or religion in the lyke case For he separateth them farre from things chaunceing by casualtie and putteth them vnder the gouernance of Gods prouidence saying The lottes are cast into the lap but the ordering thereof standeth all in the Lorde But Ioseph is pretermitted or put backe and Matthie appoynted to succeede Iudas in the roume of an Apostle But as farre as maye be gathered by this place Ioseph to mans iudgement seemed the meeter and better man who beside the surname of Barsabas which signifieth the sonne of an othe that is to saye one most faythfull and true of his worde was also called Iustus And as touching Matthias there is nothing mentioned in the Scripture beside his bare name Yet he in the iudgement of God is preferred before the other This thing serueth both for our instruction and consolation For it teacheth vs not to be prowde of the iudgement of men and of the great estimation they haue vs in For as men maye be deceyued in their iudgements so they oftentimes chaunge their iudgements as they see mens fortune vseth to chaunge And there are examples in all Nations which teach vs that they haue bene throwne into extreeme ignominie which not long before that many headded beast the people extolled aboue the starres Let vs therefore seeke to stande vpright in Gods iudgement who as he cannot be deceyued so whome he once fauoureth hee neuer casteth of if that they continue in their dutie Againe this example comforteth vs when we see our selues charged with the vniust preiudices of men or rather altogither reiected For then we must not thinke that therfore God also contemneth vs forasmuch as he dependeth not vpon mans authoritie but many times chooseth the despisedst among men to the weyghtiest and greatest affayres to th ende that all glory may be giuen to him and that no flesh should eralt it selfe in his sight See 1. Cor. 1. Moreouer we must not pretermit to consider in this place how neither Ioseph nor yet those that fauoured him murmured or grutched when they hearde Matthie admitted by the Lorde Neyther is it lyke that Ioseph was discouraged therefore forasmuch as he knewe there were diuers other states and callings wherein he might declare his obedience and seruice vnto god Let vs folowe the example of so great modestie and being content with our estate let vs not couet to climbe any higher least we rashlye accuse the iudgement of God and whyle we thinke our selues worthye of greater honor be founde vnworthye of that place that God hath set vs in There be many implements in a well stored house and also great diuersitie among the same The chiefe roume the Apostles are worthy of which they obtayned through the meere fauour of god They continued in the same roume and place with constant faith contemnyng themselues lyuyng innocently and charitably whose steps whosoeuer will followe they shall liue an immortall and blessed life with them in Christ Iesus our sauiour to whom be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The seconde chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The tenth Homelie WHEN the fyftie dayes were come to an ende they were all with one accorde togither in one place And sodeinly there came a sounde from heauen as it had bene the comming of a mighty winde and it filled all the house where they sate And there appeared vnto them clouen tongues lyke as they had bene of fire And it sate vpon eche one of them And they were al filled with the holy Ghost AMongst the promises wherewith our Sauiour Iesus Christ vseth oftentimes to comfort his Apostles there is none more often repeated than that promise touching the sending of the holy ghost For where he sayth they should be faine to pleade their causes before Princes and Rulers he putteth all feare out of theyr myndes in that he sayth they should haue the holy ghost to counsell them who should furnishe them with Argumentes and all kinde of vtteraunce And when he was neere vnto his death he iterateth the same promise of his spirite three or foure times which he sayth should be vnto them a Comforter a Counceller and a guide in all they should go about Finally when he was risen from death he both admonisheth them againe of his promise and commaundeth them to wayte for the same holye Ghost at Hierusalem And this so diligent a repetition of his promise must not bee thought superfluous For it serued both for the instruction of the Apostles least eyther they should runne vnprepared to the function of so high an office or else through feare of daunger should be dismayde or discouraged And it is very profitable for vs in these dayes for we may gather hereof that the Apostles doctrine is inspired from God and may not without manifest impietie be dispised But least any obscuritie or ambiguitie of so great a matter might remaine it behooued that the spirite so often promised should not come into the mindes of the Apostles by any secrete maner of inspiration but visiblie and not without publike miracle Which thing Luke sheweth both was done and howe it was done in this place he declareth diligentlye and wyth great perspicuitie It is an Hystorie verie worthie whose circumstances euerie one should be throughly considered Before we enter into the Euangelistes wordes something must be sayde touching the holy ghost that we may well vnderstand what the Apostles receyued First we must not imagine that before this tyme eyther there was no holy ghost or that the Apostles were wholy destitute of him For that he is from euerlasting of the same substaunce that God is it is plaine by manye testimonies of the olde Testament Dauid verily confesseth that all the hostes of heauen were made by the breath of the Lordes mouth And Peter teacheth vs that the Prophetes in tymes past were inspired with the spirite of Christ by reuelation of which spirit they prophecied long before both the afflictions that Christ should suffer and also the glorie that he should haue Also the Archangell Gabriel promiseth that Marie the Uirgin should conceyue and bring foorth through the operation of the holye ghost As touching the Apostles there is no man will affirme that is in his wittes that they vtterlye lacked the spirite of God vntill this day of Pentecost For although their weaknesse and imperfection was great yet they both knewe Iesus Christ and plainly confessed that he was the promised Sauiour of mankinde which thing as Christ testifieth they coulde not doe without the reuelation of the holye ghost Neyther must we expounde thys Hystorie of the substaunce of the holy spirite as though the thirde person in Trinitie as auncient writers call it had come downe and bene inclosed in the mindes of the Apostles For this person can be contayned in no one place but which is a sure and certain note of Godheade entereth through all things and filleth all places both in heauen and in earth
way by the most cruell death of the crosse Thus you haue not only fulfilled the measure of your fathers but farre exceeded theÌ„ And as these things were not spoken by Steuen without the secret working of Gods holy spirite so must we thinke it was not without the will of God that the same thinges were written and left vnto posteritie For they teache vs howe we should deale with them which glory in the vertues of their ancestors and in the title of lawful succession and beguile the simple people with the authoritie they chalenge to themselues In which number we now adayes see the Bishops of Rome are who notwithstanding they persecute the doctrine of the Apostles with fire and sworde infecting the whole worlde with the example of a most abhominable and corrupt lyfe and turne true religion into lucre and gayne yet they vaunt themselues to be Christes Uicares the successours of Peter and Paule and constantly affirme that the Churche of Rome cannot erre And with their fleightes it is manifest that the worlde hath bene deceiued these great many yeares Therfore this visure must be pulled of from their faces and the faythfull ministers of the churche must not suffer that great Asse disguised in a Lions skinne to iet vp and downe and fraye the consciences of simple people any longer And they are not in this behalfe to be heard which would not haue these thinges talked so but prescribe vs rules of modestie meekenesse For where the glory of Christ is assaulted and the saluation of the soule imperilled there remayneth no place for feare or meekenesse This thing Christ well perceyued whome I thinke no man will finde fault with about his modesty and meekenesse And he thought it good to beate downe the false Byshops with all kynde of seueritie rather than by cowardly or preposterous lenitie Whose example both Steuen and the other Apostles most rightlye followed But before we let this peece passe you shall note that the Prophetes were foreshewers of christ This thing Christ himselfe confesseth And Peter attributeth to them the â—ame thing This maketh for the certaintie and dignitie of our faith that we thinke it not a thing either newly inuented or an vncertaine perswasion of a small number of persons Steuen goeth on with his purpose and taketh from them the vayne affiaunce of the lawe which seemed to be the chiefe thing amongst Gods benefites Dauid testifying that god shewed to no Nation the like declaration of his goodnesse He confesseth this was giuen them by ministery of Aungels by whose presence God thought good to shewe vnto them the glorye of his maiestie But he sheweth that the glory which they sought therin was but vayne bicause they were neuer obedient therevnto For they being ouercome with the desire of sinne neglected the lawe and wickedlye persecuted Christ to whome the law brought them Whereupon we gather that that glory also is in vayne which we haue in the word of God and doctrine of the Gospell vnlesse we expresse in our lyues the thinges prescribed by them For Blessed saith Christ are they that heare the worde of God and keepe it And in an other place he putteth from him and refuseth the workers of iniquitie whiche neglect the will of his father In the consideration wherof we now a dayes ought diligently to meditate For if the transgressors of Moses lawe were grieuously punished what shall come vnto them whiche wickedly contempne the woorde of the Gospell deliuered to vs by Christ Surely Christ sayeth they shall be more grieuously punished than those of Sodome and Gomorrhe And this is the most graue and iust defence of Steuen the first Martyr which as it ought to haue bene of great force and weight with the godly so with the professed enemies of Christ it lacked not only successe but also did exâ—sperate their myndes as with a sharpe goade of greater vngodlinesse For Luke writeth that when they had hearde this their heartes claue a sunder and they gnashed on him with their teeth The cleauing of heartes signifieth the sorrow of an heart boyling in rage and fury wherwith they were cruelly set on fire For their yre was so great that they could not hide it no not in the place appointed euer for Iustice and Gods religion Now the gnashing of teeth testified they were become like vnto madde dogges Hereby is expressed the propertie of the wicked who the more they are vrged with the word of God the more intollerably they scorne rage and are inflamed against them whome God hath appointed preachers of his worde So we reade that Caine was the more incensed by Gods speaking and admonition And there are infinite examples of these men the which it is not needefull to rehearse bicause we see the like euery day Let vs learne that this is an infallible token of extreme vngodlinesse For what good can a man hope for of him who is not the better but the woorse for the word of God Let vs therfore subdue this affection assoone as we feele our selues touched or mooued therwith In the meane season let vs learne that the ministers of the worde must not therefore holde their peace bicause the vngodly are incensed with their reprehension For Paule commaundeth them to be instant both in season and out of season And let no man be offended though he preuayle nothing by his saying among them For albeit there ensue no other effect of the worde yet the faithfull minister therof shall at least deliuer his owne soule And in the meane while there shall not want electe seruauntes of Christe who shall be instructed by that that is preached to the wicked for a testimony of iust condemnation God the father of mercy graunt that we may duely heare the Oracles of his worde and that wee being transformed into the same may no maner of way displease his Maiestie through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lv. Homelie BVT he being full of the holye Ghost looked vp stedfastly with his eyes into heauen and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing on the right hand of God and sayde Behold I see the heauens open and the sonne of man standing on the right hand of god Then they gaue a showt with a lowde voyce and stopped their eares and ranne vpon him all at ones and cast out of the Citie and stoned him And the witnesse layde downe their clothes at a younge mannes seete whose name was Saule And they stoned Steuen calling on and saying Lord Iesu receyue my spirite And he kneeled downe and cryed with a lowde voyce Lorde laye not this sinne to their charge And when he had thus spoken he fell on sleepe ALthough the worde of GOD be both fruitefull and wholsome yet it bringeth forth fruite but in them only which heare the same with mindes rightly framed and disposed But it so little profiteth the wicked that
of the things done by Paule at Ephesus beginneth to tell fyrst howe he brought certaine persons to frame that vaunted themselues of the gospell but were not throughly instructed therein and howe he adourned that church with the giftes of the holye ghost Which hystorie as it serueth much to our instruction so is it for this cause dyligently to be considered bycause dyuers men in times past haue contended by authoritie of this place to baptise those againe which before had bene baptised by Heretiques At this day also the Anabaptistes abuse the same a verie frowarde and phrentike kinde of persons keeping infantes from their baptisme and affirming that none ought to be baptised but such as are of yeares of discretion and well infourmed in the principles and knowledge of Christ. But that both these and the olde wryters were deceyued it shall easily appeare by the text it selfe whereby it shall be prooued that Paule ment nothing lesse in this dooing than that which they go about to gather thereof For fyrst it is sayd Paule went about to examine certaine disciples which he met withal after he came again to Ephesus But it is not lykely that these and no more had professed Christ bicause we may gather a greater vtilitie of the gospell among the Ephesians by that we heard in the ende of the .xviij. chapiter Nowe that Paule taketh these to examine rather then any other this seemeth to be the cause for that they liued not agreeably to the profession of christian men For it is like it hapned at Ephesus as it doth commonly in euery place when the truth is fyrst preached but the discipline of the church not fully established For then we shall see many which will professe to be gospellers more for hatred of the olde state then for loue of the truth bicause they would vnder a cloke of the gospell liue the more licentiously Bycause Paule perceyued that these were such a kinde of people to the intent they might be brought to better conformitie and passe and not perishe like those that receyued the seede of the gospell into a stonie grounde Paule beginneth to examine them of their beliefe and so to laye before their eyes howe farre they were as yet from the marke of perfection He demaundeth therefore if they had receyued the holy ghost This question must be vnderstanded of the giftes of the holye ghost which God at that time vsed to giue to the faithfull that is to say the knowledge of tongues and exposition of the scripture whereof we haue already manye times intreated This place teacheth vs howe to know true christians from false and counterfeyte For although those speciall giftes of the holye ghost which were sometime miraculously giuen be at this day ceassed yet the promise of Iesus Christ remayneth fyrme which promised his spirite to those that were his And as Paule elsewhere sayth they that haue not the spirite of Christ can not be his members And the other effectes of Gods holye spirite are as necessary at this daye as the vnderstanding of tongues and interpretation of scripture was in time passed namely the mortifycation of the olde man the regeneration and innouation of our minde purifycation sanctifycation and such other like As many therefore as lacke all these things it is certaine they boast in vaine of the faith name of Christ except we shall say that the spirite of Christ is an ydle and sluggishe spirite But let vs heare the aunswere of them whome Paule examineth in which they vtter a very grosse and barbarous ignoraunce saying No we haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no. But howe were they ignoraunt of the holy ghost which had heard so often mention of him in the lawe and in the Prophets For it is out of doubt they were Iewes bicause they were baptized with the baptisme of Iohn Were they ignoraunt then of that saying of Moses which in the beginning of his hystorie wryteth that the spirite of God mooued vpon the waters Or else had they neuer heard that saying of Dauid by the worde of the Lorde were the heauens made and all the hostes of them by the breath of his mouth Againe take not thy holye spirite from me Besides they might haue knowne the voyce of the Messias speaking by the Prophet the spirite of the Lorde God is vpon me c. How is it therefore that they say they haue not heard whether there be any holy ghost or no The aunswere is easie For as Paule demaunded of the effectes of the holy ghost so they make aunswere concerning the same as if they should say we being content with those things which we haue heretofore learned seeke no farther neyther care we whether there be any holye ghost or no which worketh such peculiar giftes in mens mindes bicause we thinke the knowledge hereof to high for vs and not to appertaine to vs So these men be an example of carnall people which professe the truth with their mouth but haue denyed the power thereof as Paule sayth and in deede refuse that which with mouth they confesse 2 Timoth. 3. Tit. 1. A great number of these are euery where to be founde who being perswaded that the bare name of Christ is sufficient vnto blisse doe little regarde the giftes of the holy ghost namely the mortifycation of the fleshe the renewing of the minde regeneration sanctification and such lyke And through these mens faulte it commeth to passe for the most part that the doctrine of the gospell is so yll spoken of in the worlde Therefore such must not be suffered but be reprooued and their dissimulation must be disclosed that both they may vnderstande their errour and other be the lesse offended So doth Paule in this place For he gathereth nerer vpon them vrgeth them to confesse that they were not come to the christian perfection For he sayth In whose name then were you baptized That is to say what professed you when you fyrst receyued the Gospell and ioyned your selues to the Church of Christ They aunswere they were baptised with the baptisme of Iohn and so they testifye that they professed that doctrine religion wherof Iohn was a Minister and teacher and therby they plainly shewe they care little for any other than that Nowe Paule here catcheth them and holdeth them fast and inferreth Iohn sayth he baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying to the people that they shoulde beleeue on him that was to come after him that is in Iesus Christ hereby teaching that Iohn requyred a farre other thing of his Disciples than a bare profession of his name and of the Gospell For fyrst he appoynted repentaunce wherevnto with great earnestnesse he exhorted all degrees of persons as appeaâ—eth Luc. 3. Neyther requyreth he onely repentaunce but sheweth also remission of sinnes preaching Iesus Christ whose forerunner he was appoynted of God to be He taught men to embrace him by true fayth to
translated diuers other treatises also out of Gréeke into Latine as Didimus worke touching the deitie of the holy ghost Epiphanius bishop of Cyprus Epistle to Iohn the Patriarch of Ierusalem and diuers other such And bicause none shall saye what maketh this for the translating of the Bible into other more vulgar tongues as into the Englishe c. For they can well admit the Hebrewe Gréeke and Latine tongues and any other that the people vnderstande not therefore S. Hierome translated the Bible into the Sclauonian tongue that is to say into his owne natiue countrie tongue We haue therefore antiquitie ynough on our side for proofe of our diuers translations Neyther did he euer feare or make account of such inconueniences as these new Diuines pretende spring of such translations or any thing regarded the sharpe censure and checks of diuers Comptrollers that founde fault with his doings but helde on and continued to the ende translating wryting and endyting sending his bookes onewhile to virgins one other whyle to married women sometime to widowes but euer to one kinde of person or other being still exercised and occupied in such doinges And I marueyle why these men should be so offended that euery Nation shoulde haue the scriptures in their owne tongue séeing in some places of their writings they make the holy ghost the author of this opinion and iudgement Doth not Aeneas Syluius which was afterwarde Pope and called Pius secundus tell vs that when about the yeare of our Lord .900 there fell a great contention at Rome whether the Hungarians shoulde haue their seruice in their owne tongue yea or no that there was a voyce hearde from heauen saying Let euery thing that hath breath prayse the Lord and euery tongue giue thankes vnto his holy name Whervpon sayth this Aeneas the Councell brake vp and the contention surceased So that by this storye whosoeuer denyeth Gods people Gods seruice in their owne proper tongue resist Gods ordinance and commaundement These men count it a great absurditie that a woman a childe or an artificer shoulde talke of the Gospell or of the Scripture And yet many times we may heare women children and artificers vnderstande more of Gods holy mysteries than a number of some ruddy Rabbines that notwithstanding looke very high and lofty Moses was not of this minde and opinion For when Iehosuah his seruant would haue had him to forbid Heldad and Medad from prophecying he aunswered woulde God that all the Lordes people coulde prophecie and that he woulde giue his spirite vnto them all Christ commaundeth little children to be suffred to come vnto him and not to be forbidden But who maye not more iustly thinke it a greater absurditie to heare women children and artificers patter their Pater noster in a tongue that they so little vnderstande that Cardinall Ascanius Parot at Rome was as wise as they Yea the Crowe that saluted Augustus coulde saye his Aue Caesar better than they coulde their Aue Maria. And surely if the newe Diuines godly intention may not in this case helpe at a pinch they may also saye and say truly as an other Crowe did at another time we haue lost all our labour So little doth God allowe such godly intention For he biddeth we shoulde not be like Horse and Mule in whome there is none vnderstanding Then séeing we haue the Scriptures aswell of the olde Testament as the newe so full and whole on our side séeing Christ commaundeth vs to search the Scriptures séeing S. Paule sayth they are written for our learning and instruction séeing we haue thexample of the Primitiue Church permitting all men to haue and reade the Scriptures in all tongues séeing we haue so many translations of the Scriptures I meane of olde tyme I speake not of those in the Englishe tongue in Ethelstanes dayes and in the Saxons tongue ne yet of that gift of tongues giuen to the Apostles to the intent that all Nations might heare the great workes of God in their owne language séeing there is nothing in the Scriptures eyther threatened or promised but it appertayneth to all men in all ages nothing done by Christ of olde but the same in one respect or other is dailye done For Christ is newly borne among vs euen at this day There are Herodes that goe about to murther him in his Cradle euen at this day He notwithstanding groweth in fauour with God and men euen at this day He healeth all maner of maladies Leprouse Demoniacks Dumbe Blinde Deafe Dropsies Palsies bloudy Fluxes at this day so that we say sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs and Lord if thou wilt thou canst make vs whole Yea he rayseth men from death to life againe by the power of his worde euen at this daye He teacheth threatneth promiseth comforteth euen at this day There are Iewes which will not suffer their vayled Moses to yéelde to his brightnesse in these dayes He hath Scribes Phariseys and Sadduceyes that lye in wayte to catch and entangle him in his talke euen nowe a dayes also He hath more than one Annas and Caiphas to buye and more than one Iscarioth to sell him at this daye Herode Pylate and their Crewes want not to mocke whip and crucifie him yea to kéepe him downe also in his graue that he rise not againe euen at this day And yet all this notwithstanding he hath still also at this day his little flocke that doth and will depende vpon him saying Lorde to whome shall we go Thou hast the wordes of eternall life Therefore whatsoeuer the newe Diuines say to the contrary let vs still reade the Scriptures and sticke to that olde Diuinitie But bicause many men are ledde not so much eyther with reason or testimonies of Scriptures as with authoritie of Doctors to fulfill my promise and somedeale to satisfye if happily it may be their preposterous zeale and peruerse iudgement I will shewe also that the best and soundest of the olde Doctors haue alwayes bene of this opinion that all people at all times ought to haue the scriptures in their owne tongue And if any man as delighting in a worke of supererrogation that is to say for a man to doe more than he hath bounde himselfe to or néedeth shall require so much I will also by the olde Doctors aunswere the obiections of such as thinke the scriptures ought not to bee read of all men bicause of the difficultie of them and that varietie of translations cause and bréede errors And first we will begin with the Doctors of the Latine Church not for worthynesse eyther of life or learning that hath bene at anye time in them more than in the Gréekes For verily the Gréekes are able to shew as many worthy writers of their Church as the Latines can by any meanes if I say not more but bicause perhaps some Romanist or Latine man may hit vpon this writing which if he be partially affected toward the Latine Doctors
dwelling of the Saintes sheweth vs Christ saying Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour euen the Lorde Iesus Christ. Doth he not here appoynt the same place vnto Christ into the which our bodies shall once be receiued To this is to be ioyned the describing of the maner and order of the resurrection to come where he sayeth The Lorde himselfe shall come downe from heauen with the noyse and voyce of an Archaungell and trumpe of God and the deade in Christ shall first aryse and then wee that be on lyue which shall remayne shall be taken with them in the Clowdes to meete the Lorde and so shall we alwayes be with him He sayth that Christ the Lorde shall come yea descende from heauen and that it might appeare of what heauen he meaneth he sayth that we shall be taken in the Clowdes to meete Christ in the aire Therfore all these things are to be vnderstanded of some higher place in heauen where both Christ sitteth and raigneth in his body and into the which all the elect shall hereafter be translated Howbeit Luke is most diligent in describing the maner of his ascention Where first he sayth that holding vp his handes into heauen he blessed the Apostles that is bade them farewell and after the common maner of men departing one from another commended them to the tuition and protection of God almightie Afterwarde they looking vpon him he was taken vp into heauen Which one thing conuinceth them of vanitie and errour which saye Christ vanished away inuisibly For if they herein saye true how was he taken vp on high the Disciples looking vpon him Or would he therefore seeme to ascende bicause he woulde haue vs beleeue he were still conuersant on the earth Herevnto is to be added the ministerye or seruice of the Clowde which as it conueyed him from the earth as in a chariot euen so it caried hym higher than mans sight coulde reach to and tooke him out of sight He vsed the Clowde as a chariot according to that saying of the Psalme which makest the Clowds thy Charet For the Clowde was both a token of heauen into the which he should ascende and also bare plaine witnesse of his heauenly and diuine maiestie Wherevnto also is to be referred the appearing of the Aungels which he would not onely haue witnesses but also ministers of his ascention For it was meete that he which vsed the seruice of Angels in his conception natiuitie temptation death and resurrection should now likewyse vse the same ministers when he woulde declare the greatest poynt of his maiestie And it serued for our profit bicause we might know the maiestie of our sauiour and that although he were absent in bodye yet that he would easily protect and defende vs by his holye spirite and ministery of Aungels whose power hath long since bene prooued by many examples to be infinite and inuincible And although these be great tokens of Christes diuine maiestie and power yet maye we receyue more comfort of the causes mouing Christ to ascende into heauen For by them appeareth the great vtilitie that commeth to vs And first it was requisite so to be bicause of our redemption and saluation which otherwise coulde not be accomplished For whereas by reason of sinne the gates of heauen were shut vp and such is the corruption of our nature that Paule sayth fleshe and bloude that is man ledde with corrupt and carnal affections cannot inherite the kingdome of God it was necessarye that the heauens shoulde be opened againe by Christ that wee might take him for our sauiour and Redeemer This did Christ most commodiously by bringing his fleshe which he tooke of the Uirgin into heauen For who perceyueth not there is a waye made for our fleshe into heauen when he heareth that Christes fleshe in all poyntes lyke vnto ours sinne only excepted is resident in heauen To saye nothing in the meane season of the permutation and chaunge here made For as Christ graffeth his spirite in our hartes to th ende it shoulde be to vs in this lyfe the earnest and pledge of our eternall saluation so againe he caried into heauen our fleshe which he tooke of the virgin Marie that we myght be certified as it were by this pledge that we one daye should in our bodyes inherite the kingdome of heauen Wherevnto Paule hauing respect writeth God which is rich in mercy through the great loue wherewith hee loued vs euen when wee were deade by reason of sinne hath quickened vs togither with Christ for by Grace are you saued and hath also raysed vs vp againe and hath also made vs sit with him in heauen And Paule speaketh not these things in vaine but hath Christ the warranter and Auctor of his saying whose Testament as it were these words following are Father I will that where I am these also whome thou hast giuen me may be with me Wherefore that strong and inuincible trust through the consideration of his ascention ought to bee in euerye mans minde that Tertullian speaketh of Be out of care or be of good cheere fleshe and bloude you haue gotten both heauen and the kingdome of God in Christ. Furthermore by Christes ascention into heauen as by a publyke triumphe we are certifyed of the victorie that he hath gotten of the Deuill For as the Princes of this worlde when they haue vanquyshed their enimies returne home agayne with triumph wherin the Captaynes of the enimies are led Captiues and their ensignes displayed all which declare the victory to be verily gotten so the sonne of God after he had made warre against the Deuill the Prince of this worlde and had vtterly subdued him woulde after this solemne pompe in the sight of his friendes go agayne into heauen that we might be assured the Deuils power was vanquished and that we were deliuered from his tiranny And to this ende Paule seemeth to alledge that saying of the .lxviij. Psalme When he was gone vp on high hee ledde captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men And in another place hee writeth He made an open showe of rule and power and triumphed ouer them in his owne person Therefore as often as the power of Satan sinne and death shall make vs afrayde so often let vs flye to Christes ascention wherein he hath giuen vs an euident signe of victorye gotten of them and hath sealed the affaires of our redemption as it were with publike and solemne triumph Thirdly the reason of Priesthoode required that Christ shoulde enter into heauen wherevnto Dauid witnesseth he was assigned saying The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech But the high Priest was woont once euerye yeare to enter into the holy place that was wythin the veyle and that not without bloude which bicause it was a figure of things it behooued Christ shoulde enter
denie it For whosoeuer hath any taste of the doctrine of the gospell shall confesse that the preaching therof beateth downe the same Neyther doth the spirite of Christ by outwarde worde onely oppugne the same but it also consecrateth the minds vnto God that they which a little while ago were the bondslaues of sinne are now become the Temples of the liuing god In the meane season we denie not but there are many which abuse the colour of the gospell to sow dissention and to plant libertie But ought the gospell to be charged therewith I pray you what wise man condemneth the Magistrate bicause diuers vnder the colour thereof haue become Tyrauntes and oppressors of the libertie of their Countrie Why doe we not rather marke the vse of the Magistrate which is appointed for that ende that the lust of priuate persons should be restrayned and violence and tyrannie be brideled Euen so let vs confesse that the right vse of the Gospell and effect of the holye ghost is onely to set vp true concorde and holly honestie of life Nay if we shall confesse the truth there is none other concorde acceptable before God than that which is amonge the faythfull in Iesus Christ which are borne againe of the worde and spirite of god Neyther can there be any other true holinesse and innocencie than that whereof Christes spirite is the Author For that holinesse which men counterfaite without his spirite is hippocriticall and is not able to abide the iudgement of God as straunge from the righteousnesse of Christ which vseth to supplie all the defectes and wantes of the faythfull Now to these aforesayde poyntes Luke ioyneth the maner of his sending which was visible both bicause the Apostles might conceyue through presence of the spirite the greater confidence and boldnesse to go about their office and also for our cause that it might appeare how Iesus Christ neuer forsaketh his Church but defendeth it by his inuisible grace which he declared by the sending of his holy spirit For hereto serueth that notable promise I will not leaue you comfortlesse And againe Beholde I am with you vntill the ende of the worlde But touching the maner howe this thing was here done three things remaine to be discussed First there was sodainly a noyse from heauen And it is not without a mysterie that these things come to passe sodainly or vnlooked for For this is alwayes Gods vsage that he then most truely performeth his promises when we least looke for them yea when there is no more helpe remayning in man So he performeth his promise in deliuering his people out of the bondage of Egypt foure hundred yeares after the Israelites were bereft of all libertie and were constrayned to beholde most horrible examples of Tyrannie in their newe borne babes and haue nothing safely to trust vnto So in this place he sendeth the holy ghost now sodainely when they least thought of it whose comming he had deferred now a .xj. daies long We are taught by these examples paciently to wayte for the promises of god For where God is truth it selfe he cannot deceiue And forasmuch as he is our Lord we his seruaunts it becommeth vs to attende his leysure and not to prescribe him any time Tarie thou the Lordes leysure sayth Dauid be stronge and he shall comfort thine heart and put thou thy trust in the Lorde And the Prophete sayth If he tarie yet wayte thou for him For in verie deede he will come and not be slacke And such a noyse and sounde came from heauen bicause wee might knowe that the holye Apostles endued with an heauenly and diuine spirite were become preachers of an heauenly and diuine doctrine and not mans the aucthoritie and credite whereof might be called in doubt This serueth to confute the foolishnesse of such as with the ritche glutton require teachers to come from an other worlde from heauen or from hell And whatsouer thinges are sayde of mans saluation and dutie they reiect with this scoffe saying there was yet neuer none that came eyther from heauen or hell to tell vs what is there to do So they disclose how theyr wicked mindes are voyde of all religion For onlesse these wicked men had vtterly put away all shamefastnesse they would know that the sonne of God came downe from heauen into fleshe and rose againe from death and most faythfully declared vnto vs the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen They would know that the holy ghost came downe from heauen and spake these things by the Apostles which they haue taught vs touching the meane of our saluation and what our dutie is But he that would require any newe kinde of learning yea though an Aungell brought it from heauen he ought not to be beleeued but accursed Secondly a certaine blast or violent winde russhing in filled all the house where the Apostles dwelt And that the spirite is signifyed by blast or winde it is no doubt bicause the very name of spirite is a borrowed speache and the diuine power is so called for that it pierceth and by his power conserueth all things And the Hebrues vse this worde Ruach which is as well vsed for the winde as for the spirite Christ woulde in this place therefore vse the token of winde to set before our eyes as it were the strength and efficacie of the holy spirite which is incomprehensible to mans capacitie and can be attayned to by no power of man It is better to here himselfe interpretate the same thing For reasoning with Nicodemus of the operation of his spirite by the which they that beleeue are borne againe he sayth The winde bloweth where it will and thou hearest the noyse thereof but knowest not whence it commeth nor whither it goeth For as the wit of man coulde not hitherto shewe vs for a certayntie the causes and begynnynges of the wynde although they haue long and much searched for the same so the operation of the holy spirite farre passeth the capacitie of man although we effectuallye feele the same in our hartes And euen as the blowyng of windes can not be let by any deuice or force of men so the spirite of Christ which worketh by the gospell feareth not the strength of men nor is not hindred therby to shew his power where and when he wyll Yea foolishe and ridiculous is the endeuour of them whosoeuer wyll striue with God to bryng the spirite and worde of God to their bent wyl holde them within boundes of them appoynted Examples hereof we haue euery where but the Apostles examples of right ought to haue the first place They were commaunded of the Lorde that they should fyll all the world with their preachyng This seemed a thing impossible to be done by simple vnlearned men despised persons Yea as many as were counted eyther of power or wisdome in the worlde withstoode them Yet the spirite of Christe by the ministerie of the
giuen vnto them so godly humilitie whether it be of men or of holy Aungels hath refused these thinges being offred them and sheweth to whome it is due Of these may be taken a sure rule wherby to iudge as well of all apparitions as doctrines For whosoeuer teacheth vs to trust in God and to serue him and to worship one God in Iesus Christ whether they be Aungels or men they ought to be taken for the holy ministers of God and we may safely beleeue them But whosoeuer teacheth vs to take the glorye of saluation from Christ and to conuey it to himselfe or to other creatures and seeketh health in mennes owne workes accursed be he yea if he were an aungell from heauen All apparitions of spirites counterfeyting the soules of men departed this life and teaching that they must be redeemed with sacrifices of Masse and such like workes are put to flight by this dart Likewise all false teachers which so abuse the simplicitie of men that they chalenge to themselfe the glory of redeeming and forgiuing of sinnes And Peter by his example condemneth the Romishe Antichristes which glory in the seate and succession of Peter of which number it is reported one sayd that there was nothing more profitable and plenteous than Christian religion For by it it came to passe that he and his like were Lordes of the world So the saying of one of them rashly vttered bewrayde the minde and opinion of them all We are also admonished by Peters wordes whome we should take for the author of all myracles Wherein men for the most part respect two things the power and holynesse of them by whose ministerie they are wrought But Peter teacheth vs that neyther of these is the cause efficient of these myracles in that he reprehendeth the Iewes bicause they thought so great a thing was wrought by the power and godlinesse of the Apostles And there want not reasons whereby to prooue Peters saying For they are called myracles that are wrought eyther against the course of nature or beside it But God only is the Lord of nature which hath giuen all power to Christ in heauen and in earth Wherfore it behooueth vs also to acknowledge him the author of all myracles For what can men doe against the order of nature which can doe nothing in the thinges wrought after the course of nature It is a naturall thing that by age mannes stature should encrease vntill he come to a iust measure and proportion and that when age commeth he shoulde waxe gray heared Now what man is there that by his carefulnesse and industry can adde one cubite to his stature or make one heare of his heade white or blacke No there is nothing here to be attributed to the holinesse of the person as though that were the chiefe cause of the myracle whereas we knowe there haue bene many holy men which coulde worke no myracles For myracles are woont to be wrought not for their sakes which doe them but most commonly for the saluation of other For the which cause God would many times vse the meane of wicked persons that nothing shoulde be attributed to the merites of men So we see Iudas numbred amongst them to whome Christ committed the preaching of the Gospell and gaue power to worke myracles And Christ sayth in an other place that many in the later day shall glory in their myracles whom he sayth he will not cast of for that they boast of a thing that is vntrue but bicause they be workers of wickednesse Therefore as myracles be not alwayes sure testimonies of the holynesse of men so neyther must they be ascribed to the holynesse of them that doe them For what can man doe contrary to nature which by reason of inwarde corruption is vnworthye of the naturall and daily benefites of God Therefore God onely is to be taken for the author of myracles of these I meane that serue for confirmation of our faith and saluation And he worketh these myracles not bicause we deserue them but for that he is carefull for our saluation For they are testimonies of the truth of his doctrine stirre vp mens mindes to the consideration of him That was also the meaning of them which were woont to be done about Saints tombes For the Lord by them ment to confirme their doctrine and to testifie their immortalitie and blisse which were cruelly tormented by the wicked persecutors of the faith that they which other wise shoulde be offended at their death might be comforted Let vs therefore hedge in and compasse all myracles with these limites that all the glory of them maye be ascribed to God alone Whosoeuer shall passe these boundes they shall eyther deceyue others being not aware with their myracles or else by others be deceyued themselues Let no man yet so take our saying as though we enuied the holye Saintes of God their honor and glory For we ascribe vnto them whatsoeuer the holy ghost in the Scriptures attributeth to them We acknowledge them while they were on the earth to haue bene singuler vesselles and instrumentes of Gods glorye and grace whose doctrine whosoeuer will be saued ought to holde with firme faith and to imitate the example of their life For we knowe that Christ hath sayde Hee that heareth you heareth me c. And we embrace this saying of Paule Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. And nowe we beleeue they are in heauen taken from all the cares labours and griefes of this worlde as the holy men testifye of Abraham and the other Patriarches in the Prophete In the meane season whatsoeuer belongeth to the gouernaunce of this worlde and to the businesse of our redemption we teache it ought to be attributed to God through Iesus christ For as in the creation of this worlde he vsed the helpe and counsell of none other so will he that none other shall be partaker with him of the glory of our redemption Wherefore let vs thinke it vnlawfull to take any thing from him or to chalenge to our selfe or any other any maner of prayse therefore But let vs constantlye trust in him and cleaue onely to him by his beloued sonne Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor glory and power for euer Amen The .xxij. Homelie THE God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Iacob the God of our fathers hath glorified his sonne Iesus whome yee deliuered and denied in the presence of Pylate when he had iudged him to be loosed But you denyed the holy and iust and desired a murtherer to be giuen you and killed the Lorde of lyfe whome God hath raysed from death of the which we are witnesses And his name through the fayth of his name hath made this man sounde And the fayth which is by him hath giuen to him this health in the presence of you all WE haue declared the first part of Peters sermon wherein he confuteth the ignorance
