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
hee was dead he conuaieth from himselfe to his members and thereby raiseth them vp from the death of sinne to newnes of life For the better vnderstanding of this point let vs examine the meanes and the measure of the spirituall life For the meanes if wee will haue common water we may goe to the common well and if we desire water of Life we must haue recourse vnto Christ who saith q Ioh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke and r Ioh. 4.14 hee shall haue a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Now this well as the woman of Samaria said of Iacobs well is very deepe and we haue nothing to draw with And therefore wee must haue pipes and conduits to conuay the same vnto vs and these pipes are the sincere preaching of the word and the right administration of the Sacraments As for the preaching of Gods holy Word Christ openly proclaimeth in the fifth of S. Iohns Gospell at the 25 Verse The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue Å¿ August tract 22. in Ioan. IdeÌ„ Caluin alij in loc Where by dead is meant not the dead in the graue but the dead in sin For so the Scripture speaketh elsewhere t Matth. 8.22 Let the dead bury the dead and Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and 1. Tim. 5.6 A widow liuing in pleasure is dead while shee liueth He that hearts the word and abideth in vnbeliefe continueth among the dead but saith our Sauiour u Iohn 5.24 Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life because the words that I speake vnto you are spirit and life Ioh. 6.63 that is conueying vnto your dead hearts spirit and life As Christ when he raised vp dead men only spake the word and they reuiued and at the last day when the x 1. Thessal 4.16 trumpet of God shall blow the dead shall rise againe so it is in the first resurrection they which are dead in their old sinnes are raised againe to newnes of life by his powerfull voyce vttered in the Gospels ministerie We reade of three that Christ raised from death y Matth. 9.25 Iairus daughter newly dead the z Luke 7.15 widowes sonne dead and wound vp and lying on the hearse and a John 11.44 Lazarus dead and buried and stinking in the graue Now these three sorts of Coarses as b Serm. 44. de verbis dom de hac allegoria vide eundem tract 49. in Ioan. Augustine notes are three sorts of sinners Iairus daughter lying dead in her fathers house resembleth those that sinne by inward consent the widowes sonne being carried out of the gate of the Citie those that sinne by outward act Lazarus hauing been dead and buried foure daies those that sinne by continuall habite The first day saith Augustine hee was dead by conceiuing sinne the second by consenting to sinne the third by committing sinne the fourth by continuing in sinne The young maiden lay in a bed the yong man in a coffin Lazarus in a graue The first was dead but an houre the second but a day the third foure daies After their raising vp Iairus daughter instantly walked because for her that had stept aside but by consenting to sinne it was easie to recouer and to walke foorth-with in the waies of Gods holie Commandements The widowes sonne sat vp began to speake was deliuered to his mother because for him which had actually transgressed it was a matter of greater difficultie to recouer and therefore by little and little hee came to it as c Con. de misericord Domini Erasmus obserueth excellently First sitting vp by raising vp himselfe to a purpose of amendment then beginning to speake by confessing his owne miserie and acknowledging Gods mercie lastly being deliuered to his mother by returning to the bosome of the holie Church and enioying the remission of his sinnes Lazarus came foorth of his graue bound hand and foote with bands because for him that had a d Moles imposita sepulchro ipsa est vis dura consuetudinis August ser 44. de verb. Dom. stone laid vpon him and had made his heart as hard as a graue-stone or as a e Iob. 41.15 nether milstone by making a custome and as it were a trade of sinne it was in the iudgement of man impossible to recouer And yet Christs omnipotent voyce brought him foorth bound hand and foote and brake these bands asunder and restored him againe to the libertie of the sonnes of God The f Confess Anglican art 25. Sacraments are conduit-pipes also whereby God inuisibly conueieth his vitall or sauing graces into the heart if they be rightly vsed that is if they be receiued in vnfained repentance for all our sinnes and with a liuely faith in Christ for the pardon of the same sinnes And in this respect aptly compared vnto g Cant. 2.5 flagons of wine which reuiue the Church being sicke and fallen into a swound As for the measure of spirituall life deriued from our head Christ it is but small in this world and giuen by little and little the which is figured in the h Ezech. 47.3.4.5 vision of water that ranne out of the Temple First a man must wade to the ancles then after to the knees so to the loynes and last of all the waters grow to a riuer that cannot be passed ouer euen so the Lord conueieth his gifts and graces by little and little till his children at the last attaine a large measure thereof and haue full growth in Christ The same wee may likewise see liuely described in the vision of drie bones Ezech. 37. The Prophet in a vision is carried into the middest of a field full of dead bones and the Lord commanded him to prophecie ouer them and to say to them O yee drie bones heare the word of the Lord. At the first there was a shaking and the bones came together bone to bone vers 7. then the sinewes and flesh grew vpon them and vpon the flesh a skinne couered them vers 8. â—â—en hee prophecied vnto the winde and they liued and stood vpon their feete for the breath came vpon them and they were an exceeding great armie of men vers 10. i These bones are the whole house of Israel vers 11. but the faithful are Gods Israel Hereby doubtlesse is signified not only the state of the Iewes after their captiuitie but in them the state of the whole Church in whose heart God almightie worketh his graces of regeneration by little and little First he giueth his children flesh and then a skinne to couer the flesh and afterward hee powreth vpon them further gifts of his spirit to quicken them and to make them aliue vnto God 3. The resurrection of Christ is a k Non modo per seipsum probauit resurrectionem Saducaeis sed in seipso omnibus Tertul. lib. de carnis resur demonstration of our resurrection according to that of S. Paul 1. Cor. 15.12 If it be preached that Christ is risen againe from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrectioÌ„ of the dead Yea but ye will obiect what promotion is that vnto the godly seeing all men at the last day must of necessitie rise againe Answere is made that the wicked are raised by the power of Christ as a Iudge to condemne them on the contrarie the faithfull are raised by the power of Christ as a Iesus to saue them Almightie God said vnto Adam At what time he should eate of the forbidden fruite he should l Gen. 2.17 dye the death Hereby m August de Ciuitat dei lib. 13. cap. 12. Aquin. Dion Carthus in Gen. 2. meaning a double death as the Scripture speaks n Apoc. 20.6 elsewhere the first and the second death Naturall death is the dissolution of the bodie spirituall death is the destruction of the soule eternall death is both of body and soule Prima constat ex duabus secunda ex omnibus tota saith Augustine Now Christ as a Iudge raiseth againe the reprobate from the first death that hee may inflict vpon them all the punishments of the second death as a reward of sinne but hee raiseth his elect as their head and redeemer that they may bee partakers of the benefit of his death enioying both in bodie and soule the kingdome of glorie which hee hath so dearely bought for them Wherefore seeing on this day wee haue been deliuered from so much 〈…〉 promoted vnto so much good let vs o Chrysost Euthym. Placidus spirituallie reioyce being p Dr. Incognitus glad inwardly ioyfull outwardly q Colos 3.16 singing vnto the Lord with a grace in our hearts This is the day which the Lord hath made FINIS
