but to repentance for their sinne that they being deliuered out of the hands of all their enemies might serue God in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of their life Paulinus saith excellently that a sinner irrepentant is like Samson in the mill grinding corne for his enemies but if he confesse his sinnes and bee sorry for the same Christ is faithfull and iust to forgiue him his sinnes and to clense him from all vnrighteousnes Almighty God which by thy blessed sonne didest 〈◊〉 call Matthew from the receit of custome to bee an Apostle and Euangelist grant vs grace to forsake all couetous desires and inordinate loue of riches and to follow thy said sonne Iesus Christ who liueth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost c. The Epistle APOCAL. 12. 7. There was a great battell in heauen c. In this Scripture 3. points are to be considered and they be points of warre to wit a Battel verse 7. described by circumstances of the Time when it was fought there was Field where it was fought in heauen Captaines souldiers by whom it was fought on the one side Michael and his Angels on the other the Dragon with his Angels Victory following the battle set downe Negatiuely they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen verse 8. Positiuely the Dragon and all his Angels with him are cast out of heauen into the earth verse 9. Triumph after the victory containing the causes Principall the blood of the lambe Instrumental A sound profession of the faith and by the word of their testimony A resolute constancy to the end they loued not their liues vnto the death verse 11. Effects and fruites of the victory verse 10. and 12. I heard a loud voyce saying in heauen is now made saluation c. Therefore reioyce Oye heauens c. For the better vnderstanding of the whole text I purpose to treat first of the commanders and souldiers in this warre-fare Michael and his Angels fought and the Dragon and his Angels fought Cardinall Bellarmine affirmes that Michael euer since the fall of Lucifer is head of the glorious Angels and the Rhemists obserue the reason here why S. Michael is ordinarily painted fighting with a dragon but I thinke neither the foolish painter nor yet learned Bellarmine can tell vs how Michael came to be chosen into Lucifers rome For all the wicked Angels as S. Iude teacheth in his Epistle who left their habitation are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darkenes and such as fel not are not preferred vnto higher place but continue still in their first estate and dignitie we grant that there be certaine distinctions and degrees of Angels in the quire of heauen as reading in holy Scriptures of principalities and powers thrones and dominations and Seraphims and Cherubims but we finde not in the Bible that Michael is the chiefe commander of all Indeed S. Iude calleth him an Archangel and Daniel vnum de principibus that is one of the principall Angels as Vatablus vpon the place but he neuer was or shall be Monarch and head of all Angels and that I proue by these reasons ensuing vnto the Papists 1. According to the doctrine of their owne schoole Michael being imployed as a messenger betweene God and man is not of the first Hierarchie but of an vnderling order and so consequently not supremus Angelorum as their owne Doctor Georg. Bartholdus Pontanus acknowledgeth 2. Because the greatest Angel is vsed in the greatest embassage but Gabriel was sent for the contracting of that sacred match betweene the blessed Virgin and the God of heauen ergo Gabriel is rather supreame both in naturall and supernaturall graces and prerogatiues So Gregory the great sometime bishop of Rome notes ad hoc mysterium summum Angelum venire dignum fuerat qui summum omnium nunciabat it was conuenient saith he that to this supreame mysterie of mysteries the supreame of all Angels should be destinated who should annunciate the conception of the supreame Lord of all 3. Because Christ is the Michael here mentioned as the commentarie vnder Augustines name Michaelem intellige Christum by Michael vnderstand thou Christ. For the blessed Angels cannot be said to be any other Michaels Angels but only the Angels of God and Christ in the vision happily Michael and an host of Angels appeared vnto Iohn but they represented Christ and his members The name Michael signifies quis vt Deus who is as God a name best agreeing vnto Christ as being very God of very God euen the brightnes of his glory and ingraued forme of his person Heb. 1. 3. Michael as we finde in the 10. and 12. Chapter of Daniel was the patron of the Iewes and the defender of Gods people But herein hee was a type of Christ and a figure for Iesus alone is this Sauiour as Esay foretold and Zacharias in his Euangelicall hymne chaunted plainly the light of the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel So that the meaning of our text is briefly this Christ and his members fight against the Deuill and his complices and indeede it is against the principles of holy beliefe to ascribe this victory to Michael or any other Angel whatsoeuer seeing the Scripture saith expresly the seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head and the God of peace shall tread downe Satan vnder our feete and a loud voyce from heauen proclaimes in this Chapter at the 11. verse they ouercame the Dragon by the blood of the lambe Our blessed Sauiour did fight a single