passage of Israel forth of Aegypt through the read sea in a Canticle after that he had related the same whole historie more at large in prose that al might sing and so render thankes with melodious voice and musical instruments praising God Likewise in an other Canticle he comprised the whole law a litle before his death So also Barac and Debora and after them Iudith song praises to God for their victories in verse Salomon writte the end of his Prouerbes and a whole booke intituled Canticles the Prophet Ieremie his Lamentations in verse Anna hauing obtained her prayer for a sonne gaue thankes to God with a Canticle The like did king Ezechias for recouerie of health The Prophets Isaias Ezechiel Ionas A bacuc and the three children in the fornace againe in the new Testament the B. virgin mother iust Zacharie deuout Simeon gaue thankes sang praises to God in Canticles Fourthly albeit the holie King was not permitted to build the gorgious Temple for Gods feruice as he greatly desired to haue done yet he prouided both store of muâ—itians foure thousand in number of which 288. were maisters to teach made these Psalmes as godlie dirties for this holie purpose in al solemnities of feastes and daylie sacrifice when the Temple should afterward be built Fiftly he made these Psalmes not only for his owne others priuate deuotion nor yet so especially for the publique Diuine seruice in the Temple and other Synagogues of the Iewes but most principally for the Christian Catholique Church which he knew should be spred in the whole earth Forseing the maruelous great and frequent vse therof in the Christian Clergie and Religious people of both sexes As he prophecieth in diuers Psalmes Al the earth sing to thee sing Psalmes to thy name Againe I vvil sing Psalmes to thee ô God in the Gentiles in al peoples and Nations VVhich him selfe neuer did but his Psalmes are euer since Christ song by Christians conuerted from gentilitie as we see in the Churches Seruice For the whole Psalter is distributed to be song in the ordinarie office of our Breuiarie euerie weke And though extraordinarily for the varietie of times and feastes there is often alteration yet stil the greater part is in Psalmes Certayne also of the same Psalmes are without change or intermission repeted euerie day And such as haue obligation to the Canonical Houres must at least read the whole Office priuatly if they be not present where it is song The Office also of Masse ordinarily beginneth with a Psalme In Litanies and almost al publique Prayers and in administration of other Sacraments and Sacramentals either whole Psalmes or frequent verses are inserted Likewise the greatest part of the Offices of our B. Ladie and for the dead are Psalmes Besides the seuen Poenitential and fiftene Gradual Psalmes at certaine times So that Clergie mens daly office consisteth much in singing or reading Psalmes And therfore al Byshops especially are strictly bond by a particular Conon Dist 38. cap. Omnes psallentes to be skilful in the Psalmes of Dauid and to see that other Clergiè men be wel instructed therin According to the Holie Ghosts admonition by the pen of the same Royal Prophet Psal 46. Psallite sapienter Or intelligenter that is Sing Psalmes vvith knovvlege and vnderstanding them Not that euerie one is bond to know and be able to discusse al difficulties but competently according to their charge vndertaken in Gods Church Otherwise euerie one that is or intendeth to be a Priest may remember what God denounceth to him by the Prophet Osee c. 4. Because thou hast repelled knovvlege I vvil repel thee that thou do not the function of Priesthood vnto me Thus much touching the Author the contentes the poetical stile final cause of this holie Psalter As for the name S. Ierom S. Augustin and other Fathers â—each that wheras amongst innumerable musical instruments six were more specially vsed in Dauids time mentioned by him in the last Psalme Trumpet Psalter Harpe Timbrel Organ and Cimbal This booke hath his name of the instrument called Psalter which hath tenne strings signifying the tenne commandements and is made in forme as S. Ierom and S. Bede suppose of the Greke letter Λ delta because as that instrument rendreth sound from aboue so we should attend to heauenlie vertues which come from aboue Likewise vsing the harpe which signifyeth mortification of the flesh other instruments which signifie and teach other vertues we must finally referre al to Gods glorie reioyce spiritually in hart and render al praise to God Concerning interpretation of holie Scriptures AS Prophecie or other holie Scripture was not at anie time by mans wil but the Prophetes holie men of God spake inspired by the Holie Ghost so no prophecie nor explication of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation 2. Pet. 1. but by the same Spirite wherwith it was written which our Sauiour gaue to the Church to abide for euer the Spirite of truth to teach al truth Ioan. 14. 