b Heb. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring spirits sent out for their good which shall be heires of eternall life Heb. 1.14 Not that we are able certainely to determine that euery one hath his owne Angell c Specialiter defignaâ—um Lomb. lib. 2. distinc 1â— Rhem. annot in Mat. 18.10 specially allotted vnto him as they of Rome teach but that many Angels are appointed vnto one suruant if necessitie require as the scriptures of god teach d Psal 91.13 Psal 91.13 They staÌ„d sentinell alway by vs and pitch their tents about vs. e Psal 34.7 Psal 34.7 And the more herein is shewed Gods goodnes to vs the more hereby should be manifested our confidence in him He hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee saith the holy Ghost f Bern. in 〈◊〉 Quihabitat vers 13. QuaÌ„tam tibi debet hoc verbum inferre reuerentiam afferre deuotionem conferre fiduciam This sweet word of his saith Bern. how great reuerence should it strike how great deuotion breed how great confidence kindle Reuerence for the prefence of the Angels deuotion for their beneuolence confidence for their custodie g Bern. ibid. Caute ambula walke warily the Angels of God are present with thee when all men on earth are absent from thee presume not to doe that in the sight of an heauenly Angel which thou wouldst shame to doe in the prefence of an earthly man And thus much touching the first person The second persons are the women which seeke Now who they were in particular none of the Euangelists in my iudgement haue so fully set downe as this our Euangelist S. Marke For he vers 1. of this chapter hath set downe their number and their names Their number three Their names Marie Magdalen Marie the mother of Iames and Salome Together also with the ende of their comming and the time of it The ende to embalme the dead bodie of Iesus The time verie early in the morning while the Sunne was rising Verie forward deuotion indeed you will say so soone to be stirring but what might moue them hereunto Some peraduenture will say pittie of the dead corps For women haue this nature when entreatie cannot moue them pittie will driue them When the ioy of his life could not bring them to his loue the sorrow of his death did fetch them to his graue Some againe happily may say Desire of newes For women like the men of Athens h Act. 17.21 giue theÌ„selues wholy either to heare or to tell some newes Act. 17.21 So they which were wearie of his sight while he was aliue did now long after it when he was dead But God forbid so charitable creatures should euer vndergoe so vncharitable a censure I say therefore it was loue it was pietie it was decencie First it was loue For i Luc. 7.47 He loueth much to whom much is forgiuen Luk. 7.47 But Christ not only forgaue theÌ„ much but gaue them much k Bern. super Cant. Ser. 20. Dilectionem non reddidit fed addidit saith Bern He returned not loue as a debt but bestowed it as a gift And therefore if you maruell why thus they loued him Saint Iohn answereth for himselfe and them also l 1. Ioh. 4.19 We loue him because he loued vs first 1. Ioh. 4.19 Hereunto adde that beside his generall loue wherewith he loued them as his elect he also affected them in particular loue as his friends One of them Marie Iacobi was his mothers sister and his loue was not wanting either to her or her children Not to her selfe he made her his Aunt Not to her children For of her fower sonnes Iames Ioses Simon Iude he chose two the eldest and the youngest to be his holy Apostles A fauour so great and a priuiledge so high that if he had made them Monarches it had come short of this But to Marie Magdalen he shewed more loue and so much the more appeares it for that she was not of his kinred She neuer wanted either his good deeds to comfort her or his good words to excuse her Not his good deeds for her comfort either for her selfe or her friends Not for her selfe m Luk. 8.3 Out of her he cast seauen diuels Luk. 8.3 Not for her friends n Ioh. 11.44 Her brother Lazarus he raised from dead Ioh. 11.44 o Luc. 10.38 Her sister Martha he graced with his presence and preaching in her house Luk. 10.38 As she had his good deeds so had she alwaies his good words For he excused her three times First to the Pharisee who said she was a sinner p Lu. 7 39 Luk. 7.39 Secondly to her sister who said she was idle q Luc. 10.41 Thirdly to Iudas who said she was prodigall r Mat. 26.10 Mat. 26.10 What could Christ doe more for them while he was aliue or they lesse for Christ now he was dead Secondly it was pietie wherein they exceeded men For as they shewed more sorrow then men at Christs passion so they shewed more deuotion then men at his resurrection Whilst then men were securely sleeping in the nightly graue of their beds these deuout women were religiously