The Third Part from John Baptists Nativity, Part 18
The Gospell.
MAT. 5. 1.
Iesus seeing the people, went vp into a mountaine, and when he was set, his disciples came to him and after that hee had opened his mouth, hee taught them, saying, blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen, &c.
THe first word of the first lesson in Christs first Sermon is blessed, a point of conning and of comfort; of conning and good art, woeing vsus in the very first entrance to marke well his whole discourse, because mArist. ethic. lib. 1. cap. 1. & 2.neuer any was, is, or shall be, but he desires (according to his owne sense) to be blessed. It is the deuils oratory to deterre men from piety with an opinion of vnhappines and trouble which accompanie the godly, but the rhetoricke of Gods holy spirit allureth vsus contrariwise by sweet premises, and gratious promises, blessed are the poore, blessed are they that mourne, blessed are the meeke, &c. And it affordes comfort, for hereby we knowe that the Gospell is a good-spell, euen nLuke 2. 10.tydings of great ioy to all people; when as we read that the first apothegme of Christs first Homily reported oAretius.at large, was, blessed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen; and the last period in his last homily, pMat. 28. 20.behold, I am with you alwayes vntill the end of the world.
Now (beloued) all his actions are our instructions, it therefore behoueth vsus in winning our children, our friends, our auditors vntounto God and godlines, to learne and vse this gentle craft, being the sonnes of consolation, as well as the qMarke 3. 17.Boanarges the sonnes of thunder. As sometime we must rMat. 11. 17.mourne, that ye people may lament; so likewise sometime pipe, that the people may dance. There was in the Arke of the testament, Heb. 9. 4. The golden pot of Manna, so well as the rod of Aaron; and a Preacher (as Bernard wittily) should resemble a good mother which hath vbera, so well as verbera; like a Bee saith sSer. 83.Ambrose which hath hony so well as a sting. As it is our part to be t1. Cor. 4. 1.disposers of the Gospell, and messengers of peace: uRom. 10. 14.so let it be our art to call home such as are out of the way, and to restore such as fall in the way with the spirit of xGalat. 6. 1.meekenes, for blessed are the poore in spirit, &c.
Of this Apothegme there be two parts a
Proposition, blessed are the poore in spirit.
Exposition, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen.
In the proposition obserue the
Subiect, poore in spirit.
Predicate, blessed; for so wee may conuert it aptly, the poore in spirit are blessed.
Concerning the subiect I finde three sortes of poore, namely
1. The worldes poore.
2. The deuils poore.
3. Gods poore.
The worlds poore are either impotent, or impudent poore: impotent by birth, or casualtie; by birth, as the fatherles orphanes, and beggars children, especially such as are creeples or borne blinde; by casualtie, as the decayed housholder, the maymed souldier, the visited with any grieuous plague or sicknes: all these kindes of poore wretches are to be relieued as wel with our almes as aduise. To binde vp their yEsay 61. 1.broken hearts, and to zGalat. 6. 2.beare part of their burden, is a great euidence that thou art Gods heire, aLuke 6. 36.mercifull as our father in heauen is mercifull; Blessed in this world, for so Dauid in the 41. Psalm. Blessed is he that considereth the poore and needy, the Lord comforteth him in his affliction, and makes all his bed in his sicknes. Blessed in the world to come, for so the sonne of Dauid euen Christ himselfe, come ye blessed of my father, inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you, for I was an hungred, and ye gaue me meate: I thirsted, and ye gaue me drinke: I was a stranger, and ye lodged me: I was naked, and ye clothed me: I was sicke, and ye visited me. It is therefore my humble suite to those (which are by statute made ouerseers of our ouerseers for the poore) that hereafter in eueryevery village the distressed members of Christ, euen bEphes. 5. 30.flesh of his flesh; and bone of his bone, may be more charitably prouided for, according to the true meaning of godly lawes established in this case.
