of Remaliahs sonne For albeit they determine to depose thee and to dispose of thy Kingdome purposing to set vp in thy throne the sonne of â—abeal vers 6 Yet thus saith the Lord God their counsell shall not stand neither shall it bee for the head of Aramis Damascus and the head of Damascus is Rezin and within threescore and fiue yeeres Ephraim shall be broken from being a people As if he should say these two kingdomes shall haue their limits and their two Kings must be content with their owne greatnesse they both aspire to the Crown but I haue set them their bounds which they shall not passe Beleeue my words and it shall goe well with you but if ye will not beleeue surely ye shall not bee established vers 9. And therefore that Ahaz and his people might giue credit to this promise the Lord saith our text spake once more to Ahaz Where note Gods long suffering and patience toward an Idolatious and a wicked King who did not vprightly in the sight of the Lord his God 〈◊〉 Dauid his father â— but made his sonne goe thorow the fire after the abominations of the Heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel and offered and burnt incense in the high places and on the hilles and vnder euery greene tree The Lord desired not the death of a sinner but that he may turne from his euill waies and liue speaking to him as heere to Ahaz againe and againe turne you turne you for why will ye die O yee house of Israel He doth inuite to mercie not onely such as are godly men according to the prayer of Dauid Do well O Lord vnto those that be good and true of heart But he maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and sendeth his raine on the iust and on the vniust Matth. 5.45 Hee is not slacke faith Peter in comming to iudgement as some men count sâ—â—icknesse but is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance Wherefore thou whosoeuer thou bee which art in the gall of bitternesse selling thy selfe to worke wickednesse nay giuing thy selfe to wantonnesse to commit all vncleanenesse euen with greedinesse How dost thou thinâ—e thou shalt escape the iudgement of God or despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance The Lord spake to Ahaz againe yet not onely for his sake nor for the wicked alone but rather to prouide for the weake which had some seeds of Godlinesse For albeit they did offend the Lord very much in their distrust and Idolatrie yet God as being the father of mercies in wrath remembers mercy Habac. 3.2 Compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord our God albeit wee haue rebelled against him Dan. 9.9 Require a token of the Lord thy God As if Esay should haue said I perceiue you giue credit to my report entertaining my speech as the words of a meere man and not as the word of God Wherfore to demonstrate that I come not in mine owne name but from the Lord of Hosts Aske a signe not of Idols or of strange gods vnable to helpe thee but of thy God Aske a signe not of me but of the Lord which onely doth wondrous things Aske of him Ahaz and thou shalt vnderstand that it is the Lord who speakes vnto thee God for the confirmation of our faith addeth vnto his promises as proppes of our infirmitie signes and tokens which Augustine calles aptly visible words And these signes are of two sorts extraordinarie whereof the Prophet in our present text and that which was giuen to Hezekiah in the 38. chapter of this prophesie vers 7. Ordinarie in daily vse as Baptisme and the Lords Supper the which are signes and seales of Gods holy couenant with vs. And wee must so ioyne faith vnto the word that wee despise not the Sacraments which Almighty God offereth as helps for the strengthening of of our faith It is a true saying that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And this saying ought by all meanes to bee receiued and one chiefe meane is the ministration of the Sacraments and therefore the frantick spirits in our time who make no reckoning of Baptisme nor of the blessed Eucharist but esteeme them abces onely for little children are worthily censured by reuerend Caluin to separate those things which God hath ioyned together Whether it be toward the depth beneath or toward the height aboue The Prophet prescribes not what token Ahaz should aske lest happily the truth of the miracle might be suspected but hee leaueth it to the Kings owne free choice whether hee will haue it toward the depth or height that is in earth or heauen Or it may be the word depth is of some deeper signification as if Esay should say God will openly shew thee that his dominion