God So did Christ found her in his Patriarchs 〈◊〉 â—…hets before he tooke flesh in her from the Virgin Mary Seing therefore 〈◊〉 Prophet so long agoc said that of this Citty which now we behold come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In steed of fathers thou shal haue children to make them Princes ouer all the 〈◊〉 so hath shee when whole nations and their rulers come freely to conâ—… 〈◊〉 proffesse Christ his truth for euer and euer then without all doubt there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ope herein how euer vnderstood but hath direct reference vnto these 〈◊〉 stations L. VIVES 〈◊〉 a generation So read the 70. whom Augustine euer followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this reduplication is very emphaticall in the Hebrew b To those that hee neuer Christ while hee was on the earth neuer came nor preached in any nation but Israell Nor matterâ—… 〈◊〉 thaâ—… some few Gentiles came vnto him wee speake here of whole nations c Men shall call it The seauenty read it thus indeed but erroneously as Hierome noteth In Psalm 89. for they had written it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is Sion which reading some conceyuing not reiected and added 〈◊〉 reading it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an other Siâ—…n and that the rather because it followeth hee was made man therein But the vulgar followeth the Hebrew and reads it with an interrogation Of the references of the 110. Psalme vnto Christs Priest-hood and the 22. vnto his passion CHAP. 17. FOr in that psalme that as this calleth Christ a King enstileth him a priest beginning The Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole we beleeue that Christ sitteth at Gods right hand but we see it not nor that his enemies are all vnder his feete which a must appeare in the end and is now beleeued as it shall hereafter bee beheld but then the rest the Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion be thou ruler amidst thine enemies This is so plaine that nought but impudence it selfe can contradict it The enemies themselues confesse that the law of Christ came out of Sion that which we call the Ghospell and auouch to be the rod of his power And that he ruleth in the midst of his enemies themselues his slaues with grudging and fruitlesse gnashing of teeth doe really acknowledge Furthermore the Lord sware and will not repent which proues the sequence eternally established thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech The reason is Aarons priest-hood and sacrifice is abolished and now in all the world vnder Christ the priest wee offer that which Melchisedech brought forth when hee blessed Abraham who doubteth now of whom this is spoken and vnto this manifestation are the other Tropes of the psalme referred as wee haue declared them peculiarly in our Sermons and in that psalme also wherein CHRIST prophecieth of his passion by Dauids mouth saying they perced my hands and my feete they counted all my bones and stood gazing vpon me These words are a plaine description of his posture on the crosse his nayling of his hands and feete his whole body stretched at length and made a rufull gazing stock to the beholders Nay more they parted my garments among them they cast lots vpon my vesture How this was fulfilled let the Ghospell tell you And so in this there are diuers obscurities which not withstanding are all congruent with the maine and scope of the psalme manifested in the passion chiefly seeing that those things which the psalme presaged so long before are but now effected as it fore-told and euen now are opened vnto the eyes of the whole world For it saith a little after All the ends of the world shall remember themselues and turne vnto the Lord all the kindreds of the earth shall worship before him for the kingdome is the Lords and he ruleth among the nations L. VIVES VVHich a â—…st apeare In the end but now is onely beleeued Saint Paul writeth much of it vnto the Corynthians and Hebrewes Christs death and resurrection prophecied in psalme 3. 40. 15. 67. CHAP. 18. NEither were the psalmes silent of his resurrectioÌ„ for what is that of the third psalme I laid me downe and slept and rose againe for the Lord susteined me wil any one say that the prophet would record it for such a great thing to sleepe and to rise but that he meaneth by sleepe death and by rising againe the resurrection things that were fit to bee prophecied of Christ this in the 41. psalme is most plaine for Dauid in the person of the mediator discoursing as hee vseth of things to come as if they were already past because they are already past in Gods predestination a and praescience saith thus Mine enemies speake euill of me saying when shall he die and his name perish and if he come to see he speaketh lies and his heart he apeth vp iniquity within him and hee goeth forth and telleth it mine eneâ—… whisper together against me and imagine how to hurt me They haue spoken an vniust thing vpon me shall not he that sleepeth arise againe this is euen as much as if he had said shall not he that is dead reuiue againe the precedence doth shew how they conspired his death and how he that came in to see him went for to bewray him to them And why is not this that traitor Iudas his disciple Now because hee 〈◊〉 they would effect their wicked purpose to kill him hee to shew the fondnesse of their malice in murdering him that should rise againe saith these words â—…ll not he that sleepeth arise againe as if hee said you fooles your wickednesse procureth but my sleepe But least they should do such a villany vnpunished hee meant to repay them at full saying My friend and familiar whom I trusted and who eate of my â—…ead euen he hath b kicked at me But thou Lord haue mercy vpon me raise me vp 〈◊〉 shall requite them Who is hee now that beholdeth the Iewes beaten out of 〈◊〉 â—…nd and made vagabonds all the world ouer since the passion of Christ 〈◊〉 â—…ceiueth not the scope of this prophecy for he rose againe after they had 〈◊〉 and repayed them with temporall plagues besides those that hee reâ—… for the rest vntill the great iudgement for Christ himselfe shewing his 〈◊〉 to the Apostles by reaching him a peece of bread remembred this verse 〈◊〉 â—…alm shewed it fulfilled in himself he that did eate of my bread eueÌ„ he hath 〈◊〉 â—…e the words in whom I trusted agree not with the head but with the â—…ts properly for our Sauiour knew him well before hand when he sayd c 〈◊〉 is a diuell but Christ vsed to transferre the proprieties of his members 〈◊〉 â—…mselfe as being their head body and head being all one Christ. And therâ—… 〈◊〉 of the Ghospell I was hungry and you gaue me to eate hee expoundeth afâ—… thus
absolute security from all incursions of hostility The place therefore 〈◊〉 this promised peace is to haue residence is eternall it is that heauenly â—…alem that free-woman where the true Israel shall haue their blessed aâ—… the name importeth Hierusalem a that is Beholding God the desire 〈◊〉 reward must beare vs out in Godlynesse through all this sorrowfull â—…ge L. VIVES HIerusalem a that is Hierome saith it was first called Iebus then Salem thirdly Hierusalem and 〈◊〉 Aelia Salem is peace as the Apostle saith vnto the Hebrewes Hierusalem the vision of peace This was that Salem wherein Melchisedech raigned Ioseph and Hegesip It was called Aelia of Aelius Adrian the emperor that repayred it after the destruction by Titus in emulation of his auncestors glory The Gentiles called it both Solymae Solymi and Hierusalem Some draw that Solymi from the Pisidians in Lycia called of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some from the Solymi a people of Pontus in Asia who perished as Eratosthenes writeth with the Peleges and Bebricians Eupolemus as Eusebius saith deriued the name Solymi from Salomon quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salomons temple and some thinke Homer called it so but Iosephus lib. 7. saith it was called Solyma in Abrahams time And when Dauid had built a tower in it the Iebuzites hauing taken it before and fortified it it was named Hierosolyma for the Hebrewes call a fortification Hieron but it was rather called Iebus after it was called Salem then before for it is held that Melchisedech built it and he called it Salem And the Canaanites whose King he was dwelt therein and he was otherwise called the iust King saith Hegesippus for so was he named after his father yet Hierome De loc Hebraic ad Damas. saith that Salem was not Hierusalem but another Citty in the country of Sychem a part of Chanaan where the ruines of Melchisedechs palace are yet to be seene as the memories of a most ancient and magnificent structure I omit to relate whence Strabo deriueth the originall of Hierusalem out of Moyses for Strabo was neuer in Chanaan I omit those also that say that Hierusalem was Luz and Bethel Bethel being a village long after it as I said before Of Dauids endeuours in composing of the Psalmes CHAP. 14. GOds citty hauing this progresse Dauid raigned first in the tipe therof the terrestrial Hierusalem now Dauid had great skil in songs and loued musike not out of his priuat pleasure but in his zealous faith whereby in the seruice of his and the true God in diuersity of harmonious and proportionat sounds hee mistically describeth the concord and vnity of the celestiall Citty of God composed of diuers particulars Al his prophecies almost are in his Psalmes A hundred and fifty whereof that which wee call the booke of Psalmes or the Psalter contayneth Of which b some will haue them onely to be Dauids that beare his name ouer their title Some thinke that onely they that are intitled each peculiarly a Psalme of Dauid arâ—… his the rest that are intitled to Dauid were made by others and fitted vnto his person But this our Sauiour confuteth his owne selfe saying that Dauid called Christ in the spirit his Lord cyting the hundreth and tenth Psalme that beginneth thus The Lord sayd vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole Now this Psalme is not entituled of Dauid but to Dauid as many more are But I like their opinion best that say hee made all the 150. entitling them sometimes with other names and those pertinent vnto some prefiguration or other and leauing some others vntituled at all as God pleased to inspire these darke misteries and hidden varieties all vsefull how-so-euer into his minde Nor is it any thing against this that wee read the Psalmes of some great Prophets that lined after him vpon some of his Psalmes as if they were made by them for the spirit of prophecy might aswel foretel him their names as other maters that â—…tained to their persons as the Reigne of King Iosias was reuealed vnto a Prophet who fore-told of his doings and his very name about three hundred of yeares before it came to passe L. VIVES DIuersity of a Harmonious and. The seuerall â—…nstruments vsed in this harmony are rehersed 1. Chron. 