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
power of this worlde is but vayne if it be compared with christ For this Agrippa that in short space had clymed by prosperous successe to such heyght of power and dignitie which had escaped the cruell handes of Tyberius and marueylously defeated the craftes of Herodes Antipas assoone as he beganne to encounter with Christ dyed most miserably as we shall heare in the ende of the Chapter The like was seene in Iulian who where he had bene a most prosperous warryer sodeinly lost both his Empyre and his lyfe when he begun once to set on Christ whom he vsed in scorne to call Galileyan We haue like examples in our dayes which we ought diligently to consider that we be not offended at the power and force of Christes enimies For he is stronger and of more power that is on our side And they shall in all ages feele the yron scepter of Christ that will not be ruled by his wholesome rede and discipline Thirdly it behooueth vs to search out the causes of this deuised persecution whereof Luke toucheth the one after a darke sort but the other he declareth plainely First he sayth that Herode stretched out his handes to vexe certaine of the congregation And bicause he maketh mention of the Church which in poyntes of religion had deuided themselues from the residue of the Iewes it seemeth that Agrippa was incensed against them as authors of schisme For tyrants can away with no likelyhoode of schisme be it neuer so little among their subiects not for that they delight so much in peace but for that they feare their state which they know standeth in great hazard through schisme and discention Which is the cause that though they be voyde of all religion yet they seeke to haue in their Realmes an vniforme consent in religion For the craftie men well knowe that there is nothing of more efficacie to deuyde the mindes of men than diuersitie and vnlikenesse of religion There be examples of both these in the Scriptures Ieroboam to the intent that the tenne Trybes ouer whome he had gotten to be King shoulde not be reconciled agayne to the house of Dauid deuised newe maners of religion And Antiochus bicause he woulde stablishe his Empyre commaunded one forme of religion to be vsed ouer all his Prouinces In the meane season we haue to note diligently howe the onely worshippers of truth most commonly are counted for schismatykes where as yet there are none other people more ledde with the desire of true vnitie and whereas there springeth no ranker encrease of sects than of superstition Among the Iewes were the sects of Phariseys Sadduceys Essenes and others of like heare And yet Agrippa layd hands on none of these Only the Church of Christ as the mother of deuision suffreth persecution We haue seene the like euen in our dayes For who is ignorant of the innumerable most diuers sectes of Monkes wherby Christendome now many ages hath bene deuided But which of the Popes or Emperors or kings hath called them schismatikes although they both professed a diuers name and also diffred from other men in apparell rytes and other ceremonies Yea such were defended by the Popes authoritie and made of Kinges priuie counsayles But assoone as the right fayth set forth by the sincere doctrine of the Gospel put vp hir head by and by were hearde euerywhere the horrible names of Heretikes sectaries and schismatikes For where truth only most strongly ouerthroweth the kingdome of Satan he cannot abyde that they which haue heretofore liued in darknesse and yeelded them to his gouernement should imbrace hir In the meane while they crie out and say peace and tranquilitie is disturbed and can suffer any thing in their Realmes rather than the peace of Christ. The other cause which more prouoked Herode raging of his owne selfe Luke plainely expresseth where he sayeth Seeing that it pleased the Iewes he tooke Peter also â–ª This new king therfore thought to picke a thank of the Iewes who he knew of nature could not awaye with seruitude and yet bare great hatred vnto Christes religion In this example are the condicions of tyrants trimly declared whose propertie it is to establishe their tyrannie with the bloude of harmelesse menne For the bloude of the poore is not deare in their sight as the Prophete testifyeth of the good King. But they playe for mennes heads as it were at the dyce if they thinke any gayne lyke to come by their deathes So we reade that Augustus sometime purchased Antonius fauour with Cicero his heade And Pylate bicause he woulde gratifye Herodes Antipas sent Christ vnto him and to get the good will of the people of Iewes adiudged him to dye on the crosse whose innocencie he had tryed by many argumentes by this meanes purposing to winne their good willes agayne whome he had many wayes grieuouslye offended And there want not lyke examples in these days For they which persecute the doctrine of Christ and his Disciples to haue the friendship of the Popes Byshops doe rightly imitate Agrippa And that that we reade L. Flamineus did sometyme beheadding a certayne man for his Concubines sake and pleasure the same nowe a dayes among Princes is a common thing for the whoore of Babylons sake not onely to behead and burne but also to make horible warres agaynst the professours of Christian doctrine Here let it comfort vs that wee haue God the reuenger of our cause who as he destroyed the Iewes burning in deadly hatred against Christ so hath he after horrible sortes reuenged their vnrighteousnesse which went about to redeeme the good will of a wicked Nacion with the bloude of his saints They shall fynde the lyke iudgement that at this day dare persecute Christ for this most wicked worldes sake We shall haue more commoditie to speake of these thinges in the ende of the Chapter where Luke reporteth the horrible ende of Herode Fourthly is declared what this great king attempted and did against the Church of christ And there are two wicked deedes of his declared wherby he hath purchased himselfe a perpetuall ignominie and blot of name First is his beheading of Iames the brother of Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist He was one of the chiefe among the Apostles For him and Iohn his brother and Peter did Christ vse more familiarly than the other when hee tooke him as a witnesse of the myracle of Iairus daughter raysed agayne and woulde haue him a beholder of his glorification He was for his feruent zeale of godlynesse and vehemencie of speach called the sonne of thunder Yet God by his secret iudgement suffreth one of the chiefe of the number of the Apostles to be killed and such a worshipper of Christ to become a praye to a moste cruell tyraunt By which example is euidently declared that tribulations and shamefull deaths are not arguments of Gods wrath as the wicked vse to say which thinke it an
all kinde of religion doe yet take vpon them onely to haue skill in the same Which is one of the greatest causes of the calamitie that troubleth the whole worlde in these dayes But by no meanes is it commendable that Gallio altogither neglecteth religion and thinketh the hearing thereof appertayneth not vnto him For God will haue the king still to be reading of the lawe and hath appointed magistrates to be seuere and diligent reuengers of true religion See Deut. 17 and 13. And we haue examples of most godly kings which in the scripture are for this cause chiefely commended that they banished superstition and restored true religion Therefore intollerable is the error of them nowe a daies which go about to perswade the magistrate that they should not meddle with any mannes religion but to let euery body serue God as seemeth him good But in deede these men haue a farre other fetch For they hope it will come to passe that Princes shall followe the example of Gallio and shall giue them leaue to plant what religion they please in the Church And as great is the errour of some princes and magistrates who being desyrous to be counted and called christians yet affirme that religion pertayneth not to their iurisdiction but commit the same vnto couetous Monkes and to vnlearned and prowde Prelates leauing Christes sheepe to the ordering and pleasure of most foolishe men yea vnto Woolues to be deuoured And thus princes thinke they are well excused which hope of theirs shall greatly deceyue them for God shall one day require his people which he commytted to their charge at their handes and by this argument they shall be prooued to be vntrustie seruauntes bicause they sayde religion appertayned not to their charge which of all other things was chiefely commended vnto them Nowe let vs see the ende of this Tragedie where the veritie of Gods promise most manifestly appeareth For after the Greekes perceyued that Gallio dyd not much regarde the matter they take Sosthenes the Ruler of the Synagoge and shamefully beate hym This it was lyke they did by the setting on of the Iewes For Sosthenes was a faythfull companyon of Paule whose helpe in setting forth the gospell it manifestlye appeareth Paule vsed by the superscription of hys fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians But thys seemeth a woonderfull thing that when the matter came to hande strypes Paule agaynst whom all the Iewes made thys insurrection goeth away vnhurte and vntouched yea is not compelled to depart the Citie For