What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of lambes and of the fat of fed beasts I desire not the blood of bullockes nor of lambes nor of goates incense is an abomination vnto me my soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feasts all of them are a burthen vnto me I am weary to beare them And Mich. 6.7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes or with ten thousand riuers of oyle nay the sacrifice best accepted of God is a troubled spirit a broken and contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise Psal 51.17 2. The Priesthood of Aaron and the kingdome of Israel were distinct offices and incompetible the Priest vnder the law might not incroch vpon the royalties of the King nor the King execute the Priests office for when b 2. Chro. 26.16 Vzziah the King went into the Temple of the Lord to burne incense the Priests of the Lord withstood him and said vnto him It appertaineth not vnto thee Vzziah to burne incense vnto the Lord but to the Priests the sonnes of Aaron consecrated to this office Goe forth of the Sanctuarie for thou hast transgressed and Vzziah the King was a leper vnto the day of his death But Christ is both a Priest and a Prince the Scepter and the Miter meet together in him 3. Aaron Eleazar and c Leuit. 16. euery high Priest vnder the Law did enter into the holy place by the blood of goats and calues which hee did offer for himselfe and for the sinnes of the people But Christ our Priest entred into the most holy place by his owne blood and obtained eternall redemption for vs Heb. 9.12 He d Galath 1.4 gaue himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world It was impossible that the blood of buls and goats should take away sinnes Heb. 10.4 He therefore did e Ephes 5.2 offer his owne body redeeming his Church euen with his owne f 1. Pet. 1.19 pretious blood 4. Aaron was annointed with an g Leuit. 8.12 Psal 133.2 oyle made of pleasant spices and balsame but God hath annointed Christ with oyle of gladnesse Psal 45.8 The spirit of the Lord quoth h Luk. 4.18.21 he hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospell vnto the poore and hath sent mee that I should heale the broken hearted c. 5. Aaron and euery high-Priest of the Iewes offered vp sacrifice i Leuit. 16.6 Heb. 7.27 first for his owne sinnes and then for the people But Christ as being holy blamelesse vndefiled Hebr. 7.26 who knew no sin 2. Cor. 5.21 who did k Esay 53.9 no wickednesse neither was any deceit in his mouth offered vp himselfe onely for our sins hee was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities he carried our sorrowes and with his stripes are we healed 6. Aaron and his successors were Priests of the Iewes and tied only to the Temple of l Deut. 12.11 Iohn 4.20 Hierusalem but Christ is for all persons and all places at all times a Priest for euer an vniuersall Bishop of our soules as he told the woman of m Iohn 4.21 Samaria the houre commeth and is now when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor at Hierusalem worship the Father but the true worshippers shall euery where worship him in spirit and truth 7. Aaron and other Priests vnder the Law were made without swearing of an oath but Christ is made by an oath by him that said vnto him the Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Heb. 7.20.21 8. Aarons Priesthood was temporarie but the Priesthood of Christ is for euer Eleazar succeeded Aaron and Phineas Eleazar and so downward for among the n Heb. 7.23 Iewes many were made Priests because they could not endure by reason of death but Christ because hee endureth for euer hath an euerlasting Priesthood The Iewes haue now o Song of the three Children vers 38. neither Prince nor Prophet nor burnt offering nor sacrifice nor oblation nor incense for the Lord repented p Bellarmin de cullu sanct cap. 10. §. secundo respondet that is changed Aarons Priesthood but Christ as our text hath it is consecrated by God the Father a Priest for euer None can succeed him hee will not giue his glory to another Esay 42.8 and therefore the blasphemous opinion of the q See Tileman Heshusius in loc Papists is detestable who make the Pope successor vnto Peter and Peter the successour vnto Christ in his Priesthood So they prate print and paint in their r In fine Chron. Marian. Scot. Mart. Polon Catalogues of the Romane Bishops I will not dispute this point after Paul Hebr. 7.25 concluding peremptorily that Christ and onely Christ is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he liueth euer to lake intercession for them ſ Fox Martyr fol. 1027. as that learned man and martyr Iohn Lambert in his greatest agonie none but Christ none but Christ All the Peters and Peeres and Popes in the world which euer haue been are and shall be cannot sacrifice so much as may satisfie God for the sin of one poore soule Christ alone is our Priest for euer at whose right hand God the Father standeth assistant to t Genebrard in loc performe whatsoeuer he hath either said or sworne to him euen to the