lesse then Nothing and Vanity Verse 2. The Kings of the Earth stand vp and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his Annoynted Before was Fury and Folly and both in the People now the Prophet shewes vnto vs that the Magistrates themselues began to take the matter in hand So that where formerly there was small likelyhood of bringing ought to passe in that kind the People but an head-strong multitude and vnable to performe their Designes now Wit and Cunning and Policy begin to play their parts and a Body would now thinke that all should be as they would haue it Loe here an Vnity such at it was but Vnit as Facinoro sorum as o Bernard de Assumpt Mariae Ser. 5. speakes St Bernard an Vnity not of Saints but of Sinners Peruersa execranda talis Vnitas such an Vnity as that saith he is both praeposterous and execrable Amat Auaritia Vnitatem Quod amat bonum est sed vbi amandum sit nescit Euen Couetousnes it Selfe p Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 20. saith St Austen doth loue an Vniting together Now the thing she loueth is good but she knowes not where to place her Loue. Right so is it a blessed thing that the Magistrate and the People should both agree together but when they shal agree in that which is notoriously bad as here they do in this place it aggrauates eithers fault and bâ—th are lyable to the more exception And that so they do here in this place witnes the words of this Verse for it is First against the Lord Secondly his Annointed First concerning the Lord though commonly in holy Scripture LORD be put for the second Person in Trinity God the Sonne yet here is it set for God the Father who is the Lord as the Prophet Amos q Amos. 5.16 speakes and the God of Hosts It is in the Originall the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God is therfore called Lord because as S. Ambrose r Ambros in ep 〈◊〉 Câ—loâ—s c. 4. saith he hath dominion both ovâ—r our Bodies ouer our Soulâ— because as Å¿ â—act â—nâ—it l. 4 c. 3. Laectantius hee hath the greatest power that can be both in correcting and punishing And our Saviour indeed instructing vs how great his Power is Feare not them which kill the Body t Mat 10.28 saith he but are not able to kil the Soule but rather feare him which is able to destroy both Soule and Body in Hell St Gregory speaking of the diverse Appellations that are in holy Scripture giuen to God When he will be feared u Greg in Cant. Cantic Prol. saith he then doth he name himselfe LORD when he will be honoured FATHER when he will be beloued HVSBAND though in the Old Testament the two Appellations Fâ—th r and Huâ—bâ—nd are seldome mentionâ—d Lord most often Many thinâ—s x Aug. de Ser. Dom. in Mont. l. 2. such S. Austen are dâ—liuered in holy Scripture to be spoâ—â—n in Gods praises 〈◊〉 sâ—all â—ou find it to â—aue beene commanded to the Pâ—â—plâ— oâ— Isrâ—el that sâ—eaâ—â—â—g vnto God they sh uld s y OVR â—ATHER or that they should pâ—ay vnto God aâ— a Grâ—tius Nomen est Pietaâ—â— quà m Poteâ—at Tertull. Apolog c. 34. FATH R but he is 〈…〉 LORD to put them in mind 〈…〉 Servants to â—im And yet our Sâ—â—â— ur Câ—â—isâ— God and Mâ—n Heâ—câ—fâ—rth I call you not 〈◊〉 y Ioh. 15.15 sâ—iâ—h he for the Sâ—â—uâ—nt kâ—â—weth not what hiâ— Lâ—rd 〈…〉 I hâ—â—â— câ—lle◠〈◊〉 FRâ—NDS for all things that I â—auâ—â—â—â—rd of my Father I haue made knowne vnto you Secondly concâ—â—ning Anâ—ointâ—d that is here set for the Second Person indeed Chrâ—st Iesus our Saviour who was to be our Prophet our Priest and Prince and therefore is said in holy Scripture to bee Annointed by God Not that at any time hee was Annointed with materiall Oyle z Act. 4.27 but as S. Peter in one place a Act. 10.38 With the Holy Ghost with Power And as our b Ps 45.8 Psalmist in another With the Oyle of Gladnesse aboue his Fellowes The time of this his Annointing was no doubt in the time of his Conception even before he was bâ—rne and therefore he was no sooner borne but an Angell said vnto the Shepheards c Luc. 2.10 Behold I bring you good Tydings of great ioy which shal be to all People for vnto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord CHRIST that is Annointed And thus is this Scripture alleaged by the Church in the Acts of the Apostles who vpon the report Peter and Iohn made of their vsage by the Rulers of the Iewes they lift vp their voice to God with one accord said d Act. 4 2â— Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and â—ll that in them is Who by the mouth of thy Seruant David hast said why did the Heathen rage and the People imaginâ— vaine things The Kings of the Earth stood vp and the Rulâ—rs were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For of a truth against thy holy Child Iesus whome thou hast annoinâ—ed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the People of Israel were gathered together for to doe whatsoeuer thy Hand and thy Counsell determined before to be done Thus was it e Exod. 14.26 Ioh. 19.36 said of the Paschal Lambe that not a Bone thereof should be broken and it was applyed to our Saviour by the Evangelist S. Iohn It was said of the Israelites Hos 11.2 Mat. 2.5 Out of Egypt haue I called mâ— Sonne and it was aâ—plied to our Saviour by the Evangelist S. Mâ—thew It was said of King Solomon 2 Sam. 2 14. Hâ—b 1.5 I will be his Father and he shall be my Sonne and it was applyed to our Saviour by the Apostle S. Paul These two Senses of the Scriptures there are that call them the one a Literall the other a Mysticall Sence but h Dion Carth. in Mat. 2. Art 5 Dionysius Carthusianus i Tost in Deut. 18. qu. 6 Tostatus and the l Rhem. in 2. King 7.14 in marg Rhemists in the Doway Bible doe make them both Literall Tostatus giues the Reason Nam vna Litera benè potest importare duos sensus quando vnus subordinatur alteri Hauing spoken of a place of Scripture that might be vnderstood either of our Saviour or of his Prophets Sensus literalis est vterque Either saith he is the Literall sense For one and the self same Letter in Scripture doth wel import two Senses when one is subordinate to the other And of this mind with them was that worthy Professor of ours most worthily afterwards Bishop of Salisbury m D. Abbots Sermon vpon 1. Cor. 10.32 not printed D. Abbots who in a Sermon of his to the Vniversitie not only hath the Premisses but hee
