Iewes hallowed their Sabbath vpon the seuenth day which is the last day of the week So that Easter day is the Sabbath of Sabbaths an high and holy day from which euery other Sunday hath his name being so called because the sun of righteousnesse arose from the dead vpon this day This day is the Lords day the day which himselfe made so good a day that all his true seruants euer since haue reioyced in it and sanctified their Sabbath on it u Eoban Hessus Haec est illa Dies toti celebrabilis orbi Quem facit proprio signat honore Deus The reasons why we should this day reioyce so much are manifold but they may be reduced all vnto two principall heads A motion from euill Promotion in good Christ on this day rising from the dead ouercame the diuell which is the authour of death and the graue which is the prison of death and sinne which is the x Cor. 15.56 sting of death and the Law which is the strength of the sting of death and all this he did for vs men and our saluation The diuell which is the Prince of y Ephes 6.12 darknesse had no part in the sunne of righteousnesse Christ therefore being z Luke 11.22 stronger then he came vpon him and ouercame him he tooke from him all his armour wherein he trusted and diuided his spoyles and cast him out of his hold that he might haue no part in vs or power ouer vs. As a Ser. de quadruplici debito Bernard sweetly Fortitudo Diaboli per redemptoris vulnera traducta deducta ad nihilum in the words of Saint Paul The God of peace shall tread downe Sathan vnder your feet Rom. 16.20 So he who was aboue the Law was made b Gal. 4.4 vnder the Law that he might redeeme those which are vnder the Law that hee might put out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs and fasten it vpon his Crosse Coloss 2.14 So hee who knew no sinne made himselfe to be sinne for vs that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5.21 He was wounded 〈◊〉 our transgressions and broken for our iniquities Esa 53.5 If the tormentours of Christ should aske now as they did once Luk. 22.64 Who is he that smote thee we may quickly become Prophets and answere for him our sinnes smote him euery one of vs might ingeniously confesse with c Ionas 1.12 Ionas for my sake this great tempest is vpon thee sweet Iesus He triumphed ouer hell and the graue for vs also for as for himselfe it was impossible that the Lord of d Acts 3.15 life should be holden of death Acts 2.24 Wherefore let vs say with Saint e 1. Cor. 15.55 Paul O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law but thankes bee to God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ And let vs heartily sing with our Prophet Easter is the day which the Lord hath made wee will be ioyfull and glad in it f Bonauēt in loc Some Diuines affirme that the yeere wherein our blessed Sauiour arose from the dead should according to the Law haue been the yeere of Iubile wherein g Leuit. 25.10 liberty was proclaimed in the Land to all the inhabitants thereof euery man returned to his possession and family debts were released and oppressions abated And surely the Iubilees in old time were h Dr. Incognit figures of the ioyes in this acceptable time for by the resurrection of Christ euery true beleeuer is set free from the hands of all his enemies his trespasses are forgiuen and he is restored againe to his interest in that heauenly possession and immortall inheritance which he lost in the transgression of his great grandfather Adam The redemption of Christ is a yeere of Iubile the resurrection of Christ is the chiefe day in the yeere Let vs therefore reioyce for it and be glad in it Dauid saith i Psal 41.11 elsewhere By this O Lord I know thou fauourest me that mine enemy doth not triumph against me k 2. Sam. 22.41 Thou hast giuen vnto me the necks of my foes that I might break them as smal as the dust of the earth and tread them flat as the clay in the street That which hee speaketh of his temporall enemies opposing him in obtaining of an earthly kingdome we may well apply to the spirituall hindering vs in our way to the kingdome of heauen O Lord our strength and redeemer thou hast on this day l Gen. 3.15 broken the serpents head and vtterly confounded all such as hate vs. On this day thou diddest laugh them to scorne and haue them in derision Psalm 2.4 and therefore we will in memoriall of this one day sing thy mercies all the dayes of our life sounding foorth vnto the worlds end This is the day this is thy day which thou Lord hast made wee will reioyce and be glad in it Concerning our promotion in good the resurrection of Christ is a proofe of our iustification a meanes of our sanctification a demonstration of our resurrection First it proueth our iustification according to that of Paul Rom. 4.25 He was giuen to death for our sinnes and is risen againe from the dead for our iustification See the Gospell on S. Thomas day Secondly the resurrection of Christ is a notable meanes to worke inward sanctification as Saint Peter teacheth in 1. Epistle 1. Chap. 3. Verse God hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And Saint m Rom. 6.4.5 Paul As Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of his Father so we should also walke in newnesse of life For if we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection Which words import n Aquin. Aretius Marlorat that as the graft groweth in the stocke and is become one body with it euen so the faithfull haue their liuing and spirituall being in Christ As he by the power of his owne Godhead freed his manhood from death and from the guilt of our sin so doth he likewise free those that are knit vnto him by the bond of one spirit from the corruption of their natures in which they are dead that they may liue vnto God o Raymund de Sabunde Theolog natural tit 277. In the naturall body the head is the fountaine of all motion and sense for the hands and the feet moue by that power which is by sundry nerues deriued from the head and dispersed among the members And so it is in Christs mystical body the Church hee is the head and fountaine of life spirituall and p Perkins exposit Creed art Christ resur that very power of his Godhead whereby he raised vp himselfe when
parmensis Genebrardus in loc that is they make men declare the glory of God by their admirable structure motions and influence Now the preaching of the heauens is wonderfull in n Bellar. in loc three respects 1. As preaching all the night and all the day without intermission vers 2. One day telleth another and one night certifieth another 2. As preaching in euery kinde of language vers 3. There is neither speech nor language but their voyces are heard among them 3. As preaching in euery part of the world and in euery parish of euery part and in euery place of euery parish vers 4. Their sound is gone into all lands and their words into the ends of the world They bee diligent Pastors as preaching at all times and learned Pastors as preaching in all tongues and Catholike Pastors as preaching in all townes Let vs not then in this Vniuersitie where the voyces of so many great Doctors are heard bee like to trewants in other schooles who gaze so much vpon the babies and guilded couer and painted margent of their book that they neglect the text and lesson it selfe This booke is Gods Primer as it were for al sorts of people but he hath another booke proper only for his domesticall auditorie the Church o Psal 147.19 Hee sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel hee hath not dealt so with any nation neither haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes Heathen men read in his Primer but Christian men are well acquainted with his Bible The Primer is a good booke but it is imperfect for after a man hath learned it hee must learne more but the law of the Lord p Bucer Tileman Caluin in loc that is the body of the holy Scriptures is a most absolute Canon of all doctrines appertaining either to faith or good manners it is a perfit law conuerting the soule giuing wisedome to the simple sure pure righteous and reioycing the heart c. But before wee treate of that part let vs examine the mysticall exposition of this part of the Psalme being guided hereunto by the spirit of God Rom. 10.18 and by the direction of our Church accommodating this text to this time Allegorically then is meant by heauens generally the q August exposit 2. in loc Bellarm. de Sacramentis in genere lib. 1. cap. 25. Saints especially the blessed r August exposit 1. in loc Euangelists and ſ Hierome Melanct. Strigelius Apostles A good man and a true Christian is not only Gods house Heb. 3.16 but also Gods heauen as S. Augustine expounds the words of Christ Our Father which art in heauen that is dwelling not in the materiall heauen only but in the mysticall heauen also to wit in holy men of heauenly conuersation hauing their affections set on things which are aboue Coloss 3.2 These kind of heauens declare the glorie of God in their workes as much and more then in their words euer t Philip. 2.15 shining as lights in the world u Oecumen apud Bellar. vbi sup their whole life being nothing else but a perpetuall sermon as it were to their neighbours and so they declare Gods glorie for that other seeing their good deedes are thereby moued to glorifie our Father which is in heauen More particularly the blessed Euangelists and Apostles annunciat Gods glory the Gospell is Gods throne x Caluin epist dedit Harmon wherein his Maiestie rideth as in a chariot and the foure wheeles of this chariot are the foure Euangelists and therefore this firmament sheweth Christs handy-worke because the written Gospell is a tract of all that Iesus did and taught Acts 1.1 and the blessed Apostles in preaching the Gospell haue likewise declared Gods glorie for in teaching that men are y Rom. 3.24 freely iustified by grace what doe they but annunciat the z Ephes 3.16 riches of his glorie The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation and if thou beest hereby saued it is not thine but Gods glorie Wherefore sing with heauens hoste on this day a Luke 2.14 Glorie be to God on high and with holy b Psal 115.1 Dauid Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie for thy mercies and truths sake c Turrecremat Or the Apostles declare Christs glorie in preaching that he was and is equall with God as being the character of his person and brightnesse of his glorie Heb. 1.3 and they shew Christs handy worke in relating all hee said and did and suffered for vs men and our saluation from his Cradle to his Crosse and afterward from his Crosse to his Crowne These were the Trumpetors of his Gospel and as it were the d August ep 89. bel-weathers of his flocke whose sound is gone out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world as S. Paul interprets our text Rom. 10.18 There is neither speech nor language but their voyces are heard among thē e Euseb hist lib. 3. cap. 1. Andrew preached in Scythia Thomas in Parthia Iohn in Asia f 1. Pet. 1.1 Peter to the dispersed Iewes throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia g Socrates hist lib. 1. cap. 15. Bartholmew in India Matthew in Aethiopia for as h Catalog gloriae mundi part 3. considerat 29. Cassanaeus reports Aethiopiam nigram doctrina fidei fecit candidam In England as by tradition wee haue receiued i Niceph. lib. 2. cap. 40. Simon Zelotes first preached the Gospell and k Capgraue in Catalog sanct Angl. Magdeburg epist praefix Gent. 4. Ioseph of Arimathea built a religious house for Professors in Glascenbury Saint Paul howsoeuer he was not one of the twelue yet hee laboured more abundantly then they all 1. Cor. 15.10 he declared the glorie of God in l Galat. 1. Arabia Syria Cilicia m Acts 13. Antiochia Seleucia Cyprus n Acts 14. Lycaonia Lystra o Acts 17. Athens p Acts 20. Corinth Troas In a word he made the Gospell of Christ abound in euery place from Hierusalem vnto Illyricum as himselfe witnesseth of himselfe Rom. 15.19 hee was a chosen vessell of the Lord to beare his name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel Acts 9.15 Thus all the Saints in generall the foure Euangelists and twelue Apostles and euery sound Preacher of the Gospell in particular annunciat the glorie of God But what is the meaning of the next words one day telleth another and one night certifieth another Literally dies diem dicit is nothing else but dies diem docet One day telleth another is one day teacheth another q Vatablus in loc The day past is instructed by the day present euery new day doth affoord new doctrine The r Placidus Parmen in loc day is a most apt time to learne by reading and conference the night a most apt time for inuention and meditation now that which
