will build my Church and hell gates shall not preuaile against it So S. Ambrose fundamentum ecclesiae fides est so Chrysostome vpon this faith and confession I will build my Church fortitudo fidei petra est propter quam Simon dictus est Petrus so Theophylact this confession is the foundation of all such as beleeue so Gregory Nyssen delect testimon ex vet testament de sanct trinit contra Iudeos vpon this rocke that is vpon this confession of me to be the sonne of the liuing God so S. Augustin vpon that which thou hast acknowledged and said I will build my Church so Cyril and Hilarius and other Doctors apud Maldonat in loc In one word Ionas sometime Bishop of Orleance writes peremptorily lib. 3 de cultu imaginum that many yea most expound vpon this rocke to be nothing else but vpon this confession of faith in saying thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God so that I am occasioned here iustly to returne Campians flourish vpon the papist patres admiserit captus est excluserit nullus est Their owne writers in their commentaries vpon this text accord with vs and the fathers about this exposition as namely Hugo Cardinal ord gloss Dio. Carthusia Soarez Epis Conimbricensis Iohan. Arboreus Iohan. Ferus Alphons Tostatus and many moe I conclude this obseruation with Ambrose Christ denyed not to his disciple the grace of this name that he should be called Peter because he had solidity of constancy and stedfastnes of faith of the rocke endeuour therefore that thou mayest also be a rocke seeke the rocke not without thee but within thee thine act is thy rocke thy minde is thy rocke let thine house be built vpon this rocke that it may not be beaten with any stormes of spirituall wickednes faith is thy rocke faith is the foundation of the Church if thou be a rocke thou shalt be in the Church because the Church is vpon a rocke c. Bellarmine being compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses answereth by distinction affirming that faith as it is considered in it selfe is not the foundation of Gods house but as it hath a relation vnto the person of Peter in which assertion he contradicteth himselfe elsewhere both alleadging often and approuing also the saying of Augustine Domus dei credendo fundatur sperando erigitur diligendo perficitur As to make an house saith he cap. 1. cathechis it is needfull first to place the foundation then to raise the walles and last of all to couer it with the roofe and to doe these things there be some instruments necessary so to make in our selues the building of saluation we need the foundation of faith the walles of hope the roofe of charity and the instruments are the most holy Sacraments It is Bellarmines opinion then in that place that faith in abstracto considered without any mention of any relation vnto Peter is the foundation of our iustification and eternall saluation Now the vniuersall Church and euery particular temple of the holy Ghost as Theophylact obserues haue one and the same foundation and that is faith and that faith is not the personall and particular faith of Peter alone for hell gates as Abulensis noteth haue preuailed against it and Lira telleth vs that many Popes haue bin Apostataes and Io. Arboreus confesseth honestly that Romanus pontifex potest esse schismaticus haereticus It is a seely shift of Alanus Copus to say that Peter denyed not the faith of Christ but his faith saued he denied no more then Christ for as reuerend Iewell acutely replies by this pretty tricke a man may haue both Christ without faith and also faith without Christ. The fathers then in making faith the foundation of Gods house meane the common faith of which a confessiō is made here by Peter as the mouth of his fellowes and type of the whole Church it is the Creed of the Apostles and not the singular beleife of Peter only Saint Paul told his Ephesians that they were built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone that is vpon Christ as being the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles vpon that faith and doctrine which the Prophets and Apostles taught in the old and new testament the summe whereof is briefly this that Iesus is that Christ the sonne of the liuing God The same Paul in the same letter affirmes that there is but one Lord and but one faith Vna quoth Aquine ratione obiecti sed diuersa ratione subiecti faith in regard of her especiall obiect is but one because there is but one Lord the sonne of the liuing God but it is diuers in respect of diuers beleeuers all which are Peters and liuing stones in the building of Gods house 1. Pet. 2. 