Israelites are the land of the Lord and the captiuity here mentioned is bondage vnder sinne so Paul Rom. 7.23 I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death In this captiuity Satan is the Iaylor the flesh is our prison vngodly lusts are the manicles a bad conscience the tormentor all of them against vs onely Christ is Emmanuel God with vs he turneth away the captiuity of Iacob in forgiuing all his offences and in couering all his sinnes For the blessed order of our redemption is x Bellarmin briefly this God out of his meere loue to the world quia bene voluit terrae gaue his sonne the sonne by his death appeased the wrath of his Father and abundantly satisfied the diuine iustice for the sinnes of the whole world God pleased in his sonne Iesu forgiueth all our offences and couereth all our sinnes and remission of sinne releaseth our captiuity Whosoeuer then is a true beleeuer in Christ is the Lords y 1. Cor. 7.22 free-man z See Aquin. lect 4. in Rom. 7. in this life so set at liberty that sinne shall not raigne in his mortall members Rom. 6.12 but in the world to come fully free from all corruption and concupiscence when as his vile body shall bee made like to Christs glorious body Philip. 3.21 the which is called by Paul the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Rom. 8.21 Turne vs then O God our Sauiour Heere begins the a Bucer Bellarmin petition or b Genebrardus application of the former prophecy wherein the Church heartily desires the father of mercies that he would execute his holy promise concerning our deliuerance by sending his onely Sonne and our only Sauiour Christ Iesus into the world Where as it is said in the prophecie Thou hast turned away the captiuitie of Iacob it is said in the Prayer Turne vs then O God our Sauiour In the prophecie Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure and turned thy selfe from thy wrathfull indignation in the Prayer Let thine anger cease from vs wilt thou be displeased at vs for euer and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another In the prophecie Thou hast been fauourable to thy land thou hast for giuen the offences of thy people and couered all their sinnes in the Prayer Quicken vs O Lord that thy people may reioyce in thee shew vs thy mercie and grant vs thy saluation c Euthym. that is thy Sonne Iesus d Acts 4.12 by whom onely thou sauest The whole Prayer hath as e D. Incognitus one notes two parts 1. The Churches request vnto God that the Messias of the world may come and that for foure causes especially 1. For our reconciliation vnto God vers 4.5 2. For our iustification vers 6.7 3. For our illumination vers 8. 4. For our glorification vers 9. 2. Gods grant to the request of his Church in the fulnes of time Mercie and truth are met together c. I will hearken what the Lord will say The word of God is a lanterne vnto our feete and a light vnto our paths a trustie f Psal 119.24 counseller in all our affaires in our afflictions especially The Lord speakes peace vnto his people both in the bookes of his holy Scriptures and by the mouthes of his godly g Tileman in loc Preachers And therefore such as h 1. Thess 5.20 despise prophecying for some by-respects of tithes and other worldly toyes hate their learned and vigilant Pastors i Luke 19.42 vnderstand not these things which belong vnto their peace It was euer held commendable policie both among Christians and Heathens that a good thing for the Common-weale should be broached by the gratious lip of some man highly honoured in his countrie because his precept is vsually dis-respected whose person is despised And this among other is one cause why some men in Gods house during the time of praying and preaching prattle so much vnto their mates or if their pew-fellow be more deuout prate by nods and fleares and other secret signes vnto their lewd companions further off It is hard for any said Plutarch to change himselfe so much but that a man at one time or other may catch his heart at the tip of his tongue and so surely no hypocrite can so deeply dissemble but a man euer and anon may see his heart at his fingers end his wandring lookes and other irreuerent behauiour in the Temple bewray that his soule doth not magnifie the Lord nor his spirit reioyce in God his Sauiour When thou commest into the Sanctuary thou must either in thy deuotions speake vnto God or else heare what God by his ministrie speaketh vnto thee It is the fashion of worldlings to sue their neighbors for euery trifling trespasse but a true Christian is resolued here with our Prophet I will heare what the Lord God will say concerning me Now hee saith k 1. Cor. 6.5 Is it so that there is not a wise man among you no not one that can iudge betweene his brethren but a brother goeth to law with a brother and that vnder such aduocates and Iudges l Saluianus lib. 5 de gubernat dei qui hac lege defendunt miseros vt miseriores faciant defendendo like the thornie bush fleecing the poore sheepe which in a storme commeth vnto it for shelter It is the fashion of worldlings if they lose goods out of their closet or cattell out of their Close presently to rake hell for help consulting with abominable witches and other wicked agents of the diuell but a good Christian on the contrary saith I will heare what the Lord will say He saith in his law m Exod. 22.18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Shall I then forsake God who n Deut. 33.26 rideth vpon the heauens for my helpe and the Magistrate Gods deputie to o Rom. 13.4 take vengeance on him that doth euil and seeke comfort at the hands of a Coniurer by blacke Arts and workes of darknesse No Satan if thou wouldest in consideration of my little losse giue me my house full of siluer and gold or couldest as once thou diddest impudently boast vnto my blessed Sauiour bestow on me p Matth. 4.9 all the kingdomes of the world q Numb 22.18 I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord my God to doe lesse or more It is the fashion of worldlings when their consciences afflict them at any time for sinne to see merry plaies or reade merry bookes or heare merry tales or take merrie cups and so they make the remedie worse commonly then the disease But a good man and a true Christian heares what the Lord saith vnto him in his word and ministrie r Psal 50.15 Call vpon
mee in the time of trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt praise me Å¿ Psal 31.27 Be strong and he shall stablish your heart all ye that put your trust in the Lord. Come to me all ye that labour and are laden and I will ease you Though hope seeme to tarrie t Habacuc 2.3 yet waite for it shall surely come and not stay u See Dr. Hull ser of the blessed In-mate God is like the bridegrome Ioh. 2. who kept his best wine for his last seruice First he propounds and propines vnto his followers the cup of his Crosse yee shall drinke indeed of my cup Matth. 20.23 but in conclusion hee turnes his Crosse into a Crowne Reuelat. 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee the crowne of life First hee doth humble then exalt first he x Deut. 32.39 killeth and then hee cureth A tristibus semper sed necessarijs inchoat Deus deinde progreditur ad hilariora saith y In Iere. hom 1. Origene God euer begins at necessarie discontentments and so proceedeth vnto things more pleasing He saith I wound and I make whole I kill and giue life He saith not I will first make aliue and then I will destroy but first he z Ierem. 