witnesseth Psalme 39.6 How can he then that begs his bread but for a day promise to spend his breath in magnifying the Lord for euer Answere is made that the Prophet will not only commend the mercies of the Lord in word but also commit them vnto writing h Eobanus Hessus Vt sciat haec aetas posteritasque legat As the tongue of the Prophet is termed i Psal 45.2 elsewhere the penne of a ready writer so the writing of the Prophet is heere termed his mouth as Euthymius vpon the place Liber Psalmorum * Acts 4.25 os Dauid k Wilcox Hee doth intend to note the mercies of God and to set foorth his truth in a book the which he will leaue behind him as an instrumēt to conuey the same from generation to generation from the generation of l Euthym. Incognit Turrecremat Iewes to the generation of Christians m Hierome Or from the old Testament to the new for the blessed Apostles in their Sermons vsually cite sentences out of the Psalmes S. n 2. Pet. 4.6 Peter telleth vs that the Gospell was preached vnto the dead so may we say that the Gospel is preached by the dead For the most ancient Fathers and other iudicious authors which haue spēt their daies in writing learned expositions godly meditatiōs vpō the holy scriptures although they be dead sleep in the bed of their graue yet they sing alway the mercies of the Lord and shew the truth of his word from one generation vnto another It is reported in our o Malmesbur de gestis Reg. Anglorum lib. 2. cap. 6. Chronicles of Athelstan Parum aetati vixit multum gloriae So many zealous and industrious Doctors haue liued in respect of their age but a little yet in respect of their acts a great while shining still in their works and writings as lights of the world Or the Prophet may be said to sing euer intentionally though not actually p Io. de Combis comp Theolog. lib. 7. cap. 21. For as the wicked if he could liue alway would sinne alway so the good man if God should suffer him alway to breathe on earth would sing alway the mercies of the Lord. Hee will in q 1. Thessal 5.18 all things giue thankes vnto God r Psal 92.2 early telling of his louing kindnes in the morning and of his truth in the night season In the morning ſ Dr. Incognit Turrecremat Glossa that is in a prosperous estate when as the Sunne shineth vpon him he will acknowledge that euery good gift in him is from aboue comming downe from the Father of lights and Father of mercies And in the darke night of aduersitie hee telleth of Gods iustice confessing ingenuously t Luke 23.41 We receiue things worthie of that we haue done Hee giueth thankes vnto the Lord in both in the one highly magnifying Gods fauour in the other humbly vilifying his owne fault u Placidus Jncognitus Or because God hath inspired into man not only the breath of x Gen. 2.17 this present life but of y Iohn 3.16 Apoc. 2.10 that also which is to come the Saints are said to continue their song of Gods praise in the kingdome of glorie which here they begin in the kingdome of grace For so the Spirit Apoc. 19.1 I heard a great voyce of a great multitude in heauen singing Halleluiah saluation and glorie and honour and peace be to the Lord our God It is obiected if the Saints in heauen alway sing the mercies of the Lord then they remember their miseries on earth and if they remember their sinne and sorrow here how can they be perfitly blessed there for the Lord saith z Esay 65.17 I will create new heauens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde a Gregor moral lib. 4. cap 42. Answere is made that as men in perfit health often remember their terrible fits of their former sicknesse with exceeding ioy yea the more they call into mind their danger past the greater is their delight present euen so the Saints in the kingdome of glorie remember happily their misdeeds and mishaps in this valley of teares but it is without any pollution of sinne or touch of sorrow So b Vbi sup Idem Augustin lib. 22 de Ciuit. dei cap. vlt. Gregorie the Great Erit in illa beatitudine culpae memoria non quae mentem polluat sed qua nos arctius laetitiae astringat vt dum doloris sui animus sine dolore reminiscitur debitorem se medico veriùs intelligat eò magis acceptam salutem diligat quò molestiae meminit quam euasit c August apud Io. de Combis comp Theolog. lib. 7. cap. vlt. Heauenly happinesse consisteth in two things in the necessarie possessing of euery thing which is good and in the necessarie remouing of euery thing which is euill Miserie then is not remembred of the Saints as a matter of griefe but as a motiue to ioy because they bee now d Rom. 7.24 deliuered from this bodie of death and enioy the Crowne of euerlasting life where God is to them e 1. Cor. 15.28 all in all a glasse to their sight hony to their taste musicke to their hearing Balsome to their smelling where f 1. Kings 3.12 Salomons wisedome seemes follie g 2. Sam. 2.18 Ahasels agilitie slownesse Samsons strength weaknes h 2. Sam. 14.25 Absoloms comelines deformitie Caesars empire beggerie Methusalems long life shortnes of daies or a speedie death Thus I haue shewed how the Prophet may be said to sing alwaies the mercies of the Lord in this life vnto the worlds end in the next for euer and euer world without end As for al meanes he praises the Lord with his mouth and all that is without him as also with his minde and al that is within him His i Psal 45.1 heart indites a good matter and his tongue is the penne of a ready writer All his members are for the seruice of his Maker as S. k In loc Augustine glosseth our text Obsequantur membra inquit mea domino meo loquor sed tua loquor annunciabo veritatem tuam in ore meo Si non obsequor seruus non sum si à me loquor mendax sum Ergo vt abs to dicam ego dicam duo quaedam sunt vnum tuum vnum meum veritas tua os meum Now let vs according to this copie draw the lines of our liues vsing all meanes to set foorth the louing kindnesse and truth of the Lord. l Psal 105.1 O give thankes vnto the Lord and call vpon his name tell the people what things he hath done O let your songs be of him and praise him and let your talking bee of his wondrous workes O my soule praise the Lord and all that is within me praise his holie name praise the
and Aaron as well Priests as people being assembled together gaue publike thanks vnto the Lord for that their good king Dauid was now fully deliuered from all his enemies and quietly setled in his princely throne So this text 〈◊〉 a very fit theame for the Coronation dayes of our late blessed blessed Queene and present gracious King as also for the Commemoration of our happie deliuerance from the Spanish Inuasion anno 88. and from the bloody Gunpowder plot on the fifth of Nouember 1605. ſ Augustin Arnobius Melancthon But mysticallie this day is the time of grace beholde now is the accepted time now the day of Saluation 2. Cor. 6.2 and this day is tearmed here Catexochen The day t Mollerus Dr. Jncognitus because the whole time wherein a man liues without Christ is called in holy Scripture The night and darkenesse as being full of terrours and errors of blindnesse and ignorance So Saint Paul Rom. 13.12 The night is past and the day is come And Ephes 5.8 Once yee were darkenesse but now light in the Lord your selues u Iohn 12.36 Children of light and your workes x Rom. 13.12 Armour of light y Bonauēt in loc Dominus est Dies Christ is the day or rather indeed the z Iohn 1.9 light of the world and a Mal. 4.2 Sunne of the day b Luke 1.78 springing on high to giue light to such as sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death This day did appeare to the world in some measure c Tileman from the beginning For the manifestation of Christ Iesus the supernaturall Sunne of righteousnesse arising with health vnder his wings to them that feare the Lord resembling a great deale the rising of the naturall sunne in our Horizon First the sunne being ready to rise sendeth forth a little glimpse of his brightnesse whereunto wee may compare the mystery of that Aphorisme The seede of the woman shal breake the serpents head Gen. 3.15 Then it doth inlarge the same brightnes with more splendour to which happily Noahs prophecie may bee likened Blessed bee the Lord God of Sem Gē 9.26 Afterward ascending higher approaching neerer vnto vs it putteth forth his glittering beames of clearer light whereto we may resemble the plainer promises concerning Christ communicated to the latter ages of Abraham Gen. 12.2 of Isaac Gen. 26.3.4 of Iacob Gen. 28.14 of Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12 At length it discouereth it selfe and appeareth openly whereunto Christs incarnation and liuing in the world answereth 1. Ioh. 1. That which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seen with our eyes which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled c. Last of all it gloriously mounteth vp aboue the earth and d Psal 19.6 nothing is hid from the heat therof and to this accordeth our Sauiours resurrection and ascension whereby himselfe was glorified and hee drew other men vnto him Ioh. 12.32 and gaue them power beleeuing in his name to bee the sonnes of God Ioh. 1.12 Wherefore seeing the Messias of the world is now dead for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification and sitteth at the right hand of God in heauen euer making intercession for vs and seeing the e Rom. 10.18 sound of his Gospell is gone through all the earth and the words of his Apostles vnto the ends of the world we haue good cause to sing and say this is the most acceptable time the day of saluation and grace f Ephes 3.5 which in other ages was not opened vnto the sonnes of men as it is now reuealed and therefore let vs reioyce and be glad in it Now for as much as the resurrection of Christ is the g Mollerus complement of all the promises concerning the Messias and as it were the h Church Hō for Easter day locke and key of faith on which all other Articles depend the Church of England and i Chrysost Euthym. Melanch Bucer other Diuines auncient and orthodoxe haue made this Hymne proper on Easter day for on this day Christ arising from the dead was heard at large on this day hee saw his desire vpon his enemies on this day hee did openly triumph ouer the diuell and death and hell albeit they compassed him round about and kept him in on euery side yet in the name of the Lord hee destroyed them On this day hee did not dye but liue to declare the workes of the Lord. On this day the same stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner it is the Lords doing and it is maruellous in our eyes and therefore let vs heartily sing This is the day which the Lord hath made we will be glad and reioyce therein God made the k Gen. 1.5 morning and euening the light and the darknesse are his How then is he said heere to make this day more then other dayes the l Chrysost Euthym. Placidus Doctours vpon the place answere that albeit all dayes are good in respect of themselues and God yet some be ioyfull and other dolefull in respect of the good and euill that happeneth in them vnto vs. For m Melancthon Mollerus the day wherein Adam fel and in him all his posteritie was an euil and a blacke day made so doubtlesse by the diuell and not by the Lord but this day wherin the second Adam arose from the dead and in him n 1. Cor. 15.22 all men are made aliue is a good day wherein the faithfull are ioyfull It is the Lords doing and therefore the Lords day The Lords doing that the same stone which the builders refused is now become the head and corner stone in the building that he who was a despicable man a worme rather then a man Psalme 22.6 should now triumphing ouer the diuell and death hell and the graue become the o Psalme 24.7 king of glory that p Phil. 2.10 at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth Now the Lord is said to make this day more then other as q Agellius honouring it aboue other exalting it and making it r Caluin memorable to posterity So the word making sometime signifieth as 1. Sam. 12.6 It is the Lord that made Moses and Aaron s that is exalted Moses and ſ Vatablus Aaron and so we say that a man aduanced in honour or riches is a made man in this sense the making of a day is the sanctifying and obseruing of a day Deut. 5.15 Exod. 34.22 how then is Easter day more magnified and hallowed then other dayes in the yeere to this obiection answere may bee that all Christians heerein imitating the patterne of the blessed t Acts 20.7 1. Cor. 16.2 Apoc. 1.10 Apostles in honour of Christs resurrection obserue their Sabbath vpon the eight day which is the first day of the weeke whereas the
