vseth to reuenge the contempt of his sonne and of his worde vppon them that holde on in their incurablenesse and vnbeliefe The fyrst he concludeth with great weyght of wordes saying Bee it knowne vnto you therefore yee men and brethren that through this Iesus whom I haue hitherto preached is the forgiuenesse of sinnes declared vnto you And it is not without a cause that he thus beginneth saying Be it knowne vnto you For by this meanes he thought to make them the more attent and diligently to consider that which was to followe And hereby he teacheth vs that it is necessary and conuenient that as many men as desire to be saued shoulde knowe christ For Christ himselfe teacheth vs that the chiefe poynt of our saluation consisteth in the knowledge of him where hee sayth This is lyfe euerlasting ô father that men should knowe thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent Then also where it is the peculiar counsell of God that the knowledge of Christ through the preaching of the Gospell shoulde be published ouer all the worlde they that despyse this knowledge of saluation offered vnto vs by God must needes bee iudged wicked and ingratefull contemners of Gods goodnesse They are by this place confuted that say matters of religion belong not vnto them and are wilfully ignorant and deceyued in their saluation Using commonly to abuse Christes wordes where he sayth The seruant that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes So that they thinke they shall be excused before the iudgement seate of God so long as they be vtterly ignorant in the mysteries of fayth and saluation But they ought also to thinke that it is vnmeete and not conuenient that they which will be called and taken for the seruauntes of God shoulde be ignorant of their maisters will and refuse to learne it It is Gods will that housholders shoulde declare his commaundements and workes vnto their family and shall we thinke to be excused if we wittingly be ignorant of that which God reuealeth vnto vs both by writing and plaine teaching Why doe we not rather harken what Christ sayth that they which are borne of God refuse not to heare the worde of God And Iames sendeth them which lacke wisedome vnto prayer to obtayne it of the father of lights And we want not examples both of Dauid and other holye men who were most desirous to obtayne this heauenly wisedome See Psal. 25.119 c. But lette vs returne vnto Paule which comprehendeth in a fewe of wordes the summe of all Gods benefytes giuen vs in Christ saying Through this man is preached vnto you remission of sinnes For in forgiuenesse of sinnes is vnderstanded all those things that appertayne to our saluation For it is euident that God is offended with vs bicause of sinne and that for sinnes sake we be excluded from the grace spirit and kingdome of god Wherby againe is gathered that God must needes be mercifull vnto them whose sinnes are forgiuen and taken away Ergo he giueth them his spirite wherewith being regenerate and made his children they become inheritors of the kingdome of heauen Let vs note how Paule in this briefe sentence doth most fully teach the true knowledge of saluation which if it be diuided into certaine poyntes and articles shall most easilye be perceyued and vnderstanded The fyrst of them is that we should vnderstande we be sinners and stande grieuously detbounden vnto God which hereby appeareth for that the scriptures euerywhere make mention of forgiuenesse of sinnes The scriptures likewise eueriwhere accuse vs of sinne and teach vs that we be of nature corrupt Moses from the mouth of God declareth that the inuentions and deuises of mans heart are naught euen from his childehode He setteth the lawe before vs as it were a glasse wherein the flesh may beholde hir corruption which otherwise vseth to flatter hir selfe In the booke of Iobe it is written that none borne of a woman is cleane Dauid confesseth that he was conceyued and borne in sinne Salomon writeth that the iust man falleth seauen times a day And in Esay the Prophete the faythfull confesse that our righteousnesses by reason of the contagiousnesse of sinne and the fleshe cleauing vnto vs are lyke an arayed and fylthy clowte And Christ admonisheth vs of the same where he teacheth vs to praye forgiue vs our trespasses For that prayer were superfluous if we were not loden with grieuous sinnes Nowe it must needes be that this foundation must lye in the knowledge of saluation bicause man can haue no care thereof vnlesse he fyrst vnderstand he is vtterly lost and corrupted But we haue neede also of another thing that is to vnderstande howe we be freely forgiuen For where through sinne we haue deserued eternall death and haue no sparke of goodnesse of our selfe and all that good which we seeme to doe is corrupt and vnperfyte it must needes be that this remission and forgiuenesse must come of fauour and grace The Parable in the .xviij. of Mathew teacheth vs the same And we professe this remission or forgiuenesse among the articles of our fayth where we saye we beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes and we alleage nor make mention of no satisfaction that dependeth vpon our workes Thirdly it behooueth that we knowe for whose sake this grace is bestowed on vs The same is Iesus Christ onely and alone in whome the father is well pleased bicause hee hath taken our sinnes vppon him and hath pourged them on the aultare of the Crosse by the merite of his bloude insomuch that otherwheres he sayeth he is made to vs of God the father righteousnesse satisfaction and sanctifycation yea and a sacrifyce for sinne that we by his meanes might be made righteous Iohn the Baptist taught vs the same where hee sayeth that Christ is the lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde Fourthlye we must holde fast the meanes whereby Christ is made oures which Paule plainelye teacheth vs where he sayeth forgiuenesse of sinnes is preached to vs through christ For hereby is gathered that he is receyued by faith bicause there is none other meane whereby the worde preached may be taken hold of yet he expresseth the same more plainely in the wordes that followe saying By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Wherevnto all the thinges written of fayth in any place of the scripture are to be referred but speciallye that that Christ commaunded his Disciples at his last departure from them For in Luke .xxiiij. he commaundeth repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes to be preached in his name And in another place whosoeuer beleeueth and is baptized shall bee saued And all that that Paule prosecuteth at large in the Epistles to the Romanes Galathians Ephesians to diuers other he comprehendeth in this briefe sentence wherof if a man lyst to see yet any more
and newe testament commended 1 H ante O Holy Ghost the author of prophecy Pag. 484 Holy Ghost promised 1 Holy historie hath fiue vses or commodities 16 Honour is due to them that labour earnestlye to set foorth Gods glorye 757 They that will be honored as Gods what wee maye thinke of them Pag. 570 Hope must be reposed in God and not in men 46 Hope of the promises made to the fathers consisteth in Christ. 848 Hospitalitye 678.765.891 Hospitalitie hath rewards 891 House of God is the Church or congregation 122 House comprehendeth vnder it all sortes and degrees of men 127 Householders that are diligent are commended 427.431 H ante V Humanitie or curtesie 812.888 Humblenesse and obedience in Paule to be imitated 395 Humilitie 740 Humble tractable minde in Paule Pag. 395 Humilitie how much is vnderstanded by it 378 Hunger and persecution go togither Pag. 487 H ante Y Hypocrites and lande leapers are enimies to the truth 650 Hypocriticall boldenesse sette foorth in Sapphira 234 Hypocrisie declared to be a greeuous euill by the example of the Iewes Pag. 795.796 Hypocrites how they must be esteemed 228 Hypocrites are the slaues of Satan Pag. 231 Hypocrites arguments 414 Hyppocrites conditions sette foorth in Ananias 232.233 Hyppocrites properties 797 Hypocrites tiranny reprooued 801 Hypocriticall confidence 235 I ante A IAcob went downe into Aegipt and why 310 Iacob nourished through the liberalitie of his sonne whome hee mourned for so bitterly ibidem Iames is slaine with the sworde Pag. 490 Iames subscribeth to Peters opinion 600 I ante C Iconium 559 I ante D Idolatrie offendeth both God and Godly 338 Idoles worship 337 Idolatrie defendors 100 Idolators ioye 338 Idolatries beginning and encrease Pag. 336 Idolatrie among Christians howe euill it is 344 Idolatrie popish described 337 Idolatrie vnlawfull and abhominable 602 Idolatrie in the Israelites plagued Pag. 341 Idolatrie is of three kindes 342 Idolatrie in the Israelites deepelye rooted 339 Idolatrie of men must not be wited to God. ibidem Idle and riotous persons cause of much euill 651 I ante E Iereboam renewed the superstition of the Calues 340 Iesus is geuen vs of meere fauoure Pag. 530 Iesus is borne of the seede of Dauid according to the promises Pag. ibidem Iesus called Christ that is to saye annoynted 451.127 Iesus Christes name is hated of the wicked 170 Iesus Christ his office 330.331 Iewes howe grieuously they offended in denying Christ. 164 Iewes being pricked in heart seeke counsell at Peter and the other Apostles 129 Iewes worshippe not God. 823 Iewes beare witnesse of Paules innocencie 896.897 Iewes desire to heare the Gospell Pag. 898 Iewes the children of the Prophets and of the Testament 178 179 Iewes are Hypocrites 795.796 Iewes delyuered out of Egipt thorowe fauour and not through workes 314 Iewes moued with the preachinge of Peter and prycked in harte Pag. 129 Iewes Paules enemies 774 Iewes incumerable malice and hatred 798 Iewes howe they receyue the preachinge of Chryst. 423 Iewes weapons and sleyghtes against Christ. 551 Iewes fresh attempt against Paule Pag. 832 Iewes coÌ„tention about the doctrine of the Gospell 903 Iewes erroure touchinge Christes kyngdome 24 Iewes destruction 59 Iewes importunate malice 795 Iewes vnhappie estate 843.681 Iewes indignation agaynst Paule Pag. 798 Iewes miserable condition 678 Iewes what the name signifyeth Pag. 91 Iewes priestes in goyng aboute too hindre Christes kingedome set it forward 219 Iewes crueltie coulde not hindre Christ. 165.166 I ante G Ignoraunce how it excuseth 170 I ante M Image woorship what euill it hath bred among Christians 339 Images woorking myracles 726 Images condempned 672 Images made of GOD are lyes Pag. ibid. I ante N Inchauntments and magicall why God permitteth them 0 Incarnation of Christ and the consideration thereof 178 Inconstantie and lightnes in Commons 288 Incredulitie of the Iewes was wilfull 901 Incredulitie or vnbeliefe what an euill it is 31 Incredulities punnishment 902 Increase of gods church 148 Industrie or diligence of Paule Pag. 610 Industrie of Paule Silas and Barnabas in setting forth the kingdom of Christ. 610.611 Industrie an example 814 Ingratitude of the people ought to offend no man. 322 Ingratitude in sinning against Christ layde to our charge 323 Ingratitude punished 902.875 Ingratefuls punishement 323 Innocencie of Christe purgeth oure sinnes 535 Innocentes muste not bee deliuered at the pleasure of the enemyes Pag. 838 Insolencie or pryde of men that see the examples of Goddes power euery day and yet boldely holde on therein 3â—3 Intercession of saintes ouerthrowne Pag. 0 Integritie of the Prophetes and Apostles commended 794 Intencions of meÌ„ must not be thrust into the church 20.21 Inuocation must bee made with affiaunce in gods mercy 102.103 Inuocation is due to GOD onely Pag. 103 Inuocations fruite ibid. Inuocations order 102 Inuocation must bee vsed in the beginning and ende of all our doings Pag. 150 I ante O Iobs fayth touching the resurrection of our bodies 14 Iohn Marke withdraweth him selfe from the ministery of the gospell Pag. 518 Iohn Baptistes testimonie of christ Pag. 531 Ioye euerlasting 115 Ioye of the godly what it is 270 Ioye of the vngodly what it is Pag. 115 Ioye of the spirit 641 Ioye eternalles cause efficient is the beholding of god 120 Ioye of the godlye howe great it is Pag. 125 Ioseph saued of grace and fauoure Pag. 307 Ioseph a figure of Christ. 308 Iourney of Paule and Barnabas to preache 511 Iosephes loue and trustinesse toward his maister 311 Iosephes historie 307 Ioses why hee was called Barnabas 227 Ioses liberalitie 226 I ante S Isaac Iacobes fayth what it was Pag. 853 Israelites accused of Idolatrie by the Prophetes 339 Israelites gyuen vp into a reprobate sence by goddes iuste iudgement Pag. ibid. Israelites the peculiar people of god Pag. 95 Israelles multiplication in Egypt is to bee ascribed to gods fauoure Pag. 314 I ante V Iudas the Galilean 265 Iudas sinneth not alone in betraying Chryste but the whole Nacion with him 59 Iudas fielde 56.57 Iudas sorrowes 57 Iudas horrible death ibid. Iudas horrible ende 56 Iudas offences what they are 55 Iudas who they bee that followe Pag. 230 Iudas punishements foreshewed by the Prophetes 58 Iudas posterities estate 59 Iudas first dignitie 55 Iudgement of god against the Iewes Pag. 60 The last iudgement 457 The last iudgement is a tyme of refreshing and restitucion 175 The latter Iudgement 674 Iudgementes of god muste bee diligently marked 156.157 Iudgement and estimacion that men haue vs in muste not prouoke vs to be proude 72 Iudgement gyuen in haste for fauour of men is an hurtful thing 800 Iudgements of god how they ought to be vsed 725 Iudgement partiall is a pestilent thing 838 In Iudgement both partes must be heard 821 Iudge must haue two eares one for the plaintif an other for the defendant 635 Iudges must heare causes withoute delayes 842 Iudges in the Councell at Ierusalem are amazed wote not what to doe 203
