c. And not the names of Idols as Venus Mercurie Bacchus or the strange names of Saxon and Romane infidels and therefore the Popes and Cardinals are worthily censured by reuerend Fulke for that hauing most antichristianly renounced their names giuen in baptisme by which they were first dedicated vnto Christ they chuse many times vnto themselues prophane names as Sergius Leo Iulius Caesar Sixtus c. 3. We may learne from hence that imposition of names is a duty belonging properly to parents especially to the father and therefore Gabriel said vnto Zachary thou shalt call his name Iohn And in our present text the determination of the question about the childes name was wholy referred vnto the father they made signes to his father how he would haue him called and he asked for writing tables and wrote saying his name is Iohn Not so but his name shall be called Iohn It may be Zachary being now dumbe and not able to speake that the neighbours asked Elizabeth his wife how the childe should be named or happily hearing their consultation about this businesse she might as knowing the Lords pleasure herein answere them vnasked his name shall be called Iohn Here then a question is moued by what meanes Elizabeth vnderstood Gods expresse commandement in appointing his name seeing her husband to whom only Gabriel had made this knowen was mute to this obiection answere is made that she knewe the name by reuelation as a prophetisse per prophetiam didicit quod non didicerat à marito saith Ambrose or as other assoyle the doubt it may be Zachary signified so much vnto her in writing heretofore as now to his neighbours and kinsmen for he asked for writing tables and wrote saying his name is Iohn Here then obserue that the parents of Iohn obeyed the commandement of God before the counsell of their friends and kinsemen albeit they were neuer so deare to them Agamus quae Christus iussit vt adipiscamur quae Christus spopondit verit as illius nobis adsit illi fides nostra non desit c. If the Lord say follow me then instantly we must forsake all and leaue the dead to bury the dead Matth. 8. 22. His name is Iohn As if Zacharie should haue sayd I gaue not this name but God himselfe hath appointed it The words of his Angel thou shalt call his name Iohn are non solum praedictio sed etiam praeceptio nominis imponendi Now the word signifies fauoured of God or the grace of God a name fit for the Baptist in many respects as first for that he was the fore-runner first preacher of Christ of whose fullnesse we receiue grace vpon grace for the law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. The bunch of grapes that the spies of the children of Israel caryed from the land of promise was borne by two strong men vpon a staffe or pole he that went before could not see the grape but he that was behind might both see eate of it So the Fathers of the old testament did not in like manner see the bunch of grapes that was the son of God made man as they that went behind vnder the new testament saw and tasted it after Iohn had openly shewed this grape behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sin of the world 2 The Baptist is so called as being filled with the holy ghost abounding with a great many prerogatiues of grace both in his conception birth and conuersation 3 So called as being borne not by natures ordinarie power but bestowed vpon his parents by Gods extraordinarie grace 4 So called as being gratious among men for many reioyced at his birth and moe at his doctrine Hierusalem and all Iudea went out vnto him in the wildernes and were baptized of him in the riuer Iordan To compendiat all these notes in a few words Iohn was gratious In the sight of God the Father as being vpon the point his Godfather imposing his name by the mouth of his Angell Sonne for Christ highly commended him in respect of his calling and carriage Holy Ghost as being strong in spirit and going before Christ in the power of Elias Luk. 1. 17. 18. Men Kindred The blessed virgine Mary visited his Mother afore his birth Luke 1. 40. Other Cousins reioyced at his birth acknowledging it for a great mercy Straungers Good who were both aduised by him and Baptized of him he spake comfortably to Ierusalems heart and therefore gracious in the eyes of all good people Bad for they thought his life too strict Matthew 11. 18. and his greatest enemy cruell Herod who bound him and put him in prison and in fine beheaded him also for Herodias sake his brother Philips wife did notwithstanding reuerence him and in many things heard him gladly knowing that he was a iust man and an holy We may pronounce then in some sort of Iohn as the Psalmist of God according to thy name so is thy praise vnto the worlds end Iohn is thy name and gratious was thy person O blessed Saint if thou wert now liuing thou wouldest goe to the courtes of Princes and tell Herode to his face whilest other Prophets happily sowe pillowes vnder his elbowes that it is not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife if he were now liuing hee would call our Pharisees a generation of vipers if hee were now liuing he would not stand vpon by-questions and idle disputations which are fruitlesse but the summe of all his sermons should be repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand If he were now liuing and preaching in the wildernes he would teach vs all to be more modest in our apparell and moderate in our diet This gratious Saint hath a surname added to his name called Mat. 3. 1. Iohn the Baptist either for that he baptized Christ or else for that he was the first Minister of holy baptisme And his mouth was opened immediately The dumbnes of Zachary saith Eusebius Emisenus Et fidem reipraesentis expressit mysterium figurauit it was a seale of Gods present promise for when olde Zachary doubted and said vnto Gabriel at the 18 verse whereby shall I know that I shall haue a sonne the Lords Angel answered behold thou shalt be dumbe and not able to speake vntill the day that these things be done because thou beleeuest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season His punishment is answerable to his fault he was stricken deafe for that he would not hearken vnto the word of God and dumbe for that he contradicted it hee was made mute through vnbeleife but as soone as he beleeued his mouth was opened quam vinxerat incredulitas fides soluit so that Zacharie might apply that of the Psalmist vnto himselfe I beleeued
which is a brother vnto Dragons and a companion of Ostriches constrained to dwell with Mesech and to haue his habitation among the tents of Kedar As Zachary the Priest had good neighbours so likewise kinde cousins for albeit they might haue well expected large legacies if he had dyed without issue yet they reioyced at the birth of his sonne an enuious man hath a great deale of lesse wit in his malice then a very brute for whereas neither foule nor fish is taken in a snare without a baite the spitefull wretch is brought to the diuels hooke without any pleasant bite the voluptuous man hath a little pleasure for his soule the couetous a little profit for his soule the proud and ambitious a little honour for his soule but an enuious man hath nothing of the deuill or flesh or world for his soule but hearts-griefe hoc solum inuidus bene agit quod se cruciat Wherefore laying aside all malitiousnes and enuie let vs imitate the good neighbours and allyes of Elizabeth here let vs as feeling and fellow members of the same mysticall body remember those that are in bondes as though our selues were bound with them and if any member be had in honour to reioyce with it These neighbours and cousins visiting Elizabeth in childe-bed came not as one notes vpon the place with basket and bottle to drinke and eate though I confesse that kind of neighbourhood were better vsed in a Priests house then in a tap-house neither came they like the gossips in our time with a great deale of tattle speaking things vncomely but they came to praise God for his goodnesse shewed vpon their friend Elizabeth 1. In taking away the reproach of barrennesse 2. For giuing her a sonne so the text they heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy vpon her and they reioyced with her it was mercy that she brought forth a sonne great mercy that she bare such a sonne The Thracians vsed to laugh at the death and to weepe at the birth of men but the Scripture teacheth vs to reioyce when a sonne is borne children and the fruit of the wombe are a gift that commeth of the Lord and therefore when Eua conceiued and bare Cain she said I haue gotten a man from the Lord and Lamech hauing gotten a sonne called his name Noah saying this same shall comfort vs concerning our worke and sorrow of our hands c. When Isaac was borne Sarah his mother said God hath made me to laugh a woman as Christ speakes Iohn 16. 21. when she is in trauel hath sorrow because her houre is come but assoone as she is deliuered of the childe she remembers no more the paine for ioy that a man is borne into the world quid dulcius in humanis quà m gignere sibi similem aut beatius in terris quà m natos videre natorum Elizabeth then had good cause to praise God in the gift of a sonne but her selfe and her friends had greater cause to reioyce because she bare such a sonne tantum talem filium a sonne so great in the sight of the Lord filled with the holy ghost and strong in spirit euen from his mothers wombe such a son of whom as yet in swadling cloutes his father moued by the spirit said hee should be the prophet of the most high of whom also when hee was growen vp and executed his office Christ himselfe gaue this testimony that among those which are borne of woemen there hath not risen a greater then Iohn the Baptist If a wise sonne make a glad father and a foolish sonne bring heauines to his mother Elizabeth had great mercy shewed vpon her in that she brought forth a Iohn into the world Mystically gratious Iohn borne of barren Elizabeth liuely represents the fulnes and fruitfulnes of the Gentiles arising from the barrennesse of the Iewes and therfore the Prophet exhortes the Church reioyce thou barren that bearest not breake forth into singing thou that trauaylest not for the desolate hath many moe children then she which hath an husband In the eight day they came to circumcise the child Zacharias and Elizabeth walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord without blame caused their new borne babe to be circumcised according to the prescript of the law concerning the time