beginning of impracation or cursing and of gratulation or reioycing For hee curseth the enemies of Christ but he reioyceth at the welfare of the godly ones The declaration of the Psalme comprehendeth the description of the pompe The Lord commeth and bringeth with him his hoast of them which preach the Gospell Out of these are described the Apostles and Bishops as it were Princes of prouinces or countries which do comfort and refresh these countries afflicted and persecuted The Lord ascendeth vpon high hee leadeth in his triumph the captiues hee distributeth his gifts vnto his soldiours and people and threatneth punishment vnto his enemies The people go before and one commeth after which singeth the song of triumph This is almost the scope of this Psalme which let the godly ones reade not so much for the wonderfull and delectable diuine excellencie of eloquence wherewith it aboundeth ⧠The Psalme and Exposition thereof Let God arise and let his enemies bee scattered Let them also that hate him flee before him Like as the smoake vanisheth so shalt thou driue them away and like as the waxe melteth at the fire so let the vngodly perish at the presence of God LIKE as the next Psalme following describeth Christ humbled upon the Crosse and by reason of our sinnes sirtuing with most bitter sorrowes in this Psalme setteth forth Christ risen from death to life and gloriously sitting at the right hande of his Father He beginneth then with the effects of the most ioyfull resurrection of Christ namelie by the destruction and scattering abroad of his enemies and by the reuiuing or restoring of his church as if he said when Christ was dead and buried not onlie the blind and raging Iewes leaped for ioy but also the Deuill and his companions namelie sinne and death triumphed at full as if Christ shoulde so for euer remaine in the graue But this graund guide of life the third daie rising againe had a glorious triumph ouer the Iewes and the whole kingdome of the Deuill often times repeating that saying of the Prophet Osea cap. 13. 14. O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction For although the stubborne and vncurable Iewes carried stately mindes as then and resisted the Apostles with a malignant countenance yet in the xl yeare after Christes resurrection they suffered grieuous and iust punishmentes for their outrages And the kingdome of the deuill sinne and death is so broken and crushed in peeces by Christ that it can bring no danger vnto the godlie ones Let vs therefore with S. Paule sing this triumph song 1. Cor. 15. 55. 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 be to God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lorde Iesus Christ verse 56. 57. And what is more elegant then the describing of these enemies which he here vseth comparing them unto smoke and ware Great is the pride of smoke when it bursteth out of the top of the chimney and his spreading heat couereth the ayre So an Image of waxe maketh both a terrible shew of grauitie ◠of hardnes but as the smoke which séemeth to pearce the verie firmament is scattered by the wind here and there and as the image of ware laide to the fire melteth quite awaie So the enemies of the Gospell and of the Church by the breath of Christes mouth which is both winde and flame are either healed or taken vtterlie awaie and destroied altogether So in like maner Athanasius compared Iulian the Apostat vnto a little cloud whome the Sunne within a while after should so driue away and vanquish that no man should sée anie trace therof more With these debasings and downfalles of the enemies of the gospell and of the church agreeth that sentence of Isay ca. 51. 7. Feare ye not the reproch of men neither be yee afraide of their rebukes verse 8. For the moath shall eate them vp like a garment and the worme shall eat them like wooll But let the righteous be glad and reioyce before God Let them also be merry and ioyfull An other effect of Christs resurrection is the reuiuing or restoring of his Church for as Saint Paule saith Rom. 14. 17. The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holie Ghost It is indéed Righteousnesse as thus frée remission of sinnes reconciliation with God and free acceptation vnto life euerlasting It is Peace thus Tranquillitie of heart rising from faith hope a good conscience Finallie it is Ioy thus Consolation which is the vanquisher of all feares and doubtings All these benefites are the effects of Christs passion and resurrection which saint Paule acknowledgeth Phil. 3. 12. He hath not yet attained vnto but he tooke he saide the right course whereby he might attaine vnto this reach of wisdome The same thing let vs also confesse and craue of God that hee would illumine and increase in our hearts this light acknowledging the benefites of Christ O sing vnto God and sing praises vnto his name magnifie him that rideth vpon the heauens as it were vpon an horse praise him in his name yea and reioyce before him Not only in the heart saith Dauid let true knowledge of Christ shine whereto is ioyned spirituall ioy but let the toong also magnifie this Lord risen from death to life and raigning for euer who though he be the sonne of Dauid after the Sencalogie yet is hee declared the Sonne of God by his rising from death to life and by sending his holie spirit as in Rom. cap. 1. ver 3. 