AN EXPOSITION OF THE PROPER PSALMES VSED IN OVR English Liturgie TOGETHER WITH A REASON WHY THE CHVRCH did chuse the same By IOHN BOYS Doctor of Diuinitie The first part explaining the Psalmes appointed to be read on Christmas and Easter day PSALM 49.4 Aperiam in Psalterio propositionem meam AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for VVilliam 〈…〉 TO THE RELIGIOVS AND EVERY WAY NOBLE KNIGHT SIR THOMAS WOTTON of Bocton Malherbe Sonne and heire to the right honourable EDVVARD Lord WOTTON Baron of Marleigh Comptroller of his Maiesties household Lord Lieutenant of the Countie of Kent and the Citie of Canterburie and one of the most Honorable Priuie Counsell SIR as the Scriptures excel other writings in veritie so the Psalmes other Scriptures in varietie for whereas some sacred bookes are legall as the Pentateuchue of Moses other historicall as the Kings Chronicles Acts a third kinde Propheticall as the Vision of Esay Sermons of Jeremie Reuelation of Saint John a fourth Euangelicall as the Gospels and Epistles the Psalter as a Prolog in lib. 3 Psalmorum Augustine b Hom. de laudibus virtute Psalm Basile c Praefat. in Psalm Euthymius and d Athanasius Chrysostom other ancient Doctors honour it is a common treasure-house of all good arguments and instructions and in this respect aptly tearmed e Caluin epist praefix Com. in Psalm The Soules Anatomie the f Tremel argument in Psalm Lawes Epitomie the g See Victorinus Strigellius epist Dedicat. Tilemanus Heshusius praefat in Psalm Gospels Jndex in one word The h Turrecremat prolog in Psalm Register i Io. Gaineius epist lect in od Dauid Enchiridion k Ex ceteris omnibus quasi Collectus Hen. Mollerus praefat in Psalm Summarie pith and as it were l Agellius prolog in Psalm Briefe of the whole Bible Vpon this ground the Church in m Preface Com. Booke old time diuiding the Psalmes into seuen portions inioyned that they should bee read in diuine seruice thorough once euery Weeke and in our time parting them into thirtie once euery Moneth where as other parts of holy writ are read thorough but once in the yeere And the Nouelists howsoeuer they mislike bare reading of Chapters approue notwithstanding by their positions and practise singing of Psalmes in the Congregation By which it doth appeare that nothing is esteemed generallie more necessarie for the worshippe of God then the word of God and no parcell of the word more full and fit then the Psalmes vnto which I will adde that no Psalmes are more profitable then the proper as vnfoulding the foure chiefe mysteries of holy beliefe namely Christs Jncarnation Passion Resurrection Ascension An exposition whereof I haue begun in the name of the Lord Iesus and that for his Sions sake the which I dedicate to your worthie selfe as being a noble Theophilus that is a true seruant of God and obseruant of his Church affected so right honestly which is right honorably to her doctrine and discipline that your humble Comportament in Gods house giueth vnto the world good hope that you will become an open booke of vnfained deuotion and pietie Now the God of all comfort according to the multitude of his mercies and riches of his glorie blesse you and your Honourable Familie that you may long enioy good dayes on earth and hereafter eternall happinesse in Heauen Yours in all good offices of dutie and loue IOHN BOYS Hollingbourn April 2. CHRISTMAS DAY Morning Prayer PSALME 19. The Heauens declare the glorie of God c. THE World resembleth a Diuinitie-Schoole saith a Com. de tranquil animi Plutarch and Christ as the b Matth. 23.8 Scripture telleth is our Doctor instructing vs by his workes and by his words For as c Tull. lib. 5. de finibus Aristotle had two sorts of writings one called Exoterical for his common auditors another Acroamatical for his priuate schollers and familiar acquaintance so God hath two sorts of books as Dauid intimates in this Psalm namely The Booke of his Creatures as a Common-place booke for all men in the world The heauens declare the glorie of God vers 1.2.3.4.5.6 The Booke of his Scriptures as a statute-booke for his domesticall auditorie the Church The law of the Lord is an vndefiled law v. 7 8 c. The great booke of the Creatures d Du Barias 1. day 1. weeke in folio may bee termed aptly the Sheepheards Kalender and the Ploughmans Alphabet in which euen the most ignorant may runne as the e Abacuc 2.2 Prophet speakes and reade It is a Letter Patent or open Epistle for all as Dauid in our text Their sound is gone out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world there is neither speech nor language but haue heard of their preaching For albeit heauen and the Sunne in heauen and the light in the Sunne are mute yet their f Non loquuntur quidem vt homines tamen velut loquentes à nobis intelligūtur Tremel in loc voyces are well vnderstood g Athenagoras orat pro Christianis Catechizing plainly the first elements of religion as namely h Thom. part 1. quaest 12. art 12. Caietan ibidem that there is a God and that this God is but one God and that this one God excelleth all other things infinitly both in might and maiestie Vniuersus mundus as i Cardinal Cusanus one pithily nihil aliud est quà m Deus explicatus The whole world is nothing else but God exprest So Saint Paul Rom. 1.20 Gods inuisible things as his eternall power and Godhead are cleerely seene by the creation of the world being vnderstood by the things that are made The heauens declare this and the firmament sheweth this and the day telleth this and the night certifieth this the sound of the thunder proclameth as it were this in all lands and the words of the whistling winde vnto the ends of the world More principally the Sunne which as a bridegrome commeth out of his chamber and reioyceth as a giant to runne his course The k Victorinus Strigel in loc Vide Bellar. de ascensione mentis in deum per scalas Creat grad 7. cap. 2. body thereof as Mathematicians haue confidently deliuered is 166. times bigger then the whole earth and yet it is euery day carried by the finger of God so great a iourney so long a course that if it were to be taken on the land it should runne euery seuerall houre of the day 225 Germane miles It is true that God is incapable to sense yet hee makes himselfe as it were visible in his workes as the diuine l Du Bartas vbi sup fol. 6. Poet sweetly Therein our fingers feele our nostrils smell Our palats taste his vertues that excell He shewes him to our eyes talkes to our eares In the ordered motions of the spangled spheares So the heauens declare m Placidus
to doe his worke It is reported of x Author Latin Chron. de Cantuariens Archiepis in vita Cranmeri pag. 403. Archbishop Cranmer that his heart after his flesh and bones were consumed in the mercilesse flames of fire was found vnscorched and whole so let vs in the middest of all tentations in this world which is y 1. Ioh. 5.19 in maligno that is in male igne positus keepe our heart sound and whole for the Lord that wee may professe with z Rom. 7.16 Paul I doe not the good things which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I now then if I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me If any shall aske wherewith shall a man cleanse his heart a Psal 119.9 Dauid doth answere by ruling himselfe after Gods word that is a perfect law conuerting the soule that is the b Rom. 1.16 power of God vnto saluation an c 1. Pet. 1.23 immortall seed and the word of life whereby men are borne againe to the kingdome of God All of vs are by nature the d Ephes 2.3 children of wrath our soules are e Paulinus epist lib. 2. epist 4. in fine like the porches of Bethesda Ioh. 5. in which are lodged a great many sicke folke blind halt withered And the Scriptures are like the poole of Bethesda into which whosoeuer entreth after Gods holy spirit hath a little stirred the water is made whole of whatsoeuer disease he had He that hath angers phrensie being so furious as a Lion by stepping into this poole shall in good time become so gentle as a Lambe hee that hath the blindnesse of intemperance by washing in this poole shall easily see his follie hee that hath enuies rust auarices leprosie luxuries palsie shal haue meanes and medicines here for the curing of his maladies the word of God is like the drugge Catholicon that is in stead of all purges and like the herbe Panaces that is good for all diseases Is any man heauie the statutes of the Lord reioyce the heart is any man in want the Iudgments of the Lord are more to bee desired then gold yea then much fine gold and by keeping of them there is great reward is any man ignorant the testimonies of the Lord giue wisedome to the simple f Euthym. that is to little ones both in standing and vnderstanding In standing as vnto little g History of Susanna vers 45. Daniel little h Discipulum minimum Iesus amabat plurimum Hierom. epist ad Heliodor Iohn the Euangelist little i 2. Tim. 3.15 Timothy to little ones in vnderstanding for the great Philosophers who were the Wizards of the world because they were not acquainted with Gods law became fooles while they professed themselues wise Rom. 1.22 but our Prophet saith k Psal 119.99 I haue more vnderstanding then my teachers because thy testimonies are my meditation and studie To conclude whatsoeuer wee are by corruption of nature Gods law conuerteth vs and maketh vs to speake with l Mark 16.17 new tongues and to sing new m Psalm 98.1 songs vnto the Lord and to become new men and new creatures in Christ 2. Cor. 5.17 The law of the Lord giueth euery man a new-yeers gift if he haue faithes hand to receiue it Vnto the couetous it giueth a new-yeeres gift in telling him plainly that such as trust in vncertaine riches and not in the liuing God fall into tentations and snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction 1. Tim. 6.9 It giues the voluptuous and incontinent man a new-yeers gift aduising him 1. Thess 4.4 to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour It giues the proud man a new-yeeres gift in saying n Iam. 4.6 1. Pet. 5.5 Prou. 3.34 God resisteth the proud and giues grace to the humble It giues the lusty gallant a new-yeres gift in remembring him to o Ecclesiastes 12.1 remember his Creator in the daies of his youth It giues euery man a new-yeeres gift in bringing this newes into the world that p Luk. 2.11 vnto vs is borne this day a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord and that q Ioh. 3.16 whosoeuer beleeueth in him shal not perish but haue euerlasting life The Pope then in denying the lawes of God vnto the people of God in a tongue which is knowne in persecuting those who translated them as Wickliffe and Tyndal and other who sold them as a godly r Fox martyrol fol. 863. Stationer was burnt in Auinion with two Bibles about his neck and other for ſ Fol. 752. 753. reading hauing them and other for repeating only t Fol. 761. 762. certaine sentences out of them euidently sheweth himselfe a great Antichrist and aduersary to the Gospell For as holy u Letter to the Vniuersity and towne of Cambridge Bradford said how can he with his Prelates meane honestly who make so much of the wife and so little of the husband The Church they magnifie but Christ they contemne The truth is if their Church were an honest woman that is Christs owne spouse vnlesse they would make much of her husband Christ and his word she would not bee made much of them If the law of the Lord be perfect conuerting the soule giuing wisdome to the simple reioycing the heart cleane sure pure more to bee desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then honey and the honey combe what impudent Pharisies are they who professing that the keyes are in their hands onely x Mat. 23.13 shut vp the kingdome of heauen before Gods people they neither go in themselues nor suffer such as would enter to come in It was said of them in old time by y Dr. Bassinet in a pub oration before the Bishops assembled in Auinion vti Fox martyrolog fol. 863. some of their owne side that it was so great a wonder to heare a Bishop preach as to see an Asse flie Now they preach I confesse more then heretofore but their doctrine sauours of policy more then of piety tending rather to King-killing then soule-sauing Whosoeuer is verst in their bookes is able to giue this verdict that their Diuinity tracts are worse then their humane learning and that their Sermons are the worst of all their Diuinity being framed in affaires of state not according to the word of Christ but according to the will of Antichrist and in matters of deuotion according to the fopperies of their owne Legend and not according to the wisedome of Gods law z Epist lib. 1. epist 1. Seneca said pithily Magna vitae pars elabitur malè agentibus maxima nihil agentibus tota aliud agentibus The Iesuites in their preaching are malè agentes as making a 2. Cor. 2.17 merchandize of Gods holy word The Friars in their preaching are nihil agentes