them whose labour and loyaltie afterwards shined very bright in the setting forth of the kingdome of saluation and to whome they owe immortall thankes whosoeuer through their doctrine haue attayned to knowe Christ. But our meaning is that men should learne to knowe the inclination of our corrupt nature and flesh which is the first steppe vp to holesome and true wisedome And to that ende the Scripture vseth oftentimes to remember the horrible falles of most holy men that in them might appeare howe easie it is for vs to fall into sinne and damnation vnlesse we were holden vp by the faythfull and continuall care and leading of Gods holy spirite For what shall he hope more of himselfe which beholdeth the adultery and cruell murther of Dauid a man after Gods owne minde the multitude of Wiues that Salomon the wisest of all kings had being to much wedded to his Wiues the foule fall of Peter and here the great error of all the Apostles gathered togither we must needes confesse that we are not able of our selues so much as to thinke one good thought much lesse to doe well but that all our sufficiency to doe well commeth of God who worketh in vs both the will and the deede according to his good will. Furthermore it appeareth by this example of the Apostles with what minde they imbrace Christ and his doctrine which are not led by his holye spirite For as these men little minding Christes heauenly kingdome looke after an earthly kingdome and in the same conceyue great hope of riches power glorye and pleasures so you shall see diuers likewyse affected in these dayes when the merite of Christ and the libertie gotten vs by him is preached which looking onely vppon the goodes of the worlde seeke vnder the pretext of Christ honors riches outward peace and such like in the meane whyle little regarding the heauenly and euerlasting goodes which Christ hath purchased vs through the merite of his bloudshedding To say nothing in the meane season of those filthy hogges of Epicures herde who professing a Christian faith doe yet nothing else but followe licentious sinfulnesse casting aside all discipline and care ofholy lyfe Surely euen they which in these dayes goe for the best men vnder the faire pretence of peace and concorde swarue many times from the simplicitie of faith and both say and doe many things for fauour and pleasure of men which are most contrary to Christs commaundements As though the friendship of this world might stande with the true worship of Christ and were not rather as Iames sayth enmitie before god This is the strong poyson of fayth and religion whiche though it lye hidde manye times vnder a fayre shewe and colour yet at the length it bursteth forth with the horrible losse of saluation and offence of a great many for of this roote spring these tymetakers which are to soone ripe whome the Lorde in Mathew likeneth to the stony grounde For as this grounde receyueth in deede the seede and causeth it soone to spring but cannot bring it to rypenesse for lacke of moysture to defende it against the parching heate of the sunne so these men when they perceiue any hope of priuate commoditie by the Gospell they will seeme marueylous fauourers of the same they will haue Christ still in their mouth and will crake that they are ready to fight with any man in the defence of Christes glorye But if that hope deceyue them and otherwise than they hoped the crosse come and banishment pouertie and daunger on euery side appeare then as though they had espide a Snake they leape backe and laying away all their faith and counterfeiting of faith they spare not to say they were wickedly deceyued and so degenerate into open enimies of the truth being a little before stoute defenders of the same Least therfore the lyke might happen in vs it behooueth vs to haue a right opinion of Christ and his doctrine Let vs seeke in him heauenly goodes which serue to eternall saluation As long as we lyue here let vs looke for the crosse and all kinde of afflictions So shall it come to passe that neyther we shall be deceyued of our hope in heauen neyther be offended with the crosse and tribulations which wee so long before prepared our selues paciently to suffer Yet is there one other vtilitie of the Apostles errour Their example teacheth vs how difficult and laborious a thing it is to pull out of mens mindes olde growne errours wherein their selues haue lyued and bene confirmed by open example of others For as was declared a little before this errour of the Iewes touching the earthly kingdome of their Messias was an olde and common errour in taking awaye of the which Iesus Christ traueyled more than almost in any one thing else For as often as the Apostles deceyued by this errour stroue for the supremacie so often Christ admonisheth them of humilitie and sheweth them that his kingdome is of a farre other fashion See the .xviij. .xx. of Mathew and Luke the .xxij. Neither fell it out to reason of this matter so few times as one after his resurrection For where this erronious opinion gaue occasion of offence to the twoo Disciples going to Emaus and they lamented that he was crucified and deade whome they hoped shoulde haue bene the Redeemer of Israel Christ aunswered O ye fooles and slowe of heart to beleeue all the thinges that are written in the Prophets Was it not needefull that Christ should suffer all these things and so enter into his glorie Furthermore Luke sayde before that Christ was conuersant fourtye dayes with his Disciples and reasoned with them concerning the kingdome of God and all the mysteries of his kingdome Whence commeth it therfore that an opinion so often and so strongly confuted shoulde againe be reuiued Surely of none other cause than of the disposition of our corrupt nature which as it easily drinketh in error so it always holdeth fast the same And as the Ethnicke Poet sayth Driue Nature forth with a forke yet will shee returne againe So the Israelites in times paste vsed to the Idolatrie of the Egyptians fell to the worshipping of a calfe notwithstanding they had heard the terrible maiestie of God renounceing and forbidding all vse of Images not manye dayes before Hereof came that long retayned superstition of hill aultars in the bookes of Kings which the most godly kinges could not wholy abolish And woulde God there were not examples in these dayes that plainly prooue that we say to be true This consideration therefore serueth partly for vs to learne how needefull it is in all reformations cleane to roote and rippe vp all things whatsoeuer haue neuer so small occasion of error and partly to cause vs to be the lesse oâ—fended with them which continually fight against olde superstitions knowing by the example of all ages that there can in this matter be no diligence to much nor no endeuour
of heart praysing God. And although this that he speaketh of breaking of breade may after a sort be vnderstanded of the mysticall supper as is declared in the Homely before going yet for that he maketh mention also of common meate it seemeth this place commodiously may be wholy expounded of their priuate trade of lyfe in bidding one another to their houses to meales and repastes Luke teacheth vs that the richer sort did not only depart with some portion of their goodes to the reliefe in generall but also that they did exercise liberalitie towardes the poore and others of that which they had reserued peculiarly for themselues And he therefore expresselye mencioneth houses that it might appeare diuers of the number of the faithfull kept their houses and goodes still wherby that confused and sedicious communion of things which the Anabaptistes doe imagine is most strongly confuted But here such an order and trade of lyfe and conuersation is expressed as is full of benefites loue and mutuall helping one another And bicause men offende much in immoderate and excessiue ryote and pride of feasting Luke thought good chiefely to entreate hereof saying they obserued three thinges therein First they feasted togither in gladnesse according to that saying of Paule He that sheweth mercy let him doe it with cherefulnesse For God loueth a cherefull giuer Therfore in their feasting there was no disdainefulnesse which causeth vs to yrke at our benefites but they receyued euery man with glad and chearefull minde and chiefely those whome they knewe wanted liuing For so Christ commaundeth vs to bid the pore which are not able to recompence and requite vs with benefites againe Unto cherefulnesse he addeth singlenesse of heart by the which he vnderstandeth sinceritie of minde voyde of all deceyte and guyle which is contrary to that vice which will seeme to benefite others and yet seeketh their own commoditie and gayne little minding the vtilitie and profite of others Thirdly he rehearseth thankesgiuing wherby they did set forth the bountie of God who as he made all thinges so is he the preseruer and nourisher of them all And if a man ioyne these three togither it shall easilye appeare that they had a singuler care of temperaunce for where this is not there is no true cherefulnesse and christian simplicitie much lesse giuing of thankes Therefore christian men must drawe them a rule out of these things howe to behaue themselues in their banquets Let them knowe that the chiefe thing therein must be charitie and the benefiting of others Let them studie to be harborous and knowe that they are not appointed Lordes but stewardes of the goodes that they haue Let them be mery and cheerefull in giuing bicause as Christ sayth It is better to giue than to receyue Herevnto let there be ioyned such a singlenesse of minde and sinceritie as becommeth Christians Chiefely let them be mindfull of God let them acknowledge him to be the author of all things belonging to our life let them aske their necessaries of him and thanke him for his gifts receyued For through fayth and giuing of thankes as Paule sayth meates are sanctified We haue in Christ an example hereof whome we neuer read to haue broken breade without blessing or giuing of thankes as maye be seené Math. 14.15 Luc. 24. Iohn 6. c. These things teach vs what we maye thinke of their banquetting which eyther vtterly despise the poore or else giue them with an euill will and forgetting to giue God thankes reioyce in scurrilitie and kindle intemperancye by lowde singing and vnseasonable musick Against these are the sermons of the Prophetes Isa. 5. and Amos. 6. Further least any man might thinke this feruent studie in godlynesse lacked his successe Luke teacheth vs what commoditie ensued thereof where he sayeth They had fauour with all the people And the Lorde added dayly c. He sheweth a double fruite hereof comming First they were in fauour and authoritie with all men of the wiser sort For it is playne by that that was sayde before that the wicked were afrayd of them Wee are hereby taught what thing getteth men true authoritie verilye the studie and desire of Gods religion and glory For it must needes be true that the Lorde sayde by the Prophete I will honour them that honour me and they shall be put to shame that despise me Let the Rulers of the church and other Magistrates marke well this thing The superintendents know that they haue neede both of authoritie and fauour but they go not alwayes about to get it that wayes that they ought to doe whiles some of them hunt for worldlye prayse some studye to heape vp riches other seeke to be aloft in worldly pompe being little carefull in the meane while for the honor and glory of god Where the feruent zeale and desire of Gods glorye is the most compendious way to come vnto glory For God which can turne the hartes of men which way it pleaseth him and preserueth the remembrance of them that be his as the Psalmist sayeth will surely rewarde them for euer An other fruite or commoditie therof is that the Lord added dayly vnto his church such as should be saued The church or congregation therfore encreased and they that first entred into it felt their fayth in them also encreased No man therfore can labor in vaine in the vineyard of the Lord so that he earnestly applye his vocation Marke in the meane time howe all encrease of the Church is attributed to the Lorde The Lorde sayth he added euery day vnto the Congregation such as should be saued In deede the Apostles preached and drewe men by preaching of the worde But all the successe of their labour must be ascrybed to God onelye who onely hath power vpon the harts of men For Christ hath taught vs that no man commeth to him except the father vouchsafe to drawe him This thing Paule expresseth by an elegant parable of husbandrye in the first to the Corinthians the thirde Chapter And the Lorde testifyeth by his Prophete that he will write his lawes in the heartes of the faythfull so that they shall neede none other instruction Wherevpon in another place the beleeuing are called most properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye taught of God or the Disciples and schollers of God. And Christ himselfe sayth that his spirite shall be our counseller and maister to leade vs into all truth Here is the impudencie of them reprooued which gather themselues disciples and call them after their owne name And they also are as faultie which acknowledge other maisters beside Christ and reioyce in their names more than in the name of Christ whome Christ and Paule most earnestly impugne and rebuke Let no man take occasion hereby to be slouthfull For euerye man must haue a respect to his calling and walke in the same and ascribe all successe not to his owne industrie but
occasion the order of Deacons was appoynted and then sheweth after what order and maner those first Deacons were elected and ordeyned by the Apostles And in this narration are many thinges whereof in these dayes the Church hath great neede Wherefore we shall speake of ech thing diligently The multitude of the beleeuers was the occasion and cause of this newe deuised order in the Church by reason of a quarrell and grutch growne among them For at this time the Church of Christ grewe and was marueylously encreased and the enterprises of the wicked Bishops which laboured to oppresse the Church were vtterly vaine Howbeit bicause this Church was gathered togither of diuers kindes of people it could not long agree For there arose a quarrell or grutch among the Greekes against the Hebrewes He calleth them Greekes or Proselites eyther bicause they returned from their Gentilitie to Iudaisme eyther for that they were borne of parents that were Iewes and scattered among diuers nations For it is euident that at this time the Gentiles were not as yet receyued into the fellowship of the Church forasmuch as long after this Peter was rebuked for hauing preached the gospell to Cornelius and his familie men that were not circumcised as appeareth hereafter in the .xj. Chapter The cause of this grutch was for that the Greekes widowes were neglected in the dayly administration that is to saye in the distribution of the liuing delt euery day among the beleeuing For it hath bene heretofore declared howe many layde their moneyes togither to be at the disposing of the Apostles to giue thereof to euerye manne as he shoulde haue neede In this case it chaunced that the Apostles eyther being ouercharged with multitude of businesse ouerhipped some fewe amongest them or else that they deemed they were despised which things these straungers a suspicious kinde of people aboue all other bitterlye complayned of And this thing was the cause why the accustomed order and maner of administration of this money hitherto seemed nowe somewhat to be altered But before we speake hereof we haue here certaine other things to obserue And first is to be considered howe euen the primitiue Church was not voyde of hir defectes and faultes which hitherto yet seemed prosperous and perfite in all poyntes And they are no light faultes which are here recited but horrible For they obserue differences of Nations where in Christ there is none at all For in him is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle Scithian or Barbarous and being factiouslye deuyded they nowe beare not malice and grutch secretly in their hart but vtter the bitternesse of their mindes with vniust complayning We see therefore the primitiue Church infected with that fault for the which we reade manye thousandes vnder Moyses were somtimes ouerthrown in the wildernesse by Gods horrible iudgement To this may be added a detestable ingratitude towards the Apostles who they knewe were occupied in many other affayres yea who were once or twise before cast in prison and who alone they sawe bare all the brunt and daunger almost of the whole Church And where it is a great offence to haue a wrong opinion of those that deserue well of vs and benefite vs these by their murmuring call the Apostles credit into doubt and giue occasion of sedition And this they doe in a time of persecution when it behooued them all to haue bene most carefull of mutual loue and vnity By which example we are taught that there can neuer be appointed so perfite a president of a church but that alway some thing may happen worthy to be amended not that there is eyther such obscuritie in the worde of God or such incertaintie that nothing can be perfitely ordered therby but bicause such is the corruption of our witte that it alwaye seeketh occasion to infringe and breake the moste holy ordinaunces of god Therfore foolish and moste arrogant is the boldnesse of those men which thinke they haue attayned to the highest perfection and will abyde no kinde of admonishment Furthermore the rashnesse of them is here reprooued which forsake those congregations in whom they find or perceiue any blemishes or imperfections are the authors and causes of schisme wherin the Anabaptists commonly are guiltie But if these mennes reason shoulde take place then shall not the primitiue Church be iudged free nor thought worthy to whome a man may ioyne himselfe Also where Christ hath chiefely commended to vs the keeping of vnitie it easily appeareth with what spirite they are sedde which thinke it but a trifle to breake the vnitie of the Church Further it is to be obserued that thys grutch arose when the number of christians increased when they ought most to haue acknowledged Gods grace and to haue imbraced vnitie But this is all way seene where a multitude is there is also murmuring and confusion bicause it is impossible in such diuersitie and desyres of mindes to satisfie all mennes wyshes And nature hath so ordeyned that they which are not pleased and content seeke alwayes some occasion of puling complaint That faythfull seruaunt of God Moses whome the Israelites many tymes went about to stone when they remembred theyr fleshe pottes in Egypt founde thys to be true The like now feele the Apostles who notwithstanding in their administration of these things vsed vndoubtedly all kinde of truth and diligencie Let no man therefore thinke it straunge or wonderfull nowe a dayes though in that multitude of poore and needie which we euerywhere see murmurings and complaynings be heard which as it is in al places vsed so chiefely is it to be seene in Hospitals and in such places where the poore are found and mainteyned For though there be no cause else yet pouertie of it selfe is alwaye whyning and complayning which faulte for this cause chiefely deserueth pardon bicause there chaunceth daylie dyuers occasions which are able to mooue mindes be they neuer so constant Let them rather that haue the charge and ouersight of the poore beware that they giue no iust occasion of murmure and complaint whyles eyther they vnwyllingly distribute suche thinges as they haue neede of or else wickedly conuey away that which is giuen for the finding of the poore For it is no small or tryfling fault that they commit herein For they contamynat themselues with great sacriledge and lye vnto the holy ghost and also be occasions to the poore of no small offence in that they giue them causes to be angrie and mooued which otherwise had neede to be comforted Let it waigh with them howe the primitiue Church was troubled with none other encumbraunces than such as sprang eyther of vniust or negligent administration of ecclesiastical goods For the scripture teacheth that Iudas stumbled at this block We see also how Ananias and Sapphira made wracke of their saluation on this rock And in thys place the Grecians take no other occasion of their seditious murmuring than for that they thought their Wydowes