15. Augustine in Proaem Quinquag saith of the instrument called the 〈◊〉 that it is fit â—…or celestiall harmony and to be vsed in matters diuine because the 〈◊〉 of it in the tuning do all ascend vpwards b Some will Iames Perez my countryman who wrote the last not so eloquent as learned large commentaries vpon the Psalmes In the beginning of them disputeth a while about the authors of the Psalmes and affirmeth that the Iewes neuer made question of it before Origens time but all both wrot and beleeued 〈◊〉 Dauid wrot them all But when Origen began with rare learning and delicate wit to draw all the propheticall sayings of the Old-testament vnto Christ already borne hee made the Iewes runne into opinions farre contrarying the positions of their old maisters and fall to depâ—…ing of the scriptures in all they could yet were there some Hebrewes afterwards that held as the ancents did that Dauid was the onely author of all the Psalmes Some againe held that he made but nine and that other Prophets wrot the rest viz. some of the sonnes of Corah Ethan Asaph or Idythim Those that haue no titles they do not know whose they are onely they are the workes of holy men they say Marry Rabby Salomon that impudent Rabbine maketh tenne authors of the Psalmes Melchisedech Abraham Moyses the sonnes of Chora Dauid Salomon Asaph Ieduthim and Ethan but Origen Ambrose Hillary Augustine and Casâ—… make Dauid the author of them all vnto whome Iames Perez agreeth confirming it for the trueth by many arguments read them in him-selfe for the bookes are common I 〈◊〉 Hieromes words to Sophronius and Cyprians concerning this poynt let this suffice at this 〈◊〉 c To Dauid So is the Greeke indeed but I haue heard diuers good Hebraicians sâ—…y that the Hebrewes vse the datiue case for the genitiue d As the raigne 1. Kings 11. Whether all things concerning Christ and his Church in the Psalmes be to be rehearsed in this worke CHAP. 15. I see my reader expecteth now that I should deliuer all the prophecies concerâ—… Christ and his Church contayned in the Psalmes But the abundance 〈◊〉 rather then the want hindreth me from explaning all the rest as I haue 〈◊〉 and as the cause seemes to require I should be too tedious in reciting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feare to choose any part least some should thinke I had omitted any that 〈◊〉 more necessary Againe another reason is because the testimony wee 〈◊〉 is to be confirmed by the whole body of the Psalter so that though all 〈◊〉 affirme it yet nothing may contrary it least wee should otherwise seeme â—…ch out verses for our purpose
the meanes alone to him who concealeth the plainest workes of nature from our apprehensions Esaias his doctrine concerning the iudgement and the resurrection CHAP. 21. THe dead saith the prophet Esaias shall arise againe and they shall arise againe that were in the graues and all they shal be glad that are in the earth for the Dew that is from thee is health to them and the Land or earth of the wicked shall fall All this belongs to the resurrection And whereas he saith the land of the wicked shall fall that is to bee vnderstood by their bodies which shal be ruined by damnation But now if wee looke well into the resurrection of the Saints these wordes The dead shall arise againe belong to the first resurrection and these they shall arise againe that were in the graues vnto the second And as for those holie ones whom CHRIST shall meete in their flesh this is fittely pertinent vnto them All they shal be glad that are in the earth for the dewe that is from thee is health vnto them By health in this place is meant immortality for that is the best health and needes no daiely refection to preserue it The same prophet also speaketh of the iudgement both to the comfort of the Godly and the terror of the wicked Thus saith the Lord Behold I will incline vnto them as a floud of peace and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing streame Then shal yee suck yee shal be borne vpon her shoulders and be ioyfull vpon her knees As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and yee shal be comforted in Ierusalem And when yee see this your hearts shall reioyce and your bones shal flourish as an herbe and the hand of the Lord shal be knowne vnto his seruants and his indignation against his enemies For be hold the Lord will come with fire and his chariots like a whirle-winde that hee may recompence his anger with wrath and his indignation with a flame of fire for the LORD will iudge with fyre and with his sword all flesh and the slaine of the LORD shal be many Thus you heare as touching his promises to the good hee inclineth to them like a floud of peace that is in all peacefull abundance and such shall our soules bee watred withall at the worldes end but of this in the last booke before This hee extendeth vnto them to whom hee promiseth such blisse that wee may conceiue that this floud of beatitude doth sufficently bedewe all the whole region of Heauen where we are to dwell But because he bestoweth the peace of incorruption vpon corruptible bodies therefore hee saith he will incline as if hee came downe-wards from aboue to make man-kinde equall with the Angells By Ierusalem wee vnderstand not her that serueth with her children but our free mother as the Apostle saith which is eternall and aboue where after the shockes of all our sorrowes bee passed wee shall bee conforted and rest like infants in her glorious armes and on her knees Then shall our rude ignorance bee inuested in that vn-accustomed blessednesse then-shall wee see this and our heart shall reioyce what shall wee see it is not set downe But what is it but GOD that so the Gospell might bee fulfilled Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see GOD. And all that blisse which wee now beleeue but like fraile-men in farre lesse measure then it is wee shall then behold and see Here wee hope there wee shall enioye But least wee should imagine that those causes of ioye concerned onelie the spirit hee addeth And your bones shall flourish as an herbe Here is a plaine touch at the resurrection relating as it were what hee had omitted These things shall not bee done euen then when wee doe see them but when they are already come to passe then shall wee see them For hee had spoken before of the new heauen and earth in his relations of the promises that were in the end to bee performed to the Saints saying I will create new Heauens and a new Earth and the former shall not hee remembered nor come into minde but bee you glad and reioyce therein for behold I will create Ierusalem as a reioycing and her people as a ioye and I will reioyce in Ierusalem and ioye in my people and the voice of weeping shal be heard no more in her nor the voice of crying c. This now some applie to the proofe of Chiliasme because that the Prophets manner is to mingle tropes with truthes to excercise the Reader in a fitte inquest of their spirituall meanings but carnall sloath contents it selfe with the litterall sence onely and neuer seekes further Thus farre of the Prophets wordes before that hee wrote what wee haue in hand now for-ward againe And your bones shall flourish like 〈◊〉 herbe that hee meaneth onelie the resurrection of the Saintes in this his addition prooues And the hand of the LORD shal bee knowne amongst his seruantes What is this but his hand distinguishing his seruants from such as scorne him of those it followeth And his indignation against his enemies or as another interprets it a against the vnfaithfull This is no threatning but the effect of all his threatnings For behold saith hee the LORD will come with fire and his chariots like a whirle-winde that hee may recompence his anger with wrath and his indignation with a flame of fire For the LORD will iudge with fire and with his sword all flesh and the slaine of the LORD shal bee many whither they perish by fire or sword or whirle-winde all denounce but the paine of the Iudgement for hee saith that GOD shall come as a whirle-winde that is vnto such as his comming shal be penall vnto Againe his chariots beeing spoke in the plurall imploy his ministring Angells But whereas hee saith that all flesh shal bee iudged by this fyre and sword wee doe except the Saints and imply it onelie to those which minde earthlie things and such minding is deadlie and such as those of whome GOD saith My spirit shall not alwaie striue with man because hee is but flesh But these words The slaine or wounded of the LORD shal bee many this implieth the second death The fire the sword and the stroke may all bee vnderstood in a good sence for GOD hath sayd hee would send fyre into the world And the Holie Ghost descended in the shape of fiery tongues Againe I came not saith CHRIST to send peace but the sworde And the scripture calls GODS Word a two edged sworde because of the two Testaments Besides the church in the Canticles saith that shee is wounded with loue euen as shotte with the force of loue So that this is plaine and so is this that wee read that the LORD shall come as a Reuenger c. So then the Prophet proceedes with the destruction of the wicked vnder the types of such as in the olde law forbare