combate with the Dragon in the wildernes and ouercame him Mat. 4. A point full of instruction and comfort as I haue shewed in my notes vpon the Gospell 1. Sun in Lent Againe Christ fought with the Deuill and all his complices on the crosse where saith Paul he spoyled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly For as a mightie Samson he did beare away the gates of his enemies vpon his owne shoulders killing at his death moe then he had slaine in his life by death he destroyed death and by his going downe to the graue he did open the graue and gaue life to the dead in the house of death and kingdome of hell hee triumphed ouer Satan and spoyled him of all his strength and power as Bernard sweetly Diaboli fortitudo per redemptoris vulnera traducta deducta ad nihilum As Michael did fight so likewise his Angels Christus est ecclesiae suae promachus Angeli eius symachi Some construe this of the glorious Angels as being ministring spirits for the good of such as shall be heires of saluation Heb. 1. 14. These souldiers being more then twelue legions Mat. 26. 53. Thousand thousands and ten thousand thousands Dan. 10. 7. A number without number Heb. 12. 22. Pitch their tents about vs and
fight against such as fight against vs here the Gospell and Epistle meete Michael and his Angels saith our Epistle sight against the Dragon and his Angels and the Gospell insinuates as much in saying take heede that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels doe alway behold the face of my father c. And here you may note the reason also why both are appointed by the Church to be read on this festiuall of Angels Other expound this of the Ministers of Christ often stiled in respect of their honourable function and mission Angels These beare the Captaines colours preaching the true faith whereby the souldiers of Christ are distinguished from all other Or as other by the word Angels is meant all the members of Christ in heauen and on earth as well Magistrates as Ministers as well people as Pastors all his Apostles Confessors Martyrs and whosoeuer else fighteth vnder his banner The Deuill is the generall on the contrarie side called here for his open mischiefe a great Dragon for his cunning and secret malice an old Serpent for his false cauils an accuser of his brethren and a Deuill for his obstinate contradiction and opposition of God and godlinesse Satan And the Dragon is not only chiefe of Deuils but also god of this world that is of all wicked men in the world Deceiuing saith our text all the world that is endeuouring to deceiue all in the world but actually deceyuing all such as are of the world stirring them vp alway to fight against Michael and his angels against the Lord and against his annointed Entising the Magistrate to tyrannie the people to securitie the learned to curious impietie the simple to brutish Epicurisme all to disorder and dissolutenesse Quò enim vel vnde seducit vel abducit orbem terrarum nisi à cultu Dei debito ad cultum suimet indebitum Now we know the Captaines and the souldiers let vs see when the battell is fought and where when there was a battell indefinitely for there was is and euer will be warre betweene Michaell and the Dragon vntill the worlds end And therefore this battell is called in our and some other translations praelium magnum as being great not only in regard of the great number of those who fight or in regard of our enemies great might great malice great experience great cunning all which are verie great But also great in regard of the great time this warre shall continue for God said vnto the Serpent in the beginning of the world I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed he shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele And S. Paul liuing in the latter ends of the world saith in his epistle to the Galatians as then he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit euen so it is now so that as long as there is a world and a prince of the world so long the children of God must put on the armour of light and fight against the workes and princes of darknesse Euery Christian is a professed souldiour not only for a time to see the fashion of the warres as young gentlemen vse in our time but as he hath in holy baptisme vowed manfully to fight vnder Christs banner against sinne the world and the deuill and to continue his faithfull souldiour and seruant vnto his liues end When William the Conquerour had landed his men in Sussex he caused all his ships to be suncke that all hope of flying back might be taken away Beloued seeing we are landed on this valley of teares as it were the Battell of the world let vs neither faint nor flye but fight it out valiantly till death our last enemie be destroied 3. This battell is described by the place there was a great battell in heauen this cannot fitly be construed of heauen in heauen for the Deuill in the beginning was cast out of that heauen and there is no war-fare but all well-fare no iarre but loue yea such a peace as passeth all vnderstanding But by Heauen is meant the Church of God on earth as Interpretours obserue generally called in holy Scriptures Heauen and Hierusalem aboue for that her chiefe treasure is in Heauen Matth. 6. 20. her affections in Heauen Colloss 3. 2. her conuersation in Heauen Philip. 3. 20. and for that the Lord of Heauen dwels in her heart by Faith Ephes. 3. 