that Christ is our Priest for euer Happie men are they who beleeue this promise for that is t Ioh. 17.3 eternall life but accursed are such as u Heb. 2.3 neglect so great saluation Hee that beleeues not God maketh him a lyar saith Saint x 1. Epist 5.10 Iohn Nay seeing God hath bound his word with an oath hee that beleeues not this record concerning his Son doth accuse God of periurie This ought to comfort vs in all our tentations at the houre of death and in the day of iudgment For albeit we haue sinned against heauen and against earth against God in heauen against our brethren on earth although our sinnes are great for their number and grieuous for their nature yet let vs go y Heb. 4.16 boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy For as much as wee haue such an high Priest as is touched with a feeling of our infirmities and saith z Mat. 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners and sweareth a Ezech. 33.11 as I liue I desire not the death of a sinner let not any despaire b Ferus postil ser 5. in Dom. septuages though he haue denied Christ as Peter and betrayed Christ as Iudas and crucified Christ as Pilate And will not repent The passions of men are ascribed to God secundum effectum as c 1. part quaest 21. art 3. Aquine speakes but not secundum affectum And so the Scripture speaking d Rom. 6.19 grossely to mans vnderstanding saith that the spirit is e Ephes 4.30 grieued that the Lord f Gen. 6.6 repented he had made man and g 1. Sam. 15.11 Saul King and Ionah 3.10 God repented of the euil that he had said that he would doe to Nineueh The Lord in his secret counsell is yesterday and to day and the same also for euer Heb. 13.8 But vnto vs men in his reuealed word hee seemes to put on affections of anger and griefe h Placid parmen behauing himselfe as one who repents and grieues Againe God speakes in his reuealed word somtimes conditionally somtimes absolutely His sentence concerning the destruction of Nineueh was only conditionall if they did not repent according to that of the i Psal 7.13 Psalmist If a man will not turne then hee will whet his sword And therefore when the Lord saw the workes of the men of Nineueh that they turned from their euill waies he turned away his wrath from them Et sic Deus as one pithily non vertitur sed auertitur orationibus nostris But when Almighty God speakes absolutely thou are my sonne and as in our text categorically thou art a Priest for euer c. he will not repent nor k Psal 89.34 alter the thing which is gone out of his mouth See S. Augustine de diuersis quast ad Simplicium lib. 2. quaest 2. Rupert Caluin in caput 3. Ionae Augustin D. Incognit Bellarmin alios in loc Thou art a Priest for euer The Lord teacheth vs how wee should sweare by precept and paterne By precept Ierem. 4.2 Thou shalt sweare in truth in iudgment and in righteousnesse Where l Hierom. in loc Thomas 22â— quaest 89. art 3. Diuines obserue that these three vertues ought to bee the companions of all our oathes Iudgment forbids all rash idle swearing truth all lying and false swearing righteousnesse all blasphemous and vngodly swearing by the creatures God according to this precept sweareth himselfe heere hee sweares in righteousnesse as swearing by himselfe being both omnipotent and omni-scient in truth for that hee will not repent in iudgement saying to his Sonne thou art a Priest for euer m Agelsius in loc When he spake before of Christs kingdome he said onely sit thou at my right hand but now treating of Christs Priesthood hee sweares n Caluin in loc insinuating that the priesthood of Christ is of exceeding great consequence for the Lord instructing vs how we may sweare by his owne example sweares not in any trifling case but for the confirmation of a serious and necessarie truth of a most high nature Let vs examine therefore how Christ is a Priest for ouer An high Priest as the o Heb. 5.1 Scripture defineth is a person called of God from among men that hee may offer both gifts and sacrifices vnto God for the sins of men Such an high Priest is Christ immediately called of God in that he said thou art a Priest and hee gaue himselfe for vs to be both an p See epist 3. Sund in Lent offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God Ephes 5.2 q 1. Ioh. 2.2 He is the reconcillation for our sins and as an aduocate with the Father in the Court of heauen euer pleading the merit of his oblation and obedience the sole mediator betweene God and man 1. Tim. 2.5 and he is a Priest for euer because with one offering hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 The powerfull operation of his passion endureth for euer being the r Apoc. 13.8 Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world and bleeding