but to repentance for their sinne that they being deliuered out of the hands of all their enemies might serue God in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of their life Paulinus saith excellently that a sinner irrepentant is like Samson in the mill grinding corne for his enemies but if he confesse his sinnes and bee sorry for the same Christ is faithfull and iust to forgiue him his sinnes and to clense him from all vnrighteousnes Almighty God which by thy blessed sonne didest 〈◊〉 call Matthew from the receit of custome to bee an Apostle and Euangelist grant vs grace to forsake all couetous desires and inordinate loue of riches and to follow thy said sonne Iesus Christ who liueth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost c. The Epistle APOCAL. 12. 7. There was a great battell in heauen c. In this Scripture 3. points are to be considered and they be points of warre to wit a Battel verse 7. described by circumstances of the Time when it was fought there was Field where it was fought in heauen Captaines souldiers by whom it was fought on the one side Michael and his Angels on the other the Dragon with his Angels Victory following the battle set downe Negatiuely they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen verse 8. Positiuely the Dragon and all his Angels with him are cast out of heauen into the earth verse 9. Triumph after the victory containing the causes Principall the blood of the lambe Instrumental A sound profession of the faith and by the word of their testimony A resolute constancy to the end they loued not their liues vnto the death verse 11. Effects and fruites of the victory verse 10. and 12. I heard a loud voyce saying in heauen is now made saluation c. Therefore reioyce Oye heauens c. For the better vnderstanding of the whole text I purpose to treat first of the commanders and souldiers in this warre-fare Michael and his Angels fought and the Dragon and his Angels fought Cardinall Bellarmine affirmes that Michael euer since the fall of Lucifer is head of the glorious Angels and the Rhemists obserue the reason here why S. Michael is ordinarily painted fighting with a dragon but I thinke neither the foolish painter nor yet learned Bellarmine can tell vs how Michael came to be chosen into Lucifers rome For all the wicked Angels as S. Iude teacheth in his Epistle who left their habitation are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenes and such as fel not are not preferred vnto higher place but continue still in their first estate and dignitie we grant that there be certaine distinctions and degrees of Angels in the quire of heauen as reading in holy Scriptures of principalities and powers thrones and dominations and Seraphims and Cherubims but we finde not in the Bible that Michael is the chiefe commander of all Indeed S. Iude calleth him an Archangel and Daniel vnum de principibus that is one of the principall Angels as Vatablus vpon the place but he neuer was or shall be Monarch and head of all Angels and that I proue by these reasons ensuing vnto the Papists 1. According to the doctrine of their owne schoole Michael being imployed as a messenger betweene God and man is not of the first Hierarchie but of an vnderling order and so consequently not supremus Angelorum as their owne Doctor Georg. Bartholdus Pontanus acknowledgeth 2. Because the greatest Angel is vsed in the greatest embassage but Gabriel was sent for the contracting of that sacred match betweene the blessed Virgin and the God of heauen ergo Gabriel is rather supreame both in naturall and supernaturall graces and prerogatiues So Gregory the great sometime bishop of Rome notes ad hoc mysterium summum Angelum venire dignum fuerat qui summum omnium nunciabat it was conuenient saith he that to this supreame mysterie of mysteries the supreame of all Angels should be destinated who should annunciate the conception of the supreame Lord of all 3. Because Christ is the Michael here mentioned as the commentarie vnder Augustines name Michaelem intellige Christum by Michael vnderstand thou Christ. For the blessed Angels cannot be said to be any other Michaels Angels but only the Angels of God and Christ in the vision happily Michael and an host of Angels appeared vnto Iohn but they represented Christ and his members The name Michael signifies quis vt Deus who is as God a name best agreeing vnto Christ as being very God of very God euen the brightnes of his glory and ingraued forme of his person Heb. 1. 