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
parmensis Genebrardus in loc that is they make men declare the glory of God by their admirable structure motions and influence Now the preaching of the heauens is wonderfull in n Bellar. in loc three respects 1. As preaching all the night and all the day without intermission vers 2. One day telleth another and one night certifieth another 2. As preaching in euery kinde of language vers 3. There is neither speech nor language but their voyces are heard among them 3. As preaching in euery part of the world and in euery parish of euery part and in euery place of euery parish vers 4. Their sound is gone into all lands and their words into the ends of the world They bee diligent Pastors as preaching at all times and learned Pastors as preaching in all tongues and Catholike Pastors as preaching in all townes Let vs not then in this Vniuersitie where the voyces of so many great Doctors are heard bee like to trewants in other schooles who gaze so much vpon the babies and guilded couer and painted margent of their book that they neglect the text and lesson it selfe This booke is Gods Primer as it were for al sorts of people but he hath another booke proper only for his domesticall auditorie the Church o Psal 147.19 Hee sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel hee hath not dealt so with any nation neither haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes Heathen men read in his Primer but Christian men are well acquainted with his Bible The Primer is a good booke but it is imperfect for after a man hath learned it hee must learne more but the law of the Lord p Bucer Tileman Caluin in loc that is the body of the holy Scriptures is a most absolute Canon of all doctrines appertaining either to faith or good manners it is a perfit law conuerting the soule giuing wisedome to the simple sure pure righteous and reioycing the heart c. But before wee treate of that part let vs examine the mysticall exposition of this part of the Psalme being guided hereunto by the spirit of God Rom. 10.18 and by the direction of our Church accommodating this text to this time Allegorically then is meant by heauens generally the q August exposit 2. in loc Bellarm. de Sacramentis in genere lib. 1. cap. 25. Saints especially the blessed r August exposit 1. in loc Euangelists and ſ Hierome Melanct. Strigelius Apostles A good man and a true Christian is not only Gods house Heb. 3.16 but also Gods heauen as S. Augustine expounds the words of Christ Our Father which art in heauen that is dwelling not in the materiall heauen only but in the mysticall heauen also to wit in holy men of heauenly conuersation hauing their affections set on things which are aboue Coloss 3.2 These kind of heauens declare the glorie of God in their workes as much and more then in their words euer t Philip. 2.15 shining as lights in the world u Oecumen apud Bellar. vbi sup their whole life being nothing else but a perpetuall sermon as it were to their neighbours and so they declare Gods glorie for that other seeing their good deedes are thereby moued to glorifie our Father which is in heauen More particularly the blessed Euangelists and Apostles annunciat Gods glory the Gospell is Gods throne x Caluin epist dedit Harmon wherein his Maiestie rideth as in a chariot and the foure wheeles of this chariot are the foure Euangelists and therefore this firmament sheweth Christs handy-worke because the written Gospell is a tract of all that Iesus did and taught Acts 1.1 and the blessed Apostles in preaching the Gospell haue likewise declared Gods glorie for in teaching that men are y Rom. 3.24 freely iustified by grace what doe they but annunciat the z Ephes 3.16 riches of his glorie The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation and if thou beest hereby saued it is not thine but Gods glorie Wherefore sing with heauens hoste on this day a Luke 2.14 Glorie be to God on high and with holy b Psal 115.1 Dauid Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie for thy mercies and truths sake c Turrecremat Or the Apostles declare Christs glorie in preaching that he was and is equall with God as being the character of his person and brightnesse of his glorie Heb. 1.3 and they shew Christs handy worke in relating all hee said and did and suffered for vs men and our saluation from his Cradle to his Crosse and afterward from his Crosse to his Crowne These were the Trumpetors of his Gospel and as it were the d August ep 89. bel-weathers of his flocke whose sound is gone out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world as S. Paul interprets our text Rom. 10.18 There is neither speech nor language but their voyces are heard among thē e Euseb hist lib. 3. cap. 1. Andrew preached in Scythia Thomas in Parthia Iohn in Asia f 1. Pet. 1.1 Peter to the dispersed Iewes throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia g Socrates hist lib. 1. cap. 15. Bartholmew in India Matthew in Aethiopia for as h Catalog gloriae mundi part 3. considerat 29. Cassanaeus reports Aethiopiam nigram doctrina fidei fecit candidam In England as by tradition wee haue receiued i Niceph. lib. 2. cap. 40. Simon Zelotes first preached the Gospell and k Capgraue in Catalog sanct Angl. Magdeburg epist praefix Gent. 4. Ioseph of Arimathea built a religious house for Professors in Glascenbury Saint Paul howsoeuer he was not one of the twelue yet hee laboured more abundantly then they all 1. Cor. 15.10 he declared the glorie of God in l Galat. 