5. If Bellarmine then vnderstand by the faith of Peter that generall faith that was in all the Apostles who did all by Peters mouth confesse the same then are they all by Christs answere made foundation-stones of the Church as well as Peter It is certaine that Christ had his Church from the beginning of the world built vpon the foundation of the Prophets himselfe being the corner stone set vp in the most conspicuous place thereof and a head stone in the very top and highest part of all and therefore he speakes in this text of the continuance and enlarging of his Church among the Gentiles by the ministration of his Apostles Among other contradictions of the Papists it is an axiome receiued in their owne schoole symbolica theologia non est argumentatiua that is we may not fetch an argument in diuinity from allegories and metaphores vnlesse we can elsewhere shew that the same thing is taught in a literal sense but the Papists are not able to produce so much as one Scripture where Peter is expresly called the foundation of the Church ergo to raise his absolute Monarchie vpon the bare metaphor of a rocke is not to build on a firme rocke but vpon the fickle sand how they further oppose the fathers and Aegiptian-like fight one against another in their expositions of this place see Doctor Fulke in loc D. Sutlif de Rom. pon lib. 2. cap. 2. 3. 4. D. Morton Apolog cat part 2. lib. 5. cap. 21. 22. M. Mason tract of consecration lib. 4. cap. 2. but especially Causabon exercit 15. ad annal eccles Baron where you shall find euery word of this our text examined most exactly The Epistle ACTS 11. 27. In those dayes came Prophets from the City of Hierusalem vnto Antioch c. THe contents of this text are dearth and death the dearth is generall a great dearth thorough out all the world the death is particular of one person only to wit of Iames the brother of Iohn whose memory we celebrate this day In the
their tentes about vs and keepe vs in all our wayes Indeed God is able to defend vs himselfe by himselfe thorough his immediate concourse which he hath in all things but to manifest his abundant loue to men which are wormes and rottennes and mere vanity he doth inioyne the pages of his honour princes of his court euen his glorious Angels to become messengers and Ministers for their sakes who shal be heires of saluation that all the time of this life in the houre of death and in the day of iudgement The good which Angels procure to the Saints in this life concerneth either the body or the soule as for the body these ministring spirits attend vs euen from the beginning of our dayes vnto the end most carefully performing all manner of offices appertaining necessarilie to the preseruation of our temporall life When Agar cast out of Abrahams family wandered in the wildernes an Angel appeared vnto her and aduised her to returne to her mistresse and to humble her selfe vnder her hands the reuenging Angels caught and carried Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrha before they did burne those Cities with fire and brimstone Abraham as being assured of the protection of Gods Angels in all his wayes said vnto his seruant the Lord God of heauen who tooke me from my fathers house c. will send his Angel before thee when Iacob feared his brother Esau hee met Angels comming vnto him and thereupon he did acknowledge that they should be his guard in his iourney saying this is Gods host an Angel appeared vnto Duke Iosua when he was about to sacke Iericho with a drawen sword in his hand as a captaine to fight for Israel an Angel comforted and fed Elias when he fled from Iezebel an Angel deliuered the three children out of the fierie furnace Dan. 3. An Angel assisted Daniel in the Lyons denne and kept him also from all manner of hurt Dan. 6. An Angel directed Ioseph to flie into Egypt An Angel ministred vnto Christ in his heauines and in our present text the Lords Angel brought Peter out of prison and deliuered him out of the hands of Herod and from all the waiting of the people of the Iewes Angels procure good vnto the soules of the faithfull illuminando confortando saith Aquine because they be maintainers and furtherers of the true worship of God and of all good meanes whereby saluation is attained The law was deliuered in mount Sina by the hands of Angels an Angel expounded vnto Daniel the 70. weekes an Angel forbids Iohn to worship him and inioyneth him to worship God the creatour of heauen and earth an Angel declared the will of God vnto father Abraham that he should not kill his sonne Isaac an Angel reuealed the mystery of Christs conception vnto the Virgin his mother of Christs birth vnto certaine shepheards in the field attending their flockes by night Luke 2. 10. Of Christs resurrection vnto Mary Magdalen and other deuout women Mat. 28. 