to bende and bring al their force to those places where the enimies stronglyest assault them Let them whome the Lorde hath appoynted gouernors and pastors of the congregation doe the like Neyther are they to be heard which thinke those things ought to be suppressed and not spoken of which offende the aduersaries in our preaching For the Lord hath appointed vs ministers of his word not maisters and iudges vpon whose determination and appointment his doctrine must depende Therfore their boldnesse is most wicked which dare take vppon them to prescribe the holye spirite which is the only gouernour of the Church and of doctrine Secondly he sheweth howe the whole Church was giuen to vnitie and concorde The multitude sayth he were of one heart and one soule The meaning is that they were all of one minde and will the ende whereof vndoubtedly was none other than the enlargement of Christes kingdome This likenesse and parilitie of will and minde bringeth forth true friendship and stable concorde For they which haue this marke before them to set forth the kingdome of Christ are nothing desirous of their priuate lucre which thing alone disturbeth all friendship It shall appeare this was a singular worke of the holy ghost if we consider that the multitude of the beleeuers in whom this concorde consent so euidently appeared were fyue thousand persons This truly is the right marke and token of the faithfull such as they are neuer without For they that acknowledge but one father in heauen are receyued into one baptisme be but one bodie vnder Christ the head and are all quickned but with one spirit of Christ it cannot be that they can be deuided among themselues Therefore Christ appointed this as a cognisaunce to knowe his by saying By this shall all men knowe that you are my Disciples if you loue one another And agayne Paule by this argument prooueth the Corinthians as yet to be carnall by reason of the enuie contention and deuision that was among them It is worthye to be considered how after they had hearde the threates and wicked attemptes of their enimies they gaue themselues so earnestly to mutuall loue and vnitie That is the very propertie of loue then most to shewe his effectes when he seeth his brethren compassed about with daunger necessitie and to haue most neede of helpe This example condemneth the guise of our daies wherin men are destitute voide of all vnity and concord We heare amongest the professors of the faith and doctrine of the Gospell the factious names of Zwinglians and Lutheranes And so farre is this emulation spred that where the one part is in daunger the other forsake their brethren and without any pittie or mercie laugh in their sleeues at them Yea many times they declare their ioye by bitter tauntes and offer the members of Christ hanging vpon the crosse vinegar mingled with gall To say nothing in the meane season of the contentions raylings vpbraydings and slaundering one of another that is among them It is to be feared therfore least while we bite one another we be bitten and destroyed one of another Who soeuer in their distresses will haue any ayde or helpe of God must first be ioyned togither in minde through charitie But least any man might thinke this ioyning of mindes stoode in bare and vaine affection he sheweth in the thirde part howe they declared the same by their deedes First he maketh mention of beneuolence and helping of the poore the exercise wherof they cannot omitte whose mindes agree togither in christ And this place is moste worthye to be considered both bicause of the Anabaptistes who as we declared before in the seconde chap. go about by this place to establish Plato his communion of all things and bicause of false gospellers which intermit all exercise of Christian contribution Therfore for the more easie vnderstanding of this Treatise we will first consider the summe of the matter then the trade and order which the faithfull obserued in this case and last of all what the fruite and effect hereof was He comprehendeth the summe hereof in fewe wordes where he sayth No man sayde ought of the things that he possessed was his owne but they had all things common Here the propertie of things is not denied bicause there is expresse mention â—â—de of possession but he expresseth the affection of minde which the faithfull had who although they possessed houses fermes and such other like yet no man was so wedded to them that he thought they were giuen to him alone but woulde haue them to serue the vse and necessitie of others also Whereby we gather that all thinges were common among them by will but not by lawe After which sort the Prouerbe sayth all things are common among friendes And in this place the true fountaine of Christian beneuolence and contribution is declared that is to say a minde which is not addict and tyed to the desire of riches but which iudgeth truly of them and the vse of them For according to Paules saying the vse of the riches of this worlde consisteth onely in meate and drinke and clothing wherein howseroume also is vnderstanded forasmuch as we be borne naked into this worlde neyther shall we carie any thing hence with vs But where the faithfull person vnderstandeth that mannes nature is suffised with few things he cannot be drowned in ouer great desire of heaping riches togither and he iudgeth not his treasure to consist in them and although he seeth they multiplie increase yet he setteth not his whole hart vpon them But vnderstanding rather that he is but a stewarde of them he laboureth to make him friendes of the vniust Mammon which may receyue him when he shall haue neede into euerlasting habitations The consideration hereof maketh the goodes of the faythfull to be common vnto other although they keepe to themselues the right of propertie The maner and order which they obserued in thys distribution maketh for the declaration of thys sense For thereof Luke sayth As many as were possessours of houses and landes solde them and brought the price of the things that were solde and layde them downe at the Apostles feete And distribution was made to euery man according as he had neede First he sayth houses and landes were solde which euery man dyd not ne yet they that did sell solde all and reserued nothing to themselues For there are dyuers examples of many which had houses of their owne and kept families which Paule not onely permytted but also as we may reade he streightly commaunded the same Therefore they solde as much as seemed requisite for the present necessitie of the Church and it was at euery mans disposition eyther to keepe or sell his owne as shall hereafter appeare by Peters wordes to Ananias Further they layde not the price or money downe for all men to take but brought it to the Apostles
ryse agayne layde handes on him and bounde him And their offence is not much lesse who when they haue once or twyse bene in daunger for the name of Christ as though nowe they had done all their dutie shunne all daungers that after may ensue and auoyde all trouble that maye betyde vs for Christes sake And yet there be that offende more grieuously than these who to keepe themselues out of daunger feare not to denye the truth But we shoulde after Paules example finish our race and course For it is not in our power to appoynt our selues an ende of our labours and traueyle but we must abide the pleasure of the Lorde who although he deferre his helpe for a season yet will he not fayle them that firmely and constantly trust in him And he is not meete for the kingdome of Christ which hauing once set his hande to the plough looketh backe agayne but he shall be safe that continueth to the ende It is chiefely to be noted how the Aungell calleth the Gospell of Iesus Christ the worde of life It is adourned with diuers other names in the Scripture For it is called the worde of grace bicause it declareth the grace of God giuen vs in christ Paule calleth it the word of reconciliation bicause of Christ who hath reconcyled God the father vnto vs He also testifieth that it is the power of god vnto saluation In another place it is called the worde of truth and saluation But this is the excellentest name where it is called the worde of lyfe which is the proper and peculiar name belonging to it For both that immortall worde liueth and raygneth for euer and giueth life to al men which vouchsafe to embrace it with true faith For it preacheth to vs Iesus Christ which only hath the words of eternall lyfe It sheweth vs and giueth vs in him all thinges necessarye for our lyfe In him we haue forgiuenesse of our sinnes satisfaction righteousnesse sanctification pryce of our redemption and whatsoeuer other lyke And this worde doth not onely regenerate vs into the sonnes of God by fayth in him but also giueth vs being nowe regenerated the spirite of adoption by whome we crye Abba father which is the infallible pledge of our saluation And for this cause the doctrine of the Gospell excelleth all the wisedome of the world bicause it is the guide of eternall lyfe where the professours of other sciences cannot safely promise vs the safety of this present life Therfore it is truly compared to a most precious pearle and to an incomparable treasure for whose cause all men that desire true saluation ought willingly to lose and bestowe all their goodes Agayne bicause for Christes sake who is lyfe and saluation the Gospell is adourned with so singuler a title all those doctrines ought to be reputed for deadly and pestiferous that obscure the merite of Christ and pull mennes mindes from the fayth in him Which doctrines whosoeuer professe they are theeues and murtherers both for that they robbe Christ of his glorye and also for that in steede of the worde of lyfe they giue vnto the simple followers thereof the deadly poyson of mannes traditions But let vs returne to the Apostles who as Luke writeth obeyed the Aungelles commaundement and by and by in the morning went into the Church and preached there Yet many things might haue perswaded them the contrary both bicause of the late daunger they had bene in and the tried power of their aduersaries which they knewe woulde no waye sooner be prouoked than with their preaching of the Gospell Furthermore by this fact of theirs they myght seeme to bring all the congregation besides in daunger in kindling their enimies rage with fresh matter But so little are they hereby let from their purpose that without further deliberation taking they obeye the commaundement of god Their obedience is sette forth for an example to vs For it is a generall rule of God that we doe not that which seemeth good in our owne sight but that we fulfill his commaundement And there is no greater nor more hurtfull plague than to take our fleshe to counsell where God hath expressed his will by playne commaundement which thing the example both of Saule and others abundantly declare And Paule many times witnesseth that the obedience of fayth is the marke and ende of preaching the gospel Therfore whosoeuer cast this obedience away and harken to the counsailes of the flesh surely they glorie but in vaine in the Gospell and fayth of Christ. Wherefore let vs applye the example of the Apostles to our selues and let vs diligently execute that thing that God hath commaunded vs not regarding the tyrannie of the world and then Iesus Christ shall not fayle of his helpe and succour in our godly enterprises to whom be praise honor glory and power for euer Amen The .xxxvj. Homelie But the chiefe Priest came and they that were with him and called a Counsell togyther and all the Elders of the children of Israel and sent men to the prison to set them When the Ministers came and founde them not in the prison they returned and tolde saying The prison truly founde we shut with al diligence and the kepers standing without before the dores But when we had opened we found no man within When the chiefe Priest and the ruler of the Temple and the high Priestes hearde these things they doubted of them wherevnto this woulde growe Then came one and shewed them Beholde the men that you put in prison stande in the Temple and teache the people Then went the Ruler of the Temple with Ministers and brought them without violence for they feared the people least they shoulde haue bene stoned WHen that King and holy Prophete Dauid purposed to describe the kingdome of our Redeemer and Sauiour Iesus Christ taking his beginning of the furious attemptes of wicked enimies against the same he sayth why doe the heathen so furiously rage togither and why doe the people ymagine a vayne thing The Kings of the earth stande vp and the Rulers take Counsell togither agaynst the Lorde and agaynst his annoynted Let vs breake their bandes a sunder and cast awaye their cordes from vs He that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne The Lorde shall haue them in derision Then shall hee speake vnto them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure Whereby we are taught that the attemptes of Christes enimies are not only vayne but also ridiculous and to no men more daungerous than to the authors and beginners thereof Many ensamples of such attempts might we bring forth amongest which this is one of the chiefe that our holye wryter Luke now proponeth For the Apostles were apprehended at the counsell and instigation of the Bishoppes and were put in the common prison not onely vnder locke and keye but also are safely kept with watch and warde The next daye after in the
followe this example And these were the exercises of the primitiue Churche which we reade was busily occupyed in the worde of God which thing nowe a dayes is lesse regarded of none than of those that will be called and accounted for the successors of the Apostles Furthermore let vs consider the profyte of the Apostles endeauor and traueyle which was manifolde First the worde of God is spredde ouer all Asia both among the Iewes and the Greekes For so it often commeth to passe that the fame of the gospell pierceth the mindes of those who haue not yet heard the Minister speake And the example of great and notable Cities maketh not a little for this purpose which the inhabitaunts neere about are easily allured to follow Next God himselfe worketh with Paule and by notable miracles beareth wytnesse to his doctrine For Handkerchers and Partelets brought to those that had not seene the Apostle draue away sicknesses and spirites Let no man yet ascribe diuine or godly power to the Handkerchefes or Partelets as they vse which haue thrust into the Church the superstitious worshipping of reliques For it is expressely declared in this place that God was the worker of the miracles and to Paule is nothing attributed more then the Ministerie And surely it were very ridiculous to attribute more vnto Paules Handkerchefes than to Christes cote at the touching whereof the woman diseased of the bloudy fluxe was healed not by the operation of the cote but by the vertue and power of Christ which he sayde went out from him See Marke 5. We must rather regarde the ende of those miracles which serued to set forth Paules doctrine as we haue elsewhere declared Here lyeth hid also a thirde vtilitie namely how the sicke are healed and the Demoniacks delyuered For by the gospell health of soule is taught and the Deuils kingdome destroyed bicause Iesus Christ is that blessed seede of the woman that was ordeyned to treade downe the Serpents head Let vs therefore imbrace him wyth true fayth and wholy be knyt to him that being delyuered from the tyrannye of the Deuill through his merite we may atteyne vnto true saluation and raigne with him hereafter in heauen to whom be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxvij Homely THEN certaine of the Vagabunde Iewes exorcistes tooke vpon them to call ouer them which had euill spirites the name of the Lorde Iesus saying we adiure you by Iesu whome Paule preacheth And there were seauen sonnes of one Sceua a Iewe and chiefe of the priestes which did so And the euill spirite aunswered and sayde Iesus I know and Paule I knowe but who are yee And the man in whome theeuill spirite was ranne on them and ouercame them and preuayled against them so that they fledde out of that house naked and wounded And this was knowne to all the Iewes and Greekes also which dwelt at Ephesus and feare came on them all and the name of the Lorde Iesus was magnifyed And many that beleeued came and confessed and shewed their workes Many of them which vsed curious crafts brought their bookes and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and founde it fiftie thousande siluerings So mightily grewe the worde of God and preuayled WE heard yesterday howe God confyrmed Paules Apostleship and the authoritie of the doctrine of the gospell among the Ephesians by many and straunge miracles It followeth nowe howe he defended the same by an example of rare seueritie against them which went about by instigation of Satan to abuse the name of Christ which Paule preached to get gaine thereby and so to bring the authority of the gospell into suspition The chiefe vse of which hystorie is to make vs vnderstande that God hath a regarde of his seruaunts and that as many as go about to deface their authoritie or are so bolde to abuse the name of Christ at their lust and pleasure shall not go vnpunished But that we may receyue the more profyte hereby let vs consider all the partes of the hystorie in that order that Luke rehearseth them The fyrst conteyneth the description of the persons and declareth what they did They were of the Iewes and none of the basest sort but the sonnes of Sceua the chiefe priest Next they are called Exorcistes whereby it appeareth their profession was to get money by exorcismes and coniuring of spirites for the which cause they vsed to go from place to place These therefore seing the Apostle in the name of Christ so mightily to controll spirites and to worke such myracles as the lyke before had not bene seene inticed wyth a hope of greater profyte and auayle take vpon them a newe forme of coniuration and vse to intermeddle the name of Christ therein It shall be good to consider dyligently whereof these kinde of people fyrst sprang among the Iewes For although Moses appointed many and dyuers offices among the Leuites yet we see he maketh no mention any where of Exorcistes It was therefore the inuention of man therfore a deceyueable thing and contrary to the lawes of god It seemeth to haue taken begynning of an olde fable wherin it is reported that Salomon had inuented by inspiration of God the science of coniuring and exorcismes against spirites and all kinde of diseases So Satan woulde haue defaced the credite of the Prophetes myracles as though they also had bene wrought rather by magicall enchauntment then by peculiar operation of Gods power to confyrme their doctrine And at length hauing thus incensed them with a foolishe and an vngodlye emulation he beganne to tell them wonders of the vnspeakeable power of the name of God and taught them to make exorcismes whereby foolishe men set vp his kingdome and pulled away the mindes of a great many from the worshipping and calling vpon god There remayne to this day certaine tokens of this olde impietie in the fables of the Iewes which they haue deuised of their Schem Hamphoras and in phisick they vse many exorcismes which is euydent by little and little crept in among the christians also not without the great hinderaunce of true godlynesse Of this profession therefore were these seauen sonnes of Sceua the chiefe priest And this is no small argument of great corruption that the Byshops children gaue their studie to wicked and deuillishe deceytes and sought to enrich themselues by an arte which was plainely forbidden by the worde of god Further this example teacheth vs howe farre errour runneth assoone as men beginne to swarue from the worde of god For as it hapned among the Iewes so we see it hath also come to passe in Poperie For where they would not seeme to want any of the orders that were in the primitiue church they haue also ordeyned Exorcistes who though for the most part they bragged of a bare name only yet so farre hath the presumption of some of them gone that they haue taken vpon them to coniure the spirites
at the least in trauell bring forth at length Forsooth Horatius mountaines in Italie were great with childe and after their harde trauell brought forth a Mouse What one error or abuse in their Church of so many as all the worlde nowe séeth and they although they be impudent ynough cannot denie haue they refourmed Surely neuer might that worthy Bishoppe of Nazianzum his saying be more truly spoken than of these Councels If I must needes write the truth sayth he I neuer sawe any good ende or conclusion of these Bishops Councels in his Epistle to Procopius the .xlij. Epist. And yet they shame not still to say the holye ghost is President of their Councels and that he is shut in the closet of the Popes breast But I trowe it is not that holy ghost that Christ sayth breatheth where it will for that it woulde not be so partially tyed to the Popes bosome or that appeared vpon Christ in likenesse of a Doue It is I beléeue that ghastly ghost the Owle that sate so long in the Consistorie on a time ouer the Popes heade a méete holy ghost I assure you for such a consistorie and closet Lette vs therefore leaue them and this president of their Councels and marke what séemeth good to Gods holy spirite and to the Euangelistes and Apostles and fâ—llowe the same considering as S. Augustine sayth in his seconde Epistle to S. Ierome that no Scriptures are to be allowed but the vndoubted Canonicall And in his first booke and seconde chapter against the Epistle of Parmenian he iudgeth it a rashe and presumptuous part to beleeue anye that prooueth not that hee sayth by scriptures And in his thirde booke and .vj. chapter against the letters of Petilian he holdâ—th any thing accursed that is beside the lawe and the Gospell In his first booke of christian doctrine xxxvij chap. he sayth Our faith staggereth if it be not vpholden by scriptures In his .166 Epistle he sayth both Christ and his Church is knowne by the scriptures In his seconde booke of Christian doctrine and .vj. chap. he sayth the holy ghost hath caused the darker thinges in the scriptures to be opened by playner And Chrysostome in his seconde exposition vppon Mathewe the .xxiiij. and .xxix. Homelies sayth The true Church can no waye else bee knowne but onely by the Scriptures bicause whatsoeuer things else in the Church Heretikes haue aswell as Catholikes But now to that they saye diuersitie of translations in Scripture bréedeth error although the same be sufficiently ynough confuted before by the example of the seauentie Translators or Interpreters by those fiue or sixe more that after Christes time corrected them by Origen by Hierome by the Euangelistes and Apostles writing in the Gréeke tongue yet we will alleage one or two places out of olde Doctors for confirmation of the same For touching all obiections that the aduersaries can make they are so fully aunswered by the olde Doctors as partly you maye haue perceyued that it were but vaine further to trauell therein S. Augustine which is one of the fower Cardinall and principall Doctors that our aduersaries allowe who impugne this opinion sayth thus against them They that haue translated the Scriptures sayth he out of the Hebrewe tongue into the Greeke maye be numbred but the Latine interpreters by no meanes For in the beginning of the fayth assoone as one had gotten a Greeke booke into his handes and seemed to haue some knowledge in both the tongues he tooke vppon him to interprete the same Which thing did more further than hinder vnderstanding so that the readers be not negligent For the pervsing of diuers bookes hath often times opened the darker sentences The place is in his seconde booke of Christian doctrine and .xij. chapter And Nicholaus de Lyra one of our aduersaries owne Doctors sayth in his Preface vpon the Genesis that Diuersitie of expositors stirreth vp attention But to bring more testimonies in a matter so cléere as daye is but impertinent séeing that both Gods lawe and mans alloweth the truth though testified but with two or thrée witnesses Thus hast thou gentle Reader my promise made in the beginning confirmed by authoritie of Scriptures euident reasons and testimonies of auncient Doctors though not in such abundant wise as might be yet in as large a sort as the lawe and rule of a Preface will permit Let vs therefore addresse and prepare our selues diligently not onely to reade the Scriptures but also to vnderstande them and not to vnderstande them onely and there to stay as I am afrayde too manye in these dayes make that their onely ende of reading but also to frame our selues to expresse our vnderstanding in our liues and conuersation least hauing the Gospell still in our mouthes and shewing nothing thereof in our maners and yet protesting a more sounde and exact knowledge than others we encrease at length but our owne punishment and damnation knowing that euery one that sayth Lorde Lorde shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of the father which is in heauen And howe the seruant that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Let vs remember that the temple of Salomon and the writings of the lawes and Prophetes among the Iewes little profited them bicause they abused them and woulde not leade a life aunswereable to such blessings of god God spared not that stocke of the Iewes of so many hundreth yeares groweth verily no more will he vs that are but Impes graft and set in the same stocke if we doe not better than we doe and they did But againe if we liue a repentant life as we ought to doe and a thankfull vnto God for his innumerable benefites and specially for the light of his worde nowe shining in our Church of Englande so ordering our works that they may shine before men and glorifie our father which is in heauen then rage the worlde neuer so much by Gods permission against his little flocke for their proofe and triall yet shall it neuer be able to take one of them out of his hand but that he will ayde and assist vs with the presence of his spirite and rule as Dauid sayth in the middle among his enimies and bruse them with his yron rod and breake all them in peeces like a potters vessell that any maner of way without repentance molest and afflict his dearely beloued spouse and Church Let vs not therefore feare any threates or enterprises of this worlde knowing that we shall ouercome in him that hath alreadye ouercome the Deuill and the worlde Greater sayth S. Iohn is the spirite that is in you than hee that is in the world For there was neuer yet tyrant that rose against Gods Church but some shamefull horrible ende folowed him most coÌ„monly in this world The ecclesiasticall story is full of examples of late God hath shewed some notable in this
priest But when God afterward vnder the law would haue these offices seuered yet ordeyned he a great coniunction and amitie betweene the kinges and priestes least eyther the kings shoulde reigne without religion or the Priestes by them not cared for and regarded might at the pleasure of wicked men bee misused Wherevnto also maye be referred howe God when he first gaue his lawe vnto the Iewes chose Moses and Aaron which were brothers germaine committed to the one the charge of the Tabernacle and Gods whole seruice and to the other the ordering of the common weale therby teaching vs that then both Churches and common weales are in most safetye when brotherly concord and agreement is betweene both these administrations This thing all those iudges and kinges well perceyued which are commended in the Scriptures for their well gouerning the common wealth Such as we reade chiefly Gedeon Samuel Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias were with whome if a man would compare the residue that the holy ghost hath noted as naught he shall find this to bee the cause as well of priuate as publike calamitie that they haue thought the worde of GOD and care of religion hath eyther nothing belonged vnto them or else that they might dallye and playe with the same at their pleasure And if we will reade the Hystoryes of the Gentyles it shall appeare they were woonderfullye deceyued in the knowledge of the true GOD and that therefore they polluted the seruice of God with horrible errours And yet they firmelye helde this as a generall rule and principle that common weales coulde not be happely gouerned without the true worshippe of God and knowledge of his will which was the cause that they greatly reuerenced the Philosophers as professours of rare and singuler wisedome and in doubtfull affayres asked counsell at the Gods and in erecting of Temples Altars and Images to them spared no kinde of lauishe and cost Uerilye the people of Athens whose Citie was compted as a publike vniuersâ—tie and schoole of wisedome so thought the care of religion belonged vnto them that amonge the articles of publike othe ministred to their Citizens this was the chiefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say for the Temples and seruice of the Coddes I will fight both alone and in company These menne thought that whosoeuer were desirous eyther of publike peace or priuate thryft ought to haue a speciall regarde of Gods honor Let no man therefore accuse me of temeritie if I saye that such are destitute of common sense and blinder than the prophane Gentyles which crie out the care of the Churche and religion belongeth not to temporall Magistrates and rulers And I thinke I shall not do much amisse if I say that such are to be auoided as the publike and open enimies of mankind For take away religion from man and what shal remaine wherin he shall differ from the brute beasts â–ª we see in them like motions of affections as are in wild beasts And if they were not bridled with the feeling of religion they woulde burst out at euerye occasion and the more they are armed with authoritie and with the sword the more harme they woulde doe Therfore that we offende not through the bolde and preposterous wisedome of the flesh it shall be verie profitable to haue a true paterne and forme of a Church for men to follow in their Councels that desire eyther to mainteyne the Church or else to reforme it being fallen in decay This paterne the holy scriptures in euerie place set out vnto vs and while the lawe endured it did set forth vnto vs all the partes thereof vnder the figure of the Tabernacle and in the time of the Prophetes vnder the allegorie of a spouse a flocke a vineyarde the Temple and Citie of Ierusalem A most absolute and euident paterne or President of the Church this booke comprehendeth and setteth foorth vnto vs declaryng that the same so grewe and increased as the Prophetes once described it vnto vs bicause none shall saye that we still had in our mouth such a Church as neyther was euer vpon the earth or euer shall bee as wise men vsed sometymes to saye of Plato his common weale For although wee shall hereafter see the accomplishment and full perfection of the church in heauen yet doth this booke set before vs such a president therof that whosoeuer frame themselues thereafter shall be members of that heauenly and perfite church and shall also vnderstand what way is best to take in preseruing and reforming their Churches and shall be offended at no chaunces of aduersitie nor yeelde to the dreames of such as obtrude vnto vs a straunge forme of Church saying our predecessours wanted many things which holye fathers afterwarde ordeyned and were receyued and established by authoritie of generall Councels For where this booke conteyneth in it an Hystorie of about xxviâ—j yeares settyng out vnto vs the Actes done in the Church ouer all the worlde besides the sermons of the Apostles their Counselles their sayings and doyngs aswell publike as priuate opened in a plaine and sufficient narration or discourse who will not say but hee is impudent that will affirme there are diuers other thinges necessarie vnto saluation which wee knowe the true Christian Church in the Apostles tyme had not Furthermore what arrogancie were it to contende with the Apostles whome the sonne of God appoynted to bee the teachers of all the worlde and to be witnesses of his doings as though wee were able of our selues to inuent or deuise a more absolute and perfite thing than they It shall also be very profitable to marke the trade and order of this Primitiue Church as out at a loupe or creuise and the chiefe poyntes thereof which Luke sayth sprang first of the word of God after Christ was ascended into heauen and from thence had sent his holy spirite through whose inspiration the Apostles beganne to preach the Gospell vnto the worlde and to bring disciples or beleeuers vnto christ Wherevppon wee gather that they which either will be members of Christes Church their selues or bring other to the communion and felowshippe thereof must beginne with the wholesome doctrine of the worde of god For where by byrth we are the children of wrath wee must needes be regenerated from aboue to become the children of god The seede of this regeneration is the eternall worde of God which beeing preached by the ministerie of man but quickened in the myndes of the hearers by the power of the spirite renueth the whole nature of man so that his fleshe being mortified he lyueth onely vnto GOD through Christ who not long before being estraunged from God lyued vnto sinne And the Apostles taught but one vniforme doctrine of the worde in all places the which worde Christ himselfe distributed into hys partes when he first commaunded repentaunce to be preached in his name and then next forgiuenesse of sinnes And although the Apostles had not alwayes
still on earth in hys body then his Godhead is absent Pag. 39. Christ was solemnly-declared to bee our teacher 58. Christ onely is to bee heard in the Church 19. Christ is the hope of Israel 897. Christ our high Priest is entered into the true sanctuary 37. Christ is set ouer Sion that is ouer the Church of God. 11. Christ ascended aboue the heauens how it is to be vnderstanded 35. Christ verie God and man ascended how it is to be vnderstanded 34. Christ being verye God receyueth the holye ghost in hys humanitie Pag. 124. Christ very God and man. 106. Christ being a conquerour appeareth for vs in heauen 37. Christ the author of lyfe and saluation 851. Christ is called iust or righteous Pag. 794. Christ is the annoynted of God. 127 Christes last act wyth his disciples Pag. 34. Christes descention into hell 117. Christes comming visible and inuisible after what sort 41. Christes soule in hell was subiect to no torments 118. The knowledge of Christ is necessarie to saluation 542. The knowledge of Christ is reuealed by God onely 791. Christes talke wyth Paule 793. Christes studye and care for hys church 8. Christes diuinitie ascendeth not Pag. 34.35 Christes doctrine howe it ought to be considered 3. Christes departure from the earth Pag. 33. Christ and Moses compared togyther 179. Howe wee bee made partakers of Christ and saluation 458. Christes ensamples is set before vs to follow 113. Christes trustinesse and loyaltie towardes God. ibidem Christes fayth in hys promyse towarde hys Apostles 2. Christes flying and auoyding 324. Christ what he did after his resurrection 10. Christs enymies in stryuing against God fulfill hys deuise 218. Christs enimies counselles must not be consented to 579. Christes manhoode is taken into eternall ioy and glory 119 Christ Iesus his power 367. The true knowledge of Iesus Christ. 105. Christes merite can not bee vanquyshed by any sinne of man. 130. Christes whole seruice consisteth in workes and teaching 6. Christs ministerie descrybed in fewe wordes 259. The abusers of Christes name for vauntage shall be punished 710. The indaungered for Christes name must not be forsaken 826. Under the name of Christ the whole gospell is conteyned 361. Christes obedience 113. Christes office 188. Christes workes and miracles what they were 6.105 Christes death and passion 108. Christes power in bringing downe hys enimyes 785. Christs promises are inuiolable 4. Christes kingdome is not of thys worlde â—â—8 Christes kyngdome belongeth as well to all Nations as to the Israelites 25. What wee ought to seeke for in the kingdome of Christ. 94. Christes aunswere to the curyous question of hys Disciples touching the carnall kingdome which they imagined 27.28 Christ by his resurrection is prooued to be God. 673. Christs sacrifice pâ—rgeth our sinnes Pag. 455. Christes spirite is the interpreteur of the lawe 76. Christes spirite what it worketh in men 155. Christes feruent desire of mens saluation 397. Christes power is inuincible 350. and .351 Christes visible comming serueth for our comfort and instruction ibideÌ„ Christes last company wyth hys Apostles why it is so diligently descrybed 16. They that followe Christs bydding forsake the sea of Rome 784.785 To Christ we owe fayth and obedience 180. Christ fulfilleth whatsoeuer the prophets foreshewed of hym 123. Christ and the deuill haue no fellowship togyther 316.317 Church meetings 733. The Church of God is the house of God. 68. In the church is sure fellowship and saluation 413. Who are receyued into the church of Christ. 155.156 Euery man must not bee suffred to speake in the church  C ante I. Circumcision teacheth vs that the begynning of our generation is corrupt 545. Circumcision doth not iustifie 303. Circumcision was vnprofitable to the Iewes and why 341. Circumcision spirituall what it is Pag. 349. Circumcision a signe or couenant of the Testament 304. The confidence in circumcision beaten downe by Steuen 303.349 Cities of Iurie their vnhappye estate 18. Ciuill or lawfull defence permytted to christians 896. C ante O. Comfort must be vsed towarde the afflicted 812. The commendation of Paule and Barnabas 607. Companying with the wicked must be auoyded 398. What company is hurtfull to christians 406. Godlye companye is the delyght of true christian people ibidem They that seke but their owne coÌ„moditie of what spirite they are 751. The Communitie of the Apostles Pag. 143. Communitie or liberalitie 139. Communities cause efficient is the loue of God. 146. Example of christian Communitie Pag. 143. The fountayne and order of Communitie 224.225 Communitie of goodes whether it be necessary 143.144 The true trade of communitie ibideÌ„ What communitie of goodes was in the begynning of Christes religion 226. Communion of the Lordes supper how profitable it is 140. Commaundements of God fulfilled what a blessing it purchaseth  Commaundementes of God transgressed procureth infelicitie  Conclusion of Paules sermon 83â— Concorde of mindes 49. Concord and vnanimitie is to be had in the church 223. What concorde is acceptable before God. 78. Concorde and vnitie of mindes most necessary in setting forth the kingdome of God. 369. No condition or degree of men neglected with God. 624. Confession of the Aethiopian 386. Confession of Christ and fayth must go togyther 85.86.240 Confession of the faith in Christ. 133. Confession of the fayth most beseemeth ministers 824.825 Confession of the fayth is no indifferent thing 86. To confesse Christ boldely is an effect of the holy ghost 85. When confession of fayth is requisite 829.830 To confesse Christ is a gloryous thing 765. Confession of a true fayth in Steuen 3â—2 Confidence taketh holde euen of the godly 101. Confidence hypocriticall 232.233 The maners of those that are confident 881. The disciples mindes confirmed by the Apostles 580.581 The confirmation of the Apostles oration made to the people of Listra 571. Congregations howe they maye be edified  Coniunction of mindes is the fountayne of liberalitie 143. Conscience in matters of religion must be chiefely regarded 801. CoÌ„sciences of men must not be snarled 612. Conscience pricketh and molesteth euen the wicked 251. The terrours of conscience 129. The consent of the wicked endureth not long 805. Consenting vnto sinne deserueth punishment 236. Consent of the Synode at Ierusalem 604. The consolation of Christs last comming 41. Arguments of consolation 684. Example of godly consolation ibideÌ„ The power of Gods consolation appeareth in afflictions 636. The effect of the consolation of the holy spirite 416. God confyrmeth hys consolation by deedes 808. Consolation in aduersitie whence it must be set 809. Consolation wherewyth GOD strengthneth hys people 113. The maner of Gods consolations Pag. 807. Constancie 740. Constancie and boldenesse in Paule Pag. 689. An example of christian constancie and boldenesse 792.21.22 The heynous offence of the counsell of Constaunce agaynst the holye Martyr Iohn Husse 245. The contempt of the ministers proceedeth of the contempt of Gods worde 336. Contempt of Gods word is the begynning of all vngodlynesse ibideÌ„
feare him 548 34. The eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous 497 37. I haue seene the vngodly in great prosperitye and flourishing lyke a greene baye tree 505 48. The Citie of the great king 18 50. Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me 115.116 50. Thinkest thou that I will eate bulles flesh and drinke the bloud of Goates 545 51. washe me throughly from myâ—e iniquitie and clense me from my sinne 545 51. Renewe in mee a right spirite 77 56. Thou haâ—t numbred my flittinges thou hast put my teares in thy bottell 328.745 58. They are as venemous as the poyson of a Serpent they bee like the deafe â—dder that stoppeth hyr eares 548 65. Blessed is the man whome thou choosest 525 68. Thou wentest vp on high thou hast ledde captiuity captiue 124 69. The zeale of thine house hath euen eaten mee 659 69. I will prayse the name of the Lorde with a songue 461 72. His domynion shall be from the one sea to the other 32 72. He shall delyuer the poore when he cryeth the afflicted c. 321 and .453 76. In Iewrie is God knowne his name is great in Israell 91.95 80. Shewe the light of thy countenaunce and we shall be saued 120 89. I haue sworne once by my holynesse that I will not fayle Dauid 24 89. My couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lyppes 298 94. He that made the eye shall he not see 300 94. In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comfortes did refreshe my soule 115 94. The Lorde seeth it not neyther doth the God of Iacob vnderstande it 253 104. Thou that makest the clowdes thy charyot 36 104. He watereth the hylles from aboue the earth is replenished with the fruite of thy workes Pag. 575. â—05 Touch not mine annoynted 142 106. They turned theyr glorye into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth haye 337.574 107. Let them giue thankes whome the Lorde hath redeemed and deliuered out of the hande of the enimie 496 110. The Lord sayde vnto my Lord sitte thou on my right hand 266 and .119.33 110. Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech 37.168.122 110. Rule thou in the myddle among thine enimies 98 113. Hee lifteth the simple out of the dust 330 116. Right deere in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his saintes Pag. 475 116. What rewarde shall I gyue vnto the Lorde for all the benefits that he hath done vnto me 461 118. The Lord is the strength of my lyfe 253 118. The same stone which the builders refused 200 119. It is better to trust in the Lord. Pag. 254 119. It is good for mee that I haue beene in miserye 101 121. I will lyft vp mine eyes vnto the hylles â–ª from whence my helpe shall come 353 123. Beholde euen as the eyes of seruaunts looke vnto the handes of theyr maysters c. 113 132. I will not enter into the tabernacle of my house 346 141. Set a watche O God before my mouth 85 146. Put not your trust in Princes Pag. 317 147. Hee declares hys worde vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israell 95 147. Hee couereth the heauen wyth clowdes and prepareth rayne for the earth 575 1 PRouerb The beginning of knowledge is the feare of the Lorde 416 2. If thou seeke after wisdome as after golde thou shalt finde hyr Pag. 88 6 The Lord hateth a false witnesse that bringeth vp lyes 354 16. Lottes are cast into the lappe but the ordering thereof standeth in Lorde 72 25. He that searcheth the maiestie of of God shall be depriued of the glorie 28 MAtthei 1. Thou shalt call hys name Iesus for he shall c. Pag. 168 3. Repent 130 3. And say not we haue Abraham to our father 350 3. This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased 202 and .449.103 5. Blessed are the poore in heart for they shall see God. 120 5. The Citie of the great King. 18 5. One iote or one title of the lawe shall not scape 335 5. If thou bringest thy gyft to the aulter and there remembrest 48 5. You shall be perfect euer as your father which is in heauen is perfect 512 5. He maketh his sonne to aryse c. Pag. 638 6. Where your treasure is there will be your heart also 632 7. Seeke and you shall finde 88 7. With what measure you meate it shall be c. 301 7. Not euerye one that sayth vnto me Lorde 94 7. Depart fro me yee that worke iniquitie 351 8. Follow me and let the deade burye the deade 511 9. Thy fayth hath made thee safe Pag. 168 10. A mans foes shall be them of his owne housholde 56.563 10. Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I also confesse before my father which is in heauen 86 10. He that receyueth you receyueth me 9.161 It is not you that speake but the spirite of your father that speaketh in you 9 10. Be you wise as Serpents 657 10. Feare ye not them which kill c. Pag. 685 10. If they persecute you in one Citye c. â—01 10. Goe not into the waye of the Gentiles 533 10. Hee that loueth father or mother more than me 591 10. It shal be gyuen you in that same hower what to speake 780 10. Come vnto mee all yee that labour sore and are laden 7 11. No man knoweth the father but the sonne 566 11. I thanke thee O Father bicause thou hast hidde these things from the wise 45.625 12. How can one enter into a strong mans house and spoyle c.  12. Out of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh 85 13. The secrets of the kingdome of Heauen 641 15. Euery planting which my heauenly father c. 342 15. It is not meete to throwe the Childrens breade vnto dogges  15. Nothing that goeth in at the mouth c. 608 15. In vaine doe they worship mee teaching doctrines preceptes of men 589 16. The gates of hell shall not preuayle against it 298 17. This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare hym 449 18. Where two or three are gathered togither in my name  20. Who so will be cheefe among you Let him be your seruaunt 39.70 and .141 21. The kindome of God shall be taken from you c. 683.552 22. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac 327 22. Giue vnto Cesar those thinges which are Cesars and vnto god those things that are Gods. 211 23. All whatsoeuer they bidde you obserue that obserue and doe 56 23. Hierusalem Hierusalem thou that killest the Prophetes 16 24. Heare is Christ or there 8 24. Ye shall heare of warres and rumoures of warres 99 25. The parable of the talentes 308 25. Enter into the ioye of thy Lord Pag. 119 25. I was harbourlesse and yet toke me in 557 27. If
more Pag. 85 8. Those which hee knowe before those also dyd hee predestinate Pag. 554 8. The spirit of adoption by whom wee crye Abba father 538 8. Neyther death nor lyfe can seperate vs from the loue of GOD. Pag. 328 9. It is not of the will or industrie of man but of the mercie of God. Pag. 135 10. With the harte man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth confesseth vnto saluation Pag. 86 10. Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be safe 665 10. How shall they call on him on whome they haue not beleeued Pag. 509.665 10. How shall they beleeue without a Preacher 509.665.49 10. Howe shall they preache without they be sent 49.510.58 10. Hearing commeth by the worde of God. 625 11. The giftes of God are without repentance 29 11. For if God spared not the naturall braunches 547 11. O the deepenesse of the ryches c. 29.111 12. He that doth mercifully let hym doe it cheerefully 147 12. In gyuing honour â–ª go one before an other 293 12. Reioyce with them that doe reioyce and weepe with them that weepe 491 13. Princes are not fearefull to them that doe well but to them that do euill 321 14. I knowe and am perswaded by the Lorde Iesus that there is nothing common of itself 603 15. Whatsoeuer thinges haue beene written afore time were written for our learning 3 16. The mysterye kept secret since the worlde begonne 674 1. COrinth 1. Wee preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Gentyles foolishnesse 664 1. But vnto them which are called both of the Iewes and Gentiles we preach Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God. Pag. 538 2. The naturall manne perceyueth not the thinges of the spirite of God. 308.554 3. Paule fed the Corinthians with mylke 680 3. We are the Ministers of God by whome you haue beleeued 566 4. disposers of the secrets of God. Pag. 9 4. What hast thou that thou hast not receyued 308.270 4. In Christ Iesu through the Gospell haue I begotten you Pag. 509 6. Whoremongers and adulterers shall not inherite the kingdome of God. 181 9. Woe vnto mee if I preach not the Gospell 212 10. Ye cannot bee pertakers of the Lordes table 602 10. God is faythfull and will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue our strength 578 11. There must bee sectes that they which are tryed among you might be knowne 590 13. Nowe we see in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking but then shal we see face to face 175 14. The spirites of the Prophetes are subiect to the Prophets 70 15. This corruptible must put on incorruption 541 15. O death where is thy sting 23 â— COrinth 1. All the promyses of God in hym are yea â–ª 537 1. As the afflictions of Christ are plenteous in vs c. 637 3. Of our selues wee are not sufficient to thinke c. 620.320 â–ª 5. Wee are messengers in the roome of Christ. 71 5. Euery man shall receyue according as hee hath done in bodye Pag. 175.675 5. God hath made him to bee sinne for vs whiche knewe no synne Pag. 535 9. GOD loueth a cherefull gyuer Pag. 485 1. GAlath 1. I maruell that you are so soone turned froÌ„ Christ Pag. 589 1. If an Angell from heauen preach any other Gospell 607 3. This onely woulde I learne of you whether you receyued the spirite by the deedes of the Law. Pag. 184 3. Though it bee but a mans Testament yet if it bee proued no man c. 186 3. Hee sayeth not to the seedes as of many but to thy seede as of one ibidem 3. The Lawe is our Schoolemayster vnto Christ. 334 3. There is neyther bonde nor free neyther Male nor Female 293. and 656 4. Bycause you are Sonnes God hath sent the spirite of his son c. Pag. 85 4. When the full tyme was come GOD sente hys Sonne c. Pag. 448 5. If you byte and deuoure one another 146. â—24 5. Would GOD they were cut off which trouble you 606 5. I testifie to euery man whiche is circumcised 589 EPhesi 1. Accordinge as hee had chosen vs in him before the fouÌ„dacions of the world were layd Pag. 294.525.202 1. Christ worketh all thinges in vs. Pag. 201 1. God hath made Christ sit on his right hande in heauenly places Pag. 36 4. Christ is ascended vp aboue all heauens to fulfyll all things 38. and 51 4. When hee went vp on hyâ— hee ledde captiuity captiue 37 4. Hee gaue some Apostles some Prophetes c. 10 6. Watch with all instancie and supplication 205 PHilipp â— In the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe 309 2. God woorketh in vs both to wil and to doe of good will. 270. and â—54 3. Our conuersation is in heauen Pag. 37 4. I can doe all thinges thoroughe Christ. 169 COlos 2. Hee hath spoyled al principalitie and rule and made a shewe of them openly 37 3. Filthie communication 15 THessalon 2. How they kylled the Lord Iesus 556 4. The Lorde himselfe shall descend from heauen in a showte and in the voyce of the Archangell 35 5. Reioyce euer praye continually 115 5. Examine all thinges holde faste that is good 655 1. TImoth 2. One Mediatoure Pag. 107 2. God would haue all men to come too the knoweledge of the truth 561.655 3. A Bishop must bee the husband of one wyfe 765 4. Meates are Sanctifyed by the woorde of GOD and prayer Pag. 147 5. Bee not partaker of other mens sinnes 15 6. Wee brought nothinge into this worlde and it is certayne wee maye carry naught awaye c. Pag. 299 2. TImoth 2. To deuide the word of Truth rightly and dulye Pag. 680 3. Applye thy reading 15 3. Thou hast perceyued my Doctrine 578.592 3. All scripture is gyuen by inspiration of God. 5â—2 4. Bee instant in season and out of season 351 HEbreor 1. Aungels are ministring spirits 246 2. Hee tooke not on him the Aungels but the seede of Abraham 105.178 4. Wee haue not an hyghe Priest that can not bee touched with the feelinge of oure infirmities Pag. 107 4. The woorde of God is a twoo edged sworde 660 9. Christ came to be an hyghe priest of good things to come 37 10. The bloud of Oxen and Gotes can not â—â—ke away sinnes 545 11. Faith is the grounde of thinges that are hopeâ— for 295 11. Without â—â—ith it is impossible to please God. 47.341.665 11. By fayth Moyses when he was great refused to bee called the Sâ—nne of Pharaos Daughter Pag. 320 13. Forget not to doe good and to distribute 139 13. Remember theÌ„ that are in bonds euen as if you were bound with them 491 IAmes 4â— The friendship of thys world is enimitie with GOD. Pag. 26 1. 〈◊〉 â–ª Christe was ordâ—yned before the worlde was made Pag. 109 4. The tyme is come that iudgement muste beginne at the house of God â–ª 269 5. God resisteth the proude 506 2. PEâ—r 3.
