8.8 Mat. 1.23 Immanuel and The holy Ghost proceeding from them both And although vngodly and prophane persons doe deride vs so beleeuing and speaking yet notwithstanding mens minds must with testimonies of diuine manifestations be so confirmed that they which defend contrary opinions may by vs be both despised and refuted For there can bee made no true praier without considering of the difference in these three persons Let our minde therefore be directed vnto this true God who made himselfe knowne by sending his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ for our sakes crucified and raised from death to life And truely let vs expresse in the beginning of our prayer the persons by name and let vs consider what is the property of ech of them that may be discerned from all creatures and let our true prayer bee discerned from the praier of the heathen and although it is here meant that the reuiuing is giuen and made by all the three persons yet this is done by order The sonne who gathereth a Church immediately by the preaching of the gospel moueth our hearts sheweth the Father and giueth the holyghost Therfore saith this psalme in the last verse God shall blesse vs that is Emanuel God with vs the sonne of God who tooke vpon him our nature to become our mediator redeemer iustifier and sauiour Againe the euerlasting high priest of the church alwayes making intercession for vs giuing the word of the gospel and remission of sinnes Also a king he is gathering keeping and preseruing and protecting his church giuing his holie spirit and restoring vs to life and righteousnesse euerlasting The euerlasting Father then blesseth or reuiueth vs the Guyde the Sonne as the Giuer and the holighost as the performer That is the euerlasting Father is the fountaine of all benefites because he made the decree touching our redemption testifying of the same publikely in the ministerie of the gospâ—ll and priuately in the heartes of them which are conuerted vnto God and which doe support and comfort themselues with the voyce of the gospel I haue spoken touching so great matters not as I ought but as I could for as a certaine godly Emperour said We speake not so much as we ought but so much as we are able FINIS Praised be God 1. Samuel 2.30 2 Sam. 8.17 Ieâ—â—mie 44.19 Isay 49.2 The effectes of this Psalme The rewardes of wicked amitie Of patience and hope in God when we are afflicted Sathans extreme outrage against the church in her old age â—mulation in princes courts c. Who be iust and who be vniust The want of a gooâ— thing maketh it more to be desired S. Iohn Chrysostome his woâ—des vppon the first chapter of Saint Paul to the Romanes appliable to this place A repetition of Dauids praier and fiue reasoâ—â— thereof Dauid praieth for the destruction of his enemies His protestation of thankfulnesse towardes God Apelles his description of Slander with her adherentes Apelles accused of moouing sedition by Antiphilus how he was acquited thereof and the reward of them both Trueth the conquerour of Falshood The effect of this Psalme A thankesgiuing to God for the estate ecclesiasticall 〈◊〉 oeâ—â—nomâ—call Three degrâ—â— of enemies to those states Doctrine of Iustification A thankesgiuing to God for the preseruation of the prince and present state of gouernment The blessings of peace The miscries of warres A notable saying of Plautus the Heathen poet The monthly and fruitfull properties throughout the yeare The cloudes diâ—â—ill the dewes from heauen The benefites which the eaâ—th bringeth vs. * Which was either a musicall instrument or a solemn tune vnto the which thâ—s Psalme was sung The effects of the Psalme â—ratulatâ—â—ie and Exhortatorie S. Augustines saying touching Gods presence with his people An explanatioâ— of the myracle how when and where the Isâ—aelites passed ouer Iordan Dauid Chytraeus in his chronicle reporteth this to be done in the yere of the world 2493. and before Christ was baptiâ—â—d by S. Iohn in the same Iorden iust 150â— yeeres Herodotus lib. â— Iuuenal Satyr 1â— Claudianus lib 1 The great oddes betweene this life and the life euerlasting The reioycing of the faithfull euen in greatest dangers three wayes Vnthankefulnes of mankind Dauids thankefulnesse The humanitie and diuinitie of Christ the Sonne of God The Gentiles for their vnthankfulnesse compared vnto hogges and dogges Hypocritâ—â— Difference of the law and the gospel The wickednesse of the heathen people in time past Their regeneration by Christ in the time of grace The fruitfull 〈◊〉 of Preachiâ—g One God in essence 3. distinct persons The effectuall blessings of God in Trinitie