16. Neither perteyneth it to euerie one to discerne the true spirite but to some 1. Cor. 12. Holie Scriptures consist not in reading but in vnderstanding S. Ierom Dialogo aduers Luciferianos The wordes of holie Scripture are so to be vnderstood as holie men the Sainctes of God haue vnderstood them S. Aug Ser. 18. de verb. Domini Men must lerne of men not expect knowlege immediatly of God nor only by Angels Idem in prologo Doct. Christ There be some thinges mentioned in holie Scripture which God wil haue hidden and those are not to be curiously searched S. Amb. li. 1. c. 7. de vocat Gentium By those thinges which to vs are hidden in holie Scripture our humilitie is proued S. Greg. ho. 17. super Ezech. THE BOOKE OF PSALMES PSALME I. The Royal prophet Dauid placed this Psalme as a Preface to the rest conteyning 1 true happines which consisteth in flying sinnes and seruing God 3. The good doe prosper 5. not the wicked 6. as wil appeare in the end of this world BLESSED is the man that “ hath not gone in the counsel of the impious hath not “ stoode in the way of sinners and hath not “ sitte in the chayre of pestilence †But his “ wil is in the way of our Lord and in his law he wil meditate day and night †And he shal be as a tree that is planted nigh to the streames of waters which shal geue his fruite in his time †And his leafe shal not fal and al thinges whatsoeuer he shal doe shal prosper †The impious not so but as dust which the winde driueth from the face of the earth †Therfore the impious shal not rise againe in iudgement nor sinners in the councel of the iust
fiction of the author That is If anie error could be committed by the authores of Scriptures either through ignorance obliuion or anie other humane frailtie what soeuer were produced exception might be taken and question made whether the author had eâ—red or no True it is that some of these bookes as we shal particularly discusse in their places were sometimes doubted of by some Catholiques and called Apochrypal in that sense as the word properly signifieth hidden or not apparent So S. Ierom in his Prologue before the Latin Bible calleth diuers bookes Apochryphal being not so euident whether they were Diuine scripture because they were not in the lewes Canon nor at first in the Churches Canon but were neuer reiected as false or erronious In which sense the Prayer of Manasses the third booke of Esdras and third of Machabees are yet called Apochryphal As for the fourth of Esdras and fourth of Machabees there is more doubt But diuers others as the booke ascribed to Enoch the Gospels of S. Andrew S. Thomas S. Bartholmew and the like recited by S. Gelasius Decreto de libris Ecclesiasticis dist 15. Can. Sancta Romana S. Innocentius the first Epist. 3. S. Ierom Ep ad Laetam S. Augustin li. 15. cap. 23. de ciuit Dei Origen homis 2. in Cantica are in a worse sense called Apochryphal are reiected as conteyning manifest errors or fained by Heretikes Neither can a Christian Catholique he otherwise assured Which Bookes are Diuine and Canonical Scriptures but by declaration of the Catholique Church which without interruption succedeth the Apostles to whom our Sauiour promised and sent the Holie Ghost to teach al truth For if in anie thing more then others assuredly one chief and most necessarie point is to know and declare which Bookes are Gods holie Word being of most singular importance THE SVMME OF THE OLD TESTAment as it is distinguished from the new Not withstanding the subiect general argument of both Testaments is one the same in substance as is already said yet they differ in time in maner of vttering of Mysteries in varietie of precepts promises also in meanes to obserue the thinges exacted to attayne to the end