part haue no Commission to commend that reading vnto you Vers 6. Yet haue I set my King vpon my holy Hill of Sion As much to say as notwithstanding all this maugre the Folly and Fury and Vproares of the People maugre the Wit and Pollicy and Cunning of the Magistrate I God the Father the First Person in Trinity Vncreate Incomprehensible Eternall Almighty maker of Heauen and Earth and of all things Visible and Invisible and disposer of all things to their truest ends Haue set my King that is my holy One my beloued Sonne in whom I am so well pleased vpon Sion to wit the Church vpon my holy Hill of Sion my holy Catholike Church For p Aug. in Joh. Tract 115. Sion ille Mons ille non est de hoc Mundo This Sion and this Hill is not of this world Quod est enim eius Regnum nisi Credentes in eum Non ait Nunc autem Reguum meum non est hîc sed non est hînc For what is his Kingdome p Aug. in Joh. Tract 115. saith S. Austen but those that beleeue in him He saith not My Kingdome is not hêre but my Kingdome is not hence Concerning the Hill of Sion there is much speech in holy Scripture The Hill of Sion q Ps 48.2 saith our Prophet in another place is a faire place and the ioy of the whole earth vpon the North side lieth the City of the great King God is well knowne in her Palaces as a sure refuge Againe r Ps 68.15 As the Hill of Basan so is Gods Hill even an high Hill as the Hill of Basan Why hop yee so yee high Hills This is Gods Hill in the which it pleaseth him to dwell yea the Lord will abide in it for ever And yet againe Å¿ Ps 78.68 He refused the Tabernacle of Ioseph and chose not the Tribe of Ephraim but chose the Tribe of Iuda euen the Hill of Sion which he loued And there he builded his Temple on high and laid the foundation of it like the ground which he hath made continually Now it is here said that the Lord hath placed his Annointed vpon this Hill of Sion for that Sion and Ierusalem were the very first places in the World from whence this Gospell did first beginne Come yee t Esay 2.3 saith the Prophet Esay and let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs of his waies and we wil walke in his Paths for out of Sion shall goe forth hâ—â— Law the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem It is called here Holy Hill or in regard of that peculiar presence which the Lord at that time afforded to it like as he said to Moses u Exod. 3.5 The place whereon thou standest is holy Ground or in regard of the Temple and divine worship therein exercised like as Ierusalem is tearmed The holy City both by x Esay 48.2 Esay the Prophet and by y Mat. 4.5 S. Mathew Vers 7. I will preach the Law whereof the Lord hath said vnto me Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee The Prophet in the Verse before declared vnto vs what the Father said of the Sonne concerning the Kingdome in this Verse he declareth concerning the said Kingdome what it is the Sonne himselfe saith Which is thus much in effect I for my part shall bee farre from opposing force to force I will not seeke humaine helpes and encounter in like sort with the Folly or Fury or Pollicy of mine Enemies I will only rely on that Word which the Lord hath said concerning me and it shall bee powerfull enough against all resistance Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee This Word this Law this Decree of God aboue is powerfull enough and much more sharpe then any two edged Sword It is mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong bolds z 1. Pet. 1.24 Al Flesh is as Grasse and all the glory of Man as the Flowre of Grasse the Grasse withereth and the Flowre thereof falleth away but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever Concerning the words here Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee the Arrians laid hold vpon them to impugne therby the Eternity of our Saviour all for because forsooth mention is here made of Hodie this day Wherevpon S. Austen Quid me stimulas Arriane rides cum audis hodie Arrian a Aug. de quinque Haeresib c. 4. saith S. Austen why dost thou iog me on the elbowe and laughest in thy sleeue when thou hearest these words This day Why man with God it is neuer to Morrow nor Yesterday but alwaies this Day The Yeare is not turned about with the Circles of the Months the Month is not passed ouer with Daies that are still comming and still going the Houres are not changed the Times and Moments are not altered the Day is not finished with bonds limits nor begun with any beginning Againe in his Confessions speaking vnto God Thy Yeares b Aug. Confess l. 11. c. 13. saith he nether come nor goe but these of ours both goe and come that all at length may come All thy Yeares are altogither and all for because they are nor they that goe are excluded from them that come because they passe not but these of ours shall all of them bee when as all shal not be Thy Yeares are one Day and thy Day is not Quotidie every Day but Hodie this Day because thy Hodiè this Day giues not place vnto to Morrow the reason is for that it succeeded not Yesterday Thy Hodiè this Day is no whit lesse then Eternity it selfe and therefore thou didst beget one Coeternall to thy selfe whenas thou saidst This Day haue I begotten thee And yet againe in another place The Baptisme of Christ c Aug. Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 49 saith S. Austen is not in water only as was the Baptisme of Iohn but also in the Holy Ghost that whosoeuer beleeues in Christ might bee regenerated by that Spirit by whom Christ being regenerated needed no Regeneration Wherevpon that voice of the Father that came vnto him at his Baptisme This day haue I begotten thee pointed not out that one Day of time wherein he was Baptized but that of immutable Eternity thereby to shew that his being a Man pertained to the Person of his only Begotten For where the Day is nether begun with the end of a former nor is ended with the beginning of any that followeth there is alwaies This Day There are that d Vid. D. Boys Festiv Thursd in Easter week interprete these Words Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee of the day of our Saviours Incarnation the Apostle S. Paul he interpreteth it of the Day of his Resurrection e Act. 13.33 We i saith he declare vnto you glad Tidings how that the Promise
Philosopher be put to Silence nay hee had such Skill that when hee was thought most of all to bee caught and taken like a slippery Snake hee would slide away from them But that God might shew that his Kingdome is not in x 1. Cor. 4.20 Word but in Power there was among the Bishops One of the Confessors by a Man most simple and knowing nothing els but y 2. Cor. 2.2 IESVS CHRIST and him crucified Who when hee saw the Philosopher insulting vpon our Men and boasting himselfe vpon the Skill hee had in Reasoning desires of all that were by to yeeld him roome that he a little might talke with that Philosopher Our Men that knew the Simplicity of the Man and his vnskilfulnesse in that kind began to Feare and withall Blush least that holy Simplicity of his should happely be exposed to the Scornes of those crafty Companions The old Man persisted in his Purpose and thus began O Philosopher saith he in the Name of IESVS CHRIST heare thou those things which are true God that made the Heauen and Earth and gaue Man a Spirit whom he framed of the Dust of the Earth is one he hath by the Vertue of his Word created all things both Visible and Invisible and strengthened them by the Sanctification of his Spirit This Word and Wisdome whom we call the Sonne taking pity vpon humane Errors is borne of a Virgin and by the Passion of his Death hath deliuered vs from euerlasting Death and by his Resurrection hath giuen vs euerlasting Life Whom we looke for to come to be the Iudge of all we doe O Philosopher beleeuest thou this Whereupon he as if he had neuer learnt the Art of Contradiction was so amased by Vertue of the Words that were spoken that being mute to all that was alleaged onely this he was able to answer that it seemed so to himselfe indeed and that there was no other Truth then what was deliuered by that Party Whereupon the old Man Why then if thou beleeuest saith he these things to bee true arise and follow me to the Church and take thou Baptisme the Seale of this Faith Hereupon the Philosopher turning to his Disciples or to those that there were present and came to heare O you Learned Men saith he hearken vnto me While this Matter in hand was perfourmed by Words I also opposed Words vnto Words and those things which were spoken able I was to confute them by the Art of Speaking but now that insteed of Words Power is proceeded from the Mouth of him that speaketh neither can Words resist that Power neither can Man withstand GOD. And therefore if any of you here present can beleeue these things that haue bene spoken as I my selfe doe beleeue them let him beleeue in CHRIST and follow this old Man in whom GOD hath thus spoken And so at length the Philosopher being made a Christian was glad that hee was so vanquished I shall not need here to relate those Legendary Tales of S. Nicholas when he was an Infant how as soone as hee was borne he began to serue God for he would not take the Brest to suck a The Liues of Saints in Spanish by Alfonso Villegas and translated by W. and E. K. B. Part. 2. Decemb 6. Printed at Dâ—wâ—y 1615. they say but one time onely in a Day especially twice a-Weeke to wit on the Wednesday and the Fryday and how hee obserued this Fast all the Dayes of his Life Of S. Romuald who as soone as he was borne b Nova