we shall heare how he taryed there a good space after But shall we say the cause was that they spared Paule were they perswaded by his eloquence and defence to keepe their handes from him The Liefetenaunt woulde not vouchsafe to heare him was it the authoritie of the Liefetenaunt that defended hym why he being a Gentyle and a manifest vngodly person had no regarde vnto the Iewes matters Had he anye other aduocate or defender But what other coulde be founde of such authoritie to withstande such furious men especially the Ruler being slacke in his duety doing who onely had authoritie in that Citie to commaunde It remayneth therefore that we confesse howe Paule was preserued by the secrete assistance of God alone that the promise should be fulfylled that sayde no man should be able to doe him harme Thus we reade how the Patriarches were sometime preserued amonge the Chanaanites God thundering in their eares and hartes Touch not mine annoynted c. So Christ with one worde delyuereth his Disciples although Peter had prouoked the raging enimy with drawne sworde wounding the Byshops seruaunt By these thyngs we may comfort our selues seing we see the power of God to be so great in perfourming his promise and defending hys people that euen then they escape safe awaye when they seeme to be in the myddest of their enymies furie But we must returne againe vnto Gallio in whome the holy ghost hath set vs out a president of an vngodly Magistrate and voyde of religion For he not long agone flatlye denied that religion belonged to his iurisdiction He also confessed that it was his dutie to defende the harmelesse from iniurie and to punishe wickednesse But yet he suffreth Sosthenes to be misintreated in his sight and so perfourmeth not that which erewhile ▪ he confessed was his dutie Many such there are in these dayes who for modesties sake leauing of the hearing of matters in religion doe streyghtway bewray themselues to be men farthest of from all religion and iustice in that they defend not the seruants of God from ciuill iniuries yea notorious wrongs done vnto them And there is no cause why we shoulde thinke them maintayners of iustice which haue cast from them the care of religion For how can it be that he can be faythfull and trustie to see men haue their right that is vntrustie to Godwarde and thinketh it not his dutie to maintayne Gods honor and glory Therefore we may nowe a dayes see many Galliones the more is the pitie and there is no greater cause of publyke iniustice than for that a number of Princes for the most part haue no feeling of religion But howe much more grieuously maye we saye they sinne who glorying in the name of Christian men suffer the faythfull seruants of Christ to be misvsed before their face and whome they ought to defende by their authoritie and with the sworde for mennes sakes consent to let their enimies haue them to condemne at their pleasure which is a thing in these dayes so much vsed that it needeth no examples to declare it Last of all is to be considered what a miserable state they are in which haue lost their libertie and are enforced to serue straungers For such were the Iewes who from Pompeius Magnus time as we knowe were in subiection to the Romaines and scattered abroade ouer all their iurisdiction Such also were the Corinthians who as hystories make mention were vanquished and brought vnder the Romaines obeysaunce by L. Mūmius their generall And no doubt but both these Nations were punished by the iust iudgement of God for their sinnes and offences But what misery fell they into by this one fact of theirs The Iewes were scattered throughout the worlde and hated of all men They heare their religion most shamefully despised by those whome they are enforced to take for their Lordes The Corinthians although in religion they agreed with the Romaines yet had they such a President as regarded not publike iniuries but winked at most heynous wickednesse Let them be mindefull hereof to whome God hath giuen libertie and freedome Let them vse it to the glorye of God least they feele the lyke iudgement of God and become examples for other Yea let them in that libertie of mynde and body that God hath giuen them rather serue and please him that they may liue with him in heauen through Iesus Christ the onely giuer of true libertie to whom be
that are purified But as many as beleeue in Chryste are purified forasmuche as Chryste hathe sanctified and purged them by his bloud from their sinnes See the fifth sixt chapters of the first Epistle to the Corinthians Why then are we called now a dayes prophaners of Churches seeing we acknowledge Chryst our sauiour from the hart and to our power defend the auncient vse of Churches which is to serue for prayers teaching of the worde and administration of the Sacramentes Fourthly this name agreeth more rightly vnto them which set holy things to sale in Churches setting vp Idolles and practising many other things wherewith it is euident God hath bene offended in all ages Fifthly Paule layeth this faulte vpon the Iewes of Asia who as wee hearde before were the begynners of all thys adoo and were nowe absent For this is the continuall practise of all seditious mates that when they haue raised a multitude among whom good men be moste times in daunger they secretly conuey them selues away and stande out of Gunshot wayting the successe of the matter Would to God the poore commonaltie would alwayes remember this thing when suche rakehels as these abuse their distemperaunce and boldnesse to compasse and bring to passe their deuises Moreouer after confutation of these obiections Paule boldly prouoketh his aduersaries If these men here saith he will pleate the Asians cause goe too let them declare what euill they haue found in mee I know they haue nothing to lay to my charge except perhaps it bee a businesse made in their owne Counsell for the free confession that I vttered touchyng the resurrection of the deade But with what face can they thus doo seeing they shall bee enforced to confesse the resurrection them selues excepte they wyll altogither bee wycked the confidence of Paule and hys bolde speeche which declareth a manyfest argument of hys innocencie is worthy to bee considered The lyke it becommeth all Chrystes Ministers to haue and to persuade them selues that the worlde hateth them for the truthes sake onely For thys shall make them constante and bolde agaynst all daungers See Peter in his first Epistle the third and fourth Chapters Nowe remayneth the ende of this businesse which was farre other than the Iewes looked for For Felix deferreth all the matter vnto Lysias the Capraynes comming both for that he was not ignorant of the things concerning that way that is to say stubborne obstinate controuersies about faith religion and of the way warde and vnruely conditions of the Iewes but also for that they grouÌ„ded their whole accusatioÌ„ vpon the testimonie of Lysias In the meane season he hath a consideration of Paule whose innocencie he manifestâ—y perceiued For he coÌ„maundeth him to haue rest and permitteth his friends to come minister vnto him For certayne acquaintance abode with Paule in time of his captiuitie of whose number it appeareth that Luke was whose example teacheth vs that we must not forsake those that are in daunger for Christes sake seeing that he taketh whatsoeuer pleasure is done vnto them as done to himself Agayn Magistrates lerne by example of Felix to beware that for meÌ„s sakes they be not to rash in iudgement For iudgement is Gods whose ministers they must remeÌ„ber they are Therfore let them folow his equitâ—e tempered with long suffring In the mean season let theÌ„ not intreat prisoners to vncurteously seeing that wicked malefactors haue some pitie to be shewed on them for humanitie manhoodes sake Aboue all things let vs marke the truthe of God towardes those that honour him his power agaynst his enimies For it is his worke that Felix contrary to his nature wherof we haue oftentimes intreated is gentle and curteous vnto Paule And it is an easie matter vnto God to mollifie cruell hearts and to get his people fauour with their enimies also seeing he hath full power vpon all creatures and euen ouer the hearts of men Let none of vs therefore feare men nor doo any thing otherwyse than becommeth vs for their sake But rather let vs labour to commende our selues and our dooings vnto God which is able to defende hys seruaunts in the middest of their enimies to assuage their moody minds atlength to take vs â—rom al troubles into his kingdome the inheritaunce whereof he hath prepared for all them that honour hys name through Iesus Chryst To whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The Clv. Homelie AND after a certayne dayes when Felix came with his wife Drusilla which was a Iewesse he called foorth Paule and heard hym of the fayth which is towarde Chryste And as he preached of righteousnesse temperaunce and iudgement to come Felix trembled and answered Go thy way for this tyme when I haue a conuenient season I will sende for thee He hoped also that money should haue bene giuen him of Paule that he might loose him wherefore he called him the oftener and communed with him But after two yere Festus Portius came into Felix roume And Felix willing to shew the Iewes a pleasure left Paule in prison bounde IT