a ribbe of his side to be his mate and vnseparable companion as man and wife ioyned in Mariage with Gods blessing for increase and multiplication As appeareth in the two first chapters of this booke But God hauing made man right he intangled him selfe â—â— holie Scripture speaketh with infinite questions For the diuel enuying mans felicitie inâ—â—gled our mother Eâ—e with questions and lies and then by her first seduced and deceiued allured also Adam to the transgression of Gods commandment And so they lost original iustice which Adam had receiued for him selfe and al mankind and al proceeding from them by natural propagation are borne the children of wrath in original sinne contracted from Adam slaues of the diuel not only subiect to temporal death but also are excluded for euer from heauenly blisse and glorie except by Christs redemption particularly applied they be restored to grace iustice in this life And touching Adam and Eue whose sinne was not original but actual directly committed by them selues Gods mercie so reclamed them by new grace that they despared not as Cain and some orhers did afterwards but with hope of remission were sorie and penitent and accordingly receiued penance and redemption For God brought Adam from his sinne as holie writte testifieth and the same is collected of Eue God shewing the like signes of his prouident mercie towards them both of which we shal by and by note some for example Now let vs see the more principal points of faith and Religion professed and obserued by the Church of God before Noes floud First they beleeued in one Eternal and Omnipotent God who made the whole world and al things therin of nothing which is easely confessed of al that are not plaine Atheists and may be proued against them by reason And therfore Adam and other Patriarches could not erre in this Article nor others be ignorant therof except they were very wicked The Mysterie also of the Blessed Trinitie three Diuine Persons in one God though farre aboue the reach of mans reason yet was beleued more expresly by somâ— more implied by others and conserued from age to age by tradition at least amongst the chiefe heades and leaders wherupon Moyses afterwardes insinuated the same great Mysterie by diuers wordes and phraseâ— writing of God and his workes The two wordes God created if they be rightly considered importe so much For the word Elohim God in the plural number signifyeth pluralitie of Persons for manie Gods it can not signifie seeing there is but one God and the verbe bara created in the singular number signifyeth one God in nature and substance albeit three Persons For whatsoeuer God doth in creatures is the worke of the whole Trinitie though holie Scriptures do oftentimes appropriate some worke to one Diuine Person some to another which also proueth distinction of Persons in God So the wordes God created heauen and earth signifie the Father to whom powre is attributed In the beginning signifie the Sonne to whom wisdome is appropriated and the words The Sprite of God moued ouer the waters signifie the Holie Ghost by whose bountiful goodnes the waters were made fruictful Likewise Gods owne wordes Let vs make man signifie the pluralitie of Persons and Image and likenes in the singular number signifie one God Men also knew by faith manie things perteyning to them selues As that the bodie was made of the slime of the earth the soule not produced of anie thing formerly existing but created immediatly of nothing and naturally immortal that the soule of Adam was indued with grace and iustice that he fel from that happie state by yelding to tentation and breaking Gods commandment of abstinence that for the same sinne Adam and Eue were cast forth of Paradise and al mankind subiect to death and other calamities For remedie against sinne restauration to grace they beleeued in Christ promised to be borne of the womans seede who by his death should conquer the wicked serpent deliuer man from captiuitie and restore him to spiritual life And this is the cause of the perpetual enmitie betwen the woman especially the most blessed Virgin Mother of whom Christ tooke flesh and the serpent and betwen her seede the spiritual children of Christ and the serpents seede the whole companie of the wicked Of this battle and conquest Targhum Hierosolimitanum thus speaketh There shal be remedie and health to the children of wemen but to thee o serpent there shal be no medicine yea they shal tread thee vnder their feete in the latter dayes by the powre of Christ their King Likewise Gods familiar conuersation with diuers men in mans shape Gen. 2. 3. 4. 6. and 7. was a signe of Christs incarnation And The Sacrifices immolated did prefigurate his death in respect wherof it is said in the Apocalips The Lambâ— was slaine from the beginniing of the world But more expresly S. Paul testifieth that Abel Enoch and Noe beleeued in Christ naming them for example of the first age and others of other times and in the end concludeth that manie more being approued by the same faith receiued not the promise to wit in their life time God prouiding that they without others of the new Law should not be consummate that is not admitted into heauenlie ioyes fruition of God vntil the way of eternal glorie were opened by our Lords Passion and Asâ—ension Neither did the true seruants of God in those first dayes only beleeue in hart but they also professed their saith Religion by external Rites namely in offering of Sacrifice the most special homage seruice to God which is clerly testified cha 4. as wel bloudie in figure of Christs Passion as vnbloudie in figure of the holie Eucharist Also the accepting of the one rightly offered by Abel reiecting the other not donne sincerly by Cair was declared by external signes which Cain disdayning and enuying his brothers good worke knowing his owne to be naught of mere malice killed his brother Besides Sacrifice they had also other Rites in publique Assemblies praying and inuocating the name of our Lord in more solemne maner from Enos time and so forvvard according to that is recorded of him in the end of the fourth chapter for douteles Adam Abel and Seth did also pray and call vpon God and therfore it was some addition or increase of solemnitie in the seruice of God which is referred to Enos They had moreouer other ceremonies of the seuenth day particularly blessed and sanctified by God kept holie by Adam and other Patriarches as Abben Ezra witnesseth in his commentaries vpon the tenne commandements Of abstayning from meates for it semeth the more godlie sorte did eate no flesh before the floud which was after permitted Obseruation of cleane and vncleane beastes for Sacrifice Of peculiar places dedicated to religious vses where people mette together to pray Likwise diuers