3. Michael as we finde in the 10. and 12. Chapter of Daniel was the patron of the Iewes and the defender of Gods people But herein hee was a type of Christ and a figure for Iesus alone is this Sauiour as Esay foretold and Zacharias in his Euangelicall hymne chaunted plainly the light of the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel So that the meaning of our text is briefly this Christ and his members fight against the Deuill and his complices and indeede it is against the principles of holy beliefe to ascribe this victory to Michael or any other Angel whatsoeuer seeing the Scripture saith expresly the seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head and the God of peace shall tread downe Satan vnder our feete and a loud voyce from heauen proclaimes in this Chapter at the 11. verse they ouercame the Dragon by the blood of the lambe Our blessed Sauiour did fight a single combate with the Dragon in the wildernes and ouercame him Mat. 4. A point full of instruction and comfort as I haue shewed in my notes vpon the Gospell 1. Sun in Lent Againe Christ fought with the Deuill and all his complices on the crosse where saith Paul he spoyled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly For as a mightie Samson he did beare away the gates of his enemies vpon his owne shoulders killing at his death moe then he had slaine in his life by death he destroyed death and by his going downe to the graue he did open the graue and gaue life to the dead in the house of death and kingdome of hell hee triumphed ouer Satan and spoyled him of all his strength and power as Bernard sweetly Diaboli fortitudo per redemptoris vulnera traducta deducta ad nihilum As Michael did fight so likewise his Angels Christus est ecclesiae suae promachus Angeli eius symachi Some construe this of the glorious Angels as being ministring spirits for the good of such as shall be heires of saluation Heb. 1. 14. These souldiers being more then twelue legions Mat. 26. 53. Thousand thousands and ten thousand thousands Dan. 10. 7. A number without number Heb. 12. 22. Pitch their tents about vs and
fight against such as fight against vs here the Gospell and Epistle meete Michael and his Angels saith our Epistle sight against the Dragon and his Angels and the Gospell insinuates as much in saying take heede that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels doe alway behold the face of my father c. And here you may note the reason also why both are appointed by the Church to be read on this festiuall of Angels Other expound this of the Ministers of Christ often stiled in respect of their honourable function and mission Angels These beare the Captaines colours preaching the true faith whereby the souldiers of Christ are distinguished from all other Or as other by the word Angels is meant all the members of Christ in heauen and on earth as well Magistrates as Ministers as well people as Pastors all his Apostles Confessors Martyrs and whosoeuer else fighteth vnder his banner The Deuill is the generall on the contrarie side called here for his open mischiefe a great Dragon for his cunning and secret malice an old Serpent for his false cauils an accuser of his brethren and a Deuill for his obstinate contradiction and opposition of God and godlinesse Satan And the Dragon is not only chiefe of Deuils but also god of this world that is of all wicked men in the world Deceiuing saith our text all the world that is endeuouring to deceiue all in the world but actually deceyuing all such as are of the world stirring them vp alway to fight against Michael and his angels against the Lord and against his annointed Entising the Magistrate to tyrannie the people to securitie the learned to curious impietie the simple to brutish Epicurisme all to disorder and dissolutenesse Quò enim vel vnde seducit vel abducit orbem terrarum nisi à cultu Dei debito ad cultum suimet indebitum Now we know the Captaines and the souldiers let vs see when the battell is fought and where when there was a battell indefinitely for there was is and euer will be warre betweene Michaell and the Dragon vntill the worlds end And therefore this battell is called in our and some other translations praelium magnum as being great not only in regard of the great number of those who fight or in regard of our enemies great might great malice great experience great cunning all which are verie great But also great in regard of the great time this warre shall continue for God said vnto the Serpent in the beginning of the world I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed he shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele And S. Paul liuing in the latter ends of the world saith in his epistle to the Galatians as then he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit euen so it is now so that as long as there is a world and a prince of the world so long the children of God must put on the armour of light and fight against the workes and princes of darknesse Euery Christian is a professed souldiour not only for a time to see the fashion of the warres as young gentlemen vse in our time but as he hath in holy baptisme vowed manfully to fight vnder Christs banner against sinne the world and the deuill and to continue his faithfull souldiour and seruant vnto his liues end When William the Conquerour had landed his men in Sussex he caused all his ships to be suncke that all hope of flying back might be taken away Beloued seeing we are landed on this valley of teares as it were the Battell of the world let vs neither faint nor flye but fight it out valiantly till death our last enemie be destroied 3. This battell is described by the place there was a great battell in heauen this cannot fitly be construed of heauen in heauen for the Deuill in the beginning was cast out of that heauen and there is no war-fare but all well-fare no iarre but loue yea such a peace as passeth all vnderstanding But by Heauen is meant the Church of God on earth as Interpretours obserue generally called in holy Scriptures Heauen and Hierusalem aboue for that her chiefe treasure is in Heauen Matth. 