he appoynteth such a state and ende of his aunswere as whereby he prooueth that although he teache the ceremonies of the lawe to be abrogated yet he ought to be iudged neyther impious nor enimie vnto Gods honor This he prooueth not with vaine shewe and noyse of wordes but plainely and in deede For he recounteth diligently how God delt with the fathers in the olde time partly to prooue that he acknowledgeth the true God whome the fathers sometime worshipped and partly to shewe that iustification and saluation is not tyed to the ceremonies of the lawe bicause the fathers serued God and pleased him without them whereby he gathereth also that he is no aduersarie to true religion considering he beateth downe but those things which the fathers might well forbeare and which were instituted to that ende to signifie the true trade and waye of saluation which is onely conteyned in Iesus Christ. And he fetcheth his beginning from Abraham of whome they most bragged And first he sayth that when he was yet beyonde the riuer among such as worshipped straunge Gods he was called of meere fauour into the lande of Chanaan which is a figure of the celestiall country before the Temple was eyther builded or the ceremonies of the lawes instituted And he declareth that the Scripture sayth nothing of Abraham but of the obedience of hys fayth wherethrough he followed God when he called him and embraced the fauour and grace offred him Wherby he goeth about to prouoke the chiefe of the Iewes to forsake their superstitious obseruation of ceremonies and to embrace Iesus Christ the onely author of true saluation by sure fayth But bicause in the iudgement of the fleshe fayth seemeth a thing not of so great weyght and force as can purchase vs saluation Steuen busieth himselfe earnestly in setting forth the fayth of Abraham to th ende he woulde declare that fayth is of such force that it passeth all power and capacitie of mannes reason For through thys faith Abraham so ouercame the loue of his sweete Countrie the familiaritie of his kinsefolke the enioying of dignitie and honor the laborious paynes and griefes of iourneying sorrowes and cares and whatsoeuer is eyther pleasaunt or yrkesome to the fleshe that without any tariaunce or delay he obeyed the calling of god For declaration whereof this present place also maketh where the notable fayth of Abraham is more fully sette forth if by any meanes he myght kindle in them anye desire or loue vnto the same which thing bicause we also stande in neede of it shall preuayle vs to consider euery thing diligently Steuen goeth about to declare what God did vnto Abraham after he came into the lande of promise and thus he sayth And hee gaue him none inheritance in the same no not so much as one foote but promised he woulde giue it him to possesse and to his seede after him when as yet he had no chylde In which wordes three thinges be conteyned which make much to the setting forth of Abrahams fayth First when he came into the lande promised and shewed him through many labors and perils he founde it not emptie but inhabited and possessed of the Chanaanites a very fierce people And he was so farre from the possessing of it that he coulde not say there was one foote of grounde there that was his Yea he felt euery daye more misfortunes than other For he had scarce set vppe his Tentes but he was constreyned through famine to flie in to Egypt Then returning againe from thence his Nephewe Lot and he which was an onely comfort among such despitefull people brake company and departed the one from the other by reason of their heardmen and shepeheardes contention and falling out And not long after he was wrapped in perillous warres agaynst the kinges of the East And to let passe diuers other things when Sara his wyfe died he was fayne to buye of Ephron the Hethite a place to burie hir in Might he not therefore thinke he was deceiued of his hope This done he sheweth what stayed and comforted Abraham in all these aduersities and troubles verily the promise of the lande that God had made him But howe vncomfortable a thing it is to trust a bare promise without any further assurance or confirmation dayly experience teacheth specially if the successe of thinges agree not with the promise as we sayde erewhyle in this matter came to passe But a thirde thing there is yet more grieuous than all the reast which is that Gods promise to mannes wisedome myght seeme ridiculous For God promised this lande to Abrahams seede or posteritie whereas he had no childe and by reason of his age was vnlyke to haue any hereafter being an hundred yeares olde and Sara his wyfe barren and past bearing of children Who therefore seeth not howe many wayes and howe strongly Abrahams fayth was shaken and assaulted and howe great occasions he had to distrust Gods promises But none of all these things coulde vanquishe or quayle that godly hart For he beleeued in hope beyonde all hope and regarded not his owne body which was nowe deade nor howe his wyfe Sarah was past chylde bearing he stackered not at the promise of God through vnbeliefe but became strong in fayth and gaue God the prayse being full certified that hee which had promised the same was able also to make it good And this is that fayth which Moyses sayth was imputed to him for righteousnesse Moreouer as Steuen goeth about to stirre vp the Iewes vnto fayth by the example of Abraham so the consideration of the same example must serue for our instruction For as Paule sayth These thinges are not written bicause of him onely but also for our behoofe to whome after like sort fayth shall be imputed for righteousnesse if we diligently follow the steppes of Abraham It shall be verye profitable for the confirmation of our fayth if we note howe God vseth to exercise his beloued while he so ordreth things in thys worlde that all the successe and effect of them seemeth contrarie to his promises which thing in the hystorie of Abraham is more manifest than needeth to be prooued with manye wordes Neyther was the state of Isaac his sonne and afterwarde of Iacob any better For when God had cast vpon Iacob the priuiledge of maioritie or first begotten and had amplyfied the same with many and great promises for feare of Esau his brother he was fayne to returne to the place from whence his Graundsyre Abraham came and there with his vnkinde and churlish Uncle serued like a bonde seruaunt his brother Esau whome God had reiected flowing in wealth and ruling like a king all the meane season We reade the same came to passe vnto Dauid also who hauing receiued a promise of God to be king of Israell before he was set in his throne was banished his countrie and proclaymed for a Rebell and publike enimie of the kingdome and his countrie And none other
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
bloudie impietie What neede we to speake of the goodes and reuenues of Monasteryes whereof a great part as appeareth was gathered togither by Simonicall sleightes of such persons as vsed to sell all thinges in Religion For it is as cleere as the day light that these goodes are so vnhappie that commonly they are a stumbling stone to them whome the Gospell hath shined vpon while they are more earnestly busied in getting them into their handes than in setting foorth of Christs glorie So vnhappie vnprosperous is this mischieuous simonie And that that is here sayde of these goodes may iustly be vnderstanded and verified of all goodes vniustly gotten of the which this is the propertie that they procure vnto the owners of them the horrible malediction and cursse of god For the saying of the Lorde is well knowne Wo to him that hourdeth vp the things that be none of his In the seconde part of his Oration Peter exhorteth him to repentance whereby he plainly putteth him in comfort of pardon For to what ende should one repent or conuert which should thinke his doing therein vnprofitable Here it appeareth what the ende and marke of all reprehensions in the Congregation ought to be truely that men might turne from their sinnes and be reconciled vnto God which marke vnlesse it be obserued the libertie of rebuke and reprehension shall nothing differ from euill speaking or rayling Wherefore least Simon shoulde suspect Peters wordes hereof he addeth Repent of this thy wickednesse and pray God that the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee He mencioneth his thought that the heynousnesse of his fault might appeare the more the cogitation wherof ought to be farre from a christen mannes minde And here by the way we learne that men sinne not onely in deedes but also by thoughts and desires For where men ought to be giuen vnto God both in bodie and soule it deserueth to be called sinne if we swarue neuer so little from the obedience of god Herevnto belong the things which Christ speaketh in Mathew the fift Chapter touching the exposition of the lawe Furthermore for that he would pearce Simons minde the deeper whome he perceyued to be grieuously tempted by the deuill he toucheth the fountaynes rootes of sinne thereby shewing that he hath neede earnestly to repent Wherevnto this is to be referred which hee sayde in a maner doubtingly If happily the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee But nowe he addeth For I perceyue that thou art full of bitter gall and wrapped in iniquitie In the first member or part he alludeth to that saying of Moses where the Israelites are commaunded to beware of themselues least there be among them some roote that beareth gall and wormewood He noteth the inwarde malice or corruption of the minde which causeth whatsoeuer men doe to be bitter and vnpleasaunt before god For as the true worshipper of God out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth out that is good so the vngodly bring nothing but that that is wicked out of the euill treasure of their hart such as in deede Christ sayth polluteth men And by this wrapping or binding is expressed the state of them which being intangled in the snares of sinne cannot vntwine themselues without much a doe and feruent zeale of repentance He teacheth vs that Simon is in such a condition or case that he shoulde thinke a colde and superfluous shewe of repentaunce as not sufficient This place teacheth vs whether sinners ought to be sent verily vnto God with whome vnlesse they be made at one there can be no hope of their saluation Therefore we see in the Prophetes this one thing still repeated that the people should conuert and returne vnto God from whom by sinne they had strayed But for the more commodious doing hereof it behooueth to obserue two things both which Peter prescribeth vnto Simon The first is the woorke of repentance which as we haue elsewhere taught comprehendeth acknowledging of our sinne contricion of heart and amendment of our whole lyfe The other consisteth in godly prayers wherby we aske forgiuenesse of our sinnes bicause the same is a free gift and commeth not through any merites of our workes But Christ alone worketh them both who by his spirite both regenerateth the beleeuing and by the merite of his death washeth away our sinnes reconcyleth the father vnto vs againe Therefore all the order of our saluation consisteth in fayth whereby we take holde of him Therefore aboue all things it behooueth to vrge or require fayth not a deade fayth such as Hypocrites bragge of but a liuely and effectuall power of the spirite whereby it commeth to passe that we both liue in Christ and he by his spirite worketh in vs For this onely grace of God certifyeth the wauering conscience of man and vseth to bring forth in vs most plentifull fruites of true Godlinesse Nowe how did Simon take this graue and wholesome expostulation His wordes declare that he was striken in conscience and mynde For he sayth Praye yee for me vnto the Lorde that none of these things which you haue spoken fall on me It seemeth he commendeth himselfe to the prayers of the congregation but it is a manifest argument of distrust that he sayeth nothing of himselfe but thinketh he may be holpen onely with the prayers of other But in vaine are the prayers of others vnlesse we returne our selues vnto the Lorde This the places of the Prophets teache vs where we are forbidden to pray for them that are wicked and will not repent See Iere. 7.14.15 Ezech. 14. Therefore the errour of them is peeuishe and noysome which think they may be relieued with the hyred prayers of Monkes and Priestes where they themselues holde on in their wickednesse and where the prayers they murmure in a straunge tongue are many tymes not vnderstanded of the Monkes that mumble them We knowe that the prayers of the faythfull are effectuall whereby they commende vnto God the traueyles and burthens of their brethren seeing that Paule desireth to be relieued by them But these prayers take place for them whose selues are mindefull of their duetie and with constant fayth watch for their owne saluation Let vs therefore be mindefull of these thinges and praye earnestly that we be not blinded with the affections of ambition and couetousnesse and so lose our saluation but that we may serue God in sinceritie of heart and attaine vnto saluation in Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honour power and glorie for euer Amen The .lx. Homelie AND they whenâ—they had testified and preached the worde of God returned towarde Ierusalem and preached the Gospell in many Cities of the Samaritanes The Aungell of the Lorde spake vnto Philip saying Arise and go towarde the South vnto the way that goeth downe from Ierusalem vnto the Citie of Gaza which is in the Desert And he arose and went on And beholde a man
