wherewith thou hast loued vs for they loue those whom thou doest loue they keep those whom thou doest keep they forsake those whom thou doest forsake neither can they abide such as worke iniquity because thou also hatest all them that worke iniquity When we doe well the Angels reioyce but the deuils are sad when we doe ill the deuils reioyce but the Angels are sad grant therefore good Lord that they may alwayes reioyce ouer vs that both thou alwayes mayest be glorified in vs and we may be brought with them into thy fold that together we may praise thy name O creator both of men and Angels To the second quaere whether beside the generall protection of all Angels in common euery particular man hath one peculiar Angel for his guard I finde that many learned and ancient doctours hold the affirmatiue part So S. Basile categorically to euery one that beleeueth in Christ an assistant Angell is appointed vnlesse we driue him away from vs by our wicked actions for as smoake driueth away bees and stinch doues so filthy sinne the Angel the keeper of our life The which assertion he confirmes elsewhere more at large by diuers testimonies of holy writ so S. Hierome that euery one of vs hath his Angel many places of Scripture teach as namely that of Christ Mat. 18. 10. See that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alway behold the face of my father c. As also that which is recorded Acts 12. 15. It is Peters Angel So Chrysostome euery faithfull one hath his Angel in deede at the first holy Angels were according to the number of the nations but now not so but according to the number of the faithfull So Theophylact all men especially the faithfull haue their Angels So Gregory Nyssen speaking of this argument insinuates that it was ordinarily holden of the fathers a true speech hath descended vnto vs by which we beleeue that our nature since our fall into sinne is not altogether forlorne of the diuine clemencie neither left without his succour but that then also there is giuen to euery man one of the Angels as an helper and protector So Primasius vnto euery man as the Doctours say there is generally giuen an Angel for his custody and this either from his birth or rather from his baptisme Vnto these fathers I might adde Origine Iustine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Augustine Eusebius c. As also most of the schoolemen and many protestant diuines Yet for mine owne part I say saluo semper meliore iudicio with Caluin institut lib. 1. cap. 14. § 7. An singulis sidelibus singuli angeli sint ad eorum defensionem attributi pro certo asserere non ausim and my reason is for that I see not any cleare ground in holy Bible for such an assertion The two chiefe places in the iudgement of all diuines aswell ancient as moderne are Mat. 18. 10. and Acts 12. 15. The first whereof as Caietan and other popish expositours obserue proues not euidently that euery little one hath one peculiar Angel for his guardian in particular but only that all are appointed ouer all in generall as the Scripture construeth it selfe Luke 15 10. Saying of euery one of those little ones which turne from their sinnes that all Gods holy Angels reioyce at it and as for the wordes of the disciples astonished at the sudden newes of Peters comming it is not he but his Angel answere is made that this allegation is a very slender proofe because the disciples in Maries house being amazed vpon the strange report of Rhode spake they knew not what so we might proue that the Saints departed may dwell in tabernacles because Peter said Lord let vs make tabernacles one for Moses another for Elias and whereas it is further obiected that they spake after the common opinion of men in that age we reply that in those dayes it was a receiued opinion that dead men did walke as it appeares by Herod who thought our Sauiour was Iohn Baptist risen againe from the dead Vox populi is not alway vox dei common errours are no certaine rules of truth and what if that place were so manifest as they could wish it why might it not be construed thus it is his Angel that is some Angel which almighty God hath sent for his deliuerance this being according to the Scripture more then that to haue it his particular Angel so the present text here behold the Angel of the Lord was their present and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter on the side and stirred him vp saying arise vp quickly and his chaines fell from his hands c. The Gospell MAT. 16. 