seeking Christ in the quiet bed of his graue They feared not the darkenesse of the night which might haue produced dangerous effects they respected not the malice of the Iewes which hated such as loued Christ they shrunke not at the horror of the dead corpes which is a thing that flesh trembles at they were not daunted at their owne weakenesse the stoutest of them being but a woman mulier mollis aer a soft and tender breath faemina ferens minus least able to endure and hold out not any of these not all of them could hold them backe from seeking of him whom their soule loued Å¿ Cant. 3.1 Cant. 3.1 Loe here deare Christians most deuout charitie most charitable deuotion Loe how true it is that women as by nature they paralell men in wit so by grace they equall them in vertue What can you say against them If one were a cause of death another was a meanes of life One indeed receiued t verbum adificatorium mor t Tenull lib. de came Christi is the word that set vp death but another conceiued verbum extructorium vitae the word which set vp life againe One beleeued the diuell and another gaue credit to the Angel u Tertull. ibid. Ei quod illa credendo deliquit haec credendo deleuit what the first by rash crediting lost the other by true beleeuing got againe x Verbum diaboli semen illi fuit 〈◊〉 est One by beleeuing denique diabolum fratricidam Contra Maria eum edidit qui carnalem fratrem Israel interemptorem suum salâ—â—m quandoque praestaret Tertull ibid. the diuell brought forth a murtherer that slew his brother in the field the other by beleeuing God broght forth a Sauiour slaine by his brethren in the flesh Finally
Eue signifieth life and Marie importeth bitternesse but they were both coÌ„trarie to their names for Eue in stead of life brought death and Marie in steed of bitternesse brought sweetnes Now these women were the reporters and proclaimers of this benefite The gloriousest message that euer was was first committed to a woman because the woman first hasted to heare it As Marie was the meane betweene God and man to beare Christ and bring meanes of saluation so these women were the meane betweene the Angell and men to preach Christ and bring newes of the resurrection As there was a progresse in the denunciation of death from the diuell to the woman from the woman to the man so there was a processe in the anunciation of life from the Angell to the women from the women vnto men For a Missae ab angelo opus faciant Evangeli siae factaque Apostole apostoloruÌ„ festiuantad annunciandum mane miseritordiam dominâ— Bern. super Cant. Ser. 75. sent from a Angell they doe the worke of an Euangelist and being made Apostles to the Apostles they goe forth with speed to sing the mercies of the Lord betimes in the morning b Quae prima iuit ad culpam nuÌ„e prima currit ad veniam Ludolp de vit Chri. patt 2. cap. 71. The woman therefore which first fell to transgression doth now first fell to transgression doth now first bring newes of remission and she which at first brought death into paradise doth now first of all fetch life from the sepulchre c Id ibid. Contenders de morte rapere vitam quae offendens de vita rapuit mortem contending saith one out of death to fetch life which before offending out of life did bring death Thirdly it was decencie Decencie two waies First naturally which allowes it neither for customable nor commendable for matrons to goe alone And indeed in so heauy a case as death at so vnwoÌ„ted a season as night to so dismall a place as the graue if they had gone single they might haue fainted and fallen d Eccle. 4.7 vasoli saith the Preacher Eccl. 4.7 Woe be to him that is alone especially if he be alone in his woe Therefore as all had lost so all sought and happily blessedly all found Secondly spiritually which required that amidst so many enemies of the resurrection sufficient witnesse should be produced to confirme the truth thereof Now the scripture saith e Deu. 19.15 in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall stand Deu 19.15 Two then might haue serued but here were three and f Eccle. 4.12 a three-fold cord is not easily broken Eccle. 