of Israel à people approching vnto him According to the letter the Prophet calleth the Children of Israel to witt of the Patriarke Iacob the Saints of God because in those daies almost all the world was inclined to Idolatry excepting they whence it is that Moyses often saieth of them Thou art à holie people to the Lord Deut. 7 thy God The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be his peculiar people of all peoples that are vpon earth Yet in a spirituall sense by the Children of Israel are vnderstood all the faithfull whether they be descended from the Patriarke Iacob according to the flesh or not for as the Apostle teacheth Not Rom. 9. all that are of Israel be Israelites nor they that are the seed of Abraham all bee children but in Isaac shall the seed be called vnto thee that is to saie not they that are the children of the flesh they are the children of God but they that are the children of the promise are esteemed for the seed and to all such the Apostle saieth Let the word of Christ dwell in you Colos 3. aboundantly teaching and admonishing your owne felues with Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Canticles in grace singing in your hearts to God These are à People approaching to God For as wee goe backe from him by sinne soe wee approach neere vnto him by vertues and good workes Faith sheweth the true end for which Man was created and the way leading thereunto Hope beginneth to tend thitherwards Charitie vniteth vs to our end and all other vertues in as much as they are informed with Charitie doe knitt vs indissolubly vnto our end which is God himselfe Behold here à Psalme replete with the zeale of diuine loue wherein the Prophet expressing some few creatures by name doth exhort the whole machine of the vniuerse to praise the most high and holie Trinity that soe by them might be fulfilled what he piously desired but was vnable by himselfe to performe Whilst we sing it let vs recollect our minds from all extrauagances inkindle in them the zeale of diuine loue and conserue it with all vigilancy Let vs contemplate in all especially in the celestiall creatures the excellency of the Creator In this contemplation let vs feast our spirit delighting ourselues in his praise and congratulating his ineffable felicity most affectionately Finally let vs personally ourselues fulfill what we excite all other things vnto by praising and glorifying almighty God for whose praise and glory all things were created for truely it is more possible for heauen and earth to be annihilated then for à man not to be saued who glorieth in the diuine praise The title and argument of the 149. Psalme THe title prefixed to this Psalme is Alleluia and it agreeth well with the words of the Psalme which doe wholy tend to set forth the praise of our Lord and Sauiour principally for the benefit of the perfect victory and finall triumph which the faithfull shall obtaine in his second comming when all the aduersaries of the elect shall bee damned eternally and the elect bee freed from all euill reassuming glorified bodies These three last Psalmes haue such connection coherence one with another that they seeme to bee à continuation one of another and this peraduenture is the reason why the holie Church placeth them together at the end of Laudes and appointeth them to bee song as one Psalme with one Gloria in the end The exposition of the Psalme IN the last verse of the precedeÌ„t Psalme the Prophet hath these words An Hymne to all his Saints c. and now he beginneth this Psalme with Sing yee to our Lord à new song as if he had saied O yee Saints that are à people approaching to him Sing yee to our Lord à new song for his new benefits to witt for the benefits of our Redemption renouation iustification and glorification let his praise bee in the Church of Saints in the congregation of deuout people in the Militant and triumphant Church as the Prophet Isaie recounteth Isa 51. Ioy and gladnesse shall bee found in it giuing of thankes and voice of praise Let Israel to witt all such of the Iewes that shall bee conuerted and all other Christian people who by faith good life are reputed to bee of the seed of the Patriarkes much rather then the children of the flesh according to that of the Apostle Know yee therefore that they who Gal. 3. are of faith the same are the children of Israel Let this true Israel bee ioyfull in him that made him to witt in his Creator and redeemer and let the Children of Sion to witt particular Churches members of the vniuersall Church or deuout soules who are the children of the holie Church designed by Sion reioyce in their King to witt the celestiall Spouse our Sauiour Christ of whome it is saied in the Canticles Cant. 1. The King hath brought me into his Cellars we will reioyce and bee glad in thee Let them praise his name in quire on timbrell and Psalter let them sing to him Let them not onely sing à new song vnto him with ioy and exultation but let them alsoe adioyne musicall instruments to their voices that his praise maie bee more solemnely set forth By the Timbrel is vnderstood the mortification of the flesh because à skin is extended vpon that instrument and by the Psalter vpon which many strings are stretched at length are designed good workes The children therefore of Sion ought to sing to our Lord on Timbrell to witt in chastisement of their flesh and refraining their inordinate concupiscences and on Psalter to witt in goodnesse of life and manners free from reprehension that their life and manners maie bee consonant to the words they pronounce which manner of quire is most delightfull to the eares of almighty God Let them doe this Because our Lord is well pleased in his people Prouerb 8. Ioh. 15. to witt in his elect whome he hath loued from all eternitie of his meere benignitie and of whome he saieth My delights to bee with the sonnes of men And he will exalt in the daie of iudgement Luc. 12. the meeke to witt those that are true Christians in faith conuersation and haue practised that lesson which our Sauiour proposed to all sorts of people saying Learne of me because I am meeke and Math. 11. humble of heart These he will exalt vnto Saluation of body and mynd giuing them à double stole compleat beatitude and life euerlasting The Saints shall reioyce in glory to witt in the celestiall Kingdome when as their weâ—ping and lamenting in this world shall bee turned into ioy they shall bee ioyfull in their bedds to witt in the celestiall mansions in which they shall sweetly and happily rest in God by the delightfull sleepe of sincere contemplation Of these bedds our Sauiour saieth I goe to prepare you à place and againe Ioh. 14. In my fathers howse
eternall vnderstanding or my fruitfull memory out of the fulnesse of its infinite fecunditie and immense goodnes and out of the fountaine it selfe of my essence haue intellectually brought forth haue from eternitie saied and truely begotten an onely Sonne consubstantiall to me who is the Good word By that he is called good Mare 10. is shewed that he is God For none is good but one God I the eternall Father tell my workes to the King to Christ my beloued Sonne the King of Kings as Christ himself affirmeth The Father loueth the Ioh. 5. Sonne and sheweth him all things that himselfe doeth Whatsoeuer the Father knoweth in himselfe that he expresseth in his Word in such sort that whatsoeuer is contained in the essence of the Father that clearely shineth in the Sonne for he is the onely begotten of the Paternall mynd the eternall word the word of his vnderstanding and full expression of his wisedome Finally whatsoeuer the Father in order of things hath created euen from the beginning that he saied from eternitie in his word and made by him in conuenient tyme as S. Iohn witnesseth Ioh. 1. All things were made by him and againe That which was made in him was life My tongue my vnderstanding is the penne of à Scribe wriâ—ing swiftly maie bee compared to the penne of à Scribe writing swiftly in two respects First because as the word that is written with à penne doth not sound and passe away but is expressed in silence remaineth firmely soe the word of the Father is not sounding passing away and vnstable but secret firme immoueable and eternall Secondly because as the penne of à Scribe writing swiftly doth write à word without labour or notable delay soe the diuine vnderstanding speaking internally produced his word in the very instant of eternitie without motion labour or tarriance as the eternall wisedome who is the word and Sonne of God affirmeth saying Our Lord possessed Prouerb 8. me in the beginning of his waies before he had made any thing from the beginning from eternitie I was ordained The depthes were not as yet and I was now conceiued c. Moreouer he that writeth à great volume in à short tyme is not soe properly saied to write swiftly as he that comprehendeth that great volume in à few words and yet omitteth nothing God the Father in his eternall word comprehended all things that euer were are or shall bee and therefore he doth iustly affirme of himselfe that His tongue is the penne of à Scribe writing swiftly These two verses maie alsoe bee expounded as being the words of the Prophet and then the sense of them seemeth to bee as followeth My heart my vnderstanding out of the plenitude of diuine illumination Propheticall knowledge hath vttered hath produced saied internally and expressed with the mouth a good word this present Psalme which is à good word repleate with high most delightfull mysteries I tell my workes to the King I sing write and dedicate this present Psalme and all my other actions to the honour of the Mâ—ssias the King of Syon of whose spirituall nuptials I purpose to treate My tongue is the penne of à Scribe writing swiftly My toÌ„gue in writing this Psalme was the penne of one writing swiftly that is of my selfe who write it without premeditation or labour as I receiued it from the holie Ghost or of the holie Ghost who causeth those whome he doth inspire to write fast without searching for exquisite words to expresse what he dictateth O heauenly Spouse thou art Goodly of beautie aboue the Sonnes of men There was à threefold beautie in Christ The first eternall diuine and infinite which belongeth vnto him by reason of his diuine nature he being the figure substance of the Father whome the Angells behold with delight The second beautie of Christ was created and spirituall which consisted in the perfection of his wisedome the excellencie of his grace the eminencie of his charitie and other vertues and this his beautie was without comparison greater then of all the elect together The third beautie of Christ was created and corporall which consisted in the due proportion seate and quantitie of members and in the meet super infusion of liuely colour This beautie of Christ was exceeding great admirable First because noe naturall perfection was wanting vnto him Secondly because it was most fit that soe holie and faire à soule as his should bee infused into à body proportionate Thirdly because the body of Christ was assumed of most pure matter to wit of the purest bloud of the most worthy Virgin and Finally because it was formed and composed by à most skilfull infallible agent to wit the holie Ghost and therefore we maie piously beleeue that our Lord Iesus Christ in corporall beautie alsoe did excell all others euen Absolon himselfe Grace is powred abroad in thy lippes fruitfull and efficacious eloquence sweetnes affabilitie of speech is giuen thee that none shall bee able to resist thy words therefore in regard thou art soe powerfull to winne all hearts God hath blessed thee for euer The word Propterea in the latine text which here is Englished Therefore doth alsoe signify Because and being soe taken the sense of this verse is as followeth Thou art goodly of beauty aboue the Sonnes of men grace is powred abroad in thy lippes because God hath blessed thee for euer to wit with Hypostaticall vnion which shall remaine for euer and is the fountaine from which all gifts and graces doe flow most copiously into thy humanitie ô Christ The first sense is good and proper yet the Second seemeth to bee preferred Bee girded with thy sword vpon thy thigh ô most mightie ô Thou who art not onely most beautifull and gracious but alsoe most strong and â—aliant prepare thy selfe to combate with the vniust ryrant who hath by fraud circumuented thy beloued and detaineth her captiue for originall sinne The sword here mentioned is the doctrine of Christ who saieth of himselfe by the Prophet Isaie He hath made my mouth as à sharpe Isa 49. Ephe. 6. sword Take vpon you saieth the Apostle the sword of the spirit which is the word of God VVith thy beautie and fairenes not soe much with thy corporall beautie as with thy wisdome and Iustice which are the splendor of thy Soule Intend incline and haue pious regard to the saluation of thy people and endeauour to the vttermost to procure it Proceed prosperously aduance and march forwards with happy successe from the bosome of thy eternall Father into the wombe of thy immaculate Mother from her wombe into the manger from the manger to the Crosse and from thence extend thy dominion ouer the whole world and reigne in the militant Church placing thy throne in the hearts of thy people by faith and grace and in the triumphant Church by affording them the cleare vision of thy glorie And doe thou reigne in this sort Because of thy truth
vs the holie life and Passion of his deare Sonne Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour or the acts and vertues of the blessed Virgin and the rest of the Saints now in glory we maie hereby correspond on our part to soe great loue and in token of gratitude breake forâ—h into his praise with some sweet sentences expressing the affections of our hearts admiring his goodnesse glorifying his name for euer These sentences are vsually repeated in the Responsories that they maie make the deeper impression in our hearts as alsoe to shew that when we haue praised God all we can we maie beginne againe and againe and yet neuer bee able to praise him to the full The Lessons here being wholly of the blessed Virgin and insinuating vnto vs her Motherly care and sincere affection towards all mankind the Responsories are composed answerable to the Lessons and are certaine pious affections towards her extolling the immeÌ„se goodnesse of God for his wonderfull mercies shewed towards her his infinite graces bestowed vpon her aboue all pure creatures and his singular workes wrought in and by her to the benefit of all mankind The exposition of the Second Lesson ANd soe in Sion to wit in the holie Church speculating diuine things was I established made firme and powerfull as being replenished with all vertue and grace that I might bee able to succour and releeue all faithfull soules and in the sanctified Cittie to wit in the holie Church likewise I rested corporally and spiritually corporally soe long as I liued in the world in mortall flesh and afterwards euer since I was assumpted into heauen I cease not to rest spiritually in the holie Church recommended vnto my custody and my power was in Ierusalem in the triumphant and militant Church In the triumphant I am alotted à prime place of dignitie in respect of my maternall authoritie by which I am made the Mother of God and for which I am exalted aboue all the Angelicall spirits The Kingdome of mercy in the militant Church is alsoe conferred vpon me for which I am stiled the Queene of mercy and haue dominion ouer the inuisible enemies And I tooke roote in an honourable people to wit in the Christian people for whome I haue obtained that they maie take roote and bee established in all grace and vertue by frequent procuring them diuine gifts and pious reformation and by strengthening them in good And in the portion of my God his inheritance to wit the inheritance of the saied Christian people for by my intercession that portion which almightie God hath allotted to his beloued to wit eternal happinesse shall bee the inheritance of those faithfull Christians who are predestinate by him from all eternitie to enioye his essentiall vision and my abiding is in the full assembly of the Saints that is amongst the deuout and holie ones I am detayned and will perseuere for with such I am well pleased to remaine The explication of the Third Lesson I Am exalted as à Cedur in Libanus Like as the high tree called à Cedar is eleuated in mount Libanus sendeth forth à sweet sauour and is not subiect to putrifaction soe I am deuoutly honoured by all good Christians aboue all pure creatures highly reuerenced experienced sweet to euery one and am intire and free from all corruption of sinne and reprehension And as the fruit of the Cedar hath vertue to heale languishing people soe my fauour my praier and my consolations haue power to cure all diseased hearts And as à Cyprus tree in mount Sion Like as that most solide tree doth yeeld to noe burthen nor can bee suppressed by any weight but doth sublimely appeare in mount Sion Soe I remaine amongst Christian people most strong hardy neither did I euer yeld to any vice or was ouercome by any tentation but haue obtained for that people manifold comforts by my intercession and merits As à Palme tree in Cades I am exalted Like as the Palme tree in the towne of Cades doth appeare most gorgeously and in its top branches is most comely and pleasing to behold Soe I by the gifts and ornaments of grace and glorie am made most bright and delightfull to the veiw aboue all creatures And as à Rose plant in Iericho As the Rose is the most beautifull of all flowers soe the blessed Virgin is the most beautifull of all women and like as the water distilled out of Roses doth asswage paine and cleanse the eies soe the blessed Virgin doth mitigate all the anguishes sorrowes of this present life and illuminate the internall eies As à faire Oliue tree in the feilds Like as the oliue tree is euer greene and flourisheth produceth à sweet fruit and designeth peace pietie and mercie Soe the most illustrious and vnparalleld Virgin hath continually flourished in wisdome and vertue hath brought forth à most sweet fruit generated the restorer of peace to all mankind doth from tyme to tyme reconcile vs to almighty God and is the Mother of all mercie and the source of pietie And as à Plane tree by the water in the streets I am exalted By the Plane tree whose leaues are soft and broad is here expressed that the most blessed Virgin is altogether meeke gentle and curteous that her words and workes are most ample by the latitude of Charitie and that like as vnder the broad spreading branches of the saied tree people maie bee defended from the scorching beames of the Sunne or the violence of à suddaine storme soe all that shall flie for succour vnto the secure harbour of her power pietie shall bee graciously receiued and protected from the heate of persecution and boysterous stormes of tentations and tribulations I gaue an odour as Cinamon and aromaticall balme Like as Cinamon is sweet of tast hath à strengthening operation is good against indigestion and debility of the stomacke Soe I am sweet to those that loue me and doe strengthen them that they maie bee able to digest the foode of their soules and become ruminating and cleane creatures meditating daie and night of those things which appertaine vnto God I send forth alsoe à fragrant sauour of good fame Charitie Pietie and wisdome wherewith I recreate and delight those that reuerence and serue me And like as aromaticall balme that odoriferous royall exquisite and exceeding pretious tree hath the vertue or operation of warming strengthening Soe the incomparable and most pure Virgin singular most excellent sprong of à royall stemme solaceth all deuouâ— soules and procureth them the grace of fortitude and feruour of diuine loue As chosen Myrrhe haue I giuen the sweetnes of odour Like as the best Myrrhe is bitter preserueth from corruption scattereth abroad à pleasant odour Soe the blessed Virgin was replenished with the bitternesse of most vehement compassion when she beheld her beloued Sonne nayled vpon the Crosse and doth continually condole with sinners obtaining for innumerable people the grace of compunction she preserueth
