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
a tried experience extorting couertousnesse of a carefull providence and damnable dissimulation of a notable headed polititian How many of our greener yeares affect not rather the name of a good fellow then of a good Christian come at Sermons as at plaies to censure rather then to practise and take vp all new fashions both in garb and complement except that newnesse of life which our Saviour commendeth But I tell thee my good Christian brother these leakes are not so little but they may quickly sinke thee the very touch of this pich is sufficient to defile and thou tread but on the egges of this wily cockatrice thou shalt presently perceiue that there lurketh a serpent Were the Angels punished eternally for sinning once and thinkest thou to stand out in iudgement with so many transgressions must our thoughts be scāned shall our words escape or our words bee condemned and yet our actions pardoned Bee not deceiued God is not mocked Inclinations motions intentions our most secret and lightest sinnes are as Eli's sonnes they will breake our neckes if wee breake not off them Gods Word is a two-edged sword which must kill our faults or vs and if we stumble and dash against the Corner stone Mat. 21.44 it will fall vpon vs and grinde vs to powder For as one sparke of fire may burne a whole City and one naked place in an armed man saith S. Chrysostome giue way to a deadly wound Jn Matth. Homil. 35. Vid. August in Johan tract 12. so the least graine of sinne vnrepented may draw such mountaines of miseries vpon vs which all that wee can doe or say without Gods infinite mercy shall never bee able to remoue O that we would therefore deale with these vanities as Ioseph did with his Mistris and breake out at the first assault into this or the like contemplation Thus and thus hath the Lord done for me he brought me into this World to overcome this world that by contemning this I might enioy a better Doe not all creatures serue me that I should serue him and haue I ought of mine owne but only by his bounty how then should I doe any wickednesse and sinne against him who beholdeth my least backslidings and will surely punish them He spared not the naturall branches and shall I haue an indulgence hath his Sonne suffered to redeeme his enemies and shall his enemies escape that contemne his Sonne No certainely Beloued hee is just as well as mercifull if thou turne from his statutes thou shalt bee overturned In a day that thou lookest not for Math. 24.50 Psal 18. and in an houre that thou art not aware of the snares of death shall overtake thee and paines of Hell shall compasse thee round about Thine Adversary shall not onely deliver thee to the Iudge but the Iudge deliver thee to the Sergeant which is the second circumstance I before proposed followeth to lead furthery your judicious considerations 7 The Iudge shall deliuer thee to the Sergeant This Iudge all consent vpon to bee Christ to whom the Father hath committed all Iudgement Ioh. 5.22 For though the Apostles are said also to iudge Luk. 22.30 and the men of Niniveh Aquin. supplem q. 89. art 1. Lomb. lib. 7. c. 18. Math. 12.41 yet this is but by way of assession or approbation as the Schoolemen expound the former or exemplarily as produced to convince others who haue lesse profited by greater meanes as Beza and Piscator intimate of the latter none hauing absolute authority Jn 12. Mat. but the to whom all power was given Math. 28.18 Next Luk. 12.58 what this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should signify for which Saint Luke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Remists and our last Translation Officer Vid. Bell. lib. 1. de Purg. c. 7. D. Fulke Minister some old translations Doomesman and we here Sergeant there is some small difference S. Ambrose S. Augustine would haue it to be the good Angels because these are said to minister to our Saviour in the former Chap. at the 11. verse to come with him chap. 16.27 to gather the tares Chap. 13.30 But Chrysostome Gregory Theophylact Hugo and Abulensis together with the Ordinary glosse doe thinke it rather the Divels office Ibid. For these are the cursed Iaylers of the damned which must accompany them eternally in everlasting fire Math. 25.41 Both opinions are probable saith Bellarmine Piscator joynes them together In hunc locū and Buccasenus shewes the reason The Goates saith he are deliuered to the good Angels to be separated from the sheepe and from thence to the evill to bee tortured for ever Whence I gather in stead of many this one generall observation That there shall be a Iudgement hereafter wherein every man shall receiue according to his workes 8 I need not to be curious in prouing this point which is receiued as a principle in the Articles of our faith That Sadduce which denies it denies also God and shall sooner feele it then haue time to prevent it 1. Cor. 15.22 In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the terrible sound of the last Trumpet the sonne of man shall come in the clouds of heauen Math. 24.30 with all his holy Angels in power and great glory when the Sunne shall be blacke as sackcloth of haire Rev. 12.5 the Moone like bloud the Starres fall vnto thee earth as a figtree casteth her leaues the heauens depart as a scroll roled and every mountaine and I le moue out of their places when the earth melteth the sea roareth the elements dissolue nations howle all the world flasheth with the terrible and all consuming flames mentioned by the blessed Apostle S. Peter 2. Pet. 3.40 then shall we all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ Rom. 14.10 that every mā may receiue according as he hath done 2. Cor. 5.10 And here beloued in a matter of so serious importance it should be idle for me to breake out into the mazes and vagaries of the Schoole-men as to determine with the master of the Sentences 4. Sent. dist 47. Ibid. that this last fire shall as the first floud rise iust fifteene cubits aboue the tops of the highest mountaines or with Nicholas de Orbellis that the materiall Crosse whereon our Saviour was crucified should bee carried as a Mace before him when hee cometh to Iudgement In supplem q. 88. art 4. or with Aquinas and the rest of that side that the place of this Iudgement shall bee in the ayre right against mount O liuet over the valley of Iehoshaphat Well saith Artemidorus in his Oneirocritiques No dreames of a private man may haue a publike interpretation For what should we speake in such obscurities 4. Sent. dist 47. Epist 24. ad Hieronym that the Lord putteth not into our mouthes That which Lombard hath of the authority of Angels in this
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
natures against Eutyches confusion vnited notwithstanding in one and the same person against Nestorius distraction Alex. ab Hales Sum. Theol part 3. q. 7. m. 1. art 1. This person the Schoolemen more nicely pronounce to bee one not by that incomprehensible vnitie which excludeth all multitude or multiplicitie for that belongeth onely to the persons in the Deity but by an vnion which requires a composition In 3. Sent. d. 6. q. 3. not huius ex his as Durand speaketh but huius ad hoc not a framing of a third thing out of divers parts vnited for so the Godhead and the manhood must not bee said to concurre as parts for the making vp of this person but such an adjoyning of the things vnited the one vnto the other that the natures remayning distinct as a Lib. 3. ca. 10. Agatho rightly teacheth and all their properties and operations the subsistence notwithstanding is but one and in this case according to Athanasius one not by the conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking the manhood into God The Fathers haue much laboured to expresse this popularly b Lib. de recta fidei Confess Iustine Martyr and c In Symbol Athanasius bring the similitude of the Soule and body Saint d Ep. 99. Augustine and e In 3. sen d. 1. Scotus of two accidentall formes in one subiect as of the sameman who is both a Lawyer and Physitian f Peri Archon lib. 2. cap. 6. Origen g Orat. in Nativit Basil and h Ortho. fid lib. 3. cap. 11. Damascene of a piece of glowing Iron to which the fire is incorporated and this is best approued by Brentius and Kemnitius i Ibid. l. 3. c. 5. Damascene againe and k In vigil Natal serm 3. Bernard compare the mystery of the Incarnation with that of the Trinitie that as there we beleeue three persons in one nature so here we should acknowledge three natures of flesh Soule and Dcitie as Saint l De Trinitat l. 13. cap. 17. Augustine speaketh in one person But the most expressiue is that of a tree and a Siens ingraffed to it which becommeth one with the stocke yet retaineth it's owne nature and fruite Thus m In 3. sent dist 1. Lib. 3. de Incarnat cap. 8. Aquinas Bonaventure and with them most of our orthodoxe writers all which notwithstanding as Bellarmine in this point truly sheweth come short of the thing Wherein our Lutherans are farthest out by grounding the hypostaticall Vnion on the transfusion of the proprieties from one nature into another and not as they ought to doe on the communication of the subsistence from the Deity to the Manhood This only is sufficient to make good these harder speeches in appearance God hath purchased the Church with his owne blood Acts 20.21 And where the Sonne of man being vpon earth is affirmed to be in Heaven Ioh. 3.13 for subiects of a looser composition afford in a manner the like Synechdochicall praedications in the concrete to speake with Logicians not the abstract So a Philosopher dyeth saith Saint Augustine but not Philosophy in his 89. Epistle The Man Christ is every where but not the manhood and with these generalities wee rest informed of the manner of this conception The efficient succeedeth which is the Holy Ghost Matthew 1.20 Much remaineth to be spoken and the time weareth I can but touch therefore at matters and so away The action of the Incarnation being opus ad extra or externall Vid. Turrecrem in vigil Nat. Dom. q. 4. belongeth as you know by a receiued rule in Divinity to all the