4 it is said This Lords diuinitie vnited to his humanitie and his victorie triumphes and benefits see that ye honor saith Dauid and in them rest and sweetlie repose your selues For he doth not thumpe nor thunder it out but is carried faire and softlie and suffereth suters to haue easie accesse vnto him Let no man therefore be driuen from him but let all and euerie one come vnto this Lord trusting in his most swéete promise who saith Matth. 11 28. Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I will refresh you And where he saith Magnifie him that rideth vpon the heauens that maie be vnderstoode Make your way before him and is spoken as touching our true repentance not fained with amendment of life for the first step vnto health is To know the disease and seeke a Phisition But contrariwise it is a heauie signe if the minde being sicke know neither the disease nor looketh for phisicke Let vs therefore acknowledge our maladies namely sin and death and let vs craue to haue right medicine laide to these miseries by the phisition and sheepheard of our soules euen the sonne of God who came therefore into the world to saue sinners He is a father of the fatherlesse and defendeth the cause of the widowes euen God in his holy habitation
thine indignation vpon them and let thy wrathfull displeasure take holde of them Let their habitation be void and no man to dwelt in their tents For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they â—alke howe they may vexe him whom thou hast wounded Let them fall from one wickednesse vnto another and not come into thy righteousnes Let them be wiped out of the booke of the liuing and not be written among the righteous As for me when I am poore and in heauines thy helpe O God shall lift me vp HItherto the first part of the Psalme namelie a prayer full of most sorrowfull affections is expounded Nowe followeth the second part wherein Christ reckoneth vp against the blasphemous Iewes dire and grieuous matters When we read this cursing let vs tremble with feare in all our bodie and let vs scare the wrath of God which is bent against the contempt of the Gospell for If God spare not the naturall branches how much lesse will he spare the wilde branches Rom. 11. 20. 24. 1 And the first degrée of punishments for despising the Gospel is furie and blindnes which wickedly corrupteth the natiue meaning of the worde The impudencie and sawcinesse of the Iewes of late dayes is knowne in peruerting the sayings of the Prophets As when they interpret the 9. ca. of Isay they imagine that the Prophet speaketh there of Ezechias king of Iuda With the same face do they bragginglie striue that the same Prophet in the 53 cap. preacheth not of the Messias or Sauiour that was to come but of the Iewish people So where they busie themselues vpon the ninth chapter of Daniel then peruert with their horrible ignorance and impietie the race of the kings of the Persians so as by all meanes they do but trifle out the prophecie of Daniel Finallie the vniuersall writing of the Prophets which was sometime a table furnished for this people with most wholesome meates is now by their blasphemies no other thing but a snare and offence of falling as in this 23. verse is said 2 The second degree of punishment is perpetuall thraldome and most miserable for although now and then they haue put in practise with warres to recouer their Countrey and restore their Church and policie yet by Gods prouidence being ouerthrowne they acknowledged themselues but to rol the stone with Sysiphus to play at the dice vpon a broken boord that is to be vtterly consumed with vaine contention 3 The third degree is the wrath of God which they cannot by anie meanes escape 4 The fourth degree was the most sorrowfull destruction of their gouernement and of their Temple 5 The fifth degree is that sins are punished with sinnes for they are euerie day more then other become like mad dogs howling stirring vp and heaping vp sinnes and offences 6 The sixt and last degree is the depriuing of them of the life and righteousnesse euerlasting For according to that saying of saint Iohn He that beleeueth not in the Sonne hath not life but the wrath of God resteth vpon him This plague O God vouchsafe thou to turn quite away from vs. I will praise the name of God with a song and magnifie it with thanksgiuing This also shall please the Lord better then a bullocke that hath hornes and hooffes THe thirde and last part of this Psalme is a thankesgiuing which instructeth the reader touching the abrogation of Moses ceremonies The Prophet saith here Hee will not offer vnto God the blood of Bulles and Calues but the true signification