13. When Iesus came into the coasts of the city which is called Caesarea Philippi c. THis Scripture being a dialogue betweene Christ and his Apostles of it owne accord falleth into two questions and two answeres vnto those questions 1. Quest. Whom do men say that I the sonne of man am answere some say thou art Iohn Baptist c. 2. Quest. Whom say ye that I am answere thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God the which answere is commended blessed art thou Simon c. rewarded vpon this rocke I wil c. Caesarea Philippi there were two Caesareaes one called Stratonis vpon the mediterrane sea which Herod sumptuously built in the honour of Augustus Caesar another called Caesarea Philippi founded by Philip brother of Herod the tetrarch who beheaded Iohn the Baptist in honour of Tiberius Caesar at the foote of Libanon Philip built or rather repaired and enlarged this towne out of his seruiceable loue to Caesar but yet for his owne glory he did adde a Philippi to Caesarea The Papists in mingling the blood of their Saints with the pretious blood of our Sauiour and in making themselues also by relying too much vpon their owne merits halfe mediatours and ioint purchasers of saluation with Christ haue set vp in the Synagogue of Antichrist as it were a Caesarea Philippi The Iesuited Papists especially swearing to the Kings Supremacie with a Romish equiuocation or Spanish reseruation adde a Philippi to Caesarea This as some thinke was the City where the Kings in old time receiued their tribute and therefore the King of heauen aptly required of his disciples in the very same place tributum confessionis or it may be that Christ exacted this cōfession of faith in the coasts of Caesarea Philippi to signifie that his Apostles should not only preach the Gospell among the Iewes but also that their sound should goe through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world or he made this demaund farre from Hierusalem out of the Scribes and Pharisees hearing that they might the more fully and
THE THIRD PART FROM S. IOHN BAPTISTS NATIVITIE TO the last Holy-day in the whole yeere DEDICATED VNTO THE RIGHT RELIGIOVS AND REsolute Doctor MATTHEVV SVTCLIFFE Deane of Exeter By IOHN BOYS Doctor of Diuinitie HIERONYMVS EPIST. AD RIPARIVM Honoramus seruos vt honor seruorum redundet ad Dominum AT LONDON Imprinted for VVilliam Aspley 1615. S. IOHN BAPTISTS DAY The Epistle ESAY 40. 1. Be of good cheere my people O yee Prophets comfort my people saith your God c. THe Sermons of Isaiah are for the greater part so Gospel-like that as Hierome notes he seemes to be rather an Euangelist or Apostle then a Prophet for he speakes of Christs conception as if he had been taught by the glorious Angel who brought the first annunciation of it vnto the blessed Virgine his mother of Christs birth as if with olde Simeon he had lulled him in his armes of Christs death and passion as if with the beloued disciple Iohn he had stood by the crosse when he was crucified of Christs resurrection as if with all the faithfull Apostles he had been present vpon mount Oliuet where the Lord vsed a cloud as his heauenly Chariot to conuey him out of the world to his father The text now read is a prophecie concerning the comming of Christ in the flesh and the comming of Christ in the flesh is the consolation of Israel and comfort of Hierusalem and this comfort the God of all comfort will haue proclaimed vnto Hierusalems heart by the mouth of all his Preachers as namely his Prophets his Apostles his Prodromus or Harbinger Iohn the Baptist a midling betweene the Prophets and Apostles 1. By the Prophets Comfort my people O ye Prophets comfort my people c. verse 1. 2. 2. By Iohn the Baptist. A voyce cried in the wildernes prepare the way of the Lord c. verse 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 3. By the Apostles Goe vp vnto the high hill O Sion thou that bringest good tydings c. verse 9. 10. 11. Comfort my people in this commission obserue first Gods bounty then his Prophets duty You may behold the riches of Gods mercy toward his afflicted people 1. In raysing vp Prophets vnto them in their captiuity when as otherwise they might haue complained with the Psalmist O God wherefore art thou absent from vs so long and why is thy wrath so kindled against the sheepe of thy pasture we see not our tokens there is not one Prophet more no not one is there among vs that vnderstandeth any more 2. For that he sent not one or two but many the number is plurall comfort ye speake ye the Lord giuing his word great was the number of the Preachers 3. For that he called not all his Prophets at once but at sundry times according to the Churches exigence Wherefore some read not as our translation here saith your God in the present but in the future will your God say Signifying hereby that God will in all ages to come so prouide for his Church as that it shall neuer be destitute of Prophets and so we finde in holy Bible that he stirred vp Daniel Haggai Malachi Zachariah Ezra Nehemiah and other vntill the comming of Christ himselfe the chiefe shepheard who did alwayes exhort his people to be of good comfort and to hope against hope so Zacharias in his hymne Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people raysing vp the horne of saluation vnto vs as he spake by the mouth of all his Prophets which haue beene since the world began So S. Peter in his Sermon adpopulum Acts 3. 