as it were to the worlds end Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes hath vnfolded this part of our text so fully that as Å¿ Jn loc Hierome speaks it is superfluous to bring an after or other interpretation I will here rest onely in his Commentatarie consisting of two points especially the 1. Shewing the difference betweene the Priesthood of Aaron and Christ 2. Describing the resemblance betweene the Priesthod of Christ and Melchisedech 1. The Priesthood of Aaron with all the sacrifices and ceremonies belonging thereunto was nothing else but a type of things to come the t Heb. 9. tabernacles and holy places were figures of the true Sanctuarie the diuers washings and other carnall rites were similitudes of heauenly things In a word the whole Law had the shadow of good things to come but not the very substance of the things Hebr. 10.1 But Christ is the u Coloss 2.17 body of the shadow and his Priesthood the truth of Aarons type Ioh. 1.17 The Law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ as being our onely Priest appeasing the wrath of God and taking away the sinnes of the world for x Act. 4.12 among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen whereby wee must bee saued And therefore the holy Fathers in their killing of beasts and sprinkling of blood had euer an eye to the sheadding of Christs blood on the Crosse beleeuing that his blood should y 1. Ioh. 1.7 cleanse them from all their sinnes and z Heb. 9.12.13 not the blood of goates and calues and buls And the Prophets in their Sermons vsually taxe their hypocrisie who neglecting spirituall deuotions and faith in Christ onely rested and trusted in outward oblations a Esay 1.11
heart like the b Aul. Gellius Noct. attic lib. 16. cap 15. Hares in Bisaltia or the Partridges in Paphlagonia c Bradford in a letter to Dr. Hill Physitian The way of Christ is so straite that it will suffer no reeling to this side or that side if any halt in it hee is like to fall off the bridge into the pit of eternall perdition The Lord for our example hath inflicted heauie iudgements in all ages vpon such as haue not vprightly walked but halted before him I will onely remember one which happened vpon d Fox Mart. fol. 1911. Castellanus who hauing first inriched himselfe by the Gospell and afterward forsaking the pure doctrine thereof and turning againe to his popish vomite so that hee persecuted the Christians in Orleance by the hand of God was strickē in his body with a grieuous sicknesse vnknowne to the Physitians the one halfe of his bodie burning as hot as fire and the other being so cold as Ice and so miserably crying and lamenting ended his life The dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning A very difficult place diuersly construed either of Christ himselfe or of his gifts or of his people First of Christ himselfe and that in respect of his Godhead and of his Manhood Of his e Chrysost Hierome Augustine Euthym. in loc Idem Ambrose de fide lib. 1. cap. 6. Euseb hist lib. 1. cap. 4. Godhead that the Father saith vnto him of the wombe that is of mine owne essence before the early morning that is before the world was thou hast the dew of thy youth or birth noting his eternal generation before all worlds as is shewed Prou. 8.22.23.24.25 And according to this sense the Septuagint Interpretors haue translated of the wombe before the morning starre begat I thee If it bee meant of his Manhood it may bee f See Tertull. lib. 5. cont Mar. Iustin dialog cum Tryphon Galat de arcanis lib. 3. cap. 17. Melanct. in loc thus expounded of the wombe of the darke morning or Virgine thou hast the dew of thy birth If we will vnderstand it of his g See Steuchus Mollerus in loc gifts and grace the plentifull and abundant dew of thy gifts and gladnesse aboue thy fellowes was in thee from the very wombe But because Dauid in this verse speakes neither of the person nor of the gifts of the Messias but of his subiects I side with h Bucer Caluine Mollerus Tileman Geneua gloss Strigellius Tremellius our Diuines who reade and interpret it after this sort thy youth or new-borne people shal be to thee at the morning By the preaching of thy word thou shalt bring forth a people not only good but also great whose increase shall be so plentifull and wonderfull as the drops of the morning dew For as the dew that secretly falles from heauen abundantly couereth and refresheth all the earth so thy word by the secret operation of the holy spirit i Deut. 32.2 stilling as the dew and as the showre vpon the herbes is that k 1. Pet. 1.23 immortall seede by which an incredible number of children are begotten vnto God ouer-spreading the face of the whole world according to that of S. l Iohn 1.12 Iohn To