twoo Disciples goyng to Emaus and after a longe communication beyng set at the table declareth and openeth himself to them And after diuers like appearings at length he shewed him selfe to more then fiue hundred brethren at once as Paule witnesseth But bicause the eies are many times beguiled the deuils legierdemaines are too well knowne wherby he many times with false apparitions deceiueth the vnwary the Lord therefore suffered himself not onely to be seene but also to be felt and handled For fearyng least they might be deceyued with some ghost or illusion of Sathan Beholde saith he my handes and my feete how it is I my selfe Handle mee and see for a Ghost or spyrite hath not flesh and bones as you see mee haue Therefore Christ rysing from death againe tooke not onely a semblaunte and shewe of his former bodye but the verye same substaunce members fleshe and bloude And for a more certaine proofe thereof not onely suffered him selfe to be handled but for auoyding of all scruple and doubte called for meate and did eate in the sighte of his Disciples Not to the ende wee shoulde thinke that bodies glorified had neede to be refreshed with meate and drinke after the resurrection for where they are quite free from all corruption they haue no neede at all of generation but for that he would declare to all men that he still did retaine all the partes of a naturall and perfect body For the glorifying or clarifying of the body taketh away neither the substaunce nor partes of the body but it taketh away the corruption and affections rising in the body by reason of sinne and according to the saying of Paule that that was corruptible and mortall it maketh to rise againe incorruptible immortall glorious and a celestiall body The circumstance of time maketh also for the proofe of Christes Resurrection For he did not these thinges for one or two dayes amongst his Disciples but he was conuersaunt with them still fourty dayes togither and euery day shewed such proofes of his Resurrection These things were the more largely and diligently to be entreated of beloued in Christ bicause there haue bene in all Ages which haue gone about either to call Christs resurrection into doubt or else somewayes to blemyshe and extinguishe the truth of his body raysed againe Neither want wee in these dayes which affirme that Christes body by reason of the glorifiyng thereof is so altered and chaunged that it now can not be conteyned in any one place but is present in euery place And other grounde of theyr opinion haue they none but bicause they would maintaine Christes bodily presence in the Supper Neither perceyue they through theyr contention that while they defende his bodily presence they denie the veritie of his body and so by themselues ouerthrow that which they fight for as for life death For if Christ be corporally present in the Supper either his body must be conteyned in a place or else it is there none otherwise but as it is in euery place And how can it be that that which is conteyned in one certayne place can be at once in many places togither Therfore Augustine vnderstoode these things much better who perceiued well that space of place could so little be seperated from bodies that if we tooke space away then were they no more to be called bodies Take away saith hee space or limitation of place from bodyes and the bodyes shall be no where and forasmuch as they shall be no where there shall be nothing Take away from bodies qualities and properties of bodies and there shall be no where for them to be in and therfore of necessity they can haue no beyng at all The same Augustine aunswereth them marueylous well that in this case flie to Christs godhead and omnipotencie where he saith Wee must beware that wee so defende not the godhead of the man that wee take awaye the truth of his body But of these thinges wee shall speake more otherwheres Now let vs come to declare what causes mooued Christ so many wayes to prooue the resurrection of this body The first me thinketh was the Maiestie and certaintye of the kingdome of Christ which was necessary by his resurrection to be prooued For where it was manifest that Iesus Christ was dead and buryed which the Iewes also confesse vnlesse it should appeare as manifest that he was for a truth risen againe from death all the testimonies of his kingdom should haue bene taken as friuolous and vaine For who would beleue that he was appointed to be king ouer Mount Sion that is to say ouer the Church of God whom he was sure to haue bene dead and wist not whether he were risen againe from death yea or no who would beleeue that he sitteth at the right hand of the father and vseth his enimies as his footestoole whom he knew not whether he were aliue or no Except therfore the resurrection of Iesus Christ were most certaine to vs we could neither acknowledge him for our King nor yet looke for any ayde or helpe in his kingdome And it is no doubt but the Apostles ouercame all the threates of the worlde through this affiaunce and fulfilled theyr course and mynistery with such constancie for that they acknowledged him to be the conquerer of death and were fully certified that he which made them mynisters of his Gospell raigned in Heauen The second cause of so diligent a proofe I thinke was the doctrine and office of the Apostles the certayntie whereof was needefull to be strongly defended against the iudgement of the world Now what more effectuous and stronge proofe hereof could be founde than the glorious and euident resurrection of Christ whome they preached who was well knowne to all men whereas if they had preached some obscure vnknowne person to men they might worthily haue bene suspected But nowe who can doubt of theyr doctrine which preach and teach him who by his mighty resurrection hath vanquished the power of death hauing conquered all his aduersaries hath obtayned an euerlasting kingdome in Heauen This thing considered shal easily perswade vs to beleeue that Iesus Christ spake by his spirite in the Apostles to imbrace with all our hartes the thinges that they haue taught vs. Thirdly it behooued Christes resurrection to be well testified bicause in it consisteth all the strength and force of our redemption and saluatioin For wee reade that he promiseth vs in his Gospell oftentimes resurrectâ—on and life euerlasting He that heareth my woorde and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath life euerlasting and shall not come into iudgement but hath passed from death vnto lyfe This is the will of him that sent mee that euery one which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him hath lyfe euerlastyng and I shall rayse him vp agayne in the last day And in an other place he saith I am the resurrection and
which Christ treated of with his disciples at his last being amongst them He spake saith Luke of the kingdome of god It is the cōmon vsage in scripture to call the affaires of our redemption and saluation by the name of the kingdom of God or of heauen bicause the ende and scope thereof is that as long as we liue here we should be gouerned with the spyrite of God and being taken out of this life should liue and raigne with God in Heauen What thinges so euer therefore pertayne to the mysteries hereof Christ hath diligently and in order expounded them The beginning hereof springeth of vs For before all things it behooueth vs to know in what kingdome wee are borne and lyue before Christ hath illuminated vs For except wee were borne sinners and by reason of sinne were in daunger of the Deuill and Hell wee shoulde neede no restoryng to the kingdome of god But bycause our state is so miserable it was needefull the Sonne of God should be giuen which takyng our sinnes vpon him should pourge them with the sacrifice of his body and bloud vpon the Aulter of the Crosse and through the operation of his holy spirite should regenerate vs to be the sonnes of God by the immortall seede of his woorde which regeneration bringeth forth the mortification of the olde man and conuersion of the whole life and causeth them which before were ledde with the suggestions and corrupt affections of Sathan to be brought to the obedience of fayth to depend all togither vpon God his woorde And this is that kingdome of God which he hath restored vnto vs through his sonne for whose increase wee pray as Christ hath commaunded vs saying Let thy kingdome come And truly it was needefull that the mysteries of this kingdome should diligently bee declared to the Apostles bicause that being deceyued with the common errour of the Iewes they imagined a worldly kingdome in Christ wherein they hoped for honours ryches victories and peace in the worlde as theyr often striuings for the supremacie abundantly declare Furthermore wee ought earnestly to obserue thexample of Christ which would with such diligence and traueyle teache and instruct his Apostles appointed to the preachyng of the Gospell and mynistery of his Church And yet wee reade that they were conuersant with him whole three yeres were at his sermons sawe all his myracles and at length were sent abroade to preach The Lord therefore would admonish vs that the office of teachyng in the Church is not vnaduisedly to be taken vpon vs neither that it ought to be cōmitted to any person without a diligent tryall For if things of pryce the custodie whereof is difficult daungerous are not committed to euery man neither doth any man that is wise rashly take charge of them how much more care and studie ought to be in this thing where the charge of Christs Church and the soules which the Sonne of God hath redeemed with his owne bloud is taken in hand Is there any more precious thing to be found than these How great and perilous a charge the ouersight of them is none can be ignorant of which knoweth the infirmitie of our flesh the entisements of the world and the subtill sleightes of our common enimie And it is the voyce of God which once beyng spoken to Ezechiel appertayneth to all the mynisters of the Church I will require the bloude of those that perishe at thy hande This thing should they often remēber which beyng studious of Diuinitie meane at any time to take this charge vpon them that they may the more earnestly applie the studie of holy scripture that they labor continually in searching the mysteries of the kingdome of God least being deceyued through ignoraunce they commit perhaps some error in theyr office Paule well remembring the great daunger in this case earnestly vrgeth Tymothe who he confesseth had euen of a childe learned the scriptures busily to apply his reading They also which in the Church haue authoritie to choose and ordeyne ministers ought well to remember the same least they disorder the Church by admitting such as be vnmeete which thing they must diligently take heede of For it is no small error that herein is committed bicause they are both Auctors of disorder in the Church and also partakers of other mens faultes as Paule plainely declareth Would to God they would well consider this thing which thinke the ministery of the Church to be a sanctuary for pouertie enter into the same for their priuate lucre and bellyes sake or without any mature aduise and deliberation but drunken with blynde affections thrust vnfit persons into the Church and sometimes knowne naughtie packes and despisers of all good discipline Last of all we learne by the example of Christ what and what maner communications Christians ought to vse that is to say godly and such as make for correction and amendement of maners For Christ talketh of the kingdome of God with his Apostles Let vs after his ensample common and reason oftentimes of the kingdome of God and of our saluation obteyned by christ Let vs diligently do away the corruption of our nature and let vs endeauour that other may see and perceyue the same Let vs haue our mind on Christs benefits and often and willingly set forth the same let vs remember the benefit wherby he hath bound vs all vnto him let vs auoyd filthie communication which corrupteth good manners remembryng Paules saying which numbreth dishonest talke among the thinges for the which the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience And let vs alway be mindefull of that saying of Christ which affirmeth we shall giue an accompt in the day of iudgement for euery ydle woorde God graunt that wee abidyng in the meditation of his kingdome may learne to dispise thinges earthly loue thinges that be heauenly may die in the fleshe and liue in the spyrite that hereafter wee may liue raigne in Heauen with Iesus Christ to whom be blessyng honour glory and power for euer Amen The thirde Homelie AND gathered them togither and commaunded them that they should not depart from Hierusalem but to wayte for the promise of the Father wherof sayth he you haue heard of me For Iohn truely baptized with water ▪ but you shall be baptized with the holy Ghost after these few dayes BIcause Christ chose his Apostles to th ende that through theyr mynisterye the doctrine of saluation should be sowne amongst all nations It was needefull that first they should be well instructed in all the thinges that belonged to theyr office wherein as Christ who was most desirous of our saluation intermitted nothing so S. Luke setteth forth very diligently his last conuersation and doyngs with his Apostles partly for that wee might perceyue the endeuour and good will of Christ towards vs and partely to declare what things are chiefly necessary in the
through the power of the holy ghost the affections be bridled that would carye them awry Or what safetye can there be of publike weales which are not led with the spirite of God but with fleshly wisedome Whereas it is manifest that all good successe and felicitie dependeth of God Salomon the wysest of all men well marked this thing who hauing choyse giuen him of God to aske those thinges that are in greatest price amongest men despising all other craued of God the spirite of wisedome and of that true wisedome which he describeth in his booke of Prouerbes whose beginning and roote is the feare of the Lorde And woulde to God they woulde often remember this that are Rulers in the Church and in the common weale For the same woulde both kindle in them an ardent desire to prayer and godlynesse and woulde make them more listen to the worde of God wherevpon coulde not but ensue a true and perfite safetie of the people committed to their charge But before we depart from this place two things remayne to be discussed which may profitably be gathered of the promise of the holye ghost made to the Apostles For first it hereby appereth that the holy ghost was the auctor of the Apostles doctrine and therefore the same ought to be esteemed as proceeding from God and not from man For where they tooke vppon them to preach after they had receyued the holye ghost which according to Christes promise taught them all truth surely all their teaching must be referred to the same spirite So wee must holde the dignitie and authortie thereof as great as Christ maketh it which sending forth his Disciples to preach sayth He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me With the which argument Paule seemeth to be encouraged to say If an Angell from heauen teache you anye other Gospell beside that which wee haue preached let him be accursed For how great soeuer the maiestie and the glory of Angels is yet if the same be compared with the holy ghost by whom they were created it is of no value We haue therfore in this place what to aunswere to them which hearing vs reiect and condemne the traditions of men crye out that the Apostles were men likewise and thinke hereby to prooue that eyther the Apostles doctrine must likewyse be reiected or else some place is left in the church for mans traditions And in deede we are not ignorant that the Apostles were men But bicause they spake not as men nor in their teaching declared not the cogitations of men but according as the holy ghost inspired their harts shewed the mysteries of saluation and of the kingdome of heauen therfore their opinions by no meanes must be reckoned amongst the traditions of men Secondly this place teacheth vs that nothing ought to be taught and preached in the Church but that that is deliuered by the holy ghost For the Church is the house of God in which the onely voyce of the goodman of the house is to be hearde and according to his prescript all things ought to be ordered And as the Bryde obeyeth the onely voyce of the Brydegrome and is not iudged chaste if she giue eare to the entysements or promises of shamelesse suters so where the sonne of God hath espoused to himselfe the congregation of the faithfull washed with his owne bloud and hath made vs partakers of all his goodes whch is the proper ende of mariage we may not follow any other voyce than that whereby Christ the Bridegrome calleth vs vnto him Further for that Christ hath made vs the sheepe of his pasture and hath redeemed vs with the losse of his owne bloude it behooueth vs to follow his voyce and not to harken to the voyce of any straunger or hyreling Neyther is their opinion to be receiued which thinke it an errour worthye of pardon to chaunge and alter somewhat in the doctrine of faith and saluation so that in all things God onely might be worshipped For to graunt that such haue a zeale of God yet bicause they want the knowledge of the truth they can no more please God than did the Iewes in time past which being inflamed with the zeale of God went about to establishe their owne righteousnesse and reiected that righteousnesse which God offreth vs in his sonne to be imbraced by faith And surely if our zeale had bene sufficient in so weighty a matter it had bene but vaine for the Apostles to haue looked for the sending of the holye ghost why did they not therfore steppe forth to preache and according to the godlye intent of their minde teach the people what they thought belonged to the honor of God and glory of Christ But Christes commaundement stopped them who as he elsewhere appointed them to preach the things he taught them so without the conduct of the holye ghost he will they shall not take vppon them to preach least that being beguiled with the counsell of mans wisedome or seduced by corrupt affections of the flesh they should swarue from the right way And we reade that the olde Prophets were bounde by the same commaundement also in whome the Apostle plainely testifieth that the spirite of Christ did speake It is sayde to Hieremie Behold I haue put my words in thy mouth And God sayth to Ezechiel Thou shalt heare woordes from my mouth and shalt warne them from me Therefore it is a wicked and monstrous temeritie of some men which thinke they haue authoritie to coyne newe articles of the faith and to thrust into the Church traditions inuented by mans brayne And who I praye you woulde thinke him a faithfull friende of the Bridegroomes which woulde not feare to intice and inuegle the Bryde to his lure and purpose Let them therefore which teach in the Church receyue all their doctrine at the mouth of god He speaketh vnto vs in the Scriptures by his holye spirite Let them therefore reade them and they shall not erre But let vs returne to Christes wordes from whence we digressed For he going about to render a cause of his commaundement sayth Of whom you haue hearde of mee For Iohn truely baptised with water but you shall be baptised with the holy ghost after not many dayes These words haue a confirmation of promise and consolation very necessary For as there were diuers other things which might make the Apostles carefull in the consideration of their office so there was no little cause to feare them least some incommoditie might arise of the stay and tariaunce of the holy ghost Therefore to take awaye all feare hee repeateth his promises not in the same words that are in the Euangelists but with such as might bring to their remembrance Iohn the Baptistes saying touching this matter which was verye needefull to be done by reason of the great authoritie that Iohn had amongst all men Neyther ought it to seeme an absurde thing
or labour to superfluous Nowe seemeth it time to declare what Christ aunswered And his answere contayneth two poyntes First he reiecteth the Apostles demaunde as pieuish and vnworthy the answering Secondly he openeth more cleerely the maner of his kingdome and in such sort that he both comforteth the fearefull Apostles and declareth after what sort in his kingdome they must minister their office To the first poynt these wordes appertaine It belongeth not to you to know the times and seasons the which the father hath reserued in his owne power And in the beginning he sayeth nothing agaynst their false opinion of his kingdome both for that other times he had spoken much of the same and the comming of the holy ghost was at hande which should teach them all truth His wordes sounde as though hee shoulde saye thus much I haue many times intreated of my kingdome and hytherto as I perceyue I haue profited nothing But admit that I shoulde set vp such a kingdome amongst the people of Israel as you dreame yet is your curiositie to be reprehended that woulde knowe the verye time whereof you neuer hearde me saye any thing and which it had becommed you in pacience and hope to haue looked for and not through vnprofitable and bolde temeritie to haue preuented the time that God woulde reueale These wordes of Christ are diligently to be obserued For with them he bridleth the bolde curiositie of mans wit and appoynteth vs certaine boundes of Christian wisedome whiche it is vnlawfull for vs to passe or go beyonde For where the Disciples are reprehended for that they would ouer curiously enquire for such things as God had reserued to his owne power onely it appeareth sufficiently that hereby we are prescribed how farre our wisedome must extende that we should continually be occupied in the searching and consideration of those things that God hath vouchsafed to reueale to vs in his Scriptures and not to knowe those things which he hath reserued to himselfe alone And what things he would haue hid from vs and vnknowne to leaue them to his power wisedome and iudgement vnto that daye in the which we shall not knowe in part but shall face to face beholde the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen The same the wise man admonisheth whose words would to God were written in the harts of many curious persons Seeke not sayth he after the things that be aboue thee and search not foolishly for the things farre aboue thy strength Studye the things commaunded thee of God and be not curious in many of his workes For it is not needefull for thee to see with thine eyes the things that are secret Make not to much search in superfluous things and be not curious in many of his works For many things are shewed vnto thee already which be aboue the capacitie of men The medling with such hath beguiled many a man and tangled their wittes in vanitie Wherevnto is to be referred the saying of Salomon He that searcheth the maiestie shall be depriued of the glory Here therefore are confuted and condemned by this sentence of Christ all the soothsaying Artes of Mathematicals amongst which Iudiciall Astrologie beareth the bell For Christ forbiddeth to enquire after the times and seasons that is what ought to be done at euery time and what tyme is appoynted for euery thing And herein is the chiefe vse of Astrologie to foreshewe the successe of euery thing in his time For when they knowe the houre of ones natiuitie by by they looke vpon the Horoscope or ascendent and figure of heauen and so pronounce of the course of his whole life And not content with the things belonging to the body goodes of fortune they take vpon them to iudge of the soule also as though the vertues and vices of man and so by consequent eternall saluation depended vppon the Planets After like sort they write Prognostications of the things that shal happen euery yeare In which as if they were Oracles of Apollo they reason of warres of sicknesses of dearth and scarcitie of things and what vyces and naughtynesse shall raigne all the yeare following And what doe these men else but that that was reprehended in the Disciples which yet went not about to learne such things by any Arte forbidden of God but to know it at Christes mouth whom God hath made vnto vs wisedome Neither let them obiect the example of the Prophetes whose prophecies are extant of things that were to come and who did sometimes appoynt the times of things afterwarde to followe as is plaine that Hieremie and Daniel chiefely did For these men vttered that thing for the instruction and comfort of man which they receyued by Gods holy spirite And God oftentimes vseth to foreshewe things to come by his Prophetes for mans health sake But he hath in no place taught vs soothsaying Artes whereby mans industrie can trye out thinges to come but he hath condemned them and shut out the students of them from his kingdome and people as is to see in Deut. 18. and Mich. 5. Chapter There is also condemned in this place the curiositie of such as going farther dare search for the latter day and ende of Christes comming which Christ hath so appointed in his fathers power onely that he sayth it is vnknowne to the Aungels and to himselfe as he is man. Whatsoeuer things is meete for vs to know they are abundantly declared in the scripture We are admonished of the signes that go before that daye not that we shoulde dispute of the verye time of his comming but that being awaked from the sleepe of sinne we should lift vp our heades that the day of our redemption approching we mought be founde faithfull and diligent seruants In lyke maner me thinketh they are here reprehended which wade to farre in the secretes of Gods eternall predestination and prouidence while they search what number is of the elect and call to account of mans reason the iudgementes of God whereby hee chooseth or refuseth men which as they farre passe mans reache and capacitie so can they not without great daunger be sought out But the things in this matter which serue both for our comfort instruction God hath vouchsafed to reueale For it is playne that the faithfull are elected from euerlasting in Christ Iesus only through the meere fauor of God without respect of our workes or merites It is playne that this election is firme and stable whereof God as Paule sayth cannot repent him It is playne that faith is the infallible signe of this election whereby we apprehende Iesus Christ and in him righteousnesse and saluation It is playne that the ende marke of our election is to lyue holy blamelesse in this life that when we be taken from this lyfe we may lyue in heauen with Iesus Christ. These things God hath reuealed and with these we ought to be content In the
the supper whyle they denie that his body can be contayned in any place Let vs therfore see what is properly to be vnderstanded by his ascention next who ascended then after what maner and into what place he ascended And vnto these afterwarde we will adioyne the cause why he ascended and what commoditie and profite commeth to vs by his ascention They properly are sayde to ascende which go from a lower place vnto an higher Wherfore ascention is a moouing or carying the Greekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from one place to another and that from a place beneath vnto a place vpwarde And that euen here there is such a motion or moouing none but he that is most contentious can denie For this is it that Luke meaneth in the beginning of this booke where he speaketh of Christes ascention saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he went vp or ascended and in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he was taken vp Both which wordes signifie a taking or carying away from a lower place vnto an higher Neyther admit we their cauillation where they expounde these wordes the clowde that conueyed him out of their sight thereby feyning their disparition or vanishing out of sight For euen there it is sayde of the clowde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is it caried him or tooke vp on high that in the meane season I saye nothing how Christ must needes be in a place while he was in the clowde vsing it as an instrument whereby to ascende Beside that the Apostles behelde him with their eyes as hee went and sought him not looking this waye and that as one conueying himselfe inuisibly away For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as he went marke the locution whereby is euidently declared a moouing from a place to a place the Apostles behelde him looking vp into heauen But what needed they to lift vp their eyes to heauen if the Lorde were not caried into heauen Why did they not rather looke hither and thither for him into the ayre as after one that sodeinly vanished away And the Aungels afterwarde reprehend not the Apostles for that they vainelye supposed he was gone vp into the element but they rather confesse it to be true and plainely entreate of his comming backe againe Ascention therefore is a moouing from a lower place to an higher whereby Christ was caried vppe into heauen For vnlesse we confesse this the holy ghost must be accused who without cause in rehearsall of a plaine hystorie which all men ought to knowe woulde of purpose beguile vs with needelesse wordes It followeth next to see who is ascended But the storie is of Christ Iesu which being raysed from the deade prooued the veritie of his bodye fourty dayes togither by many argumentes But when the Scriptures speake of Christ the distinction of natures whereof he consisteth as the Scripture teach vs must be verye well obserued For he which from euerlasting is very God of the same maiestie and glory with the father yea of one substance with him he in the time appoynted as Paule sayth was made man of a woman that is tooke vpon him manhoode or the nature of man Wherefore in one and the selfe person of Christ are ioyned two natures to saye the diuine and the humane And yet by reason of the vnitie of person the natures be neyther confounded nor chaunged but the propertie of eche nature remayneth whole and distinct And by vnitie of person it commeth to passe that that which is proper to one nature onely is attributed to whole Christ and Christ is sayde to haue done or suffred that which is peculiar to one nature onely which thing the fathers vsed to call the communion or comixtion or likenesse of properties of speache It appertayneth to the diuine nature that Christ is sayde to be from euerlasting and before Abraham was borne who notwithstanding after his humane nature was borne afterwardes in a time appointed And the sonne of God is sayde to haue suffred and dyed where his diuinitie can neyther suffer nor die And yet it is trulye sayde For he that was truely the sonne of God wherein he was able to die dyed According to the same reason the sonne of man was sayde to be in heauen when he was vppon the earth bicause the same touching his godheade pierced the heauens also although according to his body hee was in the earth and there commoned with Nicodemus Which things if we obserue in this place it shall appeare that Iesus Christe tooke his humane nature which he receyued of the virgins bodye into heauen For it can not be vnderstanded of his diuine nature whereof it is saide I fill heauen and earth Againe Heauen is my throne and the earth is my footestoole And whereas the Godhead is not mooued from place to place but is infinite immeasurable ascention by no meanes agreeth therewith And yet we truely saye that God ascended bicause Christ who is very God ascended in his manhoode And yet we deuide not Christ into partes or denye the vnitie of person as did one Nestorius but we make a difference betweene the natures of Christ and their properties as hee deuideth not man that maketh a distinction betweene the actions of the soule and of the bodye which are knowne to be much different And here that saying of Austen is to be well marked where hee forbiddeth vs to take euerye thing in God to be euery where as God. And Christ ment not to prooue the presence of his Godheade by the extending of his body into all places but by the operation of his holy spirite But the Scriptures shewe also the place into which he ascended And Luke sayeth that he was taken vp on high And the Angels afterwarde call it heauen that it might appeare vnto vs to what place he went And Marke more expressely signifying the place in heauen writeth that he is set downe on the right hande of the Father Wee knowe what a great manye holde and affirme of the heauens which by them vnderstande the kingdome and presence of god We knowe also that the right hande of God maye be taken for the felowship of the diuine maiestie and kingdome into the which we confesse that Christ is truly taken according as he sayth All power is giuen to me in heauen and in earth But we saye there is here a certaine place assigned into the which we one daye shall be receiued to reigne with Christ for euer And this sense we draw out of Christes owne words speaking of his departure In my fathers house bee many mansions or dwellings which if it were otherwise I woulde haue tolde you I go to prepare you a place And if I go to prepare you a place I will come againe and take you vnto my selfe that where I am there may you be also Coulde he more plainly and expressely declare a certaine place Paule in the heauenly place and
once for all into that very Sanctuary to saye into heauen with hys true body and bloude which he tooke of vs that he might there appeare before God for our sinnes and appease the wrath of god Hitherto appertayneth it that Paule sayth Christ is not entred into a sanctuarye made with handes but into heauen it selfe that he myght appeare now before God for vs. Againe Christ being an high Priest of good thinges to come came by a greater and a more perfect Tabernacle not made with handes that is to saye not of this building neyther by the bloude of Goates and Calues but by his owne bloud he entred in once into the holye place and founde eternall redemption Of the which we gather that Christ after he had perfourmed the things he came to doe on earth entred into heauen to accomplish that which remayned there to be done that is to place himselfe there a Mediatour intercessour and aduocate for vs Wherevnto all those thinges are to be referred that are written in the Scripture touching the office of an Intercessor and aduocate And here is no small fruite of Christes ascention For as often as the conscience of our sinnes troubleth vs and that we thinke heauen is shut a gainst vs by reason of our sinne so often we may flie to the consideration oâ— the ascention as to a most safe sanctuarye and be assured that he is in heauen which maketh intercession for vs who by reason of his merite couereth our vncleanesse and reconcileth vs vnto god Iohn the Apostle teacheth vs the same in these wordes Little children I write these thinges vnto you to th ende you shoulde not sinne But if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous And Paule sayth Who shall be able to charge the elect of God with sinne It is God that iustifieth who is it that condemneth It is Christ that is deade yea rather that is risen againe who is also on the right hande of God and maketh intercession for vs. Moreouer bicause the Apostles as yet perceyued not these things therfore being astonied with Christes sodeyne departure looked wishely vp into heauen missed his bodily presence which they were woont to haue it behooued they should be more fully instructed Therfore Angels clothed in white garments appeared to them which spake to them on this wyse You men of Galiley why stande you looking vp into heauen The same IESVS which is taken from you vp into heauen shall so come euen as you haue seene him go into heauen There is in these wordes first a reprehension and then a singular comfort and consolation Wee therfore will speake of ech of them as much as this place shall require The beginning of their saying seemeth to haue in it some reprehension You men of Galiley say they why stand you looking vp into heauen Here the Aungels accuse not onely the deede of the Disciples but also the affection and ignorance of their minds For the Apostles therfore lift vp their eyes into heauen bicause they sawe Christ was taken vp in the Clowde And the Aungels denie it not but rather confesse that it so was They were worthy of reprehension that being so often admonished of Christes departure and instructed so often with promises that they should haue the holy ghost would yet desire to haue Christs bodily presence and seeke him both with minde and sight after a sort wayte that he should come downe againe vnto them This therfore the Angels reprehende as if they should saye what ignorance grossenesse of hart is this of yours why marueyle you still at Christes departure Hearde you not before how he must thus depart Hath he not promised you the holy ghost to be your comforter and tutor why therfore wayte you not for him and let passe this bodily presence vntill the daye he shall come in the glory of the father to iudge the quicke and the dead as you may remember he tolde you before this And if we conferre the wordes of the Aungels with the things spoken a little before in the storye of the Ascention it shall appeare as cleare as day that there ought no such bodilye presence of Christ Iesu to be established on the earth from henceforth as they feyne which saye that the body of Christ which was borne of the virgin Marie which honge on the crosse which was buried is eaten in the supper corporally substantially and really handled with the hands of the faithful They see that the hystory of the ascention maketh against this grosse opinion and therefore they make of it a disparition or vanishing away as before I sayde Further they abuse the places of the Scripture First they alledge the wordes of Paule Christ is ascended aboue all heauens to fulfill all things Wherevpon they gather that the condicion of his body being chaunged is spred ouer all places as well supernall as infernall and so he filleth all things with his body Then flying to his diuinitie by reason thereof they saye it must needes be that his humane nature should be euery where likewyse bicause it is vnited and knitte with the Diuine And they thinke they haue founde Gordius knot whyle they say such is the coniunction of the natures that it can not be sundred by death howe much lesse then can this grosse distance of places separate it They haue also the promises of Christ whereby they thinke their opinion confirmed For these be his wordes Where two or three bee gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them Agayne I am with you vntill the ende of the worlde They ioyne to these the wordes of the supper and crie out till they be hoarce againe This is my body which they make also wordes of promise as though Christ by them had promised a reall and substantiall presence of his bodye But the answere is easie to all these As touching the place of Paule we will not dispute of the heauens after the maner of the Philosophers We knowe that Aristotle appoynteth no place without the compasse and circle of the heauens But it is not lawfull to rest vpon the authorite of an heathen man when matter of fayth is in question Paule speaketh of the heauens that be aboue vs and bicause they be accounted among the parts of the world and shall melt in the fire of the last day he sayth that Christ is ascended aboue them to testifie that he is now out of the circuite of this corruptible worlde and taken into that place which from euerlasting was appoynted for the elect and is subiect to no decay or destruction Therfore the more they vrge that Christ is ascended aboue all heauens thereby it appeareth the more hee is gone forth of the worlde Paule addeth to fulfill all thinges which they expounde of Christes body bicause they will shew themselues grosse and foolishe inough For who seeth not