b 1. Tim. 1.7 vnderstanding neither what they speake neither whereof they affirme For the most part all Papists in their preaching are aliud agentes either beyond the text or behind the text or beside the text The too little learning of their Friars and too much of their Iesuites haue so wrested and wreathed the Scripture to serue their owne turne that as c De inuent rerum lib. 4. cap. 9. Polydore Virgil said of Lawyers they haue stretched Gods booke as shoomakers extend a boot See Gospell 1. Sund. in Aduent To leaue them and to come nearer our selues seeing the booke of Scriptures is the word and will of God and that a perfect law so perfect that nothing may bee taken therefrom or put thereto not onely perfect in it selfe but also making others perfect conuerting the soule and giuing wisdome to the simple let it as the blessed d Colos 3.16 Apostle doth exhort dwell in you plenteously with all wisedome It is Gods best friend and the Kings best friend and the Courts best friend and the Cities best friend and the Countries best friend and all our best friend and therfore let vs not entertain it as a stranger but as a familiar a domestick let it dwell in vs. And for as much as it brings with it exceeding profit and pleasure profit more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold pleasure reioycing the heart sweeter also then honey and the honey combe let it dwell in vs plenteously Yet in all wisdome let vs heare it in all wisdome reade it in all wisdome meditate on it in all wisedome speake of it in all wisedome preach it in all wisedome not onely in some but in all wisdome that the words of our mouthes and the meditations of our hearts may bee most acceptable in thy fight O Lord our strength and our Redeemer Amen Psalme 45. is expounded on Whitsunday The next allotted for this our present festiuall is PSALM 85. Lord thou art become gracious vnto thy land c. This Psa may be diuided into two parts a Prayer whereof there be e Tremellius two grounds 1. The Churches experience of Gods former mercies vers 1.2.3 2. The due consideration of Gods nature slow to conceiue wrath ready to forgiue vers 4.5.6.7 The summarie pith is briefly this Lord thou hast bin heretofore fauourable to thy land and therfore wee hope thou wilt bee so now that thy people may reioyce in thee Precept consisting of two branches 1. Aduising vs in all our afflictions and misery to haue recourse vnto the comfortable promises of God I will heare what the Lord will say 2. That wee should leade a godly life lest our follie stop the free passage of these promises as well touching things spirituall vers 9.10.11 as temporall vers 12. Mystically the whole Psalme in the iudgement of Hierome Augustine Basil and other ancient Fathers is nothing else but a prophesie concerning the redemption of mankind from the tyrannie of Satan and sinne by the comming of Christ into the world prefigured by the deliuerances of Gods people from their bondage both in Egypt and Babylon Now the Prophet treating of Christs Aduent Speakes D. Incognitus in loc 1. In the preterperfect tence Lord thou hast been gracious thou hast turned away thou hast forgiuen c. Shewing three notable fruits of his comming 1. Benediction in taking away the curse from his land and captiuity from his people vers 1. 2. Iustification in forgiuing their offences and couering all their sinnes vers 2. 3. Reconciliation turning away Gods wrathfull indignation and displeasure v. 3. 2. In the future tence praying that hee may come turne vs then O God our Sauiour c. g Bacer Bellarmin Or it may be parted into a Predictiō of our deliuerance from the hands of all our spirituall enemies vers 1.2.3 for the Psalmist as prophecying by the spirit of the Lord speaks in the time past of that which as yet was to come Petition for execution of the prediction in the rest an hearty prayer that the fact might answere the figure Lord thou art become gracious The translators of the vulgar Latine reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benedixisti but Athanasius and other Greek Interpretors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremellius beneuolus fueras Munster benignus factus es Castalio fanisti Vatablus propitius And our English Bibles accordingly thou hast been gracious fauourable mercifull vnto thy land Here then obserue that the good will and fauour of God is the fountaine of all goodnes and blessing to his people h Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. It was his owne loue which induced him to send his sonne and Ephes 1.3 Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things in Christ as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will c. Vnto thy land God cursed the land for the first Adams disobedience saying i Gen. 3.17 Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of thy life k Hierom. Euthym. Turrecremat But he blessed the land for the second Adams obedience l Gen. 22.16.18 swearing by himselfe that in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed The Land O Lord is thy land though of it selfe it can bring forth nothing but thistles and thornes it is thy creature wherefore m Wisd 11.21 thou which hatest nothing that thou didst make hast out of the riches of thy mercy become gracious vnto it As the n Psalm 95.5 sea is his for that he made it euen so the o Psal 24.1 earth is the Lords and all that therein is the compasse of the world and they that dwell therein for hee hath founded it c. p T. Wilcox exposition in loc Other thinke that the land of Canaan is called heere thy land because God had chosen it and hedged it in as it were from the Commons of the whole world for his peculiar people the Iewes according to that of the q Esay 5.7 Prophet Surely the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Iudah are his pleasant plant enclosed vnto r Deut. 7.6 Exod. 19.5 himselfe aboue all places vpon earth Thou hast turned away the captiuity of Iacob ſ Hierom. Euthym. All true beleeuers are the sonnes of Iacob and seed of Abraham t Augustin as well the beleeuing Gentiles which are the sonnes of Iacob according to the spirit as the beleeuing Iewes the sonnes of Iacob according to the flesh and the u Bucer Church of these true Iacobins and
true heaven and earth shall perish and wax old as doth a garment and as a vesture thou shalt fold them vp and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy yeeres shall not faile Psal 102.27 Heb. 1.12 Thou sweet Iesus art a Priest for euer and a Prince for euer And surely God would haue Dauids earthly kingdom to determine in Iehoiachim and Zedechia that his people might g Hoc admonet vox intellectus in titulo posita Bellar. argum huius Psalmi vnderstand the holy couenant made with Dauid of Christ and that they might pray Lord where are thy old louing kindnesses which thou swarest vnto Dauid in thy truth See S. August de ciuit dei lib. 17. cap. 9.10.11.12.13 Now the Prophet in processe of his hymne describes the natures and vertues of Christ as well inherent in his owne person as infused into his people His Humane nature because the seed of Dauid a perfect man in soule and body against h Bellarmin de Christo lib. 2. cap. 2. Eutycheans i Epiphan haeres 77. Apollinarists k August haeres 11. Valentinians l Alphons de haeres lib. 4. fol. 70. Nestorians m Idem ibid. fol. 73. Monothelites c. His Diuine nature First for that the Church inuocates him as God vers 5. O Lord the very heauens shall praise thy wondrous works and thy truth in the congregation of the Saints By heauen is meant the n Euthym. Tileman Church and the o Augustin Hierom. Preachers of Christ in the Church Secondly Ethan proues Christ to be God by comparison in the 6.7.8.9 verses Who is he among the cloudes that shall bee compared vnto the Lord or what is hee among the gods that shall be like vnto him as if he should say there is neither Monarch on earth nor Angel in heauen his peere Thirdly from the preseruation of all things v. 10.11 Thou rulest the raging of the sea thou rulest the waues thereof when they arise c. Fourthly for that he created the world ver 12.13.14 The heauens are thine the earth also is thine thou hast laid the foundation of the round world c. Hauing thus expressed his natures and shewed him to be p Alphons de haeresibus lib. 1. fol. 25. verus homo verusque Deus tamen vnus vterque He begins in the 15. verse to sing of his vertues as well in his owne person as people For himselfe righteousnes and equity is the habitation of thy seat mercy and truth shall goe before thy face For his people blessed are they that can reioyce in thee they shall walke in the light of thy countenance their delight shall be daily in thy name c. These things affoord manifold instructions according to the prefixed title a Psalme for instruction of Ethan the Ezrarite But the point aimed at most is vndoubtedly q Vatablus Caluin that in all our tentations and tempests of conscience we should flie to the sure mercies and holy promises of God in Christ If once we stay our soules on this anchor hold wee shall escape shipw-rack of faith Ethan who was either penner or singer of this hymne is by r Augustin interpretation robustus one which is strong now no man is strong in this world but hee who relieth vpon the sure promises of God The consideration of our owne merits is able to make vs faint and feeble but our trust in the Lords euerlasting mercies maketh vs like mount Sion which cannot bee remoued but abideth fast firme for euer Psal 125.1 And therefore ſ Galat. de arcan lib. 6. cap. 12. some Diuines haue construed this Scripture by that Ierem. 9.23 Thus saith the Lord let not the wise man glory in his wisdome nor the strong man glory in his strength neither the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstands and knowes me to bee the Lord which shew mercy iudgement and righteousnesse And as the Fathers vnder and before the law comforted themselues in all afflictions and misery with the consideration of Christs first comming so let vs in the middest of our tentations and troubles bee stedfast and immoueable because we look for his second comming He deferred his first comming a great while yet in the t Galat. 4.4 fulnes of time he dealt with his seruants u Luke 2.29 according to his word So the Saints expecting his second comming crie with a loud voyce x Apocal. 6.10 How long Lord holy and true doest not thou iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on earth And mockers in the last daies also say y 2. Pet. 3.4 Where is the promise of his comming for since the fathers died all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation And yet the Lord saith Saint Peter is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slacknes but is patient toward vs and would haue all men come to repentance z Heb. 10.37 Yet a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarrie Behold saith he who neuer vttered vntruth a Apoc. 22.12 I come shortly and my reward is with me to giue euery man according as his workes are The life present is so full of diseases and disasters that our happinesse is b Coloss 3.4 hid with Christ in God but whē he which is our life shall appeare then we shall also appeare with him in glorie for hee shall c Philip. 3.21 change our vile body that it may be like his glorious body d Martialis ad Burdegal epist. 8 Non euacuabitur veritas corporis sed non erit pondus fragilitas corruptionis Wherefore let vs alway be rich in the work of the Lord for as much as wee know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord 1. Cor. 15.58 Hitherto concerning the dittie of the song I come now to the dutie of the singer I will alway sing thy mercies with my mouth I will euer be shewing thy truth from one generation to another I know e Bellarmine some ioyne in aeternum to the nowne misericordias and not to the verbe cantabo making the sense to bee this I will alway sing thy mercies which endure for euer But alwaies is referred as well if not better vnto the verbe I will sing as who would say Lord thy mercies are so manifest and so manifold so great in their number and so good in their nature that I will alway so f Psal 146.1 long as I haue any being sing praises vnto thee Happily some will obiect All flesh is grasse and the grace thereof as the flower of the field the grasse withereth and the flower fadeth away Dauid being persecuted by Saul said g 1. Sam. 20.3 there is but a step between death and me Nay Dauid thy life is shorter then a stride but a spanne long as thy selfe