onely to him Therfore it frameth it selfe to his lore and desireth nothing so much as to be seene of all men whereas it knoweth it hath to reioyce in none but Christ alone These thinges reprooue the sluggysh mindes of the men of our dayes which are ashamed of Christ and saye that fayth maye be dissembled if there be lyke to ensue any daunger by the confession thereof Howbeit there were manye thinges which myght haue feared the Aethiop from being baptized for as much as he knewe that both Queene Candace and all the people of hir Countrie were farre from the knowledge of Christ which thing threatened him manifest perill both of his estate and goodes But his mynde incensed with the liuely fayth of Christ ouercommeth and bursteth through all impediments in whose hart vndoubtedly was written by the suggestion of the holy ghost that saying of Christ whosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and of my wordes in this aduouterous sinfull generation of him also shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he shall come in the glory of his father with the holy Aungels Moreouer this also is one other propertie of fayth that although the Eunuch thinketh he hath obteyned in Christ all the treasures of Gods grace and the infallibe certaintie of saluation yet for all that he iudgeth not the vse of baptisme to be vnprofitable or superfluous For fayth knoweth that Christ hath ordeyned nothing vnprofitably or in vayne bycause it knoweth that he is the eternall wisedome of God the father in whome are hidden all the treasures of knowledge It knoweth also that the corruption of our fleshe hath neede of many thinges and that it scarsely can be compelled with many prouocations to take the way of saluation Wherby it appeareth that they are voyde aswell of the knowledge of Christ as of themselfe that vse to despyse and reiect the sacramentes For although by fayth in Christ we attayne to whatsoeuer thinges are necessary to our saluation yet bicause of the inclination of our flesh it is profitable that Gods benefites shoulde be confirmed with outwarde seales and that by them we shoulde be admonished of our dutie whereof oftentymes we are forgetfull But Luke bringeth forth the other person of this act that is to say Philip which by and by obeyed not the Eunuch least he shoulde seeme to haue yeelded vnto him bicause of his dignitie or humanitie but he requireth of him first the confession of a true fayth saying If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou mayest He hath therefore a respect to hys fayth and will haue it voyde of all guyle and dissimulation By which example we are taught that the sacraments ought not to be prophaned that is to saye to be giuen to the faythlesse For where they be the badges and cognizaunces of the Church of Christ it becommeth not them to weare them that are straungers fro the church bicause such for the more part are dogges and hogges before whome Christ forbiddeth vs to whoorle pearles And if we consider the commaundement of Christ it shall appeare that the Apostles first ought to teach and then they that beleeued their doctrine shoulde be baptised For he sayth Teach ye all Nations baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost c. Yet let no man thinke we support or maintayne the madnesse of the Anabaptistes For they erre and keepe a pernitious coyle whyle they drawe that to the infants of Christians and rashly keepe them from baptisme which is onely to be obserued in straungers from religion and those that are of a full age For we affirme that such as â—e straungers from the church of christ as were sometime the Iewes and Gentyles and as are at this daye the Iewes and Turkes and other such lyke ought not to be baptised vnlesse we wyll to grossely pollute baptisme vntill they haue made profession of their fayth But the reason of infantes borne of Christians is of a farre other sort and case For these are accounted among the children or houshold of the church by reason of the lawe of couenant They be holy and Christ commaundeth them to be brought vnto him It is also manifest that they please God bicause their Aungels alwaies see the face of the father And although our capacitie cannot conceyue their state and condicion yet Christ testifyeth they haue fayth And that they haue the holy ghost both the examples of Iohn the Baptist and others do teach vs Wherfore to denye baptisme vnto them is no small impietie and a point of boldenesse more than monstrous Howbeit bicause we haue intreated hereof in other places let thys little suffice for this present Further let vs see the confession that the Eunuch made which in marueylous breuitie comprehendeth thinges of most importaunce I beleeue sayth he that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God. This confession is much like to that that Peter made in the name of all the Apostles He attributeth vnto Christ whatsoeuer is spoken of him in holy scripture Yea if the matter be narrowly marked it comprehendeth all the articles of our fayth or Creede Apostolicall For he acknowledgeth him to be God no doubt that God which the Scriptures say was Creator of heauen and earth He confesseth no such God as the Iewes and Turkes doe but such an one as hath a sonne borne of himselfe coeternall and consubstantiall with him He beleeueth that this sonne was incarnated as may be gathered of the thinges which he red in Esay Further he beleeueth that the sonne of God is Christ that is to say annoynted wherein he vnderstandeth his kingdome and Priesthoode Unto the Priesthood belongeth all the passion of Christ where he offered the sacrifice of his bodie and bloud for the sinnes of the whole worlde In the name of Kingdome is conteyned his glorious resurrection whereby he ouercame death also his ascention whereby as by a most gorgeous tryumph he entered into heauen and is sitting on the right hand of the father which declareth him to be a most mightie king to whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth and which shall come againe to giue iudgement and sentence vpon all fleshe But he that confesseth Christ to be a King must needes also confesse that he hath a Church wherein he reigneth and gouerneth This Church is the Communion or felowship of all Saintes to whome Christ hath committed his inestimable treasures to say â–ª the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the fleshe and felowship of eternall lyfe These mysteries I say this short confession of the Eunuch comprehendeth Whereby we are taught what an one we also should acknowledge and confesse Christ to be It is well to be considered howe confession of mouth is ioyned with fayth of minde For we haue before this declared â–ª howe these two must of necessitie be coupled togither and Paule expressely teacheth the same where he sayth This is
warneth his people earnestly to come out from among them least they be partakers of hir plagues And if the companye of the common people doe so entrappe and beguyle the godlye then must false teachers be much more diligently auoyded which vse craftily to creepe into mennes bosomes and to instill the deadly poyson of false doctrine into their hearts vnawares See Math. 7. and .15 2. Iohn 1. chap. Howbeit the Apostle layeth the late oracle of God agaynst the receyued custome of the Iewes saying But God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or vncleane He calleth them vncleane in this place that be vnworthye the doctrine of the Gospell and of saluation For else it is euident that all men are and ought to be counted vncleane forasmuch as we be conceyued and borne in sinne the thoughts of our harts be wicked from our childehoode and our righteousnesse is lyke filthye and arayed clowtes and ragges as the Scriptures testifye But bicause the bloude of Christ hath clensed vs from our sinnes 1. Iohn 1. cap. and our hearts are purged by fayth in him no man ought rashly to be iudged vnworthy of that purification which Christ of his exceeding liberalitie offreth to all men and most louingly giueth to as many as beleeue in him except we finde anye men to be of that kinde of dogges and hogges before whome Christ forbiddeth vs to throwe the pearles and holy mysteries of the kingdome of heauen They are therfore greatly deceyued which enuiously hide the secretes of saluation and vse to keepe those that haue professed Christ from the knowledge of them It is chiefely to be considered how the Apostle layeth the oracle of God agaynst an olde receyued custome We are taught by this example that such is the authoritie of Gods worde that vnto it the things which were instituted by men of a godly zeale and holye intent ought to giue place as soone as they seeme any wayes to make against the will of god Therfore their obstinacie is very pieuish and pernicious which go about to retayne those ceremonies in the Church which it appeareth haue bene deuysed by foolishe men for the confirmation of superstition and are very derogatory vnto the merite of christ They thinke it a daungerous matter to alter or chaunge any thing But it is much more daungerous to sticke to the obseruation of olde errors with the losse of saluation And we ought to remember that the obedience of fayth is the ende of true Christianitie which requireth of vs to denie our selues and to resigne and yeelde vppe all our thoughtes and iudgements vnto the will and power of God. Moreouer Peter after his apologie and defence demaundeth a question to saye for what intent they had sent for him And this demaunde seemeth not superfluous although Peter was both instructed before by the heauenly vision and also by them that were sent vnto him For by this meane he thought he woulde stirre vp in the mindes of his hearers a diligent and an attentiue heede to hearken to him which thing if it be wanting the Worde cannot be preached with any profite And it doth not a little prouoke the minde and zeale of the teacher when he seeth those men desirous to heare him whome God hath appoynted him to teache and instruct Nowe followeth the aunswere of Cornelius which as it is simple and without colour so it hath in it diuers things which serue for the instruction of all men For he declareth the cause of his counsell and giueth thanks vnto Peter that he woulde vouchsafe to come vnto him and also promiseth to giue good eare vnto him wherein he plainely admonisheth Peter of his dutie all which we will pervse in order He beginneth with the cause wherfore he sent for Peter least he shoulde seeme to any man eyther negligent about his saluation or else arrogant in that he went not to Ioppa himselfe Therefore he repeateth the things before mencioned touching the appearing of the Aungell and it grieueth not Luke oftentimes to rehearse one thing to th ende the truth and certaintie of the hystorie might appeare the more The summe of all the matter is that he was admonished by an euident Oracle and commaundement of God to sende for Peter Let vs here marke howe he sayth he abode fasting and in prayer vntill the .ix. houre of the day which is three a clocke at after noone with vs This thing expresseth an ardent desire of the truth wherabout it is like he was greatly troubled by reason of the diuersity of religions forasmuch as he saw the Iewes differed from the Gentyles and that there begonne a new religion among the Christians Therefore being very carefull least he should swarue from the truth he made continuall prayer vnto God adding vnto his prayers holy fastes that a man may plainly perceyue that he trusted not in the merite of his fastings but sought by them onely the vnderstanding of a truth Compare nowe this souldier with the Monkes of these dayes that thou mayest perceyue howe farre he passed them both in godlynesse and discipline of the fleshe And being a publike Officer he gaue himselfe to these exercises whereby their errour maye appeare vnto all men which denye that perfite studie of godlynesse can consist without solitarie life It appeareth also in this place what the cause is that men profite so little nowe a dayes in the studie of godlynesse God will be incessantly called on by prayers which then are most feruent when they proceede of a sober subduing of the flesh But now a dayes there is small regard of prayers and the studie of sobrietie is chaunged into surfetting and ebrietie which thinges vse to make men vnapt eyther to serue God or man This drunkennesse reigneth in many places euen among the Ministers of the worde so that a man maye marke in them such maners as Esaye attributeth to false teachers Chap. lvj The Princes and those that are in office are commonlye at their banquets betimes in the morning and are giuen to surfetting altogither vnmindefull of that saying of Salomon Wo be vnto thee ô thou land whose king is but a childe and whose Princes are early at their banquettes In the Commons a man may see the dayes of Noah and Loth as Christ in times passed taught Why marueyle we therfore that there is so little knowledge of the truth since those desires reigne among vs that vse to styfle Truth and vtterly to suppresse hir Secondlye Cornelius giueth Peter thankes that he woulde witsafe to come vnto him For so meaneth that kinde of speach which he vseth Thou hast done well that thou art come For where he acknowledgeth that he hath done well herein he plainly confesseth that he is beholding to him therfore By which example we are taught that we must be thankefull to the Ministers of the worde For they bring vnto vs peace and saluation according to that saying
at large by narration Wherfore in all these things we will briefely touch those things only which serue for this present place First he plainely teacheth what this Christ is where he calleth hi m Lorde of all things This is an euident testimonie of his diuinitie For it is manifest that the rule of all things pertayneth vnto God alone bicause he alone is the creator of all things And it is playne that all thinges were made by that eternall worde and that all power is giuen him of the father He must needes therefore be true god And lette no man here obiect vnto vs this worde of giuing as though he were therfore the lesse bicause he receyueth of another For this is to be referred to the nature of manne which he tooke vpon him to the which in a certayne time appoynted God the father gaue that which Christ according to his Godheade had from euerlasting For thus he speaketh himselfe a little before he went to hys death Now glorifie me ô father with thine owne selfe with the glory which I had with thee ere the worlde was The Arrians are hereby confuted and the Seruetanes which nowe a dayes follow their steppes and the dignitie of Christian fayth is defended against the Iewes and Turkes which saye we glory and trust in one that is no more but a man. Then Peter toucheth by the waye the meane of our saluation where he sayth that that eternall worde of God Iesus Christ was sent from God the father For in this worde sent he comprehendeth all the mysterie of his incarnation euen as Paule also where he sayth when the fulnesse of tyme came God sent his sonne made of a woman c. In his incarnation are comprised whatsoeuer things Christ did or suffred in the flesh for our saluation sake of the which things we shall hereafter intreate Furthermore he sayth he was sent to the children of Israel not that he belonged to them alone but for that he tooke fleshe and was borne of them and shoulde first shewe himselfe to them vntill through their vnbeliefe he should be caryed vnto the gentiles Thou shalt obserue in these things that al these affaires of Christ which are preached in the gospell are not of man but of Gods ordering and appoyntment For this worde was sent from god And it is euident that this is the eternall decree of God that Iesus Christ should be the King and Priest of his people Psal. 2.110 Wherevpon we gather that men striue in vaine by their owne power against his Gospell which thing before this we hearde that Gamaliel sawe and is abundantly declared by the examples of all ages Last of all he commeth to the ende and marke of all this matter which is that peace shoulde be preached by Christ Iesus So Esaias cap. 52. speaking of the Preachers of the Gospell sayth O how bewtifull are the feete of the Ambassadour that bringeth the message from the mountayne and proclaymeth peace c. Peter maketh mention of preaching not for that Christ is the Minister therof only but bicause that peace wherof he is the author is offred to vs by preaching of the Gospell receiued by hearts