exercise this deuotion towards the B. Virgin and encouradge others to the like office of pietie In the first Tome of the flowers of examples is related out of diuers graue authors that à certaine venerable Archbp of Canterburie returning from the court of Rome did take vp his lodging in the famous and Princely Monasterie of Saint Bertin in the Citie of Saint Omers of the holie Order of Saint Benedict and the daie following was conducted into the Chapter howse where he made à speech to the Religious in which amongst other remarkable things he declared vnto them that when he was at Benenentum he vnderstood of à certaine Religious man who was accustomed to recite daily Fiue Psalmes in the honor of the B. Virgin which began with the fiue letters of her name The Psalmes were these Magnificat Ad Dominum Retribue In conuertendo and Ad te leuaui before euery one of which he saied the Angelicall Salutation or Aue Maria. There was present at this Sermon one Ioseius à Monke of the saied Monasterie of S. Bertin who gaue diligent attention to what was saied and did from that tyme daily when he had ended Mattins recite the saied Psalmes in the manner aboue saied It happened one night about the feast of S. Andrew the Apostle that the rest of the Religious rising to the night office the saied Ioscius was absent The Subprior therefore looking about the Quire as the manner is to see who was absent perceaued him wanting and went straight to his chamber and found him dead wherevpon returning to the Quire he called together the Religious and brought theÌ„ to their deceased Brother where after they had vncouered his face they beheld this wonderfull spectacle Fiue Rofes did issue out of his face one whereof sprong out of his mouth and tongue one out of each eie and one out of each nostrill There former sorrow therefore being changed into excessiue ioy at the sight of this soe great à miâ—acle they carried him into the Quire and laying him with his face open they againe more curiously veiwed the saied Roses and found the word Maria written as it were in the Rose which issued out of his mouth whereupon they kept him vnburied Seuen daies in which space three Bishops and very many of the Clergy Laietie beheld this admirable worke of God This happened about the yeare of our Lord 1162. Leo being Abbot of the saied Monasterie and Theodoricus Earle of that I rouince Cantiprat in his second Booke of the Vniuerse relateth à wonderfull miracle not vnlike to the former of à certaine auncient souldier who being admitted into the Nouiship in à Monastery of Cistercians proued soe indocible that he could not be brought to learne our Lords Praier wherefore his Maister endeauored with much labour to reach him the Angelicall Salutation which likewise proued soe difficult à taske vnto him that he could not after much tyme and industry retaine in memory any more of it then these words Aue Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum These words therefore by aduice of his Maister he volued and reuolued and ruminated in all places yea euen at meale tyme and at length by long continuance conceiued soe great sweetnes in them that the sole memory of the Mother of God did possesse his heart and mouth in what busines soeuer he was imploved Some yeares being passed in this deuotion this holie man exchanged this life for à better and being buried in the Church yard shortly after there grew out of his graue à tree of such à sort of wood which was not vsuall in those parts in the leaues where of were ingrauen in golden letters Aue Maria gratia plena The Bishop of the Diocese hauing notice giuen him hereof by the Abbot of that Monasterie came to the graue accompanied with à great multitude of people and after he had veiwed the saied tree caused some to digge about it and found that it tooke roote in the mouth of the saied holie man The saied tree hauing as it should seeme performed the office for which it grew vdzt to giue restimonie of the sanctitie of that holie man and how gracious the B. Virgin is to such as are deuoted vnto her as alsoe how pleasing it is to almightie God that we honor his blessed Mother did wither and consume in the sight of them all then present like as the Iuie tree we read of in Ionas the Prophet Wherefore by this holie Praier let vs often renew in our memory the benefit of our Redemption which began with this holie Salutation and let vs beseech her who was is and euer shall remaine most gracious in the sight of God to be our aduocate and patronesse in our greatest extremities A praier appointed by the holie Church to be saied before the diuine office OPen my mouth o Lord to praise thy holie name cleanse my heart from all vaine peruerse and impertinent thoughts illuminate my vnderstanding inflame my affection soe that I maie be able