1.10 plucketh vp and then he planteth first he doth ouerthrow then he buildeth first he mortifieth our earthly members of sinne then he quickneth our inward man to grace Ioseph after he had worne the Iaylors iron chaine Genes 40.3 was adorned with the golden chaine of Pharao the King Gen. 41.42 Mordecai first among pages at the Court a Ester 4.2 gate was afterward honoured with the Kings ring and raiment and mounted on the Kings horse and it was openly proclaimed before him euen through the streetes of the Citie Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King will honor Ester 6.11 All which examples are Commentaries vpon our text and shew that howsoeuer almightie God punisheth his people for a time yet if they will heare what he saith he will in fine speake peace vnto them But the Psalmist addeth here by way of caueat Let them not returne againe to their follie Sinners are fooles and their faults are their follies as the Scriptures euerie where speake in the Prouerbs especially Couetousnesse is a follie Drunkennesse a follie Whoredome a follie Atheisme follie Idolatrie follie God in his Sonne speaketh vnto his people peace but let them take heed that they returne not againe to their follie like the b 2. Pet. 2.22 sowe to the wallowing in mire and the dogge to his own vomite c John 5.14 Behold thou art now made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee Tnou doest euery day beg of our heauenlie Father that his kingdome may come looke then vnto the next clause that his will may be done in earth as it is in heauen Mercie and truth are met together d Tileman Bucer Vatablus When as Gods people heare what he saith vnto them in his holy word then all things are full of mercie truth righteousnesse and peace then the land shall giue her increase that is the Church abound with these good fruites of faith e Genebrard Tremel Wilcox Some say that these vertues meete together and kisse but in diuers subiects As for example mercy from God and truth from men as if hee should say God will turne his owne iustice toward his people into mercie and their hypocriticall hearts and foule hands into sound and sincere dealing and so righteousnesse and peace kisse The righteousnesse of God in executing his promises faithfully breeds in his people peace of conscience to their endlesse comfort Other affirme that these vertues meete together in one subiect and that in God Man Christ God and man They meete together in God for all the pathes of the Lord are mercie and truth Psalm 25.9 f Agellius Bellarm. in Psal 24. mercie in making and truth in keeping his promise to his people Saint g Rom. 15.8 Paul saith Iesus Christ was a minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made vnto the Fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercie God promised his Sonne vnto the h Rom. 9.4 Iewes and he gaue him in the i Galat. 4.4 fulnes of time to bee both a k Luke 2.32 light to the Gentiles and glorie of his people Israel l Hierome Augustine Turrecremat Herein shewing his mercie more principally to the Gentiles his truth vnto the Iewes and so his mercie and truth embraced each other in that hee made m Ephes 2.14 both people but one to wit one flock in n Iohn 10.16 one sheepfold vnder one shepheard If we take truth and righteousnes for Gods iustice in punishing mercie and peace for his gratiousnesse in pardoning yet they meete together in all his waies vnto such as keepe his couenant and his testimonies For as the o Prou. 12.10 mercies of the wicked are full of crueltie so the very iudgements of God vpon his seruants are full of mercie In his p Habacuc 3.2 wrath he remembers pitie punishing a little that he may pardon a great deale destroying the flesh only to saue the spirit 1. Cor. 5.5 q Bernard serm cont vitium ingrat Misericordiae res est aliquando subtrahere misericordiam It was good for Ioseph that he was a captiue good for Naaman that he was a leper good for Bartimaeus that he was blinde good for Dauid that he was in trouble r Fox Martyr fol. 1476. Bradford thanked God more of his prison then of any parlour or pleasure Å¿ Rom. 8.28 All things are for the best vnto the faithfull And so Gods mercie and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other his mercy being iust and his iustice mercifull But God in giuing his only Sonne vnto the world more abundantly shewed his mercie and iustice kissing one another His iustice requires t Ezech. 18.20 that euery soule that sins should dye but his mercie desires not the death of a sinner Ezech. 33.11 Hee therefore gaue his Sonne to dye for our sinnes and to rise againe for our iustification and so both his iustice is satisfied and sinners are saued In Christs aduent mercie and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other u Serm. 1. de annun Dom. Bernard hath a pretie Dialogue to this purpose betweene righteousnes and truth on the one side mercie and peace on the other part contending about the redemption of mankinde Christ our blessed Messias and Mediatour ended the quarrel at his comming and made them all exceeding kinde kissing friends for in giuing himselfe a x 1. Tim. 2.6 ransome for all men he did at once pay both vnto Iustice her debt and grant vnto Mercie her desire 2. Righteousnes and peace meete together in man so
ergo amorem pro debito charitatem pro munere animum affectum Domino impendamus soluimus PSALM 89. My song shall be alway of the louing kindnesse of the Lord c. THis one short verse containes the summarie pith and k Bellarmin argument of the whole long Psalme wherein obserue the Songs dittie the louing kindnesse and truth of the Lord manifested vnto the whole world generally to Dauids house that is the Church especially Singers duty magnifying the mercies of God alwaies euen from one generation to another And by all meanes with his mouth for that is expressed in this vers with his mind for that is implied in the next I haue said c. l Geneua glosse Wilcox that is beleeued it in my heart and therefore spake it with my tongue Psalm 116.10 For out of the harts abundance the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 My song shall be alwaies of the louing kindnesse Or as other translations I will sing the mercies of the Lord his m Vatablus manifold and sundrie mercies as if he should say wee haue tasted of more then of one yea wee haue felt all his mercies I will therefore praise the same for euer I will sing his mercy for creating this vniuerse which is n Io. de combis compend theolog lib. 2. cap. 2. Macrocosmus a great world and for making man which is Microcosmus a little world 1. My song shall set forth his kindnesse for that he gaue me being 2. For adding to my being life which he denieth vnto stones 3. To life sense which hee denieth vnto plants 4. To sense speech and vnderstanding which he denieth vnto bruit beasts I haue great cause to praise the Lord for that I am a man and yet greater for that I am a sound man hauing a due portion of wit and a true proportion of limbs and lineaments maimed neither in the powers of my soule nor in the parts of my body Some men are like the carued images of Pagans and Papists o Psal 135.16 hauing mouthes and speak not eyes and see not eares and heare not feete and walke not hands and handle not I will therfore sing of thy mercies O Lord for giuing vnto me perfect limbes and perfect vse therof eyes to see tongue to speake eares to heare feet to walke I do not want so much as the left hand or the little finger of that hand or the least ioynt of that finger Againe some men are maimed in their minds as being either borne starke fooles O heauie punishment or else for abusing their good wits in bad workes are by Gods secret and seuere iudgement bereft of their intellectuals Some which haue heretofore worshipped Christ at Bethlem haue preached also Christ vnto the King and his Court in Bethel are now lunaticke bound hand and foote in Bedlem p Fatius de mortificatione cap. 2 In nature the middle participates euer with his extreames as the spring which is the middle betweene winter and summer hath as you know part of the winters cold and part of the summers heate and the morning which is the middle betweene night and day hath a little darknesse of the night and a little light of the day so man is created by God tanquam medius inter angelum brutū a middling betweene an Angell and a brute being a good deale better then a beast and a little q Psalm 8.5 lower then an Angell Hauing in respect of his body somthing of a bruit being sensuall and mortall and in respect of his soule somthing of an Angell as being intellectuall and immortall Now then if the spring haue not any heate of summer it is so cold as winter and if the morning haue no light of the Sunne it is so darke as night so man if he want angelicall abilities of the soule is little better then a beast as r Psalm 32.10 horse and mule without vnderstanding for as ſ Orat. de Dione Synesius said A wise man excels a foole more then a foole doth