Lord and against his annointed Wickednesse furiously raging standing vp and taking counsell together Weakenesse Implied in the word why Expressed in the clause Imagine a vaine thing 2. Sets downe Gods Might for their destruction if they will not amend their manners and asswage their malice vers 4.5.6.7.8.9 Mercy for their instruction if they will once be so wise as to learne his law and to loue his sonne vers 10.11.12 Why doe the Heathen By Heathen are meant the Gentiles by people the Iewes by Kings the chiefe Monarches vpon earth and by Rulers their z Bucer Ro. Stephanus Wilcox priuie Counsellors of Estate The Gentiles as not hauing Gods law furiously rage together like a Cassiodorus Placidus Tileman bruit beasts without vnderstanding The Greeke word vsed by Saint Luke Act. 4.25 doth import fiercenesse and pride as of horses that neigh and rush into the battell The Iewes albeit they had Gods holy word imagined a vaine thing b Euthym. because they were cunning rather in the sound then in the sense thereof The Kings as men of might stand vp and the rulers as men of wit and policy take counsell together And so men of all countries as well the Iewes as the Gentiles and of all conditions as wel Princes as people bandy thēselues against the Lord against his anointed Now this may be construed c D. Jncognit Caluin Tremel either of Dauid or of the Messias Of the Lords Christ or of the Lord Christ Dauid is the Lords Christ as his annointed King ouer Israel annointed thrice First in the middest of his brethren 1. Sam. 1.16 afterward in Hebron 2. Sam. 2. lastly before all the tribes of Israel 2. Sam. 5. and he may be called the sonne of God As a Man for all of vs are the d Act. 17.28 generation of God it is be who made vs and not our selues Psal 100.2 Great man or King for Princes are stiled the e Psal 82.6 children of the most high Good man or regenerate for euery one that is new borne is f 1. Ioh. 3.9 borne of God and adopted his sonne and made his heire Rom. 8.15.17 How the Heathen that is the Philistims and other strange nations furiously raged together against him how the people that is the Iewes of Sauls house imagined vainely to dethrone him how the Captains stood vp and states-men tooke counsell together that they might breake his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from them how the Lord that dwelleth in heauen laughed all his enemies to scorne saying yet haue I set my King vpon my holy hill of Sion you may reade in the second booke of Samuel from the 2. to the 10. chapter But the blessed Apostles haue construed this of Christ Act. 4.24 O Lord thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth and the sea and all things that are in them Which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast said why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things The Kings of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ. For doubtlesse against thine holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done g Bellar. in loc First the Princes did plot and afterward the people did act this insurrection Herod the King sought to destroy Christ in his swadling cloutes he was troubled at the birth of Iesus and all Hierusalem with him Matth. 2.3 And the Rulers opposed Christ in the whole course of his life so the text plainly h Ioh. 7 48. Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharisies beleeue in him At his death all the Rulers Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill accorded in one The Gentiles i Euthym. that is the Romane souldiers by Pilats instigation furiously raged together and the people that is the Iewes by the counsell of the chiefe Priests Elders imagined a vaine thing Yea but how can it be said plurally that Kings assembled against Christ Answere is made by k Placidus Incognitus Agellius some that the plurall is vsed here for the singular Or by Kings is meant Herod and Pilate for Herod is stiled l Matth. 2.1 King and Pontius Pilate was a m Matth. 27.2 Gouernour vnder the Romane Emperour and these Viceroyes had many petite n Ioh. 4.46 Matth. 9.18 Rulers also subiect to their command Or by Kings is meant Herod senior who stood vp against Christ at his birth Matth. 2. and Herod Iunior who despised and mocked Christ at his death Luk. 23.11 Or as o Jn loc Idem Euthym. Chrysostome with Herod were ioyned the Diuell and Death and Sinne. All which are Kings of the earth The Diuell is a King p Ephes 2.2 ruling in the ayre the q Ioh. 12.31 Prince of this world Luk. 11.18 If Satan be diuided against himselfe how shall his kingdome stand And Death is a King Rom. 5.14 Death raigned from Adam to Moses c. And Sinne is a King too Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies lest yee should obey the lust of it All these Kings assembled and tooke counsell together against the Lord and against his Christ For as Christ consisted of humane flesh and a reasonable soule so likewise hee had two sorts of enemies one visible which assaulted his bodie another inuisible which assaulted his soule spirituall wickednesses Ephes 6.12 Here wee may behold and bewaile the blindnesse of the Iewes in our time who notwithstanding their most ancient r See Galatin de Arcanis lib. 3. cap. 7. Bellar. in loc Rabbins applie this our text to the true Messias expect him as yet to come Lastly for as much as Christ suffers in his ſ Acts 9.4 members and t 2. Tim. 3.12 al that will liue godly that they may be made u Rom. 8.29 like to his image must of necessitie suffer persecution it may be construed of x Placidus Bucer Strigellius Christians as well as of Christ against whom al the wicked angels y Apoc. 7.1 standing on the foure corners of the earth are combined in a bloody league The Gentiles at this day furiously rage together and the Iewes at this day still imagine vaine things at this day the Kings of the earth stand vp as the Turke the Pope the Spanyard and all their cruell agents In a word all Atheists all Anti-christs all Hypocrites all Worldlings hurtle together against the Lord his annoynted people The true Church is a z Cant. 2.2 lilie among thornes a few harmelesse a Luk. 10.3 lambes in the middest of many rauenous wolues on euery side compassed about with such as say Let vs break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from vs. 1. We may learne from hence b Wilcox not
