knowledge of God but whereas they lived in great warres of ignorance those so many so great plagues they called peace The zeale that they had and the contentation of their hearts made them believe that all their superstition and idolatry and other enormities was Catholique unitie This zeale as on the one side it hath many tokens of goodnesse for that it hath a conscience and a feare and an obedience towards God so on the other side it is very dangerous because it lacketh knowledge even as a ship for lack of a governour is ever in danger of the Rocks and as the body which hath no eye is ever in danger of falling Such kinde of zeale the greater it is the worser it is the more vehement it seemeth the more vehemently it fighteth against God For our good meaning maketh not our doings good our zeale is not a rule whereby we may measure out either our faith or our works but only the knowne will and pleasure of God Therefore speaketh God in this manner by the Prophet Esay Esai 55. my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your waies my waies Therefore saith Solomon Prov 3. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and leane not to thy own wisdome in all thy waies acknowledge him and he shall direct thy doings This counsell also doth Moses give Deut. 5. take heed that yee doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left But the true and godly zeale proceedeth not from hypocrisie or intention but is led and trained by understanding and is molten into the heart and the vehemency and heat of it no man knoweth but he that feeleth it It taketh away the use of reason it eateth devoureth up the heart even as the thing that is eaten is turned into the substance of him that eateth it as iron while it is burning hot is turned into the nature of the fire so great and so just is the griefe that they which have this zeale conceive when they see Gods house spoiled or his holy name dishonoured 1. King 19 So saith Elias J have been very jealous for the Lord God of hoasts for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant broken down thy Altars and slaine thy Prophets with the sword and I only am left and they seek my life to take it away So when Moses found that the people had forsaken God and were fallen down before a molten Calfe did put their trust in the work of their own hands his wrath waxed hot and he cast the tables out of his hand Exod. 32. and brake them in peices beneath the mountaine his heart was so inflamed with zeale that he considered not what he had in his hand nor what he did Jeremy when he saw the disorder of the people how they were not mended with his preaching and would inwardly conceale the griefe he conceaved and purposed not to make mention of the Lord nor to speak any more in his name yet could he not for his zeale found way Ierem. 20. and brake out His word saith he was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and J could not stay And albeit there is much likenesse between the rage and fury of hypocrites the godly zeale of good men for either are hot either are vehement either wisheth redresse yet this is an evident difference godly zeale is tempered and seasoned with charity the ungodly is joyned with bitternesse and revenge the godly seeketh to win the ungodly to kill and to destroy the ungodly have their hands full of bloud they kill the Prophets they say we have a law and by our law He must dye they say come let us destroy them that they be no more a nation Let not the name of Israel be had any more in remembrance they burn the holy books of the Scriptures as did Aza and Antiochus they say ransack it pull it down rase it to the foundation let not one be left alive they dig up the bodies of the dead out of their graves they shew their crueltie upon the bones and ashes which were long before buried and well nigh consumed It grieveth them when they lack upon whom they may whet their bloudthirstie and cruell zeale It grieveth them no one thing else so much that they did not work surely and cut up the root Such is the zeale of the ungodly even such a zeale as was in Nero in Caligula of whom it is reported he wished that all the Romans had but one neck that he might cut off all their heads at one stroke as was in Herod in Annas and Caiphas the like murtherers But the godly when they see any disorder they doe nothing like the other they mourne in their hearts to see that the truth is not received to see the mindes of their brethren so obstinately hardned they make prayer to God for them they are deeply touched with the feeling of such calamities which God layeth upon other The zeale of Moses could not like the Idolatry of the people yet he went unto the Lord againe and said Exod. 32. Now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercy shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of thy book which thou hast written Christ lamented over Jerusalem ô Jerusalem Jerusalē which killest the Prophets Mat. 23. stonest them which are sent to thee how often would I have gathered thy childrē together as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and yee would not behold your habitation shall be left unto you desolate Paul suffered much at the hands of the wicked Jewes they troubled the Church of God they hindered the course of the Gospell they were enimies of the Crosse of Christ they were dogs they were Concisiō yet he saith I have great heavinesse Rom. 9. and continuall sorrow in mine heart for I would wish my selfe to be separated from Christ for my brethren that are my kindsmen according to the flesh which are the Israelites David saith Psal 118. Mine eyes gush out with rivers of water because they keepe not thy law And again My zeale hath even consumed me because mine enimies have forgotten thy words Againe I saw the transgressours was grieved because they kept not thy word And when he saw the whole nation of Israel wasted by the enimies how mournfull a complaint made hee to God O God the heathen are come into thine inheritance Psal 19. thine holy Temple have they defiled and made Jerusalem heapes of stones the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the foules of the heaven and the flesh of thy Saints unto the Beasts of the earth At this time when the Tabernacle was lost when Saul was unquiet and the Priests were slaine and the Prophets despised and the people left without all comfort
o Doway Bible in hunc Ps Rhemists obserue differing here from other Nations in mentioning first the lesse Evill and the greatest last Whereas we would say in the contrary order He is happy that hath not Sit that is hath not setled himselfe in wickednes nor finally persisted obstinate more happy that hath not Stood that is any notable time continued in sinne and most happy that hath not Walked that is not giuen any consent at all to evill suggestions So likewise concerning the Obiects First of all there is Counsell and that is one degree vnto wickednesse then is there the Way of the Wicked that 's another then is there the Seat of wickednesse and when men are once setled there then are they top and top gallant They are then as p Ier 48.11 Moab was setled on his lees then doe they doe as q 1. King 21.20 Ahab did sell themselues to worke evill then doe they phrase it in r Ioh 19 10. Pilates voice Speakest thou not vnto me knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to release thee Rugitus saeuit Leonis tument colla serpentis It was the roaring of a Lyon Å¿ Aug. Hom. 35. saith St Austen and the throat of the Serpent began to swell Such Walkers as here are spoken of were they of whom the Apostle writes in his Epistle to the Philippians he wrote it with teares in his eyes t Phil. 3.18 Many walke of whom I haue told you often now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ Such Standers were they who stood with Corah and his Complices and withstood Moses as we read in the u Nom. 16.27 Booke of Nombers In a word such Scorners also were they who when good king Ezechias had abolished Idolatrie and made a Reformation and sent Poasts to certaine Cities to call the People to serue the Lord they laughed his Poasts to skorne as wee read in the x 2. Chron. 30.10 Booke of Chronicles And in this case it will not be amisse to ioyne the New Testament and the Old together and so shall we see the true nature of skorning what it is For that which Moses deliuereth in the Old how Sarah saw the sonne of Hagar the Egyptian which she had born vnto Abraham y Gen. 21.9 Mocking the Apostle St Paul in the New doth deliuer it as a Persequution As then z Gal. 4.29 saith he he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit even so it is now And it is so now indeed Mali persequuntur Bonos si non ferro lapidibus certè vita atque moribus The Bad doe persecute the Good a Aug. de Verb. Apost Ser. 24. Hom. 10. saith S. Austen though not by dint of sword stoning them yet by their lewd liuing and by their behauiour towards them And againe in another place b Aug. in Ps 127. Christians are not in these daies free from Persecution because the Divell sets not vpon them by meanes of persecuting Tyrants doe but begin to lead a godly life and thou shalt easily finde that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer Persecution So Saint Chrysostome Quid â—is Non adest Martyrij tempus To one that should say It is not now the time of Martyrdome but if it were then would he doe I marry would he like as many Protestants say now adaies What saist thou c Chrys in 2. aâ— Cor c. 1. Hom. saith S. Chrysostome is it not now a time of Martyrdome Nay that time is neuer absent but is alwaies before our eies did we but open our eyes to see it and he proues it there in that place by the Example of Iob. I should here end this First Verse but that in all good congruity somewhat would be said to Beyerlincke who d Laurent Beâ—erlinck Tract Synod c. 12 p. 139. p. 144. misapplyeth so much this Parcell of Scripture concerning the Seat of the Scornfull to that sacred Synod held at Dort for the composing of Controversies about the Arminians who might haue reserued that Tearme Cathedram pestilentiae The Chaire of Pestilence e Vid. Iuels Defence of the Apol. Part 6. c. 6 Divis 3. p. 676. for Petrus Asotus and Hosius and Harding of his owne side that said so blasphemously that The sentence of death pronounced in Councel against