A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 1 · Sermon 19
THE CROWNE OF HUMILITY. A Sermon preached in VVooll-Church, Aprill 10. 1624. THE NINETEENTH SERMON.
MATTH. 5.3.
Bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit: for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven.
THey who deſire to abide in the Tabernacle of the Almighty, and reſt upon his holyaPſal. 15.1. Hill, had need to get by heart, and con without booke by continuall practice this Sermon of Chriſt upon the Mount: which hath more raviſhing ſtraines of Eloquence, more divine a phoriſmes of Wiſedome, more powerfull motives to Holineſſe, more certaine directions to Happineſſe treaſured up in it, than are found in all the parenetiques of Oratours, all the diatribes of Philoſophers, all the apophthegmes of Sages, all the emblemes of Poets, all the hieroglyphicks of Egyptian Prieſts, all the tables of Lawes, all the pandects of Conſtitutions, all the digeſts of Imperiall Sanctions, all the bodies and ſyſtemes of Canons, all acts of Parliament, all rules of Perfection ever publiſhed to the worlds view. I dare confidently affirme, that which all the ancient and later Commentatours upon it will make good, that this one Sermon in Monte ſurmounts them all. Ubi deſinit Philoſophus, ibi incipit Medicus; Where the Philoſophers left and could goe no further, the Phyſician of our ſoule goes on, at the health and eternall ſalvation of our immortall ſpirit: where they made an end of their diſcourſes, which yet came farre ſhort of their marke, there hee begins, at bleſſedneſſe it ſelfe. And doubtleſſe, if there be any happineſſe in knowledge, it is in the knowledge of happineſſe; which the proper owner thereof in himſelfe, and gracious doner to his creatures capable thereof, beſtoweth here as a dowry, and ſhareth betweene eight divine vertues.
1. Humility: poore in ſpirit.
2. Repentance: mourning for ſinne.
3. Compaſſion: ever meeke.
4. Devotion: hungring and thirſting for righteouſneſse.
5. Piety: alwaies mercifull.
6. Sincerity: pure in heart.
7. Brotherly love: making peace.
8. Patience: enduring all for righteouſneſſe ſake:
There are no ſtraines in Muſicke ſo delightfull, as thoſe in which diſcords are artificially bound in with concords; nor diſhes ſo dainty, as thoſe in which ſweet things, and tart or ſowre are ſeaſonably mingled: nor pictures ſo beautifull, as thoſe in which bright colours with darke ſhadowes are curiouſly tempered: nor ſentences ſo rhetoricall, as thoſe in which contraries are fitly oppoſed, and ſet one againſt the other. Such are almoſt all the ſtraines of this ſweet Leſſon pricked by our Saviour, ſuch are all the diſhes placed in this heavenly Banquet, ſuch are the pictures ſet in this Gallery, ſuch are the ſentences skilfully contrived into the Proeme of this Sermon; wherein bleſſing is oppoſed to curſing, laughing to weeping, reward to puniſhments, ſatisfaction to hungring and thirſting, gaine to loſſes, glory to ſhame, and (in my Text) heavenly riches to earthly poverty.
1. Bleſſed poverty, becauſe to be enriched.
2. Bleſſed mourning, becauſe to be comforted.
3. Bleſſed hungring, becauſe to be ſatisfied.
4. Bleſſed enduring puniſhment, becauſe to be rewarded.
Bleſſed are the poore, &c. In theſe words our bleſſed Saviour, the hope of our bleſſedneſſe here, and bleſſedneſſe of our hope hereafter, teacheth us,
1. Whom we are to call bleſſed.
2. Why.
1. Whom, the humble in heart, here tearmed poore in ſpirit.
2. Why, becauſe their lowlineſſe of mind entituleth them to the higheſt top of honour, glory, and happineſſe, a Kingdome, and that in Heaven. Bleſſed, not in fruition, but in hope, are the poore, not ſimply in eſtate, but in ſpirit: and theſe are alſo bleſſed, not for any thing they have on earth, but for that they ſhall have in heaven, an incorruptible Crowne of glory.
1. There are ſome to be held for bleſſed even in this life.
2. Theſe bleſſed are the poore.
3. Theſe poore are poore in ſpirit.
Or if you like better of a Logicall diviſion, than a Theologicall partition, obſerve in this ſpeech of our Saviour,
1. An affirmation, Bleſſed are the poore.
2. A confirmation, For theirs is the kingdome of Heaven.
The affirmation is ſtrange, and may be called a divine Paradoxe: for the world accounteth bleſſedneſſe to conſiſt in wealth and abundance; not in poverty. A good man, in the language of the City, is a wealthy man. Poverty above all things is deſpiſed:
bJuv ſat. 3.Nil habet infelix paupertas durius in ſe,
Quam quod ridiculos homines facit.