true Christians all of vs are by nature barren of goodnesse conceiued and borne in sinne not able to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 but the father of lights and mercies maketh vs fruitfull and abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord 1. Cor. 15.58 he giueth vs grace to be fathers and mothers of many good deedes i Ambros de interpell libr. 2. cap. 4. Idem Dr. Incognitus in loc in Psalm 102.17 which are our children and best heires eternizing our name for euer PSALME 114. When Israel came out of Aegypt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people c. THere bee two chiefe parts of this Psalme the 1. A description of Israels admirable deliuerance out of Aegypt in the foure former verses 2. A dialogue betweene the Prophet and the Creatures about the same deliuerance in the foure latter verses In the deliueraÌ„ce note 1. The parties deliuered Israel and the house of Iacob being Gods Sanctuarie Seigniorie 2. The perill out of which they were deliuered and k Chrysost Mollerus that was 1. Bondage 2. Bondage among strangers in Aegypt 3. Bondage among such strangers as were cruell a barbarous people 3. The manner how they were deliuered not by meanes ordinarie but miracles extraordinarie wrought on the Water vers 3. The Sea saw that and fled Iordaine was driuen backe Land verse 4. The Mountaines skipped like Rammes c. In the dialogue two poynts are to be considered 1. A question What ayleth thee O thou Sea c. Verse 5.6 2. An l Vatablus Tremellius Bellarmine answere Tremble thou earth c. Or as m Vulgar latine English-Geneua other translations The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord c. When Israel The n Bellarmine latter clause doth expounde the former Israel that is the house of Iacob for this holy Patriarke had two names first Iacob that signifieth a supplantor Gen. 25.26 and then Israel that is one which hath power with God Gen. 32.28 teaching vs hereby saith o In loc Hierome as we haue receiued grace to supplant vice that wee may preuaile with God and see him according to that of p Matth. 5.8 Christ Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God As q Gen. 25.22 Iacob and Esau stroue together in their mother Rebeccaes wombe so the r Galat. 5.17 flesh in man lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh If wee play Iacobs part in supplanting sinne which is a red and a rough Esau we shall assuredly gaine the blessing of our heauenly Father By Iacobs house then is meant his Å¿ Euthym. Genebrard posteritie the children of Israel of whom it is reported by Moses Deut. 10.22 Thy fathers went downe into Aegypt with seuentie persons and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the starres of the heauen in multitude These people were Gods sanctification and dominion t Geneua gloss that is witnesses of his holy Maiestie in adopting them and of his mightie power in deliuering them u Melancth in loc or his sanctification as hauing his holy Priests to gouerne them in the poynts of pietie and dominion as hauing godly Magistrates ordained from aboue to rule them in matters of policie or his sanctuarie x both actiuely because sanctifying him y Genebrardus Iacobus de Valentia and passiuely because sanctified of him It is true that God as being euer the most holy so well as the most high cannot bee magnified and hallowed in respect of himselfe but in respect of y Caluin in loc other onely For God is sanctified of his seruants as wisdome is said to bee iustified of her children Luke 7.35 that is acknowledged and declared to be iust according to that of the Lord by the mouth of his holy z Ezech. 38.23 Prophet Thus will I bee magnified and sanctified and knowne in the eies of many Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. Wherefore let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Againe Iuda was his Sanctuary a Bucer Agellius Râ—b Stephanus because sanctified of him adopted his holy heritage chosen a peculiar and a precious people to himselfe b Deut. 7.6 aboue all Nations in the world I haue carried you said the c Exod. 19.4 Lord vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto me that ye might be my chiefe treasure aboue all people though all the earth bee mine consecrated and hallowed to my worship as holy Temples and Sanctuaries in whome I may rule for so the latter clause may well d Bellarmine explaine the former Iuda was his Sanctuarie because his Dominion in whom he e Chrysost Euthym. Bucer reigned as a king by his lawes and spirit And therefore when Israel asked a king of the Lord to iudge them he said to f 1. Sam. 8.7 Samuel they haue not reiected thee but they haue reiected me that I should not reign ouer them According to this exposition Israel is termed Ex. 19.6 a kingdome of Priests or as S. g 1. Pet. 2.9 Peter hath it a royal Priesthood royall as being his Seigniory Priesthood as being his Sanctuary For the beter