the Potters clay Into the Pits which they digge themselues are fallen Their Nets are broken the Birds escaped vpon the wing Nay oftentime it commeth to passe that the Fowler is caught in his owne snares Their tongues taught to talke at randon against God cleaue at most need vnto the roofe of their mouthes Riches and Princes faile both at a pinch and Friends runne away in the time of trouble All humane abets are well compared vnto Summer Brookes and water courses in the Wildernesse dry without water in time of drought and extremitie running ouer in Winter when water needeth not The Trauellers to Tema were deceiued in their hopes the Carauans of Sheba in their expectations finding no water there to drinke died with thirst in the Land of Desolation He said well that had seene much in his time and was as Potent as any in his daies An Horse is but a vaine thing to saue a man and to deliuer by his great strength Who professed againe to purpose vpon his owne particular I will not trust in my Bow It is not any Sword that shall helpe me And semblably gaue counsell to the well aduised Put not your trust in Princes nor in any child of man For why there is no helpe in them Samson we reade was surprized when his great strength failed him The Riches and Wisdome of King Salomon could not secure the state of Rehoboam nor yet free his owne times from some troubles Achitophels Head-piece so working and practique brought his necke vnto the halter Aman that great Minion of the Persian Monarch was disfauoâ—rited in a moment and yet lifted vp to looke higher then hee did before In the vse and custome of the World Reason of state for common course of management calleth Reason of Religion vnto Counsell seldome as if God were not interessed in the affaires of men but stood and beheld what and not wherefore a farre off But yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at a pinch indeed the profoundest Politician is often at a stand In God it is not the greatest States man is to seeke and at a losse there is No helpe for him but in his God God must stand in procinctu put himselfe into the breach and come on lustily to the rescue or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For two reasons What shall we doe for all is lost Therefore Call vpon him haue addresse to his assistance in time of Trouble For first he is of Power to make good his partie against the Deuill and all the World beside Who hath resisted the will of the Lord His power Who can stand with Him or stand before Him much lesse can any stand against Him or hinder his purposes to take effect As hee is Elshadai The Almightie the Lord and commander of both Heauen and Earth So is Hee Emanuel God with vs also Our God of old the God of our Fathers and of their Children And from Him Our God Compassion doth plentifully flow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where these two concurre a man may set vp his rest and ne quid vltra for assurance rest contented Now of his Power there is no Question but Hee Can. No Christian no reasonable humane Creature doth doubt of this or make scruple of it that the God and Lord of all things is Almightie But assure me hee will doe it and then I rest assecured His willingnesse Power and will both concurring in One giue full resolution to all doubts and satisfaction which any way arise for point of performance Let mee haue his Promise that Hee will and I rest secured for Performance God is not a man that He should lye nor as the Sonne of man that Hee should alter the thing that is gone out of his lips And we haue his Promise Who hath promised to heare That faithfull God and true I will heare and deliuer thee To Heare is to Regard in Gods Dialect and phrase of speech both ascendendo In whose Dialect to heare iâ— to regard from Earth to Heauen in due Obedience when man is to doe what God will haue him as Heare my Law O my People Psal 78.1 In effect the same with that which followeth Incline thine Eares vnto the words of my mouth As also Descendendo from Heauen to Earth The Lord heare thee in the day of Trouble the same with that which followeth by Interpretation The name of the God of Iacob defend thee So at Present in this passage it is instanced here and per omnia in effect the same He maketh no stop at I will heare And who ioyneth hearing deliuering so close together but commeth in instantly with And deliuer thee Accept both thy Person and Petition In gracious Acceptance Heare and Regard In reall Performance Deliuer thee First so then thus For Pitie must goe before Performance It is impossible for any to regard that heareth him not Cal or Crie Sue Petition or make his case known whom He doth regard and Deliuereth vpon regard Vpon regard had assistance doth insue For Pitty runneth soone in gentle heart Can God behold vs his in Misery heauines and not soone compassionate our distresse This Text is to the contrary most pregnant if wee were once resolued of the Parties therein Mee and Thee which indeed are Indefinite no way determined and so wee may aske the Eunuchs question Of whom speaketh the Prophet in this place Yeâ— before we call it is good to be resolued of both the parties Mee and Thee Aske wee may but if we will bee soone resolued of that doubt and scruple from the Text. For though the Parties