the lib. 9. Confes c. 1. li. 4. de oratione c. 2. â— 10. saied hymnes of the orientall Church as S. Augustine affirmeth Suarez saieth that the holie Church was moued by the especiall prouidence of God to institute that the confession and glorification of the B. Trinitie by the accustomed Hymne Glorie be to the Father c. should be added to the end of euery Psalme because saieth he the vse of the Psalmes was of greater antiquitie then the law of grace and by this meanes they doe participate the proper perfection thereof and become compleate and consummate Cornelius à Lapide dilating vpon these words of the Apostle For of him and by Rom. 11. him and in him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen doth expound this hymne of glorification in fauour of such who repeat it often Glorie saieth he be to the Father of whome all things are as of the prime origine Glorie to the Sonne by whome all things are made as by wisdome and men redeemed as by their mediator Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome are all things as it were in à bond and consummation Glorie to the Father of whome is all paternitie in heauen and vpon earth Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all filiation Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all holines and sanctification Glorie to the Father of whome is eternitie Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all forme beautie Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all felicitie and fruition Glorie to the Father of whome is all vnitie glorie to the Sonne by whome is all equalitie glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all loue and concord Glorie to the Father of whome is all powâ—r glorie to the Sonne by whome is all wisdome glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all goodnes Glorie to the Father who created me glorie to the Sonne by whome I am redeemed glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I am iustified Glorie to the Father who hath predestinated me glorie to the Sonne by whose precious bloud I am washed and made cleane glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I shall be glorified for euer Amen Alleluia NEXT in order followeth the Angelicall Hymne Alleluia which is song froÌ„ Easter vntill Septuagesima not without good reason for holie Dauid Psal 146. Psa 99. exhorteth To our God let there be à pleasant and comely praise againe Make ye iubilation to God all the earth serue ye our Lord in gladnesse enter ye before his fight in exultation And this hymne signineth praise God with à heart dilated through excesse of ioye The holie Church therefore because we ought neuer to surcease from praising God noe not then when we recount the miserable estate of man by the fall of our first parents hath ordained that in lieu of this hymne of exultation the verse Praise be to thee â— Lord King of eternall glorie shall be recited from Septuagesima vntill Paster which is à tyme of mourning and pennance li. 2. de Ritibuâ— c. 20. Stephen Durantus disputeth this question at lardge why the holye Church should omitt Alleluia from Septuagesima and yet place in lieu thereof à praise which seemeth equiualent thereunto after many solutions at length he answereth with S. Thomas and the Glosse vpon the ninth of the Apocalipse that this Hymne Alleluia besides the ordinary praise doth insinuate à iubilation which cannot be expressed in words Leo the 9. saieth that these two Hymnes Cap. de Consecr Hi. duo Dist. 1. onely are mentioned in the New Testament to haue been song by the Angells that is to saie Alleluia and Gloria in excelsis both which are intermitted in Septuagesima to shew that for the sinne of our first parents we are banished from communicating with the Angells in Iubilation which Adam in the state of innocencie did enioy as S. Iohn Damascene li 2. de Paradis affirmeth in these words Adam in bodie was delighted in the terrestriall paradise but in mind he was present with the quires of Angells in the paradise of holie spirits The same alsoe in effect S. Gregorie the Great affirmeth in his Dialogues Dialog 2. to witt that man in paradise was accustomed to enioy the words of God and to be present with the blessed Angeliall Spirits in puritie of heart and hight of contemplation But we alas doe now Psal 64. sit and weepe in Babilon of this wretched life and vpon the bankes of the riuers thereof whilest we remember that Syon where the Prophet saieth An hymne becommeth God VVisupra â— S. Leo aboue named giueth this reason why Alleluia is intermitted for nine weeks precisely and reassumed in the tenth weeke There are saieth he nine quires of Angells and the tenth quire sell by the sinne of Pride and thereby disturbed the ioye of the rest vntill Man was created to supplie their number but when he fell alsoe by disobedience they were againe greatly discomforted vntill our Sauiours birth at which tyme they begane to reassume their songe of ioye and afterwards at his Resurrection and Ascension together with those blessed soules which accompanied him vnto his throne of glorie they conceiued full hope that their number should be made compleate and their praise perfect S. Augustine saieth that although this Li. 2. Hymne might be interpreted both in de doctrina Christiana c. 10. Greeke and Latin yet it hath remained intire because it relisheth best in its owne originall to witt in the Hebrew Whosoeuer out of curiositie shall desire to soe more of the signification of this Hymne let him peruse the 137. Epistle of S. Ierome to Marcella where he maie receiue satisfaction The Inuitatorie verse IN the diuine office the Inuitatorie verse is vsually varied according to the nature of the office appointed for each daie and it is thus defined by Peter Damian Tom. 3. c. 7. in his booke intituled Dominus vobiscum The Inuitatorie saieth he is that by which the communion of the faithfull is inuited to the praise of God Concerning which you must note that the communion of true beleeuers be they scattered abroad in neuer soe many seuerall countreys doe yet make but one mysticall bodie whereof Christ is the head in whome they maie and doe meete together in spirit in the diuine praises by the feete of their soules which are the affections and in this sort they are inuited to come and ioyne with vs in the praise of almightie God S. Augustine affirmeth that if two iust In Psal 94. men be placed one in the East and the other in the West yet maie they truely be saied to be together because they are both in God but although à iust man and à wicked man be linked in one chaine yet are they farre à sunder for the one by louing iniquitie hath seperated himself farre from God and the other by louing God is nearely adioyned vnto him and if two such should praise
him who hath been mindfull of you euen before you had existence in nature In this Psalme we are admonished to weigh diligently the horrour distriction and seuere rigour of the last iudgement and to consider from our heart how horred Hebre. 10. it will bee then to fall into the hands of the liuing God to behold him à furious iudge to see the world all in flames to see the whole troupes of Angels assisting Christ our iudge against the vniust before heauen and earth to render an account of all our words deeds and thougts to bee confounded and reproued before men Angels and diuels to heare that most bitter and irreuocable sentence of damnation pronounced Goe Math. 25. ye accursed into eternall fire to expect the vncertaine or rather certaine sentence of the iudge to behold the wide gaping Chaos of the infernall dungeon and lastly to bee separated for euer from the societie of the iust and throwne into the abisme of hell there to bee scorched with vnextinguible flames without any the least hope of euer departing thence Wherefore let vs recite this Psalme with feare and trembling and beg of our Lord grace to coÌ„porte our selues in such sort in this life that we maie merit to behold him then as à gracious patrone and mild Father not as a seuere iudge The title and argument of the 97. Psalme and last in the Nocturne Office A Psalme to Dauid himselfe In the person of Dauid is prefigured Christ our Lord as hath been saied The Prophet doeth by this Psalme inuite all nations with heart voice and instruments ioyfully to celebrate the two foresaied commings of our Sauiour yet he cheefly treateth of his first comming to saue the world The Prophet doth in this as in many other of the Psalmes speake of things to come as if they were already passed for the infallible certainty of them all which we now behold to bee performed accordingly The exposition of the Psalme SIng ye to our Lord à new song because he hath done maruelous things farre surpassing mans capacitie which are at lardge recorded by the Euangelists His right band his diuine power hath wrought saluation to himselfe hath raised his mortall body from death to life or thus hath saued mankind for himselfe and his arme his vertue and fortitude is holie God the Father Our Lord hath made knowne his saluation hath proclaimed to Zachary and the shepheards by his Angels to S. Elizabeth S. Anne and holie Symeon by the holie Ghost afterwards to S. Iohn the Baptist and finally to the Apostles in the transfiguration of our Lord that Christ Iesus is his beloued Sonne whome he promised should come and worke saluation to all mankind In the sight of the Gentils he hath reuealed his iustice first by the starre which appeared to the three Kings and afterwards by the preaching of the Apostles he hath reuealed Christ our Lord who is tearmed his iustice because by him God hath redeemed the world not by his power onely but bâ— the way of iustice or thus hath reuealed the precepts couÌ„sells of the Euangelicall law in which the plenitude of iustice is contained The words and sense of this most sweet verse are frequent in tâ—â— Prophesie of Isaâ—â— The Isa 40. glorie saiet he of our Lord shall bee reuealed and all flesh together shall see that the mouth of our Lord hath spoken And our Lord 52. hath prepared his holie arme in the sight of all the Gentils and all the ends of the earth shall see the saluation of our God and againe I 56. haue made my iustice neere it shall not bee farre of and my saluation shall not tarrie He hath remembred his mercy wherewith he mildly and sweetly not onely spared our first parents but alsoe promised that the seed of tâ—e woman should crush the serpents head and he hath remembred his truth to the bouse of Israel to performe faithfully what he promised to Abraham Iacob and his progeny according to that of S. Luke He hath receiued â—srael his child Luc. 1. being mindfull of his mercy As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his seed for euer All the ends of the earth haue seene the saluation of our God by saith in Christ our Lord diuulged by the holie Apostles Marc. 16. vnto whome our Sauiour saied Going into the wâ—ole world preach the Gospell to all creatures For which singular benefit the Propâ—et doth here inuite all creatures to praise and giue thankes to our Lord saying Make ye iubilation to God all the earth O all ve inhabitants of the earâ—h with excessiue and vnspeakable ioy of heart saie ye praise to Christ our God chaunt with your voices reioyce in your hearts and sing on instruments Sing to our Lord on harpe on harpe voice of Psalme on long drâ—wne trumpets and voice of câ—rnet of horne According to the letter the Hebâ—â—wes did â—se â—uch musicall instruments as these therewith to set forth the praise of God But being taken in à spirituall sense by the harpe is vnderstood the workes of mercy or mortification of the flesh by the long drawne trumpets are signified the tribulations and aduersities oâ— this life and by the cornet of horne the contemplation or celestiall things by which all transitory things are transcended The sense therefore of this verse seemeth to bee Sing to our Lerd on harpe with mortification of your flesh and workes of mercy that your song maâ—e bee acceptable and deligâ—tfull On harpe and voice of Psalme with life answerable and concording to your voice On long drawne trumpets in aduersities tribulations and tentations giue thankes to God esteeming it all ioy when you fall Iac. 1. into diuers tentations And voice of cornet of horne with vocall praise proceeding from diuine contemplation Make ye iubilation in the sight of the King our Lord to wit Christ Iesus Let the Sea bee moued and the fulnesse thereof the round world and they that dwell therein The riuers shall clappe with hand This is Bellarme in bunc locum Metaphorically spoken in regard that the noise of their motion compared with the roaring of the sea is like to that of clapping of hands The mountaines together shall reioyce at the sight of our Lord because he cometh to iudge the carth If this bee referred to the first comming of our Sauiour all these are saied to reioyce because he cometh to gouerne the world with most iust lawes not onely as in tymes past with the Majestie of his inuisible diuinitie but alsoe in a corporall and visible Philip. 2. forme Made into the similitude of men and in shape found as à man But if it bee referred to â—is second comming these are inuited to reioyce because God will then exterminate all sinners and renew all the elements Some expound the two precedent verses as followeth Let the Sea bee moued and the fulnesse thereof to wit those that negotiate on the sea and such as
whole world Attend therefore to him and he will attend to thee But the way how to make it is not yet shewed which notwithstanding is noe lesse needfull for the vnlearned to know Wherefore for the benefite of simple but well minded soules I will as plainly and breifly as I can sett downe à meâ—â—ode how to prepare the mynd and keepe it well imploied which they maie make vse of and I hope with profitt vntill God almightie shall please to inspire them with à better and more agreeable to the affections of their soules CHAPT XI Câ—ntaininge à forme of Preparation before praier with Aspirations of diuers Kindes THe Ecclesrastes giueth this aduice Ecclesiastes c 5. Speake not any thing rashly neither let â—hy heart be swif to vtter à word before God Wherefore it will be good that when they come to pray they pause à while in silence and consider attentiuely what à waightie matter they goe about vizt to treate with God almightie concerning the busines of their saluation Next let them frame to themselues à firme beleâ—fe that God is there present before thâ—â— thoughâ— disguised and that perhaps if they proue faithfull feruent and perseuerant he will if it be â—o â—â—nieâ—â— for them manifest himself vnto them as he did to S. Marie Magdalâ—â—e and since hath often done to many holie Sâ—ints Yet they ought not to frame vnto themselues any positiue coÌ„ceipt of him as pâ—re God supposing him to bee present in this or that forme or shape for he is à most simple Spirit and cannot be compreh â—ndâ—d vnder any corporall Specieâ— or Image but à negatiue that is that he is neither 〈◊〉 nor that nor any thing which their â—aâ—tafie can represent vnto them They are alsoe to beleeue that he vieweth all their externall comportment and all the internall desires and affections of their hearts proue cleanely â—â—eâ— if their bodies â—erâ— composed of transparent â—â—riâ—â— all â—and iâ—â—â—â—â—â—d with the sonne beames This done let them â—â—deâ—â—our â—o gâ—â— into theiâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 by soâ—e â—â—ouâ— Aâ—piration For â—â— the 〈◊〉 saiâ—th Oâ—â— mile will dâ—iâ—â— out another Wherefore those that seeke to free 〈◊〉 â—â—luâ—s from distractionâ— and to â—â—der the passâ—â—â—â— aâ—â—e into their Interiour must endeâ—â—our by some internall imployment such as is the exercise of Aspirations to expell the images of their externall affaires and by little and little to winne their minds 〈◊〉 their passions and draw neare to the image of God which he hath impressed or stamped in the Fund or bottome of their soules as the Prophet witnesseth The light of thy countenance o Psal 4. Lord is signed vpon vs where they may find him soe often as they will withdraw themselues from the mâ—â—â—â—ltuous noise of exteriour busines and conuert their hearts towards him sweetly and with à filiall reuerence But least this tearme Interiour maie seeme to obscure it will be needfull to giue this short explication thereof Mysticall diuines doe â—â—ach that whilest our minds are busied in any exteriour imployment although it be good and laudable 〈◊〉 not yet directly tending towards God almightie â— that the saied imploimâ—nâ— doth mediate or interpose it self betweene vs and hiâ— and doth as it were keepe vs out of ourselues that is doth hinder vs from working immediatly to the end for which we were created which is to haue