from other sectes Also that they might be meanes to strengthen the ministerie Dauid therefore offereth bullockes and goates not being bewitched with a pharisaicall opinion but vnderstanding those endes whereof I haue briefly spoken Let vs nowe that the policie and temple of the Iewes is destroyed offer vnto god the calues of our lippes that is thankesgiuing and confession and let vs walke in our vocation for the glorie of God Verse 14 O come hither and hearken all yee that feare God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soule Verse 15 I called vnto him with my mouth and gaue him praises with my tongue Verse 16 If I encline vnto wickednesse with my heart the Lorde wil not heare me Verse 17 But God hath heard me and considered the voyce of my prayer Verse 18 Praised be God which hath not cast out my prayer nor turned his mercy from me Hitherto hath he celebrated the publique deliuerances of the church nowe makes hee mention of priuate deliuerances to the end he would increase and confirme in others faith prayer and hope of deliuerance for as one saide elegantly The examples of godly persons are towers builded vpon the wall of faith Also this place teacheth that god seeth the sighings of our heartes and discerneth hypocrisie from true prayer For prayer is not heard except it be made in spirit and trueth And hee can not pray which hath in him an errour striuing with faith or goeth on forwardes in sinning against conscience because it is written in the first epistle of the holy apostle Saint Paule the sixt chapter and the twelft verse Fight the good fight hauing faith and good conscience Againe God heareth not sinners which do not repent them of their sinnes And it is saide in the first epistle of Saint Iohn the third chapter If our heart condemne vs not then haue wee boldnesse towardes God that whatsoeuer we aske wee receiue of him c. vers 21. and 22. Let vs therefore walke wisely not as fooles that wee may rightly call vpon God PSAL. 67. Deus misereatur nostri To him that excelleth on Neginoth a Psalme or Song or Prayer for the Church to obtaine the fauour of GOD that his iudgementes may bee knowne throughout the world and for the comming of his vniuersall kingdome vnder Christ Iesus THE ARGVMENT THere is extant a most sweete sentence in the first epistle of saint Paul vnto Timothie the third chapter and the sixteenth verse which containeth the effect of this Psalme Without controuersie great is the mysterie of godlinesse which is God is manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp in glory For thinke with your selfe what a thing it is that the Sonne of God being consubstantial and coequall with his Father hath not taken away the equalitie of God that is hath not abused his power against his vocation but hath debased himselfe taking vpon him the forme of a seruant that is nature of man hauing all the strength and desires proper to nature onely without sinne and at length was made obedient vnto death euen to the death of the Crosse Againe this Messias for vs crucified and raised from death to life is endewed with notable and vnfallible testimonies of the holy ghost for publickly doth the holy ghost beare witnesse touching the person and benefites of this Lord not only by the preaching of the Apostles but also by new strange and vnusuall miracles which were the Seales of doctrine and publickly martyrs and other the godly ones haue felt ioy to bee enlightned in the acknowledgement of Christ which is the vanquisher of death And where he addeth that Christ was seene of Angels let not that bee vnderstood of an idle or vaine contemplation but of that sence or meaning whereof S. Peter speaketh that is To whom the Angels and powers and might are subiect For although we earthly persons doe not greatly maruell at the copulation of the two natures in Christ yet Aungels which are the most wisest spirites and alwaies as S. Math saith Behold the face of the father Math. 18.10 being astonished with maruelling at this mysterie staÌ„d amazed and cannot take pleasure inough with beholding it For what is more maruellous then that fleshe of our fleshe and bone of our bones shoulde sit at the right hand of God This mysterie as the Poet saith I'ts not enough we once it see It vayles we still â—t viewing be Furthermore what is so much to bee maruelled at as that the Gospel touching Christ is not only preached vnto the Gentiles but also that the effectes of faith are left in many mens heartes Wee doe lesse maruell that the doctrine of the gospel is spred amongst the Iewes in whom there haue alwaies remained some of the doctrines of the Prophets and honest Disciples But whereas this pearle is cast vnto the Gentiles seperated from the policie of Israel which were nothing but hogges and dogges that indeed is most worthy of admiration For the Ethnikes or heathen people hauing forsaken the doctrine of the fathers haue deuised Idols without end and haue polluted themselues with all vices and sinnes whereof the filthinesse is such that I eschew and tremble with feare to speake of them Neither indeed must wee maruell lesse that the Apostles being furnished with no power and destitute of all humane helpes within a small time haue gathered vnto God out of this rable of mankinde an euerlasting Church For that I may say nothing of the miserable and weake outward estate of the Apostles which estrangeth in a sort many from the gospel who would not by right maruel that the same kind of doctrine ordained farre aboue and beyond the reach of mans reason and ioyned with greatest dangers could take root yea and spread abroad also amongst so many and diuers impedimentes For some doe deride the gospel as it were a monstrous fable and scoffe at this opinion which affirmeth that the death of a man crucified was the cause and merite of Iustification before God and of life