vnderstanding of this phrase remeÌ„ber I pra'y that there be two kinds of kingdomes in holy Scripture the kingdome of darknes h Coloss 1.13 which is the kingdome of the deuill and the kingdome of heauen which is the kingdome of God When all had sinned in Adam it pleased the Lord out of his vnsearchable Iustice to lay this heauy punishment on all his posteritie that seeing they could not be content to be subiect to their creator they should become vassals vnder Satans tyraÌ„ny so that all men are now by nature the Children of i Ephes 2.3 wrath and k Ephes 6.12 the Prince of darkenesse ruleth in their hearts vntill Christ the l Luke 11.22 strong man commeth and bindeth him and m Iohn 12.31 casteth him out and so bringeth all his elect out of darkenesse into maruailous light 1. Pet. 2.9 Blind ignorant people cannot abide this doctrine they spit at the very naming of the deuill and say that they defie him and all his euen with all their heart and soule and minde Yet whereas they liue still in ignorance and impiety which are the two maine pillers of Satans kingdome they make plaine proofe that they be Children of the n Luke 16.9 world Children of o Coloss 3.6 disobedience Children of p Hosea 10.9 iniquitie Children of q 1. Sam. 26.16 death Children of the r Iohn 8.44 deuill Children of Å¿ Iohn 17.2 perdition Children of t Mat. 23.15 hell Israel is Gods dominion and Iuda Gods sanctuary but Aegipt and Babylon and other parts and persons of the world liuing in sinne without repentance what are they but the suburbes of hell and as it were the
deuils Empire where he holdeth vp his Scepter and ruleth as a Prince Ephes 2.2 Gods kingdome is taken in the Bible two waies especially Generally For that gouernment which is termed u See Ro. Steph. Concord in dictione regnum Bellarm. Catech. cap. 4. Regnum potentiae by which hee ruleth all men and disposeth of all things euen of the deuils themselues according to his good will and pleasure Specially For his administration of the Church and that is Twofold Regnum gratiae the kingdome of grace Regnum gloriae the kingdome of glorie Of that kingdome which is potentiae Regnum it is said by x 1. Chro. 29.11 Dauid Thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou excellest as head ouer all Of that kingdome y Dan. 4.31 Daniel speaketh His kingdome is from generation to generation and his z Dan. 6.26 dominion euerlasting Of that kingdome Christ in the conclusion of his prayer Thine is the kingdome power and glory For albeit peruerse men do mischiefe and obserue not the laws of God yet he raigneth ouer them as an absolute Lord for that when it pleaseth him hee hindereth their designments and when he permits them sometime to haue their desires hee doth afterward punish them according to their owne misdeeds and so a Psal 135.6 Whatsoeuer the Lord pleaseth he doth in heauen and in earth and in the Sea and in all deepe places By his kingdome of grace he gouernes the soules and hearts of good Christians giuing them his spirit and grace to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Christ is the king of this kingdome vpon whome the Father hath conferred b Mat. 28.18 all authority both in heauen and earth The subiects of this kingdome are such as c Psal 110.3 offer vnto him free-will offrings with an holy worship euer ready to giue cheerefull obedience to the rod of his power The lawes of this kingdome are the Scriptures and word of God in this respect called d Mat. 13.11 the kingdome of heauen the e Marke 1.14 Gospell and f Mat. 13.19 word of the kingdome the g Esay 11.4 rod of Christs mouth and h Rom. 1.16 power of his arme to saluation And so consequently the kingdome of grace is a preparation and entrance to the kingdome of glory which is the blessed estate of all Gods elect in that other life where God is to them all in all And in this respect the kingdome of grace many times is termed in the Gospels History the kingdome of heauen as being the way to the kingdome of glory which is in the heauen of heauens This one verse then expounds and exemplifies two prime petitions in the Lords prayer hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come for Iuda was Gods sanctuary because hallowing his name and Israel his dominion as desiring his kingdome to come Let euery man examine himselfe by this patterne whether he be truely the seruant of Iesus his Sauiour or the vassall of Sathan the destroyer If any submit himselfe willingly to the domineering of the diuell and suffer sinne to i Rom. 6.12 reigne in his mortall members obeying the lusts thereof and k Ephes 4.19 working all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse assuredly that man is yet a Chappell of Sathan and a slaue to sinne On the contrary whosoeuer vnfainedly desires that Gods kingdome may come being euer ready to bee ruled according to his holy word acknowledging it a lanthorne to his feet and a guide to his pathes admitting obediently his lawes and submitting himselfe alway to the same what is he but a Citizen of heauen a subiect of God a Saint a Sanctuary Two questions are moued here the first is what antecedent answeres the relatiue his and the second what is meant by Iuda The relatiue eius hath an antecedent l Mollerus implyed howsoeuer not expressed m Genebrard as Psalme 87.1 Fundamenta eius her foundations are vpon the holy hils And God is that antecedent as I haue partly said and it may likewise be fully shewed both out of the text and title The n Euthym. circumstances of the Text leade vs to this antecedent the Lord is the God of Iacob verse 7. Ergo the house of Iacob is Gods Sanctuary the children of Israel