them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This exposition I take to bee most agreeable to the drift of our text and to the words of our translation m Buchanan Paraphras in loc Non roris imber ante lucem argenteis tot vest it arua gemmulis Quà m multa cunctis gentium de finibus ad te propago confluet The Lord sware and will not repent Men as Paul teacheth Heb. 6. sweare by him that is greater then themselues but almightie God as hauing none greater to sweare by sware by himselfe to father Abraham Genes 22.16 By my selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne therfore will I surely blesse thee will greatly multiplie thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand which is vpon the sea shore and thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed This oath is repeated and renewed againe vnto Isaac Genes 26.3 The Lord appeared vnto him and said I will performe the oath which I sware vnto Abraham thy father And the seruants and Saints of God euer highly reuerenced and esteemed this oath He saith our n Psal 105 8. Prophet is the Lord our God he hath alway been mindfull of his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations euen the couenant that hee made with Abraham and the oath that he sware to Isaac And Ierem. 11.4 Thus saith the Lord ye shall be my people and I will be your God that I may confirme the oath which I haue sworne vnto your fathers And Zacharias in his hymne Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people c. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets euer since the world began c. performing that oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham It was in the Lord great mercy to giue his word that hee would in the fulnes of time send his Sonne for the redemption of the world saying The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head but it was assuredly greater mercie to sweare by his o Psal 89.34 holinesse that he would performe this promise God is truth and we haue good cause to beleeue him vpon his word who made vs and all things else by his p Psal 33.9 word but yet for our better assurance being desirous more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsell bound himselfe with an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for him to lye we might haue strong consolation Heb. 6.18 These two things are his word and oath His word is true Psal 33.4 I quoth the Lord q Ezech. 37.14 haue spoken it and I will performe it r Numb 23.19 God is not as man that he should lye neither as the sonne of man that hee should repent hath hee said and shall hee not doe it and hath hee spoken and shall he not accomplish it ſ Luk. 21.33 Mat. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall passe away but not one iot of his word shall passe away till all things bee fulfilled And if his bare word be thus immutable then his * Quoad nos oath much more which among men is an end of all strife Heb. 6.16 Behold then here the goodnesse of the Father of mercies and God of comfort who for our sake did not onely say but also sweare
he tooke with him our pawne namely his flesh and hee gaue vs his pawne namely his spirit assuring vs that wee shall one day when the world is ended enter with him into the c Matth. 25.10 wedding chamber and there feast with him and enioy his blessed companie for euermore And reioyceth as a giant to runne his course As the naturall Sunne in his course goeth foorth from the vttermost part of the heauen and runneth about vnto the end of it againe d See S. August contra literas Petilian lib. 2. cap. 32. Didac de Yanguas Con. 1. de ascen Dom. so the supernaturall Sunne Christ Iesus arising in our Horizon e Ephes 4.9 descended into the lowest parts of the earth and there continued vntill hee had finished the worke for which he came into the world and afterward ascended farre aboue all heauens that he might fulfill all things As a giant he did runne his course There you haue his incarnation and peregrination in the flesh his circuit was from the vttermost part of the heauen vnto the end of it againe there you haue his resurrection and ascension and there is nothing hid from his heate there you haue his sending of the holy Ghost in the forme of fierie tongues Acts 2.3 The resemblances betweene Christ and the Sunne are f Strigilius in loc manifold 1. As the Sunne is the worlds eye so Christ is the light of the world 2. As the Sunne arising obscures the starres lustre so the righteousnes of Christ imputed to sinners darkeneth all the merit and worth of our workes 3. As the Sunne in the greatest height causeth the greatest heate so the crosse followeth euer the most incorrupt and pure profession of the Gospell 4. As the Sunne in