1. Arabia Syria Cilicia m Acts 13. Antiochia Seleucia Cyprus n Acts 14. Lycaonia Lystra o Acts 17. Athens p Acts 20. Corinth Troas In a word he made the Gospell of Christ abound in euery place from Hierusalem vnto Illyricum as himselfe witnesseth of himselfe Rom. 15.19 hee was a chosen vessell of the Lord to beare his name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel Acts 9.15 Thus all the Saints in generall the foure Euangelists and twelue Apostles and euery sound Preacher of the Gospell in particular annunciat the glorie of God But what is the meaning of the next words one day telleth another and one night certifieth another Literally dies diem dicit is nothing else but dies diem docet One day telleth another is one day teacheth another q Vatablus in loc The day past is instructed by the day present euery new day doth affoord new doctrine The r Placidus Parmen in loc day is a most apt time to learne by reading and conference the night a most apt time for inuention and meditation now that which
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
passages as they follow the chase And therefore hee shall lift vp his head as hauing a full victorie to his aduancement and exceeding glorie for so this manner of speech is vsed Gen. 40.13.20 PSALME 132. Lord remember Dauid and all his troubles c. THis hymne consists of two parts a Prayer for the Prince Priests people with a commemoratiō of their zeale to Gods holie worship and seruice from the 1. to the 11. verse Promise made by God particularly to Dauid and his seede as also generally to the whole Church as the ground of the prayer from vers 11. to the Psalmes end The penner of this Psalme prayes for the y Bucer Wilcox King first as the chiefe Lord remember Dauid And then afterward for his state both z Luther Mollerus Strigellius Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill the Church and Common-weale The Church Arise O Lord into thy resting place that is thy Temple let thy Priests bee clothed with righteousnes The a Tileman Common-weale Let thy Saints sing with ioyfulnes c. The which is answerable to the Suffrages in our Liturgie Indue thy Ministers with righteousnes and make thy chosen people ioyfull And happily the Church of England aimed at this Prayers order in the composition of the Letanie where praying more particularly wee beseech God in the first place to blesse our most gracious King and gouernour In the next to blesse the whole Clergie Bishops Pastors and Ministers and then all degrees of the Laitie superiours as the Counsell Nobilitie Magistrates and inferiours all the people Satan is called by b Iohn 8.44 Christ a lyar and a murtherer from the beginning euer busily labouring to destroy both our soule with vntruths and our bodies with murthers c Luther in loc Against these two policies and kingdomes of the Diuell almightie God hath erected other two kingdomes the politike state to fight against murthers and the Priesthood to fight against false doctrine and heresies So that Dauid and all other Kings in gouerning the Common-wealth ought to performe their best endeuours that their subiects may leade a d 2. Tim. 2.2 quiet and a godly life Quiet as being free from mutinies and murthers godly as being free from heresies and lyes And these two kingdomes although they be farre vnlike are so ioyned together that the one cannot stand without the other For where politike peace is wanting there pietie cannot bee maintained without great danger and where the word of God is wanting there can bee no sound and secure peace Policie serueth the Church and the Church preserueth policie The Priests and Preachers are said in the 17. verse of this Psalme to be deckt with saluation that is the ministration of the word whereby they e 1. Tim. 4.16 saue themselues and those that heare them And in this respect called f Caluin Ribera Vatablus in Obad. sauiours Obadiah 21. as being helpers and labourers together with God who saueth 1. Cor. 3.9 But that part of this Hymne concerning the promise concerneth our present feast especially The Lord hath made a faithfull oath vnto Dauid c. The Papists in the first verse Lord remember Dauid with all his afflictions and in the tenth verse for thy seruant Dauids sake turne not away the presence of thine annoynted dreame that Salomon and the people did pray to God that he would heare them at Dauids intercession and for his merits and thereupon establish inuocation of Saints and praying to the dead But our g Luther Mollerus Caluin Tileman Strigellius Diuines answere that Dauid is not here to bee taken absolutely for his person onely but as hauing the couenant and clothed as it were with the promises of God For Dauid neuer entreated God to be heard for his owne merits but on the contrary crieth h Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Neither did the Church here desire to be heard for Dauids