it hath been done or no but de Iure whether it were to be done or no. For souÌ„d reason is before example al authorities to the contrary as wherevnto all examples do consent being such as by their excellence in goodnesse are worthily imitable neither Patriarch Prophet nor Apostle euer did this yet our Lord Iesus Christ when hee admonished his disciples in persecution to flie from city to city might haue willed them in such cases to make a present dispatch of themselues and so to avoide their persecutors hadd hee held it fitte But if hee neuer gaue any such admonition or command that any to whome hee promised a mansion of eternity at their deaths should passe vnto their deaths on this fashion lette then the heathen that know not God produce al they can it is plainly vnlawful for any one than serueth the onely true God to follow this course But indeed besides Luâ—…ia of whome I think we haue sufficiently argued before it is hard for them to find one other example worth prescribing as a fitte authority for others to follow besides that a Cato only that killed him-selfe at Vtica b not that hee alone was his owne deaths-man but because he was accounted as a c learned and d honest man which may beget a beleefe that to do as hee didde were to doe well VVhat should I say of his fact more then his friendes and e some of them learned men haue said who shewed far more iudgement in disswading the deed and censuring it as the effect of a spirit rather deiected then magnanimous And of this f did Cato him-selfe leaue a testimony in his owne famous Sonne For if it were base to liue vnder Caesars victory why did he aduise his son to this willing him to entertaine a full hope of Caesars clemency Yea why did he not vrge him to go willingly to his end with him If it were laudable in Torquatus g to kill his sonne that hadde fought and foyled his enemy though herein he had broken the Dictators commaund why didde conquered Cato spare his ouerthrowne sonne that spared not him-selfe VVas it more vile to bee a conquerour agaynst lawe then to indure a conquerour against honour What shall wee saie then but that euen in the same measure that hee loued his sonne whome hee both hoped and wished that Caesar woulde spare in the same didde hee enuy Caesars glory which hee h should haue gotten in sparing of him also or else to mollifie this matter som-what he was ashamed to receiue such courtesie at Caesars hands L. VIVES THat a Cato The Catoe's were of the Portian family arising from Tusculum a towne of the Latines The first of this stocke that was called Cato that is wise and wary was Marcus Portius a man of meane discent but attaining to all the honours of Consull Censor and of Triumph His nephewes sonne was Marcus Portius Cato both of them were great and yet innocent men The first was called Maior or the Elder the later Minor or the younger The younger beeing a Leader in the ciuill wars of Pompey tooke his that was the common weales and the liberties part against the vsurparion of Caius Caesar Now Pompey beeing ouercome by Caesar at Pharsalia and Scipio Metellus Pompey his father in law in Affrica this Cato seeing his faction subuerted and Caesar beare al down before him being retyred vnto Vtica a Citty in Affrike and reading Platoe's Phaedâ—… twise ouer together the same night thrust him-selfe through with his sword b Not because he alone No for many in other warres had slaine them-selues least they should fall into the hand of the enemie and in this same warre so did Scipio Metellus Afranius King Iuba c Learned A stoyke and excellently skill'd in the wisdom of the Greeks d Honest the wisdom and innocencie that was in both these Catoes grew into a prouerb and hereof saith Iâ—…all Tâ—…rtius 〈◊〉 Caelo cecidit Cato Now Heauen hath giuen vs a third Catâ—… Velleius Paterculus writing vnto Uinicius thus describeth this Cato Hee was descended from Marcus Cato that head of the Porcian family who was his great grandfather hee was a man like vertues selfe and rather of diuine then humane capacity hee neuer did good that he cared should be noted but because hee could not doe any thing but good as holding that onely reasonable which was iust free was hee from all the corruptions of man and euermore swayed his owne fortune to his owne liking Thus farre Uelleius to omit the great testimonies of Seneca Lucane Tully Saluste and others of this worthy man e some of them learned It is recorded that Apollonides the Stoike Demetrius the Peripatetike and Cleanthes the Phisicion were then at Utica with Cato For he loued much the company of the Greeke Philosophers and his great grand-father neuer hated them so much as he respected them And vpon the night that he slew himselfe on saith Plutarch at supper there arose a disputation about such things as really concerne the liberty of a man wherein Demetrius spoke many things against Cato's constant assertions of the praise of such as killed themselues which indeed was so vehement that it begot a suspicion in them all that hee would follow the same course himselfe f This did Cato himselfe Plutarch writeth that when Cato came to Vtica he sent away his followers by shipping and earnestly preswaded his sonne to goe with them but could not force him to forsake his father This sonne of his Caesar afterwardes pardoned as Liuy saith lib. 114. and Caesar himselfe in his Commentaries of the African warre Hee was as Plutarch saith in his fathers life much giuen to venerie but in the battaile of Phillipi fighting valiantly on his cozen Brutus his side for his countries freedome hee was slaine scorning to leaue the fight when the chiefest captaines fled g to kill his sonne Titus Manlius Torquatus made his sonnes head bee cut off for fighting contrary to the edict though he returned with victory But of this else-where h should haue gotten by sparing of him Commonly knowne is that saying of Caesar to him that brought newes of Cato's death Cato I enuy thy glory for thou enuiedst mine and would not haue it reckoned amongst mine other famous actes that I saued Cato Caesar wrote two bookes called Anticatones against Cato as Cicero and Suetonius testifie The Cardinall of Liege told mee that he saw them both in a certaine old librarie at Liege and that hee would see they should bee sent me which if he do I will not defraud the learned of their vse and publication That the Christians excell Regulus in that vertue wherein he excelled most CHAP. 23. BVt those whom we oppose will not haue their Cato excelled by our Iob that holy man who choose rather to endure all them horrible torments a in his flesh then by aduenturing vpon death to auoide all those vexations and other Saints of high credit and
company from mens and his light that made the Sunne Moone from the light of the Sunne and Moone then haue the cittizens of this heauenly region done iust nothing in doing any thing for attaining this celestiall dwelling seeing that the other haue taken such paines in that habitation of earth which they had already attained especially the remission of sinnes calling vs as cittizens to that eternall dwelling and hauing a kinde of resemblance with Romulus his sanctuary by which hee gathered a multitude of people into his cittie through hope of impunity L. VIVES THis had beene a The olde bookes reade Hoc si fieret sine Marte c. if this could haue beene done without Mars making it runne in one sentence vnto the interogation b Euery man The Latines were made free denizens of olde and from them it spred further into Italie ouer Po ouer the Alpes and the sea Claudius Caesar made many Barbarians free of Rome affirming that it was the ruine of Athens and Lacedaemon that they made not such as they conquered free of their Citties Afterwardes vnder Emperours that were Spaniardes Africans and Thracians whole Pâ—…ouinces at first and afterwardes the whole Empire was made free of Rome And whereas before all were called Barbarians but the Greekes now the Romaines beeing Lords exempted themselues and afterward the Latines and all the Italians from that name but after that all the Prouinces beeing made free of the Cittie onely they were called Barbarians which were not vnder the Empire of Rome And thus doth Herodian Spartianus Eutropius and later Historiographers vse it So the riuer Rhine had two bankes the neither of them was Romaine the further Barbarian Claudianus O 〈◊〉 doluit Rhâ—…nus quá Barbarus ibat Quod â—…e non geminis frueretur iudice ripis O how Rhine wept on the Barbarian shore I haâ—… both his bankes were not within thy powre c And are there not Many nations beeing made free of the Citty many of the chiefe men of those nations were made Senators though they neuer saw Rome no more then a many that were Cittizens How farre the Christians should bee from boasting of their deedes for their eternall country the Romaines hauing done so much for their temporall Citty and for humaine glory CHAP. 18. WHy is it then so much to despise all this worlds vanities for eternitie when as Brutus could kill his sonnes beeing not enforced to it for feare his country should loose the bare liberty Truely it is a more difficult matter to kill ones children then to let goe those things which wee doe but gather for our children or to giue them to the poore when faith or righteousnesse bids vs. Earthly ritches can neither blesse vs nor our children with happinesse we must either loose them in this life or leaâ—…e them to be enioyed after our death by one we cannot tell whom perhaps by those wee would not should haue them No it is GOD the mindes true wealth that makes vs happy The Poet reares Brutus a monument of vnhappinesse for killing his sons though otherwise he praise him Natosque pater fera bella mouentes Ad paenam patriá pro libertate vocabit Infaelix vtcumque ferent ea fata minores His sonnes conuict of turbulent transgression He kills to free his country from oppression Haplesse how ere succeeding times shall ringe But in the next verse hee giues him comfort Vicit amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido Conquer'd by 's countries loue and thirst of prey e The two things that set all the Romaines vpon admirable action So then if the Father could kill his owne sonnes for mortall freedome and thirst of praise both transitory affects what a great matter is it if wee doe not kill our sonnes but count the poore of Christ our sonnes and for that eternall