A Century of Sermons, Sermon 12
THE TWELFTH SERMON UPON Our Saviours Tentation.
MAT. iv. 6.
For it is written, He ſhall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they ſhall bear thee up, leſt at any time thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone.
THey that meditate miſchief againſt others, uſually they begin with perſwaſion, and end in hoſtility; their firſt way is ſubtilty, and their laſt is violence.Plutarch. in vit. Themiſt. As Themiſtocles told the men of Andria, that he had brought two great Goddeſſes with him to exact Tribute of that Iſland, foreign, Perſwaſion and Neceſſity: Firſt, I pray do it, and then you muſt do it. The Devil held our Saviour play all the while he was on the Earth with the ſame method. For a long ſpace he laid his train privily to overcome him with Art and Tentation, at length he made his aſſault openly to bring him to his Death and Paſſion: Vulpes in primo congreſſu, leo in crucifixione; at this bout he made towards him like a Fox with many trim perſwaſions, but when he ſtood out perſwaſions, he roſe againſt him like a Lion; as David propheſied, They would tear my ſoul in pieces like a lion, while there is none to deliver me. In this ſtory of Scripture, upon which I inſiſt, he practiſeth the Arts of the Fox, upon which ſubtil creature Gregory lends this Obſervation to our preſent matter, Nunquam rectis itineribus ſed tortuoſis anfractibus currunt; they never run ſtraight on, when they are hunted, but make an hundred windings and doublings, that it may be more difficult to trace them.
So Satan never went right on with any Propoſition which he made to our Saviour, ſometimes he urgeth one way, ſometimes another, comes forward, and falls back, practiſeth like Pharaoh with Moſes, who profeſs'd he would deal ſubtilly with the people of Iſrael. One while Pharaoh makes an offer to let the men of Iſrael go ſerve the Lord in the Wilderneſs, but not their Children, nor their Cattel; then he changeth his Sentence, and detains them all: Then he gives them leave to take their Children with them, but nothing elſe; at laſt he gives order to let them all be gone, Children, and Herds and Flocks, Bag and Baggage, they ſhould have all to be rid of them. Beloved, there can be no good meaning where there is ſo much alteration and inconſtancy. Square dealing ſtands upon one firm baſe, hold faſt to that without being removed: Deluſions and devices hop about like Ignis fatuus. This holds very right on the Tempters part in my Text. You ſee he ſhifted ground from the Wilderneſs to the Temple, and then he flies back from the Temple to the Mountains in the Wilderneſs. He tries if he can make him deſpair, then he falls off, and ventures to make him preſume. Upbraids him at firſt that God would give him no bread: Perſwades with him by and by that God will give him all his Angels: Firſt, he would put the working of a miracle into Chriſts hands, command that theſe ſtones be made bread: Next he refers the work of power to the Angels, He ſhall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they ſhall bear thee up. Thirdly, He aſſumes the doing of great matters to himſelf, All theſe things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me. He laboured with our firſt Parents neither to believed God, nor the Word which he ſpake, now he makes a ſhew that he would have Chriſt both truſt in God, and in his Angels, and in his Word the holy Scripture, For it is written, He ſhall give his Angels charge, &c. The whole verſe was thus diſtributed to you before. Firſt in order I propounded the demand which Satan made, Caſt thy ſelf down. 2. Upon what ſuppoſition, If thou be the Son of God, (there I ended with the hour.) 3. Upon what Authority? Why, upon the warrant of the holy Scripture, For it is written. 4. Upon what aſſiſtance? Why, the beſt in the world, which here is twofold, Supreme and Inſtrumental. The Supreme is God, He will give his Angels charge concerning thee: The Inſtrumental helps are the firſt Inſtruments of all Creatures, the whole hoſt of good Angels, In their hands they ſhall bear thee up, leſt at any time thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone.
And firſt I muſt meditate hereupon at this time, that the wicked one hath quoated the beſt Authority which the Church hath to juſtifie the lawfulneſs of his demand, Scriptum eſt enim, for it is written. Perhaps he had never thought of Scripture at this time but that Chriſt put him in mind of it in the fomer Tentation; and it was his old ſin, Ero ſimilis altiſſimo, I will be like the moſt High, do every thing as Chriſt did, not out of pious imitation, but out of perverſe affecting an equality. And becauſe Chriſt had the ſtart of him to fly firſt to the Word of God, therefore the Devil doth both quote Scripture, and carry him to the Temple, as if he would ſhew Religion and Sanctity double as much as our Saviour did. Joab in his neceſſity will fly to the horns of the Altar for ſanctuary, as if the Lord would protect a Rebel, that had ſet up a concurrent againſt his lawful King: So the Devil will fly to the Scripture for a need, as if there were any refuge there for him that had been a Traitor to his God. Occaſio fallendi eſt maxima, ubi eſt maxima authoritas, ſays St. Ambroſe; the moſt perilous way to deceive is under pretence of the greateſt authority. Therefore the Tempter comes like a Divine with a Pſalter in his hand, you know how well he counterfeited Samuel, putting on the ſhape of that good Prophet to abuſes Saul, and here he counterfeits David, nay, therein he counterfeits the very Spirit of God. A man would have thought Satan would have skipt the Book of the Pſalms though he had ſearch'd over all the Scripture beſide. It is the Volume of joy, of conſolation, of alacrity, the very Songs of Angels. Is any man merry? Let him ſing Pſalms, ſays St. James. Is there any uſe of that ſweet harmony for him that lives in perpetual torment?