And of all poore men we have the meaneſt opinion of thoſe that are poore in ſpirit, we account not them worth the earth they tread upon; yet for theſe Chriſt plats the Garland of bleſſedneſſe. Becauſe the affirmation is ſtrange, the confirmation ought to be ſtrong; and ſo indeed it is: For, ſaith hee, theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven. Whether wee take the Kingdome of Heaven for the Kingdome of grace, or the Kingdome of glory, they have beſt right to both. For the Kingdome of grace is in them, according to the words of our Saviour,cLuk. 17.21. The Kingdome of God is with you: and they ſhall be in the Kingdome of glory when they enter into their Maſters joy; & therefore they are doubly happy:
1. Re.
2. Spe.
1. Re, in the preſent poſſeſſion of the Kingdome of grace: and
2. Spe, in the certaine expectation of the Kingdome of glory.
O how is the world out in her accompt! She eſteemeth them the onelyonly miſerable, who indeed are the onelyonly happy: ſhe deemeth them the off-ſcouring of all things, who ſhall ſhine as ſtarres in the Firmament: ſhee accounteth them beggars and forlorne men, who aredApoc. 1.6. And hath made us Kings and Prieſts unto God. Kings to God, and ſo aſſured of a celeſtiall Crowne, that Chriſt ſaith not theirs ſhall bee, but theirs is the kingdome of Heaven, as if they now ware it. When one of Apelles his ſcholars had drawne Helena in coſtly and gorgeous apparell, hung all over with orient pearle, and reſplendent ſtones; O young man, ſaith he, becauſe thou couldeſt not paint Helena faire, her naturall feature being above thy art, thou haſt drawne her rich: in like manner may we ſay truely, that becauſe the Heathen Philoſophers (whoſe ſeverall opinions amount unto the number of ſome hundreds, as Saint Auſtin relateth in his bookes of the City of God, and ſtriketh a daſh of his pen through them all) could not deſcribe their ſummum bonum, or chiefe happineſſe beautifull; becauſe they wanted the eye of faith to deſcry the beauty of thee1 Pet. 3.4. hidden man of the heart, they like the young man thought to make amends by painting her rich, abounding with all outward comforts and contentments, houſes, poſſeſsions, treaſures, attendants, pleaſures, honours: but our bleſſed Saviour contrariwiſe, becauſe he could not ſet her forth rich in eſtate here (forfMat. 8.20. The ſon of man hath not where to …y his head. hee had not himſelfe to lay his head upon) hee deſcribeth her moſt faire and beautifull, like*Pſal. 45.13. Solomons Queen, all glorious within. Hath not God choſen the gJam. 2.5.poore of this world rich in faith, to bee heires of his Kingdome? Yes certainly: for Chriſt not onelyonly affirmeth them to bee bleſſed, ſaying, Bleſſed are the poore; but alſo confirmes it with a moſt forcible reaſon, For theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven. Upon which Scripture all my obſervations for the preſent ſhall levell at three points:
1. Bleſſedneſſe.
2. Poverty in ſpirit.
3. Kingdome of Heaven.
Firſt I will demonſtrate, that the Saints of God enjoy a kinde of bleſſedneſſe in this life. Secondly, that this bleſſedneſſe conſiſteth eſpecially in their right to a crowne in heaven. Thirdly, that this right is in the poore in ſpirit.