of fayth He specially speaketh of that peace which is betweene god and vs by the meane of Iesus christ For before times by reason of our sinnes we were seperated from god reputed as his enimies And Paule writeth that the wrath of God was declared from heauen agaynst all vngodlynesse and vnrighteousnesse of men Therefore there was neede of a peacemaker and reconcyler which the scriptures declare God the father hath giuen vs euen Iesus christ For he hath taken vpon him our sinnes which were cause of the seperation betweene God and vs he hath purged them by the merite of his death and satisfied the rigour of Gods iustice And he being made ours by fayth doth clothe vs with his righteousnesse and doth defende and shielde vs that wee be able to abyde the iudgement seate of God who otherwyse had deserued by reason of our sinnes to be damned for euer Thus it commeth to passe that according to Paules doctrine we being iustified by fayth are at peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Thys the father himselfe confesseth when from heauen he sounded that ioyfull and comfortable voyce This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased And this is that peace which passeth all vnderstanding and which can by no maner of afflictions be disturbed bicause it maketh them seeme light and easie to them which vnderstande that God is become mercifull to them in Christ and that they are made the children of god This peace also breedeth ciuill brotherly concorde amongst men bicause that by meane of Christ all that respect of persons among the faythfull wherby mutuall concorde among men is chiefly broken is taken away And bicause it kindleth mens mindes wyth the fire of charitie it so graffeth in them the desire of peace that they hate no things more deadly than such as they knowe hinder it Great therefore and very execrable is the ingratitude and iniquitie of those men which exclame and crye out saying the preaching of the gospell is the disturbaunce of publyke peace and policie For thus they make Iesus Christ the Prince of true and euerlasting peace the author of those offences which they may thanke the wicked worlde of who therefore maketh tumultes and businesses agaynst Christ and his worde bicause they can not suffer the light thereof whereby their naughtie workes are reprooued Let vs acknowledge the goodnesse of God which doth vouchsafe to offer the doctrine of saluation vnto all men and let vs with true fayth embrace Iesus Christ the onely author of saluation and peace to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The .lxxv. Homelie YOV I saye knowe that woorde which was published throughout all Iurie and beganne in Galiley after the baptisme which Iohn preached howe GOD annoynted Iesus of Nazareth with the holy ghost and with power Which Iesus went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the deuill For God was with him ALthough Peter made this Sermon at Caesarea in the house of Cornelius the Captayne yet the same apperteyneth to all men and is meete at this daye to be most diligently considered of vs For beside that manye thinges are gone before which teach vs that the spirit of God was the author hereof in this part Peter fully includeth the whole order of our iustification and saluation And hereof he admonished his hearers in the proposition as erewhile we sawe whereas he promised them to speake of the eternall worde of God which is Iesus Christ who being Lorde of all things and therefore very God did yet vouchsafe to come into the worlde to reconcyle mankinde vnto God the father and to be the author and preacher of that moste wholesome peace Now bicause by these wordes he
ghost It seemeth that Peter reasoneth on this wise Christ our Lorde promised to his elect his spirite which the worlde coulde not receyue and he sayd that he alone was the giuer therof Therfore whereas he hath sent the same spirit vnto the Gentiles hath vouchsafed to baptise them with his holy ghost I could not choose but followe the example of such a guyde nor iudge them vnworthy the baptisme of water whom God had iudged worthye of his spirite And Peter maketh a trimme difference betweene Christ the Minister bicause he woulde not haue that wrongfully attributed to the externe ministerie that belongeth onely vnto christ But bicause we haue otherwheres entreated hereof it shall suffise for this time to haue noted thus much by the waye The fifth part conteyneth a very graue conclusion as well in wordes as arguments For he sayth If God therefore gaue vnto them lyke giftes as he gaue vnto vs which beleeued in the Lord Iesus Christ what was I that I should withstande God It shoulde haue bene a wicked part to haue sayde they had bene vnlike whome God had vouchsafed to make like But how much more greater impietie had it bene to haue shut out from the communion of the Church those whome God by so euident an argument had declared to haue pertayned to his Church Yea whome he had openly chosen and adopted Therefore Peter confesseth that he shoulde haue bene an aduersary of God if he had gone about any such thing And if they be the aduersaries of God which keepe those men from the fellowship that is in him whom he doth vouchsafe to make members of his Church bicause they thinke them vnworthy of so great fauor and grace what shall we saye of them which by false doctrine deceyue Christes sheepe or else rage against them with plaine force and tyrannie bicause of their confession of Christ They shall one daye feele his mightie and heauie hande whose enimies they chose rather to be than his friendes followers It is our part so to acknowledge and embrace the grace of God as also to bring and trayne all other to the fellowship of saluation the which God the father hath set out to his elect in his beloued sonne Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxix. Homelie WHEN they heard this they helde their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentyles graunted repentaunce vnto lyfe They also which were scattered abroade through the affliction that rose about Steuen walked throughout vnto Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioche preaching the worde to no man but vnto the Iewes onely Some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene which when they were come to Antioche spake vnto the Greekes and preached the Lorde Iesus And the hande of the Lorde was with them and a great number beleeued and tourned vnto the Lorde AS the Apostle Peter in conuerting of Cornelius dyd the duetie of a godly and faythfull Apostle whyle he thought it good to obey the expresse commaundement of God wythout any lyngering so when his dooing was of some persons vniustly reprooued he shewed an excellent example of a christian and Apostolyke modestie For he declared the reason of his doing most friendly and diligently vnto them of whome he might most iustly haue requyred what authoritie they had so to doe But leauing all other arguments apart he vrgeth this one thing that he did nothing of hys owne deuyse but according to Gods appointment and commaundement By which example we haue learned with what argumentes we shoulde arme our selues against those which nowe a dayes accuse vs with lyke frowardnesse for breaking the traditions and customes of men Let the authority of Gods worde suffise vs which whosoeuer despyseth he is vnworthye of whome the Church of Christ should make any accompt It remayneth in thys hystorie to intreate howe those men which erewhile were such knapped Comptrollers accepted Peters Apologie or defence He sayth they helde their peace and gloryfied God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles graunted repentance vnto lyfe Moreouer they were whysted and dyd not with mans reason argue or replye agaynst the commaundement and wyll of god By which argument is aboundantly declared that they stroue not against it of malice or enuie but rather of an inconsiderate and blinde zeale of godlynesse which Paule also otherwheres layeth to their charge And bicause Peter easily espyed the same affection in them for thys cause he thought to deale with them herein the more gently For they which are ledde with a zeale of the glory of God and vse to credyt and yeelde vnto reasons shewed them must not be cast of as incurable or be ouer bytterlye delt withall And 〈◊〉 is the propertie of those that be truely faythfull that they will willingâ—â— yeelde vnto arguments brought out of the worde of God although they â—â—lly perceyue not the reason of the things that are sayde For this is the true and right exercise of fayth when we submit our reason vnto the commaundementes and worde of God which thing Paule euerywhere teacheth vnder the obedience of fayth which he sheweth to be the ende and scope of preaching the gospel wherby it easily appeareth that they are not to be taken for faythfull which are not ashamed stiffely to contende against the manifest Oracles of Gods worde Furthermore it is sayde they glorifyed God which is a meere euident signe that they receiued Peters excuse and admitted it with good wyll For there be some that being subdued by force of reason holde their peace bycause they haue not what to answere yet as the Poet sayth they hyde their griefe in the bottome of their hart But he that glorifyeth God testifieth by an infallible argument that he is fully satisfyed We are taught that we must reioyce and be gladde at those whome God doth illuminate with the lyght of his truth This we ought to doe both by reason of the desyre that euery christian man is bounde to haue of the glorie of God and also bicause of the loue which we ought to beare to the furtheraunce and profite of our neighbour And surely there is nothing that so reioyceth a faythfull soule as to see the light of truth to spreade it selfe abroade to the increase of Gods glory and the saluation of many Againe we ought to mourne from the hart when we see any neglect or fall from the waye of saluation So we read that Samuel contynually mourned bicause of Saules most wretched fall And Paule contynueth in prayers for the Iewes and desyreth to be accursed from Christ for them that they might be saued But nowe a daies we be a colde in both these pointes which thing is the chiefe cause that the Gospell proceedeth no better But let vs see the wordes wherewith they declare the affection of their minde Then hath God also graunted to the Gentyles say they repentaunce vnto lyfe
God giueth repentaunce after two sortes eyther when he graunteth time and place to repent or else when he mollifyeth and conuerteth mens mindes by his spirite and worde by repentance to frame themselues to a better trade of lyfe In this place it appeareth that God did both although the later sense be more agreeing to this present argument It is most worthy to be obserued where they say repentaunce vnto lyfe is giuen vnto the Gentiles by preaching of the Gospell For in so saying they testifie that they speake of that repentaunce which through fayth in Christ bringeth saluation and which we may call the scope and marke of all the Gospell which is that we being reconcyled vnto God through Christ shoulde turne vnto him with all our hartes and liue in him For so Paule writeth God hath reconcyled vs vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ and hath giuen to vs the office to preache the attonement Nowe then are we messengers in the rowme of Christ euen as though God did beseech you through vs So pray we you in Christes steede to be reconcyled vnto God. They name repentaunce expreslye hauing respect vnto that saying of Christ which commaundeth both repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes to be preached in his name Neyther must these two be at any time seperated least men take occasion vnder pretence of the Gospell to liue carnally Againe this hath in it a singuler comfort that he sayeth repentaunce is giuen vnto lyfe Therefore repentaunce in the faythfull is neuer in vayne or vnfruitefull but maketh them partakers of saluation through christ There are apparaunt promises of God wherein he euerywhere promiseth lyfe vnto them which turne vnto him with all their hart Where he sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he conuert and liue And we must not thinke that God flattereth or deludeth any man with vaine promises Hereto belongeth the whole booke almost of the Iudges which prooueth by many examples that the Israelites neuer returned to God by true repentaunce in vayne And it is manifest that the Niniuites through faythfull repentaunce caused God to reuoke his sentence passed against them What shall I speake of these seing we reade that the repentaunce that Achab had but for a season and little time was by the mouth of God commended These things ought to encourage them which stande vpon the pytbrinke of desperation thinking that God is so offended with them for their former wickednesse that their repentaunce is not acceptable vnto him Which men woulde be comforted with these sayings of the Prophet If your sinnes were as red as Scarlet they shall be as whyte as snowe And though they were like purple they shall be as whyte as woolle Againe The Lorde is full of compassion and mercye long suffring and of great goodnesse He will not alwaye be chyding c. Nowe after Luke hath made an ende of the storye of Cornelius which contayneth the beginning and first fruites as it were of the vocation of the Gentiles he returneth to the discourse of the things belonging to the whole Church which he had intermytted and declareth howe the kingdome of Christ began to be stretched enlarged vnto the Gentyles And first he telleth how Antioch was conuerted vnto Christ and how men were there first called Christians And principally he noteth the occasion therof saying it was bicause of the persecution that was raysed agaynst Steuen And it is very worthye to be considered where he sayth the beginning of such a benefite sproong of so dolefull a cause For howe pitifull a case the Church stoode in in the time of that persecution we hearde in the .viij. Chapter when the rage of persecutours went so farre that it was not safe for a man in secrete â—o be a christian when both men and women were haled out of their dores as to a slaughterhouse which thing was the cause that the Church being scattered hither and thither seemed like a scratched and torne body that had beâ—ne incurable But by the grace and goodnesse of God it commeth to passe that of euery member of this scattered Church springeth a newe body For they whome this cruell tempest had thus scattered remembring their office and dutie beganne to preach euerywhere the name of Christ and many of them going as farre as Phenicia and Cyprus did illustrate those countries with the light of the Gospell By which example the primitiue Church and fayth full of all ages might be confirmed not to be offended with the cruell attempts of enimies forasmuch as it appeareth by these men that the kingdome of Christ can not be ouerthrowne nor driuen into straightes but is rather thereby builded vp enlarged For that that Luke reporteth here to haue come to passe the same the writers of the Ecclesiasticall hystorie report to haue come to passe in all persecutions And as after horrible tempests cleere weather commonly followeth so it appeareth that after persecutions the Church alway looked more bright cheerefull For God scattereth the deuises of Nations but his purpose standeth fast for euer whereby he hath made his sonne king and Ruler of all the worlde See the Psalmes 33.2 110 But Luke diligently intreateth of those by whose ministery God brought to passe a matter of such weight and importance All which were dispersed bicause of the faith and doctrine of Christ yet they agreed not in all points touching the order ministerie of the gospell For some of them preached to the Iewes only who it is lyke were ignorant of the things done betweene Peter Cornelius Other some which he writeth were of Cyprus Cyrene came to Antioch and preached to the Greekes that is to the Gentyles So it oftentimes commeth to passe that in some things they which are counted the most faithfull seruants of Iesus Christ doe disagree God so disposing his giftes that his woorde may be of the more authoritie and that the successe thereof shoulde not seeme to depende of a certayne conspiracie and consent of men among themselues Wherevnto also is to be referred that that is hereafter reported of the contention that fell betweene Paule and Barnabas which wexed so hote that those singuler and chosen instrumentes of Christ departed one from another Therefore let it offende no man if nowe a dayes he see any like matter to fall out in the Church For Paule writeth that there must be sectes that the elect may be tryed Howbeit in all this adooe the feruent desire of spreading abrode the kingdome of Chryst is greatly to be praised wherewith they all being enflamed haue vtterlye forgotten the daungers that they were in a little before and euerywhere publishe the worde of god Such constancie ought all faithfull Ministers of Christ to haue to th ende they must not thinke they haue done all their dutie when they haue bene once in daunger for the name of christ And they must not thinke they are for
