haue their common weales in safetie For this saying of the Romane hystory is confirmed by the example of many kingdomes and nations By concorde small things increase through discorde great things come to decay And no doubt but theyr ende is alwayes vnhappie that are at contynuall discension among themselues And if we now compare Moses minde and doings with those which now a dayes haue the rule in christendome we shall lesse marueyle at the vnhappie state of our age bicause now such raigne euerywhere as are both ashamed of their people and careleslye contemne them or else with ouer great exactions vtterly impouerishe them and moreouer mainteyne diuision among them and to conclude thinke theyr greatest prayse to consist in warres rashely and vnaduisedly taken in hande and in needelesse and vnnecessarie shedding of bloude Let vs also examine what thankes Moses gotte of the Iewes by his louing benefite Steuen sayth it was verie little For that naughty packe which feared not to doe his brother iniurie of hys stowte naughtynesse burst out agaynst him in all opprobrious maner saying Who made thee a Ruler and a Iudge ouer vs wylt thou kyll me also as thou diddest the Aegyptian yesterday In which wordes he vpbraydeth him as though he tooke vpon him to be a ruler hauing refused and forsaken all rule and authoritie for their sakes He also accuseth him of manslaughter yea of murther which with the daunger of his owne lyfe procured the safegarde of the people And although there is but one noted of this naughty ingratitude yet it appeareth many were like minded bicause none rebuked him for his sawsinesse and malapertnesse and not long after Moses doing came to Pharaos knowledge whereof no Egyptian was wytting It must needes therfore be that an Israelite was his accuser And they were no whyt the better after they were delyuered out of Egypt and had learned by many signes and woonders that he was sent of God to be their Captaine and defendor For as oft as all things fell not out after their mindes so oft they accused Moses of treason and falshood And this is the property of the world on this sort to recompence their best benefactors And that that fell to Moses came to passe also vnto Dauid Ezechias Iosias and all the Prophets among the Gentyles to Myltiades Phocion Camillus the Scypions and infinite others The consideration of whome serueth to teache vs that we be not grieued with the ingratitude of the worlde and that we leaue not our duetie and vocation for any like cause Let vs therefore looke for recompence at hys hande who is a most liberall rewarder Let vs remember that euen now is layde vp for vs in heauen a great rewarde and that if we be faythfull in a little we shall be appointed hereafter ouer much See Mathew the fifth and .xxv. chapter Moreouer Moses example comprehendeth in it the mysteries of our redemption and vpbraydeth vs with our vnkindnesse toward christ For as Moses forsooke Pharaos court the riches of Egypt visited his brethren and tooke vpon him their defence so Iesus Christ being in the glory of his father did vouchsafe to humble himselfe by his incarnation became our brother to take vpon him our quarrell defence Agayne as Moses reuenged defended the Israelite by killing the Egyptian so Iesus vanquished and slue the deuil set vs at liberty For he is that feede of the woman that was promised by whose merite the serpents head should be troden downe And as Moses was the author and perswader of his brethren to concorde so Iesus Christ prescrybeth to them whom he hath set at libertie by the merite of his death and made children and members of his body none other thing but precepts of charitie and hath appointed charitie for a cognizance for his disciples whereby to be knowne And as the Israelites were not afrayde to murmure against Moses so manye persons feare not to murmure most vnworthily against the lawes of Christ and fewe there be that acknowledge him for their king and delyuerer bicause the most part of men eyther giue the glory to creatures that he alone hath deserued or else boldly robbing him ascribe it to themselues and to the merites of their owne workes Therefore we are to impudent to charge the Iewes with the crime of vngratefulnesse where we our selues offende much more in the same against the sonne of God. It shall be profitable nowe to consyder the punishment that God vseth against vnkinde persons Moses is dryuen awaye and entertayned of Iethro in Madian taketh his daughter to wyfe by whome he hath two children to comfort him in his exylement In the meane season the Israelites lack their reuenger and deliuerer and are fayne to feele the smart of tyranny fortie yeares longer out of which they might now haue bene deliuered but that they draue Moses away So many times it commeth to passe that our naughtinesse is cause that God can not helpe vs according to the goodnesse of hys nature This is like as when they came to the borders of the lande of Chanaan and through their grutching and murmuring deserued to be brought backe agayne into the wyldernesse and fortie yeares longe were afflicted with all kinde of miserie and there dyed Therefore they which are the authors of their owne aduersitie accuse God vndeseruedly Let them marke this which complayne of the diseases which they procure themselues through their owne distemperancie likewise they that can not away with pouertie being through their owne ryotousnesse fallen into the same The same is lyke also euen in the businesse of our saluation For where many disdayne to imbrace the righteousnesse of God which he offereth vs in his sonne and dare set vp their owne righteousnesse it commeth to passe through their owne desertes that they are able neyther to auouch their owne righteousnesse in Gods sight ne yet to be iustified and saued by Christ. Last of all we haue to consider Moyses flight by whose example we are taught that it is lawfull for vs sometyme to prouyde for our selues by flying and to keepe our selues for more commodious seasons For both we reade that Christ so did oftentimes and commaunded his Apostles to doe the lyke But here we haue neede to take good heede and to be circumspect least vnder the pretence of Christes commaundement we seeke a cloke wherewith to hyde our feare and dastardlynesse and so by vnhonest flying leaue the standing wherein we are appoynted of god Moyses fled and yet is not to be accused therefore bicause he vnderstoode by his vngentle repulse that the time of deliuerie was not yet come and that he coulde not as yet bring them out of Egypt who so disdainfully cast him of But as soone as they beganne to acknowledge that he was appoynted of God for their reuenger and yeelded themselues to the calling of God then could he by no threates of the Tyrant be
Comptrollers espie any thing in these mennes conuersation Naye such as these sate highest among them Yet are the Apostles who hitherto had hurt no man but profited a great many cyted examined and commaunded to prison So in these dayes where men burne in hatred of the truth all men may freely be naught But to preache Christ and to call mennes mindes through his doctrine from superstition and ydolatrie that is an heynous matter I warrant you This is the olde corruption of the worlde which neuer is afrayde of punishment for sinne but abhorreth and hateth them most which endeuour to bring them to God. After Peter had reprehended their vniust proceeding he answereth their question more apparantly and testifyeth that Iesus Christ is the only author of the myracle Be it knowne sayth he to you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whome you crucified whome God raysed agayne from death euen by him doth this man stande here present before you whole He repeateth the same here againe that he sayde in the Church For he so ascribeth to Christ only the glorye of the myracle that therewith also he casteth in their teeth their wickednesse committed against the sonne of god He maketh mention also of Christes resurrection to shewe them that they stroue against him in vaine seeing he whome they thought to haue made out of the waye had ouercomme death and nowe liued in glory Peters example is to be well marked for thereby we are taught howe to deale with the professed enimies of the truth He giueth them such honor as God doth vouchsafe to giue vnto Iudges as euen nowe was declared Yet he abstaineth from all kinde of vile flatterie yea rather he freely and frankly vttereth those thinges which make for the setting forth of Christes truth and glorie For both he telleth them of their wicked deede and sheweth them that he whome they persecuted liueth and reigneth This waye must we also take least eyther we suffer our tongue to runne at ryot or else for cowardly feare or fauour dissemble the truth For as it is not meete we should followe the children of this worlde in euill speaking so the enimies of the truth are not worthy to haue their tyrannie and wickednesse spared We haue other examples of this kinde both in the Prophetes and in the Apostles But it shall be best to followe the prompting of the holy spirite which neuer fayleth them that are zealous towarde Christ. Howbeit where the Apostles were chiefely appointed to preach Christ vnto the worlde here Peter also forgetteth not his dutie but taking occasion of the premisses teacheth in fewe wordes that all our saluation is conteyned in Christ alone But this seemed a great stumbling blocke bicause Iesus Christ was condemned by them which had power in the Church by Gods appoyntment to teache and administer euery thing Therfore he first remooueth this blocke out of the waye alleaging the wordes of Dauid out of the Cxviij Psalme which wordes Christ also vsed as we reade in the Gospell For Dauid who was a figure of Christ speaking of himselfe sayth The same stone which the builders refused is become the heade stone in the corner Which wordes Peter expressely expounding of Christ and the Priestes of the Iewes sayth This is the stone which was cast away of you builders which is become the chiefe of the corner The sense of the wordes is this I knowe that both you and also other marueyle greatly why we ascribe so great prayse and glory vnto Christ and say that he liueth and raigneth and is risen againe from death whom you by shamefull death would haue made out of the waye But this ought to offende no man Nay rather ye maye learne that he is the same Iesus whome the Prophetes long before sayde shoulde come haue you forgotten that saying of Dauid which teacheth vs that so God had appointed that the Messias shoulde be reiected of them which ought to haue builded vp Gods Church and to bring all men vnto him you your selues are those builders For vnto you was committed the office of teaching and the whole ordring of religion You haue reiected Iesus and would giue him no place in the Church of god Him hath God raised from death and made him the head of the corner that is a Lord and a sauiour and the ruler of his Churche And hath so inclosed in him only all saluation that without him the same is no where else to be founde For among men vnder heauen there is none other name giuen wherein we can be saued Peter therefore so preacheth Iesus to be a sauiour that he therewith denieth all hope of saluation to them which disdaine to embrace him Here are three things to be considered the consideration whereof is no lesse profitable than necessary The first is howe the holy ghost foresheweth that Christ should be refused of those which by Goddes appoyntment were the chiefe among the people This reprooueth the wicked pride of the Bishops of Rome which say they cannot erre For although it were manifest they were appointed of God yet that they cannot erre shoulde neuer be graunted them seeing they which were ordeyned by God haue so often erred But while they saye they cannot erre they bewray their follie whereas now their errors are open not onely to Barbours and bleare eyed as is in the Prouerbe but also to boyes and children Clement the seauenth being Pope confessed this grosse ignorance or rather impudent lust of theirs to lye For where at his table two Monks as their maner is were disputing whether the Pope could erre or no after many words to fro they agreed he might erre as he was a man but as he was Pope Christes vicar on earth he could by no means erre Clement offended with this most impudent more than slauelike flatterie sayd to the Monke with angrie moode nay I confesse that euen as I am Pope I both may and often doe erre For whyle I bestowe benefices and other ecclesiasticall dignities as I suppose vpon good godly persons I find at length they be very knaues worthy of no honor Let them listen to this oracle of their Caiphas which now a dayes haue the Popes in such admiration that they thinke it an heinous matter to swarue one nailes bredth from their decrees Furthermore this place teacheth vs not to be offended when we see Christ reiected of the states of the world of those which some men take for the pillers henges heads of the church This is the auncient guise of the world which vseth to preferre darcknesse before light which thing Esaias complaineth of when in declaring of the mysteries of Christ he saith there were but few that would beleeue him truly acknowledge the power of the Lorde And Christ testifieth that these mysteries are reuealed to little ones hidden from the wise of this world Yea
all kinde of religion doe yet take vpon them onely to haue skill in the same Which is one of the greatest causes of the calamitie that troubleth the whole worlde in these dayes But by no meanes is it commendable that Gallio altogither neglecteth religion and thinketh the hearing thereof appertayneth not vnto him For God will haue the king still to be reading of the lawe and hath appointed magistrates to be seuere and diligent reuengers of true religion See Deut. 17 and 13. And we haue examples of most godly kings which in the scripture are for this cause chiefely commended that they banished superstition and restored true religion Therefore intollerable is the error of them nowe a daies which go about to perswade the magistrate that they should not meddle with any mannes religion but to let euery body serue God as seemeth him good But in deede these men haue a farre other fetch For they hope it will come to passe that Princes shall followe the example of Gallio and shall giue them leaue to plant what religion they please in the Church And as great is the errour of some princes and magistrates who being desyrous to be counted and called christians yet affirme that religion pertayneth not to their iurisdiction but commit the same vnto couetous Monkes and to vnlearned and prowde Prelates leauing Christes sheepe to the ordering and pleasure of most foolishe men yea vnto Woolues to be deuoured And thus princes thinke they are well excused which hope of theirs shall greatly deceyue them for God shall one day require his people which he commytted to their charge at their handes and by this argument they shall be prooued to be vntrustie seruauntes bicause they sayde religion appertayned not to their charge which of all other things was chiefely commended vnto them Nowe let vs see the ende of this Tragedie where the veritie of Gods promise most manifestly appeareth For after the Greekes perceyued that Gallio dyd not much regarde the matter they take Sosthenes the Ruler of the Synagoge and shamefully beate hym This it was lyke they did by the setting on of the Iewes For Sosthenes was a faythfull companyon of Paule whose helpe in setting forth the gospell it manifestlye appeareth Paule vsed by the superscription of hys fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians But thys seemeth a woonderfull thing that when the matter came to hande strypes Paule agaynst whom all the Iewes made thys insurrection goeth away vnhurte and vntouched yea is not compelled to depart the Citie For we shall heare how he taryed there a good space after But shall we say the cause was that they spared Paule were they perswaded by his eloquence and defence to keepe their handes from him The Liefetenaunt woulde not vouchsafe to heare him was it the authoritie of the Liefetenaunt that defended hym why he being a Gentyle and a manifest vngodly person had no regarde vnto the Iewes matters Had he anye other aduocate or defender But what other coulde be founde of such authoritie to withstande such furious men especially the Ruler being slacke in his duety doing who onely had authoritie in that Citie to commaunde It remayneth therefore that we confesse howe Paule was preserued by the secrete assistance of God alone that the promise should be fulfylled that sayde no man should be able to doe him harme Thus we reade how the Patriarches were sometime preserued amonge the Chanaanites God thundering in their eares and hartes Touch not mine annoynted c. So Christ with one worde delyuereth his Disciples although Peter had prouoked the raging enimy with drawne sworde wounding the Byshops seruaunt By these thyngs we may comfort our selues seing we see the power of God to be so great in perfourming his promise and defending hys people that euen then they escape safe awaye when they seeme to be in the myddest of their enymies furie But we must returne againe vnto Gallio in whome the holy ghost hath set vs out a president of an vngodly Magistrate and voyde of religion For he not long agone flatlye denied that religion belonged to his iurisdiction He also confessed that it was his dutie to defende the harmelesse from iniurie and to punishe wickednesse But yet he suffreth Sosthenes to be misintreated in his sight and so perfourmeth not that which erewhile ▪ he confessed was his dutie Many such there are in these dayes who for modesties sake leauing of the hearing of matters in religion doe streyghtway bewray themselues to be men farthest of from all religion and iustice in that they defend not the seruants of God from ciuill iniuries yea notorious wrongs done vnto them And there is no cause why we shoulde thinke them maintayners of iustice which haue cast from them the care of religion For how can it be that he can be faythfull and trustie to see men haue their right that is vntrustie to Godwarde and thinketh it not his dutie to maintayne Gods honor and glory Therefore we may nowe a dayes see many Galliones the more is the pitie and there is no greater cause of publyke iniustice than for that a number of Princes for the most part haue no feeling of religion But howe much more grieuously maye we saye they sinne who glorying in the name of Christian men suffer the faythfull seruants of Christ to be misvsed before their face and whome they ought to defende by their authoritie and with the sworde for mennes sakes consent to let their enimies haue them to condemne at their pleasure which is a thing in these dayes so much vsed that it needeth no examples to declare it Last of all is to be considered what a miserable state they are in which haue lost their libertie and are enforced to serue straungers For such were the Iewes who from Pompeius Magnus time as we knowe were in subiection to the Romaines and scattered abroade ouer all their iurisdiction Such also were the Corinthians who as hystories make mention were vanquished and brought vnder the Romaines obeysaunce by L. Mūmius their generall And no doubt but both these Nations were punished by the iust iudgement of God for their sinnes and offences But what misery fell they into by this one fact of theirs The Iewes were scattered throughout the worlde and hated of all men They heare their religion most shamefully despised by those whome they are enforced to take for their Lordes The Corinthians although in religion they agreed with the Romaines yet had they such a President as regarded not publike iniuries but winked at most heynous wickednesse Let them be mindefull hereof to whome God hath giuen libertie and freedome Let them vse it to the glorye of God least they feele the lyke iudgement of God and become examples for other Yea let them in that libertie of mynde and body that God hath giuen them rather serue and please him that they may liue with him in heauen through Iesus Christ the onely giuer of true libertie to whom be