interessed Me and Thee are not expressed directly in the passage they are necessarily inferred from the premises and so concluded to bee no other then the Creator and Creature God and Man whom God hath made The Lord and his people whom hee hath redeemed And that this intercourse and Negotiation for so it is and seemeth to be is betwixt these two Me and Thee appeareth by Collation of ver 7. Which refer to the euenth Verse Heare O my people and I wil speake I my selfe will testifie against thee O Israel for I am God euen thy God There first beginneth this Commerce to be set on foot and here they hold on in the same termes So that the Premises considered it cannot bee questioned but that To Call in time of trouble to Heare and deliuer out of Distresse are actions interchanged betwixt God and his Chosen Mee and Thee Wee beleeue an honest man vpon his word All these things being considered we may take it vpon his word that Heare and Deliuer will follow one another such a mans Word sooner then some mans Bond and shall wee make doubt of the God of Truth Him so Righteous in all his wayes so holy in all his workes Challenge him who can for breach of Promise for forgetting his Couenant and stipulation Hee made a Couenant with Abraham for
Himselfe his Seed Ero Deus tuus seminis tui And did hee not renue it vnto Isaac for a Law and confirme it vnto Iacob for an euerlasting Testament Because hee said in his Holinesse I will not faile Dauid Are we not often put in mind what things how great he did for Dauids sake Is it not yet vpon record to stand for euer that they were The sure mercies of Dauid Whom he loueth once he loueth euerlastingly on his part his Gifts and Promises are all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Repentance as much as appertaineth vnto Him If man breake not Couenant in Thou shalt bee my People God will not faile on his part I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Men so interessed are most what It hath beene the confidence of all the faithfull so to take it many of them well perswaded for the point It was a strong Confidence strange resolution of some Psalm 46.2 We will not feare though the Earth be mooued and the Hills be carried into the middest of the Sea In effect though the Fabricke of the World bee out of frame though Heauen and Earth and all those mother Elements of the World bee blended shaken and vpon point of dissipation Why Vpon what ground are they so confident The Lord of Hosts this is the reason is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge The Lord of Hosts Who can resist him The God of Iacob who need doubt of him God Almightie can doe what hee will God of Iacob will doe what hee can Answerable to his promise of old Ero Deus tuus seminis tui Thy God I am and the God of thy seed after thee for euer Our God now this is their resolution As our Fathers God in time of old At hand to helpe vs in time of trouble as hee hath beene Good and gracious vnto all our Kinne Hee that is I am can not become I haue beene or I will be hereafter Therefore Verse 7. as in Proprietie I am God so in Appropriation I am thy God Mine and Thine are possessiue Relatiues each hath deepe interest in other So that My God thou art Holy my Soule thou art happy in hauing so good a God as is our God so readie so willing to doe thee good To come home to the purpose Hee that can diuert or preuent a mischiefe will not sit still and look on in the ruine of his house nor irrelentlesly see the desolation of those who are indeed are called Psalm 83.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hidden secret the receiued ones of God nor the vtter destruction of his deerest friends The Deuill indeed will no doubt antiquum obtinere suggest in extreamity to dismay and driue vs into despaire There is no helpe for him in his God But Loquitur è proprijs who bad him say so or put this word into his mouth God neuer did it Hee speaketh it onely of himselfe and himselfe was a Lyer from the beginning Absit enim vt credat aliquis cuilibet minimo quicquaÌ„ dâ—futurum in confessione nominis constituto Beleeue not him therfore who is the Father of lyes Beleeue his word rather who is truth it selfe who keepeth his promise better then Princes doe and could neuer yet bee challenged for non performance of what hee had said Beleeue his Promise I will heare and deliuer who is and continueth Truth it selfe for euer and could not yet be challenged for non performance Beleeue his Promise and for farther assurance And it may be further perswaded by his extraordinary affection vnto his take in by the way the deere affection he beareth vnto His owne the Partie interessed more then ordinarie because themselues are more then of the common sort Diliguntur alieni this is the ascent of Loue magis proximi maximè proprij Which is Transcendent because it is Gods For Perfect are the workes of the mightie God intimated to vs as wee can conceiue of them at some extent indeed though not their owne largenesse onely thus Far and to this End that wee may perceiue how they doe excell Deus suâ—â— Nobiâ— nostra â—alutis amorem significaturus saith Chrisostome gallinarum charitatem Patrum curam matris affectum sponsi amoreâ—â— praesefert which are the greatest affections named amongst men Non quia tentum