confusion of Kings and all other great enemies in the day of his wrath And surely this clause for euer as that holy Martyr of God u Fox Mart. pag. 1271. Iohn Bradford obserued euidently shewes that the Popish Masse is a most iniurious enemie to Christ in respect of his Priesthood and sacrifice The Priesthood of Christ is an euerlasting Priesthood and such a function as cannot goe to another but the Masse doth vtterly put him out of place as though hee were dead for euer and so God were a lyar who said hee should liue for euer Againe it is a pernitious enemie to his sacrifice for to re-iterate a thing once done for the full accomplishing of the end wherefore it was begun declareth imperfection of the same thing before but the Masse-priests re-iterate the sacrifice of Christ once done for the end wherefore it was begun that is for propitiation and remission à poena culpa ergo the Masse-priests make Christs oblation imperfect and deny that the vertue thereof endures for euer See Epistle Sun 5. in Lent I come now to the parallel of Dauid shewing the resemblance betweene Melchisedech and Christ This Melchisedech as Paul Hebr. 7. reports out of Moses Genes 14. was King of Salem and the Priest of the most high God So Christ is described in this present Psalme to be both a King and a Priest the King of Salem that is of x Galat. 4.26
Lord and against his annointed Wickednesse furiously raging standing vp and taking counsell together Weakenesse Implied in the word why Expressed in the clause Imagine a vaine thing 2. Sets downe Gods Might for their destruction if they will not amend their manners and asswage their malice vers 4.5.6.7.8.9 Mercy for their instruction if they will once be so wise as to learne his law and to loue his sonne vers 10.11.12 Why doe the Heathen By Heathen are meant the Gentiles by people the Iewes by Kings the chiefe Monarches vpon earth and by Rulers their z Bucer Ro. Stephanus Wilcox priuie Counsellors of Estate The Gentiles as not hauing Gods law furiously rage together like a Cassiodorus Placidus Tileman bruit beasts without vnderstanding The Greeke word vsed by Saint Luke Act. 4.25 doth import fiercenesse and pride as of horses that neigh and rush into the battell The Iewes albeit they had Gods holy word imagined a vaine thing b Euthym. because they were cunning rather in the sound then in the sense thereof The Kings as men of might stand vp and the rulers as men of wit and policy take counsell together And so men of all countries as well the Iewes as the Gentiles and of all conditions as wel Princes as people bandy thēselues against the Lord against his anointed Now this may be construed c D. Jncognit Caluin Tremel either of Dauid or of the Messias Of the Lords Christ or of the Lord Christ Dauid is the Lords Christ as his annointed King ouer Israel annointed thrice First in the middest of his brethren 1. Sam. 1.16 afterward in Hebron 2. Sam. 2. lastly before all the tribes of Israel 2. Sam. 5. and he may be called the sonne of God As a Man for all of vs are the d Act. 17.28 generation of God it is be who made vs and not our selues Psal 100.2 Great man or King for Princes are stiled the e Psal 82.6 children of the most high Good man or regenerate for euery one that is new borne is f 1. Ioh. 3.9 borne of God and adopted his sonne and made his heire Rom. 8.15.17 How the Heathen that is the Philistims and other strange nations furiously raged together against him how the people that is the Iewes of Sauls house imagined vainely to dethrone him how the Captains stood vp and states-men tooke counsell together that they might breake his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from them how the Lord that dwelleth in heauen laughed all his enemies to scorne saying yet haue I set my King vpon my holy hill of Sion you may reade in the second booke of Samuel from the 2. to the 10. chapter But the blessed Apostles haue construed this of Christ Act. 4.24 O Lord thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth and the sea and all things that are in them Which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast said why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things The Kings of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ. For doubtlesse against thine holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done g Bellar. in loc First the Princes did plot and afterward the people did act this insurrection Herod the King sought to destroy Christ in his swadling cloutes he was troubled at the birth of Iesus and all Hierusalem with him Matth. 2.3 And the Rulers opposed Christ in the whole course of his life so the text plainly h Ioh. 7 48. Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharisies beleeue in him At his death all the Rulers Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill accorded in one The Gentiles i Euthym. that is the Romane souldiers by Pilats instigation furiously raged together and the people that is the Iewes by the counsell of the chiefe Priests Elders imagined a vaine thing Yea but how can it be said plurally that Kings assembled against Christ Answere is made by k Placidus Incognitus Agellius some that the plurall is vsed here for the singular Or by Kings is meant Herod and Pilate for Herod is stiled l Matth. 