deuils Empire where he holdeth vp his Scepter and ruleth as a Prince Ephes 2.2 Gods kingdome is taken in the Bible two waies especially Generally For that gouernment which is termed u See Ro. Steph. Concord in dictione regnum Bellarm. Catech. cap. 4. Regnum potentiae by which hee ruleth all men and disposeth of all things euen of the deuils themselues according to his good will and pleasure Specially For his administration of the Church and that is Twofold Regnum gratiae the kingdome of grace Regnum gloriae the kingdome of glorie Of that kingdome which is potentiae Regnum it is said by x 1. Chro. 29.11 Dauid Thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou excellest as head ouer all Of that kingdome y Dan. 4.31 Daniel speaketh His kingdome is from generation to generation and his z Dan. 6.26 dominion euerlasting Of that kingdome Christ in the conclusion of his prayer Thine is the kingdome power and glory For albeit peruerse men do mischiefe and obserue not the laws of God yet he raigneth ouer them as an absolute Lord for that when it pleaseth him hee hindereth their designments and when he permits them sometime to haue their desires hee doth afterward punish them according to their owne misdeeds and so a Psal 135.6 Whatsoeuer the Lord pleaseth he doth in heauen and in earth and in the Sea and in all deepe places By his kingdome of grace he gouernes the soules and hearts of good Christians giuing them his spirit and grace to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Christ is the king of this kingdome vpon whome the Father hath conferred b Mat. 28.18 all authority both in heauen and earth The subiects of this kingdome are such as c Psal 110.3 offer vnto him free-will offrings with an holy worship euer ready to giue cheerefull obedience to the rod of his power The lawes of this kingdome are the Scriptures and word of God in this respect called d Mat. 13.11 the kingdome of heauen the e Marke 1.14 Gospell and f Mat. 13.19 word of the kingdome the g Esay 11.4 rod of Christs mouth and h Rom. 1.16 power of his arme to saluation And so consequently the kingdome of grace is a preparation and entrance to the kingdome of glory which is the blessed estate of all Gods elect in that other life where God is to them all in all And in this respect the kingdome of grace many times is termed in the Gospels History the kingdome of heauen as being the way to the kingdome of glory which is in the heauen of heauens This one verse then expounds and exemplifies two prime petitions in the Lords prayer hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come for Iuda was Gods sanctuary because hallowing his name and Israel his dominion as desiring his kingdome to come Let euery man examine himselfe by this patterne whether he be truely the seruant of Iesus his Sauiour or the vassall of Sathan the destroyer If any submit himselfe willingly to the domineering of the diuell and suffer sinne to i Rom. 6.12 reigne in his mortall members obeying the lusts thereof and k Ephes 4.19 working all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse assuredly that man is yet a Chappell of Sathan and a slaue to sinne On the contrary whosoeuer vnfainedly desires that Gods kingdome may come being euer ready to bee ruled according to his holy word acknowledging it a lanthorne to his feet and a guide to his pathes admitting obediently his lawes and submitting himselfe alway to the same what is he but a Citizen of heauen a subiect of God a Saint a Sanctuary Two questions are moued here the first is what antecedent answeres the relatiue his and the second what is meant by Iuda The relatiue eius hath an antecedent l Mollerus implyed howsoeuer not expressed m Genebrard as Psalme 87.1 Fundamenta eius her foundations are vpon the holy hils And God is that antecedent as I haue partly said and it may likewise be fully shewed both out of the text and title The n Euthym. circumstances of the Text leade vs to this antecedent the Lord is the God of Iacob verse 7. Ergo the house of Iacob is Gods Sanctuary the children of Israel Gods dominion Againe the o Bellarmine Title poynts at this antecedent Alleluia praise the Lord as if the Prophet should haue said ye haue good and great cause to praise the Lord because when Israel went out of Egypt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people then Iuda was his Sanctuary c. Lastly though it should be granted that neither Title nor Text here can affoord vs an antecedent yet we need not runne with p In loc Agellius out of this Hymne to fetch one from the last words of the next going before Hee maketh the barren woman to keepe house c. Because his in this verse may be construed of God Catexochen as being hic ille the most high He who turned the hard rocke into a standing water and the flint stone into a springing Well at whose presence the mountaines skip like Rammes and the little hils like yong sheepe yea the Sea fleeth and the earth trembleth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Iacob By Iuda q Placidus Turrecremat Genebrard some vnderstand Iudea for r Psal 76.1 God is knowne in Iurie his name is great in Israel at Salem is his tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion Å¿ Dr. Incognitus Agellius Other haue construed this onely of the tribe of Iuda for that God in Iuda would chuse a Prince 1. Chron. 28.4 or because the Messias of the world which is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings was to be borne of t Gen. 49.10 that tribe Or because the u See Placidus Bucer Genebrard Dr. Incognit in loc Iewes haue a tradition that Iuda was the first tribe that aduentured after Moses and Aaron and entred into the red sea with vndaunted courage So wee finde in the numbring of Israels hoste that the standerd of Iuda was in the first place Numb 10.14 and Nahshon the sonne of Aminadab was their Captaine Numb 2.3 Hence it is said Cant. 6.11 My soule made me like the chariots of Aminadab or my willing people But x Caluine Rob. Stephanus Tremellius Strigellius Bellarmine most Interpretors vnderstand by Iuda not only that tribe but also the rest of the children of Israel It is nothing but a Synecdoche pars pro toto the chiefe tribe for the whole body of Gods people that went out of Egypt into the land of promise called often in holy Scriptures Israel of the fathers name and Iuda of the chiefe sonnes name Bondage was the perill out of which Israel and Iuda were deliuered and that in the y Plautus in Amphit Poets iudgement is worse then any danger or death omni
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
the daughter of Sion in his wrath and cast downe from heauen vnto the earth Israels glory Lam. 2.1 that the barbarous ſ Apocal. 20.8 Gog and Magog are now lords of that somtime holy land Hierusalem in old time the City of God is now being possessed by the Turkes nothing else but a den of theeues Ergo Christ is that promised Messias it is t Mat. 11.3 he that should come neither need wee looke for another Be thou ruler in the midst among thine enemies By u Agellius Bellarmin rod is meant Christs scepter because strong rods are for the scepters of them that beare rule Ezech. 19.11 and Ier. 48.17 How is the strong staffe broken and the beautifull rod And by his scepter is meant his power and the word is that his power by which he rules in the middest of all his enemies conuerting such enemies as appertain to Gods election and confounding such enemies as are the sonnes of perdition his Gospell is vnto the one the sauour of life vnto life and to the other the sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2.16 The blessed Apostles preached the Gospell in the middest of their enemies x Chrysost Euthym. as being sheepe in the middest of woolues Mat. 10.16 And y Lib. 1. cap. 2. 3. Irenaeus who liued in the next age witnesseth also that the Church encreased in Egypt Lybia France Spaine Germanie comparing the light of the Gospell vnto the Sun illuminating all men excepting such as are lost hauing their mindes blinded by the Prince of this world 2. Cor. 4.4 In all after times vnto this present day Christ ruled and his kingdome florished in despite of all his enemies in the middest of Atheists in the middest of Infidels in the middest of Heretikes in the middest of Hypocrits in the middest of Tyrants in the middest of Turkes in the middest of Anti-christs At the worlds end when our blessed Sauiour sitting at his Fathers right hand shall vtterly z 1. Cor. 15.19 put downe all things vnder his feete the good shall be separated from the bad as a shepheard separates the sheepe from the goates Matth. 25.32 But so long as the world that a 1. Iohn 5.19 lieth in wickednesse continueth the b Matth. 13.30 wheate groweth among tares and the Church is euer as a lilie among c Cant. 2.2 thornes assaulted on the one side by vnbeleeuers and on the other side by mis-beleeuers On the left hand by the blasphemous propositions of Heretikes on the right hand by the contentious oppositions of Schismatikes openly wronged by cut-throate tyrants and secretly wringed by backbyting hypocrites d Lib. de re rustica Varro writes that the Romanes in old time did ouercome their enemies sedendo but the Romanists in our time think to make their enemies as it were their footstoole caedendo by dagge and dagger by powder-plots and powder-shots by fire force furie Yet notwithstanding Christ is a Ruler and his subiects are e Rom. 8.37 more then Conquerours in the very middest of Anti-christianisme For the beheadding of Martyrs is like the f Iustin Mart. in dialog cum Tryphon cutting of vines the more they bee cut the more they prosper and fructifie The g Baro ius praefat tom 8. annal Church faith as Paul 2. Cor. 12.10 When I am weake then am I strong h Loc com tit de Luthero Martin Luther assisted doubtlesse by Gods owne spirit so little regarded the bloodie Papists in the quarrel of Christs Gospel as that he said peremptorily Contemptus est à me Romanus furor feruor And therfore being aduised by some good friends that he would not aduenture himselfe to be present at the meeting of the Germane Princes at Wormes he did answere them in this wise For as much as I am sent-for I am resolued and certainly determined to enter Wormes in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ although I knew there were so many diuels to resist me as there are tyles to couer all the houses in Wormes Fox Martyr fol. 776. And B. i Mr. Fox in his martyrdome Latymer being brought to the stake was so wel assured that Christ euen by his weakenesse should rule in the middest of his enemies as that vpon the kindling of the first fagot hee said to his fellow martyr Bishop Ridley Courage brother Ridley we shal by Gods grace this day light such a candle in England as I hope shall neuer be put out againe In the day of thy power shall the people offer thee freewill offrings Christ by the preaching of his word subdueth vnto himselfe a good and a great people Good They shall offer thee free-will offerings with an holie worship Great The dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning In the daies of thy power k Caluin that is in the daies of thy solemne assemblies in the daies of thy l Tremellius Gospell vntill thou shalt ouercome thine enemies with the m 2. Thess 2.8 spirit of thy mouth and abolish thē with the brightnes of thy cōming thy people shall offer free-will offerings vnto thee n Melanct. Mollerus Tileman not enforced by law but cōming out of loue not out of fashion or factiō but in pure deuotion and cheerefull obedience They shall appeare before thee with an holy worship or as our new translation in the beauties of holinesse that is in thy o Tremel Wilcox Temple which is a glorious Sanctuary Psal 29.2 p Agellius Or in a holinesse equalling the holinesse of thy Sanctuary for good Christians are the temples of God 1. Cor. 3.16 Or by beauties of holinesse he meaneth happily the q Tileman Melancthon Mollerus Priests garment insinuating that Christs elect people should be named r Esay 61.6 the Priests of the Lord a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people shewing foorth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into marueilous light 1. Pet. 2.9 The summe of all is that the subiects of his kingdome shall appeare before him in ſ Genebrard all kinde of sanctitie t Bellarm. resplendent in holinesse and shining in good workes as lights in the world Philip. 