farre his desertes shall passe all praise that I am able to giue him and considering that the reuerende Father in God the Bishop of Norwich nowe liuing hath made certaine learned Verses in Latine which are printed in the forefront of his booke in commendation of the same Why your Lordship should accept it bicause it is by me translated there is no cause For I am inutilis seruus and haue done but my duetie if happily I haue done so much in respect eyther of the seruice I owe vnto our Englishe Church in generall or to your Honor in perticular And therfore being so many wayes bounde vnto your Honor as I am I finde no remedie but to desire I may yet further be bounde vnto the same And this is as Tullie interpreteth the matter I will speake it in his woordes animi ingenui cui multum debeas eidem velle plurimum debere Hereby therefore shall your honor binde mee the more vnto you if you accept and thinke well not of the worke for my sake but contrary wise of me for the workes sake and for my poore good willes sake which finde my selfe so estreighted with the consideration of your merites towardes mee and with the slender amends that I am able to make againe for the same that I am driuen to Aeschines shift sometyme Scholler vnto Socrates He being of himselfe but a pore yong man not able worthily to recompence Socrates for the learning that he had gotten by him and perceyuing diuers other of Socrates Schollers did gratifie him wyth sundrie riche and sumptuous presentes Sir sayth he I haue no meete or worthie thing to present your worship with and hereby most of all perceiue I how poore I am therfore I giue vnto you that onely thing that I haue which is my selfe This I beseech you sayth he take in good part Nowe surelye quoth he what else can this be but a verie great present and gift vnlesse perhaps thou make little or no account of thy selfe Thus trusting my poore present shall be none otherwise receyued at your honors hande than was Aeschines at Socrates I most humbly commende mee vnto the same beseeching almightie God for Christ his sake to giue you a lyfe wherein you maye long defende and maintaine his honour and glory At Herne the xxj of Aprill 1572. Your Honors most bounden Iohn Bridges Vicare of Herne ¶ The Translatour to the Christian Reader AMonge the manyfolde and subtile policies that the newe broched Diuines I meane such as haue crept out of the schoole of Thomas Aquinas Iohn Duns Occham Dorbell and such other Doctors haue deuised for the maintenance and vpholding of their kingdome there was neuer any one of more efficacie and force for that purpose than to haue the people kept from reading the holye Scriptures of God in their owne proper tongue and language And yet bicause they shoulde haue other matter ynough to occupye their heades and eyes vppon they inuented a booke called the golden Legende the authour whereof vndoubtedly had both a leaden mouth and an yron face as Lodouicus Viues a learned Spaniarde did very well perceyue and testifie To this they ioyned their Festiuall and such like bookes or to vse their owne terme more truely than they doe bible babble stuffed with most monstrous and impudent forgeries some of them so dishonest that it woulde and did abhorre manye christians eares to heare them And to this ende also they sette vp in euerye Church and Chappell such blockishe and stony schoolemaisters as coulde and did teach nothing else but lightnesse and vanitie lyes and errours And to be briefe whatsoeuer mannes ydle braine coulde deuise whatsoeuer anye Monke or Friers grosse Minerua could forge or inuent though it were no better than Amadis de Gaule the foure sonnes of Amon the tales of Robin Hoode and such other like fables yet were they thought very trimme and gaye geare to occupie the peoples eares withall Yea had they bene more fabulous than these if more might haue bene they shoulde haue bene borne and suffred rather than the holy Scriptures in such a tongue as the people might haue vnderstoode For this cause whosoeuer in consideration that the people were thus led about in the blinde mases of mannes inuentions woulde haue translated any péece of Scripture or other fruitefull treatise into the Englishe tongue for their vtilitie and edification he and all his wrytings were iudged to be burned as Hereticall For say they the laye people had bookes good ynough for them set open in euerye Church meaning their carued and painted Puppetrie and woulde suffer them to reade vppon none other Then also were hatched and maintained such straunge paradoxes and opinions as these Ignorance is the mother of deuotion The Scriptures make heretikes The Church cannot erre The laye folke must not medle with Scriptures We will beleue as our forefathers haue done meaning those that liued not past thrée or fower ages before and such as had bene fedde with like acornes and swill as they had bene vsed to and had neuer tasted one morsell of the swéete breade of Gods eternall and liuely worde And although these things be well ynough knowne vnto the learned so that they néede no such slender remembrances as these of mine are yet for the vnlearneds sake for whose cause I chiefely tooke paines to put this booke in Englishe I will shewe by Gods helpe both by Scriptures apparaunt reasons and auncient Doctors that these newe Doctors in this doing wrought altogither agaynst Gods forbode And yet woulde I haue no man to looke that I shoulde fully shewe and declare all the testimonies that might be brought for proofe of any part of my triple diuision For so might I write not an aduertisement for the vnskilfull but a worke and treatise which in quantitie might match or excéede the translation it selfe As touching Scriptures the newe Doctors and we also agrée herein that whatsoeuer is in eyther of the Testaments the olde or the new concerning good maners and holy conuersation it all serueth indifferentlye for all times and ages Therfore of consequence it must also serue for vs But in the olde Testament the fathers taught their children and families the lawes and rules of both the Tables that is to say their duties aswell vnto God as vnto man Ergo we also must doe the like Moses receyued the commaundementes to teache them to the people which he faithfullye and trulye did appoynting them to trayne and bring vp their youth and posteritie in the same not onely making them to learne them by rote like Dawes Pyes and Popingayes but opening and declaring vnto them the sense and meaning aswell of their Feastes and holye dayes which God did institute as of their sacramentes of Circumcision and Passeouer These be his wordes Harken ô Israel the Lorde our God is Lorde onely Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thine hart and with all thy soule and with all thy might And these wordes
of God it teacheth vs that we be reconciled to God the father through his sonne Iesus Chryste Hereby it appeareth what great vngodlynesse theirs is which wickedly disdaine and contemne the Gospell They be like vnto sedicious people which thinke it not inough to moue and stirre sedition agaynst the Magistrates but wil also scornfully deride the grace which is offred them of the Magistrates and fowly intreate the messangers sent vnto them with the same For it is euident that all we are gyltie of sedition against God haue deserued destruction But God pardoneth al our oâ—fences for the merite of his sonne and declareth that grace and fauor to vs by his Gospell Whiche whosoeuer refuse verily they declare themselues to be vtterly inexcusable and vnworthy of pardon hereafter Again speaking of the ministery he vseth this word testifying wherby we haue oftentimes declared is vnderstanded a playn free earnest kinde of preaching For the Gospell is not a bare and simple narration of a thing done but a testimonie of Iesus Chryst. And Chryste him selfe calleth his Apostles witnesses They earnestly therefore preached Chryst yea they testified not onely in words and deedes but also by their lyfe and bloud that Chryst was the sauiour of the worlde for the which cause they are commonly called Martyrs That we say the Apostles did the same muste all christians do likewise For Christ wil haue vs to confesse him before this worlde and acknowledgeth none for his seruants which are ashamed of him his gospell before this adulterous naughty generation But concerâ—ing Paule bicause he would haue his exhortation to haue the more authoritie with theÌ„ he repeateth in a short recapitulation to what ende he spake those things which he had heretofore said he maketh meÌ„tion again of his departure not that only but also he plainly testifieth that they shall see him no more hereafter saying And now behold I am sure that hencefoorth al you through whoÌ„ I haue gone preaching the kingdom of God shal see my face no more Here he doth as pareÌ„ts vse to do being redy to depart this life which in their admonitioÌ„s ofteÌ„times vse the like therby meaning to leaue the sharper stings in the harts of their childreÌ„ Paules intent purpose is worthy of al praise diligeÌ„t obseruation whose maruelous bold constaÌ„ce appereth in these few words For althogh he knoweth that this is the last meting he shold haue with theÌ„ therfore loketh for nothing but death yet he doth not with womanly weping bewaile his departure nor vttreth any tokeÌ„ of sadnes or priuat sorow but is only carefull for the welth of their churches only desireth theÌ„ to be careful for the same Which example teacheth vs what minds we should haue in the consideration of death or else when death approcheth is at hand We must in such case beware of this womaÌ„nish pulinesse wherwith many so bewaile their state condition as though God had apointed theÌ„ only to dye are with such sorow care pulled froÌ„ their kinsfolke friends as though there remained none in the world through whose care prouideÌ„ce they might liue in safetie wheÌ„ they were gone Howbeit they ought rather to remeÌ„ber that this is the way of al flesh as Iosua Dauid testifie What iniurie then receyue we if we do but as al others do As touching our freÌ„ds wiues children neither do we lose them by death but either we send theÌ„ afore beeing our selues shortly after redy to folow or els we go before theÌ„ to that place whither they must folow where Christ hath prepared vs a countrey where the faithful of al natioÌ„s shal sit with Abraham Isaac Iacob And the tutor patrone of those we leaue behind vs is God whoÌ„ the scriptures call the defender of the straÌ„gers and widows the father of the fatherlesse Therfore they must be coÌ„mitted to his charge we must takewith stedfast faith that way which leadeth to heueÌ„ through the merite of Chryst. Last of all Paule vseth a most weighty protestatioÌ„ wherin he layeth the fault of their perdition on their owne heads if they neglect the Churches committed to their charge and suffer them to stray from the fayth I take you sayth he to recorde this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men The reason is for that I haue spared no labour but haue shewed you al the councell of God. Undoutedly he had a respect vnto the words of God red in Eze. 3. .33 Where the bloud of those that perish is imputed to the minister if he do not expresly giue them warning but him self is free froÌ„ al fault if he do his duetie faithfully And bycause Paule so did as one not culpable in his owne conscience thus he speaketh Also he seemeth to follow the example of singular men such as Moses Iosua were who we read vsed not much vnlike protestations a little before their death Paules example teacheth vs that they are excused before God which do their dutie although they little or nothing preuayle among the people committed to their charge For they are gyltie of destruction that continue in incurablenesse And this doctrine is not to be applied onely to the Ministers but also vnto all degrees of men And that it ought to haue place in the Magistrates the example of Iosias declareth whome the holy Ghoste maruellously commendeth although he had many in his kingdome yea in his Courte that were not very sounde and many playne incurable and wicked as the Sermons of Sophonias the Prophete testifie The lyke reason is to be made of Parents For oftentimes it commeth to passe that godly fathers haue children that go out of kinde and yet the childrens wickednesse is not preiudiciall to the fathers if they fayle not of their duetie in seeing to their children Wee haue ensamples in the sonnes of Iacob the Patriarche of Dauid and of diuers like But if Magistrates and parents forget their duetie and with ouermuche tendernesse or euill example infect those that are committed to their charge then the seueritie of Gods iudgement will fall vpon them as we see in the Scripture by the example of Heli. Heere haste thou what to aunswere to suche that thinke it good to cease where no hope of profyte is This is nowe obiected both agaynst Magistrates and Ministers and with this argument the sluggish vse to flatter themselues But do thou thinke that thy soule is also in danger which thou canst deliuer none other wayes than by faythful diligence and if thou deliuer hir then thinke not that thou haste laboured in vayne It appereth also by this place what a miserable condition they are in who where their predecessors haue wel discharged their duetie before they eyther like sluggardes giue ouer or else with their naughtinesse corrupte that that other before them haue well ordered For they are altogither gyltie
to shew our sâ—lues lesse obedient vnto god Daniels fellowes through the consideration hereof refused to obey Nabuchodonozers proclamation wherein he commaunded an ymage to be worshipped against the commaundement of god And Daniel constantly helde on in calling vpon the true God against the Kings proclamation God allowed and approued their obedience with rare and singular myracles There are infinite like examples in the Martyres whome euery man must confesse to haue bene verye fooles if Princes proclamations and commaundementes might haue prescribed Gods preceptes The same ought we to obserue in the duties we owe to our parentes as we are taught by the example of Christ who being chydden of his mother bicause he taried in the Citie without the knowledge of hir and Ioseph aunswered Wyst you not that I must be aboute my fathers businesse The religion of Monkishe vowes is most foolishe and causeth the obseruers of them to commit double offence For while they vowe those things which partly they are not able to perfourme and partly are contrary to the expresse commaundements of God they doe grieuously sinne And that done bicause they would be taken for very religious persons they obstinately holde on in the things they haue vngodly and foolishly vowed albeit they be taught a better waye being lyke vnto Herode who bicause he woulde not seeme periured ioyned murther vnto his vnaduised oth Therfore the safest waye is that we remember what dutie we owe vnto God and promise nor doe nothing for any mannes sake that shall be against the saâ—e And if any thing escape vs vnawares to acknowledge our fault and not to performe our promises with more wickednesse than we made them And if any shall be founde so insolent and prowde that will haue their authoritie to be taken greater than Gods to set our selues against their impietie with an holy and godlye boldenesse as we see in this place Peter and Iohn did Also the Apostles aunswere teacheth vs with what argumentes the Ministers of the Gospell must arme themselues against the assaultes of the worlde For we haue sayde before how the worlde will alwayes hinder the preaching of the Gospell and daylie experience teacheth it Therefore first they must consider that it is Gods commaundement the gospell should be preached that the ministerie of this preaching belongeth to them for that they are called and sent of God about this businesse Therfore if should be a token of wicked and vngracious temeritie to denye God their seruice as Amos well sawe which sayde to the people of his dayes that liked not his propheticall rebukes When a Lyon roareth who will not bee afrayde Seeing then the Lorde God himselfe speaketh who will not prophecie For he sawe howe vnhappily it succeeded with Ionas when he would haue shunned the office of preaching to the Niniuites Therefore Paule cryeth out woe to me if I preach not the Gospell Agayne let them consider howe the testimonie of truth is committed to them and of that truth which concerneth the chiefe glory of Christ and the saluation of mankinde Therefore if they conceale anye thing for fauour of men it can not be but they must committe treason against God and be accounted the publike enimies of mankinde Finally let them remember howe they shall one day come before Christ the Iudge who will not onely punishe eternally the false embasers and corrupters of the talent committed to them but also them that hide their talent and labour not as much as in them is to winâ—e men vnto christ These things must we set against the vaine terrors of the world and then shall we not much passe for them which neyther will haue the waye of saluation plainly taught nor false Christians to be reprooued nor open malefactors to be accused Howbeit this is much to be marueyled at that Luke wryteth the Apostles were let go when they had openly refused to obey them considering there remayned still in the Iudges an obstinate will to persecute the Gospell For least any man might thinke the Councell yeelded to their reasons he saith They threatned them and let them go These things expresse the condicions of the wicked and the great hatred they beare to the truth wherewith being blinded they can neyther giue place to anye reason nor yet feare the iudgement of god Neyther haue they any thing to answere Peters arguments And yet they threaten still And other colour of their doing haue they none but that they thinke the Apostles vnworthy wyth whome to haue any long disputation In the meane time this example teacheth vs that the faithfull so ouercome not that they enioye long anye rest or quiet in this worlde For the worlde continuallye breatheth â—ute threates and the enimies of truth once ouercome are still prouoking to the fight So Elias although he had ouercome the Priestes of Baal in Carmele both by his doctrine and myracle shewed by God and had put them to death yet Iesabel the Queene prepareth freshe persecution and entrappings against him Therfore let the souldiours of Christ neuer gyue them to carelesnesse although they perceyue they haue ouercome their enimyes but let them remember their triumph must be vnder the Crosse vntill tâ—ey be deliuered out of the pryson of the fleshe and shall raigne with Christ in Heauen where they shall haue no occasion to feare Tyrauntes any more But some man may marueyle how the Apostles are let go free from their most cruell enimies considering their great power and authoritie Luke therefore declareth the cause hereof saying They founde no way to punish them bycause of the people For all men praysed God bycause of that which was done For the man was aboue fourtie yere olde on whome thys Myracle of healing was wrought Here is the marueylous power of God to be considered who so easily can bridle the wicked They were of suche power and authoritie before that they were onely taken for Lordes and Rulers and stoode in awe of no mans power But lo they are afrayde of the people and coystrell Commones So God which hath set the flytting and rolling sande for lymites and boundes against the sea a most raging element which the sea can not passe except he permit it doth set most times the people the vnconstantest thing that is against most mightie tyrants or else brydâ—eth them by other vnaccustomed and vnlooked for meanes so that they are not able to doe that against the weake succorlesse people which they most gladly woulde and seemeth most easily to be done So he sometime defended the Patriarches in the middest of the lande of Chanaan putting a certaine secret feare in the mindes of the Chananites So he wythhelde Saul from persecuting of Dauid by the Philisteans and through theyr helpe defended Dauid being his greatest enimies And now through feare of the people keepeth the Priestes that they lay not handes on the Apostles which people before that with a sauage bethleem
be taught of him These things teache vs that we must not thinke the ministery of the worde vnprofitable and superfluous and that we must looke for no Angelicall or heauenly reuelations to instruct and teache vs For where the Lorde will haue vs to be taught by the Scriptures and preaching of the worde whosoeuer contemneth the same declareth plainely that he is vnworthy of his kingdome and shall neuer come to the knowledge oâ— the sayth For why shoulde God vouchsafe to teache a despiser of his order after a newe sort Therefore this saying of Paule standeth sure how shall they beleeue if they haue not hearde howe shall they heare without a Preacher Agayne that saying of Christ They haue Moses and the Prophets whome if they will not heare neyther will they heare those that ryse from the deade to declare their saluation We are admonished also that none be he neuer so simple a Minister of Christ and his worde ought to be despised so he be lawfully ordeyned seeing that singuler vessell of God Paule is sent to Ananias of whome till this time no mention hath bene made For the authoritie of Gods word dependeth not vppon the dignitie of man but standeth in his full strength and force whatsoeuer he be whome God sendeth to vs to teach and preach his will. Furthermore Luke enterlaceth among these premisses a short treatise of Paules companions whome he sayth to stande amazed and to haue hearde a voyce but to haue seene no man. But if we hearken to Paule declaring these things before Agrippa it shall appeare that they also in the beginning fell downe and albeit they first roâ—e againe yet they stoode as menne amazed in their minde by reason of the great feare they were put in Luke seemeth somwhat to vary from Paules narration wheras he saith they neyther hearde the voyce nor sawe any man But here is no contradiction in these things For here they are sayde to heare a voyce bicause they hearde a sounde and noyse And it is sayde they hearde it not bicause they vnderstoode not what was sayde and God would not haue them vnderstande the things that belonged not to them Or else that that is spoken here of the voyce must be referred to Paules voyce only which his companions heard where they heard not the voyce of Christ talking with Paule as which pertayned not to them And thus seemeth Paules wordes to meane which are thus written in the .xij. Chapter following And they that were with me saw verily a light and were afrayde but they hearde not the voice of him that spake with mee In this place is chiefly to bee considered what remayneth for all them which ioyne with the open enimies of Christ and are partakers of their deuyses For they are punyshed with them whether they be seruants subiects or children For all priuiledges of men must giue place to that obedience wherewyth God hath bounde vs to him and the authoritie of thys saying shall remayne firme and sure for euer we must obey God rather than men Therefore as many as for fauour of men forget the dutie they owe vnto God deserue to perishe with them whome they haue looued more than god These things teach vs to auoyde the company of the wicked and if we cannot so doe at leastwyse to take heede that we allowe not their wicked enterprises with our consent nor defende them wyth our authoritie The fable of the Storke taken among the Cranes is well knowne in the writings of the Heathen which the Husbandman kylled pleading hir innocencie all in vayne bicause she was taken among the Cranes that cropped and eate downe his corne And Paule in another place pronounceth them worthy of punishment that not onely doe euill but which also consent to euill Which thinges if we in these dayes woulde consider we shoulde lesse marueyle at the manifolde miseries of our tyme for all men are faultie in contemning and oppressing the Gospell whereas one sorte cruellye persecute it another sort busily seeke the friendship and league of the persecutors and others stande ydlely looking on and suffer those to be punished and oppressed whome they ought to maintaine and defende But let vs returne to Paule whose state Luke nowe descrybeth And first he sayth he rose vp whereas Christ the Lorde had giuen him power so to doe He addeth that when he had opened his eyes he sawe nothing being blynded with the brightnesse of the light that came from heauen Wherfore he commeth to Damascus ledde by his companions where he remayned whole three dayes and neyther eate nor dranke all the whyle All these are no small tokens of a great feare he was stricken in both in bodye and mynde That that some tell here of Paules being taken into Paradyse wee leaue as vncertayne bicause we will not seeme ouer boldly to affirme anye thing In the meane season it shall suffyse that we marke howe God vseth to defeate the deuises of his enimies and turneth vpon their owne heads the things they procure agaynst his faythfull seruants Paule vnto diuers other seemed till thys tyme to see more than other as who had profited more than many of his fellowes as himselfe testifieth otherwheres But nowe he is blynde both in body and minde vntill he be illuminated of god He commeth accompanied with his trayne of companions and seruaunts whome he had picked out to the ende to bring the Christians bounde to Ierusalem But himselfe is ledde by them more than captiue and bounde Al so it is very like he woulde haue brought many to famine and pouertie but nowe he suffreth famine three dayes togither and knoweth not what to doe There are lyke ensamples euerywhere in the Scryptures So we see Balaam and Balaac deluded whyle they heape blessings vpon the Israelites whome they mynded with curses to ouerwhelme So the Egyptians thrust them out of their countrie laden with their owne treasures whome they ment to oppresse with perpetuall bondage So Saule ministred vnto Dauid euery day matter of greater glorie whyle he seeketh his destruction Herevnto is the storie of Haman and Mardocheus to be referred with infinite others which confirme the saying of Dauid where he declareth that God from heauen laugheth at his enimies deuises Let vs therefore learne to acknowledge the power of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and let vs not feare the threatnings and enterprises of any of his enimies Let vs submit our selues to him by faithfull obedience that we may hereafter be heyres with him in heauen of the glorie that he hath promised vs to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxv. Homelie AND there was a certaine Disciple at Damasco named Ananias and the Lorde sayde to him in a vision Ananias And hee sayde behold I am here lord And the Lord sayd vnto him arise and go into the streete which is called straight and seeke in the house of Iudas after one called Saule of
proposeth three arguments to prooue the same vnto these he adioyneth other which he so putteth forth that therewithall he also aunswereth those obiections which might pull the hearers from embracing the fayth in christ For fyrst he testifyeth that Christ pertayneth vnto them least any man might thinke hee spake of a matter pertayning nothing to the purpose Then he putteth the offence away that men might take bicause Christ suffred on the crosse And last of all he alleageth and constantlye prooueth the resurrection of Christ which is the chiefe argument of his godheade We shall speake of eche of them in order as much as God shall permit vs. Yee men and brethren sayth he children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the worde of this saluation sent This is a graue little preface wherwith he meaneth to prouoke them to think that the doctrine of Christ belongeth vnto them For it is like there were diuers in those dayes which thought it vnsitting for their profession to haue ought to do with controuersies rising about faith and religion such as are now a days euerywhere to be seene who by this opinion go about to purchase to themselues great prayse glory But Paule denieth this that he might the more easily perswade them the truth he calleth them by a worshipfull name and title For besides that after the common vsage he calleth them Men and brethren he addeth therevnto children of the generation of Abraham in which name by reason of the couenant and promises of God he knewe they greatly reioyced Yet that they shoulde not thinke the prerogatiue of the Nation sufficient he admonisheth them also of their dutye where he sayth and whosoeuer among you feareth God. For by this meanes he teacheth them that they are then the true and right children of Abraham that ioyne vnto outwarde profession the feare of God and syncere study of religion whereof Christ also in the .viij. of Iohn disputeth Then he proceedeth saying To you is the worde of this saluation sent As though he should say If you will be taken for the children of Abraham and the syncere worshippers of God you must by no meanes despise the doctrine of saluation which is offered vnto you by the singuler benefyte of god Yet Paule speaketh not this in such meaning as though he thought the Gentyles still excluded from the fellowship of saluation whome the holy ghost had appointed him to call But he hath a respect vnto the counsell of God who as he set forth the promises of Christ vnto the fathers of the Iewes and called them out from others as a peculiar people vnto himselfe so would he first haue the saluation giuen vs in Christ preached vnto them as Christ in the Gospell euidently testifyeth when he fyrst sent out the Apostles forbidding them to go into the way of the Gentyles But when the vayle whereby the Gentyles were deuided from the Iewes was remooued away by the death of Christ then also was the doore opened vnto them that being made the children of Abraham by fayth they might enter into the same inheritance of saluation with the Iewes Therefore Paule admonisheth the Iewes of the prerogatiue that God did giue them least they should vnaduisedly reiect the knowledge of Christ as nothing appertaining vnto them And this example of Paule ought all Ministers of the worde to followe remembring that they must so preache the worde of God that the hearers must vnderstande howe the things spoken doe belong vnto them For except they so doe the worde of God shall strike their eare like a song whose sounde is in vayne as wee reade in Ezechiel the .xxxiij. Chapter So therefore let them inculcate the commaundementes of God that all men may bee assured that the obseruation thereof belongeth vnto them So let them preach the iudgements of God that they that commit the lyke may know they haue to looke for the like For then is the worde of God rightly deuided and cut when euery body may learne thereby to take what serueth eyther for their instruction consolation or erudition Furthermore it is a singuler prayse of the Gospell that it is called the worde of saluation in the which sense the Angell spake vnto Cornelius as we before sawe Simon Peter shall speake wordes vnto thee through which thou and thy house shall be saued c. Let it suffyce here to admonish thus much that their ingratitude is very enormious which rayle at that worde and that they are the greatest enimies of their owne saluation of all other From hence Paule commeth to the slaunder of the crosse which he diligently putteth away bicause they that were ignoraunt of Christes mysteries were offended with Christes death not without a great cause And chiefly it seemed an heynous matter that the Priests at Ierusalem were the authors thereof For Ierusalem was the sea of religion priesthoode and doctrine and from thence according to auncient Prophecies was the worde of saluation looked Wherefore it coulde not choose but seeme a great absurditie to acknowledge him for a Sauiour whome the chiefe of Ierusalem put to the death of the Crosse as a schismatike and a deceyuer and to embrace that doctrine that was not receyued at Ierusalem For such was the authoritie of the holy Citie for so the Prophetes called Ierusalem that many thought it impossible for them to erre in matters of faith and religion But Paule so aunswereth this offence that he teacheth the example of that Citie is rather to be auoyded than to be folowed least they might offend God through lyke ingratitude and impiety And there be fower things which he bringeth to this ende First he sayth they that dwelt at Ierusalem and their Rulers bicause they knewe him not condemned him Therefore he sayth ignoraunce was the cause of their so heynous an offence as also is sayd 1. Cor â–ª 2. Who will think it a thing worthy to be followed when he heareth men sinne of ignorance And yet this is not to be counted such ignorance as excuseth the deede For they are sayde also to be ignorant of the scriptures yea of those common Scriptures which vsed to be reade euery Sabboth day But it is a foule thing and not worthye to be pardoned for a Priest to be ignoraunt in the Scripture considering God commaundeth to search the knowledge of the lawe at his hande Furthermore he taketh from them a great part of their excuse in that Christ admonished them to search the scriptures But Paule in another place sayth that this was the onely cause of their ignorance for that they were occupyed in reading Moses and the Prophetes without the helpe of christ For this was that vayle that was the onely cause that they could not see Moses face that is to say the true meaning of the lawe Seeing therefore they were blind guides as Christ also calleth them Math. 15. they are not to be