5. In a word Angels are pursiuants harbingers and Heralds betwixt heauen and earth alwayes in a readines to make knowne the will of God vnto men In the houre of death Angels conuey the soules of the faithfull as they did the soule of Lazarus into blessed Abrahams bosome And in the day of iudgement they shall gather together all Gods elect from the foure windes and from the one end of heauen vnto the other that they may come before Christ and enter into the fruition of eternall glory both in body and soule The vse of this doctrine is manifold 1. It serues to terrifie the wicked who despise Gods children for so Christ himselfe reasoneth Mat. 18. 10. Despise not one of these little ones because I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alway behold the face of my father It behoues reuiling scoffers therfore to take heed whoÌ„ they mocke for though happily good men called little ones in respect of their innocency and humility for their parts are content to put vp abuses and iniuries yet their Angels may take iust reuenge by smiting them as they did Herod in this Chapter with heauy punishments for their offences 2. This may teach vs humility for if Angels high and holy serue vs let vs not thinke it any bad or base dutie to serue one another in loue 3. Wee may learne from hence to behaue our selues in open and in secret places after a reuerent and seemely manner as being spectacles vnto glorious Angels which are witnesses and obseruers of all our words and deeds To this purpose Paul saith that the woman ought to haue power on her head because of the Angels That is not onely the Ministers of the Church but Gods heauenly Angels which daily wait vpon his children and guard them in all their waies 4. This ought to stirre vs vp vnto the Lords praise saying with Dauid Lord what is man that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou shouldest so regard and guard him Alas all flesh is grasse and man is like a thing of nought yet behold if hee truely loue God all things are for his good for God is his father the Church his mother Christ his brother the holy Ghost his comforter Angels his attendants all other creatures his subiects the whole world his Inne and heauen his home I will end this obseruation with a meditation of S. Augustine O Lord thou makest thy spirits messengers for my sake to whom thou hast giuen charge ouer me to keepe me in all my waies that I hurt not my foote against a stone For these are the watchmen ouer the walles of the new Hierusalem and of the mountaines about the same which attend and keepe watch ouer the flocke lest he as a Lion make a prey of our soules while there is none to deliuer he I meane that old serpent our aduersary the diuell who walketh about as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure These Citizens of Hierusalem aboue walke with vs in all our wayes they goe in and out with vs diligently considering how godly and how honestly we doe walke in the midst of a naughty and crooked generation how earnestly wee seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of with what feare and trembling we doe serue â—…hee and how our hearts reioyce in thee O Lord those which labour they strengthen those which rest they protect such as fight they encourage they crowne such as ouercome they reioyce with such as reioyce such I meane as reioyce in thee and they suffer with such as suffer I say with such as suffer for thy names sake great is the care which they haue of vs and great is the affection of their loue toward vs and all this for the honour of thine inestimable good will
it is apparant by comparing Mat. 27. 56. with Marke 15. 40. Was Solome the sister as some thinke of Ioseph husband vnto the blessed Virgine mother of Christ. Her sonnes were Iames and Iohn Iames the greater so called for that he was elected an Apostle before Iames the sonne of Alpheus otherwise stiled Iames the lesse Or Iames the greater because he was more familiar and great with his master Christ then that other Iames for as we read in the Gospels history Iesus suffered none of his Apostles to see his transfiguration or the raising of Iairus daughter from the dead save Peter and Iames and Iohn or Iames the greater for that hee was endued with great courage to drinke first of Christs cup and to become the first Martyr of all the 12. Apostles his brother Iohn was the Disciple whom Iesus loued who leaned on his masters breast at supper vnto whose care Iesus on the crosse commended his mother Iohn 19. 