2.15 If all Christs people then offer him free-will offerings with an holy worship hee will not abide such as are hypocrites who serue the truth only to serue their turne u Psal 50.16 taking his couenant in their mouth yet hate to be reformed x Bradford in a letter to the City of London To the petition let thy kingdome come wee must adioyne thy will be done done on earth as it is in heauen Hee will as S. y Apoc. 3.16 Iohn telleth vs spue such out of his mouth as are neither hot nor cold mungrils in religion z 1. Kings 18.21 halting betweene God and Baal hauing as the a Hosea 10.2 Prophet speaks a diuided heart an heart and an
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
men in the next rewarded amongst Saints and Angels in the kingdome of glory PSALME 113. Praise the Lord ye seruants O praise the name of the Lord. THis Hymne as both Text and Title tell vs in the very beginning is an exhortation to praise the Lord wherein 3. poynts are chiefly regardable quis who ye seruants quomodo how With all praise vers 1. Praise the Lord O praise the name of the Lord. At all times vers 2. from this time forth for euermore In all places vers 3. from the rising vp of the Sunne to the going downe of the same quapropter why for his Infinite power vers 4. Admirable prouidence both in Heauen Earth and that in Publique weales vers 6.7 Priuate families vers 8. The Prophet exhorts c Caluin all people to praise the Lord Young men and maydens old men and Children praise the name of the Lord Psalm 148.12 More specially Gods people which haue tasted of his goodnesse more then other as hauing his d Psal 147.19 statutes and ordinances and couenants and promises and seruice Rom. 9.4 e Wilcox most chiefly the Leuites and Priests as being appointed by the Lord for leaders and guides vnto the rest his seruants after a more special manner as it were in ordinarie All men owe this dutie to God as being the f Psal 95.6 workmanship of his hands Christians aboue other men as being the g Psal 100.2 sheep of his pasture Preachers of the Word aboue other Christians as being h Ephes 4.11 pastors of his sheepe and so consequently paternes in word in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith in purenes 1. Tim. 4.12 Yea but how must almightie God be praised for as not euery one that saith vnto the worlds Sauiour i Matth. 7.21 Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen k Basil Chrysost Euthym. so not euery one that hath in his mouth a bare the Lord be praised is a praiser of the Lord but he which is euer readie to suffer and doe the will of his Master and maker God is to be praised in thought and word and deede 1. Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirit The Lord as being high aboue all heathens and glorious aboue all heauens is blessed euer in himselfe but that hee may be blessed of other let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Matth. 5.16 A leaud life doth occasion enemies of pietie to reuile the Gospell and to blaspheme God Rom. 2.24 but honest behauiour on the contrarie to praise God in the day of visitation 1. Pet. 2.12 In one word l Tileman he doth praise God most who liueth best The Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latin pueri may bee taken for children as well as seruants And therefore the translation of the Psalmes in meter aptly Ye children which doe serue the Lord. There is betweene little children and seruants so great affinitie that in Greeke and Latin seruants are called children and children seruants according to that of m Galat. 4.1 Paul The heire as long as hee is a childe differeth nothing from a seruant And so the translators in vsing the word pueri though aude in Hebrew properly signifieth a seruant n Placidus Bellarmine Dr. Incognitus insinuate that we should be like to little children in seruing of the Lord that is simple meeke pure Praise the Lord O praise the name of the Lord The doubling and tripling of this exhortation is to whet our o Caluine dulnesse and coldnes in executing this office p Placidus to shew that God is to be praised with an earnest affection and zeale For albeit Gods praise be the Christians Alpha and Omega the first and the last thing required at our hands as well in death as life yet such is our negligence that we neede q Esay 28.10 precept vpon precept and line vnto line to put vs in minde of our dutie Or this exhortation is doubled r Wilcox to shew that God alone is worthie al praise the kingdom is his and therfore the glorie frō him is all power therfore to him is due all praise And that not only for a little while but from this time foorth for euermore For the seruants of the Lord are to sing his praises in this life to the worlds end and in the next life world without end See before Psal 89. And as the Lord is to be praised at all times so likewise in all places from the rising vp of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same ſ Bonauent Mollerus that is in and thorough all the world t Wilcox for he puts the two chiefe parts of the world for the whole world because these two quarters of East and West are most inhabited Many Christian Interpretors and some Doctors of the u Kimchi apud Genebrard in loc Iewes vnderstand this of our Lord Christ whose kingdome is without either limits or end Without limits as hauing x Psal 2.8 the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the world for his possession his y Malac. 1.11 name is great among the Gentiles and incense shall be offered vnto him in euery place The which is all one with our text the Lords name be praised from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same Without end for God the Father said vnto God the Sonne z Psal 110.1 sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole a Psal 89.35 His seate is like as the Sunne he shall stand fast for euermore like the faithfull witnes in heauen Yea though heauen be b Iob. 14.2 no more but perish and waxe old as doth a garment yet he is c Heb. 1.12 euer the same and his yeeres doe not faile The which is answerable to the words of our Prophet here Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time foorth for euermore The Lord is high aboue all heathen The most High deserues to be most honoured but the Lord is high aboue all heathen and his glorie aboue the heauen Ergo worthie to be praised more then all either Princes or people The greatest of all creatures in heauen is an Angell and the greatest of all men on earth is an Emperour but the Lord is greater then both as being their maker d Acts. 17.28 in whom they liue and moue and haue their being Higher then all Heathen infinitly greater then Alexander the Great Pompei the Great Mahumet the Great Higher then all Heauens ayrie where feathered fowles are for he e Psal 18.10 flyeth vpon the wings of the winde and f Psal 68.4 rideth vpon the cloudes as vpon an horse Higher then Heauens glorious where blessed soules are for the heauen of heauens is but his seate where hee reigneth a g Psal
95.3 great King aboue all gods Who then is like to the Lord our God either among the clods on earth or cloudes in heauen h Esay 40.12 He measures the waters in his fist and meateth out heauen with his spanne and comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure The which i In loc Esai See Bellarm. de ascensione mentis in deum per scal creat Grad 2. cap. 1. Hierome out of Aquila doth interpret after this sort Hee measures the waters with his little finger the earth greater then the waters with three fingers the heauen greater then both with his hand and spanne He filleth all things and nothing is able to comprehend him according to that of k 2. Chron. 6.18 Salomon Heauens and heauens of heauens are not able to containe thee Nay the whole world in respect of his greatnes is but as a drop of the morning dew Wisdom 11.19 This may teach vs in whatsoeuer estate to l Luke 21.19 possesse our soules in patience to be m Ephes 6.10 strong in the Lord and in the power of his might albeit our enemies come about vs like n Psal 118.12 Bees hee which is higher then the highest and greater then all men and all Diuels is our protector stonie rocke tower of defence buckler saluation refuge Psal 18.1 And as God is most able to help vs in trouble so likewise most apt readie for as it followeth in the next clause though hee dwell on high yet hee doth humble himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and earth o Apud Ambros de officijs lib. 1. cap. 13. Some Philosophers thought it too great a labour for God to gouerne the whole world and other on the contrarie too base But p Ambros in Hexam lib. 5. cap. 2. Diuines answere both of them in one word Deus neque laborat in maximis neque fastidit in minimis Indeed the Poet said Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse loui but the q Matth. 