liberty which freeth vs from sinne death and hell not for humaine cupidity but for Christian charity to free men not from Tarquin but from the deuills and their King And if Torquatus another Romaine slew his owne sonne not for fighting against his country but for going onely against his command beeing generall he beeing a valorous youth and prouoked by his enemy yea and yet getting the victory because there was more hurt in his contempt of authority then good in his conquest why should they boast who for the lawes of that neuer-ending country doe forsake onely those things which are neuer so deare as children namely earthly goods and possessions If Furius Camillus after his banishment by his â—…ngratefull country which he had saued from beeing oppressed by the valourous Veians yet would daigne to come to free it the second time because hee had no better place to shew his glory in why is hee extolled as hauing done great matters who hauing perhaps suffered some great disgrace and iniury in the church by his carnall enemies hath not departed to the churches enemies the Hereâ—…es or inuented some heresie against it him selfe but rather hath guarded it 〈◊〉 farre as in him lay from all the pernitious inuasions of heresie because their is no a other place to liue in vnto eternall life though there bee others â—…gh to attaine humaine glory in If Scaeuola when he saw he had failed to kiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sore foe to Rome and killed another for him to make a peace with him â—…t his hand into the fire that burned on the Altar saying that Rome had a multitude such as he that had conspired his destruction and by this speech so terrified him that hee made a present peace with them and got him packing why shall any man talke of his merits in respect of the Kingdome of Heauen if he loose not his hand but his whole body in the fire for it not by his owne choise but by the powre of the persecutor If Curtius to satisfie the Oracle that commanded Rome to cast the best Iewell it had into a great gulfe and the Romaines being resolued that valour and men of armes were their best Iewells tooke his horse and armour and willingly leaped into that gaping gulfe why shall a man say hee hath done much for heauen that shall not cast himselfe to death but endure death at the hands of some enemy of his faith seeing that GOD his Lord and the King of his country hath giuen him this rule as a certaine Oracle Feare not them that kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule If the two Decii consecrated themselues to their countries good sacrificed their bloud as with praiers vnto the angry gods for the deliuerance of the Romaine armie let not the holy Martires bee proude of doing any thing for the pertaking of their eternall possessions where felicity hath neither errour nor ende if they doe contend in charitable faith and faithfull charity euen vnto the shedding of their bloud both for their brethren for whom and also for their enemies by whome
the sonne so gentle and indeed so full a man that hee was called Man-kindes Delicacy Sueton. I haue resolued saith Pliny the second in his prefaâ—… of his naturall Historie to Titus the sonne to declare vnto you most mirthfull Emperâ—… for that stile is the fittest as being your olde inheritance from your Father c. Domitian was neither like father nor brother but bloody and hated of all men e The Apostata a fugitiue or turne-coate for being first a Christian Libanius the Sophister peruerted him and from that time hee was all for oracles lottes with crafts and promises of Magitians where-by he came to destruction being otherwise a man of a great spirit and one as fitte for Empire as the world afforded That the originalls and conclusions of warres are all at Gods dispose CHAP. 22. SO likewise doth he with the times and ends of warre be it his pleasure iustly to correct or mercifully to pitty mankind ending them sooner or later as he willeth Pompeyes a Pirate warre and Scipio his b third African warre were ended with incredible celeritie The Slaues was also c though it cost Rome two Consuls and many Captaines making all Italy feele the smart of it yet in the third yeare after it was begun it was finished The Picenes Martians Pelignians Italians all sought to pluck their necks from their long and strickt seruitude vnto Rome though it now had subdued huge dominions and razed Carthage In this warre the Romaines were sorely foyled d two Consulls killed and many a tall souldior and worthy Senator left dead yet this warre had continuance but vnto the 5. yeare mary the second African warre lasted a great while eighteene yeares to the great weakning of the common-weale and almost the vtter ruine thereof 70000. soldiors falling in e two battels The first Afrâ—…can warre held three and twenty yeares Mithridates warre f forty yeares And least any one should thinke that in the ancient lawdable times the Romaines had any better rules to dispatch warre sooner then the rest the Samnites warre lasted g almost fiftie yeares wherein the Romaines were conquered euen vnto slauerie But because they loued not glory for iustice but iustice for glory they h broake the peace and league which they had made These I write because some being ignorant in antiquities and other-some being dissemblers of what they know might other-wise vpon discouery of a long warre since the time of Christianitie flie in the face of our religion and say if it were not so potent and if the old adorations were restored that warre would haue beene ended by the Romaines vertues and the assistance of Mars and Bellona assoone as the rest were Let them that reads of their warres recollect but what i vncertaine fortune the ancient Romaines had in the warres with the whole world being tossed like a tempestuous sea with thousand stormes of inuasions and armes and then let them needes confesse what so faine they would conceale and cease in this opposition against Gods power to possesse others with errors and be the butchers of their owne soules L. VIVES POmpeys a Pyrates warre Ended in fortie dayes after Pompeys departure from Brundâ—… Flor. Cic. pro leg Manl. b Third African Begunne and ended in three yeares c Although Arius the Prâ—…tor and two Consuls Cn. Lentulus and L. Gellius were ouerthrowne by Spartacus d Two Consuls L. â—…ul Caesar and P. Rutilius Lâ—…uie e Two battles At Thrasyâ—…ne and at Cannas f Forty yeares Florus but it was first staied by a peace made with Sylla then renewed by L. Lucullus and lastly ended by Pompey the great g Almost fiftie fortie nine as Eutropius and Orosius account Florus saith fiftie Appian eightie and he is neerest Liâ—…es account that saith the Romaines warre with the Sâ—…nites lasted neare an hundred yeares in vncertainty of fortune lib. 23. But if Fabius Gurges ended it in his Consulship it is but fiftie yeares from the Consulships of M. Val. Coruinus and Cornelius Cossus But indeed the Samnites ioyned with Pyrrhus and had had a conflict before with Dâ—…ntatus betweene Gurges his Consulship and Pyrrhus his comming into Italy h Broake the peace This Liâ—…ie she weth crookedly inough lib. 9. wherein hee saith that the Romaines childishly deluded the faith league and othe which they had passed to Pontius Captaine of the Samâ—…tes it was true For they sought forth childish euasions for their owne profit i Vncertaâ—… 〈◊〉 some haue Euentus here for Fortune I will not dispute whether Euentus may haue the plurall number Ualla saith it is rare but yet sometimes it is so vsed he doth not deny it Of the battell wherein Rhadagaisus an idolatrous King of the Gothes was slaine with all his armie CHAP. 23. NAy that wonderfull mercy of Gods in an acte done with in our memories they will not so much as mention with thanks-giuing but endeuour as much as in them lieth to smother it in eternall obliuion which should wee doe wee should bee as gracelesse and vngratefull as they Rhadagaisus a King of the Gâ—…es hauing brought a huge armie euen before the walles of Rome and holding his sword euen ouer their necks as it were vpon one day was ouer-throwne so suddeâ—…ly that not so much as one Romaine being slaine slaine no nor yet wounâ—… his whole armie consisting of aboue ten thousand men was vtterly defeated â—…ee himselfe and his sonnes taken and iustly beheaded If this wicked Barâ—… had entred Rome with those forces whom would hee haue spared what places would hee haue honored what God would he haue feared whose bloud whose chastitie should haue escaped him But ô how these wretches boasted of his precedent conquests that he had beene so victorious that hee had gotten such and such fields onely because he was a dayly sacrificer to those gods which Christianity had chased from Rome For at his approach thether where by the bâ—…ck of Gods Maiestie hee was crushed to nothing his fame was so spacious that it was tolde vs here at Carthage that the Pagans beleeued reported and boasted that hee could not bee conquered by any of those that would not suffâ—… the Romaines to adore those gods whose good fauours he had obtained by the dayly sacrifices hee offered Thus they neuer gaue thankes for the mercifull goodnesse of God who hauing resolued to chastiâ—…e the worlds corruption with a greater Barbarian irruption yet did moderate his iustice with such mercy that at first he gaue their leader into the hands of his enemies because the Deuils whom he serued should gaine no soules by the perswasion of the glory of his conquests And then when such Barbarians had taken Rome as against all custome of hostiliâ—… defended such as fled into the holy places onely in reuerence of Christianity proâ—…ing them selues farre greater enemies for the name of Christ vnto the Dâ—…ls and sacrilegions sacrifices in which the other reposed his trust then vnto the opposed souldiers them-selues Thus God did