of thankfulnes wherewith God is more pleased and delighted then with the Ceremonies of Leueticall sacrifices Well do the Lawiers say Cessante ratione legis cessareipsam legem When the reason or cause of the lawe ceasseth then also ceasseth the verie law it selfe And the speciall reason or cause for which the Lord God ordained these ceremonies was that they should be tipes or figures of one onelie sacrifice taking away the sinnes of the world When this sacrifice was once offered then by good right and reason ceased the Leuiticall sacrifice But what time the Leueticall priesthood flourished the slaughter and sacrificing of beasts without faith and morall obedience pleased not God anie thing at all For it is not inough to do the workes by God commanded except they be done in such order as the wisedome of God hath ordained Nowe then it appeareth plainlie that Faith is the foundation of all worshippings according to that saying of saint Paule Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne 2 The second and next degree is morall obedience which containeth loue and other vertnes according to the commaundements 3 The third degree is the vse of ceremonies which as I said please not God except there be first a foundation laid that is a Pediator acknowledged and that remission of sinnes bee had for his sake reconciliation to God and morall obedience begun anew in the heart of man This order of workes doe manie Sermons if the prophets lay open vnto vs As Isay saieth Cap. 1. 11. I will none of your burnt offerings c. But rather vers 17. Seeke ye iudgement and relieue the oppressed c. Againe the same Isay in the 58. cap. 7. Breake thy breade vnto the hungrie c. And the prophet Micheas cap. 6. 7. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes c Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee surelie to doe iustly and to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God ver 8. And the Prophet Zacharias sayth cap. 7. 6. When yee did eate and when yee did drinke did yee not eate for your selues and drinke for your selves Thus saith the Lord of hostes execute true iudgement and shewe mercie and compassion euerie man to his brother oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse the stranger nor the poore and let none of you imagine euill against his brother in your heart verses 9. and 10 c. The humble shall see this and bee glad seeke ye after God and your soule shall liue The chiefe blessings which the reasonable or sensible creature hath are Wisdome righteousnesse and ioie in God These blessings being lost by Adams transgression Christ againe by his passion and resurrection hath restored vnto vs For he died for our sinnes and rose againe for our righteousnesse that is through his obedience which he performed in suffring his death he deliuered the church from euils namely from Gods wrath the curse of the lawe sinne euerlasting death and the tyrannie of the deuill But if he had remained still in death and in the graue which was a thing impossible he had not restored those blessings vnto vs which are opposed and set against most grieuous euils To the end therfore that deliuerance should not be onelie the remoouing of euill from vs but also the placing of benefits for vs he rose againe from death the third
Sonne hee maketh his Gospell knowen preserueth the ministerie and giueth the holie Ghost But touching his second comming let vs hold fast that notable saying of Augustine cited by Prosperus Senten 337. Although the Father neuer departeth from the sonns yet is it not saide that hee shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead but the sonne shall iudge them because there neither the deitie of the Father nor of the sonne shall be séene but that forme or likenes of the sonne which he hath vnited vnto him by the mysterie of his incarnation The same forme or likenes in him then shall be Iudge which stood before the Iudge the same shall iudge which hath bin iudged that the wicked ones may beholde his glorie against whose clemencie they haue grudged Such a Iudge therefore shall he appeare as he may bee seene both of them whom hee shall crowne and of them whom he shall condemne But the Father shall not then appeare because he tooke not vpon him the shape of a seruant but vnto his Sonne who was also made Man hath be giuen all power of iudgement Thirdly this first verse confirmeth the Reader to acknowledge Christ not onelie to be the son of Dauid after the flesh but also the verie son of God For God giueth not his glorie vnto anie other as Esaias 42. saith Seeing then he deliuereth vnto this Sauiour both his iudgement and his iustice we must no time doubt but that the Sauiour is trulie and by nature God Fourthlie this verse teacheth vs what are the benefities of this Sauiour for iudgement by the phrase of the scripture signifieth a remoouing of euill and the placing of that which is good and righteousnes is the following of vertue the eschuing of vice Therefore the benefites of this sauiour