was a wonderfull and a rare example both of Gods mercy and power that Paule founde suche courtesie and gentlenesse in Felix the President whose wycked tyrannie euen prophane wryters haue lefte reported in Hystories But it is farre more notable that Luke reporteth heere in thys place For Paule lyueth not onely in safetie but also fyndeth occasion to preach before him Wherby the truth of that saying of Paule appeareth which is that though the Ministers of God be sometimes in prison and bondes yet his word can not be bounde For that that happened vnto Paule the same falleth out in many Martyrs of Chryst also now a dayes that they which are led bound vnto the stake or fyre preache the worde of God boldly to the terrour of the wicked and consolation of the godly But let vs consider all the poyntes of this place in order First Paules hearers are described whom if wee diligently marke wee may playnly gather what the occasion was that Paule was appoynted to make this Sermon For Felix which had ben absent from Caesarea for a certayne dayes was now returned agayne with his wife Drusilla which I thinke was the chiefe procurer of this Sermon For she was a Iewe and daughter to Herode called Agrippa who after he had stayne Iames the Apostle was smitten by the Aungell and suffered greeuous punishement for his vngodlynesse and tyrannie Firste shee was betrouthed to Antiochus called Epiphanes but not maried bycause he would not be maried after the maners and rites of the Iewes After that she maried with Aziazus king of the people called Amazi from whome Felix the President enticed hir and caried hir away through fayre promises and by the conueyance of a certayne Magitian of Cyprus as before was declared wherfore she became not only a filthy adultresse but also wickedly transgressed the law of God and the religion of
maister Let vs rather reioyce to suffer all kinde of afflictions for the truth sake for this is the high way vnto heauen where the inheritance of eternall life remaines for vs with our head Iesus Christ to whom be blessing honor power glory for euer Amen The .xxvj. Chapiter vpon the Actes of the Apostles The Clx. Homelie AGrippa said vnto Paule thou art permitted to speake for thy selfe Then Paule stretched forth the hand and answered for him selfe I thinke my selfe happy king Agrippa bicause I shall answere this day before thee of all the things whereof I am accused of the Iewes namely bicause thou art expert in all customes and questions which are among the Iewes Wherefore I beseeche thee to heare me paciently My liuing that I liued of a childe which was at the first among mine owne nation at Ierusalem knowe all the Iewes which knew me from the beginning if they would testifie for after the most straightest secte of our religion I liued a Pharisey OUr Lord and Sauioure Iesus Christe talking wyth Ananias touchyng Paule and his ministerie saithe among other things This is a chosen vessell vnto me to carrie my name before nations and kings and the children of Israell Which words as they greatly commend the ministerie of Paule so oughte they to stirre vs vppe diligently to consider all those things that he either did or suffered in his ministerie bicause it is euident that nothing therein chaunced vnto him without the singular prouidence of god This is cheefely to be considered in this present action where before king Agrippa the Nobles of the Courte and cheefe rulers of the Countrey he defendeth his faithe and doctrine with such dexteritie and constancie that he moued his auditors greatly and by his example taught vs of what force and efficacie both the worde of God and faith is Which thing shall the more euidently appeare if we consider eche thing in order First Agrippa is sette forth which speaketh vnto Paule and giueth him leaue to answere for him selfe This was without doubt done throughe the aduise of God which by this meane would haue the gospell preached vnto those men For where as Paule saith otherwheres God will haue all men to be saued he will also haue the worde of saluation to be reuealed and preached vnto all men And this his ordinaunce is so firme and stable that it can neuer be stopped with any enterprise of the tyrās of this world Whereof wee haue bothe testimonies and Examples euery where in the scriptures by the which we may confirm our wauering faith in al aduersities But bicause we haue spoken heereof oftentimes let vs now obserue the example of equitie and iustice that the holy Ghost setteth forthe in Agrippa though otherwise an arrogante and naughtie man For he heard how all the Iewes required to haue Paule put to death and he saw nothing in him wherby to get any commoditie or honoure yet is he nothing moued with the iudgement of the whole nation nor thinketh it not meete to haue more consideration of himselfe than of publike iustice but appoynteth to heare Paule himselfe and first offereth him occasion and leaue to speake Let all men that beare office folowe this example and the more they see to conspire against any man the more diligently let them weighe and examine the matter least by their bearing and slouthfulnesse they set forward other mennes maliciousnesse This is a thing nowe a dayes too common the more is the pitie that Kings and Princes eares are not open to the faithfull of Christ bicause they thinke it meeter to hearken vnto Bishops and to their adherentes and so being corrupt with preiudice they thinke they can not be altogither faultlesse whome the spiritualtie so zelously and earnestly withstande But returne we vnto Paule who althoughe hee be compelled vppon the sodaine to pleate his cause in bandes before so honorable an audience yet he putteth out his hand for silence and so beginneth his sermon which as it containeth in it all things belonging to the mater so it sheweth no maner token of any dismaide or troubled minde Where we may see bothe the truthe and also the effect of Christes promisses For Paule had bothe the promisses general and also a peculiar wherof we made mētion in the beginning namely that he should preache the name of Christ before Kings and Princes Wherfore hauing an eie therunto he setteth all dangers at naught bicause he knewe that Christes power was greater than that it could be ouercome or hindred by any attemptes of the world How be it it behoueth vs also to take comfort of this example bicause Christ hath promised his spirite vnto all the godly to gouerne their hearts and mouthes when they shall be compelled to giue an accompt of their faith Furthermore touching Paules oration it consisteth wholely of a narration full of arguments trimly framed for defence of himselfe for he declareth what trade of life he led of a child and how he neuer gaue any suspition of lightnesse or impietie Againe howe after he was called to the faith of Christ and to be an Apostle he neither taughte nor did any thing contrary to the scriptures Wherby he proueth that the Iewes hated him so deadly without his desert Before his narration hee vseth a shorte and pretie kinde of beginning wherby he goeth about to get the kings fauor and good will saying he is happie in that he must plea◠his cause before him who was not ignorant in the Ceremonies and Questions of the Iewes For Paule knewe that it was in vaine to dispute of graue and waightie matters before them that were altogither ignorant and vnskilfull Wherfore as it is mete to haue iudges ledde with desire of iustice so wisedome ioyned with vnderstanding is moste necessary for them And it is meete that they shoulde not only be skilful in politike matters but also learned in matters pertaining to faith and religion the care and study wherof the scripture euery wher commendeth vnto magistrates For where they be ordained of God who hath giuen them such power and aucthoritie they are taught by the very law of nature to be carefull againe for the maintenance of Gods honoure and glory Wherfore God appointed the booke of his law for kings cōtinually to read in and the same booke stirreth vp all Magistrates therevnto with the Examples of moste godly Kings whome Agrippa heere wisely folowed and vnderstode religion throughly But now a dayes we are growne to suche doltishnesse that kings thinke they are most worthy to be praised for their religion when they vnderstand least thereof and say it belongeth nothing vnto them This we may thanke the tiranny of the Bishops of which perceyued that their greatest power consisted in the ignorance of Princes Moreouer he beginneth his narration whose argument we haue nowe declared of his childehoode or life before ledde calling the Iewes to witnesse howe godlily and holily he had