our Saviour Christ Iesus was iust and true to whom he might haue ioyned also the Author of that Marginall Noat vpon the f Dist 13. Item in Margine Decrees Iudaei mortaliter peccassent nisi Christum crucifixissent The Iews had committed mortall sinne had they not crucified Christ Iesus As for those Reverend Men at Dort not one of them but might say as g Tull. Philâ—p 2 Tully in another case In huius me Consilij societatem tanquam in equum Troianum includi cum Principibuâ— non recuso But I haue beene too long vpon this first Verse and yet before wee part from it let me briefly tell you two Stories concerning the word BLESSED The First is this When Petilian the Donatist like Beyerlinck had alleaged this Psalme against the Orthodox Christians St Austen answering for them Who cannot discerne h Aug. cont lit Petil. l. 2. c. 46. saith he in the Scriptures betweene these two kinds of men the Good and the Bad but you Cursed as you are Paleae crimina etiam Frumentis obijcitis the faults of the Chaff you obiect to the Corne it selfe being your selues the only Chaffe you make your boast that you are the onely Corne. Well I advise you to read this first Psalme in Greeke so shall you not dare to obiect as a crime to the whole world that it taketh the part of Macarius For thereby you may happily understand what Macarius that is that hath a part in all the Saints who throuâ—hout all Nations are blessed in Abrahams seed F r that which is written in Latine Beatus Vir in the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now that MACARIVS who displeaseth you so much if so be he were a bad man he is not in this lot nor is he any hinderance therevnto But if he were a good man let h m trie his owne worke that so he may haue the praise in himselfe and not in another The other is this When one of the Priests in Constantines time had i Euseb de Vit. Const l. 4. c. 48. Graecè p. 154. called him Happy to his face as one in this life that was full worthy to haue the Gouernment of all the World to raigne afterwards with Christ Constantine was ill pleased with the hearing heare of and willed him neuer to vse any such speech any more but rather to pray to God that both in this life in the next he might be thought worthy to be but a Servant of God who
Learned First for the Wisdome here meant it is no Machiavellian Wisedome that 's Hypocrisie Satis est Principem externâ specie pium religiosum videri etiamsi ex animo non sit It is sufficient for a Prince y Machiavel de Princ. c. 18. saith Machiavel to seeme in outward shew Deuout and Religious though in Heart he be not so and hee had wont to bee the Oracle of Princes But he that so palpably taught Hypocrisie in those dayes no vnlikelyhood but hee hath by this time his Portion with Hypocrits z Mat. 24.51 where is Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth The next way to obtaine true Wisdome indeed is to follow that Counsell which the Lord gaue to Ioshua This Booke of the Law a Iosh 1.8 saith God shall not depart out of thy Mouth but thou shalt meditate therein Day and Night that thou mayst obserue to do all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy Way prosperous and then thou shalt haue good successe or as it is in the Margent as agreeing to the Originall And then thou shalt doe wisely Secondly for Learning here it is not that high Speculation or Humane Knowledge or Skill in the Liberal Arts and Sciences that in this Place is required which yet is very necessary in time and place but the Instruction and Reformation of their mindes in b Rom. 15.4 Godlinesse and indeed the c Ephes 4.20 Doctrine of CHRIST Where by the way what shal we say of them that so generally haue maintained that d Vid. B. Iewels Defence of the Artic. Art 27. Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion No Ignorantia Iudicis plerunque est Calamitas Innocentis The Party Innocent e Aug. de Civ Dei l. 19. c. 6. saith St Austen many times smarts for the Ignorance of the Iudge and Origen speaking of Divels Possident omnes qui versantur in Ignorantiâ They possesse themselues of all f Orig. in Num. Hom. 27. saith he that remaine in Ignorance Indeed concerning the Heathens Mysteries it was the saying of g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Casaub Exerc. 16. c. 43. p. 550. Synesius Ignoratio Mysteriorum est illorum veneratio proptereà Nocti creduntur Mysteria The Ignorance of those Mysteries was the Honour and Reverence of them and therefore were they alwayes performed in the Night but it is not so in Heavenly Mysteries Nay euen in their owne Vulgar they may read it themselues h 1 Cor. 14.38 Si quis ignorat ignorabitur Who so knoweth not shall not bee knowne I cannot here forget how this parcell of Scripture wee haue in hand was alleaged by S. Austen against the Donatists in behalfe of Christian Princes for dealing in Church Affaires Gaudentius the Donatist of old as Papists now adaies taking much exception against it Our Lord Christ i Aug. Cont. 2. Gaudent Epist l. 2. c. 26. saith he the Saviour of Souls sent Fishermen not Souldiers for the propagation of his truth God never expected the ayd of worldly Warriers seeing it is he onely that can iudge both of the Liuing and of the Dead To whom as S. Austen then answered so may we to our Adversaries in like case Heare therefore the holy Prophets as also the holy Fishermen and you shall not find religious Princes obnoxious to you For I haue shewed before saith he that it appertained to the care of a King that the Ninivites appeased God whose anger the Prophet Ionas had declared to them before And therefore as long as you your selues doe not hold that Church which the Fishermen foreshewed the Apostles planted so long Kings that hold the Church iudge it most rightly to appertaine to their care that you scape not scot-free in rebelling against the same And againe a little after God expecteth not the ayd of worldly Warriers seeing to Kings he giues this benefit that he inspires into them a care that his Lawes be kept in their Kingdomes For they to whom it is said Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Iudges of â—he Earth serue the Lord in Feare acknowledge that their Power ought so to serue the Lord that they ought to be punished by that Power which will not obey the will of the Lord. But whereas you bring their Souldiers into envy doubtles if this care appertaine to Kings as in holy Scriptures hath now beene shewed by whom shall those Kings performe so much either against rebellious Circumcellions and their mad Complices or Ring-leaders but only by Souldiers that are their Subiects Vers 11. Serue the Lord in feare and reioice vnto him with reverence A specifying of that Wisdome as also of that Learning that was spoken of before namely Feare Reverence Wisdome and Learning are no other but each of these Feare and Reverence A seruing with Feare a Reioycing with Reverence First for Feare it is the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and End of Wisdome the Beginning as l Ps 111.10 David the Father teacheth vs the End as m Eccles 12.13 Solomon the Sonne in his Ecclesiastes or the Preacher But it is no Servile Feare The Apostle S. Iohn speaking of that Feare There is no Feare in Loue n 1. Ioh. 4.18 saith he and Feare hath Torment No but this is a Filial Feare it is a pleasant Garden of Blessing and there is nothing so beautifull as it as the Sonne of Syrach o Ecclus. 40.27 tells vs. Of this kinde of Feare S. Gregory speaking As Feare in the way of this World p Greg. Mâ—â—â— l. 5. c. 13. saith he begetteth Weaknesse so in our Iourny and Course towards Heaven Feare begetteth Fortitude Now this kinde of Feare is so farre from hauing Torment that it hath Reioycing annexed with it as wee see in the next words Secondly for Reverence it is in a maner the same with â—eare for it is a holy Feare of the Heart towards God witnessed by all seemely Behauiour Gesture Attire Countenance Attention and such like And Reioycing is here annexed with it as it were to season every of these to shew indeed they are all done not Formidine Poenae for Feare of After-claps but Virtutis Amore in Loue to Vertue as the q Horat. Epist l. 1. ep 16. ad Quint. Poet obserueth well making a difference in this respect betweene the Good and the Bad. I cannot before I goe from this Verse but remember those excellent Passages which S. Austen hath herevpon How doe Kings serue the Lord with Feare r Aug. Ep. 50. saith he but by forbidding and punishing with a religious severity those things which are done against the Lawes of God He maketh instance in the King of Ninive in Darius in King Nabuchodonosor and then goes forward in these Tearmes For the King serueth God one way as a Man another way as a King As a Man by liuing faithfully as a King by making Laws with convenient Vigour to command that which