Legend Anâ—l in Vita Runâ—wâ—ldi See My LORD of CAN 1. Answer to Hill 〈◊〉 6. â— spake Divinity and forthwith being baptized did preach high Points of Doctrine and liued in all but three Dayes Or of the Child of nine c Dr Poynets Defence of Priests Marriages p. 200. Dayes old Christned by B. Aldelme and answering to certaine Questions and clearing Pope Sergius of a shrewd Crime that was laid to his Charge All that I will say to these and to such like Stories as these is that of Iob d Iob. 13.7 Will you speake wickedly for God and talke deceitfully for him Truth indeed may spare such Proctours Verse 3. For I will consider the Heauens euen the Works of thy Fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordeined There are specified in holy e Zanch. de Oper l. 1. c 4. Scripture three kindes of Heauens The First is that whole Space that reacheth from the Earth to the Moone where the Meteors are engendered or to speake more plainly the Aire next vnto vs where the Birds vse to fly and from whence the Raine doth showre downe vpon vs. Thus the Windowes of Heauen were opened as we read in the Booke of f Gen. 7.11 Genesis of Heauen that is of the Aire for so Heauen is taken in diuerse Places of the g Mat. 8.20.13.32 Marc. 4.4 Luc. 8.5 New Testament The Second kinde of Heauen is all those Heauenly and mooueable Orbs that is all that Space that those visible Heauens and Orbs doe containe and herein the Sunne the Moone and the Starres are all of them comprehended whereof we may reade in h Deut. 17.3 Deuteronomy and in many other Places of Scripture besides and with these Zanchius comprehendeth the Ninth Sphere also howsoeuer it bee invisible to the Eye The Third Heauen which is of a farre other kind then are the other Two is that peculiar Place where GOD himselfe is said to inhabite and into which as we read our Saviour CHRIST did ascend and wherein our i Ioh. 17.24 selues also as many as shall be found Faithfull shall be hereafter with our Sauiour And to these Three the Apostle S. Paul did seeme to allude when speaking of himselfe he said that hee was caught vp into the l 2 Cor. 12.2 Third Heauen No doubt but the Prophet here meanes them all Three especially the Second for that the same of all the Rest was onely visible to the Eye That hee calls them here the Workes of the Fingers of God and in an other place the m Ps 102.25 Work of his Hands and the Prophet Esay to the selfe-same purpose n Esay 48.13 Mine Hand hath laide the Foundation of the Earth and my Right Hand hath spanned the Heauens it is for that they are of such Excellency as if they had bene his handy-worke indeed which yet were made by his Word onely as o Gen. 1.6 Moses and p Ioh. 1.3 S. Iohn doe declare q St Francis Eacon of the Advancement of Learning l. 1. p. 27. b. Excellent is that Passage which that great Advancer of Learning hath and suitable hereunto It is to be obserued that for any thing which appeareth in the History of the Creation the confused Masse and Matter of Heauen and Earth was made in a Moment and the Order and Disposition of that Chaos or Masse was the Worke of six Dayes such a Note of
have been proclamations Canons that no man should be called the chiefe or the head of all Churches or usurp such authority over others but whē the Pope built up his supremacy against the meaning of such Canons he pretended religion for his doing he said it was de jure divine that no man should presume or attempt against it and that so his power might continue for ever If they have been thus carefull to maintaine falshood how much more carefull should we be to maintaine the truth If they to advance their own kingdome how much more we to set forth the kingdome of God and to build up the Church of Christ And if they sought to doe that by lyes and by false meanes why should we be slack to use the right and true and good meanes whereby that good thing which God hath wrought for us may be established And albeit there be many waies by which the kingdome of God may be maintained as the favour and countenance of the Prince which so comforteth and cherisheth the Church as the sun beames comfort and cherish the earth and knowledge and learning and discipline which are as the life the sinewes without which the Church must needs fall asunder at this time I will leave to speak of the rest only stay upon Learning which may truly be called the life or the soule of the Church and of Christian Religion How necessary a thing they have counted Learning to the setting forth of Religion the stories of our old Fathers of Heathens Christians in all ages doe witnesse They thought that neither Religion might stand without knowledge nor knowledge were to be esteemed without Religion Charles the great that he might the better plant Religion in Saxonie and Helvetia