10.30 Scripture telleth vs otherwise that the very haires of our head are numbred and that not so much as a sparrow which is sold for a farthing can fall on the ground without our heauenly Fathers prouidence Disponit membra culicis pulicis as Augustine in Psal 148. For besides his r Caluin Instit lib. 1. cap. 16. Vide Thom. 1. part quaest 22. art 2. Caietan ibid. generall prouidence which is seene in the gouernment of the whole vniuerse he hath a particular also moderating euery singular action and accident He dwelling on high beholdeth vs as Emmots vpō the mole-hils of this earth in him we liue and moue and haue our being He supporteth all things by his mighty word Heb. 1.3 he reacheth from one end to another and ordereth all things sweetly Wisdom 8.1 We reade Mat. 9. that there was a woman diseased with an issue of blood twelue yeeres and Ioh. 5. that a certaine man had been sicke eight and thirtie yeeres and Ioh. the 9. that one was blind from his birth All which happened not by humane chance but by diuine choice that ſ John 9.3 the works of God might be shewed on them t Lipsius de Constant lib. 1. cap. 14. Omnia non permissa solùm à Deo sed etiam immissa The Lord doth not onely suffer and see what is done here below but also disposeth of euery particular euent to the glorie of his name and good of his children He beheld Dauid in his trouble Daniel in his dungeon Peter in his prison and ordered their short affliction to their endlesse consolation And this may comfort vs in all our wants and wrongs He that dwelleth on high humbleth himselfe to behold the things below u Psal 121.4 he that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleepes I x Esay 49.16 haue grauen thee saith the Lord vpon the palmes of my hands and thy walles are euer in my sight He heares the very * Psal 38.9 Iudges 2.18 groanes of his seruants in their closets and y Psal 41.3 makes all their beds in sicknes as S. z Confession lib. 3. cap. 11. Aug. sweetly he cares for all his childrē as if all were but one and for euery particular Christian as if one were all a See Mollerus Strigel in loc Some Diuines apply this vnto Christ Hee which is b Rom. 10.12 Lord ouer all is high aboue al heathen all lands are his inheritance all people his possession Psal 2.8 He triumphed ouer death and hell in his resurrection and his glorie shined aboue the heauens in his ascension A c Acts 1.9 cloude tooke him vp out of this world and hee did ascend farre aboue all heauens Ephes 4.10 Here then obserue the reason why the Church allotted this Hymne for this day because Christ in his d Rom. 1.4 resurrection from the dead is declared mightily to bee the Sonne of God high aboue all heathens and heauens That which is heere said hee humbled himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and earth is all one with that Esay 61.1 and Luk. 4.18 The spirit of the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tydings vnto the poore to binde vp the broken hearted and to comfort such as mourne in Sion e Marlorat in Luc. 1. See Magnificant epist 3. Sund. after Trinit Almightie God can not looke aboue himselfe as hauing no superiours nor about himselfe as hauing no equals he beholds such as are below him And therfore the lower a man is the neerer vnto God hee resists the proud and giues grace to the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 he puls downe the mightie from their seate and exalteth them of low degree the most high hath a speciall eye to such as are most humble For as it followeth in our text he taketh vp the simple out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the durt The Poet said Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus obstat res angusta domi that it is an hard thing for a man of low birth and small means to be preferred vnto high places of honour But our Prophet here to demonstrate Gods admirable power and prouidence sheweth how the Lord raiseth the poore man out of the mire that he may set him with the Princes euen with the Princes of his people f Aelian hist lib. 2. Darius was borne of a seruant Archelaus King of Macedonia base begotten Antigonus Themistocles Phocion Epaminondas and other noble worthies issued from ignoble parents g Knolles Turk hist pag. 4. Tangrolipix of an ordinarie Captaine became Sultan of Persia and first erector of the high and huge Turkish Empire Tamberlaine as h Apud Knolles in the life of Baiazet 1. fol. 212. some thinke the sonne of a Sheepheard was in his time the scourge of the great Turke treading vnder his foote insolent Baiazet the first of his violent and fierce nature surnamed
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
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
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 his angels The spirituall enemies of Christ and his Church are Satan and all his complices sinne torment of conscience malediction of the law death hell ouer all which our blessed Sauiour n Coloss 2.15 triumphed openly For in dying hee did ouercome death and in rising againe from the dead hee made the graue his foot-stoole saying o Hos 13.14 O death I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction Now beloued his conquest is our victory for hee did ouercome the world for vs and the diuell for vs and death for vs. Hee was wounded for our p Esay 53.5 transgressions and broken for our iniquities his name is q Ier. 23.6 the Lord our righteousnesse he therefore died for our sinnes and rose againe for our Iustification Hee deliuered vs out of the hands of all our enemies that we might serue him all the daies of our life without feare As for our sins hee saith Esa 43.25 I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy faults r Esay 1.18 Alebeit they were like Crimosin they shall be made white as snow though they were red as Scarlet they shall be like wooll the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne 1. Ioh. 1.7 Hee redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs Galath 3.13 He put out that hand-writing of ordinances against vs he cancelled that obligation and tooke it out of the way fastening it vpon his Crosse Coloss 2.14 Concerning torment of conscience being iustified by faith we haue peace toward God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.1 Lastly touching death and hell he Å¿ Esay 25.8 destroyes death for euer and wipes away the teares from the faces of all his people that they may triumph in the words of t 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 sin is the law but thankes be to God that hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ He that beleeueth in the Lord Iesus hath u Ioh. 17.3 eternall life neither shall he taste of the x Apocal. 20.6 second death If God then be with vs who can bee against vs If the Lord haue said vnto my Lord sit on my right hand vntill I haue made thine enemies thy foot-stoole What need I feare what either man or Angell or diuell is able to doe against me My Iesus is a y Esay 25.4 refuge against the tempest and a shadow against the heate a z Psalm 46.1 present help in al my tribulation trouble a Rom. 8.33 Who shal lay any thing to my charge seeing it is God that iustifieth and who shall condemne seeing Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs daily b Mat. 28.20 Hee saith I am with you till the end and then hee will say vnto vs in the end Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion A c Plutarch in the life of Caesar Captaine sent from Caesar vnto the Senators of Rome to sue for the prolonging of his gouernment abroad vnderstanding as hee stood at the Counsell-chamber doore that they would not condescend to his desire clapping his hand vpon the pummell of his sword Well said he seeing you will not grant it him this shall giue it him So when the Citizens of Messana despising Pompei's iuris-diction alleaged ancient orders and priuiledges of the Romans in old time granted vnto their town Pompei did answere them in choller as Plutarch relates in his life What do you prattle to vs of your law that haue our swords by our sides So d Caluino turcis lib. 1. cap. 4. Mahumet dissolueth all arguments by the sword in e Vbertas solieta tract de causis magnitud imperij Turcici his kingdome no man is aduanced vnto places of any great worth or worship but the souldior the f Augerius Busbequius legat Turcic epist 1. left hand among the Turks is accounted most honourable because the sword hangs on that side So Tyrants and Potentates of the world end all their quarrels and make their enemies their footstoole by the sword But the scepter of Christs kingdome is not a sword of steele but a sword of the spirit hee ruleth in the middest of his enemies and subdueth a people to himselfe not by the sword but by the g Melancthon Tileman Vatablus Agellius word for the Gospell is the power of his arme to saluation Rom. 1.16 casting downe holds and imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought vnto the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10.5 And the Lord is said here to send the rod of his power out of Sion according to the prophecies of h Cap. 2. vers 3. Isaiah and i Cap. 4. vers 2. Micah the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Hierusalem The blessed Apostles as wee reade Act. 2. receiued the gifts of the holy Ghost at Hierusalem and exercised also these gifts of vtterance first in Hierusalem It is true that their k Rom. 10.18 sound went out through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world and that they did execute their commission in preaching vnto l Mark 16.15 euery creature but yet according to their masters iniunction Luk. 24.47 they began at Hierusalem So Paul and Barnabas told the Iewes Act. 13.46 It was necessary that the word of God should first haue been spoken vnto you but seeing yee put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life loe wee turne to the Gentiles Heere then is a pregnant text to proue that the Gospel is not the word of m 1. Thess 2.13 man but the wisdome of n 1. Cor. 2.7 God and o Ephes 6.17 sword of his spirit for that it is agreeable to the predictions of all his holy Prophets euer since the world began Againe p Tileman in loc this euidence confutes the Iewes obstinately denying that the promised Messias is come His word commeth out of Sion hee must according to this prophecie begin his spirituall kingdome in Hierusalem euen while the Iewes Common-wealth and religion is standing for the scepter shall not depart from Iuda nor a law-giuer betweene his feet vntill Shilo come the people shall be gathered vnto him Gen. 49.10 But alas Hierusalem hath a long time been made leuell with the q Luk. 19.44 ground r Lament 1.1 she that was great among the Nations and Princesse among the Prouinces is now made tributarie Barbarus has segetes the Lord hath so darkened