These were thy Punishments this was thy Fate Goe now and vndermine thy Fathers State But to returne againe to my purpose This is the First Psalme of many others that haue the Word LORD in the Vocatiue a Word so oftentimes vsed in all these Psalmes It is in the Originall that peculiar Name of GOD consisting of foure Letters commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof as many haue spoken much so g I. Drusii Tetragram c. 14. Drusius hath written a whole Treatise shewing that it is the proper Name of the DIVINE ESSENCE and that it hath no proper Vowels and therefore that it is left vnpronounceable to shew the better that the Essence of God is incomprehensible And yet where euer the Iewes found it they tooke the Vowels either of Adonai or Elohim and so pronounced it It is alwayes in our last Translation translated LORD and the Word LORD is alwayes printed in Capitall Letters but if it be the Word Adonai in the Originall which signifies Lord to or Elohim then is it printed in smaller Letters An example hereof we haue Ps 8.1 O LORD our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth And indeed it was long agoe the Counsail of Antonitu Rodolphus Cevallerius in an Epistle to the Bishop of Eli that then was B. Cox it should seâ—me that where euer that Word of foure Letters was in the Originall * Characteribus maiusculis the Translation should be in Capitall Letters as h I. Drus ib. c 1â— Drusius witnesseth in his foresaid Book and our Translators haue most exactly obserued in our English Word LORD â—hroughout their whole Translation not once naming the Word IEHOVAH for ought I haue obserued but only Exod. 6.3 17.15 And as our English Translators so the Septuagint translate it to as i Zanch. de Nat. Dei seu de divin Attrib l. 1. c. 17. Zanchius hath obserued Indeed l Illyr Clau. Script Tract de Rat. cognosc sac Lit. p. 45. De Nomine Jehova p. 622. Illyricus mislikes it and saith that the Name DOMINVS LORD doth obscure the nature of that other Name howbrit since the Apostles themselues as m Calv. Instit l. 1. c. 13. §. 20. Calvin obserueth translated it by this Name to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominus Lord their Example in this case may bee for vs a sufficient warrant The Word is a Name of Relation and doth intimate vnto vs that there is a mutuall consequence or a kind of dependance betweene GOD and him who stileth him LORD Whereupon St Austen As he cannot be a Servant n Aug. de Trin. l. 5. c. 16. saith he that hath not a Lord so cannot he be a Lord that hath not a Servant And Thomas Aquinas to this purpose Deus non fuit Dominus antequam habuit Creaturam sibi subiectam Though GOD o saith Aquinas be before his Creatures u Aquin. Sum. Part. 1 â—u 13. Art 7. Ad Sextum yet forasmuch as in the signification of Lord it is comprehended that he hath a Servant and so contrariwise these two Relations Lord and Servant are by nature extant together therefore GOD was not the Lord before he had the Creature subiect vnto him He that will see more in this case I refer him to that Question p Zanch. de Nat. Dei l. 1. c. 10. handled by Zanchius That seeing God is euerlasting and immutable and nothing hapneth to him anew whâ—ther there be any Names that so agree vnto him by reason of Time that they could not be his Names from euerlasting In the handling of which Qâ—estion hee sheweth how St Austen discoursed like an Oratour Aquinas like a Schooleman vpon one and the self-same Point But now to the Many here Many are they that rise against me Many in this Verse and Many in the next whereby we may perceiue that it is not alwayes the safest way that Many goe Whereupon St Austen Esteeme not of their nomber q Aug. in Ps 39. saith he I grant they are Many who is able to nomber them Few they are that goe the straight way Bring me hither the Skales begin to weigh see what a deale of Chaffe is hoysed vp in one Skale against a few Barley Cornes in the other And againe in another place r Aug. in Ps 128 The Church was sometimes in Abel alone and Abel was ouercome by his wicked and divelish Brother Cain The Church was sometimes in Enoch alone and Enoch was translated from the Society of the Wicked The Church was sometimes in Noahs House alone and Noah endured all those that perished by the Deluge The Church was sometimes in Abraham alone and we are not ignorant what Wrongs the Wicked did vnto him So likewise the Church was sometimes in Lot his Brothers Sonne and onely in his House amidst the whole City of Sodom and he bare with the Iniquities of the Sodomites so long till at length God deliuered him from the midst of them Thus Nazianzen speaking of his owne Time Where are they now f Greg. Naz. ad Arian de seips Orat. 24. saith he that vpbraid vs with our Poverty and boast so much of their owne Wealth who define a Church by Multitude and contemne a smal Sheepfold Lastly St Chrysostome I pray you t Chrys ad Pop. Antioch Hom. 40. saith he what profit or advantage is it to be rather a great deal of Chaff then a few pretious Stones Multitude consisteth not in the quantity of number but in the quality and efficacy of Vertue Elias was onely one and the whole World it selfe was not worthy to bee weighed with him Thus the Fathers and yet u Bell. de Eccles Milit. l. 4. c. 7. saith Bellarmire The fourth Note or Marke of the Church is Amplitude or Multitude and Variety of Beleeuers Verse 2. Many one there be that say of my Soule there is no helpe for him in his God Wee saw in some sort the Many before but now we see them farre better in that we not see them onely but heare them According as Socrates to one that stood mute before him Loquere vt te videam Speake x Eras Apopth saith he that I may see thee Indeed Speech as y Plut. de Lib. educand Laert. in Democrit said Democritus is the Shadow of Action or the Image and Representation of our Workes as z Laert. in Solon Solon was wont to say and Seneca to this purpose a Senec. Epist l. 20. ep 115. Such is Mans Speech as is his Life Non potest alius esse Ingenio alius Animo color He maketh instance in no worse Man then Mecaenas himselfe and an hundred pities it was that so good a Man in one respect was so bad in so many The Prophet here sees them no man better and therefore describes them by the impiety of their Words First concerning the Word Soule Soule in holy Scripture is taken diverse and sundry wayes
worthie if God should examine it without any Mercy at all And Iust men Å¿ Greg. Moral l. 8. c. 9. vid. D. Abb. Apol. against Bishop Part. 1. c. 8. p. 255. p. 293. saith St Gregory knowe before hand that perish they must without remedy if God in the iudging of them set Mercy aside because even that which seemeth our iust Life is but Sinne if Gods Mercy when he iudge that doth not excuse the same Behold t Iob 4.18 saith Iob he put no trust in his Servants and his Angels he charged with â—olly how much lesse on them that dwell in Hâ—uses of Clay whose Foundation is in the duâ—â— which are crushed before the moth The Party to whom the Petition is made is God aboue who is styled by the Apostle S. Paul a 2. Cor. 1.3 The Father of Mercies which though it be a sufficient Reason why this Petition is made to him yet the Prophet here implies another namely for that the Lord had set him at liberty when ever he was in trouble As b 1. Sam. 19.12 First when Michol saued him c 1. Sam. 20.38 Secondly when Ionathan d 1. Sam. 21.8 Thirdly when his owne Pollicy e 1. Sam. 23.28 Fourthly when the Messenger by bringing tydings to King Saul that the Philistians invaâ—ed the land f 2. Sam. 17.11 Fiftly and lastly when Hushai holpe him Hushai and the Messenger and his owne Wit and Pollicy and Ionathan and Michol his Wise being but so many severall Instruments which it pleased the Lord to vse in sauing of him g Ps 115.1 Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy Name giue the Praise for thy louing Mercy and for thy Truthes sake I but how comes it here to passe that the Prophet in these words styles the Lord The God of his Righteousnesse Heare me when I call O God of my Righteousnes Doubtles it was not in respect of any Righteousnesse of his owne Not his Speeches are to well knowne even in this his Booke of Psalmes for any confidence hee had in that respect As for example where he saith h Ps 19.12 Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret Faults And againe i Ps 130.3 If thou Lord wilt be extreame to marke what is done amisse oh Lord who may abide it And yet againe l Ps 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified What is his meaning then in these words DEVS IVSTITIAE MEAE O God of my Righteousnesse It may be taken two waies as First Thou O God who art the Redresser of my Right or Revenger of my Wrong or Secondly in regard of some righteous Cause hee had in hand mistaken by his Adversaries Much like to that which hee saith in another place m Ps 7.3 O Lord my God if I haue done any such thing or if there be any wickednesse in my hands If I haue rewarded evill to him that dealt frendly with me yea I haue deliuered him that without any cause is mine Enemy Then let mine Enemy persecute my Soule take me yea let him tread my Life downe vpon the Earth and lay mine Honour in the Dust So that in regard of those many Slanders raised against him by the Wicked he calls God to witnesse of his Integrity in those points and therefore may seeme to style him here The God of his Righteousnesse Our Reioycing n 2. Cor. 1.12 saith the Apostle is this the testimonie of our Conscience that in simplicity and godâ—y Synceritie we haue had our Conversation in the World And Conscience if it be bad as it is a continuall Torture so is a good one a continuall o Secura Mens quasi iuge Convivium Prov. 15 15. Vulg. Feast The great Benefit of a good Conscience S. Chrysostome declares by this Similitude As if you let fall a little sparkle p Chrys ad Pop. Antioch Hom. 25. saith hee into a large plash of water you presently extinguish it so all our Griefe and Sorrowe if so bee it light on a good Conscience it is most easily driuen away Verse 2. O yee Sonnes of Men how long will yee blasphâ—ame mine Honour and haue such pleasure in Vanity and seeke after Leasing It may seeme somewhat strange that hauing spoken in the Words before to God alone hee should now leaue speaking with God as it were and apply himselfe to the Sonnes of Men. But this is no novelty with David throughout his whole Booke of Psalmes who speaketh sometimes to the Lord sometimes to Himselfe sometimes to the Godly sometimes to the Vngodly and then to the Lord againe and that in one and the selfe-same Psalme The lesse cause had Cartwright and such as followed his steps to finde fault with our Church-Service for intermingling Reading of Scriptures and Prayers one with another We q T. C. vbi supra saith he haue no such Formes in the Scripture as that we should pray in two or three lines and then after hauing read a while some other thing come and pray asmuch more and so the twentith or thirtith time with pawses betweene If a man should come to a Prince and keepe such order in making his Petitions the Prince might well thinke that either he came to aske before he knewe what hee had need of or that he had forgotten some peece of his Suit or that he were distracted in his vnderstanding or some other such like cause of the disorder of his Supplication Loe here a Prayer euen in two or three lines after that as it were a Lesson namely an Instruction to his Adversaries Lastly somewhat concerning Himselfe namely how ioyfull in Heart Himselfe was and secure in hauing nothing when his Enemies had the World at will Shall we now say that David was distracted in this case God forbid Nay hee spake forth the Words of Truth and Sobernesse euen as did the Apostle S. Paul when hee also was r Act. 26.25 challenged by Noble Festus in like sort As for the Similitude hee brings of petitioning before a Prince and how vnsavory it would be to make Requests in such sort it is well Å¿ Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 34. answered by Reuerend Hooker and retorted vpon himselfe and al his Complices how much more vnsavory it would proue to pray in their fashion who so much mislike ours Cartwright got nothing by that Similitude But now concerning the Words First for the Appellation here O yee sonnes of Men it is in the Hebrew t As there is difference betweene Home and Vir in Latine Non sentire mala sua non est Hominis non ferre non est Viri Senec. de Consolat ad Polyb. c. 36. so in the Hebrew betwixt Adam and Ish BENI ISH not ADAM wherein S. Ierom was mistaken as u Drus Observ l. 3. c. 19. Drusius obserues so that the