shineth most brightly aboue all others in the whole militant and triumphant Church and gouerneth the militant Church in an especiall manner which in respect of the triumphant is seated in darkenesse Neuerthelesse she is incomparably more beautifull then the Moone yea the Moone is saied to bee vnder her feete Apoca. 12. But she is faire as the Moone to witt as the holie Church for that the diuers graces and vertues which haue been here and there dispersed in many sundrie members thereof are collected exceedingly more perfect in her Elect as the Sunne Next after Christ as man she is acknowledged to bee the most eleganr and preelected as the Sunne is greater brighter and of more efficacie then the rest of the Planets and starres soe the most blessed Virgin next after Christ is greater in perfection brighter in wisdome and more efficacious in vertue then all the rest of the Saints as being Mother of the Sauiour of the world by whose meanes innumerable sinners are reduced to grace and saluation Terrible as an armie of à campe set in array In her was à well ordered and most harmonious connection of vertues à most excellent and singular constancie of perfection and by her Maternall authoritie she was constituted Empresse of the vniuerse and absolute Dominatrix of the aduerse powers The preamble to Tierce Sext and None THese three houres are often spoken of in the holie Scriptures expressely mentioned by the auncient Fathers and haue each one its proper mysteries which it representeth Tierce signifieth first Pilats sentence against our blessed Sauiour to the opprobrious death of the Crosse Secondly it representeth the comming of the holie Ghost at Pentecost Sext is in memorie of our blessed Sauiours exaltation vpon the Crosse and in imitation of S. Peter who is saied to Act. 1â— haue ascended vnto the toppe of the house at that houre to praie None designeth our blessed Sauiours death and is in imitation of S. Peter and S. Iohn who went into the Temple to praie at the Ninth houre The Three houres space which is allotted for each of these three little houres hath relation to the blessed Trinitie as S. Cyprian affirmeth where he saieth That we obserue with the Prophet Daniel to praise the holie Trinitie thrice in the daie by these three Canonicall houres to euery one of which there is à Trinitie of houres and Psalmes alotted The title and argument of the 119. Psalme and first in Tierce THis Psalme and the fourteene immediatly following haue for their title A graduall Canticle not without reason for indeed they are repleat with affections towards God and proper for such as haue learnt by experience to esteeme themselues pilgrimes and banished men in the lands of their enemies sometymes lamenting the miseries of their exile sometymes sighing after the rest of the celestiall Ierusalem but euer exciting themselues to ascend and aduance forwards in the waie of our Lord. Theodoretus and Euthimius doe teach that these Canticles are to bee vnderstood according to the letter of the Ascension of the Iewes from Babylon vnto Ierusalem the holie Ghost foreshewing by the mouth of Dauid the calamitie of the Babylonian captiuitie and the ioy of their freedome But others doe rather hold that they were composed to bee sung by the Priests and Leuits in their ascension of the fifteene degrees or steps of the Temple of Salomon for that there were soe many steps not onely Nicolaus Liranus and other moderne authors but alsoe S. Augustine doth write in his treatise vpon the last Psalme There are saieth he soe many Psalmes which are tearmed Gradualls because there were the like number of degrees of the Temple Yet which soeuer of these opinions is to bee preferred it is certaine that they were figures of the ascension of the elect by the degrees of vertues whereof the Prophet speaketh in another Psalme saying They shall goe from vertue to vertue For by these degrees of vertues which are treated of in the saied Psalmes whereof the first is to depart from the vices of this world and tend by desire to the future world wee doe ascend from this vale of teares to the celestiall Ierusalem The sense therefore of the title is that This Psalme is à Graduall Canticle because according to the letter it was sung ascending to the Temple Yet spiritually it is called à Graduall Canticle to wit The exultation of the mynd for the spirituall progresse in vertue The explication of the Psalme VVhen I was in tribulation I cried to our Lord and he heard me When I haue seene my selfe opprest with afflictioÌ„s troubles tentations I haue not done like those that murmure against God who when they are not able to secure themselues with their owne forces doe despaire and become obdurate rather to the contrarie I haue had recourse to my Lord most sweet and powerfull I haue cried with all my forces to present vnto him mine anguish he hath gratiously heard me O Lord deliuer my soule from vniust lips and from à deceitfull tongue Come ô my Lord for soe did I crie vnto him come and deliuer my poore soule from the assaults which are made against it by peruerse and blaspheming lips which with à shamelesse impudence doe blaspheme denie thyne authoritie thy care of created things and proper being Deliuer me from these Infidels Atheists and libertines and from heretikes alsoe that haue an honied flattering tongue hiding vnder à deceitfull language the pestilent venime wherewith they traitorously seduce simple soules The two verses following are expounded three seuerall waies First as being the words of the Prophet speaking to his owne soule VVhat maie bee giuen thee or what maie bee added vnto thee to à deceiptfull tongue O my soule what remedy canst thou excogitate what counsell or aide maie bee prescribed to arme thee that à deceiptfull tongue preuaile not against thee beleeue me the most present and soueraigne remedie I can imagine is The sharpe arrowes of the mightie to witt the all powerfull word of God more percing then à two edged sword with the coales of desolation together with the examples of the approued seruants of God burning with charitie who haue been conuerted from bad life to religious conuersation Make triall therefore of this for the knowledge of the holie Scriptures is very powerfull against à deceitfull tongue in such sort that we shall neither become fraudulent nor be defrauded or ouercome by impatience if we will seriously ponder how much à deceitfull tongue is reproued therein for it is written Cursed is the deceitfull and againe The Malach. 1. Psal 5. deceitfull man our Lord will abhorâ—e and in another place He that speaketh sophistically is odious in euery thing he shall be defrauded Grace is not giuen him of our Lord Ecclesiast 37. for he is defrauded of all wisdome The words of the sacred Scriptures are tearmed sharpe arrowes because they transfixe the heart with the wound of Charitie mortifie sinnes
and confusion at that voice Terusalem which is built daily vntill the consummation of the world of liuing stones as à Cittie in such sort as befitteth the Cittie of the eternall King to be built for it is built of precious polished holie reasonable stones of Angels and men as the Apostle affirmeth saying In Christ all building framed together groweth into an holie temple in our Lord in whome you alsoe are built together into an habitation of God in the holie Ghost c. VVhose participation is together in it selfe This clause is expounded diuersly in respect of the words in idipsum in the latine text which some interpret In the same according to whome the sense is That all the Cittizens of the celestiall Ierusalem doe participate of the same goodnesse because all of them doe enioy the same eternall goodnesse though not in like measure but more or lesse according as they haue loued more or lesse God almightie therefore is the same that is to saie the immutable and vndiuided goodnesse of the celestiall Ierusalem whose participation to witt the fruition beatitude and deification whereby it doth participate the diuine goodnesse is vniforme sempiternall Others admitt of the former interpretation to witt whose participation is together in it selfe and expound it That the goodnesse of all the celestiall Cittizens is the goodnesse of euerie and each one of them contrarie wise For since that loue is of its owne nature diffuse and communicatiue as in the celestiall countrey there is the most perfect mutuall loue of all the blessed soe there is the most full and absolute communion of the beatitude of euerie and each one one is as glad of the felicitie of another as of his owne yea they doe congratulate each other and according to the doctrine of S. Denis the Superiours doe impart to the inferiours of the perfections bestowed vpon them by almightie God These things doe not soe properly square with any terrene Cittie therefore it should seeme that what is saied in this Psalme of the terrene Ierusalem ought to bee vnderstood as meant of the celestiall For thither did the tribes ascend the tribes of our Lord the testimonie of Israel to consesse vnto the name of our Lord. Here the Prophet yeeldeth the reason why he hath saied Ierusalem which is built as à Cittie c. because thither into that holie and sacred sanctuary did the tribes ascend yet not of what sort soe euer but the tribes of our Lord which beare the marke and testimony of being infants of the true Israel These elected people did ascend to confesse vnto the name of our Lord as he had decreed from all eternitie and testified to his seruant Iacob that they should Ep. 1. beati Petri c. 2. and were superedified as it were liuing stones and spirituall houses for of the soules of the â—lect and the Angelicall spirits is that glorious fabricke of the triumphant Church composed They ascended alsoe to that holie Cittie Because seates sat othere in iudgement because there the thrones of Christ and those that reigne with him are firmely fixt and established Semes vpon the house of Dauid according to that of the Prophet Isa 9. Isaie He shall sit vpon the throne of Dauid vpon his Kingdome that he maie confirme it and strengthen it in iudgement and iustice from this time for euer c. and as the Angell promised to our Lady saying Our Lord Luc. 1. God shall giue him the seate of Dauid his Father and he shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer The blessed reigning with Christ are the seates of God for The soule of the Sap. 7. iust man is the seate of the increate wisdome and these seates doe truly sitt in iudgement according to the promise of our Lord You which haue fâ—ll wed me in the Math. 19. regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sitt in the seate of his Maiestie you alsoe shall sitt vpon twâ—lue seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israel Moreouer they are seates founded vpon the house of Dauid because all the regall and iudiciaâ—ie power of the Saints dependeth of Christ who in the Ghospel is stiled the Sonne of Dauid and receiued the seate of Dauid his Father and shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer O all yee that aspire to this holie Cittie Aske the things that are for the peace of Ierusalem the things that conduce to the peace of Ierusalem Or thus Begge yee of almightie God the gifts of the holie Ghost whereby you maie merit to bee brought to the peace of Ierusalem And thou ò Ierusalem obtaine by thy intercession aboundance of spirituall graces for them that loue thee for vs of the militant Church who aspire to vnion with thee Peace ô triumphant Cittie bee made in thy strength in thy walls and fortifications and aboundance in thy towers in thy Pallaces that soe thou maist enioy compleate felicitie For peace without aboundance is à secure possession of miserie and aboundance without peace is à doubtfull incertaine felicitie but when both these doe concurre nothing is wanting which maie bee desired to the rendring of à Cittie happie and flourishing Concerning which you are to note that this good wish of the Prophet to the celestiall Ierusalem doth not signifie anie feare he had least peace and aboundance might euer bee wanting vnto it for he saith of it in another place who hath set thy â—sal 147. borders peace and filled thee with the fatte of corne but it is onely à pious expression of his affections towards it and of the ioy he conceiued in the consideration of the felicitie thereof in which manner it is saied in the Apccalipse Saluation to Apoc. 7. our God who sitteth vpon the throne and to the lambe c. For my brethren and neighbours sakes I spake peace of thee Out of the vnfâ—lned loue and charitie which moueth me incessantly to wish the bâ—st things to my brethren and neighbours I preached vnto them peace but what peace not the peace of or with the world which our Sauiour saied expresly he came not â—o Math. 10. Philip. 4. gine but the peace of thee ô heauenly Ierusalem which as S. Paul saieth passeth all vnderstanding c. For the house if our Lord God I haue sought good things mâ—ther Another consideration why I loue my saied brethren and neighbours is for that they are the house of our Lord God whome whilst I wish well vnto and seeke to make enamoured of thy peace I esteeme my selfe to haue sought good things to theâ— for by their vnion thy number will bee made compleate thy walls fully finished Behold à Psalme repeat with spirituall 〈◊〉 the first verse whereof we ought to pronounce with the feruour of diuine to â—e and internall iubilation considering that noe man can attaine to this celestiall Ierusalem vnlesse he bee an vnfained louer and diligent obseruer of peace and charitie Let vs therefore
endeauour to make good progresse in the true loue of God and our neighbour weighing and fulfilling carefully that of the Apostle I beseech you that you walke Ephes 4. worthie of the vocation in which you are called with all humiliâ—â—e and râ—â—dnesse with patiencee supporting one another in charitie carefull to Keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace for conuersing in the Militant Church in this sort they will bee esteemed worthie to bee introduced into the triumphant Church as being vpon earth imitators of the celestiall Cittizens Concerning the Expâ—cation of the Chapters as well of this Houre as of Sext and None I referre the Reader to what hath alreadie been 〈◊〉 in the explication of the lessons out of which the Chapters of these three Houres are taken The rule and argument of the 122. Psalme and first in Sext. IN this fourth Graduall Psalme is treated of the fourth step of internall ascension to witt To haue an vndaunted confidence in the diuine mercie amidst all aduersities and distresses in such sort that one maie bee able to saie with holie Iob. 13. 〈◊〉 Although he shall kill me I will trust in him The Prophet therefore speaking in the person of a man extreamely afflicted yet confiding immoueably in our Lord saieth The explication of the Psalme TO thee ô my God my sole comforter in tribulation I haue lifted vp â—yne eies attending succour who dwellest in the heauens where thou art pleased to manifest thy selfe in an ineâ—â—able manner is thou art indeed in thy selfe Behold as the eies of seruants are as it were fixt On the hands of their Maisters obseruing their commounds expecting their fauour and assistance and receiuing with humble thankfulnesse what benefitt or recompense soeuer they shall please to bestow vpon them and As the eies of the handmaid on the hands of her Mistresse in like sort soe are our eies to our Lord God imploring and hoping for aide pardon and grace Vntill he haue mercie on vs by graunting what wee require or at least wise doing what he knoweth to be most expedient for vs and this not onely in one or two necessities but vntill the houre of our death for during our whose life wee shall stand in need of his mercie Haue mercie on vs o Lord haue mercie 〈◊〉 vs because we are much replenished with contempt The elect indeed are despised by the reprobate Religious men by seculats humble men by the proud and poore men by the wealthie and as Iob afâ—â—rmeth The simplicitie of the iust is derided Iob. 12. The reason of this is manifest because good and euill are contraries and contraries cannot be at peace and vnitie one with another and therefore in respect that the iust are mild and patient as hauing learnt of our Sauiour not to resist but contrary wise when they are buffeted an one cheeke to turne the other they are contumeliously handled troden vnder foote vexed and scorned Because our soule is much replenished to witt with confusion and is made reproach to them that abound and contempt to the proud Yet a time will come that this reproach will be conuerted to their eternall benefitt and fall heauie vpon their aduersaries when at the daie of iudgement the Sap. 5. impious shall saie These are they whome we had sometime in derision and in à parable of reproach we senselesse esteemed their liues madnesse and their end without honour behold how they are counted among the children of God c. In this Psalme we are taught to raise the eies of our heart towards God in all our necessities and not to desist vntill we haue obtained mercie for it behoueth vs to praie alwaies and not to faile but to perseuere therein soe long as we are vested with mortalitie We are alsoe induced to this confident and holie eleuation by the example of our Sauiour of whome it is written That lifting vp his Ioh. 17. eies to heauen be saied Father the houre it come c And againe Iesus lifting his eies Ioh. 11. vpward saied Father I giue thee thaâ—kes c. The argument of the 123. Psalme and Second in Sext. ALthough this Psalme maie very fitly bee expounded in the person of the holie Martyrs now triumphing with Christ or of any other of the Saints now in glorie who haue entred into the eclestiall Kingdome by many tribulatione yet it maie noe lesse properly be applied to them that are vpon the waie toâ—ards eternall life who being by the diuine goodnesse freed from the euill of tentations passions and persecutions doe render thankes hereby for their deliuerie In this fift graduall Psalme is treated of the fift degree of internall ascension to witt Not to relie vpon our owne forces but to ascribe our deliuerie to the grace of almightie God whence our Lord saieth Least Israel glorie against â—ud 7. me and saie by my oâ—ne force I am deliuered The Prophet therefore in the person of such as haue experienced the gratious assistance of almightie God amidst their most greeuous tentations and mortall dangers saieth The explication of the Psalme BVt that our Lord was in vs let Israel saie let the people seeing God by faith acknowledge with à gratefull heart saying but that our Lord was in vs with vs and for vs directing and protecting vs in all occurrences VVhen men to witt infidels heretiks tyrants and maleuolent people rose vp against vs conspiring our ruine inâ—licting seuere punishments and endeauoring to the vtmost of their power to induce vs to the euill of fault perhaps they had swallowed vs aliue we hauing noe meanes to escape their furie for noe humane succour could protect or secure vs. This properly suteth with the persecutioÌ„ of the holie Martyrs whome Tyrants sought by all the waies they could cogitate to induce to Idolatrie 〈◊〉 the deniall of our Sauiour Christ whereunto if they had yeelded consent their soules had been absorpt not the bodie and soe they had been swallowed aliue for liuing in bodie they had been dead in soule and retaining the life of nature they had lost the life of grace and glorie VVhen their furie was angrie against vs perhaps waters of tribulations vehement persecutions had swallowed vs had prouailed against vs. By waters are signified great tribulations according to that of the Prophet Isaie Our Lord will bring vpon Isa 8. them the waters of the riuer strong and many the King of the Assirians and that of Ieremie Thren 3. The waters haue stiâ—ed euer my beâ—d Isaied I am vndone c. Our soule hath passed through à torrent to witt suddaine great troubles and â—entations patiently sustaining them and refusing to consent to what was suggested perhaps our soule had passed through 〈◊〉 intollerable water that is to saie Vnlesse 〈◊〉 Lord had succoureth vs we had been â—â—presse drand teÌ„pted aboue our strength â—o 〈◊〉 ouâ— soule had been inforced to passe through aâ— intollerable water to suffer such à persecution as we