duntaxatamâ—t but because wee doe not vsually apprehend or conceiue any greater instances of Loue then these Could we imagine greater yet would his surmount as exceeding in proportion whatsoeuer is or is named great For as the man is such is his strength as is the agent such the action The greatest and largest sized Loue on Earth is the affection of a Mother to the Sonne of her Wombe Can a mother forget her child saith God and not haue compassion vpon tht Sonne of her wombe Naturall affection in tendernesse of compassion and embowelled pittie wil say no. She cannot But were it possible could shee doe so yet would not I forget you saith the Lord. The Reason is not only from his being Great that hee is Paramount in all Perfections by himselfe communicated to his Creatures as hauing and enioying that without measure which in measure proportioned hee hath imparted vnto vs But also and rather quia Nos â—mamus necessario If wee Loue it is because wee cannot chuse but doe so and often know no reason why wee doe so or should doe so Necessitie causeth vs to doe as wee doe either that of Nature or Conueniencie But de merâ voluntate diligit Deus There is no other moouer of Him then his Will Meere gracious goodnesse in Himselfe without motiue on our part maketh him for to doe as hee doth being disposed to doe good Motus à se misericordiam facit à Nobis motus facit iustitiam In no case let it once be imagined of man that God hath now at last forgotten to be gracious or shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Make no question hee hath not but is the same hee was euer His Promise is past and vpon record I will heare thee and deliuer thee And his words and meaning euer went together Had hee not purposed and fully resolued To heare and Deliuer in Time of Trouble Hee would neuer haue Inuited vs to Call nor Directed vs to Call on mee For what and to whom wee had beene yet to seeke left to follow and to wander in our owne wayes and take vs to our owne Imaginations and then by all likelihood and probabilitie wee had balked the right way Otherwise our addresse had rather been to some other not fallen vpon Him who is willing and able only to relieue vs. Rather had our addresse beene vnto Any other then vnto Him and that principally in two regards for Disproportion And that in two regards then for Disaffection betwixt Mee and Thee God and Man to which two adde Ignorance to know and to vnderstand what is for our good and auaile in the day
Inuocation Call now if there bee any to heare and vnto which of the holy Saints and Angels wilt thou turne thee Thus they enlarge vpon the Text adding for explication and Angels which is not there For by Saints they tell vs Saint Augustine there vnderstandeth Angels A needlesse allegation of Saint Augustine howsoeuer for if Saints were only men and not Angels yee if the allegation bee as they would perswade the Text is to purpose I deny not The resolution beeing laid downe once for all that in this question Angels and Saints goe passibus aequis for Inuocation But so and not so it mattereth not Nor Saints are able nor yet Angels to relieue Him or to vnderstand Him when hee calleth in time of Trouble Siquis est qui respondeat For it rather make 〈◊〉 against them and 〈…〉 is as much in effect as Nemo est qui respondeat There is no helpe for thee in any one of them therefore if thou call it is to no purpose as good an inducement as may for Call vpon Me Turne thee vnto them Call vpon them though neuer so loude so often so effectually it is in vaine They can neither helpe nor heare The man that doth this may take vp that saying to himselfe Iob 19.14 My familiar friends haue forgotten mee and well take vp that saying For if that speech of Iob 19.21 Miseremini mei amici mei Haue compassion vpon me my friends because it runneth out in tearmes of Inuocation must bee vnderstood of the Angels of God as our great Masters doe pretend then Angels those very Friends by Iobs owne verdict are to no purpose called vpon For Verse 19. hee complaineth againe All mine inward friends haue abhorred me Such vnfortunate Vndertakers are these great Masters in Israel that contrarie to Rules in their owne Schooles doe for want of better euidence in a desperate Case make speeches metaphoricall argumentatiue and deriue demonstrations from Similitudes which may indeed illustrate and explicate but prooue 〈◊〉 But to grant which is not proued Nay suppose those words of Iob vnderstood as they would haue them yet was it if any at all but a dispensatorie action were Sancti Angeli in this passage did God actually counsell and aduise Iob or permit him only to make some Angell his Mediator yet what of that It was by way of dispensation A passage not vsuall but permitted vnto him extraordinarily And courses of that kind extraordinarie and dispensatorie actions are not for vs. Therefore nothing is prooued by any of them Vpon that supposition it might bee I say not it was so I am perswaded otherwise that some Angell in particular might repaire vnto Him conuerse with Him vnto whom Iob then might why not vse such words of Inuocation or Intercession as to his Friend desire his helpe and assistance thus or thus which aduanceth the vse and approbation of Inuocation then Moses and Elias apparition in Glorie vpon Mount