is most faithful that he vvil forgeue sinners and receiue them into his fauoure againe when so euer they resoluing to serue him repent and cease to sinne h Thou ô God that hast care of al creatures not only of men but also of brute beastes art euer readie of thy part to saue both moderate men in vvhom the light of reason remaineth and also grosse senseles persons vvhich are become brutish like horse and mule or other beastes i For so our Lord multiplieth his mercie k Yet with condition that sensles or brutish men must become reasonable men the children of men not coltes whelpes pigges c. l Sinners thus conuerted shal not only haue al necessaries in this life as al liuing creatures haue in this world but also shal hope of spiritual heauenly eternal glorie prepared for Angels and children of men as in the verses folovving m Leâ—t anie impediment hinder the obtayning and possession of eternal revvard the iust must specially pray not to be infected vvith pride n nor be ouercome by the forcible tentations of other sinners by persvvasion not euil example o The first sinne tovvit of diuels vvas pride and mans sinne vvas by persvvasion of the diuel p neither of which could escape punishment An exhortatioÌ„ to contempt of this vvorld The 7. key This Psalme is composed in order of the Alphabet euerie distick beginning vvith a diuers letter to moue the reader to diligent attention which may serue in place of a larger coÌ„mentarie a For Dauids and euery iust mans instruction b Neither be thou offended that the wicked do prosper in this world nor imitate them that thou maist also prosper c For al this life and consequently the prosperitie therof is shorte and vncertaine d Put thy trust in God liuing content in this world e he wil geue thee that is necessarie f Commend al thyn affaireâ— to God g Partly making vertue appeare to the comfort of the vertuous and example of others in this life but especially in the next world h the land of the liuing Matâ— i By way of imprecation as in manie other places the prophet forsheweth that wicked men shal fal into the euils which they prepare for others k Though the iust fal of frailtie orignorance into venial sinne yet Gods grace shal stay him that he fal not into mortal The iust falleth seuen times in the day riseth Prou. 24. l So king Dauid obserued and it very rarely happeneth that the iust or their children are â—â—cle 2. destitute of necessarie sustenance in this vvorld If it chance in some it is to their greater merite and is manifestly recompensed in spiritual giftes In which sense S. Basil expoundeth that it is alwayes verified For God euer rewardeth good workes either temporally or spiritually or both wayes S. Augustin also conc 3. in hunc Psal exemplifieth in Abraham Isaac and Iacob with al his familie who were forced to goe into other countries by reason of famine and by Gods prouidence were there susta ned Gen. 12. 26 46 and S Paul among his other tribulations mentioneth famine and thirst 2. Cor. 11. v. 27. Seing therfore these so iust persons sought their bread in necessitie he expoundeth this holie Scripture in the Allegorical sense that the Church from her beginning in Ierusalem to the end of the world neuer wanteth the true word of God true faith and doctrin which is the spiritual bread vvher vvith the soule is nourished m In these tvvo priÌ„ciples declining froÌ„ euil and doing good true iustice consisteth n and he that finally obserueth these tvvo pointes merâ—teth and shal possesse heauen Pro. 31. Isa â—â— o to draw him to mortal sinne which is death of the soule p rewardes q mans iustice and wel doing is not of his owne powre but of Gods grace The third penitential Psalme The 7. key a In remembrance that by sinne â—â— lost the rest and peace which man had in the state of innocencie secondly we lost the peace of conscience thirdly the rest and peace of eternal felicitie b Condemne me not to eternal paine c nor punish me in purgatorie fire but purge me so in this life that the purging fite be not needful By which fire saith S Augustin though some shal be saued grauâ—or tamen erâ—t ille â—gnis quam quicquid potest homo paâ—â—n hac vita yet that fire shal be more greuous hen whatsoeuer a man can suffer in this â—â—ife S. Gregoâ—y also expoundeth this same place as if Dauid sayd thus I â—new it will coâ—e to passe that after the end of this life some shal be cleansed by purging flames some shal be vnder the senteâ—ce of eternal damnation But because I do esteme that transitorie fire more intolerable then al present tribulation I desire not only not to be rebuked in furie of eternal damnation but also I feare to be purged in the wrâ—th of transitorie correption Thou therfore ó Lord whom I serue in my spâ—â—iâ—â— whom I know to be the Sauiour of al men rebuke me not in furie of perpetual damnation not chatise me in wrath of purging punishment See Annotat. Psal 6. d Afflictions of mind and bodie sent by thy iust iudgement e thou hast strooke me with an heauie hand f I already feele in my flesh in al my bones and powreâ— great affliction g considering thy iustice h and my sinnes i which are excedingly increased almost ouerwhelming my spirite sinnes not washed away by penance by their weight carie the soule into more and more wickednes l stil corrupting those partes which were whole before as a pestered sore that is not cured m not able to goe streight to do anie good worke being guiltie of greuous sinne n concupiscence striuing in me o from the sorrow of my hart my voice hath broken out into clamour p â— God thou knowest my desire to be restored to thy fauour q those that were my freindes and companions in sinne are become myn enemies because I forsake them r sought by al meanes to intangle me againe Å¿ I now renouÌ„ce al sinne t I now relie vpon thee ô God v for this cause I am returned to thee and do pray that mine enemies may not preuail against me w I resigne my selfe to thee x though thou knowest al yet with mouth consession is made to saluation y and I meditate of that which my sinne hath deserued z one kind of detraction is in reueling secrete faultes an other in feaning and imputing false crimes the third here mentioned in calling vertue vice as penance hypochrisie a Graunt me Lord final perseueraÌ„ce in thy grace and seruice Gods prouidence The 3. key a Some expound this Psalme of the Iewes in captiuitie in Babylon but this title and the matter conteyned shew that it rather peteineth to the new Testament b to be songue by Idithun and his scholars successors or rather by Christianes c weake men in
