THE EMBASSAGE OF Gods Angell By George Phillips Malachi cap. 3. verse 1 Behold I will send my Messenger and hee shall prepare the waie before me VERITAS TVA ET VSQVE AD NVBES AT LONDON Printed for William Leake and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyarde at the signe of the Greyhound 1597. The Embassage of Gods Angell The Text is in the 5. Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles the 20. verse c. 20 Go your way and stand in the Temple and speake vnto the people al the words of this life 21 So when they heard it they entered into the Temple earlie in the Morning and taught And the chiefe priest came they which were with him and called the counsel together al the elders of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to cause them to be brought IN this speech wee must obserue the charge that was giuen to the Apostles by the Angell and then how the Apostles executed the same If wee consider these thinges more particularlie Goe your waie is the incouragement that the Angell giueth to these apostles Stand in the temple admonisheth to haue recourse to the ordinarie place of teaching and hearing Gods word Speake to the people is Gods generall calling of al people to the knowledge of his truth 1 Tim. 2 4 Al the wordes of this life doth signifie the subiect of our pâ—eaching viz. the Gospell of Iesu Christ which bringeth eternall life But wheÌ„ the angell calleth them the words of this life hee hath relation to a life which the apostles had preached before their imprisonment as in Actes the 4 and 12. verse Text. Goe your waies God saith of the wicked viae meae non sunt viae vestrae My waies are not your waies But here the Angel saith Go your waies c. which was a notable argument to these men that their authoritie was good This must needs concerne vs of the Ministery verye neerelie Psal 39.1 that wee looke to our waies like Dauid whether they bee such as may incourage vs to proceed therein with a safe conscience For it is questionlesse that because the spirites of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14 32 therefore saint Iohn vvilleth vs to trie the spirites teaching vs like wise to knowe vvhat spirits we must acknovvledge for fit leaders of Gods people Acts. 8.9 In Symon the Sorcerer was the spirite of inchauntment wherewith he seduced the Samaritanes In Iason the highe priest 2 Maca. 4 7 vvas the spirite of Briberie whilest hee corrupted for that office of the priest hoode Antiochus vvho vvas corrupted againe by Menelaus Our sauiour Christ himselfe telleth vs Iohn 10 1 That euery one that commeth not in by him the doore Neh. 13 29 entereth in by a wrong way And zealous Nehemia curseth such as prophane polluters of Gods holie house and defilers of his sacred Priesthood And yet some haue taken this calling vppon them before they coulde discharge it any better then Nicodemus could reason of regeneration Iohn 3 9 and other haue gon the wrong waye to discharge theyr charge Ionas 1 3. as Ionas fled to Tarshish when he should haue gone to Niniue And the Grandbishop of our soules 1 Pet. 2 25 hath ordained this for a perpetuall and an infallible note of a true minister of Iesus Christ Iohn 10 9 By me if any man enter he shall goe in and out and shall find pasture and shal bee safe meaning that they whose pastures are bare like the mountaine of Gilboa 2 Sam. 1.21 haue climed ouer the hurdles or come in by some by-waie and not by the right doore And as no learning hath let them in so a lawfull autoritie might shut them out that they might returne to theyr olde occupations againe whereof they haue more skil 2 Tim. 4 10 and wherin they haue most delight as Demas in this Worlde whoe haue taken so large a leape as it is from the shop boord to the sheepefold They only must build in Gods house whom he hath commanded so to doe and inabled thereunto as when he said to the apostles Math. 28 18 19 All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Goe therefore and teache all Nations c. for God euer indueth them with a greater measure of his grace then the common sorte of his people As Iacob said of his elder sonne Ioseph when hee blessed him moreouer Gen. 40 22 I giue to thee one portion aboue thy brethren which I gate from the Amorites with my sword bow That the minister may be a leg to the lame an eie to the blinde a staffe to the aged a teacher of the ignoraunt and a guide to the wandering else how shall he lifte my feete out of the mire that is as deepely plunged in it as I am What hope haue I to escape the pit when my guide is as blinde as a beetle How shall he vpholde and strengthen my weaknesse who is an vnstaid man himselfe how shal other be taught by him whom God himself vnder the person of Nicodemus reproued for his ignoraÌ„ce long since Iohn 3 10 Thus did the people wander in that maze of poperie as in a midnight of ignorance in the daies past But blessed be God we may now see hovve truelie Paule said sometimes to the saintes at Ephesus Ephes 5 8 ye were darknes but nowe are you light in the Lord meaning that when they were gentiles they walked ignorantlie as they that were in darkenes but