a foolish and more than childish consequence herein Christ hath caried his body aboue the heauens and all the partes of the worlde visible Ergo the bodye of Christ filleth all the worlde corporally and substantially And this is their maner of reasoning But Paule in this place speaketh of the Prophecies of the olde lawe or as some other saye of the power and maiestie of christ Other expounde it of the spirituall grace and giftes which Christ after he had receyued all power shed vpon men as Ioel before prophecied But whether of these it is here is appointed no corporall presence of Christ vpon earth Christ had fulfilled all the things prophecied before of his incarnation passion death and resurrection Nowe remayned his ascention whereof there were prophecies and where through the businesse of our saluation as we afore declared shoulde be perfited and ended He therefore ascended that herein nothing shoulde be left vnfulfilled And if anye man will haue it vnderstanded rather of the maiestie and power of Christ which he declareth by the bestowing of his heauenly gifts I will not contende with him For thereto the sentence commeth bicause Christ hauing consummate and finished our saluation in his manhoode sayth hee hath receyued all power in heauen and in earth And then he sayde hee woulde send his holy spirite when he went from this worlde vnto his father Yea he sayde It is expedient for you that I go for if I go not that comforter will not come vnto you It is no lesse pieuishe where they reason from Christes diuinitie to his humanitie We confesse surely that these two natures are ioyned togyther in Christ and that Christs person by reason of them ought not to be deuided we say not that they be disioyned or seuered by reason of his death But that which no godly man will denie was done in hys death that here also is to be obserued In his death the distinction of the natures and properties remayned whole and safe For his humane nature suffred death which the diuine coulde not His humane nature suffred the crosse and diuers dolours which cannot happen to the diuine nature And he which as he was very man dyed vpon the crosse and being deade was buried the same as verye God shooke the earth tooke the light from the sunne and wrought effectually in the mindes of men and shewed most euident tokens of his godheade If the same be here considered this matter shall be easily perceyued For Christ touching his diuine nature is euery where and hath his operation euery where The same concerning his humane nature is contained in a certaine place of heauen which is the eternall dwelling of all those that be blessed And for all this we separate not the diuinitie from the humanitie when we say it filleth all places and is euerye where present But we follow the rule of Augustine who sayth We must beware that we doe not so defende or affirme the diuinitie of his manhoode that wee take awaye the veritie of his bodye c. By these also we are taught in what sense Christes promises are to be taken where he sayth he will be present with vs vnto the ende of the worlde For wee expounde them of the presence and power of his Godheade For Christ is present with those that be his by his diuine power and by operation of his holy spirite whereby he ruleth guideth keepeth safe and defendeth them He is with them by his grace and merite that they fall not into the snares of Synne and Satan but stande fast in the fauour and friendship of God the father As touching his bodily presence by other his words where he doth inculcate diuers times that he must go out of the worlde and that he can tary no longer in the worlde we learne that in these wordes he speaketh nothing concerning the same And if it lyke them to expounde these former promises of the presence of his body then where he sayth in another place he shall no longer tary in the world that must needes be vnderstanded of his godly presence For without we reconcyle these places so diuers in themselues by making a difference of his natures enterchaunge of properties of speach we shall be in much perplexitie and vncertaine What shall these men therefore get but while they contende about his bodilye presence bereue themselues of his spirite and diuine protection and as Terence the Poet sayth with reason become madde Neyther admit wee here their colde and shamelesse refuge whereby they would creepe away vnder the inuisible conuersation of Christes body here on earth For Christ speaketh not of the maner and qualitie of the thing but of the thing it selfe and denyeth that he tarieth any longer in the worlde But with what reason should he so say if he taried in the world inuisibly And in the .xxiiij. of Mathew he biddeth vs not to beleeue them which shoulde saye towarde the ende of the worlde he is here or there in the Closet Spence or Buttry Of these things nowe may be easily gathered how the wordes of the supper are to be vnderstanded We knowe that Christ reached breade to his Disciples and sayde This is my body But we say it is a sacramentall kind of speach whereby as is commonly seene the name of the thing signified is attributed to the signe After which sort Circumcision was called the couenant and the Easter feast the Passeouer Neyther obserue we this in this matter without cause for so the verity of Christs body enforceth vs wherof we haue already spoken And Christ himselfe in the Gospell of S. Iohn willing to take the grosse opinion of his flesh from his Disciples sendeth them to his ascention that there they might learne how his body coulde not substantially really be eaten but that they must vnderstand a spiritual eating which was by faith Looke the .vj. of Iohn I passe ouer many other things that might be sayde bicause I would not be to long in wordes It is our part to holde fast the plaine hystory of the ascention and with our harts lifted vp by faith to seeke Christ in heauen that wee may be fed euerlastingly with the vertue and merite of his flesh and bloude But let vs returne to the Aungels whose wordes haue in them a marueylous comfort For as they blame the grosse opinion of the Disciples desiring the bodily presence of Christ so they comfort them with the promise of his last comming This same Iesus say they which is taken vp from you shall so come as you haue seene him go hence The Aungels promyse a visible comming of christ And any comming inuisible beside that which is by his holy spirite the Scripture knoweth not That is a visible comming which we professe in the articles of our faith in which he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead Many things are saide in the scripture touching this comming
Passeouer Luke in the seconde Chapter following sayth the holy ghost was sent In the meane season they abode with one consent in prayers and supplication And although the argument or matter of the prayers which they made be not expressed yet of the circumstances it may easily be gathered what they prayed For what else should they praye for which knewe their owne weakenesse and sawe such a burthen layde on their shoulders then that God woulde hasten the sending of his holy spirite and vouchsafe to defende them from falling For they had learned by their first sliding back how vaine and of no value mans strength is in Gods affayres except we be vpholden by the present ayde of his diuine grace Let vs here obserue how Luke sayth they were continually occupied in prayer and supplication which otherwyse were furnished with most large promises and were endued with great fayth For if we reade in Iohn what Christ did with his Disciples a little before his death we shall see the holye ghost so often promised that it was almost tedious And being risen from death againe he put them diuers times in remembrance of the same And that they beleeued the promises of Christ it appeareth plainely by their returne into the Citie For vnlesse they had beleeued that Christ would be as good as his promise they would neuer haue gone backe againe into so bloudy a Citie and where such daunger was Therefore faith is no let why we should not perseuer and abyde continually in prayers and good workes I know there are diuers that cauill about the thinges spoken of fayth which only iustifieth and saueth as though it made prayer vnprofitable and extinguished or at least much hindered good workes But these men so farre swarue from the truth that there is no more effectuous prouocation to good workes than that that springeth in our mindes of fayth Naye if we be not furnished with fayth wee can neyther praye profitablye nor be feruent in good workes For howe shall they call vpon him in whom they beleeue not sayth Paule And how shall God accept our prayers except we conceyue sure confidence of his good will towardes vs Last of all where as we naturally abhorre from good workes it cannot be that we shoulde gyue our selues wholy therevnto vnlesse we be sure that they please God the father for Iesus Christes sake To saye nothing howe it is impossible to please God without fayth and howe whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The Apostles and they that be with them ioyne two thinges to their prayers without the which our prayer is of no force or auayle before God that is to saye vnanimitie and perseuerance Unanimitie or agreement is needefull bicause wee be the children of one father as we professe in the Lordes prayer saying Our father which art in heauen c. But what father is so retchlesse and carelesse to suffer his children to be at discorde among themselues And the law of nature teacheth vs that they that be one mans children and of one inheritance should looue and agree togither But as many as by faith are grafted in Christ are borne of the same seede to saye the incorruptible and immortall seede of Gods worde to be the children of God and heyres of his kingdome in heauen yea to saye more they are made members of one body and acknowledge one heade and are quickened with one and the same spirite Is it possible therefore that such can be voyde of loue â–ª concorde among themselues Doe they not through hatred and enmitie seperate themselues from the body of Christ and commit horrible hypocrisie while they dare lyke true children of GOD at common prayer appeare in the sight of GOD Therefore in our prayers ought that thing chieflye to haue place that Christ requyreth of them which come to doe sacrifice saying If thou offer thy gyft at the aultare and there remember that thy brother hath ought agaynst thee leaue there thy gyft before the aultare and go and bee reconcyled vnto thy brother and then come and offer thy gift For if we must take heede that our brother haue no cause of hatred against vs how much more must we beware that we swell not in hatred agaynst our brother We must haue no lesse consideration of perseuering or continuance in prayer forasmuch as God manye times deferreth long the helpe he promiseth vs and almost seemeth to haue no care at all of vs which thing caused the holyest men to burst forth into these sayings How long wilt thou forget me O Lorde for euer Howe long wilt thou hyde thy face from me how long shall I crye and thou wilt not heare But in such cogitations we must remember that God cannot forget vs nor cease to care for such as he hath vouchsafed to redeeme with the bloud of his sonne For he sayth in the Prophete Can the mother forget hir yong Infant so that she will not haue pittie vpon the babe of hir owne body but admit they be forgetfull yet will not I forget thee Behold I haue grauen thee in both my hands And Dauid sayth Thou tellest my flittings and puttest my teares in thy bottâ—ll Are not these things noted in thy booke Therefore when God deferreth the help we looke for he doth it for this only cause to try our faith pacience and yet as I sayd before hee suffreth vs not to be tempted aboue our strength Wherefore euen then must we chiefly bende all the force of our faith call for his helpe praying continually And of what force this perseuerance or importunitie is before God Iesus Christ hath taught vs in very fitte parables therfore let vs diligently doe that the Apostles did whyle they wayted for the holy ghost For we also haue neede of the holy ghost to bridle the desires of the fleshe and to strengthen vs in hope and faith Let vs make our selues ready to receyue him with obedience vnanimitie and perseuerance in prayer that being quickened and illuminate with him in this present worlde we may leade a lyfe acceptable to his diuine Maiestie and at length lyue in heauen with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom be blessing honour glory and power for euer Amen The seuenth Homelie IN those dayes Peter stoode vp in the middes of the Disciples and sayde the number of names that were togither were about an hundred and twentie ye men and brethren this Scripture must needes haue bene fulfilled which the holy ghost through the mouth of Dauid spake before of Iudas which was guyde to them that tooke Iesus For he was numbred with vs and had obtayned fellowship in this ministration And the same hath nowe possessed a plot of grounde with the rewarde of iniquitie and when he was hanged hee burst a sunder in the middest and all his bowels gushed out And it is knowne to all the inhabiters of Hierusalem insomuch that the same fielde is called
their mindes as they read occupied with other cogitations as though the reading of scripture were appoynted but for delyte or to passe the time away Let vs therfore well marke what commaundementes and examples belong to our vocation that we maye continue in the same and declare our industrye towarde god For in thus doing a minister of the worde shall thinke whatsoeuer things are spoken by the Prophetes or Apostles touching the administration of the same worde to be sayde vnto him And they that be Magistrates let them thinke whatsoeuer is sayde in the Scriptures touching the dutie of Officers with examples of auncient Magistrates whether they be good or badde to be spoken vnto them The same shall priuate men also doe of what state or condicion so euer they be So shall it come to passe that with a certayne godly delight and pleasure of minde they shall receyue incredible profite by reading of the Scriptures Let vs examine the wordes of Peter wherein two things most appertayning to this present purpose are handled First he teacheth what maner of person should be chosen to the roume of an Apostle Then he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle And of these two he so disputeth that they may serue to the institution of all Ministers of the word of the congregation To the first part appertayneth this saying Wherefore of these men which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lorde IESVS had all his conuersation among vs beginning at the baptisme of Iohn vntill that same day that he was taken vp from vs must one be ordayned c. Peter requireth here two things of great weyght The first is a sure and sounde knowledge of Iesus Christ and of all the things he did whyle he was amongst his Disciples For vsing an Hebrewe phrase by two contraries that is to saye of going in and comming out he includeth all things that euer Christ did Yet least any man should take occasion hereof ouer curiouslye to inquire after euery thing he compasseth this knowledge within certaine boundes that is to saye the baptisme of Iohn and the glorious ascention of Christ into heauen For before Christ was baptised of Iohn he led a priuate life in Nazareth of Galiley behauing himselfe obediently to his Parents and exercising the Carpenters craft as maye be gathered But the thinges that concerned our redemption and belonged to the office of the Messias he then went aboute when hee had bene baptised of Iohn and was authorized by the visible annoynting of the holy Ghost and by the testimonye of the father which was hearde from heauen For which cause the Euangelists contented with the describing of his incarnation touching his nonage and childehoode haue written very little For the holy ghost ment hereby to bridle the foolish curiositie of mans wit which not many yeares ago vttred and set forth it selfe by no simple writers I warrant you who haue compyled vs the lyfe and whole chyldehoode of Christ to the great mockery open scorne of the Christian profession Howbeit Peter thinketh the knowledge of these things sufficient and inough which Christ did after he was so solemnlye admitted and put in office And this knowledge was necessary bicause Christ ordayned his Apostles to be faithfull witnesses of his doings Secondly he requireth a certaine and euident signe of perseuerance and continuance For he woulde haue none chosen out of that number which were yet but nouices and newly entred into Christes religion but such as began to follow Christ from the beginning of his conuersation amongst men and so continued with him being neyther feared with daunger of persecution nor offended with the crosse and his â—launderous death And these thinges should now a dayes be obserued in choosing ordering of Ministers if they had any care of the Church which chalenge greatest authoritie ouer the same For it is playne that the chiefe dutie of the Minister standeth in teaching as God sayth by the Prophete In the Priestes lippes should be the sure knowledge that men may seeke the lawe at his mouth For hee is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes But how shall he teach who is vnlearned and rude him selfe Surely Paule in a Bishop requireth this thing chieflye that he be able to teach and that not only the playne doctrine of truth to the more tractable sort of men but also that he be able to refell and conuince such as shall gainesay and contrary the same whereof there is alwayes a great multitude Therefore in a Minister of the worde the knowledge of Christ and his misteries is necessary with al the things that concerne the articles of the Christian fayth and the dutie of the faythfull There is required of him diligent reading of the Scripture wherein hee ought to be well exercised He hath neede of the knowledge of the tongues that in reading the Scriptures he depende not vpon the sense of others and be constrayned to looke with other mens eyes and to go with other mens feete Furthermore it is meete he be furnished with the Artes of speaking that hee maye perceyue what to propounde in what place and after what sort and order All which are of such weyght that Paule not without a cause exhorted Timothy to continue on still in reading who yet he confesseth of a childe had learned the Scriptures Moreouer whereas infinite daungers hange ouer the function of Ministers boldenesse of minde is requisite least being ouercome with feare of perill hee drawe backe or sticke in the middest of his course But this shall chiefly be perceyued by perseuerance or continuance whereof no doubt he had giuen manifest tokens The same hath Paule obserued likewyse where he sheweth vs that a Byshop shoulde not be a yong scholer or Nouice least being puffed vp with sodaine dignitie he commit some thing dishonest or vncomely and giue occasion to the aduersary to reprooue him Yea and Christ himselfe at his last supper commendeth his Apostles whom it is plaine were subiect to many faultes and infirmities chiefely for this cause that they abode with him in all his temptations But let vs see Peters last wordes where he defineth the office or dutie of an Apostle Let one be appoynted sayth he which may be a witnesse of his resurrection First he will haue a partner or fellow ioyned with the eleuen not a seruant whome the reast at their pleasure might commaunde For he knewe that equalitie was needefull to be amongst Christes Ministers Then he calleth him a witnesse which name Christ called them by a little before he went from hence And the often repeticion and diligent consideration of this name is not a little profitable For hereby the worthynesse of the Christian fayth and certaintye of the doctrine euangelicall may be perceyued bicause Christ had not onely preachers of the things he did â—ut also sworne witnesses which wrate and deliuered to vs the fayth in him Last of
they cannot looke vpon Moses face that is they cannot vnderstande the true and plaine meaning of the lawe Therefore the Iewes and false Christians the mainteyners of mans righteousnesse obiect to vs in vaine the lawe and workes thereof whereas Christ is both the ende of the lawe and without him there is no true knowledge of the lawe But in the meane season the contempners of the olde lawe are reprooued who thinke there is no more vse of the same to be had among the Christians As though the will of God were not the same nowe that it was woont to be and as though we also had not neede to be led by the hande of the lawe vnto Christ that distrusting our owne righteousnesse we might learne to take holde of the righteousnesse of God that commeth by fayth in Iesus Christ. In deede we confesse that the Ceremonies of the law are abholished bicause all figures are fulfilled in Christ yet the vse of the lawe remayneth whole and sounde whose duetie it is to teach vs our vnrighteousnesse and corruption of nature and all our satisfaction for the same to be in Christ. Furthermore it behooueth to consider the persons of the Apostles that we may vnderstande what they were dooing at this tyme where certaine things are to be repeated out of the first Chapter First we heard howe they obeyed the commaundement of Christ being nowe readie to ascende into heauen who bade them returne to Hierusalem and there to wayte for the spirite which he promised them Therefore they returne thither and there abide vnto this day in the which the spirit is sent as a little after we shall see where Luke sayth plainly this happened at Hierusalem Moreouer he attributeth vnanimitie and concorde to them For they went not dispersed vp and downe the Citie neyther was there such brawle and contention betweene them as was woont to be but they taryed with one accorde all togither in one place Adde vnto these a thirde poynt whereof mention also is made before howe they continually persisted in praier For it is not to be thought that they were become euer the slacker in praying seeing they were compassed about wyth daunger on euery side and as appeareth by choosing of Mathias prepared themselfe diligently to the administration of their office These things serue for the publike instruction of vs all For they teache vs howe they ought to prepare themselues which desire to haue the holye ghost giuen vnto them and to haue his giftes increased in them Hereof we haue neede by reason of our inwarde and naturall corruption wherewyth onlesse we be borne againe we shall not see the kingdome of god We haue neede of the same spirite bicause of the worlde and the desires of the fleshe wherewith we be many tymes reuoked from the way of saluation We haue neede also of the same by reason of temptations wherewith Sathan oftentymes goeth about to bring vs in doubt of the certentie of our saluation and redemption and would easily ouercome vs except we were confirmed wyth the spirite of Christ which as Paule sayth is the sure earnest and pledge of our saluation But the same spirit entereth not into a froward soule Therefore we haue neede to prepare our selues that we may be meete to receyue him First therefore obedience is requisite whereby it behooueth vs to be in subiection to the will of God and to his precepts yea euen in those things that to our reason seeme daungerous hurtfull or superfluous For by what meanes shall we thinke it will come to passe that they shall haue the spirite of God giuen them which are not ashamed to rebell agaynst God God can not abide that they shall glorie in his lawe and in his worde which runne on in disobedience Howe much lesse will he vouchsafe to giue his holy spirite to such Furthermore it is meete that they be of one accorde and in charitie togither which shall receyue the holy ghost For where God himselfe is charitie he requireth earnestly the studie thereof in those that be his yea Christ appoynted it as a Cognizance for his to be knowne by And it cannot be that Christ will iudge them worthie of the spirite of Christian brotherhoode that are deuided by hatred enuie contentions and open enimitie and so declare themselues to be straungers from the bodie of Christ which is the Church or Congregation Moreouer vnto the studie of concorde and obedience must be ioyned feruent and continuall prayers For although God promise his spirit freely and giueth the same of his meere grace he will yet haue vs to pray to him and aswell doth the maiestie of God require we should praye to him as the dutie whereby we be bound to him Neyther can we declare any more manifest token of our fayth than if we go aboute by prayer to obtaine those things that belong to our saluation Therefore we heare Dauid saye Make me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirite within me Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirite from me And we say euery day as Christ commaundeth vs Let thy kingdome come Yea Christ himselfe promiseth vs that we shall not aske God his spirite in vaine Where he sayth If you being euill can giue good gyftes vnto your children howe much more shal your father of heauen giue the holy spirit to them that desire it of him Therefore let vs in these dayes ioyne togither these three obedience vnanimitie and prayers after the example of the Apostles and then shall we perceyue in our selues a marueylous comming forwarde in true godlinesse and a most wholsome increase of the holy ghost Furthermore the consideration of the Apostles teacheth vs that the spirite of Christ which worketh by preaching of the gospell is a spirite of concorde and holinesse and not the Author of dissention and carnall libertie as some in these dayes crie out which by this meanes would bring the doctrine of the gospell in suspicion and hatred bicause say they it is the seede of dissention and a planting of licencious liuing But we may easily aunswere theyr slaunders For as the Apostles being at vnitie and concorde receyued the holy spirite so it is plaine that after they had receyued him their concorde was not disturbed but euery day more and more confirmed And the same effect of the spirite is in all them that beleeue For it cannot be that he can be Author of discorde amongst them whom being knit togither in one head Iesus Christ he maketh members of one and the same bodie and coheyres of the same kingdome And as it is impossible that the members of one bodie quickened with one spirite can be at variance togither so can they not striue amongst themselues which are brought by the doctrine of the gospell vnto Christ and are indued with his spirite As touching that our enimies obiect to vs the libertie of the flesh we
be counted rather warmelings and cowardly forsakers of the standing and place that they are set in Howbeit in putting away the crime he neyther vseth a bare deniall onlye nor waywardly retorteth slaunder for slaunder but prooueth by arguments that it is false that they layde to theyr charge The first argument he taketh of circumstance of the time These be not sayth he as ye suppose drunken for it is but the thirde houre of the day For the auncient fathers vsed to account twelue howers in the day as may be gathered by the hystorie of the Gospell and prophane wryters also And bicause they beganne theyr count from the day spring or rising of the sunne this thirde hower must be referred to the morning and with vs in the summer time it may be called seauen or eight a clocke in the forenoone Peters argument therfore is of this sort They that are giuen to drunkennesse begin to banquet and bouse towarde euening or the beginning of the night But where it is nowe but morning we cannot of right be accused of drunkennesse But O happie state of those dayes when men might reason after this sort For although it be credible that manye were giuen aswell to drunkennesse as to other vices yet such was the honestie of that time that it was a shame to be drunken and those that were giuen to such drinking were drunken as Paule sayth in the night for feare of open shame In these dayes this argument should be of small force and authoritie where as they euery where now rule the rost which ryse earely to drinke wine as Esay complayneth of the vsage of his dayes Yea there be found amongst the Princes and Magistrates which forgetting the saying of Salomon ryse vp betymes to banquetting and ryot But what speake I of Princes seeing there be deuines not free from this vice I remember once being at the Sessions Imperiall where they went about to establishe a generall peace and to appoynt an vniforme religion through Germanie howe I sawe a deuine of great name and fame yea the standard bearer of the contrarie part that sayde he woulde not dispute of so weightie a matter when he was sober And he was so constant of his worde that I sawe him not so fewe tymes as once well whitteled by one of the clocke But would God there were not to be found euen among them of our owne profession which being infected with this publike and common euill of all Germanie were not giuen to much to this quassing And surely if there were none other argument apparaunt this one were ynough to reprooue the corrupt maners of these dayes For who can denie but the dayes of Noah and Lot be amongst vs where with one mouth all men talke of their cuppes and to be drunken is accounted with all states and degrees a commendable and an honourable matter This vice wee may thanke not onely for corruption of good maners but also for the ouerthrow of iustice and lawes and the decay of religion and oppression of the libertie of our countrie But returne we to Peters Sermon who taketh an other argument of thinges spoken long before to acquite the Apostles of suspition of drunkennesse For where euen the good also might iustly meruaile howe vnlearned men shoulde sodenly come to speake such diuers languages and to bee expert in them and the wicked and mockers imputed it to drunkennesse it was needefull the truth of the matter shoulde be more openly declared Therefore Peter teacheth that this was the worke of the holy ghost the sending of whome he prooueth by the .2 of Ioel to haue beene promised long before in the kingdome of the Messias This Ioel prophecied in the time of Esay and Micheas and forewarned the people of the warres that Sennacherib should make agaynst them And least the godly should despayre and thinke that God had left off to care for his people any more he comforteth them and sheweth how Israell shoulde not quite be destroyed bycause the Messias should be borne of that people whome God had ordeyned to be the Sauiour and redeemer of mankinde and for the more comfort of them describeth in fewe woordes the kingdome of the Messias Which place Peter the more diligently and at large cyteth for that he woulde accuse them of doltishnesse and lacke of witte which ascribed the most manifest effectes of the holye ghost to drunkennesse For this was a most filthie errour not to marke and obserue so great a benefite of God and that promised so long agone and most diligently described but to raile at it This place giueth vs three things to consider The first prophecieth of the plentifull and liberall pouring out of the holy ghost which should be in the tyme of christ The other describeth the troublesome estate of this worlde in the kingdome of Christ insomuch that it reckoneth vp the punishments wherewith God will reuenge the vnthankfulnesse and incredulitie of the worlde The thirde declareth the maner of saluation and sheweth the way howe men may escape safely all daungers But at this present we will declare onely the first part This the Lorde in these wordes vttereth by the Prophete And it shall come to passe in the latter dayes sayth the Lorde that I will poure out of my spirite vpon all flesh And your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie And your yong men shall see visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames And on my seruaunts and on my handmaydens I will poure out of my spirite in those dayes and they shall prophecie These wordes are by themselues plaine and euident ynough yet are they more deepely to be considered bycause of the things comprehended in them seruing to our instruction The first thing to be obserued in them is that where the Prophete prophecieth of the kingdome of Christ amongst the great and singuler benefites bestowed on vs by Christ he chiefly commendeth the gift of the holy ghost The cause thereof seemeth to me was not for that the holy Prophete eyther was ignoraunt of other thinges or despised them but bicause next after Christ there can nothing be giuen vs of God more excellent than that spirite of Christ which here is spoken of For our heauenly father hath inclosed in Christ his sonne all the treasures of his grace and of our saluation But men are regenerated by his holy spirite to become the sonnes of God and heyres of the goodes which Christ hath purchased vs Which regeneration is so necessarie for vs that vnlesse we be renued by the same we cannot as Christ testifieth see the kingdome of God. The same spirite illuminateth our mindes to vnderstande the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen and kindleth in vs the desire of them Without the which light the naturall man cannot perceyue the thinges belonging to the spirite of God. This spirite is a comforter by whome we being incouraged are able to abide and ouercome whatsoeuer aduersitie in this
worlde betydeth vs for Christes sake And he doth not onely the part of a comforter but is also a most faythfull counsaylour For he telleth vs what to doe and when we be in perplexitie and doubt he lighteth vs the torch of truth by whose conducting we escape the daungers of fayth and ofsaluation Beside all this he is the earnest and sure pledge of our redemption and saluation For as Iesus Christ taking vp into heauen the fleshe that he tooke of vs would haue it there to be a gage of our saluation so he putteth his spirite in our heartes in steede of a pledge to imprint the confidence of saluation in vs and to arme vs strongly agaynst temptations Wherefore he is called of Paule the spirite of adoption because that being regenerated by him we are assured by his testimonie that we be the sonnes and heyres of god Therefore it is not without a cause that the Prophete taketh the gift of this holy spirite amongst all other most to be commended We are also here taught what we ought chiefly to doe in the kingdome of christ In which place we may see the diuers and noysome errours of men which while they followe carnall things onely and vnder the coulour of Christ gape after worldly goodes vse many tymes to denie Christ in their life whome they professe with their mouth And to these shall be ioyned those to whome hereafter it shall be sayde Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Christes kingdome is a spirituall kingdome and not of this world Therefore let vs desire the giftes of the spirite wherewith if we be furnished the other things that we haue neede of shall come of their owne accord Moreouer it is conuenient we see the maner of this promise and to whome it apperteyneth He declareth the maner in this one word of pouring out whereby he promiseth a large and plentifull grace of the spirite As touching the persons to whome he will giue it he treateth more at large saying I will poure out of my spirite vpon all fleshe Therefore this is an vniuersall promise But he addeth for expositions sake sonnes and daughters yong men and olde to teach vs that there is no difference in the kingdome of Christ eyther of age or sexe For in Christ as Paule sayth there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle neyther bonde nor free neyther man nor woman In the meane season least any might thinke that the holy spirite was giuen to good and bad alyke God restrayneth his promise to his seruauntes and handmaydens to the ende we should vnderstande that it ought vniuersally to be expounded of them For where he is the spirite of adoption he can be receyued of none but of them whō God doth vouchsafe to acknowledge for his sonnes But they be sonnes of God which acknowledge him to be their father and call vpon him which serue him which worship him which please him and honour him And although they cannot performe the things that belong to the sonnes of God before they be regenerated by this spirite through the free benefit of God and therforethey be oftentimes vnknowne to vs before we see the effects of the holy ghost in them yet it is euident that none be partakers of this spirite but such as the Lorde taketh for his And he knoweth who be his and so knoweth them that no man can take them out of his hande And here by the waye commeth the difference of the olde and newe Testament to be considered For although one and the same Christ one and the same fayth and way of saluation one and the same spirite is set forth in both of them yet there may be perceyued no little difference wherein easily appeareth howe much greater our dignitie and felicitie is than theirs of the olde Testament This appeareth first in the number of the faythfull and next in the maner of teaching For in the olde Testament it is plaine there were but a small number of worshippers and the knowledge of saluation seemed to be compassed within the boundes of the people of Iurie For the wordes of God be well knowne which he sayth to the Israelites Ye shall be mine owne aboue all Nations For all the earth is mine Ye shall bee vnto me a kingdome of priestes and an holy people Againe You only haue I accepted of all the Nations on the earth For which cause sake me thinketh that is also spoken in the Psalmes In Iewrie is God knowne his name is great in Israell At Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Syon Hee sheweth his worde vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinaunces vnto Israell Hee hath not dealt so with any Nation neyther haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes But in the newe Testament the spirite of the Lorde is poured vppon all fleshe and the way of saluation is stretched to the farthest endes of the earth There it is sayde that they shall come from the East and from the West that shall sitte in the kingdome of God with Abraham Isaac and Iacob There the Apostles receyue a commaundement to preache the Gospell to all Nations There Peter learneth vs howe there is no respect of persons wyth God but in all Nations they that feare him and worke righteousnesse are accepted of him And here is fulfilled that which was spoken before by the Prophete That the barren and desolate should haue more children than shee that was maryed ▪ Againe though there be singuler examples of the faythfull of the olde Testament the like whereof you shall hardly finde in these dayes yet is it plaine that the way and meane of our saluation is now much more manifestly taught than it was woont to be in the olde Testament Before the lawe was published there were in deede large and liberall promises but obscure ynough if we waye them that liued in those dayes which sawe them not as then fulfilled In the lawe our saluation was shadowed with signes and figures but such as whereof many tooke occasion to establishe the righteousnesse of workes Then followed the Prophetes and they declare the mysteryes of Christ somewhere darckely and somewhere more plainely and openly And the thinges which seeme to vs most euident in their writinges seemed without doubt to them in those dayes obscure and darke ynough But in the new Testament the vayle of darcknesse is rent and that light brought in which being come giueth light to all men in the worlde In the Gospell the things are plainely taught which before tyme were hidden and secrete And there fishers and Publicanes see and heare those things which many Prophetes and iust men desired in tymes past to heare and see As touching this plentifull and bounteous gift of the holye ghost and true light thereof Ioel also prophecieth The ende and vse of
is in Christ alone whome whosoeuer despiseth he cannot attayne vnto life as Christ sayth No man commeth vnto the father but by me Last of al he addeth Thou shalt make me full of ioy with thy countenance By these wordes is expressed the condicion of an heauenlye and eternall life which is of a farre other sort than the life we haue here on earth For this life as was aforesayde is full of traueyle sorrowe care and trouble The eternall life is full of mirth and ioye For there God will wipe all teares from the eyes of hys faithfull And there shall bee no more death neyther sorow neyther crying neyther shall there be any more paine And these being taken awaye there can remaine nothing but ioye Therefore Christ sayth he will say to the faithfull seruant enter into the ioy of thy Lord. This ioye in an other place Christ calleth the glorye which he testifieth he had with his father before the worlde was made Christes humanitie was taken vp to be partaker of that ioye and mirth in that kingdome which in his godhead he possessed from euerlasting For so we read it was promised long agone God saying sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole In these wordes are conteined an article of our faith where we confesse Christ is ascended into heauen sitteth vpon the right hande of his father omnipotent In the meane while we that by faith are graffed in Christ and made his members must beleeue that these things appertaine to vs likewise For it can not be that the members can be pulled from their head And Christ promiseth Where I am there shall my minister be also And declaring this promise otherwheres in moe wordes he sayth In my fathers house are manye dwellinges If it were not so I woulde haue tolde you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receyue you euen vnto my selfe that where I am there may yee be also Yea being ready to go to his death when he had made and disposed of his will as by waye of a testament he sayth Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me where I am that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen mee Which thinges for that they shoulde not be vnderstanded only of the Apostles he plainly testifieth that he prayeth not for them alone but also for all those which shoulde beleeue in him through their teaching Therefore it is no doubt but we also shall be filled with ioye in that eternall and heauenly life which shall follow the resurrection of our bodies Here must we not omit to marke how he sayth and sheweth the cause efficient of this ioy is the face of god Which we must vnderstande to be the fauourable and mercifull countenance of God wherewith he looketh chearefully vpon vs for Christes sake so that there appeareth no token of the olde anger which we deserued by sinne For as the cherefull countenance of a king is life as Salomon sayth and by hys looking well about him all euill is driuen away So in the looke of God all fulnesse of ioye is to be had for them that beleeue wherevnto me seemeth Christ had a respect saying Blessed be the cleane in heart for they shall see God. And therefore the godly pray Shew vs the light of thy countenaunce and wee shall be safe Hereof maye we gather howe great miserie they shall be in which being secluded from the face of God shall be throwen into vtter darkenesse And thus hitherto hath the Prophete in fewe wordes described all true godlynesse and true felicitie Let vs learne to set God before our eyes to reuerence him obediently and to trust in him onelye Of this endeuour shall spring true ioye and we shall haue euery daye newe occasions to set forth Gods goodnesse and when we depart this life we shall rest in glad hope And after that shall followe a blessed resurrection wherein the soules shall be restored to the body and being taken into that true life we shall be filled with all ioye before the face of God with Iesus Christ our brother and co-heyre to whome be blessing honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xvj. Homelie YE men and brethren let me freely speake vnto you of the Patriarch Dauid for hee is both deade and buried and his sepulchre remayneth with vs vnto this daye Therefore seeing he was a Prophet and knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that Christ as concerning the fleshe shoulde come of the fruite of his loynes and sit vpon his seate he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule sâ—oulde not bee left in hell neyther his fleshe shoulde see corruption This Iesus hath God raysed vp whereof we all are witnesses Sythence nowe that he by the right hande of God is exalted he hath receyued of the father the promise of the holye ghost he hath shed foorth this gift which you now see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but hee sayth The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thy foes thy footestoole So therefore let all the house of Israell knowe for a suretie that God hath made that same Iesus whome ye haue crucified Lorde and Christ. BIcause the whole order of our saluation is accomplished as it were in the resurrection of our bodies therefore the scripture is greatlye occupied in proouing the same which was the cause that Peter argued so diligently of Christes resurrection wherevpon it is manifest that our resurrection dependeth For he is not contented simply and plainely to preache the same but describeth all the order and maner thereof out of the â–ª xvj Psalme the authoritie whereof he vseth to prooue the same resurrection to the intreaty whereof this present place also serueth For first preuenting the obiection of his aduersaries by a preoccupation he prooueth that this Psalme ought to be expounded of christ Then commeth he backe againe to Christ and teacheth vs that whatsoeuer was prophecied by Dauid is fulfilled in him And at length he concludeth his sermon with a graue obtestation and beseeching of them About the testimonie of the Psalme Peter doth two things First he teacheth them that it cannot be expounded of Dauid by any meanes Then he prooueth that Dauid prophecieth of christ And bicause the authoritie of Dauid was verye great with the Iewes he mollifieth the mindes of his hearers with a proper preface leaâ—t they might thinke he spake any thing contemptuouslye of Dauid yea he citeth themselues as witnesses of the things that he meaneth to saye Let me sayth he speake of the Patriarch Dauid to you who I knowe are not ignorant in Dauids matters and are earnest studentes of his prophecies And bicause many would thinke that he spake these