our eies and hearts fixed vpon God and to direct all our actions and thoughts to praise and glorifie him immediatly Our first parents did performe this immediate tendance towards God and soe remained alwaies in their interiour vntill they did voluntarily extrouert and distract themselues to reflect vpon the forbidden fruit of which fruit after they had tasted both they and all that descend from them found and doe find great repugnance and difficultie to keepe themselues introuerted or to remaine in their Interiour for any long space and therefore God almightie who is most gracious and benigne hauing regard to humaine infirmitie doth not exact of vs the practise of this introuersion at all times out of praier but in à very imperfect manner Yet when we come to praier he doth expect that we practise it in some better measure that our praier maie be performed with due reuerence which we cannot well doe vnlesse we auert our minds from all exteriour things vnto which things whilst we remaine attent we are properly teamed to be extrouerted or out of ourselues and that we conuert of hearts to tend immediatly towards God where in whilest we continue we are tearmed to be introuerted or to remaine and dwell in our interiour This maie suffice for the explication of that tearme The Aspirations that I here speake of maie be these that follow or such like either in à few words or in many as they shall find most proper for them I desire that they may not be recited vocally but pronounced as it were mentally yet herein alsoe let such proceed as they shall experience themselues best recollected and moued to deuotion Aspirations in à few words INdeed our Lord is in this place and Gen. 28. I was not aware of it I will hold him I will not let him goe vntill he haue giuen me his benediction O Lord thou commaundest me to loue giue what thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt O that I knew thee and knew my self What is there for me in heauen or what desire â— on earth besides thy self Heauen is not heauen to me without thee O Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest I loue thee When shall I come before the face of our 〈◊〉 I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Woe is me that my soioâ—rning is prolonged Praise our Lord o my soule let his praise be alwaies in thâ— mouth My beloued to me and I to him one to one all to all à creature to his Creator My beloued is all faire all sweeâ—â— all delightfull He hath wounded my heart If I maie find fauour in thy sight shew me thy face Let thy voice sound in myne eares for thy voice iâ— sweet and thy face beautifull Thou art worthy o Lord to receiue glory and honor and vertue and benediction Aspirations in more words Speaking to the soule DVst and ashes as I am how dare I appeare in the sight of my God before whome the powers of heauen doe tremble Yet be not dismaied o my soule He hath saied that he came to calumners and whâ—t would he but they should come vnto him How sweetly and mildly did he absolue the woman that was taken in adultery who stood wholy abashed and confounded in his presence VVoman where are thy accusers Hath none of them condemned thee Neither doe I Goe thy way and sinne noe more O wonderfull meâ—â—y O sweete answer I how can we feare to open our greifes vnto him He hath saied come all to me that are heauy lâ—aden and I will refresh you Be confident therefore o my soule heauen and earth may passe but he will not
note that the Iewes in reuerence of their Sabbaoth did number the daies of the weeke from that daie calling the daie immediatly following the first of the Sabbaoth and soe forth of the rest The Gentils called the daies of the weeke by the names of the Planets to wit SuÌ„nedaie Moonedaie c. but the holie Church doth call our Sabbaoth which was the first of the Sabbaoth according to the Iewish accouÌ„t our Lords daie in honour of the Resurrection of our Sauiour on that daie and the daie immediatly following the first Feria and soe forth of the rest signifying thereby that all good Christians ought euery daie to feriate that is to liue holily abstayning from sinne vaine vnnecessary imployment yet not desisting from lawfull labours The sense therefore of this title is The Psalme written by Dauid for the glorie of the Resurrection of Christ which was to bee vpon the first of the Iewish Sabbaoth when Christ rysing on that daie should haue all power giuen him in heauen and vpon earth THE ARGVMENT HOlie Dauid by this Psalme doth intend to shew how of the innumerable multitude of men onely Christ and some few few indeed I maie saie in respect of the multitude of others shall enter into the celestiall house of our Lord. And therefore least perhaps any should beleeue that the residue of mankind did not belong to God but were created by some other Principle as afterwards the Marcionists and Manichees did suppose he declareth and prooueth in the beginning of this Psalme that man and all things else whatsoeuer are our Lords as being their Creator and conseruer which being soe he admireth the inscrutable iudgements of almightie God that out of the plenitude of the earth soe small à number compared with the rest should ascend inâ—o the mount of our Lord that is into his holie Church and that euen of those all should not perseuer in his holie place and dispose themselues to receaue the benediction and the mercie from their Sauiour that is to bee made partakers by him of the merits of his death and Passion but onely such as should haue the fower conditions he there specifieth Next the Prophet addresseth himself towards the Princes of darknes commaunding them to open their gates that Christ maie enter and set free the captiue soules whose ransome he hath paied vpon the Crosse And lastly he speaketh â—o the celestiall powers to open their gates that Christ and his blessed traine and all others that shall euen vntill the end of the world take vp their Crosse and follow him maie enter and keepe an eternall Sabbaoth The exposition of the Psalme THe earth is our Lords and the fulnes thereof all things therein contained to wit men beasts all that groweth thereon or is within her bowells the round world the circumference of the earth and all that dwell therein all these are our Lords as being their Creator gouernour conseruer Because he hath founded firmely placed it the earth or round world vpon the sea vpon certaine armes of the Ocean which inuiron it Yet this is not to bee vnderstood as though the earth properly speaking were aboue the sea for the earth is the Center of the vniuerse whence it is necessarie that it bee in the middest of the world and consequently according to its naturall seate incompassed by the waters and for the greatest part in the middest of them but it is saied to bee placed aboue the sea because by the diuine prouidence it is not wholly ouerwhelmed by the waters but that part which boundeth vpon the sea and the superficies thereof is higher then the sea that creatures maie liue and feed thereon Me then saieth our Lord will Ierem. 5. v. 22. you not feare who haue set the sand à limit for the sea an euerlasting precept that shall not passe the waues thereof shall swell and shall not passe ouer it And vpon the riuers hath prepared it made it an habitation fit for men and other liuing creatures The two precedent verses as likewise the rest of this Psalme maie bee explained in à more spirituall sense as followeth The earth the Church militant remaining vpon earth producing plentifull fruit of holie conuersation is our Lords and the fulnes thereof the whole vertue grace perfection of the faithfull ought by all right to bee ascribed vnto him as being the author and giuer thereof the round world the holie Church spread through all the confines of the earth or collected of people from all the ends of the earth and all that dwell therein all the true beleeuers established in Ecclesiasticall vnitie of faith and operation All these belong to our Lord Iesus Christ who hath purchased them with his pretious bloud That he might present to himself Ephe. 5. à glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle Because he hath founded it vpon the Sea vpon secular men wallowing and wauering as the Sea from one vanitie and inconstancie into an other or thus He hath founded it he hath strengthned his Church vpon the Sea vpon the persecutions tribulations bitternesses and inconstances of the world Yet this is not to bee vnderstood that these before named are the bases or foundations of the Church but that Christ hath established his Church in such sort against them that although they should neuer soe much endeauour to subuert her as the vast billowes of the sea doe menace to inuolue and swallow vp the earth yet she shall subsist and neuer bee altogether ouercome by them And vpon the riuers vpon vices gliding like riuers inordinately and without ceasing from one sensuall pleasure to another but neuer satiating hath prepared it disposed the holie Church to combate against them VValking in flesh saieth the Apostle we 2. Cor. 10. warre not according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie to God Since therefore all things are our Lords as hath been proued VVho shall ascend into the Mount of our Lord who from the seruitude of sinne shall ascend to the obedience of the holie Church who shall forsake the world and enter into religion who from imperfection shall ascend to perfection who from this vale of teares shall ascend into the Kingdome of heauen Or who shall stand in his holie place who shall perseuer to the end in the saied mount of our Lord verily all men shall not It is true indeed that many wicked and reprobate people doe ascend into the mount of our Lord but they stand not there for that belongeth onely to them in whome are found the fower properties following The innocent of hands who hath not iniured any man by his actions and of cleane heart who hath his heart purified from the staine or guilt of sinne and affection thereunto that hath not taken his soule in vaine that hath not neglected to fulfill those things for which his soule was created and infused into the body to wit to adorne it with vertues
The Canticles of the old Testament might not bee song but onely in the land of Promise but such new songs as these of the new Testament maie bee song by all the inhabitants of the earth and therefore Sing to our Lord all the earth this new and most sweet song That for the excessiue Charitie Ephes 2. wherewith God the Father hath loued vs he hath sent his onely Sonne into the world Sing ye to our Lord and blesse his name praise him and recount his wonderfull benefits with iubilation of heart saying See what manner of Charitie the Father hath 1. Ioâ— 3. giuen vs that we should bee named and bee the Sonnes of God Such sweete sentences as these are called à new song not onely in regard of the newnesse of tyme but alsoe in respect of the new and fresh deuotion of the mynd and for that they ought to bee song by renewed men in whome vaine and dishonest loue raigneth not any more but true Charitie Let vs therefore reforme the affections of our heart and out of the feruent loue we beare towards our Sauiour seeke for and inuent new songs in his praise according to the grace and internall light that God hath giuen vs as the fond louers of the world doe compose songs of him or her whome they loue carnally Shew forth his saluation praise ye and diâ—ulge ye Christ by whome in whome God the Father doth saue vs from daie to daie euery daie for as daie doth succeed to daie without ceasing soe it is meet that praise should succeed to praise O all ye Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and all others whosoeuer their lawfull successors that haue the zeale of the diuine honour and brotherly charitie Shew forth his glorie among the Gentils which shall bee conuerted that they may beleeue and to those that are already conuerted that they maie encrease in loue and shew forth his maruelous workes in all peoples his creation of the world Redemption of mankind sending of the holie Ghost all other his wonderfull workes It is most meet that ye doe this Because our Lord is great and exceeding laudable He is an infinite and immense goodnes and he is as laudable as good therefore cannot bee sufficiently praised by any creature he is terrible aboue all Gods more to bee feared then all those which the Gentils did adore as Gods Almightie God in himselfe is all sweet benigne and louely for as S. Iohn affirmeth 1. Ioh. 4. God is charitie Yet he is saied to bee terrible in regard that he is as it were constrained to seeme soe to proud stubborne and disobedient people who will not bee wonne by lenitie and sweetnes Moreouer he is saied to bee terrible because it is more greeuous to bee separated from him then from all the creatures or delightfull things in the world as alsoe for that none can inflict soe cruell torments as he can whence is that of the Euangelist Feare not them that kill the Math. 10. body and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him that can destroy both soule and body into hell For all which reasons it is manifest that he is more to bee feared then the Gods of the Gentils as alsoe Because all the Gods of the Gentils are Diuels reprobate Angels who for their pride and disobedience were throwne downe by him from heauen and cannot hurt vs further then he shall please to permit but our Lord made the heauens It is generally knowne that many of the Gentils did worship certaine wicked men for Gods to wit Saturne Iupiter Mercury Priapus c. and that many others did adore the Sunne Moone Starres fire water and the beasts of the earth as S. Paul doth infinuate to the Romans How then can all the Gods of the Gentils bee saied to bee diuels To which maie be answered that those wicked men are called diuels by participation of diuellish wickednesse like as some men are called Angels by participation of Angelicall dignitie and office as S. Iohn calleth the Pastors or Apoc. 2. Bishops of the Seauen Churches in Asia Angels and the Prophet Malachias calleth Malach. 2. à Priest the Angell of the Lord of hostes as concerning the other things which were adored for Gods although they were not diuels yet because those that exhibited worship vnto them beleeuing certaine deities to bee in them did by such their worship serue the diuels therefore it is that all the Gods of the Gentils are saied to bee diuels and the things that are immolated to them to bee immolated to diuels Confession and beautie in his fight holinesse and magnificence in his sanctification This verse is expounded by the holie Fathers fower seuerall waies and in effect as followeth First that in contemplating God is seene all beautie and matter of praise holinesse and magnificence in his sanctuary Secondly that praise and puritie is exercised in his presence holinesse and diuine worship in his sanctuary Thirdly that praise is sung to God by his Saints in heauen for the beautie which they behold in him who is indeed the fountaine of all sanctitie puritie glory and Maiestie as is acknowledged by those blessed spirits of whome consisteth the triumphant Church wherein he doth manifest this his beautie which is here tearmed his sanctification or is sanctuary Fowerthly that in those whome God almighty is graciously pleased to behold with the eies of his mercie this his sight causeth remorse of conscience and confession or acknowledgement of their faults by which meanes they attaine to interiour beautie and puritie of heart Bring ye to our Lord ye families of Gentils bring ye to our Lord glorie and honour bring ye to our Lord glorie vnto his name The Prophet repeateth here Bring ye to our Lord three tymes and endeth with glorie to his name as in the beginning of the Psalme he repeated thrice Sing ye to our Lord ending with blesse his name thereby as the holie Fathers doe note obscurely insinuating the most high mistery of the B. Trinitie which afterwards in the new testament was to bee diuulged more clearely Take ye vp hoastes bring with you gifts and sacrifices not such bloudy sacrifices as are now offred in the Temple but such as the Apostles and their successors shall teach you to offer to wit the sacrifice of à contrite heart confession of sinnes praier fasting almesdeeds and the like according to that of S. Peter Bee ye Epist 1. c. 2. à holie priesthood to offer spirituall hoastes acceptable to God by Iesus Christ And enter into his courtes into the Catholike Churches and other places deputed to the diuine worship and especially into the Temple of your hearts descending into your interiour and there praising and adoring God within you by contemplation loue and watchfull custody of your senses for The temple of God is holie 1. Cor. 3. which you are Adore ye our Lord in his holie courts adore ye in his