But they that mean to abuſe the Sacred Text, inſtance in thoſe places, where you would leaſt expect to find them. From the Commandment to ſanctifie the Sabbath day the Phariſees wrung in their exception, that it was not lawful for Chriſt on that day to exerciſe the works of Charity, to cure the ſick, to heal the impotent. The Donatiſts penn'd up the Church of Chriſt within the limits of Affrica, for in the Song of Solomon God ſays to the Spouſe myſtically, Ʋbi paſcis? Ʋbi cubas ſub meridie? Cant. i. 7. Tell me (O thou whom my ſoul loveth) where thou feedeſt, where thou makeſt thy flock to reſt at noon? As if the true Church therefore were limited to thoſe Southern parts or Meridian. Is it not as wonderful to fetch the Cardinalitian dignity of the Church of Rome from this Text, 1 Sam. ii. 8. Domini ſunt cardines terrae? The Pillars of the earth are the Lords, and he hath ſet the world upon them. Or Adoration of Images from this Text, that Jacob worſhipped leaning upon the top of his ſtaff? Heb. xi. 21. And is not a Lay Presbytery ſcrewed in to govern the Church inſtead of the moſt ancient Hierarchy of Biſhops from this quite miſtaken Citation, 1 Tim. v. 17. Let the Presbytery, the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honour, eſpecially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine. I will not put my ſelf to the task to go any further in this reckoning; for all Schiſms and Hereſies, and almoſt all ſins will ſhroud under the Patronage of the Word of God. Yet ſuch is the pureneſs of that Fountain, that it is not pudled, though dirty Swine do wallow in it, nay, though the Devil himſelf run headlong into it, as he did into the Sea. Here he tumbles about in this Pſalm to caſt dirt upon it, yet the Pſalm is no whit leſs ſacred and venerable than it was before. Et malè quod recitas incipit eſſe tuum; as he did uſe it moſt blaſphemouſly it was not Scripture, but rather Magick and Incantation. For firſt, according to St. Hierom, the Pſalm pertains not to Chriſt, but to his Members, they have the promiſe that they ſhall abide under the ſhadow of the Almighty, and the Arrians, who did mainly contend againſt the Orthodox that David made the Hymn upon Chriſt, and not upon pious men, do but follow the Expoſition of the Devil. But of this hereafter. 2. He did quite abuſe the meaning of the Prophet. The Angels are appointed by God to keep the faithful in ſafety againſt their enemies; but the promiſe extends not to him that will throw himſelf into danger, and be his own greateſt enemy. 3. He curtalled the holy Scripture, and left out theſe moſt emphatical words, In omnibus viis tuis; that God ſhall keep thee in all thy ways. Surely he was aſhamed to mention theſe words,Bonavent. in Luc. 4. for it can be none of a mans ways to caſt himſelf down from a Pinacle of the Temple. Diaboli eſt truncare autoritates; this is a devilliſh craft which God abhors, to lop off ſomewhat of the Scripture, that the remainder may do hurt. If any man ſhall take away from the words of the Book of this Propheſie, God ſhall take away his part out of the book of life. God is moſt highly abuſed when his ſayings are mangled and miſreported: How much more when a whole Commandment, and of principal conſequence againſt worſhipping of Images, is omitted in many Miſſals, I know not upon what pretence of brevity? Even among men 'tis taken for the ſign of a moſt contumelious affection to report one Sentence, or one Comma of a mans ſpeech without the ſupplement of all Circumſtances, As Serapion ſerved Severianus, If thou dieſt a good Chriſtian, ſays Severianus, Socrat. lib. 6. c. 11.and not an arrant Reneigo, Chriſt was never made man. Serapion brings him to his anſwer for this Hereſie, that he maintained Chriſt was never made man. Thus the Devil had what he pleaſed, and made uſe of what he luſt in the Pſalm, and ſo, like a broken glaſs, it was for no ſervice.
Fourthly, ſays St. Ambroſe, why did he not go on to the end of the Pſalm, at leaſt why did he not take in the very next verſe, Pſal. xci. 13. Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and Adder, the young Lion and the Dragon ſhalt thou tread under thy feet: Quare ſiles ſuper Aſpidem & Baſiliſcum, niſi quia tu es Leo & Baſiliſcus? Satan is the Lion and the Adder, whom not only Chriſt, but every good member of his flock ſhould tred under his feet; theſe were his own names, therefore he durſt not recite them. And yet the time was, I can tell you, when the Devil made as good uſe of that verſe as he did of the precedent verſe when he tempted Chriſt; it ſeems he loves to be tempting with this Pſalm, but thus it was. Pope Alexander the third perſecuted the Emperour Frederick Barbaroſſa by Arms and Excommunications till he brought him upon his knees,Baron. ad An. 1177. num. 5 and lower than his knees in all ſervile and baſe ſubmiſſion, and Alexander ſetting his foot upon the Emperours neck (a ſcorn which Alexander the Great never put upon Darius) inſulted over him with that verſe which next follows the Devils quotation in my Text, Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and Adder, and ſhalt trample the Dragon under thy feet. Nothing makes worſe corruption than that which is beſt of all wnen it is marred and ſpoyled, and nothing makes worſe ſenſe than the Oracles of God when they are perverted. And as Samſon having his Locks cut off, wherein conſiſted the ſpirit of Fortitude, was weak as another man, ſo the Scripture mutilated and mangled, having not the native and wholſom interpretation wherein the efficacy of the Spirit conſiſts, is of no force or validity. The Devil himſelf was not afraid of the name of Jeſus when it was not rightly uſed. Acts xix. The holy Incenſe was to be offered up in the Lords Cenſors, ſo the Scripture hath a right ſavour in it when it is offered up with the meaning of the Holy Ghoſt, Delaiah brought a falſe Propheſie to Nehemiah to hide himſelf from his enemies in the Temple, but Nehemiah would not hear him, Chap. vi. 10. 'Tis a grace of God which every one of us ſhould beg often upon our knees that he would open the true meaning of the Scripture unto us, Who hath the key of David, that openeth, and no man ſhutteth; that we may not diſtort thoſe good Leſſons to our perdition, and by our own ill digeſtion convert the moſt ſincere milk of the Word into the rankeſt poyſon.