2.1 King and Pontius Pilate was a m Matth. 27.2 Gouernour vnder the Romane Emperour and these Viceroyes had many petite n Ioh. 4.46 Matth. 9.18 Rulers also subiect to their command Or by Kings is meant Herod senior who stood vp against Christ at his birth Matth. 2. and Herod Iunior who despised and mocked Christ at his death Luk. 23.11 Or as o Jn loc Idem Euthym. Chrysostome with Herod were ioyned the Diuell and Death and Sinne. All which are Kings of the earth The Diuell is a King p Ephes 2.2 ruling in the ayre the q Ioh. 12.31 Prince of this world Luk. 11.18 If Satan be diuided against himselfe how shall his kingdome stand And Death is a King Rom. 5.14 Death raigned from Adam to Moses c. And Sinne is a King too Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies lest yee should obey the lust of it All these Kings assembled and tooke counsell together against the Lord and against his Christ For as Christ consisted of humane flesh and a reasonable soule so likewise hee had two sorts of enemies one visible which assaulted his bodie another inuisible which assaulted his soule spirituall wickednesses Ephes 6.12 Here wee may behold and bewaile the blindnesse of the Iewes in our time who notwithstanding their most ancient r See Galatin de Arcanis lib. 3. cap. 7. Bellar. in loc Rabbins applie this our text to the true Messias expect him as yet to come Lastly for as much as Christ suffers in his ſ Acts 9.4 members and t 2. Tim. 3.12 al that will liue godly that they may be made u Rom. 8.29 like to his image must of necessitie suffer persecution it may be construed of x Placidus Bucer Strigellius Christians as well as of Christ against whom al the wicked angels y Apoc. 7.1 standing on the foure corners of the earth are combined in a bloody league The Gentiles at this day furiously rage together and the Iewes at this day still imagine vaine things at this day the Kings of the earth stand vp as the Turke the Pope the Spanyard and all their cruell agents In a word all Atheists all Anti-christs all Hypocrites all Worldlings hurtle together against the Lord his annoynted people The true Church is a z Cant. 2.2 lilie among thornes a few harmelesse a Luk. 10.3 lambes in the middest of many rauenous wolues on euery side compassed about with such as say Let vs break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from vs. 1. We may learne from hence b Wilcox not
and his angels The spirituall enemies of Christ and his Church are Satan and all his complices sinne torment of conscience malediction of the law death hell ouer all which our blessed Sauiour n Coloss 2.15 triumphed openly For in dying hee did ouercome death and in rising againe from the dead hee made the graue his foot-stoole saying o Hos 13.14 O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction Now beloued his conquest is our victory for hee did ouercome the world for vs and the diuell for vs and death for vs. Hee was wounded for our p Esay 53.5 transgressions and broken for our iniquities his name is q Ier. 23.6 the Lord our righteousnesse he therefore died for our sinnes and rose againe for our Iustification Hee deliuered vs out of the hands of all our enemies that we might serue him all the daies of our life without feare As for our sins hee saith Esa 43.25 I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy faults r Esay 1.18 Alebeit they were like Crimosin they shall be made white as snow though they were red as Scarlet they shall be like wooll the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne 1. Ioh. 1.7 Hee redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs Galath 3.13 He put out that hand-writing of ordinances against vs he cancelled that obligation and tooke it out of the way fastening it vpon his Crosse Coloss 2.14 Concerning torment of conscience being iustified by faith we haue peace toward God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.1 Lastly touching death and hell he Å¿ Esay 25.8 destroyes death for euer and wipes away the teares from the faces of all his people that they may triumph in the words of t 1. Cor. 15.55 Paul O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sin is the law but thankes be to God that hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ He that beleeueth in the Lord Iesus hath u Ioh. 17.3 eternall life neither shall he taste of the x Apocal. 