made himselfe strong against the Almightie Iob. 15.25 This will further appeare by conferring but the backe parts of Gods Maiestie with mans vnworthinesse and the severitie of the Iudge with the respectlesse presumption of the offender For seeing that every sinne is to bee esteemed according to the worth of the partie against whom it is committed as the same injurie offered to a pesant and a Prince standeth not in the same degree hence it followeth that the disobeying of an infinite Commander is an infinite offence and consequently deserueth a correspondent punishment And howsoeuer an vnwise man doth not well consider this Psal 92.6 and a foole doth not vnderstand it yet certainely that is most true which is obserued by one out of Saint Augustine that in every sinne wee commit as also in all other elections there is ballanced as it were in the scales of our reason here an Omnipotent Lord commanding for our eternall good and there a deadly enemie alluring to our vtter destruction Where notwithstanding such is our damnable ingratitude and malicious stupidity wee will fully reject the Lord of life and preferre a murderer Act. 3.14 Lam. 1.12 Haue yee no regard all yee that passe this way behold and see whom yee dayly pierce and then tell mee what disgrace may bee viler then this or punishment too heavy for such a contempt The incomprehensible Ancient of daies Almighty Iehovah who made all things of nothing by his Word and by the same can reduce them to worse then nothing againe whose looke drieth vp the Deepes and whose wrath maketh the Mountaines to melt the Earth to tremble the Rocks to rent the Heavens to shiuer Divels and Angels to quake before him Before whom all Kings are as Grashoppers all Monarchs as Molehils all beauty base all strength feeble all knowledge vaine all light dimme all goodnesse imperfect in such a case with such an opposite by such a creature as man is so extraordinarily graced by him to bee weighed as Belshazzar Dan. 5.27 in the ballance and found too light This is that which vrgeth his mercy and kindleth his Royall indignation Sometimes as it were passionately to expostulate Ier. 2.32 What iniquitie haue your Fathers found in me Or haue I beene a wildernesse vnto Israel or a land of darknesse Then to exclaime Heare O heauens and hearken O earth for the Lord hath said I haue brought vp children Esay 1.2 and they haue rebelled against me And goe to the Iles of Chittim and behold and send to Kedar Ier. 2.10.11 hath any nation changed their gods which yet are no Gods But my people hath changed their glory for that which hath no profit Last of all if a man will not turne hee will whet his sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ezehiel ingeminateth A sword a sword both sharp four bished Chap. 21.9 and the strings of his Bow make ready against the face of the rebellious Psal 21.12 Thus saith the Lord God of Hosts the mighty one of Israel Ah Esaiah 1.24 I will ease me of mine adversaries avenge me of mine enemies All which doth iustifie God in his saying and cleare him when he is iudged Psal 51.4 Mat. 10.30 For as his Providence numbreth our haires so doth his Iustice our sinnes whereof as none is so waighty without finall impenitency that may not be forgiuen So none so slight if hee once enter into judgement that waigheth not downe to hell 5 This may be a caveat for vs Beloued first to beware of the leauen of the Romish Synagogue who frame indulgences for Gods law come with peace peace when death is in the pot Which that we may the more vnderstandingly deeme of it shall not be amisse to touch a little on the positions of their chiefest patrons In which I intend to bee exceeding breefe as ayming rather at our owne reconciling with God then quarrelling with such obstinate adversaries Lib. 1. c. 2. Laethalia quae ho minem planè avertâ—nt à Deo Venialia quae nonnihil impediunt cursum ad Deum non tâ—men ab eo avertunt facili negotio expiantuâ— c. Lib. 1. de Amission grat statu peccat cap. 14. Bellarmine de amissione gratiae statu peccati besides other foure divisions of sin which hee there relateth hath this for the fifth which hee onely standeth vpon throughout that whole booke Of sinne saith hee some are deadly and divert a man wholy from God others veniall which hinder him onely a little and those hee tearmeth not so ab eventu with Saint Ambrose and Augustine because it pleaseth God in mercy vpon repentance through Christ to pardon them as Wickliffe Luther Calvin most strongly ever maintained against the Schoolemen but ex natura sua ratione peccati being such as crosse not charity so in their nature vt si vellet Deus non condonare it is the very vpshot of the booke before cited that if God would not pardon them but as it were in iustice doe his worst Poenom temporalem tantùm non autem sempiternamexigere possit hee could punish them no further then with temporall afflictions They stand with perfect charity saith a In 4 sent dist 17. Scotus Remitted they may be without any infusion of grace as Gregorius de Valentia the Iesuite peremptorily defineth they make vs not spotty or odious b Tom. 4. disp 7. in the sight of God according to the gentle c Censura Colomienfis censure of the Divines of Collaine therefore deserue not hel but Purgatory if d In quartum sent d. 21. q 1. Aquinas may be beleeued And to make it yet more plaine how bold they can bee with Gods Iustice Wee need not repent for them saith Andradius with Bonaventure in his fift book of the defence of the Councel of Trent neither say to God Forgiue vs our trespasses as the Rhemists would father on Saint Augustine at the 8. verse of the 7. chapter of the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romans When God had giuen a Command to Adam Gen. 2.17 Of the Tree of knowledge of good evill thou shalt not eate for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Cap. 3.4 the Serpent comes with a couÌ„termand Yee shall not dye at all as though Gods meaning and his words had beene cleane contradictory And is not this the dealing of our Adversaries in this present controversie For if every one be accursed that fulfilleth not all the Commandements Levit. 