2. â—ies haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people à light to the reâ—elation of the Gentils c. and in another place All flesh shall see the saluation Luc. 3. of God By this verse therefore the faithfull doe praie for the illumination of the holie Ghost that they erre not in the way of this present life but by working maie know and by knowing maie walke in the way of our Lord of which our Sauiour speaketh in the Ghospell Straâ—â—e Math. is the way that leadeth to life and few there are that fynd it and by these words in all nations thy saluation they praie that Christ maie be acknowledged and honoured by all nations Let people ô God Confesse to thee let all people Confesse to thee Let the worship and veneration of the false Gods cease and to thee alone the liuing God let all diuine honour be giuen by all people Let nations called to the faith of Christ be glad with interiour ioy and exult by shewing exteriour signes of their inward ioy and this because thou ô God by thy annoynted iudgest people in equitie that is the seruile yoake of the Prince of darknesse being taken away thou hast constituted à most iust Kingdome in thy holie Church and the nations in earth thou doest direct gouerning them and directing them by most wholsome lawes to the port of eternall saluation S. Augustine interpreteth the words of this verse in the future tense as thus Thou wilt iudge people in equitie and referreth them to the last iudgement And the nations in earth thou wilt direct referreth them to the direction of this present life according to whome the sense of this verse is Let nations bee glad and exult because if they happen to suffer any euill here from men the tyme will come when thou ô God wilt iudge people in equitie and in the meane tyme the nations in earth which are subiect and deuoted to thee thou wilt direct Let people ô God Confesse to thee let all people Confesse to thee Here the Prophet againe exhorteth all people to praise and giue thankes to God adding à new reason or motiue to wit because the earth hath yeelded her fruit This fruit is Christ our Lord borne of the terrene substance of the blessed Virgin à fruit of such excellency that in coÌ„parison thereof all the fruit the earth hath heretofore brought forth maie well bee esteemed briers and thornes Of this fruit the Prophet Isaie maketh mention saying In that Isaiae cap. 4. daie the bud of our Lord shall bee in magnificenee and glory and the fruit of the earth high Yet taking the last words of this verse in à morall sense The earth is saied to yeeld her fruit when the holie Church doth spiritually instruct perfect and conserue her children and when our body liueth soberly and serueth to the aduancement of the soule obeying in all things The Prophet doth here as in many other places of the Psalmes vse the preterperfect tense for the future because in his prenotion that was now done which he foretelleth to bee done God our God blesse vs God blesse vs and let all the ends of the earth feare him This in effect is as much as if he had saied Since all people doe praise thee ô God and the earth hath yeelded her fruit let there henceforth bee a gratefull vicissitude betweene thee vs doe thou open thy liberall hand and fill vs with all benediction to wit with aboundance of all temporall and spirituall benefits and we as it is most meet will serue thee with à filiall reuerence and render thee the tribute of obedience and praise for euer The threefold repetition of the word God in this verse signifieth the affection of the Prophet Yet it seemeth likewise to insinuate the mystery of the blessed Trinitie which was afterwards manifested to the whole world by our Sauiour and his hole Apostles A certaine graue author vpon these words in the first verse of this Psalme to wit God blesse vs and illuminate his countenance vpon vs hath this obseruation Because saieth he many desire to bee blessed by God with aboundance of temporall benefits to wit with beautie power riches honour and the like all which indeed doe come from God but yet are common to the iust and vniust therefore the Prophet addeth what is proper to the iust to wit illuminate his countenance vpon vs. This is proper to the iust whereas the other mentioned things are common to all both good and euill almightie God soe disposing least if they should bee giuen solely to the good euill men would thinke that God were to bee worshipped for them and if to the euill onely infirme and fraise people would feare to conuert themselues to God least these things should bee wanting vnto them Behold here à short Psalme but full of feruour deuotion Let vs conforme the affections of our heart to the sacred words thereof with the whole forces of our mynd let vs implore the diuine mercy that he will bee pleased to inrich vs with the benedictions of Christ and instruct vs with the light of his countenance Let vs alsoe most heartely pray for the common good and for the generall soules health of all men that all men maâ—e confesse to God honour and loue him The argument of the Canticle of the three children BY the insuing Canticle the three men Sidrach Misach and Abdenago who were throwne into the furnace of burning fire by the commandement of Nabuchodonosor because they refused to adore the golden statue he had erected as is at lardge related by the Prophet Daniel did inuite all creatures in their seuerall Daniel 3. degrees and natures to praise God and they themselues did praise and glorifie him who preserued their bodies that they were not touched by the fury of those flames and made their hearts inflamed with the fire of his loue Indeed by how much the more one is inflamed with his loue by soe much the more intensly doth he desire that God maie bee praised loued and honoured by all l. 1. de doctrina Christiana creatures according to that S. Augustine By how much the more feruent any one is in the loue of God by so much the more doth he endeauour by all the meanes he can diuise that God maie bee beloued of all men by how much the more sincerely any one doth coÌ„template God by soe much the more he doth vnderualue and humble himselfe esteeme the praise wherewith he doth set forth the glory of God to bee the more insufficient and therefore doth earnestly desire that God maie bee magnificently praised by all creatures and doth his best to procure it The exposition of the Canticle ALl workes of our Lord blesse ye our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer Although euerie Creature doth not blesse and praise almightie God with voice which is proper to Men nor mentally which is
signified the coÌ„duits of grace and the preachers of Gods holie word and by lightnings the corruscation of miracles and the commination or threatning of the terrible iudgements of God according to that of the Prophet Isaie I will command the Clowds that they rayne Je. 5. noe shower vpon it and that of the Psalmist His lightnings shined to the round Psâ—l 96. world c. Let the earth blesse our Lord. The earth is the lowest and least of the sower Elements and à greate part thereof is ouer flowne with waters neuerthelesse it doth afford aboundant matter of the Creators praise to all that shall rightly consider the quantity disposition fertility and other properties thereof as alsoe how it is as it were the center of the Vniuerse and remaineth firme and immoueable in its place notwithstanding its exceeding weight which is not supported by any thing but hangeth wonderfully in the middest of the world By the stability and fertility thereof is signified constant and vertuous men whome the holie Ghost doth make fruitfull with the celestiall seed of the word of God according to that of S. Luc. 8. Luke The seed is the word of God and that which fell vpon good ground are they who in à good and perfect heart hearing the word doe retayne it and yeeld fruit in patience Mountaines and little hills blesse yee our Lord. By them are designed those that are of great and of small power authority in the holie Church and especially Prelates and such as excell in the gifts of grace according to that of the Prophet Ioell Mountaines shall distill sweetnesse and Ioell 3. the hills shall flow with milke All things that spring in the earth blesse yee our Lord. If we attentiuely consider the value beautie sweetnesse delightfulnesse and other innumerable properties of the things that are produced within the earth and of those that spring out of it we cannot sufficiently admire in them the wisdome sweetnesse and beautie of the omnipotent Creator Blesse our Lord yee fountaines Fountaines are certaine euident representations of almightie God who by reason of his Munificence liberalitie and immense goodnesse towards mankind is often tearmed in holye Scriptures à Fountaine By theÌ„ are signified Doctors preachers and Priests vnto whome it belongeth Psal 67. to communicate and impart to others the streames of wisdome and knowledge to saluation and distribute the gifts of grace and the holie Sacraments and of whome it is written In Churches blesse yee God our Lord of the Isa 12. fountaines of Israell and in another place You shall draw waters in ioy out of the Sauiours fountaines Seas and Riuers blesse yee our Lord There is one great sea called the Ocean and diuers other particular seas as it were armes of the saied great sea From the sea ' as from the first fountaine or head all Riuers issue according to that of Ecclesiastes All riuers enter into the sea and the Eccl. 1. sea ouerfloweth not to the place whence riuers issue forth they doe returne that they muie flow againe By the sea is sometymes expressed the inquietude restlesnesse bitternesse and commotion of this world to witt of secular men according to that of the Prophet Isaie The impious are as it were Psa 57. the raging sea which cannot be quiet Sometimes alsoe by the sea are designed the hearts of penitents mouing themselues with bitternesse and the waues of internall compunction By the riuers are signified the copious gifts of grace according to that of our Sauiour He that Ioh. 7. beleeueth in me out of his belly shall flow riuers of liuing waters and sometymes the excesse of tribulations according to that of Psal 92. the Psalmist The riuers haue lifted vp their waues about the voices of many waters VVhales and all things that moue in the waters blesse yee our Lord. These are the principall ornaments of the element of water and what mortall man is able to explicate the variety profit strength and other properties of the fishes of the sea Verily if we attend to what is written by Philosophers concerning the Whale we shall find an ample subiect of the Creators praise By that our Sauiour speaking to S. Peter and S. Andrew Mat 4. saied Come yee after mee and I will make you to bee fishers of men it should seeme that by fishes are vnderstood men in such sort that by the VVhale are designed the great powerfull men and by the other creatures mouing in the waters are signified the lesser simpler sort of people all regenerated by the waters of Baptisme receiuing thereby infused vertues and life of grace Blesse our Lord all yee foules of heauen to witt of the aire where birds flie Who can worthily admire the wisdome perfection and Maiesty of God in the diuersity sweet modulation swift motion and other proprieties of birds By them are sometymes signified proud men raysing themselues vnto the height of vanity and diuells flying in the aire of whome our Sauiour saied The fowles of the aire did eate Luc. 8. it that is did take away the seed of the word of God Yet in this place by the fowles of the aire some doe vnderstand Contemplatiues eleuated aloft by the wings of Praier and Meditation vnto whome maie fitly be applied that of the Psalmist VVho will giue me the wings of Psal 54. à doue and I will fly and rest and that of the Prophet Isaie VVho are these that Isa 60. fly as clowds and as doues to their windowes and againe in another place They that hope in our Lord shall change their Isai 40 strength They shall take wings as Eagies they shall runne and labour they shall walke and not faint All beasts and cattell blesse yee our Lord. In these alsoe the magnificence of the most high artificer is vnspeakably commended who to declare his singular wisdome in these his effects doth speake many things of them to his seruant Iob. S. Augustine affirmeth that those creatures which haue the least of quantity haue the most admiration for we more admire the workes of the Ante and Bees theÌ„ the vast bodies of other beasts Hugh alsoe of S. Victor conformably speaking saieth That the creatures which we admire for their littlâ—nes are soe artificially and wisely formed that we can scarce discerne whether we ought rather to admire the tushes of the Bore or the wings of the Moath the wings of the Griffon or of the Gnat the head of à Horse or of à Locust the thigh of an Elephant or of an Eagle c. For in these small bodies God almighty hath soe fully distributed all manner of lineaments sutable to their seuerall natures that nothing seemeth to bee wanting to them which nature hath formed in the greatest By beasts and cattell are signified men following sensuality who are inuited to blesse our Lord in that he hath soe gratiously spared them and with such pacience expected their amendment These
parts of the world according to that of Genesis In the beginning Gen 1. God created heauen and earth Heauen is the seate of the Angels and therefore he beginneth with Praise our Lord from the Heauens and referreth to it all superiour things and the earth is the seate of men and therefore he addeth in the 7. verse Praise our Lord from the earth referring vnto it all inferiour things The exposition of the Psalme PRaise yee our Lord from the Heauens praise yee him in the high places Praise yee him all his Angells praise yee him all his hostes S. Augustine well noteth vpon this place that the Prophet doth not by these words commaund the Angells to praise our Lord or exhort them to praise him as though they were slacke and remisse in this happy office or did euer cease or desist from praising him for as S. Iohn affirmeth The Apocalip 4. Psal 83. fower beasts had noe rest daie and night saying holy holy holy Lord God omnipotent and the Psalmist saieth Blessed are they that dwell in thy howse ô Lord for euer-and euer they shall praise thee But he doth hereby congratulate them in this their praising God like as we are accustomed to congratulate those whome wee see doing some worke with ioy wherewith we are well pleased saying courage goe too my Masters or the like which words we vse vnto them not that they stand in need of our incouragement to moue them to beginne that worke but that we are delighted with that they are already in hand with Praise yee him Sunne and Moone praise yee him all Starres and light The Sunne Moone Starres and light are saied to praise our Lord when by their beautie efficacy swittnesse and other proprieties they doe induce intellectuall creatures to admire praise their Creator Praise him yee heauens of heauens to witt the greatest and highest heauens and the waters that are about the saied heauens let them praise the name of our Lord as hath been saied in the precedet Canticâ—e Because he saied intellectually within himselfe to witt in his practical vnderstaÌ„ding that they should bee created and they were made of nothing that which they now are he commaunded by his diuine will and they were created for according to the Apostle God almighty calleth those Rom. 4. things that are not as those things that are as alsoe that of Genesis And God saied Gen. 1. bee light made bee à firmament made c Soe by saving all things were created for God is the cause of all things by his vnderstanding according to that Thou Psal 103. Psal 134. hast made all things in wisdome and by his will according to that All things whatsoeuer our Lord would he hath done in heauen and earth He established them to witt the Angels Sunne Moone Starres and the heauens for euer and for euer and euer for he hath giuen them an incorruptible being Notwithstanding we beleeue that the heauens and the lights of the heauens in as much as concerneth their accidentall forme shall bee changed and renewed for the better as hath been saied in our former explications He put à precept he prefixed them à certaine forme or manner of working and it shall not passe but remaine as he hath decreed He put à precept to the Sunne that it should shine by daie and behold in soe many yeares this hath been obserued to the Moone that it should increase and decrease for thirty daies and this course hath not been altered to the Sea that it should not transcend its limits and behold the surging billowes of the Ocean come wallowing to the shore burst and returne