excel a beast As God is principium effectiuum in creatione so refectiuum in redemptione I am exceeding much bound vnto God for creating me when I was not and for preseruing me vnder his wings euer since I was yet I am more bound to his mercy for redeeming me for blessing mee with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ his Sonne Ephes 1.3 for his electing of me for his calling of me for his iustifying of me for his sanctifying of me These graces are the t Ephes 2.4 3.16 riches of his goodnesse and glory u Bellarmin misericordiae in aeternum euerlasting mercies as reaching from x Bernard ser 2. in ascen Dom. euerlasting predestination to euerlasting glorification O Lord I will alway sing thy mercies in promising and euer shew thy truth in performing thy promise made to Dauid thy chosen seruant concerning thy sonne my Sauiour saying thy seed will I stablish for euer So the y Hierom. Turrecremat Fathers expound our text I will euer sing thy mercies in vouchsafing to send thy sonne to visit thy seruants sicke to death in sinne First I will euer sing of thy mercifulnesse and then I will euer bee shewing thy faithfulnesse z Augustin Neque enim exhiberetur veritas in impletione promissorum nisi praecederet misericordia in remissione peccatorum And what is Gods mercy set vp for euer and his truth established in the heauens but that which a Esay 55.3 Esay termes the sure mercies of Dauid that is as b Act. 13.34 Paul construeth Esay the holy promises made to Dauid and the promise made to Dauid is briefly this thy seed will I stablish for euer and set vp thy throne from generation to generation For the Prophet Ethan here doth c August de ciuit dei lib. 17. cap. 9. Idem Euthym. Tileman in loc allude to the Prophet Nathan 2. Sam. 7. I will saith he from the Lord vnto Dauid set vp thy seed after thee and I will stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer Now this holy promise was not fulfilled in the temporall kingdome of Dauid as Gods people complaine in this Psalme from the 37. to the 45. verse It is therefore to bee construed of Christ and his spirituall kingdome Christ according to the flesh is the d Rom. 1.3 seed of Dauid and the e Mat. 1.1 sonne of Dauid of him it is true which is said heere by the Lord My couenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips I haue sworne once by my holinesse that I will not faile Dauid His seed shall endure for euer and his seat is like as the Sunne before me He shal stand fast for euermore as the Moone and as the faithfull witnesse in heauen Of him it is true f Psal 45.7 Heb. 1.8 thy throne is for euer and euer Of him it is
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
that Christ is our Priest for euer Happie men are they who beleeue this promise for that is t Ioh. 17.3 eternall life but accursed are such as u Heb. 2.3 neglect so great saluation Hee that beleeues not God maketh him a lyar saith Saint x 1. Epist 5.10 Iohn Nay seeing God hath bound his word with an oath hee that beleeues not this record concerning his Son doth accuse God of periurie This ought to comfort vs in all our tentations at the houre of death and in the day of iudgment For albeit we haue sinned against heauen and against earth against God in heauen against our brethren on earth although our sinnes are great for their number and grieuous for their nature yet let vs go y Heb. 4.16 boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy For as much as wee haue such an high Priest as is touched with a feeling of our infirmities and saith z Mat. 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners and sweareth a Ezech. 33.11 as I liue I desire not the death of a sinner let not any despaire b Ferus postil ser 5. in Dom. septuages though he haue denied Christ as Peter and betrayed Christ as Iudas and crucified Christ as Pilate And will not repent The passions of men are ascribed to God secundum effectum as c 1. part quaest 21. art 3. Aquine speakes but not secundum affectum And so the Scripture speaking d Rom. 6.19 grossely to mans vnderstanding saith that the spirit is e Ephes 4.30 grieued that the Lord f Gen. 6.6 repented he had made man and g 1. Sam. 15.11 Saul King and Ionah 3.10 God repented of the euil that he had said that he would doe to Nineueh The Lord in his secret counsell is yesterday and to day and the same also for euer Heb. 13.8 But vnto vs men in his reuealed word hee seemes to put on affections of anger and griefe h Placid parmen behauing himselfe as one who repents and grieues Againe God speakes in his reuealed word somtimes conditionally somtimes absolutely His sentence concerning the destruction of Nineueh was only conditionall if they did not repent according to that of the i Psal 7.13 Psalmist If a man will not turne then hee will whet his sword And therefore when the Lord saw the workes of the men of Nineueh that they turned from their euill waies he turned away his wrath from them Et sic Deus as one pithily non vertitur sed auertitur orationibus nostris But when Almighty God speakes absolutely thou are my sonne and as in our text categorically thou art a Priest for euer c. he will not repent nor k Psal 89.34 alter the thing which is gone out of his mouth See S. Augustine de diuersis quast ad Simplicium lib. 2. quaest 2. Rupert Caluin in caput 3. Ionae Augustin D. Incognit Bellarmin alios in loc Thou art a Priest for euer The Lord teacheth vs how wee should sweare by precept and paterne By precept Ierem. 4.2 Thou shalt sweare in truth in iudgment and in righteousnesse Where l Hierom. in loc Thomas 22â— quaest 89. art 3. Diuines obserue that these three vertues ought to bee the companions of all our oathes Iudgment forbids all rash idle swearing truth all lying and false swearing righteousnesse all blasphemous and vngodly swearing by the creatures God according to this precept sweareth himselfe heere hee sweares in righteousnesse as swearing by himselfe being both omnipotent and omni-scient in truth for that hee will not repent in iudgement saying to his Sonne thou art a Priest for euer m Agelsius in loc When he spake before of Christs kingdome he said onely sit thou at my right hand but now treating of Christs Priesthood hee sweares n Caluin in loc insinuating that the priesthood of Christ is of exceeding great consequence for the Lord instructing vs how we may sweare by his owne example sweares not in any trifling case but for the confirmation of a serious and necessarie truth of a most high nature Let vs examine therefore how Christ is a Priest for ouer An high Priest as the o Heb. 5.1 Scripture defineth is a person called of God from among men that hee may offer both gifts and sacrifices vnto God for the sins of men Such an high Priest is Christ immediately called of God in that he said thou art a Priest and hee gaue himselfe for vs to be both an p See epist 3. Sund in Lent offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God Ephes 5.2 q 1. Ioh. 2.2 He is the reconcillation for our sins and as an aduocate with the Father in the Court of heauen euer pleading the merit of his oblation and obedience the sole mediator betweene God and man 1. Tim. 2.5 and he is a Priest for euer because with one offering hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 The powerfull operation of his passion endureth for euer being the r Apoc. 13.8 Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world and bleeding as it were to the worlds end Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes hath vnfolded this part of our text so fully that as Å¿ Jn loc Hierome speaks it is superfluous to bring an after or other interpretation I will here rest onely in his Commentatarie consisting of two points especially the 1. Shewing the difference betweene the Priesthood of Aaron and Christ 2. Describing the resemblance betweene the Priesthod of Christ and Melchisedech 1. The Priesthood of Aaron with all the sacrifices and ceremonies belonging thereunto was nothing else but a type of things to come the t Heb. 9. tabernacles and holy places were figures of the true Sanctuarie the diuers washings and other carnall rites were similitudes of heauenly things In a word the whole Law had the shadow of good things to come but not the very substance of the things Hebr. 10.1 But Christ is the u Coloss 2.17 body of the shadow and his Priesthood the truth of Aarons type Ioh. 1.17 The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ as being our onely Priest appeasing the wrath of God and taking away the sinnes of the world for x Act. 4.12 among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby wee must bee saued And therefore the holy Fathers in their killing of beasts and sprinkling of blood had euer an eye to the sheadding of Christs blood on the Crosse beleeuing that his blood should y 1. Ioh. 1.7 cleanse them from all their sinnes and z Heb. 9.12.13 not the blood of goates and calues and buls And the Prophets in their Sermons vsually taxe their hypocrisie who neglecting spirituall deuotions and faith in Christ onely rested and trusted in outward oblations a Esay 1.11