26.14 all his ordinances Deut. 28.15 whatsoeuer is written Gal. 3.10 if hee violate the first and greatest Commandement Mat. 22.37 who loueth not God with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his minde And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Ioh. 3.4 every the most insensible staggering as Calvine soundly vrgeth commeth within the compasse of one of these circumstances what presumption is it then in any
bee therefore no other as the Monke sayd truely but perversly applyed then God foreses wee shall bee yet we foreseeing not what God foreseeth may rather resolue that he foresees rather the good he hath alotted for vs then the harme we haue deserued Last of all it is a poore excuse Beloued for our perversnesse or lazinesse to say wee haue not free-will by nature when we haue a freed will by grace or to complayne of an eventuall necessity that particularly involueth not vs. Necessary it is that scandalls should come but that they come by thee or me it is not to our knowledge necessary So if heresies must needs bee must we therefore be the men to bring them in Nay may wee not rather bee the men to stoppe and oppose them or turne them out againe This will the easier bee brought about if we obserue their connection with Schisme how the one makes way for the other The second circumstance that followes heeresies necessity 8. For there must bee also Heresies Many Interpreters of good note will haue divisions in the former verse and heresies in this to be all one But the words are diverse in the originall and the things may bee differenced And the connection of the text giues ground for the difference I heare sayth our Apostle there be divisions amongst you and I partly belieue it then hee goes further For there must bee also heresies which is somewhat more and worse then Schisme Mervaile not therefore at Schismes in a Church when there may be must bee also heresies It will bee the comfort and credit of those that constantly stand to the truth whosoeuer bee in the fault to keepe themselues blamelesse It is a knowne policy of Satan from small sparkes to rayse combustions and vnder a pretence of zeale to goodnesse to convey in the greatest evills To what a plunge were the Apostles themselues put by the Iewes converted to Christianity who remayned notwithstanding zealous for the obseruing of Moses law And most commonly it falleth out that they which beginne in Schisme end at length in heresies And the reason is not obscure They hugge and applaud their owne conceipts without reference to the vnity of the Church the approbation of their lawfull superiours or advise of their brethren perchance of more experience and riper iudgment then themselues And so become their owne teachers which he that relies too much vpon may happily at length perceiue that he hath gotten a foole to his Master 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9 The manifold heresies which haue pestered God Church ever since our Saviours ascension howsoeuer other rang thē otherwise may be reduced as I conceiue conveniently to these 4. heads Pelagianisme Manicheisme Arianisme and Donatisme The first opposeth Gods word the 2 his essence 3 his grace and the 4 his Church To all which Schismes more or lesse haue ever beene the harbingers Manicheus tooke vantage of the distractions that Phylosophy bred amongst Christians Arius would needes be an heretique to vent his spleene against Alexander Bishop of Alexandria Pelagius had a conceipt that too much dependance vpon Gods grace might disparage his wit by reason whereof afterward he oppugned the calling of Bishops And who knowes not how the Donatists sprung and spred from a paltry Schisme Heresis est schisma inveteratum August Vid. Par. in locum about chusing of Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage But to let passe these remote matters may we not obserue and come nearer home how Schisme hath begotten heresies heresie vnchristian hatred hatred open war warre depopulations and combustions that whole Christendome at this day groaneth vnder How seldome shall wee finde a rent in the Church that stayeth where it began much lesse closeth together of its owne accord Our new Donatists proue quickly Anabaptists or Enthusiasts Our new Manichee's Atheists Our new Pelagians somewhat worse then old Arians beginne to incorporate themselues with the Socinians These put together what former heretiques held in severall and vent it vnderhand amongst vs to the staggering and scandall of the weaker The greater ought to be your piety wisdome and vigilancy Beloved whom God hath set at the sterne to see that the ship doe not miscarry For a litle hole neglected may drowne the greatest vessells a litle sparke fire a whole City and a litle leaven corrupt the whole lumpe S. Augustine in his 1. tract vpon Iohn Pag. 12. hath a story of a conference by a catholique troubled with