Tabor the lewd and loud Lyes that are coyned daily in the Church of Rome of apparitions by the blessed Virgin at Lauretto Sichem to Ignatius Loyola or such like or the Miracles of Eliseus doe iustifie the supposed Forgeries Miracles I should say of that grand Impostor the Pampelonian Souldier Loyola enrolled of late in the Kalender of Saints more likely by farre to be a firebrand in Hell And as they proue nothing from the practice of Iacob and Iob neither can they from any other I conclude Shew mee it written in the Scriptures of the house of Israel Old or New that I should I may addresse my selfe by Prayer or Intercession vnto any Angell point mee out any practice though practice bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very ticklish in point of Pietie to goe further so vsed or so supposed to bee vsed by any one Writer for the time prefixed viz. to the Councell of Chalcedon herbam porrigam I will yeeld and say Sancte Angele ora pro me If not if none be or can bee alleaged Positiue to the point in question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adiew Angels intercessors to bee inuocated it is but sopperie which is pretended I would not willingly transgresse the Ancient bounds nor violate the precincts and limits Antiquitie hath set I know not any that practized this part of Pietie to make holy Angels their Mediatours and said in their Deuotions with allowance Sancte Angele ora pro me But yet De Angelo custode fortassis ampliandum But whatsoeuer we denie for other Angels perhaps they would plead more pro Angelo custode Where a little to enlarge and expresse my selfe in this being charged publikely and in print for I confesse I am the partie intended though not named by that infamous Ecebolius of these times and impious Renegado I speake what I know the vnworthy Archbishop of Spalato in a publike Audience and that before his Maiestie at Windsore to haue affirmed expresly in a Sermon And hope to euince it out of my owne mouth That there was no cause why euery faithfull man should not turne himselfe vnto his Angell Keeper and say O holy Angell Keeper pray for me I doe auouch in verbo Sacerdotis that those words neuer passed the hedge of my lips I neuer spake them as I know and haue beene assured his most sacred Maiestie can well remember And who is this vncircumcised Philistine to be beleeued before the Lords Anoynted The truth is this Preaching at Windsore vpon this present passage Call vpon me being then my course in that Church and the words Sermo diei in die suo read in the Church at Prayer that day which is and shall be my custome most what to preach vpon as the Ancients vsed to take some Text of the day and somewhat enlarging by occasion vpon this practique part of that Romane Faith and Tridentine prescription for Inuocation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew the folly thereof In processe falling on Angelicall intimation and assistance in the point I vsed these very words nor more nor fewer Which was neuer opened to that purpose De Angelo Custode fortassis Ampliandum Which so spoken the man might vnderstand well enough For I spake them in Latine and hee was present whatsoeuer else was spoken was in English which I am sure hee vnderstood not at all vnlesse his Angell Keeper or Deuill attendant did expound them to him Nor could it make any thing to their maine purpos◠if it were spoken Had I then so concluded touching Angelum custodem yet Quid hoc ad Iphicli boues The Angell Keeper is not to bee remembred vpon equall tearmes with Angels of Commission extraordinary Nor turning vnto Him with Pray for mee vnto imploration of their aide who haue no such commission ordinarie as hee hath but are all vpon employments extraordinarie Nor any more affinitie with the businesse in question then Alexander the Copper-smith that wrought Saint Paul much vexation had with Alexander of Macedon who so much
Nor Inuocation of an Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meerely by way of wish and desire not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of Supplication Iacob relateth what the Angel had done for him all his life time and wisheth he would doe as much for them his graund children Ephraim and Manasses the sonnes of Ioseph A wish or desire that such or such a good thing and happie successe may bee is no Praier vnto the thing that it would be so Vnlesse wee imagine and as well wee may that Balaam praied vnto his owne Soule when in the Selfe same forme that Iacob wisheth here hee desired Moriatur anima mea morte justorum Let my Soule die the death of the righteous and let my latter end be like vnto his Or Dauid praied vnto the Angel when hee saith Let the Angel of the Lord persecute them Hee praied that it might be not to him to doe it No more doth Iacob in this place Thirdly had it beene an expresse and direct praier Let it be read Vnlesse of such an Angel which onely may be prayed vnto Thou Angel which hast deliuered mee blesse them Yet our Perswaders are neuer the neerer but out of the way For this Angel might be praied vnto and yet not euerie Angel so nor yet Saints inuocated accordingly For howsoeuer Saints are vnto other Angels this Angel is paramount to them infinitis parasangis and transcendent vnto all Angels beside He is Angelus