diuine nature hath founded her By the man that shall saie these admirable things to Sion Some doe vnderstand S. Iohn the Baptist of whome is Ioh. 1. saied There was à man sent from God c. For he was the first that announced to Sion that Christ was come of whome the Prophet Isaie saieth Vpon an high mountaine Isa 40. get thee vp thou that euangelizest to Sion exalt thy voice in strength say to the Citties of Iuda behold your God Others vnderstand Christ to bee that man because he very often saied to the Iewes and to his disciples that he himselfe was the man whome they expected should bee borne the Sauiour of the world Our Lord will declare in Scriptures of peoples and of Princes of those that haue been in her By this verse the Prophet doth seeme to make answer to the interrogation made in the precedent verse And according to the first interpretation thereof to wit Shall it not bee saied of Sion c. he seemeth here to answer Yes truely it shall bee saied for our Lord will declare it c. But according to the second interpretation to wit Shall not man saie to Sion c. he seemeth to answer Yes truely man shall saie that which followeth in the verse to Sion and not onely one that is à pure man but that man who is both God and man our Lord shall declare it in à more perfect manner in the Scriptures of peoples and Princes that all ages to the end of the world maie take notice that the onely Sonne of God Christ Iesus God and man is borne in her accordâ—ng to his humane nature and that he hath founded her according to his diuine nature And moreouer he shall declare and write downe the names of those that haue been in her who are soe many that he alone is able to doe it By Scriptures of the peoples some doe vnderstand the new testament others the bookes wherein the names of the elected people are registred which shall not bee published vntil the daie of IudgemeÌ„t when the booke of life shall bee opened and by the Princes are vnderstood the Apostles who as it is written were constituted Psal 44. Princes ouer all the world The habitation in thee holie Church designed here by Sion is as it were of all reioycing is like to that habitation where all doe reioyce This verse maie in some respects bee applied to the militant Church by reason of the exceeding ioy peace of conscience which true Christian Catholickes doe possesse who reioyce in hope as being of that number vnto whome the Apostle saieth Reioyce Philip. 4. in our Lord alwaies againe Isaie Reioyce yet it cannot properly bee applied thereunto where we are to worke our Saluation with feare and trembling but it agreeth most properly with the happy estate of the triumphant Church where the blessed spirits doe securely enioy what neither eie hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man without the least feare of euer being depriued thereof Behold how excellently the holie Church is praised in this compendious Psalme how clearely the mysterie of the incarnation of our Sauiour is insinuated and the ioyes of the celestiall countrey commended It behoueth vs to sing it by soe much the more deuoutly and affectionately by â—ow much the more clearely the calling of the Gentils is foretold in it And in regard it is something intricate it behoueth vs to study to vnderstand the true sense thereof and consider it attentiuely for otherwise we shall not bee able to recite it with such deuotion as the misteries therein contained doe require we should The title and argument of the 95. Psalme and 7. in the Nocturne Office A Canticle to Dauid himselfe when the howse was built after the captiuitie This title was prefixed by Esdras and the Psalme was appointed by him to bee song when the Temple was reedified after the Babylonian captiuitie but the Psalme was composed by holie Dauid vpon occasion of the bringing backe of the Arke into Ierusalem and ordained by him to bee soÌ„g at that tyme. Which notwithstanding it is certaine that the principall intention of the Prophet and of the holie Ghost himselfe was to foreshew the coÌ„ming of Christ and his Kingdome when as the Apostle witnesseth â—oloss God did deliuer vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the Kingdome of the Sonne of his loue For as S. Augustine doth well note there is noe mention at all made through out the whole Psalme either of the bringing backe of the Arke or of the building of the Temple after the captiuitie but of the thing signified by the building of the Temple at that tyme Therefore of necessitie we must either gâ—aunt that there is noe coherence betweene the Title and the Psalme or els expound them spiritually as all the auntient holie Fathers doe to this effect As by the captiuitie saie they wherein the Iewes were lead away and detained prisoners by the Chaldeans is figured the captiuitie wherein all mankind was ouercome held in thraldome and slauery by the deuils Soe likewise by the building of the Temple in Ierusalem after that captiuitie is designed the building of the holie Church which is the howse of God not with insensible stones but with liuing stones congregated and polished by Christ and founded in him In Ephe. 2. whome as the Apostle saieth all building framed together groweth into an holie Temple in our Lord in whome you alsoe are built together into an habitation of God in the holie Ghost The sense therefore of