is farre aboue all the world yea that it reacheth euen from the heauen of heauens to the very depth of depthes insomuch as hee can at his good pleasure fetch Angels out of heauen and also raâ—e the very dead out of their graues Here then obserue Gods omnipotencie who can doe whatsoeuer hee will in heauen and in earth and in the sea and in all deepe places Psal. 135.6 O God the great and mighty great in Counsell and mighty in worâ—e Behold thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arme and there is nothing hard vnto thee This doctrine is comfortable to the godly who dwell vnder the defence of the most high and abide vnder the shadow of his wings hauing his spirit for their guide and his Angels for their guard But it is very terrible to the wicked in that all the creatures in heauen in earth and vnder earth attend the Lord of Hosts euenmore readie to fight against such as fight against him noneâ— This argueth his pride rather then humblenesse Or as other his trust in the strength of the King of Ashor rather then his affiance in the King of Kings And yet hee colours his foule contempt hypocritically with a faire pretence saying I will not tempt the Lord alluding doubtlesse to the text Deut. 6.16 ye shall not tempt the Lord your God He forgate the words in the some chapter a little before yee shall not walke after other gods c. and only wrested that clause which he thought would fit his turne wrest I say for to require a signe when God inuiteth and inioyneth vs is not to tempt the Lord but to trust and obey which is better then sacrifice Gedeon is commended for asking signes of the Lord Iudges 6. the Pharities on the contrary condemned euen by Christ himselfe the wicked generation and adulterous seeketh a
present there is neither yesterday nor to morrow but onely today Apud Deum nunquam erastinus nunquam he lernus dies est sed semper bodie And in his Enchiridion cap. 49. Vbi dies nec heâ—ternisâ—â—e inchoatur nec initio era â—â—terminatur semper bodieraus est Hilary Eusebius Ambrose with other expound this of Christs resurrection as Paul here We declare to 〈…〉 the promise made to the fathers God hath fulfil 〈◊〉 vnto their children euen vnto vs in that her 〈◊〉 vp Iesus againe euen as it is written in the second Psalme thou art my sonne this 〈◊〉 haue I begotten thee For to 〈◊〉 vp againe from death vnto life euerlasting is a new begetting and in this sense Christ is called elsewhere the 〈◊〉 begotten and the 〈◊〉 borne of the deâ—â— Againe the circumstances of the place leade the Reader to this construction Why doe the heathen so furiouâ—â— rage together and why do the people imagine a vaine 〈◊〉 that is as Peter and Iohn haue well applied it Act. 4.27 Herâ—d and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together against the Lord and against his Christ euen his holy son Iesus and when they had filled all things that were written of him as Paul in our text they tooke him downe from the tree and put him in a sepulchre rolling a great stone to the doore thereof and sealed it and making it sure with the watch In all which as the Prophet speakes their imaginations and actions were vaine for hee that dwelleth in heauen did laugh them to scorne the Lord had them in derasion he raised his Christ againe the third day making him a King ouer his holy 〈◊〉 of Sion that is absolute head oâ— his Church giuing him all the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession And so God in raising Christ vp againe from the dead euidently shewed that he was his onely begotten sonne As if he should haue said thou wert euer my sonne before to day before there was any day but yet in this day of thy resurrection I haue most especially manifested vnto the world that thou art my son whom I haue begotten It is then an idle conceit to thinke that Paul is not author of that Epistle written to the Hebrewes because the words of Dauid vrged here to proue Christs resurrection are cited heere chap. 1. vers 5. to shew Christs eternall generation For as Paul in his Epistle to the Romans chap. 1. vers 4. Christ is declared mightily to be the sonne of God by rising againe from the dead His resurrection is an infallible demonstration of his diuinitie seeing none euer raised another from the dead but by God none euer raised himself from the dead but God I conclude this obseruation in the words of â—mbrose Pulchre pater dicit ad filium ego 〈◊〉 genui te hoc est quando redemisti populum quando ad caâ—ereâ—â—um vocasti quando implesti voluntaâ—em meam probâ— 1 meum te esse filium The next Scripture quoted