you also most honourable Lordes haue followed For where GOD did vouchsafe about .xxxix. yeares past to illuminate our Countrey Heluetia with the light of his word and to call it from the darknesse of superstition into the brightnesse of his Gospell you thinking there was no longer lingring to be made began aduisedly and seriously to consider howe Christes kingdome might be restored in your common weale Therefore you thought it good out of hande to mooue the Bishoppes and specially him of Constantia to whose charge your whole Countrey belonged to laye to their handes with you in abolishing of abuses and superstition and to take order for the reforming of the Church with your aydes and assistaunce But whyle they forgetting their vocation and dutyes made delayes you thought it shoulde be much to your shame and reproche to see their negligence anye longer hinder the publike saluation and glorie of God and therefore for that you woulde not want of your duties you were the Capitaynes and beginners of so godly an enterprice your selues following the examples of Ezechias Iosias Constantine and diuers others which we reade in tymes passed did the like with great commendation when the ministers and Bishops of the Church were founde slacke in their office For appoynting a publike and generall assemblie of all the Ministers both in your Citie and whole territorie you willed them to deliberate and conferre among themselues out of the word of God touching the chiefe pointes and articles of fayth and religion And there were that earnestlye withstoode this your deuise saying the determination of this matter belonged not to the iudgement of one common weale or Prince but to the authoritie of an vniuersall and generall councell Howbeit their authoritie was of no such force with you that it coulde make you looke behinde you after you had once set your hande vnto the plough And therefore your godly begunne enterprise did prosperouslye proceede For in that disputation the truth had the victorie and that in such sorte that the greatest part of them that came to assault the same yeelded therevnto of their owne accorde and thought their greatest prayse and glorie to consist herein that God had giuen them grace to bee so happely ouercome and to follow Christes Chariot in triumph From that daye forwarde you neuer ceased to deuise and doe all such thinges as you perceyued did appertaine to the glorie of Christes kingdome For you purged and rydde your Churches of the drosse and filthinesse of Images and Aultares and cleered Christes doctrine from the pernitious inuentions of mans traditions enacting by publike authoritie that none shoulde eyther reduce and bring againe the superstitions abolished or else teach the flocke of Christ any thing disagreeable to the doctrine of the Gospell The vse and administration of the Sacraments you caused to be brought to the fourme and order first instituted you caused prayers aswell publike as priuate to be duely ordered and whatsoeuer other duetyes of true fayth you caused to be exercysed according to the prescription of Apostolyke doctrine yea you caused your publike lawes and discipline of maners to be refourmed after the rule of the gospell And bicause no man should think you did these thinges eyther for desire of priuate lucre or for that you delited in nouelties you had a speciall regard that others might haue the whole fruite and auayle of the reformation and your selues all the payne and labour in reforming For you did not lyke sweepestakes rape and reue the Church goodes into your handes nor put any man eyther of nobilitie or of the Church from theyr right For those which were deceyued and caryed with the common sway of ignoraunce you laboured to winne by friendly and brotherly instruction and did not vncurteously cast them of Wherby it came to passe that they which were best witted amonge them did afterwarde great good seruice to Christ and to his Church and other whome eyther age or dulnesse of wit hindered you suffered paciently to enioy their goodes and reuenues bicause they shoulde haue no occasion eyther to make complaint or tumult And whatsoeuer of those goodes fell to your administration was appoynted partlye for the building and mainteyning of schooles and partly for the sustentation and relieuing of the poore For you vsed in liberall wyse to mainteyne not onely the professors of sciences and tongues but also certaine studentes of the same to the number of fourescore with continuall stipende and exhibition insomuch that the most part of them which at this day preach Christ in your Citie and Countrey which haue in them about an hundred and fortie parishes are bounde and beholden to your liberalitie for the rowme and place that they now are in And such was your dexteritie in handling all these matters wisedome in taking counsell about them and modestie in executing them that the thing which seemed impossible to be done was easily brought to passe insomuch that within short space of time in a free nation without any feare of publike tumult or sedition with great approbation of the people all these things that we haue spoken of were both taken in hand and brought to an ende For although they which thought Poperie was gainefull and therfore coulde not well brooke the ouerthrowe thereof attempted oftentimes many things yet through the singuler benefite of God their enterpryses were alwayes in vaine and the tempestes by them raysed were chased away by the wholesome breath of our heauenly father Where according to the precept of Christ both the simplicitie of Doues and wisedome of Serpentes appeared in your deuyses For as often as your aduersaryes went about eyther by flatterie and fayre promises or by fearefull menaces to withdrawe you from your purpose or at least woulde haue perswaded you to haue left all controuersie in religion to the iudgement of the Bishops and Clergie you still aunswered them both wisely and plainly after this sort that you coulde not nor woulde not denie or reiect such thinges as you had learned out of Gods worde were true and that you were readie to render a reason of your beliefe to any man that shoulde demaunde it of you yea that you woulde willingly yeelde to any man that coulde conuince you of error â–ª by the holy Scripture and coulde teach you a better waye of saluation than you helde Diuers your aunsweres of lyke kinde and tenour there are wherewith you stopped the mouthes of a great many and wherein still maye be read that saying of the Apostles Whether it be right before â—od to hearken vnto you rather than God iudge you For we cannot choose but speake those things which we haue both seene and heard Againe We ought rather to obey God than men Therefore the heauenly grace of the eternall God fauoured and prospered so godly enterprises whereby it came to passe that your common weale hath most happily escaped all kinde of tribulations and at this day in the middle of the horrible and daungerous styrres
vs. And the sonne himselfe bindeth his promise to vs by an othe as often as he repeateth that verilye I saye vnto you so much vsed in the Gospell These things serue much for our comfort and instruction we are taught to make much of Christ and not to despyse the saluation which commeth by his merite and is offered vs by preaching of the Gospell as he commaunded In time passed as Paule sayth they which had transgressed the lawe of Moyses dyed without mercye vnder twoo or three witnesses How much sorer shall he be punished which treadeth vnder foote the sonne of God and counteth the bloude of the newe Testament as an vnholy thing c. And Iohn the Apostle admonisheth vs earnestly hereof saying if wee receyue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater which he testified of his sonne He that beleueth in the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe He that beleeueth not God hath made him a lyer bicause he beleeued not the recorde that God gaue of his sonne c. But what can be more horrible than to accuse God of a lye which is both eternall truth and also may so easily reuenge the contempt of himselfe Furthermore these things comfort vs asmuch in the conflict of temptations Satan many times goeth about to call the certaintie of our saluation into doubt But if we consider howe the same is sealed and confirmed as it were by an othe our fayth can not wauer For God is true and his worde endureth for euer But Peter returneth to Christ and prooueth that in him whatsoeuer things Dauid before times prophecied of the Messias are fulfilled The end of all his sayings is that men shoulde vnderstande howe Iesus of Nazareth was the sauiour of the worlde that was promised And of a manye of things which he might haue alledged he speaketh only of the resurrection and ascention bicause these two sufficed his purpose and serued chiefely for the present cause and controuersie which rose by sending of the holy ghost We shall speake of eche of them in order He reherseth the article of the resurrection to prooue Christ to be the sauior promised which argumēt Paule vseth also Of Peters words we may frame this argument Dauid a great while sithens prophecied of the Messias that neither his soule should long abide with the other soules of them that were departed nor that his bodye should suffer corruption bicause God woulde rayse him from death But this prophecie is fulfilled in Iesus of Nazareth Ergo it is manifest that Iesus of Nazareth is the Messias and sauiour Touching the Maior there is no doubt Therefore Peter laboureth in proouing the Minor the veritie whereof he confirmeth by the common testimonye of the Apostles of this thing sayth he wee bee all witnesses Neyther might these witnesses in whome there were such euident tokens of the holy ghost and of Gods working be easily reiected or contemned of men in their right wittes The Apostles vse oftentimes to prooue Christ to be our sauiour by his resurrection bicause Satan through death which happened by reason of sinne had the rule and Lordship ouer vs Neyther coulde we safely acknowledge Christ to be our sauiour except we were certaine that he had subdued the force of death In the meane season we must diligently consider the loyaltie and trustynesse of Peter and the other Apostles The Lorde chose them to be his witnesses as we sayde in the first Chapter They therefore perfourme the dutie of witnesses faithfully and boldly without all feare of any perill For in the citie of Ierusalem before a great assembly of people they testifie that Iesus is risen againe from the deade by the power of God yet was there a farre other rumor spred abrode in that citie For the souldiers as is declared in the last of Mathew being bribed with money by the Priests bare witnesse that the Disciples by night had stollen the body of Iesus awaye What a daungerous matter it was openly to gainesay these men euerye one may easily iudge seeing they had the authoritie of the Priests and of Pylate the Romaine President to defende them But the Apostles by faith in Christ ouercame all feare of daunger and left all men an example to follow which haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ committed vnto them The other argument whereby he prooueth Iesus to be the Messias promised he taketh of Christes ascention And this argument it seemeth hee vseth chiefely bicause of them which might thinke it a ridiculous matter to preach him to be a sauiour which coulde be seene no where amongst men Which also is the error of thē in these dayes who thinke him not a sauiour vnlesse he will shew himselfe bodily vnto them But Peter speaketh on this maner He being exalted by the right hande of God and hauing receyued of the father the promise of the holy ghost hath shed foorth this gift which you see and heare This saying seemeth the obscurer bicause for the breuitie thereof it cannot be perceyued wherevnto it is to be referred But the obscuritie is easily put awaye if we ioyne therewith the Oracle which Dauid vttered touching Christes ascention For of this Oracle and those thinges that Peter sayth we may frame an whole argument after this sort Dauid prophecied that Christ shoulde not only rise againe from the deade but also taught vs that he shoulde ascende into heauen For so he sayth Thou art gone vp on high thou hast led captiuitie captiue and hast giuen giftes vnto men This thing as also the other before is fulfilled in christ For he after he was risen againe being exalted by the mighty right hande of God ascended vp into heauen we looking on and poured vppon vs the spirite which he obteyned of God the father which spirit hath wrought in vs these giftes of tongues which you doe see and heare Therefore it is manifest that this is the Messias Further no man must be offended for that he saith Christ receyued the spirite of his father as though he were not of lyke power with the father For Peter speaketh this of Christs humanity wherin Christ confesseth that his father is greater than he Although in an other place againe he saith his father and he bee both one that is to say in respect of his diuinitie And Christ himselfe very trimly looseth this knot speaking of the sending of the holy ghost in this wise He shall glorifie me for he shall receyue of mine and shall shewe vnto you All thinges whatsoeuer the father hath are mine Therefore sayde I vnto you that he shall take of mine and shew vnto you c. When the comforter is come whom I will sende vnto you from the father euen the spirite of truth which proceedeth of the father hee shall testifie of me c. But least any man might suppose that the things spoken of Christes ascention were to be vnderstanded of Dauid or would call
man might iudge them rather kindled and enflamed with the threats of their enimies than made afrayde Whereof more shall be sayde in the next Sermon We are taught by this example that God neglecteth not the praiers of the godlye but that his eyes be fixed vpon the iust and his eares open vnto their prayers Let vs follow the example of the primitiue Church in these dayes where most cruell enimies euerywhere conspire togither against the truth and turning our selues vnto God by prayer let vs commit our whole cause vnto him let vs beseech him of increase of fayth and the holye ghost that we be not ouercome with any daungers or terrors but that after we haue happily ended the course of our life we may be receyued into his heauenly kingdome there to liue with Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxxj. Homelie AND they spake the worde of God boldly And the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart and of one soule Neyther sayd any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common And with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lord iesu And great grace was with them all Neyther was there any among them that lacked For as many as were possessours of lands or houses solde them and brought the price of the things that were solde and layde it downe at the Apostles feete And distribution was made vnto euery man according as he had neede And Ioses which was called of the Apostles Barnabas that is to saye the sonne of consolation being a Leuite and of the countrie of Cyprus hauing lande solde it and layde the price downe at the Apostles feete AS Luke the Euangelist hath diligently described the first persecution that was raysed against the Apostles so reporteth he as diligentlye what the faithfull did during the time of these whurly burleys The ende of all which is that we should learne what to doe in like case First and foremost they gaue themselues vnto prayers which they powred out before God with one feruent accorde of minde To God likewise must we resort in our aduersities and not to the vaine helpe of the fleshe And we must aske of him not such things as serue the carelesnesse and ydlenesse of the fleshe but such as concerne the setting forth of Christs kingdome Now let vs see the other exercises of the primitiue Church wherby it shall appeare that they intermitted nothing that belonged to their dutie First Luke speaketh of the Apostles and all those who had the office of teaching committed to them He sayth they preached the worde of God with confidence that is boldly and freely whervnto a little after is added with great power gaue the Apostles witnesse of the resurrection of the Lorde Iesu. They accomplished therefore that which they protested they woulde doe contrarie to the decree of the counsayle Luke maketh mention only of the resurrection not for that they only preached the same only but bicause thereby Christ perfited and fulfilled the businesse of our redemption and saluation and for that we shoulde not thinke the Apostles yeelded anye thing to the Saduceyes which then were in greatest authoritie And it is not without a cause that Luke maketh mention of doctrine first of all other things for therevnto a principall care must always be had For where we are regenerate by doctrine and by the same the Church is gathered togither without the same the Church cannot stande in hir full strength and vigour Neyther was it without the prompting of the holy ghost that Salomon in tune past sayde When prophecying fayleth the people go to hauock And that this was truly sayde the examples of all ages abundantly testifye Wherefore as before he sayde the Church continued in the preaching and doctrine of the Apostles so now also he testifieth the Apostles are most mindefull and earnest in their office By which examples Ministers are admonished that they must not suffer the libertie of preaching to be taken from them through feare of persecution and threatning of enimies nor when daunger approcheth cease not to feede Christes sheepe with the word of doctrine and comfort For that is the propertie of hyrelings as Christ sayth and not of those which are readie to lay downe their liues according to the example of Christ for the sheepe committed to their charge But bicause men are much faultie herein it shall be profitable diligently to discusse this example that hereby Ministers may learne what appertaineth to them to doe And first bold libertie of teaching and vnfearefull affiance of minde is attributed to the Apostles Which is necessary for all ministers as it is plaine bicause there will be alwayes some that woulde haue them brydled and musseled For Christ witnesseth that the worlde cannot abide the light of the truth The same worlde cannot abide to be aduertised and reprehended So that there were in the olde time which durst say vnto the Prophetes Prophecie not to vs Looke not out right things for vs but speake faire wordes vnto vs looke out errours get you out of this waye depart out of this path and turne the holy one of Israell from vs. And Paule sayeth there shall be in the later dayes which shall not abide the worde of truth but hauing the ytch in their eares shal get them an heape of teachers which shall bring doctrine agreeable to their corrupt affections And we see it is euerywhere true that he prophecied Here therfore is required an Apostolike liberty bolde affiance of preaching whereby Bishoppes in the Church may applie their office in season and out of season that they maye encourage others of whom there is yet some hope remayning and deliuer their owne soules that the bloude of them that perishe be not required at their handes Furthermore it is sayd they chiefely inculcated the article of resurrection aboue all other And in deede this was the principall and chiefe article wherewith the chiefe of the Iewes were most offended For through this article they were conuinced partly of putting Christ vniustly to death and partly the Saduceyes coulde not suffer the same to be preached as who denied the resurrection Yet notwithstanding the Apostles boldly and stoutly preached the same so that it maye appeare they had a great care of the same This example teacheth vs that those articles are chiefely to be vrged which the aduersaries vse most to impugne For all things in the ministerie of the worde must be directed to edification and profite And the next care must be that the thing which is edified or builded must not fall downe againe But he shall performe none of these prosperously which most constantly resisteth not when the truth of doctrine is assaulted with the craft tiranny of the enimies and is moste in hazarde They that are set to defende Cities and Castelles vse
thinke we will come to passe if the corrupt affections of the fleshe be taken to counsayle or if iudgementes be rashly and vnaduisedly giuen The example of Nicholas teacheth vs further what a care and consideration they ought to haue which thinke they stande sure least perhaps they fall For as of nature we be proue to all kinde of vice so the deuill our common enimie is not ydle but walk eth still vp and downe like a roring Lion seeking whome hee maye deuoure Neyther ought they to promise them selfe securitie and safety which haue before their eyes the falles of so many holy men and knowe that euen the iust man falleth seauen times in a daye To conclude they are reproued by this example which vaunt themselues in the bare name of Predecessors and succession manifestly offending agaynst the lawes of god We see the Nicholaites which seeme to haue bene the beginners of the heretikes called Gnostici the wickedst kinde of people that euer the worlde brought forth had this Nicholas for their author whome the primitiue Church thought not onely worthy to be of the number of the faythfull but as farre passing others chose him to be one of the Deacons Paule sayeth that Antichrist shall sit in the very Church And Christ out of the Prophetes teacheth vs that abhomination shall occupie the holy place It is therefore foolishnesse to brag of succession and holynesse of order and not to endeuour to aunswere our vocation But let vs rrturne to the Deacons whom we sayde were euen now elected and let vs see what was furthermore done For they enter not by and by into their office but are first confirmed by common authoritie And first they are set before the Apostles as vnto whom belonged chiefely both the charge of the whole Church and care of the poore Wherby those new Deacons were taught that they ought so to behaue themselues in their office that they might be able to giue an accompt to the Apostles whose seueritie in these affayres not long before appeared in the examples of Ananias and Sapphira By thys example the men of our dayes be reprooued which thinke it meete that Ministers of the worde and congregation should be vtterly debarred from the viewe and ouersight of publike goods and that it is vnfit they should talke of the distribution and distributors of Ecclesiasticall goodes Howbeit it is euident that they ought not to neglect the care of the poore whome Christ hath put in charge with his whole church For with what reason shall they neglect one peece which are bounde to see to the whole Therefore these men must eyther denie that the poore belong to the Church or else they must needes let the Ministers haue a care and ouersight of them And howe can they denie but the poore are a part of the Church seeing Christ so tendereth them that he taketh whatsoeuer is done to them as done to hymselfe But it is playne what these men of oures hunt for verilie euen this that without all restraynt and feare of discipline and comptrolment they may make hauock of the Church goodes at their pleasure which goodes were appoynted for the reliefe of the poore Therefore whosoeuer wyll faythfully and with commendation liue in the ministerie must not stowpe or yeelde to this their tyrannie Secondarily Luke maketh mention of prayers These the Church with one consent powred forth for the Deacons newly chosen that they might obteyne for them the giftes of the holy