to recite this office worthily attentiuely and deuoutly and maie merite to be heard before tâ—e face of thy diuine Maiestie through Christ our Lord. Amen Pope Leo the X.th to such as after the office shall deuoutly recite the ensuinge Praier hath graunted pardon of all the defects and faults contracted out of human frailtie in the performance thereof TO the sacred and vndeuided Trinitie to the humanitie of our Lord Iesus Christ crucified to the fruitfull integritie of the most Blessed and glorious Virgin Marie and to the generalitie of all the Saints be sempiternall praise honour vertue and glorie from all creatures and to vs remission of sinns for infinite worlds of worlds Amen And blessed be the bowells of Marie the Virgin which bore the sonne of the eternall Father and blessed be the brests that gaue sucke to Christ our Lord. Pater noster c. Aue Maria c. A praier to be saied after the office of the B. Virgin approued by Pope Pius the fift of that name REceaue most mild God for the praiers and merits of B. Marie euer à Virgin and of all the Saints the office of our seruice and if we haue done any thing praise worthy behold it propitious but what hath beene negligently performed doe thou benignely pardon who liuest raignest in perfect Trinitie for all worlds of worlds Amen An other Praier or oblation before the diuine office Ludouicus Blofius declareth that it was Moni spi c. 3. reuealed to S. Mecthild as à most gratefull thing to God that those wâ—o are about to recite the Canonicall howers doe vnite them with the praiers of our Sauiour For saieth he by this meanes they will be reputed one exercise with his like as à small quantitie of water mixed with à great Vessel of Wine is noe more reputed water and therefore he aduiseth such to recite this short Praier to that end O Lord in vnion of the perfect attention wherewith thou vpon earth didst offer
the lib. 9. Confes c. 1. li. 4. de oratione c. 2. â— 10. saied hymnes of the orientall Church as S. Augustine affirmeth Suarez saieth that the holie Church was moued by the especiall prouidence of God to institute that the confession and glorification of the B. Trinitie by the accustomed Hymne Glorie be to the Father c. should be added to the end of euery Psalme because saieth he the vse of the Psalmes was of greater antiquitie then the law of grace and by this meanes they doe participate the proper perfection thereof and become compleate and consummate Cornelius à Lapide dilating vpon these words of the Apostle For of him and by Rom. 11. him and in him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen doth expound this hymne of glorification in fauour of such who repeat it often Glorie saieth he be to the Father of whome all things are as of the prime origine Glorie to the Sonne by whome all things are made as by wisdome and men redeemed as by their mediator Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome are all things as it were in à bond and consummation Glorie to the Father of whome is all paternitie in heauen and vpon earth Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all filiation Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all holines and sanctification Glorie to the Father of whome is eternitie Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all forme beautie Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all felicitie and fruition Glorie to the Father of whome is all vnitie glorie to the Sonne by whome is all equalitie glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all loue and concord Glorie to the Father of whome is all powâ—r glorie to the Sonne by whome is all wisdome glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all goodnes Glorie to the Father who created me glorie to the Sonne by whome I am redeemed glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I am iustified Glorie to the Father who hath predestinated me glorie to the Sonne by whose precious bloud I am washed and made cleane glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I shall be glorified for euer Amen Alleluia NEXT in order followeth the Angelicall Hymne Alleluia which is song froÌ„ Easter vntill Septuagesima not without good reason for holie Dauid Psal 146. Psa 99. exhorteth To our God let there be à pleasant and comely praise againe Make ye iubilation to God all the earth serue ye our Lord in gladnesse enter ye before his fight in exultation And this hymne signineth praise God with à heart dilated through excesse of ioye The holie Church therefore because we ought neuer to surcease from praising God noe not then when we recount the miserable estate of man by the fall of our first parents hath ordained that in lieu of this hymne of exultation the verse Praise be to thee â— Lord King of eternall glorie shall be recited from