three persons in the Trinity though it bee terminatiuely in the Sonne as the Schooles speake and appropriated here to the Holy Ghost To the Holy Ghost saith Saint Augustine by reason he is the conveier and distributer of all the boundlesse graces and mercies that flow to vs from the Deity among which a greater then this of the Incarnation cannot be conceiued Some haue laboured to open this more plainely by this obvious comparison Three sisters say they concurre to the weauing of one seamlesse coat which the Second onely weareth and the third immediatly setteth on So mans nature was assumed onely by the Sonne vnited by the Holy Ghost though wrought by all three But in such profundities it is dangerous ventring farther then the text inlightens vs. This we haue expressed by an Angell concerning the secret of this conception Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee as for a worke that goeth beyond all substitution of any created Excellency And the power of the most high shall overshadow thee either as a shelter to free the sacred Embrio from originall infection to which Adam's flesh was liable and actuate it in the wombe by an vnconceiveable operation or as a cloud to overshadow it from our ambitious prying as Calvin and Stella take it who neglecting and loathing that wee are bound to learne 1 Sam. 6. will endanger our selues with the Bethshemites to looke too farre into the Arke 5. Thus farre of the Conception of our Saviour being the dawning as it were of the day of his power which hath brought vs to the Nativity wherein this Sunne of Righteousnesse appeares aboue the Horrizon Here the natiuity must bee said to be with Damascene and Aquinas of the person Lib. 3. part 3. q. 35. art 1. Actiones sunt suppofitorum non naturarum and not of the humane nature as some will speake vnadvisedly For the humane nature is onely the terme of this action the Person the subiect who was borne of a Virgin that yet ever remained a Virgin Maria virgo ante partum in partu post partum erat porta clausa Augu. ex Ezech 44. vid. Turrecrem in vigil nat Dom. q. 3. howsoever Helvidius dream't the contrary and that by opening the wombe not vtero clauso as the Papists imagine to make way for their poeticall transubstantiation for not the bearing of a childe but the knowing before of a man is opposite onely to virginity as true philosophy and sence might teach them Now in this blessed Nativity of this Virgins sonne wee are briefly to take notice of these foure circumstances the time the place the manner the manifestation For the time we need not trouble our selues with the differences of Chronologers Hebrew and Greek Vid. Sleidan de 4. Imper. lib. 1. Genebrard l. 1. Chronolog Greeke and Latine old and new wherein two scarce meet in one reckoning either for the yeere or moneth much lesse for the day as divers haue laboriously shewed but rest our selues on the generall certainties which the Scripture affords vs. When the Scepter therefore was departed from Iudah according to Iacobs prophecie Gen. 49. when the first Temple was destroyed and the second was yet standing foretold by zacharie and Aggai Hâ—g 2.7 vnder the last Monarch in the last of Daniel's weekes which
in the variable ficklenesse of a wauering multitude and teach him to depend wholly on him and none other As on the other side who seeth not that Sheba's inveterate malice was ordred to be dis-vizord and punished by such a publike attempt and shame Howsoeuer this we may build vpon by the connection of these words with the latter end of the former Chapter that the heate betweene Israel and Iuda who should seeme most officious to their King gaue the hint to a false-hearted traytour to rayse a new rebellion Whence I inferre That hypocriticall traytours watch their times and are readie to vent their villanie vpon the least advantage 4. So Cain sets vpon his brother Abel when hee had seuered him from his parents and they two were alone in the field together Genesis 4.8 Simeon and Levi brethren in iniquitie take their time to murder the Sichemites when they were sore of their Circumcision Gen. 34. Dalilah knewe well enough that there was no shauing of Sampson till he was througly lulled asleepe Iudg. 24. But the most vnnaturall treason that a man in this kinde shall ever light on was that of Adramelech and Sharezar Senachribs sonnes who tooke the vantage of their father at his Devotions in the house of Nisroch his God the story is set downe 2. Kings 19.37 Where in stead of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his sonnes in the originall we finde the vowels set in the Text which is somewhat strange in that tongue without their consonants Perchance to intimate closely that so many circumstances concurring otherwise for the aggravating of the offence as subiects to lay violent hands on a King and that in the Temple and that at his devotions to adde further that it was done by his owne sonnes howsoeuer it bee more vocall then the bloud of Abel yet the manner of setting it downe should shew it also to bee scelus infandum a wickednesse too monstrous to be fully exprest And yet wee neede not goe farre to find the like among the people of God so farre doth Satan prevaile with the ambitious humours of irreligious miscreants Two sonnes there were that Dauid had whom hee especially as it were doted vpon aboue the rest of his children beautifull Absalom and gallant Adoniah and both of these take their vantages as farre as in them lay to tumble their aged Father downe from his throne and bury him aliue to make way for their prodigious and preposterous purposes The former by the peoples favour which he had gotten by his hypocritical popularitie the latter by his fathers feeblenesse backing himselfe by the countenance of violent Ioab and disloyall Abiathar This hard measure receaued good King David at the hands of those of whom he best deserued He saw the law of nature violated conscience of so hainous a fact contemned his indulgence repaid with monstrous ingratitude his tryed valour outbraued by his owne subject who could not bee ignorant of it But that which touched him neerest was that in his person and through his sides Religion and the name of God was blasp hemed among the heathen in comparison of which he held the virulent raylings of damned Shimei too slight to bee take any notice of Behold Chap. 16.11 saith hee to Abishai and the rest of his servants my sonne which came forth of my bowels seeketh my life how much more now may this Beniamite doe it Let him alone let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him Thus a broken and contrite heart standing at the barre of Gods Iustice and daunted at the multitude of it's owne inditements is willing to put vp any thing in lieu of his owne satisfaction Hee will speake for the diuellish traytour persisting in the height of his villany Intreat the young man Absalom gently for my sake He will lament his death as vntimely and vndeserued O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne But the Iudge of all the World is not subject to such passions nor satisfyed most commonly in such a sort without exemplary punishment none shall touch his Anointed for evill but evill shall hunt those wicked persons to destroy them The traytour here in my Text could not be ignorant of this For if hee had never taken notice of Corah's conspiracy and the punishment thereof Chap. 4. Baanah's and Rechab's betraying of Ishbosheth and the end of it Yet Absalom's fact and judgement could not bee vnknowne vnto him Every one of the people could haue told him how miraculously his huge army was defeated by a small number with the losse of twenty thousand how strangely the Wood devoured more people that day then the sword It must needs then be in the mouth of every one that a senselesse thicke bough'd Oake performed the part of a good subiect to apprehend the traytour that his Mule left him to the gallowes who had renounced his allegiance to his King and Father that the earth refused to reccaue him Heauen was shut against him none of all his troupe left to guard him who had in so high a nature wronged the Creatour of all in his Anointed Vicegerent Last of all I make no doubt but divers also obserued and spake of the extraordinary hand of God expressed in Ioab's violence in the speedy dispatching him notwithstanding the Kings expresse charge to the contrary accompanied with his infamous buriall in a great ditch or pit like a carrion vnder a heape of stones whereas formerly hee had ambitiously provided a stately monument for that purpose to wit a Piramis or pillar in the Kings dale Some of which expresse tokens of Gods vengeance against such Rebels at the least all joyned together so lately acted so freshly bleeding so notoriously spread abroad and knowne might haue amated this traytour in my text from ventring againe so soone if hee had had the least sparke of grace or common humanity or policie in him But malice is blind desperatnesse admits not of discourse he must needs on whom the divell violently pusheth an opportunity was giuē Sheba's false heart was tender and must needs take fire Seing he hapned to be there when such an oceasion hapned to fall out he would take advantage to vent his malice whatsoeuer became of it 5. A lesson first for Kings and Magistrats not to rely too much vpon those that are of none or a suspected religion For howsoeuer they kisse cry Master with Iudas or professe they haue somewhat to say from God as Ehud told Eglon yet they carry a two-edged dagger vnder their rayment Iudg. 3. as there he did which is too loose in the scabberd as Ioabs was and will bee the readier to strike you vpon any advantage giuen them Gedaliah was too confident on his owne innocencie and the loyalty of those that spake him fayre wherevpon when hee was truely informed by Iohanan and others that Ismael the sonne of Nethaniah was suborned by Baalis