straunger and to follow his voyce onely Howbeit the short role or recount of beleeuers that Luke rehearseth must be also consydered which we see was gathered togither of al kinde of men Fyrst many Iewes beleeue althoughe the forsaking of that Nation was euen at hande Yet God vtterly forgetteth not his couenaunt but according to his promise preserueth certaine remnaunts Unto these are adioyned certaine noble and chiefe women of the Gentyles and at length are dyuers men besides numbred Whereby it appeareth that the grace of God which is giuen vs in Christ appertayneth to all sortes of men and that none is to be excluded from it eyther for cause of countrie nation sexe or whatsoeuer condition For in Christ Iesu there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle bondman nor free man nor woman c. Which thing as it serueth to comfort vs so it teacheth euerie man to be mindefull of christian societie and to contempne no man ouer insolently in comparison of himselfe But let vs see what Satan attempted at Berrhoea against the kingdome of Christ verily euen the same that he dyd otherwheres For he can not suffer that to go forwarde that he knoweth hyndereth and ouerthroweth his kingdome And bicause he could fynde none in that Citie meete to serue his turne he calleth out the Iewes from Thessalonica who hearing and disdayning that the fayth of Christ went forwarde at Berrhoea come flying in post haste and cause a great sturre and tumulte there also Satan therfore vseth the lyke pollicie here that we sawe he vsed before at Lystra which is his propertie also at these dayes if he perceyue there want disturbers of Christes kingdome in one place to bring and fetch them from an other And it is a marueyle to see howe nymble the Monkes be in accomplishing this matter whome the Deuill can craftily sende abroade not onely into Cities but also into kings Courtes and priuie counsels to cause Princes being bewitched with their suggestions to shut their eares against the doctrine of truth In the meane season marke here the incurable malice of the Iewes wherewith they are so netled that they themselues doe not onely refuse the fayth of Christ but also can not suffer other to be illuminated with the same so that it is not without a cause that Paule so earnestly reprehendeth them in the fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians the seconde Chapter Lyke vnto these men are all those in these dayes that giue themselues to the deuill to be instrumentes to impugne the fayth of Christ and thereby seeke great commendation Yet let them remember that they shal haue the same iudgement whereof was shewed an example vppon the Iewes to the woonder of the whole worlde For the holy ghost long agone prophecyed that all they shoulde be brused with the yron rodde of Christ which would not be corrected and amended by his worde And there want not examples of most mightie kings which haue founde this reuengefull sentence of Christ true to their great losse and hynderaunce whereof bicause we haue alreadie at large intreated otherwheres we will for thys time be contented to haue spoken these fewe wordes But what doe the brethren in the middest of this hurlye burlye Leaue they Paule in the bryars and daunger or refuse they to giue him counsell and to helpe him No. But rather leauing Silas and Timotheus which were not in such daunger to remaine at Berrhoea they conuey Paule away vsing therein great and singuler diligence For they take their iourney towarde the sea and by and by turne their course and come to Athens from whence Paule afterwarde wrote his fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians It seemeth they helde not on their waye directly bicause they woulde auoyde the wayte of the Iewes who they sawe raged in such hatred against Paule Furthermore here is to be obserued the loue and kindnesse that they of Berrhoea shewe vnto their teacher For who doubteth but this attempt of theirs was a matter not onely of much expence and labour but also of great daunger But nothing could let them to go on in their godly duetie bicause they had a right iudgement of the benefyte of the gospell which they had receyued and they thinke it but a small matter to shewe an outwarde duetie and reuerence for the gift of eternall saluation Nowe a dayes bicause fewe men iudge rightly of Gods grace offered in the gospell they wil susteyne no labour and perill about the same But most times it commeth to passe that they which will suffer no daunger for Christes cause an other tyme are molested with greater cares for causes lesse godly This place furthermore teacheth vs that wisedome with fayth maye well stande togyther For Christ commaundeth vs to beware of the wylinesse of men and to vse the wisedome of Serpents against it We haue neede therof bicause of the children of this worlde whom Christ himselfe witnesseth to be wiser in their generation than the children of light Yet let vs remember that we must appoynt certaine boundes vnto the wisedome of the fleshe that we doe nothing through the counsell and perswasion thereof against our duetie wherein there is no better or more safe remedy then if we submyt all our vnderstanding vnto the obedience of fayth as Paule otherwheres teacheth vs So shall it come to passe that we shall neyther tempt God by putting our selues rashely in daunger nor dishonestly forsake the truth but holde the myddle way in dooing our duetie and hereafter raigne with Iesus Christ whome we serue in heauen to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxvj. Homelie WHILE Paule wayted for them at Athens his spirite was mooued in hym when he sawe the Citie giuen to worshipping of Images Then disputed he in the Synagoge wyth the Iewes and with the deuout persons and in the market daylie with them that came vnto him by chaunce Certaine Philosophers of the Epicures and of the Stoikes disputed with him And some there were which sayde what will this babler say Other sayde he seemeth to be a tydings bringer of new Deuils bicause he preacheth vnto them Iesus and the resurrection And they tooke him and brought him into Mars hys seate saying maye wee not knowe what thys newe doctrine whereof thou speakest is for thou bringest straunge tydings to our eares we would know therfore what these things meane For all the Athenians and straungers that were there gaue themselues to nothing else but either to tell or to heare some newe thing THe Euangelist Luke hytherto hath described the dyuers iourneys and wandrings of Paule the Apostle by reason whereof he lyghtened so manye nations and Cities with the preaching of the gospell that he sayde otherwheres not without a cause that he had laboured more than all the Apostles Further least any man might thinke he had drawne ignoraunt and vnlearned men onely with an artifyciall and elaborate kinde of eloquence he came at length to Athens not
much vppon but study to please God onely 818 Mannes power is nothing agaynst God. 875 Manne must haue a regarde of hys dignitie 481 Mannes corruption may be knowen by the faultines in the Sainctes Pag. 26 Menne of three sortes burningâ— in hatred agaynst the truth 208 Mannes infirmitie set forth in the example of Ananias 402 Mannes redemption figured 566 Mannes traditions can not saue vs. Pag. 353 Mannes counsell or deuyse can not quayle Christes kingdome 30 Mannes traditions and godly intentions are daungerous to bee thrust into the Church 21 Mannes origene and beginning teacheth vs to worshippe one God. Pag. 358 Manne for hys behoofe may eate all meates created of God. 406 Mannes naturall dulnes 437 Menne of base degree and rascalles called in this world embrace and receyue the Gospel 624 Menne are all sinners 543 Manne destitute of the knowledge of God soone corrupted 837 Maynteyners of free will confuted Pag. 790 Maynteyners of Popish merites coÌ„futed 428 Manaes a noble man and a Courtier 509 Manasses a wicked Idolater 340 Mary the moother of Christe committed to the tuicion of Iohn Pag. 46 Mary the virgin mother of Chryste Pag. ibidem Mariages with the wicked prosper euill 828 Maryners vnbeleefe and falsehoode Pag. 880 Martyres punishmentes muste bee weighed by Sainct Steuens Example 351 Mathew had a wyfe as appeareth by the house hee kept 45 Matthias chosen to bee an Apostle Pag. 72 Matthie the Apostle hys election Pag. 66 Matthie chosen into the rowme of Iudas 44 Matthias auctoritie of vocation 58 M ante E Meanes ordeyned of God must not bee rashly neglected 814 Meane and indifferent things when they cease to be indifferent 616 Meanes lawfully vsed 882 Meanes vnlawfull must none bee vsed to come by commoditie 870 Meates choyse or difference 434 and 435 Mercie of God towarde Synners Pag. 790 Mercy in what sence it is vsed of S. Paule 540 Merites of men how muche is to bee attributed to them 429 M ante I Ministery of Christe comprehended in two wordes 6 Ministers are not polluted by mariage 765 Ministers to be taken into the church what manner of men they shoulde bee 63 Ministery outward is profitable too be duely administred 399 Ministery of the woorde to bee profitable proued by Examples Pag. 400 Ministery Ecclesiasticall commended 429 Ministery Ecclesiasticalles partes Pag. 279 Ministery Ecclesiasticalles reason Pag. 508 Ministeries dignitie 179 Minister of Christes woorde be hee neuer so sclender and base must not bee contempned 397 Minister of the Churche muste bee apt and fit to teache 63.64 Minister of the Church muste haue a sounde and sure knowledge of Christ. 64 Ministers ought to bee suche as are lyke too perseuer and contyneue Pag. ibid. Minister what thinges is requisite for him ibid. Ministers are ordeyned of GOD. Pag. 750 Ministers must bee desirous of humilitie and agreement 91 Ministers where they must preache Christ his name 403 Ministers of the Church are a benefite of God. 49 Ministers of Christ must bee at vnitie 147 Ministers of the Church are Apostles 70 Ministers of the Churche muste bee admitted to the ouersight of ecclesiasticall goods ibid. Ministers of the Church muste not bee money gatherers 756 Ministers of the Churche whether they may take stypend and wages Pag. 679 Ministers muste further and procure the Saluation of all menne Pag. 740 Ministers of the Gospell muste obeye Goâ—des commaundementes Pag. 19 Ministers must bee lawfully elected Pag. 66 Ministers must be referred and leaft vnto God. 68 Ministers of the Gospell are neyther robbers of goods honor nor blasphemers 727 Ministers what armour they muste do on agaynst the assaultes of this world 211 Ministers haue neede of Gods holy spirit 19 Ministers dutie consisteth chiefly in teaching 64 Ministers vnmeete muste not beâ—â—â—ken into the Church 〈…〉 Ministers 〈…〉 tyll they 〈◊〉 lawfully called 58 Ministers who bee lawfull and who vnlawfull 510 Ministers muste speake and not holde their peace 683 Ministers must not ouer hastely forsake the Church 683 Ministers muste doo their dutie although they profit lyttle 746 Ministers howe they are not culpable of other meâ—nes faultes Pag. 682 Ministers must fight but with scriptures 703 Ministers must be from the crime of sedition 825 Ministers muste haue knowledge in Gods will that will teache other the same 794 Ministers must haue an earnest care to their churches 150 Ministers muste haue a speciall care for their owne Nacion and Country after the Apostle Paules ensample 795 Ministers maye sometymes secke to escape by flying 411 Ministers are not blameable for beating downe superstitioÌ„ and aâ—â—iance in woorkes 896 Ministers must praye for the saluation of the people 793 Ministers what they must teache Pag. 794 Ministers howe vehemently they must rebuke those that deface the glory of God by seeking filthy lucre 373 Ministers muste not seditiously disturbe euerye common weales Pag. 823 Ministers must be stout yet gentle to be spoken too 405 Ministers admonished of their dutie by Paules example 402 Ministers are men and therfore subiect to mans infirmitie 55 Ministers must reproue as well secrete as manifest faultes committed agaynst the truth 230 Ministers faithfull haue diuerse and sundry chaunces folowing them as may be seene in Paule 410. Ministers at variaunce must not offend vs. 612.613 Ministers in the Churche that haue bene couetouse what they haue don Pag. 7â—6 Ministers true praise what it is 474 Ministers described that are false ibideÌ„ Ministers lawfully called a behofefull thing 753. Ministers of the church whence they haue their auctoritie 330. Ministers of the woorde must paint out false teachers in theyr colours and note them by theyr names 136 Ministers muste accuse notorious wyckednes with bold speech 109 Ministers faults must make no man 〈◊〉 bâ—cke 55. Ministers ought lawâ—â—lly to be called 789 Ministers of the woord must bee zelous 375. Ministers how much we are bounde vnto them 895 Ministers may lawfully declare vnto theyr churches what the enemies entend against Christ and his flock Pag. 215. Ministers haue neede of good bringing vp 14. Ministers muste boldly rebuke men Pag. 204. Ministers must be innocent harmeles 838. Ministers must be kindly and thankfully vsed 441. Minisâ—ers must not be so cleued vnto that if god take theÌ„ away we must thinke religion shall quayle 387. Ministers how they should be ordeyned 282. Ministers must haue a regarde who heareth them 678 Miracle of the Apostles 239. Miracle of the lame man healed 565. Miracle of the tounges what it ment Pag. 80. Miracle of the redde Sea. 332. Miracles of the Apostles were the woorkes of Christ. 161 Miracles of Christ and the Apostles were perfect 155. Miracles why Christ wrought 157. Miracles of Moses in Egypte 517. New miracles must not be deuised Pag. 563. Miracles of Moses in the wildernes Pag. 332. Miracles done by Philip. 361. Miracles repugnant to gods woord no miracles 563 Miracles which be true 139. Miracles taught by the Apostles do serue for two endes the cause efficient of
horrible attemptes against the Church of Christ and such vnhappy disturbances and troubles in the same Yet besides all these the examples whereof this Hystorie is full bringeth vs no small fruit of learning and godlynesse For in this stage as it were of the Church may wee see the Apostles and Apostolike persons by whose example all the ministers of Christes Church may learne with what trust and prudencie they ought to handle Christs cause with what constancie and truth they may defende the same with what puritie of maners they shoulde leade others and with what courage and pacience they should vanquish all aduersitie Here are set forth Magistrates both good and bad by whose counsel and doings they that be in office may take a president of their gouernment Here want examples neyther of riche nor poore Here haue men of whome they may learne and here are remembred the notable deedes of certaine women of whom all womanhood may take an example to lyue by To be briefe there is no degree or state eyther of the laytie or spiritualtie but this booke instructeth it with many peculyer presidents And although it be but little which I haue spoken in commendation thereof yet I suppose it appeareth therby that God ment to enriche his Church with a singular iewell and treasure whan it liked him by the mynisterie of Luke to haue the storie of the Apostles and primitiue Church to be written It behooueth vs to acknowledge his goodnesse and to follow the diligence of the holy Ghost in searching for the thinges comprysed in this holy writing which Luke beginneth with these woordes In the former treatise deare THEOPHILVS we haue spoken of all that IESVS began to doe and teach c. Before hee entreth into the discourse of the Actes of the Apostles he rehearseth the thinges that Christ did with his Apostles a little before his Ascention He vseth a little short and plaine Preface in the which as it were by rehearsall of thinges done before hee continueth and ioyneth this booke with his first entituled the Gospell of Iesu Christ written by Luke and therwithal sheweth what he purposeth in thys his other booke For the sense of hys woordes seemeth to be this In the first booke I spake of all those thinges which Iesus Christ the Sonne of God did here on earth for our sakes but now in this I am purposed to discourse of the thinges which he would haue done by the mynistery of the Apostles after hys departure in body out of the worlde And he doth dedicate his booke to one Theophilus whom most men do thinke to haue bene some speciall friend of Lukes and singular in the fayth In deede the addition which he putteth to hys name in the Preface of his Gospell calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is most noble or excellent is vsed chiefely to great men in authoritie And afterwarde wee shall heare how he attributeth the same to Festus and Foelix presidents of Iurie He was therefore some godly man of authoritie such as God vseth alwayes to appoint in hys Church to succour and ayde the same beyng in strife and contention And yet no man may hereof gather that the same booke appertaineth not aswell to vs all But rather let all men endeuour to shew themselues to be Theophili that is to saye louers of God and thinke that Luke speaketh no lesse vnto them than to this auncient Theophilus And truly as many as beleeue in Christ being reconciled by him vnto God loue him with all theyr harte and powers But touchyng this opinion it mattereth not much since it is playne ynough that all the doctrine both of the olde and newe Testament appertayneth chiefely to all them that loue God so that thereout they may haue both learnyng and comforte It shall be profitable to examine these fewe woordes of the Euaungelist somewhat more diligently And first is to be considered how he professeth to write of all the thinges For Luke may seeme to repugne with Iohn which about the ende of the Gospell written by him saith There be also many other things which IESVS did which if they shoulde be wrytten euery one I suppose that all the worlde coulde not contayne the Bookes that should be written But these places may be easily reconciled For Luke saith not he hath written euery thing perticularly but he testifieth that he hath spoken of all things necessary to be knowē for the attaynement of our saluation and which may instruct vs with sufficient knowledge of Iesus christ For albeit the Euaungelistes rehearse not all the doings and sayinges of Christ yet is Christ neuerthelesse to be beleeued neither was it needefull they should declare all things For it is euident that Christ which is the selfe truth gainesayth not him selfe in anye place but he obserueth one ende in all his sayinges It is manifest that all his doings tende to one marke and purpose Wherefore though the Apostles had let passe none of them all yet should we haue knowne none other Christ nor learned any other fayth than that wee haue learned by the writinges extant This doth Iohn witnesse when he saith Many other signes truely dyd IESVS in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Booke These are wrytten that yee might beleeue that IESVS is Christ the Sonne of GOD and that in beleeuing yee might haue lyfe thorough his name IOHN witnesseth that wee attayne vnto life through beliefe in christ And forasmuch as this beliefe may fully be learned and perceyued by the thinges written of Christ I thinke no man but he that is past shame can denie but that all thinges concerning the perfect doctrine of our saluation and Christian fayth is comprehended in the writings of the Euaungelistes Therefore Luke in these woordes reprooueth the impudent arrogancye of the Sophisters of these dayes who being tried and conuict to haue thrust many thinges into the Church without authoritie of holy Scripture would fayne slippe away with this slye shift saying that all the thinges necessarie for vs to beleeue and obserue are not contayned in the Scripture Which if wee graunt then must wee confesse that eyther the Apostles Prophetes haue not taught vs the faith in Christ perfectly or that this faith is not sufficient to saluation neither of which is tollerable for Christian eares Furthermore Luke comprehendeth all Christes office and ministery here on earth in two woordes that is to say in Woorkes and Doctrine Wee will not here speake of the dutie of a teacher of whome it is well sayde that hee should teach the people with good example For the Euaungelist meaneth not in this place to describe the properties of a teacher but to propose and set forth such thinges as are to be considered of Christ. And he giueth Woorkes the first place whereby he meaneth not myracles onely but whatsoeuer thinges else hee did for our saluation as Kinge and priest For the Scripture
it can not be but God must be angry with the world and therfore it floweth with all kinde of euill For Iohn the Baptist sayth The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all things into his handes Hee that beleeueth the sonne hath lyfe euerlasting He that beleeueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God remayneth vpon him Last of all Christ describeth the boundes of his kingdome which they thought extended not beyond Iurie For where he sayth the Apostles should be his witnesses to th ende of the worlde he plainely declareth that his kingdome stretcheth to all nations of the worlde He manifestly and by name rehearseth certaine places that not without a cause For where the Citie of Hierusalem by reason of their great and horrible offence committed agaynst the sonne of God seemed vnworthy the wholesome testimonye of the grace of the Gospell it behooued to name hir also that they might knowe how the beginning of preaching the Gospell should be there where iniquitie most abounded Againe where the Iewes of an olde and ingenerate hatred could not brooke the Samaritanes therfore he maketh expresse mention of Samaria least the Apostles folowing the common opinion of the Iewes should think they ought not to come at them Now how needefull it was to comprehend all other Nations within the boundes of Christes kingdome the example of Peter sufficiently prooueth who when the countrie of Samaria had receiued Christ abstayned from companying with other Nations vntill hee was instructed by a vision from heauen Howbeit Christ appointeth none other limits of his kingdome in this place than the holye ghost long before had described by the Prophetes For it is knowne what is contayned in the Psalmes whereof I made mention before Moreouer Zacharie speaking of Christ in the ninth Chapter His kingdome shall reach from sea to sea and from the riuer vnto the worldes ende But that saying is most euident of all other that Esay hath in the .xlix. Chapter It is but a small thing that thou art my seruant to set vp the kinredes of Iacob and to restore the destruction of Israel for I haue made thee the light of the Gentyles that thou mayst be my helth vnto the ende of the worlde There are diuers other testimonies as is to be seene euerye where of them that reade the Prophetes This is full of all comfort that we see Iesus Christ is the common Sauiour of all Nations in whome as Paule and Peter sayth there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle Barbarous nor Scythian bonde nor free man nor woman but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him They also are here admonished of their office and dutie whom Christ hath appointed to be Preachers of the Gospell that they seeke not the saluation of one nation onely but that as much as in them is they sowe the knowledge of Christ Iesu and of saluation as well by teaching as writing as we reade the Apostles did thorowout the whole worlde And it belongeth to all men to imbrace Christes goodnesse which so liberally offreth vnto al the saluation purchased by his bloud Let vs receiue therfore with thankfull mindes this kingdome of saluation that hereafter we maye reigne with Christ in heauen to whom be blessing honour glory and power for euer Amen The fift Homelie AND when he had spoken these things whyle they behelde he was taken vp on high and a Clowde receyued him vp out of their sightes And whyle they looked stedfastly vp towarde heauen as he went beholde two men stoode by them in white apparell which also sayd ye men of Galiley why stand you gasing vp into heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp from you into heauen shall so come euen as you haue seene him go into heauen BIcause LVKE mooued by the holy ghost purposeth to intreat of the Actes of the Apostles he beginneth very aptly to tell of those things which our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ now being readye to leaue the earth did with the Apostles For thereby it may euidently be gathered that the Apostles did nothing of their priuate authoritie or vnaduisedly but that they were executors of the things enioyned them by Christ and therfore their doctrine was not to be taken for mans doctrine but to be acknowledged and receyued as Christes Nowe at length followeth Christes departure from earth into heauen which Luke describeth with great diligence and wee ought to consider the same with as much earnestnesse bicause in the description therof two notable articles of our Christian faith are comprehended in the which the chiefe hope of all Christians is grounded That is to say Christes ascention into heauen and his returne which shall be in the ende of the worlde when he shall come in the clowdes to iudge both the quicke and the deade It shall behooue vs to consider euery thing in such order as Luke describeth it In this place he briefly dispatcheth the hystory of Christes ascention For when hee had thus sayde sayth he he was taken vp on high they looking on and a clowde receyued him out of their sight The cause of this breuitie maye seeme to be both for that afterwarde he reporteth the sayinges of the Aungels which more expressely declare all the matter and also for that himself about the ende of his Gospell had more at large set forth the same For there he sayth Iesus ledde his Disciples forth into Bethany and lyfting vp his handes on high he blessed them And it chaunced that as hee blessed them hee was taken from them and caried into heauen To the which let vs ioyne the things that are written in this wise The Lord after he had talked with them was taken vp into heauen is set downe on the right hand of God. The summe of all is that Iesus Christ which hytherto liued on the earth hath taken his body out of this worlde and hath placed it on the right hande of God his father according to the saying of Dauid The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thyne enimies thy footestoole Although such is the playnesse of this Hystorie that it is put euen in the same wordes almost in the articles of our Christian faith or Apostles Creede wherein our forefathers would all things should be so plaine that it shoulde be perceyued and vnderstanded of verye children yet let vs discusse diligently euery circumstaunce thereof for their sakes which in these dayes dare extenuate the same while of his ascention they make but a disparition or vanishing out of sight and leaue vs nothing but a vaine and bare fantasie or imagination therof which men are gone so farre that they appoint a locall and substantiall presence of Christes body in the breade of the Lorde But being led and bewitched with the desire of contention they marke not how they leaue him no place in
their mindes as they read occupied with other cogitations as though the reading of scripture were appoynted but for delyte or to passe the time away Let vs therfore well marke what commaundementes and examples belong to our vocation that we maye continue in the same and declare our industrye towarde god For in thus doing a minister of the worde shall thinke whatsoeuer things are spoken by the Prophetes or Apostles touching the administration of the same worde to be sayde vnto him And they that be Magistrates let them thinke whatsoeuer is sayde in the Scriptures touching the dutie of Officers with examples of auncient Magistrates whether they be good or badde to be spoken vnto them The same shall priuate men also doe of what state or condicion so euer they be So shall it come to passe that with a certayne godly delight and pleasure of minde they shall receyue incredible profite by reading of the Scriptures Let vs examine the wordes of Peter wherein two things most appertayning to this present purpose are handled First he teacheth what maner of person should be chosen to the roume of an Apostle Then he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle And of these two he so disputeth that they may serue to the institution of all Ministers of the word of the congregation To the first part appertayneth this saying Wherefore of these men which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lorde IESVS had all his conuersation among vs beginning at the baptisme of Iohn vntill that same day that he was taken vp from vs must one be ordayned c. Peter requireth here two things of great weyght The first is a sure and sounde knowledge of Iesus Christ and of all the things he did whyle he was amongst his Disciples For vsing an Hebrewe phrase by two contraries that is to saye of going in and comming out he includeth all things that euer Christ did Yet least any man should take occasion hereof ouer curiouslye to inquire after euery thing he compasseth this knowledge within certaine boundes that is to saye the baptisme of Iohn and the glorious ascention of Christ into heauen For before Christ was baptised of Iohn he led a priuate life in Nazareth of Galiley behauing himselfe obediently to his Parents and exercising the Carpenters craft as maye be gathered But the thinges that concerned our redemption and belonged to the office of the Messias he then went aboute when hee had bene baptised of Iohn and was authorized by the visible annoynting of the holy Ghost and by the testimonye of the father which was hearde from heauen For which cause the Euangelists contented with the describing of his incarnation touching his nonage and childehoode haue written very little For the holy ghost ment hereby to bridle the foolish curiositie of mans wit which not many yeares ago vttred and set forth it selfe by no simple writers I warrant you who haue compyled vs the lyfe and whole chyldehoode of Christ to the great mockery open scorne of the Christian profession Howbeit Peter thinketh the knowledge of these things sufficient and inough which Christ did after he was so solemnlye admitted and put in office And this knowledge was necessary bicause Christ ordayned his Apostles to be faithfull witnesses of his doings Secondly he requireth a certaine and euident signe of perseuerance and continuance For he woulde haue none chosen out of that number which were yet but nouices and newly entred into Christes religion but such as began to follow Christ from the beginning of his conuersation amongst men and so continued with him being neyther feared with daunger of persecution nor offended with the crosse and his â—launderous death And these thinges should now a dayes be obserued in choosing ordering of Ministers if they had any care of the Church which chalenge greatest authoritie ouer the same For it is playne that the chiefe dutie of the Minister standeth in teaching as God sayth by the Prophete In the Priestes lippes should be the sure knowledge that men may seeke the lawe at his mouth For hee is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes But how shall he teach who is vnlearned and rude him selfe Surely Paule in a Bishop requireth this thing chieflye that he be able to teach and that not only the playne doctrine of truth to the more tractable sort of men but also that he be able to refell and conuince such as shall gainesay and contrary the same whereof there is alwayes a great multitude Therefore in a Minister of the worde the knowledge of Christ and his misteries is necessary with al the things that concerne the articles of the Christian fayth and the dutie of the faythfull There is required of him diligent reading of the Scripture wherein hee ought to be well exercised He hath neede of the knowledge of the tongues that in reading the Scriptures he depende not vpon the sense of others and be constrayned to looke with other mens eyes and to go with other mens feete Furthermore it is meete he be furnished with the Artes of speaking that hee maye perceyue what to propounde in what place and after what sort and order All which are of such weyght that Paule not without a cause exhorted Timothy to continue on still in reading who yet he confesseth of a childe had learned the Scriptures Moreouer whereas infinite daungers hange ouer the function of Ministers boldenesse of minde is requisite least being ouercome with feare of perill hee drawe backe or sticke in the middest of his course But this shall chiefly be perceyued by perseuerance or continuance whereof no doubt he had giuen manifest tokens The same hath Paule obserued likewyse where he sheweth vs that a Byshop shoulde not be a yong scholer or Nouice least being puffed vp with sodaine dignitie he commit some thing dishonest or vncomely and giue occasion to the aduersary to reprooue him Yea and Christ himselfe at his last supper commendeth his Apostles whom it is plaine were subiect to many faultes and infirmities chiefely for this cause that they abode with him in all his temptations But let vs see Peters last wordes where he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle Let one be appoynted sayth he which may be a witnesse of his resurrection First he will haue a partner or fellow ioyned with the eleuen not a seruant whome the reast at their pleasure might commaunde For he knewe that equalitie was needefull to be amongst Christes Ministers Then he calleth him a witnesse which name Christ called them by a little before he went from hence And the often repeticion and diligent consideration of this name is not a little profitable For hereby the worthynesse of the Christian fayth and certaintye of the doctrine euangelicall may be perceyued bicause Christ had not onely preachers of the things he did â—ut also sworne witnesses which wrate and deliuered to vs the fayth in him Last of