euerlasting Others doe iudge this new doctrine to be the fire brand and trumpets of seditions But Hypocrites which are in loue with their owne righteousnesse doe much more bitterly hate the gospel as it were the corruption of good maners and the liberty of discipline Therefore although the thinking heereof seemed hard and almost impossible wherewith wee must withstand so many diseases togither yet the Apostles the sonne of God guiding them and the holie Ghost accompanying them within 40. yeares space haue culled and chosen out of mankinde a good and great part of the Church in spite of the diuels their instrumentes Last of al the sonne of God is taken vp in glory that is He was from death gloriously restored vnto life and when hee had shewed himselfe familiarly for the whole space of 40. daies vnto his Apostles he ascended
glory praise and honour for euer and euer so long as no space of time may fully describe Thou arte to be magnified with word and writings of all men for thy institution and preseruation of the chiefest things wherein shine thy wisedome goodnesse and righteousnesse For whereas nothing may be more excellent then order who maruelleth not by right that mankinde is by Gods prouidence most wisely distributed into three degrees or orders as it were and certes to this end that the true knowledge of God should be of euery one according to their vocation preserued and aduanced For as it is ordained that Physitians do teach that is by the prouidence of the workeman to be directed vnto a certaine rule and to a certaine ende And how great goodnesse is that where these three estates as I may so say are not ouerthrowne by the outrages of the Deuil and the Worlde but are by God effectually preserued and defended for albeit our vnthankefulnesse deserue the vniuersall destruction of our churches policies and matrimoniall estate yet God such is his goodnesse doth withstand infinit molestations and generall hauocke then which nothing may be thought or conceiued more greeuous Last of all the iustice of god shineth and is manifestly seene in the punishments of Heretikes and seditious persons The historie of the tragicall end of Arrius is knowne But no lesse are knowne the histories touching the punishing of seditious persons whose last end agreeth with the rule Matth. 26.52 He that taketh the sword namely not giuen him by the lawes shall perish with the sword These punishments declare that god is a iust Iudge destroying things contrary to his order But why in this place is added before the wordes praised in Sion after some translation in silence Because as Isaias saith 30.15 The churches strength consisteth in quietnesse and confidence That is in patience and hope of Gods helpe And S. Paule willeth the church To pray without wrath or doubting 1. Timot. 2.8 That is without grudging against God such as for most part appeareth amongst men in a great violence of tempests and concourse of calamities and without Academicall doubting touching the wil of God yet howe hard a thing it is to performe both the godly ones do finde by experience in great calamities and temptations wherein they seeme to be forsaken or cast away from God But here is required a meanes of godlinesse and this is the way whether it bee easie or hard by this must we needes go And if any man seeke for any other let him call vpon Fortune as some do vse to say for it liketh me to borrow the same wordes in this place which Plato vseth in Epimaenides praising the studies of the doctrine touching numbers figures and heauenly motions Againe some man would peraduenture aske why maketh hee mention of Sion Verely to bring vs downe to the testimonies wherein god made himselfe knowne for like as Sailers direct their course vnto the little star Cynosura so let vs bend our mindes and eies vnto gods manifesting of himselfe and as in the old testament the prayer of the godly ones was tied vnto the Arke of the couenant so now the whole world is Sion according to that saying Iohn 4 23. True worshippers shal worshippe the Father in spirit and in trueth For now the Propiciator or mercifull Sauiour whom the golden table laid vpon the arke did signifie is prepared or set downe before the face of all the people as Simeon singeth most sweetely verse 3. Also that may be demaunded touching what vowe the psalme may here speake saying Vnto thee shall the vow be performed The answere is most plaine that the vowe in this place signifieth the couenant of the first precept or the promise made in our baptisme for like as the first commaundement rehearseth vnto vs dueties touching Feare and Faith so Baptisme bindeth vs vnto the acknowledgement and prayer of the true God as Peter saith 1. Pet. 3.21 Baptisme is the promise of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Christ For Baptisme is a mutuall league wherein god receiueth vs for his sonnes sake and indueth vs with his holie spirite and nowe againe promise perpetuall due obedience and true woorshippe vnto Almightie God Verse 2 Thou that hearest the prayerâ— vnto thee shall all flesh come There was in Creet an image of Iupiter without ears which doubtles some Epicure had placed euen to signifie that mens prayers are neglected of God Against this fury the