heart like the b Aul. Gellius Noct. attic lib. 16. cap 15. Hares in Bisaltia or the Partridges in Paphlagonia c Bradford in a letter to Dr. Hill Physitian The way of Christ is so straite that it will suffer no reeling to this side or that side if any halt in it hee is like to fall off the bridge into the pit of eternall perdition The Lord for our example hath inflicted heauie iudgements in all ages vpon such as haue not vprightly walked but halted before him I will onely remember one which happened vpon d Fox Mart. fol. 1911. Castellanus who hauing first inriched himselfe by the Gospell and afterward forsaking the pure doctrine thereof and turning againe to his popish vomite so that hee persecuted the Christians in Orleance by the hand of God was strickē in his body with a grieuous sicknesse vnknowne to the Physitians the one halfe of his bodie burning as hot as fire and the other being so cold as Ice and so miserably crying and lamenting ended his life The dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning A very difficult place diuersly construed either of Christ himselfe or of his gifts or of his people First of Christ himselfe and that in respect of his Godhead and of his Manhood Of his e Chrysost Hierome Augustine Euthym. in loc Idem Ambrose de fide lib. 1. cap. 6. Euseb hist lib. 1. cap. 4. Godhead that the Father saith vnto him of the wombe that is of mine owne essence before the early morning that is before the world was thou hast the dew of thy youth or birth noting his eternal generation before all worlds as is shewed Prou. 8.22.23.24.25 And according to this sense the Septuagint Interpretors haue translated of the wombe before the morning starre begat I thee If it bee meant of his Manhood it may bee f See Tertull. lib. 5. cont Mar. Iustin dialog cum Tryphon Galat de arcanis lib. 3. cap. 17. Melanct. in loc thus expounded of the wombe of the darke morning or Virgine thou hast the dew of thy birth If we will vnderstand it of his g See Steuchus Mollerus in loc gifts and grace the plentifull and abundant dew of thy gifts and gladnesse aboue thy fellowes was in thee from the very wombe But because Dauid in this verse speakes neither of the person nor of the gifts of the Messias but of his subiects I side with h Bucer Caluine Mollerus Tileman Geneua gloss Strigellius Tremellius our Diuines who reade and interpret it after this sort thy youth or new-borne people shal be to thee at the morning By the preaching of thy word thou shalt bring forth a people not only good but also great whose increase shall be so plentifull and wonderfull as the drops of the morning dew For as the dew that secretly falles from heauen abundantly couereth and refresheth all the earth so thy word by the secret operation of the holy spirit i Deut. 32.2 stilling as the dew and as the showre vpon the herbes is that k 1. Pet. 1.23 immortall seede by which an incredible number of children are begotten vnto God ouer-spreading the face of the whole world according to that of S. l Iohn 1.12 Iohn To them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This exposition I take to bee most agreeable to the drift of our text and to the words of our translation m Buchanan Paraphras in loc Non roris imber ante lucem argenteis tot vest it arua gemmulis Quà m multa cunctis gentium de finibus ad te propago confluet The Lord sware and will not repent Men as Paul teacheth Heb. 6. sweare by him that is greater then themselues but almightie God as hauing none greater to sweare by sware by himselfe to father Abraham Genes 22.16 By my selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne therfore will I surely blesse thee will greatly multiplie thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand which is vpon the sea shore and thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed This oath is repeated and renewed againe vnto Isaac Genes 26.3 The Lord appeared vnto him and said I will performe the oath which I sware vnto Abraham thy father And the seruants and Saints of God euer highly reuerenced and esteemed this oath He saith our n Psal 105 8. Prophet is the Lord our God he hath alway been mindfull of his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations euen the couenant that hee made with Abraham and the oath that he sware to Isaac And Ierem. 11.4 Thus saith the Lord ye shall be my people and I will be your God that I may confirme the oath which I haue sworne vnto your fathers And Zacharias in his hymne Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people c. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets euer since the world began c. performing that oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham It was in the Lord great mercy to giue his word that hee would in the fulnes of time send his Sonne for the redemption of the world saying The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head but it was assuredly greater mercie to sweare by his o Psal 89.34 holinesse that he would performe this promise God is truth and we haue good cause to beleeue him vpon his word who made vs and all things else by his p Psal 33.9 word but yet for our better assurance being desirous more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsell bound himselfe with an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for him to lye we might haue strong consolation Heb. 6.18 These two things are his word and oath His word is true Psal 33.4 I quoth the Lord q Ezech. 37.14 haue spoken it and I will performe it r Numb 23.19 God is not as man that he should lye neither as the sonne of man that hee should repent hath hee said and shall hee not doe it and hath hee spoken and shall he not accomplish it ſ Luk. 21.33 Mat. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall passe away but not one iot of his word shall passe away till all things bee fulfilled And if his bare word be thus immutable then his * Quoad nos oath much more which among men is an end of all strife Heb. 6.16 Behold then here the goodnesse of the Father of mercies and God of comfort who for our sake did not onely say but also sweare
is to sit on Dauids seate shall I set vpon thy seate The Lord hath made a faithfull oath Men vse to sweare by him that is greater then themselues Hebr. 6.16 that is by God and that for t Caluin Maâ—lorat in Heb. 6.16 three causes especially 1. Because God is greater then themselues in credit 2. Greater then themselues in knowledge 3. Greater then themselues in power Men by sinne haue lost their credit and therefore doe they pawne the credit of God which is truth it selfe and in cases of necessity for want of other sufficient proofe God is content to pledge his truth for honest men who meane well All men are by nature u Psal 116.10 Psalm 62.9 lyars and x Mark 10.18 onely God is good and true wherefore men vse to sweare by him as being greater in y Primasius Lombard in Heb. 6. credit 2. An oath is for the manifestation of a secret truth or intention of the heart for to sweare in things apparant is to take the name of God in vaine But God alone is the searcher of the z 2. Chron. 6.30 heart and a Psalm 7.10 reines and therefore men vse to sweare by him as greater in b See Thomas 22 a. quaest 89. art 1. knowledge 3. If a man violate his oath and forsweare himselfe the wrong is done directly vnto God his truth is falsified his witnesse abused his name blasphemed and therfore men sweare by him as being greater in power c 2. King 2.23 that he may take vengeance on such wretches as dare wrong his sacred Maiesty But God as hauing none greater to sweare by sware by himselfe to father d Gen. 22.16.18 Abraham in thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed This oath is renued againe to Isaac Gen. 26.3 and repeated often vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12.13 and 1. Chron. 17.12 and 2. Chron. 6.16 and remembred also by the Prophets Esay 55.3 Psalm 89.34 It was in him exceeding rich mercy to giue his bare word that he would in the fulnesse of time giue his only begotten Sonne for the redemption of the world saying the seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head but it was vndoubtedly greater mercy for his seruants better assurance to bind his promise with a faithfull oath swearing by his holinesse that hee will not shrinke from it See my notes vpon Psalme 110. vers 4. Of thy fruit of thy body Saint Peter expounds this of Christ Act. 2.30 for according to the flesh hee was the seed and sonne of Dauid e Lib. 3. cap. 27. Irenaeus and f In loc Augustine and g Hugo in loc other Doctours note that it is according to the Hebrew de fructu ventris of the fruit of thy belly not de fructu femoris aut renum Because thy promised seed is the seed of the woman Genes 3.15 made of a woman Gal. 4.4 hauing the materials of his body from his mother Mary but his formale principium from God the holy Ghost agent in his admirable conception And yet for as much as Mary was of Dauids house it may bee said that her sonne was the fruit of Dauids body For proofe whereof it is said that h Gen. 47.29 Ioseph put his hand vnder Iacobs thigh and the seruant of i Gen. 24.2 Abraham vnder the thigh of his master because saith k De Abra. Patriar lib. 1. cap. 9. Ambrose Christ our blessed Sauiour was to proceed out of the loynes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob For as Christians taking an oath in our time lay their hands vpon some part of that sacred book wherein Christ is reuealed so the Fathers in old time put their hands vnder the thighes of those Patriarches of whom Christ was then to come Moreouer Sonnes are called the fruit of the fathers venter as well as of the mothers according to that of Dauid 2. Sam. 16.11 Behold my sonne which came out of mine owne bowels seeketh my life Shall I set vpon thy seate You haue heard how Christ is the seed of Dauid now let vs examine how he sits on the seate of Dauid Wee reade in the Gospels history that hee l Ioh. 6.15 hid himselfe in a mountaine when as the people would haue made him a King and that hee professed openly before Pilate m Ioh. 18.36 my kingdome is not of this world n D. Incognitus Answere is made that by Dauids seate is meant Hierusalem o Galath 4.26 aboue not Hierusalem here below mysticall Hierusalem and p Apoc. 21.2 heauenly not materiall and earthly So the Lord Psalm 2.6 I haue set my King vpon mine holy hill of Sion that is I haue made my begotten sonne ruler and head ouer the whole Church of which Hierusalem is a figure Sion and the seate of Dauid are to bee construed here typically not topically For Christs high and holy kingdome is internall and spirituall not exaernall and temporall q Augustin Theophylact. in Ioan. 18. See Recognit Bellarmin à pag. 26. ad pag. 46. It is hîc not hinc in the world but not of the world By the preaching of his word which is the scepter of his kingdome hee rules in the r Psal 110.1.2 middest of his enemies and makes them all his foot-stoole conuerting such enemies as appertaine to Gods election and confounding such enemies as are the sons of perdition his Gospell is vnto the one the Å¿ 2. Cor. 2.16 sauour of life vnto life and to the other the sauour of death vnto death See my notes vpon the 110. Psalme 2. and third vers t See August in tract 115. in Joan. As his kingdome is not of the world so the faithfull his voluntarie subiects are not of the world Ioh. 17.16 you were of the world saith our Sauiour to his followers but I haue chosen you out of the world Ioh. 15.19 As his kingdome is spirituall euen so they bee u Rom. 8.14 led by the spirit in x Ioh. 2.27 all things And therefore when you come into Gods house to be made partakers of his holy word and Sacraments open the doores of your eares and gates of your hearts that the y Psal 24.7 King of glory may come in and so dwell in you and raigne in you for euermore Behold hee standeth at the doore and knocketh Apoc. 3.20 Open and obey that hee may set vp his kingdome in the parlour of thine heart It is our daily prayer thy kingdome come the meaning whereof is briefly this O heauenly father let not Satan and sinne raigne in our soules but rule thou by thy word and spirit and so build in vs the kingdome of grace and hasten the kingdome of glory The difference betweene our heauenly King and earthly Princes is great 1. Their dominions are limited and the borders of their kingdomes bounded their people numbred the time of their raigne prescribed But Christ hath