when part where cause why see Gospell on the circumcision of Christ. Now baptisme succeeds circumcision and so consequently parents are taught by this example to bring their children in due time to holy baptisme wherein they be made the members of Christ the children of God and inheritours of the kingdome of heauen Againe parents may learne by this president except some great necessity compell them otherwise to baptize their infants in the face of the congregation and not in the corner of a chamber or chimney there was a great meeting of neighbours and cousins at the circumcision of Iohn in his fathers house and the Iewes at this day circumcise their children in their publique Synagogâ—…es and lastly from hence wee may further obserue three things especially concerning imposition of names among Gods children in old time 1. That names were giuen in circumcision as among vs in baptisme they came to circumcise the childe and called his name Zachary the reason hereof is plaine that as often as we heare our selues named we might instantly call to minde the solemne couenant betweene God and vs in holy baptisme or as other obserue because circumcision and baptisme are seales of Gods grace whereby men are first admitted into the Church and as it were written in the booke of the liuing it is fit that none should be named or registred as the seruants and souldiers of Christ afore they haue receiued his Sacrament which is the badge of their profession and signe of their new birth 2. From hence we may note that Gods people did vsually name their children after the names of their ancestours except God in some singular case by reuelation inioyned the contrary for the neighbours and cousins of Elizabeth as not knowing the Lords expresse pleasure concerning the naming of her childe began to call his name Zachary after the name of his father and when Elizabeth answered and said not so but his name shall be called Iohn they replied there is none of thy kindred that is named with this name This example condems the nicenes of some who thinke it vnlawfull to giue their children vsuall names of their nation and families as Edward George Robert and the like as also the prophanes of other who giue names of flowers or stones or heathen names vnto christians if we name not our children after the names of our ancestours it is fit that wee should take the names of Saints that may put vs in minde of their vertues as Iohn Peter Stephen
whole world Aaron the Priest was anoynted Elisa the Prophet anoynted Saul the king anoynted In the Sauiour which is Christ all these meet that he might be a perfect Sauiour of all he was all A Priest after the order of Melchisedeck Psal. 110. 4. A Prophet to be heard when Moses should hold his peace Deut. 18. 18. A King to saue his people whose name should be the Lord our righteousnes Ieremy 23. 6. Dauids Priest Moses Prophet Ieremyes King these formerly had met double two of them in some other Melchisedeck King and Priest Samuel Priest and Prophet Dauid Prophet and King neuer all three but in him alone and so no perfect Christ but he but he all and so perfect Thus in S. Peters confession euery particle and article hath his force thou which art the son of man as being borne of Mary the Virgin art the Christ the son of the liuing God S. Luke reports that Peter answered the Christ of God and S. Marke sayth only thou art Christ whereas our EuaÌ„gelist here thou art the Christ the son of the liuing God but all in effect is one seeing Christ alone is the whole for he that confesseth thoroughly Christ is thoroughly a Christian and doth hereby confesse him to be the son of God and sauiour of men euen that anoynted Bishop of our soules who dyed for our sinnes and is risen againe for our Iustification and appeareth in the sight of God for vs as our agent and aduocate Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Iona vpon Peters answere thou art the Christ the son of the liuing God Iesus replyed after this sort as if he should haue sayd I am the naturall son of God as thou art the son of Iona. Mystically Simon signifieth obedience and Ionas a doue to signifie that euery Scholler in Christs Schoole must haue these two properties obedience and simplicitie Curious pride is a great let in Christianitie God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble The Philosophers in professing themselues to be wise became fooles and were so far from acknowledging Iesus for the son of God as that the preaching of Christ crucified seemed foolishnes vnto them 1. Cor. 1. 23. or Simon is called the son of a doue because flesh and blood reuealed not this mystery but the holy spirit which appeared in the likenes of a doue Matth. 3. 16. or as Hierome Bar-Iona is put for Bar-Iohanna the sonne of Iohn as Christin the 21. Chap. of S. Iohns Gospel at the 15. vers Now Iohanna signifies the grace of God insinuating as the same Father and other Doctours obserue that Peter in vnderstanding this hidden mystery was the son of grace so Christ in the words immediatly following flesh and bloud hath not opened that vnto thee not my flesh and blood for if thou looke vpon me with a corporall eye thou seest a man and nothing else not thy flesh and blood non consanguinei thy father and thy mother taught it not this knowledge comes not from other men or from thy selfe no flesh and blood that is the will and wit of man as Paul Galat. 1. 16. I communicated not with flesh and blood I say the wisdome of man hath not opened this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen as Leâ—… the great glosseth it non opinio te terrena fefellit sed inspiratio caelestis instruxit Faith is the worke of God and no man knowes the sonne but the father and no man commeth vnto me except my father draw him Iohn 6. 44. Blessed art thou therefore Simon Bar-Iona because my father which is in heauen hâ—…th inspired this confession into thee blessed art thou here yet more blessed hereafter as hauing hereby the promises of the life present and of that which is to come So truth it selfe telleth vs expresly this is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ. He that is a true beleeuer is blessed in the City blessed in the field blessed in his going forth and blessed in his comming home blessed in the labours of his hands in the fruit of his ground in the flocks of his sheep blessed in his wealth and blessed in his woe blessed in his health and blessed in his sicknes also for the Lord will comfort him when he lyeth sick vpon his bed and make his bed in his sicknes Psalm 41. 3. blessed in all his life blessed in his houre of death and most blessed in the day of Iudgement when he shall haue perfect consummation of blisse both in body and soule Come yee blessed inherit yee the kingdome c. Vpon this rock will I build my Church Stephen Gardiner preaching vpoÌ„ this text before King Edward the 6 sayd It is a marueilous thing that vpon these words the Bishop of Rome should found his Supremacy for whether it be super Petram or Petrum all is one matter it makes nothing at all for that his purpose This place quoth he serues only for Christ and nothing for the Pope but afterward in the dayes of Queene Mary reading this Scripture with the Popes owne spectacles he maintained that the bishop of Rome was the supreme head of the Catholick Church and he bloodily persecuted all those which held the contrary doctrine And after him in our age Bellarmine Baronius and other Papists of most eminent note for learning cite this text as a pregnant testimonie to proue S. Peters Lordship ouer the rest of the Apostles and so though inconsequently the Popes vnlimited Iurisdiction ouer all the Bishops in the world wherein as our Diuines haue shewed they contradict 1. the Scriptures 2. the Fathers 3. their owne writers 4. their owne selues The Scriptures affirme plainely that the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone to wit a tryed stone a pretious stone a sure foundation and other foundation can no man lay then that which is laied which is Iesus Christ. The Fathers auow likewise that Christ is the rock vpon which his Church is built so S. Augustine in many places of his works Petrus à Petra non Petra à Petro quomodo non à Christiano Christus sed à Christo Christianus vocatur vpon this rock then I will build my Church is nothing else but vpon my selfe the sonne of the liuing God I will build my Church aedificabo te super me non me super te and whereas he did once construe this of Peter he retracted his opinion and expounds it of Christ Hierome Gregory the great Primasius Anselm accord in the same iudgement Other of the most ancient fathers interpret it thus vpon this rocke that is vpon this faith as being a firme rocke vpon this confession thou art the sonne of the liuing God I
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
and therefore haue I spoken At the birth of Iohn which as I haue shewed signifies the grace of God he who was dumbe began to speake and to praise the Lord. Sin closed his mouth and on the contrary grace loosed his tongue The guilt of grieuous sinne confoundeth a man and maketh him mute not daring to open his mouth any more because of his shame Ignorance maketh a man mute Ecclesiast 20. 6. Some man holdeth his tongue because hee hath not to answere Esay 56. 10. Their watchmen are all blind they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe dogs and cannot barke The forgetting of Gods abundant mercy maketh a man mute Psal. 137. 6. If I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth Now Gods grace remoueth all these stops and impediments it is he that teacheth man knowledge it is he that out of the mouth of infants hath ordained strength it is hee that openeth a doore of vtterance Wherefore let vs pray with Dauid O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shal shew thy praise 2. The dumbnesse of Zacharie the Priest vpon the conception of Iohn the Baptist is mistycall insinuating that now the Priests Prophets also should hold their peace So Christ himselfe teacheth in the Gospell all the Prophets and the Law prophesied vnto Iohn but after once Iohn had not onely painted out in his preaching but also pointed out with his finger the Messias of the world saying behold the Lambe of God c. After once the Center of the Prophets and end of the law was come it was time for Priest and Prophet to bee silent hee shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease Dan. 9. 