winter is neerest vs so Christ in our afflictions in our persecutions especially for his truth is neerest vs as holy g Fox Martyr fol. 1492 Bradford diuinely said If there be any way to heauen on horsebacke surely this is the way to suffer for Christ Now beloued as the Prophet h 2. King 4.13 Elisha a together with his seruant Gehazi said vnto the Shunamite Behold thou hast had all this care for vs what shall we do for thee So let vs say to the Sunne of righteousnes O sweete Iesu thou hast as a giant runne all this course for vs whether shall wee goe or what shall we doe for thee Christ answers our question in the 14. of S. Iohn If yee loue me keepe my Commandements His chiefe Commandement is that we i John 3.16.24 John 6.29 beleeue in him and the next is that we loue one another Ioh. 13.34 Our faith in him is confirmed and encreased at this time by comming to his table our loue toward him in inuiting his members vnto our table Wee may be fed at his table spiritually hee may be fed at our table corporally for he that feeds the hungry puts meate into Christs owne mouth hee that giues to the needie puts money into Christs owne hand he that cloathes the naked puts a coate on Christs owne backe So himselfe protesteth that with a great deale of earnestnes Verily I say vnto you in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me A noble Lady being readie to dye sent vnto her absent husband two rings for a token whereof one was her mariage ring and the other a ring with Deaths head on it heartily desiring him after her departure to be good vnto her poore children Our blessed Sauiour on this day for pure loue came downe from heauen and was married after an ineffable manner vnto the flesh and on good Friday he laid downe his life for our sakes hee therefore doth entreate vs by his incarnation and passion that wee would in his absence remember the poore his children If k Plutarch in vita Periclis Pericles an Heathen reioyced on his death-bed for that no Citizen of Athens had euer worne a mourning gowne through his occasion how shall a Christian as knowing that his l Iob 19.25 redeemer and his m Heb. 11.6 rewarder liueth be comforted in his dying houre when as he cannot onely say with n 1. Sam. 12.3 Samuel Whose oxe haue I taken or whom haue I done wrong to but also with o Job 29.15 Iob I was eyes to the blind and feete was I to the lame I was a father to the poore and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce The law of the Lord is a perfit law In this part of the Psalme Dauid commends the Scripture p Turrecremat 1. From the author it is the law of the Lord 2. From the sufficiencie thereof it is perfit 3. From the vtilitie conuerting the soule giuing wisedome to the simple c. 4. From the infallibilitie the testimony of the Lord is sure the feare of the Lord endureth for euer 5. From the sweetnes it reioyceth the heart and is sweeter then the honey or the hony combe First it is the law of the Lord against the q August hares 46. Tertull. cont Marcian lib. 4. Manichees affirming that two disagreeing Gods were authors of the two Testaments one of the old another of the new but S. Paul telleth vs expresly that there is one spirit and one Lord Ephes 44.5 and S. r 2. Pet. 1.21 Peter assureth vs that holy men of God in old time spake as they were moued by this one spirit of one Lord. Now the Scripture being in euery part the law of the Lord is vndefiled and perfit so perfit that we may neither Å¿ Prou. 3.6 Reuelat. 22.18 adde thereto nor take therefro So Moses Deut. 4.2 and 12.32 Ye shall put nothing vnto the Word I command you neither shall yee take ought therefrom Here then is a pregnant testimony to confute the t Bellar. de verbo dei lib. 4. cap. 3. See Dr. Mortons appeale lib. 2. cap. 25. Papists accusing the word of God of insufficiencie making it like a sick mans broken and imperfit will halfe written and halfe paroll adding to the written truth vnwritten traditions as necessarie to saluation Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart and in penning the Psalter a finger of Gods owne hand saith it is a perfit law but the Pope which is a member of Satan and as many great Diuines conceiue u 2. Thess 2.3 that man of sinne proclaimeth on the contrarie that it is an vnperfit law Saint x 2. Tim. 3.16 Paul auowes that the Scriptures are profitable to teach to improue to correct and instruct in righteousnes That is to teach all necessarie truths and confute all errors in doctrine to correct al faults in manners and instruct all men in all duties and so by consequent able to make the man of God absolutely furnished vnto all good workes But the y See Perkins reformed Cat. tit traditions Dr. Abbot