to depend vpon the multitude for their number because the people mutinously rage together and imagine vaine things in their conuenticles nor vpon the mightie for their countenance because many Kings of the earth stand vp and Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and his Christ 2. We may know from hence c Bucer whether wee are the Lords annointed or no. The d John 15.19 world loueth his owne if then it hate Christ in vs it is an infallible signe that we are good e 2. Tim. 2.3 souldiers of the Lord and not seruants of the world f Bradford apud Fox Mart. fol. 1490. The way to heauen is to saile by hell if you will embrace Christ in his robes you must not thinke scorne of him in his ragges if you will sit at his table in his kingdome you must first abide with him in his tentations if you will drinke of his cup of glorie forsake not his cup of ignominie Can the head corner stone be reiected and the other more base stones in Gods building be set by You are one of Gods liuely stones and therefore be content to be hewen and snagged that you may be made more meete to be ioyned to your fellowes suffering the snatches of Satan and wounds of the world 3. From hence wee may be well assured that the sincere profession of the Gospell in reformed Churches is the most incorrupt and pure religion as being most opposite to the children of this world The Masse said holy g In a letter to his mother Bradford doth not bite them or make thē to blush as preaching And therefore the h Apoc. 17.2 Kings of the earth are drunken with the wine of the Babylonish whore's abominable fornication In i Relation of religion §. 13. Rome the humour of euery worldling is fitted and each appetite may finde what to feede on The mother of whoredomes is content to tolerate Iewes and other vngodly wretches of diuers and aduerse faiths in her Countrey but shee will not endure Lutherans All things are lawfull in great Babylon excepting this only to professe the Gospell after the manner of Protestants It is reported by reuerend k Martyr fol. 860. Fox that certain Lawyers and Aduocates in Prouince maintained openly that in a case of Lutheranisme the Iudges are not bound to obserue either right or reason order or ordinance for they cannot erre whatsoeuer iudgement they doe giue so that it tend to the ruine and extirpation of such as are suspected Lutherans Hitherto concerning the wickednesse of such as oppose themselues against the Lord and his annointed I am now to speake of their weakenesse implied in the word Why l Steuchus Genebrard for by this interrogation he doth admire their follie non enim tam interrogantis quà m deridentis as a learned m Agellius expositor vpon the place n Chrysost Placidus If they be derided as vnwise who shoote arrowes at the Sunne and barke at the Moone what errant fooles are they who fight against God dwelling in the heauen of heauens aboue Sunne and Moone o Acts 4.24 who made the heauen and earth and Sea and all things that are therein Alas all flesh is as the p Esay 40 7. grasse that withereth and God is a q Heb. 12.29 consuming fire readie to burne this stubble r Psal 144.4 Man is like a thing of nought but God is almightie measuring the waters in his fist and meating heauē with his spanne and weighing the mountaines in skales and the hils in a ballance Esay 40.12 Man is in the hāds of God his maker as the clay in the hands of the potter Ierem. 18.6 Now shall the thing formed saith ſ Rom. 11.20 S. Paul dispute with him who formed it or man imagine so vaine a thing as to stand vp and take counsell against his Creatour So that the Prophet here speakes as the t Virgil. Aenead lib. 10. Poet Quò moriture ruis maioraque viribus audes Quid tantum insano iuuat indulgere labori Or as u Epod. 7. Horace begins an Epod Quò quò scelestiruitis aut cur dexteris aptantur enses conditi He that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne Note here the great oddes and difference between God and his enemies 1. He dwelleth in heauen x Caluin but his greatest opposites are Kings vpon earth vnsetled y 1. Pet. 2.11 pilgrimes in z 2. Cor. 5.1 earthly tabernacles and houses of a Iob. 4.19 clay 2. Whereas b Psal 39.7 man disquieteth himselfe in vaine raging running standing vp against the Lord and his annointed almightie God is said heere to sit in heauen at c Bucer rest and ease 3. Whereas men imagine vainly to breake his bonds and cast away his cords God in a moment is able to bruse them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Albeit they fret and fume neuer so much he shall laugh them to scorne and haue them in derision As it is said of the monster d Job 41.18 Leuiathan He esteemeth iron as straw and brasse as rotten wood the archer cannot make him flee the stones of the sling are turned to stubble before him and hee laugheth at the shaking of the speare Now these things are said grossely for our capacitie because the Lord in deede can neither laugh nor crie yet the Scripture speaking after the manner of men affirmes plainly that God is grieued at our faults and that hee laugheth at our follies non secundum affectum as the Schoole distinguisheth aptly sed secundum effectum in that he carrieth himselfe toward his enemies as one that hath them in derision And this he doth in e Caluin two respects especially 1. For that he can at any time when he will as it were sportingly pull downe such as stand vp against him hee doth easily descrie their follie suppresse their furie 2. For that he suffereth his enemies in their rebelling and reuelling against his annointed only to play with his baite he hath as he told f 2. King 19.28 Esay 17.29 Senachorib an hooke in their nostrils and a bridle in their mouthes he can and he will at his good pleasure bring them back againe the same way they came g Psal 121.4 He that keepeth Israel howsoeuer hee seeme for a while to neglect his Church and kingdome of his Sonne shall neither slumber nor sleepe He will in his due time speake with al such as combine themselues against his annointed he will talke with them indeede h Bellarmine non verbis sed verberibus as it is in the text hee shall speake to them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure he shall bruse them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell and so shall hee make them a scorne to men and Angels hee derides them in that he sheweth
The Gospels of the foure Euangelists historically relate the birth life death resurrection and ascension of Christ The larger interpretation thereof is deliuered in the Apostles Canonicall Epistles and the practice of the Primitiue Church in their Acts and the Reuelation of Saint Iohn is a prophecie concerning the Church vniuersall vnto the worlds end In the foure Euangelists hee that hath eyes to see may reade the text of the Gospell intimating what Christ is in himselfe in the Acts Epistles Apocalyps as it were the Gospels golden glosse vnfolding more fully what Christ is in his members If any then haue a desire to kisse the sonne and to learne how to bee subiect vnto the bords and cords of his kingdome let him exactly i Iohn 5.39 search the Scriptures for they witnesse of him In the ceremonies and sacrifices of the law you may finde him obscurely shadowed in the Sermons and Sacraments of the Gospell openly declared to be the begotten sonne of God and annointed King set ouer his holy hill of Sion Serue the Lord Concerning the doing of our duty k Strigellius two things are required here more especially Feare serue the Lord in feare Faith reioyce vnto him and put your trust in him Faith is opposite to desperation and feare to securitie l Hierome Euthym. That we may not presume wee must serue God in feare that we may not despaire reioyce vnto him in faith and hope Feare may not bee without ioy nor ioy without feare Marke how cautionatly the spirit speakes here serue the Lord but in feare reioyce vnto the Lord but in trembling lest happily we should assume too much vnto our selues and so presumptuously sin he doth admonish vs of one thing m Caluin twice That wee may not be discouraged in seruing of God hee would haue vs to reioyce yet so that our ioy bee with reuerence The deuout women who came to visit Christs sepulchre were filled with feare and great ioy Matth. 28.8 and S. n 1. Cor. 10.12 Paul aduiseth euery man who thinkes he stands to take heede lest he fall and to o Philip. 2.12 worke out their saluation with feare and trembling God abhorreth hypocrites a people that honoureth him with their lips but their p Mark 7.6 heart is farre from him q Placidus his perfit seruice requireth outward obeisance of the body ioyned with inward obedience of the mind as Hierome glosseth our text the seruants of God ought to come into his courts cum tremore corporis timore animae with aufull hearts and trembling hands so r Psal 81.1 100.1 singing to the Lord in gladnes that they may reioyce in the Lord with reuerence This feare may not be seruile but ſ Lorin Turrecremat filiall as a father hee loueth vs and therefore wee must as deare children honour him obeying with a reuerend awe whatsoeuer hee would haue vs either to suffer or doe t Bellarmine Mire miscuit amorem cum timore ac si diceret timete cum amore amate cum timore The last obseruable point is why because hereby yee shall escape Gods heauie curse that falleth vpon such as resist his Christ and obtaine that happy blessing which is promised vnto such as put their trust in him u Agellius Vnderstand then O yee Kings and be no longer obstinate ye haue heretofore stood vp against the Lord his annointed Sonne but now serue the Lord and kisse his Sonne O yee Kings and Iudges of the earth acknowledge that Christ is the King of Kings euen the Lord of all things and Iudge of all men able to make you his footstoole as hauing the heathen for his inheritance the whole world for his possession and holding a rodde of iron in his hand to dash into peeces all such as take counsell together against him Hee is also readie to destroy you for his wrath is kindled and x Deut. 4.24 God is a cōsuming fire y Placidus The more fewel the greater flame Your offences make you the very fewell of his anger and therfore z Dan. 4.24 breake off your sinnes by righteousnesse embrace the bonds of his authoritie which you meant to breake for his a Matth. 11.30 yoke is easie Cast not his cords away for his burthen is light Euen now while you are in the way kick not against the Sonne but kisse the Sonne b See Hierome Steuchus Bucer Agellius in loc Bellarm. de verbo dei lib. 2. cap. 13. that is admit of his doctrine submit your selues to his discipline Christ is the truth and the way that therefore ye may not perish from the right way kisse him and keepe his Commandements as Hierome paraphraseth it pithely Kissing in old time was vsed in token of Deuotion for Idolaters are said to kisse their Idols Hosea 13.2 but Gods people refused to c 1. Kings 19.18 see Hierome in Iob. 31.27 in Hose 13.2 kisse the mouth of Baal From hence worshipping is in Latine called Adoratio Obedience so Samuel kissed Saul 1. Sam. 10.1 and Aaron kissed Moses Exod. 4.27 and it is the manner of subiects at this day to kisse the hands of their Kings Loue so d Gen. 45.15 Ioseph kissed his brethren so e Ruth 1.9 Naomi kissed her two daughters in law so the good old father kissed his dissolute sonne Luk. 15.20 All these kindes of kisses are due to Christ in our deuotion it is our dutie to f Psalm 95.6 fall downe before him and with g Matth. 28.9 Mary Magdalene to kisse his feete yea the feete of h Rom. 10.15 such as bring the glad tydings of his Gospell And in our whole conuersation it is our dutie to giue vnto him our King and Lord the kisses of honor homage seruing him in feare reioycing vnto him with reuerence We must heartily kisse him in faith and not hypocritically like Iudas in fashion only Wherefore i Placidus Steuchus some translations haue it thus adorate purè worship him in truth and puritie k Agellius cleaue to him and embrace his word with as l Bellarmine louing an affection as they doe that kisse one another m Io. Ganeius Parasinus Theologus in loc Atque vni totos ipsi vos dedite tota Mente animoque velut dominum amplexamini eique Figite amicitiae purissima basia sanctae The Sonne came into the world to n Ephes 2.16 reconcile vs vnto God his Father hee came not to kill vs hee came to kisse vs and that as the Church speaks in her o Cant. 1.1 loue-song with the kisses of his mouth His saying Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you is a p Melanct. in loc sweet kisse of his mouth His saying I am not come to call the righteous vnto repentance but sinners is another sweete kisse of his mouth His saying God so loued