Hierusalem aboue Gods owne Citie which is the mother of vs all And the Priest of the most high God in giuing himselfe for vs both an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God In old time before the Law the kingdome Priesthood appertained by birth-right vnto the eldest sonne for so y Hierom. quaest sen tradit Haebraic in Gen. tom 3. fol. 226. Dio. Carthus Em. Sa Vatablus in Gen. 49. Tileman in loc Diuines haue gathered out of the words of Iacob vnto Reuben Genes 49.3 Reuben thou art my first borne my might and the beginning of my strength the excellencie of dignitie and excellencie of power that is primus in regno primus in sacerdotio But these two functions were seuered vnder the Law the kingdome being conferred vpon Iuda the Priesthood vpon Leui. So that Christ our Priest and Prince conioyning both againe in his own person abrogated the forme and frame of Moses Common-weale 2. Melchisedech is by interpretation King of righteousnes so Christ is not only righteous in himselfe iudging his folke righteously Psal 67.4 righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes Psal 145.17 but also making vs iust and holy before God z Ieremy 23.6 The Lord our righteousnes a 1. Cor. 1.30 made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption 3. Melchisedech is King of Salem that is King of peace so Christ is the b Esay 9.6 Prince of peace c Ephes 2.16 reconciling vs vnto God and God vnto vs preaching peace to the Gentiles who were strangers a farre off and vnto the Iewes who were Citizens in the Common-wealth of Israel and so breaking downe the stop of the partition wall hath made of both one For it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace thorough the blood of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen Coloss 1.19.20 And heere note d Lombard Aquin. Anselm in Heb. 7 that Christ is first a King of righteousnesse and then a King of peace for he giueth vs first righteousnes and then peace So Paul expresly Rom. 5.1 Being iustified by faith we haue peace toward God thorough our Lord Iesus Christ 4. Melchisedech is said to bee without father and without mother e Theophylact. Primasius in Heb. 7. Chrysost in loc not that he was in deed so but for that the Scripture concealeth his genealogie so Christ f Hierome Agellius in loc as man was without father and as God without mother Nay Christ as God was without kindred hauing neither beginning of his daies neither end of life being Alpha and Omega the first and the last Apocal. 1.11 No God before him or after him Esay 43.10 5. Melchisedech blessed Abraham and receiued tithes of him and so consequently was greater then Abraham because without all contradiction the lesser is blessed of the better And so Christ is greater then Abraham as blessing him that had the promises g John 8.56 Abraham reioyced to see my day saith our Sauiour and he saw it and was glad 6. Melchisedech refreshed Abraham and his armie returning from the slaughter of the Kings with h Gen. 14.18 bread and wine so Christ feedeth and cherisheth his souldiers fighting vnder his banner against the world the flesh and the diuell euen with his owne i Iohn 6.55 flesh and blood represented in his holy Supper by k Matth. 26.26 bread and wine Melchisedech gaue bread and wine to Abraham he did not offer it vp vnto God as the l Apud Chemnit exam Con. Trident part 2. pag. 171. Latin Fathers vsually reade protulit non obtulit And therefore the m Caluin in loc Papists abuse this place when in the Masse they offer vp the bread vnto God which is to be communicated vnto men Christs Supper was ordained to be receiued of vs in the memoriall of his death for the confirmation of our faith that his body was broken for vs and his blood shed for our sinnes n Bradfords letter to his mother apud Fox Mart. fol. 1476. but in the Masse there is no receiuing because the Priest keepeth all to himself alone Christ saith Take eate but the Priest gape pepe The Masse-priests are grosse lurchers at the Lords table for first they take away the wine frō the laitie which is contrary to Christs owne voyce Drinke yee all of this And as for the bread they giue it not in euery Masse to the people but only at certaine times in the yeere and then also not so o A monument hereof in the Church at Stelft a Burg in Germany about 20. miles from Jnsprucke great an host or cake as themselues eate and that without either breaking on their part or touching of the people So their Masses vpon the point are Massacres of Christ a new killing and sacrificing of him againe so much as lieth in their power He shall iudge among the Heathen he shall fill the places with the dead bodies p Theodoret. Euthym. Turrecremat Some construe this of Christs iudgement on the last day for we beleeue that hee shall come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead hee shall in that day of his wrath fill the pits of hell with the bodies of the q Bellarmine reprobate and smite in sunder the heads of all such as haue lifted vp their heads against him r Caluine Tileman Tremellius Other haue better expounded this of his present iudgement in protecting his followers and in punishing his foes for Christ is described here by the Prophet as a valiant conquerour ouer his enemies He shall rule not among the Iewes only but among the Heathen also ſ Psal 96.13 iudging the world with righteousnes and the people with his truth He shall fill al places with the bodies of his aduersaries being dead and smite in sunder with his power and might the heads euen Kings and other chiefe gouernours of his enemies t In loc Augustine doth interpret this in the better part glossing it thus Implere ruinas est aedisicare quod cecidit conquassare capita humiliare superbos ad salutem per contritionem He shall drinke of the brooke in the way This may haue a double construction Either thus he that is the Messias shall drinke of the brooke which shall be made of the blood of his foes u Bucer Mollerus Vatablus as if he should haue said There shall be so much blood shed that the Conquerour may drink as it were of a riuer of blood in the way as he pursueth his enemies The like phrase wee finde Numb 23.24 x Caluin Tremel Or else it is a similitude taken from puissant and mightie Captaines who egerly pursuing their enemies stay not vpon dainties or pleasures but content themselues with floods and brookes which they finde in their