27. These two moue their mother to moue their master for their aduancement it was she who came worshipping Christ and desiring c but it was by the suggestion and instigation of her ambitious children And therefore Christ in his answere said not thou knowest not what thou doest aske but ye know not addressing his speech vnto the sonnes so well as to the mother and indeed Saint Marke reports expresly that they came to Christ in their owne name to make this suite they did vse the mediation of their mother happily that if Christ in any sort misliked the request it might be thought a fond womans errour if approued then it might be granted easily to a mother earnestly suing for her sonnes Now saith our text when the ten heard this they disdained at the two brethren all the twelue were faulty two sinned in ambition and tenne in enuie Isti quoth Anselm ambitiosi illi inuidiosi vtrique tamen nobis profuerunt Iames and Iohn were carnall in their pride the rest as carnall in their malice yet we may reape benefit by them all For here we may see that euen the best men haue their infirmities and they be recorded in holy Bible for our learning that we might neither presume because the chiefe Saints haue had their slippes nor yet despaire because Christ himselfe forgiues them inioyneth other also to strengthen them If a man be ouertaken in a fault ye which are spirituall restore such an one in the spirit of meekenes considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted In the manner of Solomes suing obserue the time when and how she sued then came the mother of Zebedeus children c. That is after Iesus had tooke his Disciples apart in the way to Hierusalem and had said vnto them as you may read in the words a little before this text Behold we goe vp to Hierusalem and the sonne of man shall be deliuered vnto the chiefe Priests and vnto the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death and shall deliuer him vnto the Gentiles to mocke to scourge and to crucifie but the third day shall he rise againe When the sonnes of Zebedeus heard this instantly they conceiued that Christ after his resurrection would restore the kingdome of Israel and so reigne as a Monarch in this present world Wherefore they thought it a fit time now to make some motion for their promotion in his kingdome namely that one might sit at his right hand and the other on his left in glory For the better effecting whereof their mother Solome commeth vnto Christ and worshippeth him and desireth c. Ambitious wretches as S. Iude speaketh in his Epistle haue the persons of men in admiration for aduantage till they receiue they kisse their hands and humble their voyce So long as they be mendicant they be Fryers obseruant what will they not say what will they not doe to serue their owne turnes the mother here comes worshipping and fawning and her sonnes flattering and lying for in the iudgement of many learned Doctors they did answere rashly we are able Christ himselfe was afraid to drinke of this cup O my father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt It is enough for the Disciple to be as his master is and the seruant as his Lord Mat. 10. 25. If Iames and Iohn had aduisedly considered of the businesse they would not haue giuen a peremptory possumus but haue rather answered in the words of Paul of our selues we are not sufficient all our sufficiency is of God able to doe all things thorough the helpe of Christ who strengtheneth vs. Ambition is charities ape for as loue for verity so ambition for vanity suffreth all things beleeueth all things hopeth all things endureth all things An ingenious man assuredly makes a parenthesis of his good nature whilest he runneth ambitious courses he seldome or neuer returnes to himselfe and true sense till his suites end For he must if hee will vnderstand his trade turne Gnatho pleasing euery mans humor as a reed shaken with euery winde blowing hot and cold out of the same mouth holding dissimulation and impudence commendable vertues in a word making preferment his God and Mammon his mediatour Grant that these my two sonnes Solome seemes here to beg of Christ for her children especially three things Ease riches honour Ease that they may sit Riches in thy kingdome Honour one on thy right hand and the other on thy left hand that is next vnto thy selfe and before the rest of their fellowes on each hand first it is ordinarily seene that mothers are more fond in their loue and more solicitous in their care for their children then fathers are can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe the reason hereof as Aristotle teacheth vs is twofold 1. Because mothers are best assured that their children are their owne 2. Because mothers endure more paines then fathers in breeding in bearing and in bringing vp of their babes honour thy father that begat thee said Solomon and thy mother that bare thee that bare thee nine moneths in her wombe twelue moneths in her armes many yeares in her heart Illa te diu portauit in vterâ—… diu aluit difficiliores infantiae mores blanda pietate sustinuit lauit pannorum sordes immundâ—… saepe foedata est stercore c. Wherefore though a father in respect of his dignity being principium generationis nostrae per modum agontis is to be loued more then our mother as being rather principium per modum patientis materiae yet our mother as Phalaris aduiseth is to be reuerenced so much if not more then our sire for her affectionate tender care S. Augustine writes of his mother Monica maiori