kingdom by God the Father vers 1. 2. His administration of this kingdom by the scepter of his word vers 2. 3. His subiects obedience to this administration vers 3. g Apud Pet. Galatin de arcanis lib. 8. cap. 24. Some Doctors among the Iewes haue construed this of Dauids Angel appointed by the Lord for his peculiar guard and guide But I say to them out of S. h Heb. 1.13 Paul Vnto which of the Angels said the Lord at any time sit at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole i Apud Hierom. in Mat. 22. D. Incognit Agellium in loc Other Rabbins expound this of Abraham as making it a thanksgiuing vnto the Lord for the victorie which he got against the foure Kings Gen. 14. Other vnderstand this of k Justin Martyr in dialog contra Triphonem Tertullian lib. 5. contra Marcian Ezechiah other of l Vti Chrysost in loc Zorobabel But all these holy Fathers are dead and haue slept long in the dust of their graue whereas the Lord heere mentioned is a Priest for euer and hath a kingdom m Heb. 1.8 without end And so consequently this Psalme cannot aptly be construed either of man or angell or of any other meere creature but of Christ alone the Messias and Mediatour being the sonne of Dauid as man and the Lord of Dauid as God The Iewes vnderstood not this and therefore they could not answere Christs question Mat. 22.45 If Dauid call him Lord how is he then his sonne neither should we haue learned this except Christ and his Apostles had taught it vs. Nunc ergo saith n In loc Augustine quia didicimus dicimus as we haue read so we beleeue that Christ as being o Philip. 2.6.7 equall to God is the Lord of Dauid as found in the forme of a seruant the sonne of Dauid As p Ioh. 1.1.14 in the beginning the Lord of Dauid as made flesh the sonne of Dauid as q Esay 7.14 conceiued and borne of a Virgin the son of Dauid as Emmanuel the Lord of Dauid See Hierom. in Mat. 22. pet galatin de arcanis lib. 3. cap. 17. lib. 8. cap. 24. Chrysostom D. Incognit August Steuchus Caluin Tileman Agellius Bellarmin alios in loc The Lord said then vnto my Lord is as r Turrecremat Tremellius Genebrardus if hee should haue said God the Father said vnto God the Son And therefore Å¿ Galatin de arcanis lib. 8. cap. 24. Steuchus in loc Rabbi Ionathas translateth it in the Chalde dixit dominus verbo suo the Lord said to his Word Here then obserue t Placid parmen the distinction of persons in the Godhead against u Tileman Artemon Sabellius and Seruetus The Father said vnto the Sonne Ergo the Father is distinguished from the Sonne x August de ciuit dei lib. 11. cap. 10. Lombard 1. sent distinct 2. alius howsoeuer not aliud another person albeit not another substance for as the Father is Lord so the Son Lord and the holy Ghost Lord and yet not three Lords but one Lord as Athanasius in his Creed The Lord said But how when and where the words of our mouthes are first as the y Aristotle Perihermin cap. 1. Philosopher truly notions of our mind So God hath a twofold word z Dr. Incognit ad intra conceiued within himselfe and ad extra reuealed vnto men According to both he said this a Melanct. in loc Immensa sapientia decretum fecit id generi humano patâ—fecit First according to his intrinsecall word he said it before the worlds as it is in the second Psalme vers 7. The Lord said vnto me thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Secondly according to his extrinsecall and reuealed word he said it in the world b Tileman to wit in the beginning Gen. 3.15 the seed of the woman c I said the Lord vnto the serpent will put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed he shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruise his heele Christ is that promised seed of the woman as being c Rom. 1.3 made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh he shal breake the Serpents head is all one with our text sit thou on my right hand vntill I haue made all thine enemies thy footstoole My Not onely because to bee borne of my seed and posterity d Agellius but mine in regard of mine affection and particular application As his mother Mary called him my Sauiour and his Apostle Thomas my God and Paul Galath 2.20 Christ loued me and gaue himselfe for me Lord Saint e In loc Hierome and f Apud Genebrard in loc Adonai Adoni other learned in the Hebrew note that in the first place the word translated here Lord is proper onely to God but in the second communicable to men And so Christ according to his manhood began to sit at the right hand of God after his ascension into heauen and not before Christ as the sonne of God was euer at Gods right hand equall in might and maiesty for in the Trinity none is afore or after other none is greater or lesse theÌ„ another but all the three persons are coeternall and coequall As the Sonne is said in this verse to sit at the right hand of the Father so the Father on the Sonnes right hand vers 5. The Lord vpon thy right hand shall wound euen Kings in the day of his wrath But Christ as man was not exalted vnto this honour before his glorious ascension as Saint Peter expoundeth our text Act. 2. â—4 Dauid is not ascended vp into heauen but the Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a surety that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Iesus I meane whom ye haue crucified And Paul Philip. 2.8 He humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse wherefore God hath highly exalted him And in g Ephes 1.20 another place God raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in heauenly places Yet the Lord said not this vnto Christ as vnto a meere man h Esay 42.8 I am the Lord quoth he this is my name and my glory will I not giue to another but to Christ God and man our Messias and Mediator one person in two natures As Christ is our Iesus Emmanuel he hath i Mat. 28.18 all power in heauen and on earth k Phil. 2.10 At the name of Iesus euery knee shal bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth l Chrysost Theophylact. Gorran in loc Pauli Angels and Saints in heauen men on earth and the diuels of hell vnder earth Christ hath
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
follie who makes the whole world his Diocesse for if a man at the dreadfull day of iudgement shall hardly answere for himselfe how shall the man of sinne answere for all the world Now for as much as euery priuate family is a modell of a kingdome euery man in his owne house is both a Priest and a Prince be wise ye masters and learned ye parents that yee may bring vp your seruants and children in l Ephes 6.4 instruction and information of the Lord serue God in feare and reioyce in him with reuerence giue good examples of piety toward God of pitty toward your neighbours of sobriety toward your selues As m Epist lib. 1. epist 10. Seneca diuinely sic viue cum hominibus quasi Deus videat sic loquere cum deo quasi homines audiant So conuerse with men as if God did see you so conferre with God as if men did heare you Lastly this exhortation to repentance concerneth all men as well the lowest as the highest if the words ministry reach vnto the Soueraigne how shall it come short of the n Euthym. Caluin subiect if o 1. King 18.18 Elias may tell Ahab it is thou and thy fathers house which haue troubled Israel in that yee haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord and haue followed Balaim If p Mat. 14.14 Iohn the Baptist may tell Herod to his beard It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife If q 2. Sam. 12. Nathan may tell Dauid the King of his murther and adulterie then assuredly the Prophets of Almighty God may well admonish inferiours tell them of their vaine imaginations raging against the Lord and his annointed Saint Peter told Simon Magus r Act. 8.23 thou art in the gall of bitternesse Saint Å¿ Galath 3.3 Paul called his Galathians fooles because they began in the spirit and ended in the flesh Saint t Iam. 5.3 Iames cried vnto the couetous worldlings your gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them is a witnesse against you The Pastour may tel his parishioners of their idlenesse oppression hypocrisie drunkennesse c. exhorting them to learne Christ better and to bee more wife Such as continue still irrepentant in their sins are fooles and the longer they continue the greater fooles if once they turne to the Lord and repent they begin to be wise for u Prou. 1.7 the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome And therefore the next point is to bee pressed intelligite nunc be wise now Now while yee are in the x Mat. 5.25 way now while it is called y Heb. 3.13 to day now while it is time z Caluin Genebrard before Gods heauie iudgments ouertake you mentioned in the fifth and ninth verse Sinne is first as it were a Palmer-worme hurting onely the leaues of the tree then a Caterpiller destroying the fruit last of all if it bee not in due time preuented a Canker that deuoures the body Christ often compares his Spouse the Church vnto a Doue whose call is nunc nunc now now and the voice of the Turtle is heard in Gods holy land Cant. 2.12 but the Crow crying a Augustin de verbis dom in euang secund Mat. ser 16. cras cras to morrow to morrow seemes to bee curate to the diuell and vicar of hell An irrepentant sinner in his security sleepes betweene death and the diuel as Peter did betweene two souldiers bound with two chaines Act. 12.6 He that will not vnderstand and bee wise now may perish in his follie before to morrow Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Prou. 27.1 O foole this night may they fetch away thy soule from thee Luk. 12.20 Bee wise therefore now learne now to know your duty and to doe your dutie to the Lord lest in his anger he bruise you with a rod of iron and breake you to pieces as a potters vessell Our vnderstanding must bee first informed and then our affections reformed according to Gods holy lawes b Lactantius institut lib. 4. cap. 4. Sapientia praecedit religio sequitur sapience goeth before religion followeth It is our duty first to know God and then to worship him according to the termes of our c Termes of law Tit. scire facias Common law there must bee first a scire facias and then a fieri facias Wee cannot doe the will of our heauenly Father except we know it and it is not sufficient to know it as d Luk. 12.47 Christ teacheth vs except we doe it The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding saith our Prophet haue they that e See notes vpon the 111. Psal doe thereafter Psalm 111.10 He that will commence Doctor in Israel and be learned in Christs schoole must agere poenitentiam as the Latine translation runnes Mat. 3.2 It is not enough f Michael de Hungaria ser 5. Stella in Luk. 15.7 cogitare to thinke of amendment as they who deferre repentance from day to day ye must euen now be wise neither is it enough dicere to speake of repentance like hypocrites who disfigure their faces and looke soure Mat. 6.16 Neither is it enough docere to teach other repentance like Iudas who was an instrument for the sauing of other and yet hanged himselfe Hee that will not burne with the diuell must of necessity turne to God and this turning is a whole not halfe a turne g Ioel. 2.12 Turne ye to me saith the Lord with all your heart c. We haue heretofore played the fooles in abusing our soules and bodies goods vnto the dishonour of God iniuring of our neighbours hurt of our selues It is now time to bee wise and to learne how to be deuout in pouring out our soules vnto God continent in gouerning our body toward our selues iust in disposing of our goods toward other Now the best way to bee learned and to know our duty is to bee versed in Gods booke whereof there be h See Basilicon Doron pag. 7. 8. two parts his old Testament and his new The ground of the former is the Law which sheweth our sinne and containeth iustice the ground of the latter is the Gospell which sheweth our Sauiour and containeth grace The summe of the law is the decalogue more largely dilated in the bookes of Moses interpreted and applied in the Sermons of the Prophets and illustrated by manifold examples of good and euil in the stories of Chronicles and Kings But because no man is able perfectly to keep the whole law or any part therof it pleased God of his infinite goodnesse and wisedome to incarnate his onely Sonne in our nature who for the satisfaction of his iustice might fulfil the course and suffer the curse of the law for vs that since we could not bee saued by doing we might at least be saued by beleeuing