wrathfull Hand With how great circumspection n Wisd 12.21 saith the Wisdome of Solomon diddest thou Iudge thine owne Sonnes vnto whose Fathers thou hast sworne made Covenants of good Promises Therefore whereas thou dost Chasten vs thou scourgest our Enemies a Thousand times more to the intent that when we Iudge we should carefully thinke of thy Goodnesse and when we our selues are Iudged we should looke for Mercy But what Is there Indignation then and Displeasure in the Highest Is he subiect to Passions as we our selues are No the Lord is not as sinfull Man Fury is not in mee o Esay 27.4 saith he These Words then Displeasure Indignation are spoken here of God according to the Nature Property of Men who when they Punish seuerely vse to bee Furious in their Punishments and so the Lord is said to be This it was that Iob experimented which the Prophet now feared Thou huntest mee p Iob. 10.16 saith Iob as a fierce Lyon and againe thou shewest thy selfe marvellous vpon me Thou renuest thy Witnesses that is thy Plagues against me and increasest thine Indignation vpon mee Changes and Warre are against me Verse 2. Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord Heale me for my Bones are vexed From the Lords Iustice in the former Verse hee Appealeth in this Verse vnto his Mercy and of Mercy hath beene spoken q Expos on Ps 4.1 p. 88. before Nor is the Prophet at a wrong Doore in crauing these Almes forasmuch as the Lords Title is r 2. Cor. 1.3 The Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort The Mercy here meant is a Commiseration over his Miseries a Tender Compassion towards himselfe that suffered Affliction which how well it agreeth to God aboue witnesse the Words of the Apostle S Paul Å¿ Heb. 4.15 For we haue not an High Priest which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all Points Tempted like as we are yet without Sinne. His Conclusion there is Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the Throane of Grace that we may obtaine Mercy and finde Grace to help in time of Need. And again in the same t Heb. 2.18 Epistle In that he himselfe hath Suffered being Tempted he is able to succour them that are Tempted Now that here was the Time of Need wherein this Helpe of Grace was to be found witnes the Words of the Prophet here for that he was Weake and his Bones vexed which Weaknesse of his what it was though it be not here expressed yet may we gather by the Circumstances Infirmum non se vocat quia Aegrotat sed quia Deiectus ac Fractus sit He calls not himselfe Weake in this place by reason of any Sicknesse u Calvin in hunc Ps saith Calvin but for he was Deiected and Cast downe by reason of his Broken and Contrite Heart A Case which oftentimes happens to the dearest Children of God though sometimes they haue Boldnesse againe and Vndauntednesse of Courage against all Opposition whatsoeuer By the Vexing of his Bones here the Prophet perhaps meanes not his Bones indeed but Firmamentum Animae vel Fortitudinem as x Aug. in hunc Ps S. Austen interprets it the very Strength of his Soule suppose his Faith or Hope or so forth Praecipuum Robur suum as y Calvin in hunc Ps Calvin tearmeth it his Might his Strength Excellency of Dignity or Excellency of Power or if so bee hee meant his Bones indeed then as z Iansen in hunc loc Iansenius obserueth they are put for the Members of his Body by an vsuall Synecdoche among the Hebrewes Verse 3. My Soule is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me The Spirit of a Man a Prou. 18.14 saith Solomon will sustaine his Infirmity but a Wounded Spirit who can beare That is saith the Note in the Margent of our Former Translation The Mind can well beare the Infirmity of the Body but when the Spirit is Wounded that is the Mind it selfe it is a thing Vnsupportable If we Reply as did the Disciples of our Saviour in another Case when our Saviour had told them that it was easier for a Camell to goe through the Eye of a Needle then for a Rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God Who then can bee saued so who then can be sustained who can possibly bee supported The Answere must bee as our Saviours there was b Mat. 19.25 With Men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible The Lord c 1. Sam. 2.6 saith Hannah killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to the Graue bringeth vp Words which She had learnt no doubt of Moses the Prophet in his Booke of Deuteronomie d Deut. 32.39 Howbeit the Prophet here in the meane time is driuen to such Extremities that hee is faine to come to VSQVE QVO to How long he should be Punished It seemes he was long in Punishing then it was not with him as at other times e Ps 30 5. Heavines may endure for a Night but Ioy commeth in the Morning no but happely he endured many Nights many Mornings in this plight So the Prophet here in this place Vsque quo How long but especially in another f Ps 13.1 Psalme How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy Face from me How long shall I seeke Counsaile in my Soule and be so vexed in my Heart how long shall mine Enemies triumph over me How long and How long and again How long and How long again the fourth time Indeed it is Long to vs but it is our Infirmitie which makes vs think that Long which we haue not in a Tryce Iust for all the world like those that are Sicke especially if in their Sicknesse they be Cholerick to How hasty g Aug. in Ps 36 saith S. Austen are sicke Men to haue their Wills Nothing seemes so long vnto them as while the Cup they call for is in fetching They who doe attend them make all the speed they can and all for he should be pleased yet the Sick Man When why When I say When will you bring it mee When shall I haue it They make as much hast as possible they may and yet that which they with so much hast endeauour to perfourme thy Sicknesse makes it seeme long vnto thee But it is a good Note and fit to this purpose which S. Austen hath vpon this Psalme h Aug. in hunc Ps That which is easily Cured is not greatly cared for the Difficulty of Healing makes vs take the greater heed when Health is once obtained And again i Aug. Ib. The Prophet is in this long Perplexitie that hereby hee might knowe how great the Punishment is that is prepared for those that will in no wise bee Converted when they that are Converted find so
yet afterwards when he was baptised l Euseb Jb. c. 63. Graece p. 255. b. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now of a truth saith he I knowe my selfe to be BLESSED and that I am counted worthy to inioy hereafter everlasting life that I am made partaker of heavenly light Vers 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law will be exercise himselfe day night Nobis initium bonorum abstinentia peccatorum est To vs m Ambros in hunc Ps saith S. Ambrose the beginning of good things is an abstinence from sinnes and therefore we read n Ps 37.27 Flâ—e from evill and doe the thing that is good The Prophet in the former verse hath taught vs to flee the evill but because that is not sufficient he teacheth vs now a new Lesson namely to doe the thing that is good That is to delight in the Law of the Lord and to exercise our selues therein First for the Law of the Lord. The Latine word Lex which signifyeth the Law is o Vid. Vrsiâ— Catech. Angl. edit 1611. p. 886. deriued from Lego which hath two significations namely to read and publish or els to choose With the former derâ—vation agreeth thâ— Hebrew word Thorah with the later 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeke In the Hebrew the Law iâ— called Thorah Doctrine because Lâ—wes are published vnto all that euery one may learne them The Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commeth from a Wotd that signifieth to diuide and distribute and therefote the Law is so called because it distributeth vnto euery one proper charges and functions Now the Law as it is sometimes taken in holy Scripture for the whole Old Testament in generall so sometimes againe for the Bookes of Moses only as here in this place Moses wrote Fiue in all winch were therefore called the LAVV for asmâ—ch as all the Lawes that belonged to the Iewes Morall Ceremoniall and Iudiciall were comprised in those Bookes The Morall Law is a Doctrine agreeing with the eternall Wisdome and Iustice of G d discerning things honest and dishonest knowen by nature and engendered in reasonable Creatures at the Creation binding all the reasonable Creatures to perfect obedâ—ence both Internall and Externall promising the fauour of God and euerlasting Life to those which performe perfect Obedience and denouncing the wrath of God and euerlasting Paines and Punishments vnto them who are not perfectly correspondent thereunto The Ceremoniall were Lawes deriued from God by Moses concerning Ceremonies that is Externall solemne Actions and Gestures which in the publique Worship of God were to be performed binding the Iewes vntill the comming of the Messias that they should distinguish that People and the Church from others and should be Signes Symbols Types or Shadowes of spirituall Things to be fulfilled in the New Testament by Christ The Iudiciall were Lawes concerning the ciuill Order or ciuill Government or maintenance of externall Discipline among the Iewes according to the tenour of both Tables of the Decalogue that is of the Order and Offices of Magistrates of Iudgment Punishments Contracts and of the distinguishing bounding of Dominions deliuered from God by Moses for the setling and preseruing of the Iewes Commonwealth And these are that Law here intimated by the Prophet and whereof