all their plots and practises to be worthie i Hierome derision For first if we construe this of Dauid he laughed all his enemies to scorne saying k 2. Sam. 12.7 I annointed thee King euer Israel and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul and gaue thee thy Lords house and his wiues into thy bosome c. and would moreouer if that had been too little giue thee such and such things c. The which is in effect all one with our text at the sixth verse I haue set my King vpon mine holy hill of Sion If we construe this of the Church hee laugheth all her enemies to scorne saying l Esay 49.16 I haue grauen thee in the palmes of mine hands and thy walles are euer in my sight m Esay 41.10 Feare thou not for I am with thee be not afraid thou worme Iacob for I the Lord thy God will strengthen thee and helpe thee and sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Behold all they that prouoke thee shall be confounded and ashamed they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish for n Matth. 16.18 hell gates shall not ouercome thee If we construe this of Christ he that dwelleth in heauen had all his enemies in derision hee did vse these bad instruments for the effecting of his good ends so the text Act. 13.27 in putting to death the Lord of life they fulfilled all things that were written of him in the Prophets and Acts 4.28 they did whatsoeuer Gods holy hand and counsell had determined before to be done All his enemies as well spirituall as temporall imagined vainly The Diuell and Death and Sinne furiously raged against him on the Crosse but hee did o Coloss 2.15 openly triumph ouer them in the same Crosse By death he did ouercome death and open vnto vs the gate of life for if death could not on this day keepe him fettered in the graue his prison it is euident that his power is vanquished and if death bee conquered it followes necessarily that sin which is the sting of death is also destroyed If death and sinne be discomfited then assuredly the kingdome of Satan is subdued who had the power of death and is author of sinne and ruler of hell As for his temporall enemies the Gentiles madly raged against him and the Iewes imagined a vaine thing in p Matth. 27.60 rolling a great stone to the doore of the sepulchre sealing it and making it sure with a watch For it was q Acts 2.24.31 impossible that the Lord of life should bee holden of death his soule could not bee left in graue nor his flesh see corruption and therefore the stone being rolled away by an Herauld of heauen Matth. 28.2 God raised him againe from the dead and made him a King ouer his holy hill of Sion r Hierome Augustin that is head of his Church giuing him all the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession And the Rulers held an idle counsell against him in commanding the souldiers who guarded his tombe to say ſ Matth. 28.13 that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept for as t Hom. 36. Austin and u Greg. Nyssen orat 2. de resurrect Christi Idem annotat inter neotericos Caietan in Matth. 28. other of the most ancient Doctors haue well obserued it is a very senselesse lye because the souldiers either were asleepe or awake if asleepe how did they know that his Disciples had taken him away by night if awake why did they not guard the tombe lapidem vt lapides seruabant as Chrysostome vpon this Psalme See Gospell on Easter day Thus he that dwelleth in heauen raising his annointed on this day from the dead had all his enemies in derision He said to Christ on Easter day Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee As if he should haue said Thou wert euer my sonne before to day before there was any day x Caluin Rob. Stephanus in loc See Suarez tom 2. in 3. Thom. disput 45. sect 1. but yet in this day of thy resurrection I haue most especially manifested vnto the world that thou art my sonne whom I haue begotten See this expounded more fully Epist on Tuesday in Easter weeke Be wise therefore O ye Kings In this admonition obserue foure points Especially 1. Who Kings and Iudges 2. When Now. 3. What 1. To y Basil Bellarmine know their dutie Be wise be learned 2. To doe their dutie Serue the Lord kisse the Sonne 4. Why Because z Tremellius hereby Gods Heauie wrath is escaped implied in the word therfore hauing reference to the iudgements of God verse 5.9 and expressed vers 12. lest he be angrie and so yee perish from the right way Happie blessing is obtained Blessed are they that put their trust in him He doth exhort Kings especially a Caluin because their greatnes vsually makes them insolent and rebellious against God b Steuchus Or lest happily the subiect should bee punished for the Soueraignes follie Quic quid delirant reges plectuntur Achiui Or because like Prince like people Ieroboam made Israel to sinne c Herodianus lib. 1. for the most part euerie man emulates the manners of his Prince d Claudianus Mobile mutatur semper cum principe vulgus Or he speakes to Kings and Iudges more particularly e Tileman for that it belongs vnto their office to see the people well instructed it appertaines to their charge being Custodes vtriusque tabulae that euery subiect liue toward himselfe soberly toward his neighbour righteously toward God religiously For although a King may not administer the Sacraments or preach the word or execute the Ministers office de facto yet as our ſ Confess Anglican art 37. and in the admonition to simple men annexed to Queene Elizab Iniunctions Diuines haue determined it belongs to the Kings cure de Iure to see that all things concerning Gods holy seruice should be done in the Church orderly The Prophet therefore calleth vpon Kings and Iudges earnestly to serue the Lord as the chiefe knowing that the great wheele mouing in deuotion is able to carry with it all the lesser wheeles Here then obserue what a great charge Princes and Prelates haue for God saith vnto them of euery one which is vnder their iurisdiction and cure g 1. King 20.39 keepe this man if he be lost and want thy life shall goe for his life h Petitur à te non curatio sed cura Bernard The conuerting of the wicked howsoeuer it be Gods cure yet it is thy care the Lord only giueth i 1. Cor. 3.6 encrease yet Paul is to plant and Apollos to water and therefore k Fox Mart. fol. 1003. Iohn Longland B. of Lincolme preaching before King Henrie 8. wondred at the Popes blind
true Christians all of vs are by nature barren of goodnesse conceiued and borne in sinne not able to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 but the father of lights and mercies maketh vs fruitfull and abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord 1. Cor. 15.58 he giueth vs grace to be fathers and mothers of many good deedes i Ambros de interpell libr. 2. cap. 4. Idem Dr. Incognitus in loc in Psalm 102.17 which are our children and best heires eternizing our name for euer PSALME 114. When Israel came out of Aegypt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people c. THere bee two chiefe parts of this Psalme the 1. A description of Israels admirable deliuerance out of Aegypt in the foure former verses 2. A dialogue betweene the Prophet and the Creatures about the same deliuerance in the foure latter verses In the deliueraÌ„ce note 1. The parties deliuered Israel and the house of Iacob being Gods Sanctuarie Seigniorie 2. The perill out of which they were deliuered and k Chrysost Mollerus that was 1. Bondage 2. Bondage among strangers in Aegypt 3. Bondage among such strangers as were cruell a barbarous people 3. The manner how they were deliuered not by meanes ordinarie but miracles extraordinarie wrought on the Water vers 3. The Sea saw that and fled Iordaine was driuen backe Land verse 4. The Mountaines skipped like Rammes c. In the dialogue two poynts are to be considered 1. A question What ayleth thee O thou Sea c. Verse 5.6 2. An l Vatablus Tremellius Bellarmine answere Tremble thou earth c. Or as m Vulgar latine English-Geneua other translations The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord c. When Israel The n Bellarmine latter clause doth expounde the former Israel that is the house of Iacob for this holy Patriarke had two names first Iacob that signifieth a supplantor Gen. 25.26 and then Israel that is one which hath power with God Gen. 32.28 teaching vs hereby saith o In loc Hierome as we haue receiued grace to supplant vice that wee may preuaile with God and see him according to that of p Matth. 5.8 Christ Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God As q Gen. 25.22 Iacob and Esau stroue together in their mother Rebeccaes wombe so the r Galat. 