the people all the world besides being fallen to superstition and Idolatrie But neyther the paucitie of his houshold was able to bereaue him of saluation nor the multitude of his aduersaries to condemne him yea where al the world beside perished he was saued and hath God both to allowe and defend his faith The same we may say of Loth liuing among the Sodomites Besides this Elias onely setteth himselfe aswell against al the Priests of Baal as against king Achab al his Courtyers in the quarell of faith and religion And Micheas alone encountreth with three hundred false Prophetes whome the king fauoured and maintayned Therfore it is meete that we regarde rather the very doctrine of truth which comming from the mouth of God is contayned in the holye Scripture than the authoritie of men Forasmuch as all men are lyars and God alone true in his saying It is profitable also to consider what Peter doth who rising vp amongst the Disciples proposeth this thing to bee entreated of openlye amongst them all Herehence the Bishops of Rome seeke the defence of their supremacie or rather tyranny as also of other places that seeme to attribute any prerogatiue of superioritie to Peter They seeme to mee to doe as men which are in daunger in deepe gulfes and ryuers For as they vse to catch holde of euery thing that commeth next to their hande so these men snatch at euery thing whereby to defende the dignitie of their supremacie so battred nowe and shaken that it threatneth the catholyke and vniuersall ruine therof By this meanes they challenge to Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen which yet were giuen to all the Apostles at once as is euident to be seene in Iohn the .xx. Chapter So they contend that the charge of Christs flocke is committed to Peter onely as to the chiefe consider not what iniury they doe to the residue of the Apostles as though Christ had made them feeders of swyne and Asses and not of his sheepe After lyke maner where they nowe heare howe Peter speaketh first in the congregation by and by they make him Christs Uicar the head of the Churche and the chiefe of the Apostles And going farther they take all this honor to themselues as to the lawfull and ordinary successors of Peter But howe vayne and friuolous these things are the matter it selfe declareth For Peter prescribeth nothing of his owne heade as any ruler of the Church or Lorde ouer the other Apostles but being in the middest of the Disciples as his equals and fellowes proposeth a matter of great weyght to be intreated of indifferently amongst them all In the which treatie hee leaueth to euery man free libertie according as God should put in their harts by his spirite to saye or to doe And that he speaketh first was done by the speciall instinct of the holy ghost which by this meanes would make the example of grace that Christ shewed in Peter being receyued againe into fauour after his foule fall more euident and manifest Furthermore in that the other paciently heare him speake it is a token of vnanimitie which Luke before attributed to them and is not done so much for superiorities sake as for order without which nothing in the Church or common weale can continue in safety Wherfore Paule commaundeth all things in the Church to be done comely and in order As touching the state of the Apostles he maketh them all fellowes and equals and where in one place he calleth himselfe the least of the Apostles hauing respect to the vnworthynesse of his former lyfe the same speaking of the ministery feareth not to match himselfe with Peter saying He that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship ouer the Circumcision the same was also mighty in me among the Gentyles And meaning to roote out from amonge the Corinthians the sectes of them that helde of Paule Peter and Apollo he sayth What is Paule what is Apollo but ministers by whom you haue beleeued euen as the Lorde gaue euerye man grace Peter himselfe acknowledgeth the same who within a little after speaking of Iudas witnesseth that he had receyued a part in the ecclesiasticall ministery And if Iudas had a part therein what ignorance shall it be to ascribe and pull the whole vnto Peter Unlesse perhaps wee will saye that Peter for fauour flattered the wicked traytour and woulde transferre to the childe of perdicion that which belonged onely vnto hymselfe But whereto vse wee so manye wordes seeing it is plaine that Iesus Christ diuers times rebuked with great seueritie the ambicious desire of supremacie that was among his Apostles It is knowne what is written of this matter And Peter earnestly admonisheth the pastors of the Church to beware that they take vpon them no Lordship ouer the Church which is called Christes patrimonye and the lot of his enheritance For whome shall we thinke to be of such great authoritie to be worthy to haue rule and dominion ouer that precious flock that is redeemed with the bloud of Christ And if no man must beare rule ouer the Lordes flocke lyke as Princes of this world vse to doe how much more absurde shall it be for them which haue but one maner of charge in feeding the flocke to arrogate any Lordshippe or rule vnto themselues Therfore what else doe the Bishops of Rome by their so greedye desire of supremacie but forget the preceptes of Christ and bewraye themselues to be nothing lesse than Peters lawfull and true successors But let them passe and come we to Peters Oration And that consisteth of two parts First he pulleth that stumbling blocke out of the waye which myght trouble the mindes of the more simple and vnlearned sort For when they sawe that Iesus Christ was betrayed by Iudas and afterwarde perished himselfe most miserablye both body and soule it was an easie matter for them eyther to doubt whether Christ knewe all thinges or else to suspect all the sort of the Apostles togither with their doctrine Therfore Peter doth not without a cause aunswere this great inconuenience in the beginning of his Oration On the other side he exhorteth the Disciples that they will appoint some other in Iudas roume least his falling from the fayth myght any thing preiudice Christes institution The first part he beginneth with the testimony of holy scripture wherin he plainly vttereth the euerlasting purpose of Gods prouidence which is a most strong reason to put awaye offences that is to beleeue that nothing commeth to passe by chaunce but by the decree and will of god Wherfore he sayth ye men and brethren it behooued thys Scripture shoulde be fulfilled which the holy ghost spake before by the mouth of Dauid touching Iudas which was guide to them that tooke Iesus The sense of which words seemeth me to be this I would not O brethren haue any of you to be offended at the cruell deede of Iudas
for their faithfull endeuour and godlynesse and not to be offended if the like also fall out vpon vs. But least we shoulde haue any iust occasion to be offended the Euangelist teacheth vs how little the wicked with all their tyrannie preuayled against Christ and his Church Many sayth he of them that heard the words beleeued and the number of the men was about fiue thousande What shoulde we here first saye or marueyle at O brethren The vnspeakable power of God or the woonderfull constancie and boldenesse of the faythfull of that time Here appeareth the inuincible power of Christ which doth not only scatter the counsell of his enimies but also turneth it vpside downe which Dauid once prophecied he should doe They go about to stoppe the course of the Gospell and by feare to pull men from the Church of Christ. But they are so deceyued that rather maye be perceyued a marueylous fruite of the Gospell and newe scholers are added vnto the Church of Christ. This is the perpetuall condicion of the Church that by persecutions it encreaseth The same came to passe longe agone in Babylon what time the kinges of Assiria and Persia did set forth God and his religion Under the Romaine Emperours the whoter the persecution was the more there were that thought it a goodlye matter to confesse Christ with their bloude This is it that Dauid sayth Christ shall reigne or beare rule in the middle of his enimies Let vs followe the boldenesse of the primitiue Church and not be feared with the crosse or rage of persecutors They shewe crueltie but vppon our bodies and that no further than God permitteth but vppon our soule they haue no power at all They binde the Preachers of the worde and the faithfull hearers but the worde of God cannot be bounde For the spirite of the Lorde bloweth not where the worlde will but where it selfe will. Further he is greater that worketh in vs than he that so rageth in the worlde Christ worketh in vs through whose comfort we are able to doe all things He is a strong and faithfull shepeherde which will not suffer his sheepe to be taken from him He hath prepared for vs a place in heauen to the which it becommeth vs by the crosse and all maner of tribulations to come that we may liue with him and reigne in the house of his father To whome be prayse honour power and glory for euer Amen The .xxvij. Homelie AND it came to passe on the morowe that their Rulers and Elders and Scribes and Annas the chiefe priest and Caiphas and Iohn and Alexander and as many as were of the kinred of the high priestes gathered togither at Ierusalem And when they had set them before them they asked By what power or in what name haue you done this Then Peter full of the holye ghost sayde vnto them you Rulers of the people and Elders of Israel if we this daye be examined of the good deede that we haue done to the sicke man by what meanes he is made whole Be it knowen vnto you all and to all the people of Israell that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whome you crucified whome God raysed vp againe from death euen by him doth this man stande here present before you whole This is the stone which was cast awaye of you builders which is become the chiefe of the corner Neyther is there saluation in any other For amonge men vnder heauen there is giuen