6. 20. her affections in Heauen Colloss 3. 2. her conuersation in Heauen Philip. 3. 20. and for that the Lord of Heauen dwels in her heart by Faith Ephes. 3. 17. All this battell then is fought in Heauen vpon earth according to that of Iob. The life of man is a war-fare vpon earth Here is the field where we must so run that we may obtaine so fight that we may ouercome no part of the battell is fought in Hell or purgatorie but all vpon earth Or this battell is said to be fought in Heauen as being a spirituall war-fare Ephes. 6. 12. We wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places Grosse wickednesse is easily seen and preuented soone but our aduersaries abound with inuisible wickednesse being our greatest enemies while they seeme our best friends and therefore seeing we liue in a besieged citie which is assaulted on euery side by cruell and cunning opposers as the wiseman speakes in the midst of snares it behoueth vs as Paul exhorts to put on the whole armour of God that we may stand against all the assaults of the Deuill Let vs feare nothing in this holy warre for our captaine is good our Michaell is the Lord of hosts Nil desperandum Christo duce auspice Christo our cause good for we fight for the word of Truth against the father and fauourers of lyes against the Dragon and his angels our companie good all the glorious Angels in Heauen and all the good men on earth are on our side our reward good when our fight is finished palmes in our hands and crownes on our heads See epistle 21. Sund. after Trinitie And preuailed not Albeit the Deuill as a great dragon and an old serpent and a roaring lion seeke daily whom he may deuoure yet the gates of Hell are not able to conquere the Church albeit Satan rage and raue neuer so much he shall haue no preuailing power against Gods elect he shall not pluck any of Christs sheepe out of Christs hand Iohn 10. 28. The prince of this world is cast out and hath nought in mee saith our blessed Sauiour Iohn 14. 30. no part in mee no part in mine which are flesh of my flesh and bones of my bones I know the Dragon and his angels assault Michaell and his angels euery houre but all the hurt they can doe is to bruise the heel Gen. 3. 15. Neither was their place any more found in Heauen That is in the hearts of the godly whose
mouth of his holy Prophets I haue beene sought of them that asked not I was found of them that sought me not he calleth vs before we call on him The 2. grace is sanctification and sanctified such as are called are by nature the children of wrath as well as other it is in vaine therefore to be called that is stirred and moued to receiue the faith vnlesse we be sanctified Iames 2. 14. What auaileth it my brethren though a man saith he hath faith when he hath no workes Herod seemed to be called and somewhat inwardly touched but he would not forsake his secret sinne of incest in keeping his brothers wife Simon Magus was baptized and so called but hee was not sanctified to leaue his gainefull sinne of couetousnes Iudas as being an Apostle was called and yet hee was a diuell and many deceiue themselues who thinke hearing of the word to be sufficient without doing Iames 1. 22. A sheepe resembleth a true Christian euery thing in a sheepe is good and vsefull his fleece is good his fell is good his flesh is good his entrals yea his excrements are good and so the sanctified Christian is a seruant vnto all the seruants of God euery good gift in him is profitable to some he lendeth his fleece cloathing the naked to some his bread in feeding the hungrie to some he lendeth his eyes and so becommeth a guide to the blinde to some he lendeth his strength and so becommeth feete to the lame to some he lendeth his vnderstanding and so becommeth an instructor of the simple he becommeth as Paul speakes all things vnto all men that hee may winne some vnto Chtist In this point of doctrine the Papists haue slandered vs exceedingly saying that our diuines in preaching of faith haue destroyed good workes whereas we professe that our calling is fruitles without holines of life See Epistle 2. Sun in Lent Preserued in Iesus Christ As it is in vaine to be called first vnlesse we be sanctified so likewise to be sanctified vnlesse we may be kept and preserued in Iesu Christ not to lose our sanctification Our life is a continuall warre-fare vpon earth and therefore though we be called outwardly and sanctified in some part inwardly yet the Dragon and his Angels fight against vs daily that we may fall from faith and hope receiued that wee may turne the grace of God into want onnesse like the dogge returned to his owne vomit and the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire and so end in the flesh howsoeuer we began in the spirit Demas fell away from the Gospell embracing the present world many are called but few chosen Mat. 20. 