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
dead It is reported of the zealous and learned Martyr u Fox Mart. fol. 855. Ioannes Mollius that he neuer spake of the name Iesu but instantly teares dropt from his eyes And surely the due consideration of Christs all-sufficient oblation and sacrifice for all our sinnes on the Crosse should make vs abhorre those masse-mongers and to say with our x Psal 139.21 Prophet Doe not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieued with those that rise vp against thee yea Lord I hate them right sore euen as though they were mine enemies But the maine poynt of their foolish wisedome is the prohibiting of the Scriptures in a vulgar and knowne tongue y Iohn 5.39 Christ saith expressely Search the Scriptures Antichrist on the contrary z Ex registro Ioh. Longland Episc Linc. fol. 85. apud Fox Mart. fol. 763. the reading of holy Scriptures is against the determination of the Church As long as Lay-men are kept from the light of the Gospell and Lanterne of the Lawe they cannot spiritually discerne their Priests erroneous doctrines and doings Herein the popish Clergy doth vse the foppish Laity like as the a Iudg. 16.25 Philistines handled Samson first they put out their eies and then being blind-fold they make pastime with all degrees of them euen with Emperours and Kings and b 2. Thes 2.3 all that is called God I haue heard often and read c Dr. Carleton directions to know the true Church pa. 40. also that Cardinall Caietan comming into Paris and seeing the blinde people very desirous of his blessing and therein vndoubtedly the Popes he turned to them and said Quandoquidem hic populus decipi vult decipiatur in nomine diaboli that is seeing this people will needs be deceiued let them be deceiued in the name of the diuell and so gaue them the Popes blessing In these poynts and many moe the Papists albeit neuer so learned haue bad vnderstanding and the reason hereof is plaine because they haue changed the rule of faith d Concil Tridēt idem Bell. lib. de verbo Dei non scripto cap. 3. §. contro cap. 4. § nunc vt 12 §. dico secundo adding to the Scriptures vnwritten traditions and honouring them with equall affection of deuotion and reuerence and so consequently worshiping God after their own inuentions and not according to the prescript of his holy faith and feare The praise of it endures for euer Or as other Translations his praise referring it e Bucer Agellius either to God or else to the man who feares God f Chrysost Euthym. Some Diuines ascribe this praise to God alone g Genebr in loc in Psal 148.13 because Tehilla properly signifieth onely that kinde of praise which is due to God and so they make this clause to containe both a h Melancth Mollerus precept and a promise Precept exhorting vs to praise God with all our heart both in the secret assemblies of the faithfull and in the publike congregation And so this Hymnes end doth answere the beginning and the Text in euery poynt the title Now lest any man in executing this office should be discouraged the Prophet addeth a promise Gods praise doth endure for euer as if he should haue said The Lord is i Psal 99.1 King be the people neuer so impatient the Lord is k Kings 18.31 God albeit the l Psal 2.1 Gentiles furiously rage together and the Iewes imagine a vaine thing the Kings of the earth stand vp and the Rulers combine themselues against him He that dwelleth in heauen hath all his enemies in derision and makes them all his footestoole his power is for euer and so consequently his praise shall endure for euer in the militant Church vnto the worlds end in the triumphant world without end Most interpretours haue referred this vnto the good man who feares the Lord yet diuersly m In loc Saint Augustine expoundeth it thus his praise that is his praising of the Lord shall endure for euermore because he shall bee one of them of whom it is said Psal 84.4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be alwaies praising thee n Arnobius Dr. Incognitus Bellarmine R. Stephanus Tileman Other vnderstand by o His that is their praise who feare the Lord and doe thereafter the singular for the plurall Bucer his praise the commendation of the good man both in the life present and in that which is to come for his righteousenesse shall be had in an euer lasting remembrance Psal 112.6 Concerning the present howsoeuer the name of the wicked rot either in obliuion or in ignominie yet p Prou. 10.7 the memoriall of the iust is blessed it is like the composition of the perfume made by the skill of the Apothecary sweet as hony in all mouthes and as musicke at a banquet of wine r Buchanan Hunc ventura nepotum semper dicent secla Beatum Or as Beza Hic sapit hic demum mansura laude fruetur q Eccles 49.1 parere qui Deo studet In the world to come the Lord will say to such as louing his feare haue liued thereafter ſ Mat. 25.21 It is well done good seruant and faithfull enter into thy Masters ioy to become the peoples Saint and to be commended of the most is not alwaies honourable Non minus periculum ex magna fama said t In vita Agric. Tacitus quà m ex mala That commendation is onely true glory which as u Tusc quaest li. 3 Cicero speakes is Consentiens laus bonorum incorrupta vox bene Iudicantium And therefore to bee praised by the most worthy of all honor and praise the Lord most high and most holy surpasseth all the wickeds glozing all this worlds glory Now then I demaund of the worldling what is the most high and deepe poynt of wisedome is it to get an opulent fortune to be so wise as fiftie thousand pounds behold godlinesse is great gaine saith x 1 Tim. 6.6 Paul and the Christian onely rich quoth the renowned y Clem. Paedag. lib. 3. Catechist of Alexandria Is it to liue ioyfully or to vse the gallants phrase Iouially behold z Psal 97.11 there is ioyfull gladnesse for such as are true-hearted A wicked man in his madde-merry humor for a while may be Pomponius Laetus but a good man onely is Hilarius onely hee which is faithfull in a Psal 64.10 Prou. 13.9 heart is ioyfull in heart Is it to get honour the praise of Gods feare saith our Text endures for euer many worthies of the world are most vnhappy because they be commended where they be not and tormented where they be hell rings of their paines earth of their praise but b Psal 112.1 blessed is the man that feareth the Lord for his commendation is both here lasting and hereafter euerlasting in this world renowned amongst
of wants or wrongs is either a foole or vngratefull to God or both that doth not acknowledge how meane soeuer his estate be that the same is yet farre greater then that which God oweth him or doth not acknowledge how sharpe soeuer his afflictions be that the same are yet farre lesse then those which are due vnto him howsoeuer it be with him it is the Lords doing he giueth and taketh away blessed bee his name for euermore f Chrysostom Arnobius Iacob de valent Bellarmin This also may be so well applied vnto Christ as the rest of the Psalme for in taking our vile nature vpon him he raised the poore out of the dust and the begger out of the dunghill He said to Adam g Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne but Christ in his resurrection and ascension hath h Ephes 2.6 raised vs vp together and made vs sit together in the heauenly places euen with the Princes of his people that is Angels and Apostles and other his holy Saints raigning in his kingdome of glorie He lifteth our soules out of the dust durt in this life when our i Coloss 3.2 affectiōs are by his grace set on things aboue and not on things which are on earth Our flesh is an house of k Iob. 4.19 clay but our l Luk. 1.47 spirit reioyceth in God and hath her conuersation in m Philip. 3.20 heauen A man is where his mind is if then wee minde heauenly things our soules are raised out of the mire n Dr. Jucognit so Christ in calling Matthew from the receite of custome to make him an Apostle lifted him out of the dunghill and o Iacobus de Valent. in calling the rest of his Apostles from their durtie courses in the world to the preaching of his word hee raised them out of the dust and made them as it is in the 45. Psalme verse 17. Princes in all lands and in raising Mary Magdalene from her olde vomit and filthinesse of sinne what did he but lift her out of the dunghill To be briefe p See Gospell Dom. 13. after Triuit man is like the trauellour who went from Hierusalem to Iericho Luke 10. hee falleth among theeues into manifolde tentations and noysome lusts and they rob him of his rayment of his righteousnesse and holinesse wherewith Almightie God adorned him in his Creation and they wounded him and departed for sinne wounding the conscience leaueth a man in a desperate case But Christ is the true Samaritane who takes compassion on man Hee bindeth vp his wounds and powreth in oyle and wine hee puts him on his owne beast and makes prouision for him at an Inne thus he taketh vp the distressed out of the dust and the beggar out of the dung At our death hee lifteth our soules out of the mire when his glorious q Luk. 16.22 Angels attend to conuey them out of this earthly tabernacle to his heauenly kingdome which is immortall and cannot be shaken At the last day hee will also lift our bodies out of the durt and mire Man that is borne of a woman is full of troubles and of short continuance such a sacke of dung that the r Ierem. 22.29 Prophet calleth him thrice earth at one breath O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord c. After man hath in this world ſ Wisdome 5.7 wearied himself he goeth to bedde and sleepeth in the dust of the graue neither shall he be raised or awake from his sleepe till heauen be no more saith t Job 14.12 Iob. But in the ende when as the u 2. Pet. 3.10 heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt then our blessed Sauiour shall rouse vs out of the dust and raise vs out of the mire x Philip. 