are Deliuerance from sinne eternall death and tyrannie of the Diuell the gathering of the Church by the ministerie of the Gospell the gift of the holie Ghost defence and preseruation of the remnants of the Church in this life and finally the rising of the godly ones from death vnto life euerlasting You see then what a pithie and profound Orator Dauid is here and what great efficacie and value euerie worde of his hath Then shall hee iudge the people according vnto right and defend the poore There is a diuerse vse of the worde iudgement and in expounding to obserue the same varietie it is profitable somtime it signifieth The taking awaie of euill as when it is saide in the 119. Psalme part 12. verse 1. I haue done iudgement and iustice that is I haue eschewed thinges forbidden and done thinges commanded in other places it signifieth Gouernement So the gouernors of Gods people are called Iudges Last of all to let passe other significations it is taken for mitigation of extreame law as in Ierem. 10. Correct me O Lorde in thy iudgement not in thy wrath least I bee brought vnto nothing That is mitigate the paines which I haue deserued do not deale with me according to the exiremitie of the law This Grammaticall admonition if we rightlie consider this second verse is easilie expounded As if he said I craue of God that he would sende the promised deliuerer that hee would gouerne his people in his righteousnesse that is in abolishing sinne and death that he would restore vnto his church righteousnesse and life euerlasting And defend the poore as if he said Hee will not deale extremelie with suters or poore in spirit but he will take vpon him to defend their cause hee will maintaine them against their accusers and hee will strengthen them and staie them frée and discharged in iudgement Hee will also represse the rage of the Deuill Tyrants and fanaticall persons and he will mitigate the thraldome of the bodies of his seruantes captiued The mountaines also shall bring peace and the little hils righteousnesse vnto the people The mountaines and little hilles are the churches or congregations and their ministers These bring peace in righteousnesse that is they teach That being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God For Who shall accuse the Elect ones of God shall God which iustifieth who is it that shall condemne is it Christ who died yea and rose againe who sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs And againe Iohn 5. He that hath my word and bleeueth in him that sent me hath life euerlasting and commeth not into iudgement but goeth by death vnto life For this righteousnes and peace let vs giue so great thankes vnto God as the whole scope of our liuelie hart can conceiue and let vs eschew all contrarie opinions and religions which trouble this peace He shall iudge the simple folke by their right defend the children of the needie and punish the wrong doer These are speaches Correlatiues as the Logicians vse thus to saie The king and his people c. Now then here bee desribeth the people of this king and the desecription agreeeth with the saying of Sophonias 3. 12. I will leaue in the midst of thee a needy and poore congregation yet trusting in the name of the Lord. For the church liueth an exile in the world and in deede as S. Paule saith 2. Cor. 7 tryeth outwarde fightinges and feeleth inwarde feares Therefore both maner of waies it is a congregation poore and néedefull not onely because it is destritute of humane helpes but also because it carieth about in the heart sorrowes and feares rising from acknowledgement of sinne and the wrath of God but there is a two fold kind of consolation set downe one as the Psalme affirmeth The Sauiour shall heale the woundes of the hart according to that saying Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto me all ye which labour and are laden and I will refresh you The other in that he threatneth punishmentes vnto backbiters slanderers which inflameth mindes of kinges and princes against the Chruch This conclusion sith it is necessarie for the vniuersall Chruch euen then speciallie is it so in the behalfe of poore people and Orphanes which are made open praies for all backbiters and slaunderers They shall feare thee as long as the Sunne and moone endureth from one generation to another To feare God by an vsuall phrase of the scripture signifieth not onelie to feare the wrath and iudgement of God but also in a sort to serue or worship God And the feare of God signifieth all the worship done vnto God or all the obedience due vnto God This verse teacheth vs then that Christ the sauiour is not honoured with expences or outwarde pompe nor tragedies of captiues but with duties by vs done touching which the lawe morall preacheth and therewith affirmeth that the Church shall not bee vtterlie destroied in this world This promise ought to bee acceptable vnto the godlie ones especiallie when the turkish armies are within their beholding which practise no other thing but to destroie the preaching of the gospell and