sake but for the promise made to Dauid And their meaning is briefly this O Lord God we pray vnto thee for the kingdome not counting our selues in any sort worthie that we should be heard but as i Dan. 9.18 Daniel speakes we present our supplications before thee trusting in thy great and tender mercies and in that thou hast promised to Dauid to wit that our kingdome shall endure for euer So Moses prayed k Bxod. 32.13 Deut. 9.27 Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy seruants to whom thou swarest by thine owne selfe He doth not inuocate Abraham Isaac and Iacob as the Papists imagine fondly but hee doth alleage Gods holy couenant made to them as touching their seed and posteritie For how could God be put in minde of these promises better then by reciting those persons to whom God hath made thē Here then is a notable president for vs that when we pray we should appeare before the seate of God as wretched and miserable sinners not trusting vpon our owne merit but clothed as you would say with his mercie not as he who bragged l Luke 18.12 I fast twice in the weeke I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse but as he who said Lord remember thy promises for the promises of God are nothing else but mercies and compassions offered freely vnto vs in Christ Faith is necessarily required in prayer for m Rom. 10.14 how shall any call on him in whō they haue not beleeued and faith is grounded euer vpon the sure promises of God who saith n Exod. 20.5 I am the Lord thy God and so loued the world that he gaue his o Iohn 3.16 only begotten sonne in p Matth. 3.17 whom he is well pleased If then hee giueth himselfe to be our owne and his sonne to be our owne how shall hee not with himselfe and his sonne q Rom. 8.32 giue vs all things also Verily verily saith our blessed Sauiour that euer spake veritie whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Ioh. 16.23 These things ought to be taught diligently because Gods holie promises are the r Luther in loc chiefe part of the Scripture the true bosome and wombe wherein the Church is carried and all her children the faithfull Now the promise mentioned here touching the seed of Dauid is categoricall and absolute so farre forth as it concernes Christ of the fruit of thy body will I set vpon thy seat for euermore But as it concernes other of Dauids house ſ Placidus Luther Mollerus Genebrard hypothetical and conditional if thy children will keepe my couenant c. In that which is promised and prophecied touching Christ obserue The Manner of the promise the Lord hath made a faithfull oath vnto Dauid and he shall not shrinke from it vers 11. The matter of the promise 1. That the Messias is to bee borne of Dauids seed of the fruit of thy body 2. That the Messias
z Mat. 28.18 all power in heauen and earth he shall sit vpon the Throne of Dauid for euer and of his kingdome there is no end Luk. 1.33 2. Other Kings haue power onely ouer our bodies and goods but Christs authority reacheth vnto the soule Their sword is materiall able onely to kill the body but his sword is spirituall proceeding out of his a Apoc. 1.16 mouth able to destroy b Mat. 10.28 both soule and body in hell entring thorow euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 3. Other Kings deriue their authority from him Prouerb 8.15 By me Kings raigne by me Princes rule and stand accountable to him he standeth in the congregation of Princes and iudgeth among gods Psalm 82.1.2 But who shall say to the Lord of Lords Why doest thou so 4. Other Kings reward their fauourites and followers onely with a few titles of honour or with a few parcels of land which are holden of them in fee-farme frank-almoign Knights-seruice c. They make not their vassals heires apparant to their kingdomes but Christ our Lord maketh all his faithfull seruants no lesse then c Apoc. 1.6 Kings and d Rom. 8.17 heires of God euen heires annexed with himselfe If thy children will keepe my couenant Literally this may be construed of Dauids owne children according to the flesh e Mollerus who succeeded him in his Throne 1072. yeeres vntill the Messias borne of his posterity constituted an euerlasting kingdom without end f Caluin According to this sense the Lord saith Ezech. 21.26 I will take away the Diademe and take off the Crowne this shall be no more the same I will ouerturne ouerturne ouerturne it and it shall be no more vntill he come whose right it is and I will giue it him His promise here concerning Christ is absolute but his promise touching other of Dauids house conditionall If thy Children keepe my couenant and my testimonies that I shall learne them g 1. Chron. 