flyes whom a Manichee thus takes the vātage of Who doest thou think sayd the Manichee made these flyes that so molest thee The fly-bitten honest-man being angry and waspish would not say God made them whatsoeuer he thought Well sayth the Manichee if God made them not who then The Divell I thinke sayth the other If so sayth the Manichee who made the Bee he could not chuse but grant the same workeman for the affinity of the worke From a Bee then hee brings him a Locust from a Locust to a Lizard from a Lizard to a bird from a bird to a sheepe from thence to an oxe thence to an elephant at last to a man and so perswaded a man from such a triviall beginning that God never made him Let not therefore Beloued these matters of religion seeme petty in your eyes which may giue way at length to such dangerous consequences It is not for Sampson to sleepe when the Philistines be vpon him Ier. 7.4 nor for vs to cry the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord our doctrine and discipline is vnquestionable our peace and prosperity vnder so Orthodoxe and Gratious a King vnalterable the Lord hath made our Hill so strong For it will not be amisse to take this caveat by the way That the Serpent made a shift to get into Paradise Gen. 3. Satan to present himselfe among the Sonnes of God Iob 1.6 Iudas to hold a Bishoppricke amongst the rest of the Apostles Acts 1. Churches Altars and sanctuaryes may priviledge some offenders but not keepe out the offences of factions and heresies For there must be heresies as well as schismes not onely abroad among others but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also among you in the heart of the Church Which points to the nest or seat of heresies my third circumstance 10 There must bee heresies also among you corruptio optimi pessima great men or learned men or good men once falling from their integrity proue worse most commonly then other who had never a tincture of any such eminency Where shall we looke for tares but where they may doe most hurt and where may that bee rather then in the midst of the good seed my heritage is to me sayth God by his Prophet Ieremiah as a freckled bird Ier. 12.9 the birds round about her are against her The like complaint was taken vp before by Isaiah Heare O heaven Is 1.2 and hearken O earth for the Lord hath spoken I haue
these protestations should be performed But what was the issue the Bryer so spread his prickles fild vp the garden that there was no accesse to him without scratching or scarse by his stopping of the passages to any of the other trees I need not adde the morall before so vnderstanding an assembly every one soone apprehends how easie it is for greatnesse to forget from whence it came which is neither from the East nor from the West nor yet from the wildernesse which comprehends North and South but perpendicularly from him that setteth vp one plucketh downe another Psal 75. A hoppe will soone start vp to overlooke the pole by which it climb'd How quickly the braine not vsed to it groweth giddy on a sudden by looking from high place What a churlish answer did Nabal giue to Davids ingenuous Messengers because hee had some pelfe about him 1. Sam. 25. and the other stood in distresse What is David and who is the sonne of Iesse And what are these little ones say our worldlings that such adoe is made about them Senselesse and forgetfull proud man these little ones belong to our Saviours little flocke they carry his Image appertaine to his Court of Wards haue his stamp vpon them therefore must not be despised where favour is expected from him that protects them Hath God made thee great to contemne that which is little Or is it wisedome to make t hem the obiect of thy disdaine who should be fauourably sheltred vnder the shadow of thy protection If all things were well in this behalfe Beloued why is there more respect giuen oftentimes to a beast rather then to our poore Christian brethren Iam. 2. or as S. Iames speaketh to gay cloathing or a whispering Sycophant rather then to a faithful admonisher High buildings had need of a firme foundation and sure buttresses Nabuchadnezzor when he vaunted he had gotten all vpon the sudden lost his wits and degenerated into a beast And wormes will tell Herod he is but a man when applauders would make him beleiue that he spake like a God All this maketh well for little ones when superiours are staued off from contemning them But is all right on the other side with these little ones who take vpon them to be such and beare the world in hand that they are so in very deed This too often is rather desired then found by the most impartiall and syncere inquisitors by reason of the bewitching hypocrisie that beares vp still in the world bids faire to be counted in the list of these litle ones These with Diogenes tread down Plato'es pride but with greater pride in a slyer way with that Abbot looke demurely on the ground till they haue gotten the keyes of the Abbey then advance as pertly as those who are most supercilious 7. Now if the case of these little ones bee so happy as our Saviour here shewes it to be and we are bound to belieue it how comes it about that most are not content with being in the happy case of these little ones but will ever bee tampering to overtop the greatest Surely there is too much of old Adam in most of his posterity For if thy lot be falne in a good ground and thou haue a goodly heritage in the station that God hath set thee what need so much casting about and farther adoe to iustle