Bleſſed are. They who obſerve the changings and turnings of this mortall life, and in them conſider how wretched man, like a Tennis-ball, is beat from wall to wall, & as it were racketted from one trouble to another, from one care to another, from one exigent to another, may eaſily gheſſe at the reaſon why the ancient Sages termed himhMelancthon chron. ludum deorum, the gods game or ſport. For as Tiberus Conſtantinus in the yeer of our Lord 577.iJohn Don pſed. Mart commanding a golden croſs ſet in Marble to be digged up, that it might not be trod upon, found under it a ſecond, and under the ſecond a third, and under the third a fourth; ſo the deareſt ſervants of God in this world digging for the hidden treaſure of the Goſpel, find croſſe under croſſe, and loſſe upon loſſe, & ſorrowes after ſorrowes. Looke how the waves in the ſea ride one upon the necke of the other, and like as Jobs meſſengers trod one upon the heeles of another; ſo miſeries, and calamities, and vexations in the courſe of this life follow cloſe one upon the other. The vanity of youth preſſeth upon the folly of childhood, and the ambition of ripe yeers immediately ſucceedeth the folly of youth, and infirmities of old age ſeize on the ambition of perfect age, and the terrours of death make haſte after all. Wee runne in the race of our life as it were in a ring of miſery, from inward evills to outward, and from outward to inward, from diſeaſes of body to maladies of minde, and from thoſe to theſe; from feares to cares, and from cares to feares, from temporall loſſes to ſpirituall, and from ſpirituall backe againe to temporall, which are ſo many and ſo grievous, that whoſoever is ſenſible of them, cannot but acknowledge this preſent life to bee miſerable: and if hee bee not ſenſible of them, hee is to be accounted ſo much the more miſerable, becauſe hee hath loſt common ſenſe, as SaintkAug. de civit. Dei, l. 19. c. 7. Haec mala tam magna, tam horrenda, tam ſaeva quiſquis cum dolore conſiderat miſeriam neceſſe eſt fateatur, quiſquis autem conſiderat, vel patitur ca ſine animi dolote, multo utique miſerius, ideò ſe putat beatum, quia humanum perdidit ſenſum. Auſtin nimbly wieldeth this two-edged ſword againſt the Heathen Philoſophers that doted upon worldly happineſſe. Polycrates, who would not ſeale the truth concerning the vanity and uncertainty of worldly happineſſe with his ring, which hee purpoſely threw in the ſea, that hee might loſe it, but regained it againe out of the mouth of a fiſh ſold in the Market, and brought into his Kitchin: yet afterwards hee ſigned it with his bloud, when the date of his happy fortunes were out, and the croſſe fell in the end to bee his lot. And Croeſus, who derided Solon, preaching to him this doctrine, as hee ſate upon his throne at Sardis, afterwards taken priſoner by Cyrus, and condemned to the fire, proclaimed it upon the pile now ready to bee kindled, crying out upon Solon, lHerod. Clio.O Solon, Solon, I finde thy words to bee Oracles, and thy Paradox to bee an Axiome:
—dicique beatus
Ante obitum nemo ſupremaque funera debet.
that no man ought to bee entred in the Kalendar of the Bleſſed, before we ſee what end hee maketh, whether the glorious light of his temporall proſperity goe not out in an obſcure and ſtinking ſnuffe of a miſerable and infamous death. Reaſon eaſily perſwadeth, but Religion compelleth our aſſent to this truth. For Chriſtianity is amTertul…n a olog. Hoc quod Chriſtiani ſumus fidei & ſpeires eſt. meer matter of faith and hope: Wee walke n2 Cor. 5.7.here by faith, and not by ſight, our life is hid *Coloſ 3.3, 4.with Chriſt in God: when Chriſt who is our life ſhall appeare, then ſhall wee alſo appeare with him in glory. By hope wee are ſaved, but hope that is ſeen is not hope; for what a man ſeeth, why ſhould he hope for it? If this hope were confined to this life, then were the beſt Chriſtians of all men the moſt o1 Cor. 15.19. If in this life o ely we have hope in Chriſt, then are we of all men moſt m ſerable.miſerable. How then doth our Saviour here crown eight ſorts of Chriſtians with a title of Bleſſedneſs, and thoſe who make leaſt ſhew of it (viz.) the poore in ſpirit, mourners, hungry, thirſty, perſecuted, reviled, curſed perſons?
To cleare the meaning of our Saviour, it will bee requiſite briefly to declare, firſt, how man is capable of bleſſedneſſe at all: ſecondly, how farre in this life, truly termed by St. Auſtin the region of death.
Bleſſedneſſe is a ſoveraigne attribute of God, and aspNyſſ hom de …at. Nyſſen teacheth, primarily, and abſolutely, and eternally belongeth to him onelyonly. Creatures are bleſſed but in part, derivatively, and at the moſt from the terme of their creation. Beauty firſt ſhineth in the living face and countenance; that which is reſembled in the image or picture, is but a ſecondary, or relative beauty: in like manner, ſaith hee, the primary bleſſedneſſe is in God, or to ſpeake more properly, is God himſelfe; the bleſſedneſſe which is in man made after Gods image, is but a ſecondary bleſſedneſſe. For as the image is, ſuch is his beauty and bleſſedneſſe; but the image of God in man ſince his fall is much ſoiled and defaced, and conſequently, his bleſſedneſſe is very imperfect and obſcure. Yet they that rubbe off the duſt of earthly cares, and dirt of ſinne, and by ſpirituall exerciſes brighten the graces of God in their ſoule, as they are truly, though not perfectly beautifull within; ſo they may be truly, though not abſolutely ſtiled bleſſed even in this life.