Septuagesima vntill Paster which is à tyme of mourning and pennance li. 2. de Ritibuâ— c. 20. Stephen Durantus disputeth this question at lardge why the holye Church should omitt Alleluia from Septuagesima and yet place in lieu thereof à praise which seemeth equiualent thereunto after many solutions at length he answereth with S. Thomas and the Glosse vpon the ninth of the Apocalipse that this Hymne Alleluia besides the ordinary praise doth insinuate à iubilation which cannot be expressed in words Leo the 9. saieth that these two Hymnes Cap. de Consecr Hi. duo Dist. 1. onely are mentioned in the New Testament to haue been song by the Angells that is to saie Alleluia and Gloria in excelsis both which are intermitted in Septuagesima to shew that for the sinne of our first parents we are banished from communicating with the Angells in Iubilation which Adam in the state of innocencie did enioy as S. Iohn Damascene li 2. de Paradis affirmeth in these words Adam in bodie was delighted in the terrestriall paradise but in mind he was present with the quires of Angells in the paradise of holie spirits The same alsoe in effect S. Gregorie the Great affirmeth in his Dialogues Dialog 2. to witt that man in paradise was accustomed to enioy the words of God and to be present with the blessed Angeliall Spirits in puritie of heart and hight of contemplation But we alas doe now Psal 64. sit and weepe in Babilon of this wretched life and vpon the bankes of the riuers thereof whilest we remember that Syon where the Prophet saieth An hymne becommeth God VVisupra â— S. Leo aboue named giueth this reason why Alleluia is intermitted for nine weeks precisely and reassumed in the tenth weeke There are saieth he nine quires of Angells and the tenth quire sell by the sinne of Pride and thereby disturbed the ioye of the rest vntill Man was created to supplie their number but when he fell alsoe by disobedience they were againe greatly discomforted vntill our Sauiours birth at which tyme they begane to reassume their songe of ioye and afterwards at his Resurrection and Ascension together with those blessed soules which accompanied him vnto his throne of glorie they conceiued full hope that their number should be made compleate and their praise perfect S. Augustine saieth that although this Li. 2. Hymne might be interpreted both in de doctrina Christiana c. 10. Greeke and Latin yet it hath remained intire because it relisheth best in its owne originall to witt in the Hebrew Whosoeuer out of curiositie shall desire to soe more of the signification of this Hymne let him peruse the 137. Epistle of S. Ierome to Marcella where he maie receiue satisfaction The Inuitatorie verse IN the diuine office the Inuitatorie verse is vsually varied according to the nature of the office appointed for each daie and it is thus defined by Peter Damian Tom. 3. c. 7. in his booke intituled Dominus vobiscum The Inuitatorie saieth he is that by which the communion of the faithfull is inuited to the praise of God Concerning which you must note that the communion of true beleeuers be they scattered abroad in neuer soe many seuerall countreys doe yet make but one mysticall bodie whereof Christ is the head in whome they maie and doe meete together in spirit in the diuine praises by the feete of their soules which are the affections and in this sort they are inuited to come and ioyne with vs in the praise of almightie God S. Augustine affirmeth that if two iust In Psal 94. men be placed one in the East and the other in the West yet maie they truely be saied to be together because they are both in God but although à iust man and à wicked man be linked in one chaine yet are they farre à sunder for the one by louing iniquitie hath seperated himself farre from God and the other by louing God is nearely adioyned vnto him and if two such should praise
parts of the Soule in soe much that either the hidden misteries of the Prophesie will be laied open vnto it or the good spirit will be infused S. Chrisostome after he hath admired Homil. 6. de Paenitentia why the Prophet Dauid whome he stileth the musicall Doctor of puritie should be more frequented in all parts of the world then the rest of the holie Scriptures addeth these words The Prophet Dauid doth adorne our life with all sorts of benefits making himself all to all growing in yeares with children inuiting youth to prudence giuing to virgins modestie and puritie and to old men strength Sinners he prouoketh to Pennance saying Confesse to our Lord for he is Psal 117. Psal 18 good He fortifieth those that haue made good progresse in pennance saying The sinns of my youth and my ignorances O Lord remember not He exciteth those that haue receiued great graces to thankes giuing saying VVhat shall I render to our Lord for Psal 115. all