4 12. In a word then As deuotion stirred vp these women to seeke and finding incouraged their deuotion so let precept moue vs to be deuout that practise may bring vs to the like blessed finding A first we all shamed not to imitate woman in following the diuell to damnation let vs now much lesse shame to imitate these women in running to Christ for saluation Though they be women their example is notable Peter himselfe at their word ran out Iohn not onely runnes out with Peter but g Ioh. 20.4 out-runnes him Ioh. 20.4 Peter hath his name from Petra a rocke and yet he relented at the loue of Christ but h O grauiores saxo plumbo quos ta ti a noris vinculum non tâ—â—bit fâ—rsum ad deum ex quo prins tâ—aâ—it deum corsum ad homines â—nselme lib. de simil Oh harder and heauier than stone and lead are their hearts saith Anselme who are not drawne from earth to loue God in heauen by that band which drew God out of heauen to loue man on earth The graue of Christ is our hiding place As the beastes that are hunted by men flie into dennes and holes of the earth for safetie against the furie of dogges so let vs which are become like the beastes that perish when we are hunted by Sathan that mightie Nimrod flie hide our selues in the graue of Christ There and no where else i Et Reuera vb firma tutaque secutitas est oisi iâ— vulucribus Saluatoris Bern super Cant. Serm. is firme and safe securitie to be found It is his promise he will not shrinke froÌ„ it Trie him O feeble soule in thy greatest need k Psal 91.3 he shall preserue thee from the snare of the hunter Ps 91.3 Thus much touching the persoÌ„s The matter follows first of the Angells consolation Be not afraid At the first hearing whereof peraduenture some may be afraid that it is not the voice of a good Angell from heauen it sounds so like the rotten stay of securitie which the Diuell gaue our first parents to rest on earth wheÌ„ he said Ye shall not die at all l Gen. 3.5 Gen. 3.5 For doth not the Scripture by precept commaund Feare Do not all holie men by practise commend it Was it not at first created and framed a qualitie in the soule of man Was it not afterwardes an affection in the soule of him which was both God man Hearken deare Christians He saith not Feare not at all but he meaneth m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne auonito stupore exterreamini Feare not too much And indeed in this dutie great discretion is to be vsed Therefore the scripture sometime saith Feare sometimes againe Be not afraid Feare for too little feare is want of grace Be not afraid too much feare is want of faith Feare too little feare is presumption Be not afraid too much feare is desperatioÌ„ And this very precept Be not afraid instructs vs in three points First who it is that ought to be feared Not men not Angells not diuels but God only The seruant feares not his fellowes in the familie but n Mal. 1.6 Mal. 1.6 God is Paterfamilias maister of the familie and the Angells be o Reu. 22 9 our fellow seruants Reu 22 9. Againe whom we must worship him must wee feare for feare is a speciall part of Gods worship But p Mat. 4 10. Thou must worship the Lord thy God onely and him alone serue Matth. 4.10 Therefore the Lord God must onely be feared Secondly who it is that ought to feare Not such as q Custodes quideÌ„ digni sunt qui â—erreâ—ntur vos autem discipulae domini ne terreâ—mini The op in Mat. 8. seek Christ like these blessed women but such as kill Christ like the cursed Iewes As there is a twofold composition of men that is of pride and humilitie so there is double disposition in God of Iustice mercie He which is r Lactant. Instâ—t lib. 1. cap. 1. ergâ—pios indulgentissimus Pater a most louing and gentle Father to the righteous the same is also aduersus impios rectissimus iudex A most seuere and iust iudge to the wicked And heere the verse same God by his Angel so frighted the wicked
doth this commend absolutely because so many seek him dissolutely For it is certaine some corruptly seek the true Iesus Some carefully pursue a false Iesus While the true Iesus was on earth some sought him corruptly viz. for the cure of their bodies rather theÌ„ the sauing of their soules to behold his miracles rather then to admire his vertues to fill their mouths with bread rather then their hearts with faith and to catch him in his words rather theÌ„ to be catched by his word The 9. leapers cried after him to be cleÌ„sed but neuer returnd to giue him thaÌ„ks t Luk. 17.17 Herode u Lu. 23.8 desired to see a miracle presently sent him back to Pilate to be crucified Luc. 23.8 The Capernaits x Ioh. 6.60 eat of the loaues were filled afterwards murmured and forsooke him Ioh 6.60 The Pharisies and Sadduces had all their questions answered and then y Mat. 26.5 gathered a Councell to put him to death Matth. 