Among impudent poore, some be little beggars, and some be great beggars; among little beggars I marshall the riotous spend-all, and the lasie get-nothing. The drunkard and the glutton shall be poore saith cProuerb. 23. 21.Salomon, and no maruell, seeing in a little while they draw their whole patrimonie, woods, house, land, thorough the narrow passage of their throat, &c. It is therefore my humble suite to the reuerend and graue Iudges of the land, that they would in their circuits, vponupon all occasions offered, endeuour to suppresse and disgrace these brutish, incorrigible, ding-thriftie dearth-makers. It is said of the Surgeon, that he must hauehave a Ladyes hand, and a Lyons heart: But it is to be wished, that a Iudge in this corrupt age should hauehave contrarywise, the heart of a Ladye, for, Blessed are the poore in spirit, yet in punishing notorious offenders, the hand of a Lyon. It is an old saying, Qui non corripit, corrumpit; and all honest men howsoeuer otherwise poore in spirit, hauehave notwithstanding euermore complayned of a cruell pittie, which is the mother of licentiousnesse, and licentiousnesse is the mother of contempt, and contempt is the mother of sedition, and sedition is the mother of rebellion, and in fine rebellion is the mother of desolation.
Of Rogues, I meane vagabond idle persons, out of couenant, out of course, there be two sortes, as namely, wild rogues so bred, a great part whereof is an vncircumcised generation, vnbaptized, out of the Church, and so consequently dEphes. 2. 12.without God in the world. Other being better bred, for want of good discipline turne rogues, and become tame ruffians, and these drones hauehave swarmed so much in some parts of our Countie, that they driue many good bees out of their hiues, in plaine English, many Gentlemen and Iustices too, during all the hard winter, out of the Countrey into the Citie, where they lye non-resident from their benefice, their mansion house where their liuing is; and non-resident also from their charge, where they should execute his Highnesse Commission for the peace. I do not think with eDe vtilitate condit. human. lib. 2. cap. 4.Innocentius, Iustitia non datur nisi vendatur, that Iustice is dearely bought in any corner of our Kentish soyle (God forbid) and yet in the behalfe of my poore neighbors, I must say, that it is pittie Iustice should (considering the number of Iustices) be so farre fetched in the midst of winter. Vngodly polititians, who make the works of Lucian their old Testament, and Machiuels prince their new: thrust themselues into the center of the world, as if all times should meet in them and their ends, neuer caring in any storme what becommeth of the ship of estate, so they may be safe in the coc-boat of their owne fortune. But nature tels thee, that no man is borne for himselfe; and fGalat. 5. 13.Scripture tels thee, that we must in louelove serue one another. Our Christian estate necessarily requires that some should be great, and other litle; that some should be subiect, and other soueraigne; that some should command, and other obey: But saith our blessed Sauiour (speaking to his Disciples, as representing the whole Church) gLuke 22. 26.He that is greatest among you, let him be as the least, and he that is chiefe, as he that doth serue. Praesis, vt prosis, as hLib. 3. de'consid. ad Eugen.Bernard told Eugenius, and as iIn Mat. 20. 27.Martine Bucer noteth out of these words of Christ against Anabaptists, He which according to the will of the Lord beares rule godly, doth nothing lesse then domineere, yea, most of all serue. The Iustice, the Iudge, yea, the King himselfe (as states-men are bold to call him) is a great seruant of the Common wealth. It is therefore my humble sute to the worthy Knights, and other Iustices (hauing receiued large money for the building & maintayning of Bride-wols in our County) to performe better offices in banishing all vnprofitable vagabonds out of our coasts.
I am now to speak of no small Beggars; of such as beg in the courts and houses of Kings; of such as come to something, when other come to nothing; of whom in old time kRoderic Mors complaint to the Parliament of England cap. 10. printed at Geneua by Michael Boys.complaint was made to the Parliament of England, That they did by cob-web subtleties of the Law, first rob the Subiect, and then afterward rob the King. I hope there be none such in our daies vnderunder the gouernment of our most illustrious, wise, learned, meek, religious, and pious Prince K. Iames, (whom I beseech God of his infinite goodnesse to prosper long among vsus in health, and wealth, & all happynesse, as well concerning this, as the world to come) But if a Iudge hereafter in another age should vnhappily meet with such a sturdie beggar, I wish hartily that he may follow Iustice lIob 29. 14.Iobs example, who saith of himselfe, I put …n righteousnesse, and it cloathed me; my iudgement was a roab and a crowne. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father vntounto the poore, and the cause which I knew not, I searched out diligently. I brake also the iawes of the wicked, and pluckt the pray out of his teeth. If he proue too great a fish to be caught in thy net, enuy not his prosperitie, for he buildeth his house as the mIob 2…. 18.moth; and if thou possesse thy soule in patience but a litle while, nPsalm. 37. 10.thou shalt looke after his place, and he shall not be found. As he was a beggars brat, so he shall dye the first gentleman, and the last knight of his name.