King of Ammon to slay him hee beleeued them not but answered Iohanan in anger Thou speakest falsely of Ismael Ier. 40. and the last verse But the event prooued it too true for his security gaue the advantage which the traytour taking performed that most wicked designe which made all the miserable remnant of Israel to smart for it In consideration whereof no doubt Zerubbabel and the chiefe of the Fathers returned from the captivity tooke afterward a better course Ezra 4. For when the treacherous enemies of the Church made a proffer to joyne with them in the reedifying of the Temple No say they you haue nothing to doe with vs to build a house vnto our God but wee our selues together wil build it to the Lord God of Israel So suspicious were they that they who remayne false-hearted to God would neuer proue trusty to his faithfull servants David himselfe in divers places complaines of such kinde of people in the fiue and thirtieth Psal When they were sicke saith he I put on sackcloth and humbled my selfe with fasting I behaued my selfe as though it had beene my frend or my brother I went heavily as one that mourneth for his mother But in mine adversitie they reioyced gathered themselues together yea the very abiects came together against mee and that vnawares making mowes at me ceased not In the 41. Psal he taketh vp the same theame againe and displayeth their hypocrisie If he come to see me he speaketh vanity and his heart conceiueth falshood against himselfe and when he commeth forth he telleth it And this he takes most vnkindely of all in the 55. Psalme For if an open enemy or adversary had dishonoured or magnified himselfe against me I could perchance haue borne it at least hid my selfe frō him but when they that professe religion and fidelity shall proue the vilest miscreants this is that the earth will groane to beare and heauen will not suffer vnrevenged Now if ever there were a generation of vipers that vnnaturally make their passage to light thorow their mothers bowels our treacherous fugitiues and home-bred Papists may most justly be esteemed such whom no benefits can winne no allegeance binde no hazzard deterre from attempting on the least advantage the vtter overthrow of their Prince and Countrey I need not to goe beyond sea for instances Were they ever quiet in Queene Elizabeths daies or hath the mercy of our gracious Soveraigne whom God so miraculously hath so often freed from their villany wrought in them any remorse of conscience No surely Beloued for seeing the Pope himselfe hath mounted to this height onely by such treasonable practices against his owne Prince and others when they hold such grounds in their Schooles that the Pope may loose make voide the oath of allegiance that subiects haue taken to their lawfull Princes that vpon a pretence they are falne from the Church and are turned heretiques hee may depose them from their Thrones and dispose their kingdomes to others that the excommunicated or deposed in such a case may be lawfully murdred by their subiects and the children for ever disinherited though no way involved in the Fathers fault that such powder-plots vndergone for the sea of Rome are so farre from treasons that they are justly termed martyrdome and often are rewarded with canonization or the like What hope I say may remaine that such so bred so taught so beleeuing will ever proue Loyall When they confesse their poore conformity they yeeld for the time to be for want of strength which should soone appeare in other colours if Sheba's advantage were once giuen The more it stands good subiects vpon to bee solicitous and watchfull for their Princes safety Nets and snares and ginnes and pits and traps were not only laid for David but are renewed daily against such religious Princes as make conscience to tread in Davids footsteps And to what shall we attribute the miraculous escapes of our Religious Soveraigne with the confusion of their enginers hath there beene any circumspection vsed extraordinary or retyrednesse for prevention or a guard to keepe off or new law to cut off all such fals-hearted Sheba's who may happē to be amongst vs to doe a mischiefe The world seeth that with vs it is farre otherwise It is therefore only Gods extraordinary protection that hath hitherto freed him from such apparant and remedilesse dangers The Gowries had dispatched him Watson and his complices had surprised him the Powderplot had blowne vp him and all his if this mercy of God onely had not prevented the divels malice and our security O then how should this stirre vs vp to commence our suits to the same Protectour for the continuance of his favours in this behalfe For let vs depend vpon it Beloued as long as there is a Pope and devill Princes professing the Gospell shall never bee secured from Gowries and Garnets Some malecontents will lurke in the throng among better-affected subiects who haue swallowed a morsell either of Ambition with Absalom or of revenge with Bigthan and Teresh or of couetousnesse with Iudas or out of an old grudge with Sheba will bee houering for their advantage who cometh now in the next place to bee personally indited and arraigned by name for a traytour 6 A man of Belial whose name was Sheba the sonne of Bichri a Beniamite The traytour here is deciphered by foure notable circumstances First by the character or badge of his profession he was a man of Belial Secondly by his proper name whose name was Sheba Thirdly his parētage comes in question the sonne of Bichri and lastly Iemini Beniamin idē sunt vel saltem Jemini erat magnus Princeps inter Beniamitas Abulen is mentioned his Tribe a Beniamite or as the originall hath it in the same sense as Abulensis sheweth a man of Iemini That which wee translate to the word out of the originall A man of Belial Iunius renders Nequam Castalio improbus others with Saint Ierome Vir sine iugo disciplinae an Apostata that would not conforme himselfe to any good order With which accord the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say others all which joyned together scarce expresse the thing hee being a lewd vngodly dissolute pestilent sonne of the Deuill which could endure no law or to liue within any compasse brother to Elie's sonnes 1. Sam. 2. which are thus described in the text Now the sonnes of Eli were sonnes of Belial and they knew not the Lord that is as Abulensis glosseth on it Howsoever they professed him for a fashion yet in heart and other actions they flatly denyed him This name Sheba in the Hebrew fignifieth seven or the seventh perchance because hee was the seventh brother and therefore presumed farther vpon the strength of his family But the same word signifying also an oath might as well haue minded him of his oath which he had taken to obey his King and was vpon
Merchandise of you Secondly Presumptuous and selfe-willed detractours that despise government Ib. 10.12 are not afraid to speake ill of Dignities and as naturall brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed speake evill of the things they vnderstand not Thirdly sensuall Epicures that count it pleasure to riot Ib 13.14 hauing eyes full of Adultery that cannot cease from sinne Fourthly false-hearted vndertakers like Balaam the sonne of Bosor who loued the wages of vnrighteousnesse tampering much Ib. 15. and performing nothing not so wise as the Asse he rode vpon and this whole messe we haue in the former chapter But the fift sort followes in this more desperate then any of the former for these are Scoffers and Atheists 3.3 that mocke at Religion and bend all their learning and wit to dispute against it Tell them of the end of the world the resurrection of the dead or the comming of Christ to Iudgement these will reply for ought they can perceiue V. 6. things stand as they did at the beginning and so are like ever to continue For since the Fathers fell asleepe the sonnes haue followed in the same trace and in the revolution of so many thousand yeares there hath appeared in that behalfe no great shew of change Now against such miscreants our Apostle binds his maine forces and stirreth vp his dispersed countrymen to sticke close to the holy Prophets and Apostles For assure your selues saith hee that as the world had a beginning and once perished by water so hereafter it shall haue an end V. 6. and whatsoever these mockers prate be consumed with fire Neither thinke you this time long a comming V. 7. for though it seeme so to vs it is otherwise with God to whom one day is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares V. 8. are as one day It is his long suffering as it were that puts backe the clocke that we might take the opportunity to repent and be the better provided But come it shall and that suddenly as a thiefe in the night V. 9. Appeare it shall and that most terrible V. 10. when the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise the elements melt with fervent heat this earth and all the stately buildings and workes therein shall be vtterly burnt But howsoever this vniversall combustion shall ruine the fabricke of this world and involue those desperate wretches in it that set their hearts vpon it yet you it shall not touch at all to procure you the least trouble Let the foundations of the earth sinke away vnder our feete our habitations totter about our eares the aire faile our nostrills the Heavens aboue to cover vs or to giue vs light Neverthelesse we shall not be vnprovided of a better habitation For wee according to his promise looke for a new Heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse 2 My Text therefore sets forth the helpes and hopes that every good Christian may depend vpon when all this world failes him In which may it please you to obserue 1. His Exemption in these words Neverthelesse we 2. His Evidence he hath to shew for this Exemption Gods promise According to his promise 3. The Tenure or Manner of holding this his evidence it is not in possession but expectation Wee looke for 4 The contents of this Tenure New Heavens a New earth 5. The excellency of those Contents wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse What can the heart of every true Beleeuer more desire then here is put home vnto it What can be more firme assurance then here is laid before vs The Horrors of the last Assises be they never so terrible thy vnquestionable Evidences