he saw Peter weeping and with the same eyes he saw Nathanaell vnder the fig-tree Now the greatnesse of his exceeding rich mercies is amplified here by circumstances of the person and of the place and of the time By circumstance of person he saw and called Matthew a rich man a couetous rich man a couetous rich man in a corrūpt office Matthew the Publican Other Euangelists in relating this history cals him leui but he cals himselfe by that name he was best knowne he confessed his fault and acknowledged his folly stiling himselfe Matthew the Publican And this he did vnto Gods glory for the greater was his misery the greater was his Sauiours mercy the children of Israel payed no custome before their captiuity wherefore toll-gatherers as being subiect to many foule extorsions and oppressions were most odious officers among the Iewes in so much as Publicans and notorious malefactors are coupled vsually together in the gospell as if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be to thee as an heathen man and a Publican and Mat. 21. 31. Verily I say vnto you that the Publicans and the harlots shall goe before you into the kingdome of God and Luke 15. 1. Then resorted vnto him all the Publicans and sinners and in our present text why eateth your master with Publicans and sinners So that Publicans are ioyned sometime with heathens sometime with harlots alway with sinners But the goodnes of Christ is amplifyed more by circumstances of place and time for that he called Matthew sitting at the receit of custome he called Peter and Andrew while they were fishing Iames and Iohn while they were mending their nets hee called other while they were doing some good but O the deepenes of the riches of Christs vnspeakeable mercies hee called Matthew when he was doing hurt executing his hatefull office sitting at the receit of custome There be three degreees in sinne mentioned Psalm 1. 1. The first is walking in the counsell of the vngodly the second is standing in the way of sinners the third is sitting in the seat of the scornefull now Matthew the Publican had proceeded Doctor in his faculty he was seated in the chaire sitting at the receit of custome the which is worse then either walking in the counsell of the vngodly or standing in the way of sinners Hence we may learne not to despaire of other much lesse of our selues not of other albeit they be neuer so couetous misers and great oppressors Indeed Christ said it is easier for a Camel or as other read for a cable to goe thorough the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God but he doth adde withall and say with man this is impossible but with God all things are possible He can vn-twine a cable rope in euery cord and thred and so drawe it thorough the eye of a needle he can vndoe the cordes of vanity and cart-ropes of iniquity which hold couetous men from him and so make them as he did here Matthew to follow him He did vntwine Zacheus when he said behold Lord halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him fourefold and so Zacheus notwithstanding his Camels backe that is in former time his prodigious wealth entred into the straite gate of heauen And let no man euer despaire of himselfe seeing Christ called Matthew when he was doing of euill and the thiefe on the crosse Luke 23. when he was suffering for euill According to his name so is his praise Iesus is his name and he is a sauiour of his people comming into this world as hee protesteth and proueth in this Scripture not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance In Matthewes obedience to Christs call obserue with Ardens a threefold abrenunciation 1. Of his wickednes he arose namely from his old vnconscionable course vnto newnes of life 2. Of his wealth he left all Luke 5. 28. 3. Of his will he followed him and that as one writes celeriter laetanter conuenienter perseueranter 1. He followed Christ immediatly without delay for assoone as Christ had said follow me forthwith he arose and followed him 2. He followed Christ cheerefully without any murmuring or disputing who should execute his office or looke to his account It was in the worlds eye a great folly to leaue such a gainefull occupation a greater folly to forsake that which he had already got and the greatest of all to follow him who was so poore that he wanted a nest and an hole where to rest his head Mat. 8. 