it pleased God to giue them his sonne who is the true light to inlighten euery one that commeth into the world Iohn 1.9 Iohn the Baptist beeing asked of the priests Leuites what he was Iohn 1.23 saide not I am a crier but hee ansvvered I am the voice of a crier Manye haue taken the title of the Lords criers vpon them whose voices haue sildom been imployed in preparing the pathes of the Lorde Whoe if they omitted their duety of ignorance might learne of Esay to inquire of the Lorde What shall I crie Esay 40.6 And they vvhich knovve it might imitate the same Prophetes example who saide that For Sions sake hee woulde not bee silent that Iacob may knovve Gods iudgementes and Israel his Lavves Rom. 10 14 15 For hovve shall the people heare without a preacher and hovv shall they preache except they bee sent Lorde howe many were there possessed vvith dumbe Diuelles vvhilest ignoraunce was the reputed mother of Deuotion but in this our soule sauing knovvledge of Iesus CHRISTES Gospell it hath pleased him to open the mouthes of such as soundlie teach vs that to knowe the true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent to saue vs is eternal life Wherfore we are as greatlie bound to praise God Marke 7.31 for opening the mouths of such men as those Galileans who saide He hath done all things well
he hath made the deafe to heare and the dumbe to speake 2 Chr. 13 9 Blessed be God the daies which Ahia the Prophet complained of are worne out of date whoe said We haue such priests as the Nations that be Idolatrous round about vs as though we should sacrifice with a bullock and seauen Rams to them which are no Gods Then coulde men bee contented to see and suffer Gods sanctuary to bee a stable for the ignorant asse Surely it argueth that men could bee contented to profes wel whatsoeuer they performed and to haue all thinges well so that it were not effected by their means For had they regarded Gods true religion then should not a company of vnworthy men haue caried avvaie the churches reuenues for an olde song as Baals priestes consumed the kings cost for saying O Ball heare vs 1 Reg. 18 26 blind Prophets shuld not lead the blinded people hand in hand vnto hell nor the Diuell lead captiue both the seducers and the seduced as the Philistines ruled Samson Iudg. 16.21 hauing cut off his haire and bored out his eies Text. And stand in the Temple This is added to prooue that God hath appointed a setled and certaine place wherein he will haue his name called vpon of his people Deu. 12 5 6 and it hath beene so euer sithence that Temple at Ierusalem was first builded by king Salomon 1 Reg. 6 As the Psalmist ment when he said Thither the tribes go vp Psal 122 4 euen the tribes of the Lord c. And it seemeth that in diuers ages there were ordinary places of assemblie as well to the sacriledge committed with Idols as for the seruice of the true god For as the vvoman of Samaria saith that her predecessors worshipped vppon the mount of Samaria Iohn 4 20 and Christe said that Ierusalem was the ordinary place where Israell shoulde worship 2 Reg. 5.18 So Naaman the Syrian worshipped in the house of Rymmon and Ieroboam sometimes at Bethel 1 Reg. 12 and otherwhiles at Dan. But it is saide heere vnto the Apostles stand in the Temple for that the Christian Religion being an open faced Religion doeth likewise require a publike profession According as our Sauior Christ said to the Disciples Math. 10.27 Quod dico vobis in tenebris praedicate in luce What I teach to you priuately that preache you publikelie For it is not enough sayeth saint Paule that your heart doeth beleeue vnto saluation Rom. 10 10 but your mouth must also make confession to iustification Ne coelico fallaci venerentur numina cultu least all like Saule shoulde worshippe God for a fashion and not of Deuotion Supra Math. cap. 21 12 Saint Gregorie in his Morals vpon Christes going into the Temple so soon as he came into the City saith that this true reformer of his church had tvvo speciall respectes therein The first to shewe that the negligence of the people doeth much arise of the carelesnesse of the Pastor who commeth not there so often as he ought And therefore was it a part of Paules care to saie to the Colossians Admonishe Archippus to looke to his charge Colos 4.17 Next to aduertise all higher powers to procure the good of GODS house by all the lawfull meanes they may and in this sence Esay said that Kinges shoulde bee nurcing fathers Esay 49 23 and Queenes nurcing mothers vnto it Text. And speake vnto the people As the Apostles mightie deliuerance out of the common prison was a demonstration of Zorobabels conclusion 1 Esdr 4 41 viz. that trueth is strongest So this freshe charge and newe commission giuen to them must teach vs that we prise not the worde of God by that estimation that men of sinne do value it Math. 7 6 Matt. 15.25 For as swine cannot prize pearles so the crums of this foode are sought for by such as know what it is worth When the Apostles aunswered the counsel at Ierusalem with Acts. 4 19 Whether it is better to obey God or man iudge you their speech hath relation to the