none other name wherein we must be saued ALthough our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ according to his promises neuer fayleth those which embrace him with true fayth yet hee chiefly succoureth them when they are persecuted of their enimies and finde no helpe in man wherevnto to leane And then he comforteth them not onely with his spirite but also sheweth them what to doe and to saye This present hystorie giueth vs an example hereof whyle the wyse men and of greatest power in the world after the worlds iudgement be ouercome and shamefully confounded by Christes Apostles being but vnlearned men and of no estimation We haue seene howe the Apostles were had to prison bicause they tooke vpon them the office of preaching and taught howe Christ was risen from death being not licensed thereto of the Bishops But now Luke declareth how they handled Christes cause before the counsell at Ierusalem which place as well for many other skilles as for this chiefely is notable bicause it containeth the craftynesse of the enimies of truth and an example of a counsell of Bishops assembled against the truth He beginneth with the benche of the Iudges which he painteth out with a diligent rehearsall of all them that were gathered togither not only bicause we should vnderstande who and what maner of men were assembled but also that we might perceyue howe the enimies of truth trust more in the authoritie and power of men than in any thing else It came to passe sayde he that their Rulers and Elders and Scribes of Hierusalem c. Whatsoeuer was of any excellencie or authoritie among the Iewes he comprehendeth in three degrees They are Rulers to whome the Romaines had committed the gouernaunce of such thinges as chiefely concerned the constitutions and rules of Iurie wherein they differed from others The Elders were the state of the Senators as appeareth by other places of the Scripture The Scribes are they which attributed to themselues the knowledge of the lawe and the Scriptures and who had the keeping of the publike writings and recordes And not contented to haue rehearsed these degrees he reciteth also the names of certaine other of most authoritie amongest them that is to saye Annas who seemeth here to be the high Priest not bicause he was then Bishop for the hystories report that Caiphas was this yeare Bishop but bicause he had bene Bishop before then Caiphas Iohn and Alexander wherevnto afterwarde he ioyneth all those that were of the high Priests kinred Now if you consider well this bench you shall perceiue there was nothing at that present of greater honour For they whose power was of most authoritie with the Romaine Presidentes were all assembled togither They also were there to whome the publike administration of the Church was committed And they whose name and fame for learning and doctrine was greatest among the people were there But herein stoode the chiefe poynt of all others that these degrees of men were instituted of God and commended for the succession of about a thousande and fiue hundred yeares if we count from the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt or from the time that Aaron was Byshop vntill the dayes of Christ and his Apostles And in deede they might call themselues the successors of Aaron Eleazar Abiathar Iehosuah and others to whome there is no small prayse attributed in the Scriptures With these men are the Apostles coped yea they are brought before them
such mischiefe become a praye for sedicious and wicked persons For who seeth not here that saying of Christ fulfilled I came in my fathers name and ye receyue me not If another come in his owne name him you will receyue Which thing we see coÌ„meth to passe also in these dayes For the nature of the worlde is incurable delighting and reioycing in seducers and deceyuers and hating the Ministers of the truth continually Therefore it commeth to passe by the iust iudgement of God that they taste of effectuall elusion and wittingly and willingly runne into destruction But let vs returne to Gamaliel to see how he vseth these examples For of these he gathereth the foundation of his sentence whose proposition or coÌ„clusion is abstayne from these men and let them alone Which to perswade them he bringeth his argument in fourme of a Dilemma in this wise This businesse wherof the Apostles whome you iudge worthy to die are ministers and stewards is eyther of God or of man But whether soeuer it be I think it good you absteyne from shedding their bloud For if it be of man and is gouerned none other waies than by mans counsayle it wil fall of it selfe as the examples of Theudas and Iudas within these few yeres passed abundantly declare Therfore what madnesse were it to incense and stirre vp the â—urie of the Commons to take that out of the waye which within a shorte space though no man set hande to it will fall to the grounde alone But if it be of God and be gouerned and ordered by him it cannot quayle by anye force or counsayle of man For what is man being but dust and ashes able to preuayle agaynst God Now the ende of this counsell must be diligently obserued the which whyle manye neglect they take occasion hereby of a most pernicious opinion whereby say they no attemptes be they neuer so wicked no errors be they neuer so blasphemous are by force to be kept vnder Whereof can followe none other thing but the ouerthrowe of all discipline aswell ciuill as Ecclesiasticall For the Magistrate shall carie his sworde in vayne And in vayne doth Paule appoynt such Ministers in the Church as shall not onely teache the truth but also be able to confute and conuince the gaynesayers Who will thinke that this so wyse a man ment to loose all the sinewes of Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall gouernement at once It appeareth rather he had this meaning to saue the Apostles from the furie of the Iudges and from present death which he sawe he shoulde most commodiously doe if he shewed them that they could not without manifest daunger conclude any extremitie agaynst them For eyther they must fall in daunger to Godwarde if the Apostles doctrine were true and they the ministers of God or else of the commons whose rage they were better to auoyde than to prouoke speciallye in such a matter as coulde not long stande if it were but mennes working Furthermore whether he vnderstoode the truth or not he yet seemeth ambiguous and doubtfull in his talke Therefore their case is of a farre other sort which being illuminated with the true knowledge of the truth ought by office to defende it and to roote out errors and wickednesse In the meane season this ought to be to vs as an Oracle that we learne Gods counsels can be hindered by no force of men but that mans counsell falleth of it selfe For God is eternall and immutable so is his worde eternall and can by no meanes be infringed And Dauid testifyeth that God scattereth the counselles of the Nations but establisheth his owne counsayle for euer We haue examples euerie where to prooue the same Saul long stryued against the counsell of God who had fully decreeed to make Dauid king of Israel But the more he stryued the lesse he perceyued he preuayled and founde an euill ende of his contending with god But chiefely this thing is to be applyed to matters of fayth and religion It is Gods counsell and decree that his sonne whome he begat from euerlasting should beare rule ouer his holy hill that is to say the church To him it was saide Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thy foes thy footestoole Satan from the beginning of the world hath withstanded this deuise and counsell And in Abel whome for this cause we may call the first Martyr of Christ beganne this persecution which continued all the yeares following and yet to thys houre endureth But the kingdome of Christ and the Church endureth also bicause it is buylt vpon that rocke agaynst the which the gates of hell are not able to preuaile And if on the contrary side a man consider the vsage of the Gentiles and that monstrous Chaos of ydolatrie which most mightie Monarchies followed confirmed by space of manye yeares allowed by the consent almost of all people and nations assaulted at no tyme by force of any man he shall see it is fallen downe of it selfe and scattered abroade by the spirite and worde of christ The lyke reason is of the holy scripture which the Apostle calleth inspired of God. For if a man consider the prophane wryters their Bookes surely were in great estimation and had no enimies to make them away yet the most part of them are perished and scarce are the names of those bookes extant which in tymes past most riche kings sought with great diligence and bought full dearely as is reported of Ptolomeus Philadelphus and such other lyke But the holy bookes of Scripture so many tymes burned banished and hated of most mightie princes are yet forth comming and being almost translated into al tongues be in stead of maysters and teachers ouer all the worlde Let these thinges therefore serue for our instruction and comfort that we rashely doe nothing against God nor feare not the threatning decrees and ordynaunces of the world and of tyrannes against the kingdome of Christ. But let vs so acknowledge God for our reuenger and defender that we may faythfully serue him in buylding vp of his church according to our vocation as Coadiutours of Iesus Christ to whome be prayse honor glory and power for euer Amen The .xxxix. Homelie AND to him agreed the other And when they had called the Apostles they bette them and commaunded that they should not speake in the name of Iesu and let them go And they departed from the counsell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name And daylie in the Temple and in euerye house they ceased not to teache and preache Iesus Christ. BIcause it is so ordeyned that all men of a certaine naturall instinct are desyrous of helth welth it can not be chosen but they must be much offended at aduersitie tribulation especially such as accustometh to ryse bycause of religion For it commeth to passe most times that men iudge of religion according to the effect and successe therof and