shall quit thee Let this worlds vncertainties be never so dangerous thou canst not be put by thy Expectation for future possession This Possession is no lesse then the perpetuall inheritance of New Heauens and a New Earth not liable to quarrelling or Law suites which this world is full of because in that dwells righteousnesse without shadow of change or interruption Of these Particulars as they lye as God shall assist me and your Christian patience with the time giue scope And first of the first which is the true Christians Exemption included in these words Neverthelesse we 3 The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall for which we haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Syriacke is not here so much continuatiue as adversatiue opposed to the dangers before mentioned Notwithstanding though all the world be in Combustion and the wicked in the vtmost despaire cry to the mountaines to fall vpon them and the Hills to cover them yet with the followers of the Lambe it shall goe well they shall then be exempted both from troubles and terrours which sheweth the vnspeakable priviledge of Gods servants aboue all the world besides Iust as in the hideous storme of fire and Brimstone vpon Sodome and the cities of the Plaine God remembred Abraham saith the text and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow So in this vniversall and finall destruction the children of God shall be remembred As Daniel in the Lions denne they shall be rescued not a haire of their heads shall bee sindged nor smell of fire passe vpon them as happened to the children in the Babylonish fornace David in the 91. Psalme triumphantly sings out this Priviledge Who so dwells vnder the defence of the most highest shall abide vnder the shadow of the Almighty His wings shall protect him his feathers shall cover him his faithfulnesse and truth shall be his shield and Buckler The snare of the Hunter the noysome Pestilence the Noone Divell as both the 72. and the vulgar giue it or as the Chalday Paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daemon Meridianus the whole company of Divels when thousands shall fall besides him and ten thousands at his right hand shall not come neare him Lions and Adders and Dragons shall be securely trampled vnder his feete For he shall giue his Angels charge over them to keepe them in all their waies And howsoever worldlings thinke and speake contemptuously of this sort of people yet the Apostle giues them their due that they are a chosen Generation a Royall Priest-hood a holy Nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 2.9 a purchased company by no lesse then the dearest bloud of our Lord and Saviour Christ Iesus If these mourne they shall be comforted when they weepe Math. 5. God will wipe off their teares Rev. 7. They startle not or shrinke at any evill tidings Though they walke in the valley and shadow of death Psal 112. Psal 23. there is a rod and a staffe that frees them from disasters when all worldly protection and supersedeas'es proue out of date Titles of all civill honour haue their period Lawes and statutes of men may no longer priviledge then this Exemptio clericorum will bee of perpetuall force and retaine his full power strength
and virtue Neverthelesse 4 Clemens Alexandrinus out of this doctrine dehorteth all from vnseemely carriage Orat. adhort ad Gentes as detracting much from such priviledged persons whom the Lord hath graced with these excellent immunities And how should earthly greatnesse exalt it selfe saith S. Hilary when this greater dignity is slighted In Psalm 18. wherein all Gods people are sharers Our kingdome is saith Saint Ambrose that Christ In locum with the father and the holy Ghost should reigne in vs. If we by this meanes are Kings why make wee our selues slaues to our inordinate desires If Priests where are the sacrifices of a troubled spirit of a broken and contrite heart of prayer and praise and thankesgiuing of almes deeds and other good works that we should offer continually vnto him that hath made vs so Servaunts freed through ingratitude say the Lawyers may be plucked backe to their former condition and priviledges we know abused may be soone forfeited O how stiffe and peremptory we stand for any temporall Immunity and how little notice is taken of this protection and exemption which in the last and terriblest Parliament will only passe for current Hee that is wise will ponder these things and thankfully frame in his heart these or the like pious meditations Lord what sawest thou in vs to preferre vs before so many others That when all the world shall be dissolved our estate shall be bettered How commeth it to passe that among so many nations wee should haue the light of the Gospell amongst vs as at this day so long so peaceably vnder so constant and gratious Defenders of the faith What virtue of ours hath effected this that of those which professe Christianity we should enioy it purged from Idolatry and superstition wherein so many of our neighbours ly so dangerously intangled You might make out the rest Beloued by descending to more particulars At hearing the same Sermon why is Lydia's heart opened when others remaine obdurate The Greeke Areopagite beleeues when the Roman Gallio cares for no such matter Certainely somewhat there will be found to come from a higher and more effectuall operation then is likely to rise from our naturall dispositions Last of all what comfort can be more cordiall or animating then this In the midst of extreamest dangers to know our case to be exempted with a Neverthelesse In the violence of the greatest storme to find our building founded on the rocke so that we may conclude with David Psalme 46. God is our hope and strength a very present hope in trouble therefore will we not feare though the earth bee moved and though the hills be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof rage and swell and though the mountaine shake at the tempest of the same Neverthelesse Christs little flocke shall finde shelter his vineyard shall be guarded his chosen be provided for according to his promise Which brings in the Evidence for this Exemption in the second place to be opened According to his promise 5 Precepts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Practise promises and prophecies like the foure rivers of paradise streame out of the fountaine of holy writ and compasse all that therein is contained Precepts are the Law-givers imperiall decrees which how they haue bin obserued by those to whō they belonged Practise sheweth in particular examples Promises set forth a patterne for the mending of that which in examples hath beene found amisse And Prophecies of future events forewarne both good and bad what they are to expect those Reward the other Punishment Thus we see in the old Testament the law of Moses is attended with the Historicall bookes of Iosua Iudges Kings Chronicles and the rest to represent vnto posterity how it hath bin observed or broken Exhortations and Promises in generall succeede in Iob David Solomon and the rest of the Hagiographi to sharpen the Churches industry for the stricter fulfilling of the law To which the predictions in the greater and lesser Prophets are laid to lead men to the Messias who should perfect that which was defectiue and bring in everlasting righteousnesse of faith spoken of by Daniel which wee now proclaime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 9.24 in the glad tidings of the Gospell So in the New Testament the Evangelists giue vs the precepts mixed with Practise The Acts Practise interlarded with precepts The Epistles Exhortations Precepts and Promises common to all The Apocalyps Prophecies in more particular events Precepts command Practise leades Promises assure and incourage Prophecies prepare before hand Nothing in Gods booke is omitted that may make the man of God to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 3.16 as Paul tells Timothy perfect throughly furnished vnto all good works without the supply vnwritten Traditions Our Apostle in this place tēders no worse Assurance then Gods promise But where this promise is registred particularly he mētioneth not Oecumenius with the Greeke fathers referres vs to the 14. of St Iohns Gospell verses 2. and 3. to that promise of our Saviour In my Fathers house are many mansions If it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also This promise must needs be meant of our Saviours second comming and is somewhat to the matter in hand But whether this be that which our Apostle meant is more then can be iustified A Translation only there is assured but New Heavens and a New earth are no way mentioned The latter writers therefore send vs rather to Isaiah cap. 65. and the 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a New earth and the former shall not be remembred and the New heaven and the New earth which I make shall remaine Cap. 66.22 Here we haue the words but the sense according to most Interpreters reacheth no farther then the times of the Gospell in the new Testament wherein all things being made new a new creature a new lumpe a new man a new Covenant a new spirit a new heart a New and liuing way by a Metonymicall Emphasis import the qualification of those who shall attaine to this Newnesse but in such sort as though with the persons contained the things contayning were Innovated Now then what Isaiah prophesied of the first comming of Christ and Christ of the second S. Peter takes for one and so hath relation to both To the first as a type of the second which driue to the same Issue citing neither in particular vpon supposall that these evidences of so speciall importance were so well knowne to the faithfull that the mentioning only of them needed no farther direction where to find them 6 This might shame our Negligence in hearing Gods word and not obseruing or remembring it as we ought There is scarce any evidence that pertaines to our temporall estate wherein wee are not very conversant and punctuall If any promise vs ought we may get by we will bee