spirite the perfections which he wisheth in Christ in maner of congratulating describeth his fortitude fighting against the diuel for the Church n purposing o prosecuting p and perfecting the conquest and so establishing thy spiritual kingdome q Not vvith warlike armour of this world but by assaulting the aduersarie with truth r defending thyseâ—fe and thy souldiers with the shield of mildnes Å¿ and striking the enemie with the sword of iustice VVhich right force of spiritual fight hath meruelous good successe t Preaching of Christs Gospel his grace mouing the hartes of the hearers is liuelie and forcible more pearcing then anie two edged sword v The example of people conuerted shal moue the hartes of the aduersaries to come also vnto the truth w Christs kingdom shal haue no end Luc 1. v. 33. x Thou defendest and rewardest the good finally forsakest and punishest the wicked y more peculiarly the God of Christ by hypostatical vnion z Diuers kinges as Dauid him selfe Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias were as godlie as Salomon and perseuered good to the end which is doubted Salomon did not but Christ incomparably was annointed indued with al graces aboue al kinges a Mortification which conserueth from putrifying b humilitie aswaging pride c being smal in the first spring grovveth great d humanitie assumpted and sanctified persons in vvhom Christ dwelleth as in cleane shining odoriferous houses e sincere faithful soules more deare to their spouse Christ then daughters of temporal kinges f The Catholique Church in faith purified as gold g vvith varietie of states as Clergie Laity and diuers sortes of religious Orders and other professions al vnited in the same faith hope and charitie h carifully al that Christ thy spouse speaketh to thee by his Spirite i diligently put the same in practise k vvith al obedience and readines and returne not to former infidelitie noâ— to corrupt life l Christ loueth the Church adoined with his giftes m and mutually his true children loue and serue him n Manie of al nations submitle themselues and al that they haue to Christ o Internal vertues are most especial ornaments p exterior are required to edifie others in diuers sortes of vertues q By this meanes manie more are conuerted to christianitie r and one countrie inuiteth and draweth another Å¿ As Apostles came in place of Patriarches and Prophetes so stil Bishops and Priestes succede in the Church pastors and gouernours therof t These pastores shal stil teach the true Christian doctrin v and stil there shal be Christian people that wil folow and professe the same Caluin expoundeth this Psalme contratie to S. â—aul No saluation out of the Church Perpetual succession of Byshops in place of the Apostles The Church prospereth also in persecution The 6. key a Belonging to the Church of Christ b As wel the cause vvhy God suffereth his Church to be persecuted at his assured protection in difficulties are hidden secretes to the world c Al refuge is not secure for one man is not able alwayes to defend an other but God is a sure and strong refuge d euer able and in conuenient time vvilling to helpe e This whole vvorld is ful of tribulations but the Church suffered the greatest in the first persecutions shal suffer as great in the time of Antichrist English Catholiques suffer most of al nations in this age and can not be suppressed but stil increase in number and fortitude f Therfore al Catholiques may assuredly know that the whole Church can not faile g though very manie as now in England h and very eminent persons as some noblemen and some Priestes haue reuolted yet al vvil not i Such bad examples make the good to recollect themselues more diligently and to reiâ—ycâ— in Gods grace by which they stand fast k before the heate of persecution shal inuade al for the elect the dayes of tribulation are shortned l Sometimes one nation or kingdome rebelleth against the Church but can not destroy it m by the spirite of Christ Antichrist and al his members shal be destroyed n The Church sometimes hath great peace and tranquilitie o God himselfe restrayneth the wicked suddainly abating their furie or cutting of their forces Vocation of Gentiles The 6. key a For Christians that leaue the sinnes of their fathers and reioyce in Christ crucified See Annotation Psal 41. b True ioy of the hart sheweth it selâ—e both in voice of exultation and also in gesture of body by clapping of handes dancing as king Dauid did before the Arke 2 Reg â— likevvise vvith instruments c To al the wicked d not only of one or few kingdoms but of al the earth e VVhen kinges and countries become Christians they are made subiectes to the Church that vvas before not heades and rulers therfore f Christ God man after his Passion rose from death and ascended g not leauing his Church desolate but making her ioyful by an other comforter the Holie Ghost h The same Christ is our God by his Diuinitie i and our king by his Humanitie k Doe your endeuour to vnderstand vvhat you sing read or heare in Gods word At least to know the principal Mysteries and pointes of Christian doctrin euerie one according to their capacitie and state or profession l The faithful of the old and nevv Testament are vnited in the seruice of one and the same eternal God m In respect of the Blessed Trinitie holie Scripture here and in manie places vseth names of the plural number as Eloim Goddes not diuiding Gods substance vvhich is one but insinuating distinction of Diuine Persons The Father the Sonne and the Holie Ghost VVhich Mysterie is more expresly mentioned in Baptisme and professed by Christian gentils then it was by the people of the Ievves The Church founded and protected by God The 6. key a Voices beginning the musike instruments prosecuted b especially for the second day of the weke the day after the sabbath which is our Sunday called Dominica our Lords day c Ierusalem and mount Sion were most obliged to praise God for greatest benefites receiued so the Catholique Church therby prefigured and hauing receiued farre greatter is most of al bonden to be gratful d This can not be affirmed of Sion or Ierusalem but is only verified of the Catholique Christian Church e whose coastes do extend to the North and to al quarters of the round earth f The same one God one Christ one Faith and one Religion in al particular Churches of the vvhole militant Church g And this Vniuersalitie and Vnitie shal be after that Christ taking mans nature shal be ascended and shal send the Holie Ghost to found beginne this Church h For the assured certaintie of that is foreshewed the Prophet speaketh in the preteâ—â—ence as if it vvere already done in his time which he then savv in spirite i Nothing more moueth he hart affecteth al the bodie and soule