ghost whereof they knewe they had most neede They commend vnto vs by their example the studie and care of religion which as in all other things so in those things which belong to the publike administration of the church it is chiefely to be regarded And they are not vnworthily iudged wicked which contemptuouslye neglect prayers eyther priuate or publike Furthermore we are taught that we should pray earnestly for all them which are in any publike office For as such men labour not for themselues onely but are carefull and vigilaunt for the weale publike so if they offend in any thing commonly it is the occasion of some publike euill Therefore we see howe the Church not long before made their publike and common prayers for the Apostles And Paule commendeth himselfe to the publike prayers of the congregations that he may preache the worde of saluation freely and wyth open mouth He commaundeth the christians to pray for magistrates and all other in authoritie that they that are not able in other things at leastwise with their prayers myght helpe and promote the publike weale Which was a thing so obserued in the primitiue Churche as Ecclesiasticall wryters testifie that the christians daylie prayed vnto God for the Romaine Emperours being yet infidels And surely it is an argument both of an vnthankefull and blockishe minde to haue no care of them to whom the weale publike is committed The thirde thing in their election was the imposition of handes which was partly a signe of their consecration and partly of their commission For as the priestes in times past vsed to laye their handes vpon the sacrifices thereby declaring they were consecrated vnto God so did the Apostles vse to lay handes vpon the Ministers of the Church to the ende they might knowe they were consecrated vnto God and be the more assured of their vocation And it was not a little needefull for them to be admonished hereof by a publike ceremonie For except a man certainely vnderstande that he is called and ordayned of God he shall doe his dutie no longer than he seeth all things proceede prosperously For if aduersity begin once to thunder bicause he is vpholden with no hope of Gods helpe he shall dishonestly forsake his tackle and standing In the meane whyle let vs diligently obserue that they ioyne prayers to the imposition of handes For hereby the declare that the grace of the holy ghost is not tyed to the outwarde signe but that it commeth from God and is to be obteyned by godly prayer And this is the most sincere way of making Ministers and Deacons of the Church which it is euydent the primitiue church vsed many yeares With the which if a man would compare the things that the Papistes obserue he shall see the auncient simplicitie vtterly worne out and all the thinges which belong to the true worship of God and which should admonishe men of their dueties with most vayne and colde ceremonies all to be blotted and blurred But least any man might thinke this ordeining of Deacons and so diligent a correction of this errour had beene superfluous or vnprofitable Luke sheweth that great vtilitie ensued therof For the word of God increased both for that it spread farther vnto others and also for that it did bring forth more fruite in the mindes of them which before had hearde and receyued it Then agayne the number of the faythfull whome the chiefe Byshops and priestes desyred not onely to
put that thought in his hart Or else coulde it spring of it selfe in such an one as had bene brought vp in Courtly pastymes and taught in the sciences of Egypt No. Then it was the secrete motion of the holye spirite which twitched Moyses by the eare being as one in a sleepe and awoke his mynde with the consideration of auncient promises making hym to ioyne himselfe to that people of whose stocke he vnderstoode that the Sauiour of mankinde shoulde be borne Paule agreeth herewith which attributeth Moyses doing vnto fayth which fayth all the whole Scripture teacheth to be the gyfte of god For he sayeth By fayth Moyses when he was great or in honor refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to enioye the pleasures of sinne for a season and estemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Also it appeareth very euidently by this place that all the prayse of their deliuerye is to be ascribed to God alone who did not onely giue Moyses strength but put a will thereto in his heart also This must in the meane season serue for our learning that Moyses tooke not on hym the care of his brethren tyll he was stirred vp by god Hereof gather we an vniuersall doctrine that they which are yet ledde with worldly and fleshely desyres and ruled by worldly wysedome can doe nothing that is good or commendable in Gods affayres vnlesse they be drawne by the motion of the holy ghost forasmuch as of our selues as Paule sayth we can not thinke well And Christ teacheth vs that no man commeth to him except the father drawe him Wherefore the bryde in Salomon cryeth out not without a cause Drawe mee after thee Wherevpon it foloweth agayne that no prayse of merite is due to our workes but that whatsoeuer good thing we doe it is of grace onely Also Moyses example teacheth vs our dutie that when God stirreth and draweth vs we must yeelde thereto and shewe our selues obedyent For of such force is Gods calling with the faythfull that it can not want effect for as much as Christ sayth this is the propertie of his sheepe to heare his voyce and to follow it Which thing they vse to doe with such feruencie and zeale that they despise all thinges that might hynder their calling as noysome and but verie dunge and againe thinke nothing intollerable or to harde that is ioyned with Gods calling Both these thinges we see in the example of Moyses For as soone as he heareth the worde of God speaking in his heart without anye delaye hee refuseth the delycacies of the Court the pompe of the Realme the dignities of publike authoritie the friendship of greatmen riches ease and whatsoeuer else like is to be had in the court In steade of these he chooseth traueyles pouertie shame and infinite daungers wherewith he sawe the people of God euery daye vexed vnder most cruell enimies And that we see Moses did the same we see in the Apostles who although they forsooke not so great ryches yet that little they had they forsooke with as earnest an affection and zeale as he did Unto whome we may ioyne Zachaeus and diuers other With the example of whome if we compare our owne sluggishe slouthfulnesse who thinke it not meete nor reasonable to lose or suffer any thing for Christes sake it shall plainely appeare howe farre we yet be from a christian perfection For this is that forsaking and denying of themselfe that Christ requireth of his Disciples This is that obedience of fayth that Paule euery where vrgeth and without the which the profession of a christian name is vnprofitable But some will obiect we confesse all that is here sayde of Moses yet it is to be thought that the fathers by their merites deserued that God should appoint hym to be their reuenger and defendour Steuen therefore prudently preuenteth this obiection and sheweth that the fathers of the Iewes in their delyuerie out of Egypt deserued so little prayse or glorye that rather they were worthy to haue bene perpetually in bondage bicause they reiected the benefite of their redemption offred them of God by Moses verie churlishly and vnworthily And for a proofe hereofhe alleageth the storie written in the seconde of Erasmus where he may see more that thinketh Luke in this place to briefe or short The ende of all is that the fathers despised the benefite of God and Moses their deliuerer wherefore their whole departure out of Egypt was to be attrybuted onely to the fauour of god Steuen also manifestly retorteth the contempt of Moses wherwith they charged him vpon their forefathers and vpbraydeth them wyth their olde vngodlynesse and ingratitude not with rayling inâ—ent but to shewe them howe well they followed their fathers steppes seeing with like contempt they reiected Christ whom Moses long before commaunded them to heare and to follow But that we omytte not such things as serue for our erudition first of all Moses is to be consydered and in him the dutie of a gouernour or Magistrate He is not ashamed of the people whose Shepheard and ouerseer God had appoynted hym to be Therefore no man must be ashamed of the people committed to him of God be he of neuer so great dignitie in the worlde For though the people be neuer so much despised in the iudgement of the worlde yet in Gods sight they are verie deare who hath vouchedsafe to redeeme them by the death of his owne sonne He also defendeth them agaynst open violence and tyranny with armed power and protecteth them though wyth the daunger of his owne lyfe For thus doth Salomon describe the dutie of a good Prince He shall delyuer the poore when he cryeth the needie also and him that hath no helper He shall be fauourable vnto the simple and needie and shall preserue the soules of the poore He shall delyuer their soules from falshood and wrong and deere shall their bloud be in his sight And Paule teacheth vs that God hath gyuen the Magistrate the sworde to thys ende to keepe vnder the frowardnesse of the vngodly and to defende the innocent and good Therefore they greatly are deceyued which being bragge but of a bare and emptie tytle haue no care of the people but let other tyrannes to misseintreate them And these things chiefely consydered be in religion which Princes must see mainteyned among the people that they be not drawne from God by the superstitious traditions of men Therefore Esaye calleth princes the Nurrices of the Church the glorie of which name would God they would acknowledge which suffer the people committed to their charge to be in bondage of the cruell tyrannye of Popes and their wicked counsels and decrees Besides this he is a meane of concorde betweene his brethren the maintenaunce whereof it becommeth them aboue all things well to see too that will
the worde of fayth which wee preach For if thou acknowledge with thy mouth â–ª that Iesus is the Lords and beleeue in thine hart that God raysed him vp from death â–ª thou shalt be â—aâ—e For to beleeue with the heart iâ—stifieth and to acknowledge with the mouth maketh 〈…〉 Nowe when Philip had gotten of the Eunuch that he chiefly desired by and by without any â—ariaunce he went downe with him into the water and there baptiseth him Where we haue to consider howe baptisme is ministred in common water whether it were ryuer or fountayne as Ierome thinketh I knowe not Neyther is there any mention made of newe hallowing it or of salt sprinckled or of oyle or of exorcisme and many such like as the superstition of Popes in the ages following brought in For Philip knewe the example of Iohn which had baptised in the ryuer of Iordane He knewe also that by the ordinaunce of Christ all water was consecrated to the vse of baptisme and had no neede of newe purging and coniuring Away therfore with the wicked and peeuish inuentions of most bolde merchaunts which would haue religion to serue for priuate honour and gaine Yet I would none by these examples shoulde take occasion euery where to baptise in fountaynes or ryuers For as we confesse it may be godlily done if necessitie so require so where Churches be appoynted all things ought to be done decentlye and according to lawfull order least libertie bursting out into vnbrideled licence disturbe both discipline and vnitie of Churches It remayneth to tell of the ende of all this hystorie which comprehendeth the departure of Philip from the Eunuche which Luke sheweth was after a myraculous sort For when they came out of the water the spirite of the Lorde caught Philip and the Eunuch sawe him no more God woulde by this myracle confirme the fayth of the Eunuch For after this sort hee might vnderstande that nothing was done in all this businesse by chaunce but all things through the prouidence of god Let vs see what they both did after they were seperated Luke sayth the Eunuch helde on his way reioycing Then he complayned not of Philips so sodaine departure neyther carefully enquired after him and much lesse detested him as though he had beene some craftie Apostle or Iugler Hereof must be gathered no argument of any inconstant or vnkinde minde But whereas he was now indued with fayth and taught by the holy ghost who according to Christes promise brought all things to his minde and by his testimonie confirmed the doctrine of fayth which Philip had taught him Therefore he coulde easily settle and quiet hys minde By which example we learne that we must not so sticke to the ministers that when they are gone we must dispayre in matters of fayth and religion Let vs acknowledge them as Gods coadiutours and stewardes of the mysteries of God by whome he giueth vs fayth Againe let vs vnderstande that the spirite of Christ truely supplyeth the dutie of a Teacher and that Christ will not fayle vs although he sometime take them away to whom we knowe we are much bounden For Gods spirit can be bounde neyther to persons nor places but bloweth where him lyketh Moreouer the fruite of fayth which the Eunuch receyued is declared where Luke sayth He helde on his waye greatly reioycing So before hee wrote that great ioye was made in Samaria when Philip had preached the Gospell there The ioy of a faythfull minde must hereby be vnderstanded which vseth to spring of the peace and quiet of conscience For after Christ is receiued by fayth then man vnderstandeth that God the father is reconciled vnto him whose wrath and horrible iudgement he was before afrayde of And as that peace of God as Paule beareth witnesse passeth all vnderstanding so it chaseth from the minde all the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 it â—lâ—ereth the whole minde and maketh vs to be without all â—eaâ—e in the 〈◊〉 of all afflictions For this is the saying of all those that are faythfull â–ª If God bee with vs who can be agaynst vs Who shall lay any thing to the 〈◊〉 of Gods chosen â–ª It is God that iustifieth vs who is it that can condemne For they knowe that the gates of hell are not able to preuayle agaynst that liuelye rocke on whome they are buylded Therefore bicause the Eunuch had obtayned this suretie of a quiet minde he returneth home with greater ioye than if he had gotten the great treasure of kings or if he had returned to Candace with the triumph and victorie of the greatest enimies of Aethiopia For what ryches deserue to be compared with the treasures of the kingdome of heauen Or what victorie is there so great as that which the faithfull haue gotten by Iesus Christ against the deuill and hell If princes in these dayes were as desirous of this victorie as they are of the Kingdomes and vaine glorie of this worlde then would they also more reioyce and the worlde also should be in better case But let vs returne to Philip which was founde at Azotus and from thence passing a long by the sea coast preached the Gospell to all the Cities in these quarters vnto Caesarea where it seemeth he tooke house to dwell in bicause Paule hosted there as we maye see in the .xxj. Chapter You shall marke diligently the feruent and great desire that the men of the primitiue Church had to set forth the kingdome of christ For although Philip had traueyled greatly in conuerting Samaria and now might greatly haue gloried in conuerting the great man of Aethiopia yet he thinketh not he had done his duetie but enioyneth himselfe freshe labours and refuseth not to vndertake new daungers for Christes sake We see the lyke desire in Paule who hauing laboured more than all the Apostles yet holdeth on his course with great feruencie These things reprooue the slouth of our dayes where all sortes and states of men as soone as they haue borne a little brunt make holyday for any more they will doe as though it were at our disposition and libertie to start from the calling of God and the dutie committed to vs Furthermore these thinges teache vs howe vaine the enterprises of the wicked are agaynst the doctrine of christ For the more they rage the more the truth shineth and ouercommeth Yea in the tyme of persecution by their meanes and diligence it is most opened and set forth who before seemed dastardes and cowardes Hereof haue we an example in Philip of whom there was no mencion made almost while the Church was in quiet at Ierusalem but that we hearde he was numbred among the Deacons But now being become an outlaw and banished man he winneth Samaria vnto Christ he sendeth the Eunuch whome he conuerted into Aethiopia to be an Apostle and spreadeth the Gospell ouer all Iurie Thus vseth God to frustrate the attempts of his enimies Therefore no man ought
they were buried And these ceremonies might be suffred for a whyle in the primitiue Church vntill they were become so perfite to renounce them altogither In the meane season we are taught that Christian people shoulde deale decently with their corses For although there ought to be no mourning after the maner of the Heathen amonge them which knowe there shall be a resurrection 1. Thes. 4. nor no neede of Iewishe ceremonies bicause all things belonging to our saluation are abundantly fulfilled in Christ yet a diligent consideration must be had both of honestie and godlynesse which both the law of charitie and Christian religion commaundeth vs to obserue by reason that our bodies be the Temples of the holy ghost Why therfore shoulde those bodies vngently be reiected which the spirite of Christ not long before did vouchsafe to dwell in Surely the Prophete doth chiefely vpbrayde the Moabites for that they forgetting all humanitie burned the bones of the king of the Edomites Therefore their offence is grieuous in these dayes which lyke brute beastes vse crueltie agaynst the deade and vnmanerly throwe and cast their carcasses rounde about But they yet vse one other courtesie For they send messengers for Peter whome they hearde was at Lydda and was so famous a man by reason of his myracles which was no small deede of faith and charity For they hope that the Minister of Christ was able to restore hir to lyfe agayne and that they greatly desired bicause they knewe the Church of Christ had neede as yet of such a member This is also the propertie of fayth that despaireth not no not in death bicause it knoweth that Christ hath ouercome death and who once embrace fayth with sincere affection of loue them she casteth not of no not after death Here also appeareth a singular rewarde of christian godlynesse liberalitie For where Dorcas while she lyued was much giuen herevnto there wanted not that faythfully cared for hir when shee was deade Thus God vseth to preserue the memorie of those that be his And oftentimes it commeth to passe that they which seemed to be hated of all men bicause of their godlynesse after they are deade they finde many defenders of their good name whereof we haue example in our heade Iesus christ For after he was put vnto the shamefull death of the crosse Ioseph and Nichodemus which before that were but secrete Disciples buried him honorably Let no man therfore shunne to suffer shamefull death for Christes sake since that God so faythfully preserueth the remembrance of those that be his Ouer and beside all this they declare in the presence of Peter the griefe they had conceyued by hir death through weeping and they shewe vnto the Apostle the garmentes which she caused to be made for the poore whyle she liued Where beside the dutie of charitie wherof we haue spoken may be seene what be the true reliques of the Saintes and faythfull of Christ which the godly ought both openly to shewe and to worship and kisse that is to saye the workes of their charitie and steppes of their life Of these it is sayd that they follow the deade and remayne when they be rotten These things Christ commended in Marie and bicause of that last annoynting of him that she bestowed vpon him he promised the remembraunce thereof shoulde alwayes remayne in his Church The Ecclesiasticall hystories shewe vs euerywhere such Reliques as these These it becommeth vs of dutie to prayse and by diligent imitation of them to worship But to worship their bones after a superstitious sort we are commaunded by no testimonie or example of Scripture Moreouer as it is a great prayse of the godly to leaue behinde them for posteritie examples and presidentes of charitie so is it a dishonest and shamefull thing to leaue after them when they are gone the tokens of couetousnesse lecherie vnrighteousnesse and intemperancie Such as are hourdes and heapes of treasure and whatsoeuer instruments else of wickednesse are thereby gotten which the Apostle sayth shall be hereafter the testimonie of iust condemnation O wretched state shall theirs be the memorie wherof widdowes and fatherlesse children by reason of their goodes taken from them shall testifye with weeping teares But more wretched shall they be who as though they had committed small offence in their lyfe time hange ouer their Sepulchres swordes and shieldes and stande in complete harnesse that the remembrance of their lyfe ledde in robberie and murthering maye remayne the longer O harde heart which the remembraunce of bitter death is not able to mollifie But let vs see at length what Peter did being sent for of them It is sayd that he straightwaies went with them that were sent vnto him Which is a great argument of readinesse and zeale in promoting the kingdome of christ Wherby we may easily gather with what spirite they are ledde that shew themselues daungerous in going about the things which serue to the setting forth of Christes glory and the saluation of others Further when he came to Ioppa and was brought into the chamber where the corps was layde not much regarding the weeping of the Wyddowes bicause by instinct of the holy ghost working in him he mynded another matter he put them all out of the Chamber falleth on his knees and turneth him vnto feruent prayer The holy Apostle truly followeth olde presidentes and examples forasmuch as it appeareth that Elizaeus the Prophete and Iesus Christ vsed the lyke trade in raysing vp of the deade For as prayers require a certaine going aside and solitarinesse so it seemeth to be a poynt of modestie that he woulde not shewe a thing of such importaunce among so many to seeke prayse thereby but woulde doe it by himselfe alone And whyle he maketh such earnest prayer he euidently declareth that all the successe and prayse of the myracle ought to be referred to Christ as vnto God whereof hath bene already manye times entreated When he had done his prayers he speaketh vnto the deade and biddeth hir aryse Which might seeme a ridiculous thing if Christ had not done the lyke when hee raysed vp Iairus daughter and Lazarus Such sayinges as these are the Preambles of that terrible and lowde voyce whereby at the later daye all the deade shall be raysed vp as Christ himselfe teacheth Iohn 5. Yea this is an infallible argument of the resurrection that shall be that at the voyce of a manne pronounced by the spirite and name of Christ we reade howe the deade are raysed agayne For the effect of the matter declareth that Peters speaking was not in vayne For forthwith Dorcas opened hir eyes and looked on Peter then she sitteth vppe last of all Peter reareth hir vp by the hande and sheweth hir alyue to all them that were called in By the which myracle is prooued that the doctrine that Peter taught was a lyuely doctrine and that Iesus Christ the author therof was