our vndertakings It will be taken better from the mouth of that King-preacher Solomon in whom all these met and yet all these together gaue never content I haue seene faith he all the workes that are done vnder the Sunne Cap. 1.14.15 and behold all is vanity and vexation of the spirit That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that which is wanting cannot be numbred I returned and saw as it were by a second survey vnder the Sunne that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong Cap. 9.11 neither bread to the wise nor riches to men of vnderstanding nor favour to men of skill but time and chance happeneth to them all When King David 2. Sam. 18. invited old Barzillai the Gileadite that had done him good service at a pinch to follow him to the Court for a recompence how wisely doth the good old man excuse himselfe I am this day saith he fourescore yeeres old and can I discerne betweene good and evill Can thy servant tast what I eat or what I drinke can I heare any more the voice of singing men or singing women Let thy servant I pray thee turne backe againe that I may dye in mine owne citty and be buried in the graue of my Father and of my Mother My sonne Chimham perchance may be fitter for these courtly imployments other matters belong vnto me to looke after And least this Expectation should be turned off to old men only as though younger had no such thing to looke for The Apostles instancing in Moses may bee taken for a patterne Heb. 11. By faith Moses saith he when hes was come to yeares and throughly vnderstood himselfe refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoh's daughter chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Aegypt And the maine reason is there added for he had respect vnto the recompence of the reward How then should the wise man vainely glory in his wisdome or the mighty in his strength or the rich in his wealth Ier. 9. or the advanced in his honour These are eminent blessings we must confesse if they come by good meanes and are managed accordingly But if any of these or all together could giue content it cannot much affect by reason of its shortnesse nor constantly in the times vncertainty nor fully in the midst of troubles nor sincerely amongst many supplanting emulations nor safely in regard of the after reckoning That which therefore must satisfy the vnderstanding fulfill the desire ioy the heart is not here to be had but hence to be looked for which are New Heavens and a New earth the fore-mentioned inheritance for the fourth place 9. New Heauens and a new Earth Heavens we haue herein the plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and earth in the singular which casteth vs vpon the distinction of Heavens which is two fold according to the Mathematicians and according to Divines Of the Mathematicians some hold no difference of Orbes at all but these are of the newer stampe and are not yet so fully receaued as the others The other agree not vpon the number of Orbes For Aristotle puts but eight Ptolomie nine Purbachius with his followers tenne Maginus eleuen by reason of the distinct motions they haue obserued in the wandring and fixed starres Yet aboue all these they grant an Immoueable Heauen in which Aristotle saies there is neither place nor emptinesse nor time that makes it grow old but the Inhabitants thereof are inalterable impassible immortall hauing sufficient in all things in the height of happinesse De caelo l. 1. t. 100. And this Hee relates as the opinion of the Ancients before him But Philosophers and Mathematicians herein must not bee our guide Men may dispute vpon these things according to that of Ecclesiastes in the vulgar edition Mundum tradidit disputationi eorum cap. 3.11 And one may speake more probably then another But that which followes in the same Text may curb them No man may finde out the worke of God from the beginning to the end We are yet here learners in the lower forme and out of doubt shall knowe more hereafter when wee come to the higher Divines from Scripture acknowledge but 3 heauens The first in the space ascending frō whence we are as farre as the course of the Moone which they call the heauen aeriall The second which they name syderiall from thence to the vtmost convexity of the first moueable in which are al the revolutions of the Planets and fixed starres which we see and obserue here below The Third aboue all these is that which the Schoolemen call Coelum Empyraeum But in Scripture I finde it to haue nine other names 1. The third Heauen 2. The Heauen of heavens 3. Paradise 4. The house Habitation and Throne of God 5. The seat of blessed Angels and Saints 6. Abrahams bosome 7. The new Hierusalem 8. The heauenly Country 9. The Citty that hath foundations A reverend and learned Bishop of ours in his Survey of Christs sufferings Bilson Pag. 441. for that Christ is said to haue ascended aboue all heauens Ephes 4.10 But that may be vnderstood aboue all heauens seene So that this fourth heauen shall only make the eminent'st place in the third and so no difference will be from the Ancients Thus wee see some ground for the plurality of heauens mentioned in the Text where the earth is notwithstanding one admitting the water into it's concavities to make vp one entyre globe of which there is no controversie But what these New Heavens New Earth should be that here are promised and to bee looked for that will aske some further discouery 10 New as we know is opposite to old the old heavens that are now are mentioned before by our Apostle ver 5. New are here to be look'd for Two things then will come in question First what shall become of the Old secondly what these New heavens shall be and how supply their places For few I thinke will imagine Heb. 10. that both shall stand together but rather conclude as the Apostle doth in another case He taketh away the first that he may establish the second Now concerning the abolishing of these Heavens and Earth which are subject to our view there are two opinions some contend that they shall remaine Others that they shall be quite annihilated They shall remaine for euer say the Peripateticks as they never had a beginning But this tenent as it had birth among heathen Philosophers so it found among the same the Stoicks Epicureans Poets Sybils and all the Ancients as S. Hierom witnesseth to refute it In Isaiam 51 who generally held this world should perish at length by sire Nay the Turks in the Alcoran and Bannians of the Moguls country are of the same perswasion therefore
there needs no more to be said herein Amongst Christians most acknowledge a purging rather then abolishing by taking off the corrupt qualities onely not the substance Divers of the Fathers were of this minde and most of the Schoolemen whom most new writers of all sides follow But against this refining of these visible celestiall bodies for the vtter abolishing of them there are 12 pressing Texts of scripture urged by Conradus Vorstius which are seconded by the consent of many Fathers and Iesuites In locum who herein make bold to vary from their owne consorts The time will not giue me leaue Serrarius A Lapide to examine all differences I shall goe no further therefore then our Apostles owne arguments that are premisses to my Text. For is it not punctuall in the 7. verse that the heavens and the earth which are now are reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement Doth hee not descend to particulars in the 10. and 12. verses that the Heavens which are now shall passe away with a great noyse that the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth and workes thereof shall be burnt vp Doth he not infer therevpon in the 11. that all these things shall bee dissolved And in the words of my Text that wee are to looke for New Heauens and a New Earth Dissolution mends not a fabrique as Serrarius well vrgeth against Suarez Henriquez and Pineda his fellow Iesuits but destroyes it rather And how may that which passeth away be said to be reserued and let stand The same passing away is prophecied of the Heavens as of the Elements why should these therefore be annihilated and the others bettered by the change Surely if S. Peter had thought of this refining only some words of his would haue intimated so much Now I had rather beleeue one Peter affirming this totall Abolishing In Math. 24. as Maldonate saies in this very case then many disagreeing juniors denying it especially where other places of scripture concurre for this Exposition The Sea shall be no more Time shall be no more The New Hierusalem shall haue no need of Sunne or Moone as the scripture instructs vs. The end that they were created for was for mans vse and man vsing them no more to what end should they bee reserved To say for a Monument what hath beene or an Out-let for the Saints descending sometime froÌ„ Heauen for their recreation to solace themselues or to be an Habitacle for the beasts restored or a receptacle for Infants or other honest Heathens as Socrates Plato and Aristotle that had not deserued hell nor Heauen as Catharinus and Salmeron the Iesuite Sixtus senensis l. 6. annot 340. with some other pittifull Divines amongst vs would haue vs beleeue are but groundlesse surmises These Heavens and Earth then which we see being vtterly taken away as a stage removed when the Pageant is finished the new Heavens and new Earth we are to expect can be no other but that Heaven of Heavens and place of fulnesse of ioy wherein once being setled we shall never be remoued Now these Heavens are here termed New not in regard of their New making but of our New taking possesioÌ„ of them by a most happy change for our new habitation and heavens they are said to be in the plurall and earth in the singular number because they come in stead of that covering and that earthly habitation which we now inioy but there vpon our finall remouall shall be vtterly abolished So that the Text then may well beare this paraphrase We looke for New Heavens that is the supreme Court of Gods presence And a New Earth that is a New habitation for vs which shall infinitly exceed the commodities and happinesse of these Heavens and Earth which