did erect many places for increase of Learning he knew well that there was no other way better to establish Religion The Cathedrall Churches before such times as ignorance and blindnes grew over all the world and brought in an universall corruption maintained Schooles of learning that the doctrine which was taught in those places might be defended against the gainesayers by such learned men as were there bred up The Princes of Germanie and the free cities after they had received the Gospell they dissolved their Monasteries which had been harbourers for such as lived in idlenesse and set up Schooles and Colledges which should be nurceries to breed up learned men that might be able to teach the people to maintaine Religion whereby it came to passe that in short time they had great store of worthy and learned men This did they well see that have been the enimies of Religion and therefore used all meanes to hinder the increase of Learning that they might have the better way to overthrow Religion For if Learning decay it is likely that Religiō cannot abide Beare with me if I speak that which may seem more fit for some other place then for this audience the best here understandeth me well In other Countries the receiving of the Gospell hath alwaies been cause that Learning was more set by and learning hath ever been the furtherance of the Gospell In England I know not how it cometh otherwise to passe for since the Gospell hath been received the maintenance for learning hath been decayed the lack of Learning will be the decay of the Gospell Would God it were not so or that yet before the fault be incurable there may be some redresse Loath I am to speak yet the case so requireth that it is needfull to be spoken J trust J shall speak in the hearing of them that will consider it Maintenance of Learning whereby an able and sufficient ministerie may grow and bee established in all the Churches of this Realm is to be wished for The good estate of this noble Kingdome the comfort of posterity the stay of Religion the continuing of the Gospell the removing of darknesse hangeth upon it One asked sometimes how it was that in Athens so goodly and great a Citie there were no Physitions To whom this answer was made because there are no rewards appointed for them that practise Physick The same answer may be made for our times the cause why the Church of God is so forsaken is the want of zeal in them that should either for their curtesie or for their abilitie be fosterers of learning and increase the livings where occasion is and give hope and comfort to learned men What said J increase nay the Livings and provision which heretofore were given to this use are taken away Have patience if any such be here as I well know there are whom these things touch suffer me to speak the truth it is Gods cause The livings of such as are in the Ministery are not in their hands to whom they are due all other labourers artificers have their hire increased double as much as it was wont to be only the poore man that laboureth and sweateth in the Vineyard of the Lord of hostes hath his hire abridged and abated J speak not of the Curates but of Parsonages and Vicarages that is of the places which are the Castles and Towers of fence for the Lords Temple They seldome passe now adaies from the Patron if he be no better then a Gentleman but either for the Lease or for present mony Such Merchants are broken into the Church of God a great deale more intolerable then were they whō Christ chased and whipped out of the Temple Thus they that should bee carefull for Gods Church that should be Patrons to provide for the consciences of the people and to place among them a learned Minister who might be able to preach the word unto them out of season and in season and to fulfill his Ministery seek their own and not that which is Jesus Christs they serve not Jesus Christ but their belly And this is done not in one place or in one country but throughout England A Gentleman cannot keep his house unlesse he have a Parsonage or two in farme for his provision O mercifull God whereto will this grow at last If the misery which this plague worketh would reach but to one age it were tolerable but it will be a plague to posterity it will be the decay and desolation of Gods Church Young men which are toward and learned see this they see that he which feedeth the flocke hath least part of the milke he which goeth to warfare hath not halfe his wages Therefore they are weary discouraged they change their studies some become prentices some turne to Physick some to Law all shun and fly the Ministery And besides the hinderance that thus groweth by wicked dealing of Patrons by reason of the Impropriations the Vicarages in many places and in the properest market-townes are so simple that no man can live upon them and therefore no man will take them They were wont to say Beneficia sine cura Benefices without charge but now may be said