and redy to make tumults and insurrection Hence commeth it that we heare so often mention made of the Captaynes and souldiers in the writings of the Euangelists whereof diuers dwelled and kept house in Iurie and wandered not from place to place as the solde or hyred Nation of Caria did And it pleased God of this kinde of men to gather togither the first fruites of the Gentyles in the Church of Christ that his grace and goodnesse might appeare the greater seeing it is euident that in the lyfe of souldiers there is great licenciousnesse much corruption of maners and all kynde of vnrulynesse In the meane season of the things which we haue spoken of the souldiers of those dayes maye be gathered what the state of that people is which sometime were free and after that through ingratitude and disobedience lost their priuiledge of freedome For it is manifest that the Iewes whom God brought out of Egypt and set at libertie were such people as obeyed their owne lawfull Magistrates being subiect vnder no forreine Princes power But by abusing of this benefite they lost both their libertie and goodes for the most part So that now they are not onely in subiection to the commaundement and couetousnesse of the Romaine Presidents but haue in euery of their Cities garrisons of forren souldiers among whome though there were some to be commended for their equitie and godlynesse yet many examples teache vs that the most part of them were souldierlike that is to saye fierce and presumpteous Yea God in time past threatened such infelicitie to the disobedient Therefore let as many as enioye the benefite of freedome in these dayes learne by example of the Iewes to obey their lawfull Magistrates and their wholesome lawes least hereafter they taste of the lyke tyrannie and bondage But let vs returne to Cornelius whose conuersation and maners are marueylously commended For Luke attributeth to him deuotion and feare of god Whereby it appeareth he was free from that ydolatrie of the Gentyles which wickedly and foolishly worshipped many Gods. And this shall appeare to haue bene a great and singuler enterprise if we consider the state of those times when all Nations were vnder the rule of the Romaines by whose lawes it was enacted that no man shoulde professe any straunge religion For as Tertullian writeth none might be worshipped as a God but such as the Senate woulde allowe as Gods in so much that they refused to take Christ for a God bicause Tiberius had mooued the Senate to haue him so taken with the prerogatyue of his suffrage and voyce Therefore it must needes proceede of great constancie of minde in Cornelius that he durst being an Officer and therefore knowing he coulde not go vnespyde refuse the Goddes of the Gentyles and worship the true god By this example are the men of these dayes confuted which in matters of religion thinke inferior Officers must attempt nothing without the consent of the highest Magistrate but that men must simply obey the higher powers But as we denie not but whatsoeuer duties belong to the Emperours and Kings we must performe and fulfill them so we keepe and appoynt our religion for God onely and affirme that religion must not be violated or broken for any Princes pleasure And we knowe that Daniel and his fellowes long sithence thought as we doe which chose rather to be cast into an hote fornace and into a caue of Lyons than to violate or breake Gods true religion And this is the greatest commendation of Cornelius that he openly worshipped the true God not tarying for the Princes lawe to establish the same Yea and Christ commended the fayth of the Centurion which plainlye confessed he was vnder the commaundement of another by a singuler testimony and also myracle But where the Euangelist attributeth to Cornelius praise of deuotion and feare of God he declareth also his outward exercises wherby he vttred and declared his religious minde Amonge which this is the first where hee sayth he feared not God himselfe onely but that his familie also was well instructed in true deuotion and feare of god For this is the propertie of the godly that as their selues be giuen vnto God so wyshe they them also to be which belong vnto them For why shoulde they suffer them to straye from God whome they knowe he hath committed to their charge Surelye Abraham is commended bicause he was both godlye himselfe and did teach his familie the true worship and religion of God. And bicause there be commaundementes of God to that ende and purpose as is to be seene Deuter. 6. and Psal. 78. the vngodlynesse of the housholde is worthilye imputed to the housholder if through his negligence they waxe vngodly The Scripture setteth out to vs a notable example hereof in Heli. And the Queene of Saba prayseth Salomon bicause of his well ordred Countries but afterwardes he is blamed for the vngodlynesse of his wiues As manye therefore as will be praysed for religion let them not thinke they haue done their dutie if their selues be worshippers of God but let them labour to bring all those they haue charge of vnto God likewyse Moreouer Cornelius did almesse that is to saye exercised the workes of mercy Whereby it appeareth that religion had taken such roote in hys hart that being enflamed therwith he shewed all kinde of dutie vnto men also And it is lyke he was not ignorant of that rule which the Baptist had giuen vnto the souldiours which came to aske hym counsell saying Hurt no manne neyther trouble any man wrongfully and bee contented with your payes or wages But as though he had done but little in perfourming hereof he thinketh it his dutie to relieue other mens necessities also And truly he that feeleth not hys minde as yet so affected let him cease to glory in religion bicause Paule counteth the things of greatest importance as vnprofitable if we be voide of charitie Unto these as a thyrde thing is added continuance in prayer which I iudge was stirred vp in him of a desire that he had to knowe the truth For me thinketh he is to be counted in the number of those which hauing long agone attayned to the true knowledge of God thinke it is true that God had promysed a Sauiour but were ignoraunt who it was Him therefore he desired to haue reuealed vnto him least it shoulde come to passe that following his owne reason he might erre in the way of saluation This sense may be gathered afterwarde of the wordes of the Aungell which saith that Peter shoulde shewe him what he had to doe Let vs compare the Souldiers of our dayes with this Captaine which vse to defende themselues as well by his example as by others of his calling and it shall easily appeare how little these examples serue them Cornelius is commended for his deuotion But these men thinke deuotion belongeth not vnto souldiers
haue left that Church destitute of their ministerye considering it was so well seene vnto after they were gone For there were among them certaine Prophetes and teachers They are called Prophets which either by instinct of the holy ghost shew of things to come as we see before Agabus the Prophete did or else which haue the gift truly rightly to expound the writings of the Prophets in which sense Paule vseth this word Prophecie in his fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians 14 Chap. Both these senses is well agreeing in this present place For by hystories it is playne that the gift of prophecying endured many yeares in the primitiue Church And it can not be sayde that so notable a Church wanted exposition of Scriptures And they are called Teachers which openly instruct the Congregation and applye the holy Scriptures duly to all mennes information whome we nowe a dayes call Pastors or Ministers of the worde There was therefore at Antioch not onely a Church such as is euerywhere but also a College or schoole out of which was taken learned Ministers to be sent to other Cities This place teacheth vs that the chiefe ornament and beautie of the Church yea all the preseruation thereof consisteth in this that it be furnished and prouided of fyt Ministers and Teachers For by the ministery of them Paule plainely teacheth that through the worde of God Churches are begotten builded vp and preserued For how shall they beleue in him sayth he of whome they haue not hearde howe shall they heare without a Preacher Agayne In Christ Iesu haue I begotten you through the Gospell Hereto chiefely it appertaineth where he writeth that Christ hath giuen some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some shepeheardes and Teachers to