Theſe two cautions ſhall be the conjunct uſes of this Point. Firſt, that ignorant men be not removed from the truth by miſconceiving ſuch doubtful places of Scripture, which are fitteſt to be argued by them that ſit in Moſes Chair. It is a laudable conjecture of a modern Author; that the Devil knew our Saviour was not brought up in the Schools of knowledge; all the Jews could deſcant upon it; Whence hath this man learning? Is not this the Carpenters Son? And therefore he miſ-ſcited the Scripture unto Chriſt as unto an illiterate perſon that could not diſcover him.Acts xviii. 24. Every man is not an Apollos, mighty in the Scripture, ſome ſuch the Lord doth ever provide for the building up of his Church, who are able to convince the gain-ſayers, and the weaker brethren muſt be ſatisfied by them, whoſe lips the moſt wiſe hath appointed to preſerve knowledge. Secondly, Beware to trample upon Pearls as Swines do; beware to touch the Scripture with defiled hands: He that diſpenſeth this portion of meat to his fellow-ſervants ſhould not only be a wiſe Steward, but ought to have a clean heart, and a ſincere conſcience. I dare ſay it proſpers much the better with a good man. Let Paul deliver any thing out of prophane Authors and he makes it profitable: Let Satan deliver any thing out of the Prophets, or the Goſpel, and he makes it abominable. Origen compared it ſo before me, Paulus aſſumpſit verba de his quae foris ſunt ut ſanctificet ea. Homil. in Luc. 31.Paul did ſanctifie Poetry and Philoſophy with his gifts, the Devil did pollute Divinity with his diſtorſions. What more pithy than this of Solomon? Prov. xxvi. 7. The legs of the lame are not equal, ſo is a Parable in the mouth of fools: For as the legs of the lame will not reach one another, ſo the Scripture never fits his purpoſe that doth not uſe it to the glory of God. When Plato ſaid, that certain Daemones, I know not what aerial Spirits, offered the Prayers of mortal men to the Gods. Says St. Auſtin, Lib. 8. Civ. Dei. c. 19.what Prayers do they offer? Incantations? Or holy Petitions? Si magicas nolunt tales Dii, ſi licitas nolunt per tales; If they be Charms God will reject that they bring, if they be good Prayers he would not have them to bring them. So I may ſay, Why do the Devil and his Angels, or why do the Sons of Belial uſurp thoſe words which the Prophets and Apoſtles have written? Unto the ungodly ſaid God, Pſal. li. 16.why doſt thou take my Covenant into thy mouth? If it be true and entire Scripture, God will not hear it from them; if it be ill applied Scripture, God will not hear it at all. Aquinas puts forth a queſtion, Whether a man may expound Scripture who hath committed any mortal ſin whereof he hath not repented? He anſwers it, if it be a ſin ſecretly committed he may do it; for God will make Reprobates Inſtruments of his glory; but if the ſin be publickly known, it is better for ſuch a one to hold his peace becauſe of the ſcandal, I ſee no reaſon but rather to ſay, whether the ſin be ſecret or publick ſuch a one ſhould not dare to take Gods Laws into his mouth until he have made attonement for his iniquities by newneſs of life and repentance.Ambroſ. in Pſal. 118. Sect. 5. Obmuteſcit facundia, ſi aegra ſit conſcientia; The tongue will loſe its cunning to perſwade where the conſcience is defiled. I doubt not therefore but Satans woe and torments ſhall be encreaſed for mixing Scripture with his moſt preſumptuous tentations. They are not worthy here to be anſwered that baul at the Reformed Churches, becauſe they alledge Scripture for their Reformation, but none of their Doctors wrought Miraracles to commend their Doctrine. Nec Diabolus à Scripturis abſtinuit, ſays one of them;Barclaius Parenes. lib. 1. c. 5. no Sir, Nec à miraculis. The Devil, ſays he, did fly to the Scriptures, but once Sir in theſe three Tentations to the Scriptures, but twice here, and often after and before to miracles. It is for a faith newly planted to advance it upon miracles, not for the moſt ancient faith emerging out of darkneſs, where it was much obſcured. In that caſe our Doctors quote the Scriptures, not like the Devil, as theſe Rabſhekahs ſay, but like Chriſt in the verſe following, when he confuted the Devil. And ſo much for the third general Point, upon what authority he moves Chriſt to tumble headlong, Scriptum eſt, It is written.
