which is a brother vnto Dragons and a companion of Ostriches constrained to dwell with Mesech and to haue his habitation among the tents of Kedar As Zachary the Priest had good neighbours so likewise kinde cousins for albeit they might haue well expected large legacies if he had dyed without issue yet they reioyced at the birth of his sonne an enuious man hath a great deale of lesse wit in his malice then a very brute for whereas neither foule nor fish is taken in a snare without a baite the spitefull wretch is brought to the diuels hooke without any pleasant bite the voluptuous man hath a little pleasure for his soule the couetous a little profit for his soule the proud and ambitious a little honour for his soule but an enuious man hath nothing of the deuill or flesh or world for his soule but hearts-griefe hoc solum inuidus bene agit quod se cruciat Wherefore laying aside all malitiousnes and enuie let vs imitate the good neighbours and allyes of Elizabeth here let vs as feeling and fellow members of the same mysticall body remember those that are in bondes as though our selues were bound with them and if any member be had in honour to reioyce with it These neighbours and cousins visiting Elizabeth in childe-bed came not as one notes vpon the place with basket and bottle to drinke and eate though I confesse that kind of neighbourhood were better vsed in a Priests house then in a tap-house neither came they like the gossips in our time with a great deale of tattle speaking things vncomely but they came to praise God for his goodnesse shewed vpon their friend Elizabeth 1. In taking away the reproach of barrennesse 2. For giuing her a sonne so the text they heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy vpon her and they reioyced with her it was mercy that she brought forth a sonne great mercy that she bare such a sonne The Thracians vsed to laugh at the death and to weepe at the birth of men but the Scripture teacheth vs to reioyce when a sonne is borne children and the fruit of the wombe are a gift that commeth of the Lord and therefore when Eua conceiued and bare Cain she said I haue gotten a man from the Lord and Lamech hauing gotten a sonne called his name Noah saying this same shall comfort vs concerning our worke and sorrow of our hands c. When Isaac was borne Sarah his mother said God hath made me to laugh a woman as Christ speakes Iohn 16. 21. when she is in trauel hath sorrow because her houre is come but assoone as she is deliuered of the childe she remembers no more the paine for ioy that a man is borne into the world quid dulcius in humanis quà m gignere sibi similem aut beatius in terris quà m natos videre natorum Elizabeth then had good cause to praise God in the gift of a sonne but her selfe and her friends had greater cause to reioyce because she bare such a sonne tantum talem filium a sonne so great in the sight of the Lord filled with the holy ghost and strong in spirit euen from his mothers wombe such a son of whom as yet in swadling cloutes his father moued by the spirit said hee should be the prophet of the most high of whom also when hee was growen vp and executed his office Christ himselfe gaue this testimony that among those which are borne of woemen there hath not risen a greater then Iohn the Baptist If a wise sonne make a glad father and a foolish sonne bring heauines to his mother Elizabeth had great mercy shewed vpon her in that she brought forth a Iohn into the world Mystically gratious Iohn borne of barren Elizabeth liuely represents the fulnes and fruitfulnes of the Gentiles arising from the barrennesse of the Iewes and therfore the Prophet exhortes the Church reioyce thou barren that bearest not breake forth into singing thou that trauaylest not for the desolate hath many moe children then she which hath an husband In the eight day they came to circumcise the child Zacharias and Elizabeth walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord without blame caused their new borne babe to be circumcised according to the prescript of the law concerning the time when part where cause why see Gospell on the circumcision of Christ. Now baptisme succeeds circumcision and so consequently parents are taught by this example to bring their children in due time to holy baptisme wherein they be made the members of Christ the children of God and inheritours of the kingdome of heauen Againe parents may learne by this president except some great necessity compell them otherwise to baptize their infants in the face of the congregation and not in the corner of a chamber or chimney there was a great meeting of neighbours and cousins at the circumcision of Iohn in his fathers house and the Iewes at this day circumcise their children in their publique Synagogâ—…es and lastly from hence wee may further obserue three things especially concerning imposition of names among Gods children in old time 1. That names were giuen in circumcision as among vs in baptisme they came to circumcise the childe and called his name Zachary the reason hereof is plaine that as often as we heare our selues named we might instantly call to minde the solemne couenant betweene God and vs in holy baptisme or as other obserue because