presence and helpe in calamities Also his mitigation and deliuerance from the same And it is a speciall deliuerance whereas by Iordan that is by the miseries of this life the sonne of God leadeth vs into the land of Canaan that is into the life euerlasting But the whole doctrine touching causes and remedies of humane miseries is elsewhere plentifullie expounded He that will may from thence borrow more matter For we do not now write of places but we interpret Psalms and least this Commentarie appeare too much in matter we are contented with the direction of those places which are extant in all mens hands God shal wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalpe of such a one as goeth on still in his wickednes The Lord hath said I will bring my people againe as I did from Basan mine owne will I bring againe as I did from the deepe of the sea That thy foote may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies and that the tongue of thy dogges may be red through the same He addeth vnto the description of the triumphant pompe a prophecie touching the destruction of the Iewish nation for their blinde obstinacie striuing setting themselues against the Gospel And this prophecie agréeth with the saying of Christ Luke 19. 44. All those things shall come vpon thee because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation Nowe indéed it is sufficientlie apparant that the Iewes for their contempt of Christ hauing lost their kingdome and priesthoode do wander in perpetuall banishment and are the most miserable persons of all others vppon whome the sunne shineth And although the greatest multitude of the Iewes be with tragicall punishments oppressed yet notwithstanding out of this skum of mankinde God hath culled or picked out some remnantes as in the 2. cap. Actes When Peters preaching was heard 3000. Iewes were conuerted vnto Christ and in the next yeare after the resurrection of Christ Paule the apostle was conuerted And there is extant in the 11. cap. of S. Paule to the Rom. 27. a prophecie touching the downefall of the Chruch of the Gentiles and of the conuersion of the Iewes It is well seene O God how thou goest howe thou my God and King goest in thy sanctuary The singers go before the minstrels follow after in the midst are the Damsels playing with the timbrels He returneth vnto the triumphant pompe whose ornament was musicke For the greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by the description of a figs leafe and the foote Iambus in verse For nothing is more swéete then victorie and the foote Iambus is most speciallie applied vnto the following of enemies which are led captiues in the triumph And what maner of song the people both going before and also following the chariot ought to sing S. Paul in the 5. Ephes v. 19. and 4. Coloss verse 2. there prescribing the rule of spirituall musicke teacheth vs at large Giue thankes O Israell vnto God the Lorde in the congregations from the ground of thy hart This little verse is short but it admonisheth the Reader touching the greatest matters God will not haue vs to serue him with the sacrifice to Ceres shut vp in close place of vs. For as Christ saith Matth. 5. 15. No man lighteth a candle and afterwards putteth it vnder a bushell But he will haue the church to bee a visible congregation and to haue honest meetinges publikelie wherein the preaching of the Gospell maie sound and hee heard touching the sonne of God And therfore doth he with a meruailous power saue yea and shall preserue his church in honest congregations and he wil haue euerie man to helpe and maintaine the preseruation of these publique méetings that the ministery of teaching maie bee preserued There will God haue a common praier and thankesgiuing to be made there will hee haue confession to be shewed which kind of doctrine euerie man may embrace And he biddeth vs to take the doctrine of the church not out of the cesterns of mans traditions nor out of Aristotles Ethickes but out of the holie and sacred fountaines of Israell that is from the Prophets and Apostles for all other sectes without the true church do onelie teach a particle of the law touching externall and ciuill duties and some of them do bring with them other worshippings of Idols But they are altogether ignorant of the sonne of God and of his gospell that is the promise of the free remission of sinnes also of our reconciliation and of our inheritance of life euerlasting to be giuen vs by faith in the sonne our Mediator But the Church draweth out of the welspring of Israel the sound perfect and vncorrupt doctrine of the law and the gospell and the pure knowledge of the sonne of God for vs crucified and raised from death to life There is little Beniamin their ruler and the Princes of Iuda their Counsaile The princes of Zabulon and the princes of Nephthaly Although the world do iudge the Apostles to be miserable wandring persons and hateth and curseth them as gasing stocks the ofscourings of the world 1. Cor. 49. 