There be three ranks of the Deuils poore.
Couetous.
Vaine-glorious.
Superstitious.
The Couetous, who want euen that they hauehave, being as they are termed aptly the greatest Misers in the world, like the market horse laden with daintie cates, and yet feeds on thistles.
The vaine-glorious, who to get a name, forget often their estate, as certaine Philosophers in old time (whom I will not name, because they did it for a name) cast all their goods into the Sea, least they should hinder their courses in the studies of philosophie. Nolebant censu abundare terreno, vt magis sensu abundarent suo, saith a oIansen. concord. cap. 39.learned expositor vponupon this text. And certaine Schismatickes in latter ages, hauehave for the crasie credite of a desperate cause forsaken their owne Countreys, and their owne free-holds which were certaine, to depend vponupon the breath and bread of other men which is vncertaine.
The Superstitious, as the popish Monks and Friars, who transported with a blind deuotion, abandoned all worldly possessions, and yet abounded in all riot and excesse; Regulares gulares, they were more then men at their meat, lesse then women at their worke, saith pIn coll… franciscan.Erasmus. q… in loc. c….Albertus duke of Saxonie was wont to say, that he had three wonders in one Citie, namely three Monasteries, For the Fryers of the first had children, and yet no wines: The Fryers of the second had a great deal of corne, and yet no land: The Fryers of the third abounded with moneys, and yet had no rent.
rPoem. de corrup… statu Ecclefiae per Illiri….Hic dolu… est magnus, lupus est qui creditur agnus.
So then (as you see) the Deuils poore differ verie much one from another: for the Couetous hauehave the possession; but not the free vse: the Superstitious hauehave the vse, but not the free possession: the Vaine-glorious vponupon the point hauehave neither free vse, nor free possession of such worldly wealth as they desire, being all in their seuerall kinds exceeding poore.
The third sort of poore are Gods poore, which abound with inward wants, and want also many times outward aboundance. Where of some vndergoe patiently losse of their goods, as Iob; other forgoe cheerfully the vse of their goods, as the blessed Apostles. These are the poore in spirit, or (as sIn regulis contracti…ribus quaest. 205. Idem Beza in loco.S. Basile construeth it) the poore for the spirit, wholy submitting themselues to be ruled by Gods holie spirit, the humble and the meeke, truly feeling their inward, and patiently bearing their outward pouerty. Christ then here doth not vnderstand such as are meerely the worlds poore; for albeit they be humbled, yet are they not humble; nor the deuils poore, for they are neither actually humbled nor humble; but only Gods poore, which are both humbled and humble, humbled in their pouerty, humble in their spirit, blessed are the poore in spirit.
So S. tIn loco.Hierome, uLib. …. deser. do…. in moute.Augustin, xLib. 5. in Luc. cap. de beatitud.Ambrose, yLib. d… beatitud.Gregory Nyssen, zIn loc.Theophylact, aIn loc.Euthymius and other Doctors expound it. And this appeares to be Christs meaning in that the word spirit signifieth elsewhere will, as Mat. 26. 41. The spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weake, and 1. Cor. 7. 34. The virgine cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit, that is, in thought and mind. So that to be poore in spirit, is nothing else, but willingly tobMat. 16. 24. forsake our selues, and to follow Christ, euermore being readie for his sake to beare the losse of our wealth, when as we are made poore; and to forbeare the vse of our wealth, when as we are rich, c1. Cor. 7. 31.vsing the world as though we vsed it not. For this blessing belongs as well to the rich, as to the poore. As the bad poore are proud in spirit; so the good rich are poore in spirit. dArdens hom. in loc.As some be poore in substance, and not in spirit; so some rich in substance, yet poore in spirit. A cable vntwined in eueryevery cord and thred, may goe thorow the eMarke 10. 25.needles eye: so the rich man, if once he be well vntwined, deuiding his goods according to the will of the giuer, may notwithstanding all his greatnesse walke in the narrow path, and enter into the strait gate of Heauen.