things which we haue cited of himselfe the matter must be the better marked and then shall it appeare that they are most manifestly deceyued in their opinion For Dauid speaketh of one whose soule shoulde not abide with the soules of the deceassed and which in his bodye shoulde suffer no corrâ—ption But it is euident that Dauid is deade and his tombe at this day is to be seene amongst you wherin his body after the maner of all fleshe as he sayeth of himselfe is consumed into dust Therefore the wordes of the Psalme cannot be vnderstanded of him Howbeit though this be a firme and sure argument yet was it not sufficient vnlesse also he coulde prooue it ought to be vnderstanded of christ Wherefore he addeth Therefore seeyng Dauid was a Prophete and knewe that God had sworne with an othe to him that Christ as touching the fleshe should spring of the fruite of his loynes and sit vppon his seate he knowing this before c. By the which wordes he teacheth vs that no man ought to marueyle that Dauid prophecied these things of Christ which was promised to be the sauiour of the worlde He vseth two kindes of argument The first is taken of Dauids person and of his office For all men knowe that Dauid was a Prophete But this was the office of all Prophetes by the spirite of Christ to searche out his mysteries chiefely his death and resurrection as Peter in other places diligently teacheth And if a man searche the bookes of the Prophetes he shall there finde manifest and plaine prophecies of Christ and of his kingdome which thing Christ himselfe acknowledged saying after his resurrection It behooued that all the things shoulde be fulfilled which was written in the lawe of Moses and in the Prophets concerning me Therefore what marueyle is it that Dauid being a Prophete prophecied of Christ The other argument is touching the promises of god God had promised by an othe vnto Dauid that out of his loynes shoulde spring he that was promised to be the sauiour of the worlde which shoulde establishe the throne of his kingdome and possesse it for euer Therefore Dauid ought and might easily expounde the mysteries of that saâ—iour â—o promised And the things here rehearsed ought manifestlye to be vnderstanded of him bicause they can not be meant of Dauid nor of anye other The promises made long ago vnto Dauid appertaine to the explication of this place Amongst which the chiefe is that that Nathan the Prophete by the spirite of God declared in these wordes when Dauid consulted touching the building of the Temple When thy dayes bee fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and I will set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of thy body and will stablish his kingdome Hee shall builde an house for my name and I will stablish the seate of his kingdome for euer c. Which place as may easily be perceyued can not be vnderstanded of Salomon bicause he was borne and set in his kingdome Dauid being yet alyue neyther was the seate of his kingdome continuall But this promise is fulfilled in Iesus Christ which many yeares after tooke fleshe of the stocke of Dauid and appointed the house of God that is to say the congregation of all Nations and peoples whose kingdome as the Aungell testifieth shall haue none ende Besides this promise to put all things out of doubt he added an othe whereof Peter in this place maketh mention and which is expressed in the scriptures For herevnto appertaineth that which we reade Psal. 89. I haue sworne once by my holy nesse that I will not fayle Dauid His seede shal endure for euer and his seate is lyke as the sunne before me He shall stand fast as the moone and as the faithfull witnesse in heauen c. And againe The Lorde hath made a faithfull othe vnto Dauid and he shall not shrinke from it Of the fruite of thy body shall I set vpon thy seate And meete and conuenient it is that we should adde herevnto that which is read of the Priesthoode of Christ confirmed with the othe of god For Dauid prophecying hereof sayth The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Where therefore Dauid was instructed with such and so manye promises of God it is easie to perceyue that this ought to be vnderstanded of the true Messias which is the verye sonne of Dauid bicause they are more excellent and high mysteries than can fall out eyther vppon Dauid or any of his children But before we leaue this place two things are to be noted First we are taught that the auncient fathers were not altogither ignorant of Christes mysteries and specially those which concerne his death and resurrection In deede we must confesse that a more full knowledge hereof was reserued vnto the time appointed But to denye Antiquitie the whole knowledge of Christ were to rashe a part bicause we knowe Christ testifieth of Abraham that he reioyced to see his daye that he sawe it and was gladde And as we sayde erewhyle he sayth Moyses and the Prophetes prophecied of his mysteries This might be prooued by authoritie of elder promises and the bookes of the Prophetes abundantlye if neede so were But let it suffice vs to learne this namely that the bookes of the olde Testament appertaine to vs also which thing manye nowe a dayes ouer boldly vse to denie For it is euident that in them the knowledge of Christ is conteyned Therefore we must confesse that they appertaine to vs also vnlesse we will reiect the knowledge of Christ as nothing belonging vnto vs How much better doth Paule who sayth Whatsoeuer things are written before time are written for our learning that through pacience and comfort of the Scriptures we might haue hope Adde herevnto that which he sayth in the seconde Epistle to Timothie Cap. 3. The next thing worthy to be obserued in this place is howe God doth vouchsafe with an othe to confirme and establishe our redemption and saluation which only is included in Christ our lord Howbeit the credite and authoritie of Gods worde alone farre passeth any othe that can be made Howbeit that high God stoupeth downe to our capacitie bicause he would haue vs nothing doubt of our saluation And he bounde not himselfe on this wise to Dauid only but also to Abraham as Paule sayth For to him it is sayde I haue sworne by my selfe sayth the Lorde bicause thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne c. Afterwarde this othe was repeated againe where the Lorde sayd to Isaac I will perfourme the othe which I sware vnto Abraham thy father c. And herevnto appertaine those earnest and solemne contestations of God the father wherewith he beareth witnesse from heauen that Iesus Christ is his beloued sonne for whose sake he is reconciled vnto
vs. And the sonne himselfe bindeth his promise to vs by an othe as often as he repeateth that verilye I saye vnto you so much vsed in the Gospell These things serue much for our comfort and instruction we are taught to make much of Christ and not to despyse the saluation which commeth by his merite and is offered vs by preaching of the Gospell as he commaunded In time passed as Paule sayth they which had transgressed the lawe of Moyses dyed without mercye vnder twoo or three witnesses How much sorer shall he be punished which treadeth vnder foote the sonne of God and counteth the bloude of the newe Testament as an vnholy thing c. And Iohn the Apostle admonisheth vs earnestly hereof saying if wee receyue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater which he testified of his sonne He that beleueth in the sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe He that beleeueth not God hath made him a lyer bicause he beleeued not the recorde that God gaue of his sonne c. But what can be more horrible than to accuse God of a lye which is both eternall truth and also may so easily reuenge the contempt of himselfe Furthermore these things comfort vs asmuch in the conflict of temptations Satan many times goeth about to call the certaintie of our saluation into doubt But if we consider howe the same is sealed and confirmed as it were by an othe our fayth can not wauer For God is true and his worde endureth for euer But Peter returneth to Christ and prooueth that in him whatsoeuer things Dauid before times prophecied of the Messias are fulfilled The end of all his sayings is that men shoulde vnderstande howe Iesus of Nazareth was the sauiour of the worlde that was promised And of a manye of things which he might haue alledged he speaketh only of the resurrection and ascention bicause these two sufficed his purpose and serued chiefely for the present cause and controuersie which rose by sending of the holy ghost We shall speake of eche of them in order He reherseth the article of the resurrection to prooue Christ to be the sauior promised which argumēt Paule vseth also Of Peters words we may frame this argument Dauid a great while sithens prophecied of the Messias that neither his soule should long abide with the other soules of them that were departed nor that his bodye should suffer corruption bicause God woulde rayse him from death But this prophecie is fulfilled in Iesus of Nazareth Ergo it is manifest that Iesus of Nazareth is the Messias and sauiour Touching the Maior there is no doubt Therefore Peter laboureth in proouing the Minor the veritie whereof he confirmeth by the common testimonye of the Apostles of this thing sayth he wee bee all witnesses Neyther might these witnesses in whome there were such euident tokens of the holy ghost and of Gods working be easily reiected or contemned of men in their right wittes The Apostles vse oftentimes to prooue Christ to be our sauiour by his resurrection bicause Satan through death which happened by reason of sinne had the rule and Lordship ouer vs Neyther coulde we safely acknowledge Christ to be our sauiour except we were certaine that he had subdued the force of death In the meane season we must diligently consider the loyaltie and trustynesse of Peter and the other Apostles The Lorde chose them to be his witnesses as we sayde in the first Chapter They therefore perfourme the dutie of witnesses faithfully and boldly without all feare of any perill For in the citie of Ierusalem before a great assembly of people they testifie that Iesus is risen againe from the deade by the power of God yet was there a farre other rumor spred abrode in that citie For the souldiers as is declared in the last of Mathew being bribed with money by the Priests bare witnesse that the Disciples by night had stollen the body of Iesus awaye What a daungerous matter it was openly to gainesay these men euerye one may easily iudge seeing they had the authoritie of the Priests and of Pylate the Romaine President to defende them But the Apostles by faith in Christ ouercame all feare of daunger and left all men an example to follow which haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ committed vnto them The other argument whereby he prooueth Iesus to be the Messias promised he taketh of Christes ascention And this argument it seemeth hee vseth chiefely bicause of them which might thinke it a ridiculous matter to preach him to be a sauiour which coulde be seene no where amongst men Which also is the error of thē in these dayes who thinke him not a sauiour vnlesse he will shew himselfe bodily vnto them But Peter speaketh on this maner He being exalted by the right hande of God and hauing receyued of the father the promise of the holy ghost hath shed foorth this gift which you see and heare This saying seemeth the obscurer bicause for the breuitie thereof it cannot be perceyued wherevnto it is to be referred But the obscuritie is easily put awaye if we ioyne therewith the Oracle which Dauid vttered touching Christes ascention For of this Oracle and those thinges that Peter sayth we may frame an whole argument after this sort Dauid prophecied that Christ shoulde not only rise againe from the deade but also taught vs that he shoulde ascende into heauen For so he sayth Thou art gone vp on high thou hast led captiuitie captiue and hast giuen giftes vnto men This thing as also the other before is fulfilled in christ For he after he was risen againe being exalted by the mighty right hande of God ascended vp into heauen we looking on and poured vppon vs the spirite which he obteyned of God the father which spirit hath wrought in vs these giftes of tongues which you doe see and heare Therefore it is manifest that this is the Messias Further no man must be offended for that he saith Christ receyued the spirite of his father as though he were not of lyke power with the father For Peter speaketh this of Christs humanity wherin Christ confesseth that his father is greater than he Although in an other place againe he saith his father and he bee both one that is to say in respect of his diuinitie And Christ himselfe very trimly looseth this knot speaking of the sending of the holy ghost in this wise He shall glorifie me for he shall receyue of mine and shall shewe vnto you All thinges whatsoeuer the father hath are mine Therefore sayde I vnto you that he shall take of mine and shew vnto you c. When the comforter is come whom I will sende vnto you from the father euen the spirite of truth which proceedeth of the father hee shall testifie of me c. But least any man might suppose that the things spoken of Christes ascention were to be vnderstanded of Dauid or would call
of Iesus Christ his sonne who in times past hauing suffered all kinde of iniuries at our handes and yet dayly suffreth cannot yet forget his loue and liberalitie but acknowledgeth vs for hys brethren and doth good euen to them that haue deserued a thousand deaths and crosses Let vs imitate this condicion of God the father if we will be called and taken for his children Yet is there no cause why their sinnes shoulde not be reprooued and accused who we see haue done and doe many things out of square Nor we may not so pardon them who haue iniuried vs that through our to much bearing they become the worse but we must thinke this the chiefe poynt of charitie if we can by anye meane call them from sinne and destruction which as yet be voyde of godlynesse But let vs consider the seconde part of this place where Iacob and all his familie and kindred commeth downe into Egypt Here it appeereth none remayned in the countrie of Chanaan that were of the number of Goddes people but they were all outlawes and preserued there without any ceremonies or rytes of the law by the meere grace of god And it is not wythout a cause that Steuen so diligently reckoneth the number of soules For the consideration hereof setteth before our eyes the ineffable and inuincible power of God which was able within two hundred and tenne yeares to make so small a company so innumerable For as Moyses testifieth when they went out of Egypt there were mounstred .vj. hundred thousand three fiue hundred and fiftie fighting men of the Israelites With the which thing if we compare the tragicall attempts of Pharao which euery way went about to destroy and roote out this people it shall easily appeare that the promise of God made sometime to Abraham Genes 15. 17. coulde no wayes be hindered by any power or deuyse of man This ought to be obserued for the instruction and comfort of vs all that we feare not the threates and enterprises of the worlde seeing it appeareth the force thereof agaynst God is altogither vayne Let vs compare this to Christ and his Church God promised him a kingdome which he possesseth and shall for euer possesse despyte of his enimies He promised also that his Church shoulde be enlarged which thing we see is fulfilled although one Pharao alone hath not sought the ouerthrowe thereof Let euery body marke this in their temptations that they suffer not their fayth to be ouerthrowne seeing as Paule sayeth there is nothing that can seperate vs from the loue of God. In the later part of this diuision Steuen sheweth how the father 's died in Egypt and were afterwarde caryed to Sichem And Moyses wryteth plainely of Iacob that his corps was caryed into Chanaan And the Scripture lykewise sheweth that the Israelites brought Iosephes bones out of Egypt as he gaue commaundement Concerning the other Patriarches although Moyses write nothing yet it is credible that their bones were also brought by their posteritie bicause Steuen affirmeth it so boldly before them who he knewe were diligent markers of his wordes Furthermore that the writers haue erred in the name of Abraham it is more plaine than needeth long declaration See at the least what is written touching this field which Iacob bought of the sonnes of Hemor Genes 33. and Iosua 24. He sayth the Patriarches dyed in Egypt for that it may appeere they dyed in that religion which consisted in no ceremonies but in the onely fayth which embraced the promyses of god Wherof may be gathered that they were iustifyed and saued by fayth through the meere grace of God and not by the lawe ceremoniall In the meane season we are taught that the faithfull dye godlily in what place so euer it be and that they are not to be thought miserable which dye in exyle out of their countrie For where this life wheresoeuer it is ledde is but a Pilgrimage and our countrie or Citie is permanent and abyding in heauen he cannot dye in banishment which hauing ended the race of his pilgrimage is taken into the hauen of the heauenly countrie For the Aungell calleth them blessed which die in the Lorde And Christ testifieth that they which beleeue in him passe from death vnto lyfe Furthermore God is present euerywhere with his that are ready to die And in the later daye the earth the sea and all the parts of the world shall render agayne all those that euer they made awaye and consumed Therefore pieuishe and foolishe is the superstition of those which measure beatitude or blisse by holynesse of places and thinke it a great matter in what place a bodye is buried whereas it is playne that all the earth is the Lordes whose power and grace can be included and bounde to no place And let not these men obiect to mee the Patriarches which wylled their bones to be caried out of Egypt into the lande of Chanaan For they did not that to th ende to shewe they had any hope of saluation in the place of buriall but this was a worke of fayth which no feare of death coulde driue from them And for that they woulde testifie to all menne that they firmelye beleeued the promises of God which he had made vnto them touching their posteritie to be possessors and inhabiters of the land and would allure their ofspring to loue the same therfore they would there be buried so that euen at the poynt of death it may be sayde they had an hope and beliefe in the same And that good cause thus to doe appeereth by the condicions and behauiour of their posteritie who being deliuered out of Egypt by the singular myracles and woonders of God had yet an eye still vnto the same and despised the Countrie where their fathers were buried What woulde they therefore haue done if their fathers had appoynted their Sepulture in Egypt Therefore the example of these Patriarches nothing helpe their superstition which thinke so great an hope of mannes saluation and glory in the buriall place Let vs rather marke the poynt of thys diuision of Steuens whole oration and leauing the obseruation of ceremonies let vs keepe fast our hope and fayth that we may fitte with the holye Patriarches in the kingdome of heauen as Iesus Christ hath promised vs to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .xlvij. Homelie BVT when the tyme of the promise drewe nigh which God had sworne to Abraham the people grewe and multiplied in Aegypt till an other king arose which knewe not of Ioseph The same delt subtilly with our kynred and euyll intreated our fathers and made them cast out their yong chyldren that they should not remayne alyue The same tyme was Moyses borne and was acceptable vnto God and nourished vp in his fathers house three Moneths When he was cast out Pharaos daughter tooke him vp and brought him vp for hir owne sonne And Moses was learned in
great and eternall deuyse and counsell of God concerning the redemption of mankind For Paule teacheth that we were chosen in him before the foundations of the worlde were layde And Peter sayth he was predestinate or foreordeyned from euerlasting that we shoulde be redeemed through his merit We must thinke it is not without a cause that he is sayd to haue appeared to Moyses For hereby it is euident that Christ tooke not his beginning when he was borne of the virgin Marie but that he was froÌ„ euerlasting yea and talked with the fathers in tymes past of such thinges as belonged to their saluation For although he yet was not incarnate and made man yet in his diuine power and goodnesse he coulde not choose but helpe and deliuer them of whom in the time appointed he ment to take his manhoode Therefore he sayth he was before Abraham and that Abraham sawe him And Daniel sawe in the Clowdes of heauen a Iudge lyke vnto the sonne of a man which came vnto the olde aged Furthermore Peter plainly confesseth that the Prophetes in tymes past were inspired with the spirite of Christ and so prophecied of things to come Therefore great is the temeritie of those which vtterly refuse all the olde Prophetes and say their bookes belong not at all vnto vs whereas both they were illuminated with Christes spirite and diuers and sundrye wayes bare witnesse of him See Iohn 5. Luc. 24. Lette vs rather acknowledge the goodnesse of God which in times past did vouchsafe to declare himself to the old fathers and by this meane woulde set forth vnto vs how to knowe the antiquitie and certaintie of our beliefe Furthermore Steuen diligently teacheth vs in what fourme and fashion Christ appeared vnto Moyses For he sayth the Aungell of the Lorde which was Christ appeared to Moyses in a flame of fire in a bushe This is the auncient guise vsage of God to talke with men in times past in some visible liknesse which men were not able to abide his godly nature and maiestie We haue examples euerywhere in the hystories of the Patriarches and Prophetes This causeth men to be attent and heedefull and to be in admiration of God which otherwise woulde carelesly contemne all godlynesse yet God for the most part tooke on him such formes and shapes as were most agreeable with the present affayres times and persons Which thing we also see done in this place For he woulde by a fiery bushe set before Moyses eyes the condicion and state of his people which were afflicted in Egypt They burned being incensed with the cruell tyrannie of Pharao but they were not consumed bicause the sonne of God was in the middle of them which at the time appoynted shoulde take his manhoode of the posteritie of them And this is the state of the Church in all ages in the consideration wherof it shal be profitable for vs often to be occupied It is like a bramble bushe a weake feeble flock but such as cannot easily be scattred abrode bicause thorowe faith it is most straightly knit and ioyned in Christ the heade thereof Therefore as husbandmen put fire vnto brambles and thornes cleauing one to another to burne them altogither so this worlde putteth the fire of persecution to the Church and with one fire goeth about to destroye it all at once And Christ suffereth this fire to be kindled bicause it is needefull this way to haue the fayth of his people to be tryed and the fleshe to be kept vnder and bridled yet he suffreth not his Church vtterly to be consumed but is himselfe in the middle thereof For he sayeth I will not leaue you comfortlesse I am with you vnto the ende of the worlde Hitherto belong whatsoeuer things God hath done for the defence of his Church since the beginning of the world Caine first set fire to it who though he killed his brother Abel yet he could not destroy his fayth and much lesse hinder God from raysing vp a freshe spring of his Church in Seth. Neyther after that could the mightie men which went before the floud any thing let but when they perished as they deserued God could marueylously preserue certaine remnaunts of his Church through the benefite of the Arke This bushe burned often also in the time of the Iudges but it was alwaye preserued by Gods aide and assistance It burned in Babylon from whence yet the Lorde brought it agayne and deliuered it It burned more than once after their returne from Babylon and at length when Antiochus reygned it seemed almost past recouerie when God raysed vp the Machabees who restored Gods religion and brought the people to their libertie agayne It burned after Christ was borne whole three hundred yeares almost vntill the time of Constantine the great Yet God neuer fayled it who is able to defende his people in the middle of the fire as he sometime did Daniels felowes It burneth euen at this day and there be euerywhere such as put firebrandes vnder it and inflame the mightyest Monarches of the worlde with hatred agaynst hir Yet shall they neuer preuayle so much as they woulde but shall feele the wrath of Gods vengeaunce in whose sight the death of those that be his is precious and will not suffer the bloude of hys belooued to be vnreuenged Yea whyle the persecuting tyraunts put fire vnder the Church they lyke drie woode are consumed with the fire of Gods iudgement the Church in the meane whyle abyding in the middle of the fire of persecution lyke a Leade or Cauldron where mettall tryers melt and get out golde and siluer See what is sayde of these similitudes Zacharie 12. and .13 But let vs come to his calling whereby he is restored to the office which he beganne to execute fortie yeares before This calling hath in it certaine pointes the consideration wherof is verie profitable First God declareth who hee is least Moses might doubt any thing of the certainetie of his vocation For he sayth to him as he was amazed with the sight of the bushe burning I am the God of thy fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob It pleased God among many of his styles to vse this tytle chiefely to call to Moses remembraunce the couenaunt made with Abraham and the promises made long before vnto the fathers declaring thereby that he was not forgetfull of his couenaunt and promyses although he hytherto suffered the people to be afflicted By which example we are taught that in aduersitie we should chiefely haue respect to Gods promises which God can neyther forget nor fayle to perfouâ—me Yea we see the truth of Gods promises so infallible that God forsaketh not the deade whome he hath once taken to his tuition For hee is the Lorde both of lyfe and death Wherefore neyther lyfe nor death can seperate vs from the loue of god For whether we liue or die we be
tyme warneth vs at length to awake and casting from vs all vayne inuentions of men to worship the God of our fathers according to his prescript in truth and in spirite through Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The .liij. Homelie OVR fathers had the Tabernacle of witnesse in the wildernesse as he had appoynted them speaking vnto Moses that he should make it accordyng to the fashion that he had sene Which Tabernacle also our fathers that came after brought in with Iosue into the possession of the Gentyles whome God draue out before the face of our fathers vnto the tyme of Dauid which found fauour before God and would fayne haue founded a Tabernacle for the God of Iacob but Salomon built him an house Howbeit he that is highest dwelleth not in Temples made with handes as sayth the Prophete Heauen is my seate and the earth is my footestoole What house will you builde for mee sayth the Lorde Or which is the place of my rest Hath not my hand made all these thinges THe accusation against Steuen consisted of two speciall pointes the one was that he went about to abolish and put away the law the other that he had spoken blasphemye against the Temple and all their rites and ceremonies The first he hath thus farre answered vnto disputing both earnestly and reuerently touching the lawe and Moses the minister thereof For he hath shewed that it was giuen of god by Moses and confesseth it to be the worde of lyfe bicause it comprehendeth in it the rule of life and leadeth vs as a guide teacher vnto christ Furthermore bicause the Iewes gloried very much in the name of the fathers he declared that they were alwayes disobedient so that it appeareth they were not saued by the merite of the righteousnesse of the lawe but through the benefite of Gods mercy and fauouâ— This done he passeth to the other parte of his accusation and reasoneth of the holy place or Temple wherin their chiefe hope of helpe consisted And to be short the ende of all Steuens saying is to prooue that God and the right worshipping of hym is not tyed vnto the Temple Wherevpon it followeth that they oughte not straight wayes to be taken for blasphemers of God which speake agaynst the abolishing therof First therfore he intreateth of the Tabernacle then of the Temple builded about a foure huâ—dred and fourescore yeares after their comming out of Egipt The Tabernacle was a place ordeyned for to do Gods seruice in made of boordes of Sechim woode and hanged rounde about with Curtines being caried vpon two staues running through ringes of gold and the Curtines fastened togither with loupes buttons of silke In this Tabernacle was the Arke of the Couenaunt the Golden table the Candlesticke the Altare of Incense the Altare to burne sacrifices on the Brasen Lauer with the residue of the implementes belonging to the seruice concerning which see Exod. 25.26.27.30 c. All these thinges he easily graunteth that the fathers had in the wildernesse by Moses appointment which was Gods mouth and Interpreter And he calleth it the Tabernacle of witnesse bicause God by it testified his presence and gaue answere in that place for the resoluing of the peoples doubtes He addeth three things wherby he prooueth that the worshipping of God and God himselfe is not bound to this place First he saith it was made according to the paterne and saumpler shewed to Moses in the mountaine Whereby it appeareth it was but a figure and serued to shadow the mysteries of heauenly things as Paule also in the viij ix Cap. to the Hebrewes hath declared For this Tent was a figure of the Church which God will haue to be but one althoughe it consist of diuers kyndes and orders of men For it hath teachers which are in steade of pillers as Paule calleth Iames Peter and Iohn Gal. 2. It hath boordes of Ceder tree couered ouer with golde wherby all the faythfull are signified whome fayth and beliefe maketh vncorrupt shining in heauenly brightnesse All these are ioyned togither with the band aswel of doctrine as belief loue are builded vpon Christ which is the only buttrace foundation of the whole church He is in the Arke conteyning the true treasures of heauenly mysteries He prepareth vs a table where we may receiue the breade of eternall lyfe He is as it were in place of a candlesticke and by the light of his word shineth vpon his church The prayers also that are offered in him are as a pleasaunt incense odoure and sweete smell before God the father And he is the true Altare vppon whome we must offer our selues and the whole conuersation of our lyfe These thinges might be more largely intreated but we touche but the chiefe pointes of them that it may appeare to euery man why Steuen sayth the Tabernacle was made after the heauenly paterne to the ende verilye that we might therby vnderstande that no man in tyme past cleaued to the Tabernacle onely but that by fayth he was holden in contemplation of Christ and his church the mysteries wherof were by this Tabernacle signified And that the fathers then pleased God best when with myndes lyfte vp into heauen they worshipped God in spirite and truth And there are many places of Scripture wherin they are grieuously rebuked which cleaue to the outwarde ceremonies and neglect the spirituall worshipping See the Psalme 50. Esay 1.3.4 Micheas 6. Ieremy 7 c. In the meane while we are taught that nothing ought to be instituted in Gods seruice and religion according to mans deuise and pleasure For it in tyme past when outwarde ceremonies were most in vse Moses was bounde to obserue the paterne prescribed of God and where there appeare horrible examples of them which durst attempt the contrary then must we now a dayes be much more diligent to obserue those things which the sonne of God hath appointed to be in his churche for euer 〈◊〉 in the tyme of his laste comming we be taken with hym into the Tabernacle of heauen Secondly he sayeth that when Iosua was captayne the fathers brought the Tabernacle into the possession of the Gentiles that is into an vnholy laâ—d Wherby it appeareth again that the worshipping of god the way of saluation cannot consist therin Here we are taught by the way that the holy institutions of God are not polluted by the place so that the right lawfull vse of them be obserued For God is present euerywhere and by his presence sanctifieth both those that worship him and the ceremonies instituted by him Therfore in an vnholy lande the inhabitauntes wherof were a little before worshippers of ydoles might the tabernacle be placed and all the ceremonies appointed exercised That that is spoken of the outwarde seruice ought to be vnderstanded also of prayers which if they proceede of fayth are acceptable and allowable before
Congregation and entred into euery house and drew out both menne and women and thrust them into prison Therefore they that were scattered abrode went euery where preaching the worde of God. THe holy ghost would haue the vnworthye death of the blessed Martyr Steuen with great diligence described by Luke not so muche for Steuens sake that his name according to the Oracle of Dauid might be had in perpetuall remembrance but for our sakes for whose instruction and comfort the hystorie doth greatly serue For we are taught by the example of the most holy man and first Martyr how we also ought to suffer all maner of extremitie for Christes sake and the truths and not to shunne death be it neuer so cruell forasmuch as we haue Christ to be our reuenger who hath layde vp for vs a moste excellent rewarde in heauen Agayne it is moste comfortable that we see the kingdome of Christ is not ouerwhelmed with the slaughters and tyrannie of the wicked but rather dylated and enlarged For as this thing hath oftentymes otherwheres bene declared so at this tyme the hystorie following abundantly sheweth it came to passe what tyme as Steuen receyued the garlande of martyrdome to the declaration whereof Luke in this present place prepareth him premising three things whereby that that we now haue sayd is prooued euery one of which three things we will intreate of in order First it is sayde that an vniuersall and cruell persecution was raysed in Ierusalem agaynst the Church We haue seene diuers things before attempted by the Priestes but the Apostles were chiefely then thrust at and the enimies repressed with feare of the people were the more calme But nowe perceyuing all thinges succeede agaynst Steuen as they woulde haue them and that there aryseth no tumult or businesse in the people lyke beastes hauing once tasted bloude they waxe the more thirstie therefore yea more cruell and bolde and set vpon the whole body of the congregation to ouerthrowe it Wherein they so rage and take on that within a short whyle the whole Congregation is scattered throughout Iurie and Samaria which hither vnto dwelt togither in Ierusalem It shal be for our profite diligently to behold this viewe of the primitiue Church For in this Church we see all thinges are verye well ordred after the rule of christ And the Apostles had oftentimes notable victorie when they were apprehended and caused to pleade their cause before Counselles Wherevpon any body would haue hoped that great rest and peace shoulde haue ensued But beholde horrible tumultes aryse vppon the sodeyne and the enimies emboldened wyth the death of Steuen alone cruelly make warre and set on the whole Congregation What shall we therfore in these dayes hope for whose sloth and manifolde defectes deserue a more seuere correction For if God haue suffered these thinges to come to passe in the greene tree what shall he doe in the drie This place also reprooueth their preposterous iudgements which vse to pronounce of fayth and the doctrine of fayth according to the successe of thinges falling out in the worlde For if we shall beleeue these men then must we confesse that the Priestes quarrell was good and right and that the primitiue Church was vtterly deceyued But we must search deeper for the causes of Gods iudgements and then we shall perceyue that it is for our saluation that we be exercised and invred with the furiousnesse of the wicked who in the meane season fill vp the measure of iniquitie and at length receyue worthy punishment for their tyrannie at Christes handes who is the defender of his Church But here is chiefely to be considered how the Apostles remayne in the citie after all the residue were fled Yet we reade that before this they were chiefly molested and troubled Wherfore it must needes be that they were woonderfully preserued by the help of God in this boysterous tempest of persecution For God would haue his gospell long preached in this bloudy citie of Ierusalem to the intent that both his mercy and iustice might the more easily appeere His mercy and goodnesse in that hee suffred the doctrine of grace and saluation so long to bee preached to them that were embrued with the bloude of his sonne His iustice in that he subuerted by horrible destruction those that were incurable and woulde not repent In the meane whyle we haue two thinges to consider First that there are certaine limits bounds appointed for the wicked persecutors of the congregation which they cannot go beyond For he that hath set a border about the sea within the which that great heape of waters is conteyned he that bindeth Satan by his lawes the same bridleth the wicked that they cannot do as they would nor vse crueltie agaynst whom they would Herein receyue we great consolation of mynde when we consider that the lawes of Gods prouidence can not be broken with the rage of the wicked Agayne the Apostles gyue vs an example of faythfull Superindents of the word and of the Congregation For although they knewe that Christ sayde when they persecute you in one Citie flie vnto another â–ª yet bicause they were bounde by a certayne vocation and perceyued that the remnant of the Church was lyke to fall awaye if they also shoulde leaue the Citie they had rather to hazarde their lyfe than by vnhonest flying to forsake the congregation And surely Ministers haue neede in this case diligently to beware For as all are not rashly to be condemned which by flying prouyde for themselues so must we not thinke it lawfull for euery man at all times and in all places But if it be in such a case that the Minister alone is sought for of the enimye or else he be forsaken of them which hytherto woulde haue the name of a congregation or if no ruine or detryment ensue vnto the Congregation by his departing then is there no cause why he may not reserue himselfe for a more commodious season But they that forsake the publyke cause of the Congregation and go from them that holde fast the confession of fayth these in deede be Apostatas and hyrelinges who Christ sayeth vse to flie when they see the woolfe come Woulde to God they had well considered these things which in these dayes to hastily forsooke their Churches whom it behooued rather to haue folowed the ensample of Ambrose which denied to deliuer his Churches vnto the Arrianes although the Emperour commaunded it See the Epistle to Marcella his sister which in number is the thirtie and three Luke going on in his history begunne sheweth what the faythfull which remayned in the Citie did vnto Steuen being thus stoned First he sayeth they dressed him that is they buried him This is a most auncient vsage agreable to that firste sentence pronounced of God where he sayeth that we came of the earth and shall returne to the earth agayne and conteyneth the mistery of the resurrection in