the title is A Canticle to Dauid himselfe written for that tyme when the Church of Christ began to bee built by the preaching of Christ and his Apostles after the freeing of mankind from captiuitie which was done by the Incarnation and passion of the Sonne of God who redeemed mankind from the power of the deuill and the seruitude of sinne as our Sauiour witnesseth of himself saying Now the Prince of this world shall bee cast forth and I if I bee exalted from the earth will draw all things to my selfe The Psalme speaketh litterally of the two fold comming of Christ to wit to saue and to iudge the world it speaketh alsoe of the building and sacrifice of the Church The exposition of the Psalme SIng ye to our Lord à new song sing ye such à song as the new Master the fountaine of wisdome Christ our Lord hath brought with him and proposed to the whole world â—o wit A Hymne composed of his counsells some whereof were vnknowne before his comming Such à new soÌ„g is One thing is necessarie If thou wilt bee perfect goe and sell the things Luc. 10. Math. 19. that thou hast giue to the poore Call none Father to your selfe vpon earth for one is your Father he that is in heauen innumerable others like to these which are frequent in the new Testamènt
in the Canticles Thou art all fâ—ire o my beloued and there is no blemish in thee but alsoe she did and doth procure puritie in others by her exemplar life Blessed art thou among women THree maledictions did sinne bring vpon mankind from all which the B. Virgin was most free The first was layed vpon the woman that with corruption she should conceane with greife she should beare her burthen and with paine she should bring forth But the B. Virgin conceaued of the holie Ghost bore and bred with comfort and brought forth our Sauiour with ioye Springing it shall spring saieth the Prophet Isai 35. and shall reioyce ioyfull and praising The second Malediction was giuen to the man In the sweat of thy face thou shall eare bread from which the B. Virgin was free whoe attended to those things that appertaine to our 1. Cor. 7 Lord that she might be holy both in body and Spirit The Third Malediction was common to both sexes vdâ—t that 〈◊〉 should returne to dust and froÌ„ this the B. Virgin was alsoe free for we beleeue that he was raised after her death and assumpted into heauen which the holy Prophet foretold Psal 131. saying Aâ—ise Lord into thy rest thou and the Arke of thy sanctification Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Iesus IN the fruit which Eue did eate she sought for three things and was defrauded of her expectation in them all but the B. Virgin found in her fruit all she could desire The First thing which Eue sought for in her fruit was that which the deuill did falsly promise vdâ—t that she should be like vnto God but he lied for she by eating that fruit was not made like but vnlike vnto God for by sinning his image in her soule was much defaced and she estranged from God and banished out of Paradise But the B. Virgin the true mother of the liuing and all that by her meanes doe liue in spirit did and doe experience this in the sacred fruit of her wombe for through Christ both she and they are made like vnto God VVe kâ—ow saieth the Euangelist Ioh. 1. c. 3. that when he shall appeare we shall be like vnto him The Second thing which Eue expected was delectation because it seemed good to eate but alas it proued à bitter sweet for she knew he self straightwaies to be naked and had great serrow But in the fruit of the B. Virgin we find sweetnes and saluation He that eateth my flesh hath life euerlasting Ioh. 6. The Third thing which Eue sought in her fruit was the delight in beholding it because it was faire to the eye but of this alsoe she was soone defrauded when she considered with the eyes of her mynd that the beautie thereof 〈◊〉 false and deceiptfull But the fruit of the B. Virgin was most beautifull to behold as the Prophet witnesseth Psal 44 Goodly of beautie aboue the sonnes of men and most delightfull to contemplate as being the glory of the eternall Father whome the Angells behold with excessiue ioy and admiration Eue could not find in her fruit what she longeâ— for neither can à sinner in any sinne whatsoeuer Let vs therefore detest those false deceiuing fruits which exteriourly appeare faire and pleasant but interiourly are full of corruption and breed the worme of conscience and let vs seeke in the fruit of the B. Virgin the fulnesse of our hearts delight in which truely and onely it maie be found Holie Marie MOst fitly was the name of Marâ—e giuen vnto her for 〈◊〉 is by interpretation Stella mariâ— that is the starre of the sea and as those that saile by sea are directed by the starre of the sea vnto their desired hauen soe all Christians are directed by the B. Virgin â—arie vnto eternall rest Moreouer as that starre doth send forth it's raies without hurt to it self soe did the B. Virgin bring forth her sonne the light of the world without preiudice to her Virginitie The raies of à starre doe not diminish the brightnes of the starre neither did the Sonne of the B. Virgin diminish her integritie S. Bonauenture speaking of this holie pag 430 Lect. 1. name of Marie hath words to this effect This most holie most sweet and most worthy name saieth he was most sitly giuen to soe holie soe