troubled godlie minds not a little For seeing that the couenant of life is eternall and the same which God made with his seruants from the beginning vntill the ende of the world it were an absurd thing vntollerable that any other way to obtain saluation should be taught at this day then that which the fathers had in times past Therfore Peter affirmeth that we agree very wel with the fathers because they no lesse then we reposed hope of saluation in the grace of Christ And so reconciling the law and the gospel together as touching the end of the doctrine he taketh from the Iewes the stumbling blocke which they feigned to themselues by reason of the discord Whereby it appeareth that the lawe was not giuen to the fathers that they might thereby purchase saluation neither wer the ceremonies added that by the obseruing thereof they might attain vnto righteousnes but this was the only end of all the whole lawe that casting from them all confidence which they might repose in works they might repose all their hope in the grace of Christ Whereby is also refuted the doting of those who thinke that the old people in as much as they were content with earthly goods did think no whit of the heauēly life But Peter maketh the fathers partners with vs of the same faith and doth make saluation common to both and yet there bee some which delight in that brainsicke fellow Seruetus with his so filthie sacrileges Furthermore we must note that Peter teacheth that the faith of the fathers was alwaies grounded in Christ seeing that they could neither finde life any where els neither was there any other way for men to come vnto God Therefore this place agreeth with that saying of the Apostle Christ yesterday and to day Heb. 13.8 and for euer 12 And all the multitude kept silence and hearde Barnabas and Paule declare what signes wonders God had wrought by them among the Gentiles 13 And after that they had done speaking Iames answered saying Men brethren heare me 14 Simeon hath shewed how at the first God hath visited that he might take of the Gentiles a people in his name 15 And hereunto agree the wordes of the prophetes as it is written 16 After these thinges I will returne and will builde againe the Tabernacle of Dauid which is decayed and I will restore the ruines thereof and will set it vp 17 That the men which remaine may seeke the Lorde and all nations which cal vpon my name saith the Lord which doth all these things 18 Knowen from the beginning are all his workes 12 All the multitude held their peace By these wordes Luke giueth vs to vnderstand that the Spirite of God did so reigne in that assembly that they yeelded foorth with to reason The disputation was whot before but now after that Peter hath laid open the counsel of God hath handeled the question according to the doctrine of the scripture by by all noyse being stayed they are quiet and whist who did of late vnaduisedly defend the errour This is a liuely image of a lawfull counsel whē the truth of God alone so soone as it is once come to light maketh an end of all controuersies and assuredly it is effectuall enough to appease all discorde when the Spirit beareth the chief sway because he is again a fit gouernour as well to moderate their tongues who must speake before other as to keepe the rest vnder obedience that they bee not too much addicted to themselues and wedded to their owne willes but that laying away stubbornnesse they may shew themselues obedient to god Neither is it to be doubted but that there was some few which woulde not yeeld as it falleth out in a great assembly yet the truth of GOD had the vpper hand so that the silence whereof Luke speaketh was a manifest testimonie of common obedience And this was no small moderation in Peter in that hauing suffered euery one to say for himselfe what he coulde he deferred his iudgement least it should bee preiudiciall to others so long vntil the question had bin througly discussed too and fro They heard Barnabas and Paul We may gather by these words that they were not heard with silence before For seeing that the more part was perswaded that they did wickedlie admit the profane Gentiles into the church there should nothing which they should haue said haue been patiently receiued vntill this false opinion were corrected reformed but all should haue been taken at the worst Wee see what a poyson displeasure conceiued for no cause is which doth so possesse mens mindes that it stoppeth the way so that the truth can neuer haue entrance Hereby we learne how true that saying is all things are sound to the sounde for there is nothing so wholsome but corrupt affections do turn the same in to that which is hurtfull Tit. 1.15 And to this end tendeth the narration made by Paul and Barnabas that they may shew proue that God doth allowe their Apostleship among the Gentiles forasmuch as it was ratified and confirmed by myracles which are as it were certaine seales thereof 13 Iames answered saying Some old writers of the church think that this Iames was one of the disciples whose syrname was Iustus and Oblia whose cruel death is recorded by Iosephus in the twentieth booke of his antiquities But would to God the olde writers had trauelled rather to know the man thā to set foorth with feined praises the holines of a man whom they knew not It is a childish toy surmise in that they say that it was lawful for him alone to enter into the most holy place For if in that entring in there had bin any religiō he had done it contrary to the law of God forasmuch as he was not the highest Priest Secondly it was a superstitious thing thus to foster the shadowishe worshippe of the Temple I omit other trifles And they are greatly deceiued in that they deny that he was one of the 12.
longer in Asia because he would draw him into Macedonia And Luke expresseth the maner of the drawing that a man of Macedonia appeared to him by night Where we must note that the Lord did not alwayes obserue the same manner of reuelation because diuerse kinds are more conuenient for confirmation And it is not said that this vision was offered in a dreame but onely in the night season For there be certaine night visions which men see when they be awake Helpe vs. This speech setteth forth the ministerie committed to Paul For seing that the Gospel is the power of God to saluation those which are the ministers of God are said to helpe those who perish that hauing deliuered them from death they may bring them vnto the inheritance of eternall life Rom. 1.16 And this ought to be no small incouragement for godly teachers to stirre vp the heat of their studie and desire when they heare that they call backe miserable soules from destruction and that they helpe those who shoulde otherwise perish that they may bee saued Againe all people vnto whom the Gospel is brought are taught reuerently to embrace the ministers thereof as deliuerers vnlesse they will maliciously reiect the grace of God and yet this commendation and title is not so translated vnto men that God is robbed euen of the least parte of his praise because though hee by his ministers giue saluation yet is he the onely author thereof as if he reached out his hands to helpe 10 Being fullie perswaded Hence we gather that it was no bare vision but that it was also confirmed by the testimony of the Spirit For Satan doeth oftentimes abuse ghosts and visures to deceiue with all that hee may mocke and cosin the vnbeleeuers Whereby it commeth to passe that the bare vision leaueth mans minde in doubt but such as are diuine in deede those doeth the Spirit seale by a certaine marke that those may not doubt nor wauer whom the Lord will haue certainly addicted to himselfe A wicked Spirit appeared to Brutus inuiting him to enter that vnhappie cumbate and battle which he had at Philippi euen in the verie same place whereunto Paul was afterward called But as the cause was farre vnlike so the Lorde dealt farre otherwise with his seruant so that he put him out of doubt and left him not astonied with feare Nowe in Paul and his companions the desire to obey insued immediatly vpon the certaintie for so soone as they vnderstand that the Lord called them they addresse themselues to their iorney The termination of the participle which is here vsed is actiue and though it haue diuerse significations I do not doubt but that Luke his meaning is that Paul and the rest after that they had conferred this vision with the former Oracles were fully perswaded that the Lord had called them into Macedonia 11 Therefore when we had loosed from Troas we came with a streight course into Samothracia and the day following to Neapolis 12 And from thence to Philippi which is the chiefe Citie of the parties of Macedonia beeing a free Citie And wee stayed in the same Citie certaine dayes 13 And on the day of the Sabaoths wee went out of the Citie besides a ryuer where was wont to be prayer and sitting we spake to the woman which came togither 14 And a certaine woman named Lydia a seller of purples of the Citie of the Thyatirians which worshipped God heard whose heart the Lord opened that she might take heed to those things which were spoken of Paul 15 And when shee was baptized and her house shee besought vs saying If yee iudge me faithfull to the Lorde enter into my house and tarry And she inforced vs. 11 This hystorie doeth as it were in a glasse shewe howe sharply the Lord did exercise the faith pacience of his by bringing them in great straites which they could not haue ouercome vnlesse they had ben indued with singular constancie For the entrance of Paul into Macedonia is reported to be such as that it might haue caused him to giue but small credence to the vision These holy men leauing the worke which they had in hand did crosse the seas with great hast as if the whole nation of the Macedonians would haue come to meete them with earnest desire to be holpen Now the successe is so farre from being answerable to their hope that their mouthes are almost quite stopped When they enter the chiefe Citie they finde none there with whom they may take any pains therfore they are enforced to go into the field that they may speak in an obscure corner and wildernes Yea euen there they cannot haue one man which will harken to their doctrine they can onely haue one woman to be a disciple of Christ and that one which was an aliant Who would not haue saide that this iorney was taken in hand foolishly which fel out so vnhappily But the Lorde doeth thus bring to passe his works vnder a base weak kind that his power may shine more clearly at length and it was most meet that the beginnings of the kingdome of Christ should be so ordered that they might tast of the humilitie of the crosse But we must mark the constancy of Paul his companions who being not dismaid with such vnprosperous beginnings trie whither any occasion will offer it selfe contrary to their expectation And assuredly the seruants of Christ must wrastle with all lets neither must they be discouraged but go forward to morrow if this day there appeare no â—â—uite of their labour for there is no cause why they should desire to be more happie than Paul When Luke saith that they abode in that Citie some had rather haue it that they conferred or disputed but the other translation is more plaine the text perswadeth vs to make choise thereof because Luke wil shortly after declare that Lydia was the first fruites of that Church and we may easily gesse that the Apostles went out of the Citie because there was no gate opened to them in it 13 In the day of the Sabaoths No doubt the Iewes sought some place which was solitarie and by the way when they were disposed to pray because their religion was then euery where most odious And God by their example meant to teach vs what great account we ought to make of the profession of faith that wee doe not forsake it either for feare of enuie or of daunger They had in deede in many places Synagogues but it was not lawfull for them to assemble themselues publikely at Philippi which was a free Citie of Rome Therefore they withdraw themselues into a secreat corner that they may pray to god where they could not be espied and yet there were those who did grudge euen at this so that they might think that it might both cause trouble and danger but they prefer the worship of God before their own quietnes commoditie Furthermore we may gather by this
