Commentary on Acts, Argument
The argument vponupon the Actes of the Apoſtles.
TO the intent that all godly men may with more diligence reade this historie, and alſo be more deſirous thereof: it ſhall not be without profite, briefly to note what commoditie they ſhall reape thereby. This is the chiefest praiſe that a prophane historie hath, namely, that it is the maiſtres of life. If that narration of famous deeds which onelyonly teacheth men what they ought to followe, or what they ought to eſchewe in their common actions, deſerue ſuch a title: of how great praiſe are the diuine hiſtories worthie, which do not onelyonly frame the outward life of man that he may winne praiſe by vertue; but alſo (which it more) which declare vntounto vsus, that God from the beginning hath had a ſpeciall regard alwayes of his Church, and faithfull congregation: that he hath bene alwaies a most iust reuenger of all wrongs done vntounto thoſe, that hauehave betaken themſelues vntounto his tuition, and hauehave committed themſelues vntounto his custodie: that he hath ſhewed himſelfe fauourable and mercifull vntounto most miſerable and wretched ſinners: and lastly by teaching vsus faith, hoiſed vsus high aboue the heauens? I ſay nothing of this, that they do euerie where ſet forth the prouidence of God, that they distinguſh the true worſhip of God from the falſe, they neuer erre in the difference of vice and vertue. Although I omit nowe alſo thoſe worthie praiſes which vſe moſt commonly to bee attributed vntounto the ſacred hiſtories, intending onelyonly ſhortly to touch thoſe, which are proper to this booke, which wee hauehave taken in hande. Thoſe things which Luke ſetteth before vsus in this place to be learned, are not only great, but alſo of rare profite: For first in that he ſheweth that the ſpirite of God was ſent vntounto the Apoſtles, he doth not only proue that Christ was faithful & true in keeping his promiſe, made vntounto his Apostles: but alſo he certifieth vsus, that he is alwayes mindfull of his, and a perpetuall gouernour of his Church: becauſe the holy ſpirite did diſcende from heauen to this ende, whereby we learne that the diſtance of place doeth no whit hinder Christ from being preſent with thoſe that be his, at all times. Nowe heere is most liuely painted out, the beginning of Christs kingdome, and as it were the renuing of the worlde. For although the ſonne of God had gathered togither by his preaching, a certaine Church, before ſuch time as he departed out of the world yet neuertheleſſe, that was the best forme of the Church which began then, when as the Apoſtles hauing new power giuen them from aboue, began to preach, that that onelyonly ſheapherd did both die and alſo riſe againe, that through his conduct all thoſe which were diſperſed farre and wide, vponupon the face of the whole earth, might bee gathered vntounto one ſheepefolde. Heere is therefore ſet downe both the beginning, and alſo the increaſing of …he Church of Christ, after his aſcenſion, whereby he was declared to be king both of heauen and earth. Furthermore therein appeareth as well the merueilous power of Christ, as the great force and efficacie of the Goſpel it ſelfe: for in that Christ by a ſort of ſimple ſoules and of no reputation amongst men, being endued alſo with no eloquence at al, hath ſubdued the whole world ſo eaſily by the only voice of the Goſpel, whereas notwithſtanding Satan did reſist him with ſo manie lets: he hath ſhewed a most manifest token of his diuine power and might therein. And alſo we ſee in the ſame, the incredible force of the Goſpel, that it did not only come forth & ſhew it ſelf, although the whole world did ſay nay, but alſo with great glorie and maiestie, make all that which did ſeeme ſtubborn, to be obedient vntounto Christ. Therfore theſe few & ſimple creatures, did more preuaile againſt the troubleſome tumults of the world, with the baſe & ſimple ſound of their mouth, than if God ſhould openly hauehave thrown down lightnings from heauen. And on the other ſide, the ſpirit of God teacheth vsus, that the kingdome of Christ beginneth neuer ſooner to floriſh, but by and by Sathan oppoſeth himſelfe most furiouſly against the ſame, and vſeth all his engines either vtterly to ouerthrow, or ſore to ſhake the ſame. Neither are we onelyonly taught, that Sathan doth reſist Christ as an enimie, but alſo that the whole world doth furiouſly rage togither against him, that he may not reigne ouer them. Yea, furthermore that is to be ſet downe as a thing most certaine, that wicked men whiles they doe ſo rage against the Goſpell, doe both fight vnderunder Sathans banner, and are pricked forward by him into ſo blind furie. Hereupon doe ariſe ſo many vprores, ſo manie plaguie conſpiracies, ſo many diuelliſh indeuours of the reprobate, to ouerthrow the Goſpel, and to hinder the free paſſage of the ſame, which Luke ſetteth downe almost in eueryevery place. Lastly, like as the Apostles hauehave indeede tried, that the doctrine of the Goſpel is a fire and a ſword, ſo may we learne by their experience that it will alwaies