16. It behoueth vs therefore continually to pray that Christ Iesus the great shepheard of our soules may hold vs in his hands from the griping pawes and grinding Iawes of the roaring Lyon who goeth about daily seeking whom he may deuoure And surely such as are giuen vnto Christ effectually called and truly sanctified shall bee preserued to the end Zerubbabel did both lay the foundation of the temple and finish it so God will establish and make perfect his worke begun in vs Psalm 68. 28. Hee that hath begun this worke of our saluation will also performe it Philip. 1. 6. I know Gods elect may for a time lose some good meanes and some great measure of grace too Dauid and Aaron and Peter and other haue fallen foully yea fully but none finally God is more watchfull in helping vs then Satan is or can bee wrathfull in hurting vs. He which is the father of mercies giueth vs preuenient grace subsequent grace cooperant grace grace before grace and grace after grace keeping vs by his power thorough faith and preseruing vs to his heauenly kingdome It is not of our selues that we perseuere thus vnto the end and in the end it is the power of God who giueth as our Apostle sheweth here grace first to be called secondly to be sanctified thirdly to be reserued or preserued in Iesu Christ. Mercy vnto you and peace and loue be multiplied Mercy from God the father in the forgiuenes of your sinnes Peace in Christ in feeling this forgiuenes Loue in the holy Ghost in being assured of Gods grace toward vs euery day more and more Mercie from God the father of Mercie Peace from God the sonne the Prince of peace Loue from God the holy Ghost the loue of the father and the sonne Mercy in pardoning your sinnes Peace in quieting your conscience Loue ioyning you to God and one to another or hee wiâ—…eth encrease of Gods mercy toward them and a multiplication of their peace and loue toward one another That their sinnes may be forgiuen he prayes for Gods mercy that they may forgiue other men their trespasses he prayes for peace that both these may be multiplied in them he prayes for loue First he begins with Gods mercy which is the fountaine of euery good and perfect gift if wee taste of his mercy we shall soone be filled with his other graces he that hath enough mercy can want nothing For as Samsons chiefe strength was in his haire so Gods chiefe vertue in his mercy Mercy good Lord is the total summe in the humble suite of a sinner O Lord haue mercy vpon vs miserable sinners is the first petition and the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ is the last in our Liturgie When I gaue all diligence Here S. Iude begins to prescribe his Salue which is an exhortation to contend earnestly for the faith and the causes mouing him to write this vnto the Saints are two 1. His duty when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation c. 2. Their danger because they nourished certaine seducers as serpents in their owne breasts whom hee describes by their sinne in generall verse 4. shewing their hypocriticall entring into the Church craftily crept in vngodly carriage being entred In their life turning the grace of God into wantonnesse In their doctrine denying God which is the only Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ. In particular from the 4. verse to the 17. Punishment of olde ordained to this condemnation and so S. Iude describes these wicked impostors and false brethren as Pope Celestine did his successor Bonifacius the 8. Ascendisti vt vulpes craftily crept in regnabis vt leo denying God and turning his grace into wantonnesse morieris vt canis of old ordained to this condemnation The Gospell IOHN 15. 17. This command I you that ye loue together c. CHrist in this Gospell is said to doe three things especially 1. He doth exhort his followers vnto mutuall loue 2. He comforts them against the worlds hatred 3. He promises to send vnto them the holy Ghost who being the comforter and the spirit of loue may both instruct them how to loue together and how to suffer affliction in the world Of
goodnesse As pride is the beginning and originall of sinne Ecclesiasticus 10. 14. because iniquitie is nothing else but inequalitie and pride is most vniust attributing vnto it selfe too much vnto all other too little so contrariwise contented humblenesse is the Primer and as it were A. B. C. of our Christian Ethicks it is as Ambrose and Bernard write the mother vertue yea Custos sigilli magni the keeper of all Gods great seales graces without which his other gifts are rather curses then blessings to vs. It is an eminent grace for a man to speak with the tongues of Angels and so to transport other with the wind of words and flouds of eloquence whither he list and yet if learning be not seasoned with humilitie knowledge saith Paul puffeth vp and as Aristotle speaks it is armata iniustitia like a sword in a mad-mans hand Fasting that tames the bodie without humilitie makes proud the mind I fast twice in the weeke quoth the Pharisee Luke 18. 12. Almes are a sacrifice pleasing to God for he that giueth vnto the poore lendeth vnto the Lord yet if a Trumpet bee blowen and we giue meerly to be seen of men if we beare not our poore brethren in our bowels and bosome we shall haue no reward of our Father which is in Heauen Matth. 6. 