the ministerie of his holie Angels the diuine law the holie Scriptures celestiall reuelations to vs mortalls His word runneth swâ—fily The Euangelicall law and doctrine of Christ was diâ—â—lged in all places through the whole earth in à short tyme by the preaching of the Apostles and Disciples for Into all Psal 18. the earth hath the sound of them gone forth into the endâ— of the whole world the words of them Christ indeed-sent forth his speech to the earth when he saied to his Apostles Going into the whole world preach the Marc. 16. Ghospell to all creatures but his word ranne swiftly when they did putt in execution and accomplished what he had foretold them to witt That they should bee witnesses Act. 1. vnto him in Ierusalem and in all Iewâ—ie and Sâ—marâ—â— and euen to the vtmost of the earth VVho giueth sâ—ow as wâ—oll He it is alsoe who by his diuine power disperseth the waters that are eleuated into the middle region and there congealed and makes them gently fall not vnlike to litle lockes of whitest wooll couering the cultiuated feilds as it were with a woollen mantle which defends the tender blades from the sharpe rigours of the hoarie frost Scattereth mist hoarie times made small as ashes These mists cause fertilitie to plants that are purified by the nipping cold of those grizely bearded rimes which repell all vitious sappe from trees and render them noe lesse aboundant in fruits then well nourished in bodie and branches VVho casteth his Christall as morsells Christall is generally esteemed to bee certaine peeces of vce here and there dispersed in great gobbits which by long condensation and freezing is become soe hard and solide that it cannot by any meanes bee dissolued and yet retaineth the clearenesse and luster of the element whereof it is produced Before the face of his cold of the excessiâ—e coldnesse which he can send at his pleasure in such extremitie that it will bee of power to conâ—ert water into Christall who shall endâ—re As if he should saie noe man is able to subâ—ist at the presence thereof for indeed there are some countreys which noe man can inhabite by reason of the excessiue coâ—dnesse He shall send forth his word and shall melt them his spirit shall blow and waters shall flow Almightie God is soe powerfull that with the least word he shall vouchsafe to let fall from his sacred mouth he can dissolue all the saied snowes frozen mists and congelations and with one blast of a Southerne wind cause the waters to runne as before These diuers effects of one the same cause doe signifie vnto vs the great efficacie of his diuine word whereby he augments the number of faithfull Christians made pure and white as snow by faith the Sacraments reducing them to Pennance signified by ashes thereby resoluing all the mists hoarie rimes which are the little obstacles that did congeale our soules to the end to render them more fertile in good workes when the Sunne of Iustice doth giue them light and life â—yea dissoluing Chrystall that is mollifying those rebellious obstinate and hard frozen hearts which retaine in apparence the splendor of christall shew an exteriour resemblance of worth and value and cannot bee dissolued by any exhortation whatsoeuer For when he pleaseth to sende his sacred word holie spirit manifested either by internall inspiration or by visible miracles and to breathe vpon their cold frozen couradges then behold them in an instant conuerted into teares and altogether inflamed with his loue and recurring to the riuers of Baptisme Some expound the former words VVho giueth snow as wool of the consolation which the Saincts receiue in tribulation according to that of the Apostle I am replenished with consolation I doe exceedingly 2. Cor. 7. abound in ioy in all our tribulateon For snow doth afflict with its coldnesse but wool doth cherish with its warmth God therefore doth giue snow as wooll because he giueth snow as if he gaue wooll for he giueth tribulation which is conuerted into the consolation of his Saints Moreouer they referre these words Scattereth mist as ashes to pennance which is designed by ashes for God scattereth the cloud or hoarie mist of tribulation whereby many are excited to pennance and soe God giueth mist as ashes because he giueth mist as though he gaue ashes in regard that tribulation leadeth to pennance Finally they expound these words He casteth his cristall aâ— morsellâ— of the greatest consolation which God almightie graunteth in tribulation for then he casteth his christall as morsells when he giueth yee as though he gaue bread because euen in the yee it selfe of tribulation he infuseth the bread of consolation VVho declareth his word to Iacob his iustices and iudgements to Israel He hath not done in like manner to any natioÌ„ and his iudgements he hath not made manifest to them The Prophet concludeth shewing what difference there is betweene the Prouidence of God towards his people and other nations For he hath taught other nations by naturall effects that they might come to acknowledge their creator by the consideration of created things but he hath taught his people by his Prophets O Ierusalem therefore praise our Lord who declareth his word to Iacob to witt to his people seeing him by faith speaking vnto them by Moyses and the Prophets and who declareth His iustices and Iudgements to Israel by his seruant Moyses vnto whome he gaue the law to deliuer it to his people of Israel Hence thou maist gather that he hath not done in like manner to any nationâ— because to thee alone and not to others he hath manifested his saied iudgements By his word his iustices and iudgements maiâ— alsoe hee vnderstood aduertisements necessarie to saluation bee it by word â—â— forme their manners bee it by statutes or ordinances for what concernes his seruice and the due worship in his true religion or finally bee it by iudgements foâ— that which appertaines to the distribution of iustice and right which must bee rendred to our neighbour all which God almightie hath in a peculiar manner deliuered to his elected people Behold à Psalme altogether repleaâ— with spirituall sweetnesse erecting our minds to the contemplation of heauenly things In it the Militant Church or euery one of the faithfull doth inuite the triumphant Church to praise the author of their be atitude not that the blessed need our admonition but that we congratulating them and 〈…〉 lating their felicitie maie bee incited thereby â—o labour to attaine their vnion Whilest therefore we repeate the first verse thereof let vs eleâ—ate our hearts to the ioyes of that superâ—â—all palace perlustrate that sacred Cittie with the eies of faith and sigh after the blisse thereof for whose loue we ought to flight all sensible and carnall things Let vs attend after our poore manner what ioyes the glorified soules doe securely possesse whose Cittie is fortified on all sides that noe
aduersitie shall euer enter nor danger approach it whose Cittizens are filled with eternall benediction whose borders are peace in such sort that they exult in the inestimable securitie of their perpetuall confirmation being satiated with the beatificall fruition of all goodnesse fed with the most pleasant tast of peace and resting inuariably in the delightfull embraces of their Creator The exposition of the Chapter in Vespres FRom the beginning and before the world was I created The sense of these words as they are mystically expounded and applied by the holy Church to the blessed Virgin is I whoe being ordained from all eternitie to bee the Mother of God the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world was alsoe constituted Mistresse Queene and Patronesse of all whoe shall be saued through the merits and Passion of him my beloued sonne and vnto the worlds end I shall not cease to performe that chardge and by continuall intercession to obtaine eternall happinesse for such as shall haue recourse to mee and implore my assistance and in the holie habitation I haue ministred before him protecting and gouerning the hearts of the faithfull in the Militant Church with dominion ouer their inuisible enimies and reigning in the Triumphant as Queene of Merciâ— and abounding with the graces of à Mother and à Virgin The argument of the Canticle of the most glorious Virgin Mother of God IT hath been graunted to some of the old Testament that hauing receiued singular benefits of almightie God they should compose and offer vnto him à Canticle in memorie of them as now we see the same fauour bestowed vpon the blessed Virgin who considering the ineffable benefits of God conferred vpon her and wrought in her could not containe her selfe from rendring praise thankefulnesse especially for that the onely begotten Sonne of God did vouchsafe to assume humane flesh in her wombe Hereof there was formerly à type in Anna whoe hauing by supernaturall bountie conceiued and brought forth Samuel did sing this reioycing verse My 1. Reg. 2 heart reioyced in our Lord. which in some things is the same with this of the blessed Virgin The exposition of the Canticle MY soule doth magnifie our Lord. O beloued Cosen Elisabeth you beholding in spirit what hath happened vnto me doe praise extoll and magnifie me stiling me blessed among women and â—other of your Lord but I knowing that I neither haue nor am any thing of my selfe doe ascribe all my good to God almightie praise him and depresse my selfe Indeed my soule altogether rauished and eleuated in the contemplation of the fauours receiued from his immense Majestie doth magnifie him celebrating his praises with all its forces she imploies all her faculties powers to sing his infinite greatnesse and publish his incomprehensible goodnesse And my spirit hath exulted in God my Saâ—iour I haue soe many occasions of gladnesse that my spirit is altogether in extasie and replenished with ioy aboue imagination that my heart is astonished with amazement I haue exulted with excesse of internall consolation in that God my Sauiour haâ—â— been pleased to serue himselfe of me to bring his saluation into the world Because he hath regarded the humilitie of his hand maid for behold from hence forth all generations shall call me blessed He hath respected approued been â—â—ll pleased with my humilitie the sub 〈…〉 sion and pouertie of spirit whereof I haue euer made constant profession the most humble seruice which I haue dedicated vnto him and soe hath had pittie of the affliction in which I liued to behold the Scepter of my Father Dauid in the profane hand of à stranger and such à multitvde of soules lost precipitated into darkenesse by the Prince of error and alsoe of the anxietie of my spirit expecting the light of the Messias that soe long delaied his comming But aboue all he hath daigned to regard the humilitie of his poore vnworthie seruant hath beheld my will purely resigned to his therefore from henceforth by reason of that benediction wherewith it hath pleased his goodnesse to replenish me Behold now he will come without faile and all sorts of nations shall call me eternally happie and blessed And not with out good reaâ—on Because he that is mightie hath done great things to me and holie is â—is name Indeed the gifts which it hath pleased the almightie to bestow on me surpasse in greatnesse and excellencie all other gifts how adâ—â—rable rich exquisite magnificeÌ„t soeuâ—â— for what is there comparable to the fauour which God hath shewed me electing me for his Mother being à Virgin of humble condition that God would be come Man in my wombe to the end that one daie he might make Man God that he hath rendred me Mother of his Sonne conseruing intiâ—e the seale of my vowed virginitie All these gifts exceed humane sense and iudgement Wherefore referring all to his omnipotencie my soule hath iust cause to magnifie him my spirit to bee reioyced and all the whole world to stile me for euer happie and I am obliged by all the lawes of gratitude to blesse his glorious and holie name vpon which depends sactification and saluation à name admirable à name sacred à name holie à name of which the vertue and power maie bee as little comprehended as limited And his mercie from generation vnto generations to them that feare him As his omnipotencie is without limits his mercie alsoe hath made it selfe appeare infinite extending it selfe from generation to generation from Fathers to their children vpon all those that loue and serue him with à filiall feare obserue his precepts He hath shewed might in his arme he hath dispersed the proud in the conceit of their heart He hath wrought most excellently and shewed the inexpugnable power of his arme which is the Mâ—ssâ—as his onely Sonne by the inuincible hand of whome he hath made all things He hath not imploied for this admirable worke the Angells and celestiall powers by whome he was serued heretofore but he hath assisted himselfe by his owne strong arâ—e his powerfull Sonne to saue humane nature and recouer it from the mouth of hell and accursed Sathan with his proud impostors whose arrogant and impudent designes he hath frustrated subuerting his Empire vnder which he endeauored to subiect the whole world He hath deposed the mightie from their fear and hath exalted the humble He hath â—â—posed these mutinous and proud rebellâ— from the glorious thrones of which they were vnworthie esteeming that what they had in their power Fortitude and beautie proceeded from noe other then themselues from their proper merits without being willing to acknowledgâ— the true author He hath transferred the Priesthood the Scepter and iudgement from the hands of them who abused their power and hath placed them in the â—ands of the humble meeke and patients who presume nothing of themselues but rather with all submission are humbled vnder the all powerfull hand of his diuine Majestie
metaphorially be vnderstood of the celestiall Ciâ—tizens themselues in whome he is after à most excellent and singular manner by his beatificall presence or of vertuous and deuout soules here on earth whose conuersation is in heauen for of those the Apostle saieth You are the Temple of the liuing God God is in all things by his essence presence and power penetrating inuironing and conseruing all things and is more neare and intime to euery thing then any part is to it 's whole or any thing is to it self for he alone slideth as it were into the essences of things neither is any thing present to an other but onely by vertue of the diuine presence The Prophet witnesseth VVâ—â— doe not I fill heauen Ierem. 23. Psal 138. and earth VVâ—â—ther shall I goe saieth holie Dauid fâ—om thy Spirit or whither shall I flâ—â— fâ—om thy face If I shall ascend in to heauen thou art there If I descend into hell thou art present vizt exerâ—â—sing the act of Iustice S. Augustine affirmeth that God is in li. medita c. 29. all places without place that he containeth all things not being inuironed by them that he is present in all places withouâ— motion that he beareth all things and is not burthened and that he filleth all things not being included Yet he is truely saied to dwell in Heauen particularly according to what he hath insinuated by his Prophet Isaie Heauen is my seat and the earth my footestoole and wee reade in the Psalmes Our Lord his seat is in Heauen hauing designed that place as his court and there placed his royall tâ—rone where hee doth particularly manifest himselfe to his beloued Since then by these words Our Father which art in heauen we acknowledge God almighty now in the law of grace to haue aduanced vs to soe eminent à degree of honor as to adopt vs his Sonnes and coâ—eires with his owne naturall Sonne Christ Iesus let vs esteeme ourselues to remaine in this world as in à place of banishement farr distant from that happy region whereunto we confesse ourselues to laie claime let vs hastâ—n thither and haue all our affections bent thither wards auoiding all things that maie be any hinderance vnto vs in the pursuite thereof let vs I saie behaue ourselues in all things as besitteth the Sonnes of soe potent and glorious à Father in nothing regarding our owne priuate commoditie but rather imploying our whole forces to set forth his glory and magnificence saying to that end the first Petition Sanctified be thy Name THese words maie be taken in diuers senses as First for the holy name of God it self which the Iewes did hold in such exceeding reuerence that they dared not to pronounce the word Iehoua which signified the essence of God and it is à constant tradition that is was onely once à yeare spoken and that by the high Priest when he entered into Sancta Sanctorum Ps 75. God is knowne in Iewrie saieth the Prophet in Israel his name is great Ps 112. and in an other place From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe the name of our Lord is laâ—dable Praise yee his name because Ps 99. our Lord is sweet S. Thomas of Aquine â— 56 Isaâ—ae saieth the name of God is great to be feared holy to be â—euerenced sweet to be meditated on copious to giue mercy efficacious to impetrate powerfull to cause saluation secret to be knowne Secondly they maie be vnderstood soe that we desire hereby that all nations of the earth maie come to the light of Faith and that they maie know that God alone is worthy of all praise and glory and consequently that they maie tremble at his Maiestie admire his works be enamoured with his beautie and euen languish to behold his vnspeakable goodnes Ps 65. saying with the holy Prophet Let all the earth adore thee and sing to thee let it sing à Psalme to thy name and in an other Ps 95. place Shew forth his glorie amongst the Genâ—iles his maruelous workes in all people Alas wretched vngratfull and indeuoute as we are how often doe we pronounce this petition without due attention and consequently without due reuerence and spirituall feruour Let vâ— therefore doe ourselues what we desire should be done by all men that is to saie let vs endeauour by frequenting learned exhortations reading pious bookes and exercising ourselues in holy contemplations to come to know how excellent how infinitely good sweet and mercifull à God we haue that by sucâ— knowledge we maie be excited to serue and honor loue and praise him euery where and at all tymes Lastly they maie be vnderstood that we desire by those words that our heauenly Father will be pleased either to make vs capable to comprehend his sanctification or at least to appeare holy in our religious conuersation which will be fulfilled in vs when mens all see the workes which he hath perfected in vs and glorify his name therefore Vertuâ—â— men doe sanctify God whilâ—â— by liuing holily they demonstrate God whoâ—â— they soe serue to be holy And contrary wise Vitious men by their iniust and irreligious conuersation are truely saied to commaculate and defile the name of our Lord because they liue in such à manner as though God did approue of iniustice and were not holy and doe as much as in tâ—e lieth embolden others by their wicked and dissolute example to dishonor him Hence it is that almighty God vpbraiding the perfidious children of Israel saieth You haue polluted my holy Ezech. 36. name and againe I will sanctify my great name which you haue polluted amidst the Gentiles Let thy Kingdome come THe Kingdome here mentioned is by some expounded of the militant Church as thus Let thy Kingdome come that is let the militant Church in which thou reignest by faith and grace be multiplied and spred through the whole world and let her enimies especially the deuills be cast forth of her that thou alone maiest peaceably reigne in â—er By others it is expounded of the Kingdome of God which the holy Euangelist saieth is within vs and being Luc. 17 taken in this sense the Kingdome of God cannot come whilst sinne reigneth in our hearts and we doe obey to the concupiscences thereof and therefore we praie Let thy Kingdome come that is streÌ„gthen vs by thy grace that we maâ—â— be enabled through tâ—e assistance thâ—reof to free our hearts from the seruitude of sinne and to dispose ourselues by the practise of vertues that thou maiest peaceably enter and assume the gouerment of our hearts Of this Kingdome the Prophet maketh mention where he Ps 22. saieth Our Lord ruleth me and nothing shall bee wanting to me He hath condâ—â—ted me vpon the pathes of iustice c. Finally it is expounded of the Triumphant Church as that we praie hereby that the walls of the Celestiall Ierusalem maie be reedified and the ruine of the Angells