mee in the time of trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt praise me Å¿ Psal 31.27 Be strong and he shall stablish your heart all ye that put your trust in the Lord. Come to me all ye that labour and are laden and I will ease you Though hope seeme to tarrie t Habacuc 2.3 yet waite for it shall surely come and not stay u See Dr. Hull ser of the blessed In-mate God is like the bridegrome Ioh. 2. who kept his best wine for his last seruice First he propounds and propines vnto his followers the cup of his Crosse yee shall drinke indeed of my cup Matth. 20.23 but in conclusion hee turnes his Crosse into a Crowne Reuelat. 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee the crowne of life First hee doth humble then exalt first he x Deut. 32.39 killeth and then hee cureth A tristibus semper sed necessarijs inchoat Deus deinde progreditur ad hilariora saith y In Iere. hom 1. Origene God euer begins at necessarie discontentments and so proceedeth vnto things more pleasing He saith I wound and I make whole I kill and giue life He saith not I will first make aliue and then I will destroy but first he z Ierem. 1.10 plucketh vp and then he planteth first he doth ouerthrow then he buildeth first he mortifieth our earthly members of sinne then he quickneth our inward man to grace Ioseph after he had worne the Iaylors iron chaine Genes 40.3 was adorned with the golden chaine of Pharao the King Gen. 41.42 Mordecai first among pages at the Court a Ester 4.2 gate was afterward honoured with the Kings ring and raiment and mounted on the Kings horse and it was openly proclaimed before him euen through the streetes of the Citie Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King will honor Ester 6.11 All which examples are Commentaries vpon our text and shew that howsoeuer almightie God punisheth his people for a time yet if they will heare what he saith he will in fine speake peace vnto them But the Psalmist addeth here by way of caueat Let them not returne againe to their follie Sinners are fooles and their faults are their follies as the Scriptures euerie where speake in the Prouerbs especially Couetousnesse is a follie Drunkennesse a follie Whoredome a follie Atheisme follie Idolatrie follie God in his Sonne speaketh vnto his people peace but let them take heed that they returne not againe to their follie like the b 2. Pet. 2.22 sowe to the wallowing in mire and the dogge to his own vomite c John 5.14 Behold thou art now made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee Tnou doest euery day beg of our heauenlie Father that his kingdome may come looke then vnto the next clause that his will may be done in earth as it is in heauen Mercie and truth are met together d Tileman Bucer Vatablus When as Gods people heare what he saith vnto them in his holy word then all things are full of mercie truth righteousnesse and peace then the land shall giue her increase that is the Church abound with these good fruites of faith e Genebrard Tremel Wilcox Some say that these vertues meete together and kisse but in diuers subiects As for example mercy from God and truth from men as if hee should say God will turne his owne iustice toward his people into mercie and their hypocriticall hearts and foule hands into sound and sincere dealing and so righteousnesse and peace kisse The righteousnesse of God in executing his promises faithfully breeds in his people peace of conscience to their endlesse comfort Other affirme that these vertues meete together in one subiect and that in God Man Christ God and man They meete together in God for all the pathes of the Lord are mercie and truth Psalm 25.9 f Agellius Bellarm. in Psal 24. mercie in making and truth in keeping his promise to his people Saint g Rom. 15.8 Paul saith Iesus Christ was a minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made vnto the Fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercie God promised his Sonne vnto the h Rom. 9.4 Iewes and he gaue him in the i Galat. 4.4 fulnes of time to bee both a k Luke 2.32 light to the Gentiles and glorie of his people Israel l Hierome Augustine Turrecremat Herein shewing his mercie more principally to the Gentiles his truth vnto the Iewes and so his mercie and truth embraced each other in that hee made m Ephes 2.14 both people but one to wit one flock in n Iohn 10.16 one sheepfold vnder one shepheard If we take truth and righteousnes for Gods iustice in punishing mercie and peace for his gratiousnesse in pardoning yet they meete together in all his waies vnto such as keepe his couenant and his testimonies For as the o Prou. 12.10 mercies of the wicked are full of crueltie so the very iudgements of God vpon his seruants are full of mercie In his p Habacuc 3.2 wrath he