to haue erred When they were named they were bidden stande forth that all men might looke vpon them and know them And this example of the Primitiue Church is very notable wherby wee are taught that the election of Ministers of the worde and of the Churche shoulde not be done in corners secretly and within the house by a fewe persons but shoulde be done openly in the sight of the congregation and before all the people For if a Bishop must haue the testimony of them that be without as Paule sayth how much more ought he to be well knowne to them ouer whom he is put in charge Which thing if it be not obserued or be neglected eyther obscure or vnknowne persons eyther else wicked and infect with corrupt maners shall be appointed ouer the Church And they shall be ouerseers of the Church which deserue not the lowest roume in the Church This we are taught by the rytes of the olde Testament where by Gods commaundement Aaron and his children were openly chosen into the holye ministery all the people looking on Neyther let it trouble vs that Paule seemeth to giue authoritie to Titus and Timothie to choose Bishoppes For he woulde not haue them of their priuate authoritie to doe any thing but according to the dutie of Superintendentes to take heede that such as were worthy and meete might be chosen for Ministers And it is not likely that they had more graunted to them than the Apostles had which without the Churches counsayle woulde neuer doe any thing in this matter For not long after they chose Deacons openlye before the congregation and Paule and Barnabas by election ordayned Elders in euery congregation Hereby is reprooued that most corrupt and pernicious vsage of choosing of ministers which many yeares hath borne all the rule in this matter Where manye times some one person in many Churches vseth to choose and order Ministers of his owne authoritie Wherein chiefly Abbots Bishops and Prouostes be to blame And many of them also that glory in the name of the Gospell will be taken for reformers of the Church handle not the matter much better For whyle they put Monkes and Bishops out of their vsurped possession as right is yet they restore not to the Church the libertie which by tyranny they tooke from it but at their owne pleasures administrate the things vsed before time vsurped by the same Bishops and Monkes And hereof in many places sprang that preposterous order for such to choose and order Ministers of the Church as neyther well knowe the Ministers nor yet the Churches ouer which they are set And bicause manye naughty affections are ioyned with ignorance they are manye times therewithall so ledde out of the waye that without all regarde of religion in so weyghtye a matter they seeme to minde none other thing but to shewe the power they haue ouer Churches with as great pride as the Bishops and Monkes did before them Which euill and inconuenience vnlesse it be shortly repressed it will bring vs forth both Simonie the deadly confusion of all ecclesiasticall discipline And all this we are bound to the Bishops of Rome for which haue extorted from the Emperors by bloudy warres that they alone might haue authority to giue Bishopricks and al other whatsoeuer ecclesiasticall Benefices There be yet in Germany not a fewe places which can remember these battayles the Christian bloudshed about the â—ame Certes it is manifest that Henrie the fourth being Emperour both for this diuers other causes ioyned battayle and fought with the Popes in open fielde threescore and two times And at length through the craft and counsayles of the Bishops had his owne sonne as an enimie sent by them against him into the field who at length perceyuing their subtiltie and sleyghtes beganne to withstand them but being ouercome with their importunitie and boldnesse graunted to Calixtus the second all his authority since which time the liberty of the Church pining away as of a deadly disease is at length vtterly lost which libertie whosoeuer will haue restored againe be they Ministers or Magistrates they must knowe that they ought all to labour to haue the auncient vsage of choosing Ministers to be restored againe Nowe to come to the exposition of this present hystory when they had set two before the congregation Ioseph and Matthy men furnished and endued with all kinde of vertues yet none of the Apostles woulde take so much vpon him as to pronounce whether of them should be Apostle naye they thought it not safe to commit so weighty a matter to the number of voices but turning to deuout prayers referre all the successe of the matter to the infallible iudgement of god For they saye Thou Lorde that knowest the hartes of all men shewe whether of these two thou hast chosen c. This is a singular document of godly mindes and of such as will not ouer boldly chalenge to themselues any thing in Gods causes Which example if they would with lyke religion imitate which nowe a dayes haue the handling of Church matters and affayres many things vndoubtedly would succeede more happily than they doe Hereof we gather that the election of Ministers dependeth of God alone and must be referred to him We thinke it the dutie of the Church in this case being lawfully assembled to laye aside all priuate affections to search out such as to whom the function of the Church may safely and conueniently be committed And here we principally require a feruent desire of religion wherevnto fasting was woont to be ioyned that their prayers might be the more ardent and earnest And when there are any found that are thought worthy of so great a charge yet must we not then attribute to much to the iudgement of men But the most commodious and safest way is to referre all the successe of our counsayles to the iudgement of god Although I am not ignoraunt that we finde certaine places of Scripture wherby Ministers myght seeme to be chosen by the iudgement of men and the matter appeareth not to haue bene determined by lottes as here it was wherevnto these sayinges seeme chieflye to be referred which are written 1. Timoth. 3. 5. Titus 1. But I suppose mention is there made only of such things as are requisite in this case for men to doe as ministers and guides the order and president of the Primitiue Church standing still in force the which for diuers and weightie causes is necessary to be obserued still in the Church For first it is euident that the Church is the housholde and family of God as was aforesayde wherein the Ministers be as it were Bayliffes and Stewardes Howbeit none that is wise taketh so much vppon him in another mans house as to prescribe at his pleasure eyther the most vnderlyng seruant or else the Stewarde of the same What absurditie therfore shall it be for any man
they cannot looke vpon Moses face that is they cannot vnderstande the true and plaine meaning of the lawe Therefore the Iewes and false Christians the mainteyners of mans righteousnesse obiect to vs in vaine the lawe and workes thereof whereas Christ is both the ende of the lawe and without him there is no true knowledge of the lawe But in the meane season the contempners of the olde lawe are reprooued who thinke there is no more vse of the same to be had among the Christians As though the will of God were not the same nowe that it was woont to be and as though we also had not neede to be led by the hande of the lawe vnto Christ that distrusting our owne righteousnesse we might learne to take holde of the righteousnesse of God that commeth by fayth in Iesus Christ. In deede we confesse that the Ceremonies of the law are abholished bicause all figures are fulfilled in Christ yet the vse of the lawe remayneth whole and sounde whose duetie it is to teach vs our vnrighteousnesse and corruption of nature and all our satisfaction for the same to be in Christ. Furthermore it behooueth to consider the persons of the Apostles that we may vnderstande what they were dooing at this tyme where certaine things are to be repeated out of the first Chapter First we heard howe they obeyed the commaundement of Christ being nowe readie to ascende into heauen who bade them returne to Hierusalem and there to wayte for the spirite which he promised them Therefore they returne thither and there abide vnto this day in the which the spirit is sent as a little after we shall see where Luke sayth plainly this happened at Hierusalem Moreouer he attributeth vnanimitie and concorde to them For they went not dispersed vp and downe the Citie neyther was there such brawle and contention betweene them as was woont to be but they taryed with one accorde all togither in one place Adde vnto these a thirde poynt whereof mention also is made before howe they continually persisted in praier For it is not to be thought that they were become euer the slacker in praying seeing they were compassed about wyth daunger on euery side and as appeareth by choosing of Mathias prepared themselfe diligently to the administration of their office These things serue for the publike instruction of vs all For they teache vs howe they ought to prepare themselues which desire to haue the holye ghost giuen vnto them and to haue his giftes increased in them Hereof we haue neede by reason of our inwarde and naturall corruption wherewyth onlesse we be borne againe we shall not see the kingdome of god We haue neede of the same spirite bicause of the worlde and the desires of the fleshe wherewith we be many tymes reuoked from the way of saluation We haue neede also of the same by reason of temptations wherewith Sathan oftentymes goeth about to bring vs in doubt of the certentie of our saluation and redemption and would easily ouercome vs except we were confirmed wyth the spirite of Christ which as Paule sayth is the sure earnest and pledge of our saluation But the same spirit entereth not into a froward soule Therefore we haue neede to prepare our selues that we may be meete to receyue him First therefore obedience is requisite whereby it behooueth vs to be in subiection to the will of God and to his precepts yea euen in those things that to our reason seeme daungerous hurtfull or superfluous For by what meanes shall we thinke it will come to passe that they shall haue the spirite of God giuen them which are not ashamed to rebell agaynst God God can not abide that they shall glorie in his lawe and in his worde which runne on in disobedience Howe much lesse will he vouchsafe to giue his holy spirite to such Furthermore it is meete that they be of one accorde and in charitie togither which shall receyue the holy ghost For where God himselfe is charitie he requireth earnestly the studie thereof in those that be his yea Christ appoynted it as a Cognizance for his to be knowne by And it cannot be that Christ will iudge them worthie of the spirite of Christian brotherhoode that are deuided by hatred enuie contentions and open enimitie and so declare themselues to be straungers from the bodie of Christ which is the Church or Congregation Moreouer vnto the studie of concorde and obedience must be ioyned feruent and continuall prayers For although God promise his spirit freely and giueth the same of his meere grace he will yet haue vs to pray to him and aswell doth the maiestie of God require we should praye to him as the dutie whereby we be bound to him Neyther can we declare any more manifest token of our fayth than if we go aboute by prayer to obtaine those things that belong to our saluation Therefore we heare Dauid saye Make me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirite within me Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirite from me And we say euery day as Christ commaundeth vs Let thy kingdome come Yea Christ himselfe promiseth vs that we shall not aske God his spirite in vaine Where he sayth If you being euill can giue good gyftes vnto your children howe much more shal your father of heauen giue the holy spirit to them that desire it of him Therefore let vs in these dayes ioyne togither these three obedience vnanimitie and prayers after the example of the Apostles and then shall we perceyue in our selues a marueylous comming forwarde in true godlinesse and a most wholsome increase of the holy ghost Furthermore the consideration of the Apostles teacheth vs that the spirite of Christ which worketh by preaching of the gospell is a spirite of concorde and holinesse and not the Author of dissention and carnall libertie as some in these dayes crie out which by this meanes would bring the doctrine of the gospell in suspicion and hatred bicause say they it is the seede of dissention and a planting of licencious liuing But we may easily aunswere theyr slaunders For as the Apostles being at vnitie and concorde receyued the holy spirite so it is plaine that after they had receyued him their concorde was not disturbed but euery day more and more confirmed And the same effect of the spirite is in all them that beleeue For it cannot be that he can be Author of discorde amongst them whom being knit togither in one head Iesus Christ he maketh members of one and the same bodie and coheyres of the same kingdome And as it is impossible that the members of one bodie quickened with one spirite can be at variance togither so can they not striue amongst themselues which are brought by the doctrine of the gospell vnto Christ and are indued with his spirite As touching that our enimies obiect to vs the libertie of the flesh we
vs plainely that we must of dutie repent and yet that al desert of iustification is to be had in Christ only Therfore whosoeuer maketh no mention of Christ in teaching of repentance offendeth against the example of Peter And so be they cause to the ignorant to establish their owne righteousnesse wherin they can finde no certaintie nor soundnesse Next he speaketh of outward baptisme which he commaundeth them to receiue for forgiuenesse of sinnes Which wordes are not so to be vnderstanded as though outwarde baptisme washed vs from sinne For it is euident that wee be clensed from all our sinnes by the bloude of Iesus Christ. This is attributed to baptisme bicause it sealeth in vs the benefite of purification which is gotten vs by the bloude of christ Which thing we may see in Circumcision For where Abraham was iustified by faith he receyued Circumcision as a signe of the righteousnesse of fayth So they which are conteyned within the Testament of Christ and be therefore iustifyed receyue baptisme for remission of sinnes that is to saye the righteousnesse of God which he hath giuen vs in Christ is sealed in them by baptisme Wherefore Peter by this maner of speach assureth them of their saluation and comforteth them by an argument deduced or taken of the ende of baptisme In the meane season bicause we be taken into the Church of God by baptisme and are become professors of Christ as people which vnder his conduct must fight agaynst this worlde and the Prince thereof Peter requireth further of them a free and an open confession of their fayth in christ For Christ will haue no such worshippers as shall be ashamed of him Howbeit the Iewes did openlye denye Christ before Pylate whyle they cried they had no King or Messias beside Caesar. Wherfore it was necessary that they shoulde as freely confesse Christ least they might be iudged stil to be of the number of the false runnagates This could be done no way more commodiously than by baptisme which Christ woulde haue administred to the ende to get and bring him disciples as may be read Math. 28. Nowe if a man will compare the things togither which haue hitherto bene sayde it will appeare after what order Peter taught the way of iustification and saluation He began with rebuking of sinne as we haue hard before Then when he saw them pricked and contrite in hart he requireth them to repent by this meanes bringing them to some hope of grace and fauour Then againe least they should trust in the workes of penance and leane vppon their owne righteousnesse he sendeth them to the name of Christ and to his merytes At length he commaundeth them to professe Christ openly and to ioyne themselues to his Church This order of teaching we see the Apostles euerye where obserued which they had learned of Christ their maister as no man can deny For thus he sayd a little afore his departure from hence It is necessary that repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes shoulde be preached to all Nations in my name Go ye therefore into all the worlde preach the Gospell to all creatures and bring me disciples from out all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Which things if a man compare with auriculer confession satisfactions merites pardons yeremindes purgatory and infinite such like exacted of those that should doe penance he shall finde they are farre wyde a sunder Furthermore bicause Peter had to doe with them which felt themselues guiltie of such an heynous wickednesse as had not bene seene the lyke he comforteth them with a double promise as is the maner of the Gospell for feare they should be swallowed vp of desperation First you shall receyue sayth he the gift of the holy ghost He seemeth to speake of a peculiar gift of the spirite such as in the time of the primitiue Church the beleuers were endued with either to speak with diuers tonges or else to be notable in other myracles as hereafter in the eight Chapter it shall appeare more plainely For it behooued to haue the ministerye of the Apostles adorned with some singular giftes to th ende men might the more easily be woonne vnto christ And although these gifts in these dayes for the most part be ceased yet there remayne other more necessary effects of the spirite through whose operation the beleeuing are regenerated mortified renued assured of their saluation emboldened and confirmed in perils so that they dare stoutly without any feare stand to the confession of the name of christ For it is the spirit of adoption which vseth to worke al these things in the children of God that they haue neede of in this world This promise was able singularlye to comfort them whose consciences were afrayde by reason of sinne For howe coulde they doubt to haue forgiuenesse of their sinnes which heard they should haue the same spirit that the Apostles had In the meane season this promise serueth also for our instruction For it teacheth vs that true beleeuers and Christians cannot vtterly be destitute of the giftes of the holye ghost There are diuers operations and diuers gifts of the spirite as Paule sayth and we see that some excell other some therein But there is not the meanest of them all that is vtterly voyde of the spirit bicause they be not the members of Christ which haue not the spirite of Christ. Therefore â—aine is the profession of Christ except we shewe and declare that we be quickened and gouerned by the spirite of Christ which thing caused the Apostle to saye that fayth is knowne by workes and Christ commaundeth vs to followe his father in our doings Secondly he alledgeth an auncient promise To you sayth he was the promise made and to your children and to all that be a farre of euen as many as the Lord our God shall call These things are to be vnderstanded of the couenant promises which were made in the olde Testament the summe wherof may be seene Genes 17. yet doth Peter extend the same promises to those that are a farre of that is to the Gentiles which as yet were straungers and alienes from the societie of the people of God bicause he woulde the easilier induce and perswade them For they which were borne of Abraham coulde doubt no longer of Gods goodnesse seeing they hearde the same extended also vnto the Gentiles These things teache vs to what vse Gods promises serue verily to confirme our wauering fayth in temptations and all other aduersities But before we make an ende of our sermon two things in these wordes are to be noted First he sayth the promises appertayne not to the fathers only but also to the children The wordes of the couenant teache vs the same where the Lorde sayth thus I will make my bonde betweene mee and thee and thy seede after thee in their generations
by an euerlasting Testament that I may be God vnto thee and vnto thy seede after thee c. Whereof we gather that the infants of those that beleeue whome we cannot exclude from the name of seede are as well contayned within the couenant of saluation as are the elders and fathers For the obiection of those that say the wordes of God are only to be vnderstanded of that posteritie of Abraham which when it was of age was able to professe their fayth is nor ought to be of no authoritie For it is euident that Isaac and Iacob were included in the couenant before they were borne as maye be seene Genes 17.25 Rom. 9. And Paule doubteth not to call those children holye which haue but one parent faithfull and a beleeuer Christ also plainly teacheth vs that the kingdome of God belongeth vnto children Here the Papistes and Anabaptistes errors are confuted whereof the one deny saluation and the fruition of God to children that die without baptisme and the other keepe children from baptisme whome Christ commaundeth to be brought vnto him Then next declaring the promise of saluation he maketh mention also of Gods vocation and calling least any man might thinke the children of God were eyther borne of the fleshe or of the merite of their owne free will and strength for the children of the fleshe bee not the children of God but the children of the promise And it is not in mannes will or cunning but in the mercy of God. Saluation is set before vs in Iesus Christ and as the parable of the Gospell saith the time of mariage approcheth and all things are ready But it is needefull that men shoulde be called and bidden that they may come vnto the feast Therfore God sendeth forth the preachers of of his Gospell whose voyce is gone throughout the worlde many yeares since Howbeit bicause they can doe nothing in the mindes of men it is needefull they shoulde be drawne by God and by the operation of his spirite according to that saying of Christ No man commeth vnto mee except my father drawe him And God according to his free and holy will worketh and the winde bloweth where it will. By the which it is manifest that our saluation dependeth vpon the meere fauour of God which calleth whome he will draweth whome he will and maketh them like to the ymage of his sonne In the meane season it is our dutie being called to aunswere being drawne not to pull backe and being subiect to the Gospell through the obedience of fayth to make sure our vocation and election as the Apostle teacheth This maye suffice for this time touching Peters counsayle of saluation who sheweth them what waye to take whose consciences are feared with the consideration of their sinnes The residue behind remaining shal be intreated of in the next sermon Let vs folow the holy ghosts counsell which spake by the mouth of Peter Let vs repent vs truely let vs seeke whatsoeuer things belong to our saluation in Christ let vs giue our selues wholy to him and freely professe him Let vs not breake our promise made to him in baptisme but let vs liue a life worthye the name of Christ and then we shall liue hereafter with him in heauen to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xviij. Homelie AND with many other wordes bare he witnesse and exhorted them saying saue your selfe from this vntowarde generation Then they that gladly receyued his preaching were baptized and the same daye there were added vnto them about three thousande soules And they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowshippe and in breaking of breade and in prayers And feare came ouer euery soule And many woonders and signes were shewed by the Apostles THe Apostle Peter so ordred his fyrst Sermon of the Gospell that he earnestlye vpbrayded his hearers with the grieuous and heynous offence that they committed against the sonne of god But after they were ouercome with the conscience of their sinne and sought counsayle howe to be saued he gaue them both friendly and faithfull counsayle shewing them that way of saluation that all men in these dayes that are desirous to be saued must likewise take For he prescribed them to repent and sendeth them to Christ to be consecrated to him by externe and publike baptisme that in his name they might obtayne remission of their sinnes and the gift of the holy ghost But bicause there were a greaâ— many whose authoritie might pull them from the way of saluation or at the leastwise greatly hinder them he warneth them also of those persons which is the first thing in this sermon wherevnto afterwarde Luke ioyneth the effect and fruite that followed of the Apostles counsayle with an elegant president of the auncient and primitiue Church all which are very worthy to be diligently considered Of Peter thus sayth the Euangelist with many other woordes bare hee witnesse and exhorted them saying Saue your selues from this vntowarde generation The admonition going before might haue seemed sufficient and verily it comprehendeth all the order of true saluation But bicause it might seeme an harde and weightie matter to forsake and cast away the auncient religion of their forefathers and to embrace a new hauing the example of many against them it was necessary to vse other admonitions wherein he sheweth that Peter vsed great earnestnesse and passing vehemency For he did not simply monishe them only but also vsed many obtestations and exhortations And this was the summe and ende of them all To saue themselues from that vntowarde generation By this worde sauing he admonished them that their saluation is in perill which they coulde not attaine to except they woulde seperate themselues from such as they were First let vs see of whome he speaketh For although it might seeme he spake of the whole nation of the Iewes which was guiltie of Christes bloudshed and was polluted with the greatest crime that coulde be yet chiefelye was this name due to the Priestes and Scribes who as it is euident were the chiefe authors of all the calamities that were amonge that people They were puft vp with the pryde of their gorgeous and holy titles and styles For besides that they chalenged the common name of the children of Abraham they thought also they only had the knowledge of the lawe and they were taken of euery man as guides of the blinde lightes to them that walked in darkenesse instructors of the vnwise and teachers of the vnlearned as appeareth by Paules wordes But Peter with great plainnesse calleth them a naughtie peruerse and vntowarde generation following the example of Iohn Baptist and Christ who before that had greeted them by the same names For Iohn called them the generation of vipers And Christ plainely called them a naughtye and adulterous generation Let no man impute this to euill speaking or rayling a thing farre vnfit and vnseemely for the holy
to the grace of God which worketh in vs according to his good pleasure those things that make for his glory and for our and other mennes saluation Let these suffice for declaration of the order of the primitiue Church Let vs knowe it is our partes to be occupied in the same exercises which they sometime were giuen vnto Let the ende of them all be the glorye of God and the saluation of manye whome we must labour to bring vnto christ For so shall it come to passe that we shall haue fauour and authoritie amongest men and shall receyue plenteous fruite of our traueyle in Iesus Christ to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The thirde chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .xx. Homelie PETER and Iohn went vp togither into the Temple at the ninth houre And a certaine man that was halt from his mothers wombe was brought whome they layde dayly at the gate of the Temple which is called bewtifull to aske almes of them that entred into the Temple When hee sawe Peter and Iohn that they woulde go into the Temple he desired to receyue an almes And Peter fastened his eyes on him with Iohn and sayd Looke on vs And he gaue heede vnto them trusting to receyue something of them Then sayde Peter siluer and golde haue I none such as I haue giue I thee In the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth aryse vp and walke And he tooke him by the right hande and lift him vp And immediatly his feete and ancle bones receyued strength And hee sprang stoode and walked and entred with them into the Temple walking and leaping and praysing God. WE haue perceyued in the Sermon before going what the trade successe and encrease of the primityue Church was This thing of all other was notable that the faythfull grewe in fauoure and authoritie with manye men and caused the wicked to be afrayd of them Among other things mention was made of manye and diuers myracles which Luke sayth the Apostles did Wherefore out of a number he taketh one which gaue occasion of a newe sermon by the which Peter bringeth certaine thousands to the knowledge of Christ as we shall see when we come to the place Nowe bicause this is so singuler a myracle it is meete we diligently discusse all the circumstances therof with as much regard as Luke hath penned them who beginneth first with the occasion of the myracle then he describeth the lame mannes person on whome the myracle was wrought and last of all sheweth what successe folowed of the myracle and what the lame man did after he was healed The occasion of the myracle was that Peter and Iohn about the ninth houre went vp into the temple at what time this lame man was brought thither to aske almes of the people The ninth houre of the day with them was three a clocke at the after noone with vs as maye be gathered of that we sayde in the seconde Chapter touching the counting of houres He calleth it the houre of prayer bicause the people of God had certayne appointed houres when they made their publike prayers as maye be seene as well otherwheres as also in Daniel the sixt Chapter And God had appoynted in the law the morning and euening sacrifice which no man being in his wit will saye was done without prayers Touching the time of mid-day or noone which also was appointed for prayers we shall speake hereafter in the tenth Chapter where Peter at the same houre being in Simon the Tanners house went into the vpper storie thereof to praye And it is not without a cause that the Scriptures make such diligent mention of the houres of prayers For first we are taught hereby that we ought to beginne finishe and ende all our doings with calling on the name of God bicause without his helpe and grace it is impossible for vs to accomplishe any thing well For as Salomon sayth A man deuyseth a waye in his heart but it is the Lord that ordreth his goings Wherevpon the Apostle S. Iames sharpely reprooueth them which without respect vnto the will of God so deliberate and appoint their matters as though the successe of them depended of their owne power Also we are admonished that disciplyne is needefull in the Church according to the which as Paule sayth all things appertayning to religion and the honour of God ought to be done decently and in order We confesse in deede that it is the dutie of Christians in euery place to lift vp pure and cleane handes vnto God when and where we haue neede of his helpe and that he may heare vs Yet bicause Christ hath commended vnto vs publike prayers by a peculiar promise it becommeth vs to haue a speciall care and consideration therof and not without a cause to refraine from the holye congregation which it is euident was instituted long agoe for doctrine and prayers sake And though many things afterwarde grewe into superstition yet ought that to be no impediment vnto vs For the superstition ought to be taken awaye and the primitiue and lawfull vse to be restored Now there is nothing left but the iangling of belles whereby we are called in the morning at noone and at euening to prayers The superstitious vsage whereof many accuse but very fewe traueyle to haue the solemne houres of prayers as they were at the first vsed to be restored The Apostles are specially to be marked who sayth Luke went into the Church at the houre of prayer Which was not for the sacrifice sake that then was offred as was heretofore declared But bicause they were desirous to praye and also hoped to finde some occasion whereby to teache the people And they would not bicause of the pieuishe superstition of the Iewes which easily might be corrected leaue their dutie vndone and let slippe such an occasion and opportunitie to doe good Whose example teacheth vs that we must seeke all maner of occasion to set forth the doctrine of the Gospell and knowledge of christ The dutie that we owe vnto Christ bindeth vs herevnto For as he intermitted nothing belonging to our saluation so must not we fayle of our duties in enlarging the boundes and borders of his kingdome This caused Paule to thinke the weight and care of all congregations laye on his shoulders And in another place he reioyceth in the attemptes of his aduersaries and yllwillers bicause he perceyued they serued after a sort to the setting forth of the Gospell Let vs be ashamed therefore of our negligence and slouth who like sluggardes to say no woorse doe daily let passe the occasions that the Lord offreth vs And here chiefely hath that saying of the Prophete place Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lorde negligently Secondly Luke diligently describeth the lame mans person on whome the myracle was afterwarde wrought In which description the excellencie of the myracle and the power of Christ the