lesse then Nothing and Vanity Verse 2. The Kings of the Earth stand vp and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his Annoynted Before was Fury and Folly and both in the People now the Prophet shewes vnto vs that the Magistrates themselues began to take the matter in hand So that where formerly there was small likelyhood of bringing ought to passe in that kind the People but an head-strong multitude and vnable to performe their Designes now Wit and Cunning and Policy begin to play their parts and a Body would now thinke that all should be as they would haue it Loe here an Vnity such at it was but Vnit as Facinoro sorum as o Bernard de Assumpt Mariae Ser. 5. speakes St Bernard an Vnity not of Saints but of Sinners Peruersa execranda talis Vnitas such an Vnity as that saith he is both praeposterous and execrable Amat Auaritia Vnitatem Quod amat bonum est sed vbi amandum sit nescit Euen Couetousnes it Selfe p Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 20. saith St Austen doth loue an Vniting together Now the thing she loueth is good but she knowes not where to place her Loue. Right so is it a blessed thing that the Magistrate and the People should both agree together but when they shal agree in that which is notoriously bad as here they do in this place it aggrauates eithers fault and bâ—th are lyable to the more exception And that so they do here in this place witnes the words of this Verse for it is First against the Lord Secondly his Annointed First concerning the Lord though commonly in holy Scripture LORD be put for the second Person in Trinity God the Sonne yet here is it set for God the Father who is the Lord as the Prophet Amos q Amos. 5.16 speakes and the God of Hosts It is in the Originall the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God is therfore called Lord because as S. Ambrose r Ambros in ep 〈◊〉 Câ—loâ—s c. 4. saith he hath dominion both ovâ—r our Bodies ouer our Soulâ— because as Å¿ â—act â—nâ—it l. 4 c. 3. Laectantius hee hath the greatest power that can be both in correcting and punishing And our Saviour indeed instructing vs how great his Power is Feare not them which kill the Body t Mat 10.28 saith he but are not able to kil the Soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both Soule and Body in Hell St Gregory speaking of the diverse Appellations that are in holy Scripture giuen to God When he will be feared u Greg in Cant. Cantic Prol. saith he then doth he name himselfe LORD when he will be honoured FATHER when he will be beloued HVSBAND though in the Old Testament the two Appellations Fâ—th r and Huâ—bâ—nd are seldome mentionâ—d Lord most often Many thinâ—s x Aug. de Ser. Dom. in Mont. l. 2. such S. Austen are dâ—liuered in holy Scripture to be spoâ—â—n in Gods praises 〈◊〉 sâ—all â—ou find it to â—aue beene commanded to the Pâ—â—plâ— oâ— Isrâ—el that sâ—eaâ—â—â—g vnto God they sh uld s y OVR â—ATHER or that they should pâ—ay vnto God aâ— a Grâ—tius Nomen est Pietaâ—â— quà m Poteâ—at Tertull. Apolog c. 34. FATH R but he is 〈…〉 LORD to put them in mind 〈…〉 Servants to â—im And yet our Sâ—â—â— ur Câ—â—isâ— God and Mâ—n Heâ—câ—fâ—rth I call you not 〈◊〉 y Ioh. 15.15 sâ—iâ—h he for the Sâ—â—uâ—nt kâ—â—weth not what hiâ— Lâ—rd 〈…〉 I hâ—â—â— câ—lle◠〈◊〉 FRâ—NDS for all things that I â—auâ—â—â—â—rd of my Father I haue made knowne vnto you Secondly concâ—â—ning Anâ—ointâ—d that is here set for the Second Person indeed Chrâ—st Iesus our Saviour who was to be our Prophet our Priest and Prince and therefore is said in holy Scripture to bee Annointed by God Not that at any time hee was Annointed with materiall Oyle z Act. 4.27 but as S. Peter in one place a Act. 10.38 With the Holy Ghost with Power And as our b Ps 45.8 Psalmist in another With the Oyle of Gladnesse aboue his Fellowes The time of this his Annointing was no doubt in the time of his Conception even before he was bâ—rne and therefore he was no sooner borne but an Angell said vnto the Shepheards c Luc. 2.10 Behold I bring you good Tydings of great ioy which shal be to all People for vnto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord CHRIST that is Annointed And thus is this Scripture alleaged by the Church in the Acts of the Apostles who vpon the report Peter and Iohn made of their vsage by the Rulers of the Iewes they lift vp their voice to God with one accord said d Act. 4 2â— Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and â—ll that in them is Who by the mouth of thy Seruant David hast said why did the Heathen rage and the People imaginâ— vaine things The Kings of the Earth stood vp and