The worlds poore are miserable, because deiected in their pouertie: The deuils poore cursed, because proud▪ in their pouertie: Gods poore only blessed, as hauing nothing, and yet possessing all things, 2. Cor. 6. 10.
Here then obserue what an excellent vertue contentation and lowlinesse of minde is. As the first vice the Deuill thrust vponupon Adam was discontentment and pride: So the first vertue Christ commends vntounto his followers, is an humble contentment. The eight beatitudes (saith fSer. de …. Beatud.Cromatius) are like Iacobs ladder, reaching from earth vntounto Heauen; and the verie first step of the ladder as the gTheophylact. in loc.foundation of the rest is lowlinesse of mind. For as God is said to hIob 26. 7.hang the earth vponupon nothing, that it might wholie depend vponupon him: euen so doth he found the world of his Christian commonwealth vponupon nothing; and this nothing is an humble dis-prising and forsaking of all our owne abilities, and an only relying vponupon his almightie power and goodnesse. As pride is the beginning and originall of sinne, Ecclesiasticus 10. 14. because iniquitie is nothing else but inequalitie, and pride is most vniust, attributing vntounto it selfe too much, vntounto all other too little: so contrariwise, contented humblenesse is the Primer, and as it were A. B. C. of our Christian Ethicks; it is as Ambrose and Bernard write, the mother vertue, yea, Custos sigilli magni, the keeper of all Gods great seales & graces, without which his other gifts are rather curses then blessings to vsus. It is an eminent grace for a man to speak with the tongues ofi1. Cor. 13. 1. Angels, and so to transport other with the wind of words and flouds of eloquence whither he list; and yet if learning be not seasoned with humilitie, knowledge saith k1. Cor. 8. 1.Paul puffeth vp, and as Aristotle speaks, it is armata iniustitia, like a sword in a mad-mans hand. Fasting that tames the bodie, without humilitie, makes proud the mind, I fast twice in the weeke, quoth the Pharisee, Luke 18. 12. Almes are a lHeb. 13. 16.sacrifice pleasing to God, for he that mProuerb. 19. 17.giueth vntounto the poore, lendeth vntounto the Lord: yet if a Trumpet bee blowen, and we giuegive meerly to be seen of men; if we beare not our poore brethren in our bowels and bosome, we shall hauehave no reward of our Father which is in Heauen, Matth. 6. 1. And therefore Christ inculcates often this one lesson as well by patern as precept, Learne of me, for I am humble and meeke. nIohn 16. 33.In the world ye shall hauehave affliction, he that will follow me, must of necessitie oMat. 16. 24.forsake himselfe, and yet be of good cheere, for pMarke 10. 29.there is no man that hath forsaken house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my sake and the Gospels, but he shall receiue an hundred fold, now at this present houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come eternall life. I tell you, that in the beginning which you shall find most true in the end, Blessed are the poore in spirit.
For, Blessed is the predicat of the proposition. And there is a two-fold blessednesse, Beatitudo viae, and Beatitudo patriae, blessednesse in this world, and blessednesse in the next. The poore in spirit hauehave the promises of both, 1. Tim. 4. 8. The present happinesse is either outward and worldly, or else inward and ghostly; Outward, as Psalme 132. 16. I will blesse her victuals with increase, and I will satisfie her poore with bread. And Psalme 144. 15. Happie are the people that be in such a case. And Deut. 28. Blessed shalt thou be in the field, and blessed in the citie, blessed shall be the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattell, the encrease of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. These temporall and worldly blessings often accompany the meeke more then the proud, because fortune, as qAduancement of Learning lib. 2. pag. 105.Charles the 5. told his sonne, Is like a woman, if shee be too much woed, shee will be the farther off. Howsoeuer it be,r1. Tim. 6. 6. godlinesse is great gaine, and the poore in spirit want nothing, as being content with any thing. But the blessednesse promised by Christ here, surpassing all worldly treasures and pleasures is inward and ghostly, consisting in the riches of the mind, and in a sweet contentation of the conscience, which is a sProu. 15. 15.continuall feast, and a daily Christmas, whereby the poore in spirit are made lords, and as it were tyrants ouer the whole world, domineering ouer Iustices and laylour, our Iudge and Iurie. Treasons, and murthers, and felonies, and other routs and riots inquired after at Sessions and Assises, are bred of discontentment and pride. But though all the Deuils in Hell, and all their agents in earth and ayre, combine themselues against one little one; yet Qui vadit planè, vadit sanè, tProuerb. 10. 9.He that walkes vprightly, walkes confidently; The uPsalm. 125. 1.text will alway be found true, They that put their trust in the Lord, shall be euen as the mount Sion, which may not be remoued, but standeth fast for-euer.