Praise our Lord from the earth all you that any wise appertaine thereunto Yee Dragons and all depthes By Dragons are here vnderstood great fishes which some call Leuiathans or VVhales and by the depthes are vnderstood the deepe placee where such fishes remaine according to that Thou hast crushed the heads of the Dragons in Psal 73 the waters Yet some in this place by Dragons doe vnderstand great serpents rough with scales which dwell in dennes caues and hollow moist places to temper their naturall heat and doe not creepe vpon the earth but fly in the aire and doe exceed other creatures in vast quantity and horrid aspect Fire haile snow yee spirit of stormes to wit tempestious winds exciting suddaine whirl winds and stormes at Sea VVhich doe his word doe obey his diuine will performing that for which they were ordained Mountaines and little hills trees that beare fruit and all Cedars Beastes wild and vntamed and all cattell tame domesticke Serpents and fethered fowles All these the Prophet doth inuite to praise our Lord according as hath been explicated in the precedent Canticle Finally the Prophet inuiteth Man to praise our Lord for whome all things were created saying Kings of the earth all that haue independent temporall authority and absolute right to gouerne and all peoples that owe fealty homage and obedience to their lawfull Soueraignes Princes that haue absolute right to gouerne their subiects within their principalities but yet are subordinate themselues to the saied Kings in some respects and all Iudges of the earth that haue authority from Kings Princes to determine differences betweene party and party and to pronounce sentence of death in criminall causes And that he might comprehend all sorts of people of what age sexe condition soeuer he addeth Yong men and Virgins old with yong All people therefore whether they bee Kings Princes or priuate persons men or women old or yong let them praise the name of our Lord because the name of him alone is exalted that is he himselfe alone doth infinitely surpasse all things in nobility and perfection Eccles 1. Whence Ecclesiasticus saieth There is one most high Creator omnipotent and mighty King and to bee feared exceedinglâ— and Mâ—yses saieth Neither is there other God Deut. 3. either in heauen or on earth that is able to doe thy workes and to bee compared to thy strength The Coâ—fession of him aboue heauen and earth to witt His praise is song in the triumphant and militant Church His glory saieth the Prophet shall couer the heauens and the earth is full of his praise Yet in neither of them can he be praised to the full for all the tongues of men and Angells are altogether in sufficient to expresse Abacuc 3. his immense goodnesse and infinite perfection He hath exalted the horne of his people to witt the power and glory of the people of Israel electing them amongst all the generations of the earth giuing them diuine lawes written with his owne finger protecting them miraculously against the fury of their enimies and gouerning them with singular prouidence and vnspeakable loue An Hymne which is the praise of God with à spirituall song properly belongeth to all his Saints in heauen and earth for they are worthy of all praise and they praise God incessantly to the Children
of Israel à people approching vnto him According to the letter the Prophet calleth the Children of Israel to witt of the Patriarke Iacob the Saints of God because in those daies almost all the world was inclined to Idolatry excepting they whence it is that Moyses often saieth of them Thou art à holie people to the Lord Deut. 7 thy God The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be his peculiar people of all peoples that are vpon earth Yet in a spirituall sense by the Children of Israel are vnderstood all the faithfull whether they be descended from the Patriarke Iacob according to the flesh or not for as the Apostle teacheth Not Rom. 9. all that are of Israel be Israelites nor they that are the seed of Abraham all bee children but in Isaac shall the seed be called vnto thee that is to saie not they that are the children of the flesh they are the children of God but they that are the children of the promise are esteemed for the seed and to all such the Apostle saieth Let the word of Christ dwell in you Colos 3. aboundantly teaching and admonishing your owne felues with Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Canticles in grace singing in your hearts to God These are à People approaching to God For as wee goe backe from him by sinne soe wee approach neere vnto him by vertues and good workes Faith sheweth the true end for which Man was created and the way leading thereunto Hope beginneth to tend thitherwards Charitie vniteth vs to our end and all other vertues in as much as they are informed with Charitie doe knitt vs indissolubly vnto our end which is God himselfe Behold here à Psalme replete with the zeale of diuine loue wherein the Prophet expressing some few creatures by name doth exhort the whole machine of the vniuerse to praise the most high and holie Trinity that soe by them might be fulfilled what he piously desired but was vnable by himselfe to performe Whilst we sing it let vs recollect our minds from all extrauagances inkindle in them the zeale of diuine loue and conserue it with all vigilancy Let vs contemplate in all especially in the celestiall creatures the excellency of the Creator In this contemplation let vs feast our spirit delighting ourselues in his praise and congratulating his ineffable felicity most affectionately Finally let vs personally ourselues fulfill what we excite all other things vnto by praising and glorifying almighty God for whose praise and glory all things were created for truely it is more possible for heauen and earth to be annihilated then for à man not to be saued who glorieth in the diuine praise The title and argument of the 149. Psalme THe title prefixed to this Psalme is Alleluia and it agreeth well with the words of the Psalme which doe wholy tend to set forth the praise of our Lord and Sauiour principally for the benefit of the perfect victory and finall triumph which the faithfull shall obtaine in his second comming when all the aduersaries of the elect shall bee damned eternally and the elect bee freed from all euill reassuming glorified bodies These three last Psalmes haue such connection coherence one with another that they seeme to bee à continuation one of another and this peraduenture is the reason why the holie Church placeth them together at the end of Laudes and appointeth them to bee song as one Psalme with one Gloria in the end The exposition of the Psalme IN the last verse of the precedeÌ„t Psalme the Prophet hath these words An Hymne to all his Saints c. and now he beginneth this Psalme with Sing yee to our Lord à new song as if he had saied O yee Saints that are à people approaching to him Sing yee to our Lord à new song for his new benefits to witt for the benefits of our Redemption renouation iustification and glorification let his praise bee in the Church of Saints in the congregation of deuout people in the Militant and triumphant Church as the Prophet Isaie recounteth Isa 51. Ioy and gladnesse shall bee found in it giuing of thankes and voice of praise Let Israel to witt all such of the Iewes that shall bee conuerted and all other Christian people who by faith good life are reputed to bee of the seed of the Patriarkes much rather then the children of the flesh according to that of the Apostle Know yee therefore that they who Gal. 3. are of faith the same are the children of Israel Let this true Israel bee ioyfull in him that made him to witt in his Creator and redeemer and let the Children of Sion to witt particular Churches members of the vniuersall Church or deuout soules who are the children of the holie Church designed by Sion reioyce in their King to witt the celestiall Spouse our Sauiour Christ of whome it is saied in the Canticles Cant. 1. The King hath brought me into his Cellars we will reioyce and bee glad in thee Let them praise his name in quire on timbrell and Psalter let them sing to him Let them not onely sing à new song vnto him with ioy and exultation but let them alsoe adioyne musicall instruments to their voices that his praise maie bee more solemnely set forth By the Timbrel is vnderstood the mortification of the flesh because à skin is extended vpon that instrument and by the Psalter vpon which many strings are stretched at length are designed good workes The children therefore of Sion ought to sing to our Lord on Timbrell to witt in chastisement of their flesh and refraining their inordinate concupiscences and on Psalter to witt in goodnesse of life and manners free from reprehension that their life and manners maie bee consonant to the words they pronounce which manner of quire is most delightfull to the eares of almighty God Let them doe this Because our Lord is well pleased in his people Prouerb 8. Ioh. 15. to witt in his elect whome he hath loued from all eternitie of his meere benignitie and of whome he saieth My delights to bee with the sonnes of men And he will exalt in the daie of iudgement Luc. 12. the meeke to witt those that are true Christians in faith conuersation and haue practised that lesson which our Sauiour proposed to all sorts of people saying Learne of me because I am meeke and Math. 11. humble of heart These he will exalt vnto Saluation of body and mynd giuing them à double stole compleat beatitude and life euerlasting The Saints shall reioyce in glory to witt in the celestiall Kingdome when as their weâ—ping and lamenting in this world shall bee turned into ioy they shall bee ioyfull in their bedds to witt in the celestiall mansions in which they shall sweetly and happily rest in God by the delightfull sleepe of sincere contemplation Of these bedds our Sauiour saieth I goe to prepare you à place and againe Ioh. 14. In my fathers howse
vertue of true humilitie doe euen from the fall of Lucifer acknowledge all their excellencie as receiued from him and mankind depressed by the Serpent alsoe in particular such as resigne themselues to his holie will and for his loue doe submitt themselues vnder all creatures Raising vp from the earth from carnall life from the loue of transitorie things and terrene thoughts the needie such as are voide and destitute of spirituallitie inriching them with diuine gifts with the loue of heauenly things and the contemplation of high mysteries and lifting vp to the Kingdome of glorie the poore the humble out of the dung of this corruptible bodie To place him there with Princes with the holie Angels with Princes of his people with the cheifest of his elect for the Triumphant Church is one vnited of good men and holie Angels Or thus That he maie place him on his right hand in the daie of iudgement with the Princes of whome the Prophet Isaie speaketh saying Our Isa 3. Lord shall come to iudgement with the ancients of his people and his Princes VVho maketh the barren woman the congregation of the Gentils to dwell in à house in the militant Church à ioyfull Mother of spirituall children whome she regenerateth of water and the holie Ghost In this sense the Apostle alleadgeth Gala. 3. that of the Prophet Isaie Reioyce thou barren that bearest not breakeforth and crie that trauailest not because many are the children of the desolate to witt of Gentilitie then of her that hath à husband to wit the Synagogue whose spouse husband was God almightie but he left her for her incredulitie as the Prophet Ieremy Iere. 12. doth manifestly declare saying I haue forsaken my house I haue left my inheritance I haue giuen my beloued into the hands of her enemies myne inheritance is become vnto me as à Lyon in à wood The Prophet tearmeth Gentilitie or the people of the Gentils Sterill and desoâ—ate because they were long forsaken by almightie God for their Idolatrie in such sort that they brought forth noe fruit of the holie Ghost nor generated any children to Christ whence is that of Amia the Prophetesse The barren woman bare verie manie and she that had manie children was weakened It is meet that we sing this Psalme with spirituall ioy it being composed wholly in the diuine praise It importeth vs alsoe to striue to become children that is pure innocent and humble that soe we maie merit to praise God worthily and to bee beheld by him with a gratious eie for Praiso is not comely Eccles 15 in the mouth of the vitious The third Psalme in Vespres which is the last in Tierce as alsoe the fourth Psalme which is the second in None are alreadie expounded in the saied Houres The title and argument of the 147. Psalme and last in Vespres THe title is Allelâ—ia In this Psalme the Prophet doth exhort the people of God both of the Triumphant and Militant Church to sing his praise incessantly giuing thankes for his singular benefits showred vpon them in particular for that he hath fortified them on all sides placed peace in their borders blessed their of spring fed them with the bread of life and manifested his hidden mysteries vnto them aboue all other people The explication of the Psalme O Ierusalem praise our Lord render the tribute of praise thankfulnesse to the Soueraigne Monarch of heauen and earth you Cittizens of the holie Ierusalem the Cittie of peace and vnitie of blessed spirits that see him face to face Praise thy God ô Sion ô all you that are called to the vnion of the holie Catholicke Church and doe contemplaâ—e God your Creator redeemer conseruer by the eies of faith praise him in the best manner you can excogitere to witt in puritie of heart and conuersation without blame And that you maie praise him the more worthily remember the singular testimonies of his good will shewed towards you Because he it is that hath strengthned the lockes of thy gates to hinder the enemie from surprising thee at vnawares and moreouer he hath blessed thy children in thee If this bee referred to the celestiall Ierusalem by the Gates here mentioned is vnderstood the admission where by any of the elect are admitted to the fellowship of the blessed by the Lockes is vnderstood the confirmation whereby the elect are firmely established in God and soe the sense of those words He hath strengthned the lockes of thy gates is that God hath made the confirmations of the celestiall Cittizens soe immoueable and secure that they cannot bee broken à suÌ„der by any slight or force The lockes of the gates of this Ierusalem are metaphorically saied to bee confirmed because as à Cittie of this world whilst it is fortified with strong lockes boults and barriers is held secure neither the enemies being of power to make forceable entrance nor the inhabitaÌ„ts willing or able to depart out of it soe the holie Cittie is altogether most secure in respect that neither the reprobate can enter it nor the blessed will or can abandon it But if they bee referred to the Militant Church by the Gates thereof are vnderstood Vertues especially Faith hope and charitie and by the Lockes are vnderstood the Sacraments which our Lord hath fortified by giuing the efficacie of sanctification vnto them in vertue of the Passion of our Sauiour in such sort that noe man soe long as he shall remaine within the fortresse of the Catholike Church and keep himselfe in the shelter of the infused vertues through the force of the Sacraments which he therein receiues need to feare the machinations of the euill enemie VVho hath sett thy borders peace ô celestiall Ierusalem He it is that hurld downe to the abisse of hell like to à flash of lightâ—ing that mutinous crue that once to disturbe thy peace and in an instant begirt thee with à wall of concord of warreproofe which noe dissention shall euer penetrate And filleth thee with the fatte of corne with the fruition of his diuinitie For the superessentiall diuinitie is the foode of the blessed whose vision or fruition maie well bee tearmed the fatte of corne that is to saie the sweet refection of the eternall bread which refection is the essentiall reward of the blessed wherewith they are soe fully enriched that they can desire noe more Iâ— is his paternall prouidence likewise that hath established within thy circuits â— Militant Church that happie peace which the world cannot giue to witt tranquillitie of conscience which all those enioy who remaine within thy precincts Christ alsoe doth daily fill thee with that Soueraigne foode the holie Sacrament of his owne bodie vnder the species of the purest wheat bread VVho sendeth forth his speech to the earth He it is who sendeth his onely Sonne the eternall word into the world to assume humane flesh for the saluation of mankind Or thus He it is who sendeth forth by