17. All this battell then is fought in Heauen vpon earth according to that of Iob. The life of man is a war-fare vpon earth Here is the field where we must so run that we may obtaine so fight that we may ouercome no part of the battell is fought in Hell or purgatorie but all vpon earth Or this battell is said to be fought in Heauen as being a spirituall war-fare Ephes. 6. 12. We wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places Grosse wickednesse is easily seen and preuented soone but our aduersaries abound with inuisible wickednesse being our greatest enemies while they seeme our best friends and therefore seeing we liue in a besieged citie which is assaulted on euery side by cruell and cunning opposers as the wiseman speakes in the midst of snares it behoueth vs as Paul exhorts to put on the whole armour of God that we may stand against all the assaults of the Deuill Let vs feare nothing in this holy warre for our captaine is good our Michaell is the Lord of hosts Nil desperandum Christo duce auspice Christo our cause good for we fight for the word of Truth against the father and fauourers of lyes against the Dragon and his angels our companie good all the glorious Angels in Heauen and all the good men on earth are on our side our reward good when our fight is finished palmes in our hands and crownes on our heads See epistle 21. Sund. after Trinitie And preuailed not Albeit the Deuill as a great dragon and an old serpent and a roaring lion seeke daily whom he may deuoure yet the gates of Hell are not able to conquere the Church albeit Satan rage and raue neuer so much he shall haue no preuailing power against Gods elect he shall not pluck any of Christs sheepe out of Christs hand Iohn 10. 28. The prince of this world is cast out and hath nought in mee saith our blessed Sauiour Iohn 14. 30. no part in mee no part in mine which are flesh of my flesh and bones of my bones I know the Dragon and his angels assault Michaell and his angels euery houre but all the hurt they can doe is to bruise the heel Gen. 3. 15. Neither was their place any more found in Heauen That is in the hearts of the godly whose
prison souldiers chaines and keepers all which Herod vsed in the persecution of S. Peter at this time 1. He put Peter in prison 2. Doubting that the prison was not strong enough he deliuered him vnto foure quaternions that is sixteene souldiours for quaternion is not as centurion a word of office but of number Now these sixteene by foure and foure did euery sixe houres thoroughout the whole night and day watch Peter or else euery three houres in the night only or it may be that all the sixteene did watch all the night two within the prison and the rest in a guard without 3. Herod fearing that his prisoner notwithstanding all this might escape caused him to be bound with two chaines 4. Least haply chaines and all should faile the keepers before the dore kept the prison his intent was to make all sure that he might after Easter bring him foorth and expose him vnto the peoples malice Poore Peter was bound not only with one but with two chaines and he slept betweene two souldiers and he was guarded by two watches the first and the second So Nebuchadnezzar full of indignation and rage cōmanded that the fiery fornace into the middest wherof Shadrach Meshech and Abednego were to be cast should at once be made hot seuen times more then it was wont So the persecutors of Daniel after he was thrown by them into the Lions den layd a stone vpō the mouth of the den least otherwise he might escape their violent iawes and pawes So the Priests and Pharisees intreated Pilate when Christ was dead that he would giue command for the making of his Sepulchre sure least his disciples should come by night and steale him away Now the Lord who dwelleth in heauen is a present help to his seruants in trouble laughs them to scorne for whē the three children were now ready to be cast into the flames of the scorching fornace they told Nebuchadnezzar vnto his face wee are not carefull to answere thee in this matter And Daniel in the Lions den had an Angel of God for his guard who stopped the mouthes of the beasts and so no maner of hurt was found vpon him and so S. Peter here though he were cast into prison and bound with two chaines yet hauing a good cause and a good conscience securely slept betweene two souldiers euen the night before cruel Herod would haue brought him out to the people The prophane Poet spake diuinely sat fautorum habet semper qui rectè facit and therefore Peter in his indurance cast his burden vpon the Lord and sayd happily with Dauid I will lay me downe in peace and take my rest for it is thou Lord only that makes me dwell in safety God either deliuereth his seruants out of persecution as he did Peter or else if he crowne them with martyrdome as he did S. Iames he will in his kingdome of glory giue them in stead of this bitter a better inheritance Pro veritate morientes cum veritate viuentes Prayer was made without ceasing of the congregation Prayers and teares are the Churches armour and therefore when Peter was imprisoned by cruell Herod the congregation commeth vnto prayer and not vnto pouder for his deliuerance they did not assault the prison nor kill the souldiers nor breake the chaines only prayer and patience were there weapons arma christianorum in aduersis alia esse non debent quà m patientia precatio prayer quoth Augustine is the key of heauen and as it were that fiery chariot of Eliah whereby we mount vp and haue our conuersation with God on high it is the hand of a christian which is able to reach from earth to heauen and to take forth euery manner of good gift out of the Lords treasure so the Scripture speakes in expresse termes aske and yee shall haue c. The prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Iames 5. 