heere by Paul is Esay 55.3 The 〈◊〉 of God made to Dauid concerning the sending of Israels Sauiour are sure mercies and faithfull woâ—â— he must of necessity therefore fulfill them in euery respect the which hee could not haue done but in raising vp Iesus againe for the resurrection of Christ is the complement and as it were Amen of all his promises according to that of Paul hee died for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification See conclusion of the Gospell on S. Thomas day The last authority cited in this place to proue Christs resurrection is taken out of the 16. Psalme verse 11. thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruptioâ— The Iewes vnderstood this of Dauid but saith our Apostle Dauid albeit he was a King and a Prophet and a Partriarke a man according to Gods owne heart as it is recorded of him in this present chapter at the 22. verse yet after hee had in his time fulfilled the will of God he fell on sleepe and was laid vnto his fathers and saw corruption Earth he was and to earth hee returned againe But Christ Iesus although he was hanged on a tree and put in a sepulchre yet he saw no corruption Hee rose againe the third day triumphing ouer all his enemies openly saying O death I will bee thy death O graue I will be thy destruction And therefore this Iesus is he through whom is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes and by whom all that beleeue are iustified from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses Mors mortis morti mortem nisi morte dedisset à nobis vitae Ianua clausa foret Beware therefore lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophets This text is taken out of the first of Habakuk vers 5 but for as much as all the prophesies were collected together into one volume he saith in the Prophets Or according to the Hebrew phrase in the Prophets is as if he should haue said in one of the Prophets as Genes 23.6 In the chiefest of our sepulchres bury thy dead that is in one of the chiefe He doth alter the words of the Prophet according to the sound but not according to the sense Habaâ—uâ— saith behold among the heathen Paul heere behold ye despisers In which our Apostle doth expound and not confound the Prophet for whereas the Iewes despised the word of God hee sent them to be taught by the Caldeans as if Habakuk had said ye will not obey Gods voice ye will not learne any thing in his schoole wherefore yee shall ere it beelong bâ— made to know his iudgements among the heathen â—ee saith the Lord I will raise vp the Caldeans that better and hasty nation which shall march through the bredth of the land to possesse the dwelling places which are not theirs And this their ouerthrow was a type of their future reprobation and spirituall vastity for the contempt of the Gospell These things are ensamples and are written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Let vs therefore beware that these heauie iudgements fal not vpon vs as they did vpon the Iewes Videte aspicite admiramini admiramini take heed againe I say take heed quench not the spirit despise not prophesying receiue not the grace of God in vaine Nemo malus nisi stultus he that is a despiser of the sauing word is an arrant foole for if hee were wiser hee would kisse the sonne and beware lest that fall on his head which is spoken of in the Prophets behold ye despisers and wonder and perish The Gospell LVKE 24.36 Iesus stood in the middest of his Disciples c. COncerning the chiefe parts and passages of this Scripture See Gospell 1.
with God hee did ascend farre aboue all heauens and is saith our text on the right hand of God To sit as Ardens vpon the place pithily quiscentis regnantis Iudicantis est ergo bene redemptor noster post passionem ascensionemg suam sedere describitur quia post laborem requiescit post pralium regnat postquam indicatus est iudicat Is Christ ascended on high then let vs seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Albeit our bodies be tied with the fetters of flesh on earth yet let our soules ascend with the winges of faith into heauen euen to the place from whence commeth al our helpe and hope Saluator noster ascendit in coeluÌ„ non ergo turlemur in terra ibi sit mens hic erit requies as Augustine sweetly The way to make a ladder vp to heauen as the same father teacheth in his 3. sermon preached on this day is to trample sin vnder our feet de vitiâ—s nostris scalum nobis facimus si vitia calcamus tread pride vnder thy feet and thou shalt instantly passe one step he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted tread couetousnes vnder thy feet and it will proue another step how hard is it for them who trust in riches to enter into the kingdome of God tread maliciousnes vnder thy feet and thou shalt approach as yet neerer vnto heauen for God is loue and hee that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Grant we beseech thee almighty God that like as we doe beleeue thine only begotten sonne our Lord to haue ascended into the heauen so wee may also in heart and mind thither ascend and with him continually dwell Amen The Epistle ACTS 10.34 Then Peter opened his mouth c. THe former part of this text is expounded on Easter Mâ—nday the contents of the latter on Whitsunday The Gospell Iohn 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life c. IT is reported of a noble Lantgraue Fredericke by name that the very gingling of his spurre was a terrour to his foes And so the very repeating of this sweet text is able to make Satan our greatest enemy to quake for it is as one calleth it a common armory for the Christian as it were the tower of Dauid a thousand shields hang therein and all the targets of the strong 〈◊〉 Apply this one sentence to thy soule and thou shalt in thy most grieuous agonie quench all the fiery darâ—s of the deuill It brancheth it selfe into 3. considerations especially who God loued what the world how so that hee gaue his only begotten sonne c. Ambitious men in the court loose their time their liberty their estate yea sometime with Iscariot they sell vnder hand their owne soule their owne Sauiour to gaine the Princes respect or else some fauour of his chiefe Fauourite But behold a greater then Salomon in all his royalty higher then the highest immortall almighty without beginning or end loued vs and his loue must of necessity bee greater then others loue for that himselfe is the greatest of all God loued and herein heâ— neither expected any correspondence of loue for saith our text hee loued the world That hee should loue the glorious Angels is not strange because they be his messengers ministers executing his pleasure That he should loue good men is not strange because they loue him O thou whoÌ„ my soule loueth Cant. 1.6 That he should loue both his witlesse and his senselesse creatures is not strange because fire and haile snow and vapours wind and storme fulfill his word But herein appeares the greatnesse of his loue that he loued the world mundum immundism the worthlesse world lying in wickednesse casting out its malice saith the Prophet as the fountaine casteth out her waters A world as Augustine describeth impuris vâ—lupratibus illerebosies nefandis c udelitatibus furiosus 〈◊〉 bus terroribus inimieus A bad world a mad world a deceiving world a blind world that knew him not Ioh 1.10 A bloody world that hated him and all his Herein God setteth out his loue toward vs for that he reconciled vs to himselfe euen while we were his enemies Rom. 5.10 he loued vs first euen before wee would yea before we could loue him He that is most high and most holy debtor vnto no man and wenting no thing loued vs which are but dust and ashes conceiued in sinne and brought forth in iniquity corrupt in ouâ— conuersation and abominable doing no good and inâ—ected with euery kind of euill euen from the sole of the foot vnto the head there was in vs nothing whole but wounds and swelling and sores full of putâ—ifâ—tion Esay 1.6 But how did hee loue so loued that is so fatherly so freely so fully that he gaue Hee did not sell or let or lend but giue Not in Angell or a Prophet or any seruant but a sonne And that not anothers but his and his sonne not adoptiue but naturall his begotten sonne and further not one among many but his onely begotten sonne If a man had 32. sonnes as Babo or seuenty sonnes as Gideon Iudg 8.30 Or 80. sonnes as Scilurus or if a man had as many sons as a woman in Paris called Yoland Baillie from whose body while shee liued as we read issued 295. children yet he would hardly part with any to his friend much lesse to his foe When the Patriarke Iacob had conceiued that Ioseph his sonne was deuoured of some wilde beast he rent his cloathes and put sakcloath about his loines and sorrowed for him a long season And when his other sonnes and his daughters rose vp to comfort him he would not bee comforted but said I will surely go downe into the graue vnto my son mourning How bitterly did Dauid lament the death of a rebellious sonne O my sonne Absalon my sonne my sonne Absalon would God I had died for thee O Absalon my sonne my sonne How did an harlot pitie the fruit of her wombe before King Salomon 1. King 3. Oh my Lord giue her the liuing child and slay him not Almighty God then manifested the riches of his mercy toward vs in giuing his onely sonne not onely to bee borne but also to die for vs and that vpon the Crosse most ignominiously So Christ in the words immediately going before this our present text as Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man bee lift vp probatio dilectionis exhibitio operis his exceeding great gift is a demonstration of his exceeding great loue Thus in briefe you see the fact let vs examine now the fruit for what end God gaue his onely begotten sonne That whosoeuer beleeueth in him