foederis that Angell of the Couenant in the Prophet Not Angelus Domini an Angell of the Lord but Angelus Dominus The Lord that Angel Christ Iesus himselfe no Created Angel that Iacob meant and intended here who indeed had preserued him in all his wayes and kept him safe in his going out and returning home from Esau his Brother Laban his Vncle in his owne Countrie and in a forraine Land That found him in Bethel and spake with him there Ose 12.4 That Angel mentioned formerly Chap. 31. Vers 11. and explained Vers 13. I am the God of Bethel where thou anointedst the pillar and where thou vowedst a vow vnto mee Thus the Fathers of old vnderstood that Scripture As the Fathers also of old vnderstood it from the first Infancie of the Church not of any Created Angel Custos but of Christ God Creator of Men and Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee Page 71. an Angel God and Lord saith Iustine the Martyr disputing with Trypho the Iew appeared vnto Abraham in humane shape was seene of Iacob in the Forme and Figure of man Wrestling with him as is recorded in his returne from Mesopotamia at such time as hee met with his brother Esau and at his going vp to Bethel And more precisely comprehending all other apparitions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was hee the same and no other who was seene of and appeared vnto the Patriarkes of old God and also Lord of all howsoeuer called Angel there Thus that holy Writer Vir Apostolicorum temporum who pricked fast on vpon the Apostles time if hee did not know some of them in the Flesh Athanasius hath a discourse vnto the purpose and therein is peremptorie that Hee was Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Orat. 4. 〈…〉 260. If so bee that the Patriarke Iacob in blessing his Nephewes Ephraim and Manasses said thus The Angel that deliuered mee out of all aduersitie and nourished mee from my youth vp vntill this day blesse these children yet he doth not there couple or compose any one Created and Naturall Angel with God Him that was Creator of all Angels Nor doth he forget and by passe him of whom he had beene nourished from his youth vp vntill then that is God and desire a blessing for his Nephewes from an Angel But in phrasing it thus That hath deliuered mee out of all aduersitie hee plainly sheweth that hee did not intend any Created Angel but insisted vpon the ground of the Word of God whom hee coupleth with the Father in praying vnto Him By whom God deliuereth whom he will deliuer knowing that he was as sometime he called The Angel of the great Counsell of the Father Iacob professeth it was Hee and no other beside Him that had deliuered Him out of all aduersitie and had hitherto deliuered Him and blessed Him also Nor was it his meaning by Prayer to obtaine a blessing for Himselfe at Gods hand and to put ouer his Nephewes to bee blessed by Angels But he prayeth vnto him to blesse his Nephewes vnto whom Himselfe had sometime said I will not let thee go except thou blesse me and without all question this was God as himselfe professeth and affirmeth plainly I haue seene God face to face It may seeme this Champion of Christ vndertooke his Masters cause in this as hee did in the maine against some Angel adorer in those dayes so fully he discourseth vpon the point at this day denied by Victorellus and others Beu-pleaders for Inuocation and worship of Saints Angels so frequent with them For after other discourses hee concludeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It was therefore none other but the Lord God himselfe that appeared and said vnto him Loe I am with thee I doe keepe thee and preserue thee in thy way wherein thou walkest continually I could father enlarge vpon the point out of others but I write not Commentaries nor Common-places In opinion of Antiquitie and sense of the Church Christ Iesus was that Angell that Iacob meant and it is apertè false and a forgery which Bellarmine auoucheth Hic apertè Sanctus Iacob inuocauit Angelum In opinion of Antiquitie as in Euidence of truth this Angel was no Created Spirit but God Himselfe Lastly at least if He were an Angel Hee was not any other but his guardian Angel For the words in the Text doe imploy the office of his Angel guardian The Angel that hath kept mee from my childhood vnto whom now being to goe the way of all flesh hee might intend to put ouer his two young Nephewes the Sonnes of Ioseph Mistake me not I say not he meant his Angel guardian For I am fully resolued with the old Fathers Hee meaneth Christ but to suppose and grant Hee was an Angel he could then be no other but his Guardian Angel which will not pleasure the Perswaders in their plea at all For in this present question touching Inuocation the Case of Angels Guardians is peraduenture different much and many wayes from the condition and employments of them at large The conclusion is then Iacob did not emplore the helpe or patronage of any Angell here Iacob then cannot helpe the ◠purpose nor haue we any Precedent in Iacobs practice for our addresse in necessitie or other wayes in point of asistance by Inuocation vnto Saint or holy Angels whomsoeuer Nor is this Text of Scripture to the purpose I 〈◊〉 they will 〈…〉 They proceed and produce the fift of Iob Verse 1. for an Instance or Precept for