competitours aside and goe before them Every man is ready enough to censure the fore-mentioned Bryer for his overspreading prickles but who thinks on the Thistle of Lebanon that would needs haue a match betweene his sonne and the Cedar's daughter This parable is Canonicall and therefore I may propose it with the lesse offence and greater confidence it is in the 2. of Chron. the 25. and the 18. You shall haue it in the very words of the text The Thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the Cedar that was in Lebanon saying giue thy daughter to my sonne to wife and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trode downe the Thistle Here you see the match was mar'd and so it often falls out with Hypocriticall little ones who will needs swell with the Toad to be as great as the Oxe and then burst in the midst of their foolish attempt Beloued let every one amend one and then all will be well Preferment may be religiously taken so it be not ambitiously affected or procured by synister meanes Ioseph Daniel and Nehemiah refused it not but improued it to the honour of their Advancers and the advancement of the Church state wherein they liued The greatest therefore in dignity may be little ones by their true humility Little ones by their submission to God though the greatest by commission from God And this is the eminency of goodnesse to be such little great ones or great little ones To compose and set all as it should be If the great may be brought to professe syncerity with David Lord I am not high minded I haue no proud lookes Ps 131. I doe not exercise my selfe in great matters which are too high for me I would not by any meanes despise one of thy little ones but I refraine my soule and keep it low like a child that is weaned from his mother yea my soule is as a weaned child Ps 131. In all humility and submission and singlenesse of heart the little ones on the other side should haue also by heart S. Pauls lesson I knowe how to be abased and I knowe how to abound every where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need For I haue learned in what estate soever I am therewith to be contented Philip. 4.12 12. Last of all let me make but one collection more from this passage and then an end of this point If Superiours are enjoyned to take heed that they despise not one of Gods little ones then a maiori ad minus and so reciprocally a minori ad maius these little ones are likewise bound to respect honour and obey in all submission and syncerity their lawfull superiours But the antecedent is our Saviours Therefore these little ones who expect salvation should make good the consequent They haue a reason to doe it heartily willingly truly by the true faith of a Christian as God helps them and affords them the protection of his holy Angels which reason is giuen here in my text now followes in order to be discussed 8 For I say vnto you that in heaven their Angels doe alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In points of beliefe that which is extraordinary and not heard of before is not lightly to bee receiued without good ground That the Angels in heaven had such especiall charge of litle ones here vpon earth was more then was ever plainely taught before our Saviours comming For as the
the rest of their members past the pikes they passed yet their hearts were continually glad Prov. 15.15 4. This continuall Feast a merry heart affordeth which if we relish not as we ought it argueth some great distemper Surely pleasure is most correspondent to mens nature as our Aristotle tells vs and is attained in the coniunction of the faculty Eth. lib. 7. c. 1. with his desired obiect But where may that obiect be found in this world which shall giue the heart sat is faction The Preacher was wise enough to haue fastened on it if this life had afforded it but his long experience brought him to this short issue that riches and glory and health and beauty and knowledge and applause of all the world are but so many pageants of flitting vanities which are attained most commonly with much travaile and griefe and losse before the heart can take a full survey of them O what a difference may there bee discerned betweene externall delight and this inward gladnesse This is the true Pratum spirituale the spirituall medow the Paradise of the soule that Heaven vpon earth that haven of happinesse which devout men in all ages haue felt and desired Amongst the fruits of the spirit which the Apostle recseoneth Gal. 5. This ioy of the heart is ranged in the first rowe as daughter to loue and sister to peace Corne and wine and oile may affect the labourer Psal 4. but nothing like that gladnesse of heart whih flasheth from the light of Gods countenance Psalme the 4. Meate and drinke may please the appetite of the hungry but the king dome of God consisteth not in such things but in righteousnesse and peace ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. Wherefore as Iehu said to Iehonadab If thy heart bee right as my heart is with thy heart let vs on together in this our Prophets chariot for a farther discovery of this hidden treasure which here is at the tongues end in the second place to be spoken of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5 And my glory reioyced As out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh so the heart shal no sooner indite a good matter but the tongue will be the penne of a ready writer Hee that shall make a doubt why I expresse this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies glory so indifferently by the word tongue may finde it not only in the 72 but also in the Apostles translation Act. 2.26 And the trope is else-where vsuall Gen. 49.6 vnto their assembly my honour or glory be not thou vnited That is God forbid that my tongue should ever approue of Simeons and Levies bloudy fact So Psal the 30.12 how can that be otherwise interpreted then of the tongue My glory shall sing praise to thee and not be silent The reason of this kinde of speech is giuen by some for that the especiall office of the tongue is to set forth Gods glory or that the inward worth of the minde is most commonly vented by speech Moller whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken by others as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of the mind the tongue being the best member and the worst according as it is imployed It is placed as the Anatomists tell vs betweene the Braine Laurent and the Heart that it should faithfully relate the conceits of both And moistened it is with a naturall glibnesse that it sticke not to the roofe of the mouth when the truth should bespoken and on the other extreame lest it should overlash it is kept within its compasse with a gard of teeth That therefore which a bit is for the guiding of a horse or a helme for the stirring a ship the Apostle maketh the tongue to be in regard of the whole body The managing well of this little member is the securing of all the rest If this be once fired from hell it defiles the whole body brings with it a world of iniquity and sets the course of nature in a combustion And how hardly it is reduced to temper when once it hath gotten a habit to be disorderly lavish the Apostle Saint Iames in plaine termes tells vs. Every kinde of beasts saith he and of birds and serpents and things in the sea is tamed and hath beene tamed but the tongue can no man tame it is an vnruly evill full of deadly poyson Therewith blesse we God and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God Seeing then the tongue is so indifferent in it selfe to be abused or well employed why shouldest thou loose it rather to mischiefe saith S. Augustine then restraine it wholly to set forth Gods glory De Nat. Grat. Wilt thou bee choice of thy meates to content thy palate and carelesse of the words which thy tongue shall vtter The Heathen will tell vs that words must be sowen as seed Senec. Ep. 28. not confusedly in heapes for that were wast but distinctly scattered that they may grow and bring forth fruit A River overflowing the bankes and a tongue overlashing gather nothing but filth and durt as a Father makes the resemblance It were easy to exceed in a theme so plentifull God confounded the tongues at Babel for the separating of those Rebels but conferred the gift of tongues in the new Testament for the gathering of all Nations into one Church to glorify one God and those appeared fiery not to sindge the innocēt but to turn all carnall fuell into ashes How should we heare Gods word where there is no tongue to speake Or what communion could there be among the Saints where there wanted vtterance to expresse the hearts consent When the feet are at a stand the hands bound the rest of the members vnwealdy to doe God service happy it is for vs that the tongue is free to glorify him in our selues and expresse to the chearing vp of others what the heart thinketh 6 But it too often falleth out Beloued that this glory will be wanting when the heart is otherwise ingaged and the tongue be pratling of that which the mind never conceited Nat. Hist l. 6. c. 30. Pliny tells vs of some farre in the East that had no tongues at all And Diodorus Siculus of others Hist l. 2. c. 1. toward the South that had two tongues in one mouth so distinctly parted that at one and the same instant they could oppose and answere What credit is to be given to such relations I need not admonish but better perchance it were to haue no tongue at all then a heart and a tongue deceitefully divided and the gladnesse or griefe of the one not expressed but dissembled in the other What should I speake of the grosse flattery or virulent backbiting or open railing or corrupt communication or that which is worst of all the impudent lying and damnable swearing and blaspheaming of these degenerate times which a Christian heart trembleth to conceiue and the
mystery and wisdome of God in mans redemption was imparted to principallities and powers V. 10. by the preaching of the Gospel Ephes 3. which things the Angels desired to looke into 1. Pet. 1. So how these Angels should bee in heaven and yet minister here on earth V. 12. behold alwaies there the fathers face yet atteÌ„d hereon litle ones was more then in reason could haue soone beene belieued except wee had his word for it whose bare affirmation is as the surest confirmation This the people acknowledged at the hearing of his Sermon on the mount He taught as one hauing authority and not as the Scribes Math. 7. The officers sent to take him professed that never man spake like this man There is a foolish conceipt set a foote of late by the Socinians That as Moses was taken vp into the mount and S. Paul into the third heaven to gaine countenance to their doctrine So our Saviour immediately vpoÌ„ his Baptisme was had vp into heaven corporally there remained a whole Lent to receiue instructions from his father No marvaile therefore that at his returne also his word stands for a law But these are wild presumptions of wantons that play with the text rather then make