In the laſt part of all Satan would be our Saviours remembrancer what aſſiſtance he may promiſe unto himſelf both Supreme and Inſtrumental. The Supreme is God, the Inſtrumental are the Angels. Ille mandabit; He ſhall give charge. It was ſome modeſty in the Devil that he would not name God with his blaſphemous throat, but underſtands him by the Pronoun of excellency; and none other can be meant, becauſe he calls them his Angels, that is, his Domeſtiques and his Family. There is nothing ſtrange in theſe words, how the very Devil knew that God is tender to preſerve his Children. Every living thing, nay, every inanimate thing hath ſome inſtinct, that he ſupports all things with the word of his power. When the Sea wrought tempeſtuouſly, Jonas i. Every Mariner called upon his God. An Atheiſt, that in his jollity will know no God, put him ſuddenly in fear of death, then he will find a God to call upon. O teſtimonium animae naturaliter Chriſtianae; When malicious wit is ſurprized unawares, that it cannot corrupt Nature, Nature being left to it ſelf will fly to the Almighty for defence. Quench not this ſpark of Nature, I beſeech you, but call upon the Lord in time of trouble and he will hear you. Take the Devil at his word, that our heavenly Father will give his Angels charge concerning you. Do not diſtruſt that for ſhame which Lucifer durſt not deny: But firſt take this Weapon by the handle, and turn the point againſt the Devil, St. Hierom ſhews you how. If God will keep me in all my ways, as you confeſs, certainly he will preſerve me from you. He will not give you over to him above all enemies in the world that he ſhould oppreſs you. He was not ſo buſie about Peter but God was more vigilant. Peter, Satan hath deſired to winnow thee, but I have prayed that thy faith ſhould not fail. Secondly, This tender charge unto which we are committed bids us by all means regard our ſafety, and avoid our enemies. Non tam magna pro nobis in coelo ſollicitudo gereretur, ſi non magna nobis neceſſitas incumberet; All the powers of heaven would not be ſo ſollicitouſ for us, but that we are thruſt upon great neceſſity. God hath placed us in the midſt of ſo many and ſo great dangers, that we may keep our ſelves within the Walls of a good Conſcience, and within the Fortreſs of Prayer and ſupplication. He that underſtands what hard adventures he muſt undergo will provide accordingly, and he that is ſollicitous to be ſaved did never want Salvation.
Thirdly, Let not an innocent man be afraid of thoſe enemies whom the Devil in all likelihood doth raiſe up againſt him; be not out of hope becauſe your foes are viſible, and your help is inviſible. If you were ſtedfaſt in faith an intellectual comfort is far greater than a ſenſible; yet all things are knit together in ſuch a link of Charity, that if men be not Recreants, and forget that heavenly order, which puts the weaker under the protection of the ſtronger, all people may feel and handle the ſuccour which is appointed for them. Not to draw your attention ſo high yet as the cuſtody of Angels, obſerve in this lower Region God hath committed the Children to the nurture of the Parents, the Woman to the ſafeguard of her Husband, the Subject injured to the juſtice of the Magiſtrate, the Sick and Impotent to the refection of them that are whole, the Poor and Naked to the liberality of the Rich. Every weak and diſtreſſed is appointed his Protector by Gods Ordinance that is ſtrong and whole; and that Patron that looks not to thoſe poor Clients, with whom he ſtands incharged, let him take heed that himſelf wants not a Patron when he looks for Chriſt to be his Advocate. But when a whole Nation of true Believers, nay, when a whole world of Chriſtians have been perſecuted all at once, Who looks to that? God. And will give them the wages of wicked Servants, that ſhould have been nurſing Fathers and nurſing Mothers to his precious Portion, and yet had their chief hand in the Tragedy againſt it. And becauſe the whole earth ſometimes fails of their duty towards the Church, therefore the Lord hath his Angels in ſtore as the laſt and infallible refuge, that the leſs we are beholding to the Earth, we may acknowledge our ſelves the more beholding to Heaven. If Davids bowels earned for a rebellious Son,2 Sam. xviii. 5. and gave all the Captains charge, Deal gently for my ſake with the young man, even with Abſalon: Verily the Lord will put his Miniſters upon that good Office to be a Wall of protection to his obedient Sons. Aut eripient periculum, aut eripient animam; Either they will take your afflictions from you,Pſal. xxxiv. 7. or take you from your afflictions. The Angel of the Lord tarrieth round about them that fear him, and will deliver them.