psalme setteth downe a constant affirmation yea he saith as it were our God is neither dumbe nor deafe but hath made himselfe knowne both by his word and notable testimonies and also in purpose and euent prooueth that he heareth the praiers and sighings of the godly ones And lest any man should thinke that there is respect of persons with God he saith expresly that all flesh shall come vnto thee That is all men shal easily come vnto God and that no mans minde is so ready to receiue as God is ready and diligent to giue benefites Whereas then wee doe not obtaine nor attaine vnto all things that comes to passe by our fault and not by gods for although he willingly heareth vs without grudging loathing yet our hearts waxe too cold in praying therefore let vs not accuse God who is liberall towards all men but our owne coldenesse and our slouthfulnes which scarcely asketh any thing faintly much lesse can it strongly knocke at the gates of God or complaine doubtfully and earnestly that God hideth himselfe But let there be alwayes in our heartes eares and tongues sounding and resounding this most sweete title wherewith the psalme aduanceth God Hee saieth God is not onely a hearer but also a full hearer of our prayer whereby it followeth that wee are not onely suters but full suters So in the one hundred and twentie psalme and in the first verse it is saide When I cryed vnto the Lorde in my trouble hee heard me fully Let vs therefore imprint this title no otherwise in our mindes then the image of the seale is printed vpon waxe that wee may most stedfastly beleeue that our praiers are receiued and heard at full Verse 3 My misdeedes preuaile against me O bee thou merciful vnto our sinnes The Psalme taketh away the chiefest impediment of prayer for this obiection troubleth men in time of their praying to wit Iohn the ninth chapter God heareth not sinners I am a sumer with what face then shall I come vnto god who is angrie with sinneâ— God is a consuming fire That is punishing and destroying the guiltinesse of the offence Dauid graunteth the minor and feeleth sinne by the lawe to be made sinne mightily as appeareth in the seuenth chapter of the epistle of the holy Apostle saint Paul to the Romanes but therewithall hee craueth forgiuenesse of sinne promised in the gospell and such sinners truely repenting and crauing forgiuenes shall without doubt be heard Let vs therefore learne by
waste groundes which are farre distant from Cities These also haue the wealth of the countrey as for example milke butter cheese egges hennes c. The hilles are compassed with Vines In pasture groundes whole flockes doe feed The vallies are full of corne All these benefites doe cheere and reioyce our minds both because they are beautifull in our eyes and also because they are most beneficial for our vse And here the conclusion of this Psalme PSAL. 66. Iubilate Deo omnis terra c. A Psalme of Dauid to him that excelleth vpon Alamoth a song committed to the sons of Korah THE ARGVMENT DAuid in this Psalme giueth not only thankes vnto God for publicke priuate deliuerances but also by his example exhorteth the whole church of God and all the godly ones that they would with thankful voice publishe abroad the noble testimonies of Gods presence For albeit God is present with all his creatures so farre as to the preseruing of the substance of them appertaineth so long vntill they be preserued yet notwithstaÌ„ding he is otherwise present with persons regenerate not onely preseruing the substances but also by his Sonne and holy Spirite beginning in them new light and righteousnesse Touching this degree of Gods presence in the true Church memorable is this saying of S Augustine Deus est vbique per diuinitatis praesentiam vt non vbique est per habitationis gratiam sed in solis tantummodo fidelibus God is euery where by the presence of his godhead but God is not euery where dwelling by grace but in the alone faithful ones only And howe I pray you doth hee defend and preserue the whole body of his Church although some members of her be persecuted either by temptation of abiectioÌ„ or by confession of their faith For these great benefites I giue thankes vnto God the eternall father of our Lord Iesus Christ and I beseech him with all my whole heart that for his sonnes sake our Lord Iesus Christ for vs crucified and raised from death to life hee woulde henceforth and for euer gouerne vs with his holy spirite Amen The Psalme and Exposition therof Verse 1 O be ioyfull in God all yee landes sing praises vnto the honour of his name make his praise to be glorious Verse 2 Say vnto God O how wonderfull art thou in thy workes thorough the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies be found liers vnto thee Verse 3 For all the world shall worship thee sing of thee and praise thy name Verse 4 O come hither and beholde the workes of God howe woonderfull hee is in his doing towardes the children of men TRuly spake one of the ancient writers Raram esse hoâ—oram breueÌ„ moram laetitiae spiritualis quae Deum ardentâ—r syncere suauiter celebrat Seldome comes the houre and short is the stay of spirituall gladnesse which feruently and sweetly worshippeth God For our heartes are too colde in setting forth Gods