1. Firſt, becauſe they are aſſured of Gods love, and they ſee his countenance ſhine upon them, which putteth moreqPſal 4.7. gladneſſe into their heart, than is or can be in the heart of them whoſe corne and wine is increaſed. For if it bee deſervedly accounted the greateſt happineſſe of a ſubject to bee in continuall grace with his Prince, what is it to bee a Favourite of the King of kings?
2. Secondly, becauſe they have anr1 Pet. 1.4. inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in the heavens for them. A great heire, though hee may ſometimes pinch for maintenance, and bee driven to hard exigents; yet hee ſtill ſolaceth himſelfe with this hope, it will bee better with mee, and I ſhall one day come to my lands: and ſuch comfort have all Gods Saints in their greateſt perplexities and extremities.
3. Thirdly, becauſe they enjoy the peace of a good conſcience, which Solomon calleth a continuall feaſt. And Saint Paul a cauſe of t2 Cor. 1.12. For our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience. Rom. 8.28.triumph and joy.
4. Fourthly, becauſe all things work together for their good, and tend to their eternall happineſſe. The joyes of the wicked are grievous, their pleaſures are paine unto them: but on the contrary, the ſorrowes of the righteous are joyous, and the paines which they endure for Chriſt are pleaſures unto them. The gaines of the worldly are indeed loſſes unto them, becauſe they help on their damnation; whereas the loſſes of the godly are gaine and advantage unto them, becauſe they further their ſalvation.
5. Fifthly, becauſe they enjoy God (wherein conſiſteth the happineſſe of a man) in ſome meaſure and degree even in this life. For it cannot be denied, but that devout Chriſtians, even whileſt the ſoule reſides in the body, have a comfortable fruition of the Deity (whoſe favour is better than life) by faith in the heart, by knowledge in the underſtanding, by charity in the will, by deſire in the affections, by ſight in the creatures, by hearing in the Word, by taſte in the Sacraments, by feeling in the inward motions and operations of Gods Spirit, which fill them with exceeding and unſpeakable joy and comfort.
SaintuApoc. 21. John ſetting forth the bleſſedneſſe of the triumphant Church, and depainting the joyes of Heaven in golden colours, deſcribeth a City ſituate in Heaven, whoſe temple is God, and light the Lambe, and walls Salvation, and courts praiſe, and ſtreets gold, and foundations gemmes, and gates pearles, twelve in number, in a relation to the Lambes twelve Apoſtles. Anſwerable to the gates in price, though not in number, are the ſteps up to them, which our Saviour (who is the way) directeth us unto: they are eight in number, made of ſo many whole pearles, that is, divine Vertues.
1. The firſt ſtep is humility, poore in ſpirit, upon which when we ſtand, we may eaſily get upon the next, godly ſorrow, mourning for ſinne: none ſo apt to mourne for their ſinnes, and humble themſelves under the mighty hand of God in ſackcloth and aſhes, as the poore in ſpirit.
2. When we are upon this ſtep, we readily get up upon the next, which is tender compaſſion and meekneſſe: none ſo compaſſionate and meeke towards others, when they ſlip into the mire of ſinne, as thoſe who continually bewaile their fowle falls, and waſh their defiled ſoules with their teares.
3. When we are upon this third ſtep, we may ſoone get up the fourth, which is hungering and thirſting for righteouſneſſe: for thoſe who are moſt ſenſible of their owne wants, and continually bewaile their corruptions, and are compaſſionately affected towards others when they are overtaken with any temptation, muſt needs hunger and thirſt for righteouſneſſe both in themſelves and others.
4. When we are upon this fourth ſtep, we may ſoone climbe up to the other three; Mercy the fifth, Purity the ſixth, and Peace the ſeventh: for they who eagerly purſue righteouſneſſe, ſhall certainly meet with theſe three her companions.