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
he preferreth Publicanes and harlots to the kingdome of God before these whome Peter here reasoneth with Let this comfort vs that we knowe Christes honor remayneth safe and sounde howsoeuer the wicked worlde rageth against him For of him hath God sayde from euerlasting I haue set my king vppon my holy hill of Syon I will preache the lawe whereof the Lorde hath sayde vnto me Thou art my sonne this daye haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall giue thee the heathen for thine enheritance c. Secondly here is an Allegorie to be considered where the Rulers of the Church are compared vnto builders For this thing both admonisheth them of their dutie and setteth forth their whole office The name of a builder is not a name of honor but of charge and dutie and there is nothing so vnsitting for a deuiser or builder as ydlenesse For he onely amonge other that worke laboureth not but yet the whole charge and care of all the building lyeth on his shoulders And his ende is to haue a faire and sure house builded Which ende that he may attaine vnto he layeth a sure foundation vpon the which he setteth his whole frame and his whole care is to haue it workmanly finished These thinges the Ministers of the Churche must obserue whome the Lord hath called to labours and cares For they are builders of the house of God which is the congregation as Paule saith To the building vp of this house let them bring al that they are able remēbring that they haue receyued power to builde and not to destroye Let them laye no newe foundation but builde vpon that which the Lorde hath layde which Paule calleth the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles which is Iesus Christ. This is that precious stone layd 〈◊〉 the foundations of Zion This is that rocke wherevpon we liuely stones must be builded and against which the gates of hell shall not be able to preuayle Now as the building must be begunne with this stone so the same stone is the chiefe and headstone of the toppe or corner For in him is our perfection and he ioyneth togither two nations the Gentyles and the Iewes into one body of a congregation as the corner stone ioyneth togither two walles He professeth also he is the doore of this building He is the true housholder which hath committed the charge of the house to the Ministers and will one day require a reckonning how they haue vsed his house Therefore let all Ministers regarde this goodman of the house and take heede that they bring no heye or stubble to this building where mennes traditions haue naught to doe As many as fayle in this poynt they with the Iewes being builders vpon a naughtie fayth reiect Christ on whome they fall and procure destruction to themselues After the which rule if they be well examined which nowe a dayes will be taken for builders of the Church it shall easily appeare what they may be iudged to be Last of all this chiefe principle of Christian beliefe must be deepelye layde vp in our mindes wherein Peter ascribeth to Christ onely the whole glory of our redemption and saluation saying There is saluation in none other That he prooueth by the decree of God adding For among men vnder heauen there is giuen none other name wherein we must be saued For as in the world euery thing must be brought to passe by those meanes which god hath appointed therevnto so is it impossible that saluation can be attayned to by any other meanes than by the merite of Christ whom God which is the only author of mans saluation hath appointed from euerlasting to this purpose and businesse And where it is euident Goddes decree can not be broken Peter thought this one place sufficient ynough to confirme his opinion which otherwise had other infinite places wherby to prooue the same For no man can discharge the dutie of a Sauiour but he that can take awaye sinne ouercome death make intercession for vs before God and giue righteousnesse and lyfe to them that beleeue in him That all these thinges be in the power of Christ onely all the Scripture teacheth vs and himselfe cryeth out in the Prophete I am the Lorde This is my name and my glorye will I not giue to another And of him onely the father bare witnesse from heauen This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Of him he sometime pronounced by the Prophete This is my seruaunt vppon whome I leane mine elect in whome my soule is pacified In him is giuen vnto vs grace and veritie In him are all the treasures of knowledge wisedome and goodnesse of God opened vnto vs. He is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnesse satisfaction redemption and sanctification He is to them that hunger the breade of life and to them that thirst a fountaine of liuelye water He promiseth to them that traueyle and are laden refreshing giueth it them He onely is the waye which whosoeuer taketh not hee cannot come vnto the father He is the lambe of God slayne from the beginning of the world through whose merite both the olde fathers were saued and as many as beleeue in him shall be saued vntill the worldes ende Finally in him Paule testifyeth that we be chosen before the foundations of the worlde were layde Therefore by this place all other religions which shewe vs any newe meanes of saluation beside Christ are confuted With this Rammer the Gentyles Idolatrie the Iewes righteousnesse in their lawe the Phariseyes boasting and hypocrisie the Popedome with all their market of pardons and merites and all that confused Chaos of Monkish orders are beaten downe ouerturned and brought to the grounde For whatsoeuer is beside Iesus can neuer saue vs Therefore they condemne not vs but Peter of heresie which in these dayes excommunicate vs bicause we cleaue to Iesus our onely sauiour contemning those things which the superstition of man hath brought vp But we easily contemne their iudgementes which learne of Peter that it is no marueyle if manye of the builders reiect this precious stone We embrace him with constant fayth without whome there is no saluation and which hath promised to all them that beleeue in him saluation and life euerlasting To him be praise honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxviij. Homelie WHEN they sawe the boldnesse of Peter and Iohn and vnderstoode that they were vnlearned and laye men they marueyled and they knewe them that they had bene with Iesu And beholding also the manne which was healed standing with them they coulde not saye agaynst it but commaunded them to go aside out of the Counsell and counsayled among themselues saying what shall we do to these men for a manifest signe is done by them and is openly knowne to all them that dwell in Hierusalem and wee cannot denie it But that it bee
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
brought them that erred into the waye and to haue conuinced the gaynesayers as men hauing forgotten their dutie turne vnto force and shut them in the common prison which as yet were conuicted of no fault or crime And this is it that Christ layde to their charge when they came out armed with swordes and Clubbes to take him whom they dayly hearde teaching in the Temple where he ought to haue bene conuinced if he had taught any thing repugnaunt to Gods truth Naye they vsed open force euen in their Counsell in that they suffer the high Priestes seruaunt to strike Christ on the cheeke without check Histories declare howe they haue fought these many yeares with the same weapons agaynst the doctrine of truth Neyther neede we to heape many examples togither bicause that one fact of the Counsell at Constance is sufficient which the heades of the Romaine Church commytted agaynst that holy martyr of Christ Iohn Husse whome neyther his safe conduyct neyther the Emperours maiestie neyther lawe of armes neyther intreatie of the godlye nor threates of the Bohemians coulde deliuer out of their bloudy handes And our maisters and Bishops in these dayes vse no argumentes more often against the Teachers of the truth than to arme Princes against the same and those that teache it and then thinke they are notable defenders of the Church when they persecute the true Church of Christ with fire and sworde To speake nothing in the meane season of such as saye the examination and hearing of these matters appertaine nothing to Princes and so hale they the martyrs of Christ to their execution without hearing their cause first cutting out their tongues bicause they shall not declare their fayth and cause of their death to the people looking on But howe farre these men passe the tyrannie of the Iewishe Bishops so much more grieuous shall that punishment be that Christ hath ordeyned for them whose kingdome can be oppressed by no force of man. This doth the other part of the storie declare wherein is shewed what the Lord did in the meane whyle who myght seeme to haue cast of all care of his Church and suffered his enimies to long But he neyther sleepeth nor forsaketh those that be in daunger for his sake For the Aungell of the Lorde came who neyther feared the authoritie of the Priestes nor yet the lawe for breaking the prison but openeth the doores bringeth out the Apostles and commaundeth them to returne to the Temple there to preach the wordes of lyfe that is to saye the Gospell of Iesus Christ in whome only lyfe is to be had These thinges teache vs howe God hath a care for those that be his and that his worde cannot be bounde although his Ministers lye bounde in prison For the breath of God breatheth where it will and is not subiect to the iudgement of the worlde And Paule sayth that he lyeth bounde but that the worde of God cannot be bounde Let no man therefore be offended with the imprisonment of the Ministers of Goddes worde no not with their death seeing the setting forth of his worde dependeth not of vs but of the pleasure and power of god It shall be good more diligently to consider the maner and ende of this deliuery In their deliuery this is chiefely to be obserued that God would haue the prison doores opened by the ministerie of an Aungell which he myght many other wayes haue brought to passe But God woulde this waye testifie and declare the great dignitie of his elect whereas not onely the inferiour and earthly creatures but also the heauenly spirites and Aungels are appoynted to doe them seruice We are taught by manye places of Scripture to gather a generall rule hereof Paule verily teacheth vs that the Aungels are ministering spirites sent out for the seruice of them which shall be heyres of saluation And that saying of Dauid is well knowen The Aungell of the Lorde tarieth rounde about them that feare him and deliuereth them And that which the malignaunt Tempter expoundeth of Christ only is to be referred to euery one of his members whome God hath commended to the charge and custodie of the Aungels that they shoulde not dashe their foote agaynst a stone And there wanteth not examples of them which haue bene holpen by the visible ministerie of Aungelles Loth was deliuered from the burning of Sodome by the aungelles Iacob â—eeth an hoste of Aungelles and perceyueth himselfe in safetie by their ayde and succour Whole armies of Aungels deliuer Elizeus out of the handes of the Assirians Daniel confesseth the Aungell of the Lorde did shutte the mouthes of the Lyons that they coulde doe him no hurt An Aungell many daies faithfully serued Thobias sonne in visible shape and likenesse An Aungell smiteth the first borne of the Egyptians and guideth the people of Israel through the wildernesse And it appeareth Ezechias was deliuered from the siege of the Assirians by the helpe of an Aungell These examples and such other lyke are rehearsed not to th ende we also shoulde require the ministerie of Aungels in visible wyse but that we shoulde not doubt of their ayde and helpe although they appeare not to vs We manye times finde this true when we be deliuered from secrete daungers and so escape vnknown ieoperdies without all counsell or helpe of man Let vs therefore acknowledge the dignitie of our nature and condicion wherein we be set through the benefite of Gods grace Let the same serue for our comfort that we despayre not in aduersitie and for our instruction that we offend not through our impure and naughty life the Aungels and so driue from vs so holy and necessary a succor and defence Furthermore the Aungell sheweth the ende why they are deliuered where he saith to the Apostles being brought out of prison Go and stand and speake in the Temple all the wordes of this lyfe to the people He appoynteth them therefore to returne to the execution of that office and charge that Christ had put them in and co mmaundeth them to their vttermost power to set forth the kingdome of Christ whose ayde and helpe they nowe presently had prooued This agreeth with Goddes commaundement in other places that being deliuered out of any distresse we shoulde glorifie him For this was not spoken onely to the Apostles but appertayneth indifferently to all men For God will haue all men diligently to applye their vocation and being deliuered out of daunger to returne therevnto with the more feruencie the longer they haue intermitted it Therefore their offence is grieuous which being deliuered from sickenesse or pouertie or other kinde of calamitie giue themselues vnto vice and naughtynesse and pollute the name of God with impuritie of lyfe who seeme vnto me to bee lyke those souldiours which being sent out to take Christ when they were cast to the grounde by his secrete power yet when they were permitted to
whether they haue spoken any thing against their receyued superstition abuses and errors of Popish tyranny yea or no. Which thing if once it appeere by and by sentence of death is pronounced neyther will they heare any reasons or argumentes whereby they are able to defend their dooings So that if any man confesse he haue denied the intercession of Saintes and hath spoken agaynst the superstitious worshipping of them he is streight way condemned of heresie and not permytted to giue any accompt of his doctrine in that behalfe Likewise he is iudged an heretike that speaketh against the sacrifice of the Masse against the fyre of Purgatorie against the supremacie of the Sea of Rome against selling of pardons and diuers such lyke merchaundizes and farther reasons of his doing or teaching will they not heare Let vs well note these thinges that they beguile not the simple when they see they giue vs free libertie in the counsell to pleate our matter For there lyeth a Snake in the grasse and they couet nothing else of vs but the confession of the truth which of all other things they most hate and detest But let vs heare Steuens aunswere which consisteth of a whole narration or historie taken of the first Origene and beginning of the Iewishe Nation and comprehendeth in it the chiefe benefites of God bestowed in times past vpon the fathers with the deedes done againe by them eyther good or euill What the ende and scope of the whole discourse is may easilye be gathered of the poyntes of his accusation The chiefe pointes wherof were that hee had blasphemed God and the lawe Therefore he beginneth to purge himselfe of impietie and least he might seeme to beguile them with vaine and trifling arguments he doth vtterly protest that he is altogither voyde of such impietie against God and his ordinances His first argument consisteth herein that he acknowledgeth and preacheth the same God that whylome wrought diuers things among the fathers and whom they onely worshypped Then prooueth he that he ought not to be iudged vngodly for abrogating the lawe and the ceremonies for as much as the fathers in time passed pleased God without the lawe and ceremonies onely by the obedience of fayth and that the same God liked not many of them after the lawe and ceremonies were instituted And thereof hee euidently prooueth that the law and ceremonies had a farre other vse and ende than that men could be iustified and saued by them but rather that such a way of saluation was shadowed by thē as was at length accomplished in Christ and that therefore the ceremonies were to be let passe and Christ to be embraced by true fayth And at length for that he woulde driue them from their vaine affiaunce in the fathers he setteth before their eyes their stubborne and incurable impietie accusing them earnestly that they had lieffer to followe their Progenitors than those auncient and holy fathers which through fayth pleased god And thys is the summe of all Steuens oration wherein we are taught after what sort and howe boldly we ought to defende Gods quarrell agaynst the enimies thereof Here appeareth also a marueylous power of the holy ghost which could instruct him with so perfite a knowledge of diuinitie and with so great boldenesse of minde that being set in the middle of these Woolues he could so wisely giue an account of his doctrine and faith and so constauntly contempne his enimies Which example ought to encourage vs to thinke that the power of the holy ghost can not be ouercome with the stowtenesse and frowardnesse of the wicked Let vs see nowe the beginning of his oration conteyned in thys place The beginning is briefe and short For he sayth yee men and brethren hearken He calleth them brethren bicause of countrie sake by which name the Iewes vsed often to salute one an other and fathers for the dignitie and office sake which they were in by Gods appointment whose authoritie he wyllingly acknowledgeth although he knewe them to be very corrupt and wicked Yet is he not so amazed at their dignitie that he thinketh it vnfit to dissent from them but rather he plainely and freely speaketh his iudgement and accuseth them of errour By this example we are taught that the christian fayth doth not abolishe the duties of humanitie and ciuilitie which we owe vnto them that are in authoritie and dignitie aboue vs For although touching the state of saluation there is no differences of persons in Christ Iesu as Paule teacheth yet the degrees of dignitie remaine and Christ hath not abolished the lawe of God the father which commaundeth vs to honour our parents and to rise vp vnto a gray head and as the same Apostle witnesseth it is the propertie of christian modestie that one goe before an other in honor Yet the chiefe care woulde be of Gods will and of the duetie we owe vnto him least we dissemble the truth for mans sake the confession whereof Christ euery where requyreth of vs Neyther must we at any time forget that Apostolike and verie christian Maxima or sentence that teacheth vs we must rather obey God than men As therefore by the example of Steuen the barbarous vncurtesie of certaine frenetike persons is condemned who to shew themselues christians salute princes and all others in authoritie by none other name than brethren so is the tyranny of them also confuted which thinke it not meete that any man should gainesay the Byshops of Rome bycause their authoritie is confirmed by prescription of so many yeares and priuiledge of so many Princes But vaine and ridiculous is the glorying in mans authoritie seeing it was lawfull for the Apostles to dissent from them whose power was ordeyned of God and whome they acknowledged for fathers by reason of Gods institution The plainenesse and simplicitie of the gentile Philosopher is much to be commended which sayde Socrates is my friend but truth is more my friend What vnrighteousnesse is it therfore to require of christian men that they should haue more regarde of the Antichrist of Rome than of Christ and his eternall truth But let vs returne vnto Steuen which beginneth his narration wyth Abraham the father of the Iewishe nation bicause they did most glorie in him And by his example he prooueth that the ceremonies of the law are not necessarie to saluation and that they are not to be thought wicked and blasphemous which preach they are abrogated bicause Abraham in time past pleased God without them The circumstaunces of place and tyme make for the amplification of the argument For least they might thinke that God had any respect to the lande of promise he sheweth that God called Abraham foorth being yet in Chaldea or Mesopotamia and that after Thares hys father was dead by reason of whose age or sicknesse it is lyke he stayed in Charran he came into the lande of Chanaan where he receyued the seale of circumcision Howbeit
Which of the Prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted And they haue slayne them which shewed before of the comming of that iust whome you haue now betrayed and murthred And ye also haue receyued the lawe by the ministration of Aungelles and haue not kept it when they hearde these things their hearts claue a sunder and they gnashed on him with their teeth THus farre the blessed Martyr Steuen hath aunswered the obiections layde agaynst him and with long discourse hath shewed that he neuer blasphemed God nor his law nor yet the Temple For beginning at Abraham he declareth that he is a worshypper of that onely God who did vouchsafe in time past to reueale himselfe vnto the fathers and to offer vnto them his grace That done he maketh a singuler discourse of the lawe and prooueth that Christ was euidently promised to the fathers in the lawe At length intreating of the Temple and outwarde obseruances he prooueth by most strong arguments that neyther the grace of God is tyed to them neyther the true worshipping of him nor yet the meane of mannes saluation But bycause Steuen was not ignoraunt what maner of Iudges he shoulde haue in his cause and for that they coulde no longer dissemble the rage of their mindes as euery man may easily gather of the circumstances with a weyghtie vehement kynde of reprehending them he concludeth his Oration Where we maye perceyue that it was Steuens purpose and intent to plucke of the visure from the faces of them which bragged in the name of the church and fowly abused their power that they should no longer feare the simple and vnlearned with this slye conueyance of theirs And this is a thing very needeful when we perceiue we haue to do with them with whome the worde of doctrine will not preuayle And surelye in our daies nothing so much hindreth the verity as that they be the enimies therof which many yeres haue challenged to them the name gouernance therof Wherfore it is necessary that they which haue the charge of the Church committed vnto them doe followe euen at this day also the example of Steuen But to come to the handling of this present place there were thrée things specially which made them the prowder that is to saye Circumcision the glory and dignitie of the fathers and the lawe giuen them by Gods speciall benefite And of all these the godlye Martyr of Christ so speaketh that he playnely prooueth all their affiaunce to be in vaine which they had in them And beginning with Circumcision he sheweth that they gloryed therin in vayne calling them stiffenecked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares He seemeth to haue a respect vnto the wordes of Moses and of God which are written Deuteronomie 10. and Ieremie 4. as though he shoulde saye I knowe you haue a great confidence in Circumcision but that is but a very vanitie seeing you neglect the circumcision of the heart and minde God woulde that you shoulde by an outwarde signe professe hys couenaunt but he commaunded you to circumcise your heartes with the sworde of the spirite and to put your neckes hytherto ouermuch disobedient into the yoke of his obedience But it is playne that you neuer woulde thus doe For you euer resisted the holy ghost speaking to you by the Scriptures and by the Prophetes So Steuen accuseth them of no common disobedience but of heynous incredulitie as who went about to mocke God with their Circumcision which was but a signe of Gods couenant This place teacheth vs that men are little holpen by outwarde signes vnlesse they sticke vnto the thinges signifyed by them For where God is a spirite he will not be worshipped with vaine ceremonies but in the spirite and in truth As for the Ceremonies he hath instituted them for our sakes to the intent they shoulde bring our mindes by contemplation of fayth to the consideraunce of our dutie Which thing if we neglect then the signes improoue vs of infidelitie and excuse vs not which is the cause that the Prophetes so earnestly accuse the obseruers of outwarde ceremonies and so carefully commende vnto them the care of spirituall worshipping This serueth also to teache vs that we cleaue not to much to baptisme ▪ and to the supper and so neglect the fayth that is in Christ and the studie of innocencie and charitie without the which Christian religion cannot consist And if the colde obseruation of rytes commaunded by God is not able to saue vs what shall we say of the obseruers of mens traditions which God hath wyped cleane awaye with the sworde of his worde as otherwheres we haue declared Esay 29. Math. 15. We are taught also what maner of men they are which wickedly resist the worde of God preached by men which thing it is euident the Iewes dyd For they sayeth Steuen resisted not the Prophetes but the holy ghost And we must not thinke he thus sayd at all aduentures For where Ministers speake by the inspiration of the holy spirite and the same spirite worketh obedience in mennes mindes and putteth vs often in remembrance of amendement of our lyfe certes they resist this spirite that refuse to obey this worde And this is an infallible argument of vncircumcised hearts and stiffe necks Here therefore haue we a rule howe to iudge of the people of these dayes which marueylously please and delyght themselues in that they dare boldly contemne the sermons of Gods Ministers and can scoffe and rayle at the m. But let vs returne vnto Steuen which likewise ouerthroweth that glorye that they sought in the dignitie of their auncestry For that the Iewes put great confidence in their forefathers it appeareth by this For when Iohn the Baptist and Christ admonished them to amende their lyfe they chopte him in the teeth with Abraham their father and alleaged the prerogatiue of their stocke But Steuen maketh a difference betweene their forefathers There were amonge them certaine good and sincere worshippers of God such as was Abraham Isaac and Iacob and their likes in whom they coulde not glory being altogither vnlike them as bastardes going out of kynde Againe there were othe◠notorious wicked persons and bloudy tyrannes against the Prophetes Unto these sayth he these fellowes were lyke bicause they liuely represented their natures and condicions yea passed them As your fathers did euen so do you Which of the Prophetes haue not your fathers persecuted And they haue killed them which shewed before of the comming of that Iuste So calleth he Iesus Christ who is both absolutely iuste himself for in whose mouth there could be found no guile and is made of god the father our righteousnes Wherfore in Ieremy he is called the lord our righteousnes Furthermore as your fathers killed the prophets which foretold of him as the monuments sepulchres declare that are builded in the honor of them euen so did you betray Christ himselfe to the Romane President and made him out of the
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