things he hath giuen me He recalleth to confession such as often fall into a â—â—lapse saying If thou wilt obserue iniquities O Psall 1â—9 Lord who shall sustaine it Finally he concludeth O excellent harpe congregating the minds of all men through out the earth like vnto certaine strings in one consonance S. Basill the great saieth that in this Homil. in Psal 1. one booke of the Psalmes is comprised whatsoeuer is necessarie for all mens vse in the rest of the holie Scriptures It foresheweth future things with most certaine oracles it containeth an historicall narration it establisheth lawes to order our liues more holily it prescribeth and aduiseth euery one what is best to be done and in à word it is à plentifull and common promptuarie of all doctrine wherein the Prophet by his onely prouident industrious care hath deuised and excogitated what maie best conduce to the saluation of euery one which the saied holie Saint doth particularly recount in the same place adding further that the verse of the Psalmes doth cure our soules with the well proportioned modulation of the numbers which is rather à pleasant then à bitter medecine and moreouer that the Psalmes are à preseruatiue to profligate the inchauntments of the deuills à meanes to procure the patronage of the Angells à target of securitie in the terrours of the night à quiet rest in our daily labours à protection to infants an ornament to those that are in the flower of their age à comfort to old men and finally à fit attire for women wherewith to set out their beautie S. Augustine amongst other praises of the Psalmes hath words to this effect The holie Ghost saieth he beholding the minds of men to resâ—st and draw backe from the waie of vertue and to be inclined to the delights of this life hath mixed the force and operation of his doctrine with the pleasant melodie of à song that soe whilest the hearing is delighted with the sweetnes of the verse the benefit of the diuine words maie there withall find entrance and make deeper impression according to the proceeding of skillfull phisitians who when the diseases of their patients doe require that they administer bitter yet soueraigne potions least the diseased should refuse to take that which by all probabilitie will cause their recouery in regard of the vnpleasaÌ„tnes and loathsome tast thereof are accustomed to anoynt the top of the cup wherein the saied remedie is contained with honey or some such pleasant iuice It will be ouer long to rehearse the praises of this admired booke which maie be read in almost all the workes of the most famous writers and therefore I will conclude with these words of S. Ambrose In all other parts of the holie Praefa in Psal Scriptures saieth he are here and there singular or speciall remedies for singular or speciall persons according to their singular or speciall needs but the booke of the Psalmes containes à certaine generall medicine or remedy for the soules health of all mankind for each soules particular infirmitie or need Whosoeuer doth read them maie haue there à speciall remedy wherewith to cure the wounds of his proper passions and whosoeuer alsoe doth desire to enter the lists in à spirituall combate maie there as in the common place for the exercise of soules in the martiall feates of vertues find diuers sorts of maisteries or coÌ„flicts prepared and make his choice of such as he shall iudge most fit for him wherein he maie with most facilitie attaine the crowne of victorie VVhat is meant by an Antiphone BEfore euery one of the Psalmes is placed an Antiphone in most parts of the diuine office S. Isidore saieth that the lib. 6. orig c. 9. word Antiphona signifieth in Latin vâ—x reciproca or à reciprocall voice that is à voice which one wing of the quire returneth to the other from whence it cometh singing it in an exchanged order It alsoe appeareth by the workes of the li. 1. de Eccles officijs c. 7. saied Saint in another place that Antiphones were first of all vsed in the Greeke Church and afterwards introduced into the Latin Church by S. Ambrose Antiphones are for the most part taken out of the Psalmes or else are some deuout sentences desumed out of some other part of the holie Scriptures and accoÌ„modated to the nature of the office of that daie according to the tune where of the Psalme following is sung They are as it were à breathing fit betweene the Psalmes wherewith the mind is recreated and recouereth new feruour and alacritie to prosecute that which followeth Amalar saieth that an Antiphone doth resemble the vertue of Charitie for it ioyneth the works of two brothers in one The Psalmes maie be referred to workes and the Antiphones to the loue wherewith each lendeth to other his helping hand An Antiphone is song by turnes alternatly by both quires because