And though the Devil meant nothing leſs than truth in his Sermon, ſince he would needs preach, let us lay hold of this for a true ground, that the good Angels are very certain to keep their charge, as they are commanded; they are like the diligent Souldiers under the Centurions authority, He ſays unto one go, and he goeth, and to another come, and he cometh. But their charge is ſet and appointed them, it is not in their own free choice to lend their aſſiſtance where they pleaſe. So the Schoolmen draw many queſtions to this Principle, Non ſunt liber â poteſtate praediti, ſed miniſtri ad nutum Domini. The reaſon is twofold: Firſt, All things muſt be done in order, and without direction and appointment, whom the Hoſts of heaven ſhould guard, how far, and at what time; the Diſcipline would be altogether confuſed in that heavenly cuſtody. Secondly, The knowledge of thoſe bleſſed Spirits is finite, they are not preſent at all our troubles which we ſuffer on earth, they being far remote in heaven; they know not the groanings of the heart, it is out of their Sphere to apprehend what ſuccour is needful for Infants that cannot moan themſelves, that cannot ask it; of all theſe things they muſt be made acquainted, and then their Province is allotted unto them by the eſpecial Commiſſion of God. Wherefore as they are given by nature and grace to love Mankind, ſo by a ſpecial Mandate and charge they are bound unto it. Peter imputes his deliverance out of Priſon to the Angels Miniſtry, but principally to the Lords word and authority; he doth not ſay, that the Angel pull'd him out of danger of his own motion, but now know I that the Lord hath ſent his Angel, and hath delivered me from the hand of Herod, and from the expectation of all the people, Acts xii. 11.
It was a good ſpeech of Jonathans, 1 Sam. xiv. 6. There is no reſtraint to the Lord to ſave by many, or by few; Had he but added one thing more the ſpeech had been complete, and full of faith, there is no reſtraint to the Lord to ſave by many, or by few, or by none at all. Then to what uſe ſerves the Auxiliary cuſtody of Angels when the ſtrength of all protection is in God alone, without the ſubordinate performance of any Creature? To diſſolve this Queſtion into many Anſwers: Firſt, They that ſay their Creed and underſtand it, that God is the Father Almighty, and have the Theorie that his vertue by it ſelf is all-ſufficient; yet when it comes to the experience and practice, they will boggle, and be much unconfident of their own ſecurity, if ſome powers which are ordained of God, and more familiar to us than his infinite Eſſence, be not promiſed to relieve us in the day of our Viſitation. Iſrael had great cauſe to have ſtrong affiance in him that had brought them out of the Land of Egypt, yet a weak Plant had need of a Prop to be bound unto it, and therefore their Charter was thus enlarged, Behold I ſend an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared, Exod. xxiii. 20. This was ex abundanti, ſomewhat given above that which needed, for the rudeneſs and infirmity of our faith. Secondly, The Miniſtry of thoſe bleſſed Spirits is uſed here below, not for the defect of the ſupreme power, but to ſhew his Majeſty and Dignity; as earthly Princes have their Stipatores, ſome bands of Noble Gentlemen to ſtand about their Perſon, rather for Pomp than neceſſity: Yet it begets obſequiouſneſs and awe unto their Majeſty. Pavorinus, a man of rare skill in Learning, whenſoever Hadrian the Emperour diſcourſed with him,Spartianus in Hadriano condeſcended in all things to let the Emperour overmatch him; and when his friends thought it too much obſequiouſneſs, Favorinus thus excuſed himſelf, I will permit him to be more learned that hath thirty Legions of Souldiers under his command: So the imployment of that heavenly Hoſt lends no aſſiſtance to God, but proclaims him that hath ſo many terrible Miniſters to command to be moſt dreadful, and glorious, and who is able to ſtand before his Hoſt? Thirdly, The Angels and Saints ſhall make up one Triumphant Church in heaven, the whole body of things in heaven, and things on earth being gathered under Chriſt the head, therefore they are knit together in theſe good Offices of defence and guardianſhip as a taſte of that unity which ſhall be complete hereafter. And indeed it is through Chriſt that theſe parts are recollected together, which were disjoyned before.Col. i. 20. It pleaſed the Father to reconcile all things unto himſelf in him, whether they were things in heaven, or things in earth. He is that Ladder upon which Jacob ſaw Angels aſcend and deſcend; and ſo Chriſt, ſpeaking of that reconciliation which he had wrought, told the High Prieſts, Hereafter ye ſhall ſee the heavens open, and Angels aſcending and deſcending. Fourthly, Aquinas doth thus excogitate:Sum. pa. 1. qu. 113. ar. 1. There are two ways wherein man ſtands in need of help, to have grace infuſed into him, and to be guided and aſſiſted in perfecting that which is good, Deus immediate hominem inclinat ad bonum, infundendo ei gratiam; God only and immediately doth infuſe ſupernatural grace into the heart. Sed inveniendae ſunt congruae viae ad perficiendum bonum; But in the ways which are of advantage to finiſh and abſolve that which is good, we are under the care and diligence of thoſe miniſtring Spirits, even as Satan hath confeſs'd it in my Text, He ſhall give his Angels charge concerning thee. And ſo much for the Supreme aſſiſtance, which the Devil did promiſe Chriſt; I have begun to touch upon the inſtrumental helpers as they were under the Lords appointment, but now I will finiſh the time with a more large Explication of their aid and protection, and in their hands they ſhall bear thee up, &c.