not hearde in the midst of the heat of the tumult If any man obiect that he doeth nowe seeke remedie too late and out of season yea that he doth catch at a vain foolish comfort when he requireth that the magistrates come themselues wee may readily answere Paul was like to fare neuer a whit the better therfore but we must marke that he meant nothing lesse then to prouide for his owne priuate commoditie but that he might ease the brethren somwhat afterward that the magistrates might not be so bold as to rage so freely against the good innoceÌ„t brethren Because he had gotteÌ„ their heads vnder his girdle he translated his right to help the brethren that they might be born with This was the cause for which he did chide theÌ„ And so Paul did wisely vse the opportunitie offred him as we must neglect nothing which may make for the brideling of the enimies that they take not to theÌ„selues so much libertie to oppresse or vexe the innocent forasmuch as the Lord bringeth to our haÌ„ds such helps not in vain notwithstanding let vs remember that if we haue byn iniuried in any thing we must not repay iniuries but we must only indeuour to stay their lust least they hurt others in like sort 38 They were afraâ—d because they were Romanes They are not once moued with the other point because they had handled innocentes cruelly without discretion and yet that was the greater reproch But because they did not feare that any man would punish them they were not moued with Gods iudgement this is the cause that they doe carelesly passe ouer that which was obiected concerning iniurie done by theÌ„ only they are afraid of the officers of the Romans least they shuld be beheaded for violating the libertie in the body of a citizen They knewe that this was death if any of the chiefe gouernours shoulde commit it then what should become of the officers of one free citie Such is the feare of the wicked because they haue an amazed conscience before God they doe long time flatter themselues in all sinnes vntill the punishment of men hang ouer their heads 40 When they saw c. They were desired to part presently yet it became them to regard the brethren least the tender seede of the Gospell should perish vndoubtedly they would haue taried longer if they had been suffered but the praieres requests of the magistrates were imperious armed which they are inforced to obey Neuertheles they foreslow not their necessary duty but they exhort the brethreÌ„ to be coÌ„stant And wheras they went straight to Lydia it is a token that though the church wer increased yet that womaÌ„ was the chief eueÌ„ of a great nuÌ„ber as touching diligeÌ„ce in duties of godlines that appeareth more plainly therby because al the godly wer assembled in her house CHAP. XVII 1 ANd when they had iourneyed through Amphipolis and Appolonia they came to Thessalonica where was a Synagogue of the Iewes 2 And as his maner was Paul entred in vnto them three Sabbothes disputed with them out of the scriptures 3 Opening and alleaging that Christ must haue suffred and rise againe from the dead and that this is Christ whom saith he I preach to you 4 And certaine of them beleeued and were ioyned to Paule and Silas of religious Grecians a great multitude and of chiefe women not a few 1 They came to Thessalonica We know not why Paul atteÌ„pted nothing at Amphipolis Apollonia which were notwithstaÌ„ding famous cities as appeareth by Plinie saue only because he followed the spirit of God as his guide took occasion by the present matter as occasion was offered to speake or hold his peace peraduenture he did also assay to do some good there but because it was without any good successe therfore Luke passeth ouer it And wheras being beaten at Philippos scarce escaping out of great danger he preacheth Christ at Thessalonica it appeareth therby how coragious he was to keep the course of his calling and how bold he was euer now then to enter into new dangers This so inuincible fortitude of minde such patient induring of the crosse doe sufficiently declare that Paul laboured not after the maner of meÌ„ but that he was furnished with the heaueÌ„ly power of the spirit And this was also woÌ„derful patieÌ„ce in him in that entring in vnto the Iewes whose vnbridled frowardnes he had so often tried he procedeth to procure their saluation But because he knew that Christ was giuen to the Iewes for saluation that hee himself was made an Apostle vpon this condition that he shuld preach repeÌ„tance faith first to the Iewes then to the Gentiles coÌ„mitting the successe of his labor to the Lord he obeyeth his coÌ„mandment thogh he had no great hope to do good He semed before to haue taken his last farewel of the Iews wheÌ„ he said It was behoueful that the kingdom of god shuld be first preached to you but because ye receiue it not behold we turne to the Gentiles but that harder sentence must be restrayned to that company who had wickedly reiected the Gospel when it was offred vnto them made themselues vnworthy the grace of God And toward the natioÌ„ it self Paul ceasseth not to do his embassage by which example we be taught that we ought to make so greate account of the calling of God that no vnthaÌ„kfulnes of men may be able to hinder vs but that we proceed to be careful for their saluatioÌ„ so long as the Lord appointeth vs to bee their ministers And it is to bee thought that euen nowe there were some who on the first sabb … refused sound doctrine but their frowardnes did not hinder him but that he came againe vpon other Sabbothes 2 He disputed Luke setteth down first what was the sum of the dlsputatioÌ„ to wit that Iesus the son of Mary is Christ who was promised in times past in the law the prophets who by the sacrifice of his death did make satisfactioÌ„ for the sins of the world brought righteousnes life by his resurrectioÌ„ secoÌ„dly how he proued that which he taught Let vs haÌ„dle this second member first Luke saith that he disputed out of the scriptures therfore the proofes of fayth must beâ—fet froÌ„ the mouth of god alone If we dispute about matters which coÌ„cern meÌ„ theÌ„ let human resoÌ„s take place but in the doctrine of faith the authority of God alone must reigne and vppon it must we depend All men confesse that this is true that we must stay our selues vppon God alone yet there be but a few which heare him speake in the scriptures But and if that maxime take place among vs that the scripture commeth of God the rule either of teaching or of learning ought to be taken no where els Whereby it doth also appeare with what diuelishe furie the papists are driuen when they denie that there can any
proude to demaunde a reason of God of his workes Furthermore this admonition is no lesse profitable for vs than for the men of that time The enimies of the Gospel when it beginneth to spring againe count it a great absurditie that God did suffer men to go astray so long vnder the apostacie of the Pope as if though there appeare no reason it were not as lawfull for him nowe to winke at mens ignorance as in times past And we must principally note to what end he saieth this to wit that the ignorance of former time may not hinder vs from obeying God without delay when he speaketh Most men thinke that they haue a faire colour for their errour so they haue their fathers to keepe them companie or so they get some patronage or defense by long custom yea they would willingly creepe out heere that they may not obey the word of God But Paul saieth that we must not set an excuse from our fathers ignorance when god speaketh vnto vs because though they be not giltlesse before God yet our sluggishnes is more intollerable if we be blind at noone day and lie as deafe or as if we were a sleepe when the trumpet of the Gospel doth sound Now he willeth all men In these wordes Paul teacheth that wee must giue eare to God so soone as he speaketh as it is written To day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts For the stubbernes of those men is without excuse who forslow this opportunitie when God doeth gently call them vnto him Also we gather out of this place to what end the Gospel is preached Psal 95.7.8 Heb. 3.7.8 to wit that God may gather vs to himself from the former errours of our life Therefore so oft as the voice of the gospel doeth sounde in our eares let vs know that God doeth exhort vs vnto repentance We must also note that he attributeth to God the person of the speaker though he do it by man For otherwise the Gospel hath not so full authoritie as the heauenly truth deserueth saue onely when our faith doth looke vnto him who is the gouernor of the propheticall function and doth depend vpon his mouth 31 Because he hath appointed a day Hee maketh mention of the last iudgement that he may awake them out of their dreame For we knowe how hard a matter it is for men to denie themselues Therefore they must be violently enforced vnto repentance which cannot be done better then when they be cited to appeare before gods iudgement seat and that feareful iudgement is set before them which they may neither despice nor escape Therefore let vs remember that the doctrine of repentance doth than take place when mē who would naturally desire to flatter themselues are awaked with feare of Gods iudgement that none are fit teachers of the gospell but those who are the criers or apparitors of the highest iudge who bring those who are to come before the iudge to plead their cause denoūce the iudgmēt hanging ouer their heads euen as if it were in their owne hand Neither is this added in vaine in righteousnes or righteouslie For though all men in the word confesse that God is a iust iudge yet we see howe they for the most part pamper and flatter themselues for they will not suffer God to demaund an account farther than their knowledge and vnderstanding doth reach Therefore Paul his meaning is that men do profit themselues nothing by vain flatterie because they shal not preiudice gods iustice by this meanes which sheweth that all that is an abhomination before God which seemeth goodly in the sight of men because hee will not followe the decrees of men but that forme which himselfe hath appointed By the man whō he hath appointed It is not to be doubted but that Paule spake more largely concerning Christe that the Athenienses mighte knowe that he is the sonne of God by whom saluation was brought to the worlde and who had all power giuen him in heauen and earth Otherwise this speeche which we reade here shoulde haue had but small force to perswade But Luke thought it sufficient to gather the summe of the Sermon briefly Yet is it to bee thought that Paule spake firste concerning the grace of Christ and that he did first preach him to be the Redeemer of men before he made him a iudge But because Christ is oftentimes contemned when he offereth himselfe to be a Redeemer Paul denounceth that he will once sharpely punishe such wicked contempt because the whole world must be iudged by him The woorde orizein may be referred as well vnto the secrete counsel of God as vnto externall manifestation Yet because the former exposition is more common I doe willingly imbrace the same to wit that God by his eternall decree hath ordained his sonne to bee the iudge of the worlde that to the ende the reprobate who refuse to be ruled by Christ may learne that they striue but in vaine against the decree of GOD which cannot be broken But because nothing seemeth more strange to men then that God shal iudge in the person of man Paul addeth afterward that this dignity of Christ which were harde to bee beleeued was approued by his resurrection The will of God alone ought to be so reuerenced among vs that euery man for himselfe subscribe to his decrees without delay because the cloke and colour of ignoraunce vseth oftentimes to bee obiected therefore Paule saieth plainely that Christ was by his resurrection openly shewed to be the iudge of the worlde and that that was reuealed to the eyes of men which GOD had before determined with himselfe concerning him For that poynt of doctrine which Luke toucheth brieflie in fewe woordes was handeled by Paul at large Hee saide not onely in a woorde that Christ rose from death but hee did also intreate of the power of his resurrection as was meete For to what ende did Christe rise but that he might bee the first fruites of those which rise againe And to what ende shall wee rise againe 1. Cor. 15.23 but either to life or death Wherevppon it followeth that Christe by his resurrection is declared and prooued to bee the Iudge of the worlde 32 Some mocked By this we see how great the carelesnesse of men is whom neither the tribunall seate of God Cha. 26.23 nor the maiesty of the highest iudge doth make afraid We haue said that this is a most sharp prick wherewith mens mindes are pricked forward to feare GOD when his iudgement is set before their eies but there is such vnspeakeable hardnes in the contemners that they are not afraid to count that a fable or lie which is spoken cōcerning the giuing of an account of our life once Notwithstanding there is no cause why the ministers of the Gospell shoulde omit the preaching of the iudgement which is inioyned them Though the wicked doe laugh and mocke yet this doctrine which
they should neuer see him any more And it was very expedient that the patterne which was set before them by God of them to be followed shuld be alwayes before their eies that they should remember him when he was dead For we know how readily men degenerate from pure institution But thought hee deny that he doth know what shall befall him at Ierusalem yet because hee was taught by many prophecies that boÌ„ds were prepared for him there as if he were now readie to die he cutteth off shortly after the hope of his returne And yet for all this he is not contrarie to him selfe Hee speaketh doubtfully at the first of set purpose that hee maye soften that which was about to be more hard bitter yet he doth truly affirm that he knew not as yet the ends eueÌ„ts of things because he had no certain and special reuelation touching the whole processe bound in the spirit Some expound this that he was bound to the churches who had committed to him this function to carry almes Notwithstanding I doe rather thinke that hereby is meant the inward force and motion of the spirit not as thogh he were so inspired that he was out of his witte but because being certified of the will of God he did meekely follow the direction and instinct of the spirit euen of his owne accord Therefore this speech importeth as much as if he shoulde haue saide I cannot otherwise doe vnlesse I woulde be stubborne and rebellious against God who doth as it were draw me thither being bounde by his spirit For to the end he may excuse himself of rashnes he saith that the spirite is the authour guide of his iourney But woulde to God those brainsick men who boast that the spirit doth indite to theÌ„ those things which proceed from their own fantasie did know the spirit as familiarly as did Paul who doth notwithstanding not say that al his motions and instigations are of the spirit but declareth that that fel out in one thing as a singuler thing For men do oftentimes foolishly vnaduisedly take in hande those things which they put in practise afterwarde stoutly because they be ashamed of lightnes and vnstabilitie And he doth not only meane that he tooke in hand his iourney for a good cause which the spirit of god sheweth him but