wee now enioy but then with our Translation shall be dissolved And this is that which our Apostle maintaines if the Recognitions of Clement bee true against Simon Magus whom Hyppolytus Irenaeus Hilary and divers others follow Nay Aquila and Symmachus make the Text to speake for it according to S. Hierom's Testimony the heaven and earth comminuentur in Nihilum shall be battered into nothing Isay 51.6 11. This takes off then that ancient errour of the Chiliasts or Millenaries which many of our moderne writers are so diligent to set on foot in these our dayes againe Of which some talke of a first Resurrection of the Martyres who shall bodily rise and raigne with our Saviour in heauen a thousand yearâ—s before the generall Resurrection of others Others say this raigne shall bee with our Saviour here vpon Earth and set downe the beginning of it to bee about some 60 yeares hence All these men agree that these 1000 yeares are yet to come wherein three things must concurre The binding of Satan The nationall calling of the Iewes and this millenary raigne vpon earth And all before the last day of iudgement But now if these new heavens and new earth which we are to looke for be only the place of the blessed in heauen If these are onely now to be looked for but possessed hereafter not by the bodily prepossession of some a 1000 yeares before the rest of their fellow members but by all together after the last sentencing of the sheepe and the goates It will bee most requisite for vs to provide our selues and take comfort in a constant expectation of that which vndoubtedly shall come to passe and not humour our security with such groundlesse fancies wherein the further wee wade our satisfaction will proue the more intricate Two difficult places as I conceaue they especially stand vpon The first Romans 8. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an earnest expectation is attributed to all other creatures besides man at length to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God The second is Revelat. the 20. where after the ouerthrow of the Beast false Prophet with their followers and the casting of them into the lake burning with Brimstone that is as most interpret the finall destruction of Antichrist in the 19. Chapter the binding of Satan first Resurrection and raigne of a thousand yeares as things succeeding are described in the 20. Chapter But in the first place no immortall being of the bruit creatures is promised for that were to make them equall with their Masters and happier then most of their fellows that had done as much service before them but a simple deliuerance and dismission from the servitude they were in to vngratefull men So Birds Beasts and Fish must suffer for our diet Horses other beasts of like nature groane vnder burdens for our necessities and pleasures They were created of God for that purpose and to no further degree of happinesse Their Annihilation therefore to them must needs be a kinde of deliuerance And therefore when it is promised they shall be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God the Text will well
beare it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God that is when such a deliuerance comes of men these shall be freed from their seruitude by being not at all hauing done the businesse they were ordained for For the second place of the Apocalyps wherein the binding of Satan is related after the destruction of the Beast This concludes not that it must bee done afterward Which briefly may be thus made plaine In the 12. Chapter we haue the dragon pursuing the flying woman but in the 13. ver 2. This Dragon hauing done his worst to drowne her and foyled in his project he resignes his authority and power to his Vicar the Beast who vnder a pretext of Religion might doe more hurt then he could being loose by heathenish-persecution How this beast behaued himselfe in his Vicar-ship we haue from the 13. to the end of the 19. Chapter where his ruine is related Then the Apocalypt returnes to relate how Satan was bound in particular which hee had formerly mentioned onely in generall How I say bound how loosed and what he did after with Gog and Magog This the very ordering of the Text intimates For in the beginning of the 18 and 19. Chapters we haue this note of continuation with that which went before And after these things but in the 20 no such connexion appeareth the text only running And I saw an Angell As though he should haue said Thus much concerning the destruction of the Beast Now I returne to relate what shall become of the Dragon that resigned his authority to this Beast mentioned before in the 13. Chapter Out of which exposition that for ought I perceaue may passe with greater probability then any Chiliasticall will clearely follow that the 1000 yeares of Satans binding and raigne of the Saints which all grant to be the same time are not now to be looked for in New Heavens and a new Earth or a Heaven vpon Earth as some haue fancied but are expired and past already which may be further thus briefly evidenced 12 For we may conceit of a foure-fold binding of Satan intimated by our fourefold deliuerance from his fourefold Tyranny The first from terrifying vs by his right and might over vs which hee had gotten when by the Apostasy of our first parents in whose loynes wee all were all became his vassals The deliuerance from this was by our Saviours Incarnation who in the nature of man bound the strong man that we being delivered from the hands of our enemies might serue him without feare The second was from vrging the hand writing that was against vs whereby hee claimed vs as it were his villaines or apprentises The deliverance from this was by our Saviours passion whereby this hand writing that was against vs was blotted out and nailed to the crosse and so taken vtterly out of the way The third was from burdening vs with the killing letter and Ceremonies of the Law A yoake that neither wee nor our fathers were ever able to beare This some convèrted Iews euer presse to haue oblieged in equall commission with Christianity But from this wee were fully acquitted at the destruction of Ierusalem ruine of the Temple whereby was also remoued that stumbling blocke The last was from the mercilesse persecution of heathenish tyrants which continued as 't is well knowne vntill Constantine the great who attaining the Empire being a Christian put a period also to that Now then if from these foure bindings of Satan we account a 1000 yeares downeward the foure loosings will fall out neere about this reckoning from the Incarnation the thousand yeares are expired about Sylvester the seconds time from the passion in Benedicts the 9th from the Destruction of Ierusalem in Hildebrands from the raigne of Constantine the great in the time of Boniface the eight and the rising of the Ottoman family Now what Monsters these Popes were and what prodigies then appeared in the world and what exclamations there were of good and learned men That Satan was then loosed the histories of those times approued by all sides at large declare which I may not stand vpon Three things are here vsually opposed The twofold Resurrection The temporall felicity of the Church here vpon Earth and the Nationall calling of the Iewes to Christianity which these thousand yeares reckoned as past leaue no place nor space for hereafter after But the two first are taken by judicious Interpreters spiritually For we haue but one resurrection of the body in our Creed This first then in the Revelations may be wel expounded of the rising of our soules by grace and faith to a liuely apprehension of the manner of our saluation For the second our Saviour professeth that his kingdome is not of this world he calleth his followers to crosses and afflictions who raigne notwithstanding and triumph in the midst of oppositions by the inward testifying of their consciences and haue alwaies the better of their Adversaries in the end And therefore last of all by ought that hath been before delivered the calling of the Iewes which S. Paul reveales as a mystery Rom. 11. may hereafter take its place when it shall please God to bring it about That after the plucking downe of Antichrist with his horrible superstitions and Idolatries which I take to be the greatest stumbling blocke that yet keepes them back from imbracing Christianity they may thinke vpon the evidence of truth which the fulfilling of the Old Testament in the New most apparantly suggesteth so at length see their obstinate blindnesse and bee converted From all which premisses may be concluded that New Heavens or New Earth are left to be expected here of vs before the day of Iudgement but after that to be inherited eternally in the highest estate of our soules and bodies with God and his blessed Angels in the highest Heavens In which dwelleth righteousnesse The excellency of this inheritance my last part to conclude with 13. Wherein or in which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwelleth righteousnesse There is here a double reading Beza and Serrarius the Iesuite intimate it in this sense We in whom dwelleth the righteousnesse of faith looke for a New Heaven and a New Earth Others as our Translation hath it we the children of God looke for a New Heaven and a New Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which new heauen and new earth dwelleth righteousnesse Here it only soiourneth there it dwels Here it hath only a moueable tabernacle there a mansion Here it is mixed with manifold imperfections there entyre and in the greatest eminency Here among some there in all Here for a time or flash there eternally What vse then should we better conclude with Beloued then with that which our Apostle here vrgeth both before and after my Text Seeing that all these things shall be dissolued these better are to bee only looked for what manner of Persons ought we to be