20.6 second death If God then be with vs who can bee against vs If the Lord haue said vnto my Lord sit on my right hand vntill I haue made thine enemies thy foot-stoole What need I feare what either man or Angell or diuell is able to doe against me My Iesus is a y Esay 25.4 refuge against the tempest and a shadow against the heate a z Psalm 46.1 present help in al my tribulation trouble a Rom. 8.33 Who shal lay any thing to my charge seeing it is God that iustifieth and who shall condemne seeing Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs daily b Mat. 28.20 Hee saith I am with you till the end and then hee will say vnto vs in the end Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion A c Plutarch in the life of Caesar Captaine sent from Caesar vnto the Senators of Rome to sue for the prolonging of his gouernment abroad vnderstanding as hee stood at the Counsell-chamber doore that they would not condescend to his desire clapping his hand vpon the pummell of his sword Well said he seeing you will not grant it him this shall giue it him So when the Citizens of Messana despising Pompei's iuris-diction alleaged ancient orders and priuiledges of the Romans in old time granted vnto their town Pompei did answere them in choller as Plutarch relates in his life What do you prattle to vs of your law that haue our swords by our sides So d Caluino turcis lib. 1. cap. 4. Mahumet dissolueth all arguments by the sword in e Vbertas solieta tract de causis magnitud imperij Turcici his kingdome no man is aduanced vnto places of any great worth or worship but the souldior the f Augerius Busbequius legat Turcic epist 1. left hand among the Turks is accounted most honourable because the sword hangs on that side So Tyrants and Potentates of the world end all their quarrels and make their enemies their footstoole by the sword But the scepter of Christs kingdome is not a sword of steele but a sword of the spirit hee ruleth in the middest of his enemies and subdueth a people to himselfe not by the sword but by the g Melancthon Tileman Vatablus Agellius word for the Gospell is the power of his arme to saluation Rom. 1.16 casting downe holds and imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought vnto the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10.5 And the Lord is said here to send the rod of his power out of Sion according to the prophecies of h Cap. 2. vers 3. Isaiah and i Cap. 4. vers 2. Micah the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Hierusalem The blessed Apostles as wee reade Act. 2. receiued the gifts of the holy Ghost at Hierusalem and exercised also these gifts of vtterance first in Hierusalem It is true that their k Rom. 10.18 sound went out through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world and that they did execute their commission in preaching vnto l Mark 16.15 euery creature but yet according to their masters iniunction Luk. 24.47 they began at Hierusalem So Paul and Barnabas told the Iewes Act. 13.46 It was necessary that the word of God should first haue been spoken vnto you but seeing yee put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life loe wee turne to the Gentiles Heere then is a pregnant text to proue that the Gospel is not the word of m 1. Thess 2.13 man but the wisdome of n 1. Cor. 2.7 God and o Ephes 6.17 sword of his spirit for that it is agreeable to the predictions of all his holy Prophets euer since the world began Againe p Tileman in loc this euidence confutes the Iewes obstinately denying that the promised Messias is come His word commeth out of Sion hee must according to this prophecie begin his spirituall kingdome in Hierusalem euen while the Iewes Common-wealth and religion is standing for the scepter shall not depart from Iuda nor a law-giuer betweene his feet vntill Shilo come the people shall be gathered vnto him Gen. 49.10 But alas Hierusalem hath a long time been made leuell with the q Luk. 19.44 ground r Lament 1.1 she that was great among the Nations and Princesse among the Prouinces is now made tributarie Barbarus has segetes the Lord hath so darkened
asinum viuit Leuis ac inconstans studia permutat nil ab auibus differt Foedis immundisque libidinibus immergitur sordidae suis voluptate detinetur Ita fit vt qui probitate deserta homo esse desierit cum in diuinam conditionem transire non possit vertatur in belluam To this purpose c Dialog de immortalit animae Carolus Bouillus excellently Humana sub cate plurimae latent ferae The Scripture saith as much in calling a subtill dissembler foxe Goe tell that foxe said Christ of Herod Luk. 13.32 in calling a soule-murthering false prophet a d Matth. 7.15 rauening wolfe in calling a vaine man a e Iob. 11.12 wilde asse colt in calling a voluptuous man giuen ouer to worke al vncleannes euen with greedinesse a f 2. Pet. 2.22 sow wallowing in the mire in calling a proud man in honour that vnderstands not how to vse the good things he hath g Psal 49.10 a brute that perisheth as h Psal 32.10 horse and mule without vnderstanding So Dauid here termes the children of men which are set on fire to doe mischiefe whelpes of lyons My soule is among lyons O God be mercifull vnto me for my soule is persecuted by such enemies as abound with a great deale of might and malice Might as being lyons that is hardie haughtie Lebaim of leb that is heart courage So lyons are mentioned in holy Scripture for stoutnes 2. Sam. 17.10 He that is valiant whose heart is as the heart