24. All the Prophets from Samuel and thence forth as many as haue spoken haue likewise foretold of these dayes and to Cornelius Acts 10. 43. To him all the Prophets giue witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes 4. The doubling and tripling of this charge to the Prophets comfort ye comfort ye speake ye comfortably expresseth as it were the very bowels of compassion in God as if he could not endure that his people should suffer any more misery giuing them also further assurance that he will euer be their God euen in their greatest aduersity when as they seeme to bee swallowed vp of death and desperation and that they shall be still his Hierusalem and his people your God will say comfort my people Concerning the Prophets office God in this charge requireth on their part that they speake comfortably to his Hierusalems heart Yet here you must obserue with Ecclesiastes that there is a time for all things a time for admonition a time for reprehension a time for consolation a time to shew Gods people their transgression and to the house of Iacob their sinnes as well as a time to tell Hierusalem in distresse that her trauell is ended and her iniquity pardoned a time saith our Prophet elsewhere to denounce woe to such as iustify the wicked for a reward a time to denounce woe to such as speake good of euill and euill of good a time to denounce woe to such as follow drunkennesse and are strong to powre in strong drinke And assuredly beloued the Prophets haue iust occasion in this age to cry out against such as are at ease in Sion making as Paul speakes their belly their God and their gullet their glory For swinish idle base drunkennesse heretofore scorned as the beggers fault is now reputed among moe then a good many not only the seruingmans complement but also the gentlemans grace God as hauing no pleasure in the death of a sinner but a longing desire to haue the coalcs of his wrath quenched with the teares of our repentance commandeth his Prophets in the dayes of securitie to sound out the threats of his seuerity denouncing a woe before woe that is a woe of instruction before there come the woe of destruction For albeit the axe be laid vnto the root of the tree yet shal it not be hewen downe so long as there is any hope of the fruites of amendment Though there be yet but fortie dayes and Nineue shall be destroyed yet if Nineue proclaime a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest vnto the least the Lord will repent of the euill he sayed he would doe vnto them and turne away from his fierce wrath As soone then as Hierusalem hath receiued at the Lords hand sufficient correction for all her sins it is time to tell her that her trauayle is at an end and that her offence is pardoned After once the law hath humbled and terrified distressed consciences after all her waues and stormes haue rent asunder troubled spirits it is time to bring glad tidings of saluation vnto the poore to bind vp the broken harted to preach liberty to the Captiue to comfort all that mourne in Syon
goodnesse As pride is the beginning and originall of sinne Ecclesiasticus 10. 14. because iniquitie is nothing else but inequalitie and pride is most vniust attributing vnto it selfe too much vnto all other too little so contrariwise contented humblenesse is the Primer and as it were A. B. C. of our Christian Ethicks it is as Ambrose and Bernard write the mother vertue yea Custos sigilli magni the keeper of all Gods great seales graces without which his other gifts are rather curses then blessings to vs. It is an eminent grace for a man to speak with the tongues of Angels and so to transport other with the wind of words and flouds of eloquence whither he list and yet if learning be not seasoned with humilitie knowledge saith Paul puffeth vp and as Aristotle speaks it is armata iniustitia like a sword in a mad-mans hand Fasting that tames the bodie without humilitie makes proud the mind I fast twice in the weeke quoth the Pharisee Luke 18. 12. Almes are a sacrifice pleasing to God for he that giueth vnto the poore lendeth vnto the Lord yet if a Trumpet bee blowen and we giue meerly to be seen of men if we beare not our poore brethren in our bowels and bosome we shall haue no reward of our Father which is in Heauen Matth. 6. 1. And therefore Christ inculcates often this one lesson as well by patern as precept Learne of me for I am humble and meeke In the world ye shall haue affliction he that will follow me must of necessitie forsake himselfe and yet be of good cheere for there is no man that hath forsaken house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the Gospels but he shall receiue an hundred fold now at this present houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life I tell you that in the beginning which you shall find most true in the end Blessed are the poore in spirit For Blessed is the predicat of the proposition And there is a two-fold blessednesse Beatitudo viae and Beatitudo patriae blessednesse in this world and blessednesse in the next The poore in spirit haue the promises of both 1. Tim. 4. 