seeke Christ in the time of Herod the King 2. From what part of the world from the East 3. To what Citie to Ierusalem 4. By what guide by the leading of a star 5. For what end to worship him 6. What gifts they presented vnto him gold frankincense myrrhe 7. What way they returned home after they were warned of God in a sleepe that they should not goe againe to Herod they returned into their owne country another way In the time of Herod the King The Patriarke Iacob prophecied of the Messiah that the kingdom should not depart from Iuda not a langiner from his feâ—t vntill Sâ—â—lo come Now Herod was not a branch of the Kings of Iuda but an alien from their Common-wealth a stranger and a tyrant crept in by the fauour of the Romane Emperour and therefore the Wisemen enquiring after the birth of Christ in the daies of Herod the King obserued their right quando because now the scepter had departed from Iuda The which as it confutes the Iewes expecting as yet that Christ should come so it confirmes the faith of Christians assuring vs vndoubtedly that this same whom the Wise-men sought is the very Sauiour of the world and as the Wise-men in seeking euen so Christ in comming kept his right quando For when Herod was King and sinne most abounded Iesus was borne in Bethlehem a Citie of Iurie when his Israel sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death then he visited and redeemed his people Luk. 1.68.79 according to that of Dauid Thou shalt arise and haue mercy vpon Sion for it is time that thou haue mercy vpon her yea the time is come and why Thy seruants thinke vpon her stones and it pittieth them to see her in the dust Some thinke these Wise-men came to Ierusalem about two yeeres after Christs birth and the ground of this assertion is in the 16 verse of this present chapter Herode seeing that hee was mocked of the Wise-men was exceeding wroth and sent forth and slew all the male-children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from two yeeres old and vnder according to the time which hee had diligently searched out of the Magi. But the Wise-men had proued themselues none of the wisest men if they should at that time haue sought for Christ in Iurie when hee was in Egypt For so the text plainely Ioseph according to the direction of an Angell appearing to him in a dreame tooke the babe Iesus and his mother by night and departed into Egypt and was there vnto the death of Herod and that was in Nicephorus account 3 yeeres as Iansenius 5 yeeres as Sabellâ—câ—â— 7 yeeres I thinke therefore that the Wise-men came to Ierusalem according to the Churches institution of this feast vpon tht twelfth day after the birth of Christ. If any desire to bee satisfied how they could performe in so short a time so great a iourney let them at their leasure peruse the Commentaries of Maldonat vpon this text and Cardinall Baron annal Tom. ad an 1. fol. 53.54 From the East The first sinne committed by man in the world was eastward for Adam and Eua did eate of the forbidden fruit in Paradise planted Eastward Gen. 2.8 〈…〉 her Abel was an inhabitant of the East Gen 4. â—â— The builders of the Tower of Babel also came from the 〈◊〉 Gen. 11.2 And there 〈◊〉 Christ 〈…〉 that hee might 〈…〉 and take away the sinne of the world called at his 〈◊〉 appearing Wise-men from the East and hee was crucified 〈◊〉 toward the 〈◊〉 as hauing put all our sinnes behind his bâ—cke Eâ—a â—â— 17 And for this 〈◊〉 happily 〈◊〉 with other whereas the 〈…〉 toward the South and sectaâ—â—â— to the West 〈…〉 and thaâ— from the very time of theâ— Apostles vse to pray toward the 〈◊〉 And it 〈…〉 that such as were to bee baptized should in their renunciation of the deuill and all his workes euer turne their face toward the Wâ—â—l and on the contrary when they made their con 〈◊〉 of the faith of Christ 〈◊〉 the East as 〈…〉 and Cyrâ—l apud Baron 〈…〉 58 fol. 564. Our Sauiour said Matth. 