Prophet Esay he saith can a woman forget her childe and not have compassion in the sonne of her wombe Though they should forget Zach 2. yet will not J forget thee Zachary also saith he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye For God hath said they shall be my people and I will be their God Such care likewise beare all the godly towards their God they love him with all their soule with all their heart with all their strength they reverence him as their father they are grieved with any blasphemy and with any contempt of his holy name But as every man be he never so wicked yea even he that saith in his heart there is no God which is become filthy and abominable in all his doings yet in his talke outwardly saith he hath a God and that he believeth in him even so there is none so wicked or so forsaken of God in his heart but he perswadeth himselfe he hath the zeale of God and what he doth in selfe-love of his owne fantasie he will beare in hand he doth it for the loue of God The overthrowers wasters of the Church will seem to shew a speciall care for the Church dissemblers hypocrites despisers scorners even such as sin against the holy Ghost which deny the truth of God after they have knowne it which witting and knowing fight against the truth which say of Christ we will not have him to rule over us which worke that sin which will never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come yet notwithstanding will pretend and seem to have the zeale of God Thus the Scribes Pharisees set up their bristles against Christ thy Disciples keepe not the common fast thou sufferest them to pull and to eat the eares of corne thou sufferest them to eat with unwashed hands thou breakest the tradition of the Elders thou breakest the law of God which he gave us by Moses thou art a seditious teacher thou art a Schismatick thou art an Heretick They said We fast twice in the week we have Abraham to our Father we are Moses Disciples Therefore when they heard Stephen speaking those heavenly words Act 7. Behold I see the heavens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God through zeale they gave a shout with a lowd voice and stopped their eares and ran upon him all at once Mark 14. When Christ had said Yee shall see the Son of man sit at the right hand of God and come in the clouds of heaven the high Priest through zeale rent his cloathes and said yee have heard the blasphemie this naughty man speaketh blasphemy against God he called a Councell the Scribes and Pharisees met together not one man amongst them but of themselvs they looked about them as if they only were the pillars buttresses of the Church and were only zealous and carefull for the house of God But their meeting was as David forespake and as Peter declareth and as We know against the Lord and against his anointed they were touched with the zeale of their own glory and not with the zeale of Gods truth they sought their own praise but not the praise which is of God they made cracks that they knew the Scriptures that they were the Temple of God that they had the consent of all Antiquity as others have done since that time and as wee see many doe this day in very deed these men have now even as much as they had then as by proofe and triall it will appeare There are others which have a feeling of God and a great care for his Church but such a feeling and care as cometh either of their own fantasies or of some opinion credit they have in their fathers which were before them not of the understanding of Gods pleasure Such are they which offend God not of malice or wilfulnesse but onely for lack of teaching understanding Such were they which withstood S. Paul in all his preaching for that they took him for an Heretique and thought his preaching was against God Rom 10. I beare them witnes saith he that they have the zeale of God but not according to knowledge Such a zeal have many who forbid that which God commandeth command that which God forbiddeth such a zeale had Paul himselfe I was a blasphemer and a persecutor 1. Tim. 1. and an oppressor but I was receaved to mercy for I did it ignorantly without beliefe Such a zeale have they who think they doe God good service when they kill and murther the righteous and good servants of God Such a zeale have they who as saith Nazianzen defend Christ against Christ and defend the Church against the Church And these things doe they not of malice nor of wilfulnesse nor against their conscience but because they know not God the father nor his Christ whom he hath sent therefore they stumble at Christ and spurne away the Gospell of God and think ill and speak evill of the word of life because they know not the Gospell of God nor the word of life Thus they perswade themselves that they defend the Church that they honour the sonne of God that they doe God great service and that they have the zeale of God But this pride was ever in the heart of man and it appeared even in our grandsire Adam whatsoever liketh us well we think that cannot but please God Such is the opinion we fondly conceive in our fantasies in trust whereof whatsoever we doe we think our selves sure and safe Origen in 10. Rom. lib. 8. Origen writing upon the place of the Apostle Zelum Dei habent sed non secundùm scientiam they have the zeale of God but not according to knowledge saith similiter potest dicere Apostolus de aliis quòd timorem Dei habeant sed non secundùm scientiam de aliis c. in like manner the Apostle may say of others they have the feare of God but not according to knowledge of others they have the love of God but not according to knowledge of another hee hath the faith of God but not according to knowledge and another may be said to fast but not according to knowledge And so in all things whatsoever we doe unlesse we have knowledge and understanding it may be said unto us that we have the zeale of a good wâ—rke but not according to knowledge Ideo danda est praecipuè opera scientiae neres nobis infeliciter accidat ut in fide positi frustremur à fide zelum habentes bonorum decidamus à bonis Therefore all heed is chiefly to be given to the attaining of knowledge least it goe not well with us least we faile from our faith when we think we believe thinking we have a zeale of good works we be found void of all good works The wise man saith Wisd 14 this was not enough for them that they erred in the