28.9 If thou seeke the Lord said Dauid to his sonne Salomon he will bee found of thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for euer And therefore because Dauids posterity did not obserue his law but follow their owne inuentions hee made them as we reade in the Bibles history captiues of Captaines and gaue their kingdome to another people first vnto the bloodie Romans and now to the barbarous Turkes and so Hierusalem heretofore h Lament 1.1 great among the Nations and Princesse among the Prouinces is made tributarie shee dwelleth among the Heathen and findeth no rest among all her louers shee hath none to comfort her all her friends haue dealt vnfaithfully with her and are made her enemies Mystically the i Arnobius Cassiodorus Hugo Doctors applie this vnto the Children of Christ according to the spirit I will set vpon thy seate that is ordaine Pastors and teachers who shall sit in thy chaire k So that kind of Speech is vsed Mat. 23.2 that is preach thy word and doctrine for the l Ephes 4.11 gathering together of the Saints and edification of the Church euermore This was verified in the blessed Apostles as being made Princes in all lands Psalm 45.17 In one word m Hierome all true beleeuers in Christ are the sons of God and babes in Christ and hee hath as n Ephes 2.6 Paul speakes raised vs vp together and made vs sit together in heauenly places His Charter is faire Matth. 19.28 Verily I say vnto you that when the sonne of man shall sit in the Throne of his Maiesty ye which haue followed me in the regeneration shall also sit vpon twelue Thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel And Apocal. 3.21 To him that ouercommeth will I grant to sit with mee in my Throne euen as I ouercome and sit with my Father in his Throne The o Luther in loc wicked abuse the promises of God applying them vnto themselues which onely belong to the true Church the seed of Dauid according to the spirit So the Papists abuse Christs promise for establishing of the Popes tyrannie p Matth. 16.18 the gates of hell shall not ouercome it and q Mat. 28.20 I will be with you alway till the worlds end Whence they conclude that Peters boat though it may be somtimes in danger shall neuer bee drowned and that the Pope being the Churches head cannot erre r Dr. Fulke in Matth. 16.18 Whereas these promises concerne onely that Church which is built vpon the Rocke Christ and continueth in Saint Peters faith obseruing all things our blessed Sauiour commanded as it is in our text If thy children will keepe my couenant and testimonies that I shall learne them But if the Bishop and Church of Rome dispense with Gods holy word and despise his truth and testimony teaching in stead of his infallible law ſ Mat. 15.9 precepts of men and doctrines of t 1. Tim. 4.1 diuels how shall this or any the like promise belong to them So the wicked in a reprobate sense who make their bellie their god and commit all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse abuse these sweet texts at what time soeuer a sinner c. and Come to me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you c. For this promise concernes only such as are laden and feele the burthen of their iniquitie hauing both a sight and a sense thereof acknowledging that sinne is a u Euthym. in Matth. 11. labour in accomplishing and a load when it is accomplished It appertaineth onely to such as repent and that of all their sinne and that from the heart and bottome of the heart So the carnall Gospellers in comming irreuerently to the Lords Table without any deuotion or due respect to that holy Sacrament abuse the words of our blessed Sauiour This is my body For as the godly Martyr x In his last exam apud Fox fol. 1463. Iohn Bradford well obserued the clause take eate is a precept and the clause this is my body a promise the bread and wine then are not vnto any the body and blood of Christ except they first eate and take and none can take and eate but by y Confess Anglican art 28. faith A worthie receiuer therefore beggeth of God both a pardon of his faults and an encrease of his faith To conclude this point in the law the condition is do this and liue in the Gospell beleeue this and thou shalt be saued He that neglects the precept and yet will chalenge the promise deceiueth himselfe hee shall not rest on Gods holy hil and sit on his happie seat for euermore PSALM 2. Why doe the Heathen so furiously rage together c. This Ode may be diuided into 2. parts the 1. Describes the wickednesse and weaknes of such as bandie thēselues against the
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
our sinnes he was made a curse for vs Galat. 3.13 He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities Esay 53.5 and out of this hard rocke thus smitten by Moses rod a Well of water sprang forth into euerlasting life Iohn 4.14 The Sea saw that and fled The world is called a Sea Reuelation 4.6 the world then f Dr. Jncognitus persecuting Christ and his Apostles is a red sea this red sea fled at the preaching of the Gospell and gaue place Christ rebuked the winds and the waters and so there was a great calme Matthew 8.26 Iordan was driuen backe g Matth. 