circumcision and baptisme are seales of Gods grace whereby men are first admitted into the Church and as it were written in the booke of the liuing it is fit that none should be named or registred as the seruants and souldiers of Christ afore they haue receiued his Sacrament which is the badge of their profession and signe of their new birth 2. From hence we may note that Gods people did vsually name their children after the names of their ancestours except God in some singular case by reuelation inioyned the contrary for the neighbours and cousins of Elizabeth as not knowing the Lords expresse pleasure concerning the naming of her childe began to call his name Zachary after the name of his father and when Elizabeth answered and said not so but his name shall be called Iohn they replied there is none of thy kindred that is named with this name This example condems the nicenes of some who thinke it vnlawfull to giue their children vsuall names of their nation and families as Edward George Robert and the like as also the prophanes of other who giue names of flowers or stones or heathen names vnto christians if we name not our children after the names of our ancestours it is fit that wee should take the names of Saints that may put vs in minde of their vertues as Iohn Peter Stephen
prison souldiers chaines and keepers all which Herod vsed in the persecution of S. Peter at this time 1. He put Peter in prison 2. Doubting that the prison was not strong enough he deliuered him vnto foure quaternions that is sixteene souldiours for quaternion is not as centurion a word of office but of number Now these sixteene by foure and foure did euery sixe houres thoroughout the whole night and day watch Peter or else euery three houres in the night only or it may be that all the sixteene did watch all the night two within the prison and the rest in a guard without 3. Herod fearing that his prisoner notwithstanding all this might escape caused him to be bound with two chaines 4. Least haply chaines and all should faile the keepers before the dore kept the prison his intent was to make all sure that he might after Easter bring him foorth and expose him vnto the peoples malice Poore Peter was bound not only with one but with two chaines and he slept betweene two souldiers and he was guarded by two watches the first and the second So Nebuchadnezzar full of indignation and rage cōmanded that the fiery fornace into the middest wherof Shadrach Meshech and Abednego were to be cast should at once be made hot seuen times more then it was wont So the persecutors of Daniel after he was thrown by them into the Lions den layd a stone vpō the mouth of the den least otherwise he might escape their violent iawes and pawes So the Priests and Pharisees intreated Pilate when Christ was dead that he would giue command for the making of his Sepulchre sure least his disciples should come by night and steale him away Now the Lord who dwelleth in heauen is a present help to his seruants in trouble laughs them to scorne for whē the three children were now ready to be cast into the flames of the scorching fornace they told Nebuchadnezzar vnto his face wee are not carefull to answere thee in this matter And Daniel in the Lions den had an Angel of God for his guard who stopped the mouthes of the beasts and so no maner of hurt was found vpon him and so S. Peter here though he were cast into prison and bound with two chaines yet hauing a good cause and a good conscience securely slept betweene two souldiers euen the night before cruel Herod would haue brought him out to the people The prophane Poet spake diuinely sat fautorum habet semper qui rectè facit and therefore Peter in his indurance cast his burden vpon the Lord and sayd happily with Dauid I will lay me downe in peace and take my rest for it is thou Lord only that makes me dwell in safety God either deliuereth his seruants out of persecution as he did Peter or else if he crowne them with martyrdome as he did S. Iames he will in his kingdome of glory giue them in stead of this bitter a better inheritance Pro veritate morientes cum veritate viuentes Prayer was made without ceasing of the congregation Prayers and teares are the Churches armour and therefore when Peter was imprisoned by cruell Herod the congregation commeth vnto prayer and not vnto pouder for his deliuerance they did not assault the prison nor kill the souldiers nor breake the chaines only prayer and patience were there weapons arma christianorum in aduersis alia esse non debent quà m patientia precatio prayer quoth Augustine is the key of heauen and as it were that fiery chariot of Eliah whereby we mount vp and haue our conuersation with God on high it is the hand of a christian which is able to reach from earth to heauen and to take forth euery manner of good gift out of the Lords treasure so the Scripture speakes in expresse termes aske and yee shall haue c. The prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Iames 5. 16. Aske in faith and then all things are possible to him that beleeueth Marke 9. 