come to paſſe, not onelyonly by the obstinate malice of Satan, but alſo by the fatall ſtubbornnes of men, that the Goſpel ſhal ſuffer many conflicts, and that thereby many tumultes ſhalbe raiſed. But on the other ſide he declareth that the Apostles with a ſtout ſtomacke, with a liuely courage, and inuincible valiantneſſe of minde, did notwithstanding execute the office which they knewe was inioyned them by God: & alſo what innumerable troubles they ſuffered with great perſeuerance, what weriſomnes they paſſed ouer, how patiently they ſusteined most cruel perſecution; and lastly how meekely they ſuffered reproch, ſorow, and calamitie of all ſortes. And we must learne patience by ſuch examples, ſeeing the ſonne of God hath pronounced that the croſſe and tribulation ſhall alwaies accompanie his Goſpel: we must not pamper and cheriſh our ſelues with a vaine hope, as though the ſtate and condition of the Church ſhould be quiet, proſperous, and floriſhing heere vponupon earth. Let vsus therefore addreſſe our ſelues to ſuffer the like things. And that is added as no ſmall comfort for vsus, that as God hath merueilouſly deliuered his Church in times past, being afflicted, and oppreſſed ſo many waies: ſo he will at this day be preſent with vsus alſo: For ſurely ſeeing that in this booke is declared howe that God by his mightie hand & outstretched arme alone, doth continually defend his Church, being amidst continuall deathes: God himſelfe by this meanes ſetteth before our eies his continuall prouidence in procuring the ſafetie thereof. Furthermore here are ſet downe certaine ſermons of the Apostles, which intreate in ſuch ſort of the great mercies of God, of the grace of Christ, of the hope of bleſſed immortalitie, of the calling vponupon God, of repentance and the feare of God, and alſo of other principall pointes of Christian doctrine, that we neede not ſeeke the whole ſum of godlineſſe any where elſe. But that I may nowe omit the declaration of ſound and pure doctrine: If that be a thing most needfull to be knowne, namely: to vnderſtand how the Church of Christ first began: how the Apostles began to preach the Goſpel; what ſucceſſe they had in the ſame, what cruel combats they ſuffered, how manfully they paſſed through ſo many lets, and impediments, how couragiouſly they triumphed ouer all the pride of the world, vnderunder the reproch of the croſſe, how wonderfully God was preſent with them: then must wee highly esteeme of this Booke, which vnles it were extant, the knowledge of ſo great things ſhould either be quite buried, or greatly obſcured, or wrapped in diuers doubtes. For we ſee that Sathan vſed all his engins that he might, to bring to paſſe, that neuer any of the acts of the Apoſtles might come to light, but ſuch onelyonly as were mixed with lies; to the end he might bring into ſuſpition what thing ſoeuer was ſpoken of them, and ſo by that meanes might plucke out of the mindes of the godly, all the remembrance of that age. For hee alwaies raiſed vp, either doting fooles, or craftie flowters, that they might ſpread abroade a ſort of filthie fables, vnderunder the names of other men; the blockiſhnes whereof did much diſcredite euen the true histories. So in thoſe bookes of Peter and Paul which are faigned to be of Linus his doing, are conteined ſuch a ſort of ſtinking trifles, that they cauſe the wicked to laugh at them, and the godly to loath them. So that feigned diſputation of Peter with Symon Magus, is ſo ridiculous, that it doeth diſcredite the name of a Christian. The ſame opinion must we hauehave of all that mingle mangle which is ſet before the recognitions and councels of Clement, and recited of Gratianus in his fragments, they beguile the vnskilful vnderunder colour of ancient names, the wicked boast of thoſe as of oracles, no leſſe boldly than impudently, when as in deede they are filthie toies. Sathan did vſe ſuch libertie to lie, that we might hauehave no certaine thing left vsus, after Christs aſcenſion. So that vnleſſe this work of Luke were extant, it might ſeeme that Chriſt being taken vp into heauen, left no fruit of his death or reſurrection vponupon earth. For all ſhould hauehave vaniſhed away with his bodie. We ſhould not know that Christ was ſo receiued into his celestiall glorie, that neuertheles hee beareth rule in all the world: we ſhould not know that the Goſpel was publiſhed by the Apostles, and ſo came from them vntounto vsus, though by the meanes of others: we ſhould not know that they were inſpired by the holy Ghost, least they ſhould teach any thing but that which was diuine, to the end our faith might be grounded onelyonly vponupon the vnfallible veritie of God. Last of all we ſhoulde not knowe that that Propheſie of Eſaias was fulfilled, wherein he foretold that the law ſhould come out of Sion, and the word of the Lord out of Ieruſalem. Seeing this booke proceeding no doubt from the ſpirite of God, taketh from vsus all doubting of theſe thinges, wee must count the ſame as a great treaſure, as I hauehave ſaid before not without cauſe, and nowe againe confirme the ſame.