and redy to make tumults and insurrection Hence commeth it that we heare so often mention made of the Captaynes and souldiers in the writings of the Euangelists whereof diuers dwelled and kept house in Iurie and wandered not from place to place as the solde or hyred Nation of Caria did And it pleased God of this kinde of men to gather togither the first fruites of the Gentyles in the Church of Christ that his grace and goodnesse might appeare the greater seeing it is euident that in the lyfe of souldiers there is great licenciousnesse much corruption of maners and all kynde of vnrulynesse In the meane season of the things which we haue spoken of the souldiers of those dayes maye be gathered what the state of that people is which sometime were free and after that through ingratitude and disobedience lost their priuiledge of freedome For it is manifest that the Iewes whom God brought out of Egypt and set at libertie were such people as obeyed their owne lawfull Magistrates being subiect vnder no forreine Princes power But by abusing of this benefite they lost both their libertie and goodes for the most part So that now they are not onely in subiection to the commaundement and couetousnesse of the Romaine Presidents but haue in euery of their Cities garrisons of forren souldiers among whome though there were some to be commended for their equitie and godlynesse yet many examples teache vs that the most part of them were souldierlike that is to saye fierce and presumpteous Yea God in time past threatened such infelicitie to the disobedient Therefore let as many as enioye the benefite of freedome in these dayes learne by example of the Iewes to obey their lawfull Magistrates and their wholesome lawes least hereafter they taste of the lyke tyrannie and bondage But let vs returne to Cornelius whose conuersation and maners are marueylously commended For Luke attributeth to him deuotion and feare of god Whereby it appeareth he was free from that ydolatrie of the Gentyles which wickedly and foolishly worshipped many Gods. And this shall appeare to haue bene a great and singuler enterprise if we consider the state of those times when all Nations were vnder the rule of the Romaines by whose lawes it was enacted that no man shoulde professe any straunge religion For as Tertullian writeth none might be worshipped as a God but such as the Senate woulde allowe as Gods in so much that they refused to take Christ for a God bicause Tiberius had mooued the Senate to haue him so taken with the prerogatyue of his suffrage and voyce Therefore it must needes proceede of great constancie of minde in Cornelius that he durst being an Officer and therefore knowing he coulde not go vnespyde refuse the Goddes of the Gentyles and worship the true god By this example are the men of these dayes confuted which in matters of religion thinke inferior Officers must attempt nothing without the consent of the highest Magistrate but that men must simply obey the higher powers But as we denie not but whatsoeuer duties belong to the Emperours and Kings we must performe and fulfill them so we keepe and appoynt our religion for God onely and affirme that religion must not be violated or broken for any Princes pleasure And we knowe that Daniel and his fellowes long sithence thought as we doe which chose rather to be cast into an hote fornace and into a caue of Lyons than to violate or breake Gods true religion And this is the greatest commendation of Cornelius that he openly worshipped the true God not tarying for the Princes lawe to establish the same Yea and Christ commended the fayth of the Centurion which plainlye confessed he was vnder the commaundement of another by a singuler testimony and also myracle But where the Euangelist attributeth to Cornelius praise of deuotion and feare of God he declareth also his outward exercises wherby he vttred and declared his religious minde Amonge which this is the first where hee sayth he feared not God himselfe onely but that his familie also was well instructed in true deuotion and feare of god For this is the propertie of the godly that as their selues be giuen vnto God so wyshe they them also to be which belong vnto them For why shoulde they suffer them to straye from God whome they knowe he hath committed to their charge Surelye Abraham is commended bicause he was both godlye himselfe and did teach his familie the true worship and religion of God. And bicause there be commaundementes of God to that ende and purpose as is to be seene Deuter. 6. and Psal. 78. the vngodlynesse of the housholde is worthilye imputed to the housholder if through his negligence they waxe vngodly The Scripture setteth out to vs a notable example hereof in Heli. And the Queene of Saba prayseth Salomon bicause of his well ordred Countries but afterwardes he is blamed for the vngodlynesse of his wiues As manye therefore as will be praysed for religion let them not thinke they haue done their dutie if their selues be worshippers of God but let them labour to bring all those they haue charge of vnto God likewyse Moreouer Cornelius did almesse that is to saye exercised the workes of mercy Whereby it appeareth that religion had taken such roote in hys hart that being enflamed therwith he shewed all kinde of dutie vnto men also And it is lyke he was not ignorant of that rule which the Baptist had giuen vnto the souldiours which came to aske hym counsell saying Hurt no manne neyther trouble any man wrongfully and bee contented with your payes or wages But as though he had done but little in perfourming hereof he thinketh it his dutie to relieue other mens necessities also And truly he that feeleth not hys minde as yet so affected let him cease to glory in religion bicause Paule counteth the things of greatest importance as vnprofitable if we be voide of charitie Unto these as a thyrde thing is added continuance in prayer which I iudge was stirred vp in him of a desire that he had to knowe the truth For me thinketh he is to be counted in the number of those which hauing long agone attayned to the true knowledge of God thinke it is true that God had promysed a Sauiour but were ignoraunt who it was Him therefore he desired to haue reuealed vnto him least it shoulde come to passe that following his owne reason he might erre in the way of saluation This sense may be gathered afterwarde of the wordes of the Aungell which saith that Peter shoulde shewe him what he had to doe Let vs compare the Souldiers of our dayes with this Captaine which vse to defende themselues as well by his example as by others of his calling and it shall easily appeare how little these examples serue them Cornelius is commended for his deuotion But these men thinke deuotion belongeth not vnto souldiers
they easily heare the voyce of Christ and perceyue that God calleth them bicause they haue the seede of God in them which lying hidden before is by the worde of God quickened and brought to maturitie and perfyte ripenesse Hereof it proceedeth that Christ sayth they that are borne of God and are the sheepe of his flocke heare his voyce and are delighted therwith yea and those he acknowledgeth for his sheepe of whome hitherto he was vnknowne and which were afterwarde to be called and drawne saying I haue other sheepe also which are not of this folde Them also must I bring in and they shall heare my voyce and there shall bee one folde and one shepehearde Of which sort Luke sheweth that these Antiochians were And the treatie hereof ought to seeme to no man superfluous forasmuch as there is nothing belonging to our saluation more pleasaunt or profytable to bee considered than this For herein are opened the fountaines of our saluation and we are taught that the same dependeth vppon the meere grace of God and therefore the arrogant and Pharisaicall glorying in mannes iustice and merite is hereby quite ouerthrowne and buryed This also prooueth the certaintie of our saluation and marueylously fortifyeth our fayth if it shoulde stagger through temptations For God cannot repent him of his electing and calling vs. And whereas we be elected or chosen in Christ which is that impregnable rocke against which the gates of hell are not able to preuayle and which will not suffer his sheepe to be taken out of his handes It is impossible that they should fall from their saluation which feele themselues to be graffed in him Wherevnto this place also is to be referred where it is sayde As many beleeued as were ordeyned vnto life euerlasting For although the Iewes raged neuer so much they coulde not hinder the saluation or faith of one of the elected And as many as shall in this wyse consider Gods predestination and election shall perceyue their fayth to be marueylously increased And if any will wade yet deeper in Gods secrets mysteries and will presume to call his eternall counsayles to the count of mans reason they shall at length go so farre that eyther they shall scoffingly deride the iudgements of God or else attribute that vnto man which it becommeth vs to seeke only in the grace and fauour of God and shall spoile Christ of his glory who is the foundation of our saluation See Rom. 9.11 But to returne to these electes let vs consider the effect of Gods word that appeared and shewed it selfe in them by the which may easily be gathered what their dutie is whome God electeth This is a marueylous effect of Gods worde that euen in the greatest feare of all daungers the hearts of those that beleeued are recreated with ioye considering howe God the father is well pleased with them Wherevnto Christ had a respect when he bade vs reioyce in troubles Then after that it is sayde they glorifyed the worde of God which is a token of thankefulnesse which they cannot choose but render vnto God which haue anye thing tasted of the grace of god They vse to glorifye the worde of God which embrace it with fayth and submit themselfe vnto it subduing all their reason and vnderstanding vnto it which is not the last nor least ende of preaching the Gospell as we haue in other places declared These thinges teache vs what they haue to doe that will be counted of the number of the elect and they also are here confuted which saye the exercises of Christian religion and good workes are by this doctrine of free election and predestination put away and destroyed For where as it was before declared vocation or calling followeth election and iustifycation by fayth followeth calling or vocation it cannot be that he which vnderstandeth he is elected can cast from him the workes of a Christian man For he knoweth that we are elected in Christ to that end that after we haue here liued an innocent and irreprehensible life we shall liue with Christ for euer in heauen Wherefore according to the Apostles commaundement he laboureth by continuall traueyle in innocencie and godlynesse to ratifye and confyrme his election and calling Thirdly it is to be obserued howe Luke sayth the worde of God was published throughout all the Countrie For hereby it appeareth howe little the wicked are able to preuayle against Christ with all their attempts For the spirite of God bloweth where it listeth and is not mooued eyther with the authoritie or power of man Therfore the same commeth here to passe that we sawe came to passe before at Ierusalem in the persecution of Steuen And this is the propertie of the worde of God the more to shewe his power and force the more it is withstanded delighting as it were to wrastle with the aduersaries And there is no cause for any man to aske why we see not Christes kingdome haue as good successe in these dayes For by our sloth and negligence the boundes thereof are drawne in and narrowed and we see that saying of Christ is true in all states of men where he testifyeth that in the later times faith shall be very rare scant vpon the earth Furthermore after these ioyfull successes of the Apostles and victories gotten against these wicked enimies a newe businesse aryseth namely a manifest persecution whereof the same Iewes were the authors bicause they coulde preuayle nothing at the fyrst and bicause they sawe the doctrine of Christ stronger than to be ouerturned with the craft of Sophisters or with slaunders and reproches And the Iewes many times in this booke are reported to haue bene the beginners of persecution and Paule writing of them in the fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians seconde Chapter sayth For as they killed the Lorde Iesus and their owne Prophets euen so they persecute vs and God they please not and are contrary to all men and hinder vs that we shoulde not speake vnto the Gentyles that they might bee saued to fulfill their sinnes alwaye c. Which things are therfore to be obserued that we might acknowledge the iust iudgement of God vpon them and how those horrible and straunge calamities fell vpon them worthily which our Sauiour Christ threatened vnto them and are written in hystories For God purposed by the example of them to teache vs what remayneth for all the despisers and enimies of his sonne And it is very worthy the consideration to see by what subtile meanes they procured this persecution and what effect it had First their subtiltie appeareth in those whom they went about to make on their sides against the Apostles And these were fyrst certaine women commended for their honestie and godlynesse And it was not without a cause that they thought their helpe meete for this purpose For this sexe of women as they are naturally inclined and giuen to superstition so are they very
and trust which they did vse in the office committed vnto them For as we sawe in the ende of the Chapter before the Magistrates of Antioch so tooke against them by reason of the instigation of the Iewes that they were in daunger of their lyfe and were banished the coastes of Pisidia in shamefull wise Besides there were diuers thinges which might haue made them despaire of the Iewes saluation For they were not ignoraunt of the prophecies and threates of Christ which with one consent declared howe the kingdome of God shoulde be caryed to the Gentyles and they might manye wayes perceyue that the time of this forsaking was at hande And what I praye you might they hope for at their handes whome they sawe embrued with the bloude of the sonne of God and who did deadly hate the truth Yet go they on constantly executing the charge committed to them of the holy ghost least any shoulde perish through their sloth And no doubt but that saying rang in their eares which was sayde vnto Ezechiel If I saye vnto the wicked and vngodly man without doubt thou shalt die and thou giuest him not warning that he maye turne from his euill waye and so liue â–ª then shall the same vngodly man dye in his owne vnrighteousnesse but his bloude will I require at thy hande c. But let all men to whom God hath committed charge ouer any persons thinke that sayde vnto them that was sayde to the Prophete and which we see the Apostles obserued In which place Magistrates Parents and other such like are to be accounted All which must well beware that they let not the malice of menne ouercome them For although they whome they haue the charge of be incurable yet shall they receyue great profyte by their diligent study and endeuour if they doe deliuer but their owne soules Moreouer this is a notable example of Christian charitie that the Apostles so painefully and with such perill traueyle to bring a most enuious nation and like shortlye to perishe by reason of their incurable wickednesse vnto saluation For where charitie alway hopeth well they also hoped that some remnants might be saued as we see commeth to passe oftentimes in shipwrack Hereof commeth it that Paule so incessantly prayeth for them and wisheth to be accursed so that they might be saued The like affection we see in Christ who was mooued with all maner of pittie when he sawe them miserably dispersed like sheepe that had no shepehearde He wept also when he behelde that bloudie Ierusalem bicause he sawe they obstinatelye ranne into their owne destruction and woulde not knowe the daye of their visitation By these examples are those barbarous and grosse people reprooued who are touched so little with the calamitie of others or else so impotently ledde with the desire of priuate reuenge that for some fewes sake who haue iniuried them they will beare hatred to the whole Nation to say nothing of such who when they can alleage no cause of their hatred are yet of a certaine secrete corruption of nature driuen headlong with hatred reioyce at the miserie of others But how can they be the children of God which so farre differ from the nature and propertie of God For he desireth that men shoulde be saued and come to the knowledge of truth He vseth to spare whole Cities for a fewes sake that be good which Cities they desire to be destroyed for a fewes sake that be euill But the chiefe cause of this euill is for that we consider not as meete is the goodnesse of God towardes those that deserue a thousande deathes nor his promises which rewardeth them that earnestly doe their office and dutie Nowe let vs see what the Apostles gotte by this feruent proceeding of theirs that hereby they also may be refused which leaue of despayring they shall doe any good before they take the matter in hand They so spake sayth he that a great multitude both of the Iewes and Greekes beleeued Therefore the worde of God is neuer preached without fruite and euerywhere there are some founde which receyue it as they ought to doe so that it bringeth forth fruite as we haue oftentimes declared And God fayleth not for his part those that faithfully labour in his name For as Peter letting slippe his nettes at the Lordes bidding caught a great hale of fyshe hauing before taken nothing as long as he followed his owne heade so as manye as order their matters in the name of God and as he appoynteth them fynde greater commoditie of their labour than they looked for Therefore it must be attributed to our sloth and falshoode that so little good is done in these dayes For howe shoulde the Lorde with his helpe prosper them who hauing no regarde of his glory seeke onely their owne commoditie and neuer will aduenture to doe any thing for Gods name sake and for the saluation of all men â–ª Also it appeareth in this place as we haue often sayde that the enterprises of Christes enimies are in vaine and that his kingdome by persecutions is rather furthred than hindred The continuall course of the Actes of the Apostles declareth the same if we well regard it Let vs in these things acknowledge the wisedome of God and not despaire to soone of Christes kingdome seeing he can so prosperously defeate the deuises of his enimies Furthermore after this good successe Christes kingdome is afreshe persecuted so that a manne may see it is most true that Christ foreshewed concerning the wicked enterprises of the worlde and the traueyles and daungers of his Ministers It shall profyte our knowledge if we deepely weigh and consider all the circumstaunces of this newe tragedie First he nameth the beginners of the persecution euen the Iewes who not content with their owne incredulitie incensed the mindes of the Gentyles against their brethren who had professed Christ which coulde not be without slaundering of them And no doubt but they called them the authours and sowers of sedition and trouble forasmuch as we see the faythfull seruants of Christ haue in all ages bene charged with like crimes It is verily an horrible thing that the Iewes should conceyue such a cankred hate against the truth and they whome God in time past vsed to call his children and Priestly kingdome to be made the vngodly vesselles and instrumentes of wrath Lette no man therefore put his confydence in the worthynesse of forefathers or in any such prerogatiues but followe humilitie and reuerence God if they meane not to be throwne downe of God as they were let vs marke in this place who are the authors of tumultes and sedition Not they that beleeue the Gospell but they which refuse to beleeue it For the beleeuing labour to be at peace with all men as much as in them lyeth The other bicause they can not abide the light vse to bring the Ministers of the truth in suspition with the