Hortenſius the Orator commended the brave quality of Eloquence to the heavens, that himſelf might be lifted up to heaven in the commendation: So the Tempter ſpares not to give the Angels their due, and much more than their due, that his own preſence and aſſiſtance might be the more regarded; For this is the cunning of it; Habes Angelorum cuſtodiam, & ego ipſe Angelus lucis ſum; The Angels are all your Servants to attend you, and I that am ſo near at hand unto you am an Angel of light. Well, for his part he ſhall be detected to his ſhame what he is after the third Tentation, howſoever he roves extreme wide from the ſcope of the Prophet David, Scriptum eſt ad corporis conſolationem, non ad capitis; This promiſe of Angelical ſafeguard belongs not to the tuition of the head, who is above all,Homil. 31. but to the conſolation of the body. The beginning of the Pſalm receives the righteous into the Sanctuary of the moſt High, and he ſhall abide under the ſhadow of the Almighty; but Chriſt is that Almighty under whoſe ſhadow the Angels themſelves are received. So Origen retorts, ſhould the Angels watch left he daſh his foot againſt a ſtone? Niſi Ieſus adjuverit Angeli offendent pedem ſuum; yea, unleſs Chriſt be about their paths, and about their ways the Angels ſhall daſh their foot againſt a ſtone, and never riſe; they borrow their illumination, their confirmation in grace, their whole ſubſiſtance from Chriſt, and not he from them. What could be more ſpightfully caſt forth than this compariſon of the Tempters? What could be more contemptuous to Chriſts glory than to make him a Pupil of the Angels? What more opprobrious to all faith? As if we did fly to ſuch a Saviour who was not ſufficient to keep himſelf, but had a convoy of Gods beſt Servants to deliver him. So the Jews, following their Father the Devil, frumpt him upon the Croſs, Let us ſee if Elias will come and help him, when he called not upon Elias, but twice together upon God. The Lamb of God, when he was ſo flouted by the Jews, yielded up the Ghoſt, and did not contradict them, becauſe they deſerved for the hardneſs of their heart to live and die in their errour; ſo he did not vindicate himſelf from this indignity of Satans, that he was Lord of the Angels, and not under their Pupillage, Satan would have laid his ear to that, but it might not be diſcovered unto him, that he might ſtill lie upon the rack of doubtfulneſs, and infidelity, manger all his Tentations.
Chriſt was not aſhamed to let his Prophets and Apoſtles ſay, thou madeſt him a little lower than the Angels, Heb. ii. 7. But the next words do recompence that humiliation, Thou crownedſt him with glory and honour, and didſt ſet him over the works of thy hands. But how lower than the Angels, will ſome man ſay? Not ratione naturae aſſumptae; not becauſe he took fleſh of the bleſſed Virgin; for he keeps that body in his glory, and yet as foreign, God and man, he is Prince of all the Angels: But thus it is beſt read, thou haſt made him foreign, for a little while lower than the Angels, in his Mortality, in his Paſſion, while he lay in the Grave, before he roſe from the dead, but after that no longer in any reſpect lower than the Angels. Satan ſhall ſee and malign that after the tentation is finiſhed, at the eleventh verſe of this Chapter, Angels will come and miniſter unto him, as honourable Servants, not as Jobs Friends, who were his Allies and equals: He ſhall ſee at his Agony an Angel from heaven comforting him,In Pſal. xci. Non ad neceſſitatem ſed ad ſervitutis exhibitionem, ſays Remigius. Not as one that had need to bring help, but that ought to give attendance. Nay, becauſe you read, Acts i. paſſively that Chriſt was taken up into heaven, and that two men, meaning two Angels, ſtood by in white apparel; therefore St. Auſtin ſays that Angels bore him up in their hands into heaven, not becauſe he ſhould fall if they had taken away their hands, but they were delighted marvellouſly in that homage and imployment. And thus the Father amplifies it, The Lord hath ſaid, heaven is my ſeat, Quia coelum portat, & Deus ſedet, ideo coelum melius non eſt; If the heaven be his ſeat and carry him, yet is not he much better that ſits upon it? So is Chriſt much better than all the Angels though it ſhould be granted to Satan that they did bear him in their hands.
But for our part, to whom this benefit is meant, let us own it, and confeſs it is our Pſalm, it is our conſolation, thoſe hands of the Angels are reacht out to hold us weak ones up, left at any time we daſh our foot againſt a ſtone. They pluckt Lot and his Family out of Sodom, they guarded Jacob from the wrath of Laban, they went before the Iſraelites through the Wilderneſs, and through all their trouble, they filled all the Mountains round about to protect Eliſha, they deſtroy'd the Hoſt of Sennacherib, and ſaved the holy City. We are not only Oves in medio luporum, Sheep in the midſt of Wolves, but alſo Oves in medio Angelorum, Sheep in the midſt of Angels; over every Wolves head there is an Angel, ſo that we are hoop'd about both above, and below: Above, for our defence; below, for our perdition. What ſhould move the very Heathen to harp upon this ſtring? Or who did light their Candle to find it out? One of them ſpeaks thus roundly to the matter, foreign,Plut. in lib. de futa. there are certain Angels appointed about the earth, who are Guardians and Biſhops, or over-lookers of all humane actions. Surely, that which moved them to this Sentence muſt be, to conſider what plots and conſpiracies againſt the innocent are often