of Iacobs stock how can their sonnes sonnes or their sonnes be accompted amongst the seauentie fiue that went in this company vnto Egipt for there is Machir reckoned Manasses his sonne and Galaad Machirs sonne and there is Vtalaam Ephraims sonne reckoned Bareth Vtalaams sonne Now these could not be there Iacob finding at his comming that Iosephs children the fathers and grand-fathers of those foure last named were but children of nine yeares old at that time But this departure of Iacob thether with seauentie fiue soules conteineth not one day nor a yeare but all the time that Ioseph liued afterwards by whose meanes they were placed there of whome the Scripture saith Ioseph dwelt in Egipt and his brethren with him a hundred yeares and Ioseph saw Ephraims children euen vnto the third generation that was vntill hee was borne who was Ephraims grand-child vnto him was he great grand-father The scripture then proceedeth Machirs sonnes the sonne of Manasses were brought vp on Iosephs knees This was Galaad Manasses his grand-child but the scripture speaketh in the plurall as it doth of Iacobs one daughter calling her daughters as the a Latines vse to call a mans onely child if hee haue no more liberi children Now Iosephs felicitie being so great as to see the fourth from him in discent wee may not imagine that they were all borne when hee was but thirty nine yeares old at which time his father came into Egipt this is that that deceiued the ignorant because it is written These are the names of the children of Israel which came into Egipt with Iacob their father For this is said because the seauentie fiue are reckoned with him not that they all entred Egipt with him But in this transmigration and setling in Egipt is included all the time of Iosephs life who was the meanes of his placing here L. VIVES THe a Latines Sempronius Asellio called Sempronius Gracchus his onely sonne liberi and it was an vsuall phrase of old Gell. Herenn Digest lib. 50. Iacobs blessing vnto his sonne Iudah CHAP. 41. SO then if wee seeke the fleshly descent of Christ from Abraham first for the good of the Citty of God that is still a pilgrim vpon earth Isaac is the next and from Isaac Iacob or Israel Esau or Edom being reiected from Israel Iudah all the rest being debarred for of his tribe came Christ. And therefore Israel at his death blessing his sonnes in Egipt gaue Iudah this propheticall blessing Iudah a thy bretheren shall praise thee thine hand shall bee on the neck of thine enemies thy fathers sonnes shall adore thee As a Lyons whelpe Iudah shalt thou come vp b from the spoile my sonne Hee shall lye downe and sleepe as a Lyon or a Lyons whelpe who shall rouse him The scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a law-giuer from betweene his feete vntill Shiloe come and the people bee gathered vnto him Hee shall binde his Asse fole vnto the Vine and his Asses colt c with a rope of hayre he shall wash his stole in wine and his garment in the bloud of the grape his eyes shall be redde with wine and his teeth white with milke These I haue explained against Faustus the Manichee as farre I thinke as the Prophecie requireth Where Christs death is presaged in the worde sleepe as not of necessitie but of his power to dye as the Lion had to lye downe and sleepe which power him-selfe auoweth in the Gospell I haue power to lay downe my life and power to take it againe no man taketh it from mee but I lay it downe of my selfe c. So the Lion raged so fulfilled what was spoken for that same Who shall rouse him belongeth to the resurrection for none could raise him againe but he himselfe that said of his body Destroy this temple and in three dayes I will raise it vp againe Now his manner of death vpon the high crosse is intimated in this shalt thou come vp and these words Hee shall lye downe and â—…pe are euen these Hee bowed downe his head and giue vp the ghost Or it may meane the graue wherein hee slept and from whence none could raise him vp as the Prophets and he him-selfe had raised others but him-selfe raised him-selfe as from a sleepe Now his stole which hee washeth in wine that is cleanseth from sinne in his bloud intimating the sacrament of baptisme as that addition And his garment in the bloud of the grape expresseth what is it but the Church and eyes being redde with wine are his spirituall sonnes that are drunke with her cup as the Psalmist saith My cup runneth ouer and his teeth whiter then the milke are his nourishing wordes where-with hee feedeth his little weaklings as with 〈◊〉 This is he in whome the promises to Iudah were laide vp which vntill they 〈◊〉 there neuer wanted kings of Israell of the stock of Iudah And vnto him â—…ll the people bee gathered this is plainer to the sight to conceiue then the â—…gue to vtter L. VIVES IVda a thy brethren Iudah is praise or confession b From the spoile From captiuity saith the Hebrew all this is meant of Christs leading the people captiue his high and sacred ascention and the taking of captiuitie captiue Hierome c With a rope of hayre With a rope onely say some and his asses colte vnto the best vine saith Hierome from the Hebrew And for this Asses colte saith he may be read the Citty of God whereof we now speake the seuentie read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the vine branch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the twist of the Vine as Theophrastus saith and thence haue the two kindes of luy their names Diosor Plin. so might cilicium come into the Latine text that Augustine vsed if the Greeke were translated Helicium otherwise I cannot tell how Of Iacobs changing of his hands from the heads of Iosephs sonnes when he blessed them CHAP. 42. BVt as Esau and Iacob Isaacs two sonnes prefigured the two peoples of Iewes and Christians although that in the flesh the Idumaeans and not the Iewes came of Esau nor the Christians of Iacob but rather the Iewes for thus must the words The elder shall serue the yonger be vnderstood euen so was it in Iosephs two sonnes the elder prefiguring the Iewes and the yonger the Christians Which two Iacob in blessing laide his right hand vpon the yonger who was on his left side and his left vpon the elder who was on his right side This displeased their father who told his father of it to get him to reforme the supposed mistaking and shewed him which was the elder But Iacob would not change his hands but said I know sonne I know very well hee shall bee a great people also but his yonger brother shall be greater then hee and his seede shall fill the nations Here is two promises now a people to the one and a fulnesse of
The two Maspha's Maspha the Old stood betweene the tribes of Gad 〈◊〉 Hier. de loc Hebraic There is another in the tribe of Iuda as you goe North-ward 〈◊〉 â—…lia in the confines of Eleutheropolis Maspha is contemplation or speculation The 〈◊〉 write it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Promises made vnto Dauid concerning his sonne not fulfilled in Salomon but in Christ. CHAP. 8. NOw must I relate Gods promises vnto Dauid Saâ—…ls successor which change â—…gured the spirituall great one which all the Scriptures haue relation 〈◊〉 â—…cause it concerneth our purpose Dauid hauing had continuall good forâ—…â—…ed to build GOD an house namely that famous and memorable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salomon built after him While this was in his thought Nathan came 〈◊〉 from God to tell him what was his pleasurâ—… wherein when as GOD had 〈◊〉 Dauid should not build him an house and that he had not commanâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time to build him any house of Cedar then hee proceedeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dauid that thus saith the Lord I tooke thee froâ—… the sheep-â—…e to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my people Israell and I was with thee where-so-euer thou walked aâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all thine enimies out of thy sight and giuen thee the glory of a mighty mâ—…n 〈◊〉 I will appoint a place for my people Israell and will plant it it shall dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mooue no more nor shall wicked people trouble them any more as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ne since I a appointed Iudges ouer Israell And I will giue thee rest from all thine enemies and the Lord telleth thee also that thou shalt make him an house It shall be when thy dayes bee fulfilled and thou sleepest with thy fathers then will I set vp thy seede after thee euen hee that shall proceed from thy body and will prepare his kingdome He shall build an house for my name and I will direct his throne for euer I will be his father and hee shall be my sonne if hee sinne I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plagues of the children of men But my mercy will I not remooue from him as I remooued it from Saul whom I haue reiected His house shall be faithfull and his kingdome eternall before mee his throne shall bee established for euer Hee that holdeth his mighty promise fulfilled in Salomon is far-wide For marke how it lyeth He shall build me an house Salomon did so and this he marketh but His house shall bee faithfull and his kingdome eternall before mee What is this this hee marketh not Well let him goe to Salomons house and see the flocks of strange Idolatrous women drawing this so wise a King into the same depth of damnation with them doth he see it theÌ„ let him neither think Gods promises false nor his prescience ignorant of Salomons future peruersion by Idolatry We neede neuer doubt here nor runne with the giddy brained Iewes to seeke had I wist and to finde one in whom these may bee fulfilled wee should neuer haue seene them fulfilled but in our Christ the sonne of Dauid in the flesh For they know well inough that this sonne of whom these promises spake was not Salomon but oh wondrous blindnesse of heart stand still expecting of another to come who is already come in most broad and manifest apparance There was some shadow of the thing to come in Salomon 't is true in his erection of the temple and that laudable peace which he had in the beginning of his reigne and in his name for Salomon is a peace-maker but he was b onely in his person a shadow but no presentation of Christ our Sauiour therfore some things are written of him that concerne our Sauiour the scripture including the prophecie of the one in the historie of the other For besides the bookes of the