Laſtly, they who have attained unto righteouſneſſe, and are enamoured with her three companions, Mercy, Purity, and Peace, will ſuffer any thing for their ſake, and ſo aſcend up the higheſt ſtep of Chriſtian perfection, which is conſtant patience, and zealous ſtriving for the truth, even unto bloud, which is not only ſaved, but cleanſed alſo by being ſpilt for Chriſts ſake. The loweſt greece or ſtaire, and the firſt ſtep to Heaven is poverty in ſpirit, that is, as the Fathers generally interpret, Humility: which is the ground-colour of the ſoules beautifull images the graces of the ſpirit. The ground-colours are darke and obſcure, yet except they be firſt laid, the wooll or ſtuffe will not receive, much leſſe retaine the brighter and more beautifull. Such is lowlineſſe of minde, of no great luſtre and appearance in itſelfe; yet without it no grace or vertue will long keep colour, and its beauty: and therefore Chriſt firſt layes it, ſaying, Bleſſed are the
Poore in ſpirit. Theſe poore in ſpirit are not to bee underſtood poore in ſpirituall graces, ſuch cannot come neere the price of the Kingdome of Heaven: and therefore the ſpirit adviſeth them under the type of the Church of*Apoc. 3.18. Laodicea, to buy of him gold tryed in the fire, that they may bee rich, &c. nor are they neceſſarily poore in ſtate, much leſſe ſuch as are poore in ſtate onelyonly: for bare poverty, yea though it bee voluntary, is but a weake plea, and giveth a man but a poore title to a Kingdome in Heaven. Wee heare indeed in the Goſpel of Lazarus thexLuke 16.22. Beggar in Heaven, but wee finde him there in the boſome of rich Abraham, to teach us, as Saint Auſtine noteth, that neither the poverty of the one brought him thither, nor the wealth of the other kept him from thence.yJohn 14.2. In my Fathers houſe, ſaith our Saviour, there are many manſions; ſome for the rich, ſome for the poore, ſome for noble, ſome for ignoble, ſome forzAgapet. ad Juſtin. foreign. kings, ſome for beggars: and it is hard to ſay, whethers crowne in Heaven ſhall be more maſſie, and be ſet with more orient jewells, the rich mans, who is alſo rich in God, or the poore mans, who is poore for God: the wealthy, who hath given much to Chriſt, or the needy, who hath loſt all for his ſake: the noble and honourable man, who by his birth and place hath innobled the Chriſtian faith, or the ignoble, who hath preferred the ignominy of Chriſts croſſe to all the honours of this world: the King, who layeth downe his ſcepter at the foot of Chriſts croſſe, or the Beggar, who taketh up his croſſe, and readily followeth Chriſt. It is true which SaintaCypr. de lapſ. Multos patrimonia pondere ſuo depreſſerunt in ter…am. Cyprian chargeth many of the rich in his time with, that their great patrimonies, and large revenues of their lands, with the weight thereof preſſed them downe to the earth, nay, ſome to hell. But the fault was in their minde, not in their meanes; in their deſires, not in their fortunes or eſtates. For as when a man taketh a heavie Trunke full of plate or mony upon his ſhoulders, it crooketh his back, and boweth him down toward the earth; but if the ſame weight be put under his feet, it lifteth him above ground: in like maner if we put our wealth and riches above us, preferring them to our ſalvation, they will preſſe us downe to the ground, if not to hell with their weight; but if wee put them under our feet, and tread upon them as ſlaves to us, and quite contemne them in reſpect of heavenly treaſure, they will raiſe us up towards heaven. As they did Job, who made ſo many friends of unrighteous Mammon, that every eye that ſaw him bleſſed him. As they did Mary Magdalen, whoſe name is and ſhall bee like an oyntment powred out to the end of the world, becauſe ſhee brake an Alabaſter boxe of moſt coſtlybMatth. 26.12, 13. Whereſoever this Goſpel ſhall be preached in the whole world, there ſhall alſo this that this woman hath done be told, for a memoriall of her. oyntment upon the head of our Saviour. As they did Cornelius, whoſe almeſ-deeds were a forcible meanes to carry up his prayers into Heaven, Acts 10.31. Thy prayer is heard, and thine almeſ-deeds are had in remembrance. As they did Dorcas, whom the clothes which ſhee made for the widowes and poore orphants kept warme in her death bed (The cActs 9.39.widowes ſtood by her weeping, and ſhewing the coates and garments which Dorcas made whileſt ſhee was with them) and were motives to Saint Peter by miracle to reſtore her to life. As they did Conſtantine the great, who made his crown the baſis of Chriſts croſſe. As they did Ludovicus, who by continuall largeſſe turned all his ſtate into obligations. The meaning then is not, that none are bleſſed but poore: ford1 Tim. 4.8. Godlineſſe is profitable unto all things, &c. Godlineſſe hath the promiſes of this life, and the life to come. But to make up the harmony of the Evangelicall doctrine in this place, wee muſt take one note from the words as they are related by Saint Luke, and another