Doctors found confessed great difficulties in these first chapters which they with much studie endeuored to explicate And therfore it is a wonder to see our Protestants Puritans hold this Paradox that Scriptures are easie to be vnderstood VVheras both by testimonie of those that haue in deede studied laboured in them and by a litle due consideration the coÌ„trarie is most euident For whosoeuer wil looke into the holie Scriptures shal find that some times in shew one place semeth contrarie to an other some times the letter phrase are obscure ambiguous some times the sentences vnperfect Againe manie speaches are prophetical manie parabolical metaphorical and vttered vnder other tropes and figures and that in the literal sense Moreouer there are three spiritual senses besides the literal very frequent in holie Scripture Allegorical pertayning to Christ and the Church Moral pertayning to maners and Anagogical pertayning to the next life As this word Ierusalem literally signifieth the head citie of Iewrie Morally the soule of man Allegorically the Church militant and Anagogically the Church triumphant And sometimes this and the like of others metaphorically in the literal sense signifieth the Church militant and not the citie of Iewrie as in the 12. chapter to the Hebrewes and some times the Church triumphant as in the 21. of the Apocalips 2. The Spirite of God In the Hebrew it is signified that the Spirite of God was on the waters to make them fertile for that fishes and birdes were to be procreated therof the word is merahepheth incubabat sate vpon to produce fruict saith S. Ierom from the waters as a henne by her heate produceth life in the egges And the same S. Ierom and before him Tertullian teach that this was a figure of Baptisme which consisteth of water and the Holie Ghost For as water in the beginning of the world receiued a certain vital vertue of the Holie Ghost to produce liuing creatures so also Baptisme receiueth vertue of the same Holie Ghost to procreate new men VVherupon Tertullian calleth Christians fishes because they are gotten from the waters and thence haue their first spiritual life Let it not therfore seme strange saith he that in Baptisme VVaters geue life 16. Tvvo great lights and starres Here occurreth an other example of the hardnes of holie Scripture For if the two great lights towit the Sunne the Moone and also the starres vvere made the fourth day and not before as it mâ—y seme by the wordes in this place then what was that light and in what subiect was it that was made the first day S. Basil S. Gregorie Nazianzen Theodoret and some others writing vpon this place do thinke that the light which was made the first day remayned though an accident without his subiect til the fourth day And albeit most other Doctors rather think that the substance of the Sunne Moone of other planets and starres were created the first day and the fourth day set in that order and course which now they kepe with more distinction for signes and seasons and dayes and yeares yet it is clere that the foresaid ancient Doctors iudged it possible that accidents may remaine without their subiect which a Sacramentarie wil be loath to grant lest it might be proued possible as both these al other Catholique Doctors beleued and taught that the accidents of bread and wine remaine in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist without their subiects VVhich Protestants denie 26. Let vs make man to our Image For better consideration of Gods bountie towards vs and sturring our selues to gratitude towards him we may here note tenne prerogatiues bestowed on vs by our Lord maker in our creation aboue al other earthlie creatures First wheras God by an imperial word of commandment made other creatures Fiat lux Fiat firmamentum Be there light Be there a firmament intending to make man he procedeth familiarly by way as it were of consultation and as to his owne vse and seruice to make man saying Let vs make man to our image and likenes that is to say a reasonable creature with vnderstanding and free wil which beastes haue not Secondly in this worke God first insinuateth the high Mysterie of the B. Trinitie or pluralitie of Persons in one God because man is to beleue the same signifying the pluralitie of Persons by the wordes Let vs make and to our and the vnitie in substance by the wordes Image and likenes the first in the plural number the later in the singular Thirdly other creatures were produced by the waters and earth Let the vvaters bring forth fishe and soule Let the earth bring forth grasse and catâ—le other beastes but God brought forth man not by the earth though of the earth nor by water nor by heauen nor by Angels but by him selfe geuing him a reasonable soule not sensual only as to beastes and the same not produced of anie creature but created immediatly of nothing Fourthly God gaue man Paradise a most pleasant place to dwel in Fiftly God gaue man dominion and imperial authoritie ouer alliuing creatures vnder heauen Sixtly man was created in that innocencie of life and integritie of al vertues that his mind was wholly subiect to God his sense to reason his bodie to his spirite and al other liuing creatures obedient to him euen the terrible Lions the cruel Tigres the huge Elephants and the wildest birdes Seuently God brought them al to man as to do him homage and to take their names of him VVhich by his excellent knowledge he gaue them conformable to their natures Eightly God gaue man in some sorte an immortal bodie that if he had kept Gods commandment he had liued long and pleasantly in this world and so should haue bene translated to eternal life without dying Ninthly God did not only adorne man with al natural knowledge and supernatural vertues but also with the gift of prophecie VVherby the knew that Eue was a bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh though being a slepe he knew not when she was made Tenthly which was the chiefe benefite of al God conuersed familiarly with man and that in shape of man which was a token of his meruelous great loue to man and a singular incitment of him to loue God Reade more if you please of the dignitie of man and the benefites of God towards him in his creation in S. Bernard vpon the 99. Psalme And vpon the 61. chapter of Esaie 28. Increase and multiplie VVhether this be a commandment or no at least it is a blessing for so the wordes before conuince God blessed them and said Increase and multiplie He said the same also to brute creatures which are not capable of a precept but by this were made fertile VVherby we see that Gods blessing alwayes worketh some real effect as of fertilitie in this and other places of multiplication of the