proposed In regard wherof S. Ierome saith Lex Moysi omne vetus instrumentum elementa mundi intelliguntur quibus quasi elementis Religionis exordijs Deum discimus The law of Moyses and al the old Testament are vnderstood the elements of the world by which as by first rudiments beginnings we lerne to know God For that in it we haue first the Law of nature and asterwards a law written with promises of temporal rewardes as long life land flowiug with milke honie the like but it brought nothing to perfection as S. Paul saith when giftes hostes were offered which could not according to conscience make the obseruer perfect For the helpes of that time were but infirma egena elemeÌ„ta Weake poore elements Likewise in general touching the punishments that sometimes happened to the people of the old Testament when they transgressed the same Apostle affirmeth that al the same chanced to them in figure are written for our correption vpon whom the ends of the world are come so that the old Testament or Law was but our pedagogue in Christ Yet it setteth forth to vs the whole course of Gods Church for the space of foure thousand yeares that is from the beginning of the world vntil Christ our Redemer which Diuines diuide into six ages wherein was varietie change of her state three vnder the Law of nature and three others vnder the written Law The seuenth last age being this time of grace wherin we now are from Christ to the day of general Iudgement as the world was made in six dayes and in the seuenth God is said to haue rested and therfore sanctified it in other sort then the former six The eight wil be after the Resurrection during for al eternitie VVhich six ages of the ancient Church old Testament are thus distributed The first from the Creation to Noes floud conteyning the space of 1656. yeares The second from the floud to the going of Abraham out of his countrie 368. or counting Cainan Gen. 11. iuxta 72. Luc. 3. 398. yeares The third from Abraham his going forth of his countrie to the parting of the children of Israel out of Aegypt VVhich-some count to haue continued 720. yeares others whom we folow but 430. And thus farre in the law of nature before the written law The fourth age dured 480. yeares from the deliuerie of the children of Israel forth of Aegypt to the fundation of the Temple in Ierusalem The fifth age was from the fundation of the Temple to the captiuitie transmigration of the Iewes into Babylon about 430. yeares And the sixth age dured about 640. yeares from the Captiuitie of Babylon to Christ In al which times God was acknowledged and rightly serued by a continual visible Church with true Religion the same no other which now that Church holdeth that is called and knowen by she name of Catholique As we intend by Gods assistance to shew by briefe Annotations concerning diuers particular points now in Controuersie as the holie Text geueth occasion And especially by way of Recapitulation after euerie one of the six ages when we come to those passages in the Historie where the same are ended OF MOYSES THE AVTHOR OF THE fiue first bookes MOyses so called because he was taken from the water as the name signifieth was borne in Aegypt the sonne of Amram the sonne of Caath the sonne of Leui the Patriarch and so of Iacob Isaac and Abraham His maruelous deliuerie from drowning his education excellent forme singular wisdome heroical vertues rare dexteritie in al affayres whole life most admirable are gathered out of holie Scriptures by S. Gregorie Bishop of Nissen into a briefe Summe most worthie to be read but to large for this place He was borne about the yeare of the world two thousand foure hundred long before al prophane writers yea before manie of the Painimes false goddes as S. Augustin declareth in diuers places of his most excellent booke intituled of the Citie of God He liued in this world 120. yeares Of which 40. were in Pharaos court as the adopted sonne of Pharaos daughter fourtie in banishment from Aegypt in Madian and fourtie more he gouerned the people of Israel His singular prayses are also briefly touched in the last chapter of Deuteromie added by Iosue and in the booke of Ecclesiâ—sticus He died in the desert and was buried in the vaâ—le of Moab so secretly that no mortal man knew his sepulchre lest the Iewes who were very prone to Idolatrie should haue adored his bodie with diuine honour for the greatnes and multitude of his miracles and for the singular estimation they had of