from the words, as they are recorded by Saint Matthew in my Text. The note from Saint Luke is, That the worlds miſerable man is for the moſt part Chriſts bleſſed man. Chriſts words in Saint Luke are theſe;eLuke 6.20, 21, 24, 25. Bleſſed be yee poore: for yours is the Kingdome of God. Bleſſed are yee that hunger now: for yee ſhall be filled. Bleſſed are yee that weep now: for yee ſhall laugh. But woe unto you that are rich: for you have received your conſolation. Woe be unto you that are full: for you ſhall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now: for you ſhall mourne and weep. Vicibus res diſpoſita eſt, Happineſſe goes by turnes. Dives ſhall be Lazarus hereafter, and Lazarus on earth ſhall be Dives in Heaven: thoſe who laugh here, ſhall weep there; and thoſe who weep here, ſhall laugh there: thoſe who feaſt continually, and riot in pleaſures in this world, ſhall faſt in the other; and thoſe who faſt upon earth, ſhall feaſt with the Lambe in Heaven.
But the note which we are to take from Saint Matthew is, That affliction and penury, unleſſe it be ſanctified to us by God, no way maketh us happy: Bleſſed are the poore, not ſimply, but with an addition, in ſpirit. The poore are bleſſed, if poore in ſpirit, that is, humble. Bleſſed are they that mourn, if their mourning be a godly mourning, either out of ſenſe of their owne ſinne, or compaſſion of their brethrens miſeries. For godly f2 Cor. 7.10.ſorrow worketh repentance to ſalvation not to bee repented of; but the ſorrow of the world worketh death. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt, if it be for righteouſneſſe; for there are that hunger for the fleſh-pots of Egypt, and there are that thirſt after bloud, or aftergProv. 9.17. Stolne waters are ſweet, and bread eaten in ſecret is pleaſant, but hee knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her gueſts are in the depth of hell. ſtolne waters, which are ſweet in the mouth, but poyſon in the belly, and rottenneſſe in the bones. And neither of theſe are bleſſed. All that are in want are not Chriſts poore, neither are all that weare blackes his mourners. Saint Luke ſaith in effect, not many rich are bleſſed: Saint Matthew addeth, nor all poore, but the poore in ſpirit onelyonly, that is, ſuch as are of an humble ſpirit, or ahProv. 16.19. Eſay 57 15. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble ſpirit. contrite ſpirit. ThoſeiBeza in Mat. 5. Qui ſive paupertate, ſive aliis calamitatibus domiti, ſive ultro peccatorum ſuorum ſenſu tacti, & ab omni ſuperbiâ remoti, ſeſe Deo ſubjiciunt. who by any affliction outward or inward are ſo thoroughly tamed and ſubdued, that they humble themſelves under the mighty hand of God, wholly relying upon his providence for their eſtate, and upon his mercy for their ſalvation. None is poore in ſpirit, ſaithkCalvin harm. Nemo ſpiritu pauper eſt, niſi qui in nihilum apud ſe redactus in Dei miſericordiâ recumbit, namque deſperatione fracti, cum adverſus Deum fremunt, elato ſuperboque ſpiritu eſſe oportet. Calvin, but he who being brought to nothing in himſelfe, caſteth himſelfe wholly upon Gods mercy. For hee who groweth into deſperate fits, and murmureth againſt the moſt High, muſt needs be of an impatient and proud ſpirit. Croſſes work not alike upon all: ſome are bettered by them, ſome are made worſe; ſome are bowed downe by them, others riſe up againſt them. As under the ſame flaile the ſtubble is bruiſed, and the corne purged; and in the ſamelAug. l. 1. de Civ. Dei. Sub codem igneaurum rutilat, palea fumat. fire gold ſhineth, and chaffe ſmoaketh: ſo the ſame affliction which tryeth the faith of the godly like gold, and maketh it more precious, conſumeth the temporary beliefe of hypocrites like droſſe. We reade in the Apocalyps, that after the fifth Angel powred out his viall upon the ſeat of the Beaſt, that his kingdome was full of darkneſſe: and they mRev. 16.10.gnawed their tongues for paine, and blaſphemed the God of Heaven, becauſe of their paines, and ſores, and repented not of their deeds: theſe turned medicines into poyſons, whereas on the contrary the true ſervants of God make medicines even of poyſons; like ſilver Bells, they ring ſweeteſt when they are ſtruck hardeſt. Of thoſe who are ſmitten by the hand of God, ſome like ſolid bones are hardened by his ſtroake, ſome like tender fleſh are ſoftened thereby, ſome turne to him that ſtrikes them, others flye away from him: the former are bleſſed, not the latter; theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven, not theſes. Here ſome may caſt in a ſcruple, Why ſhould Chriſt preach poverty in ſpirit to his Diſciples, who had nothing to be proud of, being poore, illiterate, deſpicable men? Saint Chryſoſtome anſwereth:
Firſt, that the greater part of the multitude, to whom Chriſt directed his ſpeech, were not Diſciples, but men of another condition, who bare themſelves upon their wealth, or place of authority; and in that regard much needed a Lecture of Humility to be read unto them.