sweet and soe worthy à Virgin for Marie is by interpretation à bitter sea or the starre of the sea Marie signifieth illuminated or illuminatrice and Marie signifieth likewise Lady Marie is à bitter sea to the deuill drowning his power and brusing his head against the rocke which is Christ Marie is the starre of the sea to men guiding them through the turbulent waues of this world vnto the celestiall hauen Marie is illuminated by the glory of her diuine sonne Marie is an illuminatrice to the Angelicall spirits by the glory wherewith she is soe illuminated and vnto men by her exemplar life and exquisite vertues And Marie is the Lady of all creatures by being Mother to their Lord. O Marie thou bitter sea help vs that in true repentance we maie become bitter totally O Marie thou starre of the sea help vs that we maie be directed through the sea of this world spiritually O Marie thou illuminatrice help vs that we maie be illuminated in heauen eternally O Lady Marie help vs that we maie be gouerned by thy direction and power filially Mother of God S. Thomas of Aquine saieth that in the 3. p. q. 35. a. 4. sedcon Chapters of S. Cyrill approued by the Ephesine Councell is read I hat if any one doe not confesse Emanuel which is God Amoungst vs to be God in very truth and which followeth the B. Virgin to be the Mother of God for she carnally or according to the flesh conceiued and brought forth the word of God made flesh let him be Anathema that is excommunicated ad 1. In the same Article be further saieth That although it cannot be expressely found to be affirmed in the holy Scriptures that the B. Virgin is the Mother of God yet is expressely found in them that Iesus Christ is true God as in the first and in the 20. chapt of S. Iohn and that the B. Virgin is the Mother of Iesus Christ as appeareth in the first of S. Mathew wherefore it necessarily followeth out of the words of the holy Scriptures that she is the Mother of God Moreouer S. Paul teacheth That Christ who is aboue all things God â—d Rom 9. blessed for â—uer is according to the flesh of the Iewes but he is not otherwise of the Iewes then by the meanes of the B. Virgin therefore he who is aboue all things God blessed for euer is truely borne of the B. Virgin as of his Mother Alsoe in the same Article he alleadgeth these words of S. Cyrill in his first â—d 2. Epistle As the soule of man is borne together with it's body and is reputed to be one therewith soe
saied manner with great ioy exultation and gladnesse Let euery spirit praise our Lord. VVhat is vnderstood by the Chapters in this and the diuine office THe next in order followeth à Chapter The Chapters in this and the diuine office are nothing else but short Lessons taken out of the holie Scriptures by which name our holie Father S. Benedict maketh mention of cap. 12. 13. them in his Rule The holie Church well knowing the benefitt which is acquired by hearing the word of God read in due manner hath intermixed with all the houres of the diuine office Lessons out of the sacred Scriptures yet in such proportion that to the longer Nocturnes she assigneth longer Lessons and to the short daie houres shorter which she hath tearmed Chapters because they are short sections of Lessons which maie serue for refection of the mynd in all the daie houers The explication of the Chapter at Laudes taken out of the Canticles Cap. 6. Ver. 8. THe daughters of Sion haue seene her and declared her to bee most blessed All reasonable and intellectuall creatures vnited to God by Charity as well in the Militant as in the triumphaÌ„t Church doe frequently if not incessantly behold the most glorious Virgin and by how much the more eminent and illuminated they are by soe much the more profoundly and clearely doe they contemplate her dignity excellency and glory and deseruedly proclame her to be most blessed that conceiued and brought forth the Sauiour of all and the fountaine of true beatitude And the Queenes the soules of the Saints which haue gouerned themselues laudably and kept their flesh in due subiection to the spirit haue praysed her confessing her to bee the most pure of Virgins and the example of all perfection The exposition of the Canticle of Zachary commonly called Benedictus Luc. 1. BLessed bee our Lord God of all but in peculiar manner of Israel his elected people not onely of the progeny of Iacob according to the flesh but alsoe according to the Spirit because he hath visited assuming humane nature and wrought the redemption of his people freeing them from their inuisible enimies from eternall damnation from the guilt contracted by originall finne yea euen from all sinne in as much as is requisite on his part according to that of the Prophet Out of the Osee 13. hand of death I will deliuer them from death I will redeeme them The Incarnation of Christ is the beginning of our saluation which he accomplished by his passion for almightie God did not determine to saue vs by the Incarnation alone of his onely Sonne but he ordained to consummate our redemption by his passion What therefore Zachary saied He hath wrought is to be vnderstood as spoken in à propheticall manner for He will worke because he was afterwards compleatly to worke our saluation blot out our offences and reconcile vs to God according to that of Isaie He was wounded for our iniquities be was