spoken it †And he shal say in that day Loe this is our God we haue expected him and he wil saue vs this is our Lord we haue patiently wayted for him we shal reioyce and be ioyful in his saluation †Because the hand of our Lord shal rest in this mount and Moab shal be treshed vnder him as straw is broken with the wayne †And he shal stretch forth his handes vnder him as he that swimmeth stretcheth forth to swimme and he shal humble his glorie with dashing of his handes †And the munitions of thy high walles shal fal and be humbled shal be plucked downe to the grownd euen to the dust CHAP. XXVI A Canticle of thankes for changing the old Synagogue into the Church of Christ Which hath more light of true faith 12. and more patience in tribulations 19. Which in the general resurrection shal be made manifest IN THAT day shal this song be sung in the land of Iuda Sion the citie of our strength a Sauiour therin shal be put a wal and bulworke †Open ye the gates and let the iust nation enter in that keepeth truth †The old errour is gone thou wilt keepe peace peace because we haue hoped in thee †You haue hoped in our Lord in worldes euerlasting in our Lord God strong for euer †Because he wil bowe downe them that dwel on high the high citie he wil abase He wil abase it euen to the ground he wil plucke it downe euen to the dust The foote shal treade it downe the feete of the poore the steppes of the needie †The path of the iust is right the path of the iust is right to walke in †And in the path of thy iudgements ô Lord we haue patiently expected thee thy name and thy memorial are in the desire of the soule †My soule hath desired thee in the night yea and with my spirit in my hart I wil watch to thee in the morning When thou shalt doe thy iudgments in the earth the inhabitants of the world shal learne iustice †Let vs haue mercie on the impious and he wil not learne iustice in the land of the holie he hath done wicked thinges and he shal not see the glorie of our Lord. †Lord thy hand be exalted and let them not see let the enuious people see and be confounded and let fyre deuoure thine enimies †Lord thou wilt geue peace to vs for al our workes thou hast wrought to vs. †O Lord our God there haue lordes besides thee possessed vs onlie in thee let vs remember thy name †Let not the dead liue let not the giants rise againe therfore hast thou visited and destroyed them hast destroyed al their memorie †Thou hast bene fauorable to the nation ô Lord thou hast bene fauourable to the nation wast thou glorified thou hast made al the endes of the earth far of †Lord in distresse they haue sought after thee in tribulation of murmur thy doctrine was to them †As she that conceiueth when she draweth neere to be deliuered being sorowful crieth in her paines so are we become at thy presence ô Lord. †We haue conceiued and as it were traueled and brought forth the spirit saluations we haue not done in the earth therfore the inhabitants of the earth haue not fallen †Thy dead shal liue my slaine shal rise againe awake and prayse ye that dwel in the dust because the dew of the light is thy dew the land of the giants thou shalt plucke downe into ruine †Goe my people enter into thy chambers shut thy doores vpon thee be hid a litle for a moment til the indignation passe †For behold our Lord wil come out of his place to visite the iniquitie of the inhabitant of the earth against him and the earth shal reuele her bloud and shal couer her slaine no more CHAP. XXVII God comforteth the faithful promising to destroy the wicked 3. Christs coming is againe prophecied with propagation of his Gospel and conuersion of al nations IN that day our Lord wil visite with his sore and great and strong sword vpon Leuiathan the serpent the barre and vpon Leuiathan the crooked serpent and shal kil the whale that is in the sea †In that day the vineyard of pure wine shal sing to it †I the Lord that keepe it I wil sodenly drinke to it lest perhaps there be visitation agaynst it night and day I kepe it †There is no indignation in me who wil geue me to be thorne and bryer in battel to goe vpon it to set it on fyre together †Or rather shal he hold my strength shal he make peace with me shal he make peace with me †They