wicked yet can it not be ouercome bicause the truth of Gods Oracles and promises is infallible who hath appointed to Christ his sonne an euerlasting kyngdome This haue we seene hitherto prooued and declared by many examples For oftentymes did they striue stoutely both in the Senate and in the Counsell against the Apostles but the truth had alwaye the victory At length Steuen was stoned and the enimies being made the more fierce therby shew their vttermost power amongst whome the rage of Saule chiefly appeareth But so little is Christes kingdome amongst these rages brought vnder that rather where it seemed heretofore to be hedged in within the narrow walles of Ierusalem it stretcheth it self now through all Iury and Samarie And hereof Luke taketh occasion to shew with what successe the gospell beganne to be preached out of Iurye And first he treateth of the cōuersion of Samaria which we reade was foretold of by the prophetes in the historye whereof we haue the longer to stande for that the thinges which are most diligently proponed in it serue greatly both for our comfort and instruction First he sheweth whose ministery God vsed in conuerting of Samaria It was Philips not the Apostle but he which before was numbred amonge the Deacons as the auncient writers of the Church with one consent declare chiefly Epiphanius writing of Simon and the Simoniakes For although it was the Deacons office to take the charge of the Church goodes and of the poore yet they were also permitted to preache the Gospell when necessitie so required as hitherto we haue seene by the example of Steuen And maye be there was not so great neede of Deacons at Ierusalem by reason the congregation was so scattred in the tyme of persecution and therefore they gaue themselues wholy to the ministerye of the worde where before they were distributers of the goodes ecclesiastical And Paule afterward bade that the Deacons by their well ministring should get themselues a degree to a greater office and function Nowe it is reported that Philip did two things at Samaria First he preached Christ to them And that that Luke toucheth briefly in this place he afterwarde declareth more at large where he saith he preached the mysteries of the kingdome of God and of the name of Iesus christ In this place he maketh mention but of Christ onely bicause vnder his name he comprehendeth the whole Gospell And Christe hath appoynted the Gospell to consist of two partes that is to saye repentaunce and remission of sinnes Both which Iesus Christ giueth as Peter before hath manifestly taught For he alone giueth the spirite of regeneration and succoureth our corrupt nature He alone also forgiueth sinnes and hath purged them with the price of his bloud Therefore he that preacheth Christ the same of necessitie must preache repentaunce and forgiuenesse of sinnes And this is a sure note whereby the true preachers may be knowne from the false For whosoeuer teache that Iesus Christ is come in the fleshe and hath performed the things needefull for the amendement and saluation of mankynde they are to bee taken for the true Ministers of Christ. But whosoeuer sheweth that these thinges be other where to be had than in Christ and inuenteth newe meanes of attayning to saluation he is to be called a false teacher though he were an Aungell from heauen Therfore Paule plainly testifyeth that he knoweth but Iesus Christ only and reioyceth but in his crosse onely Unto this preachyng were ioyned myracles which Philip wrought according as Christ had promised For he draue out vncleane spirites from men and healed folke sicke of the palsey whose diseases were incurable And this working of Christes spirit was not superfluous For although by the worde all those thinges are offered vs which serue to our saluation yet it is needefull that our myndes drowned in a certaine naturall slumber be awaked by outwarde signes and prepared to receyue the worde Furthermore where as diuers things fall out otherwhile wherby our fayth is tryed and tempted it is very profitable to haue it propped vp with these outwarde signes In the meane season we reade that such signes were wrought by the Apostles as for the most part admonish vs of the benefites of christ For he vanquished the force of the Deuil ouerthrew his kingdome and valiauntly deliuered vs from his tirannye He hath restored to vs againe the strength of our corrupted nature that we which were able to do no good thing of our selfe be able through him to doe all thinges And he himselfe in the Gospell sayeth that without him we can do nothing But it is very worthy the consideration where it is sayd the euill spirites went out of them crying It is playne that they did the lyke otherwheres also For in Christes presence they complaine that they are driuen out before their tyme and leaue them miserablye torne out of whome they depart against their willes These things set before our eyes the propertie and disposition of Satan who is altogither giuen to destroy men For as from the beginning he was a murtherer so he alwayes runneth vp and downe like a roaryng Lion and seeketh whome he may deuoure For the which cause he vnwillingly departeth out of them whose myndes he hath possessed Yea being one 's cast forthe he studieth and laboureth to gette into his olde possession agayne as Christ teacheth These thinges as they stirre vp in vs an ardent desire to take heede that we be not circumuented by the craft of so hurtfull an enimy and lose our saluation so they declare vnto vs the power of Christ which by his spirit and worde is able so easily to expell the Deuill though he struggle and striue neuer so much against it Nowe let vs see howe the Samaritanes receyued Iesus Christ whome Philip preached And the people gaue heede sayth Luke vnto those thinges which Philip spake with one accorde hearing and seeing the myracles which he did And a little after There was great ioye in that Citie In these wordes the Euangelist comprehendeth two speciall thinges First he teacheth that they receyued Christ how they came to the knowledge of him Then he sheweth the fruite of this earnestnesse and beliefe To the first this belongeth where he sayth they hearde Philips sermons they saw his myracles and gaue their mindes and studies to all the thinges he sayde and did Of this studie and earnestnesse sprange fayth which as we shall afterwarde heare they sealed with baptisme We haue herein to consider the order of saluation For although we acknowledge God only to be the author hereof which worketh in men according to his pleasure yet for the moste part he vseth to bring men orderly and by a certaine rule to their saluation In this order first is hearing of the worde For where God offereth vs saluation by the worde and as Dauid sayth sendeth his worde and healeth vs we must not
by hys example pacience and obedience in bearing the Crosse as he admonisheth vs oft tymes in the Gospell And Peter wryteth thus to the same purpose Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steppes which did no sinne neyther was there any guyle founde in his mouth which when he was reuyled reuyled not agayne when he suffred he threatened not Howbeit the Prophete ioyneth vnto the death of Christ the victorie which he gate by hys death saying Bicause of hys humblenesse he was not esteemed By the name of humblenesse is vnderstanded the state of the crosse and of death whereby it appeareth that he was outwardly humbled or brought downe This is therefore the meaning of his wordes where he seemed altogyther oppressed and destitute of helpe God of his iust iudgement reuenged hys cause and declared he was the Conquerour of death and of Satan although he seemed conquered Thys agreeth with the first promise where it is sayde the Serpent shoulde sting Christ in the heele but that Christ should treade vpon his heade The same did Dauid prophecie should come to passe where he sayth He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift vp his head For where by the merite of his death he purged our sinne and tooke it away he also spoyled and disarmed death which by reason of sinne had power vpon vs Shortly after being rysen from death he openly declared that death and the Deuil had no power vpon him wherefore he most gloriously tryumphed ouer all his enimies And thys is that glory which he desyreth hys father so often to gyue hym The consideration hereof is verie necessarie For it serueth for the confirmation of our fayth that we be not offended neyther at Christs crosse nor our owne For as Christ by the Crosse entred into the glorie of his father and dyed and was raysed agayne from death for our sake to declare he was a Lord and sauiour as well of the quick as of the dead so we by death ouercome and whether we lyue or dye we be the Lords And as God reuenged Christes cause although he seemed altogyther oppressed so he vseth to defende and preserue the memorie of them that be hys that their godlynesse who now are punished by shamefull deathes as wicked men malefactours may be knowne to them that come after them Wherevnto are to be referred the examples as well of the Prophets as the Apostles Moreouer after victory followeth a kingdome to the which he attrybuteth an euerlastingnesse and vnspeakeable power saying But who shall declare his generation Thys worde generation according to the vsage of the Hebrues is taken as well for the age of a man as for his posteritie Both these declare the contynuall enduring of his kingdome For the Angell testifyeth that his kingdome is euerlasting where he sayth vnto Mary Of his kingdome shall be none ende Likewise Christes posteritie is euerlasting For they which by him are made the children of God shall neuer fayle And as there shall be alwayes vpon the earth such as he shall acknowledge for the sonnes of God and coheyres with him so they being taken out of this worlde shall liue and reigne for euer with him For this is the effect and summe of his last will which before his death he would haue his father to ratifie Father I will that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with me where I am that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen mee Touching them both the holy ghost teacheth vs by the Prophete saying The seede of Dauid shall endure for euer and his seate is like as the Sunne before me He shall stand fast for euermore as the Moone and as the faythfull witnesse in heauen And this is that thing wherein Christes kingdome differeth from all the kingdomes of the worlde For they all shall perishe neyther remayneth any of those auncient and riche Monarchies and they which remayne and flourishe this day doe euidently portend their ruine and decay Hereof may two things be gathered the knowledge whereof is very profitable First the perpetuitie or euerlasting continuance of Christes church which being assaulted from the beginning of the worlde endureth yet vntill this present day and shall endure euen vntill the ende of the worlde as he hath promised By which argument we may comfort our selues against al the assaultes of Tyrannes Next the certaintie of eternall life dependeth hereon without the which it is most vaine that is written of fayth and religion as Paule disputing of the resurrection from death hath taught For if Christes posteritie be ineffable and therefore eternall then must there bee an other life after this to say an heauenly and an eternall And so it remayneth both firme and stable that Paule sayth that neyther life nor death can seperate vs from the loue of God. But bicause the things be of most importaunce and weight which he speaketh of Christes victorie and Kingdome he repeateth the cause of them againe which is For his life is taken from the earth What can be more absurde if we consider the iudgement of the fleshe He sayde Christ should be a conquerour and raigne for euer And he alleageth the cause of his victorie and kingdome to be for that his life shoulde be made away vppon the earth But we haue declared before that this thing agreeth with the first promise And Paule is a most faythfull Interpretour of this place where he sayth Iesus Christ when he was in the shape of God thought it no robberie to be equall with god Neuerthelesse he made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the shape of a seruaunt and becamelyke vnto men and was found in his apparell as a man hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse. Wherfore God hath also exalted him ▪ and giuen him a name which is aboue all names that in the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and that all tongues shoulde confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde vnto the prayse of God the father These things serue for our consolation that we be not offended at death For as it behooued Christ should be taken from the earth to obteyne the victorie and a kingdome in heauen so is it impossible that we shall lyue and reigne in heauen vnlesse we also chaunge this present life for the eternall For as Paule sayth This corruptible bodie must put on incorruptiblenesse and this mortal◠must put on immortalitie And to be short such is the reason of our societie with 〈◊〉 that we can enter into life none other way than by death whereby he entered Wherevpon the Apostle sayth If we dye with him we shall liue with him ▪ If we suffer with hym we shall also raigne with him For God will haue vs like to his
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
in extreeme necessitie so we by and by faint and giue ouer if God doe not graunt our peticions at the first being verie little mindefull of our state who being seruauntes ought paciently to abyde our Lordes leysure and not imperiously to appoynt him But let vs consider Ananias which being ouercome with feare of daunger putteth of the expresse and euident commaundement of the Lorde For he sayth Lorde I haue hearde of this man by many howe great euill he hath done to thy saintes at Hierusalem and here hee hath power from the highe priestes to binde all that call vpon thy name He alleageth the testimonie of others least he might seeme to feare in vaine But it is a ridiculous matter to stande more vpon the testimonie of man than vpon the worde of god It is also ridiculous to rehearse Saules doings of others mouthes before the Lorde as though he had hitherto beene ignoraunt of them But herevnto feare a naughtie and foolish Counsaylor vseth to bring vs if we once take him to consult with in discussing of Gods commaundements Yet it appeareth by this example that it taketh hold many times euen of holy men and faythfull worshippers of God. With this feare we reade Abraham was so ouercome that he denyed Sara to be his wife Moses striken with lyke feare can scarcely be induced to take vpon him the conduct and leading of the people of Israel Elias the Prophete tasted of this feare when after the slaughter of Baals Priestes he wiâ—t not whither to flie for feare of Iesabell the Queenes manaces and threats Ionas also deceyued through feare promised himself more safetie among the flouds of the sea and barbarous shipmen than in the ayde and vocation of the lord Here might also be brought forth the examples of others both Prophetes and Apostles But this is mans infirmitie for the which no man is rashely to be condemned bicause we see many tokens hereof appeared in Christ also when the howre of his death drewe nigh We must take heede that we be not so ouercome herewith that we leaue the charge inioyned vs of the lord But rather hauing a respect to the prouidence of God committe our selues wholy to the will of God as Christ teacheth his Apostles Wherevnto also are to be referred the general promises of Gods helpe which promise them that walke in his vocation sure and certaine ayde and succour And herewith I beleeue Ananias also was confirmed who although at the first seemed somewhat timerous yet he yeeldeth to God being instant vpon him and the seconde tyme of commaunding he faythfully obeyeth him It is a singuler consolation wherewith the Lorde comforteth Ananias wauering and fearefull minde Go sayth he for he is a chosen vessell vnto mee to beare my name before the Gentiles and kinges and children of Israell For I will shewe him howe great thinges he must suffer for my names sake It seemeth there are two reasons alleaged wherefore Ananias ought not to feare and both of them are taken of Paules person First he sayth he is not a Tyranne and persecutor as he was heretofore but of the number of the elect hereafter should be a most valiant and faithfull defender of Christes name Then that there is so little feare to be had of any persecution to be made by Paul that rather he had to suffer many things for the name of Christ. These wordes contayne a singuler and worthie prayse of Paule which we ought diligently to consider both for that the excellencie of Gods goodnesse may the better be knowne and also that we may vnderstande howe great authoritie Paules doctrine is of First he is called after an Hebrue phrase the vessell of election that is to say a chosen picked or culled instrument For the Hebrues by this name vessell vnderstande all kinde of instruments vtensiles or implements And they vse the Genitiue case of the Substantiue for the Adiectiue Men are called the vesselles or instrumentes of God bicause God executeth hys iudgementes by them So Paule otherwheres calleth the elect the vessels of glorie and mercie and againe the reprobates the vessels of wrath And Senacherib by the same reason is called the rodde of Gods furie Christ calleth Paule a chosen vessell bicause he executed many thinges by him yea most wholesome workes in setting forth the Gospell and the fayth In the meane season this word vessell or instrument teacheth vs to remember our state and condition that if we haue any thing in vs that is excellent wee should not thinke it to be ours but learne to giue all the prayse and glorie vnto God who hath vouchsafed to vse their helpe The reprobates and such as want the knowledge of God vnderstande not this therefore they attribute to their owne power and witte whatsoeuer is of any excellencie in them But howe much such doing displeaseth the Lorde Senacherib the Assirian and Nabuchodonosor the Babilonian aboundauntly testifie Paule much better weighed these thinges which plainely confesseth that he is by the grace of God whatsoeuer he is The same teacheth all Ministers that they must arrogate nothing to themselues or to others but that they remember all effect and successe of Ministerie commeth of the Lorde which giueth the increase The consideration hereof serueth very much to make men humble in heart and minde For it maketh them to take heede that they exceede not in pride or securitie and so become the vessels and instruments of wrath Secondlye Christ declareth the ende and vse of this instrument and sheweth that Paule is appoynted to beare his name that is to aduaunce and extoll his name before the Gentyles and Kings and people of Israel He vnderstandeth the preaching of the Gospell whereby Christes name vseth to be extolled and celebrated when repentaunce and remission of sinnes is preached in him Here all Ministers are admonyshed of their duetie To them it belongeth to beare the name of Christ that is to preache him to be a Sauiour King and Priest and to declare that all thinges that appertayne to our saluation are in him So Paule sayth he knoweth nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified The same sayth he reioyceth onely in the crosse of christ The same name did Peter cary where he sayde there was none other name vnder heauen giuen vnto manne in which he coulde be saued Wherby we gather that they be not the ministers of Christ but ledde with the spirite of Antichrist that declare any other name wherein repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes is preached See concerning these men 1. Iohn 4. Let Ministers remember also that they must not cary this name into corners but before Nations Kings and Iewes For although we be not all Apostles yet it appertayneth to all Ministers not to be ashamed of Christ but to speake of the testimonies of the Lorde as Dauid sayth before Kings and Princes being readye to giue an account of our fayth
our eyes when the glory and friendship of this world inuegleth vs to forsake christ For although Christes flocke be but little and the state of the Church seemeth but miserable and vnhappie yet is this the common saying of all that are godly One day in thy Courtes is better than a thousande I had rather be a doore keeper in the house of the Lorde than to dwell in the tentes of the vngodly Also Paule giueth vs a great argument of Christian modestie whyle being suspected and reiected of the godly he doth not stubbornely murmure against them nor immodestly setteth out his owne prayse nor forsaketh the Church disdainfully but paciently abideth all this doing For remembring his former lyfe he marueyleth nothing at the matter Yea he acknowledgeth the iudgement of God who woulde haue him so humbled and exercised that he shoulde as it were in humble and lowly wyse seeke their societie whome before he had disdainefully contemned and cruelly persecuted Let vs followe this example as often as the iniurie that other doth vnto vs grieueth vs And although we knowe our selues vniustly iniuried by them yet lette vs thinke we are not vnworthye of this iniurie but that we haue deserued more than this if God woulde deale with vs according to our deserts Finally when he seeth himselfe reconciled to the brethren he prooueth himselfe in deede to be a true Disciple of christ For he speaketh freely and boldly in the name of Iesus Christ. This is a description of the Gospell which preacheth to vs repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes in the name of Iesus Christ onely as we haue oftentimes declared He disputeth also with the Greekes who we sawe heretofore were the authors of a murmure and grutch that greatly disquieted the Church These men vsed to mingle the lawe with the Gospell and to ouerthrowe the fayth in Christ with the iustification of workes To the confutation of whome Paule was appoynted by the peculiar counsell of God as his Epistles declare This place teacheth vs that saluation must so be preached in the name of Christ only that therewithall we must also earnestly withstande all those things that maye ouerthrowe the same Touching which poynt bicause we haue intreated in the last Sermon it shall suffyse by the way to haue noted thus much But in the ende it is sayde that Paule had no better successe at Ierusalem than he had before at Damascus For the Iewes made a newe conspiracie agaynst him and woulde haue killed him And these are the argumentes of hypocrites which most egerly contending about the righteousnesse of workes thinke it but a tryfle to slea innocentes and to shed guiltlesse bloude But here agayne appeareth the fayth and loue of the Disciples which accompanie him to Caesarea and so sende him to Tharsus in Cilicia which was Paules natiue countrie And here Paules constancie is worthy of singuler commendation who being on euery side still in daunger yet forsaketh not Christ and his fayth For he knew by reading of the Prophetes that many were the tribulations of the iust He knewe that all they which professed Christ were called to beare the crosse He knewe also that he had deserued much grieuouser punishmente bicause he had procured the like vnto the christians before Wherfore he thought he ought rather to reioyce seeing he suffred that for Christes sake â–ª which God might haue layd on him as a punishment for his owne sinnes Which consideration if it were in our mindes it woulde easily cause vs also not to be offended at any aduersitie In the meane season Paule deserueth great prayse for that according to Gods commaundement when h ehad escaped he preached the Gospell in Tharsus being his owne countrie as appeareth hereafter in the xxij Chapter following the example of Christ who had a regarde of hys owne countrie though it were ingratefull and vnkinde Lette vs imitate Paules fayth godlynesse and constancie So shall it come to passe that God being our protector and defender we shall be deliuered from all the troubles of this lyfe present and liue hereafter in heauen with Iesus Christ the sonne of God our only Sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxviij. Homelie THEN had the congregation rest throughout all Iurie Galiley and Samarie and were edified and walked in the feare of the Lord and multiplied by the comfort of the holy ghost And it came to passe as Peter walked throughout all quarters he came also to the Saintes which dwelt at Lidda And there he founde a certaine man named Aeneas which had kept his bed eyght yeares and was sicke of the palseye And Peter sayde vnto him Aeneas The Lorde Iesu Christ make thee whole Aryse and make thy bedde And hee arose immediatly And all that dwelt at Lidda and Assaron sawe him and turned vnto the Lorde WE haue hitherto seene the beginninges of the Apostle Paule howe he entred hys Apostleshippe with great labors and daungers For he was twyse in ieoperdie of his lyfe and twyse he escaped through the faythfull helpe and industrie of the Disciples thoughe not without their daunger These things teach vs what troubles are ordeyned for the faythfull seruauntes of Christ whome yet it becommeth to follow the constancie and fayth of Paule that they suffer not themselues to be drawne from Christ wyth any perils or aduersitie For blessed is he which abydeth vnto the ende But he that putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe thereby declareth sufficiently that he is not worthy and meete for the kingdome of heauen But whereas the things hitherto declared may seeme such as threaten the vniuersall ruine and destruction of the Church the godlye writer breaketh of the storie of Paule and not without the instinct of the holy spirite passeth to Peter the Apostle and describeth the cheerefuller successes of the Church which shortly followed In the consideration whereof we ought to bee the more diligent the more comfort they be able to minister vnto vs wading in the waues of these tempestuous dayes He beginneth with the generall state and condicion of all the Churches gathered togither and founded in Iurie Galiley and Samarie and he declareth that there was a most ioiful prosperous ende of all the troubles and turmoyles which the enimies of the truth began The Churches sayth he were at rest This may seeme a sodeyne chaunge of thinges and passing all expectation if we consider the state of the Church before and compare the fierce mindes of the enimies their deuises and power with the Church as it nowe was But this is Gods vsage who hauing regarde to our infirmitie intermedleth prosperitie with aduersitie and suffereth vs not to bee tempted aboue our strength And where afflictions abounde there giueth most comfort And this is no difficult thing for him to do which euery day sheweth lyke examples in things naturall So after Winter being grieuous to vs with frost and colde commeth the
declareth the state of the whole Church It is sayde that Peter was an hungred at that time But it is playne that he was altogither enflamed with the desire to haue Christes kingdome encreased and the Church enlarged hungered not so much ▪ in body as in minde For there fell out things which might marueylously vexe his minde For the Iewes to whome it seemed saluation chiefly was due had very vnworthily reiected it yea and persecuted it And he thought the Gentyles vnworthye to be partakers therof forasmuch as he knew that Christ had once cōmaunded that they should not go into the way of the Gentyles but preach the Gospell vnto the lost sheepe of Israel He remembred also that Christ tooke the Gentyles but as Dogs bicause he saide to the woman of Cananie It becommeth not to cast the childrens breade vnto dogges For although Christ afterwarde commaunded the Gospell should be preached to all creatures yet it seemed to him that it was to be vnderstanded of such Gentyles as shoulde forsake their heathen superstitions and turne to the Iewes religion and woulde vse the iustifications of the lawe of Circumcision Therfore what other thing could Peter doe in this case but stand amazed in great doubt and perplexitie of minde For he sawe not of whom that Church shoulde be gathered in the which he had so often hearde that Christ shoulde reigne Nowe God in this place putteth him commodiously in minde hereof and declareth the whole maner of the gathering of his Church togither and sheweth a most euident figure of hys Church For there was let downe from heauen which he sawe open and parte in sunder after an vnwoonted wyse a great linnen cloth tyed at the fower corners which did represent a figure of the Church So Peter was taught that the Church was to be looked for from heauen which is called the newe Ierusalem Apoc. 21. and not of the iustifyings of the lawe For except a man be borne from aboue he shall not see the kingdome of God. And the cloth tyed at the fower corners signified that this Church shoulde be gathered out of all the coastes of the world There were beasts within it which the lawe pronounced to be vncleane these Peter was commaunded to kill to eate his fill This taught vs that the Gentlies which hitherto were taken for foule people straungers from the publike weale of the people of god should be killed and mortified with the spirituall sworde that is to say wyth the preaching of the Gospell without respect of the Iewyshe law and ceremonies and so should be receyued into the fellowship of Christ and his Church For nowe was come the tyme of correction in which the vayle of the Temple was rent and the wall broken downe by Christ which ioyned both Nations into one fayth and inheritaunce of one kingdome And that thys was the meaning of the vision the effect of the matter shall hereafter declare Howbeit Peter as yet vnderstandeth not the meaning of the Lord but being as yet holden in ouermuch obseruation of the lawe aunswereth Not so Lord for I neuer eate thing that was common or vncleane And straight waye the Lorde confuted his iudgement with a graue sentence saying what God hath clensed that call not thou common Which sentence appertayneth to this present purpose and teacheth vs that neyther the meates which were forbidden by the lawe nor the Gentyles which were signified by them are to be taken henceforth as vncleane It also contayneth a generall doctrine whereby we are taught that we ought to establish nothing of our owne heade agaynst Gods iudgement and decree And they offende agaynst this sentence which thinke that vnlawfull and vnholy which God hath sanctified and made lawfull They are here confuted that since the abrogation of the lawe haue brought in new differences of meates wheras it is euident that all meates are sanctified by the worde of God and that the things that enter in at the mouth defyle not a man. And we admit not their cauillation which saye these things are appoynted for the keeping our flesh vnder not for that they thinke meates to be vncleane of their owne nature For if this be their meaning why doe they snarle mennes consciences by this precept Why appoynt they certaine dayes for such abstinence Why binde they poore men therevnto whome it is manifest are attenuated ynough by reason of continuall labour and penurie Why permit they the richer sort in the meane whyle to fraunche and eate fyshe and farre fette iunkets and spyced cates most meete to prouoke and stirre vp the fleshe vnto lust Why graunt they them the vse of Wyne wherein is lecherye or ryot as the Apostle sayth and which is of moste force to kindle the rage of the fleshe They are also confuted that teache men to abstayne from Matrimonie as though it were an impediment vnto them that haste vnto the kingdome of God whereas God ordeyned it and therefore must needes be lawfull and holye yea moste necessarye for a man that wyll lyue godly And Paule did not without a cause number these articles among the doctrines of the deuill For it is more than deuilishe audacitie with open mouth to condemne that that God hath made holy They are agayne like faultie which teach men howe that is lawfull that is forbidden by Gods lawe or which dare dispence with men for mony in those things whych are committed agaynst the lawe of god Both these things are in Poperye so ryfe that by this one note a man may knowe Antichrist to whome Daniel attributeth that he shall haue power to alter and chaunge lawes and times Let vs learne therefore to depende vpon Gods mouth and to admit no constitutions contrary vnto Gods ordinances Furthermore Luke sayeth this was done three tymes and that at length the sheete or cloth was taken vp agayne to the place from whence it came God would haue this done thryse bicause he would haue Peter thereby the more assured and perswaded And the cloth and beastes are taken vp againe both that Peter should be certifyed that all this was done by the prouidence of God and also that it might appeare there was a place in heauen for them also that hitherto seemed to be excluded from thence by reason of the difference of the lawe And this is a generall consolation For the merite of Christ hath opened vnto vs heauen agayne which the fall of Adam had locked against vs and hath prepared there a place for vs as oftentymes already hath bene declared Therfore embracing him with true faith let vs mortifie the olde man with the sworde of the spirite that being borne agayne from aboue we may be brought thither to the societie of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The .lxxij. Homelie WHYLE Peter mused in himselfe what this vision which hee had seene ment beholde the men which were
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
bloude of christ For he is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken downe the wall that was a stoppe betweene vs. This Peter affirmeth with great grauity partly to make the hearers thinke well of him at whose saluation he enuied not after the maner of other Iewes and partly bicause they shoulde be the more diligent to heare those thinges which belonged to their saluation It shall be good to examine the wordes particulerly for our more comfort and instruction First by waye of an exclamation as we declared euen nowe he sayth of a truth or in dede I finde Which word declareth that he was before ignorant of this mysterie For being heretofore beguiled with the coÌ„mon errour of the Iewes and bewitched with the blind preiudice of the flesh he vsed to abhorre the Gentyles as menne prophane and abhominable before god But nowe by the heauenly vision the appearing of the Aungell and wordes of Cornelius he is taught another thing bicause he findeth in Cornelius words apparant tokens of a very Christian and regenerated mind Peters example teacheth vs that the Saintes sometime are ignoraunt of some things and therefore that we shoulde not beleeue the preiudice of our reason but that we shoulde diligently examine all thinges according to the rule of Gods worde Secondly he teacheth what he founde verily that God is no accepter of persons This word person declareth the outward shewe or appearance of man whereby he vseth eyther to be commended or contemned such as is Nobilitie high parentage riches honors Nation or Countrie basenesse of birth pouertie bondage and infinite such like The consideration whereof God commaundeth to be farre of from all Iudges bicause where these things take place there can be no vpright iudgement It can not be therefore that that thing is to be founde in God which he vseth to detest in men And surely the Scriptures euerywhere attribute this vnto God that he is mooued with no mannes kindred or stocke with no riches no pouertie no outwarde appearance no consideration of Countrie but sheweth himselfe iust and mercifull to all men alyke This thing is of great auayle in the cause of saluation For it serueth to our instruction that wee contemne no man by reason of these outwarde things forasmuch as it appeareth that God is not mooued herwith whose children we be and it comforteth men that are in affliction and of lowe degree when they heare that in Christ there is neyther bonde nor free Iewe nor Gentyle Scythian not Barbarous man nor woman rich nor poore See Galat. 3. Colos. 3. c. It maketh for the explication hereof that he streyght waye addeth what maner of men God accepteth in all kind of men least any man might thinke he gouerned things at all auentures For he addeth but in all people he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him He comprehendeth in two poyntes the whole lyfe of man such as God requireth of them that honor him For he percloseth all religion vnder the feare of God forasmuch as it is manifest that this feare cannot be without the knowledge of God nor without fayth and obedience By this worde righteousnesse he vnderstandeth that excellent vertue that giueth to euery man that that is his which is the best gouernor of mans whole lyfe and springeth out of the fountaynes of Christian charitie But if thou compare the corrupt nature of man with these thinges thou shalt perceyue that these thinges are not founde but in those people that are regenerate and that they cannot be attayned to without the grace of God and fayth in christ For howe shoulde they that are aliauntes from Christ please God by their outwarde workes seeing he is that onely mediatour in whome the father is well pleased Therfore they are greatly deceyued which of these wordes of Peter thinke the merit of mans righteousnesse may be established forasmuch as the grace of God onely is the cause efficient of those things that are here so highly commended Their error also is to be confuted which abusing this place affirme that euerye man may be saued in the religion of hys Nation whether he be Iewe or Turke so that being illuminated with some reuerence of God he seeke to accomplishe this common ryghteousnesse But Peters meaning in this place is farre other who rather goeth about to prooue that the doctrine of the Gospell wherby saluation in Christ is preached appertayneth to all men indifferently But I praye you what needeth it to be pubâ—ished to all men if saluation may be had without Christ This kinde of people of all other is moste pernicious who vnder the pretence of christian modestie bicause they wil not seeme to boldly to condemne any man do plainly extenuate the merit of Christ yea they call in doubt the righteousnesse of god his goodnesse wisedome truth whatsoeuer vertues besides are in god For if any man may be saued without Christ then it appeereth saluation must depend vpon our free wil zeale Then came Christ into the world in vayn then was he incarnated suffred died in vaine then rose he from the dead ascended into heauen in vayne And he shall be conuinced of a lie in that he said No man coÌ„meth to the father but by me Peter also shall be reproued as a lyer who according as the spirit of Christ did prompt him sayde there was no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men in which they could be saued Furthermore who I pray you shal say that god the father is eyther iust or wise or true or mercifull which without very great cause woulde put his sonne to such bitter sorrowes and afflictions Away therefore with these men which whyle they will seeme modest adnihilate the mysteries of our religion Let vs obserue the ende and marke of Peters words and leaue them to whome the light of the Gospell hath not yet shined to the iudgement of God who if they be saued must needes be saued through the merit of Christ vnlesse we will be contumelious both against Christ God. Let vs come to the seconde part of this Sermon which in these words conteyneth the proposition or declaration of the whole matter ye know the preaching that God sent vnto the children of Israel preaching peace by Iesu Christ which is Lorde ouer all things Which wordes seeme vnto me thus to signifie I woulde not haue you O brethren to looke for anye newe or straunge matter For I purpose to intreate of such a matter as is nowe in euery mannes mouth the report whereof is vndoubtedly come euen vnto you that is howe God sent his sonne Iesus Christ which is coeternall with him and Lorde of all things vnto the children of Israel being made man of the Uirgin Marie and by him hath preached peace vnto them In these wordes doth Peter comprehende all the mysteries of Christ Iesu and of his Gospell which shortly after he dilateth more