benefites and the multitude of conflictes and dangers hindereth the sinceritie and sweetnesse of thankesgiuing Let vs therefore acknowledge and bewaile this our coldnesse and craue of God with his spirite of grace and praiers hee would kindle in vs true thankfulnesse And although the beginning of the Psalme consisteth in a proposition exhortatory Yet there is placed in the same a little clawse which is not to be neglected viz. Verse 2. In the greatnes of thy power shall thine enemies be found liers This consolation let vs fix fast within the depth of our heartes and now let vs set the same before vs in our present dangers Great is the power of the Turkish tyrantes great are the furies of the Pope and his Champions but they shalbe found liers That is the purposes and practises of these enemies shalbe disappointed so far as to the effect of the matter it may appertaine For they shall neither destroy the kinde of doctrine deliuered from God nor yet the whole Church as it is said Acts. 5.39 That which is of God shall not be destroied Verse 5 He turned the sea into dry land so that they went through the water on foot there did we reioyce thereof Seeing the circumstances doe bring a speciall light vnto histories I will briefly speake touching the place and time of that wonderful transporting of the people of Israel by the riuer of Iordan for albeit wee are mooued with consideration when we reade and heare that the people of Israel could not passe ouer that water vntill by gods power the course thereof being stayed gaue safe passage to al the company by drie steps yet if wee consider the circumstances in wondering at Gods worke we stand as it were made vtterly amased for first some light shal appeare vnto the historie if a man be instructed that the Israelites passed on that side of the countrey by the riuer Iordan which was neere vnto the citie of Iericho sometime most flourishing whereas not farre thence the same riuer runneth into the dead sea being first increased with very many little riuers and floods which discharge their fulnesse into the same Wherefore it must needes seeme that the streame was there much more broader and deeper then it was in other places neerer to the chanell or springs thereof so the description of the place makes more famous the greatnes of the wonder and of gods goodnesse Againe if a man consider also the other circumstance namely the time of that same wonderfull passage ouer Iordan we shal see yet euen in this circumstance the power and goodnesse of god more notably manifested for we reade in Ioshuah chap. 3. That the people was carried ouer that place in the first moneth of the yeare as the Hebrewes accounted which aunswereth almost to our Aprill which was the beginning of their haruest what time Iordan was wont euery yeere to runne ouer the brimme so that it filled not onelie both riuers but also passed ouer and out of the same But this same Iordan before this time an inuincible wall namely running and flowing ouer with ful brimme did God make to giue way for his people so as the water standing and gathering vpon an exceeding great height aboue towards the spring and the other water belowe running into the lake Asphaltite the Israelites might passe thorow Iorden with drie feete So also the consideration of the time very much augmentes the greatnes of the myracle For the church so liueth alwayes euen as the people iournieng through the red sea and by the riuer Iordan for as that same terrible huge heape of water gathered vnto an exceeding height alwayes threatned destruction to the passengers so the church is neuer without great dangers but like as Iosua transported the people by Iordan into the land of promise so the sonne of god the true captaine and guyde of his church bringeth vs through the middest of death and great calamities of this world into life euerlasting Verse 6 Hee ruleth with his
into heauen and nowe sitteth at the righthand of his father giuing vs his holy spirite and other necessarie giftes for the body and the soule Dauid thinking vpon so great matters praieth most feruently that the Messias euen at the first time would come vpon earth destroy the workes of the diuell sin and death and vnto his church gathered from both Iewes and Gentiles would restore life and righteousnesse euetlasting The Psalme and Exposition thereof Verse 1 God be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs and shew vs the light of his countenance and be mercifull vnto vs. Verse 2 That thy way may bee knowne vpon earth thy sauing health among all nations BY the law saith S. Paul commeth the acknowledgment of sin and the law worketh wrath Rom. 3.20 For there is a spirituall iudgement accusing all sinnes in men Inward and outward and denouncing the wrath of God according to that saying Deut. 26 27. Cursed be euery one c. But in the gospel there is reuealed the mercy of God and the blessing is promised by through and for Christes sake that is full deliuerance from sinne and death and the restoring of righteousnes and life euerlasting Wherefore Dauid looking into the glasse of the law and therein beholding sinne and the wrath of God craueth that God woulde send his sonne as a most sure pledge of mercie and to blesse vs