16. Aske in faith and then all things are possible to him that beleeueth Marke 9. 23. Many times our Prayers are sent out like to incense made happily according to the Lords direction but not kindled with fire from his altar that is petitions lawfull enough and agreeable to Gods holy word but not poured out in feruency We fall into them often without preparation and vtter a number of wordes without deuotion and therefore no maruaile if we misse when as we thus aske amisse But if our prayer be like the Churches here made without ceasing if it be faithfull and feruent the God of all grace will out of the riches of his mercy giue vs either that we desired as Eliah prayed for raine and the heauen gaue raine or else that which is better as God tooke Moses into the spirituall Canaan because he did not enioy that earthly Canaan or at the least that which is sufficient as he told Paul 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee See Gosp. Sun 5. after Easter There is nothing in the world more strong then a man who giueth himselfe to feruent prayer his deuotion is so powerfull as that it commandeth all things in heauen earth and hell it commandeth all the foure Elements ayre fire water earth Ayre Iames 5. 17. Elias prayed earnestly that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth for three yeares and sixe moneths he shut vp heauen as the wiseman reportes of him hee said as the Lord God of Israel liueth before whom I stand there shall be neither dew nor raine these yeeres but according to my word againe he prayed for raine and the raine fell and the earth brought forth her fruite Fire the same Prophet Elias by his prayers three times brought fire from heauen Ecclesiasticus 48. 3. Water at the crying of Moses vnto the Lord the red sea runne backe and was made drie land so that Gods Israel walked vpon firme ground in the middest of the sea but whē their enemies pursued them all the diuided waters returned and ouerwhelmed them in the deepe and at the prayer of the same Moses bitter waters were made sweete Exod. 15. 25. Earth vpon the complaint of Moses vnto God the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp Korath Dathan and Abiram and all their families and all their goods in so much that they together with all theirs went downe quicke into the pit and the ground closed vpon them and they perished in the sight of Gods people Nay the prayer of one deuoute man is able to conquer an hoast of enemies in battaile for in the fight betweene Israel and Amalek when Moses held vp his hand Israel preuailed but when he let his hand downe Amalek preuailed In this present text the prayer of the congregation without ceasing fetched an Angel out of heauen and brought a shining light into the darke dungeon and loosed
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
wherewith thou hast loued vs for they loue those whom thou doest loue they keep those whom thou doest keep they forsake those whom thou doest forsake neither can they abide such as worke iniquity because thou also hatest all them that worke iniquity When we doe well the Angels reioyce but the deuils are sad when we doe ill the deuils reioyce but the Angels are sad grant therefore good Lord that they may alwayes reioyce ouer vs that both thou alwayes mayest be glorified in vs and we may be brought with them into thy fold that together we may praise thy name O creator both of men and Angels To the second quaere whether beside the generall protection of all Angels in common euery particular man hath one peculiar Angel for his guard I finde that many learned and ancient doctours hold the affirmatiue part So S. Basile categorically to euery one that beleeueth in Christ an assistant Angell is appointed vnlesse we driue him away from vs by our wicked actions for as smoake driueth away bees and stinch doues so filthy sinne the Angel the keeper of our life The which assertion he confirmes elsewhere more at large by diuers testimonies of holy writ so S. Hierome that euery one of vs hath his Angel many places of Scripture teach as namely that of Christ Mat. 18. 10. See that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alway behold the face of my father c. As also that which is recorded Acts 12. 15. It is Peters Angel So Chrysostome euery faithfull one hath his Angel in deede at the first holy Angels were according to the number of the nations but now not so but according to the number of the faithfull So Theophylact all men especially the faithfull haue their Angels So Gregory Nyssen speaking of this argument insinuates that it was ordinarily holden of the fathers a true speech hath descended vnto vs by which we beleeue that our nature since our fall into sinne is not altogether forlorne of the diuine clemencie neither left without his succour but that then also there is giuen to euery man one of the Angels as an helper and protector So Primasius vnto euery man as the Doctours say there is generally giuen an Angel for his custody and this either from his birth or rather from his baptisme Vnto these fathers I might adde Origine Iustine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Augustine Eusebius c. As also most of the schoolemen and many protestant diuines Yet for mine owne part I say saluo semper meliore iudicio with Caluin institut lib. 1. cap. 14. § 7. An singulis sidelibus singuli angeli sint ad eorum defensionem attributi pro certo asserere non ausim and my reason is for that I see not any cleare ground in holy Bible for such an assertion The two chiefe places in the iudgement of all diuines aswell ancient as moderne are Mat. 18. 