27. Then as Hierome doth apply the words of Iob The Princes stayed talke and laid their hand on their lips and their tongue cleaued to the roofe of their mouth Iob 29. 9. In this houre the time drew nigh wherein there should be neither Prince nor Prophet nor burnt offering nor sacrifice nor oblation nor incense Iohn is the voice of him that crieth in the wildernesse it was therfore fit that his father Zacharie should vpon his conception become mute as Augustine acutely Tacet Zacharias generaturus vocem Hence wee may learne to confound the stubborne Iewes as yet continuing in vnbeleefe Aut Christum venisse consentiant aut si renuunt dent prophetas qui annuncient esse venturum either they must acknowledge that the Messias is come or else shew the Priests and Prophets in holy Bible which as yet foretell his comming The hand of the Lord was with him Almighty God is said in sacred writ to haue feet and hands and eyes not properly but metaphorically not simply but in a simile nihil enim in deo nisi deus nihil habet in se nisi se non partibus constat vt corpus non affectibus distat vt anima non formis substat vt omne quod factum est vnus est sed non vnitus as Bernard excellently Now the word hand in a borrowed sense signifies sometime counsell as in the words of Dauid vnto the woman of Tekoah Is not the hand of Ioah with thee in all this Sometime hand is vsed for power as Psal. 102. 25. The heauens are the worke of thy hands and Ier. 18. 6. Behold saith the Lord as the clay is in the potters hand so are ye in mine hand And Dauid reportes how God brought his Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand and stretched out arme Sometime the giuing of the hand is a token of amity so Iehu to Ionadab giue me thine hand So Iames and Cephas and Iohn gaue to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship In all these respects the hand of the Lord was with Iohn his counsell and power and loue was with him 1. Iohn as being filled with the holy Ghost had the spirit of counsell he was the forerunner of the counsellor and so consequently wel acquainted with that hidden mystery of Christ in other ages vnknowne vnto the sons of men 2. The power of the Lord was apparantly with him in his conception and birth in so much that all marueiled at these things and said in their heart what manner of child shall this be 3. Gods grace and loue was with him euen from his mothers wombe both in his conuersation and doctrine See Illephons Giron Con. 3. in festo Io. Baptist. A mans writing is called his hand so the Clyent hath his lawyers hand to his bill and the Merchant his debtors hand to his booke the cunning Artificer also calleth his painting his hand and his Caruing his hand and so the pillar of Absolon is tearmed manus Absolom in the vulgar translation 2. Sam. 18. 18. After this manner the Lords hand was with Iohn hee was so powerfull in his preaching so sanctified in his life that euery one might say with Dauid how that this is thine hand and that thou Lord hast done it A bird taken in the nest is so one made gentle whereas a flying bird caught in a net is hardly tamed our blessed Sauiour enclosed his Apostles within the net of his mercy when they were growne ancient and therefore they forsooke their old nature with a great deale of difficulty but he tooke Iohn the Baptist in the nest as it were sanctifying him euen in his mothers wombe so that hee was from his childhood a burning and a shining light that is as Aquine glosseth Ardens per exemplum lucens per verbum God hath two hands a right hand of mercy and a left hand of iustice So wee reade in the Gospell how Christ at the last day shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goates on his left His right hand is full of mercies able to guard open to giue Able to guard his people for he saith of it none shall plucke my sheepe out of my hand Open to giue for hee doth open his hand and filleth all things liuing with plenteousnesse In these two respects his hands are tearmed by the Church as gold rings set with the beril that is exceeding rich vnto such as call vpon him Rom. 10. 12. the cup of wrath is in his left hand Esa. 51. 17. The fingers of this hand wrote vpō the plaister of the wall of Balshazzars palace Mene mene Tekel vpharsin Of this hand Iob said withdraw thine hand from me Iob 13. 21. And Paul It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Now both hands of God are right hands vnto the iust and godly though he fall he shall not bee cast away for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand all things euen woe so well as weale worke together for the best vnto him hee finds and feeles each hand of the Lord gentle for in his right hand
the fetters from Saint Peters feete and the chaines from his hands it brake thorough the first and second watch and opened an iron gate and so deliuered the seruant of God from the waiting of the Iewes What should I say more prayer is so potent that it raiseth the dead it ouercommeth Angels it casteth out Deuils and that which is yet more wonderfull it mastereth euen God himselfe for when Iacob wrestled with God he said I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me when the Lord said let me goe becommeth it Iacob to say I will not let thee goe yea beloued there be some things wherein the Lord is very well content that his seruants striue with him as namely when they haue his word for their warrant it is a commendable strife to take no refusall at his hand and in effect it is nothing else but a constant affirmation that his truth is inuiolable So the woman of Canaan stroue with Christ shee would take no denyall of that which he had promised and blinde Bartimeus made Christ as he passed in his way to stand still hee could not for the multitude lay hands on him and yet his prayers reached vnto him and held him fast vntill he receiued a comfortable answere receiue thy sight thy faith hath saued thee So when almighty God would haue destroyed his people because they worshipped the golden calse saying these be thy Gods O Israel which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt Moses fell downe on his face before the Lord and prayed vnto his God he stood saith the Psalmist in the gap as a mediatour betweene God and his people to turne away his wrathfull indignation and this prayer was so powerfull as that it constrained the Lord in the midst of his anger to say vnto Moses let me alone that my wrath may waxe hot against them all the powers of heauen and the crying of all men on earth are not able to hold the Lord from doing any worke he is about to doe for he can measure the waters in his fist and mete heauen with his spanne and weigh the mountaines in scales and the hils in a ballance what soeuer pleaseth him he doth in heauen and in earth and in the sea yet the prayers of his children are able to binde him hand and foot and to compell him as it were to powre downe an vndeserued blessing and to turne away a iust deserued punishment the very crying of an infant that vtters no distinct voyce moues a mother vnto compassion and so the Lord pitying vs as a father and comforting vs as a mother heareth our very groanes and so fulfilleth our desires if we call vpon him in faith and feare Now the reason why the prayers of the faithfull are so powerfull is because they be not ours but the intercession of Gods owne spirit in vs powred out in the name of Christ his owne sonne in whom he is euer well pleased For as for vs we know not what to pray as wee ought but the spirit it selfe makes request for vs with sighes which can not be expressed it is the spirit whereby we cry abba father as in vs the spirit makes request for vs so with the father he grantes our suites and forgiues our sinnes that for which we pray euen he giueth vnto vs who giueth vs this grace to pray God inuiteth vs to come vnto him and to call vpon him in all our troubles and his holy spirit when as we present our selues before the throne of grace helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for vs and therefore no maruell if the Lord be bound by deuoute men with his owne promises as Sampson was by Dalila with his owne haire Let these godly meditations strengthen our feeble hearts and weake handes that they faint not in deuotion but according to the paterne of the Saintes here and the precept of Paul elsewhere we may without ceasing alwayes pray that is vpon all occasions offred as well for our selues as other Omne quod agis â—…ratione obsignato id verò maximè de quo mentem vides dubitantem Behold the Angel of the Lord was there present I am occasioned here to treat of two questions especially The first concerning Angelical protection in generall as namely whether Angels helpe and keepe men from euill or noe The second whether beside the generall protection of many or all Angels in common euery man hath one peculiar Angel as his peculiar guard and guide The doctrine concerning Angelicall protection in generall at the first appearance may seeme strange because the Scripture teacheth vs expresly that the pathes of man are directed by the Lord and Psalm 34. 18. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of all and for this so particular care and prouidence God is often compared vnto a father mother pastour bridegroome buckler Eagle c. To shew that he only is to vs all in all Esay 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lord art our father and our redeemer As who would say those that are fathers according to the flesh are not worthy of that name if they be compared with thee can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though she should forget saith the Lord Esay 49. 15. Yet I will not forget thee behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palme of my hands and thy walkes are euer in my sight If thou beest burdened with vnrighteousnes Christ is thy righteousnes if thou need helpe he is thy strength if thou feare death he is life if thou desire heaueÌ„ he is the way if thou hate darknes he is light if thou seeke for meate he is food for although he be but one in himselfe yet he is all things vnto vs for the relieuing of our necessities which are without number and therefore if the rule be true non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate what need any man expect other side from other powers though Angelicall and neuer so great seeing almighty God himselfe is the keeper of Israel our immediat protectour strength hope and helpe in trouble Answere is made that Angelical custody doth not extenuate but rather extoll the greatnes and goodnes of God toward mankind for as much as it is an execution of his high and holy prouidence For as by the wisedome of an excellent Emperour all the Towers all the Cities all the Castles are fortified with men and munition against the common enemies assault lest by barbarous inuasion they should be destroyed euen so because the deuils are in euery corner raging and ranging for our ouerthrow God hath ordained for our guard that an host of Angels should pitch