the Rulâ—rs were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For of a truth against thy holy Child Iesus whome thou hast annoinâ—ed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the People of Israel were gathered together for to doe whatsoeuer thy Hand and thy Counsell determined before to be done Thus was it e Exod. 14.26 Ioh. 19.36 said of the Paschal Lambe that not a Bone thereof should be broken and it was applyed to our Saviour by the Evangelist S. Iohn It was said of the Israelites Hos 11.2 Mat. 2.5 Out of Egypt haue I called mâ— Sonne and it was aâ—plied to our Saviour by the Evangelist S. Mâ—thew It was said of King Solomon 2 Sam. 2 14. Hâ—b 1.5 I will be his Father and he shall be my Sonne and it was applyed to our Saviour by the Apostle S. Paul These two Senses of the Scriptures there are that call them the one a Literall the other a Mysticall Sence but h Dion Carth. in Mat. 2. Art 5 Dionysius Carthusianus i Tost in Deut. 18. qu. 6 Tostatus and the l Rhem. in 2. King 7.14 in marg Rhemists in the Doway Bible doe make them both Literall Tostatus giues the Reason Nam vna Litera benè potest importare duos sensus quando vnus subordinatur alteri Hauing spoken of a place of Scripture that might be vnderstood either of our Saviour or of his Prophets Sensus literalis est vterque Either saith he is the Literall sense For one and the self same Letter in Scripture doth wel import two Senses when one is subordinate to the other And of this mind with them was that worthy Professor of ours most worthily afterwards Bishop of Salisbury m D. Abbots Sermon vpon 1. Cor. 10.32 not printed D. Abbots who in a Sermon of his to the Vniversitie not only hath the Premisses but hee
is Right And againe in another place Å¿ Aug. contr Cresc Gram. l. 3. c. 51. Kings doe serue God in this as Kings of in their owne Realme they commaund Good Things and forbid Evill not only concerning the Civil state of Men but the Religion of God also Vers 12. Kisse the Sonne least he be angry and so yee perish from the right Way If his Wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in Him Concerning Kissing here in this place I will say as Lipsius did when he wrote a Chapter De Osculis and t Lips Eleâ—â— l. 2. c. 6. beganne with these Words Abi Venus fallam ego te quae ipsa multos de Osculis Caput scribam inscribam in quo tamen nihil tibi loci aut iuris Venus avaunt I shall now deceaue thee as thou thy selfe hast deceiued many I shall Wright and Intitle a whole Chapter concerning Kisses wherein thy self shalt haue no place or right at all This Passage of Holy Scripture though it be of Kissing yet concernes it Venus never awhit no more then doe the Canticles whose very Beginning is this u Cant. 1.1 Let him Kisse me with the Kisses of his Mouth for thy Loue is better then Wine Nor is the Kisse here meant such an one as a Queene of France they say once gaue to a famous Chancellor in that Kingdome x History of Lewis 11. translated by Mr Grimston l. 1. p. 26. who passing in the Court by a Chamber where the Chancellor lay asleepe went saith the Story and Kist him and to her Ladies that marvailed thereat I kisse not the Man quoth Shee I kisse that Mouth from whence haue issued forth so many excellent Discourses I nothing doubt but that Kiss was chast enough yet is this another then that though I am not neither of Drusius his mind who will haue it only to be y Drus Observ l. 2. c. 16. Civill S. Bernard pleaseth me much better who speaking of this Kisse Foelix Osculum ac stupenda dignatione mirabile in quo non os ori imprimitur sed Deus Homini vnitur This z Bernard sup Cantic Ser. 2. saith he is an happy Kisse and admirable in regard of the favor God sheweth vs therin for that hereby Mouth is not ioyned vnto Mouth but God is vnited vnto Man Come we to Kisses in that other kind Mouth to Mouth and Iudas kist our Saviour no man neerer even Iudas Iscariot kist the Sonne but did his Kissing ought availe him or was it the Kissing here meant No but it came to be a By-word and is the Summum Genus as it were to all treacherous Kisses ever since and so shall be to the Worlds end A IVDAS KISSE Now if the Kissing here be not such a Kisse Mouth to Mouth much lesse is it a Kissing of his Image or his Rellicks as our Adversaries the Papists a Vid. Drus Observat l 2. c. 16. following the Superstition of the Gentiles vse to doe Iudas yet had a neerer proximity then so in that he Kissed our Saviours owne Lipps but his advantage thereby was small By Kissing then is here meant the Honouring and Obeying of our Saviour as Kings themselues would bee Honoured and Obeyed by their Subiects a b 2. Kings 18.6 Cleauing to the Lord and a Keeping of his Commandements So Pharaoh vnto Ioseph c Gen. 41.40 According vnto thy Word shall all my People be