Citie in the partes of Macedonia and a free Citie THE spirite of our Lorde Iesus Christe woulde that the iourneyes and voyages of the Apostles and specially those of Paule shoulde be diligently described bicause the same make not a little for our instruction For by them appeareth a great goodnesse of God which within so short a space of tyme did vouchsafe to lighten all the worlde with the doctrine of the gospell and saluation and to bring the prophane Gentyles when they were most corrupt to the knowledge fellowship of him It appeareth also by this hystorie by what meanes and weapons the kingdome of God vseth here on earth both to be enlarged and conserued Uerily by the preaching of the Gospell whereby in despyte of the worlde the spirite of God bloweth where it will as Christ otherwheres sayeth And where God doth vouchsafe to vse the ministerie of men herein he required of them earnest diligence and vigilant zeale Wherein we haue to imitate Paule of all others touching whose feruent zeale Luke reporteth manye things Whereof this is no simple argument and proofe that not contented to haue gayned many Congregations vnto Christ he goeth agayne to visite them and confyrmeth them by faithfull admonitions teaching vs that we must be carefull in the matter of our saluation bicause all men knowe the sleyghtes of Satan which laboureth to turne vs or euer we be ware out of the way of saluation Yet Paule so visiteth the congregations that he endeuoreth to gather and gayne newe companies vnto Christ of the which thing in this place Luke chiefely intreateth First it is sayde he went through Phrigia and Galacia And that there were newe congregations there erected the Epistle of Paule to the Galathians abundantly declareth conteyning in a compendious and perfyte abridgement all the whole summe of Euangelike doctrine In that iourney came to passe this one thing most marueylous of all other that they were forbidden by the holy ghost to preach the Gospell in Asia Under the name of Asia is comprehended that part which bordering on the sea westwarde conteyneth in the continent Acolia and Lydia aboue Ephesus and Smyrna and Ionia it selfe Which countries as they are most fruitfull and rich of all others so for this cause they were very vnhappye in that Christ would not at this time they should heare the doctrine of saluation Such was the case of Bythinia also into the which the same spirite of Christ woulde not suffer Paule to go neyther By which argument it easily appeareth that the Apostles wandered not about the worlde at their owne pleasure but did all things by the guiding and ordering of the spirite of GOD for we knowe that this holye spirite was promised and giuen vnto them by christ Beside that they had singuler reuelations when neede was whereof we had example before in Peter and Philip where the Ethiopian Eunuch and Cornelius the Centurion by their ministery should be conuerted This maketh for the commendation of the Apostles doctrine that we despyse it not as an humane thyng and to be little esteemed seeing it is manifest it was published among men by the euident working of the holy ghost But some men vse in this place to mooue a graue question why Paule was suffred in one place to teach and forbidden in another This question some men thinke is very commodiously soluted if all such doings be referred vnto Gods prescience or foreknowledge For they saye he foreseeth who be worthy to haue his word and to be saued and who be not But these kind of menne whyle they are carefull to defende the iustice of God for feare of making him the author of any sinne they make little of his grace measuring saluation by the worthynesse of menne which is impossible for them to doe vnlesse they will also stablishe the merite of man and the prowde affiaunce in mannes righteousnesse But howe friuolous and vayne a glose this is appeareth by this in that all men of themselues are vnworthye of saluation For as Paule testifyeth All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God and there is not a iust man no not one And there is none worthy to receyue the worde of saluation but such as God pleaseth to make worthy and meete For of our selues we are not once able to thinke good but all our worthynesse and abilitie to perceyue that that is good commeth of God. This saying of Christ is notable and well knowne to all menne No manne commeth to me but he whome the father draweth An example whereof we had in the .xiiij. Chapter where it is sayde they beleeued that were ordeyned vnto life euerlasting And in the next Sermon we shall haue the example of Lydia which therefore beleeued Paule bicause the Lord had opened hir hart It remayneth therefore that there can be none other cause alleaged of this doing but the franke and free election of God which embraceth by his mercye whome he pleaseth and whome againe he lyâ—â—eth their harts he hardeneth And yet no man must accuse God eyther of vnrighteousnesse or crueltie forasmuch as he is bound to man and so ordreth his iudgements that great learning commeth thereby vnto vs For in the elect he sheweth an example of his meere goodnesse and in the reprobate the seueritie of his iustice that we may learne to feare the one and to embrace and kisse the other Moreouer the vse of this doctrine serueth and is necessarye for many purposes For it marueylously comforteth vs in temptations bicause we knowe our saluation is not founded in our power or in the merite of our righteousnesse but in the grace of God and merite of christ For who can ouerthrow this righteousnesse or grace who shall seperate those from the loue of God whom he hath once embraced Or who shall be able to take one sheepe out of Christes hande seeing all power is giuen to him in heauen and in earth Whosoeuer teach that saluation dependeth vpon our worthinesse doe vtterlye infringe the force and strength of this consolation Besides this doctrine teacheth vs our dutie and to acknowledge the great goodnesse of God when we perceyue our selues more sought after and visited by the worde of God than others For as God attributeth not this vnto our merites but of his meere grace goeth about to saue vs so if any disdaine to acknowledge his goodnesse and shewe themselues vnkinde towardes him he sheweth the horrible seueritie of his iustice agaynst them We haue for example Corozaim Bethsaida Capernäum and the whole Nation of the Iewes which we reade God cast of for none other cause but for that they woulde not acknowledge the day of their visitation Examples of like seuertitie are those Cities which God did vouchsafe to illuminate by the ministerie of Paule more than other For we sâ—e they are at this day tyrannously oppressed by the Turkes bicause they shewed not themselues so thankfull vnto God as they ought
creepe into them and to draw them which began to beleeue in Christ by little and little from him Besides this he thought to tickle the Apostles mindes with ambition and desire of vayne glory to th ende that being herewith entysed they might neglect the glory of god You see therfore what poyson lyeth hid vnder the bayte of this honorable and holye acclamation With this intent we reade he flattered Christ also and bare recorde of him Let vs here marke the sleyght of Satan which can marueylouslye dissemble his hatred of the truth and transforme himselfe into an Aungell of light Therefore lette vs suspect whatsoeuer commeth from him Neyther let vs beleeue his instrumentes although they speake neuer so grauely and honorably in the commendation of Gods seruauntes and haue the holy scriptures neuer so ryfe in their mouth This place serueth to refute them which say we are vniustly offended with the Papacie bicause therein the name of Christ is preached the commendation of Saints are celebrated the lessons of holye scripture are daily vsed and nothing is done without the inuocation of Gods holy name But these men are ignoraunt how Antichristes sea or chayre must stande in the Church and marke not this saying of Christ Not euery one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lorde c. And if we woulde looke nearer on the matter it shall appeare that they seeke nothing vnder the pretence of religion and Christ his Church and his reuerende name but to establishe their tyrannie and to bring mennes traditions in credite Also by this place are they confuted that holde with Coniurers enchaunters or soothsayers bicause they heare them mutter out the reuerent names of God and weighty sentences of scripture But what marueyle is this since the Deuill durst alleage scriptures against our Maister Christ yea they sinne the more grieuously bicause they colour their impietie with the name of God the abuse and prophanation whereof he will not leaue vnpunished Nowe what Paules opinion was touching all these pointes this present example declareth He for a time beareth with this Maiden testifying this truth of them wayting for some suggestion of the holy spirite bicause he woulde not offende through blinde and ouerhastie affection at length inflamed with an holye zeale and indignation he rebuketh the Mayde thus crying and in the name of Christ expelleth the spirite Which example although it serue for the instruction of all men yet chiefely it teacheth the Ministers of the worde their dutie who must haue so great a care of the truth that they shoulde suffer nothing which by any meanes maye derogate any thing from the same although it made greatly for their prayse and glorye For as we declared before Satan vseth by flatterie to set on such as he knoweth are other wayes inuincible For the which cause Christ forbade the euill spirites to speake and woulde receyue no commendation at their mouthes Wherefore they are greatly deceyued that vse to dally with those whome they knowe are altogither straungers from the truth They hide many times their poison but the more they flatter the sorer they hurt It is the part of a christian man to take none for his friende whom he knoweth to be Christes enimie and cannot abyde the doctrine of christ But this is very worthye to be considered that Paule setteth Iesus Christ agaynst the Deuill and that he is constrayned to depart assoone as he heareth the name of Christ pronounced This is an vnspeakable argument of the power of christ For none can enter the house of a mightie man and ryfle him of his goodes except he fyrst binde him But Iesus Christ cōming into the world hath so vanquished the Deuill the Prince thereof that if he heare but the name of Christ onely he is constrayned to leaue his possession in men and to giue place vnto christ Therfore we must needes confesse that the power of Christ is much greater than the power of the deuill And of this we must fet comfort in our temptations that we feare not him who hath no power or force agaynst Christ in whom we are graffed through fayth Agayne we are by this place taught that Christ hath nothing to doe with the deuill seeing he doth not vouchsafe to receyue of him any testimonie be it neuer so honorable For what societie or communion can be betweene them seeing according to the fyrst promyse Christ came into the world to breake or crush the Deuils head and to destroy his works This also admonisheth Christians of their dutie that they should haue nothing to doe with the deuill For it is not meete for them that haue professed Christ to dallye with the Deuill in any poynt Let them therefore flye these soothsaying Artes which the craft of the Deuill and curiositie of man hath inuented Let them flye the inglings of enchauntmentes whereby he promyseth men helpe in their diseases or in their other distresses Let them flye false and prophane worshippings Idolatrye superstition and whatsoeuer else plucketh vs from god Let them hate the tyrannie of sinne whereby the libertie that Christ hath purchased vs is lost Let them watch constantly in the fayth and resist the Deuill and he shall depart from them whereby it shall come to passe that we hauing shaken of his yoke shall here leade a life acceptable vnto God and shall hereafter liue and reygne in heauen with our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ to whom be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cx. Homelie AND when hir Mayster and Mystresse sawe that the hope of their gaine was gone they caught Paule and Sylas and drewe them into the market place vnto the Rulers and brought them to the Officers saying These men trouble our Citie seeing they are Iewes and preache ordinaunces which are not lawfull for vs to receyue neyther to obserue seeing wee are Romaines And the people ranne against them and the officers rent their clothes and commaunded them to be beaten with rods And when they had beaten them sore they cast them into prison commaunding the Iayler of the prison to kepe them diligently Which when he had receyued such commaundement thrust them into the inner prison and made their feete fast in the stockes AS the Deuill partly with flatterie and deceyte and partlye by open force withstoode Iesus Christ while he liued here on earth and preached the Gospell euen so he vseth the same weapons against the Apostles of Christ at this daye that in tymes past he vsed This maye we see in this present hystorie For agaynst Paule preaching amonge the Philippians he setteth a Damsell possessed with the spirite of the Deuill by whome he giueth a notable testimonie of the truth vnto Paule meaning this way to bring the doctrine of the Gospell in suspition with wise men and to get himselfe some rowme among the professors of christian faith But the Apostle Paule quickly smelleth his subtiltie and compelleth the spirite being adiured by the name of
at Lyddias house and them they exhort to be stedfast in the fayth and comfort them very effectually Moreouer Paule wryteth an Epistle vnto them wherin we are taught how prosperously this cōgregation afterward came forward whose beginning seemed altogither vnprosperouse vntowarde Whereby it appeereth the course of the Gospell can be hyndered by no attemptes of the wicked Sometime the Ministers thereof are bounde but the worde of God can not be bounde Againe they that preach the same are thrust out and banished but the spirite of Christ cannot be banished but breatheth wheresoeuer it pleaseth yea when men holde their peace the stones will preach Christ. Let these thinges make vs constaunt in the fayth that hauing at length ouercome the worlde and Prince thereof we may liue and raigne in heauen wyth Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be all praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xvij. chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxiij Homelie NOWE as they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia they came to Thessalonica where was a great Synagoge of the Iewes and Paule as his maner was went in vnto them and three Sabboth dayes disputed wyth them by the scriptures opening and alleaging that Christ must haue suffred and rysen agayne from the death and this is Iesus Christ whome sayde he I preach vnto you And some of them beleeued and ioyned in companye with Paule and Silas also of the Grecians that feared God a great multitude and of the chiefe women not a fewe OUr Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ in the Gospell of Luke sayth No manne which putteth hys hande to the plough and looketh backward is meete for the kingdome of heauen Which wordes doe admonishe vs that of all christians especially of the Ministers of the word is required an inuincible constancie of the minde whereby they maye go forwarde without feare against al traueyle and daunger and not be withdrawne by anye temptations to forsake the office committed to their credit Of which constancie is set out vnto vs a most worthy example in the Apostle Paule who from the fyrst daye he tooke in hande the seruice of Christ and the Gospell was in continuall labour and daunger and yet held on seeking daylie new occasion with great courage of minde to set forth the kingdome of christ And as he had done heretofore in other places the selfe same did he wyth incredible industrie among the Macedonians as this present hystorie declareth For being verie euill intreated at Philippi to the which place he was called by a vision yet he murmureth not against God nor doubteth not of his calling nor leaueth not of his duetie through feare but taketh his iourney directly thorowe Amphipolis and Apollonia and commeth to Thessalonica the chiefe Citie of all Macedonia where after he had spreade the lyght of the Gospell he getteth him to Berrhoea and from thence to Athens where he preacheth Christ among the most learned Phylosophers of the Gentiles and as it were vpon the open stage of all the worlde But to let passe all other thinges let vs see what was done at this tyme at Thessalonica First it is sayde he went through Amphipolis and Apollonia and there is no mention made that Paule preached in those Cities therfore it is lyke the holy Ghost offered him no occasion there to preache But when he came to Thessalonica he went into the Iewes Synagoge which was very notable and full of people and there by the space of three Sabboth dayes he taught them the gospell of Iesus christ And yet it might seeme a straunge thing that Paule woulde offer the doctrine of saluation agayne vnto the Iewes whose incurable malice he had so often tryed and whome he perceyued God had cast of by many euident arguments But he was mooued partly with the feruent desyre he had to set forth the kingdome of God and partly with the constant loue that he bare to his nation for whose sake otherwhyle he wished to be accursed And yet we must not thinke this to be any blinde affection for as much as the Lorde had long before prophecied that though the Iewes were cast off certaine remnauntes shoulde be saued And perhappes he might be mooued by the example of Elias who when he thought all the people had forsaken the God of Israell was tolde that there were yet seauen thousande which had neuer bowed their knees vnto Baal We are taught by this example of Paule that we must not ouer hastily cease from doing our duetie bicause of many mens ingratitude but rather as the Apostle otherwhere teacheth vs tollerate the euill wyth meekenesse instruct those that make resistaunce if at anye time God will giue them repentance to knowe the truth and that they may come to themselues againe out of the snare of the Deuill For where we be the seruauntes of God it becommeth vs to imitate his condition and propertie and not to be offended with the ingratitude of the worlde for as much as we knowe that we haue a rewarde layde vp with the Lorde which shall neuer fayle vs Therefore inexcusable is their waywardenesse which assoone as they perceyue they nothing profyte cease of from doing their duetie are not ledde with the example of God and of Christ which vsed such great lenitie and long sufferaunce towards the incurable malice of the Iewes euen from the fyrst beginning of that nation It is also worthy the obseruation to see howe Paule keepeth the religion of the Sabbothes and goeth into the Synagoges to preach there following the example of Christ who dyd nothing in secret but taught abroade openly In the meane season we see this was an olde vsage amonge the people of God for the godly to come vnto the Church for whose sake we reade holy dayes and holy places were in times past ordeyned of god It is necessarie that we obserue the same both for doctrine sake which can no waye more commodiously be taught and also bicause of externe religion which ought to be openly exercised that the profession of true fayth fayle not For the which cause Christ adourned the congregation and Church comming with hys example and commended it with a notable promise and this is the cause that Paule in his fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians is so diligently occupied in gyuing preceptes for the well ordering of them Wherfore their frowardnesse must needes be detested which deryde and scoffe at the publike assemblies of christians plainely testifying that they are ledde with no care of wholesome doctrine or sincere religion But what doth Paule in the Synagoge of the Iewes euen the same that we heare he vsed to doe in many places For he taught out of the scriptures declaring howe it was necessarie that Christ shoulde die and rise againe from the dead and that this was the same Christ whom he preached Here must we diligently marke all these pointes bicause they fullye conteyne the whole trade of the