charitie cannot be exercised betweene fewer then two The two Cantors doe signifie the vicissitude of charitie who of both sides in their turne or order doe as it were lift or passe the Antiphones from one side to the other Finally the two quires were prefigured by the wings of the liuing creatures stretched forth in length and meeting together which the Prophet Ezechiel saw in the figure of the comming of Christ of the new testament for that coniunction of their wings is the same that the Antiphones doe performe The title of the 8. Psalme and 1. in number in the nocturne office of the B. Virgin A Psalme to Dauid himself belonging to the end for Presses SAint Augustine affirmeth that the Prophet In Psal 1. Dauid did sing but 9. Psalmes onely with his owne proper voice and that the residue according to their seuerall titles were pronounced by one of the fower cheife Chanters to witt either by Asaph Eman Ethan or Idithun In the persoÌ„ of Dauid is prefigured our Sauiour to whome of all others
diuine nature hath founded her By the man that shall saie these admirable things to Sion Some doe vnderstand S. Iohn the Baptist of whome is Ioh. 1. saied There was à man sent from God c. For he was the first that announced to Sion that Christ was come of whome the Prophet Isaie saieth Vpon an high mountaine Isa 40. get thee vp thou that euangelizest to Sion exalt thy voice in strength say to the Citties of Iuda behold your God Others vnderstand Christ to bee that man because he very often saied to the Iewes and to his disciples that he himselfe was the man whome they expected should bee borne the Sauiour of the world Our Lord will declare in Scriptures of peoples and of Princes of those that haue been in her By this verse the Prophet doth seeme to make answer to the interrogation made in the precedent verse And according to the first interpretation thereof to wit Shall it not bee saied of Sion c. he seemeth here to answer Yes truely it shall bee saied for our Lord will declare it c. But according to the second interpretation to wit Shall not man saie to Sion c. he seemeth to answer Yes truely man shall saie that which followeth in the verse to Sion and not onely one that is à pure man but that man who is both God and man our Lord shall declare it in à more perfect manner in the Scriptures of peoples and Princes that all ages to the end of the world maie take notice that the onely Sonne of God Christ Iesus God and man is borne in her accordâ—ng to his humane nature and that he hath founded her according to his diuine nature And moreouer he shall declare and write downe the names of those that haue been in her who are soe many that he alone is able to doe it By Scriptures of the peoples some doe vnderstand the new testament others the bookes wherein the names of the elected people are registred which shall not bee published vntil the daie of IudgemeÌ„t when the booke of life shall bee opened and by the Princes are vnderstood the Apostles who as it is written were constituted Psal 44. Princes ouer all the world The habitation in thee holie Church designed here by Sion is as it were of all reioycing is like to that habitation where all doe reioyce This verse maie in some respects bee applied to the militant Church by reason of the exceeding ioy peace of conscience which true Christian Catholickes doe possesse who reioyce in hope as being of that number vnto whome the Apostle saieth Reioyce Philip. 4. in our Lord alwaies againe Isaie Reioyce yet it cannot properly bee applied thereunto where we are to worke our Saluation with feare and trembling but it agreeth most properly with the happy estate of the triumphant Church where the blessed spirits doe securely enioy what neither eie hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man without the least feare of euer being depriued thereof Behold how excellently the holie Church is praised in this compendious Psalme how clearely the mysterie of the incarnation of our Sauiour is insinuated and the ioyes of the celestiall countrey commended It behoueth vs to sing it by soe much the more deuoutly and affectionately by â—ow much the more clearely the calling of the Gentils is foretold in it And in regard it is something intricate it behoueth vs to study to vnderstand the true sense thereof and consider it attentiuely for otherwise we shall not bee able to recite it with such deuotion as the misteries therein contained doe require we should The title and argument of the 95. Psalme and 7. in the Nocturne Office A Canticle to Dauid himselfe when the howse was built after the captiuitie This title was prefixed by Esdras and the Psalme was appointed by him to bee song when the Temple was reedified after the Babylonian captiuitie but the Psalme was composed by holie Dauid vpon occasion of