delectable and pleasaunt Spring the cheerefull and mery Sommer and fruitefull Haruest So after continuall showres and horrible stormes of hayle commeth comfortable Phoebus and chaseth away the Clowdes And Mariners when the terrors of tempests be ouerpast haue afterward cleere weather and prosperous windes And that the state of the Church is ruled by lyke interchaungeablenesse the examples of all ages testifie But the only booke of Iudges may abundantly suffyce to approoue the same Let no man therefore be so abashed at the countenance of present calamitie to thinke he must vtterly perishe For eyther God will cheere them in this lyfe with better successe of thinges or else of his mercy he will take them out of all the stormes of this world into the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome In the meane season this place teacheth vs that the crosse is not alway such a marke of the Church that it can neuer be without it bicause we heare in this place that the primitiue Church had vniuersall peace and the same came to passe also oftentimes in the yeres following Therfore their iudgement is most vayne who rashly condemne euery Church which through the benefite of God enioyeth rest and will graunt vnto Christians no time of breathing nor rest from the crosse Agayne we are admonished that for the attayning of peace there needeth neyther dastardly dissimulation nor false abnegation of the fayth but rather constancie and boldnesse to keepe the word and doctrine of faith For Luke sayth that then peace ensued after Paule had stirred the enimies of the truth both at Damascus and at Ierusalem with earnest preaching and disputation agaynst them Therefore they that nowe a dayes woulde haue vs to dissemble the truth and say that by our vehement inueyghing against errors and superstitions we more exasperate and kindle the enimies mindes talke altogither in vayne as though God were not able to bridle and keepe vnder them which in their rage doe nothing but threaten fire and sworde Naye we are taught by examples that they which for such mens sake can finde in their hart to denye the fayth and truth doe seldome finde them faythfull in friendship Next Luke declareth the fruite of the peace ensuing forasmuch as he saith the congregations were edifyed This may be vnderstanded two maner of wayes For the Church is sayde to be edifyed eyther when new beleeuers be added therevnto or else when they which before beleeued through more plentifull gyftes of the holy ghost profite in the faith And the holy ghost doth not without a cause vse this Metaphore of building forasmuch as the Church is the house of god which is builded of liuely stones that is to say of such as beleeue in Christ 1. Timoth. 3. and. 1. Peter 2. and all the faythfull are called otherwheres the Temple of the holy ghost For the which cause the teachers are called builders and the building of the church is called the building of God. Furthermore beside that by this example it appeareth howe the enterprises of Christes enimies in pulling downe the church are in vayne we are also taught what oughte to be the ende and marke of all them which beare office in the Church Paule diligently inculcateth the same speaking of the publike exercises of the Churche in his first Epistle to the Corinthians and .xiiij. Chapter Herevnto let all Ministers apply themselues with all their power both with teaching and reproouing and let them alwayes remember this saying of Paul that they haue power giuen them to edifie and not to destroy Let them therefore suffer nothing in the Church that serueth to the destruction thereof Let Kinges and Magistrates haue the same ende before them whome the Lorde hath appoynted to be the Nurses of his Church as we haue already oftentimes declared The Elders to whom the discipline of the Church belongeth let them looke vpon the same Let parents and teachers of youth direct all their doinges to this ende This care shoulde euery day stirre vp priuate men also For whosoeuer bringeth any thing to the spirituall building vp of this Church and shall builde but one man as a liuely stone vppon Christ which is the foundation surely he deserueth more prayse than they which with great costes builde Churches of Marble Last of all is declared how the faithfull vsed this peace and tranquility They walked sayth he in the feare of the Lorde and were filled with the comfort of the holy ghost He attributeth to them feare of the Lord whereby he vnderstandeth all things belonging to true religion the knowledge of god sincere faith loue of God fulfilling of his word and faithfull obedience vnto him For how shal he feare god which knoweth him not how shall the knowledge of God lacke fayth and how shall fayth want the looue of God And where these things be there must needes be the loue of the word and obedience to the same He sayth also that they were fylled wyth the comfort of the holy ghost By this we may vnderstande both the preaching of the Gospell and the inwarde suggestion of the spirite which Christ promiseth to those that be his Surely both these marueylously comfort the mindes and afflicted consciences of men in that they teache vs that God is made at one with vs and reconcyled to vs through the merite of Christ and in the middle of the broyle of afflictions besprinkle vs with the promises of Gods helpe as with the most wholesome water of a liuely fountaine And in these thinges Luke sayeth the primitiue Church sought the recreation of their myndes their ioyes and delightes Whereby we gather what their exercises ought to be which are at rest and peace Therefore execrable is the wickednesse and ingratitude of such which abuse quietnesse and peace to the license of the fleshe and in the meane season will neither by helpe counsayle nor at least by comfort ease them whome they see many wayes afflicted for the testimonie of Iesus Christ. This sinne as it is heynous so it is to common in these dayes whereby it commeth to passe that as we abuse peace so we be easily offended and vtterly dismayde at euery light affliction These things being thus premised he passeth to Peters actes or doings out of which he picketh two myracles done orderly one after the other the one done at Lidda the other at Ioppe The occasion of these myracles is said to be Peters traueyling from Church to Church according to his Apostolyke office not for that he vsurped vpon them as a Lorde and ruler but as to succour where neede was such as were heauy laden and in distresse to confirme the weake to pull vp errors where any were growen and to bestow benefits vpon all men For that these were the duties of the Apostles it appeareth by many other places and the very name of an Apostle teacheth the same which forbiddeth them to haue anye certaine or fixed sea or dwelling place we reade
euerywhere that Paule afterwarde obserued the same trade and confirmed Churches in euery place He sayth that he toke care for all Churches Therfore the Bishops of Rome go about foolishly and ridiculously to defende their supremacie by this place For first they attribute to Peter onely that which it is euident was also commaunded to the other Apostles Next they impudently chalenge to themselues the office of Peter being altogither vnlike Peter Besides this while they catch vnto themselues the cure ouer all Churches they discharge not the dutie belonging to a faithfull Apostle and shepehearde ouer one Church We are furthermore taught that the Churches haue then most neede of faithfull ouerseers when all things seeme to be at peace and in safetie For as through ydlenesse and ease men easily fall into licentiousnesse of the fleshe so being at ease in peace and quietnesse they be most in daunger of the snares of the deuill as Christ hath taught vs. But by this meanes it came to passe that Peter came to the Saints that is to the faythfull sanctified by the merite of Christ which dwelt at Lidda where he restored one Aeneas a man sicke of the palsie and which had lyue bedrid the space of eyght yeares togither to his health agayne in the name of Iesus christ In this myracle the circumstances of persons are diligently to be considered And in Aeneas certaine things be reported which make for the setting forth of the myracle For he was sicke of the palsie which as it is hardly cured euen at the beginning so being let long to run it becommeth incurable The same is a figure of the corruption of manne For sinne hath brought vs all to be weake so that being bereaued of the strength of our first state at the beginning wee bee not able to thinke well And this sickenesse coulde be cured by no mannes arte or counsayle which being deriued from our first father into vs is conceiued and borne with vs and groweth with vs as Dauid testifieth of himselfe Psal. 51. Wherefore except we be borne agayne from aboue there is no helpe for vs in anye other thing And this Peter plainly teacheth vs in this place whereas being mooued by the holy ghost he commeth to him and wyth great boldenesse sayth Aeneas The Lord Iesus Christ make thee whole Aryse and make thy bedde For he so speaketh these wordes that he manifestly confesseth all the effect and prayse of the myracle is due vnto Christ onely and that to himselfe belongeth only but the ministerie thereof And that the Apostles euerywhere did on this wise is declared before in the restitution of the man that was lame and hault in the third Chapter The faythfull that were at Lydda acknowledged the same who perceiuing that Aeneas was made whole by the name of Iesus Christ by and by were conuerted vnto the Lorde Iesus And this is the vse of all myracles to beare witnesse of the Apostles doctrine and to bring men vnto Iesus Christ by whose power they are done They are therfore pieuish and foolish that so set forth the myracles wrought by the ministerie of the Saintes that they teach the people to runne vnto them worship them But it is plaine that they be false miracles which are done to that ende to establishe the worship of any creature and to call men from God the creator of all things Here might many things more be sayd But bicause the same matter is intreated otherwheres and falleth out oftner to be intreated of we will of purpose nowe be briefe Let it be sufficient to be hereof admonished that Iesus Christ is the onely Phisition both of bodye and soule and the most faythfull defender and protector of hys Church who onely is able to preserue hir amiddes the floudes of persecution and sodeinly to graunt hir rest in hir affliction To him be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxix. Homelie THERE was at Ioppa a certaine woman a Disciple named Tabitha which by interpretation is called Dorcas the same was full of good workes and almes deedes which she did And it came to passe in those dayes that she was sicke and dyed Whom when they had washed they layd hir in a Chamber But forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Ioppa and the Disciples had heard that Peter was there they sent vnto him desiring him that he would not bee grieued to come vnto them Peter arose and came with them And when he was come they brought him into the chamber and all the wydowes stoode rounde about him weeping and shewing the coates and garmentes which Dorcas made whyle she was with them And Peter put them all foorth and kneeled downe and prayde and turned him to the body and sayde Tabitha aryse And she opened hir eyes and when she sawe Peter she sate vp And he gaue hir the hande and lift hir vp And when hee had called the Saintes and widdowes he shewed hir alyue And it was knowne thorowe all Ioppa and many beleeued on the lord And it came to passe that he taryed many dayes at Ioppa with one Simon a Tanner AS the sonne of God our Sauiour Iesus Christ sent his Disciples to preach the Gospell so he furnished them with myracles whereby to purchase a credite to their doctrine and to declare the force or fruite of the merite of Iesus christ To this ende must those two myracles principally be referred which Luke reporteth were done by the ministerie of Peter in the ende of the Chapter The first is the restitution of Aeneas who laye bedred eyght yeares of the Palsie but by calling on the name of Christ was healed Wherby we are taught that the strength of our decayed nature is restored by Christ our Phisition and that we which are not able otherwyse to thynke a good thought are able in him to doe all things To this is ioyned another myracle which as it is in deede greater and more woonderfull so it more comforteth vs For Peter rayseth Thabita or Dorcas which was deade to life agayne thereby declaring that Iesus Christ is Lorde also ouer death and therefore that they ought not to feare death which through fayth be grafted in him The consideration hereof shall be very profitable if in order we marke the persons of whome Luke here intreateth He beginneth the description of the myracle with hir on whome the myracle was shewed And although it seeme to be a matter of no great importance by what name she was called yet he thought good to make mention thereof for the more troth of the storie He sayeth that she was called Thabita in the Assirian tongue Dorcas in the Greeke tongue which worde in the Latine tongue is as much to saye as a Kydde But it is more behoofefull to consider the things reported of hir The first is the profession of fayth and religion bicause he writeth shee was a Disciple that is to saye a Christian. For they that
plainely testified that our saluation is conteyned in Iesus Christ alone he nowe beginneth by narration of the historie more at large to explicate and dilate the same and that in such sort that it maye easilye appeare howe all the thinges that belong to the redeeming of mankynde are performed by Christ. He beginneth his narration with the time and place shewing where and when Christ began to be knowne Also he citeth them for witnesses of the things which fame long before had bruted so farre abrode least any man might iudge the hystorie to be vncertaine or doubtfull you sayth he know that word which was published ouer all Iurie and beganne in Galiley after the baptisme which Iohn preached It is not without a cause that he maketh mention of the place forasmuch as Esay sometime prophecied that Christ shoulde beginne to preach in Galiley as Mathew also hath noted in his .iiij. Chapter and Esay 9. And it seemeth he alleageth the time for none other cause saying this preaching beganne after the baptisme of Iohn bicause the Prophetes foreshewed that he shoulde be the first Minister of the new Testament and the forerunner of the promised Sauiour For that those things belong vnto him which are reade in Esay 40. of a voyce crying in the wildernesse and in Malachie of Elias appeareth by the writinges of the Euangelistes and by the testimonie of Christ himselfe in Mathewe the .xj. Chapter more manifest than needeth long demonstration They are therfore by this place confuted which denye that Iohn ought to be accounted among the Ministers of the Gospell Whereas it is playne that he bare witnesse of Christ and sent his Disciples of fayth and good zeale vnto Christ. And prepared all the people aswell by his doctrine as by baptisme to embrace and receyue Christ which office of his his father Zacharie by inspiration of the holy spirit acknowledged in him assoone as he was borne We haue here rather to marke diligentlye that the businesse of Christ Iesus and his Gospell beganne by Iohn whose dutie it was to prepare their mindes that shoulde be the Disciples of Christ by the doctrine of repentance and baptisme For this waye Christ thought good to declare that hee woulde haue no man to seeke howe to lyue licentiouslye and fleshly vnder the pretence of him which thing it is euident both many did in tymes past and many doe the same in these dayes also and euen those which glorye in the name of the Gospell For the which cause Christ himselfe thought good to beginne his teaching with repentance and bade the Apostles afterward to beginne with the same Math. 4. and .10 Luc. 24. And they are not to be hearde which seperate the doctrine of repentance from the Gospell wheras without repentaunce we cannot be partakers of the saluation which is in christ And yet for all this we attribute not saluation to mannes merite or righteousnesse bicause we are commaunded to preach repentance in the name of christ And Peter before Act. 5. hath taught vs that God the father hath appoynted Christ to be the author and giuer thereof vnto vs In the meane season they are reprooued also which slaunderously say that we open gappes to the fleshe whereby to sinne by preaching of the Gospell whereas these men for none other cause more hate and persecute the Gospell than for that it grieuously accuseth and inueyeth agaynst their open wickednesse and the cloked hypocrisie of a great many Furthermore it behooueth vs to marke how the Apostle speaketh of the ministery of Iohn For he sayeth he preached Baptisme He ioyneth preaching with Baptisme to declare he was a minister both of doctrine and the sacrament For as by Baptisme he admonished men that they were purged made cleane so expounding the misteries therof by words he taught vs that purification is to be had in Christ only that worthy fruits of repentance are required of them that are purified Wherby it appeareth it is necessary that teaching be ioined with the sacraments forasmuch as without it the mysteries of the sacraments cannot be vnderstanded So God in the beginning commaunded that the meanyng of the feast of Passeouer should be declared vnto the children And we see that the sermons of the prophets are chiefly busied in declaring the misteries of the sacrifices and ceremonies of the lawe while they most grieuously reprehende them which carefully obserued the sacrifices neglecting in the meane season the duties of life by them signified And Christ a little before he departed from his Disciples cōmaunded them not only to baptize but chiefly commended vnto them the preachyng of the Gospell Which thing Paule so diligently obserued that he confesseth how he preached euerywhere but baptized verye fewe These thinges serue to confute them which tying grace to the outwarde signes thinke the vse of them alone sufficient vnto saluation and vse no doctrine wherby to declare the vse of them yea they vse a straunge tounge in the administration of them But how absurde a thing this ought to be iudged Paule sheweth at large in the first to the Corinthians and .xiiij. chapter Hauing nowe declared the beginning of the Gospell he sheweth that Iesus Christ is the author thereof to the ende he woulde notifie vnto vs what and what maner of one we ought to beleeue he is He expressely calleth him Iesus of Nazareth for that we should acknowledge it is he whom by reason of the basenesse of his countrie and bicause of his poore and lowly conuersation outwardly all men contemned Him he testifyeth that God annoynted teaching by these wordes that he is the Sauiour of mankinde which God had long before ordeyned For he maketh mention of annoynting bicause of the olde figure For of olde time the Priests and Kinges of Israel vsed to be annoynted who it is manifest were figures of the Sauiour promised And it was a receyued opinion that the promised Sauiour was called by the name of the Messias or Christ that is to saye annoynted bicause this denomination did declare his Priesthoode and kingdome and all the whole order of our redemption wherevpon the Disciples being asked in the gospell whome they sayde Iesus was they confessed he was Christ that annoynted of god Moreouer least some man might think him to be of no more excellency than other Priests and Kings who by reason of their outward annointing were called by the same name Peter teacheth that he was annoynted wyth the holy ghost and with power alluding no doubt to that verse of Dauid who prophecying of the kingdome of that promysed Sauiour sayth God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Thus he calleth the holy ghost by whose guyding the sonne of God became man and so administred his kingdome and Priesthoode that there is perceyued no griefe or sorowe therein but all kinde of pleasauntnesse and delyght For so he interpreteth the same in the Prophet saying The spirite
of the Lorde God is vpon mee for the Lorde hath annoynted mâ—e and sent me to preach good tydings vnto the poore that I might bynde vp the wounded hearts that I might preach deliueraunce to the captiue and open the pryson to them that are bounde to restore sight vnto the blinde and to declare the acceptable yeare of the Lorde He is sayde to be annoynted aboue hys fellowes bicause God hath not giuen vnto him his spirite by measure but so abundantly that we all receyue of his fulnesse For he came downe vpon him in the visible forme of a Doue when he was baptised of Iohn so that Iohn thereby knewe that he was that Sauiour that God did declare and manifest vnto mankinde See Iohn the first Chap. There be also other argumentes which prooue he passed all other annoynted of the olde Testament whether they were Kings or Priests For although they were called Christes or annointed yet had none of them power so to annoynt their subiectes that they coulde call them after their annointing Christians that is annoynted But this the sonne of God hath perfourmed who hath annoynted vs and made vs Kings and Priestes to God his father Also none of the annoynted in the olde Testament was worthye of diuine honour and worship None other hath reformed the whole worlde None hath bene had in such estimation amonge his scholers that after his Maisters death he coulde finde in his heart to die for his maisters namesake Moreouer no mannes kingdome or priesthoode hath endured from euer vnto this day And bicause they were mortall men they had neede of Uicares and successors to administer the office wherevnto they were called But the sonne of God being made the administrator of the euerlasting kingdome hath receyued all power in heauen and in earth And bicause he is present with hys Church he hath neede neyther of Uicar nor Successor The same is a king for euer after the order of Melchisedech For hee blesseth vs with all spirituall benediction He teacheth vs by the outwarde worde and inspiration of his holy spirite and he giueth vnto his Church some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Pastours and Teachers The same hath with one offering that is to say with the price of his body and bloud purged the sinnes of all the world and hath made perfite for euer them that are sanctified Furthermore being gone vp into heauen he maketh intercession for vs and is a faythfull Bishop for vs in all those things that are to be done for vs with God. Therefore it is truly sayde of Peter that he is the annoynted of God that is to saye appoynted to be the King and Priest of his people Whervpon we gather that all they sinne agaynst the eternall decree of God which make to themselues any other patrones of saluation any other Sauiours of their soules any other Priestes or intercessours For in so doing they robbe the sonne of God of his honor which he constantly affirmeth in the Prophete he will giue to none other Agayne bicause it is manifest that he is annointed of God we must beleeue that his power is inuincible and that they neede not feare the force of the worlde or of hell which acknowledge this king But bicause we haue otherwheres intreated of this argument lette these fewe things for this tyme suffise Furthermore least any man might thinke that Iesus the sonne of God is delyted with a bare name and tytle after the maner of men Peter declareth that he hath and doth faithfully performe the office of a king and priest At this present he premyseth certayne generalities declaring his benefites tâ—â—arde vs meaning hereafter to intreate of the maner of our redemption as the Sermon following shall declare And first he sayeth he went about doyng good vnto all men This is the dutie of a faithfull king and Priest not onely to helpe them with ayde and counsell that seeke for it at his hande but also diligently to prouide and looke about who haue neede of a tutor and benefactor This the Euangelistes teache vs that Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath most faithfully performed For as for our saluation sake he came into the worlde so he caried the doctrine of saluation and myracles wherwith he confirmed the same ouer all Iury Galiley and remayned no long whyle anywhere but plainly confessed that he must preache to all men euerywhere And he did not onelye curteously receyue them that came to him but also friendly inuited and called to hym all that laboured and were heauy laden promising all them that would come vnto hym reast and refreshing And that which it appeareth he dyd in tymes passed the same he doth also at this daye while he spreadeth the preachyng of his Gospell wyde ouer that it enricheth lyke a shower of raine now one nation now an other with the seede of his heauenly word so that not without a cause it may be sayd now adayes also he goeth vp and downe bestowing his benefites on euery man For he faithfully teacheth them that be in errour he bringeth the deceyued and wandring Pilgrimes into the way he friendly correcteth the corrupted with vice he gently comforteth the afflicted consciences and with his righteousnesse and satisfaction defendeth them that are feared with the rigor of Gods iudgement Therefore great and hydeous is the ingratitude of them which abhorre such a benefactour as cruell and vnmercifull and vse to seeke helpe and counsell at others Yet is their iniquitie more horrible which wickedly reiect his word and will not witsafe to heare it and so cast from them that saluation which they ought to seeke and embrace with open armes and all kinde of diligence Both these vices are to common in our dayes the indignitie wherof if we woulde diligently expende we shoulde lesse marueyle at the causes of so many euils as on euery side compasse vs. The other benefite of Iesus Christ is sayth he that all they that were oppressed of the Deuill were healed by him This appertayneth peculiarlye to the office of a King whereof also mention is made Psal. 72. He shall kepe the simple folke by their right defende the children of the poore and punish the wrong dooer c. But bicause Christ was the author of our spirituall redemption Peter maketh mention of a spirituall Tyrant to saye of the Deuill who after he had made our first parentes guiltie of transgression by them brought in all kinde of calamitie and death it selfe into the world and by the permission of God so oppressed all mankinde wyth his exceeding tyrannie that he is thereof called the Prince of the worlde For he brought to passe by sinne that they whom God had created vnto lyfe fell into death that they whome God aboue all other Creatures had endued with reason sinned agaynst the lawe of nature that they which ought wholy to haue depended on the worde
sent Barnabas to them as it were to helpe them After that he sheweth the singuler diligence that Barnabas vsed in accomplishing the charge committed vnto him and last of all his prosperous successe And touching the Ierosolymites amongst whome it seemeth he numbreth the Apostles he sayth but little bicause their meaning may easily be perceyued by Barnabas doing This is it therefore that he sayth that when worde was brought to Ierusalem how Antioch was conuerted vnto Christ they that by reason of their office were the chiefe among them and watched for the saluation of all men sent Barnabas thither to confirme the beliefe of the newe Disciples and to nourishe mutuall good will amonge the congregations The lyke whereof we sawe done before when they sent Peter and Iohn to Samaria which being wonne by the preaching of Philip set open hir gates vnto the worde of god This is a very notable example whereby we are taught that congregations farre distant when neede so requireth shoulde be holpen both with counsell and trusty diligence of Ministers that they are greatly to be praysed that in this case vse most diligence For if Christ so greatly commende the benefite that is done but to one of his least Disciples that he will at the later daye testifye it was done to himselfe and promiseth a sure rewarde to him that giueth but a cup of colde water to him that he sendeth with howe much more glory will he rewarde those which confirme or saue whole congregations by their helpe and counsell Lette Bishops and Christian Magistrates remember this well that they suffer not themselues to be plucked from doing their dutye by such as saye they are authors of sedition which vse to prescribe or giue counsayle to straungers in matters of religion But let vs see Barnabas of whome Luke diligentlye speaketh For he declareth what maner of man he was and what he did in these affaires of the Antiochianes And although his person is sufficiently described by the things which he did at Antioch yet haue we first to consider the same that we may be the better able to iudge of the cause of so excellent vertues as shined in him specially bicause Luke for that ende and intent describeth his propertie and condicion He sayth he was a good man and full of the holy ghost and of fayth This is so singuler a commendation of this holy man as Demosthenes and Cicero coulde haue deuised no greater For what greater prayse can there be than to be called of the holy ghost good whereas by the testimonie of Christ there is not one good but onely God But least anye man might thinke that Luke had forgotten that saying he sheweth straight waye whyle he was bolde to call him a good man doubtlesse bicause he was full of the holy ghost and of fayth For although God onely be of himselfe good in deede yet bicause he doth vouchsafe to giue vnto men his spirit and by him his other vertues there is no let but we maye call them good in whome appeare any arguments of Gods goodnesse by reason of Gods spirite dwelling in them And where fayth onely maketh vs partakers both of the spirite of God and all other goodnesse the same doth Luke attribute to Barnabas saying he was full of fayth For by fayth are men iustifyed bycause thereby they take holde of Christ through whose desert they are purifyed from all iniquitie and made meete for all good workes to performe faithfully both towardes God and man whatsoeuer duties they owe vnto them It is very good that we remember this definition of a good man to laye it against the fonde iudgement of the worlde which vseth to call them that are hypocrytes and giuen to the pleasures and desires of the fleshe good men Furthermore we are taught by this place what maner of men shoulde be called to beare office in the Common weale and specially in Ecclesiasticall affaires Euen good men surely who it is euident are gouerned by the holy ghost and endued with faith For vnto such men may any thing safely be committed And whosoeuer commit vnto wicked men voyde of Gods spirite eyther publike or priuate matters to them it falleth out for the most part as we reade it did vnto Noah which sent the Rauen out of the Arke And Salomon sayth very wisely as he doth all things He is lame of his feete yea drunken he is in vanitie that committeth his message to a foole For both they are deceyued of their hope and manye times paye for their follye and lightnesse Moreouer we must see what Barnabas did in the Church at Antioch all which Luke comprehendeth in fower articles First he sayth when hee came and had seene the grace of God hee was glad He vnderstandeth by the grace of God the profite of faith and the giftes of the holy ghost which followe it And he vseth this worde grace to teach vs that all these thinges are giuen of Gods goodnesse This is a notable argument of a good man and faythfull Minister of Christ that Barnabas reioyceth in the profite of other men For they which lacke faith and the lightning of the holy ghost they enuie other for the most part seeking their owne glory And all men followe not the modestie of Moses which desired that all the Israelites might be filled with the holy ghost and be instructed with the gift of prophecying Yea there are euerywhere the more pitie many examples of ambicious men which while they go about to take from other their due honour breede great contentions in Congregations But they which are gouerned by the spirite of Christ and illuminated with true fayth they easilye despyse the losse of priuate glorye so that they perceyue they maye aduaunce the glorye of GOD. After this Barnabas exhorteth the Antiochianes that with purpose of heart they woulde cleaue vnto the Lorde For as in all other exercises and studies so chiefly in religion is perseueraunce and continuation needefull For he that wrastleth is not crowned or rewarded except he wrastle or stryue lawfully And Christ alloweth not them which haue once layd their hande to the plough and looke behinde them Therefore Barnabas doth well in requiring perseuerance of the Antiochians But least he might seeme to require onely an outwarde shewe and bare bragge of wordes he exacteth purpose of heart For that is a true perseuerance and ioyning with our sauiour Christ when we haue dedicated and giuen our harts to his seruice And those which haue so done no terror of perils can feare them from the Lorde For they esteeme all thinges but losse and dammage so that they may winne Christ. But bicause Barnabas was not ignorant that there were many things which vsed to call men from Christ he thought that exhortation also was needefull for them notwithstanding there appeared notable tokens of Gods grace in them which thing caused Paule to commaunde Timothie continually to exhort those