before my text But the Pharisees and Lawyers reiected the counsell of God against themselues being not baptized of Iohn For that counsell of God there reiected is the wisdome that is here iustified There it finds Pharisees and Lawyers Separatists and Canonists States-men in their owne conceipts beyond all Subordination to withstand it here it is not destitute of dutyfull and intelligent children that will make good her proceedings Herod may consult with the wisemen and pretend as much devotion to Christ as they Pilate wash his hands when hee frees a murtherer condemnes an Innocent the Kings of the earth stand vp and the rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his anoynted yet hee that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall haue them in derision For there is no wisdome nor vnderstanding nor counsell against the most high Hester 6. Prov. 21.30 Zeresh his wife could tell Haman her husband that no policy could beare out a man that once began to fall before the seed of the Iewes who were then Gods vndoubted people And Gamaliels counsell was taken for good by the same Nation at the worst that howsoeuer mans proiects come to nought of themselues the designes of Gods wisdome shall neuer bee overthrowne Act. 5.38 but be accomplished in their due time 1. Pet. 5.6 5 Now those that be wise will ponder these things and they shall vnderstand the loving kindnes of the Lord Psal 107. Least they perish frō the right way Psal 2. through their owne imaginations Psal 5. O Lord our God great are thy wonderous workes Psal 40. which thou hast done like as be also thy thoughts which are to vs-ward and yet there is no man that ordereth them to thee Thy wisdome cryeth in the chiefe places of concurse and vttereth her voyce in the streets Prov. 1. but who hearkens after her she builds her a house Ib. 8. with stately pillars but who sues to be her tenant she provides her wine and victualls and furnisheth her table but who comes vpon her invitation Nay Sophistry goes so farre now adayes beyond this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of my text and wilynes beyond wisdome that for one disciple of true wisdome it may number a thousand St Paul after hee had in all wisdome brought his Colossians to Christ in whom are hidde the treasures of all wisdome and knowledge Coll. 2. Immediately therevpon schooles them to beware especially of 3. things which vnder a shew of wisdome might mislead them into all absurdityes the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so highly esteemed in these our trifling times consisting in inticing and winning words without the least purpose of sincerity or performance And this I say sayth the blessed Apostle least any man should beguile you by inticing words v. 4. The second is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passed now vnder the habit of a reaching vnderstanding and deepe iudgment concerning which followeth in the 8. vers Beware least any man spoyle you through Philosophy and vayne deceits after the traditions of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ Men may vaunt themselues how they list of their abstruse speculations in concurring atom's and exemplary Idea's and pretty notions in the imaginary spaces without the Primum Mobile as some Iesuites yet continue to vent but wisdome will manifest in the end the emptines of such foperyes and how much better it is to be a good Christian then a great Philosopher though both may well stand together if they bee rightly ranked The 3. and most dangerous Abduction followes in the 18. vers in a voluntary humility afterward called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will worship verse the last The Heathen haue yeelded Cyniques and the Mahumetans at this day want them not that put a great deale of wisdome in a Bedlem kind of garbe and fantasticke devotion But our Apostle tells vs in the words of truth and sobernesse Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seene For doth foolish man know how to please God better then God himselfe or doe Gods commandements want the patching or peecing out of the worlds Rudiments what a stirre and implacable siding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath continued these many ages in Christianity about touch not tast not handle not and such like vnnecessary catches which are all to perish with the vsing as our Apostles tells vs And haue indeed a shew in will-worship and humility and neglecting the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh but are farre wide from that true wisdome which here we are in pursuit of 6 It was a wise obseruation of ancient Tertullian That where any thing is intended where it ought not to be Ita plerunque evenit vt cum aliquid vbi non oportet adhibetur illic vbi oportet negligitur De paenit it is neglected most commonly where it should be And it is a manifest signe of the nights approaching when the shadowes grow longer then the substance God ought to be worshipped of vs saith S. Augustine not as we hold fittest but as he commandeth Thou shalt doe not that which is right in thine owne eyes Deconsens Evangelist l. 1. c. 18. Deut. 12. but without addition or diminishing only addes the vulgar edition which I giue thee in charge For this is our wisdome and vnderstanding that shall extort from all at length this satisfying Approbation surely this is a wise and vnderstanding people But this wisdome hath beene ever held too triviall with the great witts of all ages Pharaoh will be pursuing the Israelites though he sinck himselfe and all his in the prosecution That Traytor Achitophel will vnking a man after Gods owne heart David though it cost him the making of himselfe a long letter in a halter Witty Lucian will jeere at Christians till doggs serue him as they did Iezabel And what shall weethinke of the Pagans violence in primitiue times and Iulian the Apostata's sly conveyances The Popes ioyning these both together in a most mysterious politique and plausible way haue they not all beene defeated by Luther and Calvin Iewell and such downe-right men and contemptible silly soules who were learned in nothing lesse then the Circumuenting wisdome of this world These men as 't is well knowne had no pompe to beare them out or inquisitions to back them or powder-plots to make way for them but the Apostles simple resolution Consider what we say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things It was somewhat that made S. Paul to mind posterity 1. Cor. 1. That not many wisemen after the flesh nor many mighty nor many nobles yet some there are that are called to this businesse But God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and weake to take downe the mighty and things that are not V. 17. to
these our dayes who must haue all as they will or else all is out of frame but so launceth that he may heale so openeth that hee may binde vp againe and to the severall sores discovered applieth an agreeing remedy Idlenesse therefore must be shaken off by a willing and ready minde not to famish but feed the flocke which is not so much theirs as Gods ver 2. filthy lucre must not be thought vpon when a Crowne of Glory is proposed a Crowne that fadeth not to bee receiued from the chiefest shepheard vers 4. And what a cooling card next followes against the Lording over Gods inheritance This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned ver 3. younger saith hee submit your selues vnto your elders All of you bee subiect one to another ver 5. Submit be subiect No apparell so befits an honest hearty Christian as to bee clothed with humility If he be proud hee hath God for his enemy If humble Gods grace for his erection and protection Now because this swelling of Ambition is fed with such a confluxe of no cious humours that one dressing would scarce serue and it stood the Apostle vpon not to leaue the cure vnperfect Hee addes the words of my Text as a playster to doe the deed seeing that domineering is not for your profession Mutuall subiection is your truest badge Humility your best clothing God himselfe the opposer of the proud and the most gratious protector of those that are Humble Humble your selues therefore vnder the mighty hand of God that hee may exalt you in due time 2. Which according to the expresse words implyed consequences may thus bee paraphrased You reckon your selues to be Elders and I hope you take me for no lesse Wee witnesse what Christ hath suffered and beleeue what glory he hath provided for vs. But suppose you that his flocke is committed vnto vs thereby to feed our selues let that pine through want to pretend an over-sight and intend nothing lesse Is this the example we shew the Crowne wee ayme at The Humility we should bee clothed with No certainly my Brethren Christ hath suffered for vs and the servant is not greater then his master The inheritance is his and his stewards must not convert it to their private pompe and pleasure Words Outsides may not satisfie where reall performance is required If you haue an ayme at the highest preferment the way to attaine it is by faithfulnesse in a little No entrance to his Temple of honour but by the Gate of Humility Humble your selues therefore or he will make you stoope vnder his mighty hand or it shall pluck you downe And herein you shall not be your owne factors but hee will exalt you not when or where you affect but as he shall think fit in due time And this I take in generall to bee the meaning of this exhortation The summe is A never fayling Plot for the surest attaining of the best preferment Wherein wee meet with 1. A Rule to bee observed by way of Precept Humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God 2. The successe depending vpon an implied promise That hee may exalt you in due time The Rule includeth an Action limited to its right obiest Humble your selues But to whom vnder the mighty hand of God The successe is not doubtfull but restrayned to a certainty He shall exalt you but when in due time It were small mastery vpon so good a ground to runne division but my ayme is playnenesse which I take will be best apprehended in these 4 particulars The 1. Suiters duty or indeavour Humble your selues 2. Patrones ability vnder the mighty hand of God 3. Businesse successe that he may exalt you 4. Fitnesse of oportunity In due time Many haue the hap to apply themselues