ruled It is in the Originall All the People shall Kisse thy Mouth And as here Kings and Princes were put in mind of this Duty so was it Prophesied by Esay that so it should come to passe in regard of that great Honour they should performe to his Church Kings d Esay 49.23 saith he shall be thy Nursing Fathers and their Queenes thy Nursing Mothers they shall Bow downe to thee with their face towards the Earth and lick vp the Dust of thy Feet And againe in another place e Esay 60.16 Thou shalt also sucke the Milke of the Gentiles and shalt suck the Breasts of Kings and thou shalt knowe that I the Lord anâ— thy Saviour and thy Redeemer Why but is it not enough will some say to Honor the Father except we honour the Sonne too If so be the Son must needs be Honoured doth not the Honour redownd to him that is done vnto the Father Are not the Father and the Sonne both one There is a memorable Story in Theodoret concerning this point f Theodoret. l. 5. c. 16. Theodosius the Emperour when neither by Bishops nor Councels could be got to remoue the Arrians from their Churches Amphiphilochius alone with his witty behaviour and answere wan him to it For Amphilochius entring the Palace and finding Arcadius the eldest Sonne of Theodosius lately designed Emperour and sitting with his Father Amphilochius did his duty to the Father but made of his Sonne that sate by him no account at all Theodosius thinking the Bishop had but forgotten himselfe willed him to salute his Sonne to whom the Bishop againe replyed that what he had done to the Father was sufficient for both Whereat when the Emperour began to storme and to conster the contempt of his Sonne as dishonour done to himself the wise Bishop made reply And art thou so grieued O Emperour to see thy Sonne neglected and so much out of patience with those that reproach him Assure thy selfe then that Almighty God hateth the Blasphemers of his Sonne is offended with them as with vngratefull wretches against their Saviour and Redeemer But what is the Consequence of the Sonnes Anger here in this place suppose he should be angry what then And so ye perish from the right way Here then is the Consequence here is the effect of his Anger Perishing and a perishing from the Right Way not a missing of it onely for many may misse and at length come in againe but a Perishing but an Vndoing but an vtter consuming of themselues For there is no other g Act. 4.12 Name vnder Heauen whereby they might be saued Againe Hee saith not here in this place h Aug. de Nat. Grat. c. 33. saith S. Austen least the Lord be angry and he shew you not the right Way or he bring you not into the right Way but walking therein already hee is able so to terrifie them that he saith Least ye perish from the right Way How by what meanes Even for that Pride is to be taken heed of and that in our Good Deeds that is in the Right Way least that Man repute that to be his owne which is Gods loosing that which is Gods come to that which is his owne The like to this he hath in another i Aug. de Correp Grat. c. 9 place Howbeit here forsooth Exception is taken for adding the Word Right The Booke of Common Prayer l Abridgment of that Booke which the Minist of Linc.
Pietie and Godlinesse This that he might the better effect he calleth their Sin first to minde and that was Treason against himselfe and that in the Second Verse Secondly hee shewes vnto them his lawfull calling to the Kingdome and that in the Third Verse Thirdly he counselleth them to repent to turne from their wicked waies and that in the Fourth Verse Fourthly to shew vnto the World the Fruit of that repentance and that in the Fift Verse These things thus premised he teacheth them to ayme at true Felicity concerning which seeing it was a great Question even in those daies wherin it did consist as it is in the Sâ—xt Verse He shewed that it consisted in the favour of God towards Man as it is in the Seauenth Verse and amplifieth that favour of his in respect of the Effects that followe which are Gladnesse of heart as it is in the Eight Verse fearelesse Security as it is in the Ninth And thus much of the Analysis VErse 1. Heare me when I call O God of my Righteousnesse for thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble haue mercy vpon me and harken to my Prayer Between the Throne of God in Heaven his Church vpon Earth here militant b Mr Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. .23 saith Reverend Hooker If it be so that Angels haue thelr coÌ„tinual intercourse where should we find the same more verified then in these two ghostly Exercises the one Doctrine the other Prayer For what is the assembling of the Church to heare but the receauing of Angels descended from aboue What to pray but the sending of Angels vpward His heauenly Inspirations and our holy Desires are as so many Angels of Entercourse Commerce betweene God and vs. Now that our Prophet here though in exile had this Angelicall Attendance about him and an Heauen as it were vpon Earth in regard of those Troopes coelestiall what more pregnant Proofe vnto vs then those many Prayers in this Book and this amongst the rest of singular good importance The Prayer it selfe is not many words it is short and cutted but of which we may say as c Tull. Epist Fam. l. 11. Ep 24. Tully in another case Quà m Multa quà m Paucis How much in how few words The Christians vpon this Example made their Prayers it should seeme of this mould The Bretheren in Egypt d Aug. Ep. 121. c. 10. Vid. Hooker Eccl. Pol. l. 5. §. 33. saith S. Austen are reported to haue many Prayers sed eas tamen brevissimas taptim quodammodo jaculatas but al of them very short as if they were so many Darts throwne out with a kinde of suddaine quicknesse least that Vigilant and erect attention of Minde which in Prayer is very necessary should bee wasted or dulled through continuance if their Praiers were few and long Such a darted Prayer was the Publicans e Luc. 18.13 Lord be mercifull to mee a Sinner Such another was S. Stephens f Act. 7.59 Lord laie not this Sinne to their charge And such a short one was that of our Saviours when being vpon the Crosse g Luc. 23.34 Father saith he forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Where by the way may be noted the obliquity of Him who finding fault with many our Church Prayers vsed at Divine Service that are not much longer will not afford them the name of Prayers Insteed of such Prayers h Cartwrightâ— Reply to D. Whitegift l. 1. p. 108. saith he as the Primitiue Churches haue vsed and those that bee reformed now vse we haue divers short Cuts Shreddings which may be better called Wishes then Prayers which hee speakes to as good purpose as if he should say in defence of some that would stab Men with their Daggers they vsed short little cutted Things and Shreds of Iron which may better be called Daggers then Weapons Otherwise what is a Wish but a thing much desired a Request a Prayer which the Poet might haue taught him by ioyning them both together i Virg. Aeneid l. 6. Cessas in Vota Precesque Tros ait Aenea cessas And yet the Prophet here in this place tearmes these few Words as short a Cut and as small a Shredding as they seeme to be a PRAYER Haue mercy vpon me saith he hearken vnto my Prayer But to come vnto my purpose The Prayer here in this place as it is but short briefe so let me briefly consider therein First for what it was Secondly to whom Thirdly why to him to whom it was made It was first for a Day of Hearing and for Mercy on that Day whenas that hearing should be Which yet is not so to be taken as if the Court of Heauen were like some earthly Courts where the Petition may be put in to day and a day of hearing a Tweluemonth after I twaine I k Only the Areopagites went beyond such Iudges who posted off a matter till an hundred years after A. Gell. Noâ—t Att. l. 12. c. 7. Valer. Max. l. 8. c. 1. twenty Nor meane I in Vtopia but perhaps in Eutopia too where all things are or should be not Benè onely but Optime by reason of the GOSPELL No God heareth in a moment and the Petition is no sooner put vp but the Day of Hearing is granted presently nay sometimes before Witnesse the Prophet m Esay 65.24 Before they call I will answere and whiles they are yet speakiâ—g I will heare Indeed the selfe same Prophet tells vs that some others he wil not heare n Esay 1.15 When you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eies from you yea when you make many Prayers I will not heare marry then there was reason for it for what kinde of Hands spread they forth Puras Manus as o 1. Tim. 2.8 vulg speakes the Apostle in his first Epistle to Timothy Pure and Cleane Hands No but they were bloudy nay they were full of Bloud for so it followeth in that place And yet euen that such also should not vtterly despaire Wash ye make ye cleane p Esay 1.16 saith he put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to doe well seeke Iudgment relieue the Oppressed iudge the Fatherlesse plead for the Widow Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your Sinnes be as Scarlet they shall bee as white as Snow though they be red like Crimsin they shal be as Wooll And this is the Mercy here petitioned in this place without this Mercy what had the Prophet bene but a Map of Misery If thou Lord wilt be extreame q Ps 130.3 saith he to marke what is done amisse oh Lord who may abide it And S. Austen to like purpose r Aug. Confess l. 9. c. 13. Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum si remota Misericordia discutias eam Woe to the Life of Man be it never so praise