23. Many times our Prayers are sent out like to incense made happily according to the Lords direction but not kindled with fire from his altar that is petitions lawfull enough and agreeable to Gods holy word but not poured out in feruency We fall into them often without preparation and vtter a number of wordes without deuotion and therefore no maruaile if we misse when as we thus aske amisse But if our prayer be like the Churches here made without ceasing if it be faithfull and feruent the God of all grace will out of the riches of his mercy giue vs either that we desired as Eliah prayed for raine and the heauen gaue raine or else that which is better as God tooke Moses into the spirituall Canaan because he did not enioy that earthly Canaan or at the least that which is sufficient as he told Paul 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee See Gosp. Sun 5. after Easter There is nothing in the world more strong then a man who giueth himselfe to feruent prayer his deuotion is so powerfull as that it commandeth all things in heauen earth and hell it commandeth all the foure Elements ayre fire water earth Ayre Iames 5. 17. Elias prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth for three yeares and sixe moneths he shut vp heauen as the wiseman reportes of him hee said as the Lord God of Israel liueth before whom I stand there shall be neither dew nor raine these yeeres but according to my word againe he prayed for raine and the raine fell and the earth brought forth her fruite Fire the same Prophet Elias by his prayers three times brought fire from heauen Ecclesiasticus 48. 3. Water at the crying of Moses vnto the Lord the red sea runne backe and was made drie land so that Gods Israel walked vpon firme ground in the middest of the sea but whē their enemies pursued them all the diuided waters returned and ouerwhelmed them in the deepe and at the prayer of the same Moses bitter waters were made sweete Exod. 15. 25. Earth vpon the complaint of Moses vnto God the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp Korath Dathan and Abiram and all their families and all their goods in so much that they together with all theirs went downe quicke into the pit and the ground closed vpon them and they perished in the sight of Gods people Nay the prayer of one deuoute man is able to conquer an hoast of enemies in battaile for in the fight betweene Israel and Amalek when Moses held vp his hand Israel preuailed but when he let his hand downe Amalek preuailed In this present text the prayer of the congregation without ceasing fetched an Angel out of heauen and brought a shining light into the darke dungeon and loosed
first of all the Gospels 3. Great as being the most large diuided by the moderne Latines into 28. Chapters but according to the partition of Hilarius in former ages into 33. or as Druthmanus into 67. Canons Among the Grecians Euthymius parteth it into 68. Chapters Eusebius Ammonius Suidas into 355. and lastly great as intending principally to shew that the man Christ is the Messias and Sauiour of the world promised by the Prophets and prefigured in the sacrifices of the law Saint Matthew hauing cheerefully followed Christ in hearing his Gospell in preaching his Gospell in writing his Gospell on this day suffered martyrdome constantly for his Gospell Christ euery day calleth vs and saith vnto vs as here to Matthew follow me though he doe not this immediatly by himselfe yet he speaketh vnto vs by the tongues of his Preachers as he spake in olde time to our fathers by the mouthes of the Prophets It is our duty therefore to come when hee calleth as his seruant Matthew quickly conueniently constantly cheerefully Quickly without delay make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord but to day while it is called to day let vs heare his voyce conueniently forsaking our selues and casting away euery thing that presseth downe and hindreth vs in our way to Christ Heb. 12. 1 constantly going from strength to strength and continuing faithfull vnto the death cheerefully making Christ a great feast in our owne house Happily thou wilt obiect if I had liued in that golden age when Christ my Sauiour blessed the world with his bodily presence then I would haue worshipped him and followed him and feasted him but alas I haue good cause to complaine with Mary Magdalene they haue taken away the Lord and where should I finde him if I would now feast him O beloued albeit Christ is in heauen and thou art on earth yet thou mayest and that in thine owne house make to him a double feast a spirituall feast and a corporall a spirituall for his meat is to doe the will of God Iohn 4. 34. And the will of God is to beleeue in him whom he hath sent Iohn 6. 29. So that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ and openeth the doore to his knocke maketh him a feast in the parlour of his heart So himselfe saith I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come in vnto him and will sup with him and he with me The Poets feigned that their God Iupiter fed on Nectar and Ambrosia Iupiter Ambrosia satur est Nectare plenus But the God of heauen is refreshed with the fruites of the spirit loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperance these dishes are his dainties Thou mayest also feast him corporally for whatsoeuer is done to his followers he taketh as done to himselfe because they be members of his body of his flesh and of his bone this hee will openly protest at the last day Mat. 25. 