not escape which have zeale without knowledge what shall become of us which have knowledge without zeale And you whosoever you are that by such meanes have decayed the Lords house and abridged the provision and maintenance thereof and see the miserable wrack of Gods Church if there be any zeale of God in you if you have any fellowship of the spirit if any compassion and mercy if you love God if you desire the continuance of the Gospell Oh remember you have the Patrimonie due unto them that should attend in the Lords house You take unto your selves wrongfully that which was not lotted for you Give unto Caesar those things which belong to Caesar and unto God the things which appertaine to him and make for the beautie furniture of his house Enrich your selves by lawfull meanes without the spoile and wast of Gods Church Let not the Ministery by your meanes be despised you enriched them which mocked blinded and devoured you spoile not them now that feed and instruct and comfort you Let us seek the glory of God let us at length serve the Lord and not our belly and greedie wantonnesse So shall God blesse you and prosper you in all your affaires so shall he strike a terrour of you into all forraigne Princes that dwell about you so shall your heart be kept stedfast in the hand of God so shall your heart be perfect before the Lord so shall you leave such as shall alwaies praise the Lord in Sion so shall you see your childrens children and peace upon Jsrael And thou ô most mercifull Father grant that thy words be not spoken in vain in is thy cause Thou art our Father we are as clay in thine hands Thou hast the key of our hearts give zeale to them that have knowledge give knowledge to them that have zeale that they may be enflamed and ravished with the love of thy house to sorrow for the decay thereof and to doe all their endeavour to build up and establish the same for ever AMEN FINIS PSAL. I. Beatus Vir. 1 BLessed is the man that hath not walked in the Counsel of the Vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners and hath not sit in the seate of the scornfull 2 But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law will he exercise himselfe day and night 3 And he shall be like a Tree planted by the water side that will bring forth his fruit in due season 4 His leaf also shall not wither and looke whatsoever he doth it shall prosper 5 As for the Vngodly it is not so with them but they are like the Chaff which the wind scattereth away from the face of the earth 6 Therefore the Vngodly shall not be able to stand in the iudgement neither the Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous 7 But the Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous and the way of the Vngodly shall perish THE ANALYSIS THis First and Formost Psalme be it but an Introduction to the rest as some will haue it or a Psalme it selfe and one of the rest as all in a manner are of opinion certaine it is that as it yeelds vs good Instruction so was it framed to that purpose In the which the Psalmist endeauouring to describe the Felicity of the Godly he both prôposeth vnto vs and ôpposeth betweene themselues the Godly and the Wicked Concerning the Godly he declares vnto vs their Condition their Reward Their Condition in that abhorring Impiety as it is in the First Verse they follow religious courses as it is in the Second Their Reward in that they participate of the manifold Blessings of God as the same Blessings are intimated to vs in the Third and Fourth Verses Concerning the Wicked he proclaymes vnto vs both their State their End their State in the Fift Verse their End in the Sixt which State and End of theirs to be most miserable he prooueth from the Day of Iudgement and that in the Seauenth and last Verse And thus much briefly of the a Concerning this Analysis as also all the rest they are for the most part taken out of Huldericus Herlinus his Analises Synopticae printed 1603. Analysis or Resolution of the whole Psalme into those severall Parts whereof it doth consist Come we now to the word◠themselues verse by verse and let vs rub them as S. Austen b Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 14. speakes like Eares of Corne in our hand Vt ad latentia grana perveniamus that so we may come to the wheat that lies hid in those words as it were in the husk VErs 1. Blessed is the Man that hath not walked in the counsel of the Vngodly nor stand in the way of Sinners and hath not sit in the seate of the Scornfull It was Pindarus his c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pind. Od. 6. obseruation that in beginning any worke the Forefront thereof should bee made glittering and glorious And I may truely say of this First Psalme whether we respect the Psalme in generall or the very first word of it in particular it is most glittering most glorious Blessed is the Man Quà m aptum quà m opportunum principium d Ambros in hunc Psal saith St Ambrose how meet and convenient a beginning For as they saith he that take vpon them to exhibit Games are wont to propose a Reward and the Excellency of a Crowne that they which come to the Games may striue the more earnestly to obtaine the same so our Lord Iesus Christ hath proposed the Glory of an heauenly Kingdome the benefit of perpetuall Rest the Blessednesse of eternall Life to the best endeauours of men And as a Generall saith he going to warfar promiseth a Donatiue to the Souldier and Promotions to his Captaines Vt spes commodi furetur laborem metum abscondat periculi that the hope of gaine may both steale away their labour from them and hide and conceale the feare of any danger that may betide them so Dauid as the Herald of that great Generall exhorteth the Souldiers calls the Combatants to the Lists and proposeth the Reward in these words Blessed is the Man which hath not walked in the Counsel of the Vngodly A Praemio coepit vt pondu◠futuri certaminis eleuaret He begins with the Reward to make the burthen of that which they should afterwards endure the lighter He proposeth the wages that every man leaping over in his heart the troubles and vexations of these present worldly affaires should contend with most speedy desire to the happinesse of things to come Blessed saith he is the Man and what could more be giuen to Man then which nothing greater by the Apostle himselfe could be giuen vnto God For God is called by the e 1. Tim. 6.15 Apostle the Blessed and only potentate and King of Kings and Lord of Lords Beatitudinis tamen non supergreditur potestatem and yet for all that God goes not