our dutie that we should not forget that we be made Kings and Priestes by Christ and that we should valiauntly maintayne the dignitie of our name It is the propertie of a King to be at his libertie and not to be in subiection vnder the rule of another Let vs therfore abide in the libertie wherevnto the sonne of God hath called vs and not suffer our selues to be oppressed hereafter with the seruitude of sinne which is the fylthiest and miserablest thing that can be It is the property of a King to vanquish and ouercome his enimies Let vs therefore subdue and vanquishe the moste cruell enimies of our saluation Satan the world and the fleshe with all the concupiscences therof It is the part of a king to cōmaunde and beare rule Let vs therfore rule our selues mightily ouercome al those things which leade vs crosse the way of saluation So let vs lykewise performe the dutie of Priests to teach to pray to consecrate and offer Wherefore it shall be our dutie to teach those that belong vnto vs both by word and example of lyfe as farre forth as the dutie of our calling bindeth vs It shall be our parts to pray both in secret and openly and to make intercession to God not onely for our owne necessities but also for our neyghbors It shall also be our duties to consecrate our selues for liuely sacrifyce vnto God and to offer to him euery day the bullockes of our lippes that is to say giuing of thankes which is the moste acceptable and thankefull sacrifyce that we can giue vnto him These thinges myght at large be drawne through the whole lyfe of man but it shall suffyse to giue the vnlearned an occasion to expende and consider better of them Whosoeuer perfourmeth these things is worthy to be called a Christian. And such it appeareth the Patriarches were in times past whome God in the hundreth and fyft Psalme calleth his annoynted that is to saye Christians Such it is credible those men of Antiochia were which first enioyed that name And if any will presumptuously bragge of the name they shall surely deceyue themselfe but God they cannot deceyue Let vs therefore diligently thinke of these thinges that remembring both our dignitie and dutie we may aunswere to so notable and excellent a name and being taken from this lyfe may raigne in heauen with Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxj. Homelie IN those dayes came Prophetes from the Citie of Ierusalem vnto Antioch And there stoode vp one of them named Agabus and signified by the spirite that there should be great dearth throughout all the world which came to passe in the Emperour Claudius dayes Then the Disciples euerye man according to his abilitie purposed to sende succour vnto the brethren which dwelt in Iurie which thing they also did and sent it to the Elders by the handes of Barnabas and Saule ALthough our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ is alwaye present with his Church yet he suffereth it as he foretolde diuerslye and manye wayes to be troubled hauing aduersitie as it were by continuall enterchaunge still following prosperitie The principall cause wherof is partly for that he woulde brydle the lustynesse of our fleshe and partlye bicause he woulde teache vs that he is as well able to deliuer his people in aduersitie as to maintaine them in prosperitie We haue heretofore seene certayne notable examples hereof For the Gospell in the beginning being prosperouslye preached at Ierusalem brought a great number of Disciples vnto Christ shortly after riseth a tempest of persecution that driueth down the florishing of the Church flat to the grounde By and by againe when Saule was conuerted vnto Christ sodeinly the Church was quiet the doctrine of Christ being caried vnto the Gentyles gaue likelyhoode of great encrease seeing that at Antioch the noblest Citie in all Syria there was a Church of Gentyles assembled togither and were there first called after that noble name of Christians But beholde a great and straunge aduersitie following namely a dearth which as it troubled the whole worlde so it most miserablye afflicted the faythfull whose goodes were spent partlye in finding the poore of the Church and partly were taken from them in the rage of persecution The consideration herof is most profitable for vs for herby we may learne the lesse to be offended if the lyke aduersity betide vs in these dayes And of all other this present place is worthy to be diligently considered as well for the manifolde comfort as also the instruction which the holy ghost here setteth forth For it declareth the dearth that was in the Church and it setteth out the fatherly prouidence of God hauing a care for the same and also sheweth what way and counsayle the faythfull tooke seeing the publike calamitie like to ensue And of all these we meane orderly to intreate First we will speake of the dearth wherof prophane writers but chieflye Iosephus and Suetonius make mention This dearth no man will deny but was sent by the iudgement of God except such an one as will deny God to be the gouernor of the whole worlde For the Prophete witnesseth that there is no plague in a Citie without the Lordes doing And in the lawe among the punishmentes wherewith God reuenged the contempt of hys worde barrennesse of grounde and scarcitie of victuals ar◠chiefely reckoned See Leuiticus 26. Deuter. 28. And we must not thinke that anye thing commeth vnto man by fortune forasmuch as it appeareth that the care of Gods prouidence extendeth it selfe euen to the sparrowes flowres of the field It shall be good when such things come to passe to search the causes of Gods iudgements which can be founde no where sooner than in mennes conuersation And surely Luke seemeth to poynt as it were with his fynger the causes of this dearth where he writeth it was in the dayes of Claudius Caesar. For he therefore named the Prince of the world who had then all authoritie and rule in his hande that by him we might iudge of the whole state of the worlde and the condicions of those dayes For it appeareth that the vices of Princes first infect with their contagiousnesse the Nobilitie and then their corrupt example poysoneth the Comminaltie And euen prophane writers report that Claudius was in all poyntes a moste naughtye Prince For from his childehoode he was cumbred with diuers and continuall diseases so that being dulled and made lumpish both in bodye and spirit growing further in age he was thought vnable to discharge any office publike or priuate Insomuch that Antonia hys mother vsed to say he was a monster a worke of nature begunne but not fynished and when she woulde note any body of blockishnesse or dulnesse she would say he was more foole than hir sonne Claudius And his sister Liuulla hearing on a time that he should be chosen Emperour did openly and alowde
man had giuen them leaue For who can doubt but they woulde then haue vsed the libertie giuen them of the spirite But forasmuch as they might vse the same and not breake the custome of the Church they must needes haue bene reprehended if they woulde without cause haue broken that custome Furthermore this was verye well done of the Antiochians to giue leaue vnto men vnknowne and straungers to saye their minde For they woulde not quench the spirite nor despise prophecying wherof Paule elsewhere giueth warning 1. Thess. 5. Here is chiefly to be obserued that they require a sermon of exhortation For thus they expresse the ende wherevnto all doctrine and preaching in the Church is to be referred namely that the Church be not onely taught what it ought to doe but may also be prouoked with godly exhortation to doe their dutie and so may be builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes and may truly close and ioyne togither vnder Christ their heade And hereto belongeth that commendation of holye scripture which Paule sayth is profitable to teach to improoue to amende and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes These thinges are to be obserued of them which make their sermons in the Church for ostentation sake and are more carefull for their owne glory than for Christes Let euery man rather learne so to order all exercises of the Church that by godly exhortations they may be builded in true faith vnto the glory of Iesus Christ to whom be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxix. Homelie THEN Paule stoode vp and beckened with the hande for silence and sayde Men of Israel and ye that feare God giue audience The God of this people chose our fathers and exalted the people when they dwelt as straungers in the lande of Egypt and with an high arme brought he them out of it and about the time of fourtie yeares suffered he their maners in the wildernesse And he destroyed seauen Nations in the lande of Canaan and deuided their land to them by lot And afterward he gaue vnto them Iudges about the space of foure hundred and fyfty yeares vntill the time of Samuell the Proâ—phete And afterwarde they desired a king and God gaue vnto them Saule the sonne of Cis a man of the tribe of Beniamin by the space of fourty yeres â–ª NOwe followeth it how Luke the Euangelist describeth the Sermon which Paule the Apostle that most chosen vessell made to the Congregation at Antioche and this is the fyrst of Paules sermons that the holy ghost would should be put in writing not that he iudged the rest vnworthy to be knowne but that by this we might iudge of the other which could not be but like vnto this bicause the spirite of God is at all times and places like vnto it selfe Howbeit it is not without a cause that Luke chose this sermon chiefly of all other so diligently to rehearse For as this one comprehendeth in it moste fully all the mysteries of Iesus Christ and of our saluation so when those of Antioch contemned it the Apostles did that which wee reade they very seldome did before For shaking the dust of from their feete vpon the Iewes they caried the doctrine of saluation vnto others Furthermore the argument of the Sermon is the same that Christ commaunded the Apostles to obserue For he laboureth altogither to bring the Iewes from the vaine affiance of the lawe and ceremonies therof vnto the fayth in christ For the better obteyning whereof he proceedeth in most commodious order For fyrst where he knewe they gloryed much in certaine prerogatiues so that they thought it superfluous to search or take any other waye of saluation he teacheth that they haue nothing of themselues wherin to glory but that they haue receyued what so euer good qualitie is in them of the meere mercie of God who for the Messias sake which he had promised did vouchsafe both to saue them and also to giue them those prerogatiues And thereof he gathereth that it is necessarye for them to embrace that Messias least they fall from the grace of God and be depriued of all goodnesse This done he sheweth that this Iesus is the sonne of God and of Mary the virgin and that sauiour and Messias that was promised and here he so reasoneth of his office that he briefely comprehendeth all the businesse of our saluation and confyrmeth the same with euident Oracles of the olde Testament At length he sheweth the threats of the Prophets that as many as despised the sonne of God and the saluation in him offered might knowe that the horrible iudgement of God hanged ouer their heades And this is the summe of all his sermon which it suffyceth in fewe wordes to haue touched bicause we entende to speake more at large of euery thing in his place Nowe let vs come to the treatie of the same The beginning is short after the maner of the Apostles not to be suspected of any curious artifyciousnesse or conueyaunce He fyrst holdeth out or lifteth vp his hande which was a kinde of gesture vsed in the olde time to cause men to keepe silence when others were about to speake as wee shall see in places following not so fewe as one Then to make them the more attent he calleth them by such names as he both knewe woulde get their good will and also admonishe them of their dutie For fyrst he calleth them Israelites in which name they greatlye reioyced not onely bicause of Iacob the Patriarch which was fyrst so called but bicause therein also were conteyned manifest promises of Gods helpe and protection as we may see Gen. 32. And he addeth And yee that feare God giue audience so plainely thereby admonishing them of their dutie that they might perceyue they were then true Israelites when they feared God and obeyed his worde The breuitie of the Apostles beginning admonisheth vs of two things very worthy to be knowne and considered The fyrst is wherefore those tytles serue that wee vse in the beginning when we reuerently and honourably speake vnto the hearers wherein much is to be attributed to honor euen by the testimony of Paule who commaundeth vs in giuing honour to go one before another Yet must we take diligent heede that we nourish not the ambicion of arrogant men with a flattring tongue and meaning which are euen drunke with the pride of glorious names But this rather wee must obserue that with meete and condigne names we admonishe them with whome we haue to doe of their dutie Therefore the simplicitie of our auncesters and elders is very worthy to be commended who being content with the names of their office and dutie only neuer knew what these painted and flattering tytles ment For what wilt thou adde vnto the name of a king that shall be more honourable or noble than it seeing the very name
collation he applyeth to the matter present For it is euident this Prophete preached in the reigne of Manasses what time both ydolatrie and all kinde of vice reygned vnder that wicked and cruell king For it is reported that he brought Iurie into errour and the Citizens of Ierusalem so that they exceeded the Gentyles in naughtynesse whom God before that had destroyed Besides this he greatly contemned the worde of God and passing all measure hated the truth against the which he was so inflamed that he fylled the whole Citie with the bloude of Innocents And yet they puffed vp in the confydence of Gods couenant of their forefathers of the temple and ceremonies thought they might without checke thus doe and those that admonished them to doe otherwise or threatened them with the iudgement of God they wickedlye scoffed at Therfore Abacuc then prophecied the comming of the Chaldeyes which he sayde shoulde ouerthrowe the Citie and Temple and shoulde carye all the people awaye a thing which they thought was impossible to be done Herevnto Paule hauing a respect seemeth to say you knowe what befell vnto your forefathers when they despised the sayinges of the Prophetes They sawe the destruction both of the Citie and Temple neyther coulde that prowde name of the people of God and trust in their ceremonies deliuer them from the punishment at hande For although it woulde seeme incredible vnto you if a man woulde saye that God woulde destroy your nation yet I say there are greater and more horrible punishments prepared for you For the kingdome of God shall be taken from you and you shall be forsaken and that saluation that was promised to your forefathers shall be conueyed vnto the Gentyles This example of Paule teacheth vs that the worde of saluation must so be preached that the iudgement of God must also be layd before the eyes of those that despise it and be vnfaythfull Therfore they are not to be heard that saye such preaching is not fytte for the myldenesse of the Gospell and vnseemely for charitie For so Christ taught his Apostles when he sayde it shoulde be easier for those of Sodome and Gomorrha in the daye of iudgement than for those which refused to heare them Yea himselfe thundreth out that horrible wo vnto those vnthankefull Cities of Bethsaida Corozaim and Capernaum Doth he not also threaten Ierusalem with besieging with the sworde with famine and with destruction This the frowardnesse of mannes nature partlye requireth which sometime must bee brought vnder by threates and partly the dutie of a pastor or shepehearde whome it becommeth like a watchman to giue warning of the sworde hanging ouer the peoples heades that though they be incurable yet he may deliuer his owne soule that the bloude of them that perish be not required at his hands This place also teacheth vs that there is no sinne more grieuous than the contempt of Gods worde forasmuch as God vseth to punish no sinne more grieuously For whatsoeuer sinnes else a man committeth might after a sort be ascribed to mans infyrmitie by reason whereof sometime euen the best men that be doe fall But if a man ioyne vnto licentious life contempt of Gods worde that is a token of a deuilishe and incurable wickednesse Which was the cause that God alwayes most seuerely reuenged the same It is knowne what came to passe in the beginning vnto the world for despising Noah the preacher of righteousnesse The lyke felt Pharao Saule Achab Manasses and all the people of Israel being ledde into Assyria Yet were these things but a pastime and fleabyting to that that afterwarde came to the Iewes for reiecting of Christ whereof to discourse any further the time will not suffer vs In the meane season it is necessarye to tell you this one thing that in the Iewes is set out to vs and to all ages an example whereby we are taught that no man shall scape vnpunished that is so bolde as to contemne the doctrine of christ For he that spared not the naturall braunches will much lesse spare the impes and graffes set in that stocke if they be barren Which thing we see the Churches of Asia and Greece hath many dayes since prooued which being once founded by the Apostles are nowe deuided from Christ and beare the horrible yoke of Mahomets impietie And woulde to God we sawe not in these dayes the preambles of calamitie to come in a great many which to much disdainefully lothe the saluation of the Gospell Let vs therfore apply to our selues that which Paule sayth in this place and embracing the doctrine of the Gospell with constant fayth and thankfull mindes let vs giue our selues wholy to Iesus Christ our Sauiour and redeemer to whom be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The lxxxxiiij Homelie WHEN the Iewes were gone out of the congregation the Gentyles besought that they woulde preach the word to them the next Sabboth When the Congregation was broken vp manye of the Iewes and vertuous Proselytes followed Paule and Barnabas which spake to them and exhorted them to continue in the grace of god And the next Sabboth day came almost the whole Citie togither to heare the worde of god But when the Iewes sawe the people they were full of indignation and spake agaynst those thinges which were spoken of Paule speaking against it and rayling on it Then Paule and Barnabas waxed bolde and sayde It was meeâ—e that the woorde of God shoulde first haue bene preached vnto you But seeing you putte it from you and thinke your selues vnworthye of euerlasting lyfe loe wee turne to the Gentyles For so hath the Lorde commaunded vs I haue made thee a light of the Gentyles that thou be the saluation vnto the ende of the worlde THat saying of God vttered in this wise by the Prophete Esaye 55. concerning his worde is verye notable and comfortable Like as the rayne and snow commeth downe from heauen and returneth not thither againe but watreth the earth and maketh it fruitefull and greene So the worde also that commeth out of my mouth shall not turne agayne voyde vnto mee but shall accomplish my will and prosper in the thing whereto I sende it For although there be many that wickedly repell it yet hath God alwayes his chosen in whome it vseth to bring forth fruite An euident example whereof we haue at this present For after that Luke hath reported Paules sermon he sheweth also how he had diuers kinde of hearers whereof some we must imitate and other some for their wickednesse and boldenesse we must diligently eschue And in these diuers hearers we see the worde also to haue a diuers effect For to some it is the sauour of lyfe vnto life and to other some the sauour of death vnto death as Paule himselfe beareth witnesse in the last Epistle to the Corinthians cap. 2. Paule beginneth with those which hearde the Gospell preached without any fruite that is to say the
this example in the later Epistle to Timothy cap. 3. by these wordes Thou hast seene the experience of my doctrine fashion of liuing purpose fayth long suffring loue pacience persecutions and afflictions which came on mee at Antioch at Iconium and Lystra which persecutions I suffred paciently and from them all the Lorde deliuered me yea and all they that will liue godly in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution Wherefore fyrst let vs laye this foundation in our minde that nothing can come vnto vs without the ordinance and pleasure of God who hath numbred euen the heares of our head Next let vs thinke he ordreth all things after his righteous and holy iudgement Thirdly let vs be fully perswaded that he will neuer cease to take care for vs but beareth a fatherly minde and affection to vs and that euen then he moste careth for vs when we seeme most in daunger of our enimies Therefore he will deliuer vs out of all daunger if he thinke it so meetest for our behoofe And if it seeme not so good vnto him which farre better knoweth our case and what is meete for vs than we our selues what be we I pray you to replye against him But hereof we shall haue occasion to say more about the ende of the sermon Nowe what did the Disciples whose minds were lightened with sounder knowledge of Christ in all thys businesse Did they denie their fayth and take part with the Gentyles or were they ashamed of Paule so being stoned and in shamefull wise haled through the Citie No truely But they gathered about him by likelyhoode of good will. For where they were not able to defende him against the open violence of the furious people they doe yet as much as in them lyeth And whome they thought to be deade him they stande about bewayling him and desirous to accomplishe the last dutie of buriall vnto the most valyaunt minister of Christ as we heard the faithfull at Ierusalem did before when Steuen was martyred And yet was this a daungerous enterprise if a man well consider the Iewes cankred hatred towardes Christ and the rage of the people not yet calmed by reason of the late disdayne conceyued But our Sauiour Christ fayleth not to further such godlye duetie For whome they lamented as deade hym dyd God in such woonderfull wise restore agayne that he by and by rose vp and went into the Citie We are taught by this example what duetie we owe vnto the faythfull ministers of Christ being in daunger for doing of their duetie First they that are able must faythfully helpe them being in distresse wherein many dueties are to be considered and fall out amongst which there is none so small that hath not his rewarde before God considering that he shall not lose his recompence that gyueth but a Cup of colde water vnto a Disciple of Christ. And if any denie them the succour they are able to giue them let them thinke that sayde vnto them that Mardocheus sometyme sayde vnto Queene Hester If thou holde thy peace at thys time then shall the Iewes haue helpe and delyueraunce some ootherwayes and thou and thy fathers house shall perishe Cap. 4. The seconde degree of duetie is that they that are not able to helpe them consent not vnto the counsell of the wicked enimies of Christ and by al meanes possible declare that they neuer consented vnto them The storie of the Gospell sheweth vs as example hereof in Ioseph of Arimathaea The thirde and last is that we comfort those whome other tyrannouslye afflict by all the meanes we are able and if we lacke abilitie yet to testifye by our teares howe we lament their state And let vs not be ashamed of them in whom we knowe Christ lyeth bounde is banished afflicted and put to sorrowe This did Iosephus most faythfully perfourme whyle he caused Christ to be honorably buried whome his aduersaries shamefully hong on crosse If we would nowe a dayes thus dutyfully vse our selues towardes the members of Christ we should see God would helpe and ayde vs beyonde our expectation For God will not suffer the indeauours of his beloued to be lost nor the kingdome of Christ his sonne to be shrowne downe by the enterprises of the wicked But let vs returne to the Apostles and see what they did after they had escaped these broyles of whom thus much is reported as followeth The next daye following Paule accompanyed with Barnabas went from Lystra and came vnto Derba where he preacheth the Gospell of Ieâ—us Christ bringeth many disciples vnto Christ. This is a notable and rare example of christian constancie and faythfull endeuour that by daunger being made the more bolde and feruent they returne againe vnto their office and duetie Hereby is reprooued the sluggishnesse of those slydebackes which after they haue bene once in daunger as though they had then done all their duetie can neuer be brought againe to suffer anye more for Christes sake Howbeit in deede they should rather haue considered that by reason God of late had so deliuered and helped them they should haue bene the more incouraged and bolde For hath God therefore set vs at libertie to the intent we should afterwarde stande ydle and looke on whyle others are in perill Nay but for this cause rather he maketh good his promise to the ende we should stande the more boldely in the defence of his name Paule remembring thys coulde not fynde in his heart to rest scarce one day togither and yet it might seeme he had deserued to haue his Quietus est This also is to be obserued that wheresoeuer Luke reasoneth of the Apostles doctrine he maketh mention of nothing but the gospell the Ministerie and preaching whereof Christ had committed vnto them This is a great argument of the fayth and credite which they vsed in the office commytted to their charge and also teacheth vs what ought to be preached in the Church For if the Apostles durst not take so much vpon them as to giue back starte from the commaundement of Christ and to infeoffe the Church with newe traditions Doubtlesse their boldnesse can not be excused which now a dayes impudently presume so to do vnder the name and pretence of the Apostles Moreouer the Apostles returne to the three Cities from whence they were expulsed that is to Antioche Iconium and Lystra to confirme and establishe those that they had woonne vnto Christ in the fayth For as in ordering of an house it is as much prayse to saue that is gotten as to get more vnto the same so in the Church of God we must haue a care not onely to gette more vnto it but also to take heede that none fall from their duetie and fayth through our negligence And as seede must not onely be throwne into the grounde but also be tended and cherished that thornes and bryers ouergrowe it not so that it perishe so the seede of Gods worde being once
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
among the Thessalonians they exaggerate the matter and say that the Apostles did all things against the lawes and decrees of Caesar and so accuse them of treason saying they appointed an other to be king of the worlde affirming in a maner the same that they of Ierusalem before obiected against Christ before Pylate If you let these men go you are not Caesars friende The chiefe vse of these thinges is to learne vs with what instrumentes and weapons the wicked most assault the truth and hir Ministers First they vse open force For where Satan is a murtherer they thinke they haue a great defence therein for themselfe So Pylate sent forth his crewe with swordes and clubbes to take Christ which plainely sayde he did exercise the power of darkenesse Thus Cain violently kylled Abel And Pharao openly afflicted the Israelites Yea if a man would consyder the hystories of all ages he shoulde see the chiefe argumentes of the enimies of the truth founded vpon seculer power And commonly in these dayes they vse to dispute against the godly with imprisonment chaynes Gunnes Speares fyre and sworde Howbeit bicause the wiser sort abhorre from manifest violence and tyranny Satan knoweth craftily howe to mittigate the heynousnesse of this matter with lying going about by false accusations and slaunders to bring the seruauntes of Christ and faythfull Ministers of the truth in ignominie and suspicion Examples hereof we haue else where alleaged in Achab the king and in the Iewes accusing Christ before Pylate so that we neede tarie no longer in this matter Let vs learne at the least not rashely to beleeue them that grieuously accuse the godly as though they were blasphemers of God iniurious to the saintes and disturbers of the common weale Let vs rather search out the verie truth of the matter and commonly it shall appeare they are most innocent which before seemed worthy of all kinde of punishment This place teacheth vs furthermore what great destruction commeth vnto common weales by ydle and gracelesse persons For when they haue spent and consumed their owne goodes they gape after other mens and will be hyred for a little to commit a great mischiefe whereby it commeth to passe that they which will not by iustice of discipline punishe them are at length much cumbred and endammaged by them and perceyue their common weales by them to be much hyndered So these men being long suffered at Thessalonica wax at length so bolde and desperate that being entised and hyred by the Iewes they beginne a publike sedition and their boldenesse putteth all men in feare which thing seemeth to me to haue bene the cause that Paule afterward wryting to the Thessalonians warneth them so dyligently to see to the ordering of them that liued ydly of other mens labours For to let passe this present example there are euerywhere manye examples of other nations which teache vs that there are no kynde of men more pernitious vnto common weales But in steede of a great many that one may serue that is written in the storie of the Romaines of the coniuration of Catiline and his Complices Most prudently therefore did the Athenians sometyme inact that sluggishe and ydle persons shoulde be brought out into the market place and openlye shamed as men getting their lyuing by no honest arte or trade With the same Athenians the officers called Areopagitae when they suspected anye of inordinate lyfe called them before them and demaunded of them howe they liued and mainteyned themselues Which seueritie and industrie if it were vsed in our dayes woulde make our common weales and Churches more quiet than they be But it is a foule thing for christian men in this poynt to be ouercome of Gentiles whome reason and experience of the fleshe onely taught to be more wise than we Nowe let vs see the ende of this Tragedie whose beginning was such that no man would haue thought it coulde haue bene ended without shedding of bloud First the Iudges and people are both mooued as commonly it vseth to be in sedition so that at the fyrst brunt wisemen and modest also are almost amazed and wote not what to doe But as God with a little blast of winde can chase away the threatning and clowdie countenance of heauen so in this place with small adoe he maketh them quiet calme that erewhile seemed to be starke mad For by the secret working of hys spirite he mittigateth the mindes of the Iudges to heare Iason speake and at length being satisfyed to dismysse hym and the other brethren In the meane while the brethren in the night season sende away Paule and Silas to Berrhoea where they againe go into the Synagoge and preache with great fruit and vtilitie But as in this councell of Thessalonica is set forth a president of ciuile iustice and equitie for all men to follow which are in office and authoritie so in the other persons haue we some thinges also to be obserued And fyrst this thing is verie comfortable that is tolde of Iason He for his kindenesse shewed vnto the Apostles is in great daunger But the Lorde so deliuereth him that he obteyneth an euerlasting praise in the congregation of the saintes And thus is the promise of Christ fulfylled which promised a sure rewarde vnto him that giueth but a Cup of cold water vnto any one of his disciples Let this kindle in vs also a desyre vnto godlynesse that it seeme not to vs intollerable to suffer traueyles and perilles for Christes faythfulles sake Further the brethren of Thessalonica shewe themselues thankefull vnto Paule and Silas in that they accompany them and bringing them on their waye in the night season putting themselues a freshe in daunger so that it is not without a cause that Paule commendeth their fayth in the Epistle he wryteth vnto them The Galathians also are commended of him for the same cause who sayth he were ready to haue giuen him their eyes if he had needed them But nowe a dayes Ministers haue small thanks for they are the fyrst in daunger and sometime deliuered into the handes of their cruell enimies by them which will be taken for most christian people and Gospellers Finally we haue to consyder Paule which embraseth the counsell of the brethren wylling him to flye vnderstanding that it was a thing permytted by Christ when neyther the glorie of God nor the weale of the brethren and congregation was in daunger For God will not haue vs perishe without great cause and for no profyte In the meane season in the flying they are not forgetfull of their duetie but assoone as they come to Berrhoea they teach agayne By which example we are admonished that we must so see to our owne safety that we forsake not our standing and tackle But if we be endued with the zeale of God the cause it selfe time and place shall easily giue vs counsell what to doe Let the power and goodnesse of God also comfort vs wherby we see Paule