5.17 flesh in man lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh If wee play Iacobs part in supplanting sinne which is a red and a rough Esau we shall assuredly gaine the blessing of our heauenly Father By Iacobs house then is meant his Å¿ Euthym. Genebrard posteritie the children of Israel of whom it is reported by Moses Deut. 10.22 Thy fathers went downe into Aegypt with seuentie persons and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the starres of the heauen in multitude These people were Gods sanctification and dominion t Geneua gloss that is witnesses of his holy Maiestie in adopting them and of his mightie power in deliuering them u Melancth in loc or his sanctification as hauing his holy Priests to gouerne them in the poynts of pietie and dominion as hauing godly Magistrates ordained from aboue to rule them in matters of policie or his sanctuarie x both actiuely because sanctifying him y Genebrardus Iacobus de Valentia and passiuely because sanctified of him It is true that God as being euer the most holy so well as the most high cannot bee magnified and hallowed in respect of himselfe but in respect of y Caluin in loc other onely For God is sanctified of his seruants as wisdome is said to bee iustified of her children Luke 7.35 that is acknowledged and declared to be iust according to that of the Lord by the mouth of his holy z Ezech. 38.23 Prophet Thus will I bee magnified and sanctified and knowne in the eies of many Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. Wherefore let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Againe Iuda was his Sanctuary a Bucer Agellius Râ—b Stephanus because sanctified of him adopted his holy heritage chosen a peculiar and a precious people to himselfe b Deut. 7.6 aboue all Nations in the world I haue carried you said the c Exod. 19.4 Lord vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto me that ye might be my chiefe treasure aboue all people though all the earth bee mine consecrated and hallowed to my worship as holy Temples and Sanctuaries in whome I may rule for so the latter clause may well d Bellarmine explaine the former Iuda was his Sanctuarie because his Dominion in whom he e Chrysost Euthym. Bucer reigned as a king by his lawes and spirit And therefore when Israel asked a king of the Lord to iudge them he said to f 1. Sam. 8.7 Samuel they haue not reiected thee but they haue reiected me that I should not reign ouer them According to this exposition Israel is termed Ex. 19.6 a kingdome of Priests or as S. g 1. Pet. 2.9 Peter hath it a royal Priesthood royall as being his Seigniory Priesthood as being his Sanctuary For the beter vnderstanding of this phrase remeÌ„ber I pra'y that there be two kinds of kingdomes in holy Scripture the kingdome of darknes h Coloss 1.13 which is the kingdome of the deuill and the kingdome of heauen which is the kingdome of God When all had sinned in Adam it pleased the Lord out of his vnsearchable Iustice to lay this heauy punishment on all his posteritie that seeing they could not be content to be subiect to their creator they should become vassals vnder Satans tyraÌ„ny so that all men are now by nature the Children of i Ephes 2.3 wrath and k Ephes 6.12 the Prince of darkenesse ruleth in their hearts vntill Christ the l Luke 11.22 strong man commeth and bindeth him and m Iohn 12.31 casteth him out and so bringeth all his elect out of darkenesse into maruailous light 1. Pet. 2.9 Blind ignorant people cannot abide this doctrine they spit at the very naming of the deuill and say that they defie him and all his euen with all their heart and soule and minde Yet whereas they liue still in ignorance and impiety which are the two maine pillers of Satans kingdome they make plaine proofe that they be Children of the n Luke 16.9 world Children of o Coloss 3.6 disobedience Children of p Hosea 10.9 iniquitie Children of q 1. Sam. 26.16 death Children of the r Iohn 8.44 deuill Children of Å¿ Iohn 17.2 perdition Children of t Mat. 23.15 hell Israel is Gods dominion and Iuda Gods sanctuary but Aegipt and Babylon and other parts and persons of the world liuing in sinne without repentance what are they but the suburbes of hell and as it were the
and scourge vs for our benefit Saint a 2. Cor. 12.8 Paul desired thrice to be deliuered from the buffeting of the flesh and not heard that Gods power might be made perfit thorough weakenesse And so the Lord tooke not from Lazarus his sicknesse and pouertie that hee might crowne him with a greater mercy commanding his b Luke 16.22 Angels to carrie him into the bosome of Abraham And so he suffers his seruants to be tempted and tried with imprisonment and losses and crosses for their good in this respect he is tearmed the God of all consolation 2. Cor. 1.3 of all as knowing how to comfort vs in all our tribulation a present helpe in euery kinde of trouble Nothing in the world can doe this and therefore c Iob. 16.2 Iob said to his acquaintance who could not vnderstand his griefe aright miserable comforters are ye all Againe God is the God of all comfort in that he comforts his children so fully that it is a ioyfull thing for them to bee sometimes in affliction For as the sufferings of Christ abound in them euen so their consolation aboundeth thorough Christ 2. Cor. 1.5 Touching the length of his mercy Dauid saith it endureth for euer as his mercy compasseth vs about d Psalm 32.11 on euery side so likewise at euery season it continueth vnto our end and in the end yea further in that other life which is without end his mercies are from euerlasting to euerlasting that is from euerlasting predestination to euerlasting glorification His mercies in forgiuing our offences and in couering all our sinnes are exceeding long the Lord saith our Prophet is e Psalm 103.8 full of compassion and mercie long suffering and of great goodnesse For though impenitent sinners prouoke him euery day walking in their owne waies and committing all vncleanesse euen with greedinesse yet he neuerthelesse affoords his good things in f Acts 14.17 giuing them raine and fruitfull seasons and filling their hearts with foode and gladnesse his mercie doth exceede their malice being patient toward them and desiring that none should perish but that all should come to repentance 2. Pet. 3.9 Hee maketh as though hee sawe not the sinnes of men because they should amend Wised 11.20 Christ aduiseth vs Mat. 18.22 to forgiue one another not onely seauen times but also seuenty times seuen times and Luke 6.36 to be mercifull as our Father in heauen is mercifull insinuating hereby that God is infinitely mercifull vnto sinners euen to great sinners which owe his Iustice tenne thousand talents Concerning the depth of his mercy loue is seene in our Sayings Doings Sufferings Loue superficiall is in word onely that which is operatiue manifesting it selfe in deedes is deepe but the profoundest of all is in suffering for another Now the Lord hath abundantly shewed his mercies in all these First in his word written and preached written g Macab 12.9 For wee haue the holy Bookes in our hands for comfort and whatsoeuer things are written afore time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15.4 By his word preached for the Ministers of the Gospel as h 2. Cor. 5.20 Ambassadors entreate you to be reconciled vnto him vnto them is committed the word of reconciliaton and peace they be the i 1. Cor. 4.1 disposers of his mysteries and messengers of his mercies it is their duty to binde vp the broken hearted And therefore Dauid saith in the 85. Psalme verse 8. I will hearken what the Lord will say concerning me for he shall speake peace to his people Secondly God sheweth his mercy toward vs in his doings in k Psalm 103.4 sauing our life from destruction and in crowning vs with his louing kindnesse But as loue is seene in deedes more then in words so more in suffering then in doing and of all suffering death is most terrible and of all deaths a violent and of all violent deaths hanging vpon the Crosse is most hatefull and shamefull yet God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to dye for our sins on the Crosse Doubtlesse one wil scarce dye for a righteous man but yet for a good man it may be saith l Rom. 5.7 Paul that one dare dye but he setteth out his loue toward vs seeing that while we were yet sinners and his enemies Christ dyed for vs. Lastly for the height of his mercy the depth appeareth in it's effects but the height by the cause moouing to mercy which is exalted aboue the Heauens according to that of Dauid m Psalm 36.5 In Coelo misericordia tua Domine Men vse to pitie their seruants in respect of their owne commoditie the which is the lowest degree of mercy for euery man