13. yet the holie ghost adorneth these ministers with the most praise worthy title of princes For the Apostles haue the testimonie of the holie ghost that they do not erre in doctrine These Captaines do other teachers and preachers in the church followe vnto whom no credit must bee giuen except their confession do agrée with the foundation of the Apostles as S. Paule saith 2. Ephes 20. And are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone But why doth he here saie There is little Beniamin their ruler Certes it may signifie that only of all the Apostles Paul being borne of the tribe of Beniamin a great and good part of the Church should be gathered out of Europe and Asia I stand not to be precise touching the speciall dignitie of anie apostle but I reuerence them al as the instruments of God sounding forth the preaching of the gospell throughout all the world And yet cannot this bee denied that Paule himselfe with a liuelie voice witnesseth of himselfe and letting passe most vpright testimonies of others He did greater thinges then the other Apostles like as he himselfe not vntruly glorieth Let vs therefore giue thankes to God for this excellent Organ or instrument and like little hounds let vs licke vp the crums falling from Paules table which are full of excellent words and sentences Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee Stablish the thing O God that thou hast wrought in vs. First in this verse let the misterie of the Trinitie be well marked For like as in 45. Psal the persons of the godhead are discerned where he saith in the 8. ver of the psal Therefore God euen thy God hath anointed thee with oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes So in
of the man tooke him also with them and when they arriued at Tuneta and had openly shewed their prize they declare vnto the King a rare and memorable acte who though he were a Prince barbarous and enemy to Christianity yet merueiling and perceiuing the vertue of the man did set him and his wife both at liberty and commaunded them to bee registred as of the number of those which were the guard of his person So the sonne of God leaped from high and heauenly beatitude into the sea of our mischiefes and miseries and of free became bondman of rich poore that by his virtue and power hee might obtaine liberty for vs and coopt vs into the society of heauenlie blessings Let vs therefore be ashamed of our pride and impatience wherein we disdaine to suffer some sorrowe to profit the Church thereby The spirituall meditation of the passion of the sonne of God consisteth in Feare and in Faith Feare is to tremble with acknowledgement of Gods wrath against sinne whose speciall testimony is the death of the sonne of God For although the threatnings added vnto the Law and horrible examples of punishments and feares of conscience doe shew the iudgements of God destroying contemptuous persons yet if we looke well into this glasse of Christ crucified wee shall see a far more euident signe of Gods horrible wrath For seeing God could not be pacified with the obedience of anie creature but did decree that his Sonne should be the propitiator or attonement maker in his bloud as S. Paule saith Assuredly me must confesse that great earnest and vnspeakeable is the wrath of God against sinne And least this acknowledgement of Gods wrath should leaue in our minds the stinges or darts of seruile feare which is a sorrowe without faith and a grudging against God and a horrible fleeing from God as was in Saule and Iudas let faith take roote in vs whereby the hart is stirred vp in the acknowledgement of Gods mercie promised for his sonnes sake For seeing God hath not spared his only begotten sonne but giuen him for vs all surely it cannot otherwise be but with him also he will giue vs all thinges Therefore spirituall meditation is not only to knowe the history touching the passion and to beleeue the same but also to feele in our hart sorrowes and consolations The exemplary or imitatiue meditation of Christes passion is to follow the humility and patience of Christ as S. Peter saith 1 Pet 2 21. Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wee should follow his steps And although none of vs in this our imbecility or weakenes is able to follow the example of Christ yet notwithstanding let there bee some lineaments agreeable in vs with this Image of imitating Christ ⧠The Psalme and Exposition thereof Saue me O God for the waters are come in euen vnto my soule I sticke fast in the deepe myre where no grounde is I am come into deepe waters so that the flouds runne ouer mee I am weary of crying my throate is drie my sight faileth me for waiting so long vpon my God SOme men do merueile whie the Euangelistes write That the sonne of God was grieued with sorrow and vexed in mind when he was in the Orchard seeing it seemeth a thing vnméete for a strong graue and constant person to weepe and waile and ware pale with feare of death as women vse to do For of Hercules addressing to cast himselfe into a burning fire Seneca saith thus Quis sic triumphans laet us in currustetit Victor Quis illo gentibus vultu dedit Leges tyrannus quanta paxobitium tulit Vultus petentis astra non ignes erant Who did so ioufull victor triumph make What Tyrant with such austere countenance Prescribed lawes to Nations for their state How great a peace toth' skies did him aduance No fiers they were But let vs knowe that Christ vare upon him a greater burthen then Hercules did for he was not in anguish and veration of minde for death onelie and for thinking vpon the tormenting of his bodie but he felt the wrath of God to bee turned vpon him against mine thine and all mens sinnes This féeling of Gods wrath sore vexed and grieued his most sacred breast For although euerie creature groneth and moneth when it is burthened aboue the abilitie of bearing the same yet the greatnesse of this burthen expressed in Christ not onelie teares but also drops of water and blood mingled togither which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therfore omitting disputations let vs tremble with feare in acknowledgement of Gods wrath against our sinnes and with the Prophet Isay let vs saie Surely he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes c. He was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed say 53. verses 4 5. They that hate me without a cause are mo then the haires of may head they that are mine enemies and would destroy me guiltlesse are mightie I paide them the things that I neuer tooke The former thrée verses contained a description of feares inwardlie in his heart This verse setteth forth his outward enemies As in truth for most part alwayes inward feares and outward fightings and hostile inuasions do méete togither But we are admonished by this saying They that hate me without cause c. that we suffer not as murtherers and theeues c. but like vnto Christians c. 1. Pet. 4. 15 16. That is for the confession of the Gospel And there is a notable ardent affect in the particle without a cause As if he had said They hated me not only as one neither guilty of sin nor hurting them but also most feruentlie coueting to do them good yéelding with great humilitie and taking vpon my selfe the punishments which they temselues deserued not séeking any reuenge but rather with great sorrow deploring or bewailing their wilfull obstinacie and destruction For this great good will and full of sorrow and lamentation for them and earnest desire to do them good do I beare this hatred Let Teachers or Preachers consider this figure and let them know that it is a common disease almost in all mankinde to be vnthankfull and let them for their great good will and great benefits suffer with patience to haue euill will hatred reproches and other mischiefes rendred them like as all Hystories are full of examples of vnthankfulnesse The Citie of Athens kept Miltiades in prison almost euen to his verie death and banished Aristides Themistocles and Cimon who had well deserued of the same Citie Finallie there is an infinite number of such whose examples maie admonish vs that we for Gods cause be carefull to do well not for reward of man and that we be not dismaid when mens indeuours and duties are not answerable to our good will and deseruings And that
elsewhere I haue often spoken touching the punishments for tyrants and the sufferings of Martyrs nowe I willinglie omit the recitall of them in this place He shal liue and vnto him shall be giuen of the golde of Arabia prayers shall be euermade vnto him and daylie shall he be praised We do remember that D. Martin Luther oftentimes said In the olde Testament there is a notable witnes of the Godhead of the Sauiour promised which affirmeth that he was called vpon by this propertie the same sauiour is there discerned from other Prophets That most graue witnes was by some complained to be obscured weakned by translating the same inuocation vnto other men And for that one cause saide he the custome of praying vnto others was to bee disallowed But where the Prophet Dauid affirmeth here that this Sauiour shall liue c. Let that be vnderstoode in that meaning touching which Christ saith Iohn 14. 19. I liue and you shall liue That is like as I of mine owne power do liue séeing that I am consubstantiall with the father and second person in deitie so by my merit and through my effectuall working you shall liue also for I in dying haue destroied death and in rising againe haue restored life as in the old godly verse the Church so singeth Yea I will raise vp againe your bodies from death and these euen counited with your soules I will adorne with gifts agréeable vnto the state of life euerlasting There shall bee an heape of corne vpon the earth high vpon the hilles his fruit shall shake like Libanus and shal be greene in the citie like grasse vpon the earth He compareth the fruitfulnesse of the Church or kingdome of Christ vnto the most lightsom flourishing corne which is answerable to the husbandmans praier and expectation For as the thicke growing corne delighteth the beholders so there is no sight more pleasant then to see the flourishing Churches wherein vnto the puritie of doctrine preached the concorde of the teachers is adioined or annexed There is a great force in the Nowne Bar which signifieth most pure wheate as if hee should say In the Church of Christ shall not beare sway anie vaine chaffe of humne traditions which haue no iuice in them but wheat shall flourish which with the body of man hath great affinitie for euē as of liuely wheat the best blood is increased so the Gospel deliuered without corruption bringeth to the godly ones firme consolation His name shall endure for euer his name shall remaine vnder the Sun among the posterities which shal be blessed through him and all the heathen shall praise him This verse glistereth most clearelie like a notable precious stone throughout the whole Psalme for it teacheth the reader touching the divine nature and benefits of the sauior and touching the calling of the Gentils It cleerelie affirmeth that this lord hath alwaies bin as he himselfe saith Iohn 8. 5. 8. Before Abraham was I am And he vseth the word Linnon the generation of the son from the father eternall And therefore Micheas saith 1 Mic. 3. This our deliuerer went forth before the daies of the world That is hee was the sonne of God before he tooke vpon him nature of man Let vs beleeue therefore being confirmed with these like testimonies that the Sauiour is God indeed and by nature the son of God light of light as in the Creed it is said But although there be manie descriptions which teach why and for what cause the son was sent yet the effect of the matter is brieflie in the worde Blessed signified And for that by the wanting of any thing the same may bee better estéemed which we haue as by darknes light let vs see what the curse is All mankind after our first fall was ouerthrowne with the curse of the law that is of gods wrath of euerlasting death by reason of sin as Paule saith Ephes 2 ver 3. We were by nature the children of wrath euen as others were This curse when no creature could take away or blot out the sonne of God tooke vpon himselfe both the wrath of God and our punishments that his father might be at peace with vs. So Paule Gal. 3. 8. interpreteth the promise giuen to Abraham In thy seed shal al the Gentiles be blessed Christ became accursed for vs and redeemed vs from the curse that we might obtaine the blessing of Abraham Last of all let the particle be considered touching the calling of the Gentiles in this verse The posterities shall be blessed in him and all the heathen shall praise him For the calling of Gentiles is a notable testimonie of Paules affirmattion wherein it is saide Rō 5. 15. Grace oueraboundeth aboue sin for no man can without some humbling of his mind read the examples of mischief striuing with the first and second table wherein the Ethnickes wickedlie and filthily with great rashnes and impudencie are defiled Let vs therefore giue God thankes that hee receiueth such castawayes into sauour and coopteth them into the societie of Christs kingdome Blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israel which onely doth wonderous things And blessed be the name of his maiestie for euer and al the earth shall be filled with his maiestie Amen Amen It liketh me well in this place to set downe the words of D. Luther expounding the 7. ca. of the prophet Mic Like as the deliuerance in the new testament is by many waies greater and more excellēt then that which was out of Egypt so are the new miracles by infinite meanes farre greater then the olde for what might be more wonderfully said then that son of God take upon him nature of man and was borne of a virgin What is more to be amazed at then when the son of god wrastling with death and Sathan suffered himselfe to be ouercome laieth downe his life before these enemies and while he is ouercome conquereth So a speciall miracle it is that Christ dying like a man vpon the crosse did the third day rise againe from death and out of the graue closed vp after this with immortall flesh ascended vnto heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God what may be like notablie said yea or thought of any other miracles in respect of these Therefore belssed be God who onelie doth these and other myracles So be it FINIS Here end the prayers of Dauid the sonne of Ishai Iohn 14. 6 Matth. 5. 13 14 Sopho. 1. 12 The glorious effectes of Christs resurrection The ioy of the faithfull in the triumph of Christ The Church is as a widow and orphane in the world yet comforted and defended by Christ The Lord is carefull for the deliuerāce of his seruants But altogether neglecteth the vngodly ones A sweet Allegorie of the preaching of the Gospel how it is cōpared vnto thunder and raine Christ the shepheard of our soules The publishing of the law and preaching of the Gospell The