Secondly, he addeth, that this admonition was very ſeaſonable, even to his Diſciples, leſt they ſhould bee puffed up with their miraculous gifts of caſting out Divels, and healing all manner of diſeaſes.
Thirdly, it may be thought alſo, that our Saviour uſed this Preface to his Sermon, not ſo much to inſtruct his Diſciples, as to vindicate them and his doctrine from ſcorne and diſ-eſteeme. For if you draw out at length this rich piece of Arras, you ſhall finde in it the heads and lineaments of this exhortation, or the like. O yee people of Iſrael, and ſeed of Abraham, you looke for a glorious and majeſticall Meſſias to reſtore the kingdome unto Iſrael, and to make you all rich and mighty men upon earth: and therefore you deſpiſe mee and my Diſciples in regard of our poverty and meane eſtate. But you erre, not knowing the Scriptures, not the true characters of the Meſſias, whoſe Kingdome is not of this world, neither is he here to rule this Nation in pompe and ſtate; but to bee rejected of it, and to bee ſlaine in it, and crucified, and ſo to enter into his glory. And as for my Diſciples and Followers, deſpiſe not them though they be poore, and in mournfull habit, and forlorne and perſecuted men: for I tell you, Bleſſed are theſe poore, For theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven. Bleſſed are theſe mourners: for they ſhall be comforted. Bleſſed are theſe perſecuted men for my ſake: for great is their reward in Heaven. As I come now in humility, ſo I preach poverty in ſpirit. As I come in the forme of a ſervant, ſo I preach obedience. As I come to ſuffer, ſo I preach patience. The Diſciple is not greater than his Maſter, nor the ſervant than his lord.
And ſo I have done with the aſſertion or affirmation, Bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit; and am now to examine the reaſon or confirmation.
For theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven. What Syneſius ſpake concerning his preferment to his diſadvantage, nCitat. à Caſaub. tract. de libertate eccleſiaſt.foreign. Now, ſaith he, aſcend downward: for before thou diddeſt deſcend upward (his meaning was, that now hee gained in honour, but loſt in profit; but before loſt in honour, and gained in wealth) may fitly be applyed to all mankinde, who fell by riſing in our owne conceits, and *Aug. confeſ. l. 4. c. 12. Deſcendite ut aſcendatis ad Deum, c…cidiſtis enim aſcendendo contra eum.can no otherwiſe riſe againe, but by falling in our ſelves. Wee aſcended downward in Adam, when wee would bee like unto God in knowledge; but we deſcend upward when we ſtrive to be like the ſon of man, and learne of Chriſt to be meeke and lowly in heart. The firſt precipice or downe fall to Hell both in Angel and Man was by pride: therefore humility muſt needs be the firſt ſtep to Heaven. For the rule holds both in the phyſicke of ſoule and body, Contraria curantur contrariis. As the diſeaſe is contrary to health, ſo the remedy is alwaies contrary to the diſeaſe. Hee that meanes to build high, muſt lay his foundation low: hee that ſetteth any choice plant, diggeth the earth deep to put in the root. All thoſe precious and reſplendent ſtones reckoned up in the Apocalyps, were placed in the oApoc. 21.19. And the foundation of the wall of the Ci y was ga…nſhed with all manner of precious ſtones.foundation of the heavenly City, to teach us, that all Chriſtian vertues are grounded in humility. If a veſſell be full, it will receive no more liquor, be it never ſo ſoveraigne and precious. The proud and high minded man is full of his owne gifts and perfections; and therefore letteth not into his ſoule the wholeſome dew of Gods grace. What is the reaſon ſo few great, and mighty, and noble, and wiſe, and learned enter into Chriſts ſchoole, or very late? becauſe the gate is low, and they will not ſtoop. Holy Auſtin pAug. confeſſ. l. 9. c. 4. Dulce ſit mihi confiteri quemadmodum me complanaveris humiliatis montibus cogitationum mearum. Tumor meus non capiebat illius modum.confeſſeth with teares, that his ſwelling greatneſſe or tumour of pride would not ſuffer him for a long time to enter in at theqMat. 