without the certaine aduise of Gods prouydence which I thinke was the most famous Citie that euer was For in antiquitie it passed many as which had to hyr king Cecrops about the time of Moses Afterwarde being renowmed by reason of the victories that she had achieued against the Persians shee did purchase vnto hir selfe immortall commendation for delyuering of Greece out of the handes of a barbarous people In happy pregnancie and sharpnesse of wytte she passed all other For hyr we haue to thanke for Socrates Plato Zenophon Crates and infinite others very famous by reason of their wisedome Which was the cause that in hir was founded a certaine vniuersitie and schoole as it were of the whole world wherevnto most noble men resorted from all partes of the worlde as vnto an onely sea and Castell of all wisedome And such was the fame of hir wisedome that the Romaines when they had ouercome all Asia thought their children could no where in the worlde be better infourmed in preceptes of wisedome and maners of lyuing then at Athens as the preface of Cicero to his sonne vppon the bookes of Offices and duties testifyeth And euen as in many other things so also in religion and honouring of the Gods she seemed to excell all others bicause in hir was to be seene the ymage of Minerua which was thought to haue comme downe from heauen and manye persons were at Athens whome they gloryed in and accounted as Goddes Into thys Citie did the Lorde sende Paule the Apostle to bring it by his ministerie vnto the obedience of fayth And that this was not attempted without good successe and profyte the ende well prooued This is a notable example both of the goodnesse of God and of the power of the gospell For who would not acknowledge the vnspeakeable grace of God when he heareth a Citie vtterly drowned in the darknesse of ydolatrie and humaine wisedome to be so fauourably regarded of god Againe who will not marueyle at the inuincible power of the gospell when he seeth the wisest men in the world confounded by the same and that by the ministerie of Paule which brought nothing with him but the pryntes of roddes and whippes and being driuen out of so many Cities was of no estimation in the worlde Therfore the hystorie of the conuersion of Athens is most worthy to be consydered the fyrst part whereof Luke rehearseth in this place declaring fyrst what Paule did there next howe his doctrine was receyued fyrst preached of most men in the Citie when he fyrst preached we will speake of eche of these things in order Paule abyding at Athens for the comming of Silas and Timotheus walked in the meane season rounde about the Citie consydering their maners and vsages in so much that he pretermytteth not the temples but goeth into them and veweth them as by his oracion hereafter shall appeare And perceyuing the greatest Citie that he had as yet seene so gyuen to Idolatrie and drowned therein waxeth feruent in the spirite mislyking that Gods religion was in such wise prophaned For God is offended with no sinne more then with ydolatrie And the mindes of the godly are most prouoked when they see the same bicause they holde nothing more deere â–ª then the glorie of the soueraigne god Hereof came it to passe that when Moses sawe the golden Calfe almost forgetting hymselfe he brake the Tables of the lawe and beateth the Calfe vnto powder and throweth it into the water to the intent the ydolaters might drinke and let downe their Calfe into their belly Elias incensed with lyke zeale kylled the priestes of Baal with his owne hande whome Iehu directly followed and is in holy scrypture commended therefore The scripture teacheth vs that Iosias with like zeale burned the bones of the ydolaters vpon their owne aultars that all men might perfytely see the indignitie of such wickednesse what shall we saye of the Prophetes which scarce vsed more force of wyt and eloquence in any thing then in speaking agaynst ydolatrie and ymages For then spared they neyther earnest nor game to blase and deface a thing most hatefull vnto god Their contumacie and stubbornesse therefore at thys daye is much to be marueyled and woondered at that will be taken for christians and gospellers and yet holde with ymages and fyght for them against the brethren that professe the fayth of Christ and by odious names call them whose zeale is commended by so many testimonies of scripture and examples of holy men fyghters against Images and Image breakers In the meane season Paules example teacheth vs that all they which will fruitefully and with commendation traueyle in Christes quarrell and in the kingdome of God haue neede to be indewed with zeale For where impietie is a verie obstinate and tough euill it can neuer be pulled vp without verie feruent zeale Let the example of Christ stirre vp in vs this zeale who seing his fathers house turned into a market place or fayre as one that had forgotten his accustomed myldenesse made a whyp of such cordes as were next his hande and draue these wicked marchauntes out of the Temple calling to the disciples mindes that saying of Dauid the zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me vp Here the consideration of the Lords prayer putteth vs in minde of our duetie the chiefe peticions wherof are that the name of God should be sanctifyed and that his kingdome should come But howe shall they with vnfayned mindes praye for these things whome no vnhallowing the name of God and ouerthrowing of his kingdome toucheth or mooueth Therefore these hollow hearted people which in handling of religion are neyther hote nor colde and contrarie to the saying of Elias halt on both sides gaping to get great praise while they be addict to no side but are a lyke friendly to all partes are not to be heard or regarded Such sometime were the people of Laodicia whom Christ threatneth he will spewe out of his mouth But to returne vnto Paule doth he fret disdaine within himselfe bicause of the ydolatry that he seeth Nay he mindeth how to reforme this great Citie being both a straunger of no name amongst them Forthwith therfore he reasoneth of true religion and beginneth to preach Iesus Christ. But I pray you how many things were there to haue kept him from this doing if he would haue yeelded to the reasons of the flesh For he mought this haue thought wilt thou be so bolde in so notable a citie to improoue that religion which is of so many yeres antiquity established with such prosperous successe glorious victories heretofore wilt thou haue to doe with men of such fyne wits and so in â—red with disputations hauing scarcely learned the principles of their Philosophie Knowest thou not howe odious and daungerous all alterations are but chiefly those wherof straungers forreyners are the authors whom common reason and sence forbiddeth to be curious in other mens
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
we learne that there must be a certayne place for doctrine to be taught in and howe the same must not wythout some great cause be forsaken For this is a thing verye profytable for the maintenance of true doctrine and keeping vnder of false teachers which priuilye vse to creepe in and to beguyle the vnwarye For the which cause Christ himselfe vsed moste times to teache in the Temple and in the open Synagoges bicause he woulde not by his example defend them which without a cause refuse to come vnto the Church or else sowe false doctrine in corners both which the Anabaptistes in our dayes ouerboldly vse to doe Secondly is declared the trade that Paule vsed in teaching He spake freely and boldly dissembling nothing And fyrst he disputed confuting the errors of the Iewes wherewith they confounded and obscured the way of saluation being of it selfe playne and simple Next he exhorted and counselled them to yeelde vnto a truth This is the best order of teaching wherin these two thinges are necessary to be obserued fyrst that the aduersaries arguments be confuted and that by effectuall reasons they be vrged to take holde of the truth and earnestlye to followe it For as truth can haue no place as long as lyes and errors beare rule so fruitelesse and vayne shall the knowledge of truth be vnlesse men earnestly embrace hir and labour as it were to be transformed into hir Therefore Paule commaundeth the Minister of the worde not onely to teach but also to exhort rebuke and to be instant in season and out of season And Christ woulde haue those that were bidden to the wedding of the heauenly kingdome to be compelled to come in Therefore fylthye is the error of them which saye a bare and literall treatie of the Scripture is sufficient in the Church and will not suffer those things to be openly discussed in them that serue for the instruction of all parties as though our saluation stoode onely in a naked and empty contemplation of things Thirdlye Luke sheweth the matter and argument of Paules doctrine where he sayth he spake of the kingdome of God. For so are the affayres of our redemption and saluation called the administrator and executor wherof the Prophetes long since declared that the Messias shoulde be But of this Messias the Iewes had conceyued not onely false but also very carnall and grosse opinions by reason they misvnderstoode the Oracles of the Prophetes For they dreamed the kingdome of the Messias shoulde be here vppon earth and hoped to enioy a golden worlde vnder him such as had bene sometime vnder Salomon With the which error the Apostles also being beguyled promised themselues notable dignities and promotions as maye easily be gathered by their contentions And they among the Iewes also whose mindes were more of their saluation than of this earthly kingdome did rather thinke it consisted in wearishe ceremonies than in the merite of christ Therefore Paule diligently declared the veritie of the kingdome of God shewing that it was spirituall not earthly and that it consisted not in the vaine obseruation of Ceremonies but in the merite of Christ and in fayth whereby we be graffed into him This doctrine of Paule is to be had both in his Sermons which Luke hath described in this booke also in his Epistles so that there needeth no long rehearsall therof Let vs marke how the Scriptures call our redemption and saluation the kingdome of god For hereby the ende thereof is declared which is that Satan being vanquished and the worlde ouercome God might beare rule ouer vs as our king as we desire in our prayer saying Let thy kingdome come Wherefore they are false Christians that glorye in the name of Christ and yet let the Deuill rule in them who can haue no communion or fellowshippe with Iesus Christ. Neyther can they be Christians which are out of the kingdome of God bicause Christ came into the worlde for no cause but to restore his kingdome But howe can they be in the kingdome of God which suffer themselfe to be ruled by the Deuilles spirite and obey him in all thinges But bicause Christ can neuer be preached anye where so luckilye but manye reprobates shall ryse agaynst his doctrine hee declareth howe Paule dealt with them but yet so as he fyrst sheweth what they did They hardened their heartes agaynst Paules doctrine This is the propertie of the wicked the more they are vrged with the worde of God the more they harden their heartes not that Gods worde is in the fault but their owne selues For where they haue not in them the seede of the children of God they cannot knowe his voyce and worde and therefore the more mightily the holy ghost worketh to bring them to order the more fyercelye vse they to resist him Examples we haue euerywhere in Caine Pharao Saule Iudas and diuers other wherevnto woulde God we had not euerye day freshe examples ioyned After induration it followeth that they wyll neyther beleeue nor obey Therefore they cast away the worde of God as vayne and nothing pertayning vnto them Besides a woorse property than all this namely rayling and slaundering whereby they go about to bring Christes doctrine and religion in suspicion and enuy amongest the people For they follow the Deuils propertie desiring to haue many partners and fellowes of his perdition And by these steps doth impietie climbe vp vntill she be so high that she falleth into destruction What doth Paule with these persons First he departeth frō them least he should either more inflame them or giue occasion of vnprofytable contention and thys doth he according to Christs commaundement which bade vs we should not cast pearles before Dogges and Hogges and commaunded vs to shake the dust of our feete from vs against open obstinates Then next he seperated those disciples from them which had receyued the sounde doctrine doing the duetie of a faithfull shephearde whose chiefe care is that the sounde sheepe be not infected with the contagiousnesse of the diseased And yet Paule is not to be called a Schismatike for his so dooing although they bare the name of the church and people of God from whom Paule seuered his disciples Yea it is necessarie that the good should auoyde the familiaritie and companye of the vngodly bicause both they bycome heard hearted by the meanes and many times also partakers of the vngodlyes punishment See Apoc. 18. Thirdely Paule teacheth daylie in the schoole of one Tyrannus with what maner of thing it was and howe it came to be so called maketh no great matter but it is lyke it was a publike place and commodious to preache in Let vs rather consider Paules diligence which could by no vntowardnesse of the wicked be pulled from his duetie but the more he seeth them rage the more busily he holdeth on in teaching Let all that are in office eyther of the common weale or of the ministerie
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
knees and prayed with them all For where he knew that God only gaue all increase as otherwheres he teacheth therefore he was not vnmindfull of prayer specially in a matter of such importaunce whervpon depended the saluation of al men And hereof sprang that auncient and notable vsage of the Church wherin sermons vsed to be begon and ended with prayers which prayers who so neglect abundantly declare that they resorte vnto sermons more of curiositie than either for desire of Gods glory or their owne saluation of which sort they are which are described in Ezechiel the xxxiij Chapter And as this example commendeth prayers and specially publike prayers which it behoueth vs to make with feruent affection of minde so it teacheth vs to obserue also a godly modestie of behauiour in the same wherby we testifie the meaning of our minde Among these gestures this is the moste auncient where the godly men vse to pray on their knees or else lying with their bodies prostrate on the ground therby setting themselues in order of humblenesse They vse also commonly to lift vp their hands vnto heauen both to declare the ardent desire of their minde and also to testifie their fayth wherby they firmly beleue that they shall receiue that they desire Yet muste we take heede that we cloke not a naughtie minde with a vayne kinde of gesture or that we lifte not vp handes embrued with bloud Touching bothe which vices reade Esai 1. and .29 Chapiters After all these things Luke addeth Paules departure out of Asia in the which two things fall out chiefly to be marked First he sayth they fell on weeping of all hands and euen they whom Paule had somdeale more openly quipped But they regarded not so muche their priuate reprehension as the publike commoditie of the whole Churche They are therfore sory that the Church should be depriued of suche an Instrument and they declare their sorrow by weeping embracing and kissing This is a very delectable example of mutuall charitie wherein the Ministers and Congregations shoulde stryue eche to ouercome others Paule loued them wonderfully as his whole trade of life declared Therefore they agayne loued him and reuerenced him as their Apostle and Father Where this mutuall affection reigneth all things prosper well But they whych hate their Ministers are for the moste parte moste vnhappy as may euidently bee seene in the Israelites which hated Moyses and Aaron Also by this place the indolencie of the Stoikes is condemned They thinke it vnlawfull for any man to shew any token of any affection As though affections were euill of themselfe and not set in vs by nature and that when any excesse is committed it were not through our default God requireth of vs a moderation of the minde but will not haue men to become stockes or stones Last of al they bring Paule to the shippe which is a dutie of reuerence and for the most parte proceedeth of loue Here we learne that they are worthy of honor which labour diligently in setting foorth the glory of God or otherwise wel accomplish their duetie Agayne we are taught that God neuer letteth them go without glory that are such For his promise is I will honour those that honoâ—r mâ— â–ª Leâ— ministers of the Church Magistrates also remember these things thaâ— they may learne by like industrie to preserue and maintaine their autority And let vs one with another lay to our helpes to the maintenaunce of the Church so shall we hereafter be partakers of the heauenly honour wyth Chryst our Lord and Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .xxj. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Cxxxviij Homelie ANd when it chaunced that we had launched foorth and were deparâ—ed from them we came with a straight course vnto Choon and the dayâ— following vnto the Rhodes and from thence vnto Patara And when wâ— had gotten a Ship that would sayle vnto Phenices we went abooâ—d on it and set foorth But when Cyprus began to appeare vnto vs we lefte it on the lefte hande and sayled vnto Syria and came vntoo Tyre for there the Ship vnladed the burthen And when we had found brethren we tarried there seuen dayes And they tolde Paule through the spirit that he should not goe vp to Hierusalem And when the dayes were ended we departed and went our way and they all broughte vs on our waye with wiues and children till we were come out of the Citie And we kneeled downe on the shoare and prayed And when we had taken our leaue one of another we toke Ship and they retourned home againe When we had ful ended the course from Tyre we went downe to Ptolemais and saluted the brethren and abode with them one day THe holy Ghost rehearseth very diligently the paynefull and dangerous voyages of the Apostles that by them we might learne the exceeding goodnes of God towarde vs who woulde haue his elect instrumentes and most faithful Ministers for oure saluation sake â–ª inured with such trauels and dangers for that wee shoulde the more feruentelye embrace the doctrine of the Gospell which it behooued to haue sette foorth wyth so greate paynes And to this ende must the hystorie of this Chapiter be referred wherin we are taught how Paule passing many seas through many hazardes came into Syria and from thence to Ierusalem where beeing courteously receiued of the godly but betrayed by the sedicious and apprehended he was committed to the power of the Deputie or lieuetenaunt of the Romanes al which things we shal consider in their time place This place specially hath many things which make muche for the explication of that we sayd euen now Wherefore the Contents muste be the more diligently discussed whiche at the first sight seeme but barren First it is declared how Paul vnwillingly departed froÌ„ Athens with his company We launched foorth sayth he and were plucked from them On this sort it is said Christ was pulled from his Disciples at mount Oliuet Luc. 22. By which worde is declared a great griefe of minde risen about his departure And verily the causes of this griefe were neither fewe nor yet tryfling For Paules three yeres conuersation amongst them had engendred a mutuall loue betweene them And diuers arguments of this loue were apparaunt all which these freshe teares and common griefe taken on all partes called agayne to remembraunce Moreouer Paule knew that he should come no more amongest them which loued him so intierly that he had lefte them in daunger of Wolues whom he had trayned and brought to with great paynes and trauell All these things had bene able to moue euen an heart of yron Thus wee see Parentes mourne when their children by death are pulled from them which by reason of their minoritie are not yet able to helpe them selues Yet Paule ouercommeth all griefe of minde bicause he would obey the calling of God which drue him to Ierusalem By
to haue bene the Minister or Byshoppe of that Churche which Chryst had there And this is one of Gods rare iudgements that Paule shoulde nowe haue him to be his hoste whome before time he had caused to forsake Ierusalem and that which he there had Howebeit in Philippe Sainct Luke setteth out to vs a notable example of a sincere and an vnfayned Shepheard in fewe words comprising all that Paule requireth in a Bishop in the first to Timothe the third Chapiter and in the first to Titus For first he sayth he was an Euangelist he was therefore one meete and apte to teach which is the first and most necessarie qualitie of a Minister And the degree or office of the Euangelists was a meane betweene the Apostles and Pastours as may appeare by Paule For they made their abode in certayne places â–ª yet not beeing so tyed vnto them but that if necessitie so required they might repaire to places adioyning and further off Their name admonished them of their duetie and office which as touching doctrine was all one with the Apostles and Pastoures that is to say to preach the gospell and to enfourme men in the doctrine thereof For Chryst woulde not haue it free for the Apostles to teache what they listed but commaunded them to preache the Doctrine which he had taught them which onely in these dayes also ought to bee taught in the congregation Furthermore Philip had an house and substance able to suffise both his owne neede and also to harbour others in which thing Paule also requireth in a Minister For he receyueth Paule a great companie that come with him and entertayneth them curteously for a certayne dayes space which hee coulde not haue done without some costes and charges Therefore he was no begger or vagabunde such as many malapert Comptrollers of the Ecclesiasticall function would haue Ministers in these dayes to bee who are eyther bewitched with enuie or deceyued with ignorance not being able to make a difference betwene the Apostles and the Pastours And it is like he was very harborous which was able to entertaine Paule and his company so curteously which Paule had bene the cause of his exilement as we declared a little before Moreouer it is sayd he had Daughters Ergo a wife also vnlesse which were a wicked imagination we will say he was an Whooremonger which yet perhaps the maintainers of filthie single lyfe that Poperie hath brought into the Church would better like and beare with They are conuinced both by this and the example of other Apostles which Paule plainly confesseth caried their wiues aboute with them j. Corrinth ix The same Paule appointeth a Byshoppe or Minister to be the husband of one wife that is to say to be knit togither in lawfull wedlocke according to Gods first institution And it is a most vaine glose of them which thinke the ministerie is polluted by Matrimonie and the companie of a wife whereas it is euident it was instituted by God and is in it self holie and vndefiled Therfore Paule truly calleth it a doctrine of the Diuel that forbiddeth the vse of marriage bicause it is the propertie of the Diuel to call Gods institutions either vncleane vnprofitable or pernitious See the first to Timothâ— the fourth Chapter And the frutes of Popishe single life doe notably set forth the aucthor of this doctrine Whereas it is manifest that heereof vseth to spring many times whoredomes adulteries incests and that horrible vice of Sodomie Last of al is declared what qualiâ—ied persons Philips daughters were namely damosels indued with the gifte of Prophesying We know that this worde Prophesying signifieth many times the declaration of Gods worde and the holy scripture For so Paule saith that they that expound the scriptures in the Church refer and direct all their sayings and doings to the edification instruction and consolation of the Church doe Prophesie 1. Cor. 14. He calleth those women Prophetes that sit in the Church and heare the woord of God whome he commaundeth to sit couered on their heades in the Temple But whereas Lukes meaning was to declare that Philips daughters had rare and singular giftes this Prophesying is to be vnderstanded of a peculiare gift and vertue of the holy Ghost wherewith God had endowed them For what neede was it to haue noted that which al Christian women had indifferently learned and vnlearned euery age and sexe And I pray you who would haue iudged the children of so faithfull an Euangelist to haue bene other than desirous of Gods word But here is to be vnderstanded a singular gift of Prophesie wherwith God ment to adourne womankinde also in the time of Christ according to the Prophesie of Ioel that men might be the more attent to heare the word of God and that it might appeare that the merite of Christ appertained vnto women aswell as to them In the meane season it is manifest that Philip had a speciall care of the education and bringing vp of his children which according to Paules doctrine is a thing very necessary both for publike example sake and also for that it is scarce credible that he can well rule the congregation that is not able to gouerne his owne house And the example of Hely the priest declareth how God is offended with the Ministers of the Church which vse not to bridle the vntowardnesse and wantonnesse of their children seuerely Read the first of Samuel 2.3.4 Chapiters Moreouer while Paule abode with Philip a certaine Prophete whose name was Agabus came from Hierusalem or Iewrie which warned him againe of the enprisonment towards him and that not only by words but also by gestures and signes after the manner of the auncient Prophetes therby laying the thing as it were before his eyes For with Paules girdle he bindeth his owne handes and feete adding an exposition and declaration of his so doing saying the Iewes shall bind the man which oweth this girdle at Ierusalem on this wise God therfore would haue Paule oftentimes admonished heereof partly for that his faithe and constancie might appeare the more and partly for that we might learne by this example that present daungers be not alwayes sufficient causes for vs to â—â—ie bicause God foresheweth them sometimes not to the ende we should shunne and auoide them but to prepare vs to the vndertaking and suffering of them And heere is principally to be considered both what Paule and also his Companions did in this present and euident perill Whereof the one parte wepte and desired him with teares that hee would not goe vp to Ierusalem as may bee gathered by Paules woordes And surely they could not want reasons to persuade him heereunto For bothe he seemed to tempte God and also to hazarde not onely him selfe but also to neglect the welfare of the Churche whome by this meane he bereeued of his seruice and Ministerie But this is a zeale commendable in
deede but not according to knowledge suche as Christ sharpely reprehended in Peter when he also dissuaded him from bearing the Crosse yet their affection is to be praised in that they are carefull for Paules safetie being farre vnlike to menne in these dayes which bring Ministers in daunger wythout a cause and thinke that they haue well discharged their dueties if they can for a time redeme a worldly peace with the liues and bloud of the Ministers But Paule moste earnestly withstandeth them and complayneth of them saying they greeue him more with their weping than with the remembraunce of the daunger Therfore Paule was not stony hearted such an one as the Stoikes faine their good and blissefull man to be but he coÌ„fesseth plainely that Goddes calling is more deare vnto him than his life and body The holy Ghost setteth his Example before all Ministers yea before all Christians to bee followed For vnlesse wee bee of the same mynde wee shall little or nothyng profytte in the waye of Christe bicause daungers are at hande on euery syde to them that seeke to serue Chryst. And this is no grieuous thing to the true godly if they wel wey the matter for what more profitable losse can we haue of this transitorie life and body which shall in few moneths mouldre into dust than to giue it for Chrystes sake whome we know died and rose againe for this ende that whether we liue or die we haue him to our Lord and Protectoure Which is the cause that Christ biddeth vs we should not feare theÌ„ which are able to kill the body but yet haue no power vpon the soule which is the better part of man And vnto these reasons do Paules companions also giue place For seeing him so constantly to persist in his purpose they say The will of God be fulfilled So now they perceiue at length that he is instigated heereunto by the calling of god Therfore least they might seeme to striue against God they commit them selues and the whole businesse vnto him folowing bothe the example and commaundement of christ And surely there is no more safe hauen for the godly to get them selues into amidde the raging and horrible tempests of these dayes than the will of god Which bicause it is holy and wholesome is able most effectually to recreate and cheare the mindes that are tossed with troubles and cares with the consideration therof Let vs therfore after the example of these men haue a regarde onely vnto the same and couragiously suffer what so euer God layeth vpon vs who for that he is faithfull wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength but euen in the middle of temptation wil make a way that we shall be able to beare it Nowe followeth Paules arriuall at Ierusalem where we haue three things to be considered First his frendes accompanie him which hitherto had bene his companions and vnto these are added newe frendes gotten at Caesaria In which place the truth of God appeareth which vseth to ioyne freendes and companions to them that suffer daunger for his names sake as otherwheres we haue declared Furthermore in them appeareth a notable example of faithe and constancie For they were not ignorant what was like to happen vnto Saule And there was greate cause for their owne parte also to be afraide Yet they forsake him not whome they knewe maintained Christes quarrell nor would not be driuen from him by any waues and â—ourges of aduersitie Let suche marke this Example as are pot freendes and as long as fortune laugheth will be companions with men but if shee begin once to lowre they forget all frendship and benefites and turne their backes The second is how the faithfull there prouide Paule of a commodious lodging For althoughe daungers were toward him yet prudencie must be ioyned with religion as Christ teacheth who in daungers wil haue vs to be wise as serpents His hoste was one Mnason a Cypriote borne and an olde disciple or protestant whereby is noted the perseueraunce and continuaunce he was of in the faith And charitie accompanieth faithe whereof this was a notable argument that he would lodge Paule and his companions knowing what daunger they were like to be in This is the propertie of true faith that the nigher daunger approcheth and the more vehemently it vrgeth the brighter it shineth Therefore our coldnesse is very worthy to be blamed which in daungers dissemble our faith and plainely neglect the duetie of charitie Last of all the brethren at Ierusalem do gladly receiue Paule yet heereafter we shall heare what euill rumors they spread of him But thy brethren would not condempne him without hearing of his cause They are most worthy to be folowed and teach vs by their example that we rashly beleue not such as ill report the brethren For such as these for the most parte are the chosen instrumentes of the Deuill which knoweth that the Church can no way be more greuously disturbed than by the deuision of the brethren Let vs therfore be mindfull of charitie which of all things abhorreth suspitiousnesse and let vs wholely apply our selues to keepe the vnitie of the Church vnblemished in Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxix Homelie ANd on the morrow Paule went in with vs vnto Iames. And all the Elders came togither And when he had saluted them he told by order all things that God had wrought among the Gentiles by his Ministration And when they heard it they glorified the Lord and said vnto him thou seest brother how many thousand Iewes there are which beleue and they are all earnest followers ouer the law And they are enfourmed of thee that thou teachest all the Iewes which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses and sayest that they ought not to circumcise their children neyther to liue after the customes What is it therfore The multitude must needes come togither for they shall hear that thou art come Do therfore this that we say to thee We haue four men which haue a vow on them TheÌ„ take purifie thy selfe with them and do cost on them that they may shaue their heads and all shall knowe that those things which they haue heard concerning thee are nothing but that thou thy selfe also walkest and keepest the law But as touching the Gentiles which beleue we haue written and concluded that they obserue no such thing saue only that they keepe them selues from things offred to Idolles and from bloud and from strangled and from fornication ALthough many false rumors were spred of Paule the Apostle that chosen vessell of Iesus Christ whereby bothe his good name and doctrine was greeuously stained and impeached by his aduersaries yet Luke wryteth that the brethren at Ierusalem did frendly and courteously receyue him thereby teaching vs that they had a more regarde of charitie than of a fewe of persones boyling in hatred