Gods dominion Againe the o Bellarmine Title poynts at this antecedent Alleluia praise the Lord as if the Prophet should haue said ye haue good and great cause to praise the Lord because when Israel went out of Egypt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people then Iuda was his Sanctuary c. Lastly though it should be granted that neither Title nor Text here can affoord vs an antecedent yet we need not runne with p In loc Agellius out of this Hymne to fetch one from the last words of the next going before Hee maketh the barren woman to keepe house c. Because his in this verse may be construed of God Catexochen as being hic ille the most high He who turned the hard rocke into a standing water and the flint stone into a springing Well at whose presence the mountaines skip like Rammes and the little hils like yong sheepe yea the Sea fleeth and the earth trembleth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Iacob By Iuda q Placidus Turrecremat Genebrard some vnderstand Iudea for r Psal 76.1 God is knowne in Iurie his name is great in Israel at Salem is his tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion Å¿ Dr. Incognitus Agellius Other haue construed this onely of the tribe of Iuda for that God in Iuda would chuse a Prince 1. Chron. 28.4 or because the Messias of the world which is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings was to be borne of t Gen. 49.10 that tribe Or because the u See Placidus Bucer Genebrard Dr. Incognit in loc Iewes haue a tradition that Iuda was the first tribe that aduentured after Moses and Aaron and entred into the red sea with vndaunted courage So wee finde in the numbring of Israels hoste that the standerd of Iuda was in the first place Numb 10.14 and Nahshon the sonne of Aminadab was their Captaine Numb 2.3 Hence it is said Cant. 6.11 My soule made me like the chariots of Aminadab or my willing people But x Caluine Rob. Stephanus Tremellius Strigellius Bellarmine most Interpretors vnderstand by Iuda not only that tribe but also the rest of the children of Israel It is nothing but a Synecdoche pars pro toto the chiefe tribe for the whole body of Gods people that went out of Egypt into the land of promise called often in holy Scriptures Israel of the fathers name and Iuda of the chiefe sonnes name Bondage was the perill out of which Israel and Iuda were deliuered and that in the y Plautus in Amphit Poets iudgement is worse then any danger or death omni
Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities who saueth thy life from destruction crowneth thee with louing kindnesse Psal 103. A good Christian is a tymbrel of the holy Ghost his whole life being nothing else but a well-tuned song of Sion alway magnifying the mercies of God in his owne person and inuiting other to doe the same But the m Psal 14.6 mouth of the wicked is full of cursing and bitternes their throate is an open sepulchre destruction and vnhappinesse is in their waies A man of a foule mouth is a beast in the forme of a man his tongue is the tongue of a n Psal 140.3 Serpent Adders poyson is vnder his lips nay worse then a Serpent for it hurts not a man except it be present to see him or to bite him or to strike him with his taile but he which hath a blasphemous and a bitter tongue hurteth all as well absent as present neither sea nor land neither scepter nor sepulchre neither heauen nor hell hindreth him hee blasphemes God he wrongs his neighbour hee raileth on the dead and rageth against the liuing his tongue is the tongue of a Fiend of a Fury For as the holy Prophets of God when they preached had their tongues as it were touched with a o Esay 6.6 coale from the altar of God and as godly men haue their tongues inflamed with the p Mat. 3.11 Acts 2.3 fire of Gods spirit when as they speake graciously so contrariwise when a man speaketh euill his tongue saith S. q Chap. 3.2 Iames is kindled by the fire of hell and Satan comes from thence with a coale to touch his lips and to set them on fire to all manner of mischiefe When as good men speak good things their tongue is r Chrysost hom 99. in Mat. Christs tongue but all manner of cursed and vngodly speaking is no better then the Diuels language Thinke on this all yee that forget God whose mouthes are so farre from singing his mercies alway that yee can hardly come in your communication vnto any full period without interlacing an oath or two It is no wonder that in Italy which is a parcell of Antichrists kingdome blasphemies should be darted out against God and his Christ ordinarily openly being made ſ Relation of Religion sect 53. phrases of gallantrie to the brauer and very interiections of speech vnto the vulgar But in England where the scepter of Christs kingdome hath a long time florished it cannot but wound the hearts of such as mourne for the sins of the land to consider how commonly not onely the ruffin at the tauerne and the rascall on the stage but also the labourer at his worke and the gentleman at his recreation and the very boyes yea babes in the street curse their Maker and reuile their Redeemer Other sinnes are clothed in some sort with excuse before men in respect either of profit or pleasure content or credit but in swearing there is neither good nor gaine nor glorie I beseech you therefore my deare bowels in the Lord instruct your children and seruants how to serue God in a liuely faith and a reuerend feare let your whole life be to them a walking Catechisme that they may sing alway the mercies of the Lord and shew foorth his truth from generation to generation PSALME 110. The Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole THis Psalme saith t In loc Breuis numero verborum sed magnus pondere sententiarum Augustine is in the number of words short but in the weight of matter ample containing so many deepe mysteries and opposing so many dangerous heresies that as u In loc Chrysostome notes we neede many eyes for the right reading and exact vnderstanding of it If we literally referre this vnto Dauid he bringeth in a subiect or a fauourite speaking thus of himselfe The Lord said vnto my Lord the King Dauid as a King is a Lord because the Lieutenant and as it were Vice-gerent of the Lord. In this sense Paul telleth vs that there bee many Gods and many Lords 1. Cor. 8.5 many Gods in title and type but in deed and truth one God only Princes are Gods in name for saith the Lord x Psal 82.6 I haue said ye are Gods but not in nature for yee shall dye like men All higher powers hold their Scepters from the y Prou. 8.15 highest power z Psal 75.8 he putteth downe one and setteth vp another according to the stile Iames by the grace of God c. a Caluin in loc More principally Dauid who was called to his kingdome by Gods especiall grace and vsed his kingdome to Gods especiall glorie For hee was a man according to Gods b Acts 13.22 own heart turning from nothing the Lord commanded him al the daies of his life saue only in the matter of Vriah the Hittite 1. King 15.5 And surely beloued if we will in sensu similitudinario consider earnestly the wonderful vnion of these two kingdomes England and Scotland and the florishing estate of the Gospel vnder the gouernment of our dread Soueraigne wee shall haue good cause to take vp this song The Lord said vnto King Iames our Lord sit in thy throne for I haue both appointed and anoynted thee King ouer great Britannie c Dr. Incognit in loc Or happily Dauid might speake this of himselfe The Lord said vnto me concerning my Lord Saul persecuting me sit thou downe by the power of my right hand and be well assured of my protection vntill I haue made all thine enemies thy footstoole that is all such as hindred thee from thy kingdome obedient subiects vnto thee saying d 2. Sam. 5.1 Behold wee are thy bones and thy flesh So the Lord spake by the Prophet Nathā 2. Sam. 12.7 I annointed thee King ouer Israel and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul and gaue thee thy Lords house and thy Lords wiues into thy bosome and gaue thee the house of Israel and Iudah and would moreouer if that had bin too little haue giuen thee such and such things c. But because S. Peter Acts 2.34 and S. Paul Heb. 1.13 expound this text of Christ and Christ himselfe applieth it vnto himselfe Matth. 22.44 Mark 12.36 Luk. 20.42 I forbeare to treat any longer of shadowes and come to the substance taking this Psalme for a prophecie concerning Christ in fact and Dauid onely but in figure Christ then is described here 1. e Genebrard As a King vers 1.2.3 2. As a Priest vers 4.5 3. As a Iudge vers 6.7 His kingdome is great in respect of Countenance The Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hād Continuance Vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole c. Or f Tremellius three points are remarkable concerning his kingdome 1. His calling to this
passages as they follow the chase And therefore hee shall lift vp his head as hauing a full victorie to his aduancement and exceeding glorie for so this manner of speech is vsed Gen. 40.13.20 PSALME 132. Lord remember Dauid and all his troubles c. THis hymne consists of two parts a Prayer for the Prince Priests people with a commemoratiō of their zeale to Gods holie worship and seruice from the 1. to the 11. verse Promise made by God particularly to Dauid and his seede as also generally to the whole Church as the ground of the prayer from vers 11. to the Psalmes end The penner of this Psalme prayes for the y Bucer Wilcox King first as the chiefe Lord remember Dauid And then afterward for his state both z Luther Mollerus Strigellius Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill the Church and Common-weale The Church Arise O Lord into thy resting place that is thy Temple let thy Priests bee clothed with righteousnes The a Tileman Common-weale Let thy Saints sing with ioyfulnes c. The which is answerable to the Suffrages in our Liturgie Indue thy Ministers with righteousnes and make thy chosen people ioyfull And happily the Church of England aimed at this Prayers order in the composition of the Letanie where praying more particularly wee beseech God in the first place to blesse our most gracious King and gouernour In the next to blesse the whole Clergie Bishops Pastors and Ministers and then all degrees of the Laitie superiours as the Counsell Nobilitie Magistrates and inferiours all the people Satan is called by b Iohn 8.44 Christ a lyar and a murtherer from the beginning euer busily labouring to destroy both our soule with vntruths and our bodies with murthers c Luther in loc Against these two policies and kingdomes of the Diuell almightie God hath erected other two kingdomes the politike state to fight against murthers and the Priesthood to fight against false doctrine and heresies So that Dauid and all other Kings in gouerning the Common-wealth ought to performe their best endeuours that their subiects may leade a d 2. Tim. 2.2 quiet and a godly life Quiet as being free from mutinies and murthers godly as being free from heresies and lyes And these two kingdomes although they be farre vnlike are so ioyned together that the one cannot stand without the other For where politike peace is wanting there pietie cannot bee maintained without great danger and where the word