remembers pitie punishing a little that he may pardon a great deale destroying the flesh only to saue the spirit 1. Cor. 5.5 q Bernard serm cont vitium ingrat Misericordiae res est aliquando subtrahere misericordiam It was good for Ioseph that he was a captiue good for Naaman that he was a leper good for Bartimaeus that he was blinde good for Dauid that he was in trouble r Fox Martyr fol. 1476. Bradford thanked God more of his prison then of any parlour or pleasure Å¿ Rom. 8.28 All things are for the best vnto the faithfull And so Gods mercie and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other his mercy being iust and his iustice mercifull But God in giuing his only Sonne vnto the world more abundantly shewed his mercie and iustice kissing one another His iustice requires t Ezech. 18.20 that euery soule that sins should dye but his mercie desires not the death of a sinner Ezech. 33.11 Hee therefore gaue his Sonne to dye for our sinnes and to rise againe for our iustification and so both his iustice is satisfied and sinners are saued In Christs aduent mercie and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other u Serm. 1. de annun Dom. Bernard hath a pretie Dialogue to this purpose betweene righteousnes and truth on the one side mercie and peace on the other part contending about the redemption of mankinde Christ our blessed Messias and Mediatour ended the quarrel at his comming and made them all exceeding kinde kissing friends for in giuing himselfe a x 1. Tim. 2.6 ransome for all men he did at once pay both vnto Iustice her debt and grant vnto Mercie her desire 2. Righteousnes and peace meete together in man so
Saint y Jn loc Augustine expounds it an vniust man is full of quarrels like Ishmael z Gen. 16.12 euery mans hand is against him and his hand against euery man but he which is righteous and giueth euery man his due shall haue peace so much as is a Rom. 12.18 possible with all men especially with his own selfe and soule Righteousnes and peace are so neere so deare that thou canst not haue the one without the other Vnam vis alteram non facis happily thou wouldest enioy peace but thou wilt doe no iustice The b Virgil Poet could say Pacem te poscimus omnes interroga quoth c Vbisup Augustine omnes homines vultis pacem vno ore respondet totum genus hominum opto cupio volo amo Well then if thou desire peace do iustice for peace saith I am a friend only to such as loue my friend d Psal 34.12 What man is hee that lusteth to liue and would faine see good daies keep thy tongue from euil and thy lips that they speake no guile eschew euill and doe good seeke peace and ensue it Nay thou need not seeke it for it will of it selfe come to kisse her sister Righteousnesse e Basilius Agellius If men haue truth and righteousnesse God will affoord mercie and peace So the Prophet expressely Keepe innocencie and take heede vnto the thing that is right for that shall bring a man peace at the last Psal 37.38 At the first happily thou maist haue warre with vngodly men of this world for f Bradford apud Fox Martyr fol. 1491. doe well and heare ill is written on heauens doore but hereafter at the last assuredly thou shalt haue peace to thy soule g Tileman Tremellius Or righteousnes and peace meete in euery true beleeuer because being iustified by faith wee haue peace toward God through Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.1 3. Righteousnes and peace meete in Christ God and man for by these two h D. Incognitus in loc some Diuines vnderstand the old Testament and the new The Law doth exact iustice requiring of a malefactor i Exod. 21.24 eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote but the Gospell is full of mercie and peace saying vnto the sinner who truly repenteth him of his sinnes and vnfainedly beleeues the word of promise k Matth. 9.2.22 Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Daughter be of good cheere thy faith hath made thee whole l Mark 10.52 Goe thy way thy beleefe hath saued thee m Iohn 5.14 Behold thou art now made whole sin no more These two Testaments meete together in Christ as in their proper center they kissed each other on this day because the Gospell performed what the Law promised n Euthym. Or hee shewed truth in his words and mercie in his workes o Iob. 17.6.17 Hee deliuered the will of God vnto men and his word is truth Hee made the p Matth. 11.5 blinde to see the lame to go the deafe to heare he cleansed the lepers he cured the sicke he raised vp the dead and these without question are workes of mercie Or by these two vertues vnderstand q Euthym. Christs two natures his diuine nature by mercie hauing r Matth. 9.6 power to forgiue sinnes and to heale ſ Matth. 