that it is altogether necessary for him because it is wickednes to resist Furthermore let vs learne by the example of the holy man not to kick against the spirit of the Lord but obedieÌ„tly to giue ouer our selues by him to be gouerned that he may rule vs at his pleasure after we be as it were bound to him For if the reprobate who are the boÌ„d slaues of SataÌ„ be carried not only willingly but also greedily through his motion how much more ought this voluntary bondage or seruice to be in the children of God 23 But that the holy ghost I do not vnderstand this of secret oracles but of those foretellings which he heard euery where of the Prophets And this speech hath greater dignity to set forth the prophecies then if the men theÌ„selues which spake were called cited to be witnesses For by this meanes the word of God hath his authoritie wheÌ„ we confesse that the spirit of God is the author therof though the ministers be meÌ„ Now for as much as the same spirit which foretelleth Paul of bonds tribulations doth also hold him fast bouÌ„d that he caÌ„not refuse to submit himself vnto him by this we learn that what dangers so euer hang ouer our heads we are not therby acquitted but that we must obey the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts of god folow his calling In vain therfore do those meÌ„ flatter theÌ„ selues who wil do good so long as they be free from molestation may make discoÌ„modities damages and dangers of death sufficient excuses 24 I care not Al the godly must be so framed in their minds chiefly the ministers of the word that settiÌ„g al things apart they make hast to obey god The life is indeed a more excelleÌ„t gift theÌ„ that it ought to be neglected to wit seing we be therin created after the image of god to the end we may think vpoÌ„ that blessed immortality which is laid vp for vs in heaueÌ„ in which the lord doth now by diuers testimonies tokeÌ„s shew himself to be our father But because it is ordained to be vnto vs as a race we must alwaâ—â—sten vnto the marke ouercome all hinderances least any thing binder or stay vs in our course For it is a filthy thing for vs to be so holden with a blind desire to liue that we loose the causes of life for life it self this do the words of Paul expresse For he doeth not simplie set light by his life but he doth forget the respect thereof that he may finish his course that he may fulfil the ministery which he hath receiued of Christ as if he should say that he is not desirous to liue saue onely that he may satisfie the calling of God and that therefore it shall bee no griefe to him to loose his life so that hee may come by death vnto the goale of the function prescribed to him by God And we must note that which he saith with ioy for his meaning is that this is taken from the faithful by no sorrow or griefe but that they both liue and die to the Lord. For the ioy of a good coÌ„science is more deeply surely laid vp thaÌ„ that it can be takeÌ„ away by any externall troble or any sorrow of the flesh it triumpheth more ioyfully than that it can be oppressed Also we must note the definition of his course to wit that it is the ministery receiued of the Lord. Paul doth in deed speak of himself yet by his own example he teacheth that all those goe astray who haue not God to be the gouernour of their course Whereupon it followeth that his calling is vnto euery one of vs a rule of good life Neither can we be otherwise perswaded that the Lorde alloweth that which we doe vnlesse our life be framed ordered according to his wil which certainty is required especially in the ministers of the worde that they take nothing in hand vnlesse they haue Christ for their authour Neither is it to be doubted but that Paul in giuing his Apostleship this mark as he vseth to do very often doth confirm the credit thereof He calleth it the Gospel of the grace of God of the effect or end notwithstanding this is a title of rare commendation that by the gospel saluation the grace of god are brought vnto vs. For it is very expedient for vs to know that god is fouÌ„d ther to be merciful fauorable 25 And behold now I know He doeth now vtter that plainely which he had insinuated couertly And wee said that he did put them out of hope of his returne to the end he might more
is not to be doubted though he speake vnto the pastours alone but that he doth also comprehend the whol church First he cōmendeth thē to God Secondly to the word of his grace Notwithstanding it is all one commendation but Paul meant to expresse the meanes whereby the Lorde doth defende the saluation of his which as Peter saith is kepte by faith 1. Pet. 1.5 and the meanes of this keeping dependeth vppon the woord least it come in hazard amidst so many daungers And it is very expedient for vs to know how God will keep vs. For because his maiestie is hid from vs vntill he come vnto vs by his word we looke too and fro being in doubt Therefore so soone as he receiueth vs to be kept he maketh his word the instrument to keep our saluation in which sense hee addeth the adiunct Grace for the Genetiue case after the manner of the Hebrewes doth signify an effect to the end the faithful might the more safely rest in the word where God doth shewe foorth his fauour This exposition is plaine and apt for whereas some vnderstand it of Christ it is too much rackt Who is able to build farther The participle dunamenos is to be referred vnto God not vnto his word And this consolatiō is added for this cause least they faint through the feeling of their infirmities For so long as we be inuironned with the infirmities of the flesh we be like to an house whose foundation is laid All the godly must bee grounded in deede in Christ but their faith is far from being perfect Yea thogh the foundatiō continue stable sure yet some parts of the building be like to fall and quaile Wherfore there is great need both of continuall building also now then new props and stayes be necessarie Neuertheles Paul saith that we must not faint because the Lord wil not leaue his worke vnfinished Phil. 1.6 Psal 138.8 as he doth likewise teach in the first chapter to the Philippians He which hath begun a good work in you will performe it vntill the day of the Lord. Wherto that of the Psalm answereth thou wilt not forsake the work of our hands That which is added immediatly concerning the inheritance of life appertaineth vnto the very inioying of life So soone as Christ hath appeared to vs we passe in deed from death to life faith is an entrance into the kingdome of heauen neither is the Spirite of adoption giuen to vs in vain but Paul promiseth in this place to the faithfull a continuall encrease of grace vntill they see the possession of the inheritance whereunto they haue been called which is now laid vp for them in heauen He calleth it the power of god not as we vse to imagine it without effect but which is commonly called actuall For the faithfull must so lay hold vppon it that they may haue it readie like to a shield or buckler to holde vp against all assaults of Satan As the Scripture doth teach that we haue ayde enough in the power of God so let vs remember that none are strong in the Lord saue those who abādoning all hope and confidence of their owne freewill trust and leane to him who as Paul saith very well is able to build farther 33 I haue desired no mans siluer or gold or raiment 34 Yea yee your selues knowe how that these hands haue ministred to my necessitie and to those which are with me 35 I haue shewed you all things that so labouring you must receiue the weake and remember the wordes of the Lord Iesus because he said It is a blessed thing rather to giue then to take 36 And when hee had thus spoken he kneeled downe and prayed with them all 37 And there arose great weeping among them all falling vppon Paul his necke they kissed him 38 Sorrowing most for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more And they brought him to the ship 33 I haue not As he shewed of late what an hurtful plague ambition is So now he sheweth that they must beware of couetousnes he maketh himselfe an example againe euen in this pointe that hee did couer no mans goods but did rather get his liuing with the work of his hāds Not that it was sufficient to find him without some helpe but because in applying his handiworke he spared the churches that he might not be too chargeable to them so much as in him lay We must note that he doth not only deny that he did take any thing violently as hungry fellowes doe importunately wring out preyes oftentimes but also hee affirmeth that he was cleane from all wicked desire Whence wee gather that no man can be a good minister of the worde but he must also contemne money And surely we see that nothing is more common than that those corrupt the worde of God to winne the fauour of men who are altogither filthily giuen to get gaine Which vice Paul doth sharply condemne in Bishops elsewhere 1. Tim. 3.3 34 Yea yee know Hee doeth not in these words precisely set downe a Law which all the ministers of the worde must needs keepe for he did not behaue himselfe so loftily and lordlike Mat. 10.10 1. Co. 9.14 Galat. 6.6 1. Tim. 5.17 Phil. 4.10.16 2. Cor. 11.8 that hee did take that away which the Lord had granted to his seruants but doth rather in manie places maintaine their right which is that they bee maintained with that which is common Whereunto belongeth that that hee suffered many Churches to minister vnto him food and raiment Neither did he onely freely receiue wages for the worke which he did in any place of those who were there but when he was in necessitie at Corinthus hee saith that he robbed other Churches to releeue his pouertie Therefore he doth not simply command Pastours to maintain their life with their handywork but immediatly after he declareth how far forth he exhorteth them to follow his example Those men of Corinthus did not denie him that which was due to him but seeing that the false Apostles did boast that they did their worke freely and gate thereby prayse among the people Paul would not be behind them in this point nor giue them any occasion to accuse him falsly as hee himselfe affirmeth 1. Cor. 9. 1. Cor. 9.15 1. Cor. 11.10 and 2. Cor. 11. Therefore he warneth that there bee no stumbling blocke layed in the way of the weake and that their faith bee not ouerthrowen For to receiue the weake importeth as much as somwhat to beare with their rudenesse simplenesse as it is Rom. 14. Rom. 14.1 And to remember We reed this sentence in no place word for word but the Euangelists haue other not much vnlike this out of which Paul might gather this Againe we know that all the sayinges of Christ were not written And hee repeateth that generall doctrine of the contempt of money Whereof this is a true
him a prophet as of late he called the four daughters of Philip he signifieth that it was not a common but a peculiar gift Now we must see to what ende the persecutiō which was at hand was now again shewed by Agabus As concerning Paul he was sufficiently told alreadie Therefore I doe not doubt but that this confirmation was added for other mens sake bicause the Lord meant euery where to make knowen the bonds of his seruant partly that they might know that he entred the combat willingly partly that they might perceiue that he was appointed of god to be a chāpion to fight for the gospell It was surely a profitable example of inuincible constancie seeing that he offered himself willingly and wittingly to the violence of the aduersaries and no lesse profitable is it for vs at this day that his apostleship should be confirmed with this voluntarie no lesse constant giuing ouer of his life The man who oweth this girdle It was an vsuall thing among the prophets to represen◠those thinges which they spake by signes Ies 20.2 neither did they confirme their prophesies by vsing signes through their owne motion but at the commandement of the spirit Ier. 27.2 32.7 Ez. 12.5 as when Isaias is commaunded to goe barefoot Ieremie to put a yoke vpon his necke to sel the possession and to buy it Ezechiel to digge through the wall of his house priuily and in the same night to carry foorth burthens These and such like might seeme to the common sort to be toies but the same spirite who did apply signes to his woordes did inwardly touch the hearts of the godly as if they had bin brought to the very thing it selfe So this spectacle mentioned by Luke did no lesse mooue Paul his companions then if they had seene him bound in deed The false prophets did afterward assay to delude the simple by this pollicie as Satan is in a manner Gods ape and his ministers do enuie the seruauntes of God Zedechias made himselfe hornes wherewith he promised Syria should be pushed Ananias by breaking Ieremies yoke put the people in a vaine hope of deliueraunce GOD hath suffered the reprobate to bee deluded with such delusions that he might punish their vnbeleefe But forasmuch as there was in them no force of the Spirite their vanitie did no whit hurt the faithfull This is also worthie to be noted that Agabus doth not set before their eies a dumb spectacle but he coupleth therewith the worde whereby he may shew to the faithfull the vse and end of the ceremonie 12 Both we Bicause they had not al one reuelatiō it is no maruel if their iudgements were diuers For seeing these holy men knew that ther consisted much in the life or death of one man they would not haue him to come in danger rashly And their desire is worthie praise in that they desired to prouide for the common safetie of the church by keeping back Paul But on the otherside Paul his constancie deserueth so much the more praise when as he continueth so stedfast in the calling of god For he was not ignorant what great trouble he shuld suffer by reason of his bands But because he knoweth the will of God which was his only rule in taking counsell he maketh no account of all other