vnprofytable and all the time of their voyage lost they preach euerywhere the conuersion of the Gentyles And this was the chiefe cause of the contention bicause many tooke it in euill parte that the vncircumcised Gentyles were receyued into the felowship of Christ and his Church But the godly men vnderstoode that the workes of God which serued to the setting forth of Christes glorye must not be dissembled bicause some men had a wrong iudgement of them Nay we must rather wrastle against the waywardnesse of the worlde least thereby Gods glorie might be impayred For that that Christ sometime sayde vnto the priestes being offended with the childrens showting If these holde their peace the stones shall crye the same let vs thinke spoken euen to vs For although we prouyding for our slouthfulnesse dare doe nothing for the glorie of God yet will God easily fynde faythfull defenders of the same and we shall be made the vessels of wrath ignominie which would not be the instruments of grace and glorie Thirdly the brethren reioyce in the conuersion of the Gentiles and neyther enuie them the fellowship of saluation neyther Paule nor Barnabas the singuler commendation of such a Ministerie This is the propertie of the godly that they reioyce at the setting forth of Christes glorie and the saluation of others Fourthly when they were come to Ierusalem they were receyued by the Apostles and the whole congregation as singuler instrumentes of christ For it becommeth vs to reuerence the giftes of God in them whose ministery God vseth both to our profyte and his praise They agayne declare what God had done by them bicause the same made much for their purpose the aduersaries going about through their peeuishe opinion to ouerthrowe the vocation of the Gentyles God graunt that in these dayes also contentions being calmed and layde downe we maye all giue â—are to the Apostles doctrine and that all heartes through the vnitie of fayth and bonde of true loue may strongly be knyt togyther in Iesus Christ our onely sauiour to whome be all prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cij Homelie THEN rose vp certayne of the sect of the Phariseys which did beleeue saying that it was needefull to circumcise them and to commaunde them to keepe the lawe of Moses And the Apostles and Elders came togyther to reason of this matter And when there was much disputing Peter rose vp and sayde vnto them yee men and brethren you knowe howe that a good whyle ago God did choose amonge vs that the Gentyles by my mouth should heare the worde of the gospell and beleeue And Cod which knoweth the hartes bare them witnesse and gaue vnto them the holy ghost euen as he did vnto vs and put no difference betweene vs and them seeing that with fayth he purified their hartes Nowe therefore why tempt you God to put on the disciples neckes that yoke which neyther our fathers nor wee were able to beare But we beleeue that through the grare of the Lorde Iesus Christ we shall be saued as they doe Then all the multitude was appeased and gaue audience to Barnabas and Paule who told what signes and wonders God had shewed among the Gentyles by them AFter the doctrine of the Gospell was spreade by the ministerie of Paule Barnabas among the gentiles and that they were taken into the communion of Christ and his Church a grieuous contention fell out among those of the fayth bicause dyuers saide the Gentiles ought to be circumcised and to be inforced to obserue the lawe of Moses which thing others agayne dyd constauntly denie Luke by the instinct of the holy ghost descrybeth this controuersie verie dyligently bicause it serueth much for the instruction of all men For it teacheth vs we must not take it for anye insolent or straunge thing though nowe a dayes also some controuersies rise among the professours of one fayth and doctrine for as much as God suffereth not such controuersies to come to passe without some vtilitie and auayle to all men Agayne he sheweth vs what we haue to doe in such a case For we must according to the ensample of Paule and Barnabas stowtely defende the truth against all men and not harken to the iudgements of any men but aske counsell of the Apostles of Iesus Christ whome he hath appoynted for to be the teachers of his worde But Luke holding on in the hystorie begonne sayth that a greater contention fell out hereabout after that the matter was proposed vnto the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem The Authors hereof were those of the Phariseys that beleeued in Christ yet retayning this smatche of olde leauen that they strengthly vrged the fulfylling of the righteousnesse of the lawe For it appeareth by the storie of the gospell that the Phariseys set all iustification in the outwarde exercise of the workes of the lawe Wherfore it could not be chosen but that they should be the more obstinate in keeping the same Whereof we haue example in the Monkes at this day whome it is an harde matter to drawe from their olde secte but some tokens thereof will still remayne It is worthy diligently to be obserued how the chiefe article of christian religion was canuassed through this contention in the hearing of the godlye before the Apostles so that whether parte helde the truest opinion coulde at the fyrst not be perceyued Hereby we are taught that we must not marueyle although the excellentest heades and wyttes in the worlde be sometime deceyued or else stiffely stande in defence of receyued errours For by this meane God sheweth vs howe to marke the corruption of our nature that we being humbled by the consideration therof should not stande to much in our owne conceyte Howbeit Peter vntill this tyme helde his peace in all this contention to the ende he woulde not seeme arrogant in prescribing of others and bicause it was expedient that euery man should saye his minde But when he perceyued that the contenders minds waxed hotter and hotter he standeth vp both modestly and grauely by his authoritie to moderate the matter and plainely defendeth the opion of Paule and Barnabas who taught that the meane of mans saluation consisted in the onely faith of Iesus Christ and that the obseruation of the ceremonials needed not yea that no praise and glory of iustification was to be ascribed vnto the lawe All his saying dependeth vpon two poyntes whereof the one sheweth that God appointeth none other waye of saluation to be obserued than that which is prescribed in the gospell namely the fayth in Iesus Christ. The other declareth how it is a verie heynous matter for anye man to affirme that the fulfylling of the lawe is necessarie to saluation But of eche of them we shall by order intreate The fyrst poynt is taken out of the example of God which iustifyed the fyrst fruites of the beleeuing Gentiles none otherwise than by fayth in Iesus Christ. This place must
day examples But forasmuch as Christ once prophecyed that these thinges shoulde come vnto vs it is our partes not to be offended thereat but with constant fayth and pacience to hye vs vnto the marke appointed vs that we may obtayne the rewarde promised to vs in Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxj. Homelie AT midnight Paule and Sylas prayed and lawded god And the prisoners hearde them And sodeinly there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and immediately all the dores opened euery mans bandes were loosed When the keeper of the prison waked out of his sleepe and saw the prison dores open he drue out his sword would haue killed hymselfe supposing that the prisoners had bene fledde But Paule cryed with a lowde voyce saying Do thy selfe no harme for we are all here Then he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell downe at the feete of Paule and Sylas and brought them out and sayde Sirs what must I doe to be saued And they sayde beleeue on the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy housholde And they preached vnto him the worde of the Lorde and to all that were in his house AS the holy scripture euerywhere doth teach the godly that they must suffer persecutions in this worlde so likewise it promiseth them Goddes abundant helpe and succour and there want not examples whereby God euen from the verye beginning of the worlde hath declared the truth of his promises such as are the examples conteyned in this booke For before this by his Aungell he brought all the Apostles out of the prison who as we hearde before had taught in the Temple And Peter being deliuered out of prison defeated the cruell deuise of Herode and of all the people gaping for his death It is very notable also that your charitie euen nowe hearde recited For here the faythfull Apostles of Christ Paule and Silas are not onely deliuered out of prison but also the keeper of the prison a barbarous and cruell person is deliuered out of the bandes of impietie and being illuminated with the true knowledge of saluation is conuerted vnto Christ. And bicause this hystorie maye many wayes serue both for our instruction and consolation it shall be very profytable to examine all the circumstances thereof Let vs see therefore what God and the Apostles doe in this case which thing being considered then we will also intreate of the Iaylers conuersion We haue hearde howe Paule and Silas were verye euill intreated and beaten with roddes and at length put in the stockes Wherefore some might thinke they shoulde like puling women bewayle their mishappe and euery houre complayne of Gods iustice But Luke reporteth they were farre otherwise occupied For he wryteth that at midnight they made their prayers vnto God and magnifyed him and that not in any soft and secrete wyse but so lowde that the prisoners in the farther prison might easilye heare them This was an argument both of a constaunt fayth and merye conscience which can be found in none other kinde of men but in the faithfull onely in the time of aduersitie For this thing Paule attributeth to them as peculiar that in tribulations they glory and reioyce Luke declareth the cause of this ioy in the .v. chapter where he writeth how the Apostles were beaten with roddes in the Counsell and went out praysing God and reioycing that they were iudged worthy to suffer for the name of christ For they had a regarde to the promise of Christ who promiseth them the fellowship of the kingdome of heauen which haue abidden wyth him in his temptations Wherevpon they gather with Paule that they shall be partakers of the glory of Christ and lyue with Christ for euer which in this world are made like vnto him by bearing the crosse It is very worthy to be considered that we heare the Apostles so feruent and earnest in prayer who being illuminated with the holy ghost and with true fayth knowe that all thinges are ruled and gouerned by the prouidence of god By this example are those fyne and ouercurious wittes confuted which say there is no neede of prayers bicause God of himselfe knoweth all our necessities and by his prouidence all things are administred whose deuyse cannot be reuoked or interrupted by any maner of prayers In deede we declare not our case vnto God as one that is ignoraunt but by carefull and faythfull remembring him we testifye our fayth The holy men and Saintes also know that this is Gods euerlasting decree that as manye as are in distresse and conuert vnto him and call for his helpe and succour those he heareth For it is the commaundement of God Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee c. Agayne Turne vnto me and I will turne vnto you c. The Apostles therefore praye in their afflictions and according to their ensample all the godly in their aduersitie ought to seeke helpe and deliuerye at God onely and in none else We are taught moreouer that we ought not onely in aduersitie to seeke our deliuerie but also to giue God thankes and magnify his holy name when we are afflicted For verily it is an argument of his fatherly affection towards vs when he correcteth the wantonnesse of our fleshe with the rod of the crosse or tribulation And in nothing is the force of Gods comfort more effectually seene than when we are exercised in diuers temptations according to that saying of the Prophete In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comfortes haue refreshed my soule And Paule sayth As the afflictions of Christ abounde in vs so through Christ aboundeth our consolation Wherevnto it seemeth Peter also had a respect when wryting vnto the brethren dispersed among diuers Nations he beginneth with the prayse of God and commendation of hys grace These thinges ought we to remember when we are tempted with impaciencie of the fleshe that we be not ouercome thereof and mutter agaynst God which sinne of all other chiefely prouoketh the wrath of God as the examples of the children of Israel murmuring in the wildernesse abundantly declare Nowe let vs come to the seconde poynt of this place where it is shewed what God did Sodeinly sayth Luke there was a great earthquake so that the foundation of the prison was shaken and immediately all the dores opened and euery mans bandes were loosed And no man neede doubt but that this was the only worke of God and of none other bicause the Scripture declareth there is none other that can doe these thinges In this place is set forth the force and effect of faythfull prayer For as the wise man sayth it pierceth the Cloudes and ascendeth vp into the sight of God which neglecteth not the same Hereof commeth it to passe that by prayer those