8.11 that mary shall 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and shall sit downe with 〈…〉 Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen These 〈◊〉 came from the East and 〈◊〉 from the West and 〈◊〉 knowledged Christ to bee King of the Iewes Magi ab 〈…〉 hoc est nasâ—ents the autem occidenti hoc est 〈…〉 regi Iudeorum That these Magi came from Persia most accord but whether they were Kings or Philosophers or both it is vncertaine It was a receiued opinion among the Popish Friers heretofore that these Magi were Kings and that Matthew in terming them Wise-men gaue them a title more honourable then that of Kings 〈…〉 A scepter may be put into the hands of a foole The name then of Magus in that age when Philosophers did raigne was of greater account then that of Magnus Other Papists of better note for their learning confesse that they were not reges but reguli not puissant Princes of a whole Country but pettie Lord of some little Towne aâ— Gen. 14. Bera King of Sodome Birsha King of Gomâ—rrah Shâ—â—ab King of Admâ—th But that these were crowned Kings and but three whose names are Melchior Gaspar Balthasar Const. 〈◊〉 pictura sed noâ— ex scriptura is a tale painted on a wall not written in the word That I say these were but three whereof one was an olde man another a yong man and the third of middle age whose dead bodies haue been translated first from India to Constantinople Secondly from Constantinople to Millane Thirdly from Millane to Colon and thereupon commonly called the three Kings of Colon is thought by Protestant Diuines a ridiculous fable better fitting the signe of a Tauerne then the wall or window of a Temple That they were Wise-men is said in this text and proued also for in seeking the Lord when and where hee was to be found they shewed themselues wisemen indeed according to that of the Prophet Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome but let him that gloâ—uth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord which exercise louing kindnesse iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I deâ—â—â— saith the Lord. It is likewise consonant to the text that these Magi were aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel as the shepheard were the first fruits of the Iewes so these Wise-men the first fruits of the Gentile They were neere these came from farre both met in Christ the chiefe corner stone who made of both one that is of two walles one house for the Iewes and Gentiles are all one in Christ Galat. 3.28 A mysterie which in times past as you haue heard in this daie Epistle was not opened
many as the Lord our God shall call And Act. 3.26 Vnto you hath God raised vp his sonne Iesus and him hee hath sent to blesse you in turning euery one of you from your iniquities And here Ye men and brethren children of the generation of Abraham and whosoeuer among you feareth God to you is the word of this saluation sent And vers 38. Be it knowne vnto you that thorough the man Iesus is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sins Now that our Apostle might the better insinuate himselfe into the minds of his hearers and thereby more powerfully perswade the truth of his doctrine hee cals them brethren children of the generation of Abraham and such as feare God The first title was among the Iewes held gratious the second and third glorious esteeming it euer the greatest honour to be the seruants of God and sonnes of Abraham And whereas Christ crucified is vnto the Iewes a stumbling blocke for what Iew will out of his owne iudgement admit him for the Sauiour of Gods people who was condemned by the chiefe Priests and rulers and inhabitors of Gods owne City Hierusalem of which it is said the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Hierusalem our Apostle remoues the scandall of Christs crosse retorting and answering this obiection in his ensuing discourse First hee retorteth it and maketh it aduantage in his present businesse As if hee should say ye men of Antioch children of the generation of Abraham especially such as feare God among you I say ye should the rather embrace the word of saluation sent vnto you because the men of Hierusalem and their rulers killed the Lord of life condemning him in whom they found no cause of death Hierusalem vnderstood not the things appertaining to her peace but murthered the Prophets and stoned such as were sent to her Take heed therefore ye men of Antioch that ye commit not the like sinne and ingratitude lest that fall on you which is spoken of in the Prophets behold ye despisers