Exposition of the Festival Epistles and Gospels, Explication of epistles and gospels 2 · Part 1
The Epistle
ACTS 1.15.
In those daies Peter stood vp in the middlest of the Disciples and said, &c.
THis Epistle containeth a short yet a sweet narration, how Matthews a Disciple, was elected into the traitor Iudas Apostleship and Bishopricke. Wherein three things are more principally remarkeable.
1. His Conge de le…re, deliuered in an eloquent speech, in which obserue the
Time, In whose daies.
Orator, Peter stood up.
Auditorie, Disciples and brethren about an hundred and twentie.
Oration. partly
hortatorie, perswading that one must bee chosen, verse 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.
doctrinall, intimating what an one must be chosen, vers. 21, 22.
2. H selection, and in it the
processe, by
nomination. vers. 23.
prayer. vers. 24.25.
lots. vers. 26.
success, the lot fell on Matthias.
3. His installation, hee was counted with the eleuen Apostles.
In those daies] To wit, in the space betweene Christs assension and his sending of the holy Ghost, at that time the Disciples being gathered together at Hierusalem in an vpper parlour, they continued with one accord not in supplication onelyonly, but in consultation also for the Gospels aduancement. iArctius in loc.Hereby teaching all men, especially preachers of the word, to spend their houres profitably for the benefit of the Church, in supplanting her foes, and in supplying the number of her friends.
Peter stood vp in the middest of the Disciple and said Heere the kBellarin. de Rom pon. lib. 1. cap. 22 in prin. Eck…s loc. com. tit. de primat. sed. apost. Lorinus Khem. & aly in loc.Papists obserue Peters supreme power ouer the rest of the Disciples and Apostles, and so by consequence though inconsequent the Popes absolute command ouer all other Bishops in the whole world. But if we will exactly consider and examine his behauiour in this assembly, wee shall vnderstand that he caried himselfe not as a Pope, but as a peere toward them. I. in calling them brethren, and frater is fere alter, as Lorinus vponupon the place. 2. for that he standeth vp in the middlest of the Disciples, equally referring all things vntounto their lChrysost. Dr. Fulke. Marlorat.common consent and free choice, terming himselfe a fellow pastour, 1. Pet. 5.1. Whereas eueryevery Bishop assembled in the Tridentine Conuenticle tooke a corporall mDr. Humphred. aduers. Campian. & Orraeum cat. 4.oath that he would not dispute any point to preiudice the Romane sea, nay there was nothing determined in that irregular meeting, except it was first handled and hammered at Rome by the Pope, for then it was ordinarily said in a by-word, that the holy Ghost in a bull, or Popes breue was sent from Rome to Trent, as nPraesat. in 1. part. exam …. T…ident.Chemnitius plainly told Andradius, In illo concilio idem actor re…est …. Our Diuines therefore say that Peter was elected prolocutor of this connocation either by oBeza.secret reuelation of the holy Ghost, or else by expresse iudgement of the pCaluin.congregation; or for that hee was vsually more seruent then the rest in such a busines, q….& ardentior & rebus agendes aptior reliquis extiterat. r….For it became …im of all the Col…edge best, as hauing de…ied Christ heretofore most. He …tood vp and spake, as the mouth of the companie, but hee played not the Pope, but onelyonly the perswader, exercising not a supremacy of authoritie, but a primacie of order, as Chrysostome and other note. See Gospell 1. Sund. after Easter.