commandement of God wee see as to a rule and compasse whereby his ship the Church is safe conducted in the sea of this world For right so as God said to Moses Exod. 5 40 See that thou makest the Arke according to the patterne that I shewed thee on the Mounte In like maner ought all the enterprises of a Christian life to bee leuelled by the worde of Gods prescription Christ saith that when the shepherd is stricken the flocke flyeth is scattered 1 Reg. 22 17 And so Micaia did prophecie against Ahab the wicked king of Israell But Christ neuer saide that the good shepheard doeth fly from the flocke though himselfe be stricken but that he ventureth his own life Iohn 10 11 to saue theirs as appeareth by these apostles whoe cease not to doe that which God commandeth though it bee with daunger of life As the two good midwiues of Egypt woulde not kill the infantes because GOD hath said Thou shalt do no murder It was said to the sinfull man in the Gospell Iohn 5 14 Goe thy waie and sinne no more least a worse thing befal thee But when the Apostles are inlarged by the Angel of the Lorde they are bidden to doe againe as they did before Then this is the cause vvhye GOD is so present a helpe in our troubles Psal 46 1 Psal 50 15 in deliuering vs when wee call vppon him euen that wee might magnifie him the more Acts. 4 18 We charge you that you speake no more in this name saieth the counsell of Ierusalem to these Apostles But I commaund you that ye speake the more in this name sayth the angell of the Lorde novve yee are at libertie Therefore is the zeale of GODS Saintes figured in the sacrificing fire vvhich might not goe out but must burne both daie and night by the Leuiticall Lavve and as our seruice of GOD must bee perpetuall Leuit. 6 13 so muste it bee without feare or doubting Shoulde such a manne as I am fly Nehe. 6 11 said Nehemiah If the husbandman shoulde waite vntill there vvere no vvinde Eccles 11.4 hee shoulde neuer sovve Or if hee woulde not reape till there be no clouds that threaten rain he shoulde neuer haue haruest while he liueth In that these Apostles are commanded to speake vnto the people occasion is offered to saie something of those simples whereof gods catholike church is compound viz. of the people New Ierusalem hadde twelue gates not onely to signifie the xii Tribes of Israell Apoc. 21.12 but further to teach that GOD woulde choose his church from all parts of the worlde And this is that which our sauior said long sithence I haue other sheep which are not of this folde Iohn 10 16 them also muste I bring and they shal heare my voice and there shal be one sheepfold
and one sheep heard Whereby he meant that hee would be one day as common to the Gentiles thorough the preaching of his gospell as then he was proper to the first elected Iewes For S. Iohns vision must bee effected or else the scriptures are not fulfilled he saieth he saw an angell flying thorough the Apoc. 14 6 middest of heauen hauing an euerlasting gospell to preach to them that dwell on the earth and to euery Nation and kindred and tongue people So that howsoeuer that bee true that the Israelites were the peculiar people of God to whom only pertained the promise the adoption the couenant of God as saint Paule sayeth yet now God vouchsafing a new couenant Rom. 9 4 Iere. 5 31 hath comprehended all Nations therein Acts. 2 39 as saint Peter saith Vnto you is the promise made and vnto your seed vnto all that are yet a farre off Ose 2 23 euen so manie as God will call And as Ose the Prophet said god calleth thē his people who were not his people heretofore and they novv do cal him their God whose God hee was not in times past For we were as sheep going astraie 1 Pet. 2 25 but nowe returned to the sheepeheard and bishop of our soules c. Acts 10 15 So that Saint Peters vision being accomplished that which God hath cleansed manne may not count it vncleane Actes 10 28 for novv GOD hath shewed me that I shoulde not count any man polluted or vncleane saith hee Text. All the wordes of this life This doth subscribe to the truth of him whoe beeing the life it selfe Iohn 14 6 Matth. 4 3 saide sometimes that There is not one worde in the booke of God but it hath his Emphasis or powerfull effect vnto eternall life Therefore as Saint Paule founde by his ovvne experience Rom. 1 16 that the wordes of the Gospell tende all to the sauing of Faithfull beleeuers so hee protesteth to the Church of Ephesus that hee kept not backe anie part of the Counsell of GOD that was fitte for theyr saluation Acts. 20 20 but deliuered vnto them all that Counsell of GOD. Yet we who are the Gentiles must saie like Ieremy the prophet Thy words were found by mee Iere. 15 16 and I did eate them and thy worde was vnto mee the ioy and reioicing of my hart Or as Dauid said Psal 132.6 Loe wee heard of the same at Ephrata and found it in the Wood. When we come to Gods house wee must attende rather what is spoken then who speaketh because if we regard who teacheth we shall oft hear the successors of the Scribes Pharisies who onlie would say well and bicause they hold in capite so long as they teach the truth wee must heare them Matth. 