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
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
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