10. and Acts 12. 15. The first whereof as Caietan and other popish expositours obserue proues not euidently that euery little one hath one peculiar Angel for his guardian in particular but only that all are appointed ouer all in generall as the Scripture construeth it selfe Luke 15 10. Saying of euery one of those little ones which turne from their sinnes that all Gods holy Angels reioyce at it and as for the wordes of the disciples astonished at the sudden newes of Peters comming it is not he but his Angel answere is made that this allegation is a very slender proofe because the disciples in Maries house being amazed vpon the strange report of Rhode spake they knew not what so we might proue that the Saints departed may dwell in tabernacles because Peter said Lord let vs make tabernacles one for Moses another for Elias and whereas it is further obiected that they spake after the common opinion of men in that age we reply that in those dayes it was a receiued opinion that dead men did walke as it appeares by Herod who thought our Sauiour was Iohn Baptist risen againe from the dead Vox populi is not alway vox dei common errours are no certaine rules of truth and what if that place were so manifest as they could wish it why might it not be construed thus it is his Angel that is some Angel which almighty God hath sent for his deliuerance this being according to the Scripture more then that to haue it his particular Angel so the present text here behold the Angel of the Lord was their present and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter on the side and stirred him vp saying arise vp quickly and his chaines fell from his hands c. The Gospell MAT. 16. 13. When Iesus came into the coasts of the city which is called Caesarea Philippi c. THis Scripture being a dialogue betweene Christ and his Apostles of it owne accord falleth into two questions and two answeres vnto those questions 1. Quest. Whom do men say that I the sonne of man am answere some say thou art Iohn Baptist c. 2. Quest. Whom say ye that I am answere thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God the which answere is commended blessed art thou Simon c. rewarded vpon this rocke I wil c. Caesarea Philippi there were two Caesareaes one called Stratonis vpon the mediterrane sea which Herod sumptuously built in the honour of Augustus Caesar another called Caesarea Philippi founded by Philip brother of Herod the tetrarch who beheaded Iohn the Baptist in honour of Tiberius Caesar at the foote of Libanon Philip built or rather repaired and enlarged this towne out of his seruiceable loue to Caesar but yet for his owne glory he did adde a Philippi to Caesarea The Papists in mingling the blood of their Saints with the pretious blood of our Sauiour and in making themselues also by relying too much vpon their owne merits halfe mediatours and ioint purchasers of saluation with Christ haue set vp in the Synagogue of Antichrist as it were a Caesarea Philippi The Iesuited Papists especially swearing to the Kings Supremacie with a Romish equiuocation or Spanish reseruation adde a Philippi to Caesarea This as some thinke was the City where the Kings in old time receiued their tribute and therefore the King of heauen aptly required of his disciples in the very same place tributum confessionis or it may be that Christ exacted this cōfession of faith in the coasts of Caesarea Philippi to signifie that his Apostles should not only preach the Gospell among the Iewes but also that their sound should goe through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world or he made this demaund farre from Hierusalem out of the Scribes and Pharisees hearing that they might the more fully and
for them both and therefore the question here for maiority was not vpon that occasion it was happily cherished by it but engendred in their mindes long before for that Christ had admitted none of his Apostles to the sight of his transfiguration and the raising of Iayrus daughter from the dead saue Peter and Iames and Iohn Or it may bee this emulation arose for that Christ had said vnto Peter Mat. 16. 19. I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. But what neede we so curiously to seeke for the reason of this quaere seeing these two things are certaine 1. A desire to be like Gods on earth is an in-bred sinne deriued from the transgression of our first parents Adam and Eue 2. The Diuell is euer most busie to nourish this ambitious humor in the ministers of the word as it is apparent in the Gospell and Churches history What a deale of time was vsually spent in the Councels about precedence of Bishops and in our age the question of the Popes primacie is termed by Cardinall Bellarmine Summa rei Christianae Came the Disciples vnto Iesus In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and this fact of theirs is imitable for when any doubt ariseth in our mindes concerning the kingdome of heauen it is our best way to come vnto Iesus who lighteth euery man that commeth into the world If any lacke wisdome saith S. Iames in â—…is Epistle cap. 1. verse â—… let him aske of God for God is only wise Rom. 16. 