of a lyon and for boldnesse Prou. 28.1 The righteous are bold as a lion And my foes haue great surie so well as force being set on fire raging themselues and i Ardeliones aulici Tremel inflaming other also with anger and enuie meere boutefeus k See Bellar. Agell in loc So that if I should escape the lawes of lyons which hurt at hand yet I may fall into their black mouthes whose teeth and tongue like launces and arrowes hit and wound a farre off By l Bucer Tileman Rob. Stephanus these fierie fellowes hee doth vnderstand backbiting Slanderers and Sycophants in the Court of Saul accusing him of treason and disloyaltie For so himselfe complaineth 1. Sam. 24.10 Wherfore giuest thou an eare to mens words who say Behold Dauid seeketh euill against thee m Prou. 25.18 Salomon saith A man that beares false witnes against his neighbour is like an hammer and a sword and a sharpe arrow Nay the detracting tongue hurts a great deale more thē either sword or arrow For a sword that makes a bigge wound cannot hurt farre off and an arrow that hurteth farre off vsually makes no bigge wound but the lewd tongue cuts deeper then any sharpe sword and flieth faster and further then any swift arrow The dagger at one blow the dart at one shoote kils not many but the slanderer in telling one tale may murther at one time three to wit himselfe the partie to whom and the partie of whom hee telleth it n Bernard serm 24. in Cant. Vnus est qui loquitur vnum tantum verbum profert tamen illud vnum verbum vno momento multitudinis audientium dum aures inficit animas interficit The wicked saith our o Psal 140.3 Prophet haue sharpened their tongues like a serpent and the tongue of a serpent as p Nat. hist lib. 11. cap. 37. Plinie telleth vs is trisulca three edged They haue laid a net for my feete As the foes of Dauid were cruell a q Prou. 30.14 generation whose teeth are swords and iawes are kniues to deuoure Gods afflicted people r Euthym. Caluine so likewise craftie laying snares for his feete thinking to ſ Bellarmine Agellius catch him in a pit-fall as a bird or as a beast in a ginne The t Psal 11.2 wicked bend their bow and make ready their arrowes vpon the string that they may secretly shoote at them which are vpright in heart that which they cannot effect by power they will attempt by policie But the u Psal 124.6 share is brokē the x Psal 35.8 net which they laid priuilie caught themselues and they who digged the pit are fallen into the middest of it themselues And here wee may behold Gods infinite iustice who neuer leaues the deedes of charitie nor the debts of cruelty vnsatisfied As y Iudges 8. Gideon slew seuentie Elders of Succoth with vnmeasurable torments euen so were his owne seuentie sonnes all but one murthered by his bastard Abimelec So the wicked z Exod. 1. Egyptians hauing caused some male-children of the Hebrewes to be slaine and other of them to be cast into the water and drowned were rewarded by God in the like measure destroying their owne a Exod. 12. first borne by his Angell and drowning their King and his hoste in the red sea Exod. 14. So b Ester 7.10 Haman was hanged vpon the same gallowes he set vp for Mordecai c Knolles in his life Baiazet the first who purposed in the pride of his heart if he should conquer Tamberlane to carrie him in an iron cage thorough his kingdome was himselfe serued in the same kinde by victorious Tamberlane The Tyrant d Euseb hist lib. 9. cap. 9. Maxentius was ouerthrowne in the same bridge which he craftily built as a snare for the destruction of Constantine and so his e Psal 7.17 mischiefe fell vpon his owne head and his wickednesse vpon his owne pate f Pet. Bembus hist Venet. lib. 6. Idem Pontanus de prudent lib. 4 cap. 16. Alexander the sixth was poysoned at supper with the very same wine which hee had prepared as a deadly draught for his familiar friend Cardinall Adrianus It is said in the storie that it happened by his seruants improuidence who mistook the bottles and yet doubtlesse by Gods all-seeing prouidence who casteth his enemies into the same pit they digged for other Mystically this Hymne may be construed of g Hierome Augustine D. Incognitus Lorinus Christ who was h Heb. 5.7 in the daies of his flesh assaulted by the tyrannie both of temporall and spirituall enemies His temporall enemies i Acts 4.27 Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel furiously raged and tooke counsell together against him The chiefe Priests and Princes were saith k In loc Hierome like lyons and the people like the whelps of lyons all of them in a readinesse to deuoure his soule The Rulers laid a net for his feete in their l Turrecremat Lorinus in loc captious interrogatories asking Mat. 22.17 Is it lawfull that tribute be giuen vnto Caesar or no And Ioh. 8.5 whether the woman taken in the very act of adulterie should be stoned to death or no The people were set on fire when as they raged against him and their teeth and tongues were speares and swords in m Augustine crying Crucifie him crucifie him His spirituall enemies also sought