metaphorially be vnderstood of the celestiall Ciâ—tizens themselues in whome he is after à most excellent and singular manner by his beatificall presence or of vertuous and deuout soules here on earth whose conuersation is in heauen for of those the Apostle saieth You are the Temple of the liuing God God is in all things by his essence presence and power penetrating inuironing and conseruing all things and is more neare and intime to euery thing then any part is to it 's whole or any thing is to it self for he alone slideth as it were into the essences of things neither is any thing present to an other but onely by vertue of the diuine presence The Prophet witnesseth VVâ—â— doe not I fill heauen Ierem. 23. Psal 138. and earth VVâ—â—ther shall I goe saieth holie Dauid fâ—om thy Spirit or whither shall I flâ—â— fâ—om thy face If I shall ascend in to heauen thou art there If I descend into hell thou art present vizt exerâ—â—sing the act of Iustice S. Augustine affirmeth that God is in li. medita c. 29. all places without place that he containeth all things not being inuironed by them that he is present in all places withouâ— motion that he beareth all things and is not burthened and that he filleth all things not being included Yet he is truely saied to dwell in Heauen particularly according to what he hath insinuated by his Prophet Isaie Heauen is my seat and the earth my footestoole and wee reade in the Psalmes Our Lord his seat is in Heauen hauing designed that place as his court and there placed his royall tâ—rone where hee doth particularly manifest himselfe to his beloued Since then by these words Our Father which art in heauen we acknowledge God almighty now in the law of grace to haue aduanced vs to soe eminent à degree of honor as to adopt vs his Sonnes and coâ—eires with his owne naturall Sonne Christ Iesus let vs esteeme ourselues to remaine in this world as in à place of banishement farr distant from that happy region whereunto we confesse ourselues to laie claime let vs hastâ—n thither and haue all our affections bent thither wards auoiding all things that maie be any hinderance vnto vs in the pursuite thereof let vs I saie behaue ourselues in all things as besitteth the Sonnes of soe potent and glorious à Father in nothing regarding our owne priuate commoditie but rather imploying our whole forces to set forth his glory and magnificence saying to that end the first Petition Sanctified be thy Name THese words maie be taken in diuers senses as First for the holy name of God it self which the Iewes did hold in such exceeding reuerence that they dared not to pronounce the word Iehoua which signified the essence of God and it is à constant tradition that is was onely once à yeare spoken and that by the high Priest when he entered into Sancta Sanctorum Ps 75. God is knowne in Iewrie saieth the Prophet in Israel his name is great Ps 112. and in an other place From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe the name of our Lord is laâ—dable Praise yee his name because Ps 99. our Lord is sweet S. Thomas of Aquine â— 56 Isaâ—ae saieth the name of God is great to be feared holy to be â—euerenced sweet to be meditated on copious to giue mercy efficacious to impetrate powerfull to cause saluation secret to be knowne Secondly they maie be vnderstood soe that we desire hereby that all nations of the earth maie come to the light of Faith and that they maie know that God alone is worthy of all praise and glory and consequently that they maie tremble at his Maiestie admire his works be enamoured with his beautie and euen languish to behold his vnspeakable goodnes Ps 65. saying with the holy Prophet Let all the earth adore thee and sing to thee let it sing à Psalme to thy name and in an other Ps 95. place Shew forth his glorie amongst the Genâ—iles his maruelous workes in all people Alas wretched vngratfull and indeuoute as we are how often doe we pronounce this petition without due attention and consequently without due reuerence and spirituall feruour Let vâ— therefore doe ourselues what we desire should be done by all men that is to saie let vs endeauour by frequenting learned exhortations reading pious bookes and exercising ourselues in holy contemplations to come to know how excellent how infinitely good sweet and mercifull à God we haue that by sucâ— knowledge we maie be excited to serue and honor loue and praise him euery where and at all tymes Lastly they maie be vnderstood that we desire by those words that our heauenly Father will be pleased either to make vs capable to comprehend his sanctification or at least to appeare holy in our religious conuersation which will be fulfilled in vs when mens all see the workes which he hath perfected in vs and glorify his name therefore Vertuâ—â— men doe sanctify God whilâ—â— by liuing holily they demonstrate God whoâ—â— they soe serue to be holy And contrary wise Vitious men by their iniust and irreligious conuersation are truely saied to commaculate and defile the name of our Lord because they liue in such à manner as though God did approue of iniustice and were not holy and doe as much as in tâ—e lieth embolden others by their wicked and dissolute example to dishonor him Hence it is that almighty God vpbraiding the perfidious children of Israel saieth You haue polluted my holy Ezech. 36. name and againe I will sanctify my great name which you haue polluted amidst the Gentiles Let thy Kingdome come THe Kingdome here mentioned is by some expounded of the militant Church as thus Let thy Kingdome come that is let the militant Church in which thou reignest by faith and grace be multiplied and spred through the whole world and let her enimies especially the deuills be cast forth of her that thou alone maiest peaceably reigne in â—er By others it is expounded of the Kingdome of God which the holy Euangelist saieth is within vs and being Luc. 17 taken in this sense the Kingdome of God cannot come whilst sinne reigneth in our hearts and we doe obey to the concupiscences thereof and therefore we praie Let thy Kingdome come that is streÌ„gthen vs by thy grace that we maâ—â— be enabled through tâ—e assistance thâ—reof to free our hearts from the seruitude of sinne and to dispose ourselues by the practise of vertues that thou maiest peaceably enter and assume the gouerment of our hearts Of this Kingdome the Prophet maketh mention where he Ps 22. saieth Our Lord ruleth me and nothing shall bee wanting to me He hath condâ—â—ted me vpon the pathes of iustice c. Finally it is expounded of the Triumphant Church as that we praie hereby that the walls of the Celestiall Ierusalem maie be reedified and the ruine of the Angells
pleasures and commodities which quickly vanish like to the passadges of the fishes in the sea The Prophet endeth with the same verse he beganne to shew that Christ is the beginning and the end and that we ought to beginne end all our workes with his praise S. Augustine vpon those words whaâ— is man that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him distinguisheth man from the sonne of man in this sort Euery sonne of man saieth he is à man but euery man is not the sonne of man for Adam was à man but not the sonne of man Those that beare the image of the terrene man who was not the sonne of man are signified in this place by the name of man and are as it were disioyned à farre of from God and therefore he is saied to bee onely mindfull of them but those who beare the image of the heauenly man the new Adam who was the sonne of man are more properly called the sonnes of man with whome God is nearely present illustrating them with the light of his countenance and therefore he is saied to visite them The new man is borne of the old because spirituall regeneration beginneth by the change of the old secular life according to that of the Apostle That is not first which is spirituall but that 1. Cor. 15. which is naturall afterward that which is spirituall The first man of earth earthly the second man from heauen heauenly Such as is the earthly such alsoe are the earthly and such as the heauenly such alsoe are the heauenly Therefore as we haue borne the image of the earthly let vs beare alsoe the image of the heauenly By the birds of the aire which are borne aloft and sing continually maie bee vnderstood the Angells that inhabite the highest places and sing continually the praises of God And by the fishes of the sea which dwell in the lowest places and are mute maie bee vnderstood the deuills which inhabite the remotest places from the throne of God and are mute as to the praising of him The explication of the 18. Psalme and second in number in the Nocturne office THE ARGVMENT THis Psalme consisteth cheifly of two parts wherein the holie Prophet sheweth two waies whereby euery man maie come to the Knowledge of God and of diuine misteries The one by comtemplating the heauens which by their beautie greatnes exact motion doe expresse after à silent manner the Maiestie power and wisdome of their Creator according to that of the Isaiâ— 40. Prophet Isaie Lift vp your eies and see who hath created these things The other by the law of God whereby men are taught how to frame their liues conformable to the diuine will The holie Fathers grounding themselues vpon the authoritie of S. Paul in diuers places doe interpret the words of this Psalme to bee spoken by the holie Prophet of the Apostles Euangelists other preachers of the new law and of the sinceritie and excellencie of the same law wherefore I will first set downe the Propheticall or rather indeed the true literall sense of this Psalme and afterwards the plaine literall sense as the words seeme to import The heauens the Apostles and Euangelists who are tearmed heauens in respect of their celestiall conuersation and eminency of grace and for that God dwelleth in them in à sublime and vnspeakable manner in which sense likewise all perfect and spirituall men are called heauens in diuers places of holie writ Heare yee heauens what things I Deutero 32. Isa 1. speake and the earth heare the words of my mouth And the Prophet Isaie Heare yee heauens and giue eare ô earth These heauens declare the glorie of God to witt the Kingdome and excellencie of Christ and the firmament the holie Church established vpon the rocke which is Christ and perfect men who are firmely placed in her as starres in the firmament declareth vnto vs the workes of his hands to witt the vertues miraculous workes of Christ wrought by his diuine power principally which is as his right hand his humanitie instrumentally which is as his left hand Daie vnto daie vttereth the word wise holie and diuinely illuminated men doe impart vnto learned and spirituall men out of the fulnesse of their knowledge doctrine concerning the diuine nature of Christ according to that of the 1. Cor. 2. Apostle we speake wisedome among the perfect And night vnto night sheweth knowledge such contemplatiues from whom the sunne of Iustice they beinge now well grounded in à spirituall life for à long space withdraweth his rayes of sensible deuotion and comforts leauing them in aridity and darknesse of spirit and affordinge them only à glimpse of his beautie as through an obscure clowde leadinge them maruelously by à very painfull yet more secure and meritorious waye doe shew to others in this estate of desolatioÌ„ knowledge how to comport theÌ„selues in the like exigeÌ„ce to make right vse of such substraction of grace There are noe languages nor speeches whose voices are not heard vnderstood and spoaken by the Apostles for they spake with all toungs and euery one vnderstood them in his owne proper phrase of speech This verse according to the latin translation maie admitt this construction Non sunt loquelae neque sermones there are noe languages or speeches quorum non audiantur voces corum of which languageâ— and speeches the voices of them to witâ— of the Apostles are not heard and thâ—â— construction seemeth to agree with the verse following Their sound hath goone forth into all the earth for the Apostles did cast lots and diuide the nations of the earth amongst them and they in person visited the principall parts thereof and to the rest their sound hath gone forth videlicet their doctrine hath been published by their disciples Certes saietht he Apostle into all the earth hath the sound of them gone forth and vnto the ends of the whole world the words of them And vnto the ends of the round world the words of them this was foreshewed alsoe by the Prophet Isaie From the ends of the earth we haue heard praises the glorie of the iust one and Isa 24. in another place I will send of them that shall be saued to the Gentiles into the sea into Affrike and Lidia them that hold the arrow into Italie and Greece to the Ilands farre of to them that haue not heard of me and haue not seene my glorie c. The Apostle alleadgeth this verse to proue that faith is of hearing and of the preaching of the Apostles whence it followeth that this Psalme doth speake of Christ and his Apostles and of the preaching of the Euangelicall law He hath put his tabernacle in the sunne These words are expounded two waies The first is that he to wit Christ our Lord hath put his tabernacle his assumpted humane nature which is the temple of his inuisible deitie in the sunne to wit
for thy loue for he is the Lord thy God and they to wit all that shall beleeue in him shall adore him according Daniel 7. to that of the Prophet All peoples Tribes and tongues shall serue him And the daughters of Tyre of that great cittie neare to the land of Iuda called Tyre by whome are signified the Gentils shall present him with gifts all the rich of the earth shall beseech thy countenance shall with humble praiers and gifts seeke to winne thy fauour that they maie bee admitted to bee of thy traine and by thy meanes bee brought vnto his presence All the glorie of that daughter of the King who sometymes is called the Queene the spouse of Christ and the Church is within in interiour vertues and beautie of her mynd not in exteriour vaine fading things in borders of gold in workes of charitie clothed round about with varieties with the acts of diuers vertues In these consisteth her glorie and with these she trimmeth and adorneth herselfe that she maie appeare amiable in the eies of her spouse who is not delighted with exteriour vaine dressings and attyre Virgins shall bee brought to the King after her in the first principall place after her Virgins shall bee brought to thee ô Christ and next after them her neighbours holie widowes and such as lead their liues in lawfull wedlocke vsing it for the true end for which marriage was instituted and not for carnall delectation shall bee brought to thee They shall bee brougâ—t in ioy and exultation of body and spirit they shall bee brought into the temple of the King into the Kingdome of heauen after their passadge out of this place of banishement For thy Fathers in the place of the holie Patriarks and Propâ—ets thy Fathers ô holie Church ô spouse of Christ there are borne to thee sonnes Apostles Bishops and Priests thou shalt make them Princes ouer all the earth and they shall prescribe lawes to the whole earth which neuer yet any temporall Monarch could doe They and all those they shall begett in Christ Iesus shall bee mindfull of thy name in all generation and generation shall seeke to dilate thy glorie in all ages Therefore shall peoples of all nations â—â—ome the holie Apostles and their successors haue taught and instâ—ucted Confesse vnto thee for euer shall praise thee vnto the end of the world and for euer and euer for eternitie This their praise shall beginne in this world and continue in the future without end By the espoused here mentioned all Expositors doe vnderstaÌ„d the holie Church because the Apostle in the 5. to the Ephesians doth most clearly teach that the holie Church is the espoused of Christ Notwithstanding all that is here spoken of her in this Psalme maie alsoe bee fitly applied to euery perfect soule and principally to the Blessed Virgin who although she bee the Mother of Christ according to the flesh is neuerthelesse the espoused of Christ according to the spirit and amongst the members of the holie Church is deseruedly alotted vnto her the cheifest place of dignitie which is the reason that this Psalme is appointed to bee song in all her feasts and in the feasts of the other holie virgins The title and argument of the 45. Psalme and fift in the Nocturne Office VNto the end to the Sonnes of Chore A Psalme directing to the end which is Christ to the faithfull who shall imitate Christ crucified For secrets for hidden mysteries which shall bee reueiled in the later daies This Psalme is fitly placed next to the former for in the former was foretold the exaltation of the holie Church by the spirituall nuptialls with Christ our Lord in this