35. I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke for in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me And when the Pharisces saw it In the Pharisces accusation obserue these two circumstances especially To whom And of whom it was made to whom they said vnto his Disciples of whom of Christ and the rest of the guests in Matthewes house why eateth your master with publicans and sinners c. In making this obiection vnto the Disciples and not vnto Christ himselfe they shew themselues to bee crafty calumniatours It was craft to set vpon the weake Disciples being a little before confounded by their master and it was a calumnie to mutter that behind his backe which they dare not vtter vnto his face But this was their ordinary guile to vent their gaule when they conceited that the Disciples did amisse they cauilled with Christ why doe thy Disciples transgresse the traditions of the fathers for they wash not their hands when they eate bread And when they thought Christ offended they told his Disciples why eateth your master with publicanes and sinners In the fact of the Disciples they cauilled with Christ in the fact of Christ they cauilled with the Disciples in both their malitious intent was to dishonour the Gospell and estrange the Disciples from Christ and Christ from his Disciples In our age there be many such enuious sycophants who being once got betweene the pot and the wall chat in secret against that which Christ and his Ministers haue chaunted in publique The Pharisees accusing Christ and his company Publicanes and sinners offended in vncharitablenes pride in vncharitablenes toward Christ ac si consentiens in culpa qui consentiens in coena as if he had communicated with them in mischiefe as he did common with them at meate whereas Christ conuersed with publicans and sinners as the physitian with the sicke they made not him worse but he made them better he had no fellowship with vnfruitfull workes of darknes but only with the workers he did loue their persons but leaue their vices see Gospell on the 3. Sun after Trinity Againe the Pharisees were very cruell and vncharitable toward the Publicanes in that they despised them and had no feeling of their miseries or care for their conuersion and lastly they shew their pride by iustifying themselues impudently whereas they should rather haue confessed ingeniously with the Psalmist enter not into iudgement with thy seruants for no flesh is righteous in thy sight and with Iob if the starres are vncleane in his sight how much more man a worme euen the sonne of man which is but a worme and with Esay we haue all bin an vncleane thing and all our righteousnes is as filthy cloutes When Christ heard that he said vnto them He replied vnto the Pharisees not as hoping to mende them by his answere but least his Disciples otherwise might bee scandalized hereby giuing vs an example to meet with opprobrious cauils and calumnies against the Gospell and that not to satisfie so much our aduersaries as to strengthen our auditours They that be strong need not the physitian This sentence may be considered as a scomma to the Pharisees who were so righteous and strong in their own conceit as that they did not in any case need a physitian but as a Lemma for others in which as in the rest of his Apologie Christ insinuates that he came into the world not to constraine but to call not the righteous who iustifie themselues but sinners euen such as feele their wickednes and weakenes such as are broken hearted such as are laden and weary with the burden of their iniquity not to licentiousnes in their sinne or to punishment for their sinne or to satisfaction for their sinne
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
He set him by him according to the record of S. Luke and tooke him in his armes as S. Marke yet all agree for it may be saith Euthemius that Iesus first set him in the midst of them as S. Matthew then afterward set him beside him as S. Luke and last of all embraced him in his armes as S. Marke Some think that this childe was one Martialis afterward a famous Bishop in France but this idle tradition is beside the text and therefore not of the necessitie of faith Other imagine that Christ himselfe might be this little one being among his Disciples as a seruant Luke 22. 27. but this opinion is against the text Iesus called a childe and set him by him and tooke him in his armes it saith he set a childe in the midst of them but what child it doth not say not a great boy but a little child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Erasmus translates puellum Beza puerulum the vulgar Latine paruulum as Musculus vpon our text Oportet imitaripuellos anniculos fortè bimulos And so S. Peter exhorteth vs to be like new borne babes and surely parents are commonly so negligent in instructing their children as that Christ hardly could find any yongling aboue three or foure yeares old of such innocent behauiour of whom he might say Whosoeuer humbleth himselfe as this child and except yee turne and become as children Let vs examine therefore wherein we must be like to children and wherein vnlike First We may not be like to children in ignorance so Paul 1. Cor. 14. 