which was made vnto you by the Fathers God hath fulfilled the same vnto vs their Children in that he hath raised vp Iesus againe as it is also written in the Second Psalm Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee The same Apostle to the Hebrewes shewes the excellency of this Name Sonne For vnto which of the Angels f Heb. 1.5 saith the Apostle said he at any time Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee And againe I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Sonne True it is the Name Sonne hath beene giuen vnto many God calleth Israel his g Exod. 4.22 First Borne and consequently his Sonne all the h Rom. 8.14 Elect are the Sonnes of God i Ps 45.17 Magistrates are his Sonnes and l Iob. 1.6 Angels his Sonnes too but Israel because his People the Elect by adoption and grace the Magistrate because he executeth the Iudgements of the Lord the Angels by Creation none of them all according to the worthines of their own Nature but by Nature Substance and Eternity as the Apostle S. Paul meaneth in that place there is none the Sonne of God but CHRIST alone and therefore m Aug. Hom. 32 S. Austen Vnus est Vnicus de illo genitus He alone is the only one begotten of God And againe n Aug. Quaest sup Deut qu. 23. He calleth him the First borne whom he calleth his only Begotten for we also are the Sonnes of God but he calleth him only Begotten because he alone is of the Substance of the Father and Equal Coaeoernall to the Father Verse 8. Desire of me and I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the vttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession The Words againe of God the Father concerning the Propagation of the Kingdome of his Sonne CHRIST IESVS namely that not the Iewes only but the Heathen that is the Gentiles also should be his Inheritance and Possession Quis Christianus vnquam dubitavit hoc de Christo esse praedictum What Christian euer doubted o Aug. de Vnit. Eccles c. 8. sayth St Austen that this was forespoken of CHRIST or by this Inheritance here spoken of vnderstood any thing els but the CHVRCH Josephus indeed p Ioseph de Bell. Iudaic. l. 7. c. 12 shewing the causes that mooued the Iewes to fight with the Romans alleageth this amongst the rest for that there was a doubtfull Prophecie found in the holy Scriptures that at the same time one in their Dominions should be Moâ—arch of the whole World many Wisemen were deceiued saith he in this interpretation making account that he should be one of their owne Nation yet indeed thereby was foretold Vespasians Empire Iosephus expresseth not in that place what that Oracle might be but Eusebius making answere vnto him concerning that Passage of his sheweth that Vespasian ruled not the whole World but the Roman Empire only This Oracle therfore q Euseb Hist Eccles l. 3. c. 8. saith Eusebius may better be referred vnto Christ vnto whom it was said of the Father Desire of me I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance the vttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession the r Psal 19.4 Sound of whose Apostles went at the very same time throughout the Earth their words to the end of the World Here concerning the Word Inheritance it is not amisse to obserue with that learned and worthie o Sr IAMES SEMPLE of Sacriledge Part. 1. c. 7. §. 3. KNIGHT that Gods Inheritance in Scripture is twofold His PEOPLE whome he created to his owne Image and his TITHES which hee separated to his owne Service and it is worth the while to consider how this double Inheritance hath in Scripture Language a Prerogatiue aboue the Ciuill Custome in that the Sonne inherits joyntly with the Father A good Obseruation for Many that seeing they hold of the One I meane the Former Inheritance they would not with-hold the Other I meane their Tythes But I goe forwards Concerning the Gentiles and their calling many and manifold were the Prophesies that were in the Old Testament the performance wherof was in the New It was necessary Å¿ Act. 13.46 said Paul Barnabas that the Word of God should first haue bene spoken to you meaning the Iewes but seeing you put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting Life loe we turne to the Gentiles And from that day forward the Gentiles beleeued indeed The Iewes as St Austen t Aug. Quaest super Iud. qu. 49. de Temp. Ser. 108. speakes in diverse places of his Workes were like to Gedeons Fleece For as at the first the Deaw was onely vpon that and al the Earth besides was dry and afterwards the Fleece was dry only and the Deaw on all the Ground besides so the time was when the Iewes only and none but they were in request I am not sent u Mat. 15.24 saith our Sauiour but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel howbeit now the case is altred as x Luc. 1.53 spake the Blessed Virgin He hath filled the Hungry with good things and the Rich he hath sent empty away And now as y Aug. in Ps 45. speakes St Austen The Bible is a Book wherein we read the same the World is a Booke wherein we see the same But how is it said in this place Desire of me Was our Sauiour to aske it at Gods hands Nulla res carius constat quà m quae precibus empta est Prayers z Senec. de Benef l. 2. c. 1. saith Seneca oftentimes is a deare peny-worth Molestum verbum est onerosum demisso vultu dicendum Rogo This Word Rogo a Id. c. 2. saith he I aske or craue is a difficult or irkesome Word it is burdensome to him that speaketh it it is to bee spoken with a bashfull countenance Properet licet serò Beneficium dedit qui Roganti dedit Make all the speed he can hee comes but tardy with his good turne that graunts it not vntill it be asked Indeed with Men it is many times so but not with God for we are bound both to aske and not to aske amisse and therefore St Iames Ye haue not b Iam. 4.2 saith he because ye aske not Ye aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse But concerning our Saviours asking That Christ as the onely begotten Sonne of God c Mr Hooker his Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 48. saith Reverend Hooker hauing no Superiour and therefore owing honour vnto none neither standing in any need should either giue thankes or make Petition vnto God were most absurd As Man what could be seeme him better whether we respect his affection to Godward or his owne Necessity or his Charity and Loue towards Man Againe a litle after Some things he knew should come to passe and notwithstanding prayed for them because