is foreshewed the persecution which shall happen vnto her after the departure of her beloued spouse vnto his heauenly Kingdome her deliuery from those afflictions which shall principally come to passe towards the end of the world The exposition of this Psalme OVr Lord is à refuge vnto vs when we are inforced to fly persecution and strength when we tollerate it and in both flying and tollerating he is an helper and comforter in tribulations which haue found vs exeeedingly which haue happened vnto vs aboue measure Therefore will wee not feare when the earth shall bee troubled although the earth bee wonderfully shaken and mountaines transported into the heart or middest of the sea with great violence Or thus therefore we that hane placed our confidence in God will not feare when earthly men who haue had their affections wholly bent vpon terrene transitory things shall tremble with great horror in the daie of iudgement and the proud and mightie men of the world shall bee throwne into the very depth and middest of hell Or thus as being the words of the Primitiue Church hauing placed her hope in our Lord Iesus Christ Therefore we will not feare with à carnall humane and inordinate feare when the land of Iuda or the people of the Iewes shall bee troubled labouring in vaine to extirpate the young plants of Christ and blot out the memory of him in mens hearts neither will we then feare when the Apostles and disciples of Christ shall bee inforced to leaue Iewrie and passe to the Gentils inhabiting the middest of the earth Their waters haue sounded the clamours false accusations of the Iewes and Gentils haue sounded before the tribunalls of the Presidents Kings whither they haue conuented the disciples of Christ and were troubled to behold that they laboured in vaine to hinder the propagation of the Christian faith the mountaines were troubled the high Priests and the Princes and Potentates of the earth were moued some to impatience and persecution and others to Pennance and imitation in his strength beholding his diuine power in whose name the Apostles wrought wonderfull signes and miracles for confirmation of the doctrine which they promulgated The two following verses are expounded diues waies and first of the Militant Church The violence of the riuer the fountaine of sacred Baptisme maketh the militant Church the Citty of God ioyfull with spirituall gladnesse The highest God who alone can make cleane him that is conceiued of vncleane seed hath sanctified his tabernacle the Church of the elect or the elect themselues who according to the Apostle are the temple of the liuing God in whome he will dwell walke God is in the middest thereof of the foresaied temple as à strong pillar sustaining it on all sides who saieth of himself that VVhere there bee two or three gathered Math. 18. together in his name there he is in the middest of them It shall not bee moued the holie Church shall not faile in her faith nor bee suppressed or ouerwhelmed by tentation and tribulation because God will help it in the morning presently soe soone as she shall call vpon him for aide early in the spirituall Aurora to wit in the instant of infusion of grace or illumination of the holie Ghost Secondly they are
expounded of the Triumphant Church as followeth The fountaine of wisdome or the inundation of the holie Ghost maketh the triumphant Church ioyfull with the ioy of beatificall fruition the highest Hath sanctified the hearts of the blessed which is hâ—s tabernacle God is in the middest of the triumphant Church therefore it shall not bee moued from the state of beatitude In the instant that any of the blessed thall bee receiued into the Kingdome of glorie God will confirme them in grace Thirdly they are applyed to the Blessed Virgin as followeth The word of God Christ Iesus our Lord in whome is the originall source immense plenitude of all true delight hath filled his blessed Mother with ioy exultation assuming humane nature in her sacred wombe Christ hath sanctified her and preserued her from all impuritie He hath rested nine monthes in her wombe and euer since in the Center of her immaculate soule She shall not bee moued from good to euill but shall remaine stable and immoueable in God because he will sanctifie her and fortify her in perfection of grace euen in her Mothers wombe Nations are troubled by the preaching miracles of the disciples of our Sauiour some to Pennance admiration others to obstinacy and opposition and Kingdomes are inclined are humbled to faith and holie obedient conuersation learning of Christ who was mild and humble of heart He Christ gaue his voice by himselfe his disciples and their successors and the earth was moued The saied humiliation of Kingdomes was foretold bythe Prophet Isaie in these words He to wit Christ Isa 26. will how downe them that dwellon hight thé high cittie he will abase By the high cittie is vnderstood Rome which at that tyme was Lady of the world of which the same Prophet à litle after â—aieth The foote shall tread it downe the feete of the poore maiâ— the steps of the needy By the poore man is vnderstood S. Peter à poore fisher man and by the steps of the needy the preaching of S. Peter and Paul who liued in voluntary pouertie for by their preaching the vnbeleeuing glorie and magnificent ostentation of the Romans was brought to embrace Christian humilitie The Lord of hostes is with vs Christ the King of glorie the vertue and wisdome of the Father who is stiled Emanuel that is God with vs hath come vnto vs and dwelled with vs in his assumpted humane nature the God of the Patriarke Iacob is our defender Come ye that desire saluation come not soe much by corporall motion as by faith and affections of the heart and see the workes of our Lord and consider and ponder seriously in your mynds what wonders he hath put vpon the earth to wit the Incarnation of his onely sonne the making of à Virgin to conceiue bring forth à Sonne and yet remaine à Virgin innumerable other admirable workes farre transcending the ordinary course of nature taking away warres euen vnto the end of the earth causing an vniuersall peace ouer all the world at the tyme of the birth of Christ our Lord as à figure of the spirituall peace which our Sauiour brought vnto all mankind to wit peace betweene God and man according to that of the Apostle God was in Christ reconciling 2. Cor. 5. the world to himselfe peace alsoe betweene the Iewes and Gentils He is our Ephes 2. peace who hath made both one c. He shall destroy the bow and breake weapons and shields he shall burne with fire This peace which Christ shall bring shall bee soe vniuersall and endure for soe long à space that men shall conuert their weapons and warlike engins to other vses according to that of the Prophet The Isa 2. law shall come forth of Sion and the word of our Lord from Ierusalem and he shall iudge the Gentils and rebuke many peoples they shall turne their swords into coulters and their speares into sithes c. This verse maie bee expounded in à more spirituall sense as followeth He shall destroy the bow Christ shall laie open and destroy the hidden deceits of the wicked endeauoring by flatery and faire promises to seduce the good and breake the weapons to wit open persecutions manifest diabolicall inuasions And the shields to wit the fallacies wherewith peruerse men doe couer and defend their errors he shall burne with fire by condemning the peruerse to hell fire or illuminating and inflaming the hearts of the faithfull to discerne resist their machinations Bee quiet abstract your hearts from vaine euill and vnprofitable things adhere to me with your whole mind attend to me fixe your desires vpon me and simplify your actions and see by affectionate contemplation and experimentall gust that I am God your Creator prouisor Sauiour gouernour that neuer cease to haue care of you that am alwaies ready to helpe you and to infuse consolation in such sort that you maie euen by experience acknowledge that I am your God Whosoeuer hath à desire to tast and proue this experimentall gust of God must of necessitie keepe à diligent watch ouer his heart flie concupiscence contemne pleasures shunne dissolution or loosenes of life repell and quit himselfe from superfluous imployments of body and minde seeke and sigh incessantly after that one thing onely necessary Make vnto you new fallow Ierem. 4. ground saieth the Prophet and sow not vpon thornes bee circumcised to our Lord and take away the prepuces of your hearts I shall bee exalâ—ed among the Gentils I the onely sonne of God and Sauiour of the world by the preaching of my disciples shall bee ackowledged honoured and worshipped by the Gentils according to that of the Prophet From the rising of Malach. 1. the sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentils I shall bee exalted in the earth in the peoples of the Iewes neare the end of the world when the fulnes of the Gentils hath entred The Lord of Hostes is with vs c. This verse in regard of the sweetnes of the signification and dignitie thereof is iterated for to imprint it the better in the heart of the Chanter What I haue saied before maie suffice for explication thereof with this obseruation That whereas Exod. 3. in Exodus we read that God almightie stiled himselfe the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob affirming that this is his name for euer the Prophet here expresseth onely the God of Iacob for this reasoÌ„ as it maie seeme because as Iacob supplanted his brother of the benediction and inheritance soe the sonne of God who alone assumed humane nature supplanted the disobedient Angels of the benediction inheritance which was as it were due to them by prioritie of Creation and obtained it for man kind Behold how full this Psalme is of diuine misteries in which faith is corroborated hope in God is established fortitude is excited the beginning of the new
alsoe very many from falling into sinne poureth forth a fragrant odour in so much that whosoeuer shall piously call her to mynd shall experience himselfe sprinkled there with Of the Canticle or Hymne Te Doum laudamus THe auncient custome of recyting this Canticle or Hymne in the diuine Office maie bee proued by the Rule of our holie Father S. Benedict where he appointeth that after the fouerth Responsory to wit of the third Nocturne the Abbot doe beginne the Hymne Te Deum laudamus Concerning the originall institution of this Hymne S. Darius Bishop of Milan who liued in the tyme of Iustine the elder about the yeare of our Lord. 540. as S. Gregory affirmeth in his 3. Booke of dialogues the 4. Chap. in his Chronicles writeth as followeth By l. 1. c. 10. Chronicâ— blessed Ambrose saieth he Augustine was baptised and confirmed in the name of the holie and vndiuided Trinitie all the faithfull of the Cittie being present and beholding it at which tyme according as the holie Ghost gaue them to speake they pronounced the Hymne Te Deum Laudamus all that were present hearing seeing and admiring which hath been generally receiued and religiously sung euer since by the vniuersall Church in all ages euen vnto these our daies The Title and argument of the 92. Psalme and first in the Laudes PRaise of Canticle to Dauid himselfe in the date before the Sabbaoth when the earth was founded It seemeth tâ—at he who appointed this title was desirous that the insuing Psalme should bee sung vpon the Sixt Feria or Fryday which is the daie before the Sabbaoth because therein is declared that the earth was founded or according to some bookes inhabited Which is fitly saied to haue been done on the Sixt Feria for on that daie maÌ„ was formed who should bee Lord of the earth and by this the earth was first established which was created for man On this daie not onely man but alsoe all liuing creatures were created which inhabite the earth and therefore on this daie the earth began first to bee inhabited On the same daie alsoe by the Passion and death of Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour the earth was renouated and the Kingdome of Christ established the Prince of the world being cast forth All which notwithstaÌ„ding the holie Church doth appoint this Psalme to bee sung at Laudes vpon Sunday about Sunne rising or daie breake because although our Sauiour purchased his Kingdome with the price of his most pretious bloud shed for mankind on the Sixt Feria and thereby layed the foundation of the new earth yet he receiued possession of his Kingdome at his glorious resurrection early in the morning vpon Sunday at which tyme he put on beauty and strength The words of this Psalme maie bee applied both to the Creation Reparation of the world as followeth The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord hath reigned he hath put on beautie glorie and regall Majestie Our Lord hath alsoe put on strength power and fortitude which are equally requisite to support à Kingly diademe and hath girded prepared armed and setled himselfe to reigne If these words bee referred to the Creation of the world Christ as God is saied to haue begun to reigne when he had created the world for then he first of all began to haue subiects vpon the earth ouer whome he might exercise dominion But if they bee referred to the reparation of the world Christ as man at the tyme of his Resurrection did receiue the gouernment of the Vniuerse put on the beautie of à glorified body and put on fortitude all power being giuen him in heauen and vpon earth and girded or setled himselfe earnestly to ptopagatâ— his Kingdome to the vtmost confines of the earth It is manifest that our Lord hath reigned in this sort For he hath established firmely fixed the round world as the center of the vniuerse which shall not bee moued according to that of Ecclesiastes Generation passeth and generation Eccle. 1. cometh but the earth standeth for euer Christ likewise by his dolorous passion and glorious resurrection hath founded and established the Militant Church spred through all the regioÌ„s of the earth in one faith and religion which shall not bee moued but shall perseuer in the same faith and worship vnto the end of the world for Christ shall reigne in the house of Luc. 1. Iacob for euer and of his Kingdome there shall bee noe end Thy seat ô Lord is prepared from that tyme to wit from the Creation of the world or the resurrection of Christ Yet thou didst not theÌ„ beginne to haue à being for thou according to thy diuine nature art from euerlasting from eternitie Concerning which you are to note that the word art doth not here signify the simple existence of the diuine nature but the fulnesse of his being wherein all things are contained For God was not poore or had need of any thing before he created the world neither was he more wealthy or better stored after he had created it for he created not the world that himselfe might encrease thereby but that he might communicate his goodnesse to vs therefore he created not the world as being compelled by any necessitie but as being moued thereunto by his infinite charitie and mercy and with the same charitie and mercy he hath repaired it for Soe God loued the Ioh. 3. world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that euery one that beleeueth in him perish not but maie haue life euerlasting The riuers ô Lord haue lifted vp the riuers haue lifted vp their voices The riuers haue lifted vp their waues aboue the voices of many waters The surges of the Sea are maâ—uâ—lous maruelous is our Lord on high If the words of these verses bee referred to the first sense they signify the manner whereby God almightie made the earth habitable that it might bee à firme seate for all liuing creatures For iâ— the beginning of the Creation the waters couered the superficies of the Vniuerse and the inundations of the waters were eleuated with à terrible motion but God who is infinitely more high more excellent and powerfull repressed their furie closed part of them in the concauities of the earth and appointed limits to the rest which they shall not transcend In the Second sense by the riuers which lifted vp their voices is vnderstood the Apostles and other principall planters of the Christian faith who being filled with the waters of life did passe through the world like vnto soe many heauenly riuers and eleuate their voices preaching the Ghospell of Christ with great freedome By the riuers which lifted vp their waues is vnderstood the Iewes who euen in the very beginning contradicted the Ghospell in all places raised persecutioÌ„ against the disciples of Christ By the surges of the Sea which are farre greater theÌ„ the waues of the riuers is vnderstood the persecutions of the Infidels other aduersaries of the