20. In malice be yee children but in vnderstanding men 2. Not like to children in vnconstancie wauering and carried about with euery wind of doctrine 3. Not weake in faith as children which are not able to discerne spirituall things for want of yeares of discretion 4. Not like to children in seeking after vntoward things because their senses are not yet setled our affections are to be set on things which are aboue hauing our conuersation in Heauen and therefore we may not imitate children in eating dirt in padling in the mire The child plaies with the light of the candle till his finger be burnt and so the reprobate-wicked plaies with Hell fier reputing it a fable till at the last he comes to be tormented in that vnquenchable flame The child doth esteeme an apple more then his fathers inheritance so the witlesse worldling prefers things temporall in this life before the things eternall in the kingdome of Heauen In these childish humors and the like we may not be like to children But we must be like children 1. As being mundi corpore sancti animo chast in bodie pure in mind 2. Like to children in obedience for good children stand not reasoning what manner of thing it is that their father commands but instantly they follow his will and word as their rule to work by So faithfull Abraham at Gods commandement was readie to sacrifice his only begotten sonne Isaac he stood not arguing the case the death of my child can doe no good vnto God and it will procure much euill vnto me but rather he thought that it is my father in Heauen who commands and I will obey Hee s loath alas his tender sonne to kill But much more loath to breake his fathers will 3. Like to children in respect of merit for as children can not boast of their owne deseruings against their parents euen so the followers of Christ may not brag of their merits before God but acknowledge themselues to be babes able to doe nothing without his fatherly fauour 4. As little children commit themselues altogether vnto the tuition of their parents and guardians euen so Christians ought to cast all their care on Christ as looking for euery good gift at his hand 5. Like to children as concerning malice both innocentia ignoscentia for as little children being iniured take not any reuēge but only make complaint either to their father or mother euen so when any wrong vs we may not auenge our selues in recompensing euill for euill or rebuke for rebuke but only complaine to God our father in Heauen or to the Church our mother on earth It is written that vengeance belongs vnto God and therefore we must humbly call vpon him in our persecutions as the Prophets did O Lord plead thou my cause with them that striue with me and fight against them that fight against me Giue sentence with me O God defend my cause against vngodly people And Psalme 80. 1. Heare thou sheepheard of Iraell thou that leadest Ioseph like a sheepe shew thy selfe thou that sittest vpon the Cherubims And Psalme 83. 1. Hold not thy tongue O God keepe not still silence refraine not thy selfe for thou Lord hast been our refuge from one generation to another I haue read of a reuerend and religious Archbishop of Mentz who being a long time depraued and in fine depriued of his dignities and office by two corrupt Cardinals his Iudges and a false harted Aduocate his familiar friend out of the bitternesse of his spirit made this appeal from them vnto the Lord of Heauen God knoweth vnto whom all things are naked that I am vniustly condemned yet I will not appeal here from your sentence for that I know yee shall sooner be beleeued in your lying then I am in speaking the truth and therefore I receiue this heauie censure for the rebellions of my youth and other sinnes Neuerthelesse I appeal from your iudgement to the Iudge eternall and only wise which is Christ Iesus before whom I summon you The Cardinals fell into a laughing and said That if he would goe before they would follow It hapned that the poore Bishop hauing withdrawen himselfe into a Monasterie dyed within a yeare and halfe after and the Cardinals hearing thereof in a scoffing manner said one to another that they must goe seeke the Archbishop Now within a few dayes after one of them was bloudily slaine and the other grinding his teeth eat vp his owne hands and dyed mad And lastly the Iudas who betrayed him I meane his false friend placed in his roome was so mortally hated of all men for his sedition and crueltie that being assaulted in a Monasterie he was there butchered and his carcase cast into the towne ditch where lying three dayes all sort of people both men and women vsed all maner of despite vpon it An example verie remarkable teaching vs not to despise one of these little ones because in heauen their angles alway behold the face of our Father which is in Heauen Againe we may complaine to the Church our Mother as in this present Chapter at the 17. verse If thy brother trespassing against thee will not vouchsafe to heare thy selfe alone nor yet thy witnesses and arbitrators Tell it to the Church He that commits his cause
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