8.16 all manner of sicknesse by truth his humane nature 1. For that hee had true flesh and not as Heretikes imagined a phantasticall bodie 2. For that he was a man after Gods owne image t Ephes 4.24 created in righteousnes and true holinesse he was blamelesse and vndefiled Heb. 7.26 he knew no sinne 1. Cor. 5.21 hee did no wickednesse neither was any deceit in his mouth Esay 53.9 and so truth and mercie met together in the personall vnion of his two natures And this exposition is more probable by the next verse Truth shall florish out of the earth and righteousnes hath looked downe from heauen Christ is truth as he u Joh. 14.6 saith of himselfe I am the way the truth c. and Christ is our righteousnes 1. Corinth 1.30 x Hierome Arnobius Agellius Now Christ as man and borne of the Virgine Mary budded out of the earth and as God hee looked downe from heauen That men might bee iustified by grace from heauen it pleased him on this day to bud out of the earth in the words of S. y Jn loc Augustine Vt iustitia prospiceret de caelo id est vt iustificarentur homines diuinâ gratiâ veritas nata est de Maria Virgine vt possit pro illis iustificandis offerri sacrificium sacrificium passionis sacrificium crucis vnde offerret sacrificium pro peccatis nostris nisi moreretur quomodo autem moreretur nisi carnem indueret quomodo carnem indueret nisi veritas de terra oriretur z Genebrard Other otherwise when righteousnesse that is Gods grace lookes downe from heauen then truth among men florisheth vpon earth a Placidus Parmen Or before Christs comming the whole world was full of vntruths all the Gentiles adored false gods and many Iewes worshipped the true God falsely But the Sunne of righteousnesse appearing in our Horizon b 1. Pet. 2.9 called vs out of darknesse into marueilous light teaching that onely c 1. Kings 18.39 the Lord is God and that an d 1. Cor. 8.4 Idoll is nothing and so truth florisheth out of the earth and righteousnesse hath looked downe from heauen e Augustine Tileman Or truth springs out of the earth and righteousnesse lookes downe from heauen when a sinner humblie confesseth his faults vnto God according to that of Saint f 1. Epist 1.8.9 Iohn If wee say that wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs if wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnes g Bellarmine Or the diuine iustice manifested it selfe from heauen in Christs springing out of the earth For hereby we know the h Rom. 1.18 wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse because nothing could expiate the sinnes of men but the death of Gods owne and onely Sonne hee budded out of the earth and was buffeted vpon the earth and buried vnder the earth and all this and more then this he did suffer and doe for our redemption and ransome i Paulinus epist lib. 1. epist 4. Quid illi pro malis meis quae pertulit quid pro bonis suis quae contulit referam quid pro suscepta carne quid pro alapis quid pro flagellis pro cruce obitu sepultura rependam esto reddamus crucem pro cruce funus pro funere numquid poterimus reddere quod ex ipso per ipsum in ipso habemus omnia c. reddamus
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
m Agellius Idem Caluin Genebrard praecipuum not only primum but also primarium not only the first in time but also the first in honour and dignitie For as Dauid here calleth it the beginning of wisedome so Salomon Ecclesiastes 12.13 the end of all The feare of the Lord is indeede the first alphabet of wisedome the beginning as it were the n begetting or as o Ecclesiasticus 1 24. Iesus the sonne of Syrach termeth it the roote of wisedome p Melancthon Caluine Bellarmine But that is not all it is not onely an introduction to wisedome but wisdome it selfe Iob. 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding It is deepe wisedome saith our English paraphrast in meter yea the perfection and fulnes of wisedome Ecclesiasticus 1.20 q Genebrard As then in the vulgar Latine Ecclesiasticus 11.3 hony which is the chiefe of sweete things is called initium dulcoris the beginning of sweetnes euen so Gods feare which vpon the point is summa summarum as it were the summe totall of all holie knowledge is termed initium sapientiae the beginning of wisedome This assertion in worldly mens vnderstanding is a grand paradox for they repute the preaching of Christianitie r 1. Cor. 1.18 foolishnes and the professors of the same fooles 1. Cor. 4.10 We are fooles for Christs sake Loe say the wicked of the godly Wisedome 5.5 We thought their life madnes accounting them rather mad men then sad men But the spirit of truth here proclaimeth on the contrarie that all worldlings are blindlings and that none wicked are wise To such as haue not the feare of God before their eyes it is expressely