my sensitiue appetite thirsteth to God not directly immediatly as if God were the obiect of its desire but because those things which it longeth for it desireth according to the will of God that is to saie according to the command of reason and the direction of morall vertues In à desert land and inaccessible and without water soe in the holie I haue appeared to thee The Prophet seemeth to signify by these words that the desert sterill place where he then remained barren of things necessary and much more of delightfull things was neuerthelesse profitable vnto him to fynd out God For the soule by how much more she is destitute of carnall delights or at least wise by how much more she remoueth her affection from terrene things and placeth herselfe in à certaine desert or abstraction of mynd by soe much the more easily she maie ascend to contemplate and relish heauenly things I saieth he remaining in à desert land and inaccessible and without water soe haue appeared to thee that is soe haue shewed presented my selfe before thee in ascensioÌ„ of mynd as in thy holie that is as if I were in thy sanctuary in Ierusalem where there are many motiues of pietie and the sollemne vse of Religion that I might sâ—e thy strength and thy glory thy power and Majesty S. Augustine doth expound this desert land to bee the world forsaken by true men and inhabited by beasts to wit by carnall or sensuall men which is saied to bee inaccessible because it is a difficult matter to passe through it and to fynd out the narrow way which leadeth vnto eternall life and to bee without water because although it hath some few puddles of putrified water to wit carnall wisdome yet it wanteth water from heauen to wit true wisdome vnlesse God of his singular grace doe vouchsafe to shew the way to those that wander in this desert and sprinkle his dewe from heauen vpon it In this desert land therefore saieth the Prophet I haue appeared to thee ô God as in thy holie For I haue not liued in this world after the manner of worldlings nor followed the steps of sinners but haue serued thee in hoâ—inesse and iustice that I might see clearely in the celestiall countrey thy vertue to wit thy omnipotency wherewith thou disposest all things in heauen and earth and thy glory to wit thy beatitude or thus that I might see thy vertue and thy glory to wit Christ our Lord. In both which waies by the vertue and glory of God is vnderstood God himselfe sublime and glorious soe that we ought to operate all things we doe to the end that we may attaine the diuine vision as being our finall reward for which reason our Sauiour saieth This is life euerlasting that they may know thee the onely true God and â— 17. whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Because thy mercy is better then liues my lippes shall praise thee The word because seemeth not to bee referred to that which goeth before but to that which followeth as thus My lippes shall praise thee because thy mercy to wit the presence of thy grace wherewith thou conseruest we in à spirituall being is better then liues that is to saie is better then all sorts of naturall liues for the gifts of grace doe farre excell those of nature and it is better not to bee not to liue à naturall life obnoxious to sinne then to bee without grace and charitie as our Sauiour affirmed of Iudas saying It Marâ— 14. were good for him if that man bad not been borne Moreouer the mercy of God giueth vs life and the same mercy conserueth it and if we shall loose our life for his loue he will restore it vnto vs in à farre more happy manner but if we fall from his mercy to conserue our life we shall deseruedly loose both our life and his mercy according to that of the Euangelist He that loueth his life shall loose it and Ioh. 12. he that hateth his life in this world doth keepe it to life euerlasting Soe I will blesse glorify and superexalt thee in my life to wit all the tyme I shall subsist and remayne in this life as the Prophet saieth in another Psalme I will blesse our Lord at all tymes his praise alwaies in my mouth Or thus In my life that is I will frame my life in such sort that my conuersation shall bee à certaine benediction of thy name for I will ordaine and direct all my actions and words to the honour praise and glory of thy holie name and in thy name I will lift vp my hands that is in the inuocation of thy name I will lift vp my hands in praier expecting aide and comfort in aduersities from rhee alone and giuing thankes to thee in my prosperities S. Augustine vpon these words giueth this admonition to wit that all those who lift vp their hands to God in praier ought alsoe to lift vp their hands to good workes if they desire to obtayne their requests The words immediatly following seeme to bee the praier which Dauid made when he soe lifted vp his hands to God As with marâ—ow and fatnesse let my soule bee filled and my mouth shall praise with lippes of exultation Let my soule o Lord bee replenished with spirituall marrow and fatnesse to wit with internall consolation ardent charitie and thy diuine grace which are not properly marrow and fatnesse for that is a certaine corporall thing but yet haue à certaine resemblance thereunto For as those who are adorned with marrow and solide fatnesse not with swollen and puffed vp fatnesse are healthfull strong faire well coloured and pleasant and contrariewise those that are very leane are aride weake sad and disfigured soe those that are replenished with spirituall grace as with wholsome fatnesse are deuout feruent and euer ioyfull and contrariewise such as want it are soone cloyed with spirituall things weake and ill disposed to doe good or to tolerate euill With this spirituall fatnesse therefore the Prophet desireth to bee filled then he doubteth not but he shall bee able to praise our Lord with such couradge sweetnes and alacritie that he shall bee inforced to discouer his mentall ioy and sweetnes by exteriour signes of exultation If I haue bein mindfull of thee in my bed in the night tyme in the morning I will meditate on thee and contemplate such things as will bee pleasing to thee because thou hast been my helper Let vs imitate this good example and place our selues in our bed as in our tombe for sleepe is à certaine resemblance of death and who knoweth when he layes him downe to rest whether he shall awake or noe vntill the sound of the trumpet doe summon him to the tribunall of God S. Augustine out of these words gatheretâ— this document to wit That they who desire to remember God to haue his loue feare before their eies whilest they are imployed or busied in
drop after drop with à certaine coherence in forme of little streames or most subtile water channels we cannot sufficiently admire the wisdome and goodnesse of God almighties prouidence For as holie Iob saieth If he hold in the waters all things Iob. 1â— shall be dried and if he sende them forth they shall ouerthrow the earth to witt if they should fall together with violence but God almighty of his woÌ„derfull goodnesse preuenteht this VVho bindeth the waters in Iob. 26. the clowds that they breake not forth together downewards Dew is à subtile and slender vapour compacted together in the superficies of the earth or vpon herbes by à teÌ„perate coldnesse both to nourish them and refresh the aire By Dew is signified the consolation and vnction of the holie Ghost and by à shower is signified doctrine and preaching according to that of the Prophet Isaie I will commaund the Isa 5. clowds that they raine noe shower vpon it speaking of the Synagogue of the Iewes All spirits of God blesse yee our Lord. The spirits here mentioned are taken for the winds which proceed from sundry parts of the earth and conduce very much to the budding forth of the fruits of the earth to the consolation and refreshing of mankind By them are signified the inspiration and refrigeration oâ— the holie Ghost Fire and heate blesse yee our Lord. If wâ— will seriously consider the subtility actiuity and greatnesse of the elementarie Fire it will aboundantly store vs with matter of it's Creators praise S. Thomas affirmeth that the properties of diuine things maie fitly bee exprest by Fire for God himselfe is tearmed by the Apostle à consnming Fire charitie alsoe yea the Luc. 12. holie Ghost is for diuers reasons called Fire By Fire is signified Charity and by Luc. 24. heate which is an effect of Fire the feruour of charity of which our Sauiour saied I came to cast fire on the earth and what will I but that it bee kindled and the two Disciples saied VVas not out heart burning in vs whilest he spake in the way Cold and summer blesse yee our Lord Cold is either taken for the aire or for the sharpe quality of the winter season By it is mystically vnderstood the extinguishing of vices and concupiscence and by summer the perfection of vertues in which the elect doe magnificently praise almighty God most humbly ascribing to his diuine goodnesse aswell their â—ecesse from euill as their accesse to good Dewes and hoarie frost blesse yee our Lord. The Dewes here spoken of are most frequeÌ„t in the spring tyme but hoarie frost is most vsually in Autumne By Dewe is designed prosperitie by hoarie frost aduersitie in both which pious Vertuous men doe equally giue thankes to God Frost and Cold blesse ye our Lord. Frost is caused by cold and the most vehement frost is occasioned by the North wind according to that of Ecclesiasticus The cold North wind blewe and of the water Eccles 43. Psal 147. there froze Christâ—all vpon the gatering waters it shall rest and as à brest plate it shall put it selfe vpon waters and that of the Psalmist He casteth his Christall as morsells before the face of his cold who shall endure By frost and cold is vnderstood the constriction or obduration of the mynd caused by substraction or suspension of diuine coÌ„ olations or sensible deuotion into which estate whosoeuer commeth by the diulne dispensation let him praise God in the best manner that he can and in noe sort neglect to prosecute those pious exercises he hath accustomed himselfe to performe nor condeseend to solace himselfe in exteriour vaine delights but busie himselfe in some profitable imployment as reading writing or hand labour and expect with patience the reinfusion of those subtracted gifts acknowledging his vnworthinesse resigning himselfe to beare that affliction euen during his whole life if soe it shall seeme good to the will of God and noe doubt these aridities and coldnesses will turne to his aduancement in the way of perfection and the comforts he will receiue afterwards from the diuine goodnesse wlll bee farre more reall and solide then he euer formerly experienced Yee and snow blesse yee our Lord. Some by yee doe suppose haile to bee vnderstood Snow is the dissolution of à cloud which by reason of excessiue cold cannot melt into drops but is congealed in its descent and falleth downe in forme of lockes of wooll The whitenesse thereof is caused by reason that the subtile and light spirits thereof in their congealing doe striue to exhale but are stroken suddainly by force of the cold and kept in by which meanes they are turned into à froth and seeme white and cleare In yee Psal 147. Psal 148. and snow we maie behold the immense wisdome of God who as the Psalmist affirmeth giueth snow as wooll and againe Haile snow yee spirit of stormes which doe his word By these two are signified the scourges of God wherewith we are chastized in which we ought to praise God saying with holie Iob I haue sinned Iob. 33. and indeed I haue offended and as I was worthy I haue not receiued Nights and daies blesse yee our Lord. There are two sorts of daies The one is called an artificiall daie which continueth during the space of tyme that the Sunne is seene in our Hemisphere the other à naturall daie which contayneth all that space of tyme which an artificiall daie doth the night following and is vsually diuided into 24. howers Night is caused by the shaddow of the earth and designeth tribulation and daie prosperitie By Night is alsoe designed the obscuritie of the old TestameÌ„t or darkenesse of vices and by daie the grace of truth in the New testament and illustration of the mynd according to that of the Apostle The night is passed and the daie is at hand Rom. 13. Let vs therefore cast of the workes of darkenesse and doe on the armour of light Light and darkenesse blesse yee our Lord. S. Paul defineth Light by its effect Light Ephes 5. saieth he is that which maketh all things manifest It is à celesâ—iall qualitie created the first daie by which is designed the increate brightnesse of God In à mysticall sense it is takeÌ„ for the illuminatioÌ„ of the vnderstanding or for the consolation exhilaration of the heart as darknesse which is à priuation of light is taken for ignorance or desolations and heauinesse of the heart Lightnings and clowds blesse yee our Lord. Lightning is à wonderfull hot and drie exhalation which after it is drawne aloft is inuironed on euery side and constrained into straight limits by the force of cold out of which it striuing to gett passage in that conflict fire flasheth forth the clowd bursting and thunder is heard Clowds are caused partly by the celestiall waters before mentioned and partly by moist vapours exhaled and drawne vp by the Sunne By them are spiritually
the old law was à figure of the holie Eucharist soe iâ— our euening sacrifice of praier a memoriall of the same Secondly it representeth our Blessed Sauiours buriall which must needs haue been before the sunne setting by reason that the Iewes Paschall Feast on which the were not permitted to burie the dead begane presently vpon sâ—â—ne setting The argument of the 109. Psalme and first in Vespres THe Psalme following hath this Title prefixed to witt A Psalme of Dauid for it belongeth to Dauid as the author thereof and to Christ as the person signified by Dauid In it the Prophet treateth literally of our Sauiour as maie be proued by our Sauiours words For when he demaunded of the Pharisees saying VVhat is your opinion of Christ VVhose sonne is he and they answering Dauids he added How then doth Dauid in Spirit call him Lord saying The Lord saied to my Lord sitt on my right hand c. The Apostle alsoe by this place doth shew that Christ is greater then the Angells and coequall with his eternall father saying To which of the Angels hath God almightie saied at any tyme Sitt at my right hand c. This Psalme therefore treateth of Christ according to both natures and of his magnificent Ascension of his coeternitie and consubstantiall identitie with the Father of his vniuersall dominion and eternall Priesthood and of the iudiciarie power which he shall exercise ouer all creatures in the last daie and the Prophet vnto whome God hath made manifest the vncertaine and hidden things of his wisdome saieth as followeth The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord saied to my Lord God the Father omnipotent Lord and father of all creatures saied intellectually to Christ Iesus my Sauiour who according to his diuinitie is my Lord and according to his humane nature assumed of my seed is my sonne Sitt on my right hand that is After the labours of thy aboâ—de vpon earth and the consummation of that worke for which I haue sent thee into the world come and seate thy selfe on my right hand as being God and man and reigne in my throne with coequall power and authoritie with me Till I make thyne enemies incredulous and vniust people especially the Iewes the footestoole of thy feete subiect to thy power and dominion in à seruitude soe absolute that they shall be as footestooles and stepping blocks to be disposed of for euer at thy pleasure Our Lord God the Father will send forth by his seruants the holie Apostles the rod of thy strength the doctrine of the Euangelicall law or the power of thy regall dignitie o Christ from Sion from the place soe called in Ierusalem For Sion was a mountaine in Ierusalem where on the Temple was built and the Conclaue likewise stood wherein Christ celebrated his last supper and appeared to his Disciples after his resurrection and where the Apostles and the rest which were congregated with them receiued the holie Ghost From this conclaue therefore and the Temple situated on mount Sion our Lord sent forth the saied rod of thy strength ô Christ into the whole vniuerse for when the Apostles had receiued the holie Ghost they presently issued out of the saied conclaue where they remained inclosed for feare of the Iewes like to à swarme of bees entred the Temple and begane to preach the Ghospell of Christ which from thence was deriued through out the whole world as our Sauiour did foreshew saying You shall be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem and Act. 1. in all Iewrie and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earth c. and alsoe was foretold by the Prophet