thinges that hee may follow it And assuredly we must bee so subiect to the will and pleasure of God that no profit no kind of reason may remoue vs from obeying him When Paul doth reprehend the brethren because they afflict his hart with weeping he doth sufficiently declare that he was not hardened but that hee was brought vnto some feeling and suffering together with them Therefore the teares of the godly did wounde his heart but that softnesse did not turne him out of the way but that hee proceeded to follow God with a streight course Therfore we must vse such curtesie toward our brethren that the beck or will of God haue alwayes the vpper hand Now Paul doth againe declare by his answere that the seruants of Christe cannot be prepared to doe their dutie vnlesse they despice death and that none can euer bee well incouraged to liue to the Lord but those who will willingly lay downe their liues for the testimonie of the truth 14 We ceased saying If they had thought that he runne rashly vnto death they would not haue ceased so Therfore they yeeld least they resist the holy Spirit whereby they vnderstand that Paul is gouerned for that which they had hearde before by the mouth of Paul that hee was drawen as it were by the bands of the Spirit was quite out of their heads by reason of the sorow which they had cōceiued but whē they be taught againe that it was the will of God that it should be so they thinke it vnlawfull for them to resist any longer and with this bridle must al our affections be kept in that nothing bee so bitter or dolefull or harde which the wyll of God may not mittigate and mollifie For so often as anye thing which is harde or sharpe doeth fall out we giue God small honor vnlesse this cogitation preuaile with vs that we must obey him 15 And after these daies hauing taken vp our burthens we went vp to Ierusalem 16 And there came togeather with vs certaine of the Disciples from Cesarea bringing with them one Mnason of Cyprus an old disciple with whom we should lodge 17 And when wee were come vnto Ierusalem the brethren receiued vs gladlie 18 And on the morrowe Paul went in with vs vnto Iames and all the Elders were present 19 Whom after we had saluted he told by order all things which God had done among the Gentiles by his ministerie 20 But when they had heard they glorified the Lord and said to him Thou seest brother how many thousand Iewes there be which beleeue and they all are earnest followers of the law 21 And it hath beene tolde them concerning thee that thou teachest all the Iewes which are amonge the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they muste not circumcise their children nor liue accordinge to the customes 22 What is it then The multitude must needes come together for they shall heare that thou art come 23 Therefore do this which we say to thee we haue foure men which haue a vow vpon them 24 Them take and purifie thy selfe with them and doe cost on them that they may shaue their heads and that all men may knowe that those thinges which they haue heard concerning thee are nothing but that thou thy self also walkest an keepest the law 25 And as concerning those which among the Gentiles haue beleeued we haue written decreeing that they obserue no such thing but that they keepe themselues from things offered to Idols and from blood and from that which is strangled and from fornication 15 When we had taken vp our burdens Paul his companions declare that when they went about to
Helpe They crie out as if they were in extreame danger and they call vpon all men to helpe them as if all religion were in hazard Whereby we see with what furious hatred they were inflamed against Paul onely because in shewing that the full and perfite truth is found in Christ he taught that the figures of the Law had an end Now whereas they conceiue a false opinion hauing seene Trophymus they do more bewray by this headlong lightnes how venemous they be They accuse Paul of sacrilege Why because he brought into the Temple a man which was vncircumcised But they laid a most cruell crime to the charge of an innocent through a false opinion Thus the boldnesse of those men vseth commonly to bee preposterous who are carried away with an opinion conceiued before But let vs learne by such examples to beware of the distemperature of affections and not to let light preiudices haue the raine least we runne headlong vpon the innocent being carried with blind force 30 And the Citie was moued Wee see in this place the vanitie of the common people which count Paul a condemned man before euer they heare him Whereas the citie is moued about godlines it is no maruell but this is a point of peruerse zeale and mad rashnes in that they set themselues against Paule before they knowe his matter For in this corruption of nature frowardnes is ioined with foolishnes so that those will readily of their owne accord make haste to maintaine an euil cause who can hardly be moued with many exhortations to do well This is a hard case that the whole world should be armed against vs at a sodaine through the perswasion of a fewe but seeing it pleaseth the Lorde it should bee so let euery one of vs prepare himselfe by this and such like examples to suffer all manner assaults and to beare and abide albrunts 31 And as they sought to kill him it was told the captaine of the band that all Ierusalem was on an vprore 32 Who tooke with him streightway soldiars and vnder captaines and ranne downe vnto them But they when they saw the chiefe captaine and the soldiars left smiting of Paul 33 Then the chiefe captaine drew neere and tooke him and commanded him to be bounde with two chaines and hee asked what he was and what hee had done 34 And some cried one thing and some another among the people And when he could not know the truth by reason of the tumult he commanded him to be carried into the campe 35 And when he came to the staires it happened that he was carried of the soldiars because of the violence of the multitude 36 For the multitude of people followed crying Away with him 37 And when Paul began to be carried into the campe he saith to the captaine May I speake to thee who said canst thou speake Greeke 38 Art not thou that Egyptian which before these dayes madest an vprore and leddest into the wildernes fower thousand men which were murderers 39 And Paul saide I verely am a man which am a Iewe borne in Tharsus a citizen of no vile Citie of Cilicia But I beseech thee suffer me to speake to the people 40 And when he had giuen him leaue Paul standing vpon the staires beckoned with the hand vnto the people and when there was made great silence he spake in the Hebrew tongue saying 31 As they sought to kill him Assuredly the force of satan appeareth therein in that he driueth the people headlong into such rage that whē they haue shut the doares of the Temple being not content with meane punishment they conspire to put Paul to death Wee must thus thinke with our selues that Sathan doth pricke forward the enimies of godlinesse least their rage how cruell and troublesome so euer it be trouble vs. On the otherside appeareth the wonderfull goodnes of God when as he raiseth vp the chiefe captaine at a sodaine that hee may deliuer Paul from death He himselfe thought vpon no such thing but he came to appease the tumult which was raised among the people but the Lord sheweth a more euident token of his prouidence because Paul his life was deliuered from such present danger without mans counsell Thus doth he suffer the faithful not only to labor but to be almost oppressed that hee may deliuer them from death more wonderfully Luke calleth him the chiefe captaine of the band improperly seing euery chiefe captain was set ouer a thousand which doth also appeare by the text where he saith that the chiefe captaine tooke with him vndercaptaines 32 And when they saw the chiefe captaine Those whose furie neither the maiestie of God ne yet the reuerence of the temple could once stay begin to relent when they see a prophane man Wherby it appeareth that theye were set on fire rather with barbarous crueltie than zeale Nowe whereas the chiefe captaine bindeth Paul with chaines hee declareth thereby sufficiently that he came not to ease him The vnbeleeuers wold attribute this to fortune but the Spirit hath depainted out vnto vs the prouidence of God as in a table reigning amidst the confused vprores of men And though this be very hard that this holy minister of God is so shamefully handled yet the equitie of the chiefe captaine is to be commended if hee bee compared with the Iewes Hee bindeth him with chaines as if he were some euill doer or some wicked person yet doth he vouchsafe to heare him when he is bounde whom they did beat vnmercifully neither doeth hee determin to handle him hardly before he knew his cause Yea this was the best way to mitigate their cruelty because they thought that Paul should be punished immediatly 34 Some cried one thing and some another The madnesse of the raging people doth bewray it selfe on euery side They make horrible outcries whereof one is contrary to another Neuerthelesse they desire with one consent to haue him put to death who was conuict of no offence In the meane season we need not doubt but that they were blinded with a color of holy zeale but the truth of the cause wel known maketh mē truly zealous as it maketh them true martyrs of God but rage bewraieth diuellish madnes Whereas mention is made in this place of the campe or fortresse we must know that the soldiars which were placed to gard the City had a place which was trenched fortified on euerie side which they might defend as if it were a castle from which they might beat backe all assaultes if any sedition were raised For it had not been good for them to haue been dispearsed here and there in diuers Innes seeing the people were treacherous and the Citie troublesome And wee gather by this that the place was high because Luke saith that when they came to the steps Paul was carried of the soldiers And whether the soldiers did lift vp Paul on high that they might bring him safe to the station or campe
word Way is no where taken for the doctrine of the Lawe without some addition But I doe not interpret it of the Law but of those sectes whereof no strangers were ignorant No man did doubt but that the Pharisies did hold the immortalitie of the soule Therefore seing it was a thing so common no maruel if Felix doe acquit Paul Furthermore it were hard to take Way for the knowledge of the fact And I see not howe this can hange togither that the Gouernour doth confesse that Lysias was more expert in the Law than he But his innocencie is made more famous euident by this because a profane man did streightway giue such a preiudice thereof that hee did suffer him to be visited and holpen by his friends being as it were exempted from the order of prisoners Also we gather by this that Paul his companions and the residue of the Church had not forsaken him For to what end had it bin to grant libertie to his friends and acquaintance to haue accesse vnto him vnlesse they had bin present had shewed themselues to be carefull for him and had bin desirous to do their dutie Therefore let vs learne by this example that so long as we may and are able we must not defraud the martyrs of Christ of any manner of comfort whiles they labour for the Gospel 25 Felix with his wife Drusilla We said somewhat alreadie concerning the couetousnesse and corruptions of Felix Nowe as touching his wife Drusilla the readers must vnderstand that she was daughter to Agrippa the elder of whose filthie death Luke spake before Chapt. 12. Chap. 12.23 Shee was betrothed to Epiphanis the sonne of Antiochus But for as much as the yonge man woulde not take on him the rites which the Iewes did vse which he promised to doe her brother Agrippa the younger of whom mention shall bee made in the next Chapter after the death of his father gaue her to wife to Azizus king of the Emesenes from whose company she was enticed by the flattery of Felix For Felix being taken with her singular bewtie did perswade one Simon a Iewe-borne in Cyprus to perswade and allure her to make a newe match Therefore it came to passe that this voluptuous woman hauing broken promise with her former husbande did marrie with an vncircumcised man contrarie to the Law But though she had polluted her selfe with prophane wedlock yet we may easily coniect by this place that shee had not quite abandoned that feeling of religion which she had of a childe For Felix would neither haue desired to heare Paul neither woulde he haue vouchsafed to speake to him vnlesse it had beene for his wiues sake Luke doth not expresse thus much but in that he nameth Drusilla we may well gather that Paul was called for her sake that he might dispute of the gospel Though such reuolts be rather tickled with curiosity than moued with a sincere desire to learne He heard him touching the faith This confession of Paul doth witnesse that hee did not spare to speake of Christ before because he was afraid or because hee would escape the trouble of the crosse but because it was not yet time to speake Seeing hee was cited vnto the iudgement seate to aunswere for himselfe it stoode him vppon to aunswere concerning the crimes which were obiected to him that hee might afterward frankly and freely professe the faith of Christ Therefore when he nowe seeth the gate set open and opportunitie offered for speaking he is not affraide to offende the Gouernour neither is hee terrified with daunger that hee doeth craftilie make as if hee were not a Christian Therefore wee see that hee was as well furnished with inuincible constancie as with wisedome and iudgement neither did hee euer of set purpose suppresse the light of the Gospell but did onely make choice of the time Nowe the wonderfull counsell of God is woorth the noting in this place who will haue the Gospell