of God is wanting there can bee no sound and secure peace Policie serueth the Church and the Church preserueth policie The Priests and Preachers are said in the 17. verse of this Psalme to be deckt with saluation that is the ministration of the word whereby they e 1. Tim. 4.16 saue themselues and those that heare them And in this respect called f Caluin Ribera Vatablus in Obad. sauiours Obadiah 21. as being helpers and labourers together with God who saueth 1. Cor. 3.9 But that part of this Hymne concerning the promise concerneth our present feast especially The Lord hath made a faithfull oath vnto Dauid c. The Papists in the first verse Lord remember Dauid with all his afflictions and in the tenth verse for thy seruant Dauids sake turne not away the presence of thine annoynted dreame that Salomon and the people did pray to God that he would heare them at Dauids intercession and for his merits and thereupon establish inuocation of Saints and praying to the dead But our g Luther Mollerus Caluin Tileman Strigellius Diuines answere that Dauid is not here to bee taken absolutely for his person onely but as hauing the couenant and clothed as it were with the promises of God For Dauid neuer entreated God to be heard for his owne merits but on the contrary crieth h Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Neither did the Church here desire to be heard for Dauids sake but for the promise made to Dauid And their meaning is briefly this O Lord God we pray vnto thee for the kingdome not counting our selues in any sort worthie that we should be heard but as i Dan. 9.18 Daniel speakes we present our supplications before thee trusting in thy great and tender mercies and in that thou hast promised to Dauid to wit that our kingdome shall endure for euer So Moses prayed k Bxod. 32.13 Deut. 9.27 Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy seruants to whom thou swarest by thine owne selfe He doth not inuocate Abraham Isaac and Iacob as the Papists imagine fondly but hee doth alleage Gods holy couenant made to them as touching their seed and posteritie For how could God be put in minde of these promises better then by reciting those persons to whom God hath made thē Here then is a notable president for vs that when we pray we should appeare before the seate of God as wretched and miserable sinners not trusting vpon our owne merit but clothed as you would say with his mercie not as he who bragged l Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the weeke I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse but as he who said Lord remember thy promises for the promises of God are nothing else but mercies and compassions offered freely vnto vs in Christ Faith is necessarily required in prayer for m Rom. 10.14 how shall any call on him in whō they haue not beleeued and faith is grounded euer vpon the sure promises of God who saith n Exod. 20.5 I am the Lord thy God and so loued the world that he gaue his o Iohn 3.16 only begotten sonne in p Matth. 3.17 whom he is well pleased If then hee giueth himselfe to be our owne and his sonne to be our owne how shall hee not with himselfe and his sonne q Rom. 8.32 giue vs all things also Verily verily saith our blessed Sauiour that euer spake veritie whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Ioh. 16.23 These things ought to be taught diligently because Gods holie promises are the r Luther in loc chiefe part of the Scripture the true bosome and wombe wherein the Church is carried and all her children the faithfull Now the promise mentioned here touching the seed of Dauid is categoricall and absolute so farre forth as it concernes Christ of the fruit of thy body will I set vpon thy seat for euermore But as it concernes other of Dauids house ſ Placidus Luther Mollerus Genebrard hypothetical and conditional if thy children will keepe my couenant c. In that which is promised and prophecied touching Christ obserue The Manner of the promise the Lord hath made a faithfull oath vnto Dauid and he shall not shrinke from it vers 11. The matter of the promise 1. That the Messias is to bee borne of Dauids seed of the fruit of thy body 2. That the Messias
is to sit on Dauids seate shall I set vpon thy seate The Lord hath made a faithfull oath Men vse to sweare by him that is greater then themselues Hebr. 6.16 that is by God and that for t Caluin Maâ—lorat in Heb. 6.16 three causes especially 1. Because God is greater then themselues in credit 2. Greater then themselues in knowledge 3. Greater then themselues in power Men by sinne haue lost their credit and therefore doe they pawne the credit of God which is truth it selfe and in cases of necessity for want of other sufficient proofe God is content to pledge his truth for honest men who meane well All men are by nature u Psal 116.10 Psalm 62.9 lyars and x Mark 10.18 onely God is good and true wherefore men vse to sweare by him as being greater in y Primasius Lombard in Heb. 6. credit 2. An oath is for the manifestation of a secret truth or intention of the heart for to sweare in things apparant is to take the name of God in vaine But God alone is the searcher of the z 2. Chron. 6.30 heart and a Psalm 7.10 reines and therefore men vse to sweare by him as greater in b See Thomas 22 a. quaest 89. art 1. knowledge 3. If a man violate his oath and forsweare himselfe the wrong is done directly vnto God his truth is falsified his witnesse abused his name blasphemed and therfore men sweare by him as being greater in power c 2. King 2.23 that he may take vengeance on such wretches as dare wrong his sacred Maiesty But God as hauing none greater to sweare by sware by himselfe to father d Gen. 22.16.18 Abraham in thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed This oath is renued againe to Isaac Gen. 26.3 and repeated often vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12.13 and 1. Chron. 