obserue the order of iustification and saluation in the example of Cornelius We see that he was holpen and stirred vp by the grace of God to doe that that was good and acceptable vnto God whereas before that he had bene a Gentyle and estraunged from the people of god But being receyued into fauour Peter the Apostle was appointed to be his teacher to preach to him the doctrine of saluation Cornelius beleeueth the worde being preached The holy ghost followeth after his beliefe which both regenerateth the minde and also bringeth forth diuers marueylous vertues Being illuminated with this spirite he is giuen wholy to prayse God and at length being baptized he is receyued into the fellowship of Christs Church This order we see obserued euerywhere For the beginning of our saluation springeth of the grace of God who chose vs before the foundations of the worlde were layde He hauing chosen vs instructeth vs by his outwarde worde giueth vs fayth illuminateth vs being regenerate with his spirit and maketh vs meete vnto euery good work And that which he promiseth by his worde and offreth by his spirite vnto the faythfull minde the same he confirmeth by outwarde Sacramentes also See Rom. 9.10 Finally it is declared howe Cornelius behaued himselfe after all these things They besought Peter sayth Luke to abyde with them a few dayes And there was none other cause of this desire but for that they were enflamed with the looue of the Gospell and desired to heare him euery daye bicause they woulde be the more confirmed in the knowledge of true saluation Furthermore they coulde not be so soone satisfyed with the presence of their very friende who they perceyued had ministred so great grace vnto them And here is truly expressed the propertie of those that faythfully beleeue They lothe not the teaching of that worde nor attribute not so much to themselues to thinke that they shall haue hereafter no more neede of it Yea they acknowledge themselues to be men and bicause they will be taken for the children of God they can not be filled with the voyce of their father but desire to haue him still speake vnto them Moreouer they shewe themselues thankefull and kinde towarde the Ministers of God by whose diligence they are taught in matters of fayth and saluation For they thinke it a matter of no great weyght to requite them with carnall benefits which giue vnto them spirituall riches For they vnderstande that their saluation dependeth chiefly on them For the which cause they can suffer themselues to be rebuked and chidden as we may see in Dauid and Ezechias But the wicked be of a farre other minde which vse to condemne the Ministers as molesters of their vngodly desires and publike enimies whereof the scripture sheweth examples in Pharao Achab the Phariseys and infinite others Whose vngodlynesse deserueth to feele the vengeaunce of Gods iustice bicause they woulde not suffer to be faythfully admonished Lette vs therefore acknowledge the grace of God and embrace his worde wyth thankefull myndes studying to frame our selues thereafter that we maye hereafter be made partakers and heyres of the saluation promised in Iesus Christ our sauiour to whome be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The eleuenth chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The .lxxviij. Homelie AND the Apostles and brethren that were in Iurie hearde that the Heathen also had receyued the worde of god And when Peter was come vp to Ierusalem they that were of the Circumcision contended against him saying Thou wentest in to men vncircumcised and diddest eate with them But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning and expounded it by order vnto them saying I was in the Citie of Ioppa praying and in a traunce I sawe in a vision a certayne vessell descende as it had bene a great sheete let downe from heauen by the fower corners and it came to mee â–ª into the which when I had fastened mine eyes I considered and sawe fowerfooted beastes of the earth and vermin and wormes and foules of the ayre â–ª And I hearde a voyce saying vnto me Aryse Peter slea and eate And I sayd not so Lord for nothing coÌ„mon or vnclean hath at any time entred into my mouth But the voyce aunswered me agayne from heauen Count not thou those things common which God hath clensed And this was done three tymes And all were taken vp agayne into heauen And beholde immediatlye there were three men already come into the house where I was sent from Caesarea vnto me And the spirite sayde vnto mee that I shoulde go with them without doubting Moreouer these sixe brethren acâ—ompanyed me and wee entred into the mannes house And he shewed vs howe he had seene an Aungell in his house which stoode and sayde to him Sende men to Ioppa and call for Simon whose surname is Peter He shall tell thee words wherby both thou and all thine house shall be saued And as I began to preache the holy ghost fell on them as he did on vs at the beginning Then came it to my remembraunce howe that the Lorde sayde Iohn baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy ghost Forasmuch then as God gaue them lyke giftes as hee gaue vnto vs when we beleeued on the Lorde Iesus Christ what was I that I shoulde haue withstanded God ALthough the blessed Euaungelyst Luke hath both abundantlye and diligently described the hystorie of Cornelius which was conuerted vnto the fayth in the Chapter before going yet in this Chapter he repeateth the same againe after another sort and maner of narration The cause of which his doing was for that it might appeare to all men that the Gentyles were vndoubtedly called according to Gods appointment by preaching of the Gospell and receyued into the communion of the Church by the sacrament of baptisme That the declaration hereof was necessarye bicause of the Iewes hath already oftentimes bene shewed And the same serueth very much for our instruction both bicause the grace of Gods goodnesse is thereby marueylouslye set forth and the certaintie of all our saluation which springeth of the Iewes is most firmely prooued Therefore no man must accuse the holy writer for to often repeating of one thing or of needelesse loquacitie or babling but rather they ought to be prouoked by his diligence the more earnestly to weygh consider a matter of such importance Furthermore Luke taketh occasion to rehearse agayne the same hystorie by reason of the vniust iudgement of a certaine sort of persons who being deceyued accuse Peter whereby he is enforced thus to declare and open the meaning of his dooing vnto them First therefore let vs see howe the Church which was here and there dispersed through Iurie iudged concerning the vocation of the Gentyles For this thing coulde not long lye hidden both bicause of the notable worthynesse of the persons and also for that it was a straunge thinge and not seene before Therefore
our dutie that we should not forget that we be made Kings and Priestes by Christ and that we should valiauntly maintayne the dignitie of our name It is the propertie of a King to be at his libertie and not to be in subiection vnder the rule of another Let vs therfore abide in the libertie wherevnto the sonne of God hath called vs and not suffer our selues to be oppressed hereafter with the seruitude of sinne which is the fylthiest and miserablest thing that can be It is the property of a King to vanquish and ouercome his enimies Let vs therefore subdue and vanquishe the moste cruell enimies of our saluation Satan the world and the fleshe with all the concupiscences therof It is the part of a king to cōmaunde and beare rule Let vs therfore rule our selues mightily ouercome al those things which leade vs crosse the way of saluation So let vs lykewise performe the dutie of Priests to teach to pray to consecrate and offer Wherefore it shall be our dutie to teach those that belong vnto vs both by word and example of lyfe as farre forth as the dutie of our calling bindeth vs It shall be our parts to pray both in secret and openly and to make intercession to God not onely for our owne necessities but also for our neyghbors It shall also be our duties to consecrate our selues for liuely sacrifyce vnto God and to offer to him euery day the bullockes of our lippes that is to say giuing of thankes which is the moste acceptable and thankefull sacrifyce that we can giue vnto him These thinges myght at large be drawne through the whole lyfe of man but it shall suffyse to giue the vnlearned an occasion to expende and consider better of them Whosoeuer perfourmeth these things is worthy to be called a Christian. And such it appeareth the Patriarches were in times past whome God in the hundreth and fyft Psalme calleth his annoynted that is to saye Christians Such it is credible those men of Antiochia were which first enioyed that name And if any will presumptuously bragge of the name they shall surely deceyue themselfe but God they cannot deceyue Let vs therefore diligently thinke of these thinges that remembring both our dignitie and dutie we may aunswere to so notable and excellent a name and being taken from this lyfe may raigne in heauen with Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxj. Homelie IN those dayes came Prophetes from the Citie of Ierusalem vnto Antioch And there stoode vp one of them named Agabus and signified by the spirite that there should be great dearth throughout all the world which came to passe in the Emperour Claudius dayes Then the Disciples euerye man according to his abilitie purposed to sende succour vnto the brethren which dwelt in Iurie which thing they also did and sent it to the Elders by the handes of Barnabas and Saule ALthough our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ is alwaye present with his Church yet he suffereth it as he foretolde diuerslye and manye wayes to be troubled hauing aduersitie as it were by continuall enterchaunge still following prosperitie The principall cause wherof is partly for that he woulde brydle the lustynesse of our fleshe and partlye bicause he woulde teache vs that he is as well able to deliuer his people in aduersitie as to maintaine them in prosperitie We haue heretofore seene certayne notable examples hereof For the Gospell in the beginning being prosperouslye preached at Ierusalem brought a great number of Disciples vnto Christ shortly after riseth a tempest of persecution that driueth down the florishing of the Church flat to the grounde By and by againe when Saule was conuerted vnto Christ sodeinly the Church was quiet the doctrine of Christ being caried vnto the Gentyles gaue likelyhoode of great encrease seeing that at Antioch the noblest Citie in all Syria there was a Church of Gentyles assembled togither and were there first called after that noble name of Christians But beholde a great and straunge aduersitie following namely a dearth which as it troubled the whole worlde so it most miserablye afflicted the faythfull whose goodes were spent partlye in finding the poore of the Church and partly were taken from them in the rage of persecution The consideration herof is most profitable for vs for herby we may learne the lesse to be offended if the lyke aduersity betide vs in these dayes And of all other this present place is worthy to be diligently considered as well for the manifolde comfort as also the instruction which the holy ghost here setteth forth For it declareth the dearth that was in the Church and it setteth out the fatherly prouidence of God hauing a care for the same and also sheweth what way and counsayle the faythfull tooke seeing the publike calamitie like to ensue And of all these we meane orderly to intreate First we will speake of the dearth wherof prophane writers but chieflye Iosephus and Suetonius make mention This dearth no man will deny but was sent by the iudgement of God except such an one as will deny God to be the gouernor of the whole worlde For the Prophete witnesseth that there is no plague in a Citie without the Lordes doing And in the lawe among the punishmentes wherewith God reuenged the contempt of hys worde barrennesse of grounde and scarcitie of victuals ar◠chiefely reckoned See Leuiticus 26. Deuter. 28. And we must not thinke that anye thing commeth vnto man by fortune forasmuch as it appeareth that the care of Gods prouidence extendeth it selfe euen to the sparrowes flowres of the field It shall be good when such things come to passe to search the causes of Gods iudgements which can be founde no where sooner than in mennes conuersation And surely Luke seemeth to poynt as it were with his fynger the causes of this dearth where he writeth it was in the dayes of Claudius Caesar. For he therefore named the Prince of the world who had then all authoritie and rule in his hande that by him we might iudge of the whole state of the worlde and the condicions of those dayes For it appeareth that the vices of Princes first infect with their contagiousnesse the Nobilitie and then their corrupt example poysoneth the Comminaltie And euen prophane writers report that Claudius was in all poyntes a moste naughtye Prince For from his childehoode he was cumbred with diuers and continuall diseases so that being dulled and made lumpish both in bodye and spirit growing further in age he was thought vnable to discharge any office publike or priuate Insomuch that Antonia hys mother vsed to say he was a monster a worke of nature begunne but not fynished and when she woulde note any body of blockishnesse or dulnesse she would say he was more foole than hir sonne Claudius And his sister Liuulla hearing on a time that he should be chosen Emperour did openly and alowde
is before God acceptable Fifthly thou ceasest not sayth he to peruert the straight wayes of the Lorde In the which wordes he comprehendeth two most heinous offences incurable maliciousnesse and earnest desire to peruert the worde of the Lorde For his worde is simple and pure and sheweth vnto vs a most playne waye of saluation But through the naughtinesse of manne it seemeth vncertaine and full of perplexitie Last of all he thundreth against him the heauy sentence of punishment And nowe beholde the hande of the Lorde is vppon thee and thou shalt be blinde and not see for a season Where yet among the terrible thunder crackes of Gods threates we see there is hope of saluation left if he will repent and turne vnto the lord For God so vseth to reueale his wrath by his worde that yet he will not haue them swallowed vppe of despaire whome he will haue saued The chiefe vse of this place is that we learne what the faythfull Ministers of Christes Church haue to doe in these dayes where many Elymae are buzeing in the eares of Kings and Princes to bring them from the fayth that they may at their pleasure oppresse the ruder sort and the Comminaltie For we can iudge the Monkes and Priests none other which deceytfully sell their trifles vnder color of Gods holy name and like the presumpteous Gyauntes arrogate to themselues power vpon heauen who of set purpose striue against the righteousnesse of Christ and the faith that maketh righteous who impudently set light the authoritie of Gods word and corrupt the same with the traditions of men who make the most plaine way of saluation most intricate and vnfyndable with their infynite mazes of Monkish vowes of orders of rules of merites of bulles of pardons and of cases reserued who fynally not herewith content procure Princes to committe slaughter and murther and to shedde innocent bloude These must be accused with like boldenesse and libertie that men maye learne to beware of them which hitherto haue beguiled them with their stagelike maiestie Neyther lette vs giue eare vnto them which in this case prescribe vs rules of modestie and charitie forasmuch as it is euident that many of them be incurable and are bent onely to defende their vsurped tyrannie be it right or be it wrong Nowe remayneth the ende and successe of this contention heauy for Elymas the deceyuer but most ioyfull for Sergius the Proconsull For on Elymas falleth by and by the punishment pronounced by Paule and being striken blinde he gropeth for one to leade him by the hande The like we saw fall out before to Ananias and Sapphira whereby it behoueth vs to learne the power of Gods word The chiefe thing to be marked in this place is what remayneth for false teachers and deceyuers which dare to withstande the worde of God eyther for vauntage or honour They are made blinde for the most part if not in body yet it minde and the Lorde of his iust iudgement hath giuen them vp into a reprobate sense so that they are neyther able to embrace the truth nor yet to forsake and auoide manifest and knowne errours Furthermore being in Gods iudgement defamed they lose the strength and ayde of fleshe wherein they so much trusted So is fulfylled that that is written in Zachary 11. chap. ô Idols shepehearde that leaueth the flocke The sworde shall come vpon his arme and vpon his right eie His arme shall be cleane dryed vp and his right eye shall be sore blinded And there want not examples of this iudgement in our dayes but we want eyes to behold them And these our Elymae are so much the more miserable that being blinde yet they thinke still they see and seeke for none to leade them but contemptuously disdaine those which God offereth them Furthermore as this contention came to passe vnprosperouslye for Elymas so great profyte came thereby vnto the Proconsull whome the Lorde by this meanes deliuered out of darkenesse For he seeing the iudgement of God beleeued and beganne to make much of Christes doctrine This is the peculiar propertie of Gods children that they acknowledge the iudgementes of God are amended by others example where the euill and deceyuers waxe worse and worse But in all this storie this thing is most comfortable that we see the truth can be vanquished neyther with open force of Tyrants nor subtile conueyance of the Deuill For being pressed and borne downe it riseth againe and by striuing gathereth the more strength Therefore let vs embrace the truth and constantly stande by the author and defender thereof Iesus Christ our Lorde to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The .lxxxviij. Homelie WHEN Paule departed from Paphos they that were with him came to Perga in Pamphilia and Iohn departed from them and returned to Ierusalem But they wandred through the countries and came from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia and went into the Sinagoge on the Sabboth daye and sate downe And after the lecture of the lawe and the Prophetes the Rulers of the Sinagoge sent vnto them saying ye men and brethren if you haue any sermon to exhort the people say on THere appeare many and notable tokens of diuine power and maiestie in the workes of Iesus Christ but among them al this is the most notable and euident that by the ministerie of the Apostles within few yeres he subdued all the world For where it is manifest that they were furnished with no fleshlye succors but were the least esteemed of all men and yet brought to passe things of such importance we must needes acknowledge that Gods power wrought by them whereby it came to passe that the worlde was brought to a newe countenance and the Gentyles deliuered from the errors of their olde superstition and receyued the true religion This is the chiefe thing that we haue to consider in this present voyage of Paule and Barnabas For these two being sent forth by the appoyntment of God to preach the Gospell indifferently to all Nations they prosperously passe through all impedimentes standing in their waye And fyrst cōming to Cyprus they subdue vnto the kingdome of Christ the inhabiters of a most rich Islande giuen to all riotousnesse and worshipping of Venus and they doe not onely winne vnto them the common people but Sergius also the Romaine Proconsull whose authoritie onely had bene ynough to haue resisted them if it had bene mans affayres only they had gone about and they leade about Elymas the sorcerer a chosen instrument of the Deuill and striken with horrible blindenesse in triumph so that in one conflict it appeareth mannes force and the Deuils sleightes were ouercommen both togither Nowe let vs see howe such a prosperous beginning gaue a good occasion to the Apostles farther to spreade the kingdome of Christ. Hauing gone through Cyprus they passe from Paphus into Pamphilia and came vnto Perga a Citie of that Region making a great voyage both by sea
Lette vs I beseech you thinke hereof whome it hath pleased God these many yeares to let enioy the preaching of the Gospell and to let vs abounde in the quiet and peace thereof where a number beside feele great want therof and being famined would be glad of one little morsell of Euangelike consolation But let vs returne to Paule and his companions who though they be forbidden in one place to preach yet cease not from doing their duetie but passing through Misia come at length to Aeolis and to a Citie in the same Countrie called Troas earnestly seeking euerywhere occasion to preach And there Paule being admonished by oracle vnderstandeth he must go into Macedonia For there appeareth vnto him a Macedonian which vndoubtedly was nothing but an Aungell and desireth to haue his countrye holpen And here came diuers thinges very profytable for vs to consider First is the example of Paule whereby we are taught that we must not be slacke in doing our office and dutie although our enterprise succeede not at the fyrst or seconde attempt as we desire For we reade the like came to passe many times both to the Prophetes and the Apostles which followed their calling the more earnestlye the more impedimentes they perceyued were layde in their waye Let all men go forwarde after these mennes examples and God will assist their endeuours who vseth when he seeth time and place to giue occasion of onset and also prosperous successe Furthermore this place sheweth vs a singuler example of Gods goodnesse whereby it commeth to passe that God worketh our saluation when we least knowe or thinke of it For who among the Macedonians woulde you thinke thought eyther of Paule or of the waye of saluation who when he came had none but a fewe of women to followe him and heare him So by this meane is the saying of the Prophete fulfylled I am founde of them that sought me not and haue appeared to them that asked not after mee And that that Luke sayth came to passe here among them of Macedonia the same may be seene in all other that eyther haue attained or at this day do attayne vnto saluation For before this worlde was made Paule sayth we were elected in Christ. And our fyrst parent Adam when he was fallen in sinne and did not onely not seeke God but fled from him yet was he both sought of God and called and receyued the free promise of saluation Hereto appertayneth it that men in the Scriptures are compared vnto sâ—eepe which hauing once strayed from the flocke neuer returne vnlesse the shepeheard by his diligence fette them agayne But Christ is our shepehearde which vseth to seeke his sheepe in valleyes and mountaynes and when he hath founde him layeth him on his shoulder and bringeth him home And this care of God may not onely be perceyued in those thinges that concerne the saluation of our soules but also sheweth it selfe in the things seruing to the vse and maintenance of our bodies For as God feedeth our bodye bountifully in giuing vs a liuing out of the earth so hath he appoynted the Aungels to be our tutors and keepers which â—arie rounde about them that feare him and deliuer them But bicause we haue hereof intreated heretofore let this nowe suffyse Yet let vs marke the vse of his doctrine which consisteth chiefely in this poynt that we shoulde be thankefull vnto God and stryue in all kinde of aduersities to defende our calling by the inuincible hope and affiaunce of Gods ayde and succor Furthermore this example commendeth vnto vs the dignitie of the Gospell and the ministery thereof For fyrst this is a notable thing that Paule is called by an Aungell and by the Oracle of God to preache So Peter was admonished by a vision from heauen to preach vnto Cornelius and to the Gentyles and the spirite led Philip to teach the Aethiopian his saluation Therefore some menne doe very vainely to contemne the ministerie of man as a thing of small or none account and requyre to haue Aungels to teach them seeing Aungels sende vs vnto men to be taught Yea Paule will not haue vs to beleeue an Aungell if he teach anye thing disagreeing from the doctryne of the Apostles Also the wordes of the Aungell commende the dignitie of the Ministerie For he sayth Come into Macedonia and helpe vs. Yet is it in Gods power onely to helpe vs both in body and soule But bicause the worde of the Gospell is the power of saluation to all that beleeue it the Ministers thereof are therefore not without a cause sayd to helpe men and to saue them And for this cause Abdias prophecying of the kingdome of Christ calleth the Apostles Sauiours Therefore the temeritie and impietie of those which saye that the Gospell causeth troubles and disquietnesse is reprooued seeing it is euident that men cannot choose but perishe except they be called by the preaching of Christ into the way of saluation according to the saying of the Prophete The Nation and kingdome that serueth not thee shall perishe But what doth Paule when he heareth he is called of God into Macedonia to men vnknowne and into Europe another part of the worlde Doth he tryfle and make delayes bicause he was before once or twyse forbidden No yea he prepareth him to the voyage and frameth him altogither vnto Gods calling and at length with a strayght course commeth to Philippie a very notable Citie and state By which example we are taught that nothing is rashly to be taken in hand without Gods calling but when we are certaine thereof then wyth speede to doe that the Lorde commaundeth For he so little regardeth prolongers and delayers that he cannot abyde pretence of godlynesse if vnder colour therof we neglect our vocation as we are taught by the example of him which was not suffered to go burie his father after Christ had called him to the ministerye of the worde But this is the most commodious way to doe well if we haue a diligent regarde to the calling of God and followe the same faythfully and earnestly For they that trust their owne deuises and seeke after vanitie as Dauid sayth cannot choose but grieuouslye offende God graunt that we be all mindefull hereof and followe our vocation that after we haue on earth fulfylled our duetie we maye at length lyue in heauen with Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The Cviij Homelie WE were in that Citie abiding certaine dayes and on the Sabboth dayes we went out of the Citie besides a riuer where men were wont to pray And we sate downe and spake vnto the women which resorted thither And a certaine woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the Citie of Thyaâ—ira which worshipped God gaue vs audience whose heart the Lorde opened that shee attended vnto the things that Paule spake When she was baptized and hir housholde she besought vs
true religion and saluation and therefore the more zelouslye they defended superstition the more egerly they resisted the truth yet in the meane tyme this is needefull in saluation that mennes mindes shoulde not be voyde of the feare of God but enclined to embrace the truth and desirous of true religion For except the grounde be good the seede of the worde can not well growe in it And yet this is not so to be vnderstanded as though this promptnesse and towardnesse came of our selfe For of our selues we are not able to thinke well and the inuentions of man are naught euen from his childehoode as God testifyeth It is therefore the gift and worke of God if men be giuen vnto the desire and loue of religion and the truth which otherwyse by reason of naturall corruption they abhorre in their heartes Next Lydia hearde Paules teaching Therefore she vseth that meane and instrument whereby God vseth to giue and stirre vp fayth in vs For fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God. Therefore whosoeuer will profyte in the knowledge of saluation must labour to haue fayth and we must not regard those that seeke new reuelations For God speaketh to vs in the scriptures which who so refuse to heare are commonly praies for the deuill which miserably deludeth the deceyued with lying reuelations Last of all it is sayd that God opened the heart of Lydia to giue heede vnto the things that Paule spake For without this in vaine is the worde eyther preached or hearde whereof bicause we haue already oftentimes spoken it seemeth not nowe needefull to saye any more And if any man aske why God did not open the harts of others aswell to him we say with Paule ô man what art thou that disputest with God who hath first giuen vnto God and it shall be giuen to him againe For it becommeth vs not ouer curiouslye to searche out the priuie counsayles of God but in them to reuerence his great goodnesse iustice veritie and wisedome It is our part by this place to learne the order of true conuersion which chiefely consisteth in these three pointes to haue a loue in our hartes vnto religion to heare the worde and to be illuminated with the spirite of God. It remayneth for vs to consider the effectes of true fayth which shewed themselues in Lydia Fyrst she is baptized according to the commaundement of Christ and custome of the Church By baptisme he comprehendeth the confession of fayth wherby she renounced hir olde superstition and professed to followe Christ desiring to be accounted among the members of his Church We are by this example also admonished that the godly must not contemne the sacramentes but vse them reuerently both for that they knowe they are instituted by Christ and also for that they are glad to haue the benefyte of saluation whereof Christ is the author by them sealed and confyrmed But Lydia not content with hir owne baptisme causeth hir whole houshold and familie likewise to be baptized This is the property of all the faythfull that they desire all men to be partakers of saluation wyth them but speciallye those which they knewe God hath committed to their charge And this they doe not of priuate affection but following the commaundement of God whose will it is alwaye that we shall consecrate and dedicate vnto him all our people So Abraham circumcised not onely himselfe but all the men in his familie according to Gods commaundement And in the lawe housholders are commaunded to instruct their familie in the commaundements of God. And that which was commaunded them Magistrates must thinke belongeth to them also and labour to take away superstitiousnesse and to plant the desire of true religion among the people as we reade those godly Kinges Dauid Asa Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias and such like diligently did And doubtlesse it is not without the great suspition of impietie that one shoulde so rule ouer others to bereue God of his right which claymeth all men to himselfe Finally Lydia biddeth the Apostles home to hir house and offreth them lodging with great instancie saying If you thinke that I beleeue on the Lord come home to my house and abyde there Which wordes haue in them such kinde of obtestation that the Apostles might not refuse the friendship offred except they would both condemne hir and thinke hir vnworthy the name of a Christian. Although at the fyrst after a ciuill sorte they refuse to come home to hir house both for that they woulde not be thought lyke deceyuers to abuse the simplicitie of women and to gape after their goodes and also for that Paule would neuer burthen any as he many times testifyeth 1. Cor. 9.2 Thes. 3. Howbeit Lydia by hir intreatie vttereth a minde inflamed with charitie and vnfearfull constancie For it is a poynt of charitie in that she is desirous to take them into hir house and to giue them their boorde of whome she had receyued and drawne the doctrine of saluation Agayne it is a token of a valiaunt courage that being a straunger she durst receyue teachers of a newe doctrine into hir house which she well knewe she might not doe without daunger But this is the propertie of faith that it neyther feareth body nor goodes so that the glory of Christ may be enlarged Let them I pray you looke on the example of this woman which nowe a dayes boaste of their fayth and they shall streyght perceyue howe wyde they are from the propertie of fayth Let vs therefore praye vnto God that he will vouchsafe to open our harts that we being instructed in true fayth may expresse Christ in our whole life and liue with him in heauen to whome be prayse honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cix Homelie AND it came to passe as we went to prayer a certaine Damosell possessed with a spirite that prophecyed mette vs which brought hir maister and mystresse much vauntage with prophecying The same followed Paule and vs and cryed saying These men are the seruants of the most high God which shewe vnto vs the way of saluation And this did she many dayes But Paule not content turned about and sayde to the spirite I commaunde thee in the name of Iesu Christ that thou come out of hir And hee came out the same houre ALthough Iesus Christ the Sonne of God by the merite of his death hath so ouerthrowne the kingdome of the Deuill that he hath no more power agaynst the kingdome of Christ yet ceaseth he not according to his auncient vsage still to assault the same and as Christ intermitted nothing belonging to the redemption of mankinde so Satan for his part leaueth nothing vnassayd to pull men from Christ their sauiour and from the way of saluation An euident example hereof is declared in this present hystorie For after Paule was come vnto the Philippians Lydia the selâ—er of Purple conuerted vnto the fayth by his preaching beganne to declare the
Apostles doctrine For fyrst they shewe whence Paule fet his doctrine verily out of the wrytings of Moses and the Prophets which otherwheres he sayth were inspyred of God and in the which Christ witnesseth that the mysteries of eternall lyfe are conteyned Therefore out of the same also in these dayes must the doctrine taught in the congregation be taken Neyther must their impudencie be borne with which will not haue the controuersies of our dayes deuided by the Scriptures but alleage vnto vs the traditions and Canons as they call them of the Apostles and the fathers and the counsels as though they had left vs thinges of more imperfection and certaintie than the Apostles Further we are taught howe Paule handled the scriptures He opened them that is to saye by dyligent interpretation he picked out the true sense and meaning of them applyed the things therin conteyned to his present purpose Which he coulde no wayes more commodiouslye doe then by conference of places By this example of Paule is theyr errour confuted which saye it is sufficient to haue the scripture read ouer in the Church and wyll not suffer the same by exposition to be opened Therefore in these mennes iudgement Paule offended verie much yea Christ himselfe who as we may reade vsed the same order of teaching in the schoole at Nazareth But whosoeuer followeth the example of Christ can not offend And Paule doth much better which requireth such a teacher of the Church as can distribute and deale as it were the worde of truth iustly and duely and can apply it to the instruction and comfort of euery body Thirdely is declared the argument of Paules doctrine which conteyneth in it chiefely two poyntes setting them as it should seeme agaynst so many errours of the Iewes For fyrst they were offended at the crosse of Christ bicause they vnderstoode the oracles of the Prophetes according to the letter and ymagined that the kingdome of Christ should be temporall and looked for a Messias wythout a crosse Which errour may now a dayes also be perceyued in them which would haue the Gospell preached without the crosse and where they desyre to be saued by Christ will not suffer and be afflicted with him The other errour of the Iewes was that they denyed Iesus the sonne of Mary to be their Messias or Christ. Paule laboureth to put both these errours away going about to prooue by testimony of scriptures that God had from before the begynning of the world ordeyned this way for man to be saued by that is to say by the incarnation death and resurrection of his sonne Againe applying those things vnto Iesus the sonne of Marie which the Prophets in tymes past spake before of the Messias he euidently declareth that he ought to be acknowledged for the Messias and that none other ought to be looked for Nowe as Paule declared these things at large by testimonies of scriptures gathered out of all places so might they be by vs in ample wise prosecuted But bycause it appeareth easily by the sermons both of Paule and the other Apostles going before what places they for the most part vsed and they that vse to reade the scriptures fynde euerywhere such things as conteyne in them the knowledge of Christ we wyll of purpose be the shorter In the meane while we haue here two things to obserue Fyrst what ought to be preached in the Church Uerily euen Iesus Christ only whome Paule otherwheres confesseth onely that he knoweth and none other For where he alone is sufficient for vs in all things bicause he is giuen to vs of the father to be our Brydegrome Shephearde King and Priest head righteousnesse wisedome satisfaction sanctifycation and redemption he himselfe would haue men brought vnto him it is vnmeete to teach any thing not agreeable with him The seconde thinge is howe Christ should be preached To be euen such an one as the Scriptures declare him to be who dying for vs on the Aultar of the crosse purged our sinnes and by his glorious resurrection ouercame death who reigneth not in this worlde lyke vnto the kings here on earth but being taken vp into heauen comforteth vs by his spirite and through our afflictions and infyrmitie of the flesh triumpheth ouer all our aduersaries They that haue conceyued in their mindes Christ to be such an one can be offended at no worldly attempts but being voyde of care and merie laugh at all that the worlde goeth about against the Church Learne therefore hereby to iudge of the doctrine of these dayes and harken not vnto them which in the businesse of our saluation teach any more then Christ seing that Paule knewe him onely notwithstanding he was rapt vp into the thirde heauen Moreouer the successe declareth that Paules preaching was not in vaine For certaine of the Iewes beleeued yet but a fewe bicause nowe beganne the blindnesse of that nation Yet God keepeth and fulfylleth hys truth while he saueth certaine remnauntes out of the innumerable multitude And that they were vnfayned beleeuers appeareth by this that they openly ioyne themselues vnto Paule and Silas both for learning sake and also to protest openly their beliefe Yet a greater company of the Greekes beleeued whome he calleth religious bicause before this they had tasted a little of true religion which it is lyke they learned by being conuersaunt with the Iewes For although the incredulitie of that nation was past hope yet God would vse them being dispersed abroade in the worlde to bring the Gentyles from ydolatry vnto the worshipping of the true God and euerywhere to sowe certaine principles and grounds of pure religion touching the honouring and inuocating of one god With this company of the faithfull are numbred certaine noble and chiefe women that a manne maye see howe God hath a regarde of his elect in all states and degrees of persons This place teacheth vs that the Gospell is neuer preached in vaine as hath bene already oftentymes declared Here are also touched the dueties of them that truely beleeue ardent desyre of true doctrine and religion thankefulnesse towarde the teachers of saluation and playne and open profession of the true fayth For God will haue none of them to worship him that can dissemble and play on both handes God graunt that we also being illuminated with the light of true fayth may declare our fayth both in worde and deede and by the same maye come vnto the inheritaunce of the kingdome of heauen with the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honour power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxiiij Homelie BVT the Iewes which beleeued not had indignation and tooke vnto them euill men which were vagabondes and gathered a company and set all the Citie on an roare and made assault vpon the house of Iason and sought to bring them out to the people And when they founde them not they drewe Iason and certayne brethren vnto the heades of
among the Thessalonians they exaggerate the matter and say that the Apostles did all things against the lawes and decrees of Caesar and so accuse them of treason saying they appointed an other to be king of the worlde affirming in a maner the same that they of Ierusalem before obiected against Christ before Pylate If you let these men go you are not Caesars friende The chiefe vse of these thinges is to learne vs with what instrumentes and weapons the wicked most assault the truth and hir Ministers First they vse open force For where Satan is a murtherer they thinke they haue a great defence therein for themselfe So Pylate sent forth his crewe with swordes and clubbes to take Christ which plainely sayde he did exercise the power of darkenesse Thus Cain violently kylled Abel And Pharao openly afflicted the Israelites Yea if a man would consyder the hystories of all ages he shoulde see the chiefe argumentes of the enimies of the truth founded vpon seculer power And commonly in these dayes they vse to dispute against the godly with imprisonment chaynes Gunnes Speares fyre and sworde Howbeit bicause the wiser sort abhorre from manifest violence and tyranny Satan knoweth craftily howe to mittigate the heynousnesse of this matter with lying going about by false accusations and slaunders to bring the seruauntes of Christ and faythfull Ministers of the truth in ignominie and suspicion Examples hereof we haue else where alleaged in Achab the king and in the Iewes accusing Christ before Pylate so that we neede tarie no longer in this matter Let vs learne at the least not rashely to beleeue them that grieuously accuse the godly as though they were blasphemers of God iniurious to the saintes and disturbers of the common weale Let vs rather search out the verie truth of the matter and commonly it shall appeare they are most innocent which before seemed worthy of all kinde of punishment This place teacheth vs furthermore what great destruction commeth vnto common weales by ydle and gracelesse persons For when they haue spent and consumed their owne goodes they gape after other mens and will be hyred for a little to commit a great mischiefe whereby it commeth to passe that they which will not by iustice of discipline punishe them are at length much cumbred and endammaged by them and perceyue their common weales by them to be much hyndered So these men being long suffered at Thessalonica wax at length so bolde and desperate that being entised and hyred by the Iewes they beginne a publike sedition and their boldenesse putteth all men in feare which thing seemeth to me to haue bene the cause that Paule afterward wryting to the Thessalonians warneth them so dyligently to see to the ordering of them that liued ydly of other mens labours For to let passe this present example there are euerywhere manye examples of other nations which teache vs that there are no kynde of men more pernitious vnto common weales But in steede of a great many that one may serue that is written in the storie of the Romaines of the coniuration of Catiline and his Complices Most prudently therefore did the Athenians sometyme inact that sluggishe and ydle persons shoulde be brought out into the market place and openlye shamed as men getting their lyuing by no honest arte or trade With the same Athenians the officers called Areopagitae when they suspected anye of inordinate lyfe called them before them and demaunded of them howe they liued and mainteyned themselues Which seueritie and industrie if it were vsed in our dayes woulde make our common weales and Churches more quiet than they be But it is a foule thing for christian men in this poynt to be ouercome of Gentiles whome reason and experience of the fleshe onely taught to be more wise than we Nowe let vs see the ende of this Tragedie whose beginning was such that no man would haue thought it coulde haue bene ended without shedding of bloud First the Iudges and people are both mooued as commonly it vseth to be in sedition so that at the fyrst brunt wisemen and modest also are almost amazed and wote not what to doe But as God with a little blast of winde can chase away the threatning and clowdie countenance of heauen so in this place with small adoe he maketh them quiet calme that erewhile seemed to be starke mad For by the secret working of hys spirite he mittigateth the mindes of the Iudges to heare Iason speake and at length being satisfyed to dismysse hym and the other brethren In the meane while the brethren in the night season sende away Paule and Silas to Berrhoea where they againe go into the Synagoge and preache with great fruit and vtilitie But as in this councell of Thessalonica is set forth a president of ciuile iustice and equitie for all men to follow which are in office and authoritie so in the other persons haue we some thinges also to be obserued And fyrst this thing is verie comfortable that is tolde of Iason He for his kindenesse shewed vnto the Apostles is in great daunger But the Lorde so deliuereth him that he obteyneth an euerlasting praise in the congregation of the saintes And thus is the promise of Christ fulfylled which promised a sure rewarde vnto him that giueth but a Cup of cold water vnto any one of his disciples Let this kindle in vs also a desyre vnto godlynesse that it seeme not to vs intollerable to suffer traueyles and perilles for Christes faythfulles sake Further the brethren of Thessalonica shewe themselues thankefull vnto Paule and Silas in that they accompany them and bringing them on their waye in the night season putting themselues a freshe in daunger so that it is not without a cause that Paule commendeth their fayth in the Epistle he wryteth vnto them The Galathians also are commended of him for the same cause who sayth he were ready to haue giuen him their eyes if he had needed them But nowe a dayes Ministers haue small thanks for they are the fyrst in daunger and sometime deliuered into the handes of their cruell enimies by them which will be taken for most christian people and Gospellers Finally we haue to consyder Paule which embraseth the counsell of the brethren wylling him to flye vnderstanding that it was a thing permytted by Christ when neyther the glorie of God nor the weale of the brethren and congregation was in daunger For God will not haue vs perishe without great cause and for no profyte In the meane season in the flying they are not forgetfull of their duetie but assoone as they come to Berrhoea they teach agayne By which example we are admonished that we must so see to our owne safety that we forsake not our standing and tackle But if we be endued with the zeale of God the cause it selfe time and place shall easily giue vs counsell what to doe Let the power and goodnesse of God also comfort vs wherby we see Paule