26.3 Thus the true Iesus was corruptly sought That Iesus which holy Ignatius saith is z Igna. Epist ad Roman vita fidelium life to the faithfull in the bitterest death and which as Bernard saith is a Bern super Canuc Ser. 15. mel in ore in aure melos in coâ—de iubilus honie in the mouth melodie in the eare ioy and ionisance in the hart sought after for corrupt and sinister respects no whit profiteth the greedie seekers Some againe carefully pursue a false Iesus proposing to their minde safetie in that thing which they most affect and reposing in their hearts a confidence therein Yea almost euery kingdome in the world almost euery citie in a kingdome almost euery man in a citie hath a false Iesus in whom he delighteth and in whom he seuerely restes The Turkes Iesus is their brainsicke prophet Mahemet in him they place their faith of him they hope for saluation To his bountie they impute the largenesse of their empire the fertilitie of their soile and to his right hand b Lactan. Institut lib. 2. cap. 7. quicquid est propter quod furta latrocinia homicidia quotidie saeuiunt whatsoeuer it is for purchasing whereof thefts robberies murders are euery day among them outragious and whole cities and townes ouerthrowne and demolished as LactaÌ„tius once said of the superstitious heathen The Romanists Iesus is the Pope For of him they expect all which is onely to be receiued from the true Iesus of Nazareth which was cruâ—ified Remission of sinnes imputation of righteousnes validitie of merits inheritance of glorie they think to receiue from him which alas hath it not for himselfe Hath it not which is more hath lesse meanes to haue it then any as being most contrarie to Christ of all Christ hath an high title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King of Kings and Lord of Lords c Reu. 19.21 Reu. 19.21 yet an humble carriage d Phil. 2.8 He tooke on him the form of a seruaÌ„t Phi. 2.8 CoÌ„trary the pope hath an huÌ„ble title Seruus seruorum Dei the seruant of the seruants of God but a most pompous and pontificall cariage far exceeding the mightiest monarchs Christ refused soueraigntie three times contrarie the Pope takes 3. soueraignties at once The scriptures say of Christ that he is deus homo both God man the Canonists say of the Pope that he is nec deus nec homo neither god nor man I know not theÌ„ what to make of him but verie Antichrist To come to our selues Who is it but hath a Iesus by himselfe The couetous mans Iesus is his money Did not the rich man hope for saluation in his riches when he said e Luc. 12.19 Soule thou hast much goods laid vp in store for many years eate drinke and take thine ease Luk. 12.19 So the gluttons God is his belly Paul calls it so Phil. 3.19 f Phil. 3.19 Whose God is their bellie whose glorie is to their shame which minde earthly things So the ambitious mans God is honour the lasciuious mans God is pleasure as the heathen saith of a man in loue if he hath what he loueth g Plautus id habet pro cibo it is meate drinke to him So I may say of euery mans delight which his minde and heart is set vpon id habet pro deo it is a Iesus vnto him For there is no man in the world but as by nature he desires his owne safetie so by religion he chuseth his owne Sauiour religion with men of the world being nothing else h Lactant. Instit lib. 2. cap. 7. quam quod cupiditas humane miratar but that which a mans fancie is in loue withall So true it is which that graue and iudicious Father Saint Augustine hath obserued i August de ciuit dei lib. 14. cap. 4. Beatus vult esse homo etiam non sic viuendo vt possit esse Man would be blessed and happie though he so liues as he neuer treades the right way too it Amongst these many vaine seekers of Iesus I may most fitly insert the sert of Iesuites who because they would make the world beâ—eeue that they none but they had found Iesus they haue taken away his name from al others and appropriated it to themselues k Verbum cauponantes Iesum vendentes Ignat. ad Trallian In the meane time they play the merchants with the word and the Indaffas with Iesus And whilst they thus seeme to haue gotten Iesus from all others it is come to passe that they haue lost Christ froÌ„ theÌ„selues Let holy Ign tius the Martyr speake against their Ignatius â—arola l Ignatibid Qui inim alio nomine appellatur praeter islud hic non est dei Whosoeuer is called by any other name then the name of a Christian is â—one of Gods Some therefore call them not Iesuites but Iebusites and I thinke not without verie good cause For as they of Ierusalem set vp a company of blind and lame Iebusites on the walls of their citie in disgrace of Dauid m 2. Sam. 156 when he came vnto them m 2. Sam. 3.6 Sam. 5.6 So they of Rome haue set vp these Iebusites â—lind through ignorance of the truth lame through peruersenes in life on the walls of the city of God vp to the height of preferment in the Church in disgrace of Christ and all his annointed Kings But no doubt as Dauid fetched downe those base people because his n 2. Sam. 5.8 soule hated them Christ will one day plucke downe this proud Sect and disperse them with the breath of his mouth and dispatch them with the sword of the spirit But I hast to the third degree Yee seeke Iesus of Nazareth Neither doeth this commend more then the former For thus some haue sought him without profit in the Gespell thus some seeke him all for profit in the world Read how vnprofitably