note that the Iewes in reuerence of their Sabbaoth did number the daies of the weeke from that daie calling the daie immediatly following the first of the Sabbaoth and soe forth of the rest The Gentils called the daies of the weeke by the names of the Planets to wit SuÌ„nedaie Moonedaie c. but the holie Church doth call our Sabbaoth which was the first of the Sabbaoth according to the Iewish accouÌ„t our Lords daie in honour of the Resurrection of our Sauiour on that daie and the daie immediatly following the first Feria and soe forth of the rest signifying thereby that all good Christians ought euery daie to feriate that is to liue holily abstayning from sinne vaine vnnecessary imployment yet not desisting from lawfull labours The sense therefore of this title is The Psalme written by Dauid for the glorie of the Resurrection of Christ which was to bee vpon the first of the Iewish Sabbaoth when Christ rysing on that daie should haue all power giuen him in heauen and vpon earth THE ARGVMENT HOlie Dauid by this Psalme doth intend to shew how of the innumerable multitude of men onely Christ and some few few indeed I maie saie in respect of the multitude of others shall enter into the celestiall house of our Lord. And therefore least perhaps any should beleeue that the residue of mankind did not belong to God but were created by some other Principle as afterwards the Marcionists and Manichees did suppose he declareth and prooueth in the beginning of this Psalme that man and all things else whatsoeuer are our Lords as being their Creator and conseruer which being soe he admireth the inscrutable iudgements of almightie God that out of the plenitude of the earth soe small à number compared with the rest should ascend inâ—o the mount of our Lord that is into his holie Church and that euen of those all should not perseuer in his holie place and dispose themselues to receaue the benediction and the mercie from their Sauiour that is to bee made partakers by him of the merits of his death and Passion but onely such as should haue the fower conditions he there specifieth Next the Prophet addresseth himself towards the Princes of darknes commaunding them to open their gates that Christ maie enter and set free the captiue soules whose ransome he hath paied vpon the Crosse And lastly he speaketh â—o the celestiall powers to open their gates that Christ and his blessed traine and all others that shall euen vntill the end of the world take vp their Crosse and follow him maie enter and keepe an eternall Sabbaoth The exposition of the Psalme THe earth is our Lords and the fulnes thereof all things therein contained to wit men beasts all that groweth thereon or is within her bowells the round world the circumference of the earth and all that dwell therein all these are our Lords as being their Creator gouernour conseruer Because he hath founded firmely placed it the earth or round world vpon the sea vpon certaine armes of the Ocean which inuiron it Yet this is not to bee vnderstood as though the earth properly speaking were aboue the sea for the earth is the Center of the vniuerse whence it is necessarie that it bee in the middest of the world and consequently according to its naturall seate incompassed by the waters and for the greatest part in the middest of them but it is saied to bee placed aboue the sea because by the diuine prouidence it is not wholly ouerwhelmed by the waters but that part which boundeth vpon the sea and the superficies thereof is higher then the sea that creatures maie liue and feed thereon Me then saieth our Lord will Ierem. 5. v. 22. you not feare who haue set the sand à limit for the sea an euerlasting precept that shall not passe the waues thereof shall swell and shall not passe ouer it And vpon the riuers hath prepared it made it an habitation fit for men and other liuing creatures The two precedent verses as likewise the rest of this Psalme maie bee explained in à more spirituall sense as followeth The earth the Church militant remaining vpon earth producing plentifull fruit of holie conuersation is our Lords and the fulnes thereof the whole vertue grace perfection of the faithfull ought by all right to bee ascribed vnto him as being the author and giuer thereof the round world the holie Church spread through all the confines of the earth or collected of people from all the ends of the earth and all that dwell therein all the true beleeuers established in Ecclesiasticall vnitie of faith and operation All these belong to our Lord Iesus Christ who hath purchased them with his pretious bloud That he might present to himself Ephe. 5. à glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Because he hath founded it vpon the Sea vpon secular men wallowing and wauering as the Sea from one vanitie and inconstancie into an other or thus He hath founded it he hath strengthned his Church vpon the Sea vpon the persecutions tribulations bitternesses and inconstances of the world Yet this is not to bee vnderstood that these before named are the bases or foundations of the Church but that Christ hath established his Church in such sort against them that although they should neuer soe much endeauour to subuert her as the vast billowes of the sea doe menace to inuolue and swallow vp the earth yet she shall subsist and neuer bee altogether ouercome by them And vpon the riuers vpon vices gliding like riuers inordinately and without ceasing from one sensuall pleasure to another but neuer satiating hath prepared it disposed the holie Church to combate against them VValking in flesh saieth the Apostle we 2. Cor. 10. warre not according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie to God Since therefore all things are our Lords as hath been proued VVho shall ascend into the Mount of our Lord who from the seruitude of sinne shall ascend to the obedience of the holie Church who shall forsake the world and enter into religion who from imperfection shall ascend to perfection who from this vale of teares shall ascend into the Kingdome of heauen Or who shall stand in his holie place who shall perseuer to the end in the saied mount of our Lord verily all men shall not It is true indeed that many wicked and reprobate people doe ascend into the mount of our Lord but they stand not there for that belongeth onely to them in whome are found the fower properties following The innocent of hands who hath not iniured any man by his actions and of cleane heart who hath his heart purified from the staine or guilt of sinne and affection thereunto that hath not taken his soule in vaine that hath not neglected to fulfill those things for which his soule was created and infused into the body to wit to adorne it with vertues
for thy loue for he is the Lord thy God and they to wit all that shall beleeue in him shall adore him according Daniel 7. to that of the Prophet All peoples Tribes and tongues shall serue him And the daughters of Tyre of that great cittie neare to the land of Iuda called Tyre by whome are signified the Gentils shall present him with gifts all the rich of the earth shall beseech thy countenance shall with humble praiers and gifts seeke to winne thy fauour that they maie bee admitted to bee of thy traine and by thy meanes bee brought vnto his presence All the glorie of that daughter of the King who sometymes is called the Queene the spouse of Christ and the Church is within in interiour vertues and beautie of her mynd not in exteriour vaine fading things in borders of gold in workes of charitie clothed round about with varieties with the acts of diuers vertues In these consisteth her glorie and with these she trimmeth and adorneth herselfe that she maie appeare amiable in the eies of her spouse who is not delighted with exteriour vaine dressings and attyre Virgins shall bee brought to the King after her in the first principall place after her Virgins shall bee brought to thee ô Christ and next after them her neighbours holie widowes and such as lead their liues in lawfull wedlocke vsing it for the true end for which marriage was instituted and not for carnall delectation shall bee brought to thee They shall bee brougâ—t in ioy and exultation of body and spirit they shall bee brought into the temple of the King into the Kingdome of heauen after their passadge out of this place of banishement For thy Fathers in the place of the holie Patriarks and Propâ—ets thy Fathers ô holie Church ô spouse of Christ there are borne to thee sonnes Apostles Bishops and Priests thou shalt make them Princes ouer all the earth and they shall prescribe lawes to the whole earth which neuer yet any temporall Monarch could doe They and all those they shall begett in Christ Iesus shall bee mindfull of thy name in all generation and generation shall seeke to dilate thy glorie in all ages Therefore shall peoples of all nations â—â—ome the holie Apostles and their successors haue taught and instâ—ucted Confesse vnto thee for euer shall praise thee vnto the end of the world and for euer and euer for eternitie This their praise shall beginne in this world and continue in the future without end By the espoused here mentioned all Expositors doe vnderstaÌ„d the holie Church because the Apostle in the 5. to the Ephesians doth most clearly teach that the holie Church is the espoused of Christ Notwithstanding all that is here spoken of her in this Psalme maie alsoe bee fitly applied to euery perfect soule and principally to the Blessed Virgin who although she bee the Mother of Christ according to the flesh is neuerthelesse the espoused of Christ according to the spirit and amongst the members of the holie Church is deseruedly alotted vnto her the cheifest place of dignitie which is the reason that this Psalme is appointed to bee song in all her feasts and in the feasts of the other holie virgins The title and argument of the 45. Psalme and fift in the Nocturne Office VNto the end to the Sonnes of Chore A Psalme directing to the end which is Christ to the faithfull who shall imitate Christ crucified For secrets for hidden mysteries which shall bee reueiled in the later daies This Psalme is fitly placed next to the former for in the former was foretold the exaltation of the holie Church by the spirituall nuptialls with Christ our Lord in this is foreshewed the persecution which shall happen vnto her after the departure of her beloued spouse vnto his heauenly Kingdome her deliuery from those afflictions which shall principally come to passe towards the end of the world The exposition of this Psalme OVr Lord is à refuge vnto vs when we are inforced to fly persecution and strength when we tollerate it and in both flying and tollerating he is an helper and comforter in tribulations which haue found vs exeeedingly which haue happened vnto vs aboue measure Therefore will wee not feare when the earth shall bee troubled although the earth bee wonderfully shaken and mountaines transported into the heart or middest of the sea with great violence Or thus therefore we that hane placed our confidence in God will not feare when earthly men who haue had their affections wholly bent vpon terrene transitory things shall tremble with great horror in the daie of iudgement and the proud and mightie men of the world shall bee throwne into the very depth and middest of hell Or thus as being the words of the Primitiue Church hauing placed her hope in our Lord Iesus Christ Therefore we will not feare with à carnall humane and inordinate feare when the land of Iuda or the people of the Iewes shall bee troubled labouring in vaine to extirpate the young plants of Christ and blot out the memory of him in mens hearts neither will we then feare when the Apostles and disciples of Christ shall bee inforced to leaue Iewrie and passe to the Gentils inhabiting the middest of the earth Their waters haue sounded the clamours false accusations of the Iewes and Gentils haue sounded before the tribunalls of the Presidents Kings whither they haue conuented the disciples of Christ and were troubled to behold that they laboured in vaine to hinder the propagation of the Christian faith the mountaines were troubled the high Priests and the Princes and Potentates of the earth were moued some to impatience and persecution and others to Pennance and imitation in his strength beholding his diuine power in whose name the Apostles wrought wonderfull signes and miracles for confirmation of the doctrine which they promulgated The two following verses are expounded diues waies and first of the Militant Church The violence of the riuer the fountaine of sacred Baptisme maketh the militant Church the Citty of God ioyfull with spirituall gladnesse The highest God who alone can make cleane him that is conceiued of vncleane seed hath sanctified his tabernacle the Church of the elect or the elect themselues who according to the Apostle are the temple of the liuing God in whome he will dwell walke God is in the middest thereof of the foresaied temple as à strong pillar sustaining it on all sides who saieth of himself that VVhere there bee two or three gathered Math. 18. together in his name there he is in the middest of them It shall not bee moued the holie Church shall not faile in her faith nor bee suppressed or ouerwhelmed by tentation and tribulation because God will help it in the morning presently soe soone as she shall call vpon him for aide early in the spirituall Aurora to wit in the instant of infusion of grace or illumination of the holie Ghost Secondly they are
expounded of the Triumphant Church as followeth The fountaine of wisdome or the inundation of the holie Ghost maketh the triumphant Church ioyfull with the ioy of beatificall fruition the highest Hath sanctified the hearts of the blessed which is hâ—s tabernacle God is in the middest of the triumphant Church therefore it shall not bee moued from the state of beatitude In the instant that any of the blessed thall bee receiued into the Kingdome of glorie God will confirme them in grace Thirdly they are applyed to the Blessed Virgin as followeth The word of God Christ Iesus our Lord in whome is the originall source immense plenitude of all true delight hath filled his blessed Mother with ioy exultation assuming humane nature in her sacred wombe Christ hath sanctified her and preserued her from all impuritie He hath rested nine monthes in her wombe and euer since in the Center of her immaculate soule She shall not bee moued from good to euill but shall remaine stable and immoueable in God because he will sanctifie her and fortify her in perfection of grace euen in her Mothers wombe Nations are troubled by the preaching miracles of the disciples of our Sauiour some to Pennance admiration others to obstinacy and opposition and Kingdomes are inclined are humbled to faith and holie obedient conuersation learning of Christ who was mild and humble of heart He Christ gaue his voice by himselfe his disciples and their successors and the earth was moued The saied humiliation of Kingdomes was foretold bythe Prophet Isaie in these words He to wit Christ Isa 26. will how downe them that dwellon hight thé high cittie he will abase By the high cittie is vnderstood Rome which at that tyme was Lady of the world of which the same Prophet à litle after â—aieth The foote shall tread it downe the feete of the poore maiâ— the steps of the needy By the poore man is vnderstood S. Peter à poore fisher man and by the steps of the needy the preaching of S. Peter and Paul who liued in voluntary pouertie for by their preaching the vnbeleeuing glorie and magnificent ostentation of the Romans was brought to embrace Christian humilitie The Lord of hostes is with vs Christ the King of glorie the vertue and wisdome of the Father who is stiled Emanuel that is God with vs hath come vnto vs and dwelled with vs in his assumpted humane nature the God of the Patriarke Iacob is our defender Come ye that desire saluation come not soe much by corporall motion as by faith and affections of the heart and see the workes of our Lord and consider and ponder seriously in your mynds what wonders he hath put vpon the earth to wit the Incarnation of his onely sonne the making of à Virgin to conceiue bring forth à Sonne and yet remaine à Virgin innumerable other admirable workes farre transcending the ordinary course of nature taking away warres euen vnto the end of the earth causing an vniuersall peace ouer all the world at the tyme of the birth of Christ our Lord as à figure of the spirituall peace which our Sauiour brought vnto all mankind to wit peace betweene God and man according to that of the Apostle God was in Christ reconciling 2. Cor. 5. the world to himselfe peace alsoe betweene the Iewes and Gentils He is our Ephes 2. peace who hath made both one c. He shall destroy the bow and breake weapons and shields he shall burne with fire This peace which Christ shall bring shall bee soe vniuersall and endure for soe long à space that men shall conuert their weapons and warlike engins to other vses according to that of the Prophet The Isa 2. law shall come forth of Sion and the word of our Lord from Ierusalem and he shall iudge the Gentils and rebuke many peoples they shall turne their swords into coulters and their speares into sithes c. This verse maie bee expounded in à more spirituall sense as followeth He shall destroy the bow Christ shall laie open and destroy the hidden deceits of the wicked endeauoring by flatery and faire promises to seduce the good and breake the weapons to wit open persecutions manifest diabolicall inuasions And the shields to wit the fallacies wherewith peruerse men doe couer and defend their errors he shall burne with fire by condemning the peruerse to hell fire or illuminating and inflaming the hearts of the faithfull to discerne resist their machinations Bee quiet abstract your hearts from vaine euill and vnprofitable things adhere to me with your whole mind attend to me fixe your desires vpon me and simplify your actions and see by affectionate contemplation and experimentall gust that I am God your Creator prouisor Sauiour gouernour that neuer cease to haue care of you that am alwaies ready to helpe you and to infuse consolation in such sort that you maie euen by experience acknowledge that I am your God Whosoeuer hath à desire to tast and proue this experimentall gust of God must of necessitie keepe à diligent watch ouer his heart flie concupiscence contemne pleasures shunne dissolution or loosenes of life repell and quit himselfe from superfluous imployments of body and minde seeke and sigh incessantly after that one thing onely necessary Make vnto you new fallow Ierem. 4. ground saieth the Prophet and sow not vpon thornes bee circumcised to our Lord and take away the prepuces of your hearts I shall bee exalâ—ed among the Gentils I the onely sonne of God and Sauiour of the world by the preaching of my disciples shall bee ackowledged honoured and worshipped by the Gentils according to that of the Prophet From the rising of Malach. 1. the sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentils I shall bee exalted in the earth in the peoples of the Iewes neare the end of the world when the fulnes of the Gentils hath entred The Lord of Hostes is with vs c. This verse in regard of the sweetnes of the signification and dignitie thereof is iterated for to imprint it the better in the heart of the Chanter What I haue saied before maie suffice for explication thereof with this obseruation That whereas Exod. 3. in Exodus we read that God almightie stiled himselfe the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob affirming that this is his name for euer the Prophet here expresseth onely the God of Iacob for this reasoÌ„ as it maie seeme because as Iacob supplanted his brother of the benediction and inheritance soe the sonne of God who alone assumed humane nature supplanted the disobedient Angels of the benediction inheritance which was as it were due to them by prioritie of Creation and obtained it for man kind Behold how full this Psalme is of diuine misteries in which faith is corroborated hope in God is established fortitude is excited the beginning of the new