offered sometimes to the reprobate not that they may profite thereby but rather that they may bee made inexcusable It had bin better for Felix and Drusilla neuer to haue heard any thing concerning Christ because they did not escape without punishment for refusing the grace of saluation which was offered to them or for neglecting the same with loathsomnesse Furthermore wee must note this that certaine by reason of that seede of godlinesse which is in them ingendred do desire to heare the Gospel preached which so sone as they haue heard they doe by and by either loath or else they cannot suffer it Neuerthelesse the preaching of the Gospel what successe so euer it haue is a good and sweete sauour to God whether it quicken or kill men 2. Cor. 2.15 26 And as he disputed Felix hoped that he should take some delight in Pauls sermon as men who are desirous of new things doe willinglie feede their eares with subtile disputations also hee meant to satisfie his wiues desire without his owne trouble now he is enforced to feele that force of the worde of God whereof he neuer thought which driueth away all his delightes Paule out of bondes disputeth of the iudgement of God hee which had power to put him to death or to saue his life is afraid and quaiketh as if he stoode before his owne iudge neither doth he finde any other comfort but to send him away out of his sight Let vs first learne by this what great force of the Spirite of God there was both in the heart and also in the tongue of Paul because he seeth that hee must speake in the name of Christ hee doeth not behaue himselfe like an vnderling but hee declareth the ambassage which was inioyned him with a grace as from on high and hauing forgotten that he was in bondes hee denounceth the heauenly iudgement in the person of Christ And nowe seing Felix his heart is so pricked with the voyce of a prisoner the maiestie of the Spirit doeth shew it selfe in that also which Christ extolleth when the Spirite shall come he shall iudge the worlde c. and that force of prophecying 1. Cor. 14.24 which the same Paule setteth forth elsewhere Also that is fulfilled which he saith in another place that The worde of God was not bounde with him which hee did not onely stoutly maintaine and affirme to bee true but which did effectually pearce into the heartes of men and that of such as were proude of their greatnesse as if it did lighten from heauen Againe wee must note that although the reprobate bee striken with the iudgement of God yet are they not renewed vnto repentance by that terrour alone Felix is touched in deed when he heareth that God shall be the iudge of the world yet hee flieth therewithall from his iudgement seat whereof he is afraide so that this is feigned sorrow which doeth not worke saluation Therefore repentance requireth such feare as may both engender a voluntarie hatred of sinne and
hate him seek his ouerthrow And he saith plainely that hee is appointed to bee a witnesse both to Iewes Gentiles least that turne to his reproch because he made the Gospell common to both alike For the Iewes had conceiued suche deadlie hatred against him for this cause because it greeued them that the Gentiles should bee made their fellowes And though they made a shew that this did proceed of zeale because they woulde not haue the couenant which God made with the posteritie of Abrahā profaned by beeing translated vnto straungers yet meere ambition did pricke them forward because they alone would bee excellent all other being vnderlings But in the person of one man all godlie teachers are encouraged to do their dutie that they be not hindred or kept back with the malice of men from offering the grace of God vnto miserable men though they be vnworthie 18 That thou maiest open their eyes Paul in taking to himselfe that which is proper to God doeth seeme to exalt himselfe too high For we knowe that it is the holy Ghost alone which doth lighten the eyes We know that Christ is the only redeemer which doth deliuer vs from the tyrannie of Satan We know that it is God alone who hauing put away our sinnes doth adopt vs vnto the inheritance of the Saints But this is a cōmon thing that God doth translate vnto his ministers that honor which is due to himselfe alone not that hee may take any thing from himselfe but that hee may commend that mightie working of his spirite which he doth shew foorth in them For he doth not send them to worke that they may bee dead instruments or as it were stage players but that hee may worke mightily by their hande But it dependeth vppon the secrete power of his Spirite that their preaching is effectuall who worketh all thinges in all men and which onelie gyueth the encrease Therefore teachers are sent not to vtter their wordes in vaine in the ayre or to beate the eares only with a vaine sounde but to bring liuely light to the blinde to fashion again mens hearts vnto the righteousnesse of God and to ratifie the grace of saluation whiche is gotten by the death of Christe But they doe none of all these saue onelie in as much as God worketh by them that their labour may not bee in vaine that all the prayse may bee his as the effect commeth from him And therefore we must note that so often as the scripture doeth extoll the externall ministerie so honourably we must not separate it from the Spirite which quickneth the same euen as the soule doth the body For it teacheth in other places how little mans industrie can doe of it selfe For they must plant and water but it is God alone which giueth the encrease But because many are hindered by their owne ignorance malice that they cannot reap such frute of the Gospel as they ought wee must note this description which setteth before our eyes briefly plentifully that incomparable treasure Therfore this is the drift of the Gospel that beeing deliuered from blindnesse of minde wee may bee made partakers of the heauenly light that beeing deliuered from the thraldome of Satan we may be turned to God that hauing free forgiuenesse of sinnes wee may be made partakers of the inheritaunce among the Saints Those which will rightly profite in the Gospel muste direct al their senses to this end for what good shal the continuall preaching thereof doe vs if we know not the true vse therof Also the way and meanes to attaine to saluation is described to vs All men boast that they be desirous of saluation but few consider how God will saue them Therfore this place wherin the means is pretily cōprehended is as it were a key to open the gate of heauen Furthermore wee must knowe that all mankinde is naturally depriued of those good thinges whiche Christ saith we haue by beleeuing his Gospell So that it followeth that al are blind because they be lightned by faith that al are the bōdslaues of Satā bicause they are set free by faith frō his tyrānie that all mē are the enemies of God and subiect to eternall death because they receiue remission of sinnes by faith So that nothing is more miserable then we if we be without Christ and without his faith Whereby it appeareth how little yea that nothing is left for the free will of mens merites As touching euery part this lightening is referred vnto the knowledge of God because all our quicknesse of sight is meere vanitie and thicke darkenesse vntill hee appeare vnto vs by his truth That reacheth farther which followeth afterwarde To bee turned from darknesse to light For that is when wee are renewed in the spirite of oure minde Therefore in my iudgement this member and that which followeth expresse both one thing to bee turned from the power of Satan vnto God For that renewing which Paul declareth more largely in the second chapter to the Ephesians is expressed in diuers formes of speech Remission of sins followeth next Ephe. 2.10 4.23 wherby God doth freely reconcile vs to himselfe so that we need not doubt but that god wil be fauourable mercifull to vs. At length the furnishing and filling of all thinges is put in the last place to wit the inheritance of eternall life Some doe reade it falsly in one text Among those who are sanctified by faith because this woord is extended vnto the whole period Therefore the meaning thereof is that by faith wee come vnto the possession of all those good thinges which are offered by the gospell And faith is properlye directed vnto Christ because all the parts of our saluation are included in him Neither doth the Gospel commaund vs to seeke the same any where els saue only in him 19 Whereuppon O king Agrippa I was not disobedient to the heauenly vision 20 But I preached first to those which are at Damascus and at Ierusalem and through euery region of Iudea and then to the Gentiles that they shoulde repent and bee turned vnto God doing woorkes which become those whiche repent 21 For this cause the Iewes hauing caught mee in the temple went about to kil mee 22 Therefore seeing I haue obtained helpe of God I stande vntill this present day testifying both to small and great saying none other things thē those which the prophets and Moses said should come to passe 23 Whether Christ should suffer whether he should be the first that should rise from the dead to shew light to the people and to the Gentiles 19 Hee declareth now briefly to what ende he rehearsed the historie of his conuersion to wit that Agrippa the rest might vnderstand that hee had God for his authour of all those thinges which the Iewes condemned of Sacrilege and apostacie Hee speaketh to Agrippa by name because he knew that Festus and the Romanes knew not what an heauenly vision meant
Now it appeareth that there is nothing in the very summe of his doctrine which dissenteth from the law and the prophetes Whereby the oracle doth winne greater credite whereby Paul was commanded to teach nothing but that which was agreeable to the scripture Conuersion or turning vnto God is ioyned with repentance not as some peculiar thing but that we may know what it is to repent Like as also on the contrary the corruption of men and their frowardenesse is nothing els but an estranging frō God And because repentance is an inward thing and placed in the affection of the heart Paul requireth in the second place such works as may make the same knowen according to that exhortation of Iohn the baptist Mat. 3.8 Bring foorth fruites meete for repentance Now forasmuch as the gospell calleth all those which are Christes vnto repentance it followeth that all men are naturally corrupt and that they haue neede to bee chaunged In like sort this place teacheth that these men do vnskilfully peruert the gospell which separate the grace of Christ from repentance 21 They went about to kill mee Hee complaineth in this place of the iniquitie of his aduersaries that it may thereby appeare that their cause and conscience were both euill For if Paul had offended they might haue gone to lawe with hym and euen there shoulde they haue stande in better state seeing they did farre passe him both in fauour and authoritie Therefore their madnesse doeth testifie that they are destitute of reason Whereas Paule saieth that hee was saued by the helpe of God it maketh for the confirmation of his doctrine For how is it that he reacheth out his hand to help him saue onely because he acknowledgeth his minister and because hee will defende the cause which hee alloweth Moreouer this ought to haue encouraged him to goe forwarde so much the more boldly in his office in that hee was thus holpen by God For it had been a point of an vnthankfull man to withdraw himselfe frō him which had holpen him By which example we be taught that so often as we be deliuered from danger the Lord doeth not therefore prolong our dayes that wee may afterwarde liue idlie but that we may doe our dutie cheerefully and bee readie to die euery houre to his glory who hath reserued vs to himselfe And yet Paul did not forget howe muche hee was indebted to the chiefe captaine but in this place hee commendeth the helpe of God that hee may shewe that it became him to spende all the rest of his course in his seruice by whome hee was deliuered though that came to passe and were doone through the industrye and by the hande of man Testifying both to small and great Wee haue saide els where that it is more to testifie than to teach as if there were some solemne contestation made betweene God and men that the Gospel may haue his maiestie And he saieth that hee is a witnesse both to great and small that king Agrippa may perceiue that this doth appertaine euen to him and that when the Gospell is offered euen to euery simple man that doeth no whit hinder but that it may ascend euen vnto the throne of Princes For Christ doth gather al mē into his bosom with one the same imbracing that those who lay before in the doung hill and are now extolled vnto so great honour may reioyce in his free goodnesse and that those who are placed in high degree of honour may willingly humble themselues and not grudge to haue some of the base and contemptible multitude for their brethren that they may bee made the children of God So in the first chapter to the Romanes Hee saith that he is indebted both to the fooles and to the wise least the Romanes should bee kept backe with the confidence which they might repose in their wisedome from submitting themselues to his doctrine By this let vs learne that it is not in the teachers wil to make choyse of his hearers and that they doe no lesse doe iniurie to God then defraude men of their right whosoeuer they be which restraine their labour vnto great men whom God doth ioyne with those which are small It were too cold to restrain this vnto ages Wherefore I doe not doubt but that Paule taketh away the exception which vseth to bee between the noble and vnnoble because he was neither afraide of the dignitie of the one neither did he loath the basenesse of the other but did shew himself a faithfull teacher to both alike Saying no other thing First this