said by ſ Prou. 1.22 Wisedome it selfe O ye foolish how long will ye loue foolishnes and hate knowledge It is obiected out of S. Luke chap. 16. vers 8. that the children of this world are wiser then the children of light Answere is made by the t Origine Iansenius Maldonat Doctors vpon the place that Christ accounts them not wiser absolutely but only secundum quid they be wiser in their generation u Theophylact. Marlorat that is in things appertaining to this life present but not in the businesse of regeneration in things belonging to that other life which is to come For as x Hall in his Chron. Idem Fox Martyr fol. 976. one said of Sir Thomas More that he was either a foolish wise man or a wise foolish man euen so the children of this world are wise men in foolish things and foolish men in wise things They be not in genere wise but in genere suo wise to doe euill as the y Jerem. 4.2 Prophet speakes but to doe well they haue no knowledge Atheists acknowledging no God are very fooles Psal 14. The foole said in his heart there is no God If this Ignoramus had so much braine as brow the z Vide Bellarm. de ascensione mentis in deum per scalas creat grad 1. 2. 8. bookes of the Creatures and Conscience would informe his vnderstanding that the great world without him and the little world within him are nothing else as it were but God expressed The Gentiles adoring many gods are very fooles before Christ the Sunne of righteousnes calles them out of a 1. Pet. 2.9 darknesse into marueilous light a blind and a foolish nation Deut. 32.21 Euen the seuen wise men of Greece saith b De vera sapientia cap. 1. Lactantius had no good vnderstanding because none but fooles accounted them wise Nay S. c Rom. 1.21 Paul giues this iudgement of all Heathen Philosophers that they were vaine in their imaginations and that while they professed thēselues to be wise they became fooles In this respect d Epist ad Octauium Cicero had iust cause to complaine O me nunquam sapientem The superstitious Idolaters and mingle manglers in religion who worship the true God falsely not according to his word but according to their owne will are very fooles So Paul called his Galathians who ioyned the Ceremonies of Moses vnto the Gospell of Christ as necessarie to saluation O e Galat. 3.1.3 foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth are ye so foolish that after ye haue begun in the spirit you will end in the flesh Carnall Gospellers and hypocrites who professe they know God in their words and yet deny him in their f Tit. 1.16 workes are very fooles Their prayers are sacrifices of fooles Ecclesiastes 4.17 Their disputations about religion are foolish questions Tit. 3.9 all their generation are fooles and blinde Matth. 23.17 As for example the slow-backe neglecting the workes of his vocation and liuing in idlenesse though he heares neuer so many sermons vpon the working daies in the iudgement of the wisest is a very foole Ecclesiastes 4.5 The foole foldeth his hands and eateth vp his owne flesh So whosoeuer is vngratefull vnto the Lord which is the Father of mercies and God of all grace for his manifold blessings is a very foole g Deut. 32.6 Doe ye so reward the Lord O yee foolish and vnwise people the oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood Esay 1.3 So the couetous wretch who though he boast of his faith and hope h Habacuc 1.16 sacrificeth vnto his net and saith in his heart to the wedge of gold i Iob. 31.24 thou art my confidence is a very foole k 1. Sam. 25.25 Nabal is his name and follie is with him a blinde foole like l Iudges 16.21 Samson in the mill hee grindes for other but eates not of the fruites of his labour himselfe the which is termed by Salomon an euill sicknesse and a vanitie Ecclesiastes 6.2 So the proud man as well in his ambition as in his honour is a very foole m Psal 32.10 Like horse and mule without vnderstanding like the famous foole n Mensa philosophica fab de fatuo Lobelinus who being in a new coate knew not himselfe o Sir R. Barckley felicitie lib. 5. For if in fauour he knowes no man if out of fauour none know him So the Drunkard is a very sot p Seneca epist 65 mancipium corporis a slaue to his own seruant a foole with a witnesse his fault is written in his forehead and in his face hee reeles in open streete and hath in his drunken fit a little lesse wit then a beast and but a little more sense then a blocke So the wanton is destitute of vnderstanding Prou. 6.32 led by the foolish woman as a foole to the stockes Prou. 7.22 For though he may peraduenture blinde the Bishop and q Vision of Pierce Plowman pass 3. cope the Commissarie yet Gods r Qui minimè fallitur quia minimè clauditur Bernard lib. 5. de Considerat all-seeing eye when