he speaks so much in his 119. Psalme It is the longest and largest Psalme in all the Booke consisting of 176. Verses and not one of all those Verses one only p There are in the English fiue more the 84. the 121 the 132 the 149 and the 156. but in the Latine they haue one of these Words according to the Latine excepted namely the 122 but makes mentioÌ„ of this Law or by that very name or by the name of Testimonies Way or Wayes Word or Words Commandements Statutes Iudgements Ceremonies Righteousnes or Trueth In these Lawes it should seeme the Iewes were so perfect that Iosephus speaking of them Euery one q Ioseph cont Appian l. 2. sayth he of our Nation being demanded of our Lawes can answere as readily as he can tell his owne Name For euery one of vs learning them as it were so soone as we come to the vse of Reason we haue them as it were written and printed in our mindes and by this meanes offend we much more seeldome and when we offend we are sure to be punished Secondly where it is said His delight is in the Law it may very well be taken for continuall Reading the same Law Orationi Lectio Lectioni succedat Oratio Let her pray and read r Hieron ad Lect. de Instit Filiae sayth St Ierom read and pray wrighting to a Gentlewoman concerning the bringing vp of her Daughter And writing to an other Let the Booke of sacred Scriptures Å¿ Hieron ad Rust Monach. sayth he be neuer out of thy hands or from thine eyes Discatur Psalterium ad verbum As for the Book of Psalmes get that in thy memory word by word For such is our Nature t Aug. Quaest mixtim qu. 120. saith St Austen as that it becomes dull and heauy if we accustome not our selues to reading For as iron if it be not vsed gathereth rust so the Soule vnlesse it be frequent in reading diuine Scriptures is surrounded with Sinne as it were with rust Thirdly after Reading he meditates thereupon and therefore is it here added And in his Law will he exercise himselfe day and night Excellent things they are that are spoken of Meditation and it is strange what in this case Authors report euen of Bruit Beasts This u Plin. Nat. Hist l. 8. c. 3. saith Pliny is knowen for certain that on a time there was an Elephant not of so good capacity as his Fellowes to take out his Lessons to learne that which was taught him Wherevpon being oftentimes beaten for that blockishnesse of his was found studying and conning those Feates in the night which he had bene learning the day before The same x Plin. l. 10. c. 42. Pliny tells vs the like of Pyes and Stares Nightingales and y Plutarch de Solert Animal Plutarch tells of a Pye that to learne certaine Tunes which shee heard Minstrels play waxed dumbe many dayes after At length vpon the sodaine she brake forth into the same Tunes which those Minstrels had playd before to the astonishment of all that heard her and thought she would neuer haue sung again But to returne vnto my purpose Meditation is that in the Old Law which was signified by Chewing the Cud. For as there the Swine was z Levit. 11.7 vncleane to the Israelites because it chewed not the Cud howsoeuer it divided the Hoofe so howsoeuer we read the Word and divide our times to that purpose yet vnles we Meditate thereupon and doe as the Blessed a Luc. 2.51 Virgin did lay it vp in our hearts as in good ground either the wicked One commeth and catcheth it away b
then the Pardons of Rome is Salus Iehovae The Salvation of the Lord. The Salvation of the Lord blesseth preserueth vpholdeth all that we haue our Basket and our Stoare the Oile in our Cruises our Presses the Sheepe in our Folde our Stals the Children of the Womb at our Tables the Corne in our Fields our Flores our Garners It is not the Vertue of the Stars nor Nature of the things themselues that giueth being and continuance to any of these Blessings The World is my Theater at this time and I neither thinke nor can feigne to my selfe any thing that hath not dependance vpon this acclamation Salvation is the Lords Thus much that worthie Prelate and a great deale more to this purpose but I haste to an end and therefore come vnto the last Words And thy Blessing is vpon the People Blessing what Blessing People what People What Blessing vpon the People that thus revolted from him the People that as Pompey d Plutarch Apopth OccidenteÌ„ ab eo deâ—en Orientem spectari Tacit. Annal. l. 6. spake adored the Sunne-rising and turned so treacherously their backs on him whom now they thought in Setting whom yet they could not but acknowledge that he was the LORDS ANNOINTED Gods Blessing on such a People Marry blesse them with an Halter would some haue said and bene as charitable as one Browne a Papist was Papists forsooth are very charitable who when one William Hunter was to bee burned for Religion and desired the Peoples Prayers e Acts and Mon. edit 4. p. 1538. col 2. professed he would pray for him no more then he would pray for a Doâ— Henry the Third King of France Predecessor to the last HENRY both in his Kingdome and in his Death shewed himselfe of an other Spirit then this our Prophet was of vpon like occasion offered him He at the Barricadoes flying from Paris towards Chartres when he came to Chaliot from whence he might see the City turned they say towards the same and in the bitternesse of his Soule I giue thee my Curse f Iohn de Seres his Hist of France transl by Mr Grimst in Hen. 3. p. 851. said he disloyall and vngracious City a City which I haue alwayes honoured with my continuall abode a City which I haue more enriched then any of my Predecessors I will neuer enter within the compasse of thy Wals but by the ruine of a great and memorable breach King David here flew as hee did but with Wings more like a DOVâ— Hee knew there were Many amongst the People that were deceiued by the rest g Calvin in Ezâ—â—h c. 3. Semper aliquos esse sanabiles etiam si totum Populi Corpus videtur desperatum that though the whole Body of the Peâ—ple as Calvin speakes were desperately sicke yet that some of them were curable that there were Degrees of Offences and that they did not all deserue alike that the Ring-leaders indeed were to bee punished the rest to be pityed and lamented At an other time and vpon an other occasion Loe h 2 Sam. 24.17 saith he I haue sinned and I haue done wickedly but these Sheepe what haue they done Let thy Hand I pray thee be against me and against my Fathers House And thus was David towards his People here his disloyall and vngracious People euen as if in this he had bene a Type of our Saviour who persecuted as he was and reviled on the Crosse Father i Luc. 23.34 saith he forgiue them for they know not what they doe The Prophet speakes not here as Zacharias did who yet was a Prophet to l 2 Chr. 24.22 The Lord looke vpon it and require it or as Ioshua did in encountring his Enemies m Iosh 10.12 Sun stand thou still vpon Gibeon and thou Moone in the Valley of Aialon vntill I be avenged of mine Enemies or as Sampson in the Book of Iudges a Type of our Saviour to n Iudg. 16.28 O Lord God remember me I pray thee only this once O God that I may be at once avenged of the Philistians No but he prayeth with S. Stephen rather o Act. 7.60 Lord lay not this sinne to their charge And hence it is that Tremelius renders it not as it is here in this place Thy Blessing is vpon the People but p Tremel in hunc loc super Populum tuum sit Benedictio tua Let thy Blessing be vpon the People As if so be he had said God prosper them and all their Affaires that sauing this Quarrell all may haue good successe and turne to their Good Oh how truely might David haue here said which he did in an other Psalme q Ps 109.3 For the loue that I had vnto them loe they take now my contrary part but I giue my selfe vnto Prayer PSAL. IV. Cum invocarem 1 HEare me when I call O God of my Righteousnesse for thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble haue mercy vpon me and hearken vnto my Prayer 2 O yee Sonnes of Men how long will ye blasspheame mine Honour and haue such pleasure in vanitie and seeke after leasing 3 Knowe this also that the Lord hath chosen to himselfe the Man that is godly when I call vpon the Lord he will heare me 4 Stand in awe and sinne not commune with your owne heart and in your Chamber and be still 5 Offer the Sacrifice of Righteousnesse and put your trust in the Lord. 6 There be many that say who will shewe vs any good 7 Lord lift thou vp the light of thy Countenance vpon vs. 8 Thou hast put Gladnesse in my Hâ—art since the time that their Corne and Wine and Oyle increased 9 I will laie me downe in peace and take my rest for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in sâ—fty THE ANALYSIS VVHether this Fourth Psalme was made vpon the same occasion that the Former was or vpon some other like vnto it Interpreters are at odds and the Controversie as yet not fully ended The best is who hath the better is not much materiall for vs to knowe we may say of this as was said of the Blind man in S. Iohns Gospel restored to sight Some said this is he a Ioh. 9.9 others said he is like him So some Interpreters are of opinion that this Psalme was framed vpon the same occasion that the Former was some others vpon an occasion somewhat like therevnto but this as I said is not much materiall The Psalme it selfe is here framed partly by way of Petition and partly by way of Instruction That is the Prophet both Petitioneth in this Psalme to God aboue and yeeldeth withall such Instructions as might recal his Adversaries from the Plots and Practises against himselfe which at that time they had in hand First then the Prophet imploring the helpe of God as it is in the First verse he turneth him next vnto his Adversaries whom hee endeauoreth to instruct in true
The Sacrifice of Praise The Sacrifice of Almes the Sacrifice of our own Bodies wherof the Apostle to the Romans l Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the Mercies of God that yee present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God In regard of which Foure Sacrifices euery Christian is a Priest therfore m 2. Pet. 2.9 S. Peter Ye are a chosen Generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People which though it were spoken then to the n 1 Pet. 1.1 Strangers onely scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia yet is it spoken to vs in them forasmuch as now at this time there is o Gal. 3.28 neither Iew nor Greeke there is neither Bond nor Free there is neither Male nor Female for we are all one in Christ Iesus But to returne where I left As David here in this place puts them in minde of a Right Sacrifice so likewise the Prophet Esay or rather the Lord in that Prophet To what purpose p Esay 1.11 saith hee is the Multitude of your Sacrifices vnto me I am full of the burnt Offerings of Rams and the Fat of fed Beasts and I delight not in the bloud of Bullocks or of Lambs or of hee Goats When yee come to appeare before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my Courts Bring no more vaine Oblations Incense is abomination vnto me the new Moones and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquitie even the Solemne Meeting Your new Moons and your appointed Feasts my Soule hateth they are a trouble vnto me I am weary to beare them No doubt the Lord required al these things at their hand even the Multitude of these Sacrifices the burnt Offrings of Rams the fat of fed Beasts the bloud of Bullocks and of Lambs as also of he Goats and that the Offerers thereof should tread in his Courts No doubt he required Incense at their hands the observation of new Moones and Sabbaths and solemne Meetings and appointed Feasts but it was the Manner he misliked not the Materials and therefore in regard of that Manner if so bee they would mend their manners in washing themselues and making cleane in putting away the evil of their Doings from before his eyes in ceasing to doe evill and learning to doe well in seeking iudgement releeuing the Oppressed iudging the Fatherlesse pleading for the Widowe it is a great Invitation and a Promise too that followes after q Esay 1 1◠Come now and let vs reason togither saith the Lord though your Sinnes be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll King Ahasuerus never held out his r Esther 4.11 Golden Scepter to better purpose But besides the Sacrifices to be thus made the Prophet here enioynes them one point more namely To put their trust in the Lord. For as little Children when they learne to goe alone feeling the feeblenesse of their owne Feet are taught by Nature to thrust out the Hand to the Wall and trust to it to stay them so in regard of our own weaknesse and speciall acquaintance with it Nature and Religion both teach vs to trust to a stronger then our selues least we vtterly miscarry Now this stronger then our selues it may not be the ſ Ier. 7.4 Words of Man no nor the t Ezech. 16.15 Bewty of Man no nor u Ier 17.5 Flesh that is the strength of Man nor x 1. Tim. 6.17 Riches which is the Wealth of Man nor y 2. Sam. 15.3 Wit that is the Wisdome of Man nor worldly z Ps 142.2 Princes and earthly Potentates who are the best of the best of Men No but it must be He who is to vs all these both a Rev. 17.14 Bewty Strength and Riches and Wisdome the Lord of Lords and King of Kings as he is styled by the Apostle S. Iohn in his Book of a Rev. 17.14 Revelation It is a desperate b Vid. D. Abb. Apol. against Bish Part. 1. p. 247. Doctrine of theirs then that teach vs to Rely on Saints that wills vs to Pray and make our Petitions vnto thêm to Offer vnto thêm to Sweare by thêm to Giue them the Honour of Temples of Altars for what is it that God himselfe doth more expect at our hands or that we must reserue for him May he not say in these cases as did King Solomon to his Mother when she petitioned for Adoniah c 1. King 2.22 Aske for him the Kingdome also It is the Lord then that wee must trust in the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings that as all Naturall Effects haue recourse to their Causes when ever they stand in need and they become the stronger the Fish distressed to the Water and is relieued the Bird to the Dam and is shrowded vnder her Wings the Child to his Parents and is cherished by them So let vs to the LORD of Heauen who is the Water of comfort the Henne that would gather her Chickens and the truest Father and truest Mother that ever was d Esay 49.15 Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not haue compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Verse 6. There be Many that say who will shew vs any good c Mr. Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 1. §. 8. As every thing naturally and necessarily doth desire the vtmost Good and greatest Perfection whereof Nature hath made it capable so likewise Man Mans Felicity therefore being the Object and accomplishment of his Desire he cannot choose but wish and covet it This made Aristotle begin his Ethicks with that Vniversall Proposition f Arist Ethic. l. 1. c. 1. All Arts all Learning All Action All Consultation haue their reference to some Good Howbeit Man when as he beginneth to propose to himselfe this Good then is he at a Maze Quot Capita Tot Sensus so many Men so many Minds And yet as that worthy Frenchman obserues g Mornaeus de Verit. Rel. Christ c. 19. When none of vs knowe which way to goe scarcely not one of vs but doth professe himselfe a Teacher and Directer of all others One man he cries to the Right Hand another to the Left a Third will vp to the Mountaines a Fourth will traverse the Fields All alike certaine all vncertaine of the Way Varro as S. Austen h Aug. de Civ Dei l. 19. c. 1. tells vs setting himselfe aworke to number these Diversities of Opinions in this kinde came to Two Hundred Eighty and Eight so many By-waies hath wandring Error Howbeit the Truth is but one Now the Prophet here endeauoring to bring vs all to that Truth proposeth here the like Question concerning the Felicity of Man There be Many saith he that say who will shew vs any Good Many among the Iews
Plut. Apopth Lacon Apopth Vbi Leonina Pellis non sufficit ibi adsuenda est Vulpina Where the Lyons Skinne will not serue it must bee peeced out with the Foxes Case is of much more force with Many then an Hundred of such Passages as these in the Apostle S. Peter z 1. Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for vs leaving vs an Example that ye should follow his Steps Who did no Sinne neither was Guile found in his Mouth Vers 7. But as for me I will come into thine House even vpon the Multitude of thy Mercy and in thy Feare will I worship toward thy holy Temple Howsoever the Lord when time was spake by the Mouth of the Prophet Esay a Esay 66.1 The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstoole where is the House that ye build vnto me and where is the Place of my Rest In regard whereof King Solomon had said long before b 1. King 8.27 Behold the Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot containe thee how much lesse this House that I haue builded Yet sure and certaine it is that as out of the whole Masse of Mankind the Lord hath reserved Some to Himselfe whom he calleth his Elect out of the Times and Seasons Some which he calleth his Sabbaths and Solemne Feasts out of his Servants and Attendants Some whom he calleth his Ministers and Priests out of the Goods and Wealth of Men Some which he calleth his Tithes and Oblations so out of Houses and Habitations Some he reserueth which he calleth his owne House like as Iacob c Gen. 28.22 prophesied long before This Stone which I haue set for a Pillar shall be Gods House First then concerning the House here specified no doubt but the Sanctuary is thereby meant and it is called the House of God for that God had said he would d Exod. 25.8 dwell amongst them and it was the Place e Ps 26.8 where his Honor dwelt Secondly in that it is called here the Temple the Temple as yet not being built it is by the Figure Prolepsis or Anticipatio and that Figure then is vsed when a Place is called by a Name that it hath a long time after not when formerly it is so called As when it is said in the Book of f Numb 32.9 Nombers Venerunt in Vallem Botri it is so said saith g Aug. Locut de Numer l. 4. S. Austen by the Figure Anticipatio not because that Vally was called so when the Israelites came thither but for that it was so called when the Booke was written It is in the Originall HEICALL which †Vid. Ains worth in hunc Ps signifieth a Palace and is attributed to the Places where Gods Maiesty was said to dwell as the Tabernacle and Temple and Heauen it selfe Thirdly in that it is called The Holy Temple it is therefore so called for that it was set apart by Gods Ordinance to holy Vses and Offices Thus the Priests and the Altar and the Sacrifices and the Shew-Bread and the Fire and the Incense were all of them Holy euen Ierusalem as wicked as otherwise it was was in this respect The Holy City and so stiled by h Mat. 5.45 S. Mathew Fourthly that David here did promise to come into this House was in regard of the great Benefits that occurred vnto him therby what in respect of the Parties that were present in that House what in respect of the Things performed by those Parties Fiftly in that he would come euen vpon the Multitude of Gods Mercy he thereby intimates the Multitude of his Sinnes For as S. Austen on an other Psalme i Aug. in Ps 50. Qui magnam Misericordiam deprecatur magnam Miseriam confitetur he that sues for great Mercy acknowledgeth great Misery right so is it here in this Place he would come to that House even vpon the Multitude of Gods Mercy to diminish thereby the Multitude of his Transgressions Sixtly and lastly whereas hee saith And in thy Feare will I worship toward thy Holy Temple no doubt but that as Filiall Feare is here vnderstood whereof hath bene spoken l Exposit on Ps 4.4 p. 95. heretofore so a holy Preparation to Prayer is intimated also according to that of the Sonne of Syrach m Ecclus. 18.23 Before thou prayest prepare thy selfe and be not at one that tempteth the Lord or that of the Sonne of David rather n Ecclus. 5.1 Keep thy Foot when thou goest to the House of God and be more ready to heare then to giue the Sacrifice of Fooles No doubt but that of Iacob was alwayes in his Minde o Gen. 28.17 How dreadfull is this Place this is none other but the House of God and this is the Gate of Heauen But how is it here said that he would worship toward the Temple whereas he had said in the Words before that he would come into the House The Answer is that the Temple here meant being the Tabernacle and the Tabernacle hauing a Court the Priests onely when they vsâ—d to pray did enter into the Tabernacle the Rest stood without in the Court and prayed towards the Tabernacle Now the Tabernacle and the Court like as afterwards the Temple and the Court were both called Gods House therefore is it here said that David would both come into it and also pray towards it Where by the Way we may call to Minde how Bellarmine wrongs Calvin in a Matter of this Argument Calvin had said in his p Calv. Instit l. 3. c. 20. §. 