the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life is another sweete kisse of his mouth It is q Strigellius in loc verè suauiolum as being sweeter then hony Psal 19.10 better then wine Cant. 1.1 As r Concordia duorum cordium osculum duorum corporum coniunctio Io. a Iesu-Maria in Cant. 1. concord is the coniunction of two soules euen so kissing which is a token of concord is the coniunction of two bodies Our blessed Sauiour daily proffers and offers to kisse vs if we then vnmannerly despise the ſ Rom. 2.4 riches of his goodnesse and obstinately perish from the right way he shall one day speake to vs in his wrath and if his wrath be kindled yea but a little what a t Heb. 10.31 fearefull thing will it be to fall into the hands of the liuing God which is a consuming fire If any shall aske how shall I which am a poore pilgrime on earth ascend and kisse my Sauiour who dwelleth in heauen Answere is made by Dauid in the very next clause Blessed are all they that put their trust in him as if hee should haue said To u Strigellius Tileman beleeue in him and to put our whole trust in him is to kisse him In this proposition as in all other three points are to be considered especially the Subiect all that trust in him Praedicate blessed Copula are x Hierome Not they who trust in themselues and their owne merits or in Princes and their meanes or in Saints and their mediations or in Angels or in any thing else beside y Acts. 4.12 Christ only such are free from the tyrannous oppression of Satan and sin who put their trust in him He saith not al they that beleeue him assent barely to his promise z See Placidus Melancthon Bucer in loc but omnes qui confidunt all they who confidently place their affiance in his mercies and beleeue in him according to that of S. a Ioh. 3.18 Iohn the Baptist He that beleeueth in him shall not be condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because hee beleeueth not in the name of the only begotten sonne of God I finde that some Doctors among the b D. Kimchi apud Bucerum in loc Iewes by him vnderstand God the Father but c Placidus Caluin Genebrard Io. Ganeius in loc Idem Bellarm de verbo dei lib. 2. cap. 11 Christian interpretors vsually referre this vnto God the Sonne making the coherence thus O kisse the Sonne for blessed are all they that put their trust in him Heere then is a pregnant place to proue that iustification is by faith in Christ See Melancthon Bucer Tileman in loc There be three kinds of blessing Externall as the gifts of the world Internall as the gifts of grace Eternall as the gifts of glorie Now bonorum omnium cumulus summa saith d In loc Augustine belongeth vnto such as put their trust in the Lord. They haue the promises of the life present and of that which is to come 1. Tim. 4.8 Mercie doth embrace them on euery side Psal 32.11 Blessed in euery kinde of blessing as reuerend Beza paraphrastically omnibus ô modis beatos illos qui domino deoque fidunt 1. They be blessed in things of this world blessed in e Deut. 28.3 their field blessed in their fold blessed in the fruit of their cattell and encrease of corne blessed in their wiues and blessed in their children blessed in their going out and blessed in their comming home loe thus shall they be blessed who feare the Lord Psal 128.5 Or if God denie these blessings vnto them it is for their f Rom. 8.28 good and so they be blessed in their crosse hauing as Paul said nothing and yet possessing all things 2. Cor. 6.10 2. Blessed in the gifts of grace both illuminating and sauing blessed with g Ephes 1.3 all spirituall blessing in heauenlie things in Christ blessed in respect of Their Vocation h Matth. 13.16 Luke 10.23 Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see and the eares which heare the things that you heare Blessed are they which are called to the Lambes Supper Apocal 19.9 Iustification Blessed are they i Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.7 whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Sanctification k Psal 1.1 Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly c. Blessed is the seruant l Matth. 24.46 whom his master when he commeth shall finde doing his dutie Blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are the meeke blessed are the mercifull Matth. 5. 3. Blessed in the gifts of glorie m Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed inherit ye the kingdome c. n Matth. 5.3 theirs is the kingdome of heauen It is now theirs in hope hereafter it shall be theirs in hold See notes vpon the Gospell on all Saints day PSALME 57. Be mercifull vnto me O God be mercifull vnto me c. DAuid in this hymne o Melanct. Caluine Tileman prayeth and praiseth the Lord. First he prayeth vnto God from the 1. verse to the 8 for deliuerāce from his enemies tyrannie Then as conceiuing vndoubted hope thereof he prepares himselfe to praise God in the rest O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and giue praise In his praier 2. poynts are remarkable to wit a Petition Be mercifull c. enforced by his Duty for my soule trusteth in thee c. Danger as being persecuted By Cruel enemics my soule is among Lyons vers 4.5 Cunning enemies they haue laid a net for my feete v. 7. Repetition in the 6. and 12. verses as the p Tremellius burthen of the song Set vp thy selfe O God aboue the heauens and thy glorie aboue all the earth Be mercifull vnto me O God The title sheweth vs that Dauid made this Psalme when he fled from Saul into the Caue The storie whereof is reported at large 1. Sam. 24. and it is in briefe this Saul persecuting Dauid sought him in the wildernes of Engedi vpon the rocks among the wilde goates and being there in a Caue to couer his feete Dauid hauing him at his mercie would not kil the Lords annointed but only cut off the lap of his coate to shew that he could haue touched his skinne so well as his skirt and that he could haue made him as it is in the prouerbe shorter by the head so well as curtall his robe Which when Saul after perceiued his heart relented for Dauids great kindnes and he wept acknowledging his fault and taking an oath of Dauid that hee should not destroy his seede he ceased his persecuting for a time Dauid in this distresse composed his hymne the which is grounded vpon his faith and his faith is grounded vpon Gods mercie and might Gods mercie Be mercifull
vnto me O God be mercifull as being so willing to defend thy children as the hen is her chickens vnder the shadow of her wings Gods might I will call vnto the most high God euen vnto the God that shall q The like phrase Psal 138. and Philip. 1.6 perform the cause I haue in hand who shall send from heaueÌ„ to wit his hand as Psal 144.7 or his Angell as Dan. 3.28 or as it heere followeth his mercie and truth able to saue me from the reproofe of him that would eate race vp and deuoure my soule r Mollerus Tileman Caluine opposing heauen to terrene meanes By supernaturall and extraordinarie miracles so well as ordinarie meanes able to deliuer his seruants as well with Å¿ 1. Sam. 14.6 2. Chron. 24.11 few as with many So Manasses in his prayer buildeth all his comfort vpon Gods almightie power and vnsearchable mercifull promise So Christ in his absolute paterne of praying aduiseth vs to call vpon God as our father in heauen insinuating hereby that God is willing to grant our requests as being our father and able because in heauen And according to these presidents our holy Mother the Church of England begins her publike deuotion vnto God Almightie and most mercifull Father Able to heare because almightie willing to helpe because most mercifull For my soule trusteth in thee He desires to be heard in respect of his assured affiance in Gods almightie power and holy promise t Psal 145.18 The Lord is nigh vnto all them that call vpon him euen all such as call vpon him faithfully u Psal 50.15 Call vpon mee in the time of trouble so will I heare thee c. x Psal 2.12 Blessed are all they that put their trust in him And therefore Dauid here challengeth as it were God vpon his word saying Be mercifull vnto me for my soule trusteth in thee The y Euthym. Agellius Genebrard repetition of miserere sheweth his earnest affection and intention in praying and the word z Caluâ—ne soule that his hope for helpe was no flying conceit of his braine but a full assurance setled in his heart Lord I trust in a D. Incognit Beza Buchanan nothing else but in thee alone for vnder the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge vntill this tyrannie be ouer past Some put their trust in b 1. Tim. 6.17 vncertaine riches and say to the wedge of gold c Iob. 31.24 thou art my confidence But d Prou 11.4 riches auaile not in the day of wrath e Baruc. 3.17.19 hoarders vp of siluer and gold are come to naught and gone downe to hell O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee Luk. 12.20 Other trust in their owne worth and holinesse as the Pharisie Luk. 18. stood and prayed thus with himselfe O God I thanke thee that I am not as other are extortioners vniust adulterers I fast twice in thee weeke I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse But f Prou. 28.1.26 blessed is the man that feareth alway for he that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Other trust in their politike counsell as Achitophel of whom it was said in those daies that his counsell was reputed g 2. Sam. 16 23. as an oracle of God but the Lord h Iob. 5.13 catcheth the wise in their owne craftines and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish Other boast of their strength and put their trust as i 1. Sam. 17.45 Goliah did in their sword and shield but k Ierem. 17.5 cursed be the man that maketh flesh his arme withdrawing his heart from the Lord. Other put their trust in Princes and make the Kings Minion their mediatour But saith our l Psal 146.3 Prophet O put not your trust in Princes nor in any child of man for his breath goeth foorth and hee turneth againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish Other put their trust in m Psal 20.7 Chariots and other in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God only blessed is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe and whose hope is in the Lord his God Psalm 146.4 and therefore be mercifull vnto me O God be mercifull vnto me for in thee haue I put all my confidence Mine other friends and forces besides thee what are they but miserable comforters as n Iob. 16.2 Iob speakes if they bee compared with thee o Tileman Bellarmine Like as the chickens seeke to the henne for defence so runne I to the shadow of thy wings for my refuge Lord my soule trusteth in thee now so shall it euer vntill this euill be passed ouer p D. Incognitus Wilcox For by the word vntill he meanes not that when the storme was appeased hee would then cease to trust in God but that hee would both then and for euer depend vpon him as long as hee hath any being Psal 146.1 So the word vntill is vsed 2. Sam. 6.23 Michol the daughter of Saul had no child vntill the day of her death And Psalme 110. vers 1. The Lord said vnto my Lord sit thou on my right hand vntil I make thine enemies thy footstoole Where the word vntill as I haue shewed vpon the place notes not a piece of time but a perpetuitie For Christ after all his enemies are made his footstoole shall euer sit at the right hand of God as hauing a q Heb. 1.18 throne which endureth euer and a r Luke 1.33 kingdome without end Vnder the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge Å¿ Euthym. Bellarmine By this he doth vnderstand Gods safeguard protection and prouidence The metaphor is borrowed from the Hen whose wings in t Bonauent Mollerus three things especially resemble Gods high and holy hand ouer vs. 1. The wings of the Henne nourish and brood her chickens euen so the Lord said vnto Hierusalem u Matth. 23.37 How often would I haue gathered thy children together as the henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and ye would not 2. The wings of the Hen serue to defend her chickens from a tempest and storme so God is a x Esay 25.4 refuge against the tempest a shadow against the heate 3. The wings of the Henne serue to protect her chickens from the kite that houereth ouer them and would faine deuoure them euen so God deliuereth his children from the y Psal 91.3 snare of the hunter z Augustine Hierome Arnobius that is from the subtill tentations of the diuell who walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure 1. Pet. 5.8 The Lord hideth all his vnder the shadow of his wings Psal 17.8 and so capa-pe they shall be safe vnder his feathers his faithfulnes shall bee their shield and his truth their buckler Psal 91.4 Vntill this tyrannie be ouer past He coÌ„pareth his affliction calamity to a a Geneua