20. Yet Matthew beholding his Sauiour with eyes offaith and looking not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene simply and cheerefully followed him and in token hereof as Saint Luke reportes hee made him a great feast in his owne house 3. Matthew followed Christ conueniently because he left all and followed him all his worldly busines all his vnconscionable gaines all his corrupt affections and whatsoeuer hindred him in the way to God And herein he dealt not as prophane Porphirius and Iulian obiect vnaduisedly to forsake all things and to follow one which had nothing for Matthew doubtles had before seene many myracles of Christ and at this present he was also drawen by the holy spirit according to that of our Sauiour no man can come to me except the father which hath sent me drawe him And this spirit assured his spirit that Christ as God is all sufficient and a rewarder of such as seeke him and come vnto him Here the Gospell and Epistle meete Paul preached not the word for worldly gaine Matthew left all and followed Christ. He did not abandon all his estate for hee feasted Christ in his owne house but hee was willing to leaue the whole world to gaine that good which hee could neither prodere nor perdere 4. Matthew followed Christ constantly being first a Disciple then an Apostle afterward an Euangelist and last of all a Martyr as a Disciple he heard the Gospell of Christ as an Apostle he preached the Gospell of Christ as an Euangelist hee wrote the Gospell of Christ as a Martyr he suffered for the Gospell of Christ. He was not only a Disciple but an Apostle numbred among the twelue preaching the Gospell in Iudea and Aethiopia for I remember one saith of him Aethiopiam nigram doctrinâ fidei fecit candidam And that hee might preach vnto the whole world after his death he penned the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ c. In which as Euseb. Emisen obserueth he makes a great feast vnto Christ and that in sundry respects as 1. His Gospell is great as being written in Hebrewe the most ancient and most holy tongue 2. Great as being the
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
conuersation is in Heauen Albeit the deuill and his associats besiege Gods elect euery day yet they finde in them no resting place their dwelling is among the reprobate wicked according to that of S. Matthew When the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh thorow out drie places seeking rest and findes none then he saith I will returne into mine house from whence I came and when he is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished then he goeth and taketh vnto him seauen other spirits worse then himselfe and they enter in and dwell there and the end of this man is worse then the beginning The Deuill is cast out of Heauen into the earth as in the text following that is into men of earthly minds who go vpon their bellies and eat dust all the dayes of their life The Deuill is cast out of the Temple into the court which is without the Temple that is out of the bounds of the Church among the Gentiles and such as know not God or else knowing God glorifie him not as God Rom. 1. 21. professing that they know God but deny him in their workes Tit. 1. 16. In these who mind earthly things Satan ruleth and worketh as their God and prince I heard a loud voyce saying in Heauen is now made saluation Here begins the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or victoriall hymne for the loud voyce from Heauen is nothing else but the publique consent of the faithfull in magnifying the mercies of God toward them in their fight against the Dragon and his angels And this conquest is tearmed in respect of men Saluation in respect of God the strength of his kingdome and the power of his Christ. Where Satan and sinne reigne there destruction is at hand for the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. But when once Satan is cast out and the word of God which is the sauing Gospell and the word of life dwelleth in vs plenteously then as Christ said vnto Zacheus saluation is come to our house It is tearmed the power of Christ and strength of Gods kingdome because this euidently sheweth his might and Maiestie So the Text following They ouercame the Dragon by the bloud of the Lambe Christ fighteth in vs and for vs and thorough his help we are able to doe all things euen to cast out Satan and to cast downe holdes and whatsoeuer is exalted against the knowledge of God 2. Cor. 10. 4. So that we may triumph and say with Paul Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that iustifieth Who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea rather that is risen againe who is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs And 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law but thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie thorough our Lord Iesus Christ. And by the word of their testimonie the bloud of the Lambe that is the death of Christ our paschall lambe is the chiefe cause of this one victorie but Faith is the hand and instrument applying the merits of Christ and opposing them against all the dangerous assaults of the dragon For when that common informer and accuser of his brethren shall accuse thee before God for breaking his Lawes as in many things all of vs offend then thou maiest answere The bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne and there is no condemnation vnto those which are in Christ he so loued me that he died for my sinnes and rosâ—… againe for my iustification All that is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is the victorie that ouercommeth the world and the prince of this world euen our Faith 1. Iohn 5. 