The number of names that were together were about an hundred and twentie.] The vulgar Latine reading turba hominum, answeres not the Greeke so well as our text, turba nominum, the number of names. s….For in exquisite numbring vsually men are mustred by their seuerall names, in t….Councels especially the names of such as giuegive voices are full enrolled in a bill or registers table. But by names, our Euangelist vnderstands men, as the holy Ghost Apocal. 3.4.elsewhere, …hou hast a few names yet in Sardi which had not defiled their garments. A few names, that is (as …ullinger and Are…a…. Ma…. ….other vponupon the place) a few persons. And y… & … in Apocala…. 16.it may bee that the sacred spirit in vsing this phrase doth insinuate that they were men of eminent note, as Gen. 6.4. The Gyants are called men of renoune, that is (as Munster translates according to the Hebrew) viri nominate, men of name. Well, howsoeuer their names were great, their number was but small, being about an hundred and twentie. By which it doth appeare that the kingdome of heauen is like vntounto a zMat. 13.31.graine of mustard seed, the which in sowing is indeed the least of all seeds, but in growing it is the g…eatest among herbs, euen a tree, so that the birds of heauen come and build in the branches thereof. VntoUnto these 1…0. …. 2.47.The Lord added daily such as should bee saued, at one Sermon of Saint Peter, Act. 2. The number of brethren was encreased about 3000. soules. A ….ship doth a… thy resemble the Church of Christ; for as a ship is small in the foredecke, broad in the middle, little in the sterne: so the Church in her beginning (as you see) was exceeding little, in her middle age flourishing, but in her old age her companie will bee so small, and her beleefe so weake, that when the Sonne of God shall come to iudge the sonnes of men, he shall scarce find any faith on earth.
This Scripture must needs hauehave been fulfilled] S. Peter in his oration heere first sheweth how Iudas Apostleship became void. Secondly, that it is needfull another should be chosen into his place. Iudas Bishopricke was lost by treason, as being guide to them who tooke Iesus. Whereupon (as wee read in the cMat. 27.Gospell) hee did first accuse himselfe, I hauehave sinned in betraying innocent blood: secondly, arraigning himselfe, hee repented, and brought againe the thirtie plates of siluer to the chiefe Priest, and cast them downe in the Temple: thirdly, executed himselfe, he departed, and went, and hanged himselfe. Now to take away thy dCaluin. Beza.scandall of this horrible sact, our Euangelist intimates that nothing in Iudas treacherie came to passe casually, but it was foreseene of God, and foretold in his word, This Scripture must needs hauehave been fulfilled. And eAretius. Kilius.yet the fall of Iudas is not excused hereby, no more then the fault of Herod and Pilate, who did whatsoeuer Gods owne hand and counsell had determined before to be done, Act. 4.28. For Iudas committed not this outragious crime by the compulsion of prophecy, but through his owne motion and malice. fPsal. 109.16.His delight was in cursing, and it did happen vntounto him: he loued not blessing, therefore was it far from him. It is true that Peter saith, hee was numbred with vsus, and had obtained fellowship in this ministration: but hee receiued the grace of God in g2. Cor. 6.1.vaine, abusing it to couetousnes and worldly lusts, he did open a dore to hLuk. 22.3.Satan, and gaue him as it were possession of his heart.
This necessity then is not necessitas absoluta, sed iAretius.consequentis & kLorin. in loc. & in act. 4.12. idem Thom. part. 1. quaest. 19. act. 3.suppositionis, a necessity hypotheticall and by consequent, not an absolute or a simple necessity. So the holy Ghost elsewhere, l1. Cor. 11.19.There must be heresies, mMat. …8.7.it must needs be that offences shall come, nMat. 24.6.ye shall heare of warres, and of rumours of warres, for all these things must come to passe. That is, supposing the malice of Satan and wickednesse of man, it is impossible but that there should bee warres and offences, and heresies in the world. oKilia… cole…. ….An Astrologer expert in his art foretelleth an ecclips of the Sunne, yet his prediction is not any cause why the Sunne is ecclipsed: euen so God foreseeth all the workes of darkenesse, and ecclipses (as it were) in the reprobate, but his prescience compels not any to commit any sinne. It is the prince of darkenesse who pE…hes. ….worketh in the children of disobedience, taking them in his snares at his will, 2. Tim. 2.26. All our waies are known vntounto the Lord, our going out, and our comming in, Esay 37.28. being of eueryevery good pace bonus author, but of eueryevery bad passage …ustus vltor. I will end this argument in the words of q…. 5. ca…. 16.Augustine, Viuit (O Domine Deus) apud te semper bonum nostrum, & quia inde auersi sumus peruersi sumus. For saith r…. 8. cap. 5.he ligatus eram non ferro alieno, sed mea ferrea voluntate, velle meum tenebat inimicus, & inde mihi catenam fecerat & constrinxerat me, quippe ex voluntate peruersa facta est libido, & dum seruitur libudini facta est consuetudo, & dum consuetudine, non resititur facta est necessitas. How the fall of traterous Iscariot may serue to terrifie the pastour, and teach also the people: See Gospell 6. Sund. in Lent.