to such as little respect them or are not of ability to doe them good some are earnest and able but occasion fayles or one rub or other frustrates the indeavour A third sort speed at length and haue that they looke for but it comes so vnseasonably that it scarce quits cost Now all these things here happily concurre beyond expectation to the preventing of all exceptions No straining beyond thy power but restraining thy selfe by Humility No striuing to make friends and please many where the hand of God wil exalt No importunity needfull that others should not prevent thee where hee sets downe the time All for easier recalling may be thus connected As thou shewest thy selfe humble so God will approue himselfe mighty in effecting that for others which surpasseth thy policy though not perchance when thou wilt who art ignorant what is best for thee yet in such due sort and time as shall doe thee most good Of these in their order as the time and your patience shall giue leaue And first of the first which is the suiters taske or Indeavour in these words 3. Humble your selues therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The particle Therefore includeth an Inference vpon somewhat that went before which is thus deduced God is no way to bee resisted but suedvnto for grace This is done by humility Humble your selues therefore As charity makes the breadth patience the length faith the height of our spirituall building So Humility must be vnderlaid all these saith Hugo as the surest foundation De claustris Animae l. 3. whence wee may inferre that There is no admission to Gods favour without humble submission The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the originall intimates no lesse which is not so rightly rendred passiuely by the vulgar Bee yee humble as well corrected by others and our latter Translation actiuely Humble your selues Any coaction here marres the Action which must bee altogether voluntary Wherevpon Humility is defined by the Schooles to be A voluntary deiection of a mans selfe vpon a view of his owne vnworthinesse and Gods infinite bounty and power Whence the Canonists rightly distinguish betweene Humiles Humiliatos Those that are truely humble those whose stubborne stomacks are violently pluckt downe The Hebrewes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text Ps 9.13 Ps 9.13 which barely signifies poore and needy read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the margine according to the rule of their Keri and Cethib which not onely points out those who are deiected and in misery but such as are gentle modest and truely mortified Those will the Lord guide in iudgement Ps 25. and learne his way To such poore in spirit and meeke in heart our Saviour in his list of Beatitudes assures both heaven and earth Mat. 5. Math. 5. And if both Heaven and Earth be taken vp for the Humble saith Cassiodore in what place think you shall the proud be billetted Further delating in a Common place so beaten can neither be gratefull nor profitable For who hath not obserued that of the wise man How Humility vshers honour Prov. 15.33 Prov. 17.12 Prov. 15. as pride goes before destruction Prov. 17. The Publican therefore
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
wee take vp that miserable shift of the Vbiquitaries that Gods heaven is every where so that the Divels after their manner are contained in it This were to make the solution more questionable then the doubt The meaning is plaine that such keepers are deputed to Gods litle ones here on earth who haue perpetuall accesse to his glorious presence in heaven that stand before him to receiue his commands and haue his commission and beatificall aspect wheresoeuer they are imployed But why are they then termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their rather then his Angels quia assignati sunt ijs sayth Lira because they are assigned to these litle ones not exempted from his service that assignes them Vpon this place and some other sayth Maldonate are grounded those controuerted assertions de Angelis custodibus of those Angels appointed to bee our Guardians either as Presidents of severall Provinces or of particular Persons Whether every one haue not only his good Angel but his bad about him as his superiour guids not inferiour attendāts And therefore they are termed Elohim mighty ones Gods nearer servants The Romanists dare say any thing that may backe their worshipping of Angels and make way for their Invocation of Saints whereby they suck no litle advantage Hence they haue a peculiar order called the Angellicall sodality for whom Paul the 5. not long since appointed a distinct office and Masse to bee celebrated every Calends of October in honour of the protecting Angel Albertinus the Iesuite writes a Booke to make it good whereto this office is annexed But the proofes brought for all these things are exceeding wavering Wherevpon some of our later writers reiect the particular deputations of severall Angels to distinct Provinces or Persons and content themselues with that which is certaine that the Angels indefinitely haue a charge over Gods people Psal 91. That they are all Ministring spirits sent forth to Minister for them which shall be heires of Salvation Heb. 1. That they pitch their tents about them that feare him Psal 34. Howbeit seeing the streame of all the Fathers and Schoolemen that I haue met withall runne for their distinct imployment and gather it especially from the words of my text I think the moderation of Zanchius cannot bee disliked that it is very probable De operibus l. 3. c. 15. and agreeable to Scripture that both particular men and Persons ordinarily haue their particular protecting Angels but extraordinarily more as need shall require and as it shall please God to dispose But whether the same Angels keepe allwaies to the same charge or partyes or else as leiger Embassadours bee remoued from one negotiation to another others succeeding in their places is a scruple that hath beene lesse thought vpon Perchance Damascen's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee that created them Orthod sidei l. 2. c 3. only knowes these things and Calvins pro certo asserere non ausim I dare affirme nothing for certainty will commend their Iudgement more that determine nothing then their wits that are too busie 11 The third point followes what it is to behold the face of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in what manner these Angels are said to doe it allwaies It seemes to be a Metaphore taken from the Courts of earthly Princes who haue their attendants allwaies about them to execute their commands as Solomon had 1. Kings 10. of which the Queene of Sheba gaue this approbation Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee where the Phrase of standing continually is not to bee so rackt as though they were fixt there to go no other way but only shewes that they were allwaies ready at his pleasure to bee imployed No more doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. 69. allwaies signifie Here Abulensis proposeth the question whether those imployed in the guarding of litle ones bee hindred thereby from the Divine vision and determines it negatiuely out of this place that they allwaies behold the face of the Father Moral l. 2. Aq. 1. part q. 112. art 1. And by that of Gregory Sic ad exteriora prodeunt vt ab intimis nunquam recedant so they performe this that they loose not that Pareus distinguisheth Gods glorious face In locum from his essentiall and thinks they behold his essentiall only vpon earth but not his glorious To me it seemes hard to conceiue that those Angels should loose any thing by their attendance S. Stephen here on earth saw the glory of God and the Sonne of man standing at his right hand Acts 7. And why may not Angels doe the like Their sight out of doubt is of another kind and better then ours where wee see nothing at all or very obscurely they clearely may behold their Masters glory Aq. part 1. q. 112. This iustifieth not that Schoole-distinction of assisting and Ministring Angels as though some stood allwaies before Gods throne as privy Counsellours others were sent abroad as Inferiour Agents and that these Ministring Angels never assist and those Assistants never Minister to men as being an imployment for Angels of a lower Hierarchie For all these are no lesse vnwarrantable then curious speculations depending vpon the Dreames of that Areopagita's poeticall Hierarchie whom Erasmus Valla and their owne Cajetan haue branded long sithence for a Counterfeit How much sounder is that of S. Augustine Quid inter se distant quatuor ista vocabula what difference may be pickt betweene these 4 words Thrones Dominions Principalities and Powers say they that can if they can proue what they say ego me ista ignorare fateor For mine owne part I confesse I am ignorant of it The Papists haue nine orders in their Hierarchies the Rabbins ten orders downe-right without Hierarchies in subordination one to another and their reasons are pretty for it There were 4 and 5 Kings fought together say they Gen. 14. which make nine and Abraham comes vpon them for the 10th t herfore there must be ten orders of Angels as also for that our five senses foure affections with reason cast into the reckoning make another tenne therefore there are tenne orders of Angels therefore tenthes are to be payed and tenne Predicaments in Aristotle The Papists reasons for their Hierarchies are not altogether so foolish yet nothing more conclusiue Wee make no question but he that created all things in number weight and measure neglected not amongst his best Creatures the best order but whom hath he made of counsel with him in that behalfe What Paul returning from the 3. heaven hath discouered these secrets or where haue wee an I say vnto you as here that we may safely depend vpon Let it suffice vs therefore that those mighty ones haue a charge of vs who haue alwaies accesse to the Almighty and behold his face and receiue his commands to helpe vs in our necessities shield vs in our dangers cōfort vs in our sorrowes backe vs in