of those things which we hearde before in the vj. xvj and .xvij. Chapters By example of these things we learne that we must resist things at the beginning least being led at the fyrst with naughtye desires we feare not to speake agaynst the worde of God and so at length through contention fall to blaspheme it And so little by little entangle our selues in that horrible sinne agaynst the holye ghost and at the last driuen and caryed with gyantlyke audacitie fyght agaynst God the ende whereof shall be none other but the miserable and euerlasting destruction of the soule We haue euerywhere examples hereof But what doth Paule nowe Goeth he from Corinth bicause of these obstinate Iewes so that the wickednesse of a fewe persons is the hinderance of all No. But rather bidding these frowarde and wicked persons adewe he turneth him to the Gentyles And least he might seeme to doe anye thing of heate or passion of mynde he diligently obserueth the trade prescribed of Christ. First he shaketh his garments as we declared he did at Antioch in the .xiij. Chap. where may be seene what is to be learned what this ceremonie or doing meaneth Next he threateneth them with punishment declaring that they perished through their owne default saying your bloude be vpon your owne heade from hence I will goe blamelesse vnto the Gentyles He alludeth vnto the wordes of God written in Ezechiel cap. 3. and .33 after this sort Thou sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman ouer the house of Israel that whereas thou hearest any thing out of my mouth thou may est warne them on my behalfe If I say vnto the wicked thou wicked thou shalt surely dye and thou giuest him not warning that he maye beware of his vngodly way then shall the wicked dye in his owne sinne but his bloude will I require of thy hande Neuerthelesse if thou warne the wicked of his waye to turne from it whereas hee yet will not bee turned from it then shall he dye bicause of his sinne but thou hast deliuered thy soule Unto these wordes I say Paule alluded saying I haue done my duetie and sette before you Iesus Christ the onely authour of saluation but bicause you reiect him you are culpable of your owne perdition and I being in no fault thereof will gette me to the Gentyles Thus he threateneth them the same that Christ doth where he sayth vnto the Scribes The kingdome of God shall bee taken from you and giuen to a Nation that shall bring forth the fruites thereof And this that is sayde vnto the Iewes let all contemners of the Gospell thinke sayd vnto them For where through the Gospell God offereth vs a remedye against destruction they must needes perishe through the iust iudgement of God which wickedly despyse the same In the meane season Paules doing teacheth vs that Ministers of the worde are then blamelesse when they haue faithfully fulfylled their dutie towarde sinners by teaching rebuking and exhorting them But if they be dumbe dogges such as Esay describeth cap. 56. then shall the bloud of those that perishe be requyred of them that is to say God shall make them guiltie of all that bloud that is shedde through their negligence But the Scripture euerywhere setteth out the horrible guiltynesse of bloude See Genes 9. Numer 35. Psal. 51. c. We see therefore it is not without a cause that the Prophets and Apostles vse such vehemencie of zeale in their teaching Paule hauing a regarde herevnto sayde Woe vnto me if I preach not And Amos sayth in the thirde Chapter When a Lyon roareth who will not be afrayde Seeing then that the Lorde God himselfe speaketh who will not prophecie Finally Paule goeth into one Iustus house not for that he hated Aquilas but for the more credit of his protestation For it seemeth that this Iustus was a Gentyle except we shall thinke Paule was fantasticall which woulde forsake a beleeuing Iewes house to go into an other Iewes house Yea his wordes signify asmuch from henceforth I will go vnto the Gentyles Yet there appeareth in Paule a feruent good will towarde his owne Nation For although he chose him a Gentyle to be his hoste yet his desire is to dwell nigh vnto the Synagoge bicause he would want no occasion to winne the Iewes Let all Ministers followe this example For where they are called Pastors and fathers it becommeth them to beare such affection towarde those that perishe as shepeheardes doe towarde their straye sheepe and as fathers doe towarde their vntoward children Such affection declareth Christ when he wept looking on Ierusalem and bewayled the destruction that shoulde come vppon hir by the iust iudgement of God. But Paules industrie and trauayle was not in vayne For of the Iewes Crispus the President of the Synagoge was wonne to the beliefe in Christ whome Paule writeth that he baptized in the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians the fyrst Chapter Also many of the Corinthians beleeued who not long before seemed to be drowned in sinne and perdition And it maye be thought by their baptisme that they did not feigne a fayth but that they openly and plainly protested the same Therefore they want not the blessing of God that labour faithfullye in their vocation neyther can the vnbeliefe and frowardnesse of others frustrate the promise of God as Paule in other places teacheth Rom. 2. As many as fynde they haue grieuous and incurable enimyes may here fetch comfort Moreouer a notable place followeth which teacheth vs that Paule in this businesse was comforted by God where fyrst Paules person is to be considered then God who strengthened him with consolation It appeareth by this consolation that God gaue Paule that as a man he was afrayde And he sawe euery daye before his face many thinges to cause him to feare For he well knewe the incurable rage of the Iewes agaynst Christes doctrine The remembraunce of the daungers he had bene in by their meanes was fresh in his memory And such corruption of the citie as was daily noted in common Prouerbes gaue him small hope of doing anye good there Besides the craftes of false brethren and teachers of whome he oftentimes complayneth in his Epistles Yea he plainly confesseth that he was at Corinth in much feare and trembling And as farre as we can gather by the worde of God Paule was minded to leaue the Citie seeing he had so little hope to doe any good there We learne by this example that euen the seruants of God also are subiect vnto affections and that otherwhiles they are so afrayde that they forgette their dutie For this that Paule suffred at Corinth diuers other founde true to their greater ruine Abraham the father of the beleeuing after he had forsaken his natiue Countrie and shewed a notable proofe of his fayth being ouercome with feare stayned his good name with a fowle lye and brought his wife into great perill and daunger Iacob hauing
else to the fyre But he respected the promises of Christ wherewith he was so emboldened that no daunger coulde feare him to doe his duetie It is also a token of singuler modestie that he yeeldeth to better counsell and doth not obstinately vrge that which was both daungerous and had little profyte ioyned therewith Let euerye manne followe this example bicause we see many times the greatest wyttes in their owne daungers knowe least what waye or counsell to take It is also worthye the noting that Paule hath great men to his friendes A fewe such we reade Christ had amongst whome Nicodemus and Ioseph are counted the chiefe Iohn 12.3 Math. 27. Here the error of the Anabaptistes is refelled which saye that a christian ought to beare no office But chiefely we learne howe vaine the defence and succour of the worlde is seing their authoritie coulde not keepe Paule from daunger of sedition It becommeth vs therefore to put all our hope and trust in God alone and not in Princes or in the children of men for there is no helpe in them Psalme 146. And that this is the vse of this present example Paule teacheth in hys seconde Epistle to the Corinthians the fyrst chapter Nowe Luke commeth to the seditious of whome he reporteth two things First some sayth he cryed one thing some an other and the most part knewe not wherefore they were come togyther This is a peculiar thing in the time of sedition that like a flowing streame it caryeth many away with it being vtterly ignoraunt of the meaning thereof and a great many good men also euen against their will. Therefore such would be appeased rather by counsell and reason then by force For if force be vsed commonly the Innocentes drinke for it the wicked beginners slylie slipping awaye A dolorous example whereof Germany sawe when in the yere of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundred twentie and fyue horrible streames of husbandmens bloude almost ouerflowed hir Let Princes therefore haue in minde rather that saying of the Prophet where they are commaunded to holde their subiects liues deere Psalm 72. Moreouer the Iewes thrust forwarde one Alexander who by all likelyhoode was one of Paules friendes and drewe him forth bicause they ment to bring him in daunger He desired silence and woulde haue giuen a reason and an accounte of things attempted touching religion But when they perceyued he was a Iewe and an enimie of heathen superstition they turne to their furious exclamations againe and for two houres long fyll all the Citie with the noyse of their Diana For as the belly lacketh eares so commonly they are deafe and wyll heare no reason which mooue sedition for the bellyes sake And this is the contynuall practise of the wicked to barke against the truth wyth furious clamours which otherwyse they knowe is inuincible In the meane season the faintnesse of a great many is reprooued who knowing the truth are yet altogyther colde in the confessing thereof and regarde not the zeale of the vngodlye whome they see bolde euen in the defence of superstition Let vs learne therefore what state the truth standeth in in this worlde and beyng armed wyth the constancie of fayth let vs stowtely beare out whatsoeuer God sendeth that we maye vanquishe all aduersity through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whom be all praise honour power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxxx. Homely WHEN the towne Clarke had ceased the people he sayde yee men of Ephesus what man is it that knoweth not howe that the Citie of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Goddesse Diana and of the Image that came from heauen Seing then that no manne sayth here against yee ought to be content and to doe nothing rashly for ye haue brought hyther these men which are neyther robbers of Churches nor yet despysers of your Goddesse VVherefore if Demetrius and the craftesmen which are with him haue a matter agaynst any manne the lawe is open and their Rulers let them accuse one another But if you go about any other thing it shall bee determined in a lawfull congregation For we are in ieoperdye to be accused of this dayes vprore forasmuch as there is no cause whereby we maye giue a reckoning of this concourse of people And when he had thus spoken hee let the assembly depart WE haue hearde the sedition that Demetrius raised against Paule described by Luke Where beside the propertie of the furious people we noted diuers pointes wherein Paule was chiefely to be considered First he boldly and constantlye woulde haue ventured to go in among the people mynding to haue giuen an account openly both of his fayth and doctrine But seeing he coulde not be permitted so to doe he keepeth him among his friends committing the whole successe of the matter vnto God yet so as he swarued not a nayle breadth from the truth nor yet dissembled anye thing for cowardlye feare Which example admonisheth vs what we shoulde doe in lyke case or in open persecution Before all things it becommeth vs according to Peter the Apostles precept to be ready to giue an account to euerye manne that demaundeth it 1. Pet. 3. But when the enimies shall so raue that there is no place for truth and the confession therof we must proceede warily and wiselye least we put our selfe in daunger without Gods calling and so tempt him In the meane season let vs be constaunt in acknowledging the truth and wayte the Lordes leysure who neuer forsaketh them that put their trust in him and who by his wisedome and power is able easily to cease and alaye all cruell tempestes This present hystorye sheweth vs an ensample hereof where God appeaseth a very daungerous sedition to all seeming by the help of one Scribe or Towneclarke and such a one as the whole course of his Oration proueth manifestly to haue had no vnderstanding in Christes religion where the power of God appeareth the more seeing he vseth the reprobate and their helpe in the defence of his people Let vs examine the Towneclarkes Oration throughout all the partes thereof the chiefe ende whereof is to represse the seditious tumult of the vnruly people himselfe in the meane season being little carefull for religion He beginneth with that the most vexed these seditious They stoode in great feare of their Diana for hir sake they so cryed out as we haue heard before bicause if the worshipping of hir were layde awaye they sawe their gayne was lyke to be gone But the Towneclarke sayth this was no iust or sufficient cause for them to make such a stirre For what man is there sayeth he but knoweth that the Citie of Ephesus is a worshipper of the great Goddesse Diana and of the Image that came from heauen As who shoulde saye To what purpose repeate you so often with furious clamor the name of Diana Who denyeth you to be hir honourers Who knoweth not that Dianas Image came downe from heauen Or who letteth you
the Churche which we may coniecture by the time For first it is sayde that he prolonged his sermon vntill midnight then when supper was done howe he discoursed till breake of the day of things appertaining to religion Therefore his teaching was not for a fashion sake and as though he cared not whether he did it or not but with great zeale and diligence For where he had a righte iudgement of his ministerie and knewe he was sent of God to be an Embassador for Christ as he testifieth in this later Epistle to the Corinthians the fifthe Chapter he therefore was very feruent in zeale bicause he would not be coumpted an vntrustie Ambassadoure vnto god Also it is euident that the hearers had as good a iudgement of Paules ministerie as of his doctrine bicause they did vouchsafe to beare him so paciently all the night long By this example is the slouth of our age reproued and the great contempt of Goddes woorde For in the Ministers appeare not those tokens of the Apostolike zeale bicause many of them are occupied more in vaine studies than in the meditation of Gods woorde and thinke they haue well discharged their duetie if they make one or two cold collatiōs in a weke Again the people that can not stand long to heare thinke euery minute of an houre that they spend in hearing of Goddes woorde an whole day whereas in trifeling studies yea in filthie and dishonest they thinke no time no cost no laboure too muche Hereof it commeth to passe that the authoritie of the Ministerie is despised and the word of God kept from a great many See what God sayth of both these euils in Malach. 2. cap. and Amos. 7. Now followeth the myracle by the which God thought good both to approue the ministerie of Paule and also to stirre men vp to the diligente consydering of Paules doctrine In the fyrst part whereof Eutychus is to be consydered vpon whome the myracle was shewed As Paule was preaching he sat in a window either bicause the number of hearers were so many that there was no seate for him elswhere or else bicause he wold haue so shaken of slepe which he perceiued came creping on him Howbeit at length being ouercome of sleepe he fel downe and died of the fall But if this thing came vnto him whose sleepinesse might many wayes be excused what thinke we may come to passe and fall on those which heare the worde of God in contemptuous wise and while they seeme to sit to heare either of purpose settle them selues to slepe or else being ouercome with surfe◠and quaffing are enforced to sleepe As these men are negligent of their saluation so they much regard not the maiesty of god Wherfore it can not be but the preaching of the gospel must tend to their destruction which otherwise is the administratrix of saluation vnto the diligent hearers and them that beleeue it Also we are taughte by this place that God permitteth vs sometimes to be tempted with doleful and heauie troubles For what thing I pray you could make Paules doctrine to be suspected seeing his industrie was disturbed with so dolorous a trouble Yea what enuie should the Apostle haue had who should haue bene iudged the cause by reason of his long sermon But the Lord faileth not those that are his but by a notable myracle sheweth by and by that the gospell bringeth saluation so that whatsoeuer seemeth to make most against it serueth to the confirmation therof Let vs learne therefore to iudge rightly of all aduersities that falleth oute God sendeth them to feare vs and to haue occasion to exercise his power Let vs therfore paciently suffer al things and not doubt of the knowne truth For so it shal come to passe that the ende of those things shall be ioyfull whose beginning seemed to vs to be altogither vnprosperous and dolefull as shall be most euidently declared in the second parte of this miracle to omit other examples which might be brought After this Luke describeth the myraculous raising vp of Eutychus againe wherein all thing that Paule did must be considered in order First assone as he knewe of the matter he gate him downe to helpe him and alleageth for his excuse neither the dishnoouring of the Sabothe nor of the supper He is not therfore superstitious but remembring the doctrine of Christe vnderstandeth that the Sabothe was ordained for man and that all externe ceremonies must giue place vnto charitie Therfore they are foolishe superstitious yea wicked which in like necessitie saye it is vnlawfull to breake the traditions of men as they which are so bounde vnto Monkishe rules that they may not helpe their kinsfolke being in daunger or distresse and thinke no cause sufficient to interrupt the sacrifice of the Masse Then falling vpon the yong man he embraceth him not bicause he thought he could bring him to life againe by the touching of his body but for that he knew this must be done by the power of Christ whose ambassadour he was Wherfore this gesture of Paule conteineth the mysterie of our saluation For by the proud fal of Adam sinne death by meane thereof fell on vs all But in Christ life and saluation is offred vs partakers wherof shall all such bee which being drawne by the doctrine of the Apostles as it were by the armes doe come into the fellowship of Christ through fayth Furthermore he friendly comforteth them that are in feare saying Make nothing adoe or be you not troubled For he was not without cause afraide as we saide before least the weake in faith would hereby much haue swarued Wherefore he by and by addeth His life is yet in him By the which wordes he denieth not the myracle but pronounceth modestly of him selfe bicause he would not seeme to attribute any thing to him selfe and for that he would giue occasion to no man to thinke of him aboue that becommed them Then returning forthwith into the chambre againe he maketh an ende of the distributing the Supper and beginneth a newe sermon which he continueth vntill morning and then by sunne vp taketh his iourney Herein is Paules wonderfull diligence to be commended which hauing wrought such a myracle goeth yet on in his vocation and thinketh he hath not yet fulfilled all his duetie as some sluggardes vse but yet great vaunters of their owne labors and trauailes let vs imitate Paules industrie and thinke that we owe God the more seruice the greater tokens we perceiue in oure selues of his power and grace Luke ioyneth vnto this myracle a notable frute of this endeuor and studie For they brought the yong man aliue For the woorkes of God are perfecte and the Apostles beguiled no man with myracles of legierdemaine as Iuglers vse to do Then the beleeuers were not a little comforted not only bicause the yong man was restored to life againe but for that they sawe set before their eyes such an euident testimonie of Gods
and voyde of excuse before God forasmuch as they which before had the charge of them are cleare from the bloud of them This ought to be obserued in the Churches of this age reformed by the word of god The reformatioÌ„ hereof was both laborious very dangerous What excuse then shall the light backsliders haue seeing that the very dust of the Ministers shall suffise to conuince theÌ„ as we haue otherwheres declared The like is nedeful to be obserued in the coÌ„mon weale In Heluetia we enioy a libertie redemed with the bloud of our Auncestrie Good lawes are made out of the doctrine of the Gospell a discipline of maners instituted with much labour paynes Then wo vnto vs wretches worthy of all punishmeÌ„t if either through cowardly fear or light demeanor or wickednesse we suffer these things to be takeÌ„ froÌ„ vs in which our publike weale coÌ„sisteth So the faythful industrie care of the parents maketh the children inexcusable if they bee not aunswerable vnto the same Finally it is all mens duetie well to remember this least whyle they flatter them selues they put the faulte in another whereof they are guyltie It is further worthy to bee obserued that Paule hath shewed them all the councell of God namely touching our redemption and saluation Wee knowe otherwyse that there are many thinges in the prouidence of God which it is not lawefull for vs to searche out neither can they be declared by tong suche as Paule testifieth he heard in the thirde heauen But he omitted none of the things whiche concerne our saluation bycause he hath declared the causes and reason thereof and also moste truely reported the dueties of them which are saued Whervpon agayne wee gather that the Apostles doctrine conteyned in the Scriptures is perfect and absolute in all poyntes Therfore the vanitie of them is very rashe which thruste the traditions of men into the Church whereof the greatest part playnly repugne agaynst the doctrine of the Apostles which teache vs that Chryste alone is our Sauiour For it can not be that the things so playnely repugnaunt amongest them selues can haue one selfe spirite of God to bee the author of them Laste of all thou shalte note that thoughe Paule shewed all the counsell of God vnto the Ephesians yet afterwarde he wrote an Epistle to them wherein he expounded the same vnto them agayne By this example wee are taughte what a care and consideration Ministers of the Churche muste haue of all mens saluation and howe lyttle Apostolyke they are which so easily neglecte the Churches In the meane season let vs learne to embrace with true fayth and obedience the councell of God reuealed to vs by the Apostles in Iesus Chryste that wee followyng the same may attayne vnto true saluation throughe Iesus Chryste our onely Lorde and Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxv. Homelie TAke hede therfore vnto yourselues and to all the flocke among whom the holy ghost hath made you ouerseers to rule the congregation of God which he hath purchased with his bloud For I am sure of this that after my departure shall greeuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your owne selues shal men arise speaking peruerse things to draw Disciples after them Therfore awake and remember that by the space of three yeres I ceased not to warne euery one of you night and day