behooueth that Ministers shoulde be bolde to speake that they dissemble not eyther for fauor or feare But herof we haue spoken before where Paule was cōmaunded to speake and not to hold his peace And the things enioyned the Ministers of the word it is necessary al men that beare office should likewise performe as the scriptures euerywhere declare Yea let all men priuately apply these things to themselfe if they meane to be allowed of God in their vocation For where God requyreth vs to serue him with all our harts we that haue giuen our selues wholye vnto him must not choose but paynefully plainely and feruently occupie our selues in these affayres as meete is Now Luke describeth howe Apollos profyted in the knowledge of Christ and saluation while he goeth about to set forth his glory and to further the saluation of others For he sayth when Aquila and Priscilla had hearde him they tooke him vnto them and expounded the waye of God vnto him more perfitely And here aboue all thinges appeareth the truth of that promise of Christ To euery one that hath sayth he shall be giuen and he shall abounde They are sayde to haue which acknowledge the giftes giuen vnto them and which vse them diligently to the glory of God that when the Lorde requyreth an account of them he may receyue it with vsaunce and encrease This bicause Apollos did performe with all diligence and industrie as we sayde erewhyle therefore God fayleth not of his promise but streightway stirreth vp faythfull Ministers which enforme him more fully and perfytely in his will. This ought to serue for the instruction of all men that they may vnderstande howe all the graces of God are no waye more happily increased than by faithfull studie Thus they that vse their wisedome to the setting forth of Gods glory doe feele euery day how God encreaseth the same The like reason is to be made of learning honours riches and of all other things whereof we lacke not examples to prooue the same Agayne there is no greater cause why the giftes of God are quenched in vs than when we giue our selues rather to sloth and ydlenesse than to the setting forth of Gods glory Here for manye considerations both Aquila and Priscilla and Apollos are to be marked For vnder those fewe wordes the Euaungelist comprehendeth great godlynesse and vertues It is a great argument of godlinesse that they giue eare to Apollos while he teacheth wheras yet they had so great intelligence in the mysteries of Christ that they were able to teach both him and others This is the true marke of the children of God whose propertie Christ sayth is to heare his worde both willingly and often They are reprooued by this example which thinke they haue profyted so much in the knowledge of saluation that they haue neede of no farther instruction and therefore will neyther reade the Scriptures at home nor come at the Church to heare Sermons Thus whyle they thinke they haue profyted to much they openly declare they are yet ignorant what the chiefe cognizance of the children of God is For they bicause they knowe the kingdome of God consisteth not in bare knowledge but rather that God requyreth we shoulde order our life according to the rule of his worde they cannot be satisfyed with hearing bicause they feele that they want much euen in the chiefest poynt Moreouer this holy couple of maried folke declare a feruent desire to the glory of God in taking such an one to instruct as they sawe was able greatly to profyte the Church of christ Agayne it is an argument of true loue and cleare of all enuye that they priuately instruct him and enuie him not that glory that he had hytherto gotten by his faithfull traueyle but rather helpe him that both he may be the more perfytely instructed and the more people woonne by his meane If a manne woulde compare this with the doings in our dayes good Lorde howe few or rather no tokens of so Christian a minde shall we fynde in them which will seeme godlye and restorers of the light of the Gospell For assoone as they perceyue the authoritie of any man to increase by and by the gyddinesse of ambition maketh them to enuie him and they seeke all meanes possible if any occasion serue to bring him in enuye and contempt as though they coulde not prouide for their owne honour but with the infamye of others But howe shall they be beleeued that are so desirous of the honor of the worlde Surely this is the spirite of Cain who we reade rose against hys brother for no other cause but for that he perceyued his brother was better than he and more in fauor with God than he Nowe as in religion and in the ministery of the Church it behooueth to auoyde this mischiefe so in priuate doings it becommeth diligently to auoyde all occasions of enuye and hatred if we will be called the true children of god But as in Aquila and Priscilla these vertues appeare so in Apollo maye be perceyued a rare and singuler modestie and tractabilitie For he that excelled in eloquence and in all kinde of learning is contented to be taught of a man of handycraft and of a woman vnknowne to him before this time and straungers For true is that saying of Paule that the spirites of the Prophetes are subdued vnto the Prophetes Nowe compare with this Apollo the arrogaunce of them which cannot abyde to be admonished or rebuked of their Coministers whereof there is to great a number in these dayes But as in times past the insolencie of such did much hurt vnto the Church so this is the chiefe cause in these dayes that there is such contention euerywhere bicause there are in all places which take vpon them such rule in the Church that they esteeme their brethren and Coministers but as dogges or hogs Besides these is there yet an other argument whereby Appollos declareth his feruent desyre to set forth the kingdome of God. For after he perceyued he was sufficiently instructed in the knowledge of Christ he appointed to go into Achaia to Corinth bicause he perceyued that Church had much neede of his helpe For as valyant souldyours of their owne accord choose them such places as where they see is most labour and daunger so they which will traueyle in the warfare of the Church with their commendation and the profyte of the same Church must dyligently obserue where their help is most requisite and thyther haste themselues dyligently that by their negligence the kingdome of God suffer no detriment Here also is the fayth and dyligence of the brethren of Ephesus to be obserued which would not let the faythfull Minister of Christ and one that had deserued so well of their congregation to depart without a publike testimonie of his vertuous behauiour yea they so commend him vnto the Corinthians that they also desyre them to giue him the rowme
good and wholsome lawes bycause he thinketh his kingdome woulde easily bee established if they were ouerturned And his attemptes be not alwayes in vayne bycause there are fewe that followe Paules fayth industrie sufferaunce and diligence Thirdly is playnely declared what Paule dyd in these Churches He gaue them a long exhortation verily to continue in the fayth without the which none can bee saued Often exhortations are needefull both for vs which bee ready of nature to fall and also bycause of the Deuill whiche alway walketh vp and downe lyke a roaring Lyon and seeketh whom he may deuoure Therfore their iudgemente is not to bee admitted whiche thinke thys is but a superfluous care and labour In the meane season wee are admonyshed that Churches haue nothyng of more pryce than the worde of God out of the whiche dayly instructions exhortations and corrections ought to bee taken Wherein the Apostles were so diligente that they easily neglected all other things in comparison hereof as wee mighte perceyue in the sixte Chapter Therefore they bee farre vnlyke the Apostles that neglect the Office and Ministerie of the worde and teaching and are occupied in wearishe Ceremonies or else in administration of earthly iurisdictions But let vs returne vnto Paule and see what he suffered in thys voyage The Iewes layde wayte for hym as hee was sayling into Syria who had thoughte to haue made hym oute of the way But Paule prudently disappoynteth them altering his purpose and going by lande into Macedonia and Syria This place teacheth vs what rewarde Ministers of the Truth haue in this worlde Certes the worste that can bee whyle men seeke to destroy them whiche of all other men labour moste to bryng them to saluation For howe carefull Paule was for the Iewes bothe his continuall labours and trauell and also hys Epistles testifie specially that whiche he wryteth to the Romanes in the ninth and tenth Chapiters And yet had he no greater ennimies than they The same wee haue other wheares declared that Moyses and the Prophetes and Iesus Chryste the Sonne of God suffered Let no man therefore nowe a dayes bee offended when the lyke things fall out seeing such is the nature of the worlde that they thinke their felicitie standeth in the destruction of the godly In whiche their iudgemente yet they are moste myserablie deceiued For thus they bereeue them selues of the wholesome succour of prayers whiche the godly vse to make euen for their ennimies But what shall wee doo wylte thou say if wee shoulde come into the lyke hazarde Followe Paule in whome thou shalte note principally two thinges For he both constantly wente forwarde in his vocation and lykewise prudently auoyded the daunger thereof arising Thus must we aboue all things remember our vocation that wee bee not plucked therefro through any ingratitude of the worlde For why shoulde wee forget our calling and followe those whose wicked vsage wee are wonte to deteste Yet let vs be circumspect and as Chryste counsayleth vs beware of men least wee bee sayde to tempte God by putting our selues rashly and vnaduisedly in daunger Nowe what doth God in the meane season Leaueth hee his seruaunt in daunger No. But whyle the Iewes his kinssemen and false brethren as hee complayneth him .ij. Corinth xj lay in wayte for him God ioyneth vnto him faythfull fellowes and companions in his trauelles and daungers which helpe him in this perrill both with counsell and otherwise Heere are reckened seauen notable men of diuers congregations of whome Paule many tymes maketh mention in his Epistles beside Luke the wryter of this present Hystorie which made eyghte And some of these go before to see and marke whether there were any lying in wayte and to prouide Paule of lodging other some kepte closely vnto him to comforte him with their companie and to prouide him of necessaries And heere the truth and goodnesse of God is diligently to bee considered whiche vseth to defende his seruauntes that are in daunger and to prouide them of faythfull companions that labour and trauell for the glory of hys name Thus vnto Ioseph that required to haue the buriall of Chrystes body is ioyned Nicodemus to beare parte of the charges laboure and perill in the same But nowe a dayes wee complayne of the slothe and cowardelynesse of others saying wee are not able alone to beare the weyght of Chrystes quarell beeing as cowardely and slothefull as other But if wee woulde doo our duetie wee shoulde see God would quickely touche the heartes of others also Wee haue besides in Paules Companions a notable example of loue and thankefulnesse what a daungerous and laborous thing it was to followe Paule by Sea and by lande hauing euerywhere so many enimies euery man may easily coniecture But for all this they which worthely estemed the gyft of fayth that they had gotten by Paules teaching could not be separated from him And these men want not their reward euen vpon the earth bycause God hath registred their names in eternal memorie and their soules no doubt do now reioyce wyth Chryste in heauen bycause they accompanied his minister so curteously on earth The Apostle setteth foorth this promptnesse and readynesse of minde in the Galathians also who he sayth woulde not haue spared their eyes if hee had needed them But O the filthy vnthankefulnesse of our dayes which is runne so farre that they whiche bragge of the fayth rent and deface with filthy slaunders the names of them by whose ministerie they firste learned the fayth Yet let Gods promise and mercy comforte vs which will neuer leaue them destitute of his helpe whom he hath chosen to the inheritaunce of heauenly life in his sonne Iesus Chryste to whome bee prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxxij Homelie AND vppon one of the Saboth dayes when the Disciples came togyther for to breake breade Paule preached vnto them ready to departe on the morrowe and continued the preaching vnto Midnyghte And there were many lightes in the Chamber where wee were gathered togyther and there sate in a wyndowe a certayne young man named Eutychus beeyng fallen into a deepe sleepe And as Paule was preachyng he was the more ouercome wyth sleepe and fell downe from the thirde lofte and was taken vppe deade But when Paule wente downe hee fell on hym and embraced hym and sayde Make nothyng adoo for hys lyfe is in hym So when hee was come vppe agayne and hadde broken the breade and eaten and talked a long whyle euen vntyll the mornyng at the laste hee departed And they broughte the young man alyue and were not a lyttle comforted And we went afore to Shippe and loosed vnto Asson there to receyue Paule For so had he appoynted and woulde him selfe goe on foote When we were come togither at Asson â–ª wee tooke him in and came to Mitylene And we sailed thence and came the next day ouer against Chios And the next day we arriued at Samos and taryed at
the world he shal easily perceiue in himself that hath not vtterly lost his senses And what we haue to do when God by such meanes as these allureth vs Pauls exāple declareth In dede ther appereth in him some smack of carnal slouthfulnesse which being strickē to the groūd doth not yet know his lord But this is worthy to be cōmended that whē the Lord had told him what he was by by he demandeth what his wil is that he should do For this is the saying of a true hūble hart submitting himself wholy to obey the wil of god Let vs therfore folow this exāple which the holy Ghost wold haue put in wryting to serue for our instruction And when we are chastised let vs think we are chastised of the Lord who requireth of vs repentance And let vs do penaunce not according to our owne braine or as seemeth good in our sight but according to Gods appointment which we shal learne in his word For after this sort aduersitie shal serue to our amendment and our amendment or conuersion shall be acceptable vnto god But if a mā wold compare these things with the vsage of our dayes he shal easily perceiue how many wayes mē herein offend For a man shal find few which whē they are chastised wil acknowledge God to be the author therof but the most part impute their misfortunes vnto other causes And if there be any so touched with the feeling of religion ▪ that they are constrained to acknowledge the hand of God yet is that feling very smal and of litle continuance or else ioyned with superstition wherby being deceiued they do their penaunce but counterfetly and for a litle season as God vpbraideth the people of Israel by his Prophet And this is the cheefe cause of so many and so continuall calamities as are in our dayes which if we redresse not lette vs neuer looke for better state The last thing in this treatise is how Paule is sent into the Citie to Ananias of whome he requireth more fully to be instructed The causes of this precept or doing we haue declared before where ye may loke for the same It becommeth vs to follow the example of Paule that framing our selues according to Gods calling we turne from superstition and other sinnes vnto God and hang wholy vpon his mouth and word fashioning our life and conuersation according to his will. For so after we haue happily ended this life we shall be coheires in heauen with Iesus Christe the sonne of the euer liuing God to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxliij Homelie ANd one Ananias a perfecte man and as pertaining to the lawe hauing good reporte of all the Iewes which there dwelt came vnto mee and stoode and said vnto me brother Saule receiue thy light And the same houre I receiued my sight and sawe him And he saide the God of our fathers hath ordained thee before ▪ that thou shouldest knowe his will and shouldest heare the voice of his mouth For thou shalt be his witnesse vnto all men of those things which thou hast seene and heard And nowe why tarriest thou Arise and be baptised and wash away thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. BIcause all chaunge of religion is odious as arguing a light and inconstant minde therefore Paule so diligently excuseth his leauing the Iewes religion And first he declareth that he behaued himselfe therein with great zeale least any should thinke he were fallen away of ignorance and lack of knowledge or of hatred of discipline or of leuitie and inconstantnesse And he beginneth the Historie of his vocation in suche sorte as it may appeare that he was not onely called by God but also constrained And now he addeth hereunto how he was ordained vnto the office of an Apostle by the ministery of Ananias ▪ who was appointed of God to be the interpreter of this heauenly oracle and vision The principall vse of this place is to answere them which suspected the storie of his vocation and saide that Paule was deceiued by a vaine fantasie and delusion He beginneth in commodious wise with the description of Ananias lest any man might thinke he had giuen credit to any slender or light person of no estimation And