borne Church is explicated the grace of Baptisme is commended the benefits of God recounted the Incarnation of Christ is designed the faithfull are inuited to the consideration of the diuine workes the diuine power is openly declared à most sweet and paternall admonition is contained the magnificence of our Sauiour is set forth and finally the most excellent benefit of his holie Incarnation is repeated to shew that it cannot bee to oft remembred Let vs therefore endeauour to sing this Psalme with all feruour of deuotion beseeching almightie God in our hearts to bee our refuge and comfort in all our necessities both corporall and spirituall The title and argument of the 86. Psalme and 6. in The Nocturne Office TO the children of Chore to the faithfull imitators of Christ à Psalme of Canticle à Psalme containing spirituall ioy In this Psalme is sung the praise of the Cittie of Ierusalem by which noe doubt the Christian Church ought to bee vnderstood For although that which is saied in the beginning of the Psalme to wit That the foundations thereof are in the holie mountaines maie bee applied to the terrene Cittie of Ierusalem yet the rest to wit That the Babylonians Aegiptians and Tyrians are in it doth not squarre therewith But to the Church militant or triumphant all that is saied doth fitly agree The exposition of the Psalme THe foundations thereof The Prophet expresseth not the name of the thing whereunto the word thereof hath relation for the same reason as it maie seeme which moued S. Marie Magdalene to saie vnto him whome she supposed to bee the gardiner Sir if thou hast taken him away tell me where thou hast layed him c. O excessiue loue She beleeued noe mans minde could bee ignorant of him with whose feruent loue hers was filled and wholly possessed In like manner the Prophet in regard of the ardent loue he bore towards the holie Church doth not expresse the name thereof and yet the words following doe shew that he had relatiō thereunto as being the thing he foretold in his heart His words are these The foundations thereof to wit of the holie Church which I contemplate in spirit are collected and established in the holie mountaines in Christ the mount of mountaines principally and secondarily in the Apostles and Prophets who doe sustaine the spirituall fabricke of the Church according to that of the Apostle Other 1. Cor. 3. foundation noe man can laye beside that which is layed which is Christ Iesus and in another place Build vpon the foundation of Ephe. 2. the Apostles and Prophets Our Lord loueth the gates of this spirituall Sion our Lord accepteth and approueth of the Sacramēts vertues Exorcisme Catechisme Baptisme of the holie Church which are as it were the gates entrances into à spirituall life aboue the tabernacles of Iacob before or rather then the rites and ceremonies obserued by the children of Israell whilst they liued in tents and Pauilions In the Prophecy of Malachias God almightie doth seeme to dislike and reiect the Synagogue and her manner of worship and to approue and gratefully accept of the Christian Church and the forme of seruice vsed therein I haue noe Malach. 1. will in you to wit the Synagogue saieth the Lord of hostes and gift I will not receiue of your hand But of the holie Church he saieth From the rising of the Sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentils and in euery place there is sacrificing there is offered to my name à cleane oblatiō Morally by Sion are vnderstood the speculators of celestiall things and by Iacob the supplanters of vices Our Lord therefore doth loue Sion to wit the vertues and good workes of contemplatiue men more or better then the tabernacles of Iacob to wit the inhabitants of the earth designed by Iacob who although they liue in the grace of God haue not as yet throughly mortified their coneupiscences and altogether subdued vice but haue need to combate daily against inordinate motions Nothwithstanding that these labour more then speculatiue perfect mē yet they merit à lesser guerdon or reward then they because their acts doe not proceede from such sincere perfect and feruent loue as the acts of contemplatiue persons neither doe they operate soe readily peaceably sweetly and delightfully as contemplatiues and speaking absolutely by how much the more readily quietly delightfully any man doth execute the worke of God by soe much the more doth he merit Glorious things are saied of thee ô Citty of God not onely of the triumphant Church but alsoe of the militant to wit that the Sonne of God shall visite her in person and that all nations tribes and peoples shall flocke vnto her from all parts of the earth and make suite to be admitted to inhabite within her walls which is insinuated by the words that follow I will bee mindfull of Raab and Babylon knowing me Raab in this place is not the proper name of that woman who hid the messengers of Iosue but according to S. Ierome it is here an apellatiue name designing as à propertie pride or proud whereby are designed the Pagans giuen to idolatrie and rebellious to God and Babylon is by interpretation confusion The sense therefore of these words seemeth to bee I will bee mindfull by shewing mercie of Raab and Babylon to wit of the proud Gentils and of those that liue in the confusion of sinnes knowing me by faith after I am soe mindfull of them This our Lord performed sending his Apostles to the whole world of whome S. Simon and Iude preached the Gospell to the Babylonians and conuerted the greatest part of them to the faith of Christ Behold the forreiners the Philisthians and Tyre and the people of the Aethiopians these were there to wit in the Citty of Christ These nations are here expressed by name because they bordered vpon the land of Iuda and did first embrace the Christian faith yet by them are designed all the infidels of the whole world which came o◠shall come to ioyne in vnion of faith with the holie Church Shall it not bee saied of Sion Man and man is borne in her and the highest himselfe founded her As if he should saie yes it shall bee saied of Sion that many men or almost euery man shall bee regenerated in her by the Sacrament of Baptisme and that God founded her These words are otherwaies deliuered by very many of the most learned and auncient Fathers as followeth Shall not man saie to Sion and man is borne in her and he the most high hath founded her As if the Prophet had saied Yes verily Man shall saie to Sion to wit to the holie Church as followeth and Man is borne in her Christ God and man is borne of the B. Virgin the most worthy member in the Church and he to wit Christ our Lord soe borne in the Church according to his humane nature being the most high according to his
diuine nature hath founded her By the man that shall saie these admirable things to Sion Some doe vnderstand S. Iohn the Baptist of whome is Ioh. 1. saied There was à man sent from God c. For he was the first that announced to Sion that Christ was come of whome the Prophet Isaie saieth Vpon an high mountaine Isa 40. get thee vp thou that euangelizest to Sion exalt thy voice in strength say to the Citties of Iuda behold your God Others vnderstand Christ to bee that man because he very often saied to the Iewes and to his disciples that he himselfe was the man whome they expected should bee borne the Sauiour of the world Our Lord will declare in Scriptures of peoples and of Princes of those that haue been in her By this verse the Prophet doth seeme to make answer to the interrogation made in the precedent verse And according to the first interpretation thereof to wit Shall it not bee saied of Sion c. he seemeth here to answer Yes truely it shall bee saied for our Lord will declare it c. But according to the second interpretation to wit Shall not man saie to Sion c. he seemeth to answer Yes truely man shall saie that which followeth in the verse to Sion and not onely one that is à pure man but that man who is both God and man our Lord shall declare it in à more perfect manner in the Scriptures of peoples and Princes that all ages to the end of the world maie take notice that the onely Sonne of God Christ Iesus God and man is borne in her accordâ—ng to his humane nature and that he hath founded her according to his diuine nature And moreouer he shall declare and write downe the names of those that haue been in her who are soe many that he alone is able to doe it By Scriptures of the peoples some doe vnderstand the new testament others the bookes wherein the names of the elected people are registred which shall not bee published vntil the daie of IudgemeÌ„t when the booke of life shall bee opened and by the Princes are vnderstood the Apostles who as it is written were constituted Psal 44. Princes ouer all the world The habitation in thee holie Church designed here by Sion is as it were of all reioycing is like to that habitation where all doe reioyce This verse maie in some respects bee applied to the militant Church by reason of the exceeding ioy peace of conscience which true Christian Catholickes doe possesse who reioyce in hope as being of that number vnto whome the Apostle saieth Reioyce Philip. 4. in our Lord alwaies againe Isaie Reioyce yet it cannot properly bee applied thereunto where we are to worke our Saluation with feare and trembling but it agreeth most properly with the happy estate of the triumphant Church where the blessed spirits doe securely enioy what neither eie hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man without the least feare of euer being depriued thereof Behold how excellently the holie Church is praised in this compendious Psalme how clearely the mysterie of the incarnation of our Sauiour is insinuated and the ioyes of the celestiall countrey commended It behoueth vs to sing it by soe much the more deuoutly and affectionately by â—ow much the more clearely the calling of the Gentils is foretold in it And in regard it is something intricate it behoueth vs to study to vnderstand the true sense thereof and consider it attentiuely for otherwise we shall not bee able to recite it with such deuotion as the misteries therein contained doe require we should The title and argument of the 95. Psalme and 7. in the Nocturne Office A Canticle to Dauid himselfe when the howse was built after the captiuitie This title was prefixed by Esdras and the Psalme was appointed by him to bee song when the Temple was reedified after the Babylonian captiuitie but the Psalme was composed by holie Dauid vpon occasion of the bringing backe of the Arke into Ierusalem and ordained by him to bee soÌ„g at that tyme. Which notwithstanding it is certaine that the principall intention of the Prophet and of the holie Ghost himselfe was to foreshew the coÌ„ming of Christ and his Kingdome when as the Apostle witnesseth â—oloss God did deliuer vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the Kingdome of the Sonne of his loue For as S. Augustine doth well note there is noe mention at all made through out the whole Psalme either of the bringing backe of the Arke or of the building of the Temple after the captiuitie but of the thing signified by the building of the Temple at that tyme Therefore of necessitie we must either gâ—aunt that there is noe coherence betweene the Title and the Psalme or els expound them spiritually as all the auntient holie Fathers doe to this effect As by the captiuitie saie they wherein the Iewes were lead away and detained prisoners by the Chaldeans is figured the captiuitie wherein all mankind was ouercome held in thraldome and slauery by the deuils Soe likewise by the building of the Temple in Ierusalem after that captiuitie is designed the building of the holie Church which is the howse of God not with insensible stones but with liuing stones congregated and polished by Christ and founded in him In Ephe. 2. whome as the Apostle saieth all building framed together groweth into an holie Temple in our Lord in whome you alsoe are built together into an habitation of God in the holie Ghost The sense therefore of the title is A Canticle to Dauid himselfe written for that tyme when the Church of Christ began to bee built by the preaching of Christ and his Apostles after the freeing of mankind from captiuitie which was done by the Incarnation and passion of the Sonne of God who redeemed mankind from the power of the deuill and the seruitude of sinne as our Sauiour witnesseth of himself saying Now the Prince of this world shall bee cast forth and I if I bee exalted from the earth will draw all things to my selfe The Psalme speaketh litterally of the two fold comming of Christ to wit to saue and to iudge the world it speaketh alsoe of the building and sacrifice of the Church The exposition of the Psalme SIng ye to our Lord à new song sing ye such à song as the new Master the fountaine of wisdome Christ our Lord hath brought with him and proposed to the whole world â—o wit A Hymne composed of his counsells some whereof were vnknowne before his comming Such à new soÌ„g is One thing is necessarie If thou wilt bee perfect goe and sell the things Luc. 10. Math. 19. that thou hast giue to the poore Call none Father to your selfe vpon earth for one is your Father he that is in heauen innumerable others like to these which are frequent in the new Testamènt
materiall temple to wit in the house of Praier yet much rather in his immateriall temple to wit the mynd or spirit for our Sauiour saieth God is à spirit and they that adore Ioh. 4. him must adore in spirit and veritie and in another place VVhen thou shalt praie enter Math. 6. into thy chamber and hauing shut the dore praie to thy Father in secret to wit with à setled and recollected mynd Let all the earth bee moued before his face let all the inhabitants of the earth bee moued to chast loue admiration and obedience and bee auerted from their bad waies and conuerted to God attending the benigne presence and sweet Maiestie of Christ Saie ye ô ye Apostles and ye that shall succeed them vnto the Gentils to whose conuersion and information ye are sent that our Lord hath reigned in the whole vniuerse and especially in the hearts of the faithfull by faith and Charitie Concerning which you are to note that God hath raigned in heauen and earth by his omnipotency euen from the beginning but his spirituall Kingdome in the hearts of men where he raigneth by faith beganne not especially in the hearts of the Gentils vntill the coÌ„ming of our Sauiour who by his passion and death dispossessed and cast forth the diuell as maie bee gathered by these words of our Lord Now the Prince of the world Ioh. 12. shall bee cast forth and I if I bee exalted from the earth will draw all things to myselfe S. Augustine and diuers others of the auncient Fathers doe read the last part of this verse as followeth Our Lord hath reigned from the wood to wit from the holie Crosse whereon he redeemed the world Which words of the wood were aunciently in the interpretation of the 72. Interpreters and haue been raced out by the Hebrews as S. Iustine affirmeth which notwithstanding Fortunatus hath placed them in the Hymne which is sung by the holie Church in Passion weeke The Prophet sheweth here by the effect that our Lord hath raigned because he hath exercised his regall power For he hath corrected the round world which shall not bee moued he hath conuerted the vniuersall Church spread and diâ—ated through the whole world from Idolatry and vice by his owne increpation and reprehension according to that of the Prophet He stroke the earth with the rod of Isa 11. his mouth c. as alsoe by the preaching of his disciples and other seruants and hath established it soe firmely that notwithstanding it shall bee soie shaken by the tempests and whirlwinds of tribulation and tentation yet shall it not bee moued in whole whilst the world shall indure He will iudge peoples in equitie The iudgement here mentioned is the iudgement wherewith our Sauiour iudged in his first comming to wit the iudgement of discretion or seuering one from another mercifully calling some to faith and grace and iustly forsaking others which discretion was altogether most iust notwithstanding that our weake iudgements are not able to comprehend the reason thereof Let the heauens bee glad and the earth reioyce the Sea bee moued and the fulnesse thereof to wit all therein contained the fields shall bee glad and all things that are in them What is spiritually vnderstood by these hath been sufficiently declared in the precedent Psalmes Then shall the trees of the woods reioyce before the face of our Lord because he cometh because he cometh to iudge the earth By this repetition of be cometh is insinuated the two commings of Christ in both which the Prophet inuiteth all creatures to reioyce in his first comming because he came then in the forme and shape of à man and sought to winne all hearts vnto him by his sweet benigne conuersation consecrating and disposing all things towards their perfection and the end for which they were created and in his second comming alsoe because he will come to refine and renew and constitute them in such perfectioÌ„ that they shall remaine for eternitie He will iudge the round world in equitie to wit without respect of persons and peoples in his truth to wit in iustice rendring to euery one according to his workes Tha title and argument of the Psalme and 8. in the Nocturne Office TO this Dauid when his land was restored to him For that there is noe mention at all made in this Psalme of King Dauids recouery of his Kingdome which Absalon had taken from him the expositors thereof doe generally agree that King Dauid vpon occasion of the recouery of his land being inspired by the holie Ghost did sing the restoring of the Kingdome of Christ in the hearts of all maÌ„kind which the diuell had vsurped by fraudulently inducing our first parents to transgresse Gods commandement and had withheld from him vntill he by his painefull death vpon the Crosse vanquished that tyrant and obtained all power in heauen and vpon earth In the first verse the Prophet speaketh of this saied restoring of Christ our Sauiours Kingdome vnto him to wit al mankind or the Church of the elect according to that Aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentils Psal 2. for thy inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth but in the rest of the Psalme he describeth the dreadfull comming of Christ to the generall Iudgement when his Kingdome shall bee established in such sort that it remaine for euer The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord of whome it is saied in the Apoc. 19. Apocalipse That he hath in his garment and in his thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords from the tyme of his glorious Resurrection hath reigned in the militant Church or in the hearts of his elect wherefore let all the earth reioyce let all nations liuing vpon the continent or maine land congratulate him in this his regall dignitie and not onely they but alsoe let many Ilands bee glad let the inhabitants of great Britanie Ireland Cyprus Sicilie all other Ilands very many in number which shall bee conuerted make triumph and signes of ioy thereat for of these the Prophet Isaie saieth The Ilands shall expest his Isa 42. Ibidem law and againe They shall giue glorie to the Lord and shall declare his praise to the Ilands A cloud and mist shall appeare round about him when he shall come to iudge the world with much power and Maiestie that Infidels and reprobate Christians maie neither haue à cleare veiw of his glorified body with their externall eies nor of his diuinitie with their internall but onely some litle glimpse of his glorie to their greater confusion Iustice iudgement with mercy and iudgement seueritie of iustice shall bee the correction or supporters of his seate or the sentence of correction which shall proceed from his tribunall Iustice and iudgement according to S. Ierome is here saied to bee the correction of the seate of our Lord because the iudgements of God before he cometh to iudgement doe seeme somewhat imperfect in
respect that he permitteth wicked people to liue for the most part in great plentie ease pompe and delicacy and suffereth vertuous holie men to liue in want affliction contempt and misery but when he cometh to the generall iudgement that he maie render to euery one according to his workes his seate shall bee as it were corrected Fire which shall burne the whole world shall goe before him and inflame his enimies round about but shall not touch nor contristate his elected friends as is prefigured in the three children which the King of Babylon caused to bee throwne into â— furnace Daneil 3. of burning fire who were not touched by the flames but the Chaldeans burnt whoe were about the furnace The things that follow are denounced by the Prophet as though they were already done for the assured certaintie thereof His lightnings shined to the round world the earth sâ—w and was moued The inhabitants of the earth shall see his lightnings and the other terrible precedent signes of his dreadfull comming wither for feare and expectation of what shall come vpon the world The mountaines melted as wax before the face of our Lord before the face of our Lord all the earth Some expound these words literally of the materiall mountaines which shall bee dissolued the earth made plaine and perspicuous but others expound them morally of proud ambitious and vaine glorious men who shall bee confounded and dissolued in their hearts at the sight of our Lord and not onely they but alsoe terrene auaritious and sensuall men saying one to another VVhat hath pride profited vs Sap. 5. or what commoditie hath the vaunting riches brought vs all those things are passed away as à shadow and as à messenger running before and as à ship that passeth through the surging wanes whereof when it is past the trace cannot be found c. The heauens haue shewed forth his iustice the Sunne Moone and starres in which shall appeare great testimonies of the indignation of God shall as it were proclaime to the whole world with what seueritie rigour of iustice he will take reuenge of mankind for sinne and all peoples haue seene his glorie shall see his glorie in these all other his wonderfull workes And therefore since that our Lord is of such power and Majestie Let them bee confounded that adore sculptils statues and images as Gods framed by the hands of men which neither can hurt nor helpe them and let them blush for shame that glorie in their Idoles as though there were diuine power in them for they shall then behold that those things which they adored for Gods are mere painted blocks and engrauen stones and that our Lord whome they would not here acknowledge is the onely true God vnto whome all adoration and diuine worship is due Adore him all yee his Angels To the greater confusion of Idolaters doe ye ô ye his Angels adore Christ our Lord your Maker sitting vpon his tribunall This place is alleadged by the Apostle to the Hebrewes to proue Hebr. 1. our Sauiour to bee true God And when againe he bringeth in the first begotten into the world to wit at the daie of iudgement for he speaketh à litle before of his first comming he saieth And let all the Angels of God adore him Sion heard was glad The militaÌ„t Church shall heare all that hath been before mentioned concerning the Majestie of our Lord comming to iudgement the confusion of Idolaters the adoration of the Angels and shall exult with spirituall ioy And the daughters of Iuda reioyced because of thy iudgements ô Lord All particular Churches meÌ„bers of the vniuersall or all the soules confessing to our Lord in spirit and truth for Iuda is by interpretation confession shall reioyce being moued thereunto by the consideration of thy iust iudgements ô Lord who wilt leaue nothing neglected doe iniury to none nor let passe the oppression or violence vsed towards any vnreuenged but wilt exalt all those that haue been contemned afflicted and tormented for iustice sake and wilt condemne to eternall flames those that placed their felicitie in the pompes and delights of this world And they shall reioyce alsoe Because thou Lord art most high ouer all the earth thou art exalted exceedingly incoÌ„parably without measure aboue all Gods both aboue those that by participation of thy diuine power are called Gods and aboue those alsoe whome the Gentils falsly worship as Gods You that loue our Lord hate ye euill since that sinne is soe odious in the sight of our Lord that he will come with such furie and indignation to take reuenge thereof All you deuout soules that make profession to feare and loue him abhorre it in your hearts yet not in regard of the paine it induceth but because it is displeasing vnto him and contrary to his diuine will and then you maie bee confident that you shall not onely experience him à mild iudge towards you in that dreadfull daie but alsoe your protector and comforter in all your present dangers afflictioÌ„s For Our Lord keepeth the soules of his Saints in this present life by infusion of grace and the ministry of his Angels and in the daie of iudgement out of the hand of the sinner from the power of the first transgressor Lucifer and his complices he will deliuer them he will perfectly free them and wipe all teares from their eies for after that last sentence sinners shall noe more molest the iust with their malicious pretensions and false accusations Light is risen to the iust and ioy to the right of heart The light of iustice the Sunne of vnderstanding shall arise to iust men and direct them in the way of truth without errour teaching them to discerne betweene iust and iniust good and euill and exciting them to elect in all things what is most conforme to the diuine will whence will follow exceeding peace of conscience and vnspeakable ioy of heart to the righteous that shall walke simply and humbly therein or thus The light of glorie illuminating the vnderstanding or Christ our Lord the Sunne of Iustice shall then arise to the iust man directing him towards the cleare vision of God ineffable delight proceeding from the vision of God which he shall eternally enioy shall arise to the right of heart Wherefore Bee glad yee iust in our Lord your most pious Redeemer and most liberall benefactor who shall come to the last iudgement with such preparation and for soe great benefit vnto you and with confession of praise and thankfullnesse Confesse ye to the memory of his sanctification praise him that hath soe gratiously been mindfull of you that he might sanctify you and bring you to eternall felicitie for which his singular clemency and mercy shewed towards you without any merit on your part but meerely of his owne immeÌ„se goodnesse you are obliged by all the lawes of gratitude to glorify his name incessantly and neuer to forget