was at this time among the people of the Iewes seeing men durste declare so wicked an enterprise vnto the Priestes and Elders who they knewe vndoubtedly would ioyne with them in their doing Therefore they were all worthy miserably to perishe togyther Which thing let all them looke for like wise which in these dayes labour to gratifie Antichrystes Priestes with sheading of innocent bloud and banishing of the godly And yet howe vayne moste tymes their enterprises are this Hystorie following declareth For a nephew of Paules beeing but a yong strippling yet meete inough to interrupte their deuise chaunceth through the ordinaunce of God to vnderstande their purpose He declareth all the matter vnto Paule who sendeth hym vnto the Captayne and by his diligence and industrie this bloudy attempte as wee shall heare hereafter was quite dashed and defeated Thus God thought good to ratifie his late promise teaching vs all howe easie it is for hym to ouerthrowe the deuises of the wicked For what are wicked enimies able to doo agaynst him which seeth all thing and can arme and set foorth weakenesse agaynst them so he destroyed the wicked tyrannie of Pharao by Moyses that was throwen away in his infancie So he deliuered Sisara and Holoâ—ernes moste skilfull and valiaunt Captaynes to women to be killed So by the wisedome of Daniell beeing but a childe he reproueth the filthy luste of the Elders and Senatours and defendeth the honest and vertuous lyfe of Susanna And here in this place by the meanes of a yong springal he defeateth such a counsell and deuice as seemed scarse possible to be disappoynted by any meanes bycause it was taken in hande by moste desperate men confirmed with the holynesse of an othe or vowe and corroborated with the authoritie of the Priestes and Elders Lyke kinde of examples are in all Hystories By them it behoueth vs to learne the power of God in whom let vs truste and wee shall lesse feare the tyrannie of the wicked and beeing bolde in the quarell of truthe let vs put all our hope and confidence in God onely through Iesus Chryste our Lorde To whome bee blessing honour power and glory for euer and euer Amen The Cl. Homelie AND Paule called one of the vnder Captaynes to him and sayd bring this young man vnto the highe Captayne for he hath a certayne thing to shewe him And he tooke him and brought him vnto the high Captaine and sayde Paule the prisoner called mee vnto him and prayed mee to bring this young man vnto thee which hath a certayne matter to shewe thee The highe Captayne tooke him by the hande and went with him out of the way and asked him what is it that thou haste to tell me And he sayde The Iewes are determined to desire thee that thou wouldest bring foorth Paule to morrowe to the Councell as though they woulde enqâ—â—â—e somewhat of hym more perfectly but followe not thou theyâ— myndes for there lye in wayte for him of them more than fortie men which haue bounde them selues with a vowe that they wyll neyther eate nor drynke tyll they haue kylled hym And nowe are they ready and looke that thou shouldest promyse The vpper Captayne then let the young man departe and charged hym saying See thou tell it out to no man that thou haste shewed thys thing to mee And hee called vnto him two vnder Capitaynes saying Make ready two hundred Souldiours to goe to Caesarea and horsemen threescore and tenne and speare men two hundred at the thirde houre of the nyghte and delyuer them beastes that they may sette Paule on and bryng hym safe vnto Felix the hyghe Deputie ALthough God neuer forsaketh hys electe but according to hys promises is at hande wyth them alwayes and in all places yet hee mixeth many tymes aduersitie wyth prosperitie bycause it is very profitable so to haue them kepte in dooing their duetie and to exercyse their fayth that they may learne to depende onely vppon hym and to ascribe all prosperitie vnto hym alone Many examples heereof are euery where But chiefely in the Hystories of Moyses Dauid and others wherevnto thys example tolde heere of Paule may worthely bee referred For wee haue hearde howe God appeared vnto him beeing greuously and many wayes tempted and effectuously comforted him promising hym that he shoulde not onely escape the handes of the Iewes but also shoulde beare witnesse of hym at Rome But lo or euer it was scarse day forty men conspire hys death and taking the Priestes and Elders to counsell with them so deuise the matter that it seemeth impossible for him to escape This appeared vtterly to be contrary to the promise of God yet bicause Paule is not ignoraunt of Gods vsage and custome he is neyther feared with the mention of sodayne daunger nor God fayleth not of hys promises yea where he least hoped for it God sendeth hym ayde and assistaunce as wee shall nowe see The vse of all these things is that wee should confirme our fayth heereby and not caste off our hope when wee see the successe of thynges not agreable vnto Gods promises For although the Lorde linger and tarry yet can he not forget vs continually But that we may receiue the more vtilitie hereby we muste diligently consider euery person First of all commeth Paule foorthe who althoughe he were confirmed wyth the Oracle yet hee boasteth not foolishely of Gods promyse and prouidence and setteth not all daungers lyghte but prudently taketh holde of that one meane that remayned in man and which hee myghte safely vse wythout breache of Relygion and Christian faythe hauing a care how to make the Captayne vnderstande all the matter by his Nephew that he beeing admonished of his duetie might conuey him from the bloudy handes of these conspiratours And bycause the matter might seeme of more importance and not bee suspected by reason of the age of the strippling he ioyneth a Centurion with him to be his spokesman intercessor By which example we are first taught howe we should vse the prouidence and promises of God in aduersitie For we muste not doubte but God by his eternal prouidence and counsell ruleth al things and the same can be stopped or hindred by no endeuour of any enimies For he vseth to scatter the counsell of Nations but his counsell as Dauid sayth endureth for euer Agayne he promiseth to bee with his people and to assiste them in all aduersities whose promises wee muste assuredly beleeue In the meane season the remedies and meanes which both are lawefull of them selfe and offered of God muste by no meanes bee despised or neglected least by putting our selues ouer rashely in daunger wee seeme to tempt god For the same muste be obserued in al our dooings that is vsed intillage and husbandrie For although all the encrease thereof commeth of God yet no man ought to neglecte husbandry without the great contempt of god Thus we read Dauid vsed somtimes to flie and somtimes other meanes which God
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
may hynder our saluation bycause wee knowe that if that bee once loste it can neuer bee recouered agayne Finally for a great many dayes neither the Sunne nor the Sâ—arres shyned and so at lengthe they were oute of all hope of 〈◊〉 And thys is lykewyse a common thyng that they whiche reâ—â—â—e to walke in the lyghte of Gods worde are wrapped in daungerous and deadely darkenesse For wee haue none other Lode starre giâ—en vs by whose leading wee are able to holde our course and tyghte waye in the tempestuous Seas of this worlde Heere is to bee obserued how God suffereth Paule also to bee in daunger and to bee moste greeuously tempted among these malefactoures insomuche that hee to â—â—neth hym vnto prayer and hath neede to bee comforted at Godâ— haâ—â—â— as the thynges followyng wyll declare Thys is the staâ—â— of the godly in this worlde which offendeth many menne byâ—â—â—se 〈…〉 in suche lyke perill and hazarde as the notorious â—â—cked vs◠〈◊〉 And yet is their state of a farre other sorte For all thinges worke vnto them for their profite and commoditie and beeing of a good conscience in the myddest of their daungers they knowe that Goddes eares are open vnto their prayers and staying them selues vppon hys promyses they wayte also for strength of hym to beare out the burthen and looke for their deliuerie in due tyme and season Where in the meane season the wycked are troubled wyth gâ—â—ltie conâ—â—ienâ—â— and for the moste parte their daungers are ended wyâ—â— their destruâ—â—ion Lette vs therefore folowe the example of Paule and wel marke the loade-starre of Gods word that if happely we chaunce to come in danger in this vnhappy world we may yet haue our hope of saluation firmely fixed and set in God who will not suffer his people to be teÌ„pted aboue their streÌ„gth and will giue vs happy successe and deliuer vs out of all daungers and at length wil take vs into the kingdome of his sonne Iesus Christ to whom be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Clxviij Homelie BVt after long abstinence Paule stode forthe in the middest of them and saide Sirs you should haue hearkened to me and not haue loosed from Candie neither to haue brought vnto vs this harme and losse And nowe I exhort you to be of good cheare For there shall be no losse of any mannes life among you sauing of the shippe only For there stode by me this night the Angel of god Whos 's I am and whom I serue saying feare not Paule thou muste bee broughte before Caesar and loe God hathe giuen thee all them that saile with thee Wherefore Sirs be of good cheare for I beleeue God that it shall be euen as it was tolde me Howebeit we must be cast into a certaine Ilande WE declared of late the horrible tempest that Paul and his companie were tossed in which Luke saithe did blowe so boysteously that they had no more hope of any escape or succor But some man might heere maruell howe Paule in the meane season behaued himselfe either towardes God whose promisses seemed here to quaile or towards his companions which through their rashnesse and disobedience had procured themselues this euill chaunce How be it his talke which the Euangelist reporteth in this place dothe euidently declare all this matter which for many causes is worthy to be singularly coÌ„sidered First the time is noted and what case they stoode in when Paule made his oration verely euen when they were greatly a hungred in the midst of the perils that hitherto haue beene described And it was not without a cause that hee spake not to them before this time for while they were troubled about their businesse he shuld haue had no commoditie therfore But nowe being wearied bothe in body and minde and being sette downe without all hope of any succoure he sheweth them both counsel and comfort in very good time Whereby we gather that he despaired not nor was not ouercome with feare in the middle of daungers but by Prayers fled vnto God which so comforted him that he was able to comforte and strengthen others By this example we are taught that we muste not by and by despaire in time of daunger but put our whole hope and truste in God which neuer forsaketh those that are his as both his promisses and also the examples of a great many of men do aboundantly declare Therfore this is a shamefull erroure of those men which assoone as they see no more hope in man either vtterly despaire or else turne them vnto saincts and other vnlawfull meanes and seeke counsel and helpe at their hands But let vs see Paules oration being very shorte according as the time serued but yet such as containeth in it many things moste worthy to be considered First he vpbraideth them with their disobedience whereby they procured themselues so great a daunger And he beginneth therewith partly to make them knowe that their sinne was the cause of this euill and partly to teach them by this present mischance to heare him the more willingly This dothe he yet moste modestly so that he seemeth rather to admonish them of their duetie than to cast them in the teethe with their misery We are taught by this place to reproue in deede the rashnesse and disobedience of those which procure their owne mischefe but yet we must not ouer bitterly vpbraide those that are already afflicted and miserable enough least we heape sorow vpon sorow on those that mourne And verily they are much to blame who being not able while things goe well to do any good by their owne counsell will in aduersitie bitterly taunte and deride other mennes deuises who as they are vniust iudges of other men so they adde calamitie to calamitie a thing most disagreeing from christian charitie Also Paule by his example reproueth those men whose deuise at the first being refused will neuer afterwarde giue any counsell againe nor haue to doe with those who before would not harken to their counsell This done Paule with great boldnesse of minde comforteth them I exhorte you saithe he to be of good cheare for there shall bee no losse of any mannes life among you saue of the ship only Where wee haue cheefely to consider the dignitie of Paule who though he were in bandes yet farre excelled all the residue For he seeming of all other the moste miserable was able alone in greatest ieoperdie and danger both to comforte and counsell them And this is the very peculiare work of Christ that in his ministers when they seeme the moste despised persons of all other he doth most gloriously triumphe The examples of Martires teach vs this thing which being in the middle of fire and horrible torments bothe by their voice and example partly feared the beholders and partly moued them to like constancie of faith Wherevnto this also is to be referred that nowe a dayes also we see those that are giuen
maiestie of the Sainâ—tes which cheefely triumpheth vnder the crosse and afflictions For nowe Paule thoughe he were in bandes yet like a King and Emperoure hath souldiers obedient at his becke and commaundement The like wee haue seene also many times before and the Euangelistes teache vs that the Baptist made Herode afraide Why then are we offended at the crosse and afflictions Let vs rather constantly followe our vocation seeing the hande of God is able to defende vs in the middest of oure ennimies and looke for a rewarde in heauen which oure sauioure Iesus Christ hathe purchased vs through his merite to whome be praise honor power and glory foreuer Amen The Clxxiij Homelie ANd from thence when the brethren hearde of vs they came to meete vs at Appiforum and at the three tauernes When Paule sawe them he thanked God and waxed bolde And when we came to Rome the vnder captaine deliuered the prisonners to the cheefe Captaine of the hoste But Paule was suffered to dwell by himselfe with a souldioure that kepte him And after three dayes Paule called the cheefe of the Iewes togither and when they were come he saide vnto them Men and brethren thoughe I haue committed nothing againste the people or lawes of the Elders yet was I deliuered prisonner from Ierusalem into the hands of the Romanes which when they had examined me would haue let me goe bicause there was no cause of deathe in me But when the Iewes spake contrary I was constrained to appeale vnto Caesar not that I had ought to accuse my nation of For this cause then haue I called you euen to see you to speake with you bicause that for the hope of Israel I am bounde with this chaine And they saide vnto him we neither receiued letters out of Iewrie pertaining vnto thee neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harme of thee But we will heare of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this secte we knowe that euery where it is spoken against ALl Paules affaires done in the time of his Apostleship are very notable and for many skilles singuler yet the chefe among them is his bringing out of Iewrie vnto Rome with so great a preparation there to plead Christes cause the christian faith before Caesar. For how rare and insolent a thing this was in the iudgement of the world it shall easily appeare if a man compare Paules persone being of small account and reputation yea hated enuied almost of all men with the maiestie of Caesar and the whole Romane Empire whereof all nations and people stoode in feare For it could neuer haue beene brought to passe by any meanes of man that either the Romane Presidents shuld haue taken so greate paines in suche a mannes behalfe or that Nero the Emperor a man wholely set on fire with voluptuousnesse and tyrannie should haue suffered suche an one to haue come in his sighte or to heare him onlesse God had mightily stretched out his hande whose affaires all these things in doing were This was the cause that Luke described all this voyage so diligently which the Lord for many causes woulde haue notified that the fame and report of Paule going before should excite and stirre vp the mindes of the Romanes to heare him And this present place teacheth vs that the successe of Gods deuise was not in vaine wherein many other things recourse the consideration whereof is able singularly to enstruct and comfort vs. For Luke wryteth that the Brethren came oute of Rome vnto Appiforum and to the place called in the vulgare tong Tipergote whome when he saw he gaue thankes vnto God and conceiued thereby a greater boldnesse of minde In this place aboue all other things wee haue to consider God by whose dispensation it is certaine all these things came to passe For it pleased him that hys Seruaunte shoulde bee confirmed by the meeting of these Brethren that hee mighte afterwarde the more boldly wade thoroughe with Chrystes cause Whereunto also is to bee referred that wee heard laste touching the Brethren of Puteoli For althoughe Paule was bolde inoughe and ready to suffer not onely bondes but deathe also for the name of Christe yet was hee a man and wanted not his temptations And surely hee mighte well haue feared that hee shoulde haue laboured in vaine in Christes cause in suche a Citie whereas vngodlynesse and tirannie raigned God therefore to plucke this care oute of his minde moueth these Brethren to goe and meete him that hee mighte see howe there wanted not suche as hee mighte confirme by the Example of his constancie and as woulde helpe him with their Prayers in thys conflicte Lette vs therefore bee encouraged by this Example and constantly holde on in our vocation For neither shall the godly zeale of Gods woorde want his frute nor God himselfe faile vs who can most easely gette vs euery where suche as will take parte with vs bothe in laboures and daungers Againe the brethren at Rome are also to be considered For we knowe how Paule wrote an Epistle vnto them before these things came to passe in the which hee declareth aboundantly bothe his good will towardes them and promiseth that hee woulde come vnto them Therefore for this good tournes sake they shewe themselues thankeful vnto him although there were manye things that mighte haue discouraged them therefro For firste hee commeth with no pompe or worshipfull traine but is broughte bounde like a malefactoure with other prisonners Who woulde not haue beene ashamed of suche a man Or who woulde not haue feared some daunger by companying with him Againe it was a thing of it selfe daungerous among the Romanes to professe the Christian faithe and Religion which during the raigne of Tiberius as Tertullian wryteth was condemned by publike statute and decree Furthermore these that mette him were not onely in daunger but the whole Congregation at Rome beside for whome by this occasion more diligent and earnest searche and inquisition myghte haue beene made But howesoeuer these matters wente they thoughte it meete to declare theyr duetie of loue to suche an Apostle which trauailed so earnestly in the behalfe of all menne and therefore they had leiuer to incurre any daunger than to bee founde flacke in dooing their duetie These things teache vs what we owe vnto the Ministers of Christe by whose ministerie wee are broughte vnto saluation if at any time they happen to be in daunger for their faithe and doctrine Lette vs not bee ashamed of them beeing in bandes forasmuche as wee knowe that Christe was bounde and that the woorde of God can not bee bounde Againe hee will heereafter accepte it as bestowed on him that is bestowed on them At lengthe wee haue to consider Paule hymselfe also of whome there are two things affirmed Firste hee giueth thankes vnto God which is not so to bee vnderstanded as thoughe hee hadde lette the brethren passe and not once spoken vnto them For
comforted the congregations abroade insomuche as if a man consider those times we shall confesse we haue receiued more profite and commoditie by Paules bondes than of all his doings and sayings beside while he went at libertie oueral the world For those times may we thāke for those singular Epistles written as the holy Ghost endited them to the Ephesians to the Philippians to the Collossians to the Hebrues to Philemon and the seconde to Timothe Which the Churche vntill this day hathe kepte and preserued as moste singular and precious Iewels Howbeit many thinges mighte haue feared Paule either to haue written or to haue taughte For this doctrine was the cause he was put in pryson Also he alone trauayled in this quarell at Rome Lykewise at the firste meeting he founde the Iewes lyke vnto them selues that is to say stubborne and disobedient Furthermore that earnest desire that he had to write vnto forrein nations might seeme to declare a minde somewhat inconstant and vnquiet And it might be thought next neighbour to sedition to teache and confirme men in that fayth and religion which we sayde before was condemned by the whole consent of the Senate Againe he was in daunger to be depriued at length of this libertie and to haue had more bonds layde vpon him to haue ben cast into some inner prison and dungeon And we muste not thinke that he was so blockishe that he did not perceiue and consider these thinges But he that knew that he ought his life vnto Christe coulde not by these persuasions be pulled from doing his duetie And this is verily a wonderfull example whereby we be taught how muche we owe vnto God if at any tyme we perceiue we be holpen and defended by him in the middest of dangers and aduersitie For then we must be feared neither with dangers paste neither with dangers present or to come but must be inflamed with greter zeale that by our bolde defending the glory of God we may shewe our selues thankful to him accordingly Therfore that reason of fleshly wisdome that many in these dayes follow is playnly foolish and peruerse which thinke we should hold our peace bicause of enimies dangers on euery side appering as though it were in the enimies power to hinder or further the course of the Gospel Nay it becommeth vs the more boldly to go forward with Gods quarel bicause we plainly find his truth power so apparant in the middle of our dangers But touching Paules doctrine Luke sayth three things which we must not let passe The first is what he preached namely the kingdome of God wherof we haue intreted oftē times before And here by way of exposition he addeth teaching those things which concerne the Lord Iesus Wherby we gather that then the kingdome of God is preached when Chryste is preached For there is none other way to come vnto that kingdome than the same which all the Scriptures with one consent shew vs to be in Christe Iesus For he onely it is that hath destroyed the kingdome of the diuel the works therof he only is the mediator betweene God and vs. He only hath put out the hande writing of sinne that was against vs and purchased vs the good will of his father Therfore it is not without a cause that he saith No man cōmeth vnto the father but by me These things only are sufficient to disproue all other religions which shew vs the kingdome of God or any way of saluation beside christ Secōdly is declared how Paule preached with al confidence or boldnesse that is to say plainely and freely so that for fauour of men he cloked dissembled nothing For he was not ashamed of the gospel of Iesus Christ as he testifieth otherwheres Neither feared he the tirānie of the world prince thereof bicause he had learned of a long time to wrastle therewith And verily Chryst requireth such ministers as will do his businesse diligently and leaue nothing vnto the worlde nor to the wisedome of the flesh which vnder a fayre pretence of modestie bringeth in a dastardly dissembling of the truthe and a denyall of the right fayth Thirdly is declared the successe that Paule had in his preaching Which by this onely argument appeareth was moste prosperous or luckie bycause there was none whiche forbadde him to preache And this me thinketh is the greatest miracle of all others that God wrought to Paule For alwayes before this tyme whersoeuer he came he founde enimies who either by secrete awaytes or else by open force and sedition alwayes troubled him and would hynder him in his teaching and at lengthe draue him out of their Cities But when he was brought to Rome as a prisoner there he teacheth beeing in bondes where Nero a monster of mankinde was Emperoure where bothe the Christian and Iewishe religion was hated and enuied where all men were bewytched either with the vayne superstition of the Gods or with an Epicurious contempte of all religion Where finally the diuell seemed to haue the chiefe See of his kingdome there preached he Chryste freely two yeres togither no man forbidding hym Of whiche thing wee can shewe none other cause but that God woulde brydle the mindes of all men with a mightie hande that though all would not yelde to the doctrine of the Gospell yet they shoulde not be so bolde as to withstande it Thus in a Citie that was the Lady and maistresse of the world the Apostle beeing a captiue triumpheth by preaching Chryste crucified bringing many more vnto the obedience of Chryste than any Emperoure euer subdued The lyke wee reade happened in tymes paste when Daniell beeing ledde captiue to Babylon defended the true Religion bothe constantly and prosperously And althoughe the chiefe of the kingdome were muche agaynst it yet firste he instructed Nabuchodonosor and afterwarde Darius with some knowledge of the true God and was the authour that they dyd by publike Proclamations spread farre and neare the honour and glory of God ouer all their kingdomes Wherevnto also this deserueth to be referred that when the Romane Emperours vsed all kinde of outragious crueltie agaynst the name of Chryste and his Churche yet were there many tymes founde euen in their owne courtes and among the chiefe of them suche as greatly fauoured the Christians and openly defended the true religion Some of which afterwarde when the enimies of Chryst were taken away were aduaunced to the Empire as may be seene in the Stories of Iouinian and Valentinian the Emperours Thus Christ declareth his power where a man would least thinke Nor it is no harde thing for him to brydle the willes of men bycause he compasseth in the sea with bounds which causeth the same to lay down his swelling waues and surges Therfore as many as are strong in him let them hope for his present ayde and they shall neuer be disappoynted of their hope Nowe what Paule dyd after the two yeres were expired Luke dothe
Ghost also his open and expresse oracles They muste be like baÌ„ds wherby our wayward striuing flesh must be brought to the obedience of faith that willingly least we fele the mightie hand of god to our great losse calamitie who bringeth theÌ„ which had lefer to folow the seÌ„suality of flesh than to obey his calling euen perforce to that he willeth Thus we read he was angry with Moses refusing the office that he offered him Exod. 4. And vnto Ieremie doing the lyke and alleaging his youthe he sayde in wrathfull wyse Saye not I am to yong For thou shalte go to all that I shall send thee vnto â–ª and whatsoeuer I commaunde thee that shalt thou speake c. Iere. 1. What happened vnto Ionas for refusing the vocation of God is more euident than nedeth rehearsal of wordes So from this matter he commeth by litle litle to his purpose saying I knowe not what shall become of me there nor what the cause is that the spirite so vrgeth me to take this iourney but the same spirite telleth me that euery where afflictions and bands are prepared for me which thing the holie Prophets in euery Church with one consent testifie Yet must I goe thorough all these pykes and daungers yea and through death also considering it so semeth good vnto God who only hath power both vpon my selfe and death This place is very worthye to be consydered bicause it may serue much both for our instruction and consolation For first it declareth the faythfull care of God which vseth to defende and prouide for those that be his For where he loueth entirely he can not chose but consider them and giue them warning in time of all thinges that shall befall them For howe can he neglecte his seruauntes that honoure him seing he foresheweth the paines of the wicked bringeth no calamitie vpon them but he first warneth them thereof by his Prophetes Nexte we see howe God also warneth those that be his Paule vnderstoode that bands afflictions were prepared for him at Hierusalem But what the ende hereof should be the holy Ghoste as yet had not reueled vnto him God therefore after a generall sorte for the most parte admonisheth those that bee his although he declare not the perticulers of euery thing For he reuealeth asmuch vnto them as is needefull for them to know so that they may prepare themselues to beare the Crosse but to leaue all the successe thereof vnto him So we haue generall predictions whereby we are admonished that we shall suffer tribulations and aduersities in the worlde The chiefe vse whereof is that we shoulde prepare our selues to beare them least if they fel on vs vnarmed they would be occasion of greater offence Thirdely it behoueth vs to obserue the counsell of God which he is wont meruellously to shewe towarde his faythfull seruaunts Paule being many times before warned of the brethren eyther by flying saued him selfe or else prudently defeated his ennimies awaytes Nowe is he also admonished of bandes and afflictions but he is so vrged and prycked forwarde by the spirit of God that he vnderstandeth he must wade through the middle of them notwithstanding the brethren greatly dissuade him to the contrarie We reade also that Iesus Chryst sometime auoyded the attemptes and laying wayte of his enimies yet at length he commeth forth to meete them when he perceiued his houre was come and that the eternall decree of his heauenly father so required These thinges teach vs that daungers are not alwayes sufficient occasions for a man to flye For when we are vrged with the sure vocation of God we must not suffer our selues to be reuoked neyther through fire nor sworde nor floudes of the maine Sea as once happened at the redde Sea from doing our duetie wherevnto we perceyue we are called of God. But bycause he woulde not put his friendes and brethren to much in feare he vseth an Apostolyke and Christian consolation saying Howe of None of these things moue me As who should say I woulde not haue you to be greeued for my sake For why should you take any sorrowe for these things that I make no accounte off Why Paule doest thou then contemne the Oracles of the holy Ghost and the louing admonitions of thy brethren No but I therfore little esteeme the present daungers that be at hande bicause I passe little of my life that is to say I esteeme not this temporall lyfe more than my vocation which the Lorde hathe appoynted me vnto Yea I desire to finishe my course ioyfully and to satisfie my office and duetie by publishing the Gospell of the grace of God in all places Therefore where I haue long sithence dedicated my lyfe vnto Chryste imprisonmentes and afflictions can not make me afrayde This example of Paule declareth howe the godly should vse themselues in aduersitie Firste they shoulde not so care for tribulations that for the auoyding of them they shoulde committe any vncomely and vnworthy parte Otherwise God will not haue vs ledde with that Stoikes indolencie but that wee shoulde not haue more consideration of our selfe than of his vocation There can bee no greater comforte in this case than if men oftentimes meditate vppon Gods prouidence which Christ setteth before his Disciples and Dauid maketh this to bee his onely defence and safest Sanctuarie that he beleeueth His fleetings are numbred with God and hys teares putte in his bottell Math. 10. Psalm 56. Nexte let them take heede that they preferre not this temporall lyfe before the eternall Let them rather consider howe God hath lente vs this lyfe to liue vnto him and if neede also so require to dye vnto him And bicause we must once dye we can neuer dye happelier than in Gods vocation For so shall that saying of Dauid be verified on vs Precious in the sighte of the Lorde is the death of his Saincts And if it be vnlawfull to preferre this lyfe before the life euerlasting howe muche lesse oughte we to preferre riches honours pleasures and suche other worldely commodities as these before the same For what aduantageth it a man to get all the worlde and to lose his soule Or what thing is so precious that it can redeeme but one soule Finally the godly muste labour all that in them is to passe all aduersities ioyfully and to accomplishe their course that is the office wherewith they are put in charge prosperously For it suâ—fiseth not to beginne well but to continue still on as wee haue often tymes declared Let all men therefore remember that this lyfe is lyke vnto a race the ende whereof is death which they moste ioyfully take holde of which do their duetie euen vnto the ende But before we go any further let vs see how Paule speaketh of the Gospell and the Ministerie thereof He calleth it the Gospell of the grace of God of the effecte thereof bycause it offereth to vs the grace