for bicause the Iewes would not haue admitted the testimonie of any that had forsaken his religion he first and formoste commendeth him for a diligent obseruer and follower of the lawe where he saithe he is a godly man according to the lawe Unto this commendation he ioyneth the publike testimonie of al the Iewes dwelling at that time at Damascus Beesides this hee declareth howe his sight was restored to him againe the cheefe vse wherof it seemeth God would haue to be this that Paule mighte knowe that Ananias was sent vnto him of god For who woulde accuse him of vanitie which beeing admonished by heauenly Oracle yea beeing vtterly amased and following such an expounder of the Oracle had altered his religion And Paules example teacheth vs that of all things we must flee leuitie in religion that wee rashly beleeue not euery one For as in religion consisteth the summe of our saluation so it appeareth there haue bene in all ages deceiuers whiche haue layde snares to entrappe the mindes of the simple And both Chryste and the Apostles abundauntly teache vs that suche should arise in the Church after them Therefore the suggestions of the men of our dayes is to bee lamented which in the most cleare light of the Gospell beleeue euery spirite contrary to the bydding of Iohn the Apostle yea they take them to be the true followers of the Apostles which with scoffery and tauntes can quippe the Ecclesiastical Ministers and Magistrates in secrete wheras them selues in the meane season are neither learned nor honest Agayne let vs marke what the true commendation of a Minister is and of all that beare any publike office The first thing is godlynesse ordered and directed after the lawe of God that is according to Gods appoyntment For it is not ynough onely to be godly but wee must frame the same according to Gods worde Otherwise it shall be a zeale without knowledge suche as the Iewes and Paule sometime were deceiued with Agayne they must haue a good testimonie of them amongst whom they dwell and also of others abroade that the Gospell bee not euill spoken of for their sake See Paule touching this poynt in the first to Timothe the third chapter Unto this must be ioyned a lawful vocation or calling which thing if they feele not in them selues they shall neither boldly nor profitably discharge their duetie But it is euident that the Prophets and Apostles to whom we haue giuen credite were suche For they following the worde of God in all thing haue not swarued one nayles breadth from the same And such was their integritie of life that to this day the Turkes and Papistes reuerence their name
here is declared a newe enterprise of the Iewes attempted to oppresse Paule by For when Festus was gon to Ierusalem to take an othe of allegeance of the Citizens and inhabitants there by and by the Priests and men of aucthoritie came vnto him and accuse Paule whome Felix had left in prison desiring the newe President of his fauoure that he mighte be brought to Ierusalem to be iudged and that they might procede against him according to the law of their Countrey But in the meane season they were purposed priuily to waite him by the way and to kill him In this place may be sene how vnquiet in minde the wicked are after they be once inâ—lamed with hatred of the truthe For where alwayes their naughtie workes are disclosed by the light thereof it can not be that they can easily lay away the hatred once conceiued But rather they boile and frothe in their mindes like the raging sea busily watching euery small occasion wherby to extinguish the light of that truth which they so hate And coÌ„monly the force of this hatred is suche that without any regarde many times to their priuate auailes they only seke and desire how to make the ministers of the truth out of the way whose doctrin they perceiue so vexeth and fretteth them Both these things may be seene in this present example For we haue heard howe Paule was in prison whole two yeares Howbeit neither the continuance of time neither the miserable state of captiuitie could assuage their mindes for they could bear with any thing better than with the doctrine of the truth Wherfore they narowly watch euery little occasion spare neither for pains nor cost to bring their desire at length to passe First therfore they begin to make their requests and petition vnto the newe President against Paule which they oughte to haue made rather in the behalfe of their common weale and to haue besought him of his frendship towards all meÌ„ in general But they thought by this meane to preiudice Paule that the President might conceiue he was some publike enimie of his whole nation and couÌ„try considering they labored so earnestly to haue him punished And we must not think that hatred of the truthe had so great force in these men onely For it is the common guise of all that are vngodly that if they might haue their wish neuer so much yet nothing is more deare vnto them than to haue the liues of them who they know wil withstaÌ„d their impietie and naughtinesse Heereunto belongeth that that the Euangelists wryte of Herodias which when she heard how Herode had offered hir daughter the one halfe of his kingdom yet she required but only the heade of Iohn to be giuen hir bicause as long as he liued and preached she thought hir raigne shuld not only be vnpleasant but all hir life also Many things of like sort might be reported and examples euen of our dayes but bicause they are euery where to be sene therfore we think good to passe theÌ„ ouer Let vs rather marke the vse of these things which is that we trust not ouer sone those which haue once conspired against the truthe For although they can sometimes trimly dissemble and colour their hatred against the truth yet the poison therof lieth hiddeÌ„ depe in their brests assone as occasion serueth wil burst forth with might and main And in these persons hath that saying of the Prophet chefely place pronouncing that the hart of man is froward vnsearchable Again here appeareth what the weapons of the vngodly are First they counterfet a countenaÌ„ce of law and equity in that they require to haue him brought to Ierusalem to be iudged which might seeme an honest and iust request both bicause all the businesse began there first and also for that it seemed not reason that they which were so many in number and aucthoritie shuld be at so great charges and take such pain to iourney so farre for one mannes sake But in the meane season vnder this faire face of equitie they cloke an horrible and bloudy meaning as was euen nowe declared Lette vs learne by this place to iudge of those men which now adayes doe the like wherof a man may euery where finde more than are profitable in a Christian common weale Uerily Christe saith that these men fight with the power of darkenesse and therefore are the ministers of the Deuil which was a lier and murtherer from the beginning And Paule prophecied that Antichrist should raigne cheefely through lying and open force Therfore as many as resist the truth and the ministers therof with violent and trecherous sleights it is euident that they fight for the deuil vnder the standerd of Antichrist with whom except they repent in time they shal hereafter receiue the pay and wages of eternall damnation Moreouer let vs see how God disapointed the bloudy deuises of his ennemies For it was his woorking that Festus consented not to the desire petition of the Iewes whose request yet as shal appeare hereafter he made no small account of And surely there were great causes that might haue moued him to yeld vnto the Iewes For he might both iustly haue suspected Paule whome Felix going out of his office had left in prison and it seemed that the request which the cheefe of the Iewes made was not to be reiected and againe he might appeare but slenderly witted if in the beginning of his gouernement he would procure him the hatred of a whole nation for one mannes sake and he a prisonner and of no reputation But through the secrete inspiration God it commeth to passe that Festus had more regarde of iustice and of the Romaine lawes than of the Iewes nation Wherefore he thinketh good to keepe Paule at Caesarea still yet permitting the Iewes according to order of lawe to proceede against him It pleased God to teache all them that be in office or aucthoritie by the example of this Gentile what they haue to doe in like case verily to commit nothing either for fauoure of men or respect of priuate commoditie but to folowe equitie and lawe which if it be not kept it is impossible that common weales can continue in safetie Therefore lette Christian Kings and Princes be ashamed both of their lightnesse and vnrighteousnesse which now a dayes commonly condemne the maintainers of Euangelical truth and faith without hearing for the Popes and Bishops pleasure yea bicause they would seeme very religious they giue them all power against the faithful of Christ so coÌ„mitting the sheepe vnto the Wolues They shal one day feele to their great smart what they doe when bothe the bloudie Popes shall be punished and Christ our iudge shall require at the handes of the Kings his people committed vnto their charge But heere haue we cheefely to consider God the aucthoure of all these things whose woorking wee euen nowe saide all this was For where hee had said Paule should beare
witnesse of Christe at Rome also before the Emperoure hee woulde also perfourme his promisses whose counselles seeing no subtilitie of manne is able to preuente it was easie for him to disappointe the enterprise of the Iewes And where he hathe power ouer the hearts of menne also hee nowe planteth suche a will in Festus that hee prouideth rather for Paules commoditie than for the Iewes And afterward when he would haue gratified the Iewes he stoppeth him by an other meane from dooing the same Heere may we take singular consolation considering we see that wicked men and such as daunce after the worldes pipe are subiect vnto the commaundement of God so that he hath full power and aucthoritie both vpon their bodies and minds Why therfore are we afraid of their councels and deuises why feare we their power why put we not our trust rather in God which is able to putte in their hearts new willes or else mightily to binde their handes But lette vs returne vnto the Iewes who according to the Presidentes commaundement goe againe vnto Caesarea and make a greeuous complaint and accusation against Paule in the description whereof Luke is the shorter for that they were for the most part such things as had bene many times before obiected vnto him Heere we haue to consider the Iewes the complainants who first stande round about Paule being brought into the place of iudgement which was a thing contrary to the common order in iudgements euen to dismaye him with their outwarde shewe and with their aucthoritie to moue Festus This done they bring out againe the olde pointes of their former accusation as may appeare by Paules answere But it seemeth they cheefely vrged the crime of sedition as though therby he had committed treason against Caesar. But although they lay many things to his charge they were yet able to proue nothing Paule so pleading his cause that it appeared manifestly to all men that he had offended in nothing either against the law of God either against the Temple and seruice either against Caesar. And what arguments were brought on bothe sides any man may easily gather by the accusations aforesaide Heere may we see what impudencie and boldnesse is in the ennimies of truthe For what could they more impudently haue done than againe to lay to Paules charge without profe or testimonie those things whervnto Paule before had oftentimes answered Yet where they wanted both argumentes and witnesses they compasse Paule about so boldly as if their aucthoritie only ought to haue preuailed in a matter of life death This is the guise of the wicked that they will be satisfied with no kinde of answeres but alwayes recourse to their olde slaunders This we finde true in these dayes where our aduersaries being conuinced with so many arguments yea now with so many yeares experience yet they impudently lay to our charge the crimes of seduction seditiō blasphemie and infinite suche like For why should they be ashamed to lie before men who are not ashamed to speake against God but in Paules answere this is worthy to be obserued that he denieth he hathe any wayes offended against Caesar yet preached he that Christe was God and procured the people vnder the Romaine Empire to take vnto them a new faith which thing Tertullian declareth was vnlawfull for any man to do by the Romaine lawes How can Paule therfore say he offended not against Caesar Heere we must know O brethren that religion is subiect neither to Caesar nor yet to any other Magistrate so that they at their pleasure may decree what they will therin For it belōgeth vnto God and according to his word and appointment it must be ordered And as Christ commaundeth to giue vnto Caesar that thing that belongeth vnto him so wil he haue reserued for God also that that is due vnto him Wherfore he offendeth not against the Magistrate which without purpose of raising any tumult defendeth the true honor of God although the Magistrate forbiddeth the same For when such Magistrates passe their bounds and wil encroche vpon Gods kingdome they are not to be hearde But rather Peters rule muste take place which teacheth vs that God be must be obeyed rather than men Heere hast thou what to answere to those which crye out that we seditiously bring vp many things contrary to the proclamations of Emperours and say that in matters of religion we must simplie obey our Princes Whose saying if it may preuaile then not we only but also all the Prophets and Christ and his Apostles with them shal be condemned who it is euident preached the word of God beat downe superstition and planted true faith contrary to the commaundements of Magistrates and rulers There is no cause therfore why we should regard these slaunders but let vs rather with a cleare conscience holde on in the true faithe and with a pure minde serue our sauioure Iesus Christ To whom be praise honoure power and glory for euer Amen The Clvij Homelie FEstus willing to do the Iewes a pleasure answered Paule and saide wilt thou goe vp to Hierusalem and there be iudged of these things before me Then saide Paule I stande at Caesars iudgement seat where I ought to be iudged To the Iewes haue I no harme done as thou very wel knowest If I haue hurt them or committed any thing worthy of deathe I refuse not to die If none of these things are wherof they accuse me no man may deliuer me to them I appeale vnto Caesar. Then spake Festus with deliberation Thou hast appealed vnto Caesar vnto Caesar shalt thou goe WHere Paule the Apostle speaking of his afflictions vnto the Corinthians saithe he was made a gasing stocke vnto the world and vnto angels and vnto men that same may cheefely be perceiued by the things which chaunced vnto him in his last captiuitie or imprisonment For now had he bene foure times presented in iudgement to pleade for his life First before the people at Ierusalem vpon the staires going vp to the castle secondly before the coūsel of the priests And thirdly before Felix the President After which foloweth this newe arainment before Festus the new President Euery one of them were notable by reason of the great dāgers that fel out in them as we haue seene in their places all which dangers he yet escaped through the help of god These things teach vs what power God suffereth the wicked to haue vpon his elect whom he yet deliuereth with a mightie hand out of all their tribulations bicause of their faith Wherefore we must not be offended if we haue the like happen vnto vs also And this is the chefe vse of this place where we are taught how Paule escaped this new daunger where of the President himselfe was the author bicause no man should thinke that hee was heeretofore deliuered rather by the benefite of men and power of the Presidentes than by the fauor of god Let vs therfore consider eche thing in