How Superior Powers Ought to be Obeyed of their Subjects, Chapter 1
PETER AND IOHN ANSWERED VNTOUNTO thē, and ſaid: Whether it be right in the ſight of God to obey you rather thē God, iudge you.
Act. 4.
CHAP. I.
¶To whome this anſwere was geuen, and vponupon what occaſion, how litle the malice of the Iues preuailed agaynst the Apostles, in ſekinge to ſtopp the Goſpell by their craftie fetches and chaſtiſynges.
TO the end we may hauehave more ſenſible fealinge of all theſe things,The circū ſtance of the anſwere wayed. let vsus diligentlie conſider this anſwere of S. Peter & Iohn: aſwell to whō it was made, as vponupon what occaſion. After that theſe ii Apoſtles, through the malice of the Prieſts, the Gouernoure of the Tēple and the Sadduces,Act. 4. were violentlie throwne into priſon the night before, for preaching to the people at Ieruſalem in the porche of Salomon, the reſurrection from death in the Name of Ieſus: and the next daye folowīge were ſet forthe, ād preſented to the whole Senate and Concile of Ieruſalem, where was aſſembled all the chief Rulers and Elders of the people of Iſraell, Annas alſo the hie Prieſt, and Caiaphas, ād Iohn, and Alexandre, men of great reputation, with others of the kinred of the high Biſſhopp, to be examined of thē, in whoſe name or power they had cured the lame criple (who beinge aboue 40 yeres olde, and lame from his birthe was daylie broght to the porche of Salomō to begge his almes) Peter repleniſſhed with the holie Spirit, āſwered withe great boldneſſe, that they wroght that miracle in the Name and power of Ieſus Chriſt the true Nazarit, Whome the Ieues had crucified, and God had rayſed from the death: in ſo muche as the mouthes of the whole Concile were ſtopped & had nothinge to ſaye againſt them, but as men aſtunniſſhed wondred at the conſtant boldeneſſe of Peter and Iohn in their anſwere. Then (ſaithe S. Luke) did the whole Concile, that is, all theſe forenamed Magiſtrates by common conſent ſtraytelie charge the Apoſtels Peter and Iohn,The magiſtrats cō mande the Apostles not to preach Chriſte. hereafter not ſo muche as once to ſpeake to anie man, muche leſſe to preache in the Name of Ieſus: thinking by this means to ſtoppe the courſe of the Goſpell, ād hinder the glorie of Chriſt, whō they before had crucified as a malefactor and blaſphemer of Gods Name. And althoghe they were deſtitute of all reaſon and Scripture to anſwere the Apoſtels, who had all redie cōfounded the: yet throughe auctoritie and poniſhmēte, whiche they threatned, they thoght craftelie to put the Apoſtles to ſilence, and ſo at length to obtayne the victorie. As we ſee this daye the Papiſtes their ſucceſſors, expreſſe enimies of the Goſpel,The papists ſuccead the Iewes in malice ād perſecutiō. ād ſworne ſoldiars of Antichriſte, eueryevery where practiſe, who beinge ouercome with the manifeſt Scriptures, and their blaſphemous mouthes ſtopped with the truthe of Gods worde, fight notwithſtanding maliciouſlie agaynſt Chriſte with power, auctoritie, threatnyngs,Papiſts are the generation of Vipers. Iohn. 8. horrible poniſhmentes, and cruell murther, reſemblinge that old ſerpēt, whoſe broude they are, whiche was a murtherer from the begyninge.
But when the whole aſſembly had craftelie cōſulted, and wrought all that they coulde agaynſt the faithfull ſeruā tes of God:The Goſpell increaſeth when it is perſecuted. they were neuer the leſſe diſapoynted of their porpoſe. For the glorie of Chriſte more brightelie ſhyned, and the truthe of his Goſpell was better knowen ād farther publiſhed, and their falſhod and raginge madneſſe more eſpied, and abhorred of the godlie. For what extreame madneſſe was this to ſet them ſelues agaynſt God, ſo to truſte in their owne power as thoughe they were able to reſyſte and ouercome the power of the all mightie,Rom. 1. whiche is the Goſpell of oure Sauiour Ieſus Chriſte (as witneſſe the the Apoſtle) To thinke that the threatnings of mē, ſhulde more preuayle with the Apoſtels of Chriſte, then the threatnings of God ād his horrible iudgementes apoynted for the diſobediēt?We must rather feare Goddes iudgemēts then mans threatnyngs. Coulde not the Iewes diſtroye Chriſte and his doctrine, whiles he was mortall and liued amongeſt them in the fleſhe, to whom they did almoſte what they liſt, an yet would after thinke to bringe it to paſſe, when he was riſen agayne by his mightie power, and made immortall? Yf they coulde not keape him in the graue for al their diligent watche, when he was dead and buried: thinke they it poſſible to pluke him downe from heauē, from the righthande of his father, where he fitteth and reigneth in euerlaſtīge glorie? Oh vayne and fooliſhe men: he hathe ouercome al readie the whole world, and caſt forthe of it the Chief Prince & Ruler Satan, who is no more able to preuayle agaynſt his truthe and ſeruauntes.Chriſte ād his word are inuinſible. Are you more ſubtile or ſtronger then Satan, who is your lorde and maiſter ſo longe as you fight agaynſt Chriſte the Sonne of God? Coulde not ſo mightie a Prince with ſtande his power, and you leawde ſouldiars of his, wil thīke to optayne the victorie? Deathe, whiche no man can eſcape, coulde not holde him, neither the power of hell praeuayle agaynſt him: and yet would you hauehave him at your commandement, moſte maliciouſlie and traitrouſlie ſighfightinge againſt his hōnor, who ſoght by all means, and yet doth, to do you good and ſaue you? But ô miſerable and vile wretches, double is your condemnation in the ſight of God, which not contented to forſake Chriſte your ſelues, do ſo maliciouſly with your threatenings labour to fruſtrate others of his moſte confortable graces.Mat. 23. Full wel doth our Sauiour Chriſt paynt forth your raginge enuie, ſainge, Wo be to you Scribes, Phariſies, and hypocrites, becauſe you ſhutt the kingdome of heauen before men, not entering your ſelues, neither wil you ſuffer ſuch as come, to enter.