said The woman which thou gauest me to be my felow companion gaue me of the tree and I did eate †And our Lord God said to the woman Why hast thou done this who answered The serpent deceiued me I did eate †And our Lord God said to the serpent Because thou hast done this thing accursed art thou among al catle beasts of the earth vpon thy brest shalt thou goe earth shalt thou eate al the dayes of thy life †I wil put enmyties betwen thee the woman and thy seed and the seed of her she shal bruise thy head in peeces thou shalt lye in waite of her heele †To the woman also he said I wil multiplie thy trauailes and thy child bearinges in trauaile shalt thou bring forth children and thou shalt be vnder thy husbands power and he shal haue dominion ouer thee †And to Adam he said Because thou hast heard the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree whereof I coÌ„manded thee that thou shouldest not eate cursed is the earth in thy woorke with much toyling shalt thou eate thereof al the dayes of thy life †Thornes and thystles shal it bring forth to thee thou shalt eate the herbes of the earth †In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread til thou returne to earth of which thou wast taken because dust thou art and into dust thou shalt returne †And Adam called the name of his wife Eue for because she was mother of al the liuing †Our Lord God also made for Adam and his wife garments of skynnes and clothed them †And said Loe Adam is become as it were one of vs knowing good euil now therfore lest perhapes he reach forth his hand and take also of the tree of life eate and liue for euer †And our Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure to worke the earth of which he was taken †And he cast out Adam and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubins a flaming and a turning sworde for to keepe the way of the tree of life ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III 1 VVhy hath God Here we may see how sinne came first amongst men For the diuel enuying maÌ„s happie state tempted Eue the weaker person beginning with a question therby to allure her into conference and by such a question as might bring her into suspition of Gods affection towards man saying VVhy hath God commanded you that you should not eate of euerie tree of paradise insinuating by these words and withal internally suggesting that God dealt hardly with them abridging their libertie without cause And when he had got so much of her that she was displeased with the precept which she shewed by adding of her owne to make it seme more greuous that they were forbidden to touch the tree and againe by reporting the punishment as doubtful saying lest perhaps vve dye then the tempter auouched boldly and falsly that they should not dye and charged God to be enuious of the benefite they should get by eating of that tree saying their eyes should be opened and they should be as Goddes knowing good and euil Vpon which perswasion and liking also she had to the fruite she did take and eate and perswaded Adam also to eate And forthwith they saw that they would not haue seene knew euil which they had better not to haue knowen were ashamed and endeuored to couer and hide them selues Euen thus the diuel dealeth with men euer since assaulting the weaker persons and weaker part as the flesh and sensualitie and by them setteth vpon the stronger and superior part to get consent of freewil without which there is no sinne According to that famous saying of S. Augustin Peâ—atum adeo est voluntarium vt nullo modo sit peccatum si non voluntarium Sinne is so voluntarie that in no vvise it can be sinne if it be not voluntarie wherfore it was no sinne in Eue to be tempted by the serpent which she could not auoide nor in Adam to be tempted by Eue but they sinned when they consented to the euil suggestions And now in the regenerate though concupiscence remaine which is the effect of sinne past occasion of sinne in those that yeld againe to teÌ„tations yet is it not sinne but punishment of sinne and matter of exercise in the iust and if we resist of merite and therfore S. Paul exhorteth vs to vvalle in the spirite and the lusts of the flesh vve shal not accomplish And in an other place sheweth that he vvhich fighteth lavvfully shal be crovvned 15. She shal bruise Protestants wil not admitte this reading ipsa conteret she shal bruise lest our Blessed Ladie should be said anie way to bruise the serpents head And Kemnisius amongst others saith that al ancient Fathers read ipsum not ipsa But he is conuinced of lying by Claudius Marius Victor lib. 1. in Gen. Alcimus Auitus lib. 3. carm c. 6. S. Chrisostom bom 17. in Genes S. Ambrose lib de fuga saeculi cap. 7. S. Augustin lib. 2. de Genesi contra Manichaeos cap. 18 lib. 11. de Genesi ad literam cap. 26. S. Gregorie lib. 1. Moralium cap. 38. And after them S. Bede Eucherius Rabanus Rupertus Strabus and Lira vpon this place S. Bernard ser 2. super Misus est And manie others who read ipsa as the Latin text now hath But whether we read She shal bruise or her sede that is her sonne Christ shal bruise the serpents head we attribute no more nor no lesse to Christ nor to our Ladie by the one reading then by the other for by the text I vvil put â—nmitâ—es betvven thee and the vvoman betvven thy seede and her seede It is clere that this enmitie and battle pertained to the woman and her seede on the one partie and to this diuel that spake by the serpent and al the wicked on the other partie and that the victorie should happen to mankind VVhich being captiue by Adams sinne occasioned by a woman should be redeemed both sexes though in farre different sorte concurring therto And so it is most true that Christ by his owne proper powre and his blessed mother by her most immediate cooperating to his Incarnation and consequently to other Misteries did bruise the serpents head breake and vanquish his powre As manie ancient Fathers do excellently discourse namely S. Bernard writing vpon these wordes in the Apocalips cap. 12. A great signe appeared in heauen a vvoman clothed vvith the sunne Albeit saith he by one man and one woman we were greatly damaged yet God be thanked by one man and one woman al losses are repaired and that not without great increase of graces For the benefite doth farre excede the losse Our merciful father geuing vs for a terrestrial Adam Christ our Redemer for old Eue Gods owne mother Moreouer as the
by his only wil could in a moment haue drowned al the rest of the world sauing whom he pleased not needing in any thing the helpe of his creatures yet would vse both natural supernatural meanes as the labour of Noe to build the arke new fountaines springing and the heauens powring downe water fourtie dayes togeather afterwards the winde to dry vp the earh and because the dore being great for Elephantsâ— to enter in and was to be firmed without as S. Ambrose noteth for better induring the forcible waters could not commodiously be closed by Noe our Lord by the ministrie of Angels shut him in on the out side to teach vs by al this and the like disposition of things that albeit his Diuine omnipotencie can do what he wil al alone yet he wil haue his creatures to concurre and cooperate as secundarie causes sometimes naturally sometimes supernaturally or miraculously as it pleaseth his goodnes to impert to them powre and vertue 23. But only Noe As there is not anie thing in al the old Testament from the creation of the world