Kings Chronicles yâ— speake of his reigne the 72. Psalme is entitled with his name Wherein there are so many things impossible to bee true in him and most apparant in Christ that it is euident that he was but the figure not the truth it selfe The bounds of Salomons kingdome were knowne yet to omit the rest that Psalme saith hee shall reigne from sea to sea and from the riuer to the lands end This is most true of Christ. For hee began his reigne at the riuer when Iohn baptized and declared him and his disciples acknowledged him calling him Lord and Maister Nor did Salomon begin his reigne in his fathers time as no other of their Kings did but onely to shew that hee was not the ayme of the prophecie that said It shall bee when thy dayes are fulfilled and that thou sleepest with thy fathers then will I set vp thy seede after thee and prepare his kingdome Why then shall wee lay all this vpon Salomon because it is sayd Hee shall build mee an house and not thâ—… rather vnderstand that it is the other peace-maker that is spoaken of who is not promised to be set vp before Dauids death as Salomon was but after according to the precedent text And though Christ were neuer so long ere hee came yet comming after Dauids death all is one hee came at length as he was promised and built God the Father an house not of timber and stones but of liuing soules wherein wee all reioyce For to this house of God that is his faithfull people Saint Paul saith The temple of God is holy which you are L. VIVES I Appointed a Iudges Israell had thirteene Iudges in three hundred and seauentie yeares from Othoniel to Samuel who annointed Saul and during that time they had variable forâ—… in their warres b Onely in Hee was a figure of Christ in his peaceable reigne and â—…ding of the temple but hee was not Christ him-selfe A Prophecie of Christ in the eighty eight Psalme like vnto this of Nathan in the Booke of Kings CHAP. 9. THe eighty eight Psalme also intitled An a instruction to Ethan the Israelite reckoneth vp the promises of God vnto Dauid and there is some like those of Nâ—…n as this I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant thy seede will I establish for euer â—…s Then spakest thou b in a vision vnto thy sonnes and said I haue laid helpe 〈◊〉 â—…e mighty one I haue exalted one chosen out of my people I haue found Dauid 〈◊〉 â—…ant with my holy oyle haue I annoynted him For mine hand shall helpe him and 〈◊〉 â—…me shall strengthen him The enemy shall not oppresse him nor shall the wicked 〈◊〉 But I will destroy his foe before his face and plague them that hate him My 〈◊〉 â—…d mercy shall bee with him and in my name shall his horne bee exalted I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand in the sea and his right hand in the flouds hee shall call vpon mee thou â—…t 〈◊〉 father my GOD and the rocke of my saluation I will make him my first borne 〈◊〉 then the Kings of the earth My mercy will I keepe vnto him for euer and my
〈◊〉 shall stand fast with him His seede shall endure for euer and his throne as the 〈◊〉 â—…f heauen c All this is meant of Christ vnder the type of Dauid beâ—…â—…hat from a Virgin of his seede CHRIST tooke man vpon him 〈◊〉 â—…olloweth it of Dauids sonnes as it doth in Nathans words meant proâ—…â—…f Salomon hee sayd there If they sinne I will d chasten them with the 〈◊〉 â—…f men and with the e plagues of the sonnes of men that is correctiue â—…ons but my mercy will I not remooue from him Where-vpon it is sayd Tâ—…ot mine annointed hurt them not And now heere in this Psalme speakâ—… 〈◊〉 the mysticall Dauid hee saith the like If his children forsake my lawe â—…lke not in my righteousnesse c. I will visite their transgression with rodds 〈◊〉 â—…eir iniquities with stroakes yet my mercy will I not take from him Hee 〈◊〉 â—…ot from them though hee speake of his sonnes but from him which being â—…ll marked is as much For there could no sinnes bee found in Christ 〈◊〉 â—…urches head worthy to bee corrected of GOD with or without reâ—…ion of mercy but in his members that is his people Wherefore in the 〈◊〉 it is called his sonne and in this Psalme his childrens that wee might 〈◊〉 all things spoken of his body hath some reference vnto him-selfe 〈◊〉 that when Saul persecuted his members his faithfull hee sayd from 〈◊〉 Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee It followeth in the sayd Psalme â—…enant will I not breake nor alter the thing I haue spoaken ' I haue sworne 〈◊〉 my holynesse that f if I faile Dauid that is I will not faile Dauid 〈◊〉 Scriptures vsuall phrase that he will not faile in he addeth saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall remaine for euer and his throne shall bee as thee sunne before mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heauen L. VIVES AN instruction a to Ethan the Israelite The Ezraite saith the Hebrew Hierome This Psalme is spoken by many mouthes from the father to the sonne and the sonne to the father and the church the Prophet him-selfe or the Apostles b In a vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Aâ—… this A diuersity of reading all to one end d Chasten them I thinke it is meant of the waâ—… that often plague the nations e Plagues all the discommodities that befall man f If I faile A negatiue phrase often vsed in the scriptures As Psal. 95. vers 11. Of diuerse actions done in the earthly Hierusalem and the kingdome differing from Gods promises to shew that the truth of his words concerned the glory of another kingdome and another King CHAP. 10. NOw after the confirmation of all these promises least it should bee thought that they were to be fulfilled in Salomon as they were not the Psalme addeth Thou hast cast him off and brought him to nothing So did he indeed with Salomons kingdome in his posterity euen a vnto the destruction of the earthly Hierusalem the seat of that royalty vnto the burning of that temple that Salomon built But yet least God should be thought to faile in his promise he addeth Thou hast deferred thine annointed this was not Salomon nor Dauid if the Lords annointed were deferred for though all the Kings that were consecrated with that mysticall Chrysme were called annointed from Saul their first King for so Dauid calleth him yet was there but one true annointed whom all these did prefigure who as they thought that looked for him in Dauid or Salomon was deferred long but yet was prepared to come in the time that God had appointed What became of the earthly Hierusalem in the meane time where hee was expected to reigne the Psalme sheweth saying Thou hast ouer-throwne thy seruants couenant prophaned his crowne and cast it on the ground Thou hast pulled downe his walles and laid his fortresses in ruine All passengers doe spoile him hee is the scorne of his neighbours thou hast set vp the right hand of his foes and made his enemies glad Thou hast turned the edge of his sword and giuen him no helpe in battaile Thou hast dispersed his dignity and cast his throne to the ground Thou hast shortned the dayes b of his reigne and couered him with shame All this befell Hierusalem the bond-woman wherein neuerthelesse some sonnes of the free-woman reigned in the time appointed hoping for the heauenly Hierusalem in a true faith beeing the true sonnes thereof in Christ. But how those things befell that kingdome the historie sheweth vnto those that will read it L. VIVES VNto the a destruction 2. Kings 25. b Of his reigne The vulgar and the Greeke say of his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The substance of the people of God who were in Christ in the flesh who onely had power to redeeme the soule of man from hell CHAP. 11. AFter this the Prophet beginneth to pray yet is this prayer a prophecie also Lord how long wilt thou turne away thy face for euer as is said else-where Hâ—… long wilt thou turne thy face from mee Some bookes read it in the a passiue but it may bee vnderstood of GODS mercy also in the aâ—…iue For euer that is vnto the end which end is the last times when that nation shall beleeue in CHRIST before which time it is to suffer all those myseries that hee bewaileth Wherefore it followeth Shall thy 〈◊〉 burne like fire O remember of what I am my substance Heere is nothing fitter to bee vnderstood then IESVS the substance of this people for hence hee had his flesh Didst thou create the children of men in vaine Vnlesse there were one sonne of man of the substance of Israel by whome a multitude should bee saued they were all created in vaine indeede For now all the seede of man is fallen by the first man from truth to vanitie Man is like to vanitie saith the Psalme his dayes vanish like a shadowe Yet did not GOD create all 〈◊〉 in vaine for hee freeth many from vanitie by CHRIST the mediaâ—… his Sonne and such as hee knoweth will not bee freed hee maketh vse of to the good of the free and the greater eminence of the two Citties Thus is there good reason for the creation of all reasonable creatures It followeth What man liueth that shall not see death or shall free his soule 〈◊〉 the hand of hell Why none but CHRIST IESVS the substance of Israell and the sonne of Dauid of whome the Apostle saith Who beeing â—…ysed from death dyeth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him â—…or hee liueth and shall not see death But freed his soule from the hand of 〈◊〉 because hee descended into the lower parts to loose some b 〈◊〉 the bonds of sinne by that power that the Euangelist recordeth of 〈◊〉 I haue power to laye downe my soule and I haue power to take it vppe 〈◊〉 L VIVES IN a the passiue So readeth not the vulgar but in the
like a parcells of some poâ—…â—…hose â—…hose intent concerneth a theame far different Now to shew this testimoâ—… one in euery Psalme of the booke wee must expound the Psalme 〈◊〉 to do how great a worke it is both others and our volumes wherein wee 〈◊〉 done it do expressly declare let him that can and list read those and there â—…ll see how abundant the prophecies of Dauid concerning Christ and of his Church were namely concerning that celestiall King and the Citty which hee builded L. VIVES LIke e parcells Centones are peeces of cloath of diuerse colours vsed any way on the back or on the bedde Cic. Cato Maior Sisenna C. Caesar. Metaphorically it is a poeme patched out of other poems by ends of verses as Homero-centon and Uirgilio-centon diuerse made by Proba and by Ausonius b Retrograde poeme Sotadicall verses that is verses backward and forwards as Musa mihi causas memora quo numine laesa Laeso numine quo memora causas mihi Musa Sotadicall verses may bee turned backwards into others also as this Iambick Pio precare thure caelestum numina turne it Numina caelestum thure precare piâ—… it is a Pâ—…ntameter They are a kinde of wanton verse as Quintilian saith inuented saith Strabo or rather vsed saith Diomedes by Sotades whome Martiall calleth Gnidus some of Augustines copies read it a great poeme and it is the fitter as if one should pick verses out of some greater workes concerning another purpose and apply them vnto his owne as some Centonists did turning Uirgils and Homers words of the Greekes and Troyan warres vnto Christ and diuine matters And Ausonius turneth them vnto an Epithalamion Of the fortie fiue Psalme the tropes and truths therein concerning Christ and the Church CHAP. 16. FOr although there be some manifest prophecies yet are they mixed with figures putting the learned vnto a great deale of labour in making the ignorant vnderstand them yet some shew Christ and his Church at first sight though we must at leisure expound the difficulties that we finde therein as for example Psal. 45. Mine heart hath giuen out a good word I dedicate my workes to the King My tongue is the pen of a ready writer Thou fairer then the children of men grâ—… is powred in thy lippes for GOD hath blessed thee for euer Girde thy sworde vpon thy â—…high thou most mighty Proceede in thy beauty and glory and reigne prosperouly because of thy truth thy iustice and thy gentlenesse thy right hand shall guide thee wondrously Thine arrowes are sharpe most mighty against the hearts of the Kings enemies the people shall fall vnder thee Thy throne O GOD is euer-lasting and the scepter of thy kingdome a scepter of direction Thou louest iustice and hatest iniquitie therefore GOD euen thy GOD hath annoynted thee with oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes All thy garments smell of Myrrhe Alloes and Cassia from the Iâ—…ry palaces wherein the Kings daughters had made thee glâ—…d in their honour Who is so dull that he discerneth not Christ our God in whome we beleeue by this place hearing him called GOD whose throne is for euer and annoynâ—…d by GOD not with visible but with spirituall Chrisme who is so barbarously ignorant in this immortall and vniuersall religion that hee heareth not that Christs name commeth of Chrisma vnction Heere wee know CHRIST let vs see then vnto the types How is hee father then vnto the sonnes of men in a beauty farre more amiable then that of the body What is his sword his shaftes c. all these are tropicall characters of his power and how they are all so let him that is the subiect to this true iust and gentle King looke to at his leasure And then behold his Church that spirituall spouse of his and that diuine wed-locke of theirs here it is The Queene stood on thy right hand her â—…lothing was of gold embrodered with diuers collours Heaâ—…e Oh daughter and 〈◊〉 attend and forget thy people and thy fathers house For the King taketh pleasure in thy beauty and hee is the Lord thy God The sonnes of Tyre shall adore him 〈◊〉 guifts the ritch men of the people shall â—…ooe him with presents The Kings daughter 〈◊〉 all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought gold The Virgins shal be brought after her vnto the King and her kinsfolkes and companions shal follow her with ioy and gladnesse shal they be brought and shall enter into the Kings chamber Instead of fathers 〈◊〉 shalt haue children to make them Princes through out the earth They shal remember thy name O Lord from a generation to generation therefore shall their people giue â—…ks vnto thee world without end I doe not think any one so besotted as to thinke this to be meant of any personal woman no no she is his spouse to whoÌ„ it is said Thy throne O God is euerlasting and the scepter of thy Kingdome a scepter of direction 〈◊〉 hast loued iustice and hated iniquity therefore the Lord thy God hath annointed 〈◊〉 â—…ith the oyle of gladnesse before thy fellowes Namely Christ before the christiâ—… For they are his fellowes of whose concord out of all nations commeth this Queene as an other psalme saith the Citty of the great King meaning the spirituall Syon Syon is speculation for so it speculateth the future good that it is to receiue and thither directeth it all the intentions This is the spirituall Ierusalem whereof wee haue all this while spoken this is the foe of that deuillish Babilon hight confusion and that the foe of this Yet is this City by regeneration freed from the Babilonian bondage and passeth ouer the worst King for the best that euer was turning from the deuill and comming home to Christ for which it is sayd forget thy people and thy fathers house c. The Israelites were a part of thiâ—… â—…tty in the flesh but not in that faith but became foes both to this great 〈◊〉 Queene Christ was killed by them and came from them to b those 〈◊〉 â—…euer saw in the flesh And therefore our King saith by the mouth of the 〈◊〉 in another place thou hast deliuered me from the contentions of the people 〈◊〉 me the head of the heathen a people whom I haue not knowne hath serued 〈◊〉 assoone as they heard me obeyed me This was the Gentiles who neuer 〈◊〉 â—…rist in the flesh nor hee them yet hearing him preached they beleeued 〈◊〉 â—…astly that he might well say as soone as they heard me they obeyed mee for 〈◊〉 â—…es by hearing This people conioyned with the true Israell both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and spirit is that Citty of God which when it was onely in Israell brought 〈◊〉 â—…hrist in the flesh for thence was the Virgin Mary from whom Christ 〈◊〉 our man-hood vpon him Of this cittie thus saith another psalme c 〈◊〉 â—…ll call it our Mother Sion he became man therein the most high hath founded 〈◊〉 was this most high but
In that d you did it to one of these you did it vnto me He saith thereâ—… â—…t he trusted in him as the Apostles trusted in Iudas when hee was 〈◊〉 Apostle Now the Iewes hope that their Christ that they hope for 〈◊〉 â—…er die and therefore they hold that the law and the Prophets prefigâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ours but one that shal be free from all touch of death whom they doe 〈◊〉 for and may doe long inough And this miserable blindnesse maketh 〈◊〉 take that sleepe and rising againe of which wee now speake in the literall sence not for death and resurrection 〈◊〉 the 16. psalme confoundeth them thus My heart is glad and my tongue reâ—… my flesh also resteth in hope for thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neiâ—… 〈◊〉 thou suffer thine Holy one to see corruption What man could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flesh rested in that hope that his soule should not bee left in hell but 〈◊〉 presently to the flesh to saue it from the corruption of a carcasse excepting him onely that rose againe the third day It cannot be said of Dauid The sixtie eight Psalme saith also Our God is the God that e saueth vs and the issues of death are the Lords What can bee more plaine Iesus Christ is the God that saueth vs for Iesus is a Sauiour as the reason of his name was giuen in the Gospell saying Hee shall saue his people from their sinnes And seeing that his bloud was shed for the remission of sinnes the enemies of death ought to belong vnto none but vnto him nor could hee haue passage out of this life but by death And therefore it is said Vnto him belong the f issues of death to shew that hee by death should redeeme the world And this last is spoken in an admiration as if the Prophet should haue sayd Such is the life of man that the Lord him-selfe leaueth it not but by death L. VIVES ANd a praescience Some copies adde heere quia certa erant but it seemeeth to haue but crept in out of some scholion b Kicked at me Supplantauit me taken vp mine heeles as wrastlers doe one with another Allegorically it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deceiue c One of you The Bruges copie hath One of you shall betraye mee and one of you is a deuill both they are two seuerall places in the Gospell Iohn 13. and Iohn 6. Iudas is called a Deuill because of his deceitfull villanie d In that you did it Or in as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e That saueth vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A proper phrase to the Greeke tongue but vnordinary in the Latine vnlesse the nowne bee vsed to say the God of saluation f Issues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The obstinate infidelitie of the Iewes declared in the sixtie nine Psalme CHAP. 19. BVt all those testimonies and prefigurations beeing so miraculously come to effect could not mooue the Iewes wherefore that of the sixty nine Psalme was fulfilled in them which speaking in the person of Christ of the accidents in his passion saith this also among the rest They gaue mee gall to eate and when I was thirsty they gaue mee vinegar to drinke And this banquet which they affoorded him hee thanketh them thus for Let their table bee a a snare for them and their prosperitie their ruine let their eyes bee blinded that they see not and bend their backs for euer c. which are not wishes but prophecies of the plagues that should befall them What wonder then if they whose eyes are blinded discerne not this and whose backes are eternally bended to sticke their aimes fast vpon earth for these words being drawne from the literall sence and the body import the vices of the minde And thus much of the Psalmes of Dauid to keepe our intended meane Those that read these and know them all already must needes pardon mee for beeing so copious and if they know that I haue omitted ought that is more concerning mine obiect I pray them to forbeare complaints of me for it L. VIVES A a Snare Saint Augustine calleth it heere Muscipula a Mouse-trappe The Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dauids Kingdome his merit his sonne Salomon Prophecies of Christ in Salomons bookes and in bookes that are annexed vnto them CHAP. 20. DAuid the sonne of the celestiall Ierusalem reigned in the earthly one was much commended in the scriptures his piety and true humility so conquered his imperfections that he was one of whom we might say with him Blessed are thâ—…se whose iniquity is forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered After him his sonne Saâ—… reigned in all his Kingdome beginning to reigne as we said in his fathers 〈◊〉 a He beganne well but he ended badly prosperity the moath of wisdome did him more hurt then his famous and memorable wisdome it selfe profited him He was a prophet as his workes b namely the Prouerbs the Canticles and Ecclesiastes doe proue all which are canonicall But Ecclesiasticus and the booke of wisdome were onely called his for some similitude betweene his stile and theirs But all the learned affirme them none of his yet the churches of the West holds them of great authoritie and hath done long and in the booke of c Wisdome is a plaine prophecie of Christs passion for his wicked murderers 〈◊〉 brought in saying Let vs cercumuent the iust for he displeaseth vs and is contrary vnto our doings checking vs for offending thee law and shaming vs for our breach of discipline Hee boasteth himselfe of the knowledge of GOD and calleth himselfe the â—…ne of the LORD Hee is made to reprooue our thoughts it â—…reeueth vs to looke vpon him for his life is not like other mens his waies are of another fashion He 〈◊〉 vs triflers and avoideth our waies as vncleannesse he commendeth the ends of 〈◊〉 iust and boasteth that GOD is his father Let vs see then if he say true let â—…ue what end he shall haue If this iust man be GODS Sonne he will helpe him 〈◊〉 deliuer him from the hands of his enemies let vs examine him with rebukes 〈◊〉 â—…ments to know his meekenesse and to prooue his pacience Let vs condemne 〈◊〉 to a shamefull death for he saith he shal be preserued Thus they imagine 〈◊〉 â—…ay for their malice hath blinded them In d Ecclesiasticus also is the fuâ—…â—…th of the Gentiles prophecied in these words Haue mercy vpon vs O 〈◊〉 GOD of all and send thy feare amongst the Nations lift vppe thine hand 〈◊〉 the Nations that they may see thy power and as thou art sanctified in vs beâ—…â—…em so be thou magnified in them before vs that they may know thee as wee know 〈◊〉 that there is no God but onely thou O LORD This propheticall praier we see 〈◊〉 in Iesus Christ. But the scriptures that are not in the Iewes Canon are 〈◊〉 â—…d proofes against our aduersaries But it would be a tedious dispute and 〈◊〉
yeares of discretion and is capable of good counsel then must he begin a fierce conflict with vices least it allure 〈◊〉 to damnation Indeede the fresh-water soldiour is the more easily put to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 practise will make him valourous and to persue victory with all his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he must euermore assay by a weapoÌ„ called the a loue of true righâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…is is kept in the faith of Christ for if the command be present and the 〈◊〉 absent the very forbidding of the crime enflameth the peruerse flesh to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…er into it sometimes producing open enormities and sometimes b sectes ones farre-worse then the other in that pride and ruinous selfe conceit perswadeâ—… 〈◊〉 that they are vertues Then therfore sin is quelled when it is beaten downe by they loue of God which none but he and that he doth only by Iesus Christ the mediator of God and man who made him-selfe mortall that we might bee made eternall few are so happy to passe their youth without taynt of some damnable sinne or other either in deed opinion or so but let them aboue all seeke to suppresse by the fullnesse of spirit all such euill motions as shall be incited by the loosenesse of the flesh Many hauing betaken them-selues to the law becomming preuaricators thereof through sinne are afterwards faine to fly vnto the law of grace assistant which making them both truer penitents and stouter opponents subiecteth their spirits to God and so they get the conquest of the flesh Hee therefore that will escape hell fire must be both Baptized and iustified in Christ and this is his only way to passe from the Deuill vnto him And let him assuredly beleeue that there is no purgatory paines but before that great and terrible iudgement Indeede it is true that the fire of Hell shal be c more forcible against some then against others according to the diuersity of their deserts whether it be adapted in nature to the quality of their merits or remaine one fire vnto all and yet bee not felt alike of all L. VIVES THe a loue of This made Plato aduise men to vse their children onely to vertuous delights and to induce a hate of bad things into their mindes which were it obserued out loue would then be as much vnto vertue as now it is vnto carnall pleasures for custome is another nature and a good man liketh vertue better then the voluptuary doth sensuality b Secret ones far worse Plato hauing feasted certaine Gentlemen spread the Roome with mats and dressed his banqueting beds handsomely In comes Diogenes the Cynicke and falls presently a trampling of the hangings with his durty feete Plato comming in why how now Diogenes quoth he Nothing said the other but that I tread downe Platoes Pride Thou dost indeed saith Plato but with a pride farre greater for indeed this was a greater vaine-glory and arrogance in Diogenes that was poore then in Plato that was rich and had but prepared these things for his friends So shall you haue a many proud beggers thinke them-selues holyer then honest rich men onely for their name sake as if God respected the goods and not there mindes They will not be ritch because they thinke their pouerty maketh them more admired Diogenes had wont to doe horrible things to make the people obserue him and one day in the midst of winter hee fell a washing himselfe in a cold spring whither by and by there gathred a great multitude who seeing him pittied him and praied him to for-beare O no saith Plato aloud if you will pitty him get yee all gone for he saw it was not vertue but vaine-glory that made him do thus c More forcible According to the words of Christ 〈◊〉 â—…be easier for Tyre and Sydon c. Of some Christians that held that Hells paines should not be eternall CHAP. 17. NOw must I haue a gentle disputation with certaine tender hearts of our own religion who thinke that God who hath iuâ—… doomed the damned vnto 〈◊〉 fire wil after a certaine space which his goodnesse shal thinke fit for the merit of each mans guilt deliuer them from that torment And of this opinion was a Origen in farre more pittiful manner for he held that the diuells themselues after a set time 〈◊〉 should bee loosed from their torments and become bright 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…hey were before But this and other of his opinions chiefly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…-volution of misery and blisse which hee held that all 〈◊〉 should runne in gaue the church cause to pronounce him Anathema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had lost this seeming pitty by assigning a true misery after a while and 〈◊〉 blisse vnto the Saints in heauen where they if they were true could neuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—…aine But farre other-wise iâ—… their tendernesse of heart which â—…old that this freedome out of hell shall onely be extended vnto the soules of the 〈◊〉 after a certaine time appointed for euery one so that all at length shall 〈◊〉 to bee Saints in heauen But if this opinion bee good and true because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the farther it extendeth the better it is so that it may as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freedome of the deuills also after a longer continuance of time Wâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it with man kinde onely and excludeth them â—…ay but it dares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they dare not extend their pitty vnto the deuill But if any one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goâ—… beyond them and yet sinneth in erring more deformedly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ly against the expresse word of GOD though hee thinke to shew the more pitty herein L. VIVES ORigen a in Periarch lib. Of this already b Include the freedome So did Origen 〈◊〉 likewise made good Angels become deuills in processe of time according to his imaâ—… circum-â—… Of those that hold that the intercession of the Saints shallsaue all men from damnation CHAP. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with some that seeme to reuerence the Scriptures and yet are no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who would make God farre more mercifull then the other For as 〈◊〉 the wicked they confesse that they deserue to bee plagued but mercy shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand when it comes to iudgement for God shall giue them all 〈◊〉 the prayers and intercession of the Saints who if they prayed for them 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 ouer them as enemies will doe it much more now when they 〈◊〉 prostrate aâ—… their feete like slaues For it is incredible say they that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy when they are most holy and perfect who prayed 〈◊〉 theyr foes when they were not with-out sinne them-selues Surely then they 〈◊〉 pray for them being now become their suppliants when as they haue no 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 left in them And will not God heare them when their prayers haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then bring they forth the testimony of the Psalme which the 〈◊〉 that held the sauing of all the damned after a time doe alledge also but 〈◊〉 that it maketh more for them the words are these Hath God forâ—…