But here we must obserue with incomparably learnedxCom. in loc. et apolog. con. fest. Augustin. tit. de Dilect. et implet. legis. Melancthon, and yCaluin instit. lib. 3. cap. 17.other protestant diuines, That in this, and all other like places of holie Scripture, where good works are commanded, or commended in any, that Christ is the sole cause of our happinesse, Without me (saith zIohn 15. 5.he) you can doe nothing, and without faith in him, it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11. 6. Our persons must be first reconciled vntounto God, hauing for Christs sake pardon of our sinnes, and imputation of righteousnesse, and then our workes shall be blessed and acceptable, Psalme 32. 1. Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen, and whose sinne is couered. Blessed, aMartyr. in Rom. 4. 8.that is iustified, for iustification is blessednesse begun, glorification blessednesse perfited. It is a sweet saying of our bHom. of good works part. 1.Church; Faith is the nest of good workes, albeit our birdes be neuer so faire, yet they will be lost, except they be brought foorth in true beleefe. The sparow hath found her an house, and the swallow a nest, where shee may lay her yong, euen thine Altars O Lord, Psalme 84. 3. Such as are true beleeuers, hauing their vnrighteousnesse forgiuen, and their sinne couered, are blessed men; and all their workes as being laied vponupon Christs Altar, are a sweet smelling sacrifice to God. But saith cIn Psalme 83.Augustine, Hereticks and Infidels in doing glorious acts and honorable deeds, hauehave no where to lay their yong, and therefore they must of necessitie come to nought; as the fathers of our common Law speake, Moritur actio cum persona, their actions are damnable with their persons. He which is poore in spirit is blessed, he which is mercifull is blessed, he which is a peacemaker is blessed. But as our Diuines hauehave iudiciously noted against the Papists, in all these Beatitudes a liuely Faith is presupposed, according to that dRom. 14. 23.Apostolicall axiome, Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne. The Saints of God are sealed inwardly with Faith, as it is in our Epistle; but outwardly with good works, as in our Gospell. To be poore in spirit, to mourne, to be mercifull, are not causes but effects of our iustification, as we commonly speake out of Bernard, Via regni, non causa regna…di; eMusculus. Marlorat.For the followers of Christ are blessed, not because they be poore in spirit, but because theirs is the kingdome of Heauen, That is the right exposition of the proposition, Blessed are the poore in spirit.
Now the kingdome of Heauen in holie Scripture signifieth either the kingdome of fMat. 3. 2. Luke 18. 17.grace, which is heauen on earth; or else the kingdome of gMat. 7. 21. Acts 14. 22.glorie, which is heauen in Heauen: And both these belong vntounto the poore in spirit. hHierom. Musculus. Aretius.Some construe this of the kingdome of grace, because Christ saith expresly, Luke 4. 18. The spirit of the Lord hath anoynted me, that I should preach the Gospell vntounto the poore; he hath sent me that I should heal the broken hearted; that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues, and recouering of sight to the blind; that I should set at liberty them that are bruised. And iMat. 9. 13.I am not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance. And I giuegive thee thankes O Father Lord of Heauen and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding, and hast opened them vntounto babes. The carnal wise, Credentes oculo magis qu…m oraculo, rely more vponupon their fiue senses, then the foure Euangelists; and therfore, kDr. Edes Ser. Physick for the plague.because they can not find a reason of naturall things, they make to themselues false gods; and because they can not find a reason of supernaturall things, they denie the true God. The curious, while they desire to know what they should not, are not able to cō ceiue what they should; by dyuing too much into the subtleties of reason, they forget often ye principles of Religion. As wholsome Lawes are lost many times in the cases of the law; so Religion it selfe is lost among Sophisters in the questions of Religion. It was the Serpent that first opened Adams eyes, and enticed him to prie into the secrets of God. Our care therefore (said lLoc. com. tit. de pugna Fidei & rationis humanae.Luther) must be to shut vp our eyes againe, that we seeke not ambitiously to see more then almighty God would hauehave vsus to know. Christ would hauehave vsus to bring Faith and humilitie to his schoole, leauing our arguments at home, Non vult nos esse curistas & quaristas. m1. Pet. 5. 9.He resisteth the proud, and giues grace to the humble. The nMat. 11. 5.poore receiue the Gospell, as it is in our text, Theirs is the kingdome of Heauen.