17.12 and 2. Chron. 6.16 and remembred also by the Prophets Esay 55.3 Psalm 89.34 It was in him exceeding rich mercy to giue his bare word that he would in the fulnesse of time giue his only begotten Sonne for the redemption of the world saying the seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head but it was vndoubtedly greater mercy for his seruants better assurance to bind his promise with a faithfull oath swearing by his holinesse that hee will not shrinke from it See my notes vpon Psalme 110. vers 4. Of thy fruit of thy body Saint Peter expounds this of Christ Act. 2.30 for according to the flesh hee was the seed and sonne of Dauid e Lib. 3. cap. 27. Irenaeus and f In loc Augustine and g Hugo in loc other Doctours note that it is according to the Hebrew de fructu ventris of the fruit of thy belly not de fructu femoris aut renum Because thy promised seed is the seed of the woman Genes 3.15 made of a woman Gal. 4.4 hauing the materials of his body from his mother Mary but his formale principium from God the holy Ghost agent in his admirable conception And yet for as much as Mary was of Dauids house it may bee said that her sonne was the fruit of Dauids body For proofe whereof it is said that h Gen. 47.29 Ioseph put his hand vnder Iacobs thigh and the seruant of i Gen. 24.2 Abraham vnder the thigh of his master because saith k De Abra. Patriar lib. 1. cap. 9. Ambrose Christ our blessed Sauiour was to proceed out of the loynes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob For as Christians taking an oath in our time lay their hands vpon some part of that sacred book wherein Christ is reuealed so the Fathers in old time put their hands vnder the thighes of those Patriarches of whom Christ was then to come Moreouer Sonnes are called the fruit of the fathers venter as well as of the mothers according to that of Dauid 2. Sam. 16.11 Behold my sonne which came out of mine owne bowels seeketh my life Shall I set vpon thy seate You haue heard how Christ is the seed of Dauid now let vs examine how he sits on the seate of Dauid Wee reade in the Gospels history that hee l Ioh. 6.15 hid himselfe in a mountaine when as the people would haue made him a King and that hee professed openly before Pilate m Ioh. 18.36 my kingdome is not of this world n D. Incognitus Answere is made that by Dauids seate is meant Hierusalem o Galath 4.26 aboue not Hierusalem here below mysticall Hierusalem and p Apoc. 21.2 heauenly not materiall and earthly So the Lord Psalm 2.6 I haue set my King vpon mine holy hill of Sion that is I haue made my begotten sonne ruler and head ouer the whole Church of which Hierusalem is a figure Sion and the seate of Dauid are to bee construed here typically not topically For Christs high and holy kingdome is internall and spirituall not exaernall and temporall q Augustin Theophylact. in Ioan. 18. See Recognit Bellarmin à pag. 26. ad pag. 46. It is hîc not hinc in the world but not of the world By the preaching of his word which is the scepter of his kingdome hee rules in the r Psal 110.1.2 middest of his enemies and makes them all his foot-stoole conuerting such enemies as appertaine to Gods election and confounding such enemies as are the sons of perdition his Gospell is vnto the one the Å¿ 2. Cor. 2.16 sauour of life vnto life and to the other the sauour of death vnto death See my notes vpon the 110. Psalme 2. and third vers t See August in tract 115. in Joan. As his kingdome is not of the world so the faithfull his voluntarie subiects are not of the world Ioh. 17.16 you were of the world saith our Sauiour to his followers but I haue chosen you out of the world Ioh. 15.19 As his kingdome is spirituall euen so they bee u Rom. 8.14 led by the spirit in x Ioh. 2.27 all things And therefore when you come into Gods house to be made partakers of his holy word and Sacraments open the doores of your eares and gates of your hearts that the y Psal 24.7 King of glory may come in and so dwell in you and raigne in you for euermore Behold hee standeth at the doore and knocketh Apoc. 3.20 Open and obey that hee may set vp his kingdome in the parlour of thine heart It is our daily prayer thy kingdome come the meaning whereof is briefly this O heauenly father let not Satan and sinne raigne in our soules but rule thou by thy word and spirit and so build in vs the kingdome of grace and hasten the kingdome of glory The difference betweene our heauenly King and earthly Princes is great 1. Their dominions are limited and the borders of their kingdomes bounded their people numbred the time of their raigne prescribed But Christ hath