8. The present happinesse is either outward and worldly or else inward and ghostly Outward as Psalme 132. 16. I will blesse her victuals with increase and I will satisfie her poore with bread And Psalme 144. 15. Happie are the people that be in such a case And Deut. 28. Blessed shalt thou be in the field and blessed in the citie blessed shall be the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy cattell the encrease of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep These temporall and worldly blessings often accompany the meeke more then the proud because fortune as Charles the 5. told his sonne Is like a woman if shee be too much woed shee will be the farther off Howsoeuer it be godlinesse is great gaine and the poore in spirit want nothing as being content with any thing But the blessednesse promised by Christ here surpassing all worldly treasures and pleasures is inward and ghostly consisting in the riches of the mind and in a sweet contentation of the conscience which is a continuall feast and a daily Christmas whereby the poore in spirit are made lords and as it were tyrants ouer the whole world domineering ouer Iustices and laylour our Iudge and Iurie Treasons and murthers and felonies and other routs and riots inquired after at Sessions and Assises are bred of discontentment and pride But though all the Deuils in Hell and all their agents in earth and ayre combine themselues against one little one yet Qui vadit planè vadit sanè He that walkes vprightly walkes confidently The text will alway be found true They that put their trust in the Lord shall be euen as the mount Sion which may not be remoued but standeth fast for-euer But here we must obserue with incomparably learned Melancthon and other protestant diuines That in this and all other like places of holie Scripture where good works are commanded or commended in any that Christ is the sole cause of our happinesse Without me saith he you can doe nothing and without faith in him it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Our persons must be first reconciled vnto God hauing for Christs sake pardon of our sinnes and imputation of righteousnesse and then our workes shall be blessed and acceptable Psalme 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed that is iustified for iustification is blessednesse begun glorification blessednesse perfited It is a sweet saying of our Church Faith is the nest of good workes albeit our birdes be neuer so faire yet they will be lost except they be brought foorth in true beleefe The sparow hath found her an house and the swallow a nest where shee may lay her yong euen thine Altars O Lord Psalme 84. 3. Such as are true beleeuers hauing their vnrighteousnesse forgiuen and their sinne couered are blessed men and all their workes as being laied vpon Christs Altar are a sweet smelling sacrifice to God But saith Augustine Hereticks and Infidels in doing glorious acts and honorable deeds haue no where to lay their yong and therefore they must of necessitie come to nought as the fathers of our common Law speake Moritur actio cum persona their actions are damnable with their persons He which is poore in spirit is blessed he which is mercifull is blessed he which is a peace-maker is blessed But as our Diuines haue iudiciously noted against the Papists in all these Beatitudes a liuely Faith is presupposed according to that Apostolicall axiome Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne The Saints of God are sealed inwardly with Faith as it is in our Epistle but outwardly with good works as in our Gospell To be poore in spirit to mourne to be mercifull are not causes but effects of our iustification as we commonly speake out of Bernard Via regni non causa regnaâ—…di For the followers of Christ are blessed not because they be poore in spirit but because theirs is the kingdome of Heauen That is the right exposition of the proposition Blessed are the poore in spirit Now the kingdome of Heauen in holie Scripture signifieth either the kingdome of grace which is heauen on earth or else the kingdome of glorie which is heauen in Heauen And both these belong vnto the poore in spirit Some construe this of the kingdome of grace because Christ saith expresly Luke 4. 18. The spirit of the Lord hath anoynted me that I should preach the Gospell vnto the poore he hath sent me that I should heal the broken hearted that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues and