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
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
Dioces delâ—uered to his Maiestie DeceÌ„b. 1 1605. Reprinted A â— 1617. p. 15. say Men of our owne Coat appoints such a Translation to be read in the Church as doth add both Words and Sentences to the Text as part of the Text and without any neat of distinction from it that sometimes to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the holy Ghost As in the Book of the Psalms Ps 2.12 this word Right is added Ps 4.8 this word Oile Ps 13.6 these words Yea I will praise the Name of the Lord most High Ps 14. three whose Verses are added Viz. 5.6.7 Ps 22. these words Looke vpon me Ps 22.31 this word My c. Concerning the rest when we come vnto them But as touching the word Right whether it be added or no doubtlesse they are in the wrong For if it bee so in the Septuagint I meane in the Greeke m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps 2.12 and indeed so it is then is it not added the Translators following them and not the Hebrew But suppose it be added yet is there an additament of explication which illightneth the meaning of the holy Ghost as this doth in this place Now God forbid that every such Addition should be that adding to the Scripture which the Scripture forbids and they intimate Oh but it implyeth a Contradiction to that Tenet of ours concerning the Certainty of Salvation for if a man may perish from the Right Way then is he not certaine to persist in it if not certaine to persist then not certaine of his Salvation Nay but the meaning here is not of them that are effectually called and haue their Conversation in Holinesse such as they are that from the Word of God haue that Certainty but of Christians in generall of whom some may perish indeed I make no doubt but of all men liuing Protestants are in the right The Faith that we professe is doubtlesse the Right Way Howbeit for many Protestants liue so loosely and licentiously as they doe how are they likely to perish from this Right Way and to come to vtter destruction both of Body and Soule That which is here annexed If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him is a Caveat the Prophet giues that they should not moue by their wicked behauiour the Sonne of God to Wrath or Anger He saith not here as in another n Ps 103.8 place and as every man is ready to say and most of all they to whom least of all it appertaineth The Lord is full of Compassion and Mercy long suffering and of great Goodnesse and so forth No but If his Wrath be kindled yea but a little and with that he makes a stop a kind of Apostopêsis o Quintil. Instit l. 9 c. 3. Quid taceat incertum est wee knowe not what it is hee suppresseth but he shuts vp all with this Conclusion Blessed are all they that put their trust in him It seemes p Dr Fentons Persume against the Plague p. A. 7. b. saith a worthy Divine that when the Prophet did but thus thinke of the Wrath of God it put him into such a Passion that as men astonished and halfe frighted vse to blesse themselues so the Prophet here in this place S. Auston goes another way and it is a good way too The Prophet q Aug. in hunc Ps saith he saith not here that they are safe and secure that put their trust in him as if this onely were the profit that they reaped thereby that when Others were punished they should escape but he saith they are Blessed and in this Blessednesse is contained the Perfection and Consummation of all good things whatsoeuer that possibly can betide the Soule of Man Indeed Gods publique Punishments Plague Famine Sword and the like sometimes light vpon the Godly aswell as vpon the Wicked and yet the Godly in midst of their Miseries are Blessed and Happy notwithstanding S. Cyprian hath an excellent saying to this purpose Some r Cyp. de Mortal saith hee are at a stand for that the Plague now raging laies hold on vs Christians as it doth on the Heathen As if Christians beleeued only to this purpose that they might with hearts case in this present World be free from all adversities and inioy their time here with much Felicitie and not rather after they had suffered here all Sorrowes whatsoever be reserued for those Ioyes which are in the World to come No a Man must make full account in this world to tast of Bitter and Sweet that so he may say as S. Austen Å¿ Aug. Confess l. 10 c. 28. saith Contendunt Laetitiae mea flendae cum laetandis Maroribus ex qua parte stet victoria nescio My Reioycings to be Sorrowed for contend for superiority with my Sorrowes to be Reioyced at and whether of which shall haue the Victory I as yet knowe not And thus are we come at length to the end of this Second Psalme A Psalme that besides the ordinary saying of it the First Day of the Moneth is appointed to bee road in the Church at Morning Prayer on Easter Day Easter Day is the Day of our Saviours Resurrection when triumphing over Death and Hell hee began that spirituall Kingdome of his that shall never haue end And this Psame as it was in Davids time a Prophesie thereof namely that such a thing was to be so is it now in these times a Gospell as it were of the same wherein David shewes no lesse that such a thing hath beene indeed then did the Evangelists themselues that wrote the Story For what is this whole Psalme but a Comment as it were on those words of the Evangelist S. Mathew t Mat. 28.18 All Power is giuen vnto me in Heaven and in Earth and on those of S. Marke u Marc. 16.16 He that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued but he that beleeueth not shall