their tentes about vs and keepe vs in all our wayes Indeed God is able to defend vs himselfe by himselfe thorough his immediate concourse which he hath in all things but to manifest his abundant loue to men which are wormes and rottennes and mere vanity he doth inioyne the pages of his honour princes of his court euen his glorious Angels to become messengers and Ministers for their sakes who shal be heires of saluation that all the time of this life in the houre of death and in the day of iudgement The good which Angels procure to the Saints in this life concerneth either the body or the soule as for the body these ministring spirits attend vs euen from the beginning of our dayes vnto the end most carefully performing all manner of offices appertaining necessarilie to the preseruation of our temporall life When Agar cast out of Abrahams family wandered in the wildernes an Angel appeared vnto her and aduised her to returne to her mistresse and to humble her selfe vnder her hands the reuenging Angels caught and carried Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrha before they did burne those Cities with fire and brimstone Abraham as being assured of the protection of Gods Angels in all his wayes said vnto his seruant the Lord God of heauen who tooke me from my fathers house c. will send his Angel before thee when Iacob feared his brother Esau hee met Angels comming vnto him and thereupon he did acknowledge that they should be his guard in his iourney saying this is Gods host an Angel appeared vnto Duke Iosua when he was about to sacke Iericho with a drawen sword in his hand as a captaine to fight for Israel an Angel comforted and fed Elias when he fled from Iezebel an Angel deliuered the three children out of the fierie furnace Dan. 3. An Angel assisted Daniel in the Lyons denne and kept him also from all manner of hurt Dan. 6. An Angel directed Ioseph to flie into Egypt An Angel ministred vnto Christ in his heauines and in our present text the Lords Angel brought Peter out of prison and deliuered him out of the hands of Herod and from all the waiting of the people of the Iewes Angels procure good vnto the soules of the faithfull illuminando confortando saith Aquine because they be maintainers and furtherers of the true worship of God and of all good meanes whereby saluation is attained The law was deliuered in mount Sina by the hands of Angels an Angel expounded vnto Daniel the 70. weekes an Angel forbids Iohn to worship him and inioyneth him to worship God the creatour of heauen and earth an Angel declared the will of God vnto father Abraham that he should not kill his sonne Isaac an Angel reuealed the mystery of Christs conception vnto the Virgin his mother of Christs birth vnto certaine shepheards in the field attending their flockes by night Luke 2. 10. Of Christs resurrection vnto Mary Magdalen and other deuout women Mat. 28. 5. In a word Angels are pursiuants harbingers and Heralds betwixt heauen and earth alwayes in a readines to make knowne the will of God vnto men In the houre of death Angels conuey the soules of the faithfull as they did the soule of Lazarus into blessed Abrahams bosome And in the day of iudgement they shall gather together all Gods elect from the foure windes and from the one end of heauen vnto the other that they may come before Christ and enter into the fruition of eternall glory both in body and soule The vse of this doctrine is manifold 1. It serues to terrifie the wicked who despise Gods children for so Christ himselfe reasoneth Mat. 18. 10. Despise not one of these little ones because I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alway behold the face of my father It behoues reuiling scoffers therfore to take heed whoÌ„ they mocke for though happily good men called little ones in respect of their innocency and humility for their parts are content to put vp abuses and iniuries yet their Angels may take iust reuenge by smiting them as they did Herod in this Chapter with heauy punishments for their offences 2. This may teach vs humility for if Angels high and holy serue vs let vs not thinke it any bad or base dutie to serue one another in loue 3. Wee may learne from hence to behaue our selues in open and in secret places after a reuerent and seemely manner as being spectacles vnto glorious Angels which are witnesses and obseruers of all our words and deeds To this purpose Paul saith that the woman ought to haue power on her head because of the Angels That is not onely the Ministers of the Church but Gods heauenly Angels which daily wait vpon his children and guard them in all their waies 4. This ought to stirre vs vp vnto the Lords praise saying with Dauid Lord what is man that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou shouldest so regard and guard him Alas all flesh is grasse and man is like a thing of nought yet behold if hee truely loue God all things are for his good for God is his father the Church his mother Christ his brother the holy Ghost his comforter Angels his attendants all other creatures his subiects the whole world his Inne and heauen his home I will end this obseruation with a meditation of S. Augustine O Lord thou makest thy spirits messengers for my sake to whom thou hast giuen charge ouer me to keepe me in all my waies that I hurt not my foote against a stone For these are the watchmen ouer the walles of the new Hierusalem and of the mountaines about the same which attend and keepe watch ouer the flocke lest he as a Lion make a prey of our soules while there is none to deliuer he I meane that old serpent our aduersary the diuell who walketh about as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure These Citizens of Hierusalem aboue walke with vs in all our wayes they goe in and out with vs diligently considering how godly and how honestly we doe walke in the midst of a naughty and crooked generation how earnestly wee seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of with what feare and trembling we doe serue â—…hee and how our hearts reioyce in thee O Lord those which labour they strengthen those which rest they protect such as fight they encourage they crowne such as ouercome they reioyce with such as reioyce such I meane as reioyce in thee and they suffer with such as suffer I say with such as suffer for thy names sake great is the care which they haue of vs and great is the affection of their loue toward vs and all this for the honour of thine inestimable good will
he saw Peter weeping and with the same eyes he saw Nathanaell vnder the fig-tree Now the greatnesse of his exceeding rich mercies is amplified here by circumstances of the person and of the place and of the time By circumstance of person he saw and called Matthew a rich man a couetous rich man a couetous rich man in a corrūpt office Matthew the Publican Other Euangelists in relating this history cals him leui but he cals himselfe by that name he was best knowne he confessed his fault and acknowledged his folly stiling himselfe Matthew the Publican And this he did vnto Gods glory for the greater was his misery the greater was his Sauiours mercy the children of Israel payed no custome before their captiuity wherefore toll-gatherers as being subiect to many foule extorsions and oppressions were most odious officers among the Iewes in so much as Publicans and notorious malefactors are coupled vsually together in the gospell as if he refuse to heare the Church also let him be to thee as an heathen man and a Publican and Mat. 21. 31. Verily I say vnto you that the Publicans and the harlots shall goe before you into the kingdome of God and Luke 15. 1. Then resorted vnto him all the Publicans and sinners and in our present text why eateth your master with Publicans and sinners So that Publicans are ioyned sometime with heathens sometime with harlots alway with sinners But the goodnes of Christ is amplifyed more by circumstances of place and time for that he called Matthew sitting at the receit of custome he called Peter and Andrew while they were fishing Iames and Iohn while they were mending their nets hee called other while they were doing some good but O the deepenes of the riches of Christs vnspeakeable mercies hee called Matthew when he was doing hurt executing his hatefull office sitting at the receit of custome There be three degreees in sinne mentioned Psalm 1. 1. The first is walking in the counsell of the vngodly the second is standing in the way of sinners the third is sitting in the seat of the scornefull now Matthew the Publican had proceeded Doctor in his faculty he was seated in the chaire sitting at the receit of custome the which is worse then either walking in the counsell of the vngodly or standing in the way of sinners Hence we may learne not to despaire of other much lesse of our selues not of other albeit they be neuer so couetous misers and great oppressors Indeed Christ said it is easier for a Camel or as other read for a cable to goe thorough the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God but he doth adde withall and say with man this is impossible but with God all things are possible He can vn-twine a cable rope in euery cord and thred and so drawe it thorough the eye of a needle he can vndoe the cordes of vanity and cart-ropes of iniquity which hold couetous men from him and so make them as he did here Matthew to follow him He did vntwine Zacheus when he said behold Lord halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him fourefold and so Zacheus notwithstanding his Camels backe that is in former time his prodigious wealth entred into the straite gate of heauen And let no man euer despaire of himselfe seeing Christ called Matthew when he was doing of euill and the thiefe on the crosse Luke 23. when he was suffering for euill According to his name so is his praise Iesus is his name and he is a sauiour of his people comming into this world as hee protesteth and proueth in this Scripture not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance In Matthewes obedience to Christs call obserue with Ardens a threefold abrenunciation 1. Of his wickednes he arose namely from his old vnconscionable course vnto newnes of life 2. Of his wealth he left all Luke 5. 