which I will here particularize First the mynd which is perhaps as it were tired with the intense study of praier maie by this meanes haue tyme to breath and gather new forces Secondly the mynd will bee much recreated and delighted with the gratefull variety profitable vicissitude of praier and reading Thirdly those who perhaps would not otherwise haue the opportunity by reasoÌ„ of their many exteriour imployements to heare the Scriptures read by this meanes doe participate of that benefit and Fowerthly the mynd is by such reading furnished with aboundant matter to moue holie affections becometh fattened strengtâ—ned with good desires in vertue where of it maie with much facilitie passe through the rest of the office according to that of the Psalmist As with marrow and fatnesse let Psal 62. my soule bee filled and my mouth shall praise with lippes of exultation Notwithstanding that the words of the insuing Lessons are literally applied to our Sauiour yet are they placed in this office by the holie Church which is directed by the holie Ghost according to that of the Euangelist The holie Ghost Ioh. 14. whome the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and suggest vnto you all things whatsoeuer I shall saie to you and are mystically expounded of the blessed Virgin both by the auncient moderne Fathers in effect as followeth The explication of the First Lesson THe most blessed Virgin the immaculate Mother of the eternall wisdome saieth as followeth In all these things to wit which are before rehearsed in the saied Chapter I sought rest for indeed the most pious Aduocatrix of mankind doth aboue all the blessed spirits and next vnto her deare Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus couet the saluation of all people and desire to inhabite haue her place of residence and repose in all mens hearts by holie remembrance vertuous imitation and sweet louingnesse and I shall abide in the inheritance of our Lord to wit in the faithfull and vertuous elect who are the inheritance and Church of our Lord. Then the Creator of all commanded and saied to me that which immediatly followeth in the next sentence and he that created me to wit the eternall word hath rested in my Tabernacle to wit in my wombe where he assumed humane nature and being made an infant did reremaine for the space of nine moneths He hath alsoe most graciously rested in the tabernacle of my mynd euen from my first conception And he saied to me commanding that which followeth Inhabite in Iacob to wit in the Primitiue Church consisting of the Iewish elect for in it our most blessed Lady was corporally conuersant liued most exemplarily and holily and afterwards did and doth spiritually remaine in the whole militant Church possessing protecting gouerning the hearts of the faithfull and in Israel to wit contemplatiue religious and spirituall persons and eminent in the practise of all vertues inherite that thou maiest as it were by right of inheritance possesse them as being their Mother their Queene and their Aduocatrix and they alsoe maie possesse thee by incessant most pure and feruent loue as thy seruants and Sonnes and take roote in myne elect by impetrating for them the gifts of grace and vertues that soe they maie bee radicated in Christ and euer cohere and cleaue to thee At the end of this Lesson as like wise of the rest is added Tu autem Domine miserere nobis that is to saie But thou ô Lord bee mercifull vnto vs which custome is obserued at the end of the Lessons in all other offices except those of the faithfull departed By which words is signified as Rupertus affirmeth that euen the office l 1. de diuinis officijs c. 12. of shewing forth the diuine word cannot bee performed by vs without contracting some small dust of blame For as S. Augustine saieth The word of predication is heard with more securitie then pronounced and the reason thereof is because when the Preacher or denouncer of the word shall perceaue that he saieth well and deserueth praise it is à very hard matter if he bee not touched in some slight manner with the spirit of elation and therefore in respect that he walketh vpon the earth and hath his feete soiled with dust although he bee otherwise wholy pure and cleane yet in regard hereof it will bee needfull for him to implore the diuine mercy that soe he maie bee washed in that part and become altogether neate and pure After the Reader hath pronounced the foresaied words to wit But thou ô Lord bee mercifull vnto vs the whole quire answereth Deo gratias that is to saie l. â—itato c. 14. ThaÌ„kes to God which as Rupertus affirmeth is not referred to the saied last praier of the Reader but to the whole precedent Lesson the quire thereby giuing thankes to God for that he hath graciously vouchsafed to breake vnto them the bread of his diuine doctrine least they should haue perished with famine of hearing the word of God S. Augustine Ep. 77. Alipio Aurelio doth extoll this manner of thankes giuing as followeth What better thing saieth he can we beare in our mynd or pronounce with our mouth or expresse with our penne then Deo gratias there can noe sentence bee saied more breefly neither is there any thing more ioyfull to bee â—eard nor more loftie to bee vnderstood nor more fruitfull to bee done then this c. This it is which S. Paul doth soe frequently inculcate vnto 1. Thessal 5. vs in his Epistles saying In all things giue thankes for this is the will of God This the Prophet Dauid was most carefull to obserue Psalm 33. I will blesse our Lord saieth he at all tymes his praise alwaies in my mouth The holie Church therefore with good reason doth ordaine this manner of thankesgiuing to bee often iterated in the diuine office that thereby we maie ascribe to God vnto whome doth belong all that is best whatsoeuer is well done in our praier and render him thankes therefore Of Responsories NExt in order after euery Lesson there followeth à Responsory which is soe called because one alone hauing song à Lesson all the quire doth answer and sing that which followeth which vsually is taken out of the same part of the holie Scriptures as the Lesson or otherwise is composed of certaine amorous affections towards God and sweet sentences corresponding to the nature of the office of that daie The institution of them is very auncient and most authors are of opinion that the greatest part of the Responsories which are placed in the Breuiary were collected composed by S. Ambrose They seeme to bee ordained for this reason to wit that whereas in the Lessons we doe as it were heare God almighty most gratiously to speake vnto vs and put vs in mynd of his wonderfull workes and of his excessiue loue towards the saluation of mankind or to propose vnto
alsoe very many from falling into sinne poureth forth a fragrant odour in so much that whosoeuer shall piously call her to mynd shall experience himselfe sprinkled there with Of the Canticle or Hymne Te Doum laudamus THe auncient custome of recyting this Canticle or Hymne in the diuine Office maie bee proued by the Rule of our holie Father S. Benedict where he appointeth that after the fouerth Responsory to wit of the third Nocturne the Abbot doe beginne the Hymne Te Deum laudamus Concerning the originall institution of this Hymne S. Darius Bishop of Milan who liued in the tyme of Iustine the elder about the yeare of our Lord. 540. as S. Gregory affirmeth in his 3. Booke of dialogues the 4. Chap. in his Chronicles writeth as followeth By l. 1. c. 10. Chronicâ— blessed Ambrose saieth he Augustine was baptised and confirmed in the name of the holie and vndiuided Trinitie all the faithfull of the Cittie being present and beholding it at which tyme according as the holie Ghost gaue them to speake they pronounced the Hymne Te Deum Laudamus all that were present hearing seeing and admiring which hath been generally receiued and religiously sung euer since by the vniuersall Church in all ages euen vnto these our daies The Title and argument of the 92. Psalme and first in the Laudes PRaise of Canticle to Dauid himselfe in the date before the Sabbaoth when the earth was founded It seemeth tâ—at he who appointed this title was desirous that the insuing Psalme should bee sung vpon the Sixt Feria or Fryday which is the daie before the Sabbaoth because therein is declared that the earth was founded or according to some bookes inhabited Which is fitly saied to haue been done on the Sixt Feria for on that daie maÌ„ was formed who should bee Lord of the earth and by this the earth was first established which was created for man On this daie not onely man but alsoe all liuing creatures were created which inhabite the earth and therefore on this daie the earth began first to bee inhabited On the same daie alsoe by the Passion and death of Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour the earth was renouated and the Kingdome of Christ established the Prince of the world being cast forth All which notwithstaÌ„ding the holie Church doth appoint this Psalme to bee sung at Laudes vpon Sunday about Sunne rising or daie breake because although our Sauiour purchased his Kingdome with the price of his most pretious bloud shed for mankind on the Sixt Feria and thereby layed the foundation of the new earth yet he receiued possession of his Kingdome at his glorious resurrection early in the morning vpon Sunday at which tyme he put on beauty and strength The words of this Psalme maie bee applied both to the Creation Reparation of the world as followeth The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord hath reigned he hath put on beautie glorie and regall Majestie Our Lord hath alsoe put on strength power and fortitude which are equally requisite to support à Kingly diademe and hath girded prepared armed and setled himselfe to reigne If these words bee referred to the Creation of the world Christ as God is saied to haue begun to reigne when he had created the world for then he first of all began to haue subiects vpon the earth ouer whome he might exercise dominion But if they bee referred to the reparation of the world Christ as man at the tyme of his Resurrection did receiue the gouernment of the Vniuerse put on the beautie of à glorified body and put on fortitude all power being giuen him in heauen and vpon earth and girded or setled himselfe earnestly to ptopagatâ— his Kingdome to the vtmost confines of the earth It is manifest that our Lord hath reigned in this sort For he hath established firmely fixed the round world as the center of the vniuerse which shall not bee moued according to that of Ecclesiastes Generation passeth and generation Eccle. 1. cometh but the earth standeth for euer Christ likewise by his dolorous passion and glorious resurrection hath founded and established the Militant Church spred through all the regioÌ„s of the earth in one faith and religion which shall not bee moued but shall perseuer in the same faith and worship vnto the end of the world for Christ shall reigne in the house of Luc. 1. Iacob for euer and of his Kingdome there shall bee noe end Thy seat ô Lord is prepared from that tyme to wit from the Creation of the world or the resurrection of Christ Yet thou didst not theÌ„ beginne to haue à being for thou according to thy diuine nature art from euerlasting from eternitie Concerning which you are to note that the word art doth not here signify the simple existence of the diuine nature but the fulnesse of his being wherein all things are contained For God was not poore or had need of any thing before he created the world neither was he more wealthy or better stored after he had created it for he created not the world that himselfe might encrease thereby but that he might communicate his goodnesse to vs therefore he created not the world as being compelled by any necessitie but as being moued thereunto by his infinite charitie and mercy and with the same charitie and mercy he hath repaired it for Soe God loued the Ioh. 3. world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that euery one that beleeueth in him perish not but maie haue life euerlasting The riuers ô Lord haue lifted vp the riuers haue lifted vp their voices The riuers haue lifted vp their waues aboue the voices of many waters The surges of the Sea are maâ—uâ—lous maruelous is our Lord on high If the words of these verses bee referred to the first sense they signify the manner whereby God almightie made the earth habitable that it might bee à firme seate for all liuing creatures For iâ— the beginning of the Creation the waters couered the superficies of the Vniuerse and the inundations of the waters were eleuated with à terrible motion but God who is infinitely more high more excellent and powerfull repressed their furie closed part of them in the concauities of the earth and appointed limits to the rest which they shall not transcend In the Second sense by the riuers which lifted vp their voices is vnderstood the Apostles and other principall planters of the Christian faith who being filled with the waters of life did passe through the world like vnto soe many heauenly riuers and eleuate their voices preaching the Ghospell of Christ with great freedome By the riuers which lifted vp their waues is vnderstood the Iewes who euen in the very beginning contradicted the Ghospell in all places raised persecutioÌ„ against the disciples of Christ By the surges of the Sea which are farre greater theÌ„ the waues of the riuers is vnderstood the persecutions of the Infidels other aduersaries of the
parts of the world according to that of Genesis In the beginning Gen 1. God created heauen and earth Heauen is the seate of the Angels and therefore he beginneth with Praise our Lord from the Heauens and referreth to it all superiour things and the earth is the seate of men and therefore he addeth in the 7. verse Praise our Lord from the earth referring vnto it all inferiour things The exposition of the Psalme PRaise yee our Lord from the Heauens praise yee him in the high places Praise yee him all his Angells praise yee him all his hostes S. Augustine well noteth vpon this place that the Prophet doth not by these words commaund the Angells to praise our Lord or exhort them to praise him as though they were slacke and remisse in this happy office or did euer cease or desist from praising him for as S. Iohn affirmeth The Apocalip 4. Psal 83. fower beasts had noe rest daie and night saying holy holy holy Lord God omnipotent and the Psalmist saieth Blessed are they that dwell in thy howse ô Lord for euer-and euer they shall praise thee But he doth hereby congratulate them in this their praising God like as we are accustomed to congratulate those whome wee see doing some worke with ioy wherewith we are well pleased saying courage goe too my Masters or the like which words we vse vnto them not that they stand in need of our incouragement to moue them to beginne that worke but that we are delighted with that they are already in hand with Praise yee him Sunne and Moone praise yee him all Starres and light The Sunne Moone Starres and light are saied to praise our Lord when by their beautie efficacy swittnesse and other proprieties they doe induce intellectuall creatures to admire praise their Creator Praise him yee heauens of heauens to witt the greatest and highest heauens and the waters that are about the saied heauens let them praise the name of our Lord as hath been saied in the precedet Canticâ—e Because he saied intellectually within himselfe to witt in his practical vnderstaÌ„ding that they should bee created and they were made of nothing that which they now are he commaunded by his diuine will and they were created for according to the Apostle God almighty calleth those Rom. 4. things that are not as those things that are as alsoe that of Genesis And God saied Gen. 1. bee light made bee à firmament made c Soe by saving all things were created for God is the cause of all things by his vnderstanding according to that Thou Psal 103. Psal 134. hast made all things in wisdome and by his will according to that All things whatsoeuer our Lord would he hath done in heauen and earth He established them to witt the Angels Sunne Moone Starres and the heauens for euer and for euer and euer for he hath giuen them an incorruptible being Notwithstanding we beleeue that the heauens and the lights of the heauens in as much as concerneth their accidentall forme shall bee changed and renewed for the better as hath been saied in our former explications He put à precept he prefixed them à certaine forme or manner of working and it shall not passe but remaine as he hath decreed He put à precept to the Sunne that it should shine by daie and behold in soe many yeares this hath been obserued to the Moone that it should increase and decrease for thirty daies and this course hath not been altered to the Sea that it should not transcend its limits and behold the surging billowes of the Ocean come wallowing to the shore burst and returne Praise our Lord from the earth all you that any wise appertaine thereunto Yee Dragons and all depthes By Dragons are here vnderstood great fishes which some call Leuiathans or VVhales and by the depthes are vnderstood the deepe placee where such fishes remaine according to that Thou hast crushed the heads of the Dragons in Psal 73 the waters Yet some in this place by Dragons doe vnderstand great serpents rough with scales which dwell in dennes caues and hollow moist places to temper their naturall heat and doe not creepe vpon the earth but fly in the aire and doe exceed other creatures in vast quantity and horrid aspect Fire haile snow yee spirit of stormes to wit tempestious winds exciting suddaine whirl winds and stormes at Sea VVhich doe his word doe obey his diuine will performing that for which they were ordained Mountaines and little hills trees that beare fruit and all Cedars Beastes wild and vntamed and all cattell tame domesticke Serpents and fethered fowles All these the Prophet doth inuite to praise our Lord according as hath been explicated in the precedent Canticle Finally the Prophet inuiteth Man to praise our Lord for whome all things were created saying Kings of the earth all that haue independent temporall authority and absolute right to gouerne and all peoples that owe fealty homage and obedience to their lawfull Soueraignes Princes that haue absolute right to gouerne their subiects within their principalities but yet are subordinate themselues to the saied Kings in some respects and all Iudges of the earth that haue authority from Kings Princes to determine differences betweene party and party and to pronounce sentence of death in criminall causes And that he might comprehend all sorts of people of what age sexe condition soeuer he addeth Yong men and Virgins old with yong All people therefore whether they bee Kings Princes or priuate persons men or women old or yong let them praise the name of our Lord because the name of him alone is exalted that is he himselfe alone doth infinitely surpasse all things in nobility and perfection Eccles 1. Whence Ecclesiasticus saieth There is one most high Creator omnipotent and mighty King and to bee feared exceedinglâ— and Mâ—yses saieth Neither is there other God Deut. 3. either in heauen or on earth that is able to doe thy workes and to bee compared to thy strength The Coâ—fession of him aboue heauen and earth to witt His praise is song in the triumphant and militant Church His glory saieth the Prophet shall couer the heauens and the earth is full of his praise Yet in neither of them can he be praised to the full for all the tongues of men and Angells are altogether in sufficient to expresse Abacuc 3. his immense goodnesse and infinite perfection He hath exalted the horne of his people to witt the power and glory of the people of Israel electing them amongst all the generations of the earth giuing them diuine lawes written with his owne finger protecting them miraculously against the fury of their enimies and gouerning them with singular prouidence and vnspeakable loue An Hymne which is the praise of God with à spirituall song properly belongeth to all his Saints in heauen and earth for they are worthy of all praise and they praise God incessantly to the Children