til the coming of Christ more notable more admirable or of greater importance then this historie of the general floud so was there nothing though al or most chanced to them in figure that euer more aptly more liuely or more exactly prefigured Christ and his Church with the rest of al mankind then did Noe and the arke the drowning of the rest of the world in that deluge VVhich S. Augustin declareth in many places but most especially and of purpose in his twelfth booke against Faustus the Manichee from the 14. chapter to the 22. and in his fifteenth booke of the citie of God in the two last chapters where he sheweth at large both the certaintie of the historie and that as certainely it was a figure of things in the new Testament and withal the great congruitie betwen the figure the things figured The same did Origen explicate homil 2. in Gen. S. Gregorie homil 12. in Ezech. Rupertus li. 4. comment in Gen. c. 71. sequent and diuers other ancient Doctors confirming their expositions by S. Peters testimonie saying In the arke a fevv that is eight soules or persons vvere saued from drowning by vvater vvherunto Baptisme being of the like forme novv saueth you also And by our Sauiours wordes saying As in the dayes of Noe so shal also the comming of the sonne of man be In summe the Doctors teach that Noe signifying rest was a figure of Christ the very rest of mans soule VVhom who soeuer foloweth shal find rest for their soules The arke signifieth the Church the forme therof being six times so long as broad and tenne times so long as hiegh resembleth the proportion of mans bodie lying prone or prostrate The dore in the side representeth the wound in Christs side from whence flowed the holie Sacraments by which the faithful enter into the Church and are sanctified The timber wherof the arke is made the water bearing it vp signified the Crosse of Christ and Baptisme For as Noe saith S. Augustin vvith his vvas deliuered by the vvater and the vvoode so the familie of Christ by Baptisme signed vvith Christs Passion on the Crosse Likewise the squarnes of the timber which both sustayned the burden of al contayned in the arke and resisted the boystrous waues of the floud beating without did signifie such men in the Church as be constant stand firmly in al sortes of tentations especially godlie lerned Doctors and Pastors who by worde and example vphold and coÌ„firme the faithful people in al afflictions within and withstand and conuince al Heretikes and other Infidels that oppugne the Church without Againe the hiegher lower rowmes with the midle chambers third loftes other distinctions of cabinets and partitions and al sortes of liuing creatures cleane and vncleane receiued therin did signifie the varieties of al states functions and diuersitie of maners and merites in the Church in which are persons of al degrees Clergie and Laitie Potentates Princes subiectes good and euil The most strong kind of glew called bitumen signified the permanent or euerlasting stabilitie and vnseparable coÌ„nexion of the Church by the grace and continual assistance of the Holie Ghost conseruing the same The consummation of the arke in one cubite signified the vnitie of the same Church which is one in al times and places Neither would God almightie haue manie arkes for Noe and his sonnes or other creatures nor manie chiefe rulers though he would that of them should come manie Nations but one only arke and one chiefe gouernour therof and that al without the same should corporally dye to signifie that al which dye without the Church do perish and are eternally damned wherupon S. Hierom amongst other Fathers sheweth that al within the Church that communicate with the Sea Apostolique wherin S. Damasus sate then gouernour are as those in the arke of Noe and al Schismatikes Heretikes and other Infidels are in like case with the rest of the world that were drowned with the floud The end of the first age A BRIEFE REMONSTRANCE OF THE STATE OF THE CHVRCH AND FACE OF Religion in the first age of the world From the creation to Noes floud the space of 1656. yeares HERE according to our purpose mentioned before we wil briefly recite certaine principal points of Religion taught and obserued in the first age In which the foundations of the true maner of seruing God that should be continued to the end of the world were laid and prospered in some as appeareth in these seuen first chapters of Genesis But first of al we shal in two words repete as it is clerly geathered in the same holie Scripture the state of man before and immediatly after his fall being the subiect to whom al this pertayneth After therfore that God had created other things both in heauen and earth last of al he made Man to his owne image and likenes with vnderstanding and freewil therin like to Angels and superior to al other creatures and so made him Lord and maister of al earthlie things Neither were these the greatest benesits which God bestowed on man for his diuine goodnes indâ—ed also this his reasonable creature with innocencie original iustice whereby al things were most rightly ordered within him and about him His mind wil and reason were obedient to God his senses inferior part of his soule were subiect to reason his flesh and bodie obeyed the spirite and al earthlie creatures obeyed him God also adorned man with excellent knowledge both natural and supernatural And albeit his bodie was of corruptible substance yet the same and al his posteritie if they had not sinned should haue benne conserued and without dying haue benne translated to euerlasting life Thus man was placed in Paradise and Eâ—â— there made of
†Yea and al cattle beastes and creepers that crepe vpon the earth according to their kinde went sorth out of the arke †And Noe built an Altar to our Lord and taking of al cattle and foules that were cleane offered Holocausts vpon the Altar †And our Lord smelled a sweete sauour and said I wil no more curse the earth for men for the sense and cogitation of mans hart are prone to euil from their youth I wil no more therfore strike euerie liuing soule as I haue done †Al the dayes of the earth seed-time and haruest cold and heate sommer and winter night and day shal not rest ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VIII 20. Built an Altar Noe without expresse commandment and without delay offereth Sacrifice to God for the benefite receiued in his and his families conferuation with the other liuing creatures in that general deluge of the world VVel knovving saith S. Ambrose That to be true thankesgeuing vvhich is presented not commanded therfore he made no delay For the vertue of a gratful mind excludeth doutful deliberation and he that expecteth til the dâ—bt of thankes be exacted is an vngratful person For more solemnitie he dedicated an apt and permanent place for this peculiar diuine seruice Building