28. 3. Of his will he followed him and that as one writes celeriter laetanter conuenienter perseueranter 1. He followed Christ immediatly without delay for assoone as Christ had said follow me forthwith he arose and followed him 2. He followed Christ cheerefully without any murmuring or disputing who should execute his office or looke to his account It was in the worlds eye a great folly to leaue such a gainefull occupation a greater folly to forsake that which he had already got and the greatest of all to follow him who was so poore that he wanted a nest and an hole where to rest his head Mat. 8. 20. Yet Matthew beholding his Sauiour with eyes offaith and looking not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene simply and cheerefully followed him and in token hereof as Saint Luke reportes hee made him a great feast in his owne house 3. Matthew followed Christ conueniently because he left all and followed him all his worldly busines all his vnconscionable gaines all his corrupt affections and whatsoeuer hindred him in the way to God And herein he dealt not as prophane Porphirius and Iulian obiect vnaduisedly to forsake all things and to follow one which had nothing for Matthew doubtles had before seene many myracles of Christ and at this present he was also drawen by the holy spirit according to that of our Sauiour no man can come to me except the father which hath sent me drawe him And this spirit assured his spirit that Christ as God is all sufficient and a rewarder of such as seeke him and come vnto him Here the Gospell and Epistle meete Paul preached not the word for worldly gaine Matthew left all and followed Christ. He did not abandon all his estate for hee feasted Christ in his owne house but hee was willing to leaue the whole world to gaine that good which hee could neither prodere nor perdere 4. Matthew followed Christ constantly being first a Disciple then an Apostle afterward an Euangelist and last of all a Martyr as a Disciple he heard the Gospell of Christ as an Apostle he preached the Gospell of Christ as an Euangelist hee wrote the Gospell of Christ as a Martyr he suffered for the Gospell of Christ. He was not only a Disciple but an Apostle numbred among the twelue preaching the Gospell in Iudea and Aethiopia for I remember one saith of him Aethiopiam nigram doctrinâ fidei fecit candidam And that hee might preach vnto the whole world after his death he penned the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ c. In which as Euseb. Emisen obserueth he makes a great feast vnto Christ and that in sundry respects as 1. His Gospell is great as being written in Hebrewe the most ancient and most holy tongue 2. Great as being the
He set him by him according to the record of S. Luke and tooke him in his armes as S. Marke yet all agree for it may be saith Euthemius that Iesus first set him in the midst of them as S. Matthew then afterward set him beside him as S. Luke and last of all embraced him in his armes as S. Marke Some think that this childe was one Martialis afterward a famous Bishop in France but this idle tradition is beside the text and therefore not of the necessitie of faith Other imagine that Christ himselfe might be this little one being among his Disciples as a seruant Luke 22. 27. but this opinion is against the text Iesus called a childe and set him by him and tooke him in his armes it saith he set a childe in the midst of them but what child it doth not say not a great boy but a little child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Erasmus translates puellum Beza puerulum the vulgar Latine paruulum as Musculus vpon our text Oportet imitaripuellos anniculos fortè bimulos And so S. Peter exhorteth vs to be like new borne babes and surely parents are commonly so negligent in instructing their children as that Christ hardly could find any yongling aboue three or foure yeares old of such innocent behauiour of whom he might say Whosoeuer humbleth himselfe as this child and except yee turne and become as children Let vs examine therefore wherein we must be like to children and wherein vnlike First We may not be like to children in ignorance so Paul 1. Cor. 14. 20. In malice be yee children but in vnderstanding men 2. Not like to children in vnconstancie wauering and carried about with euery wind of doctrine 3. Not weake in faith as children which are not able to discerne spirituall things for want of yeares of discretion 4. Not like to children in seeking after vntoward things because their senses are not yet setled our affections are to be set on things which are aboue hauing our conuersation in Heauen and therefore we may not imitate children in eating dirt in padling in the mire The child plaies with the light of the candle till his finger be burnt and so the reprobate-wicked plaies with Hell fier reputing it a fable till at the last he comes to be tormented in that vnquenchable flame The child doth esteeme an apple more then his fathers inheritance so the witlesse worldling prefers things temporall in this life before the things eternall in the kingdome of Heauen In these childish humors and the like we may not be like to children But we must be like children 1. As being mundi corpore sancti animo chast in bodie pure in mind 2. Like to children in obedience for good children stand not reasoning what manner of thing it is that their father commands but instantly they follow his will and word as their rule to work by So faithfull Abraham at Gods commandement was readie to sacrifice his only begotten sonne Isaac he stood not arguing the case the death of my child can doe no good vnto God and it will procure much euill vnto me but rather he thought that it is my father in Heauen who commands and I will obey Hee s loath alas his tender sonne to kill But much more loath to breake his fathers will 3. Like to children in respect of merit for as children can not boast of their owne deseruings against their parents euen so the followers of Christ may not brag of their merits before God but acknowledge themselues to be babes able to doe nothing without his fatherly fauour 4. As little children commit themselues altogether vnto the tuition of their parents and guardians euen so Christians ought to cast all their care on Christ as looking for euery good gift at his hand 5. Like to children as concerning malice both innocentia ignoscentia for as little children being iniured take not any reuēge but only make complaint either to their father or mother euen so when any wrong vs we may not auenge our selues in recompensing euill for euill or rebuke for rebuke but only complaine to God our father in Heauen or to the Church our mother on earth It is written that vengeance belongs vnto God and therefore we must humbly call vpon him in our persecutions as the Prophets did O Lord plead thou my cause with them that striue with me and fight against them that fight against me Giue sentence with me O God defend my cause against vngodly people And Psalme 80. 1. Heare thou sheepheard of Iraell thou that leadest Ioseph like a sheepe shew thy selfe thou that sittest vpon the Cherubims And Psalme 83. 1. Hold not thy tongue O God keepe not still silence refraine not thy selfe for thou Lord hast been our refuge from one generation to another I haue read of a reuerend and religious Archbishop of Mentz who being a long time depraued and in fine depriued of his dignities and office by two corrupt Cardinals his Iudges and a false harted Aduocate his familiar friend out of the bitternesse of his spirit made this appeal from them vnto the Lord of Heauen God knoweth vnto whom all things are naked that I am vniustly condemned yet I will not appeal here from your sentence for that I know yee shall sooner be beleeued in your lying then I am in speaking the truth and therefore I receiue this heauie censure for the rebellions of my youth and other sinnes Neuerthelesse I appeal from your iudgement to the Iudge eternall and only wise which is Christ Iesus before whom I summon you The Cardinals fell into a laughing and said That if he would goe before they would follow It hapned that the poore Bishop hauing withdrawen himselfe into a Monasterie dyed within a yeare and halfe after and the Cardinals hearing thereof in a scoffing manner said one to another that they must goe seeke the Archbishop Now within a few dayes after one of them was bloudily slaine and the other grinding his teeth eat vp his owne hands and dyed mad And lastly the Iudas who betrayed him I meane his false friend placed in his roome was so mortally hated of all men for his sedition and crueltie that being assaulted in a Monasterie he was there butchered and his carcase cast into the towne ditch where lying three dayes all sort of people both men and women vsed all maner of despite vpon it An example verie remarkable teaching vs not to despise one of these little ones because in heauen their angles alway behold the face of our Father which is in Heauen Againe we may complaine to the Church our Mother as in this present Chapter at the 17. verse If thy brother trespassing against thee will not vouchsafe to heare thy selfe alone nor yet thy witnesses and arbitrators Tell it to the Church He that commits his cause