the edifying of the Saintes euen to the edifying of the body of Christ. And bicause it is euident that the gift of teaching is not giuen to all men in myraculous wise as it was once to the Apostles therefore it is needefull to haue schooles where such may be brought vppe as shall afterwarde serue in the Ministerie Such were woont to be among the Iewes in the Cities of the Leuites and it appeareth by the storye of Samuel and Helisaeus that those singuler Prophetes of God had a speciall care of these schooles Yea Amos the Prophete most sharply reprehendeth those that did vse to corrupt the Nazarites and the yong menne giuen to the studie of the Scriptures with wyne â–ª This did great Kings and Emperours foresee in the Primitiue Church which did erect Colleges of their owne costes least at any time want of teachers might preiudice Gods religion Howbeit nowe a dayes eyther sloâ—hfull Dranes dwell in them or else they be at the appoyntment of such prowde men as hunt rather for ambicious names than studie for the edifycation of the Church Moreouer for that the notable Ministers of Christes Church should not be defrauded of their due prayse the holye ghost woulde haue their names recorded for a perpetuall remembraunce that it might euidently appeare that God regardâ—th those which doe faythfullye serue and studye for his Church And among these persons Manaen seemeth to be the chiefe who Luke writeth was fostered and brought vp with Herode the Tetrarch of a childe He was therefore a Courtyer and of a noble stocke For who will thinke that one of a baâ—e stocke shoulde be appoynted a playfellow with a kings sonne or that Herode woulde afterwarde despyse him that had bene brought vp with him from his childehoode This is a notable example of the goodnesse of God which vseth in all states of men to haue his chosen and to call them when iâ— seemeth him good For that vniuersall spirite and author of eternall life bloweth where it pleaseth him So we reade that Naaman was in the Court of the king of Syria And in Babilon Daniel and his fellowes helde fast Gods true religion yea Paule maketh mention of some in the house of Nero that beleeued And Nichodemus is a Disciple among the Scribes the greatest enimies of christ There is also in Manaen set out vnto vs an example of fayth and syncere religion who following the example of Moses chose rather to be afflicted with the people of God than to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season thinking the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Herode And surely if a man woulde compare the state of the Church as it was in those dayes with the life of the Court he shall fynde a marueylous working of the holy ghost in this Manaen and euident tokens both of true regeneration and mortifycation and forsaking of himselfe But that we heare that he did it behooueth vs to imitate For it cannot be that they can truelye take holde of Christ which haue not yet learned to despyse and treade vnder foote this worlde with the honors riches and pleasures thereof But let vs come to the seconde part of this diuision wherein the sending of Paule Barnabas to the Gentyles is described Here are two things chiefely to be discussed videlicet the holy ghost the author and moderator of all this businesse and then the order that Luke writeth they obserued First he expressely teacheth that the holy ghost was the author of all this doing For as they ministred to the Lorde and fasted the holy ghost sayde seperate me Barnabas and Saule for the worke wherevnto I haue called them And it is no doubt but these things are spoken of the holy ghost forasmuch as mention is made of holy ministerye and fasting Here the Papistes playe the fooles following Erasmus his translation and bicause he as vnaptly translated the Greeke worde by this worde sacrifyce they expounde this place of the sacrifyce of the Masse Howbeit the Greekes saye they doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are occupied or busied in publike office or affaires as it may appéere where Paule calleth Magistrates and Aungels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for that they vsed to do sacrifyce but for that they are Gods publike officers ministers And where by Christes death it is manifest the Leuiticall sacrifyces are abolished that the seruice of Christ consisteth not in outwarde ceremonies but in the spirite and in truth therefore here can be vnderstanded none other ministery than such as Christ woulde haue vsed in his Church This comprehendeth in it the preaching of the worde publike prayer and the sacraments which are not sacrifyces but holye actions instituted to keepe in memorie the sacrifyce which Christ once offered vppon the aultar of the Crosse. And herein were they busily occupied when the holy ghost admonished them to sende forth Paule and Barnabas For that they were earnestly occupied herein the mention made of fasting abundantly prooueth There are in this part many things which prooue the vocation of the Gentyles to be the worke of god For as they were ministring to the Lorde the spirite aduertised the
the Citie crying These that trouble the worlde are come hyther also whome Iason hath receyued priuilie And these all doe contrarie to the decrees of Caesar affirming an other king one Iesus And they troubled the people and the officers of the Citie when they heard these things And when they were sufficiently aunswered of Iason and of the other they let them go And the brethren immediatly sent away Paule Silas by night vnto Berrhoea which when they were come thyther entred into the Synagoge of the Iewes AS God ordeyned his sonne from euerlasting to be the sauiour of mankinde so he prophecyed in the beginning of the world that there should be perpetuall enmitie and contention betweene the Deuill and him when he sayde vnto the Serpent I will set enmitie betweene thee and the woman betweene thy seede and hir seede The same shall treade downe thy heade and thou shalt treade vpon hys heele Continuall examples of which prophecie this booke of the Apostles actes declareth vnto vs For wheresoeuer in the worlde the Apostles went about to erect and establishe the kingdome of Christ by the preaching of the Gospell there Satan by his instrumentes alwayes withstoode them This he did fyrst at Ierusalem by the Scribes Priests after that at Samaria by Simon the Sorcerer after that againe at Damascus by Areta king of Arabia in Cyprus by Elymas the Sorcerer at Antioch in Pisidia by the Iewes who after that of an obstinate purpose and implacable hatred followed Paule euerywhere by sea and by lande to hynder and stop the course of the gospell For these were his enimies at Lystra These withstoode him as he taught at Derba And nowe being called of God into Macedonia they trouble and molest him For by their meanes as this present place teacheth he is thrust out of Thessalonica where the gospell began prosperously to take roote The chiefe vse of all these things is that we must not be offended if the lyke come vpon these dayes but that we consyder that this alway is the state of the church in this worlde bicause the worlde delyghteth more in seruing the Prince thereof than in Christ. But let vs vewe this present place which marueylously serueth to instruct and comfort vs against the wicked assaultes of the Deuill and the worlde For fyrst it teacheth vs with what instruments the Deuill fought agaynst Paule at Thessalonica After that it describeth their properties and qualities and the good successe of all this Tragedie Among the instrumentes of the Deuill which he here thought good to vse are two kynde of men rehearsed The fyrst are the Iewes which Luke sayth had indignation at the Apostles But they were hypocrites which vsed the pretence of Gods lawe and zeale of auncient religion to cloke their obstinacie and vnbeliefe with where in deede they sought nothing but their priuate gaine and glorye as by their conspiracie may easily appeare For they tooke vnto them certaine vagabundes men of naughtie conditions whose companye they ought to haue shunned as a moste pestilent plague if they had loued truth and religion For thus are ydle and luskishe lubbers worthie to be called who when they haue spent their goodes in waste stande in the market place lyke publyke wares to be solde and are ready to commit all kinde of mischiefe so they may fynde a buyer This is a marueylous society and such as a man would neuer once suspect could be amonge professours of such vnlyke studyes but that the force of hatred once conceyued against the truth is so great that it vseth to ioyne men of most diuers conditions and natures in league togither Thus thou seest the Priestes Scribes and Phariseyes the Sadduceyes Iudas the Apostle the souldiours Herode and Pilate conspire togither against Christ all which otherwise were of diuers countreyes religion and profession This place teacheth vs who are the most earnest and chiefest enimies of the truth Uerily hypocrites which vnder a false pretence of religion seeke their owne aduauntage and such as being nusseled in ydlenesse and cannot away with pouertie are readie to sell their helpe about any thing For as the fyrst sort by the testimonie of Christ can not beleeue bicause they burne in desyre of priuate glorye so the other thinke there is most right where most meede is