These were thy Punishments this was thy Fate Goe now and vndermine thy Fathers State But to returne againe to my purpose This is the First Psalme of many others that haue the Word LORD in the Vocatiue a Word so oftentimes vsed in all these Psalmes It is in the Originall that peculiar Name of GOD consisting of foure Letters commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof as many haue spoken much so g I. Drusii Tetragram c. 14. Drusius hath written a whole Treatise shewing that it is the proper Name of the DIVINE ESSENCE and that it hath no proper Vowels and therefore that it is left vnpronounceable to shew the better that the Essence of God is incomprehensible And yet where euer the Iewes found it they tooke the Vowels either of Adonai or Elohim and so pronounced it It is alwayes in our last Translation translated LORD and the Word LORD is alwayes printed in Capitall Letters but if it be the Word Adonai in the Originall which signifies Lord to or Elohim then is it printed in smaller Letters An example hereof we haue Ps 8.1 O LORD our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth And indeed it was long agoe the Counsail of Antonitu Rodolphus Cevallerius in an Epistle to the Bishop of Eli that then was B. Cox it should seâ—me that where euer that Word of foure Letters was in the Originall * Characteribus maiusculis the Translation should be in Capitall Letters as h I. Drus ib. c 1â— Drusius witnesseth in his foresaid Book and our Translators haue most exactly obserued in our English Word LORD â—hroughout their whole Translation not once naming the Word IEHOVAH for ought I haue obserued but only Exod. 6.3 17.15 And as our English Translators so the Septuagint translate it to as i Zanch. de Nat. Dei seu de divin Attrib l. 1. c. 17. Zanchius hath obserued Indeed l Illyr Clau. Script Tract de Rat. cognosc sac Lit. p. 45. De Nomine Jehova p. 622. Illyricus mislikes it and saith that the Name DOMINVS LORD doth obscure the nature of that other Name howbrit since the Apostles themselues as m Calv. Instit l. 1. c. 13. §. 20. Calvin obserueth translated it by this Name to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominus Lord their Example in this case may bee for vs a sufficient warrant The Word is a Name of Relation and doth intimate vnto vs that there is a mutuall consequence or a kind of dependance betweene GOD and him who stileth him LORD Whereupon St Austen As he cannot be a Servant n Aug. de Trin. l. 5. c. 16. saith he that hath not a Lord so cannot he be a Lord that hath not a Servant And Thomas Aquinas to this purpose Deus non fuit Dominus antequam habuit Creaturam sibi subiectam Though GOD o saith Aquinas be before his Creatures u Aquin. Sum. Part. 1 â—u 13. Art 7. Ad Sextum yet forasmuch as in the signification of Lord it is comprehended that he hath a Servant and so contrariwise these two Relations Lord and Servant are by nature extant together therefore GOD was not the Lord before he had the Creature subiect vnto him He that will see more in this case I refer him to that Question p Zanch. de Nat. Dei l. 1. c. 10. handled by Zanchius That seeing God is euerlasting and immutable and nothing hapneth to him anew whâ—ther there be any Names that so agree vnto him by reason of Time that they could not be his Names from euerlasting In the handling of which Qâ—estion hee sheweth how St Austen discoursed like an Oratour Aquinas like a Schooleman vpon one and the self-same Point But now to the Many here Many are they that rise against me Many in this Verse and Many in the next whereby we may perceiue that it is not alwayes the safest way that Many goe Whereupon St Austen Esteeme not of their nomber q Aug. in Ps 39. saith he I grant they are Many who is able to nomber them Few they are that goe the straight way Bring me hither the Skales begin to weigh see what a deale of Chaffe is hoysed vp in one Skale against a few Barley Cornes in the other And againe in another place r Aug. in Ps 128 The Church was sometimes in Abel alone and Abel was ouercome by his wicked and divelish Brother Cain The Church was sometimes in Enoch alone and Enoch was translated from the Society of the Wicked The Church was sometimes in Noahs House alone and Noah endured all those that perished by the Deluge The Church was sometimes in Abraham alone and we are not ignorant what Wrongs the Wicked did vnto him So likewise the Church was sometimes in Lot his Brothers Sonne and onely in his House amidst the whole City of Sodom and he bare with the Iniquities of the Sodomites so long till at length God deliuered him from the midst of them Thus Nazianzen speaking of his owne Time Where are they now f Greg. Naz. ad Arian de seips Orat. 24. saith he that vpbraid vs with our Poverty and boast so much of their owne Wealth who define a Church by Multitude and contemne a smal Sheepfold Lastly St Chrysostome I pray you t Chrys ad Pop. Antioch Hom. 40. saith he what profit or advantage is it to be rather a great deal of Chaff then a few pretious Stones Multitude consisteth not in the quantity of number but in the quality and efficacy of Vertue Elias was onely one and the whole World it selfe was not worthy to bee weighed with him Thus the Fathers and yet u Bell. de Eccles Milit. l. 4. c. 7. saith Bellarmire The fourth Note or Marke of the Church is Amplitude or Multitude and Variety of Beleeuers Verse 2. Many one there be that say of my Soule there is no helpe for him in his God Wee saw in some sort the Many before but now we see them farre better in that we not see them onely but heare them According as Socrates to one that stood mute before him Loquere vt te videam Speake x Eras Apopth saith he that I may see thee Indeed Speech as y Plut. de Lib. educand Laert. in Democrit said Democritus is the Shadow of Action or the Image and Representation of our Workes as z Laert. in Solon Solon was wont to say and Seneca to this purpose a Senec. Epist l. 20. ep 115. Such is Mans Speech as is his Life Non potest alius esse Ingenio alius Animo color He maketh instance in no worse Man then Mecaenas himselfe and an hundred pities it was that so good a Man in one respect was so bad in so many The Prophet here sees them no man better and therefore describes them by the impiety of their Words First concerning the Word Soule Soule in holy Scripture is taken diverse and sundry wayes