Matth. 23.14 Pharisies among the Iewes in old time but also whole villages and townes as k Fox Martyr fol. 859. see the persecutions of Angronge apud eundem fol. 871. Merindoll and Cabriers in the Countie of Prouince yea whole shires and countries in Netherland yea their intent was anno 1588. to deuoure this whole kingdome of England with an inuincible fondly so called Armado The foes of Dauid had teeth as speares and tongues as swords and are not the tongues of Papists answerable who terme the sincere profession of the Gospell Heresie Turcisme Paganisme Diabolisme l Sir Tho. Moore preface to his confutation of Tyndals answer amōg the works of More fol. 340 farre exceeding the setting vp of Beel Baal Belzebub and all the Diuels in hell m D. Carier let to the King pag. 47. affirming in their letters and libels that our Church hath no faith but fancie no hope but presumption no charitie but lust no God but an Idoll The foes of Dauid were set on fire and who greater incendiaries then the Papists Their chiefe Logicke in their conference was a fagot for the heretike delighting so much in fire worke that they burned Gods people by the dozen as at o Fox Mart. fol. 1738. Stratford the Bow neere London and bound them in chaines by the score as at p Jdem ibid. fol. 1389. Colchester in the bloodie daies of Queene Mary Nay their intent was on the fifth of Nouember in the yeere 1605. to burne and that at one fire by the hundreds and those not the meanest of the people but the very principals of our Church Common-wealth euen the most meeke King himselfe together with his noble consort and all their royall issue This Powder-plot was so transcendent in villanie that I may well vse the words of q Deut. 4.32 Moses Aske of the daies of old that haue been before you since the day that God created man on earth and enquire from the one end of heauen to the other if there came to passe such a thing as this or whether any such like thing hath been heard And answere may be giuen out of the 19. chapter of Iudges at the 30. verse There was no such thing done or seene since the time that the childrē of Israel came vp from the land of Egypt vnto this day The like was neuer done nor heard of in Israel nor thoroughout the world since the beginning To speake with r Habacuc 1.5 Habacuc Behold a worke wrought in your daies you will not beleeue it when it shall be told you Shall I call it a worke done no beloued as a reuerend father of our Church it was the worke of the Lord that it was not done The snare was broken and wee deliuered and they fell into the pit who digged it for vs. A worke of so great might and mercie that it ought to be had in a perpetuall remembrance ſ Exech 24.2 Sonne of man write thee the name of the day euen of the same day for the King of Babel set himselfe against Hierusalem this same day The fifth of Nouember is the day wherein we were deliuered from the Babylonish and Romish tyrannie let vs be glad and reioyce therein and sing as Dauid in the second part of this Hymne O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and giue praise c. PSALME 111. I will giue thankes vnto the Lord with my whole heart secretly among the faithfull and in the congregation THis Hymne may be parted into three portions 1. A protestation of King Dauid in the first verse that hee will in his owne person hereby giuing all his subiects a good t Mollerus example praise the Lord I will giue thankes and that not u Tileman Caluine Agellius hypocritically with his mouth and lips only but with my heart and that not with a x Hosea 10.2 diuided heart or a peece but with my whole heart and that both in the secret assemblies of the faithfull and in the publique congregation y Bellarmine Or I will giue thankes secretlie for the satisfaction of mine owne conscience and in the congregation openly for the further edification of my brethren 2. An enumeration of Gods admirable blessings conferred vpon the whole world in general Vpon his Church in more particular as the z Caluine ground and matter of his praise from the second verse to the tenth The workes of the Lord are great his workes of creation and workes of redemption are worthie to be praised and had in honour His workes of creation a Strigellius Turrecremat as the making of all things of nothing and the preseruing of the same frō the beginning in a most excellent beautie His workes of redemption as Christs incarnation passion resurrection ascension all which our mercifull and gracious Lord hath so done that they ought to be had in remembrance Here then obserue the reason why the Church allotted this Hymne to be read on Easter day the redemption of Israel out of Egypt is a plaine b Bucer figure of our deliuerance by Christ out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies and their c 1. Cor. 5.7 Passe-ouer and d 1. Cor. 10.3 Manna which is implied heere vers 5 is a type of our spirituall eating and drinking at the Lords table which is enioyned vs at Easter aboue al other times in the yeere 3. A conclusion at the 10. verse containing a Rule Propoūded The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome e Agellius Bellarmine Expounded A good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter f Wilcox Reason The praise of it endureth for euer Concerning the two former parts I haue written g See notes on 89. Psalme sermon on Gunpowder treason day heretofore much and I shall haue iust occasion h In Psal 113 118 145 hereafter also to say more My purpose for the present is to begin at the Psalmes end The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome c. The which Epiphonema concludes the Prophets whole discourse touching the praise of God as if he should haue said seeing the works of the Lord are so great so worthie to be praised and had in honour so marueilous and memorable that they deserue the seeking out i Arnobius Mollerus seeing his name is so reuerend and holy doubtlesse the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome and the praise of it endureth for euer k Melancthon To feare God is to beleeue in him to loue him to put our trust in him to giue him thankes and in all our actions and passions to bee ruled according to his holie lawes In a word to feare God as the l Ecclesiastes 12.13 wise man teacheth is our whole dutie concerning offices of pietie toward God pitie toward our neighbors For the word beginning signifieth here not onely principium but also
m Agellius Idem Caluin Genebrard praecipuum not only primum but also primarium not only the first in time but also the first in honour and dignitie For as Dauid here calleth it the beginning of wisedome so Salomon Ecclesiastes 12.13 the end of all The feare of the Lord is indeede the first alphabet of wisedome the beginning as it were the n begetting or as o Ecclesiasticus 1 24. Iesus the sonne of Syrach termeth it the roote of wisedome p Melancthon Caluine Bellarmine But that is not all it is not onely an introduction to wisedome but wisdome it selfe Iob. 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding It is deepe wisedome saith our English paraphrast in meter yea the perfection and fulnes of wisedome Ecclesiasticus 1.20 q Genebrard As then in the vulgar Latine Ecclesiasticus 11.3 hony which is the chiefe of sweete things is called initium dulcoris the beginning of sweetnes euen so Gods feare which vpon the point is summa summarum as it were the summe totall of all holie knowledge is termed initium sapientiae the beginning of wisedome This assertion in worldly mens vnderstanding is a grand paradox for they repute the preaching of Christianitie r 1. Cor. 1.18 foolishnes and the professors of the same fooles 1. Cor. 4.10 We are fooles for Christs sake Loe say the wicked of the godly Wisedome 5.5 We thought their life madnes accounting them rather mad men then sad men But the spirit of truth here proclaimeth on the contrarie that all worldlings are blindlings and that none wicked are wise To such as haue not the feare of God before their eyes it is expressely said by ſ Prou. 1.22 Wisedome it selfe O ye foolish how long will ye loue foolishnes and hate knowledge It is obiected out of S. Luke chap. 16. vers 8. that the children of this world are wiser then the children of light Answere is made by the t Origine Iansenius Maldonat Doctors vpon the place that Christ accounts them not wiser absolutely but only secundum quid they be wiser in their generation u Theophylact. Marlorat that is in things appertaining to this life present but not in the businesse of regeneration in things belonging to that other life which is to come For as x Hall in his Chron. Idem Fox Martyr fol. 976. one said of Sir Thomas More that he was either a foolish wise man or a wise foolish man euen so the children of this world are wise men in foolish things and foolish men in wise things They be not in genere wise but in genere suo wise to doe euill as the y Jerem. 4.2 Prophet speakes but to doe well they haue no knowledge Atheists acknowledging no God are very fooles Psal 14. The foole said in his heart there is no God If this Ignoramus had so much braine as brow the z Vide Bellarm. de ascensione mentis in deum per scalas creat grad 1. 2. 8. bookes of the Creatures and Conscience would informe his vnderstanding that the great world without him and the little world within him are nothing else as it were but God expressed The Gentiles adoring many gods are very fooles before Christ the Sunne of righteousnes calles them out of a 1. Pet. 2.9 darknesse into marueilous light a blind and a foolish nation Deut. 32.21 Euen the seuen wise men of Greece saith b De vera sapientia cap. 1. Lactantius had no good vnderstanding because none but fooles accounted them wise Nay S. c Rom. 1.21 Paul giues this iudgement of all Heathen Philosophers that they were vaine in their imaginations and that while they professed thēselues to be wise they became fooles In this respect d Epist ad Octauium Cicero had iust cause to complaine O me nunquam sapientem The superstitious Idolaters and mingle manglers in religion who worship the true God falsely not according to his word but according to their owne will are very fooles So Paul called his Galathians who ioyned the Ceremonies of Moses vnto the Gospell of Christ as necessarie to saluation O e Galat. 3.1.3 foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth are ye so foolish that after ye haue begun in the spirit you will end in the flesh Carnall Gospellers and hypocrites who professe they know God in their words and yet deny him in their f Tit. 1.16 workes are very fooles Their prayers are sacrifices of fooles Ecclesiastes 4.17 Their disputations about religion are foolish questions Tit. 3.9 all their generation are fooles and blinde Matth. 23.17 As for example the slow-backe neglecting the workes of his vocation and liuing in idlenesse though he heares neuer so many sermons vpon the working daies in the iudgement of the wisest is a very foole Ecclesiastes 4.5 The foole foldeth his hands and eateth vp his owne flesh So whosoeuer is vngratefull vnto the Lord which is the Father of mercies and God of all grace for his manifold blessings is a very foole g Deut. 32.6 Doe ye so reward the Lord O yee foolish and vnwise people the oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood Esay 1.3 So the couetous wretch who though he boast of his faith and hope h Habacuc 1.16 sacrificeth vnto his net and saith in his heart to the wedge of gold i Iob. 31.24 thou art my confidence is a very foole k 1. Sam. 25.25 Nabal is his name and follie is with him a blinde foole like l Iudges 16.21 Samson in the mill hee grindes for other but eates not of the fruites of his labour himselfe the which is termed by Salomon an euill sicknesse and a vanitie Ecclesiastes 6.2 So the proud man as well in his ambition as in his honour is a very foole m Psal 32.10 Like horse and mule without vnderstanding like the famous foole n Mensa philosophica fab de fatuo Lobelinus who being in a new coate knew not himselfe o Sir R. Barckley felicitie lib. 5. For if in fauour he knowes no man if out of fauour none know him So the Drunkard is a very sot p Seneca epist 65 mancipium corporis a slaue to his own seruant a foole with a witnesse his fault is written in his forehead and in his face hee reeles in open streete and hath in his drunken fit a little lesse wit then a beast and but a little more sense then a blocke So the wanton is destitute of vnderstanding Prou. 6.32 led by the foolish woman as a foole to the stockes Prou. 7.22 For though he may peraduenture blinde the Bishop and q Vision of Pierce Plowman pass 3. cope the Commissarie yet Gods r Qui minimè fallitur quia minimè clauditur Bernard lib. 5. de Considerat all-seeing eye when