4. See Epistle Sun 1. after Easter And therefore Paul aduiseth the Christian souldiour aboue all other weapons in the spirituall war-fare to put on Faith Aboue all take the shield of Faith wherewith yee may quench all the fierie darts of the deuill Ephes. 6. 16. See Epistle Sun 21. after Trinitie Now for as much as it is not sufficient vnto saluation to beleeue with thine heart vnlesse thou likewise confesse with thy mouth It is said here that the souldiours of Christ ouercame the dragon by Faith in the Lambs bloud and by the word of their testimonie And for as much as a true Faith is neuer idle but alway manifesting it selfe by good workes it is added in the next clause they loued not their lines vnto the death as who would say they were willing to sacrifice their loues and their liues in the quarrell of Christ against the Dragon and his Angels they remembred the words of their Generall he that loueth his life shall loose it and he that giueth his life in this world shall keepe it to life eternall and who soeuer shall loose his life for my sake and the Gospell he shall saue it The Gospell MAT. 18. 1. At the same time â—…ame the Disciples vnto Iesus saying who is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen THere be two parts of this text 1. A question verse 1. wherein obserue 1. When it was asked at the same time 2. By whom the Disciples 3. Of whom they came vnto Iesus 4. What who is the greatest in the kingdome c. 2. An answere to the same verse 2. 3. c. The summe whereof is briefly this he that in Christs Church is most seruant is the greatest and he that is most Lordly the least or he that is least in his owne conceit is the greatest in Gods eye the least in this kingdome of heauen which is present shall be the greatest in that kingdome of heauen which is to come The which one point is pressed by the great Doctor of humility with a great deale of earnestnes for 1. as S. Marke reportes he sat downe 2. He called the twelue 3. When they were called together hee taught them by spectacle to their eye so well as by precept to their eare he set a childe in the midst of them and said 4. He vsed a vehement asseueration verily I say vnto you 5. A commination except ye turne and become aâ—… children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen At the same time the occasion of this question among the Disciples as Hierom and other learned Doctors write was vpon emulation toward Peter whom alone they saw preferred before the rest in the payment of the tribute by these words of Christ in the former Chapter at the last verse that take and pay to them for me and thee But S. Marke relates Chap. 9. verse 34. that this contention began in the way before they came into the house where Christ appointed Peter to pay tribute
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
dearth obserue 1. Gods iustice in punishing the wicked with a dearth and that a great dearth and that through out the world 2. Gods mercy in preseruing the godly foretelling it by his Prophet Agabus and so consequently preuenting the rage of it by the prouident care and charitable contributions of Disciples and brethren In the death obserue the Murtherer Herod the King Martyr Iames the brother of Iohn Matter or cause why for that he was of the Church Manner with the sword Dearth is one of Gods foure sore iudgements Ezechiel 14. 21. Barrennes of the ground is a maine string of his whip against sinne when saith he the land sinneth against me by committing a trespasse then I will stretch out mine hand vpon it and will breake the staffe of the bread thereof and will send famine vpon it If ye will not obey me nor hearken vnto my commandements I will make your heauen as iron and your earth as brasse your strength shall be spent in vaine neither shall your land giue her increase neither shall the trees of the land giue their fruit Famine then is brought vpon a kingdome by Gods appointment and that for the sinnes of the land and surely Saint Luke points at the causes of this vniuersall dearth in saying it came to passe in the dayes of Claudius Caesar. For by the worlds Emperour we may iudge much of the worlds estate the vices of Princes first infect the nobles and then afterward the nobles infect the gentlemen and the gentlemen in fine corrupt the commons qualis rex talis grex such prince such people It is reported of this Claudius that he did indulgere conuiuijs concubitibus effusissimè growing thorough his intemperance so dull