Therefore Satan vseth craftily to ioyne and consocyate these two sortes of men togither to the ende that these bolde and desperate dickes of Caria hyred and waged by hypocrites may with open violence bring that to passe which they cannot with their craftie and subtile inuentions This is the cause that nowe a dayes so manye Prelates are seene in kings Courtes that Byshops be of Princes counsels and that Monkes which bragge they are men deade vnto the worlde are seene flying in the fyeld among armed men For they can fynde themselues no more trustie defendoures than such as haue solde their soules and consciences and measure all truth and religion by gaine and lucre These things teach vs what kinde of men they shoulde most of all beware of which desyre to haue their Churches in safety In many places now a dayes Abbotes and Bishops craftily insynuate themselues and pretende a kinde of zeale But when they are once let in by and by they fynde men meete for their purpose and deuises which being brybed with golde dare forceably doe anye thing against the doctrine of Christ and they are founde to be most of all other voyde of al religion and righteousnesse which seemed before to beare greatest zeale vnto God. This the seconde part of this place teacheth vs which declareth their doings which hytherto pretended the zeale of godlynesse in their enterprise The fyrst thing that they doe they set all the Citie by their conspiracie in an vprore which was easie for them to doe by false rumours which they spredde both openly and priuily agaynst the Apostles as enymies of the publike weale That done they violently giue an assault to an other mans house meaning to haue brought forth the Apostles if they had found them there But what kinde of zeale is that that maketh men burst open dores and hale innocents vnto death Yet is there a more heynous matter than this For when they could not fynde them they sought for they bring and pull before the Iudges Iason the Apostles hoste a man for his hospitality worthy of singuler prayse and with him certaine of the brethren which beleeued in Christ and accuse them as Traytors vnto the Citie And they so frame their accusation that they intermeddle in euery worde most impudent lyes and slaunders These say they that trouble the worlde are come hyther also whome Iason hath receyued priuilye They call the Apostles which preach peace and mutuall looue troublers of the worlde whereas they themselues had nowe set all the Citie on a roare lyke seditious fellowes But bicause they knewe religion in pretence whereof they made this adooe was smally regarded
case both here in our coūtrie and abrode who list to marke and consider them True it is that christians haue bene made away and murthered vpon verye light and tryfling occasions and are also at this daye where tyrants doe reigne For in Tertullians dayes which liued about two hundreth and nine yeares after Christ If the riuer Tybris at Rome had flowed vp to the walles if Nilus the riuer in Aegypt had not watered their fieldes if there had bene no raine if there had bene anye earthquake dearth or plague by and by the people would crye to haue the Christians throwne to the Lions And all this was to ridde the countrie of them and to deface their beliefe and doctrine But what followed hereof Uerily nothing lesse than they wéened For Tertullian tolde them plainely Torment racke condemne and make vs awaye and your vniust dealing with vs is but a tryall of our innocencie Therefore God suffreth vs to suffer this at your handes The more exquisite your crueltie is towarde vs the more it allureth to take our partes And whereas they call vs Sectaries as then they did the Christians lette vs reioyce in that we see our quarrell and theirs our slaunders and theirs so like and tell them as Tertullian telleth Scapula the Romanes President that this sect shall not fayle or decay but the more it seemeth to be cut downe the more let them be assured it is builded vp And considering what they be that are our condemners Let vs also saye Such and such consecrators of our condemnation we reioyce in For as Tertullian sayde whosoeuer knoweth him meaning Nero must needes vnderstande that of force it must be some singuler good thing that he woulde condemne so may we as truely say of Boner Storye and such like that haue condemned our faythfull brethren and sisterne that whosoeuer knewe what they were how they liued and howe they dyed must néedes know also that it coulde be none other than good that they woulde condemne And therefore lette vs saye to them with Tertullian for a short aunswere when you condemne vs God pardoneth vs. Wherfore let vs not feare them that can kill the body but then can doe no more ne yet that but when God permitteth but rather let vs feare him that can cast both body and soule into the fire of hell which is Iesus Christ our Sauiour knowing that he will crowne all those that striue lawfully and continue vnto the ende to him therefore with the father and the holy ghost thrée persons and one eternall maiestie of godheade all honor power and glory be now and euer worlde without ende Amen To the Noble and honorable Consuls and whole Senate of the famous Common weale of Zurich his verye good Lordes and Maysters Raufe Gualthere Tigurine wisheth grace and peace from God the father through Iesus Christ our Lorde IT is an olde custome and confirmed by examples of holy Fathers that the professours of good Artes and learning vse to dedicate the fruites of theyr studyes eyther to theyr friendes or to men of honour and authoritie whereby to procure eyther their fauour and good wyll or else to make them defenders of their labours and paynes And whereas I haue thought good most honourable Lordes and fathers to dedicate my labors vpon the Actes of the Apostles chiefly vnto you many and weightie causes haue mooued me therevnto For priuately your liberalitie towarde mee required the same and publikely the continuall care that you haue to profite your countrey and religion in generall enforced me to shew myne alleageance good hart towards you with some dutie of gratitude thankfulnesse Wherby that feruent desire that you beare vnto godlinesse might be set forth with the publike testimonie of our Church whose example now many yeres diuers excellent states of common weales haue not bene ashamed to ymitate Howbeit to tell you the playne truth the chiefe cause of this my dooyng was for that I perceyued the matter of this booke and the consideration therof appertayned vnto you principally For in this boke is conteyned a most absolute paterne and forme of Christes vniuersall Church which it behooueth all such as are in authoritie beare rule well to knowe and vnderstande For those men that say temporall magistrates haue nothing to doe but with temporall matters and woulde haue them vtterlye to abstaine from entermedling in ecclesiasticall affayres are in no wyse to be regarded which men seeme to mee to be of opinion that they would haue common weales exempt from Gods prouidence without the which the verye Gentyles perceyued they coulde not stande or be preserued And who knoweth not that sentence of the Godly and princely Prophete Except the Lorde keepe the citie the watcheman waketh but in vayne Which also exhorteth kings and Princes to suffer themselues to be instructed in the word of God and to kisse and reuerence Iesus Christ the sonne of god But to what ende should kings be taught the word if there be no vse of the same in the administration of the common weale And howe shall they kisse or reuerence Christ if they neglect his Church which he esteemeth dearer than the apple of his eye yea than his life And how can they neglect that body whereof if they be not members vnder Christ their head they can not be saued We must hearken rather vnto Esaias who prophecying of Christes Church amonge other thinges sayth Kinges and Queenes shall be thy Nurrices In which wordes he seemeth not so much to comfort the Church as to sette foorth the office and dignitie of Kinges and Rulers which chiefly appeareth in this that God doth vouchsafe to commit vnto them the care of his Church which he hath redemed with the bloud of his sonne In dede we must confesse that God hath herein no neede of mans helpe if he would vse his absolute perelesse power Neyther deny we that many times Churches are increased and defended rather by the power and vnspeakeable councell of God than by the industrie of man But this commeth not so to passe bicause God disalloweth the care and dutie of Magistrates but that it might appeare howe all prayse and glorie is to be ascribed to him onely bicause no man should thinke religion depended more vppon the will of man than vppon Gods prouidence In the meane season such is the goodnesse of God that he doth vouchsafe to take men to be hys coadiutors helpers by their ministery to regenerate his elect people through the word defendeth the same vnder godly magistrates against the rage of this world in the midle of present daungers on euery side that they may liue in peace rest as farre forth as is conuenient for their faith and saluation And that this is the will of God not only the scriptures testifie but the whole consent of all nations doth likewise proue the same Certes in that golden world of the Patriarkes we read that one man was both king and