howsoever by distance of Place hee was depriued of the sight of the Arke yet was that no cause at al but that the Lord might giue him the hearing he being u Ps 145.18 Nigh to all such as call vpon him faithfully Why Holy Hill see x Exposit in Ps 2.6 p 41. before Verse 5. I laid me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me Philip King of Macedon hauing slept a sound sleepe and waking at the last and seeing Antipater by him No marvell y Plutarch Apopth quoth he I slept so soundly seeing Antipater was by and watched It had not like to haue fallen out with King Saul so well z 1. Sam. 26.15 when he on a time fell asleepe howsoever Abner was neere him that loued him as well as ever Antipater did King Ph lip But no such Keeper indeed as the Lord God of Hoasts not Abner not Antipater Had a Iudg. 4.21 Sisera and b Iudyth 13.8 Holofernes so beene kept they had not miscarryed as they did Not a Night goes over our heads but it may be our owne case such a Death or such like But as our Enemie ever watcheth to play Iael or Iudith with vs so he that keepeth Israel he that keepeth vs c Ps 121.4 will neither slumber nor sleepe It is strange how the Lord of Heauen hath kept Many of his Servants whenas they were in a dead sleepe and none by to watch them but onely the Murtherers themselueâ— I haue read of One in Queene Maries time whom since I had good cause to knowe as being betweene vs both to speake in S. Ieroms words Nomina Pietatis d Hieron de Vitand suspect Contubern Officiorum Vocabula Vincula Naturae secunda post Deum Foederatio that being on a time in bed in an Inne and One that had beene his Servant lying neere vnto him comming at Midnight to haue murthered him the Master was dreaming at that instant that the Bed whereon he lay was all on Fire whereat starting vp and crying to God for help the Murtherer was so affrighted that he desisted from his purpose craued pardon for the attempt and presently revealed to him who they were that set him on worke But concluding this point with that of Moses e Exod. 15.2 The Lord is my Strength and Song and he is become my Salvation he is my God and I will prepare him an Habitation my FATHERS God and I will exalt him I returne vnto my purpose The Prophet could not better make knowne vnto vs the tranquillitie of his minde amidst the many dangers he was in then by these effects hee here tells vs of Lying downe and Sleeping and Rising vp againe For as when the minde of Man is much troubled by reason of any imminent danger or hee goes not to Bed at all or if he goes he sleepes not soundly so if so be nothing trouble him then doth he freely take his rest and much refreshed by that rest hee riseth againe with much alacritie When thou liest downe f Prov 3.24 saith Solomon thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lye downe and thy sleepe shall be sweet This sweetnesse of Sleep as it is not the meanest of those Blessings that God bestoweth on vs and many would giue much for the purchasing thereof so the g Ovid. Met. l. 11. Poet describes it accordingly Somne quies rerum placidissime Somne Deorum Pax animi quem Cura fugit qui corpora duris Fessa ministerijs mulces reparasque Labori and so forth But the Prophet here not only slept but rose againe which Sleeping of his and Rising againe hee ascribeth to the Lord. And indeed as S. Austen h Aug. Hom. 28 Vid. Greg. in Evang Hom. 1. speaketh Nonne multi sanâ— dormierunt obduruerunt Haue not many gone to Bed safe and sound and beene found stark dead by the Morning What need wee Examples of old as the i Exod. 12.30 First Borne of the Egyptians Saraes l Tob. 6.13 Seaven Husbands the whole m 2. King 19.35 Camp of the Assyrians being an Hundred Fourescore and Fiue Thousand I suppose no Man liuing but may call to mind some one Acquaintance or other that hath miscarried in this kinde Now for it may be any mans case which hath beene the case of so many hence is it that our Mother the CHVRCH teacheth all and every of her Children to pray against suddaine Death importing therein as that Worthy n M. Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 46. Devine obserueth a twofold Desire First that Death when it commeth may giue vs some convenient respite or Secondly if that be denied vs of God yet we may haue wisdome to provide alwaies before hand that those Evills overtake vs not which Death vnexpected doth vse to bring vpon carelesse Men and that although it be suddaine in it selfe neverthelesse in regard of our prepared minds it may not be suddaine And here I cannot but remember that thrice worthie o He died Ian. 25. 1617. according to the Churches Computation otherwise 1618 and gaue aboue a 1000 Pound towards the new Building of the Forefront of the Colledge Doctor in his Faculty as worthy a Gouernour in the Vniversity the Right Worshipfull Mr Dr Blencow forty yeares Provost of Oriel Colledge who died thus suddainely vntimely to many most vntimely to my self and yet to whom in regard of his prepared minde appearing by his last Will and Testament Death no doubt was not suddaine Hee had the first two Letters of both his Names who some 300 yeares bâ—fore was the First Provost of that House and a most principall Benefactor insomuch that vpon the Death of the Latter these Verses were made on Both. A.B. Praepositus primus sed Vltimus A.B. Auspicium Tecto magnum EDOVARDE tuo Ambos quos vidit disiunctos Nestoris â—â—as Aedificatores nunc habet vna Domus Vna Domus Terris habet illos â—nica Coelis Copula ter faelix COELO eademque SOLO THE ENGLISH That A. B. stood for Provost First and for the Last likewise p K. Edw. the Second Founder of ORIEL Colledge Adam Brown Almoner to the King the first Provost thereof EDWARD it shewed vnto thy House what Fortune shouâ—d arise Those Two whom space of Hundred yeares thrice told did so much seuer One House holds Both Both Builders are and Both she holds together One House in Earth in Heauen one House neither holds one alone Thrice happy Couple whom both HEAVEN and EARTH thus ioine in one But to returne to my purpose Having thus farre spoken of this Fift Verse I might seeme to haue done with it and not to need to goe any farther but that there are of the Fathers that seeme to see more therein then as yet we haue seene Arnobius and S. Austen they see in these words our Saviours Passion his Resurrection both Our Sauiour q Aug. de Gen. cont Manich.