is woorth the noting that Paul to the ende hee may bring in fit and substantiall witnesses of his doctrine doeth not take the same from among men but hee citeth Moses and the Prophetes to whome the Lorde had gtaunted vndoubted authoritie And surely this is one principle to bee obserued when we wil teach soundly to vtter nothing but that which did proceed out of the mouth of God Secondly this is worth the noting that these were the principall pointes of the disputation which Luke doeth nowe touch that This was the proper office of Christ by his death to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde by his resurrection to purchase righteousnesse and life for men and that the fruite of his death and resurrection is common both to Iewes and Gentiles But forasmuch as there is no manifest and as they say literall testimonie extant in the Lawe concerning the death and resurrection of Christ vndoubtedly they had some doctrin deliuered by hand from the Fathers out of which they did learne to referre all figures vnto Christ And as the Prophets which did prophecie more plainly of Christ had their doctrin from that fountaine so they made the men of their time beleeue that they deliuered vnto them no new thing or which did dissent from Moses And now Paul did either not finish his apologie or else he gathered more euident testimonies of all those things wherein he professed Moses and the Prophets to be his authours The first of those which There were some other whose resurrection went before Christs in time namely if we admit that the saints of whom the Euangelists speake did come out of their graues before Christ Mat. 27.57 Gen. 5.24 2. King 2.11 1. Cor. 15.23 which may likwise be said of the taking vp of Enoch Elias But he calleth him in this place the First as in another place the first fruits of those which rise again Therefore this word doth rather note out the cause than the order of time because whē Christ did rise again he became the conqueror of death Lord of life that he might reigne for euer make those who are his partakers of blessed immortalitie Vnder this word light he comprehendeth whatsoeuer doeth pertaine vnto perfite felicitie as by darknesse is meant death and all manner of miserie And I do not doubt but that Paul alluded vnto the sayings of the Prophetes
wer growen out of kinde religion was depraued and corrupted among them with many errours yet the very name of the lawe and the worship of the temple were greatly reuerenced Furthermore Paul denieth not but that he did freely omit those ceremonies whereto the Iewes were superstitiously tied yet he cleereth himselfe of the crime of reuolting whereof he might be suspected Therefore vnderstande those ordinances of the fathers whereby the children of Abraham and the disciples of Moses ought according to their faith to haue beene distinguished from the rest of the Gentiles And surely in that he did cleeue so holily to Christe who is the soule and perfection of the lawe hee is so farre from impairing the ordinances of the fathers that none did better obserue the same 19 I was enforced to appeale This appeale was full of hatred and enuie for this cause because the authoritie and libertie of the Iewish nation did seeme to be sore opprest who coulde haue been content to haue liued with their owne lawes Secondly because his defence was ioyned with infamie losse of all the people Therfore he answereth this obiectioÌ„ also because he was enforced with the stubbornnes of his enemies to flie to this fortresse For he is excused by necessitie because hee had no other way to escape death And after that hee had excused that which was done alreadie he promiseth that he wil so handle his matter hereafter that he will not labour against the Iewes 20 For the hope of Israel Wee must vnderstande much more vnder these wordes then Luke expresseth as we gather out of the answer where the Iewes speak of the sect to wit repeating his speeche which Luke omitteth Therfore Paul entreated of Christ that it migh plainlie appeare that neither the lawe nor the temple did profite the Iewes anye thing without him because the couenaunt of adoption is grounded in him and the promise of saluation is in him confirmed Neither did they doubt but that the restoring of the kingdome did depend vpon the comming of the Messias and euen at that time their miserie and decay did increase the hope and desire of him Wherefore Paul saieth for good causes that he is bounde for the hope of Israel Whereby we be also taught that no man doth hope aright but hee which looketh vnto Christ and his spirituall kingdome for when he placeth the hope of the godly in Christ he excludeth all other hopes 21 But they said vnto him wee neither receiued letters from Iudea touching thee neither did any of the brethren come and shewe vs or speake any euill of thee 22 But we will heare of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning that sect we know that it is spoken against euery where 23 And when they had appointed him a day many came to him to his lodging to whom he expounded and testified the kingdome of God and persuaded them of Iesus out of the lawe of Moses and out of the prophetes from morning till night 24 And certaine beleeued those things which were spoken but certaine beleeued not 21 Neither by letters The Priestes and Scribes did not hold their peace because they were become more gentle towarde Paule or to the end they might spare him that proceeded rather of coÌ„tempt or els of despaire because they neither knew how to oppresse him when he was so farre from them and his carrying into Italie was to them in steede of a graue For they did lord it no lesse carelesly then proudly so that no body did trouble them at home Furthermore though the Iewes come not altogether rightly prepared to heare yet they shewe some desire to learne when as they doe not refuse to heare the defence of his doctrin which is spoken against euery where For many doe stop the way before themselues with this preiudice because they cannot abide to hear that which is refused by common iudgement but subscribe to the opinion of other men to the condemning of doctrine which they know not Neuerthelesse this is not without fault as I said that they obect gain-saying to cause hatred or to procure euill suspition as if it had not beene said before by Isaias that god should be a stone of offence to al the people It is vncertaine whether vpon the day appointed Paule disputed all the day or they reasoned one with another saue only because we may gesse by the circumstance of time that Paul did not continue speaking still For he could scarse haue framed a speech which could haue continued from morning to night Wherefore I doe not doubt but that after the Apostle had briefly expounded the summe of the gospel he graunted libertie to the hearers to propound questions did make answere to the questions which wer obiected to him But we must note the state of the disputatioÌ„ which Luke saith is double For Paul taught first after what sort the kingdome of God was amoÌ„gst them and principally what manner chiefe felicitie and glory that was which was promised to theÌ„ which the prophets doe so highly extoll For seeing that many of them did dreame of a fraile estate of the kingdome of God in the world did place the same falsly in idlenesse pleasure and in plentie of present good things it was necessary that it should be rightly defined that they might know that the kingdome of God is spirituall whose beginning is newnesse of life and the end thereof blessed immortalitie and the heauenly glory Secondy Paule exhorted them to receiue Christe the authour of the promised felicitie And againe this second point had two members for it could not be handled profitably and soundly vnlesse he did expound the office of the promised redeemer secondly vnlesse he did shewe that he is alreadie giuen and that the sonne of Mary is he in whom the Father 's hoped It was in deed a common maxime among the Iewes that the Messias should come and restore all things into perfect order But Paul laboured another point which was not so well knowen that the Messias was promised who should with the sacrifice of his death make satisfaction for the sinnes of the world who should reconcile GOD to men who should purchase eternal righteousnes who should fashion meÌ„ after the image of God being regenerate with his spirit who should finally make his faithful seruants heires with him of eternally life And that all those thinges were fulfilled in the person of Iesus Christe crucified He could not entreat of those things but he must needes call backe the Iewes from their grosse and earthly inuentions into heauen and also take away the stumbling blocke of the crosse seeing he taught that there was no other way or meanes whereby we are reconciled with God And let vs note that as Luke doth testifie Paul tooke all that which he spake of Christe out of the law and prophets For true religion differeth from all feigned religâ—ons because the worde of God alone is the rule thereof Also the church of
brought to beleeue no not with many myracles so that this same prophesie of the prophet was fulfilled Ioh. 12.37 Therefore these foure agree in this that it came to passe by the iust iudgement of God that the reprobate in hearing should not heare and in seeing should not see Nowe Paul calleth to minde that which the prophete did testifie concerning the Iewes Rom. 11.5.7 least any man wonder at their blindnesse Furthermore in the Epistle to the Romanes hee mounteth higher shewing that this is the cause of blindnesse because God doth giue the light of faith only to the remnant whom he hath chosen freely And surely it is certaine that because the reprobate reiect the doctrine of saluation this commeth to passe through their owne malice and that therefore they them selues are to be blamed But this next cause doth not let but that the secrete electiō of god may distinguish between mē that those may beleue who are ordeined to life and that the other may remaine blockish I will not stand long about the wordes of the prophet because I haue expounded the same elswhere Neither did Paul curiously recite the woords which are in the prophet but did rather apply his woordes vnto his purpose Therefore he imputeth that making blinde which the prophet attributeth to the secrete iudgement of God to their malice For the prophet is commaunded to stop the eyes of his hearers and Paul in this place accuseth the vnbeleeuing of his time because they shut their own eyes Though he setteth downe both thinges distinctly that God is the authour of their blindnesse and that yet notwithstanding they shut their owne eyes and become blinde of their owne accorde as these two thinges doe very well agree together as we saide els where In the last memember where it is said Least they see with their eies or heare with their eares or vnderstand with their hearte God sheweth howe cleare his doctrine is to wit that it is sufficient to lighten all the senses vnlesse men doe maliciously darken them selues as Paul also teacheth in another place that his Gospel is plaine so that none can be blinde in the light thereof ◠Cor. 4.3 saue those who are ordayned to destruction whose eyes Satan hath blinded Least they be conuerted and I heale them By this we gather that the word of God is not set before all men that they may returne to soundnesse of minde but that the externall voice soundeth in the eares of manie without the effectual working of the Spirit only that they may be made inexcusable And here the pride of flesh doeth rashly murmure against God as we see many obiect that men are called in vaine yea absurdlie vnlesse it be in their power to obey for though we see no reason why god appeareth to the blinde and speaketh to the deafe yet his will alone which is the rule of all righteousnesse ought to bee to vs in steed of a thousand reasons In the conclusion wee must note the wholsome effect of the word of God namely the conuersion of men which is not onelie the beginning of health but also a certaine resurrection from death to life 28 Therefore be it Least the Iewes may afterward accuse him of reuolting because hee forsaketh the holy stock of Abraham and goeth to the prophane Gentiles he denounceth that which the Prophets did so often testifie that The saluation whereof they were the proper at least the principall heires should be translated vnto strangers Notwithstanding whereas he saith that saluation was sent to the Gentiles he meaneth in the second place to wit after that the Iewes had reiected it as we haue said before more at large Therefore the sense is that there is no cause why the Iewes should complaine Sup. 13.46 if the Gentiles be admitted into the void possession after that they haue forsaken it Neither doth he make faith common to all the Gentiles in generall when hee saieth that they shall heare For he had ful well tried that euen many of the Gentiles did wickedly resist God but he setteth so many of the Gentiles as beleeued against the vnbeleeuing Iewes Deut. 32.21 that he may prouoke them vnto iealousie as it is in the song of Moses In the meane season he signifieth that the doctrine which they refuse shall profit others 29 Hauing much reasoning No doubt the wicked were more netled because he cited the Prophesie against them for they are so farre from waxing meeke when they are reproued that they are more inflamed with fury This is the reason why they reasoned when they were gone out from Paul bicause the more part would not be quiet But seing there was such disputing it appeareth that some did so embrace those things which Paul had spoken that they doubted not to defend and stoutly to auouch that which they beleeued But it is in vaine for any man to obiect thereupon that the Gospell of Christ is the seede of contention which commeth vndoubtedly from mans pride and waywardnesse and assuredly if we will haue peace with God wee must striue against those which contemne him 30 He receiued al. The Apostle shewed an excellent example of constancie in that hee offered himselfe so willingly to all those which were desirous to heare him Surely hee was not ignorant what great hatred he did purchase and that this was his best way if by holding his peace hee might appease the hatred of his aduersaries For a man being desirous to prouide for himselfe alone woulde not haue done thus but because he remembred that he was no lesse the seruāt of Christ a preacher of the Gospell when he was in prison then if he had bin at libertie he thoght it was not lawfull for him to withdraw himselfe frō any which was readie to learn least he should foreslow the occasion which was offered him by God and therefore he did more regarde the holie calling of God then his owne life And that we may knowe that he did incurre daunger willingly Luke doth shortly after expressely commend his boldnes as if he shuld say that setting al feare aside he did faithfully obey the commandement of God neither was he terrified with any daunger but did proceed to take paines with whomsoeuer he met Preaching the kingdom of God He doth not seperate the kingdōe of God and those thinges which belong to Christ as diuers things but doth rather adde the second thing by way of exposition that we may know that the kingdome of God is grounded and contayned in the knowledge of the redēption purchased by Christ Therfore paul taught that men are strangers forrayners frō the kingdom of God vntil hauing their sins done away they be reconciled to God renewed into holines of life by the spirit and that the kingdome of God is then erected and doth then florish among them when Christ the mediatour doth ioyne them to the father hauing both their sinnes freely forgiuen them and being also