an Altar to our Lord. The Hebrew word Mizbeach of the verbe Zabach to kil or make sacrifice and the Greeke Thysiasterion signifie an Altar to sacrifice on not a common table for meate He offered of the cleane and best things because pure and deuout Sacrifice is due to God Moreouer it was large and bountiful for he offered of al the kindes of cleane beastes and foules Finally he offered them in Holocaustes where al was burned and consumed in the honour of God How gratful al this was to God Moyses signifieth saying Our Lord smelled a svveete sauour not that either anie sweete corporal sauour could of it selfe delight God who is the most spiritual substance or that the burning of flesh bones and bowels of beastes could yeld sweete sauour but the deuouâ— mind declared by such external dutie greatly pleased God For God requireth both but specially a sincere hart As not only diuine Scriptures and holie Fathers but also moral Philosophers teach vs. It vvere a greu us thing saith Plato writing of sacrifices If God had respect railier to the giftes and sacrifices of men then to their mind lib. perites proseuches CHAP. IX God reneweth the blessing of multiplication 3. alloweth the eating of flesh but not of bloud 8. promiseth neuer againe to destroy the world by water 22. Chamsaw and reported his fathers nakednes which Sem and Iapheth couered 24. For which he his cursed and they are blessed AND God blessed Noe and his sonnes And he said to them Increase multiplie and replenish the earth †And your terror and dread be it vpon al the beasts of the earth and vpon al the foules of the ayre with al that moue vpon the earth al the fishes of the sea are deliuered to your hand †And “ al that moueth and liueth shal be yours for meat euen as the grene herbes haue I deliuered al to you †Sauing that “ flesh with bloud you shal not eate †For I wil require the bloud of your soules at the hands of al beasts and at the hand of man at the hand of eech man and of his brother wil I require the soule of man †Who soeuer shal shee l mans bloud his bloud shal be â—hed for to the image of God man was made †But increase you and multiplie and goe vpon the earth and fil it †Thus also said God to Noe and to his sonnes with him †Behold I wil establish my couenant with you and with your seede after you †and with euerie liuing soule that is with you as wel in al foules as in cattle beasts of the earth that are come forth out of the arke and in al beasts of the earth †I wil establish my couenant with you and al flesh shal be no more destroyed with the waters of a floud neither shal there be from henceforth a floud to wast the earth †And God said This is the signe of the couenant which I geue betwen me and you and betwen euerie liuing soule that is with you for perpetual generations †my bowe wil I set in the clouds and it shal be the signe of a couenant betwen me and betwen the earth †And when I shal couer the element with cloudes my bowe shal appeare in the cloudes †and I shal remember my couenant with you and with euerie liuing soule that beareth flesh and there shal no more be waters of a floud to distroy al flesh †And my bowe shal be in the cloudes and I shal see it and I shal remember the euerlasting couenant that was made betwen God and euerie liuing soule of al flesh which is vpon the earth †And God said to Noe This shal be the signe of the couenant which I established betwen me al flesh of the earth †The sonnes therfore of Noe that came out of the arke were Sem Cham and Iaphet and Cham he is the father of Chanaan †These three are the sonnes of Noe and of these was al mankind spred ouer the whole earth †And Noe a husbandman began to til the grounde and planted a vineyard †And drinking of the wine was made “ drunke and naked in his tabernacle †Which when Cham the father of Chanaan had seene to wit that his fathers priuities were bare he told it to his two bretheren abroad †But in dede Sem and Iapheth put a cloake vpon their shoulders and going backward couered the priuities of their father and their faces were turned away and they sawe not their fathers priuities †And Noe awaking from the wine when he had learned what his younger sonne had done to him †he said “ Cursed be Chanaan a seruant of seruantes shal he be vnto his bretheren †And he said Blessed be the Lord God of Sem Chanaan be his seruant †“ God enlarge Iapheth and dwel he in the tabernacles of Sem and Chanaan be his seruant †And Noe liued after the floud three hundred fiftie yeares †And al his dayes were in the whole nyne hundred fiftie yeares and he died ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX 3 Al that moueth S. Iustinus Martyr S. Chrisostom and other ancient Doctors proue that flesh was lawful to be eaten before the floud but being not necessarie because men were stronger and other things also of more force the better sorte which were of Seths race abstained from it But after the floud flesh being more necessarie God altereth that custome of abstinence with this limitation and commandment that they shal not eate bloud 4. Flesh vvith bloud Though this positiue precept of not eating bloud serued wel to make men more abhorre manslaughter
is other mens the best of whatsoeuer he hath in his owne field or in his vineyard he shal restore according to the estimation of the damage †If fire breaking forth light vpon the thornes and catch stackes of corne or corne standing in the fieldes he shal render the damage that kindled the fire †If a man committe money or vessel vnto his frend to keepe and they be stolen away from him that receaued them if the theefe be found he shal restore duble †if the theefe be not knowen the maister of the house shal be brought to the goddes and shal sweare that he did not extend his hand vpon his neighbours good †to doe any fraud as wel in oxe as in asse and sheepe and rayment and whatsoeuer may bring damage the cause of both parties shal come to the goddes and if they geue iudgement he shal restore duble to his neighbour †If a man committee asse oxe sheepe or any beast to his neigbours custodie and it die or be hurt or be taken of enemies and no man saw †there shal be an oath betwen them that he did not put forth his hand to his neighbours good and the owner shal admitte the oath and he shal not be compelled to make restitution †But if it were taken away by stelth he shal restore the damage to the owner †If it were eaten of a beast let him bring vnto him that which was slaine and he shal not make restitution †He that asketh of his neighbour to borow any of these thinges and it be hurt or dead the owner being not present he shal be compelled to make restitution †But if the owner be present he shal not make restitution especially if it were hired and came for the hire of the same †If a man seduce a virgin being not yet despoused and lie with her he shal endowe her and haue her