broken for our sinnes and againe Our Lord hath put vpon him the iniquity of vs all By his people are vnderstood not onely the Iewes but alsoe the elected people of what nation soeuer which are the people of God by eternall predestination and spiritually Israelites to witt the people seeing God or contemplating him by faith of whome the Apostle saieth Peace and mercy vpon the Gal. 6. Israell of God And bath erected the horne of saluation to vs. By à Horne is sometimes signified à publike denuntiation of some matter of momeÌ„t according to which interpretation these words of the Prophet may be thus expounded And hath published made knowne the Incarnation of Christ our Sauiour Sometimes alsoe by à Horne is designed power and strength particularly in diuers places of holy scriptures Royall Power and according to this sense the saied words are to bee vnderstood as followeth And hath erected that is hath raised vp the horne of saluation to vs to witt Christ his onely begotten sonne the King of Kings whome he sent into the world not to iudgs the world but that the world may bee saued by him In the house of Dauid his seruaÌ„t in the tribe familie of Dauid of whose seed progenie Christ was borne Some doe referre the erection of this horne of saluation to the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ because he did then clearely demonstrate the power and glory of beatitude by rysing to an immortall life bringing forth the Fathers out of Limbo ascending to the celestiall Kingdome This God almighty hath not done improuisedly but As he spake by the mouth of his holie Prophets that are from the beginning that is as he foretold by the Saints that haue been euer since the creation of the world who with words signes figures or deeds haue spoken of Christ and foreshewed his mysteries For as S. Augustine declareth Prophesie concerning Christ was not wanting in any age euen Adam by words and deeds did speake of him and in like manner the rest of the Patriarkes and Prophets haue done whence is that of S. Peter God who foreshewed by the mouth Act. 3. of all the Prophets that his Christ should suffer hath soe fulfilled it and againe To him all Act. 10. the Prophets giue testimony Indeed it was most meâ—t that soe great à mistery should bee foreshewed long before and diuers waies that the dignity thereof might bee knowne and being performed might bee proned more credible bee more firmely beleeued In this therefore our faith is most certainely confirmed that all things which we beleeue and hold concerning Christ we can proue to haue been in such manner foretold It is here saied in the singular number by the mouth of his holy Prophets because all of them with one spirit did prophesie of him and with one assent that he should come and worke saluation to vs. Saluation from our enimies especially from our inuisible enimies according as it is written For this â—ppeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the diuell Iob. 3. And from the hand of all that hate vs. By which words maie bee vnderstood our Sauiours deliuery securing of his elect from the power and wicked designes of peruerse men Not that he hath soe deliuered and secured the iust and righteous that they shall not bee afflicted persecuted or killed by them in this life but because our Lord by his death and passion hath obtained such grace for his beloued seruants that they shall not become subiect to the wills of bad men nor bee induced by them through inordinate feare to commit vice and doe vniustly but shall by patiently sustaining the tribulations and persecutions which they suffer by their meanes bee brought to eternall glory soe for euer freed from their infestation This is that which was promised by Micheas to the primitiue Micheat 4. Church Thy hand shall bee exalted oâ—er thyne enimies and all thyne enimies shall perish Thus therefore the God of
and penetrate the most intime parts of the soule whence it is written He hath made my mouth as à sharpe sword and hath made me as à chosen arrow of his quiuer Moreouer the examples of the Saints are tearmed coales of desolation that is of the destroyed because they excite vs to loue and imitation and doe demolish and destroy the fabricke that the deuill hath erected in vs to witt vice and sinne Secondly they are expounded as being the words of the Prophet to à wicked man as thus O impious man what benefit doest thou acquire by seeking to circumnent mee or what shall bee giuen thee c. what how great punishment shall bee inflicted vpon thee for the sinnes of thy fraudulent speeches To which he answereth himselfe saying The sharpe arrowes of the mightie to witt the punishments of almightie God which are exceeding sharpe and greeuous These shall bee rendred vnto thee for thy demerits together with coales of desolation to witt with the vnextinguible flames of hell Finally they are expounded as if the word tibi were redoundant in the sense thus O Lord deliuer my soule from vniust lips and from à deceitfull tongue For what maie bee giuen or what maie bee added to à deceitfull tongue That is Verily it is soe great an euill that malice it selfe cannot deuise how to augment it which he sheweth in the following verse where he declareth by à most elegant similitude what manner of euill à deceitfull tongue is saying That the words of such an one are