that goe in with violence to Iacob Israel shal florish and spring and they shal fil the face of the world with seede †Hath he striken him according to his stroke that stroke him or as he killed his slaine is he killed †In measure against measure when it shal be cast of thou shalt iudge it He hath meditated in his hard spirite during the day of heate †Therfore vpon this shal the iniquitie be forgeuen to the house of Iacob and this is al the fruite that the sinne therof be taken away when he shal haue layd al the stones of the altar as stones of ashes broken the groues temples shal not stand †For the defensed citie shal be desolate the beautiful citie shal be forsaken and shal be left as a desert there shal the calfe feede and there he shal lie and shal consume the toppes therof †The haruests therof shal be destroyed in drught wemen coming and teaching it for it is not a wise people therfore shal not he that made it haue mercie on it and he that formed it shal not spare it †And it shal be in that day our Lord wil strike from the chanel of the riuer euen to the torrent of Aegypt and you shal be gathered together one and one ô children of Israel †And it shal be in that day a sound shal be made with a great trompet and they that were lost shal come from the land of the Assirians and that were cast out from the land of Aegypt and shal adore our Lord in the holie mount in Ierusalem CHAP. XXVIII Tribulations are threatned to the tenne tribes of Israel for their pride and voluptuosnes 5. God stil protecting some who serue him sincerely 7 and for contempt of Religion 16. But God wil lay a sure fundation in Sion 20. Wil punish the wicked 24. and comforth the good VVOE to the crowne of pride to the drunkards of Ephraim and to the flowre falling downe from the glorie of his exultation which were in the toppe of the most fatte valley erring by wine †Behold our Lord is valiant and strong as the violence of hayle a whirle wind breaking the
〈…〉 nt when 〈◊〉 are â—oâ—â— notorious Rom. 5. Gods patience of it self profitable by euil harts made vnprofitable Miraculâ—rum 〈…〉 bera â—â—â—bra 〈…〉 sabat Not doing called sometimes doing the contrarie Freewil the cause of diuers endes in Pharao and Nabucodonosor Other ancient Doctors teach the same Origen Eâ—o 4â— S. Basil Chrysostom Damascen Isa 6. Rom. 11. v. 8. Hierom. Theodoret. Gregorie the great Isidorus The act of induration attributed to Pharao himself in diuers places Bible 1552. 1577. 160â— How it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God cast Pharao into the sea when himselfe ranne in wilfully Ser. 89. Not God but man the cause of sine proued by other scrptures True miracles do certainly proue the truth Mar. 16. v. 20. lib. 2. v. 4. Some strange things done by sleight by deceipt of senses by course of nature especially by diuels S. Aug. li. 18. c. 18. ciuit Manie things aboue the diuels natural powre The diuels powre is much restrained False prophets euer faile when they pretend by miracles to proue their doctrine Simon Magus confounded 3. Reg. â—9 lib. 1. Cyrola an Arian Bishop detected Caluins attempt misproued and he deâ—â—iued Gods prouidence in most danger 1 His special warning not to credit preachers of a new Religion though they pretend to be prophetes or to worke wonders 2 Most dangerous seducers reigne but short time 3 Notes to know Antichrist 4 Against most dangerous assaltes God sendeth most forcible resistaÌ„ce Mat. 24. Ioan 5. 2. Thes 2. Apoc. 13. Apoc. 11 Aâ—oc 20. See pag. 19. :: If Pharao had not freewil threatning of punishmeÌ„t were vniust Origen li. 3. Perâ—ar c. de lib aâ—bâ—it He that can not do otherwise doth not sinne as both lerned and vnlerned coÌ„fesse S Aug. de verâ— Relig. c. 14. :: The 2. plague Multitude of frogges :: The EnchaÌ„ters could bring more frogges but not take these away :: Pharaos induration ascribed to himself :: The 3. plague Sciniphes smale flying beastes especially molesting mens eyes Philo l. 1. de vita Moysi :: The diuels powre limited by God Iob 1. 