20. Institutions That Christ being entred into the Sanctuary of Heauen vnto the end of the Ages of the World he alone carrieth to God the Prayers of the People abiding farre off in the Porch Bellarmine hereupon q Bell. de Eccles Triumph l. 1. c. 1. inferrech that Calvins Opinion was that the Soules of the Saints doe not see God before the Day of Iudgment Why because in Calvins Iudgment they are excluded from the Sanctuary of Heaven Yea but then by like consequence the People came not into the Temple But if Bellarmine confesse that the a Luc. 20.1 People I that b Luc. 2.37 Women I that c Luc. 18.10 Publicans went vp into the Temple who were admitted onely into the d 2. Chron. 4.9 Ioseph cont Ap. l. 2. Court of the Temple needs must he granut by like consequence that the Saints euen in Calvins Iudgement were not excluded from Heauen for all our Saviours Prerogatiue in being entred into the Sanctuary of Heauen But to returne vnto my purpose That which caused our Prophet here to promisâ— to come to this House was dâ—uâ—tlesse the Service of God performed in this House and that not only in his Word but in his Sacraments and Sacrifices and Prayer aâ—d Pâ—ayses Especially PRAYER which albeit the Prophet could haue performed by himselfe alone no Man bâ—tter yet did he desire to make his Prayers in those
purpose let them never bring to proofe what they haue deuised among themselues An excellent Patterne hereof we haue in Achitophel who for the Counsell hee gaue miscarried and was not accepted of made no more adoe but f â— Sam. 17.23 Hung himselfe in a Halter Here a Question ariseth Whether we also as David may Pray against our Enemies we that are Christians And indeed our Saviour vpon occasion g Mat. 12.3 Marc. 12.35 alleaging Davids Sayings and Doings both who would not Say as David who would not Doe as David did But the Answere is that this kind of Prayer here vsed as also h Ps 59.13 Ps 109 7. others of like nature as the Prayers of the Prophet i Ier. 18.21 Ieremy and of l 2. Tim. 4 14. S. Paul sauour of a peculiar zeale which David and they had but are not to be imitated by every Christian And therefore our Saviour to them that in all hast would haue Fire come downe from Heauen to consume the Samaritans that refused him and pleaded m 2 King 1.10 Elias his Example to that purpose Yee knowe not n Luc. 9.55 saith hee what manner Spirit yee are of For the Sonne of Man is not come to Destroy Mens Liues but to Saue them And yet David Ieremy S. Paul pronounced not those Curses Vindictae Liuore sed Iudicio Iustitiae not vpon a Spleene to bee Revenged as o Greg. Moral l. 4 c. 5. speakes S. Gregory but in Iudgement and Iustice for that they knewe by the holy Spirit that they were Abominable and Disobedient as p Tit. 1.16 speakes the Apostle S. Paul and vnto every good worke Reprobate q Aug. in hunc Ps S. Austen he takes these words to be rather a Prophecy then a Prayer And as elsewhere he r Aug. in Ps 68. speaketh of Davids Curses in particular that they were not Stomachatio Maledicentis sed Praedictio Prophetantis of the Prophets in Generall Å¿ Aug. de Temp. Ser. 59. Ser. 109 De Ser. Dom. in Monte. Per Imprecationem quid esset futurum cecinerunt non Optantis Voto sed Spiritu Praevidentis By the Imprecations they made they shewed what was to come not by way of Wishing but by the Spirit of Prophecying But to returne to the Words againe The Prophet shewing here the reason of this his Prayer in this place saith it is Rebellion against the Lord For they haue rebelled against thee Where the Prophet saith not as he might haue said For they haue Rebelled against me No but Against thee alluding in all likelyhood or to that of Moses in the Booke of Exodus or to that of the Lord himselfe in the First of Samuel Your Murmurings t Exod. 16.8 saith Moses are not against vs but against the Lord and They haue not Reiected thee u 1. Sam. 8.7 saith the Lord to Samuel but they haue Reiected me that I should not Raigne over them Little thought those Israelites that their Murmurings and Rebellions were against the LORD himselfe they no doubt would haue made many a Pamphlet in defence of themselues as a Franco-Gallia or a Franco-Iudaae a Philo-Pater or a Philo-Mater a De Iure Regni apud Scotos or a De Iure Regni apud Iudaeos or the like all which might haue beene answered with this single sole Sentence of holy Scripture and the Words we haue in hand IRRITAVERVNT TE DOMINE They haue Rebelled against thee Thus speakes our Saviour of his Ministers too x Luc. 10.16 He that Despiseth You Despiseth Me and yet many of vs as if we had never Read nor Heard it or did certainly beleeue what our Saviour saith are ready to say with the Evill Spirit y Act. 19.15 Iesus we knowe and Paul we know but who are yee And as they said of our Saviour himselfe z Mat. 13 55. Is not this the Carpenters Sonne Is not his Mother called Mary and his Bretheren Iames and Iohn and Simon and Iudas and his Sisters are they not all with vs Right so doe they say of many of vs They knowe our Fathers they knowe our Friends they know our bringing vp and they are offended in vs. But it was an excellent Note of a Oâ—iâ—en in Num. c. 12. Hom. 7. Origen Nunquam invenimus tantas Laudes Deum dixisse de Moyse Famulo suo quantas nunc dici videmus quando ab Hominibus ei derogatum est We never finde that God more praised Moses then when hee was most of all spoken against by the Israelites Verse 12. And let all them that put their trust in thee Reioice they shall ever be giuing of Thanks because thou Defendest them they that loue thy Name shall be Ioyfull in it He comes at length to pray for the CHVRCH even for All and Every of them that put their Trust in the Lord and in none but him There are but Few that can thus doe for what with the Words of Man what with the Bewty of Man what with the Strength of Man what with the Wealth of Man what with the Wit of Man what with Princes the Best of Men as hath beene obserued b Expos on Ps â— 5 p. 102. heretofore there goes our Trust and Confidence away But what is it here the Prophet prayes for For Ioy Gladnesse of Heart Let them that put their trust in thee Reioyce he meant no doubt such a Reioycing as should never be taken from them No not in Infirmities no not in Reproaches no not in Necessities no not in Persequutions no not in Distresses for Christ his sake the Apostle S. Paul may be an Example For when I am weake c 2. Cor. 12.10 saith hee then am I Strong But of this Ioy and this Reioycing hath beene spoken d Expos on Ps 4.8 p. 106. heretofore Come wee now to the Effect thereof and that is Thankes-giuing for so it is in the next Words They shall ever be giuing of Thankes Euer that is continually that is all the Dayes of their Life to dwell in the House of the Lord as David e Ps 27.4 promised to doe and Anna in S. Lukes Gospell perfourmed no lesse There was f Luc. 2.37 saith S. Luke one Anna a Prophetesse the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser she was of a great Age and had liued with an Husband seuen yeares from her Virginity And she was a Widow of about Fourescore and foure yeares which departed not from the Temple but serued God with Fasting and Prayer Night and Day No doubt but amongst those Prayers this Giuing of Thanks is included Giuing of Thanks being the most proper and peculiar Seruing of God For as that worthy g D Howson his Sermon at Oxford Nov. 17 Aº 1602. Doctor now our Right Reverend Diocesan hath observed God is not only or chiefly worshipped Evangelici Sermonis Auditu by hearing the Word preached sed Latriae Cultu in
with Showres and excludeth no man from his Benefits but bestoweth his Raine in due season to the commoditie aswell of the Vniust as Iust Againe we see with what an vnseparable Equality of Gods Patience the Times obey the Elements serue the Corne aboundantly doth grow the Fruits of the Vine doe ripe in season the Trees abound with Apples the Woods spring and the Medowes flourish aswell to the vse of the Sinfull as of the Vertuous aswell to the Wicked as to them that feare God and aswell to the Vnthankefull as to the Giuer of Thanks And whereas God is prouoked with our Many or rather with our Continuall Offences as here it is said in this place God is prouoked euery Day yet doth hee temper his Indignation and tarrieth patiently for the Day that is appointed for euery Mans Reward And whereas Vengeance is in his owne Power yet doth he not vse it but rather keepeth long Patience mercifully forbearing and deferring to the intent that Man wallowing in the Contagion and Error of Sin may if any Remedie will serue through delay of his Displeasure chaunge at some time or other and at length be converted vnto God Thus farre S. Cyprian and a great deale farther to this purpose but wee will content our selues with this Vers 13. If a man will not turne he will whet his Sword he hath bent his Bow and made it ready When c Euseb Eccles Hist l. 2. c. 5. Philo Iudaeus in defence of the Iewes had presented himselfe before Caius the Emperor against Appion his Accusations and was excluded by Caius and commaunded to depart he came vnto his Company and with Words full of comfort We ought to be of good cheere saith he for by Right GOD now should take our Part seeing CAIVS is angry with vs. The word in the d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Originall signifieth The Leader of an Army by way of Opposition to take our Part in that kind Lo here the Weapons the Sword and the Bow and the Arrow that in the Battailes of Old time did the e Vid. Bish PILKINGT on Nehem. c. 4. p. 61. and Dr HAYWARD his Liues of the three Norman Kings of England in King William the First p. 77. and Mr ASCHAMS Schoole of Shooting greatest hurt vnto the Enemy The Sword when he was at hand the Bow and Arrowes when he was farre off The truth is the Lord of Heauen hath neither Sword nor Bow nor Arrow but euery Punishment he sendeth vpon the Wicked in this VVorld may be tearmed his Sword his Bow and Arrowes The Water that drown'd the VVorld the Fire that consumed Sodom the Earth that swallowed vp Kore Dathan and Abiram they were as so many Swords or so many Bowes and Arrowes in his Hand Nay euery Creature on the Earth be it neuer so vile neuer so meane and contemptible yet if he wil punish vs therewith it is his Sword and it is his Bowe and Arrowes But what is this Turning here If a Man will not turne The Prophet Ezechiel tells vs. Repent f Ezech. 18.30 saith the Prophet and turne your selues from all your Transgressions so Iniquity shall not be your Ruine Cast away from you all your Transgressions whereby yee haue Transgressed and make you a new Heart and a new Spirit for why will yee dye O house of Israel For I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God wherefore turne your selues and liue ye But is it said of Men only If a Man will not turne Nay but of Women too Quicquid Viris iubetur hoc consequenter redundat in Foeminas Whatsoeuer g Hieron ad Ocean Epitaph Fabiolae saith S. Ierom is commanded Men is commanded Women to consequently whatsoever is threatned to Men is threatned to Women to What and is it in our owne power then Men or Women to turne when we will Is it in our owne power to make vs new Hearts and new Spirits as h Ezec. 18.31 speakes the Prophet Ezechiel Oh no but wee must craue it of him who will put a new Spirit within vs and take the stony Heart out of our Flesh and will giue vs an Heart of Flesh as speakes the selfe same i Ezec. 11.19 Prophet in another place The like wee haue in the l Zach. 1.3 Prophet Zachary Turne yee vnto mee saith the Lord of Hoasts and I will turne vnto you saith the Lord of Hoasts And when were these Words spoken In the eight Moneth in the second yeare of Darius I but long before this namely in the †Here is to be noted that in the Vulgaar the 14. Verse wherein these Words are comprised are seuered from the First Chapter through the ignorance of him that divided the Chapters at the first The Author of the Remaines of a greater Worke. p. 15. tels vs that Stephen Langton Archb. of Canterbury first divided the Holy Scriptures into Chapters as Robert Stephan did lately into Verse Foure and Twentieth day of the sixt Moneth in the second yeare of Darius the King The Lord stirred vp the Spirit of Zerubbabel the Gouernour the Spirit of Ioshua the High Priest and the Spirit of all the Remnant of the People and they came and did the worke in the House of the Lord as we read in the Prophet m Aggey 1.14 Aggey Verse 14. He hath prepared for him the Instruments of Death he ordaineth his Arrowes against the Persequutors We are now come vnto the Arrowes and such they are as was the Bowe both the Instruments of Death But neuer Sword did so much harme neuer Arrow in the Field nor Bow that dischargeth many Arrowes as doe his Iudgments when they come Famous hath beene the English Bowe and a terrour to the n Vid. Mr Alch. Schoole of Shooting B. Pâ—lkingt and Dr Hayward vbi supra French in many our Battailes with them but English Arrowes could hit but within a certaine kenne o Cedrenus apud Zonaram Annal Tom. 3. p. 89 Gratian was so cunning in throwing the Dart that they would not sticke to say that his Darts were endued with an Vnderstanding Power they would hit so right Gods Arrowes fly mainely throughout the whole world Extra â—ctum or Extra teli iactum hath here no place It was our Prophets owne Question p Ps 139.6 Whether shall I goe from thy Spirit or whether shall I goe from thy Presence And his Answer vnto it was that neither Heaven nor Hell nor the Vttermost Parts of the Sea could hide him from the Lord. But who are these Persecutors against whom these Arrowes are ordained First they are such as Persecute the Righteous Vi Armis by Force of Armes and of such q Rev. 16.6 S. Iohn in the Booke of Revelation Secondly they are such as Mocke and Scorne the Godly though it be but by Word of Mouth as Ismael did Isaac and of such the Apostle speaketh in his Epistle to
Man only haue not Women also these Prerogatiues Yes doubtlesse Women also and they aswel as Men. And therfore consider they with themselues what cause they haue to be ashamed of their Sex as many of them of late shew thēselues to be Insomuch that it seems displeased with their Maker for not making them Men maugre God and Nature they endeauour to transforme themselues into the Habits of Men. Videlicet into their Belt Scarfe Hat Points †Ferrum est quod amant luvenal Sat. 6. Steele-lettoes Cut-Haire Doublet Horsemans-Coat and as it is said Boots to Resolued they are it seemes to bestow themselues on Sathan and to yeeld him somewhat to boote The Prophet l Esay 3.18 Esay hath said ynough so hath the Apostle m 1. Pet. 3.3 S. Peter if neither prevaile with them Law nor Gospel let them beware God himselfe takes not the Matter into his owne Hands n Heb. 10.31 It is a fearefull thing to fall into the Hands of the Liuing God But to returne vnto my purpose First as touching Mindfulnes to speake properly in very deed no Mindfulnes nor Forgetfulnes can be said to be with God forasmuch as with him all things are present both which haue bene from all Eternity which now are at this instant and which shall be euer hereafter vnto the Ends of the World So that as his Substance is Immutable right so is his Knowledge to seeing with him as o Iam. 1.17 speakes S. Iames is no Variablenes neither Shadow of Turning Whensoeuer then in Holy Scripture God is said to Forget as also to be Mindefull it is spoken Figuratiuely according to the manner of Men who Forget or Remember thereafter as they helpe or denye their helpe vnto the Needy Thus Pharaoes Butler p Gen. 40.23 forgat his old Frend Ioseph and Many no sooner vp the Ladder of Preferment but they begin to want in this kind that which Pharaoes Butler had not I mean a good Memory Thus is it said to be with the Lord. q Aug. in Evang Ioan. Tract 7. Almae Nutricis blanda atque infracta Loquela Lucr. l. 5. v. 222 For thus the Scriptures like Nurses speak vnto vs in our own Language When the Lord helps vs not he is said to Forget vs when he helpes vs he is said to Remember like as he remembred r Gen. 8.1 Noah in the Arke Why but will some say if this be all God remembreth euen Beasts to as he did euery Beast and all the Cattell that was with Noah And againe ſ Ps 145.15 Ps 147.9 The Eyes of all waite vpon him he giues them their Meat in due Season hee openeth his Hand and filleth all things liuing with Plenteousnes True he is Mindfull of Beasts indeed but it is for our sakes that he is so Mindfull of them For in respect of themselues Doth God take care for Oxen t 1. Cor. 9.9 saith the Apostle Or saith he it altogether for our sakes and the Answer there is that for our sakes he saith it indeed Secondly concerning Visiting To Visite in holy Scripture is taken two manner of wayes either in Iudgment or in Mercy In Iudgment as elswhere u Ps 89.32 If his Children forsake my Law and walke not in my Iudgments If they breake my Statutes and keepe not my Commandements I will visite their Offences with the Rod and their Sin with Scourges And againe x Ps 59.5 Stand vp O Lord God of Hoasts thou God of Israel to visite all the Heathen and be not mercifull vnto them that offend of malitious Wickednes but in this place as also in some others it is taken in the way of Mercy according to that of Zacharias the Father of S. Iohn Baptist y Luc. 1.68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People So the Lord is said to visite Sarah in the z Gen. 21.1 Booke of Genesis in that he did to Sarah as hee had spoken concerning Isaac her Sonne borne and bred in her old Age. Vers 5. Thou madest him lower then the Angels to crown him with Glory Worship Two Dignities of Man wee haue heard already this is the Third namely that he is crowned with Glory and Worship which two words Glory and Worship though briefly thus spoken yet conteine no doubt much matter and substance in them I doubt not a Calv. in hunc Ps saith Calvin but in these words he commends those excellent Graces which shew that Men are made to the Image of God and created to the hope of the blessed and euerlasting Life to come For in that they are indued with Reason whereby they may discerne betweene Good and Euill in that the Seed of Religion is sowed in them in that there is mutuall Society betweene them tyed together with certaine Sacred Bonds in that the Respect of Honesty and Shamefastnes and Gouernment of Lawes is of esteeme amongst them all these are of a very excellent and heauenly Wisdome And therefore Dauid in this place worthily cryeth out that Mankinde is crowned with Glory and Worship But what is that he here saith †Ita est Charissimos nos habuerunt Dij Immortales habentque Et qui maximus tribui honos potuit ab ipsis proximos collocaverunt Senec. de Benef l. 2. c. 29. Thou madest him lower then the Angels Man in the former Respects comming so neere to the Deity it selfe b Conimb in 2. de Coel. c. 1. qu. 2 art 2. p. 184. they endeauoured to signifie his Excellency who cal'd him the Tye of all things Visible and Invisible or the Horizon of things Materiall and Immateriall forasmuch as he obtained a middle kinde of Nature that is a Nature aboue all things that were Materiall though inferiour to such as were Immateriall Now of this sort are the Angels Angels c Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 1. §. 4 saith Reverend Hooker are Spirits Immateriall and Intellectuall the glorious Inhabitants of those sacred places where nothing but Light and blessed Immortality no shadow of matter for Teares Discontentments Griefes and vncomfortable Passions to worke vpon but all Ioy Tranquility and Peace euen for euer and euer doth dwell Such Obseruants of that Law which the HIGHEST whom they adore loue and imitate hath imposed vpon them that our Saviour himselfe being to set downe the perfect Idea of that which we are to pray and wish for on Earth did not teach to pray or wish for more then d Mat. 6.10 only that here it might be with vs as with them it is in Heauen And againe a little after Of Angels we are not to consider only what they are and doe in regard of their owne being but that also which concerneth them as they are linked into a kinde of Corporation amongst themselues and of Society and Fellowship with Men. Consider Angels each of them severally in himselfe and their Law is that which the Prophet David mentioneth