revealed in a way clean contrary to the reach of mans wit; what miſchiefs are prevented by that which we call Chance and Fortune, that is, by the way of Gods ſecret Providence, which cannot be diſcerned: And what comforts flow into the minds of the diſtreſſed, which no mortal man could adminiſter? Good reaſon will conclude, ſome heavenly Miniſters muſt be the Inſtruments of theſe ſtrange and unlook'd-for bleſſings, or they could never come to paſs. In theſe ſtraights of time take theſe Aphoriſms briefly upon it. As Solomon ſays, The righteous may be bold as a Lion. We have ſuch to fence us, of whom more may be ſaid than of the valiant Iſraelites, one of them ſhall chaſe a thouſand, and two of them ſhall put ten thouſand to flight. Nedum Angeli, ſed & Chriſtus ipſe, ſays one; if thou think not them enough, you are under the tuition as well of Chriſt as of his Angels. Yet ſecondly, mans life muſt needs be full of enemies that even the Cherubims of heaven are ſo ſollicitous of our ſafeguard, Non tam magna pro nobis in coelo & in terrâ ſollicitudo gereretur, &c. Bernard doth often rouze up himſelf to think that God ſees we are in more danger than we our ſelves can perceive, becauſe he provides ſuch an Army to be on our ſide againſt all hoſtility. Thirdly, Si homines requirant Angelorum auxilium, neceſſe eſt ut ſuum officium faciant; You muſt look to your own quarter, and the Angels will look to theirs: Set your affections upon heaven, and your hopes upon Gods protection, yet do not ſeparate the wit of the Serpent from the innocency of the Dove. It is the beſt ſign that the powers of heaven are watchful over a man when that man is watchful over his own ſafety. But where God is angry with a ſinner, he makes the good Angels caſt him out of their hands to be trodden down of his enemies. When the Lord was angry with the Synagogue of the Jews, which he calls his Vineyard, to which he had been wanting in no grace and favour; Go to, ſays he, I will tell you what I will do to my Vineyard, I will take away the hedge thereof, Iſa. v. 5. Auferam ſepem ejus, i.e. Angelorum cuſtodiam; I will take away the fence of the holy Angels from it, and leave it to be trodden down. And why hath he committed us to the tutelary help of Angels? Not to adore them, for Chriſt ſays within three verſes following, Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. Nor to pray unto them; for there is neither Pattern nor Precept to authorize it, but to prevent us from dangers, to aſſoil us from our Ghoſtly enemies, to bear us up in their hands, leſt at any time we daſh our foot againſt a ſtone.
He ſhall give his Angels charge, and they ſhall bear thee up; This Commiſſion granted to a Plurality of Angels doth note, that one Angel is not here deputed to a man, but all to every man; Stapleton, and others of that ſide, do rather ſtrive to raile Calvin, than to diſpute him out of this opinion. Set aſide the conjectures of many ancient learned Authors,Comment. in Acts xii. there is not one tittle in Scripture to reprove what Calvin ſays, Figmentum de binis cujuſque geniis profanum eſt; It is but a prophane excogitation to ſay, that every man, as ſoon as he is born, is moleſted with the impugnation of a bad Angel, and is committed to the defence of a Good: againſt the former part, that every man hath one evil genius to oppugn him, how improbable it is, ſince we read, that Legions of evil Spirits have entred into one man? And that bad men have their good Angel Guardian, where is their evidence to prove it? Nothing,Zanch. lib. 5. de Nat. Dei. cap. 1. but becauſe it was an old Platonique rule, foreign, every one, good and bad, hath his Daemon or his Genius like a Page to wait upon him; and then the Schoolmen do thus divine, that bad men had need of a good Angel to wait upon them, Ne noceant aliis quantùm poſſint, to debar them that they may not do ſo much hurt as they would. But that every good man hath his Angel Guardian I confeſs is more generally maintained, and yet not without this diverſity, ſome ſay he is deputed to every good Chriſtian after he is baptized, ſome ſay, to every Elect one from the firſt moment of the Nativity; and ſo ſay all that follow St. Hierom, In Mat. xiii.magna eſt dignitas animarum, ut unaquaeque habet ab ortu nativitatis Angelum deputatum; Yet again theſe Opinioniſts joſsle, for ſome quote Auſtin, Lib. 83. qu. 74.that an Angelical power is deputed to tender every viſible thing in this World. In Rev. xiv. mention is made of the Angel that had power over the Fire; of another, Rev. xvi. that had power over the Water, as if every Element had its Angel Guardian. But if every viſible Element and every material thing be under the cuſtody of an Angel, that reaſon of Aquinas, Vaſq. par. 1. tom. 2. q. 245. cap. 1.which all the Schoolmen ſuck up for the guardiancy of all mens ſouls, muſt needs fall to nothing: But thus he; Men are incorruptible, not only in the Species, but alſo every one in his particular form: Now he infers,Pa. 1. q. 123. ar. 2. the divine Providence is converſant chiefly about incorruptible things, therefore that Providence doth as much tend one man as an whole Species of Beaſts and Plants, therefore one Angel is allotted to every one man as to every one whole kind of other things to periſh. Thus you ſee there is no agreement but rangling about this Point, becauſe it hath no foundation in Scripture; therefore Lombard, Lib. 2. qu. 11though ſome of his fellows pinch him for it, concluded very wiſely, that it is to be doubted whether every man hath his particular tutelary Angel.