and wonder and perish Secondly S. Paul heere giueth answere to this obiection It is true that the men of Hierusalem and their rulers haue crucified the Lord of glory but it was out of their ignorance because they knew him not nor yet the voices of the Prophets which are read euery Sabbath day They killed him indeed but heerein they fulfilled all the Scriptures that were written of him especially that Scripture the same stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner And lastly though it be granted vnto you that the Sauiour Iesus through whom is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sins had a death full of ignominy for that hee was hanged on a tree yet his rising againe from the dead the third day was exceeding glorious in that hee lead captiuity captiue triumphing ouer death hell and the graue Now that Christ is risen againe from death he proues by the witnesse Of Apostles himselfe we declare c. For Christ after his resurrection was seene of Paul 1. Cor. 15.8 Other who went with him from Galilee to Hierusalem of whom hee was seene many daies as being witnesses chosen of God for the same purpose Act. 10.41 Prophets Esay chap. 55.3 Dauid Psal. 2.7 16.11 The first testimonie cited by Paul is in the second Psalme thou art my sonne c. the which I finde expounded of Dauid and of Christ. If we take this spoken of Dauid he may be called the sonne of God as A King for Princes haue their power from God and so stiled the children of the most high Psalm 82.6 Man for we are the generation of God it is he who made vs and not our selues Psal. 100.2 and is not hee thy father that made thee Deut. 32.6 Regenerate man for euery one that is new borne is borne of God adopted his sonne and made his heire Rom. 8.15.17 Thus it may be said by God vnto Dauid in type this day haue I begotten thee but onely to Christ in truth And therefore Rabbi Solomon and other Doctors among the Iewes vnderstand this of the Messias and assuredly Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 1. vers 5 did the rather cite this text to proue that Christ is God for that hee knew their Rabbines vsually constâ—ued it of Israels Sauiour The maine proposition of the second Psal. is thâ— the Messias is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords euen Gods onely begotten sonne very God of very God The which is concluded in this argument Hee that is to bee worshipped and kissed of all Princes on earth is doubtlesse the King of Kings but the Messias ought to be worshipped of all other Kings and Rulers and Iudges of the earth ergo the Messias seated vpon Gods holy hill of Sion is the King of Kings euen the Lord who dwelleth in heauen If the Princes of the world stand vp and take counsell together against the Lord and against his anointed it is but in vaine For if his wrath be kindled yea but a little they shall instantly perish hee shall bruise them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell On the contrary blessed are they who kisse the sonne and put their trust in him happie men and wise Kings are they who serue the Lord in feare and reioyce before him in reuerence God onely killeth and maketh aliue bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp Ergo the Messias hauing his absolute power of life and death is vndoubtedly Gods onely begotten sonne whom he hath made heire of all things and iudge of all men And therefore Diuines interpret the cited words as properly spoken of Christ and that in respect of his generation temporall eternall Resurrection Some construe this of his temporary birth in saying thou art my sonne God sheweth his diuine generation and in saying this day haue I begotten thee his humaine natiuity For hodie signifieth in holy Scripture the present life Heb. 3.7 Psalm 95.8 to day if ye will heare his voice So that I haue begotten thee this day as if he should haue said I haue brought my first begotten sonne into the world I haue caused thee to become flesh and in the fulnesse of time to be borne of a woman Other vnderstand this of Christs eternall generation As if God should haue said other are my sonnes improperly but thou art my sonne properly filius meus naturalis singularis substantialis A sonne not by creation as the whole world nor through adoption as the whole Church but a sonne by nature my begotten and onely begotten sonne Iohn 3.16 The very brightnesse and expresse character of my person Hebr. 1.3 Whereas Arrians and other obiect against this interpretation the word hodie Saint Augustine answereth appositly that with God vnto whom all things are