Wherefore of these men which hauehave companied with vsus] Christ in his life chose sMat. 10.…. … 3.14.twelue Apostles, one therefore must be ordained and elected into Iudas …oome, to fill vp the number againe, t….answerable to the twelue tribes of Israel, of which (as our Sauiour uMat. 19.28.promised) they shall be Iudges, and to the twelue xAp…cal. 1….12.gates of heauenly Hierusalem, of which also the twelue Apostles were builders, according to that of Paul, Ephes. 2.20. built vponupon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone. See Epistle on S. …homas day. There bee manie moe resemblances … the twelue Apostles, as you may read in my … vponupon the Gospell, Sund. 6. in Lent; and in … part. 3. considerat. 29.
One must be chosen, and one of these men, ergo not a Pope Io…ne, …or a woman must bee y1. Cor. 14.34.silent and not a 1. … 2.…2.teacher in the Temple, one of these men, ergo, not a boy Bishop, not a aA…lers.yonker in yeeres, or b1. m 3.6.scholle… ship, for pastours are called elders, and Christ himselfe preached not vntill he was thirtie yeeres olde: one o… these … c…mpa…ed with vsus, ergo, cS…r…e…us. ….not a stranger, but a domesticall, one that is knowne, a man of note liuing among vsus all the time that the Lord Iesus was conuersant among vsus, d….ergo, not a leaud or ignorant person, but a proficient in Christs owne schoole, brought vp euen from his e2. Tim. 3.15.youth in fE…h…. ….4.instruction and information of the Lord. See Gospell on S. Andrew, & 8. Sund. after Trinity.
But why should one being such an one chosen into Iudas roome? to witnesse with vsus of the resurrection of Christ. A Prelate then gCaluia. Marlorat.ought to bee predicant, not an Idle or an Idoll Apostle, like the dumbe Doctors, and Abbey-lubbers, and lasie lay Bishops vnderunder the gouernment of the Pope. Right prelating (as old Father hSermon of the plough.Latimer said) is labouring▪ and l…rding or loytering, it is L…wer. ser. 4. before K. Ed.horrour rather then honour, for an Apostle to leaue the text▪ and onelyonly to follow the tithe. A witne…e hee must be, kAretius.yet not a witnesse alone, broaching insolent nouelties and l1. Tim. 1.3.other doctrines of his owne braine: but a witnesse with vsus, of one mAct. 4.32.heart and of one nPhilip. 2 2.mind with vsus, oEphes. 4.3.endeauouring to keepe the v…itie of the spirit in the bond of peace. For hee who se…kes in the troublesome sea of this world to schismaticall Apostles affecting singularity. Non portum sed plan…tam inueniet, as pTract. 1. in loan.Augustine pithily.
Well the new chosen ought to record and accord, to witnesse and to witnesse with vsus, agreeing with the rest of his Colledge and companie. But whereof is hee to be a witnesse, of the resurrection of Christ, q….in all his words, and in all his workes: in his preaching and in his life so behauing himselfe as one that beleeues the resurrection of Christ, and hopeth also for his owne redemption, euer r…. … 20.looking for his Sauiour, euen the Lord Iesus, who sha…l change our vile body that it may be like to his gloriou… …. Or a witnesse of the resurrection of Christ, becaus… this one point is, ….primarium Euangeli caput, as it were t….the predominant article, u…. 10.presupposing all the rest as being the …. 10.tying knot, on which all other linkes of holy beleefe, depend, as I hauehave shewed often elsewhere; but especially Gosp. on S. Thomas, and Epist. on S. Andrewes day.