be damned and on those of St Luke x Luc. 24 46. Thus is it written and thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and on those of St Iohn y Ioh. 18.36 My Kingdome is not of this World My Kingdome is not from hence True it is that David here did in a literall Sence meane himselfe against him it was that the Heathen so furiously raged and the People imagined so vaine things howbeit David as he was herein a Figure of our Saviour CHRIST so did he meane no doubt in this very Psalme our Saviour CHRIST to Witnesse the Apostles of our Saviour who in the z Act. 4.21 Acts of the Apostles not only so tooke it but the Apostle St Paul also in his Epistle to the a Heb. 1.5.5.5 Hebrewes Our Saviour then thus meant and this Psalme being an Exhortation vnto all such as should liue in our Saviours Time that they should all of them take speciall
Pietie and Godlinesse This that he might the better effect he calleth their Sin first to minde and that was Treason against himselfe and that in the Second Verse Secondly hee shewes vnto them his lawfull calling to the Kingdome and that in the Third Verse Thirdly he counselleth them to repent to turne from their wicked waies and that in the Fourth Verse Fourthly to shew vnto the World the Fruit of that repentance and that in the Fift Verse These things thus premised he teacheth them to ayme at true Felicity concerning which seeing it was a great Question even in those daies wherin it did consist as it is in the Sâ—xt Verse He shewed that it consisted in the favour of God towards Man as it is in the Seauenth Verse and amplifieth that favour of his in respect of the Effects that followe which are Gladnesse of heart as it is in the Eight Verse fearelesse Security as it is in the Ninth And thus much of the Analysis VErse 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 harken to my Prayer Between the Throne of God in Heaven his Church vpon Earth here militant b Mr Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. .23 saith Reverend Hooker If it be so that Angels haue thelr coÌ„tinual intercourse where should we find the same more verified then in these two ghostly Exercises the one Doctrine the other Prayer For what is the assembling of the Church to heare but the receauing of Angels descended from aboue What to pray but the sending of Angels vpward His heauenly Inspirations and our holy Desires are as so many Angels of Entercourse Commerce betweene God and vs. Now that our Prophet here though in exile had this Angelicall Attendance about him and an Heauen as it were vpon Earth in regard of those Troopes coelestiall what more pregnant Proofe vnto vs then those many Prayers in this Book and this amongst the rest of singular good importance The Prayer it selfe is not many words it is short and cutted but of which we may say as c Tull. Epist Fam. l. 11. Ep 24. Tully in another case Quà m Multa quà m Paucis How much in how few words The Christians vpon this Example made their Prayers it should seeme of this mould The Bretheren in Egypt d Aug. Ep. 121. c. 10. Vid. Hooker Eccl. Pol. l. 5. §. 33. saith S. Austen are reported to haue many Prayers sed eas tamen brevissimas taptim quodammodo jaculatas but al of them very short as if they were so many Darts throwne out with a kinde of suddaine quicknesse least that Vigilant and erect attention of Minde which in Prayer is very necessary should bee wasted or dulled through continuance if their Praiers were few and long Such a darted Prayer was the Publicans e Luc. 18.13 Lord be mercifull to mee a Sinner Such another was S. Stephens f Act. 7.59 Lord laie not this Sinne to their charge And such a short one was that of our Saviours when being vpon the Crosse g Luc. 23.34 Father saith he forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Where by the way may be noted the obliquity of Him who finding fault with many our Church Prayers vsed at Divine Service that are not much longer will not afford them the name of Prayers Insteed of such Prayers h Cartwrightâ— Reply to D. Whitegift l. 1. p. 108. saith he as the Primitiue Churches haue vsed and those that bee reformed now vse we haue divers short Cuts Shreddings which may be better called Wishes then Prayers which hee speakes to as good purpose as if he should say in defence of some that would stab Men with their Daggers they vsed short little cutted Things and Shreds of Iron which may better be called Daggers then Weapons Otherwise what is a Wish but a thing much desired a Request a Prayer which the Poet might haue taught him by ioyning them both together i Virg. Aeneid l. 6. Cessas in Vota Precesque Tros ait Aenea cessas And yet the Prophet here in this place tearmes these few Words as short a Cut and as small a Shredding as they seeme to be a PRAYER Haue mercy vpon me saith he hearken vnto my Prayer But to come vnto my purpose The Prayer here in this place as it is but short briefe so let me briefly consider therein First for what it was Secondly to whom Thirdly why to him to whom it was made It was first for a Day of Hearing and for Mercy on that Day whenas that hearing should be Which yet is not so to be taken as if the Court of Heauen were like some earthly Courts where the Petition may be put in to day and a day of hearing a Tweluemonth after I twaine I k Only the Areopagites went beyond such Iudges who posted off a matter till an hundred years after A. Gell. Noâ—t Att. l. 12. c. 7. Valer. Max. l. 8. c. 1. twenty Nor meane I in Vtopia but perhaps in Eutopia too where all things are or should be not Benè onely but Optime by reason of the GOSPELL No God heareth in a moment and the Petition is no sooner put vp but the Day of Hearing is granted presently nay sometimes before Witnesse the Prophet m Esay 65.24 Before they call I will answere and whiles they are yet speakiâ—g I will heare Indeed the selfe same Prophet tells vs that some others he wil not heare n Esay 1.15 When you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eies from you yea when you make many Prayers I will not heare marry then there was reason for it for what kinde of Hands spread they forth Puras Manus as o 1. Tim. 2.8 vulg speakes the Apostle in his first Epistle to Timothy Pure and Cleane Hands No but they were bloudy nay they were full of Bloud for so it followeth in that place And yet euen that such also should not vtterly despaire Wash ye make ye cleane p Esay 1.16 saith he put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to doe well seeke Iudgment relieue the Oppressed iudge the Fatherlesse plead for the Widow Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your Sinnes be as Scarlet they shall bee as white as Snow though they be red like Crimsin they shal be as Wooll And this is the Mercy here petitioned in this place without this Mercy what had the Prophet bene but a Map of Misery If thou Lord wilt be extreame q Ps 130.3 saith he to marke what is done amisse oh Lord who may abide it And S. Austen to like purpose r Aug. Confess l. 9. c. 13. Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota Misericordia discutias eam Woe to the Life of Man be it never so praise
Praising Magâ—ifying and Lauding God in the Memory of hiâ— manifâ—ld Bl ssings â—â—â—ria or the Worship of God is a Vertue Morall not Intellectuâ—ll â—hâ—rfâ—re to despise saith he as many doe or neglect as most doe Cultum Latriae this Praising and Mâ—gnifying of God and to gad vp and downe to heare the Word preached as they call it is not only against the Lawes of this Land the Statutes of our Colledges but against the chief Institution of the Lords Day This by all likelyhood seemes harsh to Many that consider not Things aright but as if the Gospell of Christ were Faction and all to be as they would haue it h Horat. Serm. Sat. 4. Nam multo plures sumus ac veluti te Iudaei cogemus in hanc concedere Turbam it is strange how CHVRCH-SERVICE is generally now neglected of all Sorts nay and so much vilyfied of some that would seeme to be Protestants to and of the forwarder Sort that the very Scriptures there read are despised and with Choroebus in the Poet as if they resolved with Papists to fight with their Weapons against the said Scriptures i Virg. Aeneid l. 2. Mutemus Clypeos Danaumque insignia nobis Aptemus they stick not to giue out that they are read there to little purpose because forsooth not interpreted And indeed I must needs say they are so heard by Many that they profit by them never a whit who did they heare also Lectures and Sermons no better would profit as little by them And by them how litle they profit CREDITE OPERIBVS They are our Saviours owne Words l Ioh. 10.37 If I doe not the Workes of my Father beleeue me not But if I doe though ye beleeue not me beleeue the Workes But concerning the Profit that may be taken by Scriptures read in the Church let vs heare what Strangers say seeing our owne Men at Hoame haue thought so hardly of it Concerning the Scriptures to be read m Zanch. Tom. 8. De Rel. Christ Observat in c. 25. Aphoris 10. 11. ex Bucer in Ep. ad Eph. c. 4. saith Zanchius and he confirmes it by MARTIN BVCâ—R whose Words they are Concerning the Scriptures to be read saith he God be thanked it is well ordered in the English Churches Let it therefore be pondered diligently whose Mouth they represent themselues to be which in the sacred Assemblies read the Divine Bookes vnto the People that is to wit they represent the Mouth of God Almighty Next of what Moment of what Dignity the Matters are that are recited they are the Words and Precepts of Life Eternall Lastly to whom they read namely to the Sonnes of God These things if a man with true Faith consider with himselfe what Gravity Decency Religion can be yeelded in any Action which should be omitted by such a Reader Thus farre Zanchius and with him Martin Bucer hand in hand Had our owne Mothers Children at Hoame had the like Opinion of Reading Scriptures in the publike Congregation which Strangers you see haue had our Church by this time had bene too happy nor had our Adversaries the Papists gotten so much Ground of vs as they seeme to haue But it befalls GODS SERVICE what oftentimes befalls his Prophets n Mat. 13.57 It is not without Honour saue in our owne Country God grant it followeth not with vs what doth in that place concerning our Saviour o V. 58. that it doth not many mighty Workes here because of our Vnbeliefe But to returne to my purpose The Reason here giuen of Giuing Thanks is because the Lord defends them but of Defending them in the next Verse in the meane time let vs consider what it is to Loue his Name and this is the Effect of all Thy Name p Mollerus in hunc Ps saith Mollerus that is thy Word whereby we are made acquainted how and in what sort the Lord will shew himselfe vnto those that are his For that is called a Name saith he whereby any one is knowen or the Remembrance of him is kept in mind Such are the HOLY SCRIPTVRES by them the Lord is knowen by them his Remembrance is kept in mind The Ignorance of the Scriptures q Hieron Comment in Esay Prooem ad Eustoch Virg. saith S. Ierom is the Ignorance of Christ and Haec est Mors Animae vt Deum nesciat Not to know God r Aug. Annot. in Iob. c. 9. saith S. Austen is the Death of the Soule Vers 13. For thou Lord wilt giue thy Blessing vnto the Righteous and with thy favourable Kindnes wilt thou defend him as with a Shield Who they are that are the Righteous and whence it is they are so tearmed I haue declared Å¿ Exposit on Ps 1.7 p. 29. before Here the Prophet shewes vnto vs that they which indeed are Righteous what Benefits they shall reape thereby And first here is Blessing in the Singular Number which is not so to be taken as if it were but only One No it cannot be said to God as was said to Isaac by Esau his Sonne t Gen. 27.38 Hast thou but one Blessing my Father For God hath many So that the Blessing here though it be but One yet is it indeed a Swarme a Cluster of Blessings One Swarme many Bees one Cluster many Grapes And as S. Austen in an other case u Aug. in Ps 141. Quae Via ipsae Viae quae Ecclesia ipsae Ecclesia quod Coelum ipsi Coeli Way and Wayes Church and Churches Heauen and Heauens are spoken Singularly and Plurally and therefore by the Singular Number the Plurall is meant euen so in this Case by Blessing in the Singular the Plural is vnderstood And would you now see the Plurality of these Blessings I specified them x Exposit on Ps 1.1 p. 4. before it is but to haue recourse to the First Word of the First Psalme That the Prophet here addeth that the Righteous shall be defended with the favourable Kindnes of the Lord as with a Shield we are first of all to consider what this Favourable Kindnes is then the manner of the Defence thereof namely as with a Shield It is in the Originall RATSON Benevolentia Beneplacitum and rendred by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which wee say in English Favour or Goodnes the Benignity of God readily doing good to any of his Creatures It is that which the Apostle calls y Rom. 2.4 The Riches of his Goodnes whereby we may vnderstand that saying of his in the same Epistle where it is said that he is z Rom. 10.12 Rich vnto all that call vpon him Indeed his gracious accepting of vs and mercifull Readines to doe vs good is the everlasting true RICHES Of worldly Riches it may be said that wich Solomon saith of them and many a man findes too true a Prov. 23.5 they certainely make themselues Wings they flye away as an Eagle toward Heauen but Riches
growth the changes likely to ensue within this land in case your desire should take place must be thought upon 3. First concerning the supreame power of the highest they are no small Prerogatives which now thereunto belonging the forme of your discipline will restraine it to resigne Againe it may justly be feared whether our English Nobility when the matter came in Tryall would contentedly suffer themselves to bee alwayes at the talye and to stand to the sentence of a number of meane persons assisted with the presence of their poore Teacher a man as sometimes it hapeneth though better able to speake yet no whit apter to judge then the rest from whom bee their dealings never so absurd unlesse it bee by way of complaint to a Synod no appeale may bee made unto any one of higher power in as much as the order of your discipline admitteth no standing inequality of Court no spirituall Iudge to have any ordinary superior on Earth but as many supremacies as there are Parishes and severall Congregations 4. Neither is it altogether without cause that so many doe feare the overthrow of all Learning as a threatned sequell of this your intended discipline For Sapien. 6.24 if the Worlds preservation depend on the multitude of the wise and of that sort the number hereafter be not likely to waxe overgreat Eccle. 26 29. when that wherewith the sonne of Syrack professeth himselfe at the heart greived men of vnderstanding are already so little set by how should their minds whom the love of so precious a Iewell filled with secret Iealousy even in regard of the least things which may any way hinder the flourishing estate thereof chuse but misdoubt least this discipline which alwaies you match with divine doctrine as her naturall and true Sister bee found unto all kinds of knowledge a stepmother seeing that the greatest worldly hopes which are proposed unto the cheifest kinde of learning yee seeke vtterly to extirpate as weeds and have grounded your Platforme on such propositions as doe in a sorte undermine those most renowned habitations where through the goodnesse of Almighty God all commendable Arts and Sciencies are with exceeding great industry hitherto and so may they for ever continue studied proceeded in and profest To charge you as purposely bent to the overthrow of that wherein so many of you have attained no small perfection were injurious only therefore I wish that your selves did wel consider how opposite certaine your positions are unto the state of Collegiate Societies wherein the two Vniversities consist Those degrees which their Statutes binde them to take are by your lawes taken away your selves who have sought them yee so excuse as that yee would have men to thinke yee Iudge them not allowable but tolerable only and to be borne with for some helpe which yee finde in them unto the furtherance of your purposes till the corrupt estate of the Church may be better reformed Your Lawes forbidding Ecclesiastical persons vtterly the exercise of Civill power musts needs deprive the Heads and Masters in the same Colledges of all such authority as now they exercise either at home by punishing the faults of those who not as Children to their Parents by the Law of Nature but altogether by Civill authority are subject unto them or abroad by keeping Courts amongst their Tenants Your Lawes makeing permanent inequality amongst Ministers a thing repugnant to the Word of God enforce those Colledges the Seniors whereof are all or any part of them Ministers under the government of a Maister in the same vocation to choose as oft as they meet together a new President For if so yee judge it necessary to doe in Synods for the avoyding of permanent inequality amongst Ministers the same cause must needs even in these Collegiate Assemblies enforce the like Except peradventure yee mean to avoyd all such absurdities by dissolving those Corporations and by bringing the Vniversities unto the forme of the Schoole of Geneva Which thing men the rather are inclined to looke for in asmuch as the Ministery whereinto their Founders with singular providence have by the same Statutes appointed them necessarily to enter at a certaine time Humb. motion to the L. L. P. 50. your lawes binde them much more necessarily to forbear till some parish abroad call for them Your opinion concerning the Law Civill is that the knowledge thereof might bee spared as a thing which this Land doth not need Professors in that kinde being so few yee are the bolder to spurne at them and not to dissemble your minds concerning theire removall in whose studyes although my selfe have not much beene conversant neverthelesse exceeding great cause Isee there is to wish that thereunto more encouragement were given as well for the singular treasures of Wisdome therein contained as also for the great use wee have thereof both in decision of certaine kinds of causes ariseing dayly within our selves and especially for commerce with Nations abroad Whereunto that knowledge is most requisite 5. The reasons wherewith yee would perswade that Scripture is the only rule to frame all our Actions by are in every respect as effectuall for proofe that the same is the only Law whereby to determine all our Civill Controversies And then what doth let but as those men have their desire who frankly broach it already that the worke of Reformation will never be perfected till the Law of Jesus Christ bee received alone so pleaders and Counsellours may bring their bookes of the Common Law and bestow them as the Students of curious and needlesse Arts did theirs in the Apostles time Act. 19.19 I leave them to scan how farre those words of yours may reach wherein yee declare that whereas many houses lye waste through inordinate sutes in Law Humb. motino P. 74. This one thing will shew the excellency of Discipline for the wealth of the Realme and quiet of Subjects that the Church is to censure such a party who is apparently troublesome and contentious and without REASONABLE CAVSE upon a meere will and stomacke doth vex and molest his Brother and trouble the Country For my owne part I doe not see but that it might agree very well with your Principles if your discipline were fully planted even to send out your writs of surceace unto all Courts of England besides for the most things handled in them A great deale further I might proceed and descend lower 6. But for as much as against all these and the like difficultyes your answer is Counterp 6. P. 108. that wee ought to search what things are consonant to Gods word not which be most for our owne ease and therefore that your discipline being for such is your errour the absolute commandement of Almighty God it must bee received although the world by receiving it should be cleane turned vpside downe herein lyeth the greatest danger of all For whereas the name of divine Authority is used to countenance these things
light which might hinder and let your proceedings behold for a barre against that impediment one opinion yee have newly added unto the rest even upon this occasion an opinion to exempt you frō takeing Oathes which may turne to the molestation of your Brethren in that cause The next neighbour opinion whereunto when occasion requireth may follow for dispensation with Oathes already taken if they afterwards be found to import a necessity of detecting ought which may bring such good men into trouble or damage whatsoever the cause bee O mercyfull God! what mans witt is there able to found the depth of these dangerous and fearfull evills whereinto our weake and impotent nature is inclinable to sinke it selfe rather then to shew an acknowledgment of errour in that which once wee have unadvisedly taken upon us to defend against the streame as it were of a contrary publique resolution Wherefore if wee any thing respect their errour who being perswaded even as yee are have gone further upon that perswation then yee allowe if wee regard the present estate of the highest Governour placed over us if the quality and disposition of our Nobles if the Orders and Lawes of our famous Vniversities of the profession of the Civill or the practise of the Common-Law amongst us if the mischieves whereinto even before our eyes so many others have fallen headlong from no lesse plausible and faire beginings then yours are there is in every of these considerations most just cause to feare least our hastinesse to imbrace a thing of so perillous Consequence should cause posterity to feele those evills which as yet are more easy for us to prevent then they would be for them to remedy 15. The best and safest way therefore for you The Concl. of all my deare Brethren is to call your deeds past to a new reckoning to examine the cause yee have taken in hand and to try it even point by point Argument by Argument with all the diligent exactnesse yee can to lay aside the Gall of that bitternesse wherein your minds have hitherto overabounded and with meeknesse to search the Truth thinke yee are men deeme it not impossible for yee to erre fift unpartially your owne hearts whether it bee the force of reason or vehemency of affection which hath bred and still doth feed these opinions in you If truth doe any where manifest it selfe seeke not to smother it with glosing delusion acknowledge the greatnesse thereof and thinke it your best victory when the same doth prevaile over you 16. That yee have bene earnest in speaking and writing againe and againe the contrary way shall bee no blemish nor discredit at all unto you Amongst so many so huge volumes as the infinite paines of Saint Augustine hath brought forth what one hath gotten him greater love commendation and honour then the booke wherein he carefully collecteth his owne oversights and sincerely condemneth them Many speeches there are of Iobes whereby his wisdome and other vertues may appeare but the glory of an ingenious mind hee hath purchased by these words only Iob. 39.37 Behold I will lay mine hand on my mouth I have spoken once yet will I not therefore maintaine argument yea twice howbeit for that cause further I will not proceede Farre more comfort it were for us so small is the joy wee take in these strifes to labour under the same yoake as men that looke after the same eternall reward of their labours to bee injoyed with you in bands of indissoluble love and amity to live as if our persons being many our Soules were but one rather thē in such dismembred sort to spend our few wretched dayes in a tedious prosecutiō of wearysome contentions the end whereof if they have not some speedy end will bee heavy even on both sides Brought already wee are even to that estate which Gregory Nazianzene mournfully described saying G. Naz Apol. My mind leadeth mee sith there is no other remedy to fly and to convey my selfe into some corner out of sight where I may scape from this cloudy tempest of maliciousnesse whereby all parts are entred into a deadly warre amongst themselves and that little remnant of love which was is now consumed to nothing The only godlynesse wee glory in is to find out somewhat whereby wee may Iudge others to bee ungodly Each others faults wee observe as matter of exprobration and not of greife By these meanes wee are growne hatefull in the eyes of the heathens themselves and which woundeth us the more deeply able we are not to deny but that wee have deserved their hatred With the better sort of our owne our fame and Credit is cleane lost The lesse wee are to marvaile if they Judge vilely of us who although wee did well would hardly allow thereof On our backs they also build that are lewd and what wee object one against another the same they use to the utter scorne and disgrace of us all This wee have gained by our mutuall home-dissentions This wee are worthyly rewarded with which are more forward to strive then becometh men of vertuous and mild disposition But our trust with the almighty is that with us contentions are now at their highest floate and that the day will come for what cause of dispaire is there when the passions of former enmity being allayed wee shall with ten times redoubled tokens of our unfainedly reconciled love shew our selves each towards other the same which Ioseph and the Brethren of Ioseph were at the time of their intervew in Egypt Our comfortable expectation and most Thirsty desire whereof what man soever amongst you shall any wayes help to satisfie as wee truely hope there is no one amongst you but some way or other will the blessing of the God of peace both in this world and in the world to come be upon him more then the starres of the firmament in number AMEN ECCLES POLIT LIB 5. §. 79. ad fin Such is the generall detestation of robbing God or the church that whereas nothing doth either in peace or warre more uphold mens reputation then prosperous successe because in common construction unlesse notorious improbitie bee joyned with prosperity it seemeth to argue favour with God they which once have stained their hands with these odious spoiles doe thereby fasten unto all their actions an eternall prejudice in respect whereof for that it passeth through the world as an undoubted rule and principle that sacrilege is open defiance to god whatsoever afterward they vndertake if they prosper in it men reckon it but Dionysius his navigation and if any thing befall them otherwise it is not as commonly so in them ascribed to the great uncertainty of casuall events wherein the providence of God doth controle the purposes of men oftentimes much more for their good then if all things did answere fully their hearts desire but the censure of the world is ever directly against them both a Novimus multa regna
is Right And againe in another place Å¿ Aug. contr Cresc Gram. l. 3. c. 51. Kings doe serue God in this as Kings of in their owne Realme they commaund Good Things and forbid Evill not only concerning the Civil state of Men but the Religion of God also Vers 12. Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and so yee perish from the right Way If his Wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in Him Concerning Kissing here in this place I will say as Lipsius did when he wrote a Chapter De Osculis and t Lips Eleâ—â— l. 2. c. 6. beganne with these Words Abi Venus fallam ego te quae ipsa multos de Osculis Caput scribam inscribam in quo tamen nihil tibi loci aut iuris Venus avaunt I shall now deceaue thee as thou thy selfe hast deceiued many I shall Wright and Intitle a whole Chapter concerning Kisses wherein thy self shalt haue no place or right at all This Passage of Holy Scripture though it be of Kissing yet concernes it Venus never awhit no more then doe the Canticles whose very Beginning is this u Cant. 1.1 Let him Kisse me with the Kisses of his Mouth for thy Loue is better then Wine Nor is the Kisse here meant such an one as a Queene of France they say once gaue to a famous Chancellor in that Kingdome x History of Lewis 11. translated by Mr Grimston l. 1. p. 26. who passing in the Court by a Chamber where the Chancellor lay asleepe went saith the Story and Kist him and to her Ladies that marvailed thereat I kisse not the Man quoth Shee I kisse that Mouth from whence haue issued forth so many excellent Discourses I nothing doubt but that Kiss was chast enough yet is this another then that though I am not neither of Drusius his mind who will haue it only to be y Drus Observ l. 2. c. 16. Civill S. Bernard pleaseth me much better who speaking of this Kisse Foelix Osculum ac stupenda dignatione mirabile in quo non os ori imprimitur sed Deus Homini vnitur This z Bernard sup Cantic Ser. 2. saith he is an happy Kisse and admirable in regard of the favor God sheweth vs therin for that hereby Mouth is not ioyned vnto Mouth but God is vnited vnto Man Come we to Kisses in that other kind Mouth to Mouth and Iudas kist our Saviour no man neerer even Iudas Iscariot kist the Sonne but did his Kissing ought availe him or was it the Kissing here meant No but it came to be a By-word and is the Summum Genus as it were to all treacherous Kisses ever since and so shall be to the Worlds end A IVDAS KISSE Now if the Kissing here be not such a Kisse Mouth to Mouth much lesse is it a Kissing of his Image or his Rellicks as our Adversaries the Papists a Vid. Drus Observat l 2. c. 16. following the Superstition of the Gentiles vse to doe Iudas yet had a neerer proximity then so in that he Kissed our Saviours owne Lipps but his advantage thereby was small By Kissing then is here meant the Honouring and Obeying of our Saviour as Kings themselues would bee Honoured and Obeyed by their Subiects a b 2. Kings 18.6 Cleauing to the Lord and a Keeping of his Commandements So Pharaoh vnto Ioseph c Gen. 41.40 According vnto thy Word shall all my People be ruled It is in the Originall All the People shall Kisse thy Mouth And as here Kings and Princes were put in mind of this Duty so was it Prophesied by Esay that so it should come to passe in regard of that great Honour they should performe to his Church Kings d Esay 49.23 saith he shall be thy Nursing Fathers and their Queenes thy Nursing Mothers they shall Bow downe to thee with their face towards the Earth and lick vp the Dust of thy Feet And againe in another place e Esay 60.16 Thou shalt also sucke the Milke of the Gentiles and shalt suck the Breasts of Kings and thou shalt knowe that I the Lord anâ— thy Saviour and thy Redeemer Why but is it not enough will some say to Honor the Father except we honour the Sonne too If so be the Son must needs be Honoured doth not the Honour redownd to him that is done vnto the Father Are not the Father and the Sonne both one There is a memorable Story in Theodoret concerning this point f Theodoret. l. 5. c. 16. Theodosius the Emperour when neither by Bishops nor Councels could be got to remoue the Arrians from their Churches Amphiphilochius alone with his witty behaviour and answere wan him to it For Amphilochius entring the Palace and finding Arcadius the eldest Sonne of Theodosius lately designed Emperour and sitting with his Father Amphilochius did his duty to the Father but made of his Sonne that sate by him no account at all Theodosius thinking the Bishop had but forgotten himselfe willed him to salute his Sonne to whom the Bishop againe replyed that what he had done to the Father was sufficient for both Whereat when the Emperour began to storme and to conster the contempt of his Sonne as dishonour done to himself the wise Bishop made reply And art thou so grieued O Emperour to see thy Sonne neglected and so much out of patience with those that reproach him Assure thy selfe then that Almighty God hateth the Blasphemers of his Sonne is offended with them as with vngratefull wretches against their Saviour and Redeemer But what is the Consequence of the Sonnes Anger here in this place suppose he should be angry what then And so ye perish from the right way Here then is the Consequence here is the effect of his Anger Perishing and a perishing from the Right Way not a missing of it onely for many may misse and at length come in againe but a Perishing but an Vndoing but an vtter consuming of themselues For there is no other g Act. 4.12 Name vnder Heauen whereby they might be saued Againe Hee saith not here in this place h Aug. de Nat. Grat. c. 33. saith S. Austen least the Lord be angry and he shew you not the right Way or he bring you not into the right Way but walking therein already hee is able so to terrifie them that he saith Least ye perish from the right Way How by what meanes Even for that Pride is to be taken heed of and that in our Good Deeds that is in the Right Way least that Man repute that to be his owne which is Gods loosing that which is Gods come to that which is his owne The like to this he hath in another i Aug. de Correp Grat. c. 9 place Howbeit here forsooth Exception is taken for adding the Word Right The Booke of Common Prayer l Abridgment of that Booke which the Minist of Linc.
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
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
that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their Imaginations and their foolish Heart was darkned Fourthly concerning the Excellency here of his Honour Renowne Glory Vertue and Power it were an endlesse peece of Worke to describe each particular for seeing they are all of them infinite where should we begin to speake where should we end The best discourse can be made hereof is to admire here with our Prophet and to say as here is said O Lord our Gouernour how excellent is thy Name Admiracio est interdum ignotâ causà interdum cognitâ We sometimes admire the things whose Causes are vnknowen i Scalig de Subtil Exerc. 312. saith Scaliger sometimes the things whose Causes are knowen well ynough And surely all things being come within this compasse that either knowen they are or not knowen And howsoeuer the Poet say l Horat. Epist l. 4. ep 6. ad Numicium Nil admirari propè res est vna Numici Solaque quae possunt facere seruare beatum and m Tull. Tusc quaest l. 5. Tully accordingly Sapientis est proprium nihil cum acciderit admirari vt in opinatum ac nouum accidisse videatur It is the Property of a wise Man to admire at nothing that happeneth as strange and vnexpected yet in these Cases it is not so our Sauiour himselfe did wonder as n Mat. 8.10 S. Mathew and o Luc. 7.9 S. Luke doe both relate of him For hearing the Centurian He maruailed saith S. Mathew and said to them that followed Verely I say vnto you I haue not found so great Faith no not in Israel Whereupon p Aug. de Gen cont Manich. l. 1. c. 8. S. Austen Whereas our Lord did maruaile he signified to vs that we might maruaile to who haue occasion so to be moued And therefore all such Motions of his they are not the Signes of a troubled Mind but of a Master that thereby instructs vs. Fiftly and lastly where our Prophet here saith That he hath set his Glory aboue the Heauens the meaning is that he is Infinite both in Maiesty and Glory Behold q 1. King 8.27 saith Solomon the Heauen and Heauen of Heauens cannot conteine thee how much lesse this House that I haue builded Vers 2. Out of the Mouthes of very Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordeined Strength because of thine Enemies that thou mightst still the Enemy and the Auenger As if the Prophet had here said that God should commend his Providence to vs he needs not the †Calv. in hunc Ps Eloquence of Rhetoritians to that purpose no hee needeth not so much as words Articulate and Significant he hath Sufficient Testimony from the very Tongues of Babes and Sucklings that can do nothing but Pule and Cry For whence is it that no sooner they issue out from their Mothers Womb and haue Food ready at hand but that by a kinde of Miracle God eftsoones turneth Bloud into Milke Whence comes their present Inclination of sucking the same and ability to draw it forth but that God by a secret Instinct prepareth their Tongues to that purpose Whence comes it that in so few Dayes they waxe so Great that then they grow more then after that in some Yeeres No doubt but in these Particulars God hath a speciall Finger and therefore no marvaile though Infants may well bee said to sound forth Gods Praises And not onely so but Vt destruas Inimicum Vltorem to still the Enemy and the Avenger to euen to put him to perpetuall Silence in somuch that he should not haue a word to say And of this one Parcell of Scripture hath much Vse bene made by way of Application in the Church of God First by our Sauiour Our Sauiour when he rode to Ierusalem and the chiefe Priests and Scribes saw the wonderfull things that he did and the Children crying in the Temple Hosanna to the Sonne of David and sore displeased thereat said vnto him Hearest thou what these say Yes r Mat. 21.16 saith our Sauiour haue ye neuer read Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected Praise Arguing as Å¿ Calvin in hunc Ps Calvin obserueth à Maiori ad Minus from the Greater to the Lesse Namely that it was no Inc ongruity if God who made very Babes and Sucklings by the Testimony of one of their owne Prophets the Publishers of his Praises caused those that were Elder perhaps seauen yeeres old or thereabouts yet but Children in respect to sound forth like Praises Secondly by the People of the City of t Sulpitius in vita Martini c. 7. Towres in France The Story is this About the Yeere of our Sa Christ 370. The People of the City of Towres vpon the Vacation of the Bishoprick were desirous to haue S. Martin to be their Bishop Vna omnium Voluntas eadem Vota c. Yet some Few and some of the Bishops to which were called thither to constitute some One or Other were earnestly against it saying that he was but a Man contemptible vnworthy of a Bishoprick a homely Man to see to both in his Apparell and in trimming himselfe The more they spake against him the People liked him the more but who so much against him as one Defensor by Name but he was payd for it with a witnesse And thus it fell out Insteed of the Words aboue-mentioned Vt destruas Inimicum Vltorem it was in their Translation that they vsed in those Dayes Vt Destruas Immicum Defensorem Now it so fell out that whereas by chaunce the Reader whose Office was to read that Day was shut out by meanes of the Throng and the Ministers were troubled looking about for him that was not there One of the Company tooke the Psalter and read that Verse that came next to hand The Verse of the Psalme was this Ex Ore Infantium Lactentium perfecâ—sts Laudem propter Inimicos tuos vt destruas Inimicum Defensorem Now as soone as that Verse was read the People made a Shout as if S. Martin had bene meant in the Former Part and the Prophet David in the Latter had directly aimed at his Enemy Defensor whereupon the contrary Part was cleane confounded Thirdly there is in u Ruffin Hist Eccles l. 1. c. 3. Book of Hom. Part. 1. for Whit-Sunday Ruffinus a memorable Story how the VVords of this Verse were fulfilled after a sort though they are not applied there The Story was this VVhen Constantine the Emperour had caused the Cleargy to come together about Arrius his Opinion there came vnto the Assembly Philosophers and Logitians that were exquisite in their Faculty and had great Conceits of themselues Among the rest One there was that was famous in Logick and euery Day hee disputed with our Bishops that were well seene in Logick to Many very Learned came to here and see these Conflicts Nor could the