l. 2. c. 24. saith S. Austen tooke his rest with the Sleepe of his Passion that his Spowse the Church might then be framed and fashioned to him which Sleepe of his he thus singeth in the ditty of the Prophet I laid me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me Nay vpon this very ground S. Austen r Aug. in hunc Ps saith it more appertaineth to the Person of Christ then it did to the Person of Dauid Iesus Å¿ Arnob. in hunc Ps saith Arnobius cried with his voice vnto God and he was heard insomuch that hee esteemed of Death as of a Sleepe From whence arising he feared no more but now vpon Corruptible putting on Incorruptible and vpon Mortall Immortality he feares not Thousands of People that set themselues round about him And so indeed it here followeth Verse 6. I will not bee afraid for Tenne Thousands of People that haue set themselues against me round about An excellent Fruit of an excellent Faith Boldnesse and vndaunted Courage against all Opposition whatsoever Such a Courage had Elisha who when his Servant saw such a mighty Hoast compassing the City where his Master was and therevpon fell a crying Feare not t 2. King 6.16 saith Elisha for they that be with vs are moe then they that bee with them Ezechiah vpon the like words concerning the King of Assyria yeelds his reason With him is an Arme of Flesh u 2. Chron. 32.7 saith he but with vs is the Lord our God to helpe vs and to fight our Battails So the Apostle x Rom. 8.31 S. Paul What shal we then say to these things If God be for vs who can be against vs And again a litle after y V. 35. Who shal separat vs from the loue of Christ shal Tribulation or Distres or Persecution or Famin or Nakednes or Perill or Sword Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerers through him that loued vs. As if all those had beene but Fleabytings But then in a strain beyond all admiration I saith he am perswaded that nether Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Which yet notwithstanding is not so to bee vnderstood as if the Godly Man were thus continually couragious in this sort Pray for me z Act. and Mon. edit 4. p. 1724. col 1. saith Father Latimer in his Conference with Ridly for I am sometime so fearefull that I would creepe into a Mouse-hole sometimes God doth visit me againe with his Comfort So he commeth and goeth to teach me to feele and to knowe mine Infirmitie to the intent to giue Thanks to him that is worthy least I should rob him of his due as many doe and almost all the World Thus was it with our Prophet himselfe who as couragiously as hee speaketh here is elsewhere in his Booke of Psalmes in Father Latimers Tune and Taking As a Ps 42.6 Why art thou so full of heavinesse O my soule why art thou so disquieted within me And againe b V. 14. Why art thou so vexed O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee And againe the c Ps 43.5 third time Why art thou so heavy O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me Like our Saviour in the Garden d Mat. 26.39 O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And againe e V. 42. O my Father if this Cup may not passe away from mee except I drinke it thy will be done and hee prayed the f V. 44. third time saying the same words But to returne vnto my purpose Our Prophet here thus couragious what is it that hee doth Doth he now set downe and rest him and makes no more adoe Nay but he prayes to be holpen notwithstanding he giue not over Prayer and therefore saith as here it followeth Verse 7. Vp Lord and helpe me O my God for thou smytest all mine Enemies vpon the Cheeke-bone Thou hast broken the Teeth of the Vngodly First in that the Prophet here so particularly speakes of God in calling him his God and saying O my God it is partly the Fruit of Faith and Loue partly in answere to his Adversaries First concerning that Fruit. God g Aug. de Ovib. c. 16. saith S. Austen is the God of all and yet I wot not how a Man shall hardly dare to say MY GOD vnlesse it be such an one as beleeueth in him and also loueth him such an one saith MY GOD Thou whose thou thy selfe art hast made him thine This it is that hee doth loue Thou in the sweetnesse of thy affection and vpon the confidence of thy Loue saist DEVS MEVS MY GOD Thou saist it securely thou saist it truely because he is thine indeed and yet thou hast not made him that he is not others too For thou vsest not to say in particular sort MY GOD as thou vsest to say My Horse The Horse that is thine is no other mans besides God is not only thine but his besides that saith as thou dost DEVS MEVS MY GOD. So S. Chrysostome It is the manner of the Prophets h Chrys in Gen. Hom. 34. saith he to say MY GOD notwithstanding hee is the God of all the World But this is the speciall and singular office of Loue of things common to make them proper So S. Bernard who speaking of the Prophets appropriating of God vnto himselfe in another of his Psalmes Here the Prophet i Bern. in Ps Qui habitat Ser. 2. saith he saith MY GOD but why not OVR GOD Because as touching Creation Redemption all the rest of those his other like Benefits besides he is the God of all but as touching their Temptations every one of all the Elect hath him as it were peculiar to himselfe For he is so ready to raise vp every one that falleth and to recall him againe that flyeth from him that it seemes hee leaues all other and addicts himselfe to one alone To this purpose S. Austen O Gracious Omnipotent l Aug. Confess l. 3. c. 11. saith he who so curest every of vs as if thou only curedst him and curest all in generall as if all were but one in particular But that the Prophet here saith O my God it is partly as I said in answere to his Adversaries His Adversaries had said before There is no helpe for him in his God wherevpon the Prophet in this place Vp Lord and helpe me O my God As if so be he had said it toucheth now thine own Honour Thy owne Might and Maiestie and Power is now calld in question They seeme to acknowledge thee a God for they say thou art My God but Power they