like arrowes which of their owne nature doe wound à farre of and with exceeding celeritie in such sort that they cannot easily bee auoided of the mightie sent forth by à strong arme with great force not by à child or some weake person sharpe well polished by the fleacher with coules of desolation fierie that they maie destroie what soeuer cometh in their waie Such arrowes as these are deceitfull words especially when they are instruments of the deuill to kill soules which are called by the Apostle The fierie â—â—hes 6 darts of the most wicked one The Prophet therefore hauing à liuely apprehension of these soe exceeding gteat and frequent euills taketh occasion to deplore his miserie and sigh after the celestiall countrey saying VVoe is me wretch that I am that my seiourning my habitation in this present exile is prolonged This voice of the Prophet is proper for such as are wearie of this present life and thirst after the celestiall countrey with à longing desire who can truly saie with the Apostle Our conuersation is in heauen and I desire to Phil. 3. Phil. 1. bee dissolued to bee with Christ and againe we haue not â—ere à permanent Cittie c. I haue dwelt with the inhabitants of Cedar with people obscured with the darkenesse of errors and impieties For Cedar is by interpretation darkenesse Cedar was the Sonne of Ismael of whome some doe hold that Mahomet is descended My soule hath been à long à seiourner in this region of dissimilitude prison of death tedious exile hastening towards my true inheritance hastening from many things wherein it straieth daily to that one thing onely necessary wherein it maie bee perpetually established VVith those that hated peace turbulent spirits murmurers violaters of vnitie loue and concord I was peaceable bearing all things patiently VVhen I spake vnto them louingly modestly and according as reason and good conscience required I should they impugned me without cause rendring me euill for good according to that of the Prophet Amos They haue hated Amos 5 him that rebuketh and him that speaketh perfectly they haue abhorred In this Psalme we are taught to beginne our spirituall progresse orderly by retiring from our former vices as the holie Scripture exhorteth saying Sonne Eccles 21. hast thou sinned doe soe noe more but for the old alsoe praie that they maie be forgiuen thee As from the face of a Serpent flee from sinnes Moreouer we are taught to haue recourse to God in all tribulation and to beseech him that we maie be freed in the manner aforesaied from the vniust lipps and deceitfull tongues of others and that we ourselues maie not be infected with those euills for as the Apostle saieth Euill communications corrupt good manners Finally we are taught to despise this present life together with all the pleasures and glorie thereof to desire from our heart the felicitie of the celestiall countrey and to conuerse peaceably with peruerse turbulent men that soe we maie attaine the benediction whereof our Sauiour spake saying Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God The Argument of the 120. Psalme and Second at Tiercâ— IN this Psalme the Prophet by his owne example doth teach that aide is to be expected from God alone whome he assureth vs to haue à prouident care of such as repose their confidence in him and that he will conserue them at all tymes both that noe euill doe hurt them either in prosperitie or aduersitie and alsoe that all they vndertake maie succeed prosperously In this Psalme therefore is treated of the Second degree of à spirituall progresse to witt To implore the diuine assistance with confidence In the two first verses the Prophet speaketh in the person of à pilgrime of this world trauailing towards the supernall Ierusalem with à longing desire but in the rest of the Psalme he is thought to speake in his owne person one while wisâ—ing well to the saied pilgrime and another while comforting and confirming him The explication of the Psalme IN this my tedious peregrination I haue lifted vp myne eies with longing desire vnto tâ—e mountaâ—nes towards the terrestrial and the celestiall Ierusalem from whence I confide help shall come to me My help which I expect is from our Lord the Creator of all things who made heauen and earth and whatsoeuer is contaâ—ed in them He is present euery where by his omnipotencie and doth see heare and assist his people in all places yet vpon earth he is cheefly pleased to giue audience to his people in Ierusalem seated vpon mountaines and the celestiall Ierusalem is his place of residence To these mountaines therefore I haue raised myne eies Some by the mountaines doe vnderstand the holie Angels eminent in dignitie and farre transcending vs mortalls in excellencie of nature who as the Apostle teacheth are ministring spirits sent to minister Hebr. 1. for them which shall receiue the inheritance of saluation and by whose assistance God almighty is pleased to be serued for the aide of his afflicted seruants In which sense the Prophet expected not his aide as principally from them and therefore he added my help is from our Lord c. O deuout soule thou hast done wisely in that thou hast not reflected vpon the vanities occurring in the waie of thy peregrination but transcending them as not worth regarding hast erected thyne eies expecting aide and consolation from the