the bringing backe of the Arke into Ierusalem and ordained by him to bee soÌ„g at that tyme. Which notwithstanding it is certaine that the principall intention of the Prophet and of the holie Ghost himselfe was to foreshew the coÌ„ming of Christ and his Kingdome when as the Apostle witnesseth â—oloss God did deliuer vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the Kingdome of the Sonne of his loue For as S. Augustine doth well note there is noe mention at all made through out the whole Psalme either of the bringing backe of the Arke or of the building of the Temple after the captiuitie but of the thing signified by the building of the Temple at that tyme Therefore of necessitie we must either gâ—aunt that there is noe coherence betweene the Title and the Psalme or els expound them spiritually as all the auntient holie Fathers doe to this effect As by the captiuitie saie they wherein the Iewes were lead away and detained prisoners by the Chaldeans is figured the captiuitie wherein all mankind was ouercome held in thraldome and slauery by the deuils Soe likewise by the building of the Temple in Ierusalem after that captiuitie is designed the building of the holie Church which is the howse of God not with insensible stones but with liuing stones congregated and polished by Christ and founded in him In Ephe. 2. whome as the Apostle saieth all building framed together groweth into an holie Temple in our Lord in whome you alsoe are built together into an habitation of God in the holie Ghost The sense therefore of the title is A Canticle to Dauid himselfe written for that tyme when the Church of Christ began to bee built by the preaching of Christ and his Apostles after the freeing of mankind from captiuitie which was done by the Incarnation and passion of the Sonne of God who redeemed mankind from the power of the deuill and the seruitude of sinne as our Sauiour witnesseth of himself saying Now the Prince of this world shall bee cast forth and I if I bee exalted from the earth will draw all things to my selfe The Psalme speaketh litterally of the two fold comming of Christ to wit to saue and to iudge the world it speaketh alsoe of the building and sacrifice of the Church The exposition of the Psalme SIng ye to our Lord à new song sing ye such à song as the new Master the fountaine of wisdome Christ our Lord hath brought with him and proposed to the whole world â—o wit A Hymne composed of his counsells some whereof were vnknowne before his comming Such à new soÌ„g is One thing is necessarie If thou wilt bee perfect goe and sell the things Luc. 10. Math. 19. that thou hast giue to the poore Call none Father to your selfe vpon earth for one is your Father he that is in heauen innumerable others like to these which are frequent in the new Testamènt
alsoe very many from falling into sinne poureth forth a fragrant odour in so much that whosoeuer shall piously call her to mynd shall experience himselfe sprinkled there with Of the Canticle or Hymne Te Doum laudamus THe auncient custome of recyting this Canticle or Hymne in the diuine Office maie bee proued by the Rule of our holie Father S. Benedict where he appointeth that after the fouerth Responsory to wit of the third Nocturne the Abbot doe beginne the Hymne Te Deum laudamus Concerning the originall institution of this Hymne S. Darius Bishop of Milan who liued in the tyme of Iustine the elder about the yeare of our Lord. 540. as S. Gregory affirmeth in his 3. Booke of dialogues the 4. Chap. in his Chronicles writeth as followeth By l. 1. c. 10. Chronicâ— blessed Ambrose saieth he Augustine was baptised and confirmed in the name of the holie and vndiuided Trinitie all the faithfull of the Cittie being present and beholding it at which tyme according as the holie Ghost gaue them to speake they pronounced the Hymne Te Deum Laudamus all that were present hearing seeing and admiring which hath been generally receiued and religiously sung euer since by the vniuersall Church in all ages euen vnto these our daies The Title and argument of the 92. Psalme and first in the Laudes PRaise of Canticle to Dauid himselfe in the date before the Sabbaoth when the earth was founded It seemeth tâ—at he who appointed this title was desirous that the insuing Psalme should bee sung vpon the Sixt Feria or Fryday which is the daie before the Sabbaoth because therein is declared that the earth was founded or according to some bookes inhabited Which is fitly saied to haue been done on the Sixt Feria for on that daie maÌ„ was formed who should bee Lord of the earth and by this the earth was first established which was created for man On this daie not onely man but alsoe all liuing creatures were created which inhabite the earth and therefore on this daie the earth began first to bee inhabited