Isaie saying The law Isa 2. shall come forth of Sion and the word of our Lord from Ierusalem At this sending forth of the rod of the streÌ„gth of Christ followed the conuersion of the world vnto him and therefore it is here added Rule thou ô Christ In the middest of thyne enemies in the heart or thickest of the infidels who during the time of their infidelitie are thyne enemies but being conuerted shall be constituted thy friends and thou rule in them by thy selfe and thy substitutes the Prelats and Pastors of the holie Church Of this dominion of Christ the Zach. 9. Prophet Zachary saieth His power from Sea euen to sea and from the riuers euen to the end of the earth There is noe want of power in thee to subdue thyne enemies and dilate thy dominion For VVith thee the beginning God the Father the fountaine of all being is one and the same beginning prime cause and author of all things iointly with thee Therefore to thee is attributed by nature absolute principalitie power and soueraignitie ouer them which although it appeared but in à very obscure manner to vs mortalls in the daie of thy infirmitie in the time of thy peregrination vpon earth vested with à seruile and humane forme yet In the daie of thy strength of thy victorious triumph when thou shalt be seene in the brightnes of the holie things vested with the raies of à holie Deitie the elect shining through participation of that beatificall light shall liuely and plainly see and acknowledge that thou art in the Father and the Father in thee From the wombe before the daie starre I begatte thee If these words be vnderstood as spoken by the Prophet of himselfe they import the generation of Christ as man and the sense seemeth to be as followeth I Dauid haue begotten thee yet not according to the ordinary course by coniugall embraces but from the sole wombe of the most pure Virgin and this before the daie starre arose for Christ was borne in the night This Dauid might well saie as venerable Bede affirmeth vpon this place for if Dauid saieth he begatte lesse lesse Marie and Maâ—â—e brought forth Christ Dauid alsoe begatte Christ But if these words be vnderstood as spoken by God the Father they import the eternall generation of Christ as God which is noe other then à begetting of light from light act from act God from God For in the Father Essence power and operation are one and the same and soe the Father by vnderstanding himselfe doth produce à word most like to himselfe distinct froÌ„ him in this one point that it proceedeth from him and as the Father by one veiw or reflecting vpon himselfe doth fully know himselfe and all things that haue already been created soe by one internall conception he begetteth eternally one word within himselfe wherein his whole nature and perfection is altogether most intirely contained and shineth and wherein all other things are comprehended and doe shine For this reason this Word is tearmed the Image of the Father and exemplar of euerie creature and proceedeth immediatly from the vnderstanding of the Father Christ therefore as God is begotten from eternitie like as if the sunne had been from eternitieâ— brightnesse had issued out of it from eternitie Whence it is Eccles 24. written I come forth from the mouth
of the highest the first begotten of all creatures Our Lord sware God the Father firmely promised and sealed it with an oath and it shall not repent him he shall not retract what he hath soe auerred for he hath well weighed all circumstances before he soe sware to witt that thou ô Christ as man art à Priest according to the order of Melchisedech The office of a Priest is to be à Mediator and aduocate betweene God and his people to offer their praiers vnto him to pacifie him and blesse them All which are found in Christ and therefore he is à Priest Of him it is written If any man shall sinne we 1. Ioh. 2. haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and againe VVhen we were enemies Rom. 5. Ephes 2. we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne who by the Crosse killed the eâ—mities in himselfe Moreouer he is à Priest for euer according to that of the Apostle Christ for that he continueth for euer hath an Heb. 7. euerlasting priesthood whereby he is able to saâ—e alsoe for euer going by himselfe to God alwaies liuing to make intercession for vs. Finally he is à Priest according to the order of Melchisedech First because as Melchisedech offered to almightie God bread and wine soe he did offer or giue to his disciples his body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine by conuerting the bread into his bodie and the wine into his bloud Secondly because as Melchisedech is affirmed to be with out Father Mother and genealogie not that he had none of these but because the holie Scriptures for some hidden reason doe passe them ouer in silence soe Christ is borne out of the naturall course of humane generation in heauen without à Mother and vpon earth without à Father and VVho shall declare his generation Isa 53. Hebr. 6. Whence the Apostle to Hebrewes saieth Iesus the precursor for vs is entred made à high Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech Our Lord on thy right hand Christ our Lord sitting on thy right hand ô God the Father Hath broken kings in the daie of his wrath such as haue opposed his holie Doctrine and persecuted him in his members These he hath broken by depriuing some of the life of grace others of their corporall life alsoe and condemning many to hell fire He shall iudge in nations he shall iudge nations themselues in his first comming with the iudgement of discretion mercifully assisting some and iustly relinquishing others and in his Second comming with the iudgement of remuneration rendring to euerie one according to his workes as the Euangelist witnesseth saying The houre cometh wherein all that Ioh. 5. are in the graues shall heare his voice and they that haue done good things shall come forth into the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill into the resurrection of iudgement He shall fill ruines supplie humane defects in his first comming by infusion of grace into emptie hearts and enriching voide minds with spirituall benedictions and in his Second comming he shall fill ruines to witt of the Angels with them that are saued repairing the celestiall mansions made vacant by the fall of the rebellious spirits He shall crush the heads he shall humble the hearts in the land of many in many places and habitations of men For in euery land he hath humbled some hautie spirits and at the last iudgement he shall by the sentence of eternall death crush the heads in the land of many captaines and potent men reigning with much ambition in many lands according to that of the Prophet The Lord of hostes hath Isa 23. thought it that he might plucke downe the pride of all glorie and bring all the glorious of the earth to ignominie Of the torrent in the waie â—e shall drinke Christ in this world shall suffer paine tribulation and most bitter death of which torrent he spake to S. Iohn Iames saying Can you drinke of the cuppe that I shall drinke of Therefore he shall exalt the head he shall glorifie and erect himselfe by rising in à glorified bodie and ascending to the Father that he maie sitt with him as iudge and Lord of all for Christ as God raised exalted and glorified himselfe as man according to that I haue power to yeeld my life and I haue power Ioh. 10. to take it againe Behold here à Psalme short in words but infinite in sense In it the twofold nature and simple personalitie of Christ is shewed Moreouer in it the session of Christ on the right haÌ„d of his Father the deiection of his enemies the promulgation of the Christian faith and the coetermitie and consubstantialitie of the Father and the Sonne is described and finally in it is declared the Priesthood and iudiciarie power of Christ We ought therefore to sing this Psalme with much reuerence singular deuotion and profound contemplation in regard of the dignitie sweetnesse and sublimitie of the sense thereof The Title and Argument of the 112 Psalme and Second in Vespres THe title is Alleluia which fitly agreeth with the Psalme it being wholly composed in the praise of almightie God cheefly for that he being of such excellencie as therein is declared doth not despise poore abiect and simple soules but contrary to the proceeding of worldlie Potentates doth elect them for his peculiar friends aduance them to great honours and showre his singular benefits vpon them The explication of the Psalme PRaise our Lord yee children pure and innocent people of what age soeuer The Apostle doth exhort vs to become such children saying Bretheren be not made 1. Cor. 14 children in sense but in malice be children and in sense perfect and our Sauiour saieth Math. 18. vnlesse ye be conuerted and become as litle children you shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Praise the name of our Lord to witt his infinite power and gâ—orie or himselfe who is signified by his name Be the name of our Lord blessed from henceforth now for euer from this instant with out delay and for eternitie let his name be celebrated From the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe From morning vntill euening or from the East to the West the name of our Lord is laudable is à subiect worthie of all praise Our Lord is high aboue all nations of greater dignitie and excellencie then all the generations of men according to that of the Prophet Isaie All nations as if Isa 40. they were not soe are they before him and they are reputed of him as nothing and à vaine thing c. And his glorie aboue the heauens aboue the celestiall cittizens VVho is as our Lord who maie be found of soe great Maiestie and sublime nature that he maie be paralelled with the Lord our God VVho dwelleth on high and beholdeth the low things in heauen and vpon earth the blessed Spirits who by the
the ministerie of his holie Angels the diuine law the holie Scriptures celestiall reuelations to vs mortalls His word runneth swâ—fily The Euangelicall law and doctrine of Christ was diâ—â—lged in all places through the whole earth in à short tyme by the preaching of the Apostles and Disciples for Into all Psal 18. the earth hath the sound of them gone forth into the endâ— of the whole world the words of them Christ indeed-sent forth his speech to the earth when he saied to his Apostles Going into the whole world preach the Marc. 16. Ghospell to all creatures but his word ranne swiftly when they did putt in execution and accomplished what he had foretold them to witt That they should bee witnesses Act. 1. vnto him in Ierusalem and in all Iewâ—ie and Sâ—marâ—â— and euen to the vtmost of the earth VVho giueth sâ—ow as wâ—oll He it is alsoe who by his diuine power disperseth the waters that are eleuated into the middle region and there congealed and makes them gently fall not vnlike to litle lockes of whitest wooll couering the cultiuated feilds as it were with a woollen mantle which defends the tender blades from the sharpe rigours of the hoarie frost Scattereth mist hoarie times made small as ashes These mists cause fertilitie to plants that are purified by the nipping cold of those grizely bearded rimes which repell all vitious sappe from trees and render them noe lesse aboundant in fruits then well nourished in bodie and branches VVho casteth his Christall as morsells Christall is generally esteemed to bee certaine peeces of vce here and there dispersed in great gobbits which by long condensation and freezing is become soe hard and solide that it cannot by any meanes bee dissolued and yet retaineth the clearenesse and luster of the element whereof it is produced Before the face of his cold of the excessiâ—e coldnesse which he can send at his pleasure in such extremitie that it will bee of power to conâ—ert water into Christall who shall endâ—re As if he should saie noe man is able to subâ—ist at the presence thereof for indeed there are some countreys which noe man can inhabite by reason of the excessiue coâ—dnesse He shall send forth his word and shall melt them his spirit shall blow and waters shall flow Almightie God is soe powerfull that with the least word he shall vouchsafe to let fall from his sacred mouth he can dissolue all the saied snowes frozen mists and congelations and with one blast of a Southerne wind cause the waters to runne as before These diuers effects of one the same cause doe signifie vnto vs the great efficacie of his diuine word whereby he augments the number of faithfull Christians made pure and white as snow by faith the Sacraments reducing them to Pennance signified by ashes thereby resoluing all the mists hoarie rimes which are the little obstacles that did congeale our soules to the end to render them more fertile in good workes when the Sunne of Iustice doth giue them light and life â—yea dissoluing Chrystall that is mollifying those rebellious obstinate and hard frozen hearts which retaine in apparence the splendor of christall shew an exteriour resemblance of worth and value and cannot bee dissolued by any exhortation whatsoeuer For when he pleaseth to sende his sacred word holie spirit manifested either by internall inspiration or by visible miracles and to breathe vpon their cold frozen couradges then behold them in an instant conuerted into teares and altogether inflamed with his loue and recurring to the riuers of Baptisme Some expound the former words VVho giueth snow as wool of the consolation which the Saincts receiue in tribulation according to that of the Apostle I am replenished with consolation I doe exceedingly 2. Cor. 7. abound in ioy in all our tribulateon For snow doth afflict with its coldnesse but wool doth cherish with its warmth God therefore doth giue snow as wooll because he giueth snow as if he gaue wooll for he giueth tribulation which is conuerted into the consolation of his Saints Moreouer they referre these words Scattereth mist as ashes to pennance which is designed by ashes for God scattereth the cloud or hoarie mist of tribulation whereby many are excited to pennance and soe God giueth mist as ashes because he giueth mist as though he gaue ashes in regard that tribulation leadeth to pennance Finally they expound these words He casteth his cristall aâ— morsellâ— of the greatest consolation which God almightie graunteth in tribulation for then he casteth his christall as morsells when he giueth yee as though he gaue bread because euen in the yee it selfe of tribulation he infuseth the bread of consolation VVho declareth his word to Iacob his iustices and iudgements to Israel He hath not done in like manner to any natioÌ„ and his iudgements he hath not made manifest to them The Prophet concludeth shewing what difference there is betweene the Prouidence of God towards his people and other nations For he hath taught other nations by naturall effects that they might come to acknowledge their creator by the consideration of created things but he hath taught his people by his Prophets O Ierusalem therefore praise our Lord who declareth his word to Iacob to witt to his people seeing him by faith speaking vnto them by Moyses and the Prophets and who declareth His iustices and Iudgements to Israel by his seruant Moyses vnto whome he gaue the law to deliuer it to his people of Israel Hence thou maist gather that he hath not done in like manner to any nationâ— because to thee alone and not to others he hath manifested his saied iudgements By his word his iustices and iudgements maiâ— alsoe hee vnderstood aduertisements necessarie to saluation bee it by word â—â— forme their manners bee it by statutes or ordinances for what concernes his seruice and the due worship in his true religion or finally bee it by iudgements foâ— that which appertaines to the distribution of iustice and right which must bee rendred to our neighbour all which God almightie hath in a peculiar manner deliuered to his elected people Behold à Psalme altogether repleaâ— with spirituall sweetnesse erecting our minds to the contemplation of heauenly things In it the Militant Church or euery one of the faithfull doth inuite the triumphant Church to praise the author of their be atitude not that the blessed need our admonition but that we congratulating them and 〈…〉 lating their felicitie maie bee incited thereby â—o labour to attaine their vnion Whilest therefore we repeate the first verse thereof let vs eleâ—ate our hearts to the ioyes of that superâ—â—all palace perlustrate that sacred Cittie with the eies of faith and sigh after the blisse thereof for whose loue we ought to flight all sensible and carnall things Let vs attend after our poore manner what ioyes the glorified soules doe securely possesse whose Cittie is fortified on all sides that noe