yeeres of age 1. 1. 2. 1. How daungerous the deniall of Christ is 3. 17. and 5. 40. and 26. 10. Christ his comming is comfortable to the godly but fearefull to the wicked 14. 23. The afflictions of the church are common to Christ 9. 5. Christs assention is one of the principall poyntes of the christian fayth 1. 9. Howe great the authority of Christ is 3. 23. Christes body is not infinite 1. 11. How Christs body is in heauen 1. 11. and 7. 56. All the sayinges of Christ are not sette downe in writing 20. 35. How great the dignity of Christ is 10. 38. and 17. 31. Howe necessarye the knowledge of christ his doctrine is 1. 1. The summe of christ his doctrine 1. 3. Christs glorie is wonderful 8. 33. What great account we ought to make of the glory of christ 11. 25. and 26. 10. Christ his grace reacheth vnto all degrees 17. 11 Christ his grace must not bee separated from his presence 26. 19 How we must handle the contemners of the grace of christ 13. 40. How gently christ dealeth with those that be his 10. 41. Christ his innocency 13. 28. How great the maiesty of christ is 2. 34. and 9. 3. and 13. 25. To what ende christ his miracles did tend 10. 38. Christ his death was slanderous 5. 30. Christ his death was foretold 8. 32. Christs death is liuely 8. 32. Christ his death was voluntarie 8. 37. To beare the name of christ 9. 15 Christ his office 1. 1. 5. and 2. 33. and 3. 25. and 10. 43. and 13. 38. and 17 3. and 26. 22. Christ his kingdom was in times past shadowed by figures 21. 7. Christ his kingdom is eternal 2. 35. 8. 33. and 13. 34. Christ his kingdom is spiritual 17. 7 Christ his kingdome is neuer quiet in the world 4. 25. The nature of christ his kingdom 1. 6. The ornaments of christ his kingdom 21. 9. The perfection of christ his kingdom is deferred til the last day 3. 21. Christ his resurrection is true 13. 30. 33. Christ his resurrection is a principall point of the gospel 1. 21. Christ his resurrection is as it were the accomplishing of the gospel 4. 33. The knowledge of christ his resurrection is very necessary 1. 3. The vse of christs resurrection 13. 34. The voluntary sacrifice of Christ 8. 32 Christs triumph in death 8. 33. Christ his victory gotten of his aduersaries 8. 33. Christes life lasteth euer Ibid. The force of the voyce of Christ 9. 40. The difference betweene Christ his Apostles 3. 13. The comparing of Christe and Iohn baptist together 1. 5. The difference betweene Christ the pastors or ministers of the word 1. 5. and 7. 36. and 11. 16. All things are subiect to Christ 7. 59. and 9. 5. Christianitie cannot be without doctrine 9. 36. The true rule of christianity 1. 1. The summe of christianity 1. 3. and 2. 38. and 8. 32. Christians were somtimes called disciples 9. 36. 14. 23. 18. 22. 21 4. Who be true christiās 14. 23. 15. 22. How farre forth Christians ought to flee persecution 11. 20. Chrysostomes place 8. 33. 36. 18. 3 Ciceroes place 9. 25. and 17. 21. In what sence Circumcision is called the eternal couenant 15. 9. There hath alwaies been a Church in the world 23. 6. How hurtfull domesticall aduersaries are 15. 1. 20 30. How the restoring of the Churche ought to be accomplished 1. 17. The maiesty of the Church 5. 15. The warfare of the Church is not yet come 3. 21. Foure markes of the Church 1. 42. The peace of the Church is of no long continuance 12. 1. The perpetuity of the church is auouched in the person of Christ 8. 33. The persecutors of the Church shal be sore punished 1. 20. 9. 5. Why the Church did erre so long 14. 16. The Churche may erre in the election of Min. 6. 5. The Church hath alwayes something which may be reformed 6. 1. The Church is assaulted on euery side for diuers causes 12. 3. How hard and laborious the edifying of the Church is 18. 11. The condition of the Church is stable in the manifestation of Christ 2. 17. The state of the Church 7. 30. Looke the state of the faithful The true and right ordering of the Church 15. 16. The perpetuall gouernement of the church belongeth to Christ 10. 42. The church is the body of Christ 1. 18. The Churche is the house of God 9. 31. The Churche is compared to a buylding 4. 11. The Church is the temple of God 9. 31. The domestical Church 10. 2. The church gathered of the Iewes and Gentiles 15. 16. The church was for the most part gathered of the cōmon sort of mē 9. 43 How precious the Church is to God 20. 28. The church ought not to bee wythout discipline 3. 1. The church cannot be without an ordinary ministery 14. 23. How the church increased 1. 15. 2. 41. 4. 32. 5. 14. and 6. 1. 7. and 9 32. and 11. 19. and 13. 49. and 16. 5. 16. and 17. 12. and 19. 1. 20. The state of the Churche among the Iewes in the time of the Apostles 2. 7. The horrible dissipation of the church of Ierusalem in the time of Paul 23. 2. Principal Churches serue not a litle to keep other churches in order 15. 36 How farre we must imitate the example of Churches 15. 1. How profitable and necessary the vnity of Churches is 8. 14. Circumcision was to the Iewes a tokē and pledge of free adoption 7. 8. Whence some gather that the Iewes ought at this day to obserue circumcision with the appurtenances therof 15. 21. and 16. 3. Cōmon for that which is profane 10. 14 The cōplaint of Gregory Nazianzene of the successe of councels 15. 2. Brotherly concord is commended 1. 14 and 4. 32. Auricular confession of the papistes 19. 19. The conscience hath two parts 24. 16. Security of Conscience is very necessary 10. 20. An euill conscience driueth men vnto madnesse 7. 26. Examples of an euill conscience 5. 2. and 6. 12. Consent of the wicked in oppressing the gospel of Christ 23. 6. The Consolation of the faithfull 3. 20. and 4. 18. and 5. 17. 41. 7. 55. 59. and 8. 2. 9. 5. 37. and 12. 3. 23 and 14. 21. and 22. 7. Conspiracie to put Paul to death 23. 12. Contention is to be auoyded 23. 9. 10 Corinthus a sumptuous and populous citie 18. 1. How long Paul preached the gospel at Corinthus 18 11. Cornelius the Centurion 10. 1. 2. Cornelius was brought vnto the faith of Christ after an heauenly maner 10. 3. Cornelius was one of the faithfull before Peter was sent vnto him 10. 4. Wherin Cornelius offended in giuing honor to Peter 10. 25. Cornelius his willing obedience 10. 7. Couetousnes is condemned 5. 1. 10 2. and 19. 24. and 20. 33. How great the authority of Councels is 15. 2. 28. The decree
7. 53. 57. The tongue of the Iewes was corrupt after their exile 22. 2. The fathers of the Iewes did murther their brethren 7. 9. The stubbornnes of the Iewes 17. 51. The Iews were corrupters of the scripture 17. 3. The Iewes which dwelt in the prouinces were deadly enemies to the gospel 6. 9. The Iewes were the people of God by the alone grace of Gods adoption 10. 15 The prerogatiue of the Iewes 13. 46. The reiecting of the Iewes 13. 46 The religion of the Iewes was corrupt in the time of the Apostles 13. 6. The religion of the Iewes was condeÌ„ned by the cruell edictes of the Romanes 8. 27. and 10. 2. and 16. 20. The religion of the Iewes was euerye where odious 16. 13 Three sects of the Iewes 23. 6. The blind zeale of the Iewes 3. 17. and 23. 6. The equalitye of the Iewes and gentiles 15. 9. The difference between the Iewes and gentiles 2. 39. The vse of Images among the gentiles 17. 29. Impiety of the Israelites 7. 36 IncoÌ„stancy is a common and in a maner a continuall vice in all people 16. 22. Incredulity profaneth all thinges 10. 28. Infantes must not bee kept from Baptisme 2. 39. and 10. 47. The Inuention touching the two Angels of euery man is profane 12. 15 The Inuention of Mercury the Interpreter of the gods 14. 11 The Inuention touching the Image of Diana 9. 35. Inuocation of dead Saintes is ouerthrowen 3. 22. The office of Iohn baptist 1. 5. and 10. 37. and 13. 24. and 19. 3. The comparing of Christe and Iohn baptist together 1. 5. Iohn Marke was the helper of Paul and Barnabas 13. 5. Iohn Marke departeth from Paul and Barnabas 13. 13. Iohn Markes sinne was greater then it is commonly taken for 15. 37. Why Ionathas the high prieste was slaine 24. 2. Iosephus his places 4. 15. and 5. 36. 15. 13. and 8. 5. and 11. 28. 12. 1 21. 21. 37. and 23. 2. and 24. 2. 5 and 25. 13. Ironia 4. 9. and 23. 5. Iudas an Authour of sedition 5. 36. Iudges put for rulers and gouernours 13. 20. Iudges raysed vp of God 5. 30. Rash Iudgment is condemned 10. 15. 28. 4. How necessarie the preaching of Gods Iudgment is 3. 20. 17. 37. Iustice put for honestie and innocencie before men 10. 35 To iustifie for to deliuer and acquit 13. 38. The fable of Iustine touching Moses 7. 2. K The Kingdom of God put for the doctrine of the gospel 20. 25. How small the beginnings of Christes Kingdome were 16. 11 Kneeling is not to be condemned of it selfe 10. 25. Kneeling in time of prayer is a token of humility 9. 40. Knowledge is the moderatioÌ„ of zeale 18. 25. L How the Law as concerning the ceremonies is abrogated by the coÌ„ming of Christ 8. 27. The Lawe concerning the choyse of beastes is abrogated 10. 13. Man cannot possibly fulfill the Lawe 15. 10. The Law is counted a yoke two maner of wayes 15. 10. The Lawe is the rule of good life 10. 35. Howe the Lawe is counted a liuelye speech 7. 38. How the Law is liuely Ibid. The Law of Porcius touching the priuiledge of the Citizens of Rome 16. 37. and 22. 25. The Law of Sempronius of the Citizens of Rome 16. 37. and 22. 25. The worde Lawe improperly vsed 1. 5. The authority of the Law 7. 53. The alone end of the Lawe 15. 11. The office of the Law 15. 1. 10. The perpetuity of the Law is grounded in Christ 15. 9. The difference betweene the Law and the Gospel 17. 2. Whether the Faithfull may go to Law vnder an vnbeleeuing Iudge 25. 11. Laying on of hands was a temporall ceremony 8. 18. Laying on of handes was a solemne signe of consecration 6. 6. What laying on of hands did note in times past 9. 17. and 33. 3. and 19. 6 and 28. 8. Laying awaite for Paul 9. 23. How many souldiers were in a LegioÌ„ 10. 1. What liberality doeth please God 4. 32. Liberality must be voluntary 11. 29. Liberality is commended 9. 36. 10. 2. and 28. 7. The reward of Liberality 10. 4. Liberality is commended 10. 25. 20. 25. The word Lotte is diuersly taken .. 1. 26. How farre forth it is lawfull to cast Lottes Ibid. Loue commended 4. 32. 5. 12. Degrees of Loue. 11. 29. The Lucianistes make semblaunce of faith 8. 13. Luke is full of hebrew phrases though he wrote in Greeke 2. 3 Lydda was also called Diospolis 9. 32. Lydia was the first fruits of the church of Philippi 16. 13. The way to order the life aright 10. 2. The abuse of the present life â—7 27. Wherin the integrity of life consisteth 10. 35. Newnesse of life is necessary 3. 26. Wee must study to leade a godly life 20. 21. The bond of life and death is appointed for men 13. 37 In what respect we must saue our life or contemne it 20. 24. 23. 17. M Macedonius an heretike 13. 2. The office of a Magistrate 16. 15. 22. and 18. 12. How far forth we must obey the Magistrate 5. 29. 23. 25 The vnfaithfulnes of certaine Magistrates 11. 17. The Mahometists imagine a new God 22. 14. The errour of the Maniches touching the soules 17. 28 Mans duetie is to seeke God Ibidem To what end Men are borne 17. 26. What men are able to doe of theÌ„selues 9. 15. Al men are accursed without Christ 3. 25. 26. How great Mens blindnes is 17. 27 Mans conuersion is in the hand of god 14. 1. Mens hearts are in the handes of God 9. 6. 16. 14. and 23. 19 23. 25. 1. and 28 1. Foure kindes of men 13. 50. Mens vnthankfulnes 17. 26. Mens merites are ouerthowen 7. 35. and 13. 39. 48. Mans nature is bent vnto vanity 14. 11. Mans carelesse securitie 17. 32. How great mans rechlesnesse is 2. 12. Mans life is in the hande of God 5. 19. That is sometimes attributed to men which is proper to God alone 7. 30. 36. 13. 47. and 16. 9. 26. 18. VVho be true Martyrs 21. 34. Christes Martyrs must be comforted 24. 23. The constancy courage of the Martyrs in our time 6. 9. 19. 34. The difference betweene Martyrs and wicked doers 7. 58. Matthias was made an Apostle by the iudgement of God 1. 23. Meanes must not bee reiected 27. 30. Those of Melita thoughte amisse of Paul 28. 4. The inconstancie of the Melitians 28. 6. Mens merites are ouerthrowen 7. 35. and 10. 4. and 13. 17. 15. 9. and 26. 18. How ministers ought to bee chosen in the Church 6. 2. Looke Pastors The Ministery of the word is necessary in the Church 14. 23. The Ministery of the word is most laborious 6. 2. The Ministery of the word is commeÌ„ded 1. 2. and 2. 2. 4. 7. and 8. 31. 9. 6. and 10. 5. 36. 44. and 11. 3. and 15. 28. and 16. 9. 14 and 17. 30. 22. 10. and 26. 18. Why Miracles are