vse of it What need this Lent ascending when the Holy Ghost descended vpon him visibly at his comming out of Iordan And the Fathers voice was audible This is my beloued Sonne in whom alone I am well pleased And if this had not gone before yet the complement of Prophecyes Math. 3. in his birth and course of life his Doctrine conformable to the law and Prophets his stupendious miracles for confirmation of his Doctrine was a commission beyond exception For this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say vnto you this directs vs what we should haue recourse vnto in the controuersies of these times Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae non audiamus haec dico haec dicis nec ego Nicoenum nec tu Ariminense These are the knowne words of S. Augustine in divers places In Psal 57. de vnitat c. 3. Cont. Maxim l. 3. c. 14. Away with our papers those termes I say Thou sayest I rely not on the counsel of Nice neither shouldest thou on that of Ariminum heare what Christ sayeth heare what the truth speaketh For it is the property of a right Belieuer sayth S. Basil to dare to goe no further Bellarmine to settle a Monarchy here in the Church Militant which the Pope must needs haue by succession he would fetch it about by the plat-forme of the Church triumphant De Pontif. Rom. l. 1. c. 9. For then sayth hee vpon the fall of Lucifer Michael presently steps into his place and is advanced to bee the Prince of Angels But who told the Cardinal this that hee was certainly assured of it S. Paul comming to himselfe form the third heaven acquaints vs with no such matter Secrets concerning the Angels and affayres of an other world are sparingly imparted vnto vs as not so requisite to our calling but reserued to bee communicated when we shall come to be of that vpper house This preface of our Saviour therefore I say vnto you was necessary in this behalfe For who would otherwise haue found out in any record for these litle ones that 9 In heaven their Angels doe alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the maine of the reason for not despising them and remainder of my text that leades on to bee discussed And here the difficulties that present themselues at the entrance concerning the Angels might plead for a greater scantling of time then I perceiue will bee alotted me for the vnfolding of them I shall but touch therefore at some specialls and winde vp the rest in references Those that are curious in this behalfe to see much and finde litle haue the Sententiaries and Summists with Tostatus on my text together with our new Systematicall writers with their Angelographies Pneumatologies to fit them All that is amongst them diffused is commonly reduced to these 4 heads 1. the nature of Angels 2. their Properties 3. their Orders 4. their Ministry Their nature is here supposed that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 existent substances or rather subsistent Not meere imaginations or abstractions against the Saduces and Plat onicks That they are 2ly spirits not subtill or aeriall Bodyes as most of the Fathers and some others held That there is 3ly a certaine number of them indefinite to vs though finite in it selfe more curiously sought then found of the Schoole-men Some of the names of them we haue in Scripture and others inverted to wicked vses by vaine men all which we may well passe over Their properties concerning their Locality their motions their knowledge their will and affections their language whereby they expresse their intentions one to another their Persons their manner of apparition and the like would also aske more labour in discussing then bring profit in the determining So for their orders and Hierarchies more is sayd then any wayes can be proued Amongst the Ancients Theodoret hath somewhat more then the rest in his 3. Booke de curandis Graecorum affectibus Others touch at it in some passages on every text of Scripture Gregory de valentia professeth that the Shoolemen lâ—â—â—e omnia propemodum all almost that Hales and Aquinas haue spunne out through so many members questions and Articles from Dionysius Areopagita whom when he is freed from being a counterfaite wee shall more willingly giue eare vnto In the meane season wee may leaue these men fishing all night and taking nothing whiles wee stick to our Saviours words I say vnto you as the text hath it wherein wee may obserue first concerning the Angels these 3. particulars as they lye 1. How these Angels may bee conceiued to be in heaven 2. Why they are termed their Angels 3. In what manner they alwayes behold the face of God the Father And secondly concerning God 1. why our Saviour calls him here my Father 2. and last of all in what sense hee is so called 10 It is a receiued ground amongst Divines that as divers Angels cannot bee together in one proper definitiue place So one cannot-at due time bee in divers places and therefore they approue that saying of Damascene when they are in heaven they are not on earth and being imployed by God vpon earth they remaine not then in Heaven His reason for all this is in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are of a confin'd nature as all creatures of necessity must bee and therefore cannot be as the Creatour every where If then these Angels bee every very where in Heaven how guard they Gods litle ones vpon earth doe they extend their power from thence as the Sunne his Beames Or is their celerity such that they may bee sayed to bee at one instant both in earth and in heaven Or shall