all their plots and practises to be worthie i Hierome derision For first if we construe this of Dauid he laughed all his enemies to scorne saying k 2. Sam. 12.7 I annointed thee King euer Israel and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul and gaue thee thy Lords house and his wiues into thy bosome c. and would moreouer if that had been too little giue thee such and such things c. The which is in effect all one with our text at the sixth verse I haue set my King vpon mine holy hill of Sion If we construe this of the Church hee laugheth all her enemies to scorne saying l Esay 49.16 I haue grauen thee in the palmes of mine hands and thy walles are euer in my sight m Esay 41.10 Feare thou not for I am with thee be not afraid thou worme Iacob for I the Lord thy God will strengthen thee and helpe thee and sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Behold all they that prouoke thee shall be confounded and ashamed they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish for n Matth. 16.18 hell gates shall not ouercome thee If we construe this of Christ he that dwelleth in heauen had all his enemies in derision hee did vse these bad instruments for the effecting of his good ends so the text Act. 13.27 in putting to death the Lord of life they fulfilled all things that were written of him in the Prophets and Acts 4.28 they did whatsoeuer Gods holy hand and counsell had determined before to be done All his enemies as well spirituall as temporall imagined vainly The Diuell and Death and Sinne furiously raged against him on the Crosse but hee did o Coloss 2.15 openly triumph ouer them in the same Crosse By death he did ouercome death and open vnto vs the gate of life for if death could not on this day keepe him fettered in the graue his prison it is euident that his power is vanquished and if death bee conquered it followes necessarily that sin which is the sting of death is also destroyed If death and sinne be discomfited then assuredly the kingdome of Satan is subdued who had the power of death and is author of sinne and ruler of hell As for his temporall enemies the Gentiles madly raged against him and the Iewes imagined a vaine thing in p Matth. 27.60 rolling a great stone to the doore of the sepulchre sealing it and making it sure with a watch For it was q Acts 2.24.31 impossible that the Lord of life should bee holden of death his soule could not bee left in graue nor his flesh see corruption and therefore the stone being rolled away by an Herauld of heauen Matth. 28.2 God raised him againe from the dead and made him a King ouer his holy hill of Sion r Hierome Augustin that is head of his Church giuing him all the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession And the Rulers held an idle counsell against him in commanding the souldiers who guarded his tombe to say ſ Matth. 28.13 that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept for as t Hom. 36. Austin and u Greg. Nyssen orat 2. de resurrect Christi Idem annotat inter neotericos Caietan in Matth. 28. other of the most ancient Doctors haue well obserued it is a very senselesse lye because the souldiers either were asleepe or awake if asleepe how did they know that his Disciples had taken him away by night if awake why did they not guard the tombe lapidem vt lapides seruabant as Chrysostome vpon this Psalme See Gospell on Easter day Thus he that dwelleth in heauen raising his annointed on this day from the dead had all his enemies in derision He said to Christ on Easter day Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee As if he should haue said Thou wert euer my sonne before to day before there was any day x Caluin Rob. Stephanus in loc See Suarez tom 2. in 3. Thom. disput 45. sect 1. but yet in this day of thy resurrection I haue most especially manifested vnto the world that thou art my sonne whom I haue begotten See this expounded more fully Epist on Tuesday in Easter weeke Be wise therefore O ye Kings In this admonition obserue foure points Especially 1. Who Kings and Iudges 2. When Now. 3. What 1. To y Basil Bellarmine know their dutie Be wise be learned 2. To doe their dutie Serue the Lord kisse the Sonne 4. Why Because z Tremellius hereby Gods Heauie wrath is escaped implied in the word therfore hauing reference to the iudgements of God verse 5.9 and expressed vers 12. lest he be angrie and so yee perish from the right way Happie blessing is obtained Blessed are they that put their trust in him He doth exhort Kings especially a Caluin because their greatnes vsually makes them insolent and rebellious against God b Steuchus Or lest happily the subiect should bee punished for the Soueraignes follie Quic quid delirant reges plectuntur Achiui Or because like Prince like people Ieroboam made Israel to sinne c Herodianus lib. 1. for the most part euerie man emulates the manners of his Prince d Claudianus Mobile mutatur semper cum principe vulgus Or he speakes to Kings and Iudges more particularly e Tileman for that it belongs vnto their office to see the people well instructed it appertaines to their charge being Custodes vtriusque tabulae that euery subiect liue toward himselfe soberly toward his neighbour righteously toward God religiously For although a King may not administer the Sacraments or preach the word or execute the Ministers office de facto yet as our ſ Confess Anglican art 37. and in the admonition to simple men annexed to Queene Elizab Iniunctions Diuines haue determined it belongs to the Kings cure de Iure to see that all things concerning Gods holy seruice should be done in the Church orderly The Prophet therefore calleth vpon Kings and Iudges earnestly to serue the Lord as the chiefe knowing that the great wheele mouing in deuotion is able to carry with it all the lesser wheeles Here then obserue what a great charge Princes and Prelates haue for God saith vnto them of euery one which is vnder their iurisdiction and cure g 1. King 20.39 keepe this man if he be lost and want thy life shall goe for his life h Petitur à te non curatio sed cura Bernard The conuerting of the wicked howsoeuer it be Gods cure yet it is thy care the Lord only giueth i 1. Cor. 3.6 encrease yet Paul is to plant and Apollos to water and therefore k Fox Mart. fol. 1003. Iohn Longland B. of Lincolme preaching before King Henrie 8. wondred at the Popes blind