their cauil is sufficiently refuted by Luke For seeing there was nothing more stubborn then the Iewes we need not to feare but that those weapons wherto Apollos trusted and ouercame them shal suffice vs against all heretikes seeing that by them we get the victorie of the diuell the prince of all errours CHAP. XIX 1 And it came to passe when Apollos was at Corinthus that Paul hauing gone through the vpper partes came to Ephesus and hauing found certaine disciples he said vnto them 2 Haue ye receiued the holy ghost since ye beleeued But they said vnto him yea wee haue not so much as heard whether there be any holy ghost 3 And he said vnto them wherewith were yee then baptised And they sayde with the Baptisme of Iohn 4 And Paul said Iohn truely baptized with the baptisme of repentance speaking to the people that they should beleeue in him who should come after him that is in Christ Iesus 5 When they hearde these thinges they were baptised in the name of the Lorde Iesus 6 And when Paul had laide his handes vpon them the holy Ghost came vppon them and they spake with tongues and did prophecie 7 And all the men were about twelue 1 Luke sheweth here that the Church of Ephesus was not only confirmed and increased by Paul his returne but also that there was a miracle wrought there because the visible graces of the spirite were gyuen to certaine rude and newe Disciples Furthermore it not knowen whether they were inhabitauntes of the citie or straungers neyther doth it greatly skill It is not to bee doubted but that they were Iewes because they had receiued the Baptisme of Iohn also it is to be thought that they dwelt at Ephesus when Paule founde them there 2 Whether they had receiued the holie Ghost The end of the history doth shew that Paul doth not speake in this place of the spirite of regeneration but of the special gifts which God gaue to diuers at the beginning of the Gospel for the common edifying of the Church But now vppon this interrogation of Paule ariseth a question whether the spirit were common to all euerie where at that time For if he were giuen onely to a fewe why doth he ioine him with faith as if they were so linked together that they could not be separate Peraduenture they were none of the common sort or because they were an indifferent number that is twelue Paul demaundeth whether they were all without the giftes of the spirite Notwithstanding I thinke thus that so manye Iewes were offered in presence of the Gentiles not by chaunce but by the counsaile of God and that at one time beeyng Disciples that is of the number of the faithfull who did notwithstanding confesse that they were ignorant of the principal glory of the gospel which was apparant in spirituall giftes that by them Paul his ministerie might be beautified and set foorth For it is vnlike that Apollos lefte so few Disciples at Ephesus and he might haue taught them better sithence that hee learned the waye of the Lorde perfectly of Priscilla and Aquila Moreouer I doe not doubt but that the brethren of whom Luke spake before were other then these In summe when Paul seeth that these men doe professe the name of Christ to the end he may haue a more certaine triall of their faith he asketh them whether they haue receiued the holy Ghost For it appeareth by Paul himself that this was a signe token of the grace of God to establish the credite of doctrine I would know of you whether yee receiued the holy ghost by the workes of the law Gal. 3.2 or by the hearing of faith Wee knowe not whether there bee anie holie Ghost Howe could it be that men being Iewes heard nothing of the spirite concerning which the prophetes speake euery where and whose commendations and titles are extaunt in the whole Scripture Surely wee gather by this that Paule did neither speake generally of the Spirite and that these menne as they were asked did denie that they knewe those visible graces wherewith GOD had beautified the kingdome of his sonne Therefore they confesse that they knowe not whether God giue such giftes Therefore there is in the woorde Spirite the figure Metonymia And this sense doth that confirme that if they had altogether denied that they knew any thing concerning the spirite of God Paul woulde not haue passed ouer with silence such a grosse errour yea an errour altogether monstrous When he demaundeth to what ende or ho◠they were baptised hee sheweth therewithall that wheresoeuer Christ had been soundly and throughly preached the visible graces did also appeare that suche woorship might be common to all Churches Wherefore no maruell if Paul woonder that the faithful are ignoraunt of such glorie of Christ which God woulde haue to bee apparant euery where at that time and adding a correction immediatly he telleth them that they must not stay in those rudiments which they had learned because it was Iohn his office to prepare Disciples for Christ 4 Iohn truelie Paul his admonition tended to this end that these mē being conuict of their ignorance might desire to goe forward He sayth that Iohn preached of Christ who was to come Therfore he sēt out his disciples that running in the course they might goe toward Christ who was not as yet reuealed Wherfore to the end these mē may not flatter thēselues refuse to go forward he sheweth that they be yet far frō the marke For the feeling of want doth enforce men to desire that which is as yet lacking The summe commeth to this end as if Paul had said Before Christ was glorified this power of his did not appeare in the world whē he was ascēded into heauē he wold haue his kingdō to florish thus Therfore the graces of the spirit were much lesse shedde out when Iohn was as yet in the course of his ambassage which doe nowe declare that Christ sitteth at the right hand of his father Forasmuch as he had not as then openly shewed himself to be the redeemer of the world Therefore know yee that you must goe farther forward because yee be farre from the marke So that hee doeth plainely shewe that the faith of the godly who had beene taught by Iohn ought to haue looked vnto Christ who was to come least these men should stand still being newly entred without going any farther And euen by this also are we taught that the Baptisme of Iohn was a token of Repentance and remission of sinnes and that our Baptisme at this day doth not differ any thing from it saue onely that Christ is alreadie reuealed and in his death and resurrection our saluation is made perfect and so Baptisme was brought vnto his effect because out of that fountaine of Christes death and resurrection whereof I haue spoken floweth repentance and thither is faith referred againe that it may thence fet free righteousnes In summe Paule sheweth plainely
that that was the baptisme of regeneration and renouation as is ours And because both purging and newnesse of life doeth flow from Christ alone hee saieth that it was grounded in his faith by which words we be also taught that hereupon dependeth all the force of Baptisme that we lay holde vpon by faith in Christ whatsoeuer Baptisme doth figure so farre off is it that the vtward signe doeth derogate from or diminish the grace of Christ any iote 5 When they heard these things Because the men of old had conceiued an opinion that the Baptisme of Iohn and of Christ were diuerse it was no inconuenient thing for them to bee baptized againe who were only prepared with the Baptisme of Iohn But that that diuersitie was falsely and wickedly by them beleeued it appeareth by this in that it was a pledge and token of the same adoption and of the same newnesse of life which we haue at this day in our Baptisme and therefore we do not reade that Christ did baptise those againe who came from Iohn vnto him Moreouer Christ receiued Baptisme in his owne flesh that he might couple himselfe with vs by that visible signe but if that feigned diuersitie bee admitted this singular benefit shall fall away and perish Mat. 3.15 that baptism is common to the sonne of God and to vs or that we haue all one Baptisme with him But this opinion needeth no long refutation because to the end they may perswade that these two Baptismes be diuerse they must needs shew first wherein the one differeth from the other but a most excellent likelyhood answereth on both parts and also the agreement and conformitie of the parts which causeth vs to cōfesse that it is all one Baptisme Nowe the question is whither it were lawfull to repeat the same and furious men in this our age trusting to this testimonie went about to bring in Baptising againe Some take Baptisme for newe institution or instruction of whose minde I am not because as their exposition is too much racked so it smelleth of a starting hole Othersome denie that Baptisme was repeated because they were baptized amisse by some foolish enimie of Iohn But because their coniecture hath no colour yea the wordes of Paul doe rather import that they were the true and naturall disciples of Iohn and Luke doth honourablie call them disciples of Christ I doe not subscribe to this opinion and yet I denie that the baptisme of water was repeated because the wordes of Luke import no other thing saue onely that they were baptized with the Spirit First it is no newe thing for the name of Baptisme to be translated vnto the Giftes of the Spirit as we saw in the first and in the eleuenth Chapters Chap. 1.5 and 11.6 where Luke said that when Christ promised to his Apostles to sende the Spirite visiblie he called it Baptisme Also that when the Spirit came down vpon Cornelius Peter remembred the words of the Lorde yee shal be baptized with the holy Ghost Againe wee see that those visible giftes are spoken off by name in this place and that the same are giuen with baptisme And whereas it followeth immediatly that when he had laide his hands vpon them the Spirit came I take it to be added by way of interpretation for it is a kinde of speaking much vsed in the scripture first to set downe a thing briefely and afterward to make it more plaine Therefore that which by reason of breuitie was somewhat obscure doth Luke better expresse and lay more open saying that by laying on of handes the Spirit was giuen them If any man obiect that when Baptisme is put for the giftes of the Spirit it is not taken simplie but hauing somewhat added to it I answere that Luke his meaning doth sufficiently appeare by the text and againe that Luke doth allude vnto the Baptisme whereof he spake And surely if you vnderstande it of the externall signe it shall be an absurde thing that it was giuen them without vsing any better doctrine But and if you take it metaphorically for institution the speech shal be as yet harsh and the narration should not agree that After they were taught the holy Ghost came downe vpon them Furthermore as I confesse that this laying on of hands was a sacrament so I say that those fel through ignorance who did continually imitate the same For seeing that all men agree in this that it was a grace which was to last onely for a time which was shewed by that signe it is a peruerse and ridiculous thing to retaine the signe sythence the trueth is taken away There is another respect of Baptisme and the Supper wherein the Lorde doeth testifie that those giftes are laid open for vs which the Church shal enioy euen vntill the ende of the worlde Wherefore we must diligently and wisely distinguish perpetuall sacramentes from those which last only for a time least vaine and friuolous visures haue a place among the Sacramentes Whereas the men of old time did vse laying on of hands that they might confirme the profession of faith in those who were growen vp I do not mislike it so that no man thinke that the grace of the Spirit is annexed to such a ceremonie as doeth Ierome against the Luciferians But the Papists are worthie of no pardon who being not content with the ancient rite durst thrust in rotten and filthy annointing that it might bee not onely a confirmation of Baptisme but also a more worthie sacrament whereby they imagine that the faithfull are made perfect who were before only half perfect whereby those are armed against the battell who before had their sinnes only forgiuen them For they haue not been afraid to spue out these horrible blasphemies 8 And going into the Synagogue he spake freely about three moneths disputing persuading concerning the kingdome of God 9 And when some waxed hard hearted that they could not beleeue speaking euil of the way before the multitude departing from them he did separate the disciples and disputed daily in the schoole of one Tyrannus 10 An this he did by the space of two yeres so that all which dwelt in Asia hard the worde of the Lord Iesus both Iewes and Greekes 11 And the Lord shewed no smal myracles by the hands of Paul 12 So that from his bodie were brought napkins and partlets vnto those that were sicke and the diseases departed from them and the euill spirites came out of them 8 Going into the Synagogue By this we gather that Paul beganne with the companie of the godlie who had alreadie giuen their names to Christ Secondly that he came into the Synagogue that he might gather togither into one bodie of the Churche the rest of the Iewes who knew not Christ as yet or ar least who had not as yet receyued hym And he saith that Paul behaued himselfe boldly that we may know that hee was not therefore hearde by the space of three