In the ſearch of holy Scriptures this Text remits us to believe, that the Angels compaſs us about by troops and multitudes: We find Lot, his Wife, and his two Daughters taken out of Sodom by no more than two that came unto them: We read of innumerable Chariots in the Mountains that did appear to ſuccour Eliſha and his Servant. There is but one Angel ſet over Greece, and one more over Perſia, Dan. x. they that contend for the oppoſite either name one verſe. Mat. xiii. which ſpeaks not of one, but of many Angels, Their Angels do always behold the face of your Father which is in heaven; or that other refuge out of a Text many ways expounded, Acts xii. 15. When the Maid affirmed how Peter knockt at door, whom all that were preſent ſuppoſed to be in priſon, they ſaid it is his Angel. Theophilact and Bede ſay, they meant it was his ſoul, he being newly ſlain by Herod, as they feared and ſuſpected. Some holy Fathers, otherwiſe of great learning, did dream that the ſouls of good men departed did viſit their Friends; which when Vigilantius denied, St. Hierom very harſhly, Quare martyres poſt ſanguinis effuſionem tenebuntur incluſi? Why ſhould the ſouls of the Martyrs be lockt up, and not permitted to wander abroad? A queſtion of more anger than reaſon. Well, if the words be not to be conſtrued as if it were the ſoul of Peter, but a very Angel, yet Cornelius à Lap. dares to call this Angel Michael, the great Prince; and ſurely they will not ſay he was the particular Guardian of St. Peter. Strange excurſions are made upon it, how the Angel Guardian will perſonate a man ſo verily, that every man ſhall take it to be the very man; the ſame Jeſuite tells, how a Prieſt being aſleep, his Angel celebrated Maſs for him; and that an Angel fought for another Souldier while he was at Maſs. Among the Miracles of Ignatius Loiola reported at his Canonization, this was affirmed, that he, being at Rome, did appear unto one at Cullen, and tranſact buſineſs with him; but whether he at Cullen that told this were drunk or ſober it is not reported. A thouſand gulleries and fictions have been raiſed from the conceit of the Angel Guardian, and all grounded upon this, that the people within ſaid Peters Angel was without; Now to end this Point, and to cut off all credit from that Text, it muſt needs be moſt ignorantly and inconſiderately ſpoken, for an Angel doth not uſe to knock at door, and deſire to be let in, who is a Spirit, and could come in, though the doors were ſhut.
Coronidis vice, to caſt up the whole account of this Text, ſuffer me to add both the intenſion of the Angels care over us, and the extenſion, and ſo I will conclude. The intenſion conſiſts in this, that they will put their hands between us and harm, in their hands they will bear thee up. In wnich figure we alaſs are compared to Infants, they to Nurſes, or Mothers, that will keep us in their own arms to ſave us from falling. Surely, they will not ſtick to carry ſo mean a ſimilitude for our ſake; for that you may not dread Gods Majeſty, he compares himſelf but to a Hen that clucks her Chickens under her wings, Mat. xxiii. The Chicken which is under the wing, though it be very ſafe, yet it is out of ſight, but that which is held in the hand the eye will be carefully caſt upon it; therefore this is a phraſe of as tender pity and compaſſion as almoſt can be deviſed. Were it in this ſtile, they ſhall admoniſh you of dangers at hand, it were a loving part, but we are admoniſhed of dangers every week, and yet fall into the ſnares of Satan. Did the conſolation run in this form, they ſhall go before you, or compaſs you about, they ſhall look to your going out and coming in, it would deſerve to have Gods name bleſſed for that appointment; yet though Angels go before us, unleſs they will carry us out of our own ways we ſhall run into the broad path that leadeth to deſtruction. Well, admit it were as God ſaid to Iſrael, I have born thee on Eagles wings, and brought thee to my ſelf, Exod, xix. 4. Yet it comes ſhort of this love. The Eagle carries her young ones on her back, but to lift up a thing upon the ſhoulders is to make it a burden, and not a delight; that which is born in the hands is nearer to the boſom, ever in remembrance, moſt tenderly provided for, therefore out of infinite love Judah was comforted, I will grave thee in the palms of my hands, Iſa. xlix.
This is the intenſion of their care, which is yet amplified by the extenſion, the Angels will ſupport you, and hug you in their hands, leſt at any time thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone. Burno Herbipolenſis is more figurative in his Expoſition than the very figure of the words: Says he, the Law was written in Tables of ſtone, but theſe Guardians will take care that you offend not againſt the Law. He might as well have ſaid, and better, they will provide that you ſin not againſt Chriſt, who is called a Stone, againſt which who ſo offends it will grind him to powder: but literally we may confide, that every part of our body is under the charge of Gods holy Miniſters, not only our head, but our feet; yea, the very hairs of our head are numbred. And this difference is prudently noted between thoſe evils, from which all good men ſhall be awarded.Agellius in Pſal. 91. Firſt, They ſhall tread the Lion and the Dragon under their feet, in which all infeſtious dangers are underſtood of malicious perſons, that deviſe to hurt the Innocent; then it is further promiſed they ſhall not hurt their foot againſt a ſtone, that is, no miſchances or miſadventures, ſhall fall upon them. So Job hath connexed them, Chap. v. 23. Thou ſhalt be at peace with the ſtones of the field, and the beaſts of the field ſhall be at peace with thee: That is, neither meditated miſchiefs, nor ill luck ſhall overthrow thee; thy life ſhall be kept charily from thy profeſſed enemies, yea, thy very foot from all diſaſtrous contingencies. This is the Lords doing, and his Name be glorified both for his own providence, which is always about our paths, and about our bed, and for the charge and tuition of his holy Angels. To God the Father, &c.