3.21 changing this our vile body that it may be like his glorious bodie then this corruptible shall put on incorruption and this mortall immortalitie then both our soules and bodies shall haue their perfit consummation in his kingdome of glorie He maketh the barren woman to keepe house y Tileman As basenesse in men so barrennesse in women is accounted a great vnhappinesse But as God lifteth vp the begger out of the mire to sethim with Princes euen so doth he make the barren woman a ioyfull mother of children Hee gouernes all things in the priuate familie so well as in publike weale Children and the fruite of the wombe are a gift and heritage that commeth of the Lord Psalme 127.4 and therefore the y Tileman Papists in praying to S. Anne for children and the Gentiles in calling vpon Diana Iuno Latona are both in error It is God onely who makes the barren woman a mother and that a ioyfull mother Euery mother is ioyfull at the first according to that of z Iohn 16.21 Christ A woman when she trauaileth hath sorrow because her houre is come but as soone as she is deliuered of the childe she remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world But when babes are growne vp and come to their proofe a Prouerb 10.1 Salomon saith A foolish sonne is an heauinesse to his mother And our Salomon in his kingly gift I protest before that great God I had rather be no Father and Childlesse then a Father of wicked Children Now God makes the barren wife not onely fruitfull but also ioyfull b Beza Paraphras Et nuper steriles repentè matres longa beat propagine Hee made barren olde c Gen. 17. Sara fruitfull in bearing a sonne and ioyfull in that her sonne was Isaac in whose seede all the nations of the world are blessed He made d Judges 13. Manoahs wife both a mother and a ioyfull mother in that shee bare Samson the strong who saued Israell out of the hands of the Philistines Hee made e 1. Sam. 1. Hannah both a mother and a ioyfull mother in that shee bare faithfull Samuel the Lords Prophet hee made Anne both a mother and a ioyfull mother in bearing blessed Marie the f Luke 1.43 mother of our Lord he made Elizabeth a mother and a ioyfull mother in bearing Iohn the Baptist a Prophet yea more then a Prophet for among them which are borne of women arose there not a greater then Iohn Baptist Matth. 11.11 g Chrysost Hierom. Arnobius Diuines apply this also mystically to Christ affirming that hee made the Church of the Gentiles heretofore barren a ioyfull mother of many children according to that of the h Esay 54.1 Prophet Reioyce O barren that diddest not beare breake forth into ioy and reioyce thou that diddest not trauell with childe for the desolate hath more children then the married wife saith the Lord. See Epistle 4. Sund. in Lent Or it may be construed of
true Christians all of vs are by nature barren of goodnesse conceiued and borne in sinne not able to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 but the father of lights and mercies maketh vs fruitfull and abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord 1. Cor. 15.58 he giueth vs grace to be fathers and mothers of many good deedes i Ambros de interpell libr. 2. cap. 4. Idem Dr. Incognitus in loc in Psalm 102.17 which are our children and best heires eternizing our name for euer PSALME 114. When Israel came out of Aegypt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people c. THere bee two chiefe parts of this Psalme the 1. A description of Israels admirable deliuerance out of Aegypt in the foure former verses 2. A dialogue betweene the Prophet and the Creatures about the same deliuerance in the foure latter verses In the deliueraÌ„ce note 1. The parties deliuered Israel and the house of Iacob being Gods Sanctuarie Seigniorie 2. The perill out of which they were deliuered and k Chrysost Mollerus that was 1. Bondage 2. Bondage among strangers in Aegypt 3. Bondage among such strangers as were cruell a barbarous people 3. The manner how they were deliuered not by meanes ordinarie but miracles extraordinarie wrought on the Water vers 3. The Sea saw that and fled Iordaine was driuen backe Land verse 4. The Mountaines skipped like Rammes c. In the dialogue two poynts are to be considered 1. A question What ayleth thee O thou Sea c. Verse 5.6 2. An l Vatablus Tremellius Bellarmine answere Tremble thou earth c. Or as m Vulgar latine English-Geneua other translations The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord c. When Israel The n Bellarmine latter clause doth expounde the former Israel that is the house of Iacob for this holy Patriarke had two names first Iacob that signifieth a supplantor Gen. 25.26 and then Israel that is one which hath power with God Gen. 32.28 teaching vs hereby saith o In loc Hierome as we haue receiued grace to supplant vice that wee may preuaile with God and see him according to that of p Matth. 5.8 Christ Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God As q Gen. 25.22 Iacob and Esau stroue together in their mother Rebeccaes wombe so the r Galat. 5.17 flesh in man lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh If wee play Iacobs part in supplanting sinne which is a red and a rough Esau we shall assuredly gaine the blessing of our heauenly Father By Iacobs house then is meant his Å¿ Euthym. Genebrard posteritie the children of Israel of whom it is reported by Moses Deut. 10.22 Thy fathers went downe into Aegypt with seuentie persons and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the starres of the heauen in multitude These people were Gods sanctification and dominion t Geneua gloss that is witnesses of his holy Maiestie in adopting them and of his mightie power in deliuering them u Melancth in loc or his sanctification as hauing his holy Priests to gouerne them in the poynts of pietie and dominion as hauing godly Magistrates ordained from aboue to rule them in matters of policie or his sanctuarie x both actiuely because sanctifying him y Genebrardus Iacobus de Valentia and passiuely because sanctified of him It is true that God as being euer the most holy so well as the most high cannot bee magnified and hallowed in respect of himselfe but in respect of y Caluin in loc other onely For God is sanctified of his seruants as wisdome is said to bee iustified of her children Luke 7.35 that is acknowledged and declared to be iust according to that of the Lord by the mouth of his holy z Ezech. 38.23 Prophet Thus will I bee magnified and sanctified and knowne in the eies of many Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. Wherefore let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Againe Iuda was his Sanctuary a Bucer Agellius Râ—b Stephanus because sanctified of him adopted his holy heritage chosen a peculiar and a precious people to himselfe b Deut. 7.6 aboue all Nations in the world I haue carried you said the c Exod. 19.4 Lord vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto me that ye might be my chiefe treasure aboue all people though all the earth bee mine consecrated and hallowed to my worship as holy Temples and Sanctuaries in whome I may rule for so the latter clause may well d Bellarmine explaine the former Iuda was his Sanctuarie because his Dominion in whom he e Chrysost Euthym. Bucer reigned as a king by his lawes and spirit And therefore when Israel asked a king of the Lord to iudge them he said to f 1. Sam. 8.7 Samuel they haue not reiected thee but they haue reiected me that I should not reign ouer them According to this exposition Israel is termed Ex. 19.6 a kingdome of Priests or as S. g 1. Pet. 2.9 Peter hath it a royal Priesthood royall as being his Seigniory Priesthood as being his Sanctuary For the beter vnderstanding of this phrase remeÌ„ber I pra'y that there be two kinds of kingdomes in holy Scripture the kingdome of darknes h Coloss 1.13 which is the kingdome of the deuill and the kingdome of heauen which is the kingdome of God When all had sinned in Adam it pleased the Lord out of his vnsearchable Iustice to lay this heauy punishment on all his posteritie that seeing they could not be content to be subiect to their creator they should become vassals vnder Satans tyraÌ„ny so that all men are now by nature the Children of i Ephes 2.3 wrath and k Ephes 6.12 the Prince of darkenesse ruleth in their hearts vntill Christ the l Luke 11.22 strong man commeth and bindeth him and m Iohn 12.31 casteth him out and so bringeth all his elect out of darkenesse into maruailous light 1. Pet. 2.9 Blind ignorant people cannot abide this doctrine they spit at the very naming of the deuill and say that they defie him and all his euen with all their heart and soule and minde Yet whereas they liue still in ignorance and impiety which are the two maine pillers of Satans kingdome they make plaine proofe that they be Children of the n Luke 16.9 world Children of o Coloss 3.6 disobedience Children of p Hosea 10.9 iniquitie Children of q 1. Sam. 26.16 death Children of the r Iohn 8.44 deuill Children of Å¿ Iohn 17.2 perdition Children of t Mat. 23.15 hell Israel is Gods dominion and Iuda Gods sanctuary but Aegipt and Babylon and other parts and persons of the world liuing in sinne without repentance what are they but the suburbes of hell and as it were the
due to Christ eadem reuerentia imagini Christi exhibenda ipsi Christo In respect of these barbarismes and many moe the blessed Martyr h Fox Martyr fol. 821. Aymondus being condemned by the Papists of Bourdeaux Angeow to dye sung this hymne as hee went to the stake When Israel went out of Egypt c. insinuating that the kingdome of Poperie was like Egypt an house of bondage where the man of sinne domineering in the conscience doth impose grieuous burthens vpon Gods Iuda worse then any sore labour in morter and bricke If Adam in his innocencie did not exactly keepe one precept of God how shall Adams posteritie compassed about with infirmitie doe workes of supererogation obseruing not onely the Commandements of God but also the Councels of the Church and ordinances of men almost infinite for their number altogether insupportable for their nature Almightie God hath out of the riches of his glorie deliuered vs alone from these barbarians and that wee now continue yet free from them is not our owne warines or worthinesse but his worke only i Psal 136.4 that doth all wonders The planting of the Gospell among vs in the daies of King Henry the 8. was a great wonder the watering of it in the daies of King Edward the 6 another great wonder the florishing of it in the daies of our renowned Queene Elizabeth and our gracious Soueraigne King Iames another great wonder Our deliuerance from the Northern Conspiracie from the Spanish Armado from the Gunpowder-plot are great arguments of Gods might and mercie manifested to his English Israel In regard of all which and many moe fresh in our memorie we may well as k Septuagint Vulgar Latin Augustine Hierome other translations haue done before vs adioyne the next hymne to this and say Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the praise for thy louing mercie and for thy truths sake The dialogue betweene the Prophet and the creatures instructeth vs how wee should stand in awe of God seeing the very dumbe creatures and insensible feare before him Doth an l Esay 1.3 oxe know his owner and an asse his masters cribbe and shall not Israel vnderstand Shall vnreasonable beasts of the field and feathered fowles in the ayre praise the Lord in their kinde and shall not man sanctius his animal mentisque capacius altae m Psal 89.1 sing alwaies the louing kindnes of God and with his mouth euer shew foorth his mercie from generation to generation Shall n Psal 148.8 haile snow winde water and weather fulfill his word Shall the sea flee the earth tremble the mountaines and hils skip at the presence of the God of Iacob and shall nor Iacob himselfe o Psal 2.11 serue the Lord in feare and reioyce vnto him in trembling Shall the hard rocke be turned into a standing water and the flint-stone into a springing well and shall not our hard and flintie hearts in consideration of our owne miseries and Gods vnspeakable mercies in deliuering vs from euill if not gush foorth into p Ierem. 