with teares And now brethren I coÌ„mend you to God and to the worde of his grace which is able to builde further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified SEing nothing is more deare and precious to God than the church which he hath purchased with the bloud of Christ it becommeth all men that will be compted for Gods seruauntes and frendes to studie for the preseâ—uation therof but cheefely this care belongeth to the Ministers of the woorde bicause God hath made them peculiar ouerseers of his Churche and will heereafter require an accompt of their stewardship For the which cause Paule the Apostle being ready to forsake Asia called to the Ministers of the Church and in open assembly before them discoursed diligently of al things which appertained to the administration of the charge committed vnto them And first he setteth before them his owne example and speaketh of his going away from them with a moste graue protestation that they might know how al the charge of the church hereafter lay on them only and therfore that they ought the more earnestly and zelously to laboure therein Moreouer after these premisses he commeth nearer admonishing them more plainely of their duetie alleaging moste pithie reasons the rather to prouoke them First propounding the summe of the matter in fewe wordes he saythe Take hede vnto your selues and to all the flocke By this worde attending or taking hede he commeÌ„deth to them an earnest studie that they should not think they had then done their duetie when they had but superficially seene vnto it but that they should know there was great neede of care and circumspection And he propoundeth two things wherein they had neede to be circumspect First he saith Take hede to your selues This he commaundeth them bicause they should not think their selues excepted or excused but that their health and wel doing was in hazard as well as other mennes And as it is scarce credible that they shall haue any earnest care of others saluation which neglect their owne so they which beeing set in high degree ought to view the life manners and conuersation of others can not be out of daunger For either they shal swarue at one side and runne into ruine being puffed vp with vaine glory or else they shal be drawne from doing their duetie by being offended with mennes vniuste iudgements of them Therfore it is not without a cause that he admonisheth them to take heede of them selues And heere it behoueth pastoures to haue a special care of two things The one is doctrine wherein they can not erre without manifest detriment That their doctrine therefore may be true let it be taken from the mouthe of God which speaketh vnto vs in the scriptures and distributing the same in prudeÌ„t maner let them vse it duely in time and place that al things may serue to edification Bicause this is a matter of no small importance the continuall studie and reading of holy scripture is needeful as the same Paule teacheth vs in an other place The other is conuersation of life which in Ministers behooueth to be well ordered and blamelesse least they destroy with their euill example that they builde vp by their doctrine and that by their meanes bothe doctrine and religion growe not in contempt as we read it came to passe sometimes vnder the children of Hely and the wicked Priests that returned from Babylon 1. Sam. 2. Malach. 1. and .2 And for the auoyding of these and such like things it is
necessary that they haue a good regard not onely to their owne persons but also to their whole familie For how shall he be able to rule the Churche of God which is not able to rule hys owne house 1. Timoth. 3. Titus 1. Then secondly he commendeth to them the charge of the whole flocke wherein he is somewhat long as wee shall heare Under this worde flocke he comprehendeth the Church therin folowing both the Prophets and Chryst which many times vsed the like Allegorie or translation And the vse of this word is very commodious bicause it containeth in it very expressely all states and degrees of men as doe these woordes house and familie whereby otherwhiles the Church vseth to be termed For these woordes admonishe both the Ministers and the people of their duetie The Ministers learne that the care of al men appertaineth vnto them and that it is not lawfull for them to neglecte any man be hee learned or vnlearned noble or base rich or poore maister or seruaunt but must rather thinke that in a great house are many and diuers instruments which the good man of the house will haue all the seruauntes to haue a diligent and conuenient care off Againe the hearers learne that all men vniuersally of what estate or degree so euer they bee ought to bee subiect to the Ministerie and Discipline of the woorde and that no man is free therefrom which will bee accoumpted one of Goddes flocke or familie For that that God saide vnto Hieremie is well knowne to euery bodie Beholde this day doe I make thee a strong fensed Towne an yron â–ª Piller and a Brasen wall againste the whole lande againste the Kings and mightie men of Iuda against the Preestes and people of the lande Therefore it was not without a cause that the Prophetes in times past tooke vppon them to reprehende and admonishe all states of men as their Sermones testifie whome Iohn the Baptist did immitate and reprehended not only the common people but also the Publicanes Souldioures Scribes and Priestes moste earnestly yea hee was so bolde to tell Herode the King that it was not lawful for him to kepe his brothers wife The like did Christe beeing otherwise the miledest man that euer was which would not deuide the inheritaunce betweene the brethren bicause hee would doe nothing not belonging to his office The same did the Apostles and their successoures whose laboures and trauailes the church dothe reuerence yet to this day Therefore their blockishnesse is very grosse and their rebellion very obstinate which challenge to them selfe a certaine immunitie and freedome saying the Ministers haue nothing to doe with their matters But bicause it is needefull with reasons to vrge and sette forward our dull fleshe in difficulte and daungerous functions Paule therefore vseth reasons and in the beginning hee comprehendeth diuers in very fewe woordes For he saythe Looke vnto the flocke among whome the holy Ghoste hathe made you ouerseers to feede the congregation of GOD which he hath purchased with his bloude First hee alleageth God to be the aucthor of his Ministerie to declare that they are not free and at their owne libertie but ought to be occupied in the vocation of God vnto whome they shall once giue an accompte as Christe teacheth in the Parables of the Talentes and Stewarde Hee maketh mention of the holy Ghoste by name bicause Christe by him doth cheefely rule and gouerne his Churche as in the first and seconde Chapiters of this Booke we might perceiue And this is a waightie reason if we consider howe we shall giue an accoumpt vnto him from whome nothing is hidden and which beholdeth with what minde and beleefe wee doe all things and which is not onely a iudge but also a swifte witnesse against all those which cast from them the feare of him and neglect their duetie as he threatneth them in the Prophet And this reason ought to awake and stirre vp not onely the Ministers of the woorde but also all other personnes which take God for the aucthoure of their vocation and estate Let Magistrates remember that they are aduaunced to honoure and dignitie by God and that he sitteth in the middle of them and that they shall not escape if they neglect their Office. Let Lordes and Maisters remember that they also haue a Maister in Heauen vnto whome they shall geue an accoumpte Let married folke remember that God is the aucthor of their estate who as he hathe appoynted the marriage Chamber to bee honourable so will hee greeuously punishe Adoulterers and Whoremongers Hebrues 13. Also let Parentes consider that God hathe giuen them a charge ouer their Children and therefore that they canne not neglecte their Children wythoute the manifest faulte of vntrustinesse Likewyse lette Seruauntes and Subiectes learne to obey their Maisters and Princes not onely for feare of punishment but also for conscience sake bicause GOD hath made them subiecte vnto them whose sight they shall neuer beguile â–ª though they can beguile men Thys doone hee setteth before them the ende of theyr duetie saying they are made ouerseers by the holy Ghoste to feede the Church of god Hee alludeth vnto Ezechiel in the thirde and thirtie three Chapters where the Prophetes are called ouerseers or watchmen And to the ende they shoulde not thinke that their duetie consisted in a bare and vaine speculation hee vseth this woorde to feede to the intente they shoulde remember they were feeders and therefore oughte to fulfill the duetie of feeders These poynts are partly expressed by Christ in the 10. of Iohn partly by Ezechiel in the foure and thirtie Chapiter For a good Shepeheard bringeth his flocke into well grown pastures he goth before them like a Faithfull guide hee seeketh for them that are strayed and lost hee bringeth them home againe he bindeth vp his woundes that is contrite in heart and conscience he strengtheneth the weake he keepeth them vnder that growe to fatte hee stoutely resisteth the Wolues and all these things he doth circumspectly and with iudgement Paule admonisheth the Ephesians and Ministers of Asia of all these things where he saythe they are appoynted to feede Woulde God the Bishoppes of our dayes would remember these things who where they doe none of these things but all things quite contrary yet after an impudent sorte they challenge to them selues not onely the titles of Bishops but also exercise a manifest tyrannie ouer the Churche and like Princes of this world obtaine a kingdome vpon earth contrary to the commaundement of Christe But what they shall haue for their laboure see Ezechiel 34. and Zacharie the .11 Chapiters The third reason is deduced of the dignitie of the Churche which appeareth in this for that God purchased it with hys bloude Hee attributeth bloud vnto God by a figure called communione or propretie of tongues bicause Iesus Christ which is God from euerlasting at a time long beefore appointed became
Magistrate or officer is necessarie to brydle and keepe vnder suche vnruly fellowes Let vs therefore lyue within the feare of God and directe al our dooings after his holy will who is able not onely to delyuer vs out of the hands of the wicked but also from the iawes of Hell and death through hys sonne Iesus Chryst our Lorde to whom be blessings honour power and glory nowe and euer Amen The Cxlj. Homelie THen the Captayne came neere and tooke him and commaunded him to be bounde with two chaynes and demaunded what he was and what he had doone And some cryed one thing some another among the people And when he coulde not knowe the certayntie for the rage he commaunded him to be carried into the Castle And when he came vnto a Stayre it fortuned that he was borne of the Souldiours for the violence of the people For the multitude of the people followed after â–ª crying away with him And when Paule beganne to be carryed into the Castle he sayde vnto the high Captayne May I speake vnto thee Which sayde Canst thou speake Greeke Arte not thou that Aegyptian which before these dayes madest an vproare and leddest out into the wildernesse foure thousande men that were murtherers But Paule sayde I am a man which am a Iewe of Tharsus a Citie in Cicill a Citizen of no vile Citie I beseeche thee suffer mee to speake vnto the people And when he had giuen him lycence Paule stoode on the steppes and beckened with his hande vnto the people and when there was made a great sylence he spake vnto them in the Hebrue tongue saying WHere Dauid a man after Gods owne mynde sayth Many are the tribulations of the iuste and the Lorde deliuereth them out of all The same appeareth in this Hystorie to be moste truely sayde For we haue here howe Paule was taken by the furious multitude of the Iewes howe he was buffeted and beaten howe he was lyke to be killed among them which burning in cankred hatred agaynst him thyrsted for nothing so muche as his bloud But lo on the sodayne God rayseth vp for hym a defender and deliuereth his Apostle by those which were strangers from the fayth and religion of god But where we haue in the laste Sermon entreated of the vse and ende heereof wee will nowe examine the hystorie of hys delyuerie which Luke moste exactly describeth with all the circumstances thereof First he declareth what the Captaine of the souldiers did He first of all taketh Paule out of their raging hands and commaundeth to bynde hym with two chaynes this doth he not of any head or ouercome with hastinesse of anger bicause al his dooing declareth manyfest tokens of a moderate meaning But he doth it partely for that he thought he was some euill man seeing euery body so earnestly set agaynst him and partly for that he perceiued he could pacify the furious people no way more commodiously than by making them beleeue that he should shortly be punished according to his deserts In the meane season beeing mindfull of his duetie he diligently enquireth what he is and what he had done For this is the duetie of a Magistrate to do nothing rashly or vpon heade For if he haue once iniuried him whom he ought to haue defended then is there no excuse lefte for him Therfore Moyses commaundeth the Iudges to heare both the small and the great yea and to searche out the circumstances of all matters that they offende not either through ignoraunce or blinde affection of the fleshe In the meane whyle we haue heere diligently to consider the maner of this deliuerie Paule is deliuered out of the present perill of his lyfe which the Iewes put him in yet is he bounde with two chayns as though he were some greeuous malefactor Howbeit God had ben able at once to haue set him cleane at libertie which thing bycause he doth not it is certayne that these chaynes were for Paules commoditie and that his captiuitie serued the more to set oute Chrystes kingdome And this is alwayes Gods continuall custome vsing in this sorte to moderate his benefites specially when he perceiueth wee haue neede to bee kepte vnder and brydeled This we finde true many times in sicknesse and in other tribulations wherein it becommeth vs paciently to suffer whatsoeuer God sendeth forasmuche as bothe his will is good and wee can not be exempte or secluded from the care and protection of his diuine prouidence by any aduersitie But what do the people in the meane season First they fill the eares of all men with vncertayne and confused noyse so that nothing coulde bee certaynely knowen or perceyued which is a thing commonly vsed in seditions as hath bene sayde in the .xix. Chapter Next when the Captayne had commaunded him to be bounde and to bee brought into the Castle meaning there to heare the matter they all follow most impudently after and preace vpon him with suche violence that the souldiours are fayne to carry him on their armes and neckes for feare the Rebels might doo him some harme At length they agree all in this that they woulde haue him put to death and made out of the way In which things as Luke setteth out to vs a liuely image of sedition so he teacheth vs that none are more greeuous enimies of the truthe and of the godly than suche as colour their enterprises with a zeale of godlynesse For here a man may see both more equitie humanitie in the barbarous souldiers than in the Iewes which would seme to fight for the Temple and for their religion For they would haue killed him without hearing his cause whome the Captayne made diligent inquirie of They trouble disturbe all thing with shouting and crying where the Captayne dothe all thing peaceably and in quiet These men impudently treade on him whom the souldiours vouchsafe to carry on their shoulders What needeth many words they would neither haue the truth enquired nor the cause tryed but would haue him foorthwith made out of the way to feede their wicked eyes with the sight of an Innocentes bloud We reade how the lyke fell out in Chrystes passion For there was more equitie in Pylate and Herode than in the Priestes and Scribes And the Priestes scorned him hanging on the crosse whom the barbarous Souldiours testified to bee an Innocent bycause of the wonders that they sawe There wante not examples in these dayes considering it appeareth that many bycause of their confession of the truthe are more iustly and gently entreated of Turkes than of the Byshoppes and Monkes which will seeme to bee enflamed with the zeale of godlynesse But this is the liuely portraiture of the diuell cruelly raging vnder the cloke of godlynesse Wee are taught by these examples that they are not to bee excused which wrong the faythfull of Chryst vnder a pretence of suche a zeale For this Chryste prophesied long agoe should come to passe And it is euident
Concerning their calling no man can doubte seeing there are so many testimonies thereof extant in the Scriptures Therfore they are not to be accused of vanitie that haue beleeued them Let vs rather constantly stande by the fayth which they haue taughte vs as the which onely is sufficient to saue vs. Furthermore when Paule had described the person of Ananias he reherseth also by word what he said bicause euery thing therin made very much for the matter he had in hande For bothe he teacheth that God was the onely author of all this busynesse and declareth the ende wherfore he was called and last of al exhorteth him to be baptised Touching the first poynt he sayth The God of our fathers hath ordeyned thee before Hereby verily was Paule so certaine of his vocation that afterwarde he was bolde to say that he was ordeyned euen from hys mothers wombe to preache the Gospell He calleth him expressely the God of the fathers to declare that he swarued not from the righte worshipping of god Howebeit as these things excuse Paules turning from the Iewes religion and proue his doctrine to be true so they shewe that he was called through no deserte of his but onely of the meere grace of god For what was there in Paule beeing a cruell enimie of Chryst and imbrued with the bloud of Steuen the first Martyr wherefore he should be called He him selfe truely sayth he is the greatest sinner of all others and confesseth it was the benefite of Gods meere bountie and goodnesse that he was made the Minister and Apostle of Chryste And that wee speake of Paule is to bee verified of all Ministers For wee are all of lyke sorte so that if God preuented vs not with hys goodnesse we were not able to thinke one good thought Hereof we haue elsewhere entreated more at large Nowe let vs heare to what ende God prepared Paule Firste to know his wyll Hee beginneth with thys for bycause Ministers muste heerewith beginne who if they vnderstande not the will of God them selues can neuer be able to teache it to others For although Paule was brought vp of a childe in the lawe of God yet was he hitherto ignoraunt of the will of God which was wrapped and folded vp in the Lawe For hee thoughte that men were iustified and saued by the Lawe beeing vtterly ignoraunte of Gods will which is that euery one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him that sente him shoulde not perishe in his sinnes but beeing iustified by the merite of the sonne should haue lyfe euerlasting Therefore it was necessarie that this wyll should bee reuealed vnto him â–ª to the intent that he should not wander vp and downe in the shadowes of the lawe beeing vncertayne of his saluation Furthermore where the wholsome will of God is onely contayned and learned in Chryste Ananias by and by addeth howe he shoulde knowe hym saying that Paule was ordeyned to the ende to see that iuste So he calleth Chryste both for that he is him selfe iuste and faultlesse and also for that he maketh all those iust that beleeue in him In so muche that the Prophete sayde long agone that shoulde be his name The Lord our righteousnesse But where it was the worke of God that Paule knew Chryst it is euident that none commeth to the knowledge of him except God vouchsafe to reueale him vnto him For euen by Chrystes testimonie None seeth the sonne but the father and he to whom the father doth vouâ—hsafe to reueale him Wherby agayne it appeareth that our saluation proceedeth of Gods free mercy Thirdly he sayth he was ordeined to heare the voyce of his mouth and so should be taught of God otherwise than by his ordinary meanes which things otherwheres Paule cheefly vrgeth agaynst them which went about to eleuate and diminishe the authoritie of his Ministerie This is verily a maruellous benefite of God and so shall it appeare in deede to be if wee consider that Paule was the enimie of God and yet God doth voutsafe friendly and familiarly to talk with him Let vs also acknowledge the goodnesse of God which doth voutsafe euery day to speake vnto those whom he mighte of right repute as his enimies and iustly persecute them In the meane season heere are all Ministers admonished of their duetie namely to fetche their doctrine from the mouth of God that is to say from the scriptures and not to thinke it is lawefull for them at their pleasure to charge the Churche with newe decrees and ordinaunces See what we haue sayd elsewhere touching this poynte Last of all he declareth the office whervnto he was called of God saying that the will of God the knowledge of Chryst and hys worde was therefore declared vnto him bycause he should be a witnesse of Chryst whom he had both heard and seene vnto all men Thus it appeareth he was matched with the other Apostles bicause they had none other thing inioyned them but to beare witnesse of Chrystes lyfe and death of his doctrine and miracles and laste of all of his resurrection and ascention This name witnesse comprehendeth in it the whole duetie of an Apostle and Minister as we declared in the first Chapter where you may looke for those obseruations which here for breuities sake are omitted He maketh mention expresly of al men to answere them which thought it an vnmeete thing for him to preach the Gospel of Christ to vncircumcised people Also here may be taken out a generall doctrine which admonisheth al such of their duties as God hath illuminated with the knowledge of his sonne and of his will. That is to spreade the same knowledge abroade euery where and to beare witnesse in all places of Gods mercy and grace This thing partely the rule of thankfulnesse requireth that they should set foorth the glory of God who haue felte of hys healthfull hande and mercy and partely brotherly charitie whereby wee shoulde be as carefull of others saluation as of our owne With the which reasons as also with the expresse commaundement of God it appeareth Paule was moued in suche wise that he could not intermitte hys duetie though the Iewes disdayned him neuer so muche Now remayneth the laste parte of Ananias oration where he exhorteth him to be baptised that he should openly professe the name of Christ and be grafted into his Church according to Christes coÌ„mandement And this he vrgeth with great grauitie weight Why lingerest thou saith he not for that Paule ment to defer or shift off the matter but to pricke hym forwarde the more earnestly being dismayed with feare and trembling in conscience Wherfore he addeth this saying Arise and bee baptised and washe away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lorde Here we haue to obserue his maner of speaking of the Sacrament which declareth the reason and dignitie of baptisme For Ananias meaning was not that he thought sinnes were washed away by water