if he be not a foole pittieth his very n Prouerb 12.10 beast Other pitie men in regard of friendship and alliance which is an higher degree of mercy Some shew pitie to men in that they be men not onely flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone but also created according to Gods owne likenesse and similitude which is among vs the highest degree of mercy Now God takes pitie on all things as being his Creatures on men especially being created after his owne Image but on true Christians principally being the Sonnes and heires of his kingdome If any shall aske what cause moued him to make the world to create man after his owne likenes to iustifie sinners and adopt vs for his children it is nothing else but his meere mercy that endureth for euer He loued vs when we would not yea when wee could not loue him and he continueth his goodnes not in respect of his owne benefite for hee needes not our helpe but onely for our good The Lord is gracious because gracious And therefore the blessed Angels aptly diuided their Christmasse Caroll into two parts o Luke 2.14 Glory to God on high and on earth peace God hath indeed all the glory but we reape the good of his graciousnes and mercie that endureth for euer I called vpon the Lord Hitherto King Dauid concerning the graciousnesse of God in generall He comes now to treate of his mercy toward himselfe in particular the which is applyed by Diuines vnto the p Augustine Mollerus Church and q Caluin Placidus Tileman Agellius Christ himselfe who was in his Passion heard at large and in his Resurrection he saw his desire vpon his enemies The pith of all which is summarily comprised in the 24. verse This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and bee glad in it In which obserue 1. What day is meant by this day 2. How the Lord is said to haue made this day more then other daies 3. Why we should in this day so made reioyce and be glad For the first r Bucer Caluin Mollerus litterally this ought to be referred vnto the solemne day wherein Israel
Iewes hallowed their Sabbath vpon the seuenth day which is the last day of the week So that Easter day is the Sabbath of Sabbaths an high and holy day from which euery other Sunday hath his name being so called because the sun of righteousnesse arose from the dead vpon this day This day is the Lords day the day which himselfe made so good a day that all his true seruants euer since haue reioyced in it and sanctified their Sabbath on it u Eoban Hessus Haec est illa Dies toti celebrabilis orbi Quem facit proprio signat honore Deus The reasons why we should this day reioyce so much are manifold but they may be reduced all vnto two principall heads A motion from euill Promotion in good Christ on this day rising from the dead ouercame the diuell which is the authour of death and the graue which is the prison of death and sinne which is the x Cor. 15.56 sting of death and the Law which is the strength of the sting of death and all this he did for vs men and our saluation The diuell which is the Prince of y Ephes 6.12 darknesse had no part in the sunne of righteousnesse Christ therefore being z Luke 11.22 stronger then he came vpon him and ouercame him he tooke from him all his armour wherein he trusted and diuided his spoyles and cast him out of his hold that he might haue no part in vs or power ouer vs. As a Ser. de quadruplici debito Bernard sweetly Fortitudo Diaboli per redemptoris vulnera traducta deducta ad nihilum in the words of Saint Paul The God of peace shall tread downe Sathan vnder your feet Rom. 16.20 So he who was aboue the Law was made b Gal. 4.4 vnder the Law that he might redeeme those which are vnder the Law that hee might put out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs and fasten it vpon his Crosse Coloss 2.14 So hee who knew no sinne made himselfe to be sinne for vs that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5.21 He was wounded 〈◊〉 our transgressions and broken for our iniquities Esa 53.5 If the tormentours of Christ should aske now as they did once Luk. 22.64 Who is he that smote thee we may quickly become Prophets and answere for him our sinnes smote him euery one of vs might ingeniously confesse with c Ionas 1.12 Ionas for my sake this great tempest is vpon thee sweet Iesus He triumphed ouer hell and the graue for vs also for as for himselfe it was impossible that the Lord of d Acts 3.15 life should be holden of death Acts 2.24 Wherefore let vs say with Saint e 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 sinne is the Law but thankes bee to God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ And let vs heartily sing with our Prophet Easter is the day which the Lord hath made wee will be ioyfull and glad in it f Bonauēt in loc Some Diuines affirme that the yeere wherein our blessed Sauiour arose from the dead should according to the Law haue been the yeere of Iubile wherein g Leuit. 25.10 liberty was proclaimed in the Land to all the inhabitants thereof euery man returned to his possession and family debts were released and oppressions abated And surely the Iubilees in old time were h Dr. Incognit figures of the ioyes in this acceptable time for by the resurrection of Christ euery true beleeuer is set free from the hands of all his enemies his trespasses are forgiuen and he is restored againe to his interest in that heauenly possession and immortall inheritance which he lost in the transgression of his great grandfather Adam The redemption of Christ is a yeere of Iubile the resurrection of Christ is the chiefe day in the yeere Let vs therefore reioyce for it and be glad in it Dauid saith i Psal 41.11 elsewhere By this O Lord I know thou fauourest me that mine enemy doth not triumph against me k 2. Sam. 22.41 Thou hast giuen vnto me the necks of my foes that I might break them as smal as the dust of the earth and tread them flat as the clay in the street That which hee speaketh of his temporall enemies opposing him in obtaining of an earthly kingdome we may well apply to the spirituall hindering vs in our way to the kingdome of heauen O Lord our strength and redeemer thou hast on this day l Gen. 3.15 broken the serpents head and vtterly confounded all such as hate vs. On this day thou diddest laugh them to scorne and haue them in derision Psalm 2.4 and therefore we will in memoriall of this one day sing thy mercies all the dayes of our life sounding foorth vnto the worlds end This is the day this is thy day which thou Lord hast made wee will reioyce and be glad in it Concerning our promotion in good the resurrection of Christ is a proofe of our iustification a meanes of our sanctification a demonstration of our resurrection First it proueth our iustification according to that of Paul Rom. 4.25 He was giuen to death for our sinnes and is risen againe from the dead for our iustification See the Gospell on S. Thomas day Secondly the resurrection of Christ is a notable meanes to worke inward sanctification as Saint Peter teacheth in 1. Epistle 1. Chap. 3. Verse God hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And Saint m Rom. 6.4.5 Paul As Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of his Father so we should also walke in newnesse of life For if we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection Which words import n Aquin. Aretius Marlorat that as the graft groweth in the stocke and is become one body with it euen so the faithfull haue their liuing and spirituall being in Christ As he by the power of his owne Godhead freed his manhood from death and from the guilt of our sin so doth he likewise free those that are knit vnto him by the bond of one spirit from the corruption of their natures in which they are dead that they may liue vnto God o Raymund de Sabunde Theolog natural tit 277. In the naturall body the head is the fountaine of all motion and sense for the hands and the feet moue by that power which is by sundry nerues deriued from the head and dispersed among the members And so it is in Christs mystical body the Church hee is the head and fountaine of life spirituall and p Perkins exposit Creed art Christ resur that very power of his Godhead whereby he raised vp himselfe when