saied manner with great ioy exultation and gladnesse Let euery spirit praise our Lord. VVhat is vnderstood by the Chapters in this and the diuine office THe next in order followeth à Chapter The Chapters in this and the diuine office are nothing else but short Lessons taken out of the holie Scriptures by which name our holie Father S. Benedict maketh mention of cap. 12. 13. them in his Rule The holie Church well knowing the benefitt which is acquired by hearing the word of God read in due manner hath intermixed with all the houres of the diuine office Lessons out of the sacred Scriptures yet in such proportion that to the longer Nocturnes she assigneth longer Lessons and to the short daie houres shorter which she hath tearmed Chapters because they are short sections of Lessons which maie serue for refection of the mynd in all the daie houers The explication of the Chapter at Laudes taken out of the Canticles Cap. 6. Ver. 8. THe daughters of Sion haue seene her and declared her to bee most blessed All reasonable and intellectuall creatures vnited to God by Charity as well in the Militant as in the triumphaÌ„t Church doe frequently if not incessantly behold the most glorious Virgin and by how much the more eminent and illuminated they are by soe much the more profoundly and clearely doe they contemplate her dignity excellency and glory and deseruedly proclame her to be most blessed that conceiued and brought forth the Sauiour of all and the fountaine of true beatitude And the Queenes the soules of the Saints which haue gouerned themselues laudably and kept their flesh in due subiection to the spirit haue praysed her confessing her to bee the most pure of Virgins and the example of all perfection The exposition of the Canticle of Zachary commonly called Benedictus Luc. 1. BLessed bee our Lord God of all but in peculiar manner of Israel his elected people not onely of the progeny of Iacob according to the flesh but alsoe according to the Spirit because he hath visited assuming humane nature and wrought the redemption of his people freeing them from their inuisible enimies from eternall damnation from the guilt contracted by originall finne yea euen from all sinne in as much as is requisite on his part according to that of the Prophet Out of the Osee 13. hand of death I will deliuer them from death I will redeeme them The Incarnation of Christ is the beginning of our saluation which he accomplished by his passion for almightie God did not determine to saue vs by the Incarnation alone of his onely Sonne but he ordained to consummate our redemption by his passion What therefore Zachary saied He hath wrought is to be vnderstood as spoken in à propheticall manner for He will worke because he was afterwards compleatly to worke our saluation blot out our offences and reconcile vs to God according to that of Isaie He was wounded for our iniquities be was broken for our sinnes and againe Our Lord hath put vpon him the iniquity of vs all By his people are vnderstood not onely the Iewes but alsoe the elected people of what nation soeuer which are the people of God by eternall predestination and spiritually Israelites to witt the people seeing God or contemplating him by faith of whome the Apostle saieth Peace and mercy vpon the Gal. 6. Israell of God And bath erected the horne of saluation to vs. By à Horne is sometimes signified à publike denuntiation of some matter of momeÌ„t according to which interpretation these words of the Prophet may be thus expounded And hath published made knowne the Incarnation of Christ our Sauiour Sometimes alsoe by à Horne is designed power and strength particularly in diuers places of holy scriptures Royall Power and according to this sense the saied words are to bee vnderstood as followeth And hath erected that is hath raised vp the horne of saluation to vs to witt Christ his onely begotten sonne the King of Kings whome he sent into the world not to iudgs the world but that the world may bee saued by him In the house of Dauid his seruaÌ„t in the tribe familie of Dauid of whose seed progenie Christ was borne Some doe referre the erection of this horne of saluation to the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ because he did then clearely demonstrate the power and glory of beatitude by rysing to an immortall life bringing forth the Fathers out of Limbo ascending to the celestiall Kingdome This God almighty hath not done improuisedly but As he spake by the mouth of his holie Prophets that are from the beginning that is as he foretold by the Saints that haue been euer since the creation of the world who with words signes figures or deeds haue spoken of Christ and foreshewed his mysteries For as S. Augustine declareth Prophesie concerning Christ was not wanting in any age euen Adam by words and deeds did speake of him and in like manner the rest of the Patriarkes and Prophets haue done whence is that of S. Peter God who foreshewed by the mouth Act. 3. of all the Prophets that his Christ should suffer hath soe fulfilled it and againe To him all Act. 10. the Prophets giue testimony Indeed it was most meâ—t that soe great à mistery should bee foreshewed long before and diuers waies that the dignity thereof might bee knowne and being performed might bee proned more credible bee more firmely beleeued In this therefore our faith is most certainely confirmed that all things which we beleeue and hold concerning Christ we can proue to haue been in such manner foretold It is here saied in the singular number by the mouth of his holy Prophets because all of them with one spirit did prophesie of him and with one assent that he should come and worke saluation to vs. Saluation from our enimies especially from our inuisible enimies according as it is written For this â—ppeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the diuell Iob. 3. And from the hand of all that hate vs. By which words maie bee vnderstood our Sauiours deliuery securing of his elect from the power and wicked designes of peruerse men Not that he hath soe deliuered and secured the iust and righteous that they shall not bee afflicted persecuted or killed by them in this life but because our Lord by his death and passion hath obtained such grace for his beloued seruants that they shall not become subiect to the wills of bad men nor bee induced by them through inordinate feare to commit vice and doe vniustly but shall by patiently sustaining the tribulations and persecutions which they suffer by their meanes bee brought to eternall glory soe for euer freed from their infestation This is that which was promised by Micheas to the primitiue Micheat 4. Church Thy hand shall bee exalted oâ—er thyne enimies and all thyne enimies shall perish Thus therefore the God of
could in noe soâ—t haue withstood But God is faithfull who 1. Cor. 10 〈◊〉 will noâ— suffer vs to be tempted abouâ— that which we are able Yea he will make alsoe with tentation issue that we maie be able to sustaine 〈◊〉 Blessed praised and glorified be our Lord for euer who hath not giuen vs à preâ— to their teeth who hath not withdrawne his helping hand from vs nor left vs to the mercie lesse rage of our enimies who persecuted vs as it were with open mouthes pretending alreadie to teare vs in peeces with their venimous teeth In deed he hath giuen them power to afflict our bodies for our future reward but he hath not in any sort permitted them to hurt our soule for Our soule as à sparrow is deliuered from the snare of the fawlers By these fowlers or hunters are vnderstood wicked men instruments of the Deuill who seeke to deceiue soules according to that Euery Micheas 7. one hunteth his brother to death and by the snares are vnderstood all such things whereby the soule is induced to sinne 〈◊〉 made subiect to the power of the Deuill whence is that of the Apostle God giâ—e them repentance to know the truth and they 2. ad Tiâ—o 2. recouer themselues from the snares of the Diuell of whome they are held captiue at his will c. From these snares our soule is disâ—neangled by the grace of God and escapeth out of them as à sparrow out of the net making vonderfull expressions of ioy at the recouerie of her freedome The snare is broken God almightie giuing the light of his grace to discouer the sub 〈…〉 ties and suggestions of the euill enemie and fortitude to resist them and we are deliuered the Diuel being ouercome consent to sinne being denied aduersitie hauing noe power to hurt vs. This we cannot perfectly sing in this life by reason that tentations endure eucâ— to the expiration thereof yea they are sometimes most impetuous at the very houre of our departure At what tyme then maie we sing it perfectly but in the life to come when we maie pronounce with à ioyfull heart that of the Apostle Death is swallowed vp in victorie Death 1. Cor. 15 where is thy sting Yet we maie in some sort sing it in this life when we haue ouercome some tentation or escaped sinister occurrences by the assistance of the diuine goodnesse for the Apostle saieth Thankes be to God that hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Christ Our help is in the name of our Lord to witt in his power not in our strength for it is written Lord thou wilt giue peace to vs onely in thee let vs remember thy name In him therefore our help is placed who made heauen and earth In this Psalme we are taught to ascribe to God with true humilitie all our triumph spirituall progresse and gifts of grace to recount his diuine benefits deuoutly rendring him the tribute of our thankfulnesse According to Hugh of S Victor The diuell doth inuade men by suggestion touch them by deliberation swallow them by consent transmisse them to the stomacke by operation concoct them by custome and digest them to death by damnation for by these degrees men descend into all The argument of the 124. Psalme and last in Sext. IN this Sixt graduall Psalme the Prophet treateth of the Sixt degree of internall ascension which is à certaine immoueable confidence in the goodnesse of almightie God drawne out of the consideration of manifold benefits already receiued For by how much the more frequently any doe experience his singular fauours by soe much the more their confidence in him is established in such sort that they are in à manner assured he will conuert all things sweetly to their eternall benefitt The explication of the Psalme THey that trust in our Lord as mount Sion Those that shall place all their confidence and entirely resigne themselues into the all powerfull hands of our Lord shall be noe more subiect to commotion then is that holie Mountaine of Sion by the shocke of the winds which is enuironed with diuers other hills He shall not be proued for euer that dwelleth in Ierusalem He that maketh his constant aboade in the militant Church and continueth therein shall not be moued for euer from the Catholique faith not that he is confirmed in goodnesse according to the ordinarie proceeding before he hath runne the course of his life but in as much as being à member of the Church and endeauouring to keepe the commaundements of almightie God he maie confidently hope to be defended and conserued in it through the merits of our blessed Sauiour Mountaines to witt the Angels of God who in respect of their excellencie of nature and grace are tearmed Mountaines are round about it the militant Church as being ordained and sent for the custodie of men Yet least any should thinke this to be sufficient or place their confidence finally in them the Prophet addeth and our Lord round about his people from hence forth now and foreuer Because our Lord will not leaue alwaies or finally the red of sinners the power persecution and tyramie of the reprobate vpon the lot part or portion of the iust or vpon iust men who are the portion and inheritance of almightie God that the iust reach not their hands to iniquitie least they be ouercome and sinne For although he doe for à time seeme to leaue the elect permitting them to be afflicted by peruerse men that soe they might be purified and meritt glorie yet he leaueth not them finally Doe well o Lord to the good in worke and right of heart in intention giuing vnto them encrease of grace in this life and beatitude in the next Those are saied to be right of heart whose affections are agreeable to the will of God to iustice whose eies are simple and intentions directed towards God But those that decline from the waie of iustice into obligations into sinnes which oblige to punishment our Lord will bring in the daie of iudgement on his left hand wards or after before into hell with them that worke iniquitie with the diuels whose prâ—de ascendeth alwaies who sinne from the beginning who when they had fallen did not adde to rise againe but remained obstinate in euill Peace vpon Israel In this Psalme we are taught how happie à thing it is to confide in our Lord and how exceeding potent the protectors of the holie Church are to witt the Angels of God who doe enuirone Christians on all sides passing hither and thither as it were soe many laborious Bees that they maie prouide for our soules health by restraining the diuels suggesting good things reioycing at our progresse praying for vs and bringing Isa 62. vs many graces Whence is that which our Lord saieth by the Prophet Isaie Vpon thy walls Ierusalem I haue appointed watchmen all the night for euer they shall not hold their peace Moreouer the
Prophet promised vs in this Psalme that our Lord will not leaue the rod of sinners vpon the lot of the iust that we might haue confidence in all our afflictions that at length we shall be freed from them and in the interim that wee might expect with patience Math. 10. for He that perseuereth to the end shall be saued The argument of the 125. Psalme and first in None IN this Seuenth graduall Psalme according to the letter the Prophet expresseth the ioy and thankfulnesse of the Iewes for their deliuerâ—e from the Babilonian captiuitie Yet being expounded in à mysticall sense it treateth of the seuenth degree of internall ascension which consisteth in Exultation and thankfulnesse for the deliuerie of the elect from the bonds of sinne and seruitude of the diuell The mysticall sense of this Psalme VVhen our Lord turned the captiuitie of Sion when it pleased our good God the Father of mercie and consolation to conuert the Militant Church or any of the faithfull from à confused life from mortall sinne from present miserie to à well ordered life and the state of grace we were made as men comforted we felt soe great excesse of ioy and consolation that we durst scarcely beleeue soe singular aâ— happinesse was indeed arriued vnto vs. Then was our mouth replenished with ioy and our tongue with exultation Then was ioy soe aboundant in our soules that we haue exteriourly manifested it and made appeare by our Canticles of gladnesse Hymnes of thanksgiuing what interiour sweetnesse we experienced in that happie change of our condition Then shall they saie among the Gentils Then shall certaine secular men or other people whatsoeuer beholding the grace that God almightie hath bestowed vpon vs admiring saie Our Lord hath done magnifically with them exceeding benignely gratiously and potently For the louers of the world doe frequently extoll in others what they will not imitate they admire beholding many to bee conuerted to Christ to enter into religion to change their manners suddainely for the better praysing God in his effects yet they praie not that the same grace maie bee bestowed on themselues Our Lord hath done magnifically with vs This is the same with that we read in the Canticle of the blessed Virgin to witt He that is mightie hath done great things to Luc. 1. me Christ our Lord hath done magnificently indeed with vs assuming our nature conuerting our first and generall captiuitie satisfying for originall sinne conuersing amongst men vniting vs vnto him by grace congregating the Church of vs leauing vnto vs his body bloud in the holie Eucharist sending the holie Ghost and conferring innumerable benefits vpon vs. VVe are therefore Made ioyfull and serue him cheerefully Turne our captiuitie ô Lord free vs from all corruption of sinne constitute vs in the libertie of the sonnes of God and take from vs those sinnes by which we are daily circumuented and bound as it were in fetters turne this our captiuitie as à torrent in the south that soe we maie bee filled with the gifts and graces of the holie Ghost as à dried vp torrent is filled with water the south wind blowing They that sow in teares They that now exercise themselues in the sorrowes of pennance or teares of deuotion they that contemne transitorie delights and serue God with à contrite and humbled heart shall reape in ioyfulnesse the effects of grace in present and the fruit of glorie hereafter according to the quantitie and goodnesse of their seed for as the Apostle saieth He that soweth sparingly sparingly 2. Cor. 9 alsoe shall reape and he that soweth in blessings of blessings alsoe shall reape There are fiue sorts of teares The first are to obtaine pardon of our offences these purifie from the staine or blemish of sinne The Second are for the fearefull apprehension of the future Iudgement and hell these refrigerate the ardour of concupiscence and withdraw from all iniquitie The third are for our habitation in this present exile these minister soueraigne liquor to à thirsting soule The fourth are for the defects of our neighbours these fatten the soules of such charitable mourners The fift are for the desire of eternall life these render à soule fruitfull in all goodnesse The elect Going by the waie of this present life they went by the waie of the commandements of almightie God and wept according to some of the fiue sorts of lamentation afore saied casting their seeds doing meritorious workes which are tearmed seeds because as fruit springeth from seed soe of good workes ariseth the fruit of eternall life the infusion of diuine consolation They cast therefore their seeds they sent good workes before them and gathered à heape of merits which the layed vp in Chrih as he exhorteth vs saying Heape Math. 6 vp to your soules treasures in heauen c. and as the Apostle counselleth vs saying Gal. 6. Doing good let vs not faile for in due time we shall reape not failing But comming to the tribunall of Christ they shall come with exultation with a secure and ioyfull conscience carrying theiâ— sheaues the vertuous workes they haue soe collected for their workes shall follow Apoc. 14 them In this Psalme we are admonished to reuolue often in our minds the worke of our redemption We are taught alsoe what difference there is betweene the elect and the reprobate For the elect going in goodnesse doe make happie progresse by weeping but the reprobate doe glorie in this exile as if they were in the countrey of their inheritance making of à prison a paradise of delight and therfore comming to the tribunall of Christ they come with sorrow and heauinesse bearing nothing in their hands but the scedule of their damnation Whence it Luc. 6. is saied to them in the Ghospel VVoe to you that are rich because you haue your consolation woe to you that now doe laugh because you shall mourne and weepe c. Remember sonne saieth Abraham in the Parable of Luc. 16. the rich man that thou didst receiue good things in thy life time and Lazarus likewise euill but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Let vs then despise the pompe glorie and vanitie of the world represse the desires of the flesh and bathe our cheekes with holie teares considering that we can not now reioyce with the world and afterward reigne with Christ The title and argument of the 126. Psalme and Second in None A Graduall Canticle of Salomon Many of great talents who haue endeauoured to expound this Psalme doe confesse that they haue euer esteemed it exceeding obscure and haue not after long studie attained the literall sense thereof Yet they iudge the most probable exposition to bee that of the Greeke Fathers S. Iohn Chrisostome Theodoretus and Euthimius to witt That the propheticall exhortation therein doth appertaine to the people of the Hebrews after their returne from the Babilonian captiuitie when as they labouring to reedifie the house of God