But oEuthym. Rupert. Caietan.other expositors vnderstand this of that incorruptible crowne of glorie; for as this world seemes to be made for the presumptuous and proud: so that other only for the humble and meeke. It is Theirs, and that in present Is, and it is a kingdome, and that a kingdome of Heauen. According to the tearmes of our common Law pTermes of the Law pag. …03.there be two sorts of Freeholds; A Freehold in deed, when a man hath entred into lands or tenements, and is seised thereof actually and really; A Freehold in law, when a man hath right to lands or tenements, but hath not yet made his actuall entrie. Now the kingdome of Heauen is our Freehold in law, though as yet while we liue, we can not actually be seised thereof. It is ours, as being qMat. 25. 34.prepared for vsus by God the Father: It is ours, as being purchased in our behalfe by God the r1. Pet. 14. 19.Sonne: It is ours, as being assured to our spirit by God the holie Ghost, Rom. 8. 16. 17. We hauehave now right to this inheritance, Habemus ius adrem (as sIn Rom. 8. 24. Idem Caietan in loc.Melancthon acutely) nondum in re. Or as Augustine, and other of the fathers vsually, the kingdome of Heauen is ours alreadie, Non in re, sed in spe. The Scripture saith as much in plaine tearmes; We are tRom. 8. 24.saued by uTit. 2. 13.blessed hope, which is xColoss. 1. 23.immoueable, without yHeb. 10. 23.wauering. zAlstedius System. theolog. lib. 3. loc. 17.Fides int…etur verbum rei, spes verò rem verbi. Rom. 5. 2. Thorough our Lord Iesus Christ we hauehave accesse by Faith vntounto this grace, wherein we stand and reioice vnderunder the hope of the glorie of God.
And we may well vnderunder hope reioice▪ seeing our reward (when our a2. Tim. 4. 7.fight is finished) is no lesse then a kingdome. The citizens of Tyrus are described by the Prophet bCap. 23. 8.Esay to hauehave been companions vntounto Nobles and Princes: but in that heauenly Hierusalem, eueryevery burgesse by his cIohn 3. 3.second birth, is the dHeb. 2. 17.brother of a king, the eRom. 8. 14.sonne of a king, and himselfe a king; hauing in token hereof a triumphant fApocalyp. 7. 9.palme in his hand, and a gApocalyp. 4. 4.golden crowne on his head. And this kingdome is not a h1. Pet. 1. 4.fading inheritance, but a kingdome of Heauen, an immortall and euerlasting life. Men on earth hauehave Life, but it is iIob. 14. 1.full of trouble, and of small continuance, not euerlasting; The damned in Hell hauehave an eternall being, but because they can not moue, but are perpetually tyed vntounto their torments, it is not a Life, but a death. Only the kNon dicit pauperes spiritus sed spiritu. Caietan in loc.rich in grace, the poore in spirit shall hauehave, when this world hath his end, an euerlasting Life without end. Tell O man what thou most earnestly desirest? Is there any thing thou louest bettter then life? Is there any life better then a blessed life? Is there any blessed life without hope here, and hold hereafter of euerlasting life? Yet all these things, and more then I can vtter, or you conceiue, are l1. Cor. 2. 9.prepared and reserued for such as are poore in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen.
Preached at Maydston Assises, Iuly 28. 1614. vponupon the request of my much honoured and worthily beloued friend and kinsman Sir Anthonie Aucher Knight, high Sherife of Kent.
Almightie God, which hast knit together thy elect in one communion and fellowship in the mysticall bodie of thy Sonne Christ our Lord; Graunt vsus grace so to follow thine holie Saints in all vertuous and godly liuing, that we may come to those vnspeakable Ioyes, which thou hast prepared for them that vnfaynedly louelove thee, thorough Iesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
End of the text · John Boys, The Third Part from John Baptists Nativity (1615)