9.1 fountaines of teares expresse so much as a little standing water in our eyes It is an hard heart indeed q Bernard lib. 1. de considerat quod nec compunctione scinditur nec pietate mollitur nec mouetur precibus minis non cedit flagellis duratur c. O Lord touch thou the r Psal 144.5 mountaines and they shal smoake touch our lips with a ſ Esay 6.6 coale frō thine altar our t Psal 51.15 mouth shal shew forth thy praise Smite Lord our flintie hearts as hard as the u Iob. 41.15 nether milstone with the hammer of thy word and mollifie them also with the drops of thy mercies and dew of thy spirit make them x Matth. 11.29 humble y Ezech. 11.19 fleshie z Iosua 24.23 flexible a Deut. 30.6 circumcised b Iob. 23.16 soft c Pro. 23.12.26 obedient d Ezech. 36.26 new e Matth. 5.8 cleane broken and then a brokē and contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise Psal 51.17 f August medit cap. 1. Domine Deus meus da cordi meo te desiderare desiderando quaerere quaerendo inuenire inueniendo amare amando mala mea non iterare O Lord my God giue me grace from the very bottome of mine heart to desire thee in desiring to seeke thee in seeking to finde thee in finding to loue thee in louing vtterly to loathe my former wickednesse that liuing in thy feare and dying in thy fauour when I haue passed thorough this Egypt and wildernesse of this world I may possesse that heauenly Canaan and happie land of promise prepared for all such as loue thy comming euen for euery Christian one which is thy dominion and sanctuary PSALME 118. O giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercie endureth for euer THis Hymne seemes to bee made by Dauid after some great troubles in the daies of Saul g Wilcox before he was King or h Mollerus Caluine Tremel else for some notable victorie gained against his enemies after hee was established in his Throne to wit after hee had ouercome the Philistims 2. Sam. 6. or happily when he triumphed ouer the children of Ammon 2. Sam. 12. It consists of 3. parts especially 1. An exhortation to praise God in the foure first verses 2. A reason of this exhortation from the 5. to 21. 3. A conclusion or application of both from the 21. to the Psalmes end In the former obserue the Time when now Parties who Exhorting Dauid the King Exhorted Generally al people vers 1. Specially Gods Israel aboue other people vers 2. Singularly the house of Aaron aboue the rest of Israel vers 3. Concerning the time now that is instantly without any delay as God helpeth vs in time so wee must also praise him in season Or now that is vpon this occasion indeed we must praise God euer because his mercie doth endure for euer yet for especiall mercies wee must inuent especiall songs and yeelde new thankes for new things and therefore Dauid here being wonderfully deliuered from a great many troubles hauing now taken his enemies l 2. Sam. 12.30 crowne from his head which weighed a talent of gold with precious stones and set it vpon his own calleth vpon his Priests and people to confesse now that the Lord is gracious All other men ought at all other times to performe this dutie but his subiects at this time principally let Israel now let the house of Aaron now Or now that is at this solemne k Bucer Mollerus Genebrard feast appoynted for the same purpose for albeit we must alway laude the Lord Yet ought we most chiefely so to doe when we meete and assemble together to render thankes for the great benefits that we haue receiued at his hands and to set forth his most worthie
were good and not ioyfull it would be tedious if ioyful and not good it might be vicious but good ioyfull together is excellent good omne tulit punctum it is a double sweete when as profit and pleasure meet it is good there is the profit it is ioyfull there is the pleasure It is like the precious oyntment of Aaron there is the sweet of pleasure it is like the dew of Hermon there is the sweete of profit As sweet perfumes are pleasant not only to such as vse thē but also to the whole cōpany so concord is not only profitable to good men which are the peace-makers but euen vnto all other in the same Common-wealth of whatsoeuer function or faction And therefore Dauid being now quietly seated in his kingdome free from warres abroad and iarres at home calleth vpon all his people to confesse that the Lord is gracious and that his mercie endureth for euer But in more particular hee calleth vpon the house of Aaron i Numb 18. that is the Priests and Leuites and that for two reasons especially First because such as trouble Israel hate most of all the Priests and Preachers of the word Secondly k Dr. Jncognit Mollerus because the Priests are the Prouosts of the people Heb. 13.7 the salt of the earth to season other Matth. 5.13 and therefore seeing they be Precentors in Gods quire it is their office to sing first that other may sing after In respect of danger and dutie the house of Aaron haue good cause to praise God more then other and to confesse that his mercies endure for euer Now for as much as m Rom. 2.28 all are not Iewes which are Iewes outward and all are not n Rom. 9.6 Israel which are of Israel I say for as much as there be many o Mollerus Caluin hypocrites as well among Priests and people therfore Dauid in the fourth verse chiefly calleth vpon such as truly feare the Lord Yea let them now that feare the Lord confesse that his mercie endureth for euer For hereby such enioy not only a ciuill and outward peace which is common to the whole State but further a religious and inward peace of conscience which is proper to themselues For when there is p Psal 122. peace within the walles of Hierusalem and plenteousnes within her palaces euery one may goe into the house of the Lord and stand in the gates of the beautifull Temple Then all the Tribes ascend to giue thankes vnto the name of the Lord to q Psal 95.6 worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker entring into his r Psal 100.3 courts with praise Then as it is in this Psalme they binde the sacrifice with cords euen vnto the hornes of the altar exercising all acts of religion and powring out their whole soule before the God of heauen On the contrarie in time of warre the Gentiles and other who know not God enter into the inheritance of God and defile his holy Temple they doe not only crie Downe with it downe with it vnto the ground as it is in the 137. Psalme but as wee finde in the 79. Psalme they pull it downe in deede and make Hierusalem an heape of stones giuing the bodies of Gods deare seruants to be meate vnto the fowles of the aire and the flesh of his Saints vnto the beasts of the field Ye therefore that doe truly professe haue greatest occasion duly to confesse Gods exceeding mercie for enioying the sweet benefit of peace For if once ye should a little while want the comfort ye reape by publike prayers and preaching in Gods house ye would complaine grieuously ſ Psal 84. Lord how amiable are thy dwellings my soule hath a longing desire to enter into thy courts How blessed are the t Who make their nests in houses and trees neere thy Tabernacle Hen. Mollerus in loc Or mystically whether I lead an actiue life like the Sparrow or a cōtemplatiue like the Turtle thy altars are the best nests to rest in Bellarmine sparow and swallow who may come to thy altars and set vpon thy Temple For one day in thy courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God then to commaund in the tents of vngodlines The reasons of this exhortation are manifold expressed by Dauid here particularly from the 5. verse to 21. but they be generally these Two Gods mercies toward his childrē In generall He is gracious and his mercie endureth for euer In particular to Dauid I called vpon the Lord in trouble and hee heard mee at large c. Gods iudgements vpon his enemies in whose name alone they be destroyed and become extinct as fire among the thornes c. The mercies of the Lord are so rich and abundant that our Prophet u Psal 145.9 else where saith his mercie is ouer all his workes And it is seene in two things chiefly 1. In giuing euery thing which is good 2. In taking away whatsoeuer is euill Now we may the better vnderstand the greatnes of his goodnes in both if wee will examine the breadth and length and depth and height thereof as S. Paul intimates Ephes 3.18 First for the breadth of his mercie whatsoeuer is good is originally from God x Iames 1.17 euery good and perfit gift is from aboue descending from the Father of lights euen the very minnoms and minutes are mercies holden as it were by Franck-almoigne And as hee bestoweth on his euery thing which is good so likewise he takes from them euery kinde of euill Bread taketh away hunger and drinke taketh away thirst and apparell taketh away nakednesse and fire taketh away coldnesse and other things deliuer vs from other miseries in this world But all these creatures are the Lords and they cannot helpe vs except hee blesse them Againe there bee many miseries vnknowne vnto the creatures as the subtile tentations of the diuell and the manifolde blindnesse of our vnderstanding and erroneous conscience from which onely God is able to deliuer vs as being the Phisitian of our soule so well as the protector of our body Moreouer as the creatures take not away all miseries but a few so they take them away not from all but from a few God alone is able to deliuer all men from all miseries and though hee doe not this vnto all yet there bee none but haue tasted of some yea of many of his mercies which occasioned our Prophet to say y Psalm 33.5 the earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord and our Church to pray O God whose nature and propertie is euer to haue mercy and to forgiue But ye will obiect if the Lord can deliuer from all euill why doth hee not as being the z 2. Cor. 1.3 Father of mercies Answere is made that God our Father in Heauen knowes what is best for vs his children on earth hee therefore doth afflict vs
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
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
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