7.13, 14. Enter in at the ſtrait gate, becauſe ſtrait is the gate that leadeth unto life. narrow gate that leadeth unto life. In whoſe teares many of our noble Sparkes, or luſty Gallants, and high Spirits may reade the cauſe why they are ſo uſually poore, and naked, and blinde in the inward man, and though oft-times neereſt to the Court of Princes, yet are furtheſt off from the Kingdome of God. They will not confeſſe their wants, either becauſe they ſuppoſe they have none, or they cannot endure the ſhame of acknowledging them: they will not begge, becauſe they are rich in their owne conceits: they will not ſubject their reaſon to faith, becauſe they value their reaſon above faith: but thoſe that are poore in ſpirit are ever begging and asking at Gods hands; and therefore alwaies on the taking hand. The ſoule that feeleth her ſelfe empty, hungereth and thirſteth for righteouſneſſe; and therefore is ſatisfied. The modeſt man hath no opinion of his owne wit or wiſedome: and therefore willingly bringeth every thought into captivity, and every affection to the obedience of the Goſpel. The lowly in heart eſteemeth more vilely of himſelfe than the world can: and therefore hee chearfully taketh up his croſſe and followeth Chriſt.
Thus have I cleared the title of the poore in ſpirit to the Kingdome of Heaven: which is ſo ſure and unqueſtionable, that our Saviour ſaith not, Theirs ſhall be in the future; but in the preſent tenſe, Theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven. And likewiſe, Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto mee, for of ſuch rMatth. 19.14.is the Kingdome of Heaven. As we ſay of ſuch an one that hath the advowſon of a Benefice, or reverſion of an Office under ſeale: or of an heire to a wealthy father, ſuch a Lordſhip, or ſuch a Mannour, or ſuch an Office, or ſuch a Benefice is his, either becauſe hee is as ſure thereof as if he were poſſeſſed of it; or becauſe he hath actually jus ad rem, though not in re, a right to it, though not in it: ſo in regard of the poore in ſpirit their undoubted right to, and their preſent intereſt in ſome of the priviledges and profits of their heavenly Fathers Kingdome, that Kingdome is ſaid here to be theirs already. When Cyneas the Embaſſadour of Pyrrhus, after his returne from Rome, was asked by his Maſter what hee thought of the City and State, he anſwered, that it ſeemed to him Reſpublica Regum, A State of none but great Stateſ-men, and a Common-wealth of Kings. Put the ſame queſtion to Saint John concerning Jeruſalem that deſcended from God, he will anſwer you in like manner, Videri rempublicam Regum, that it is no other than a Parliament of Emperours, or a Common-wealth of Kings. For in the Kingdome of grace upon earth all Kings are ſubjects; but in the Kingdome of glory in Heaven all ſubjects are Kings. Every humble and faithfull ſoule is coheire with Chriſt, and hath a robe of honour, and a ſcepter of power, and a throne of majeſty, and a crowne of glory. If you peruſe the records and evidences of Heaven exemplified in holy Scripture, you ſhall finde no eſtates there but inheritances, no inheritances but kingdomes, no houſes but palaces, no meales but feaſts, no noyſe but muſicke, no rods but ſcepters, no garments but robes, no ſeates but thrones, no head ornaments but crownes: theſe inheritances, theſe palaces, theſe feaſts, theſe ſongs, theſe ſcepters, theſe thrones, theſe robes, theſe crownes God bring us unto, and poſſeſſe us with through poverty in ſpirit, in the right and title purchaſed for us by our elder brother Chriſt Jeſus. To whom, &c.