with all spirituall and heauenly blessing and to loue vs for his beloued sonnes sake For then doth God with a cheerefull and louely countenance looke vpon vs when hee reconcileth vs vnto him in Christ not imputing vnto vs our sinnes loueth vs with the same fatherly affection wherwith This foundation once laid that is we acknowledge the mediatour and receiuing by his meanes and for his sake forgiuenesse of sinnes and reconciliation wee may cry aloud with that most holy old Simeon Now Lord lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace according to thy word For mine eies haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people To bee a light to lighten the gentiles and to be the glorie of thy people Israel But seeing the sayinges of Isaias wherein Christ is called the saluation of God are knowne vnto all men they seeme not needfull for me heere to recite them at this time Verse 3 Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee Verse 4 O let the nations reioice and be glad for thou shalt iudge the folke righteously and gouern the nations vpon earth Verse 5 Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Quod latet ignotum est ignoti nulla cupidâ— That which is kept close is not knowne the thing vnknowne no man desireth How shall they beleeue if they heare not Howe shall they heare if none doe teach Hee therefore craueth of God not only to send his sonne but also to aduaunce the gospel whereby is gathered vnto the sonne an euerlasting inheritance both from amongst the Iewes and Gentiles And I haue spoken in the argument as also elsewhere how great a benefite the calling of the nations is to the societie of the true Church and vnto life euerlasting And there is not any vice or wickednesse wherewith the Ethnickes or heathen people haue not wickedly and filthily defiled themselues For they haue deuised a great number of Gods they haue called vpon dead men they haue slaine men for their sacrifices they haue mixed their lusts with sacrâ—fices and finally all kindes of miâ—chiefes as it were furies sent out of hell haue wandered euerie where Whereas then such outcastes are cooptate or chosen and regenerate of God into the societie of the euerlasting Church that ought all mens mindes and tongues celebrate or haue reuerence For if God should deale with seuere iudgement towardes blinde and miserable persons he might or should haue stricken downeright all men with the thunderclap of his wrath and caused the ground to swallow them vp into euerlasting destruction But he in his wrathfull displeasure thinking vpon his mercy hath not brought vs vtterly to nothing nor cast away this our wretched lumpe of ours into euerlasting tormentes but with an vnspeakeable equitie and lenitie hath graunted vs a space to turne vnto him and hath giuen vs Teachers which might call vs backe from our errour and idolatry vnto true acknowledgement of God to the right vse of calling vpon him Therefore let euery one say with Ieremie Lamentat 3.22 It is the mercies of God that wee are not consumed And againe with the patriarck Iacob I am vnworthy O Lord of all thy mercies bestowed vpon me Genes 32.9 10. Verse 6 Then shal the earth bring forth her increase and God euen our owne God shall giue vs his blessing Verse 7 God shall blesse vs and all the endes of the world shall feare him In the latter verses are two notable places one of the efficacie of the ministerie of the gospell an other of the mysterie of the Trinitie Truely the teachers and preachers of the gospel seeme to profite no more therein then as the prouerbe is The Oxen plowing vpon the sand or as he that rolleth a stone vp against a hill But that the labour of them which teache in the church is not in vaine these sayings doe witnesse Isay 55.10.11 Surely as the raigne commeth downe and the Snow from heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and budde that it may giue seed to the sower and bread vnto him that eateth So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto me void but it shall accomplishe that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it In the first Psalme 3. verse A Teacher of the Gospel is coÌ„pared vnto a fruitfull tree Which bringeth forth sweete and whole some fruites In the 15. of S. Iohns Gospel 16 verse the sonne of God saith I haue ordained you that yee doe go and bring forth fruite and that your fruite remaine c. That is the labours of them which teach shall not only for a small time profite mankinde but shal gather vnto God an euerlasting Church and the same Doctors or Teachers shall haue their euerlasting rewardes With these and such like sayinges let godly teachers comfort themselues and let them not forsake their standing by reason they finde contempt of the word now and then also pouerty banishmeÌ„ts and other daungers but let them go with merry and ioyfull mindes and with hope lighten their damages But not in vaine nor without good cause is The name of God here repeated thrice For although there is one diuine essence yet notwithstanding there are three persons of this Godhead namely the Eternall father who sent his sonne to take our humane nature vpon him The same sonne who is called by Iohn 1. cap. verse 1. the word and by Isayas cap. 7.14 cap.