straunger and to follow his voyce onely Howbeit the short role or recount of beleeuers that Luke rehearseth must be also consydered which we see was gathered togither of al kinde of men Fyrst many Iewes beleeue althoughe the forsaking of that Nation was euen at hande Yet God vtterly forgetteth not his couenaunt but according to his promise preserueth certaine remnaunts Unto these are adioyned certaine noble and chiefe women of the Gentyles and at length are dyuers men besides numbred Whereby it appeareth that the grace of God which is giuen vs in Christ appertayneth to all sortes of men and that none is to be excluded from it eyther for cause of countrie nation sexe or whatsoeuer condition For in Christ Iesu there is neyther Iewe nor Gentyle bondman nor free man nor woman c. Which thing as it serueth to comfort vs so it teacheth euerie man to be mindefull of christian societie and to contempne no man ouer insolently in comparison of himselfe But let vs see what Satan attempted at Berrhoea against the kingdome of Christ verily euen the same that he dyd otherwheres For he can not suffer that to go forwarde that he knoweth hyndereth and ouerthroweth his kingdome And bicause he could fynde none in that Citie meete to serue his turne he calleth out the Iewes from Thessalonica who hearing and disdayning that the fayth of Christ went forwarde at Berrhoea come flying in post haste and cause a great sturre and tumulte there also Satan therfore vseth the lyke pollicie here that we sawe he vsed before at Lystra which is his propertie also at these dayes if he perceyue there want disturbers of Christes kingdome in one place to bring and fetch them from an other And it is a marueyle to see howe nymble the Monkes be in accomplishing this matter whome the Deuill can craftily sende abroade not onely into Cities but also into kings Courtes and priuie counsels to cause Princes being bewitched with their suggestions to shut their eares against the doctrine of truth In the meane season marke here the incurable malice of the Iewes wherewith they are so netled that they themselues doe not onely refuse the fayth of Christ but also can not suffer other to be illuminated with the same so that it is not without a cause that Paule so earnestly reprehendeth them in the fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians the seconde Chapter Lyke vnto these men are all those in these dayes that giue themselues to the deuill to be instrumentes to impugne the fayth of Christ and thereby seeke great commendation Yet let them remember that they shal haue the same iudgement whereof was shewed an example vppon the Iewes to the woonder of the whole worlde For the holy ghost long agone prophecyed that all they shoulde be brused with the yron rodde of Christ which would not be corrected and amended by his worde And there want not examples of most mightie kings which haue founde this reuengefull sentence of Christ true to their great losse and hynderaunce whereof bicause we haue alreadie at large intreated otherwheres we will for thys time be contented to haue spoken these fewe wordes But what doe the brethren in the middest of this hurlye burlye Leaue they Paule in the bryars and daunger or refuse they to giue him counsell and to helpe him No. But rather leauing Silas and Timotheus which were not in such daunger to remaine at Berrhoea they conuey Paule away vsing therein great and singuler diligence For they take their iourney towarde the sea and by and by turne their course and come to Athens from whence Paule afterwarde wrote his fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians It seemeth they helde not on their waye directly bicause they woulde auoyde the wayte of the Iewes who they sawe raged in such hatred against Paule Furthermore here is to be obserued the loue and kindnesse that they of Berrhoea shewe vnto their teacher For who doubteth but this attempt of theirs was a matter not onely of much expence and labour but also of great daunger But nothing could let them to go on in their godly duetie bicause they had a right iudgement of the benefyte of the gospell which they had receyued and they thinke it but a small matter to shewe an outwarde duetie and reuerence for the gift of eternall saluation Nowe a dayes bicause fewe men iudge rightly of Gods grace offered in the gospell they wil susteyne no labour and perill about the same But most times it commeth to passe that they which will suffer no daunger for Christes cause an other tyme are molested with greater cares for causes lesse godly This place furthermore teacheth vs that wisedome with fayth maye well stande togyther For Christ commaundeth vs to beware of the wylinesse of men and to vse the wisedome of Serpents against it We haue neede therof bicause of the children of this worlde whom Christ himselfe witnesseth to be wiser in their generation than the children of light Yet let vs remember that we must appoynt certaine boundes vnto the wisedome of the fleshe that we doe nothing through the counsell and perswasion thereof against our duetie wherein there is no better or more safe remedy then if we submyt all our vnderstanding vnto the obedience of fayth as Paule otherwheres teacheth vs So shall it come to passe that we shall neyther tempt God by putting our selues rashely in daunger nor dishonestly forsake the truth but holde the myddle way in dooing our duetie and hereafter raigne with Iesus Christ whome we serue in heauen to whome be praise honor power and glory for euer Amen The Cxvj. Homelie WHILE Paule wayted for them at Athens his spirite was mooued in hym when he sawe the Citie giuen to worshipping of Images Then disputed he in the Synagoge wyth the Iewes and with the deuout persons and in the market daylie with them that came vnto him by chaunce Certaine Philosophers of the Epicures and of the Stoikes disputed with him And some there were which sayde what will this babler say Other sayde he seemeth to be a tydings bringer of new Deuils bicause he preacheth vnto them Iesus and the resurrection And they tooke him and brought him into Mars hys seate saying maye wee not knowe what thys newe doctrine whereof thou speakest is for thou bringest straunge tydings to our eares we would know therfore what these things meane For all the Athenians and straungers that were there gaue themselues to nothing else but either to tell or to heare some newe thing THe Euangelist Luke hytherto hath described the dyuers iourneys and wandrings of Paule the Apostle by reason whereof he lyghtened so manye nations and Cities with the preaching of the gospell that he sayde otherwheres not without a cause that he had laboured more than all the Apostles Further least any man might thinke he had drawne ignoraunt and vnlearned men onely with an artifyciall and elaborate kinde of eloquence he came at length to Athens not
waye we must so doe we are taught by the same ensample For it is no doubt but the Philosophers defended their matter with quaynt fallacies and many wordes But Paule auoyding vaine contention of wordes setteth before them Iesus Christ onely and his resurrection declaring that these two things are sufficient to conuince all the dotages of Philosophers and Heretykes For if God sent Iesus Christ into the worlde to purge the sinnes of men and to saue mankynde neyther can the opinion of Epicures Stoikes nor Iusticiaries stande which eyther saye God regardeth not the things appertaining to man or attribute saluation to the merytes of our workes Agayne if there be a resurrection of the deade there must needes followe another lyfe after this and therefore it is most folly to set felicitie in the pleasure of this present worlde This might be extended to all sectes and heresies but it may suffyse to admonishe you that all fayth and saluation is so conteyned in the knowledge of Iesus Christ and the article of resurrection that whosoeuer is well instructed herein is easily able to confute all maner of heresies Therfore the order of our saluation is playne needeth not much demonstration of wordes and vayne quiddities of Sophistrie They that in times past coulde boldly vrge this way did easily get the victory of all heretykes were they neuer so subtle witted It seemeth good to me in this place to shewe what Sozomenus reporteth to haue chaunced to a certayne Logitian very expert in Dialecticall quiddities in the councell of Nice Where as this Logitian euery day gaue newe onsets vpon the Byshops who both in the affiance of the dexteritie of their wit and skyll of Logicke dysputed with him and none of them coulde get any holde or aduauntage of him a certayne simple man of nature which knewe nothing but Iesus Christ and hym crucifyed tooke hym in hande and sayde Philosopher in the name of Iesus Christ hearken vnto the truth There is one God which made heauen and earth and gaue lyfe vnto man made of the slyme of the earth which created all things aswell inuisible as visible by the power of his worde and established and made fast the same by the sanctification of his spirite This worde and wisedome which we call the sonne pitying our misery was borne of a virgin and by suffering of death hath deliuered vs from eternall death and by his resurrection hath purchased vs eternall life whome we wayte for to come to be the iudge of all our doings Beleeuest thou this is true ô Philosopher Then he as one that had neuer learned the skill to denye a thing I beleeue it sayth he And turning about to his Disciples and to all that hearde him sayth As long as the matter was debated by wordes I set wordes against wordes and by arte and skill of speaking ouerthrewe that was spoken but when in steade of wordes vertue or power came out of the mouth of the speaker wordes coulde no longer preuayle against power nor man was not able to stryue against god c. So mightye is the playne and vnlearned confession of Christ which whosoeuer blendeth with the subtiltye of Philosophers make it very weake and feeble as maye euidently be seene in the schoole Doctors But this conspiracie of so many diuers sectes agaynst the truth teacheth vs moreouer howe impossible it is to preach the doctrine of the Gospell vnto the world without contention forasmuch as the wisedome of the worde is contrary to it wherevnto so euer it incline whether it banish or embrace vertue Therefore they are in deede to be laughed at in these dayes which woulde haue vs performe that that neyther Christ nor hys Apostles coulde performe It remayneth that we declare howe the Athenians receyued Paules doctryne where we see two sortes of men are bewrayed One sort are such as receyue the worde with rayling saying What meaneth this babler or tryfler ▪ And these men are to be founde among the professors of wisedome So vnfyt is the wisedome of man to perceyue the kingdome of God that whatsoeuer is preached of Christ and lyfe euerlasting it seemeth to hym foolishnesse Here hast thou what to aunswere those men which now a dayes obiect vnto vs the authoritie of wyse and great men and all the pryde of the worlde For if these things shoulde take place Paule vndoubtedly had had the ouerthrowe among the Athenians The other sort is curious menne which supposing that Paule preached newe Gods or halfe Gods tooke and brought him vnto Mars his streete to the end that he should there openly giue account of hys doctrine Therefore there gathereth about him an infynite number of ydle persons aswell Citizens as forreyners who sayth Luke had naught else to doe euery day but eyther to heare or tell newes Thys thing God did permit so to come to passe bicause he woulde haue hys sonne preached in the most famous place of all the worlde In the meane season this place teacheth vs what condicion the Gospell is in in this worlde For eyther it is most dishonestly despysed of manifest enimies or else lyght men of behauiour abuse it as dishonestly to serue their affections whych if they perceyue succeedeth not after their minde then they become also openenimies thereof And bicause these things haue thus fallen out in all ages no man ought to be offended hereat but rather to followe Paules constancie and not to care one Dodkin for the lyghtnesse of this world but wyth a strong fayth to trust in Iesus Christ our sauiour who though he be reiected of those which will seeme to be builders of Gods Church yet is he become the heade stone in the corner To him be prayse honor power and glorye for euer Amen The Cxvij Homelie PAVLE stoode in the middest of Mars streete and sayde yee men of Athens I perceyue that in all things you are to supersticious For as I passed by and behelde the maner howe you worship your Gods I founde an Aultar whereon was written vnto the vnknowne God whome you then ▪ ignorantly worshippe him shewe I vnto you God that made the worlde and all that are in it seeing that hee is Lorde of heauen and earth dwelleth not in Temples made with handes as though he needed of anye thing seeing hee himselfe giueth lyfe and breath to all men euery where THe Apostle Paule in the fyrst to the Corinthians sayeth wee preache Iesus Christ crucified vnto the Iewes an occasion of falling and vnto the Greekes foolishnesse For where the wisedome of the fleshe looketh onely vppon the thinges before hir eyes and perceyueth not the mysteries of Gods spirite it cannot seeme but a most foolishe thing vnto hir if a manne seeke saluation in Christ that was crucifyed and openly slaundered This thing Paule founde true aswell at Athens as in other places For where as in that Citie he preached Christ among the wysest men that were in those dayes they giue so little eare
followe him to giue themselues wholy to him bicause in him onely those things were to be founde which are fygured by outwarde baptisme For who is able to performe them without the operation of the holy spirite Therefore the glorye you haue in Iohn your teacher is of so little sufficiencie that his doctrine and baptisme wherewith you were baptized compelleth you to go further so to cleaue vnto Christ that being graffed in him through a liuely fayth and quickened with his spirite you may declare by the very effectes of the holy ghost that you are true Christians And that this is the verye playne and vnracked meaning of Paules wordes the whole order of the hystorye prooueth Wherefore foolish is the error of them which by this place go about to prooue that Iohn his baptisme and Christes was not all one but diuers For that is a thing so farre from Paules meaning that it rather prooueth howe men are sent by the baptisme of water that Iohn ministred vnto Christ in whome onely those thinges are to be taken holde of the tokens whereof we receyue in baptisme Also here is a generall rule confyrmed how it is not to be borne with that they that will be taken for true worshippers of God shoulde stay or rest vpon the authoritie of man but that they ought to be vrged to giue themselues wholy vnto Christ to liue in him by the quickening of his spirite least while they professe him with their mouth they declare by their deedes howe they be farthest of from him Furthermore Luke ioyneth herevnto a moste prosperous ende of this hystorie For these persons being conuict in their consciences through the secrete working of the holye ghost yeelded vnto Paules reasons and were baptized in the name of the Lorde Iesus These wordes must not be expounded of the baptisme of water as though they receiued that againe For so it shoulde followe that Iohns baptisme had not bene lawfull nor sufficient to consecrate men vnto god But that this is an absurde thing to be sayde both the example of Christ teacheth vs which did vouchsafe to be baptised of Iohn and so to become a copartener with vs and also this thing prooueth the same for that we no where read how they were rebaptised whom Iohn had baptised before wherefore this place must be vnderstanded of the baptisme of fyre the Minister or author whereof Iohn before had sayde that Christ shoulde be For the holye ghost was giuen in the likenesse of fyre whereof we spake in the seconde Chapter of this booke And it is manifest that this worde baptising is often vsed for the giuing of the holy ghost and his giftes For so Iohn vseth it speaking of Christ he shall baptise you with the holy ghost and with fire Christ being ready to ascende vp into heauen vseth it in the same sense saying you shall bee baptised with the holye ghost within these fewe dayes Which phrase of speach Peter vttered in the same sense before the congregation intreating of Cornelius conuersion So in this place Luke teacheth vs howe this worde baptising ought to be taken whyle by waye of exposition he addeth And when Paule had layde his handes on them the holye ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and did prophecie Therefore by laying on of handes they were consecrated or appoynted onely vnto Christ and after that followed the holye ghost accoâ—ding as we hearde came to passe at Samaria also Wherevppon it appeareth that the olde writers abused this place whyle by authoritie hereof they contended that those ought to be newe baptised which had bene baptised by heretykes before Herein they were deceyued that they thought Iohn and Christes baptisme of water was diuers And the ignorance of the Anabaptistes is as great that apply vnto the baptisme of water that which ought to be vnderstanded of the baptisme of fyre that is to saye of the receyuing and gyft of the holy ghost But we haue principally to consider the ende and vse of the myracle that is how God ment to confyrme and adorne the authoritie of his Gospell hereby among the Gentyles as we haue already oftentimes declared Let vs therefore beleeue the Gospell whose credite and truth is prooued by so many and notable signes and woonders Let vs in lyfe aunswere to the profession of our fayth that we being quickened with the spirite of Christ maye liue in him to whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Cxxvj. Homelie AND he went into the Synagoge and behaued himselfe boldlye for the space of three monethes disputing and giuing them exhortations of the kingdome of god When diuers waxed harde hearted and beleeued not but spake euill of the way and that before the multitude he departed from them and seperated the disciples And he disputed daily in the schoole of one called Tyranus â–ª And this continued by the space of twoo yeares so that all they which dwelt in Asia hearde the worde of the Lorde Iesu both Iewes and Greekes And God wrought speciall myracles by the handes of Paule so that from his body were brought vnto the sicke Napkins and Partelettes and the diseases departed from them and the euill spirites went out of them AFter the Euangelist Luke hath declared how Paule had fullye enstructed those twelue menne at Ephesus which liued not aunswereable to their profession he sheweth afterwarde how by the ministery of the same Paule the kingdome of God was spredde farre and neare both among the Ephesians and ouer all the Countrie bordering vpon Asia And this present place comprehendeth the summe of this hystorie in the consideration whereof we must be the more diligent bicause there are diuers thinges in euery part thereof which serue for the common instruction of vs all After this he sheweth what was done with the reprobate and vnbeleeuing Thirdly he describeth the singuler profyte and commoditie of the Apostles labour and traueyle First the Euangelist comprehendeth the whole summe of Paules doctrine in fewe wordes where he sayeth that he entred into the Synagoge and there disputed three monthes togther boldly and exhorted men to receyue the kingdome of god Therefore as otherwheres so here also he preacheth fyrst to the Iewes Hereby appeareth partly the great mercy of God towarde so rebellious and frowarde a people and partly a moste feruent and syncere affection of charitie in Paule which by so manye and grieuous iniuries coulde not be quenched But bicause we haue hereof intreated diuers times already let vs omit this poynt and see what trade of teaching Paule vsed among the Ephesians wherevnto there appertayne three things whereof Luke discourseth Fyrst he nameth the place and sayth he taught in the open Synagoge That therefore that Paule diligently obserued in other places he thought good to vse also at Ephesus namely to teach in one certayne and publike place although he knewe well the Iewes vsages which in that place bare all the rule Whereby
skins but rather publikely professe their thirst of Christian bloude with skarlet coloure and their tyrannie with clinking of armoure and garrisons of men By meane of these the doctrine of truthe lyeth wrapped and entangled in infinite erroures and laberinthes and as it were euen buried And the same parties haue rent the Church which ought most to maintaine vnitie hauâ—â—ent the Church into sixe hundred sectes euery one of them professing a propre and sundry faithe and religion in name habite ceremonies and vsages Lette vs awake O brethren and goe against these Wolues and take heede that we be not found to be hirelings rather than true shepherdes But let vs heare Paule which repeating his example which is the .v. argument exhorteth them most earnestly saying Wherefore awake and remember that by the space of three yeeres I ceased not to warne euery one of you night and day with teares He maketh mention of these three yeres bicause they should thinke no labor or trauaile too much For it should be a shame not to take labor and paines seeing suche an Apostle of Christ refused it not And they be in no small fault which by their negligence let the Churches gathered together by the trauailes and deathes of the Apostles run at hauocke Furthermore as it becommeth the Ministers to follow the example of the Apostles so must all Christians followe their steppes for as much as they were the followers of Christ as Paule himselfe declareth where he sayth be yee folowâ—rs of me as I am the folower of Christ â–ª And this is the true worshipping of the Sainctes not that that standeth in adoration and inuocation of them which al the scripture saith is due to God onely Sixthly he reasoneth of the easinesse and vtilitie of their doing herein to aunswere them which were feared with the difficultie and daunger that was on euery side And for a more vehemencie of speeche he vseth a forme of imprecation saying and nowe brethren I commende you vnto God and to the worde of his grace which is able to build c. As who should say I knowe it is a difficult matter that I require and passing all mans power Howe be it it must not be brought to passe by mans force This is Gods husbandry this is Gods worke He laid the foundation he therefore is able to finishe the building and it is no difficult thing for him to vse your helpe to bring his matter to passe By his assistance therfore you shall easily ouercome all things Hee shall guide you with his spirit and the worde of grace which though it seeme but a slender thing yet it pearseth and cutteth sharper than any two edged swoorde The same God hathe prepared worthy rewardes already for suche trauailes and paines euen the inheritaunce of his kingdome where you shall shine among them that are sanctified like as the starres in the firmament These things must be layde vp in the bottome of our hartes O brethren For as they comfort vs in maruellous wise so they teache vs what the weapons and strength of the Ministers of the woorde are The weapons of our fight be spirituall sayth Paule These be the spirit of God the worde and God him selfe Who shall they then feare Or who shall bee able to withstande them Lette vs fight with these weapons rather than with the frendships of this world as with the confederacie and wisedome of the fleshe which haue very little or no vse at all in setting vp the kingdome of God. Wee learne moreouer that the inheritaunce of the kyngdome of Heauen pertaineth onely to them that are sanctified The sanctified are suche whose heartes faithe hathe purified and whome Christ hathe consecrated to GOD the Father throughe the price of hys Bloude The same beeing quickened with the spirit of God doe their dueties earnestly and striue earnestly to enter into that inheritance through all kinde of daungers the hope whereof they knowe will neuer deceiue them bicause it dependeth vppon the sonne of God our sauioure Iesus Christe to whom all praise honoure power and glory are due for euer Amen The Cxxxvj. Homelie I Haue desired no mannes siluer golde or vesture yea yee your selues knowe that these handes haue ministred vnto my necessities and to them that were with me I haue shewed you all things howe that so labouring yee ought to receiue the weake and to remember the woordes of the Lorde Iesu howe that he saide it is more blessed to giue than to receiue And when he had thus spoken he kneeled downe and prayed with them all And they all wept sore and fell on Paules necke and kissed him sorowing moste of all for the woordes which hee spake that they should see his face no more And they conueyed hym vnto the shippe BIcause the Apostle Paule in that notable assemblie of the Ministers of Asia where he reasoned of the administration and gouernaunce of the Church foretolde of greeuous Wolues that should rise vp euen out of their own selues which throughe peruerse Doctrine should miserably disturbe the flocke of Christ in the later part of his oration he declareth bothe wisely and in time and place what they should cheefely beware of if they would auoide the name of suche Wolues He admonisheth them onely to take heede of couetousnesse bicause it is the roote of all â—uill and bringeth all things out of frame if it once take possession in the mindes of the Cleargie For when they once make lucre of religion it causeth all godlinesse to be set to sale which also is a cause that they defile the doctrine of the woorde with the traditions of men that they hunt after the fauor and frendship of the world that they winke at open malefactoures and set open the doores to all manner of disorder The priestes of the Iewes may be an example vnto vs in whom Christ chefely reprehendeth this as the welspring of all corruption Therefore Paule dothe not without a cause other wheres warne Bishoppes that they be not giuen to filthie lucre and heere in this place he diligently reasoneth of this euill And bicause his admonition should bee the more of waighte he prouoketh them by hys owne Example declaring howe he vsed himselfe whyle hee was in Asia and alleageth waightie reasons and causes of his so doing I haue desired no mannes siluer gold or vesture saith he By the which woordes he declareth that he labored not to enriche him selfe by them forasmuch as he desired not of them the things necessary to his liuing muche lesse receiued or tooke them Hereby he teacheth that the Ministers of Churches must be free from the desire of heaping vp goods bicause they that goe about to enrich them selues shall neuer escape the snares of the Deuill and temptations But least any man might Obiecte againe and say whereof then O Paule liuedst thou He addeth by and by after yee knowe that these handes ministred to my necessities and to those that
housholde Psal. 55.41 c. Math. 10. The horrible end of Iudas Let Ministers wayte till they be orderly called Hiere 23. Roma 10. Galat. 2. Hebrues 5. Prophecies of Iudas punishment The prouydence of God doth not warrant wickednesse The punishmentes of Christs enimies Destruction Deuter. 28. Math. 27. Math. 23. Math. 24. Luke 19. Rome many tymes spoyled ryfled Rome taken seauen times within .139 yeares No dignitye or other preheminence caÌ„ delyuer vs from Gods iudgement Math. 25. 1. Samuel 2 Deuter. 28. Malach. 2. Peter exhorteth to appoint another in Iudas roume Math. 24. Howe wee should reade the scriptures Roma 15. 2. Timo. 3. What maner of men should be chosen into the ministery Luke 2. Mark. 6. Math. 3. Malach. 2. 1. Timo. 3. Titus 1. 1. Timo. 3. Luke 22. The office of Apostles and Ministers of the worde Marke 16. 1. Corin. 9. The choosing of Ministers must be done duly orderly 1. Cor. 3. Roma 1. 1. Timo. 3. Math. 24. Iohn 10. Let Ministers be chosen openlye before the coÌ„gregation 1. Timo. 3. Leuit. 8. Numer 30. Actes 6. 14. cap. The yeare of oure Lorde 1122. Looke the Chronicle of Vrspurgensis The choosing of Ministers must be ascribed to God alone Act. 13.14 1. Timo. 3. and .5 Titus 1. Math. 24. 1. Corin. 4. Hiere 1. Ezech. 3. and .33 Amos. 7. Amos. 3. Actes 4. 5. Galath 1. The lotte of Ministerie or Apostleshippe Math. 20. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Cor. 11.12 Iohn 13. 2. Cor. 5. Matthias is chosen by lottes Unlawfull lottes Geomantie is a kinde of profession consisting of circles and figures made on the ground Lawfull lottes Prouer. 18. Numer 33. Prouer. 16. Matthias is chosen Apostle and Barsâ—bas refused After what sort the Apostles receiued the holye Ghost Psalm 33. 1. Pet. 1. Luke 1. Math. 16. Iohn 6. Psalm 133. I The holye Ghost was sent at the feast of Pentecost Leuit. 23. Deut. 16. 1. Tim. 2. The Epistle to Ianuarye 119. 2. Corin. 3. Math. 5. Galat. 4. 2. Corin. 3. II The state and condition of the Apostles Howe men must prepare themselues to receiue the holy ghost Iohn 3. 2. Corin. 1.5 Ephes. 1. Psalm 50. Iohn 13. Psalm 51. Luke 11. The spirite of Christ is the Author of concord holinesse The maner how the holy ghost was sent Iohn 14. Math. 28. Suddenly a noyse came from heauen Psalm 27. Habac. 24. Galat. 1. A vehement winde filleth all the house Iohn 3 Psalm 2. Clouen tongues as they had ben of fire The gift of tongues The Apostles are not licensed to preache tyll they were well instructed 1. Tim. 3. Titus 1. 1. Cor. 14. Schooles Amoz 2. Ruffinus in the Eccles. historie the first booke and chapter The holye ghost chaungeth oure tongues and teacheth them Rom. 1. Rom. 8. Galat. 4. Iohn 14. 16. Esay 19. Against blasphemers and filthie talkers Math. 15. Math. 12. Psalm 34. Ephes. 4.5 Collos. 3. Psalm 141. The holye ghost maketh men bolde in the confession of Christ. Math. 10. Mark. 8. Rom. 10. Sozomenus in the Hystorie Tripeâ—tite â–ª the booke sixt and thirde Chapter Apoca. 3. The hearers of the Apostles were of all Nations Godly and religious hearers Esay 1.10 Rom. 10. Prouerb 2. Math. 7. Scoffers Dogges Hogges 2. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 1. Luke 2. Esay 53. Iohn 3. The effectual opâ—ration of the holy ghost The Apostlâ—s take themselues for equalles and felowes The argument of Petâ—rs sâ—rmon Psalm 76. Christians ought to put awaye slaunder and to defende their good name Prou. 22. 1. Tim. 3. Esay â— â—cclesi 10. The place of Ioel second Chapter The promise of the holye Ghost The gift of the holye Ghost is the greatest gift that GOD hath giuen vs. Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 2. Iohn 14. and .16 Rom. 8. Galath 4. Math. 7. Math. 6. After what sort and to whome the holy ghoste is giuen Galath 3. 2. Tim. 2. Iohn 10. The difference of the olde and new testament Exod. 19. Amoz 3. Psal. 76. and .147 Math. 8. Marc. 16. Actes 10. Isa. 54. Iohn 1. Math. 13. The effect of the holy ghost is câ—mmon to all beleeuers 1. Cor. 14. Esay 11. Hiere 31. Iohn 6. Esay 54. Which the great day of the Lord is The vse of the prophecies concerning the troubles of the later dayes Chiliastae were suche as imagined that Christe and they after the generall doome should reigne personally on earth 1000. yeres Psal. 110. Iohn 18. Iohn 16. Math. 24. Marck 13. Luke 21. The state of the later days shall be verye troublous Math. 24. The vse of woonders Amoz 3. The causes of the troublous estate of the later dayes The godlye also are cause of calamities Psal. 119. Luc. 12. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Pet. 4. 1. Cor. 11. The waye how to escape these calamities Rom. 10. Saluation consisteth in inuocation The maner of inuocatioÌ„ Iohn 1. Math. 3.17 Hebr. 4. Iohn 14. Iohn 4. The fruite of inuocation The person of Christ. Heb. 2. Luc. 6. Luc. 8. Math. 11. Iohn 5. Iohn 10. Iohn 15. Iohn 14. Christ is very God and man. Iohn 10. Isa. 11.9 Ierem. 23. Mich. 6. Zach. 13. The vse of Christes diuinitie and humanitie Heb. 4. Heb. 2. Iohn 14. 1. Tim. 2. The passion and death of Christ. The preaching of the Gospel must begin with reproouing of sinne Math. 9. Luc. 5. Iohn 16. Luc. 24. The boldenesse of Pâ—ter in rebuking sinne Psal. 36. Math. 24. Ierem. 1. Christ dyeth by the appointment of God. 1. Pet. 1. Esay 55. The prouidence of God hath both counsell and prescience in it Psal. 113. The vse of Gods prouidence Iohn 15. Math. 6. and .10 Prou. 25. The resurrection of Christ. Hose 13. 1. Cor. 15. Iohn 5. Heb. 2. Rom. 4. Rom. 10. Rom. 8. Psal. 16. The summe of godlynesse and religion Gen. 17. Psal. 123. Phil. 2. Iohn 17. In his thirde bookâ— of Epistles the .xxv. Epistlâ— Gen. 39. Psal. 14.36 Psal. 94. Psal. 50. Esay 9. Psal. 27. Psal. 46. Psal. 62. Psal. 50. Psal. 91. 1. Cor. 10. Psal. 94. Isa. 40. The fruites of godlynesse Ioy of heart Iohn 16. 1. Thes. 5 Phil. 4. Prou. 1. Luc. 6. Rom. 5.8 Ioy of tonge Psal. 50. Psal. 22. Psal. 60. Hose 14. Chearefull death Phil. 1. Psal. 90. Iob. 5. Math. 22. Iohn 5. Iob. 19. 1. Thes. 4. The article of resurrection declared 1. Cor. 15. The descention of Christ into hell Luc. 23. Iohn 19. 1. Pet. 3.4 Sap. 3. The resurrection of the body Gene. 3. Phil. 3. Life euerlasting Gen. 3. Rom. 5. 1. Iohn 1. Iohn 6.14.1 â—1 Iohn 14. The state of the heauenly life is mâ—ste blissefull Apoc. 21. Math. 25. Iohn 17. Psal. 110. The ascention of Christ. Iohn 12. Iohn 14. Iohn 17. The face or countenance of God. Prou. 16. and â–ª 20. Math. 5. Psal. 80. The testimony of the .xvi. Psalme is prooued 1. Reg. 2. 1. Pet. 1. 2. Pet. 1. Luc. 24. 2. Sam. 7. Luc 1. Psal. 132. Psal. 110. The olde fathers were not vtterly
To the which thing Dauid had a respect where he said Whither shall I go from thy spirite or whether shall I go from thy presence If I climbe vp into heauen thou art there if I go downe into hell thou art there also c. Therefore it is manifest that all this Hystorie ought to be expounded of the operation and giftes of the holy ghost And the Apostles are sayde to receyue the holy ghost bicause the same which otherwise is incomprehensible wrought effectually in them and endued and furnished them with all maner of gyftes as was meete to the execution of so weightie an office After which sense euery where in the Scripture they are sayde to haue God and the spirit of God present in them in whom he woorketh and who suffer themselues to be guided and directed by him and they lacke God and his spirite which withstand his woorking and rather giue themselues to the vnruly desires of the fleshe and the worlde than vnto the gouerning of the holy ghost Yet these thinges shall appeare more plaine by the context of the Hystorie wherein first we will note the tyme then the Apostles persons and last of all the maner of this sending all in order Luke beginneth with the discription of the tyme not so much for Hystoricall order sake and to purchase and get credite to the thing that was done as to aduertise vs of verye great mysteryes whereof the diuine prouidence had chiefly a consideration It was the day of Pentecost which otherwheres the scripture calleth the feast of weekes or of newe corne bicause on that day the Shewbread of newe corne was offered It tooke the name of Pentecost amongst the Greekes of the number bicause it was celebrated the fifteth day after Passeouer or Easter He that will see the Ceremonies obserued on that day may looke them in Leuit. 23. and Deut. 16. The chiefe thing here to be considered was the remembraunce of the lawe which the Scripture sayth was giuen that day and vttered by the mouth of Gods Maiestie It shall appeare that this day was appoynted by God for this businesse not without a cause if we consider the number of people which vsed to be present at this feast and well marke Christ to be the truest and best expositor of the olde lawe For it is euery where seene that God vseth to notifie and publishe to all men the things that concerne our saluation For he would haue as Paule sayth all men to be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of truth It was therfore most commodious that the preaching of the Gospell should begin vpon one of the greatest holy dayes and amongst the greatest number of people that both the more people might be instructed and also that the miracle of the holy ghost which should shortly be published to diuers nations might after a sort prepare for the Apostles the way of preaching And the Lorde obserueth in the Apostles that thing which we reade him selfe obserued while he was on the earth For as he chose publike places alwayes to preach in so was he woont on the holy dayes to go to Hierusalem that aswell his doctrine as miracles might be knowne to the more people Yea he would be crucifyed at the feast of Passeouer that the knowledge of his death being so profitable might the sooner and the wyder be published abroade It shall be profitable for vs diligently to marke the tokens of Gods goodnesse which teach vs that the redemption made by Christ Iesus is offered of God to all men and appertayneth to all men neyther can we haue any surer consolation any where in our temptations Uerily Sathan will not lightly denie that Iesus Christ is a Sauiour and a Redeemer But he vseth this pollicie in assaulting our fayth that the redemption which is by Christ appertayneth not vnto vs and teacheth vs to measure the merites of Christ and the limits thereof according to our worthinesse or vnworthinesse And it cannot bee chosen but here our fayth must quayle forasmuch as there is no man but findeth himselfe most vnworthie of saluation when he throughly hath considered his owne nature But the consideration of those thinges which teach Christ to be the vniuersall Sauiour of all them that beléeue in him and a most bountifull Author of health that is glad to benefite most men doth most strongly prop and beare vp our fayth thus faltring But the other cause is more diligently to be searched where we sayde that the spirite of Christ was giuen in Pentecost bycause of the lawe once published on that day It is manifest that all the things which happened to the Iewes were shadowes and figures of things to come to the accomplishment and performance whereof Iesus Christ from euerlasting was ordayned and appointed Therfore Augustines obseruation seemeth to me neyther superfluous nor curious who in the consideration of this present Hystorie compareth it with the figure of the olde Testament touching the setting foorth of the law where there is a great likenesse of all circumstances and a iust proportion or measure of mysteries on both sides to be obserued which we haue thought good to expounde by Austens wordes A sheepe is slaine sayth he the Passeouer is holden and within fiftie dayes after the lawe written with the finger of God is giuen to make vs feare Christ is slaine who like a sheepe was led to be offered as Esay witnesseth The true Passeouer is celebrated and within fiftie dayes after the holye ghost which is the finger of God is giuen to make vs to loue c. Yea Paule the Apostle diligentlye compareth the preaching of the Gospell which began at Pentecost with the publishing of the law and by that comparison prooueth the authoritie of the Gospell And the Scripture sheweth that Christ is the ende of the law whereof he professeth himselfe to be a true interpreter Therefore there could be no fitter tyme chosen to sende the holy ghost in than the fifteth day after Easter which by reason of the law then published was very notable For hereby we are taught that there is but one spirit of the olde and new Testament and not two diuers as the Manychies in tyme past dreamed For Christ would not take vpon him to haue interpreted the lawe if it had beene published with any other spirite than the spirite of God neyther would haue commended and celebrated the memoriall thereof with so wholesome a myracle Further we are taught that the true sence of the lawe can be gathered of none other than of the spirite of christ For where Christ onely hath satisfyed the lawe to whome the lawe led vs as a guide and Schoolemayster they shall in vaine traueyle about the vnderstanding thereof which are destitute of the spirit of Christ and faith in Christ which he worketh in vs Which thing is the cause that Paule sayth the Iewes haue yet the vayle before their eyes by reason whereof