and scourge vs for our benefit Saint a 2. Cor. 12.8 Paul desired thrice to be deliuered from the buffeting of the flesh and not heard that Gods power might be made perfit thorough weakenesse And so the Lord tooke not from Lazarus his sicknesse and pouertie that hee might crowne him with a greater mercy commanding his b Luke 16.22 Angels to carrie him into the bosome of Abraham And so he suffers his seruants to be tempted and tried with imprisonment and losses and crosses for their good in this respect he is tearmed the God of all consolation 2. Cor. 1.3 of all as knowing how to comfort vs in all our tribulation a present helpe in euery kinde of trouble Nothing in the world can doe this and therefore c Iob. 16.2 Iob said to his acquaintance who could not vnderstand his griefe aright miserable comforters are ye all Againe God is the God of all comfort in that he comforts his children so fully that it is a ioyfull thing for them to bee sometimes in affliction For as the sufferings of Christ abound in them euen so their consolation aboundeth thorough Christ 2. Cor. 1.5 Touching the length of his mercy Dauid saith it endureth for euer as his mercy compasseth vs about d Psalm 32.11 on euery side so likewise at euery season it continueth vnto our end and in the end yea further in that other life which is without end his mercies are from euerlasting to euerlasting that is from euerlasting predestination to euerlasting glorification His mercies in forgiuing our offences and in couering all our sinnes are exceeding long the Lord saith our Prophet is e Psalm 103.8 full of compassion and mercie long suffering and of great goodnesse For though impenitent sinners prouoke him euery day walking in their owne waies and committing all vncleanesse euen with greedinesse yet he neuerthelesse affoords his good things in f Acts 14.17 giuing them raine and fruitfull seasons and filling their hearts with foode and gladnesse his mercie doth exceede their malice being patient toward them and desiring that none should perish but that all should come to repentance 2. Pet. 3.9 Hee maketh as though hee sawe not the sinnes of men because they should amend Wised 11.20 Christ aduiseth vs Mat. 18.22 to forgiue one another not onely seauen times but also seuenty times seuen times and Luke 6.36 to be mercifull as our Father in heauen is mercifull insinuating hereby that God is infinitely mercifull vnto sinners euen to great sinners which owe his Iustice tenne thousand talents Concerning the depth of his mercy loue is seene in our Sayings Doings Sufferings Loue superficiall is in word onely that which is operatiue manifesting it selfe in deedes is deepe but the profoundest of all is in suffering for another Now the Lord hath abundantly shewed his mercies in all these First in his word written and preached written g Macab 12.9 For wee haue the holy Bookes in our hands for comfort and whatsoeuer things are written afore time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Rom. 15.4 By his word preached for the Ministers of the Gospel as h 2. Cor. 5.20 Ambassadors entreate you to be reconciled vnto him vnto them is committed the word of reconciliaton and peace they be the i 1. Cor. 4.1 disposers of his mysteries and messengers of his mercies it is their duty to binde vp the broken hearted And therefore Dauid saith in the 85. Psalme verse 8. I will hearken what the Lord will say concerning me for he shall speake peace to his people Secondly God sheweth his mercy toward vs in his doings in k Psalm 103.4 sauing our life from destruction and in crowning vs with his louing kindnesse But as loue is seene in deedes more then in words so more in suffering then in doing and of all suffering death is most terrible and of all deaths a violent and of all violent deaths hanging vpon the Crosse is most hatefull and shamefull yet God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to dye for our sins on the Crosse Doubtlesse one wil scarce dye for a righteous man but yet for a good man it may be saith l Rom. 5.7 Paul that one dare dye but he setteth out his loue toward vs seeing that while we were yet sinners and his enemies Christ dyed for vs. Lastly for the height of his mercy the depth appeareth in it's effects but the height by the cause moouing to mercy which is exalted aboue the Heauens according to that of Dauid m Psalm 36.5 In Coelo misericordia tua Domine Men vse to pitie their seruants in respect of their owne commoditie the which is the lowest degree of mercy for euery man if he be not a foole pittieth his very n Prouerb 12.10 beast Other pitie men in regard of friendship and alliance which is an higher degree of mercy Some shew pitie to men in that they be men not onely flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone but also created according to Gods owne likenesse and similitude which is among vs the highest degree of mercy Now God takes pitie on all things as being his Creatures on men especially being created after his owne Image but on true Christians principally being the Sonnes and heires of his kingdome If any shall aske what cause moued him to make the world to create man after his owne likenes to iustifie sinners and adopt vs for his children it is nothing else but his meere mercy that endureth for euer He loued vs when we would not yea when wee could not loue him and he continueth his goodnes not in respect of his owne benefite for hee needes not our helpe but onely for our good The Lord is gracious because gracious And therefore the blessed Angels aptly diuided their Christmasse Caroll into two parts o Luke 2.14 Glory to God on high and on earth peace God hath indeed all the glory but we reape the good of his graciousnes and mercie that endureth for euer I called vpon the Lord Hitherto King Dauid concerning the graciousnesse of God in generall He comes now to treate of his mercy toward himselfe in particular the which is applyed by Diuines vnto the p Augustine Mollerus Church and q Caluin Placidus Tileman Agellius Christ himselfe who was in his Passion heard at large and in his Resurrection he saw his desire vpon his enemies The pith of all which is summarily comprised in the 24. verse This is the day which the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and bee glad in it In which obserue 1. What day is meant by this day 2. How the Lord is said to haue made this day more then other daies 3. Why we should in this day so made reioyce and be glad For the first r Bucer Caluin Mollerus litterally this ought to be referred vnto the solemne day wherein Israel
hee was dead he conuaieth from himselfe to his members and thereby raiseth them vp from the death of sinne to newnes of life For the better vnderstanding of this point let vs examine the meanes and the measure of the spirituall life For the meanes if wee will haue common water we may goe to the common well and if we desire water of Life we must haue recourse vnto Christ who saith q Ioh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke and r Ioh. 4.14 hee shall haue a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Now this well as the woman of Samaria said of Iacobs well is very deepe and we haue nothing to draw with And therefore wee must haue pipes and conduits to conuay the same vnto vs and these pipes are the sincere preaching of the word and the right administration of the Sacraments As for the preaching of Gods holy Word Christ openly proclaimeth in the fifth of S. Iohns Gospell at the 25 Verse The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue Å¿ August tract 22. in Ioan. IdeÌ„ Caluin alij in loc Where by dead is meant not the dead in the graue but the dead in sin For so the Scripture speaketh elsewhere t Matth. 8.22 Let the dead bury the dead and Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and 1. Tim. 5.6 A widow liuing in pleasure is dead while shee liueth He that hearts the word and abideth in vnbeliefe continueth among the dead but saith our Sauiour u Iohn 5.24 Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life because the words that I speake vnto you are spirit and life Ioh. 6.63 that is conueying vnto your dead hearts spirit and life As Christ when he raised vp dead men only spake the word and they reuiued and at the last day when the x 1. Thessal 4.16 trumpet of God shall blow the dead shall rise againe so it is in the first resurrection they which are dead in their old sinnes are raised againe to newnes of life by his powerfull voyce vttered in the Gospels ministerie We reade of three that Christ raised from death y Matth. 9.25 Iairus daughter newly dead the z Luke 7.15 widowes sonne dead and wound vp and lying on the hearse and a John 11.44 Lazarus dead and buried and stinking in the graue Now these three sorts of Coarses as b Serm. 44. de verbis dom de hac allegoria vide eundem tract 49. in Ioan. Augustine notes are three sorts of sinners Iairus daughter lying dead in her fathers house resembleth those that sinne by inward consent the widowes sonne being carried out of the gate of the Citie those that sinne by outward act Lazarus hauing been dead and buried foure daies those that sinne by continuall habite The first day saith Augustine hee was dead by conceiuing sinne the second by consenting to sinne the third by committing sinne the fourth by continuing in sinne The young maiden lay in a bed the yong man in a coffin Lazarus in a graue The first was dead but an houre the second but a day the third foure daies After their raising vp Iairus daughter instantly walked because for her that had stept aside but by consenting to sinne it was easie to recouer and to walke foorth-with in the waies of Gods holie Commandements The widowes sonne sat vp began to speake was deliuered to his mother because for him which had actually transgressed it was a matter of greater difficultie to recouer and therefore by little and little hee came to it as c Con. de misericord Domini Erasmus obserueth excellently First sitting vp by raising vp himselfe to a purpose of amendment then beginning to speake by confessing his owne miserie and acknowledging Gods mercie lastly being deliuered to his mother by returning to the bosome of the holie Church and enioying the remission of his sinnes Lazarus came foorth of his graue bound hand and foote with bands because for him that had a d Moles imposita sepulchro ipsa est vis dura consuetudinis August ser 44. de verb. Dom. stone laid vpon him and had made his heart as hard as a graue-stone or as a e Iob. 41.15 nether milstone by making a custome and as it were a trade of sinne it was in the iudgement of man impossible to recouer And yet Christs omnipotent voyce brought him foorth bound hand and foote and brake these bands asunder and restored him againe to the libertie of the sonnes of God The f Confess Anglican art 25. Sacraments are conduit-pipes also whereby God inuisibly conueieth his vitall or sauing graces into the heart if they be rightly vsed that is if they be receiued in vnfained repentance for all our sinnes and with a liuely faith in Christ for the pardon of the same sinnes And in this respect aptly compared vnto g Cant. 2.5 flagons of wine which reuiue the Church being sicke and fallen into a swound As for the measure of spirituall life deriued from our head Christ it is but small in this world and giuen by little and little the which is figured in the h Ezech. 47.3.4.5 vision of water that ranne out of the Temple First a man must wade to the ancles then after to the knees so to the loynes and last of all the waters grow to a riuer that cannot be passed ouer euen so the Lord conueieth his gifts and graces by little and little till his children at the last attaine a large measure thereof and haue full growth in Christ The same wee may likewise see liuely described in the vision of drie bones Ezech. 37. The Prophet in a vision is carried into the middest of a field full of dead bones and the Lord commanded him to prophecie ouer them and to say to them O yee drie bones heare the word of the Lord. At the first there was a shaking and the bones came together bone to bone vers 7. then the sinewes and flesh grew vpon them and vpon the flesh a skinne couered them vers 8. â—â—en hee prophecied vnto the winde and they liued and stood vpon their feete for the breath came vpon them and they were an exceeding great armie of men vers 10. i These bones are the whole house of Israel vers 11. but the faithful are Gods Israel Hereby doubtlesse is signified not only the state of the Iewes after their captiuitie but in them the state of the whole Church in whose heart God almightie worketh his graces of regeneration by little and little First he giueth his children flesh and then a skinne to couer the flesh and afterward hee powreth vpon them further gifts of his spirit to quicken them and to make them aliue vnto God 3. The resurrection of Christ is a k Non modo per seipsum probauit resurrectionem Saducaeis sed in seipso omnibus Tertul. lib. de carnis resur demonstration of our resurrection according to that of S. Paul 1. Cor. 15.12 If it be preached that Christ is risen againe from the dead how say some among you that there is no resurrectioÌ„ of the dead Yea but ye will obiect what promotion is that vnto the godly seeing all men at the last day must of necessitie rise againe Answere is made that the wicked are raised by the power of Christ as a Iudge to condemne them on the contrarie the faithfull are raised by the power of Christ as a Iesus to saue them Almightie God said vnto Adam At what time he should eate of the forbidden fruite he should l Gen. 2.17 dye the death Hereby m August de Ciuitat dei lib. 13. cap. 12. Aquin. Dion Carthus in Gen. 2. meaning a double death as the Scripture speaks n Apoc. 20.6 elsewhere the first and the second death Naturall death is the dissolution of the bodie spirituall death is the destruction of the soule eternall death is both of body and soule Prima constat ex duabus secunda ex omnibus tota saith Augustine Now Christ as a Iudge raiseth againe the reprobate from the first death that hee may inflict vpon them all the punishments of the second death as a reward of sinne but hee raiseth his elect as their head and redeemer that they may bee partakers of the benefit of his death enioying both in bodie and soule the kingdome of glorie which hee hath so dearely bought for them Wherefore seeing on this day wee haue been deliuered from so much 〈…〉 promoted vnto so much good let vs o Chrysost Euthym. Placidus spirituallie reioyce being p Dr. Incognitus glad inwardly ioyfull outwardly q Colos 3.16 singing vnto the Lord with a grace in our hearts This is the day which the Lord hath made FINIS