3.16 Christ himselfe was baptised in Iordan and such as are h Rom. 6.3 baptised into Christ and beleeue send not as other i Ecclesiastes 1.7 riuers vsually their streames into the sea that is they fashion not themselues according to this world but are renewed in their mindes Rom. 12.2 they repent and turne backe from their olde courses and walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 The mountaines skipped like rammes By mountaines k In loc Arnobius doth vnderstand the Prophets quia locuti sunt altitudines Dei they reioyced at the fulfilling of their Prophecies and skipped as Rammes in seeing that sheepheard borne l Iohn 10.11 who would lay downe his life for his sheepe S. m In loc Augustine makes the blessed Apostles and other Preachers of the Gospell olde sheepe and their auditors as it were lambes and young sheepe begotten in Christ vnto God by the disposers of the secrets of God according to that of n 1. Cor. 4.15 Paul vnto his Corinthians In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell Israels Exodus out of Egypts bondage was so great that God himselfe in perpetuam rei memoriam instituted the o Exod. 12. passouer to be kept of his people for euer and further inserted a short remembrance thereof in the prologue to his law I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage This deliuerance was temporall and particular onely concerning Israel and the house of Iacob but the redemption by Christ is spirituall and generall appertaining to men of all conditions and countries of all tribes and at all times euen from the beginning vnto the worlds end For so God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3.16 and therfore the Church vpon good grounds ordained the feasts of Christs Incarnation Passiō Resurrectiō Ascension And for as much as Christ is our p 1. Cor. 5 7. Passe-ouer the Church of England q Melancthon in loc affirmes that it was vsually sung amōg the Iewes at their celebration of Easter appoynted this hymne fitly to bee read on Easter day The Church of Rome r Apoc. 17.6 drunkē with the blood of Saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Iesus Christ is spiritually Babylon and Egypt And the Papists her followers a generation of barbarous people barbarous in their doings and barbarous in their doctrines Concerning their barbarous vsage their bloodie butchering of Gods Israel in Angrongne their massacre in France gun-powder treason in England are clouds of witnesses against them vnto the worlds end As for their sayings is it not barbarous language to call that man of sinne most holy father and as if that were not enough holinesse it selfe ſ Bellarm. epist dedic Tom. 1. controuers sanctitas vestra t Idem epist dedic Tom. 2. Baronius epist dedic Tom. 2. annal reliqui papistae communiter beatitudo vestra Is it not barbarous language to set Anti-christ in the seate of Christ and to terme him expressely u Cap. quoniam de immunitate in 6. Turrecremat sum lib. 2. cap. 27. per totum the husband of the Church Is it not barbarous language to magnifie the Romish Pharaoh aboue x 2. Thessal 2.4 all that is called God making him a Demi-god yea Semi-god neither absolutely God nor simply man but a midling between both Is it not barbarous language to say that none may presume to tell him of his faults though he should through his ill example draw millions of men into hell as their y In Decreto cap. si Papa dist 40. owne text runneth innumerabiles populos cateruatim secum ducit primo mancipio gehennae cum ipso plagis multis in aeternum vapulaturus huius culpas istic redarguere praesumit mortalium nullus Is it not barbarous language to say that no minorite Frier obseruing S. z Hen. Sedulius apolog lib. 2. c. 9. Francis order and rule can be damned and that a certaine Frier vpon a time being carried into hell and surueying in it euery corner found not so much as one Franciscan Frier That a Frier should goe to hell is thought no great marueile but that he should returne from thence to tell vs this tale seemeth incredible considering the Pope himselfe determineth ex inferno nulla redemptio Is it not barbarous language to say a Fox Martyr fol. 913. 1011 that to bee buried in a gray Friers frocke in S. Francis Cowle should remit foure parts of penance three parts of our sinnes b Buchanan fratres fraterrimi Quî fit vt moriamur in cucullo Cum nemo bene viuat in cucullo Is it not barbarous lāguage to say that it is an c Card. Campegius Albertus Pighius apud Iewel defence of his apolog part 4. cap. 1. diuis 1. honester thing for a Priest to be intangled with many concubines in secret then openly to be ioined in mariage with one wife For hee may not keepe one benefice with one wife d Cornelius Agrippa de vanit scient cap. 64. but hee may haue two benefices and three whores Is it not barbarous language to say e Jo. Lambert apud Fox Martyr fol. 1018. that for repeating ouer the fifteene Ooes euery day once through a whole yeere wee shall apertly see our Ladie to helpe vs after our death or that we shal haue the like benefit for saying of her Psalter vpon the tenne beades that come from the crossed Friers or vpon the fiue beades hallowed at the Charter-house or for fasting the Ladies fast as they call it yea for fasting on the Wednesday Is it not barbarous language to say that our f Bellarm. de Iustificat lib. 2. cap. 2. cap. 10. owne inherent righteousnesse is the formall cause of absolute iustification and not the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto vs This opinion is so barbarous that S. Paul saith of it Galath 5.4 Yee are abolished from Christ and fallen from grace whosoeuer are iustified by the law Is it not barbarous language to say that the g Thom. part 3. quaest 25. art 3. Crucifixe is to bee reuerenced and adored with the selfe same kinde of worship that is