2 :: The enchanters conuinced in their vnderstanding confessed the power of God but not changed in affection persisted in malice against the truth :: The 4 plague Abundance of al sortes of flies :: Aegyptians worshipping beasts thought it intolerable abomination to kil or eate or burne tâ—em in sacrifice â—â—n 43. v. 32 46. v. 34. :: In the Hebrew Pharao hardned his oâ—â—nâ— hart also this time :: The 5. plague Pestilence amongst cattel :: Not al the beastes died for some died in the 7 10. plagues but al that died pertaineâ— to the Aegyptians :: In Hebr. â—anâ—â—bad â—â—b Parhaoh Pharaâ—es hart hardned it selfe :: The 6 plague Boyles in men and beastes :: Poore Enchanters that could neither escape nor cure this plague :: In Hebrew I haue made thee stand in the 70 and chalde paraphrasis I haue kept thee aliue In the Latin I haue put or set thee that in thee through thyn owne malice indurate I may make knowen my powre to maÌ„kind S. Aug. de Predest et Grat. c. 6. The 7. plague Terrible haile thunders and lightnings :: Rom. 5. :: In Hebrew Vaiachbed libbâ— hu vahabadaf And he hardned his ovvne hart he and his seruants :: By Gods patience ouer Pharao his seruants in not destroying them their wicked mind became more obstinate S. Aug. q. 30. 36. in Exod. :: The 8. Plague Innumerable locustes litle flying beastes with long hinder legges that destroy graine grasse fruict Plinius li. 11. c. 29. S. Greg li. 31. c. 20. Moral :: Because Gods seruants may not temporize in religion politiques vniustly charge them to haue bad intentions :: The 9. plague Horrible darknes three dayes together :: Gods people must be resolute in Religion The to plague Death of the firstborne in men beastes of the Aegyptians â—â— As before c â— v. 3. c. 9. v. 16. c. 10. v. 1. The Epistle in the office on good friday And the 9. prophecie before Masâ—e on Easter eue :: Such as had not meanes to take a lambe tooke a kidde vsing al the same Rites :: Shachatu immolabunt shal offer or sacrfice not only kil as protestants translate Passage in killing the first-borne of Aegypt and not of Israel S. Hiero. in Mat. 26. :: The idols of Aegypt were ouerthrowne as Dagon was in Azotum 1. Reg. 5. S. Hierom Epist ad Fabiol extradit Hebr. :: Christ obseruing this precept had no leuened bread at his last supper and so instituted the Eucharist in vnleuened :: Sprinckling of bloud with â—yslop here â—euit 14 Num. 19 prescribed signifieth maÌ„s deliuerie by Christs bloud working in Baptisme and other Sacraments Heb. 9. :: Punishment conforme to their sinne for persecuting Gods â—iâ—st begotten sonne Israel Exod. 4. v. 22. Theodor. q. 32. in Exod. :: â—awful spoile by the warrant of God Lord of al. :: From the promise made to Abraham Gen 12. v 7. and his first going into Aegypt v. 10 to this time were 4â—0 yeares Gal. 3. of which they were in great persecution aboue 80. yeares before that in seruitude about 60. more before that also they were strangers partly in Aegypt partly in Chanaan the rest of this time See Gen. 15. v. 13. The 70. read in Aegypt and in Chanaan for explication as S. Augustin no teth li. 16. c. 10. ciuit Christs action sheweth that the Paschal lambe was a figure of the Eucharist Some things in the Paschal lambe prefigured Christ both on the Crosse and at his last supper Ioan â— Some more expresly signified his Passion Others immediatly the Eucharist Ioa. 19. Ancient writers expound this figure of the Eucharist Luc. 2â— Tertullian proueth by this figure fulfilled in the Eucharist that Christ hath a true and not a phantastical bodie Hiere 〈◊〉 v. 19. Psal 103. The same Sacrifice offered by Priests 1. Cor. 5. S. Gregories moralization of this figure applied to the B Sracrament VVhat persons are to receiue the B. Sacrament The thing figured farre excellleth the figure The Eucharist is also a Sacrifice â— The first lesson at Mattins on Candlemasse day :: The old Testament proposed coÌ„monly temporal rewardes S Hierom lâ—p ad Dardanum :: In the Hebrew vvhen Pharao had indurated himselfe :: Gods preuention to auoid tentations sheweth free wilin man :: By this appeareth how much Moyses estemed Iosephs charge concerning translation of his bones Also S. Paul commendeth it Heb. 11. :: Although the Hebrew Greke and Latin haue And he yet Protestants corruptly thrust in the text that he shal to make it sound to their sense that God did not only permit but worke Pharaoes induration :: A sorowful hart lamentably mourning for the people is called crying to God S. Hierom. in Gal. 4. â— Reg. 6. :: Protection of Angels The fourth prophecie in the office before Masse on Easter â—uâ— And the second on whitsuneue :: So in Baptisme al sinnes are destroyed S