he shall speake to the diuels and wicked men in the last iudgement he shall not be confounded but rather shall confound and conuince them of iniustice and imbecillitie For the whole contention of Christ with the diuell and his ministers which hath continued euen from the beginning of the world and shall endure till the consummation thereof hath been is and will be about the saluation of mankind whome the diuell hath doth and will labour by all meanes possible to drawe with him totally into hell and to this end he in euery age raised vp persecutions of the Iewes Paganes heretiks and wicked men of all sorts to bande against the holie Church But when at the daie of iudgement he shall behold soe many millions of the elect reigning and triumphing gloriously with Christ and most iustly crowned and of the contrarie all power to be taken from him and his adherents noe more hope remaining for him and them euer to renew warre with the elect then Christ shall not be confounded but shall confound all his enemies In this Psalme we are taught to attribute the beginning conseruation processe consummatioÌ„ of good workes to God alone Moreouer we are taught to extirpate pride embrace humilitie and soe to proceed to the sleepe of the elect The argument of the 127. Psalme and last in None IN this Ninth graduall Psalme the Prophet treateth of the Ninth degree of internall ascension to witt Filiall feare whereby wee are deterred from doing euill out of à desire not to offend almightie God whome wee truely loue It proceedeth therefore from loue and is proper to those whoe as the Apostle saieth haue receiued the spirit of adoption of ad Rom. 8. sonnes and the Spirit of loue where as those that abstaine from doing euill out of à seruile feare that is merely for feare of punishment which they desire to auoide maie iustly be saied according to same Apostle to haue the Spirit of seruitude Ibid. This degree is exceeding necessarie for them that desire to make good progresse in à short space for we read in Ecclesiasticus that He that is without feare Eccles 1. cannot be iustified The explication of the Psalme BLessed are all now in hope that feare our Lord with à filiall feare that walke in his waies in his diuine precepts not in their owne inuentions and after the prauitie of their owne heart as it is written of the impious man He hath gone wandring in the waie of his owne heart c. Because thou shalt eate the labours of thy hands Because thou whosoeuer thou art that hast this holie feare imprinted in thy heart and walkest in the waies of our Lord shalt eate in heauen the fruit of thy good endeauours meritorious actions according to that The soule of them that Prouerb 13. worke shall be made faâ—â—e c Blessed art thou now in hope and it shall be well with thee hereafter For it is saied in the Ghospell Blessed is he that Luc. 14. shall eate bread in the Kingdome of God Or thus Because thou shalt liue and sustaine thy selfe with the fruit of thy owne hand labour procuring foode and other necessaries for thy selfe by thy proper industrie blessed art thou and it shall bee well with thee for indeed such labour is very meritorious Thy wiâ—e wisdome giuen thee by almightie God as à fruit full vine shall produce holie workes in the sides of thy house in the intime powers of thy soule Wisdome is the knowledge of diuine things and is called the wife and spouse of à man liuing in holie feare according to that Her haue I loued and haue sought her out from Sap. 8. my youth and haue sought to take her for my spouse and I was made à louer of her beautie By this wife maie alsoe bee vnderstood the eternall increate wisdome which is the spouse of à deuout soule doth fructifie thereiÌ„ like to à well cultiuated vine Thy children thy acts springing out of wisdome shall bee as young plants of oliue trees euer flourishing many comely and strong round about thy table in the circumference of thy faith wherein all good workes are founded and radicaâ—ed By Thy children maie alsoe bee vnderstood such spirituall children as by thy wisdome and preaching are generated brought forth to Christ Whence the Apostle saieth In Christ Iesus by the Ghospell Cor. 4. Gala. 4. I begate you and againe My little children whome I trauaile with all againe vntill Christ bee formed in you These children wisely instructed by thee as young plants of oliue trees shall bee annointed with the vnction of diuine grace become flourishing fruitfull in Christ round about thy table in the circuit of spirituall doctrine wherewith thou doest nourish them as with the bread of life and water of wisdome Behold soe shall the man bee blessed Such gifts of grace shall bee conferred vpon the man that feareth our Lord as is aboue saied For VVith him that feareth our Lord Eccles 1. saieth Ecclesiasticus it shall bee well in the later end and in the daie of his death he shall bee blessed Indeed since nothing doth seperate vs from God but sinne nor any thing can hinder infusion of grace but our owne negligence by this that feare doth shake of negligence retract from vice and expell sinne it disposeth our heart to all goodnesse is as it were the cause of all our good Our Lord out of Sion to witt the militant Church blesse thee by his Prelats and Pastours and graunt that thou maist see the good things of Ierusalem the happie estate and continuall progresse of the holie Church all the daies of thy life And tha◠〈◊〉 maist see thy childrens children them thou hâ—â—t spiritually begotten begett others in like sort that the holie Church maie bee augmented in meritt number and soe thou maist behold the Peace of Christ vpon Israel thy selfe and other Christians contemplating God The preamble to Vespres THe auncient Fathers are soe cleare for this houre make soe expresse mention of it that noe man could euer raise doubts of it especially about its institution and antiquitie The time allotted for Vespres is the euening First by reason of the proportion which it holdeth with Laudes for as Laudes are song in the last houre of the night soe Vespres should bee song in the last houre of the daie Secondly because our holie Father S. Benedict ordained that Vespres bee song alwaies by daie light yet still in the euening Cassian alsoe compareth Vespres to the labours of those who were last called and sent into the vineyard of our Lord who begane their worke onely at Eleuen and ended not vntill twelue The mysticall significations of this houre maie be diuers First it be tokeneth the institution of the blessed Sacrament which was in the euening for as the euening sacrifice holocaust or burnt offering and the Paschal Lambe which was to be made at that houre in
vertue of true humilitie doe euen from the fall of Lucifer acknowledge all their excellencie as receiued from him and mankind depressed by the Serpent alsoe in particular such as resigne themselues to his holie will and for his loue doe submitt themselues vnder all creatures Raising vp from the earth from carnall life from the loue of transitorie things and terrene thoughts the needie such as are voide and destitute of spirituallitie inriching them with diuine gifts with the loue of heauenly things and the contemplation of high mysteries and lifting vp to the Kingdome of glorie the poore the humble out of the dung of this corruptible bodie To place him there with Princes with the holie Angels with Princes of his people with the cheifest of his elect for the Triumphant Church is one vnited of good men and holie Angels Or thus That he maie place him on his right hand in the daie of iudgement with the Princes of whome the Prophet Isaie speaketh saying Our Isa 3. Lord shall come to iudgement with the ancients of his people and his Princes VVho maketh the barren woman the congregation of the Gentils to dwell in à house in the militant Church à ioyfull Mother of spirituall children whome she regenerateth of water and the holie Ghost In this sense the Apostle alleadgeth Gala. 3. that of the Prophet Isaie Reioyce thou barren that bearest not breakeforth and crie that trauailest not because many are the children of the desolate to witt of Gentilitie then of her that hath à husband to wit the Synagogue whose spouse husband was God almightie but he left her for her incredulitie as the Prophet Ieremy Iere. 12. doth manifestly declare saying I haue forsaken my house I haue left my inheritance I haue giuen my beloued into the hands of her enemies myne inheritance is become vnto me as à Lyon in à wood The Prophet tearmeth Gentilitie or the people of the Gentils Sterill and desoâ—ate because they were long forsaken by almightie God for their Idolatrie in such sort that they brought forth noe fruit of the holie Ghost nor generated any children to Christ whence is that of Amia the Prophetesse The barren woman bare verie manie and she that had manie children was weakened It is meet that we sing this Psalme with spirituall ioy it being composed wholly in the diuine praise It importeth vs alsoe to striue to become children that is pure innocent and humble that soe we maie merit to praise God worthily and to bee beheld by him with a gratious eie for Praiso is not comely Eccles 15 in the mouth of the vitious The third Psalme in Vespres which is the last in Tierce as alsoe the fourth Psalme which is the second in None are alreadie expounded in the saied Houres The title and argument of the 147. Psalme and last in Vespres THe title is Allelâ—ia In this Psalme the Prophet doth exhort the people of God both of the Triumphant and Militant Church to sing his praise incessantly giuing thankes for his singular benefits showred vpon them in particular for that he hath fortified them on all sides placed peace in their borders blessed their of spring fed them with the bread of life and manifested his hidden mysteries vnto them aboue all other people The explication of the Psalme O Ierusalem praise our Lord render the tribute of praise thankfulnesse to the Soueraigne Monarch of heauen and earth you Cittizens of the holie Ierusalem the Cittie of peace and vnitie of blessed spirits that see him face to face Praise thy God ô Sion ô all you that are called to the vnion of the holie Catholicke Church and doe contemplaâ—e God your Creator redeemer conseruer by the eies of faith praise him in the best manner you can excogitere to witt in puritie of heart and conuersation without blame And that you maie praise him the more worthily remember the singular testimonies of his good will shewed towards you Because he it is that hath strengthned the lockes of thy gates to hinder the enemie from surprising thee at vnawares and moreouer he hath blessed thy children in thee If this bee referred to the celestiall Ierusalem by the Gates here mentioned is vnderstood the admission where by any of the elect are admitted to the fellowship of the blessed by the Lockes is vnderstood the confirmation whereby the elect are firmely established in God and soe the sense of those words He hath strengthned the lockes of thy gates is that God hath made the confirmations of the celestiall Cittizens soe immoueable and secure that they cannot bee broken à suÌ„der by any slight or force The lockes of the gates of this Ierusalem are metaphorically saied to bee confirmed because as à Cittie of this world whilst it is fortified with strong lockes boults and barriers is held secure neither the enemies being of power to make forceable entrance nor the inhabitaÌ„ts willing or able to depart out of it soe the holie Cittie is altogether most secure in respect that neither the reprobate can enter it nor the blessed will or can abandon it But if they bee referred to the Militant Church by the Gates thereof are vnderstood Vertues especially Faith hope and charitie and by the Lockes are vnderstood the Sacraments which our Lord hath fortified by giuing the efficacie of sanctification vnto them in vertue of the Passion of our Sauiour in such sort that noe man soe long as he shall remaine within the fortresse of the Catholike Church and keep himselfe in the shelter of the infused vertues through the force of the Sacraments which he therein receiues need to feare the machinations of the euill enemie VVho hath sett thy borders peace ô celestiall Ierusalem He it is that hurld downe to the abisse of hell like to à flash of lightâ—ing that mutinous crue that once to disturbe thy peace and in an instant begirt thee with à wall of concord of warreproofe which noe dissention shall euer penetrate And filleth thee with the fatte of corne with the fruition of his diuinitie For the superessentiall diuinitie is the foode of the blessed whose vision or fruition maie well bee tearmed the fatte of corne that is to saie the sweet refection of the eternall bread which refection is the essentiall reward of the blessed wherewith they are soe fully enriched that they can desire noe more Iâ— is his paternall prouidence likewise that hath established within thy circuits â— Militant Church that happie peace which the world cannot giue to witt tranquillitie of conscience which all those enioy who remaine within thy precincts Christ alsoe doth daily fill thee with that Soueraigne foode the holie Sacrament of his owne bodie vnder the species of the purest wheat bread VVho sendeth forth his speech to the earth He it is who sendeth his onely Sonne the eternall word into the world to assume humane flesh for the saluation of mankind Or thus He it is who sendeth forth by
repaired that the number of the blessed maie become compleate and the Kingdome of the triumphant Church fully established and being taken in this sense the iustmen and such alsoe who are imperfect but yet doe imploy their bâ—â—â— endeauours to moâ—tify their inordinate affections and to reforme the image of God in their soules maie recite this Petition with much feruour and expect this Kingdome of God with longing desire wâ—ich our Sauiour â—ath promised shall come or beginne vpon that terrible and ioyfull daâ—e when the Angells shall place such well minded soules on his right hand and he pronounce that Math. 25. happy seteÌ„ce Come yee blessed of my Father possesse you à â—ingdome which hath been prepared for you euer from the beginning of the world S. Gregory the great in his Homily Lucâ— 12 vpon these words of S. Lâ—ke Be yee like to men expecting their Lord when he shall returne from the marriadgâ— that when he doth come and knocke fortâ— with they maie open vnto him hath this inter prâ—tatioÌ„ Our â—ord comâ—th saieth he when he hastneth à to iudgment but he knocketh when by the pangs of sicknâ—s he sheweth that death is neare at hand vnto whome we open readily if we receaue him with loue For he will not open to the iudgâ— that knocketh who trembleth to depart out of his body fearing to behold him as iudge whome his conscience accuseth him to haue greatly offended But he that is assured of his life well spent doth quickly open because he doth ioyfully expect his iudge and when the tyme of death approacheth doth reioyce with confidence that ere long his labours shall be rewarded with à crowne of glory Let vs therefore endeauour to liue with such innocency and puritie that we maie recite this petition with sincere affection Expecting the blessed hope and aduenâ— of the glory of the great God and our Sauioâ—â— Iesus Christ begging with sighes and teares that almighty God will be pleased euen at this present to reigne in our hearts and graunt vs light to see and know his will in all things and grace to performe it in the most perfect manner saying to that end the ensuing Petition Let thy will be done 〈◊〉 earth it is in heauen THat is graunt vs that liue vpon earth grace to obey thee as proÌ„ptly reuerently and purely as the blessed doe that liue in heauen according as our frailtie will permit There cannot be à more excellent praier then to beseeâ—h almighty God that 〈◊〉 things maie be parallel'd with the celestiall And what other thing doe we desire when we saiâ— Let thy will be done vpon earth as â—â— is in heauen but that men maie be made like to Angells and that is the will of God is accompliâ—â—ed by them in heaueâ— soe all we that liue vpon earth maie not doe our owne wills but his diuine pleasure 〈◊〉 man is able to saiâ— this Petition with à sincere heart and true affection but he who doth vndoubtedly beleeue that God almighty doth dispence all things both prosperous and aduerse for our best â—â—aile and that he is more pro 〈◊〉 and solicitous for our welfare and 〈◊〉 dirâ—â— then we are for our owne VVhose will is as the Apostlâ— witnesseth â— ad Tim. that all men he saued come to the knowledge of the truth And therefore we maie boldly confiding in his immense goodnes recite the Petition following Giue vs this daie our supersubstantiall bread FOr soe â—â— is called by S. Mathew he Math. 6 signifying thereby the nobilitie and â—â—anscendent qualitie of that substance which exceedeth all creatures in magnificence and sanctification The saied supersubstantiall bread is tearmed by S. Luke Daily bread he expressing thereby Luca 11 the propertiâ— or nature of the vse thereof By thâ—â— word Daily is signified that we are not able to subsist one whole daie without this admirable foode When we aske this foode we demand as S. Augustine S. Cyprian and other holy Doctors of the Church doe affirme not onely all necessary sustenance for the body but alâ—oe much more all spirituall food for the soule as namely the bread of the hoâ—y Euchaâ—ist which S. Denis calleth supersubstantiall bread to witt Christ Iesus the bread of life that came from heauen and the bread of life to vs that eate his bodie moreouer the bread of vnderstanding the bread of grace and holy inspirations For we are not to thinke that our Sauiour taught vs by this PetitioÌ„ to aske materiall bread alone and other corporall sustenance for we haue another life to prouide for besides that of the body vz the life of the soule which is farre more to be regarded Not in bread alone that is in corporall Math. 4 food doth man liue according to both parts vz body and soule but in euery word that proceedeth from the mouth of God that is from the diuine vnderstanding and is reuealed by the Angells to holy men The body indeed maie be sustained and conserued in the life of nature by materiall bread but the life of the soule is corroborated and conserued in the life of grace by the word of God according to that He that beareth my ward Ioan. â— and beleeueth him that sent one hath life euerlasting Let vs therefore begg this spirituall bread with much instance for our soule will soone saint and be in danger to perish if God almighty doe witâ— draw his good motions and instigations to vertue and we through want of them doe falle to dispose ourselues that we maie daily receaue the body and bloud of our sweet Sauiour Sacramentally and spiritually or at least spiritually B. the word to Daie is signified that this foode is daily to be taken and that the foode we receaued yesterdaie is not sufficient to sustaine vs vnlesse it be giuen vs to daie alsoe or if it be not graunted vnto vs that this happen not through our neglect and soe in like manner during our whole life for there will be no daie wherein we shall not haue need of this bread to â—orroberate the heart of our interiour man The word to Daie maie alsoe be vnderstood for this present life in which sense we desire that God almighty will be pleased to graunt vs this bread whilest we remaine in this life For we are assured that he will giue it in the future life to all well deseruing people VVhen they shall eate and drinke vpon his table in his kingdome and Luc. 12. VVhen he shall make them sitt downe and minister Luc. 12. vnto them at he passeth byâ— yet notwithstanding we desire him to bestow it vpon vs this daie because vnlesse we receaue it in this life we shall not be partakers thereof in the next And forgiue vs our debts as we alsoe doe forgiue our debtors THat is Forgiue vs our sinnes the punishment which we haue deserued by sinning as we forgiue them that haue offended vs and are obliged to make vs recompence O