mouth of his holy Prophets I haue beene sought of them that asked not I was found of them that sought me not he calleth vs before we call on him The 2. grace is sanctification and sanctified such as are called are by nature the children of wrath as well as other it is in vaine therefore to be called that is stirred and moued to receiue the faith vnlesse we be sanctified Iames 2. 14. What auaileth it my brethren though a man saith he hath faith when he hath no workes Herod seemed to be called and somewhat inwardly touched but he would not forsake his secret sinne of incest in keeping his brothers wife Simon Magus was baptized and so called but hee was not sanctified to leaue his gainefull sinne of couetousnes Iudas as being an Apostle was called and yet hee was a diuell and many deceiue themselues who thinke hearing of the word to be sufficient without doing Iames 1. 22. A sheepe resembleth a true Christian euery thing in a sheepe is good and vsefull his fleece is good his fell is good his flesh is good his entrals yea his excrements are good and so the sanctified Christian is a seruant vnto all the seruants of God euery good gift in him is profitable to some he lendeth his fleece cloathing the naked to some his bread in feeding the hungrie to some he lendeth his eyes and so becommeth a guide to the blinde to some he lendeth his strength and so becommeth feete to the lame to some he lendeth his vnderstanding and so becommeth an instructor of the simple he becommeth as Paul speakes all things vnto all men that hee may winne some vnto Chtist In this point of doctrine the Papists haue slandered vs exceedingly saying that our diuines in preaching of faith haue destroyed good workes whereas we professe that our calling is fruitles without holines of life See Epistle 2. Sun in Lent Preserued in Iesus Christ As it is in vaine to be called first vnlesse we be sanctified so likewise to be sanctified vnlesse we may be kept and preserued in Iesu Christ not to lose our sanctification Our life is a continuall warre-fare vpon earth and therefore though we be called outwardly and sanctified in some part inwardly yet the Dragon and his Angels fight against vs daily that we may fall from faith and hope receiued that wee may turne the grace of God into want onnesse like the dogge returned to his owne vomit and the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire and so end in the flesh howsoeuer we began in the spirit Demas fell away from the Gospell embracing the present world many are called but few chosen Mat. 20. 16. It behoueth vs therefore continually to pray that Christ Iesus the great shepheard of our soules may hold vs in his hands from the griping pawes and grinding Iawes of the roaring Lyon who goeth about daily seeking whom he may deuoure And surely such as are giuen vnto Christ effectually called and truly sanctified shall bee preserued to the end Zerubbabel did both lay the foundation of the temple and finish it so God will establish and make perfect his worke begun in vs Psalm 68. 28. Hee that hath begun this worke of our saluation will also performe it Philip. 1. 6. I know Gods elect may for a time lose some good meanes and some great measure of grace too Dauid and Aaron and Peter and other haue fallen foully yea fully but none finally God is more watchfull in helping vs then Satan is or can bee wrathfull in hurting vs. He which is the father of mercies giueth vs preuenient grace subsequent grace cooperant grace grace before grace and grace after grace keeping vs by his power thorough faith and preseruing vs to his heauenly kingdome It is not of our selues that we perseuere thus vnto the end and in the end it is the power of God who giueth as our Apostle sheweth here grace first to be called secondly to be sanctified thirdly to be reserued or preserued in Iesu Christ. Mercy vnto you and peace and loue be multiplied Mercy from God the father in the forgiuenes of your sinnes Peace in Christ in feeling this forgiuenes Loue in the holy Ghost in being assured of Gods grace toward vs euery day more and more Mercie from God the father of Mercie Peace from God the sonne the Prince of peace Loue from God the holy Ghost the loue of the father and the sonne Mercy in pardoning your sinnes Peace in quieting your conscience Loue ioyning you to God and one to another or hee wiâ—…eth encrease of Gods mercy toward them and a multiplication of their peace and loue toward one another That their sinnes may be forgiuen he prayes for Gods mercy that they may forgiue other men their trespasses he prayes for peace that both these may be multiplied in them he prayes for loue First he begins with Gods mercy which is the fountaine of euery good and perfect gift if wee taste of his mercy we shall soone be filled with his other graces he that hath enough mercy can want nothing For as Samsons chiefe strength was in his haire so Gods chiefe vertue in his mercy Mercy good Lord is the total summe in the humble suite of a sinner O Lord haue mercy vpon vs miserable sinners is the first petition and the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ is the last in our Liturgie When I gaue all diligence Here S. Iude begins to prescribe his Salue which is an exhortation to contend earnestly for the faith and the causes mouing him to write this vnto the Saints are two 1. His duty when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation c. 2. Their danger because they nourished certaine seducers as serpents in their owne breasts whom hee describes by their sinne in generall verse 4. shewing their hypocriticall entring into the Church craftily crept in vngodly carriage being entred In their life turning the grace of God into wantonnesse In their doctrine denying God which is the only Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ. In particular from the 4. verse to the 17. Punishment of olde ordained to this condemnation and so S. Iude describes these wicked impostors and false brethren as Pope Celestine did his successor Bonifacius the 8. Ascendisti vt vulpes craftily crept in regnabis vt leo denying God and turning his grace into wantonnesse morieris vt canis of old ordained to this condemnation The Gospell IOHN 15. 17. This command I you that ye loue together c. CHrist in this Gospell is said to doe three things especially 1. He doth exhort his followers vnto mutuall loue 2. He comforts them against the worlds hatred 3. He promises to send vnto them the holy Ghost who being the comforter and the spirit of loue may both instruct them how to loue together and how to suffer affliction in the world Of
the first I haue spoken Epist. Sun 1. after Trinit Of the second Epist. 2. Sun after Trinit Of the third Gosp. on the Sun after Ascension Epistle APOCALYP 7. 2. Behold I Iohn saw another Angell c. IN this Scripture concerning the sealing of the Saints and seruants of our God obserue the Minister sealing An Angell ascending from the rising of the Sunne c. Men sealed I heard the number of them who were sealed c. Behold I Iohn saw another Angell In the words immediatly going before S. Iohn said he saw foure Angels stand on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure windes of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth neither on the Sea neither on any tree These foure Angels are foure agents of Satan Hypocrits with their impostures Antichrists with their pestilent decrees and traditions Tyrannous Princes with their bloudie Lawes Vngodly Magistrates with their ignorant blindnesse These foure reigne in the foure quarters of the world with lyes in hypocrisie with errours in superstition with tyrannie in power and with crueltie in executing humane Lawes Or these foure Angels imployed by the prince of darknesse are foure workes of darknesse Contention Ambition Heresie Warre Contention arising from the East Ambition arising from the West Heresie from the South Warre from the North. Or as Ardens These foure Angels are the spirit of Luxurie the spirit of Pride the spirit of Gastrimargie the spirit of Auarice For as the Prophet speaks That which is left of the palmer worme hath the grashopper eaten and the residue of the grashopper hath the canker worme eaten and the residue of the canker worme hath the caterpiller eaten Luxurie consuming the flesh in which it is bred resembles the palmer worme Loftie pride with her low fall the skipping grashopper Rauenous gluttonie the canker worme Cut-throat auarice the caterpiller Now Luxurie doth hurt many trees in the garden of God and that which luxurie hath left hath pride deuoured and that which is left of pride gluttonie hath eaten and that which is left of all these vices is often ouercome by Couetousnesse Or happily these foure Angels are 4. great powers in the world the Turke the Romane Emperour the Pope the king of Spaine combined in a bloudie league with other popish Princes as brethren in euill All these furiously raging together against the Lord and against his annointed withhold the foure windes of the earth that the winde should not blow that is They persecute the preachers of the word and hinder the doctrine of the spirit called often in holie bible Winde least it should blow vpon the earth which is the garden of God driuing from thence all filth and corruption Or on the Sea that is a wauering conscience bringing men to a quiet hauen and hold in the Lord Or vpon any tree that is growing here which are men planted by God on earth to bring forth fruit in Christ vnto the comfort of other All these wicked angels exercise both head and hand how to crosse the proceedings of the Gospell and to driue this Heauenly blast away The Turke doth infest Christendome with his warre the Roman Emperor with his edicts the Pope with his excommunications and Buls the popish Princes which haue committed abomination with the great whore of Babel and are drunken with the wine of her fornication hold the windes of the earth by their inquisition fire fagot treachery rebellion And for this end they found and feed Monasteries of Fryers and Colledges of Iesuits as the Seminaries of sedition and conspiracy Or foure being a compleat number it doth insinuate that all execrable ministers of Satan in the whole world crosse so much as may be possible the blowing of the spirit both in the bookes of holy Scriptures and in the mouthes of godly Preachers In nature their is but one winde yet said to be diuers in respect of the diuers corners of the earth out of which it bloweth East West North and South and so called foure windes in regard of the 4. quarters of the world In like sort the spirit is but one Ephes. 44. But it is termed here foure windes in respect of the foure Euangelists who wrote the Gospell It is diuerse for that it bloweth on diuers men diuersly giuing to one the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge to another faith to another the giftes of healing to another prophesie to another discerning of spirits to another diuersity of tongues all these things worketh euen the selfe same spirit distributing seuerally to euery man as he will 1. Cor. 12. 11. These manifold blastes of the spirit or as S. Paul speakes these diuersities of gifts and diuersities of administrations and diuersities of operations are withstood by reprobate men and Angels in euery corner of the world by the Papists especially inhibiting the people to read the Gospell in the mother tongue and prohibiting the Pastors to preach the Gospell in any tongue Now while these cursed Angels were stopping the winde or letting the Gospels free passage behold another Angell ascending from the rising of the sunne which had the seale of the liuing God and hee cryed with a loud voyce to the foure Angels to whom power was giuen to hurt the earth and the sea saying hurt not the earth neither the sea neither the trees till we haue sealed the seruants of our God in their forehead Albeit the Dragon and his Angels rage neuer so much against the Church yet the foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of his hand Indeede the foure foule Angels haue power to hurt the land and the sea but it is limited a power giuen of God and God is faithfull who will not suffer his elect to be tempted aboue their ability but sends one good Angel to suppresse foure bad crying to them and that with a loud voyce hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees Some thinke this Angel arising from the East was Constantine the great other expound this of Christ other of the Ministers of Christ it is certaine that Constantine succeeding immediatly Dioclesian and other persecuting Emperors was a notable nourishing father vnto the Church vnder whose shadow the Christians dwelt and prospered a long time He did according to the tenour of our text ascend from the east and he had the seale of the liuing God that is the true faith of Christ openly professing it and establishing it also by the consent of three hundred eighteen reuerend Bishops in the Councell of Nice summoned by him against Arius and other impious Angels holding the foure windes of the earth This Emperor cryed with a loud voyce to the wicked instruments of Satan hurt not the earth c. He