wrathfull Hand With how great circumspection n Wisd 12.21 saith the Wisdome of Solomon diddest thou Iudge thine owne Sonnes vnto whose Fathers thou hast sworne made Covenants of good Promises Therefore whereas thou dost Chasten vs thou scourgest our Enemies a Thousand times more to the intent that when we Iudge we should carefully thinke of thy Goodnesse and when we our selues are Iudged we should looke for Mercy But what Is there Indignation then and Displeasure in the Highest Is he subiect to Passions as we our selues are No the Lord is not as sinfull Man Fury is not in mee o Esay 27.4 saith he These Words then Displeasure Indignation are spoken here of God according to the Nature Property of Men who when they Punish seuerely vse to bee Furious in their Punishments and so the Lord is said to be This it was that Iob experimented which the Prophet now feared Thou huntest mee p Iob. 10.16 saith Iob as a fierce Lyon and againe thou shewest thy selfe marvellous vpon me Thou renuest thy Witnesses that is thy Plagues against me and increasest thine Indignation vpon mee Changes and Warre are against me Verse 2. Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord Heale me for my Bones are vexed From the Lords Iustice in the former Verse hee Appealeth in this Verse vnto his Mercy and of Mercy hath beene spoken q Expos on Ps 4.1 p. 88. before Nor is the Prophet at a wrong Doore in crauing these Almes forasmuch as the Lords Title is r 2. Cor. 1.3 The Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort The Mercy here meant is a Commiseration over his Miseries a Tender Compassion towards himselfe that suffered Affliction which how well it agreeth to God aboue witnesse the Words of the Apostle S Paul Å¿ Heb. 4.15 For we haue not an High Priest which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all Points Tempted like as we are yet without Sinne. His Conclusion there is Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the Throane of Grace that we may obtaine Mercy and finde Grace to help in time of Need. And again in the same t Heb. 2.18 Epistle In that he himselfe hath Suffered being Tempted he is able to succour them that are Tempted Now that here was the Time of Need wherein this Helpe of Grace was to be found witnes the Words of the Prophet here for that he was Weake and his Bones vexed which Weaknesse of his what it was though it be not here expressed yet may we gather by the Circumstances Infirmum non se vocat quia Aegrotat sed quia Deiectus ac Fractus sit He calls not himselfe Weake in this place by reason of any Sicknesse u Calvin in hunc Ps saith Calvin but for he was Deiected and Cast downe by reason of his Broken and Contrite Heart A Case which oftentimes happens to the dearest Children of God though sometimes they haue Boldnesse againe and Vndauntednesse of Courage against all Opposition whatsoeuer By the Vexing of his Bones here the Prophet perhaps meanes not his Bones indeed but Firmamentum Animae vel Fortitudinem as x Aug. in hunc Ps S. Austen interprets it the very Strength of his Soule suppose his Faith or Hope or so forth Praecipuum Robur suum as y Calvin in hunc Ps Calvin tearmeth it his Might his Strength Excellency of Dignity or Excellency of Power or if so bee hee meant his Bones indeed then as z Iansen in hunc loc Iansenius obserueth they are put for the Members of his Body by an vsuall Synecdoche among the Hebrewes Verse 3. My Soule is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me The Spirit of a Man a Prou. 18.14 saith Solomon will sustaine his Infirmity but a Wounded Spirit who can beare That is saith the Note in the Margent of our Former Translation The Mind can well beare the Infirmity of the Body but when the Spirit is Wounded that is the Mind it selfe it is a thing Vnsupportable If we Reply as did the Disciples of our Saviour in another Case when our Saviour had told them that it was easier for a Camell to goe through the Eye of a Needle then for a Rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God Who then can bee saued so who then can be sustained who can possibly bee supported The Answere must bee as our Saviours there was b Mat. 19.25 With Men it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible The Lord c 1. Sam. 2.6 saith Hannah killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to the Graue bringeth vp Words which She had learnt no doubt of Moses the Prophet in his Booke of Deuteronomie d Deut. 32.39 Howbeit the Prophet here in the meane time is driuen to such Extremities that hee is faine to come to VSQVE QVO to How long he should be Punished It seemes he was long in Punishing then it was not with him as at other times e Ps 30 5. Heavines may endure for a Night but Ioy commeth in the Morning no but happely he endured many Nights many Mornings in this plight So the Prophet here in this place Vsque quo How long but especially in another f Ps 13.1 Psalme How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy Face from me How long shall I seeke Counsaile in my Soule and be so vexed in my Heart how long shall mine Enemies triumph over me How long and How long and again How long and How long again the fourth time Indeed it is Long to vs but it is our Infirmitie which makes vs think that Long which we haue not in a Tryce Iust for all the world like those that are Sicke especially if in their Sicknesse they be Cholerick to How hasty g Aug. in Ps 36 saith S. Austen are sicke Men to haue their Wills Nothing seemes so long vnto them as while the Cup they call for is in fetching They who doe attend them make all the speed they can and all for he should be pleased yet the Sick Man When why When I say When will you bring it mee When shall I haue it They make as much hast as possible they may and yet that which they with so much hast endeauour to perfourme thy Sicknesse makes it seeme long vnto thee But it is a good Note and fit to this purpose which S. Austen hath vpon this Psalme h Aug. in hunc Ps That which is easily Cured is not greatly cared for the Difficulty of Healing makes vs take the greater heed when Health is once obtained And again i Aug. Ib. The Prophet is in this long Perplexitie that hereby hee might knowe how great the Punishment is that is prepared for those that will in no wise bee Converted when they that are Converted find so