danger of the Iewes therfore he first sheweth the reason therof which was that he was deliuered through the help of God and therfore ought not to be slacke in his office Thus he ascribeth vnto God the benifite of his deliuery whereof it seemed the captaine was the aucthor bicause he knewe the captaine was led by the hand and spirite of god In the meane season Paules example teacheth vs that those which haue once or twice proued felt the helpe of God ought to be inflamed with greater diligence and not as some vse to waxe the more remisse and negligent as though they had fulfilled all their duetie at once For beside that we owe vnto God all kinde of duetie the lawe of thankfulnesse requireth the more faithe and industrie of vs least we might seeme vnkiâ—de to God our benefactoure Againe bicause he would not seeme importune in preaching vnto them he declareth that he is bounde in duetie so to doe For hee was detter vnto all men both smal and great Thus he stirreth vp their mindes to thinke that the gospell appertained vnto them also This is very diligently to be considered that we heare the gospell is preached by the commaundement of God to men of all states degrees For hereby we learne that there is no respect of persons with God yea that he would haue all sortes of men to be saued Therefore he hathe appoynted the ministers of the word to be the disposers and stewardes of all his houshold Lette this comfort them that are coÌ„passed about with troubles also teach both ministers and hearers their duetie that neither the one at their pleasure get and procure them disciples after their owne calling nor those other thinke they be at libertie and not bounde to the rule of the gospell At lengthe he repeateth what he taught verely none other thing but that that Moses and the Prophetes had foreshewed in times past He comprehendeth all his doctrine in three Articles which it is euident were then moste in controuersie The first was that Christ was that sauioure that was promised should suffer death for vs For this of all other things was coumpted moste absurde as the wordes read in the twelfth of Iohn abundantly declare The seconde was that the same Christe should rise againe from the dead and that the first but not in order For we reade that diuers other before Christ were raised againe but in worthinesse and in power as the aucthor of the resurrection and life of all men The thirde was that hee should illuminate with his worde and spirite not only the Iewes but also the Gentiles And that Paule declared these things with many places and testimonies of scripture the onely exclamation of Festus shall afterwarde proue And surely there are euery where extant many testimonies bothe of Moses and the Prophets wherby to proue all these things Wherupon we gather againe that the doctrine of the gospell is no newe thing resting or consisting in a few of persons but of most antiquitie and allowed with the consent of all ages Furthermore howe in the scriptures are contained whatsoeuer things are needeful to be beleeued seeing that Paul was able to proue all the mysteries of Christian faith by them Lette vs therfore be contented with them only and constantly holde faâ—â— the faithe contained in them that by theÌ„ we may attaine to life euerlasting through Iesus Christ our Lord to whome be blessing honoure power and glory for euer Amen The Clxv. Homelie AS he thus spake for him selfe Festus said with a loud voice Paule thou art beside thy selfe Much learning doth make thee madde And Paule saide I am not madde moste deare Festus but speake forthe the wordes of truthe and sobernesse For the King knoweth of these things before whom also I spake freely Neither thinke I that any of these things are hidden froÌ„ him for this thing was not done in a corner King Agrippa â–ª beleeuest thou the Prophetes I wotte well that thou beleeuest Agrippa saide vnto Paule Somwhat thou bringest me in minde for to become a christian And Paule saide I would to God that not only thou but also all that heare me to day were not somewhat only but altogither suche as I am except these bands And when he had thus spoken the king rose vp and the deputie and Bernice and they that sate with them And when they were gone aparte they talked betweene them selues saying This man dothe nothing worthy of death or of bonds Then saide Agrippa vnto Festus this man mighte haue bene let lose if he had not appealed vnto Caesar. AFter Luke hathe declared Paules oration he sheweth what effect it toke with the hearers And this is a very worthy place to be considered For in two examples he describeth two kindes of men which heare the word of God in vaine The end and vse of all these things is that both ministers may learne how to deale with such fortes of men and also all others vnderstand what to beware of if they will heare the worde of God to their profite and commoditie The first kinde is set out in the example of Festus the Deputie who is a president of vngodly persones and of those which haue no knowledge nor taste at all of any godlinesse Where we haue first to consider Festus and then Paule He gaue eare vnto Paule declaring his visions and prouing al the mysteries of the christian faith and mans saluation by the testimonies of the scriptures whereof he had neuer heard any thing at all as being a Gentile which had more vnderstanding by all likelihode in warres than in religion Wherfore he supposeth that Paule in reasoning of such profouÌ„d and difficulte matters was madde and like vnto those that in their frantike fittes vse to imagine with themselues monstrous and wonderfull things and so vtter them without all reason and very importunately hee interrupteth Paule in his speaking Yet in this one thing he is not altogither vnreasonable that he imputeth the wante of wit which he supposed to be in Paule to ouermuche studie of learning vpbraiding him with none other thing as many vse to do in these dayes This example teacheth vs how litle the word of god preuaileth with theÌ„ which are led only with mans reason For this is their coÌ„mon property to couÌ„t that a mockery that passeth the reach of their capacitie reason Wheras in the mean season they vnderstand nothing lesse than the things belonging to the spirite of god Therfore it caÌ„not be choseÌ„ but they must thinke the gospel of Iesus Christ crucified to be the greatest foolishnesse in the worlde bicause there is nothing so absurde and voide of reason as to aske and hope for saluation in him which was hanged and died on the Crosse among theeues and murtherers Therefore that that happened vnto Paule preaching before Festus the same we read happened before vnto the Prophets and afterward vnto the successoures of the Apostles also namely
in the snares of sinne and bee authours of our owne greatest myschiefes Thys chaunced vnto these Souldioures and Maryners who despisyng the Hauen that God had appoynted them at length by Shipwracke loste all that they hadde and were also in hazarde of their lyues Wee haue examples heereof euery where in Hystories among whiche thys one that wee reade of the Israelites is very singular whiche beeyng weery of their present state and condition desired to haue a king and could be induced by no reasons broughte by Samuell to keepe styll that kinde of pollicie or gouernement that God had giuen them Iulius Caesar wryteth the lyke thing of our Auncestours the Heluetians who beeing weerie of their natiue soyle and Countrey went about to plant them selues in Fraunce to their great losse and hinderaunce The vse of all these thinges is to make vs contented with the present state that God giueth vs and to seeke no further For by so doing we shall brydle the affections of the fleshe and kepe our selues in doing our duetie See what Paule hath written hereof 1. Tim. 6. But to returne agayne vnto our men there is a third thing that maketh them stiffe in their purpose bicause they thought the south winde was very good to go away withall And there is no doubt but a great many of them mocked Paule as one that woulde haue hindered the towardnesse of such successe by his couÌ„sel if they would haue giuen eare vnto him But not long after they are greuously punished for their disobedieÌ„ce This is a very notable policy of the diuel who commonly vseth to make the beginnings of sinne to seme easie and prosperous therby to entise vs the rather with the hope of good successe For as sinne flattereth and fawneth vpon our corrupt nature so in the beginning the successe thereof seemeth very fortunate whereby it commeth to passe that wee beeing drâ—nken with fortune doo wickedly despise all wholesome admonitions and many tymes with laughing clappe our handes and hysse at them Weâ— haue examples heereof euery where therefore wee neede not stande long heerein Thus the things that put adulterers dronkardes souldiours and all kinde of mischeeuous doers in good hope of maruellous successe are not long after the causes of gret calamities which thing the contemners of Paules counsel founde true as now shall be declared For not long after arose a Northeast winde notable euen by the prouerbe which turneth their whole shippe hyther and thither round about like as it had ben a wheele So they proue to their great hinderaunce and losse that suche can not long well prosper or go forward as go about any thing agaynst Gods forbode For most times it coÌ„meth to passe that when they thinke they are in most prosperitie some sodayne and vnloked for calamitie quite ouerwhelmeth them Whereof wee haue examples euery day in adulterers theeues couetous persons hired souldiers and to conclude in al the vngodly which the Prophet sayth liue not out halfe their days And this may be seene not onely in priuate men but also in kingdomes and common weales which are enlâ—â—ged by violence and vnrighteousnesse agaynst the lawes of god For commonly some vnhappie ruine throweth them also downe euen when all men thinke they are in moste safetie and that their power is inuincible This thing the fall of the Assirians and Babilonians teacheth vs the ouerthrowes of the Persians the destruction of the Greekes and that ruine of the Romane Empire which happened beyonde the expectation of all the worlde Therefore there is no cause that eyther wee shoulde waxe insolent 〈◊〉 proude of our prosperitie or bee greeued and offended at others But rather let the worde of God be the squire and rule of all our doings whose guâ—â—ing â–ª if wee follow wee shall neither erre from the truthe nor prouoke the 〈◊〉 of God agayâ—â—â— vs. Nowe followeth a more diligent description of that daunger that they procured vnto themselues For a flawe or tempest of winde caught their shippe with suche violence that they were not able to withstande it and therefore they let hir driue whither she woulde with winde and wether And although they were carried vnto the Ilande of Clauda and seemed then to bee in good câ—mforte yet by and by after they were disappoyâ—â—â—â— of thaâ— hope and beganne to bee in daunger bothe of losing their â—oteâ— and wholeshâ—ppe also By which example wee are taughte â–ª that their force is altogither in vayne whome God by hys Iustice persecuteth â–ª For wâ—ereâ—s God is the Lorde of Hostes he is able to arme eueâ— the smallest â–ª or least thinges that are agaynst his enimies so that they shall be able to vanquishe and subdue them Thus the wâ—nde which is the vaynest and vncertaynest thing that is when God so pleaseth is able to subuerte and turne all thinges vpside downe And wee reade howe the soote of the Furnace Frogges Lyce â—imicies Flies and moste small Wormes were the conquerours of Pharao Let no man therefore truste eyther in his owne strength or stryue agaynst God going aboute to â—â—nishe his sinne For although sometyme the stubborne and disobedient seeme to haue some hope of helpe yet whatsoeuer helpes they seeke for in the fleshe they are vnperfecte deceitefull and vayne The onely and certayne way of helpe and saluation is to turne vnto God and to be reconciled vnto him Beside all these euils or distresses they are compelled to caste out their goodes with their owne handes And nowe their mindes are so muche altered that where before they thought they dyd not ryde commodiously inough by Lasea they are nowe fayne of their owne accorde to throw out euen their necessaries and are carefull howe to escape wyth their lyfe where before their onely rare was for commoditie and delightes This is commonly the state of all suche which to obey God wyll suffer no losse of any of the thinges which serue to mayntayne their ryot and pleasure For at lengthe they are compelled to spende and to throwe away all and lose those thinges without the which lyfe can not bee mayntayned For thys is a common and true saying That that Chryste wyll not take the Chequer wyll rake And moste tymes suche as wyll not hazarde their goodes in the quarell of fayth and religion are morselles for tyrants to tyre vpon Likewise they that will not bridle their gluttonous luste and desire of fraunching and feeding as God commaundeth them are deliuereâ— to the Phisitians and Chirurgians to be vexed and tormented Beside that for the moste parte suche men are so troubled in their consciences that they woulde be glad to redeeme the rest and quiet thereof with all their goodes and riches if it were possible Let vs therefore dedicate our selues and all that is ours vnto Chryst which promiseth a lyberall and bountifull rewarde to all them which for his names sake suffer losse of lyfe or worldely goodes Matthew 19. Mark. 10. Let vs also caste away all those thynges that
togither And his humanitie is the more notable for that being a ruler a rich man he yet disdained not strangers in such manyfold afflictiōs as rich men for the most part vse to do which think other mens mishaps appertayne nothing vnto them Then next for that he receiueth them al togither which could not be without some trouble very great cost For we heard how there were in that ship two hundred three score sixtene persons and al escaped safe vnto lande Let riche men they that be in authoritie lerne here their duetie not to thinke that God hath giuen to the◠alone so great gifts but let them remēber that they are appoynted but stewards Wherfore let them be liberal vnto those that haue neede so that their plenty may releue the others scarcity And doubtlesse this is a great offence of them which forgetting their dutie haue cōpassion on no body but passe ouer the cry of the poore with deaf eares who at lēgth according to the saying of Salomon shal find the eares of god shut to their praiers yea at the latter day they shal haue Christ to accuse them Furthermore the people of Malta receiue a notable recōpense amends for their hospitalitie and that by the ministery of Paule So that we may learne there is no man so vyle but may procure vnto vs great vtilitie so that we shew our selues curteous liberal vnto him For God can requite vs by any man their reward vseth not to be lost that for gods sake or for Chrystes vse to benefite any body In this present place are declared two rewardes which these men receyued of Paule him selfe Fyrste the father of Publius receyued who beeing sicke of a Feuer and of a bloudy Fluxe a disease vtterly vncurable was restored to healthe by Paules meane That this was a great benefite and pleasure if wee consyder but the body onely no man can denie althoughe wee say nothing howe by this occasion he was broughte vnto the fayth Where we muste marke howe in thys cure Paule obserued the manner and order prescribed of Chryste For bothe he vseth prayer and layde hys handes vppon the sicke body Wherby we are taught that this miracle was not wrought ▪ through the power of Paule but of God which after this sort woulde set forth his sonne Iesus Chryst as Peter and Iohn haue before declared For the Apostles wrought their miracles farre otherwise than Chryst which vsing his absolute power by hys worde onely pronounced draue away deuils and diseases But the Apostles and other holy seruauntes of Chryste did the same by calling on the name of Chryste Here is the errour of those men confuted which bycause of the Miracles that holy men wrought thinke they ought to be inuocated and do not regarde how God is the author of them whose honour and glory the Sainctes chiefly sought See more concerning this matter in the thirde and fourtenth Chapters The seconde rewarde extended vnto more men For the same of Publius father beeing healed stirred vp other men also so that they lykewise were deliuered from diuers diseases The ende and vse of all these things was that they shoulde vnderstande Paule was the Minister of Chryst which deliuereth vs from infirmitie both of body and soule and that we should therefore seeke all saluation in his merite But bycause we haue intreated hereof oftentimes in other places let it nowe suffise briefly to haue touched these things But let vs see the people of Malta who Luke sayth requited with great thankfulnesse suche great benefites For they also both greatly honoured them and when they should departe gaue them whatsoeuer things were needefull vnto their voyage These are manyfest fruites of fayth by the which we are also taughte what we owe vnto them by whose meane Chryst and the light of the Gospell shineth vnto vs For where we ought to esteeme them as our parents bicause we are regenerated through their ministerie they deserue to be honoured yet not with godly honour but with such as we owe to our parents and with such as it is mete for man to receyue of man And surely Paule writeth that the Elders which gouerne well are worthy of double honour 1. Timoth. 5. Marke then I pray you and God will what ieoly gospellers they be that thinke them selues trim men when they can steyne the good name of Ministers with scoffes and quippes And as children owe vnto their parentes not onely honour but also necessaries whereby to liue so is it necessarie that the hearers prouide the ministers of the same This God commaunded in tymes paste in the olde Testamente as may be seene in the eightenth Chapter of the booke of Numbers and in the fiue twentith chapter of Deut. And Chryst forbiddeth his Apostles to cary money or any other prouision with them bicause they should liue of the ministery of the gospel like other laborers And if it had not bene right and lawfull so to haue done then shoulde the Apostles haue offended which receiued these things But see more touching this matter in the first to the Corinth the ninth Chapter Therfore great is the vnthankfulnesse of those men in these dayes to say no worse who giuing nothing them selues vnto the ministers enuie and craftily beguyle them of the things that other in times past haue giuen vnto them But after the ende of three Monethes they returne to their voyage agayne by sea the course wherof let them seeke in the Geographers Tables that desire to haue further instruction in euery suche poynt We haue herein two things to obserue The one is that Paule and his company go on bord into a shippe of Alexandria which after the errour of the Gentiles was thought to be vnder the patronage and defence of Castor and Pollux Through which example many men counte imagerie and superstition among indifferent things as thoughe a Christian man touching the outward conuersation mighte vse them without offending of god But wee must likewise consider that Paule did not this of his owne accorde but of constraint neither also consented vnto wicked superstition either winked at any thing for fauoure of men Therefore the example of Paule maketh not for the defence of those dastardes that vse to dissemble in matters of religion to serue the time The other is howe after they had fette a long compasse about by the sea they arriued at length from Syracusa a Citie of Cicile in Italie And at Putesti they finde brethren or christians with whom at their entreatie they taried seuen dayes Where also may be seene the charitie of those brethren which did vouchsafe at their great charges to chearishe and make much of straungers so long a while and also the curtesie of the captaine and souldioures which for a prisonners sake would stay so many dayes Heere appeareth also the might and power of God which maketh his seruauntes to be accepted and fauoured and the