1. And therefore Christ inculcates often this one lesson as well by patern as precept Learne of me for I am humble and meeke In the world ye shall haue affliction he that will follow me must of necessitie forsake himselfe and yet be of good cheere for there is no man that hath forsaken house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receiue an hundred fold now at this present houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life I tell you that in the beginning which you shall find most true in the end Blessed are the poore in spirit For Blessed is the predicat of the proposition And there is a two-fold blessednesse Beatitudo viae and Beatitudo patriae blessednesse in this world and blessednesse in the next The poore in spirit haue the promises of both 1. Tim. 4. 8. The present happinesse is either outward and worldly or else inward and ghostly Outward as Psalme 132. 16. I will blesse her victuals with increase and I will satisfie her poore with bread And Psalme 144. 15. Happie are the people that be in such a case And Deut. 28. Blessed shalt thou be in the field and blessed in the citie blessed shall be the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattell the encrease of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep These temporall and worldly blessings often accompany the meeke more then the proud because fortune as Charles the 5. told his sonne Is like a woman if shee be too much woed shee will be the farther off Howsoeuer it be godlinesse is great gaine and the poore in spirit want nothing as being content with any thing But the blessednesse promised by Christ here surpassing all worldly treasures and pleasures is inward and ghostly consisting in the riches of the mind and in a sweet contentation of the conscience which is a continuall feast and a daily Christmas whereby the poore in spirit are made lords and as it were tyrants ouer the whole world domineering ouer Iustices and laylour our Iudge and Iurie Treasons and murthers and felonies and other routs and riots inquired after at Sessions and Assises are bred of discontentment and pride But though all the Deuils in Hell and all their agents in earth and ayre combine themselues against one little one yet Qui vadit planè vadit sanè He that walkes vprightly walkes confidently The text will alway be found true They that put their trust in the Lord shall be euen as the mount Sion which may not be remoued but standeth fast for-euer But here we must obserue with incomparably learned Melancthon and other protestant diuines That in this and all other like places of holie Scripture where good works are commanded or commended in any that Christ is the sole cause of our happinesse Without me saith he you can doe nothing and without faith in him it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Our persons must be first reconciled vnto God hauing for Christs sake pardon of our sinnes and imputation of righteousnesse and then our workes shall be blessed and acceptable Psalme 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed that is iustified for iustification is blessednesse begun glorification blessednesse perfited It is a sweet saying of our Church Faith is the nest of good workes albeit our birdes be neuer so faire yet they will be lost except they be brought foorth in true beleefe The sparow hath found her an house and the swallow a nest where shee may lay her yong euen thine Altars O Lord Psalme 84. 3. Such as are true beleeuers hauing their vnrighteousnesse forgiuen and their sinne couered are blessed men and all their workes as being laied vpon Christs Altar are a sweet smelling sacrifice to God But saith Augustine Hereticks and Infidels in doing glorious acts and honorable deeds haue no where to lay their yong and therefore they must of necessitie come to nought as the fathers of our common Law speake Moritur actio cum persona their actions are damnable with their persons He which is poore in spirit is blessed he which is mercifull is blessed he which is a peace-maker is blessed But as our Diuines haue iudiciously noted against the Papists in all these Beatitudes a liuely Faith is presupposed according to that Apostolicall axiome Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne The Saints of God are sealed inwardly with Faith as it is in our Epistle but outwardly with good works as in our Gospell To be poore in spirit to mourne to be mercifull are not causes but effects of our iustification as we commonly speake out of Bernard Via regni non causa regnaâ—…di For the followers of Christ are blessed not because they be poore in spirit but because theirs is the kingdome of Heauen That is the right exposition of the proposition Blessed are the poore in spirit Now the kingdome of Heauen in holie Scripture signifieth either the kingdome of grace which is heauen on earth or else the kingdome of glorie which is heauen in Heauen And both these belong vnto the poore in spirit Some construe this of the kingdome of grace because Christ saith expresly Luke 4. 18. The spirit of the Lord hath anoynted me that I should preach the Gospell vnto the poore he hath sent me that I should heal the broken hearted that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues and