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
leave your lands are stolne away from you Robberies and thefts are so common as if it were not only lawfull but also commendable as if sin were no sin and hell fire but a fable Thus we provoke God to anger many walk of whom we cannot think but with weeping they are the enimies of the crosse of Christ the name of God is blasphemed through them Many are so ignorant they know not what the Scriptures are they know not that there are any Scriptures they call them hereticall and new Doctrine many will believe neither side whatsoever they alleadge bring they truth bring they falshood teach they Christ teach they Antichrist they will believe neither they have so hardned their hearts Be the Preacher rough or gentle learned or unlearned let him use authority of the Scriptures of the Doctors of the Councels of Decrees or Decretals of Gods law of mans law nothing will move them nothing will please them because the Ministery of God and thereby God himselfe is despised These words haply seem sharp overvehement but the darknes of our hearts against God and the lack of zeale to his house inforce me to them We are almost fallen into the lowest pit we are left without zeale as senslesse men and as if we had clean forgotten our selves as the heathen which know not God Therefore unlesse we repent the kingdome of God shall be taken away from us he will send upon this land a famine of the word Hierusalem shal be overthrowne and made an heap of stones the man of sin they which have not the love of the truth shall prevaile with many and withdraw them from obedience to the Prince this noble Realm shall be subject to forraigne nations All this will the zeale of the Lord of hosts bring to passe I could have spent this time in opening some other matter but nothing in my judgement is more worthy your good consideratiō speedy redresse I would be loath rashly or rudely to abuse the reverence of this place but unlesse these things be cared for unlesse we shew forth greater zeal then hitherto if the yeares to come eat up and take away from the Ministery as the late yeares have done there will not be left within a while any to speak the word of God out of this place the Pulpits shall have none to use them the people shall grow wilde and void of understanding When Xerxes beheld the great company of Souldiers suddēly he brake into teares wept bitterly one said to him ô Sir you have cause to rejoice you have a goodly company they are able to fight for you against any nation But what shall become of them saith Xerxes after a 100 yeares not one of all these shall be left alive If the view of the small number of Preachers might be taken how few they are and how thin they come up we have greater cause then Xerxes to lament if we have any zeale to the house of God for of the Preachers which now are within few yeares none will remaine alive And Xerxes his souldiers left issue behind them which might afterwards serve their country But there is like to be small increase for the supply of learned men The Lord shall lack men to bring in his harvest the litle ones shall call for bread and there shall be none to give it them They that shall come after us shal see this to be true there is no house so spoiled as the house of the Lord there is no servant so litle rewarded as the servant of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God Oh that your Grace did behold the miserable disorder of Gods Church or that you might foresee the calamities which will follow It is a part of your Kingdome and such a part as is the principall prop and stay of the rest Cyrill Epist ad Theodos valent I will say to your Majestie as Cyrillus sometimes said to the godly Emperours Theodosius and Valentinian Ab ea quae erga Deum est pietate Reipub vestrae status pendet the good estate and welfare of your Commonwealth hangeth upon true godlinesse You are our governour you are the Nurce of Gods Church we must open this griefe before you God knoweth if it may be redressed it hath grown so long and is run so farre but if it may be redressed there is no other beside your Highnesse that can redresse it J hope I speake truly that which I speake without flattery that God hath endued your Grace with such measure of learning knowledge as no other Christian Prince he hath given you peace happinesse the love and true hearts of your subjects Oh turne and employ these to the glory of God that God may confirme in your Grace the thing which he hath begun To this end hath God placed Kings and Princes in their State as David saith that they may serve the Lord that they may see cause others to see to the furniture of the Church The good Emperour Justinian cared for this as much as for his life Constantine Theodosius Valentinian and other godly Princes called themselves Vasallos the subjects and bond-servants of God they remembred that God furnished them in their houses and were not unmindfull to furnish his house When Augustus had beautified Rome with setting up many faire buildings he said Jnveni lateritiam marmoream reddidi I found it made of brick but I leave it made of marble Your Grace when God sent you to your inheritance the right of this Realme found the Church in horrible confusion in respect of the true worship of God a Church of brick or rather as Ezechiel saith daubed up with unseasoned morter Your Grace hath already redressed the doctrine now cast your eies towards the Ministery give courage and countenance unto Learning that Gods house may be served so shall you leave to the Church of God a testimony that the zeal of the Lords house had eaten you up And you ô dearely beloved if there be any such which are neither hot nor cold which doe the work of the Lord negligently which esteem the word of God but as a matter of policy which are ashamed to be called Professours of the Gospell of Christ pray unto God that he will increase your zeal Let us continue rooted and built in Christ and stablished in the faith let us have care for the house of God Whosoever is not after this sort zealous is a man of a double heart We may not halt between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be he then goe after him he that is not with Christ is against him Many talke of the Gospell and glory in their knowledge but it is neither talke nor knowledge which shall save them in that day He that feareth the Lord and serveth him with a pure heart and may truly say the zeal of thine house hath consumed me he shall be saved If they shall
Words Consider my Meditations Why to whom doth he speake to whom doth he vse these Words Speakes he not vnto the Lord doth hee not vse them to God aboue And is it fit that Dust and Ashes should thus speak vnto Hîm Say but to thy Fellow Creature if once he bee aboue thee in Authority and I meane that Lawfull Authority n Aug. ep 160. quam illi Deus Homini in Homines dedit which to him being a Man God hath giuen him ouer Men Sir Consider my Suit ponder that I haue spoken vnto you weigh it well before you iudge and will hee not presently take it in snuff and thinke you haue done him great wrong as if you did call his Wits in question But oh the Loue of our Creator that disdaines not to be call'd vpon euen in these Termes Ponder Consider that Magistrates may learne in like sort to giue poore Suiters leaue if somtimes transported and carried away with the eagernes of their Affections they chance to forget good Behaviour Memorable is that of a poote Woman who hauing a Suit to King Philip of Macedon and hearing him say that he was not at leisure to heare her Noli ergo regnare o Plutarch Apopth said She then be not at leisure to be a King which bold and audacious Answer of Hers the King admiring and taking in good part gaue audience to Her presently and not to Her only but also to Other besides How many Petty other Magistrates would haue taken an other course and haue sent her where She should haue learn'd at least wise haue bene taught better Manners Yet would I not haue Suitors to be too bold neither Davus neuer spake better then when he said to his young Master somewhat displeased with his Father p Terent. And. Act. 2. Sc. 2. Pater est Pamphile difficile est No more of that Pamphilus if you loue me Remember he is your Father and there is no dealing with him in this kind Now Magistrates are as Fathers And if the Apostle speaking of Fathers q Heb. 12.10 saith they chasten vs after their owne Pleasure and yet we giue them Reverence how much more should we performe the selfe same Reverence to the Fathers not of Vs only but also of our Country Our Prophet goeth on Verse 2. Oh hearken thou vnto the Voice of my calling my King and my God for vnto thee will I make my Prayer Did I say our Prophet goeth on Nay it seemes he is no farther then he was before for what doth he say in these Words which he said not in the Former And yet there are not here those vaine Repetitions such as our Saviour findeth fault withall in the r Mat. 6.7 Gospel of S. Mathew There is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no vaine Babling here such as his who was the Primum Mobile or rather the Primum Nobile in that kind †Ovid. Met. l. 2. Montibus inquit erant erant in Montibus illis No there is no superfluity in these Words Then is it to be accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vaine Babling Å¿ Multiloquium tum adhibetur cum citra â—idem c. P. Martyr in 1. Sam. 1.12 saith Peter Martyr when as we multiply Words without Faith and Spirit perswading our selues we shal be heard for our many Words sake This was farre no doubt from our Prophet here who was so farre from being without Faith that as S. Thomas to our Saviour Christ when as our Saviour had said vnto him Be not faithlesse but beleeuing said presently therevpon t Ioh. 20.28 My Lord and my God so King David here in this Place My King and my God In which Words let vs consider both the Matter and the Manner The Matter is that he stileth him KING and GOD King in regard that hee is the Soveraigne Emperour and Ruler ouer the whole World and so he is as S. Paul in his u 1. Tim. 1.17 Epistle to Timothy a King Eternall Immortall Invisible and hee is styled elsewhere by David x Ps 24.7.8.9.10 The King of Glory and that oftentimes in one Psalme God in regard he is a most powerfull Spirituall Substance Ineffable Incomprehensible of whom we may more easily say y Aug in Ps 85. de Trin. l. 8. c. 2. saith S. Austen what he is not then what he is And againe All things z Aug in Ioh. Tract 13. saith he may be spoken of God and yet nothing worthily may be spoken of him Nihil latius hâc Inopia Nothing more large and ample then this Scarcity this Want The Manner is that he stileth him here My King and my God There is a Luth. in Gal. c. 1. saith Luther in Pronounes much Vehemency and Power In worldly Affaires Meum and Tuum Mine and Thine it is said they marre all sure I am they are the Causes of much brangling in the World but Meum in Spirituall Affaires is so farre from marring that indeed it makes all Of the Words My God I haue spoken b Vid. Exposit on Ps 3.7 p. 75 before but that the Prophet here saith My King to it is much remarkeable For what was the Prophet but a King himself He then calling God his King resigneth as it were to God his Crowne and Dignity So the foure and twenty Elders in the Revelation of S. Iohn they cast their Crownes before the Throne saying c Rev. 4.10 Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things and for thy Pleasure they are and were created Indeed Omne sub Regno graviore Regnum est saith d Senec. Thyest Act. 3. One and againe an e Horat. Carm. l. 3. Od. 1. Other to this purpose Regum timendorum in proprios Greges Reges in ipsos Imperium est IOVIS As Kings are ouer Men so God is ouer Kings and Kings though they haue no Superiour here on Earth yet they haue One aboue whose Eyes are ouer them in al their doings Kings are free f Ambros Tom. 4 De Apolog. David saith S. Ambrose from being to be punished for their Offences their Temporall Lawes take no hold of them by reason of the Power themselues haue and yet howsoeuer they are safe in regard of that Power they are notwithstanding subiect to God in regard of Faith and Devotion And S. Austen to like purpose Kings of the Earth are terrible g Aug. in Ps 75 saith he yet He more terrible then all that terrifies earthly Kings Nor meanes he the Pope neither Nay so farre was he from acknowledging his Vicar-ship from God that he frankly acknowledgeth it in Earthly Kings Rex adoratur in Terris h Aug. Tom. 4. Quaest ex Novo Test qu. 91. saith he quasi VICARIVS Dei It is the King not the Pope that is adored here on Earth as the VICAR of God or Gods VICEGERENT Vers 3. My Voice shalt thou heare
difference it pleased GOD to put vpon the Workes of Power and the Workes of Wisdome wherewith concurreth that in the Former it is not set down that GOD said Let there be Heauen and Earth as it is set downe of the Workes following but actually that GOD made Heauen and Earth the One carrying the Stile of a MANVFACTION and the Other of a LAW DECREE or COVNCELL From the Heauens in generall our Prophet commeth in Particular to the Moone and Stars which why they were ordeined at the first Moses declareth in many Words Let there be Light r Gen. 1.14 saith Moses in the Firmament of the Heauen to diuide the Day from the Night and let them bee for Signes and for Seasons and for Dayes and Yeeres And let them be for Lights in the Firmament of the Heauen to giue Light vpon the Earth And God made two great Lights the greater Light to rule the Day and the lesser Light to rule the Night he made the Starres also And God set them in the Firmament of the Heauen to giue Light vpon the Earth and to rule ouer the Day and ouer the Night and to divide the Light from the Darknes Otherwise as ſ Plin Nat. Hist l. 2. c. 107. Pliny noteth it exceedeth all Miracles that any one Day should passe and all the World not to be set on a light consuming Fire But how comes it that in this place there is no mention of the Sunne who is the Chiefe of all the rest For as Light is the Queene of Heauen as t Aug. Confess l. 10. c. 34. speakes S. Austen so who is the King to that Queene but that glorious Planet in Heauen that heauenly u Ps 19.5 Bridegroome who so much rejoyceth euery Day to runne his Course x Chrys in hunc Ps S. Chrysostome is of Opinion that in specifying the Moone and Starres he intimates the Sunne to And because that Some saith he exempt the Night from being the Workemanship of God the Prophet here sheweth them their owne Error in making mention of the Moone declaring in these Words that God was the Workeman thereof Whereunto is correspondent that of the Prophet y Esay 45.7 Esay I forme the Light and create Darknes I make Peace and create Euill I the Lord doe all these things But as the Moone is here mentioned and the Sunne not spoken of so elswhere the Sunne is mentioned and the Moone not spoken of at all as in the z Ps 19.5 Psalme before alleaged In them hath he set a Tabernacle for the Sunne which commeth forth as a Bride-groome out of his Chamber and reioyceth as a Gyant to run his Course a Greg. in Ezech Hom. 13. S. Gregory thinkes that the Prophets omitting the Sunne in this Psalme cannot be excused but by an Allegory I should thinke that this Psalme was made in the Night time when the Sunne being gone from that Horizon the Moone was in her Brightnesse all the Night long as sometimes She appeares to vs when She is in the Full. Vers 4. What is Man that thou art Mindfull of him and the sonne of Man that thou visitest him Man b Calvin Instit l. 1. c. 1. §. 3. saith Calvin is neuer sufficiently touched and inwardly mooued with Knowledge of his owne Basenes vntill he haue compared himselfe to the Maiesty of God And how in that case they are at their Wits end we haue often Examples saith he both in the Booke of c Iudg. 13.22 Esay 6.5 Ezec. 2.1 Iudges and in the Prophets so that this was a common Saying among the People of God We shall surely die because wee haue seene God With like Astonishment is the Prophet David here strucken and as here so elswhere Lord d Ps 144.3 saith he what is Man that thou so respectest him or the Sonne of Man that thou so regardest him And Iob to like purpose What is Man e Iob. 7.17 saith he that thou shouldst magnifie him and that thou shouldst set thine Heart vpon him and that thou shouldst visit him euery Morning and try him euery Moment So that holy Men here speake as Mephibosheth f 2. Sam. 9.8 spake to Dauid What is thy Seruant that thou shouldst looke vpon such a dead Dog as I am Indeed consider we Man as he comes into the World and the great adoe there is about him in the bringing of him vp and when once he is brought vp the many By-wayes that he takes and well may we say as here it is What is Man and the Sonne of Man Pliny saw somewhat in Mans Miseryes when he g Plin. Nat. Hist l. 7. Prooem spake as he did namely of all other liuing Creatures how Nature hath brought him forth altogether Naked and afterwards when he is clothed how she hath clothed him yet with the Bounty and Riches of Others how when he is Borne he is immediatly fast bound hauing no part or Member at liberty a point not practised on the young Whelpes of the wildest Beast that is how among all other Creatures there is not one but by a secret instinct of Nature knoweth his owne Good and whereto he is made able some make vse of the Swiftnes of their Feete Some of their Wings some of their Finnes and so forth Man only knoweth nothing vnlesse he be taught he can neither Speake nor Goe nor Eate otherwise then he is trained to it in a Word how naturally he is apt and good at nothing but to pule and crye but how much deeper should wee looke then Pliny did into the Depth of his Misery should we consider which Pliny did not neither indeed could hee the great and aboundant MERCY of God in bestowing vpon him such Dignities as here are specified by the Prophet amidst those and greater Miseries as First that the Lord is Mindfull of him Secondly that he Visiteth him Memores quasi absentis visitas praesentem Thou art Mindfull h Aug. in Ps 35. saith S. Austen as of one that is Absent thou visitest him as Present Thirdly that he Crowneth him with Glory and Worship Fourthly that he giues him Dominion ouer the Workes of his Hands and puts all things in subiection vnder his Feete as is specified in these Particulars Sheepe Oxen Beasts Fowles and Fishes Nor all this in regard of Princes onely and the high Potentates of the VVorld but as i Lem. Exhort ad Vit. Opt. Instit c. 3. Lemnius well noteth Vniversitatis Prafecturam ac Principatum attribuit etiam infimo cuique Cerdoni ac Plebeio qui non minus fruitur Creatoris Munificentia totiusque Mundi Amoenitate spectabili cum primis ac visenda quà m Regum quivis Copijs Opibusque affluens He bestoweth the Gouernment and Principality of all these worldly Things euen vpon euery meane COBLER and basest Artisan who no lesse inioyes this Munificence of the Creator and Pleasure of the World then the most wealthiest King and Potentate But what hath
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