On the same daie alsoe by the Passion and death of Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour the earth was renouated and the Kingdome of Christ established the Prince of the world being cast forth All which notwithstaÌ„ding the holie Church doth appoint this Psalme to bee sung at Laudes vpon Sunday about Sunne rising or daie breake because although our Sauiour purchased his Kingdome with the price of his most pretious bloud shed for mankind on the Sixt Feria and thereby layed the foundation of the new earth yet he receiued possession of his Kingdome at his glorious resurrection early in the morning vpon Sunday at which tyme he put on beauty and strength The words of this Psalme maie bee applied both to the Creation Reparation of the world as followeth The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord hath reigned he hath put on beautie glorie and regall Majestie Our Lord hath alsoe put on strength power and fortitude which are equally requisite to support à Kingly diademe and hath girded prepared armed and setled himselfe to reigne If these words bee referred to the Creation of the world Christ as God is saied to haue begun to reigne when he had created the world for then he first of all began to haue subiects vpon the earth ouer whome he might exercise dominion But if they bee referred to the reparation of the world Christ as man at the tyme of his Resurrection did receiue the gouernment of the Vniuerse put on the beautie of à glorified body and put on fortitude all power being giuen him in heauen and vpon earth and girded or setled himselfe earnestly to ptopagatâ— his Kingdome to the vtmost confines of the earth It is manifest that our Lord hath reigned in this sort For he hath established firmely fixed the round world as the center of the vniuerse which shall not bee moued according to that of Ecclesiastes Generation passeth and generation Eccle. 1. cometh but the earth standeth for euer Christ likewise by his dolorous passion and glorious resurrection hath founded and established the Militant Church spred through all the regioÌ„s of the earth in one faith and religion which shall not bee moued but shall perseuer in the same faith and worship vnto the end of the world for Christ shall reigne in the house of Luc. 1. Iacob for euer and of his Kingdome there shall bee noe end Thy seat ô Lord is prepared from that tyme to wit from the Creation of the world or the resurrection of Christ Yet thou didst not theÌ„ beginne to haue à being for thou according to thy diuine nature art from euerlasting from eternitie Concerning which you are to note that the word art doth not here signify the simple existence of the diuine nature but the fulnesse of his being wherein all things are contained For God was not poore or had need of any thing before he created the world neither was he more wealthy or better stored after he had created it for he created not the world that himselfe might encrease thereby but that he might communicate his goodnesse to vs therefore he created not the world as being compelled by any necessitie but as being moued thereunto by his infinite charitie and mercy and with the same charitie and mercy he hath repaired it for Soe God loued the Ioh. 3. world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that euery one that beleeueth in him perish not but maie haue life euerlasting The riuers ô Lord haue lifted vp the riuers haue lifted vp their voices The riuers haue lifted vp their waues aboue the voices of many waters The surges of the Sea are maâ—uâ—lous maruelous is our Lord on high If the words of these verses bee referred to the first sense they signify the manner whereby God almightie made the earth habitable that it might bee à firme seate for all liuing creatures For iâ— the beginning of the Creation the waters couered the superficies of the Vniuerse and the inundations of the waters were eleuated with à terrible motion but God who is infinitely more high more excellent and powerfull repressed their furie closed part of them in the concauities of the earth and appointed limits to the rest which they shall not transcend In the Second sense by the riuers which lifted vp their voices is vnderstood the Apostles and other principall planters of the Christian faith who being filled with the waters of life did passe through the world like vnto soe many heauenly riuers and eleuate their voices preaching the Ghospell of Christ with great freedome By the riuers which lifted vp their waues is vnderstood the Iewes who euen in the very beginning contradicted the Ghospell in all places raised persecutioÌ„ against the disciples of Christ By the surges of the Sea which are farre greater theÌ„ the waues of the riuers is vnderstood the persecutions of the Infidels other aduersaries of the