and vnfit for any good seruice that his mother vsed to say he was a monster of men a worke of nature begun but not finished he got his Empire by corrupting the souldiers and during his reigne he serued his belly committing all vncleannes euen with greedines no maruaile then if the Lord sent a dearth in the dayes of Claudius no wonder if he denyed the fruites of the ground vnto such a drunken and dissolute generation in our age moe then one Claudius reignes there be many Kings of good fellowes in the world drunkennes domineers in euery place the country village not excepted abusing the manifold blessings of God in wantonnes and idlenes and therefore wee may feare iustly that the Lord ere it be long will send some great dearth among vs as hee did in the dayes of our forefathers he hath already whet his sword and bent his bow and prepared his arrowe to shoote at vs he hath in these latter yeares turned our winters into sommers and our sommers into winters so that whereas Christ said the haruest is great and the labourers are few we contrariwise the labourers are many but the haruest is little he hath in the spring nipped the fruites of our trees and in autumne taken away the flockes of our sheepe hee hath also cursed our basket and our dough in so much as the poore haue long felt a dearth and the rich also begin to feare a famine the which is the most grieuous of all the foure sore iudgements of God for the noysome beasts and the sword kill in a moment but there be many lingring deaths in a dearth as the Prophet in his lamentations they that be slaine with the sword are better then they that be killed with hunger and to the same purpose Vegetius ferro saeuior fames And as for the pestilence there was alwayes in nature so well as in name so great affinity betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as Physitians and experience daily teach after a great dearth ordinarily there followeth a great plague because men in a scarsity of victuals are constrained out of necessity to feed on vnwholsome and vnsauory meates in holy Bible we find example that extreame hunger made mothers murtherers and so turned the sanctuary of life into the shambles of death Lamentat 4. 10. The hands of pitifull women haue sodden their owne children which were there meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people Famine then as S. Basile termeth it is the top of all humane calamities for whereas the noysome beasts and the sword and the pestilence make quicke dispatch out of misery fames diutiùs malum ocyùs torquet lentiùs tabefacit sensim occidit In this great dearth it is certaine that the godly suffered among the wicked the good among the bad the beleeuing Christians among vnbeleeuing Gentiles the Church of Antioch as we read in the former part of this present Chapter endued with many notable graces and adorned with this eminent honour that the Disciples were first called Christians in Antioch is afflicted now with a grieuous dearth I say now when her goods were partly taken away by the rage of persecution and partly giuen away to releiue the poore brethren all the world was infested with this dearth and the Church in these respects more then all other of the world Now the reasons are manifold why God suffers his owne people to be crossed 1. To bridle the lust of our flesh that wee should not be condemned with the world 2. To teach vs patience saying with holy Iob shall we receiue good at the hand of God and shall we not receiue euill 3. To shew that he is as well able to deliuer vs in aduersity as to keepe vs in prosperity Psalm 37. 19. The godly shall not be confounded in the perillous time and in the dayes of dearth they shall haue enough So wee finde here that God in his anger remembring mercy comforted his Church in this vniuersall hunger-rot ouer all the world first in foretelling it and afterward by stirring vp the charitable mindes of good people to preuent the furiousnes of it as wel in themselues as in other he foretold this famine for surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secret vnto his seruants the Prophets He foretold the flood vnto Noe the destruction of Sodome to father Abraham and righteous Lot the dearth in Egypt vnto Ioseph Gen. 41. And here the Prophet Agabus not by starre-gazing or figure-flinging or coniuâ—…ing or any curious arte but by the spirit signified that there should be great dearth thorough out al the world which also came to passe in the dayes of Claudius the Emperour It is obiected here which is said Mat. 11. 13. All the Prophets and the law prophesied vnto Iohn how then could there be Prophets in this age to this obiection answere is made that the meaning of those words is that Christ is the end of the law and the Prophets and so consequently their office who prophesied hee should come was at an end when Iohn the Baptist