27. Come therefore to his law to his testimony search his Scriptures which are able to teach and instruct and to make the man of God absolute 2. Tim. 3. 16. 17. And for the better vnderstanding of the dead letter come to his liuing Oracles and walking Bibles I meane the true Prophets and learned Preachers of his word for he cals them expresly the light of the world and their lips should preserue knowledge praeuij sunt monstrantes sâ—…mitam in scriptâ—…ris Come to Iesus come to the word of Iesus come to the Preachers of the word of Iesus least happily the Lord say to you as he did once to the Iewes ye haue not asked at my mouth Esay 30. 2. Who is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen It is certaine that there arose a disputation among them which of them should be greatest and yet to cloake their ambitious pride they doe not aske who shall be greatest among vs but indefinitly who is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen vnderstanding by the kingdome of heaâ—…en the kingdome of Christ in this world for they carnally conceâ—…ed that Christ after his resurrection would restore the kingdome of Israel and so reigne as a Monarch vpon earth and therefore they make suite to sit next to him at his right hand and on his left in his kingdome I know Chrysostome construeth it of the kingdome of heauen in that other world condemning the men of his age because they did not attaine to the defects of the Disciples all our question is saith he who shall be greatest in the kingdomes vpon earth and not who shall be greatest in the kingdome of heauen But by Chrysostomes leaue to contend who shall be greatest in heauen is charity not vanity Luke 1â—… â—…4 Striue to enter in at the straite gate As in the Aâ—…ke there was three lofts one aboue another euen so there be many mansions in Gods house Iohn 14. 2. There bee degrees among the Saints in heauen as there be degrees among Angels there is a Prophets reward and a Disciples reward Mat. 10. 41. 42. We should therefore striue to bee greatest in heauen out-stripping one another in goodnes as they who runne in a race 1. Cor. 9. 24. Againe it is apparent by Christs answere both in our present text and also Mat. 20. and Luke 22. That his Disciples expected a kingdome after the fashion of this world dreaming that he should reigne as a Soueraigne and themselues domineere like Dukes and Lords vnder him They call it indeed the kingdome of heauen in imitation of their master often tearming his kingdome the kingdome of heauen or for that they thought his kingdome though vpon earth should notwithstanding be diuine and heauenly see Gospell on S. Iames and on S. Barthelomewes day Iesus called a childe vnto him Iesus seeing the thoughts of his Disciples and vnderstanding the causes of their errour heales the desire of glory with the contention of humility in reading of his lecture S. Marke reports that he sat downe now we finde in the Gospels history that the Doctors among the Iewes in their teaching vsed sometime to stand and sometime to sit Peter in Hierusalem and Paul at Antiochia preached standing but the Scribes and the Pharisees are said to sit in Moses chaire Mat. 23. 2. So Christ himselfe sometime taught standing as Luke 6. 17. And sometime sitting both in the mount and in the temple It may bee therefore that it was the Iewes custome partly to stand and partly to sit for Christ as it is apparent in the 4. Chapter of S. Luke preaching at Nazareth in the Synagogue stood vp when he read his text and sate downe when he did expound it Whatsoeuer the Iewes order was at this instant there was noâ—… fitter gesture for Christ then sitting for this as Augustine notes shewed that hee taught as one which had authority When he was sate downe he called all the twelue doubtles hee knew who they were which ambitiously contended to be greatest in his kingdome yet he called all his Apostles as being assured that his lesson of Humilitie was exceeding necessarie for them all It is reported in the 20. chapter of this Gospell how Iames and Iohn only desired to sit on his right hand and on his left in his kingdome yet Christ admonished them all and said Yee know that the Princes of the nations haue dominion ouer them and they that are great exercise authoritie vpon them it shall not be so with you but whosoeuer will be chiefe among you let him be your seruant Now the reason why Christ and after him his Church vse generall admonitions in rebuking of particular malefactors which are worse then the rest is two-fold First That the delinquents may the better admit that checking which is common and not particular or personall 2. That such as haue not offended in that kind may learne to be more carefull in their waies and to hate the garment spotted by the flesh as S. Iude speakes Often hauing in mind the saying of Augustine Aut sumus aut fuimus aut possumus esse quod hic est When Christ had called his Apostles vnto him he set a childe in the midst of them as it followeth in our present text
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