made many proclamations and edicts in fauour of the Christians in so much as the whole rable of the hatefull enemies of God as Eusebius reportes seemed to bee wiped away from the sight of men according to that of the Psalmist I saw the wicked exalted as the Caedars of Libanus and florishing like a greene bay tree but I went by and loe he was gone I sought his place but it could no where be found Other construe this rather of Christ as being Angelus testamenti the messenger and Angel of the couenant the sunne of righteousnes manifesting himselfe in the great darknes of Anti-christianisme He hath indeed the seale of the liuing God as being the character of his person and brightnes of his glory declared mightily to bee the sonne of God He cryes with a loud voyce to the foure foule Angels that is he fights against such as fight against his elect seruants and deliuereth vs out of the handes of all our enemies In the darkenes of blind superstition he doth illuminate his and seale them in their forehead making them openly to confesse his faith vnto saluation among an adulterous and sinnefull generation This sealing in the forehead is not an allusion to the signe of the crosse for many reprobates haue receiued that in baptisme the true marke whereby Gods elect are discerned from all other is a liuely faith in the heart breaking forth into confession with the mouth according to that of Paul with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth he confesseth to saluation Now for as much as faith is by hearing and hearing is not without a preacher and how shall any preach except they be sent Rom. 10. 14. 15 Therefore some diuines haue conceiued that the true Prophets and Preachers are this Angell ascending from the rising of the sunne They haue power to marke the faithfull vnto life euerlasting their tongues are the writing pennes of the holy Ghost by whom the word of God is registred in the heartes of them that beleeue This Angell had the seale of God in his hand and the Prophets haue the powerfull and effectuall word of truth in their mouth and they crie with a loud voyce to the wicked instruments of Satan hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees As if they should say though some hearts are worldly some consciences wauering some mindes vnfruitfull and barren yet they may repent and come to goodnes When the seed is sowen some falleth vpon good ground and brings forth fruit in abundance cease therefore from with-holding the sweet blast of the Scriptures till we haue sealed vp the chosen seruants of our God in their forehead and imprinted a true beliefe in their hearts by his spirit S. Paul hath said all this in a fewe words after that ye heard the word of truth euen the Gospell of your saluation and therein beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Some thinke this Angell is Elias the Prophet imagining that he shall in the latter end of the world come againe to fight against Antichrist and to seale Gods elect in their fore-head But our renowned Soueraigne King Iames in his premonition hath excelleÌ„tly discouered the vanity of this idle Iewish fable besides our text saith in the plurall number till we haue sealed c. Insiâ—…uating that by this Angell is not meant one Preacher only but many yea so many as be both instant and constant in crying with a loud voyce to the leâ—…d Angels hurt not the earth neither the sea nor the trees If this one point were well vnderstood and learned it would make you more diligent in comming to the temple which is the house of God in reading the Scriptures which is the booke of God in hearing the true Prophets which are the Ministers of God appointed for this end to separate you from the wicked of the world and to seale you with his marke for his kingdome Hitherto concerning the Minister sealing I am now to treat of the men sealed all agreeing in one confession howsoeuer differing in condition and countrey There were sealed one hundred and forty and foure thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel The Iewes are sealed first as being Gods eldest sonnes a peculiar and pretious people chosen to himself aboue all other in the world After them in course follow the Gentiles as the yonger sonnes of God for there was sealed an infinite number of other nations as well as a great number of the Iewes And among both Iewes and Gentiles all sortes of men were sealed the people so well as the Priest euen twelue thousand of euery tribe so well as twelue thousand of the tribe of Leui. And among the people men of all occupations and trades for by the land he meanes such as till the ground and by the sea marriners and Merchants occupying their busines in great waters and by trees such as are noble rich and potent in a flourishing estate So that men in euery nation of euery fashion if they feare God and worke righteousnes are sealed with his seale for his chosen seruants Ezechiel reportes that none are sealed but such as mourne and crie for all the abominations that are done here none but such as grieue to see the Gospell of Christ despised and his Church despited On the contrary such as are common blasphemers of his name contemners of his word and persecutors of his Prophets haue not the seale of the liuing God but the marke of the dying beast In that it is said one hundred and forty foure thousand were sealed of the children of Israel Aretas obserues that euery one of the twelue Apostles multiplied his talent twelue times a curious and a conscionable conceit too but how consonant to the text I leaue to the iudicious examination of the learned and godly remembring the resolution of S. Augustine in a case not much vnlike quisquis haec legit vbi pariter certus est pergat mecum vbi pariter haesitat quaerat mecum vbi errorem suum cognoscit redeat ad me vbi meum reuocet me Nam in his vt in omnibus meis scriptis non modò pium lectorem sedetiam liberum correctorem desidero The Gospell MAT. 5. 1. Iesus seeing the people went vp into a mountaine and when he was set his disciples came to him and after that hee had opened his mouth hee taught them saying blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen c. THe first word of the first lesson in Christs first Sermon is blessed a point of conning and of comfort of conning and good art woeing vs in the very first entrance to marke well his whole discourse because neuer any was is or shall be but he desires according to his owne sense to be blessed It is the
deuils oratory to deterre men from piety with an opinion of vnhappines and trouble which accompanie the godly but the rhetoricke of Gods holy spirit allureth vs contrariwise by sweet premises and gratious promises blessed are the poore blessed are they that mourne blessed are the meeke c. And it affordes comfort for hereby we knowe that the Gospell is a good-spell euen tydings of great ioy to all people when as we read that the first apothegme of Christs first Homily reported at large was blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen and the last period in his last homily behold I am with you alwayes vntill the end of the world Now beloued all his actions are our instructions it therefore behoueth vs in winning our children our friends our auditors vnto God and godlines to learne and vse this gentle craft being the sonnes of consolation as well as the Boanarges the sonnes of thunder As sometime we must mourne that the people may lament so likewise sometime pipe that the people may dance There was in the Arke of the testament Heb. 9. 4. The golden pot of Manna so well as the rod of Aaron and a Preacher as Bernard wittily should resemble a good mother which hath vbera so well as verbera like a Bee saith Ambrose which hath hony so well as a sting As it is our part to be disposers of the Gospell and messengers of peace so let it be our art to call home such as are out of the way and to restore such as fall in the way with the spirit of meekenes for blessed are the poore in spirit c. Of this Apothegme there be two parts a Proposition blessed are the poore in spirit Exposition for theirs is the kingdome of heauen In the proposition obserue the Subiect poore in spirit Predicate blessed for so wee may conuert it aptly the poore in spirit are blessed Concerning the subiect I finde three sortes of poore namely 1. The worldes poore 2. The deuils poore 3. Gods poore The worlds poore are either impotent or impudent poore impotent by birth or casualtie by birth as the fatherles orphanes and beggars children especially such as are creeples or borne blinde by casualtie as the decayed housholder the maymed souldier the visited with any grieuous plague or sicknes all these kindes of poore wretches are to be relieued as wel with our almes as aduise To binde vp their broken hearts and to beare part of their burden is a great euidence that thou art Gods heire mercifull as our father in heauen is mercifull Blessed in this world for so Dauid in the 41. Psalm Blessed is he that considereth the poore and needy the Lord comforteth him in his affliction and makes all his bed in his sicknes Blessed in the world to come for so the sonne of Dauid euen Christ himselfe come ye blessed of my father inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you for I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me I was naked and ye clothed me I was sicke and ye visited me It is therefore my humble suite to those which are by statute made ouerseers of our ouerseers for the poore that hereafter in euery village the distressed members of Christ euen flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone may be more charitably prouided for according to the true meaning of godly lawes established in this case Among impudent poore some be little beggars and some be great beggars among little beggars I marshall the riotous spend-all and the lasie get-nothing The drunkard and the glutton shall be poore saith Salomon and no maruell seeing in a little while they draw their whole patrimonie woods house land thorough the narrow passage of their throat c. It is therefore my humble suite to the reuerend and graue Iudges of the land that they would in their circuits vpon all occasions offered endeuour to suppresse and disgrace these brutish incorrigible ding-thriftie dearth-makers It is said of the Surgeon that he must haue a Ladyes hand and a Lyons heart But it is to be wished that a Iudge in this corrupt age should haue contrarywise the heart of a Ladye for Blessed are the poore in spirit yet in punishing notorious offenders the hand of a Lyon It is an old saying Qui non corripit corrumpit and all honest men howsoeuer otherwise poore in spirit haue notwithstanding euermore complayned of a cruell pittie which is the mother of licentiousnesse and licentiousnesse is the mother of contempt and contempt is the mother of sedition and sedition is the mother of rebellion and in fine rebellion is the mother of desolation Of Rogues I meane vagabond idle persons out of couenant out of course there be two sortes as namely wild rogues so bred a great part whereof is an vncircumcised generation vnbaptized out of the Church and so consequently without God in the world Other being better bred for want of good discipline turne rogues and become tame ruffians and these drones haue swarmed so much in some parts of our Countie that they driue many good bees out of their hiues in plaine English many Gentlemen and Iustices too during all the hard winter out of the Countrey into the Citie where they lye non-resident from their benefice their mansion house where their liuing is and non-resident also from their charge where they should execute his Highnesse Commission for the peace I do not think with Innocentius Iustitia non datur nisi vendatur that Iustice is dearely bought in any corner of our Kentish soyle God forbid and yet in the behalfe of my poore neighbors I must say that it is pittie Iustice should considering the number of Iustices be so farre fetched in the midst of winter Vngodly polititians who make the works of Lucian their old Testament and Machiuels prince their new thrust themselues into the center of the world as if all times should meet in them and their ends neuer caring in any storme what becommeth of the ship of estate so they may be safe in the coc-boat of their owne fortune But nature tels thee that no man is borne for himselfe and Scripture tels thee that we must in loue serue one another Our Christian estate necessarily requires that some should be great and other litle that some should be subiect and other soueraigne that some should command and other obey But saith our blessed Sauiour speaking to his Disciples as representing the whole Church He that is greatest among you let him be as the least and he that is chiefe as he that doth serue Praesis vt prosis as Bernard told Eugenius and as Martine Bucer noteth out of these words of Christ against Anabaptists He which according to the will of the Lord beares rule godly doth nothing lesse then domineere yea most of all
serue The Iustice the Iudge yea the King himselfe as states-men are bold to call him is a great seruant of the Common wealth It is therefore my humble sute to the worthy Knights and other Iustices hauing receiued large money for the building maintayning of Bride-wols in our County to performe better offices in banishing all vnprofitable vagabonds out of our coasts I am now to speak of no small Beggars of such as beg in the courts and houses of Kings of such as come to something when other come to nothing of whom in old time complaint was made to the Parliament of England That they did by cob-web subtleties of the Law first rob the Subiect and then afterward rob the King I hope there be none such in our daies vnder the gouernment of our most illustrious wise learned meek religious and pious Prince K. Iames whom I beseech God of his infinite goodnesse to prosper long among vs in health and wealth all happynesse as well concerning this as the world to come But if a Iudge hereafter in another age should vnhappily meet with such a sturdie beggar I wish hartily that he may follow Iustice Iobs example who saith of himselfe I put â—…n righteousnesse and it cloathed me my iudgement was a roab and a crowne I was eyes to the blind and feet was I to the lame I was a father vnto the poore and the cause which I knew not I searched out diligently I brake also the iawes of the wicked and pluckt the pray out of his teeth If he proue too great a fish to be caught in thy net enuy not his prosperitie for he buildeth his house as the moth and if thou possesse thy soule in patience but a litle while thou shalt looke after his place and he shall not be found As he was a beggars brat so he shall dye the first gentleman and the last knight of his name There be three ranks of the Deuils poore Couetous Vaine-glorious Superstitious The Couetous who want euen that they haue being as they are termed aptly the greatest Misers in the world like the market horse laden with daintie cates and yet feeds on thistles The vaine-glorious who to get a name forget often their estate as certaine Philosophers in old time whom I will not name because they did it for a name cast all their goods into the Sea least they should hinder their courses in the studies of philosophie Nolebant censu abundare terreno vt magis sensu abundarent suo saith a learned expositor vpon this text And certaine Schismatickes in latter ages haue for the crasie credite of a desperate cause forsaken their owne Countreys and their owne free-holds which were certaine to depend vpon the breath and bread of other men which is vncertaine The Superstitious as the popish Monks and Friars who transported with a blind deuotion abandoned all worldly possessions and yet abounded in all riot and excesse Regulares gulares they were more then men at their meat lesse then women at their worke saith Erasmus Albertus duke of Saxonie was wont to say that he had three wonders in one Citie namely three Monasteries For the Fryers of the first had children and yet no wines The Fryers of the second had a great deal of corne and yet no land The Fryers of the third abounded with moneys and yet had no rent Hic doluâ—… est magnus lupus est qui creditur agnus So then as you see the Deuils poore differ verie much one from another for the Couetous haue the possession but not the free vse the Superstitious haue the vse but not the free possession the Vaine-glorious vpon the point haue neither free vse nor free possession of such worldly wealth as they desire being all in their seuerall kinds exceeding poore The third sort of poore are Gods poore which abound with inward wants and want also many times outward aboundance Where of some vndergoe patiently losse of their goods as Iob other forgoe cheerfully the vse of their goods as the blessed Apostles These are the poore in spirit or as S. Basile construeth it the poore for the spirit wholy submitting themselues to be ruled by Gods holie spirit the humble and the meeke truly feeling their inward and patiently bearing their outward pouerty Christ then here doth not vnderstand such as are meerely the worlds poore for albeit they be humbled yet are they not humble nor the deuils poore for they are neither actually humbled nor humble but only Gods poore which are both humbled and humble humbled in their pouerty humble in their spirit blessed are the poore in spirit So S. Hierome Augustin Ambrose Gregory Nyssen Theophylact Euthymius and other Doctors expound it And this appeares to be Christs meaning in that the word spirit signifieth elsewhere will as Mat. 26. 41. The spirit indeed is ready but the flesh is weake and 1. Cor. 7. 34. The virgine cares for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and in spirit that is in thought and mind So that to be poore in spirit is nothing else but willingly to forsake our selues and to follow Christ euermore being readie for his sake to beare the losse of our wealth when as we are made poore and to forbeare the vse of our wealth when as we are rich vsing the world as though we vsed it not For this blessing belongs as well to the rich as to the poore As the bad poore are proud in spirit so the good rich are poore in spirit As some be poore in substance and not in spirit so some rich in substance yet poore in spirit A cable vntwined in euery cord and thred may goe thorow the needles eye so the rich man if once he be well vntwined deuiding his goods according to the will of the giuer may notwithstanding all his greatnesse walke in the narrow path and enter into the strait gate of Heauen The worlds poore are miserable because deiected in their pouertie The deuils poore cursed because proud in their pouertie Gods poore only blessed as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things 2. Cor. 6. 10. Here then obserue what an excellent vertue contentation and lowlinesse of minde is As the first vice the Deuill thrust vpon Adam was discontentment and pride So the first vertue Christ commends vnto his followers is an humble contentment The eight beatitudes saith Cromatius are like Iacobs ladder reaching from earth vnto Heauen and the verie first step of the ladder as the foundation of the rest is lowlinesse of mind For as God is said to hang the earth vpon nothing that it might wholie depend vpon him euen so doth he found the world of his Christian common-wealth vpon nothing and this nothing is an humble dis-prising and forsaking of all our owne abilities and an only relying vpon his almightie power and