23 2 and hold with them in that Ei parti fauendum est quae rectum sentit in veritate We must leane to that side which relieth vpon the truth Therefore said Christ Quod dicunt facite You must doe as they saie If you attend what they say you shal find them like the Apostles for they speak vnto you all the words of this life And it is not only the word of life because it is spoken as from the Author of life or because it tendeth to eternall life but quia creditur because it is beleeued And therefore saieth Paule Rom. 1 16 It is the power of God able to saue euery beleeuer And when Esay said Esay 53 1 Lord who beleeueth our preaching hee meant that the want of beliefe is want of life The wordes of the Gospell are also called the words of life Iohn 14 6 because they treate of Iesus Christ who is the life of life for in him we liue moue Actes 4 12 haue our being And not only Peter saith Acts 10 43 Non est salus in vllo alio but huic testātur omnes prophetae To him doe all the Prophets beare witnesse that through his name al that beleeue in him shal receiue remission of sinnes The wordes of the Gospell are called the wordes of life also because the subiect of the gospel is to beget soules to euerlasting life as our Sauiour himselfe saieth Iohn 20 31 These things were written that you might beleeue and in beleeuing yee might haue life through Christs name Text. So when they heard it they entred into the temple early in the morning and taught This sequele sheweth how faithfully the Apostles did execute the Angels commandement First they doe heare it Ezec. 33 7 then they teach it like that rule of God to Ezechiel Sonne of man thou shalt heare the word at my mouth and thou shalt giue the people warning from me 1 Pet. 4 11 Or that of S. Peter If anie man minister let him do it as of the abilitie that God ministreth to him For our sauiour saith Math. 13.52 Euery Scribe learned in the kingdome of God is like a good housholder that bringeth out of his treasure things both new and old Thus the meanes are directed to the ende as Moses receiued the lawe to deliuer it to the people The eare to heare and the eie to see the Lorde hath made them both saith the Wise man Prou. 20 12 Salomon teacheth vs both the vse and the author of our senses by both the which he affirmeth that we are gods factors vpon earth and that the gifts of God are talents committed to vs to trade them ouer in our life to the honor of the right owner of them Luke 4 16 The Euangelist Luke saith that when our Lord came into the synagogue of Nazareth according to his custome hee gaue them a sermon And so doeth hee saie likewise of the Apostles Luke 24 53 that they were vsuallie conuersing in the Temple in the time of their libertie and novve also after their imprisonment This is one great comfort to the man of god that howsoeuer men may be bounde for the worde of God 2 Tim. 2 9 yet the worde of God it selfe is not bound And let them further vnderstande that as Gods iudgments are compared to a great deep Psal 36 6 so he wil not make it known vnto vs why he suffereth mē to ride ouer our heads but only thus far forth that we may finde him most helpefull when we feele our selues to be most helplesse Psal 37 25 and say like Dauid I neuer sawe the righteous forsaken And thereby learne that bicause God is mercifull therefore he ought to be feared more then men who are for the most part cruell When it is said that the Apostles Entred earlie into the temple and taught This is spoken for the imitation of their successors for euen as the sun imparteth his light vnto the moone and starres so these moouing candlesticks bee not put vnder a bushell but set in an open place to inlighten all that are in Gods house Iohn
5.35 According as the scripture saith of S. Iohn That hee was a burning and a shining light meaning that he consumed himselfe to giue light to other In some place the minister earlie is vp but the people neuer the nearer yet these apostles enter betimes into the temple doe teach Iesus Christ is called the day spring or the breake of the daie Luke 1 78 And so is his worde comparable to the star that conducted the wise men vnto him Math. 2 9 Cant. 3 1 The church wanted this light in Salomons time 1 Sam. 3 1 but specially in the daies of Samuel Miserable is their state who liue in ignorance for the blinde eateth many a flie as the Pharisies are saide to swallowe whole Camels Mat. 23 24 Wherfore we are very happy men 2 Titus 21 to whome the grace of GOD hath appeared Text. And taught Bicause the word of God hath parted the whole worlde into a vineyarde of worke and a market place of Idlenes Mat. 20.1 3 and God hath aswell forbid loytering as commanded labouring 2 Thes 3 10 therefore he taketh men from Idlenes Math. 20 7 and sendeth them to their occupation to teach that they onely are worthie of their calling which walke according to the same as Esay saide Esay 50 4 The Lorde hath giuen me a tongue of the learned that I shuld kno how to minister a word in due season to him that is weary And as Paule commanded that he which wil drinke wine should help to plant the vine 2 