And they appointed two] They nominated more then one, yDionys. …eo. pag. and … …. 34. …. lib. 4.that the Lord who knew the hearts of all men, might chuse the party that should take the roome of the mini…tration and Apostleship from which Iudas by transgression fell. And that Matthias might acknowledge that he receiued it (as Paul speakes) not of man, but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ, Galath. 1.12. …. §. 13. & … er. 1. in …. Mat. …. 5. & …. 6.The world is a circle, God is as it were the center of this circle, the waies of men are lines deduced from this center. a….If then euent of the Lotterie hee not expected of diuels, nor of the starres, nor of any force of fortune: but looked and prayed for to be directed by God, it is lawfull to vse lots in temporall things; as in diuision of lands and inheritance, Prou. 18.18. The lot causeth contentions to cease, and maketh a partition among the mighty. And in spirituall affaires also; for it is reported of Zacharias the Priest, that his lot was to burne Incense, Luk. 1.9. And though ordinary chusing of Prelates and Preachers ought not to be by lots, as both bDio…ys. H… cap. Rom. …. ….Heathens and cCap. Eccles. ….Christians in this agree: yet in some cases extraordinarie; to wit, (if two or three shall happen to stand in election of such equall holinesse and other sufficiency, that humane wisedome cannot any waies discerne and so decide which is most fit) it is eIustus Ionas in loc. Ambros. in 1. Luc. Bellarm. vbisup.lawfull according to the president in our text to cast lots, and so commit the disposition of the choice to God. In the lawfull vsing of a Lottery then obserue these remarkeable fSee Kilius. collect. in loc. Sixt. senen. bib. sanct. lib. 5. annot. 166.caueats.
1. We must expect the lots euent from God onelyonly: Prou. 16.33. The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord.
2. We may not vse lots in affaires ordinarie, but in cases of necessity, when as the businesse cannot otherwise be transacted.
3. Wee must abandon all vncharitable conceits, and all dishonourable deceits: Psalm. 5.6. The Lord will abhorre the deceitfull man, and destroy such as speake leasing.
4. We must before we cast lots (as the blessed Apostle heere) call vponupon God in hearty prayer for a blessing on our endeauours.
I could adde easily more, but I remember gEpist. 7.Augustines rule, Secundas habeat partes modestiae, quae primas non potuit habere sapientiae. If any know lesse then I, they may be bold to peruse this, and such as vnderstand more then I, may read, Augustin. epist. 180. & de doct. Christ. lib. 1. cap. 28. & con 2. in Psalm. 30. Thomas 22ae. quaest. 95. art. 8. Bellarmin. lib. de clericis cap. 5. Sixt. senen. vbi supra in marg. Aretius, Marlorat, Kilius in loc.
And the lot fell on Matthias. In the Tabernacle the hExod 26.curtaines of fine twined linnen, and blew silke and purple were couered with curtaines of Goats haire. Some men are great ornaments in the Church, and yet vnfit to gouerne the Church. iGregor. Moral. lib. 25. cap. 22.Ornent Ecclesiam qui solis rebus spiritualibus vacant, regant Ecclesiam quos & labor rerum corporalium non grauat, &c. kDidac. de Yanguas con. 1. in sest. Mat.It may bee Ioseph as being iust was a fine curtaine in Gods Tabernacle, but Matthias a couering: as being apt and actiue for gouerment. Alia ratio boniciuis & boni viri, quoth lA…th…. lib. 5. ca… 2Aristotle, eueryevery good man is not a good magistrate. m1. Cor. 12.…9.Are all Apo…les, are all Prophets, are all teachers? There be di…rsities of gifts, and diuersities of administrations, and diuersities of operations. Happily Ioseph excelled in one kind, and Matthias in another. He who k…ew to iudge best of the best for this ministration, in his …ecret wisedome cast the lot on Matthias. Or in electing Matthias, hee did insinuate that his n… 55 8.waies are not as our waies, and that hee iudgeth according to the hea…ts of all men, and not o… 8 1….after the flesh, or titles, or …u…side, Ioseph is called p….Barsabas, that is, the sonne of rest and innocency, surnamed also for his singular honesty …u…tus. And yet Matthias is chosen of God, howsoeuer not adorned with such commendations before men. q…. 1. …. Mat.Here the Gospell and Epistle meet. I thanke thee Father Lord of heauen and earth, because thou ha… h…d these things from the wise and prudent, and hast shewed them vntounto babes euen so was …t thy good pleasure. The lot falleth on the sonne of labour, afflicted with the load of sinne, not on the iust, or on the sonne of rest, on Matthias, and not on Barsabas.