Cor. 9 and him that liueth of the altar to minister at the altar and him that wil eate the milke to feede the flock I alledge not this as though I thoght them to bee ignorant of this point of Discipline to whom it specially pertaineth but as knowing that they which shoulde speciallie remember it doe chiefely forgette it There is one lesson in the scripture that manie one in the ministerie remembreth one halfe of it and forgetteth the other halfe and it vvas spoken by our Sauiour to his Disciples immediatly after that he heard of the death of Iohn the Baptist The wordes are Come aside Mark 6 31 and reste a while Euery one vpon the least occasion very readily commeth apart frō labor to loiter and is prest to take his rest but they either forget that it is said Rest a while or else think a whole yeares ease to be but a while But they should rest as Christ did Iohn 4 6 sitting vpon Iacobs well viz. vntill they are refreshed Iohn 5 17 and then to it againe by Christs example for my father worketh hitherto and I worke saith hee And by Iacobs sleeping in the land of Haran for he laide a stone vnder his head in steed of a soft pillow Gen. 28 11 in the next morning was packing on toward Bethel teaching men to measure their ease as well as their paines So God alloweth intermission for hee will haue line after line Esay 28 10 and precept after precept but alloweth no Idlenesse and therefore hee saide to those loyterers in the market place Math. 20 6 Why stande yee idle And therefore Paule calleth the Office of a bishop a good worke 1 Tim. 3 1 in that they taught the people It maketh as much to our folkes condemnation as for their peoples commendation euen as Christ saieth that Sabaes comming to hear Salomons wisdom shall condemn the Iewes in the iudgment daye Math. 12 42 Our Sauiour hath also taught what is the cause of our slow assemblies Luke 12 34 when he telleth that mens harts are only there where their treasure is But yet euen in pollicie wee know that wise marchants wil traffike into diuers countries yea and sende their chiefest wares into those partes where there is like to be longest peace and safest trauaile Why then should not the spirituall marchant laye vppe treasure in heauen where is all good hope of endles happines seeing the scripture saith and therefore the trueth saieth that there theeues cannot break through and steale Matth. 6 19 20 by stealing make vs bankerout of euerlasting blessednes Text. Then the chiefe priest came they that were with him and called the councell together and all the Elders of the children of Israel and sent to the prison to cause them to be brought If wee regard the outward persons in this assemblie it may seeme that it was very lawful but if we consider the conditiō of their comming togither we shall finde it most vngodlie for it is a consūmation of king Dauids prophesie Psalm 2 2 vvho saide that mightie men should assemble themselues againste the Lord and his annointed which is his Christ The scripture giueth instance of diuers assemblies whereof some haue come together for good endes and some haue mustered for bad intents The godly assemblies are expressed in that of Cornelius and his companye Acts. 10.33 Acts 2 1 and in that cloude of witnesses the apostles assemble at Ierusalem being al together with one accord in one place Vnhallowed assemblies are such as those in the booke of Numbers when Korah Leuies son Num. 16 1 conspired with Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab against Moses and Aaron Numb 14 2 And when the whole congregation of Israell assembled againste these two at another time Fiue kings againste Captaine Iosuah Iosua 10 and these counsellers at Ierusalem against the men of God Then out of this place wee are aduertised howe little hope there is of concluding any good whē the assemblie hath neither feare nor knowledge of God For as menne in chiefest seats do commit the chiefest sinnes so may wee thinke that Commonwealth to bee in the afternoone of her age viz. in a declining state where iudgement is committed vnto such as should rather bee iudged It is neither heere nor there Psal 58 1 vvhoe are assembled except their mindes are sette vppon righteousnesse to iudge the thinge that is equall The greatnesse of the assemblie prooueth not the goodnesse of it for then the fiue kinges hadde foyled Iosuah Iosuah 10 and the Councell of Ierusalem muste needes haue swallovved vppe these sillie Apostles But it is true that thorough Gods permission the mightie often times surprise the meaner sort and that made the Philosopher laughe in his sleeue to see great theeues leade little theeues to prison Christ muste be crucified to the vvorlds end Amos 2.13 euen as cartes are pressed with sheaues so long as there is any haruest Aske the shower of the Saints bloud els Mat. 23 35 which began with the bloud of Abell and helde on to the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias Aske the riuer of bloud which the enemies of Gods truth haue shed in warre And aske the vvorde of trueth Matth. 2 16 howe much innocent bloud hypocrisie hath broached and it will aunswere you like Saule