to wife †If the virgins father wil not geue her he shal geue money according to the maner of the dowrie which virgins are wont to receaue †Inchanters thou shalt not suffer to liue †He that lieth with a brute beast dying let him die †He that sacrificeth to goddes shal be put to death but to the Lord only †Thou shalt not molest a stranger nor afflict him for your selues also were strangers in the Land of Aegypt †A widow and an orphane you shal not hurt †If you hurt them they wil crie out to me and I wil heare their crie †and my furie shal take indignation and I wil strike you with the sword and your wiues shal be widowes and your children orphanes †If thou lend money to my people being poore that dwelleth with thee thou shalt not vrge them as an exactour nor oppresse them with vsuries †If thou take of thy neighbour a garment in pledge thou shalt geue it him againe before sunne sette †For that same is the onlie thing wherwith he is couered the clothing of his bodie neither hath he other to sleepe in if he the goddes and the prince of thy people thou shalt not curse †Thy tithes and thy first fruites thou shalt not slacke to pay the first-borne of thy sonnes thou shalt geue me †Of thy oxen also sheepe thou shalt doe in like maner seuen dayes let it be with the damme the eight day thou shalt render it to me †Holie men you shal be to me the flesh that beastes haue tasted of before you shal not eate but shal cast it to the dogges CHAP. XXIII Lawes are appointed to Iudges the enemies oxe or asse to be saued 8. namely not to take bribes 10. The seuenth yeare and day al must rest 14. Three principal feastes must be solemnized euerie yeare 20. Conduction and protection of an Agel is promised 24. the people is agane commanded to destroy Idols 29. VVhy their enemies shal be destroyed by litle and litle THOV shalt not admitte a lying voice neither shalt thou ioyne thy hand to say false testimonie for a wicked person †Thou shalt not folow the multitude to doe euil neither shalt thou in iudgement argree to the sentence of the most part to stray from the truth †The poore man also thou shalt not pitie in iudgement †If thou meete thy enemies oxe or asse going astray bring it backe to him †If thou see the asse of him that hareth thee lye vnderneth his burden thou â—halt not passe by but shalt liâ—t him vp with the same †Thou shalt not decline the poore mans iudgement †A lye thou shalt auoide The innocent and iust person thou shal not put to death because I abhorre the impious man †Neither shalt thou take bribes which doe blind also the wise and peruert the wordes of the iust †The stranger thou shalt not molest for you know the hartes of strangers because your selues also were strangers in the Land of Aegypt †Six yeares thou shalt sow thy ground and shalt gather the corne therof †But the seuenth yeare thou shalt let it alone and make it to rest that the poore of thy people may eate and whatsoeuer shal be leift let the beastes of the field eate it so shalt thou doe in thy vineyard and thy oliuete †Six dayes thou shalt worke the seuenth day thou shalt cease that thy oxe may rest and thine asse and the sonne of thy handmaide may be refreshed and the stranger †Kepe al thinges that I haue said to you And by the name of foren goddes you shal not sweare neither shal it be heard out of your mouth †Three times euerie yeare you shal celebrate feastes to me †Thou shalt keepe the solemnitie of Azymes Seuen dayes shalt thou â—aâ—e azymes as I commanded thee in the time of the moneth of new corne when thou didst come forth out of Aegypt thou shalt not appeare in my sight emprie †And the solemnitie of the haruest of the first fruites of thy worke whatsoeuer thou didst sow in the field The solemnitie also in the end of the yeare when thou hast gathered al thy corne out of the field †Thrise a yeare shal al thy male sexe appeare before the Lord thy God †Thou shalt not sacrifice the bloud of my victime vpon leuâ—n neither shal the fatte of my solemnitie remaine vntil the morning †The first fruites of the corne of thy ground thou shalt carrie into the house of the Lord thy God Thou shalt not boyle a kidde in the milke of his damme †Behold I wil send myne Angel which shal goe before thee and keepe thee in thy iourney and bring thee into the place that I haue prepared †Obserue him and heare his voice neither doe thou thinke him one to be contemned for he wil not forgeue when thou hast sinned and my name is in him †But iâ— thou wilt heare his voice and doe al that I speake I wil be enemie to
and the stranger and pupil and widow which abide with you in the place which our Lord thy God shal choose that his name may dwel there †and thou shalt remember that thou wast a seruant in Aegypt and thou shalt keepe and doe the thinges that are commanded †The solemnitie also of Tabernacles thou shalt celebrate seuen daies when thou hast gathered thy fruite of the barne floore and the presse †and thou shalt feast in the festiuitie thou thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and woman seruant the Leuite also and stranger and pupil and widow that are within thy gates †Seuen daies shalt thou celebrate the feastes to our Lord thy God in the place which our Lord shal choose and our Lord thy God wil blesse thee in al thy fruites and in euerie worke of thy handes and thou shalt be in ioye †Three times in a yeare shal al thy male appeare in the sight of our Lord thy God in the place which he shal choose in the solemnitie of Azymes in the solemnitie of weekes and in the solemnitie of Tabernacles There shal not appeare before our Lord any emptie †but euerie one shal offer according to that he hath according to the blessing of our Lord his God which he shal geue him †Iudges and maisters shalt thou appoynt in al thy gates which our Lord thy God shal geue thee in euerie of thy tribes that they may iudge the people with iust iudgement †and not decline to either part Thou shalt not accept person nor giftes because that giftes blinde the eies of the wise and change the wordes of the iust †Iustly shalt thou pursew that which is iust that thou mayest liue and possesse the Land which our Lord thy God shal geue thee †Thou shalt plante no groue nor any tree neere the altar of our Lord thy God †Neither shalt thou make nor sette to thy self a statue which thing our Lord thy God hateth CHAP. XVII Perfect hostes not mamed nor defectiue must be offered to God Idolaters stoned to death 8. VVhen inferior iudges differ the cause must be decided by the High Priest in consistorie Who is warranted not to erre therin and al are bound to obey his sentence 14. The dutie also of a king Whom in future time God wil condescend to geue them is described with special charge to receiue the law of God at the Priestes handes THOV shalt not immolate to our Lord thy God a sheepe and an oxe wherein there is blemish or any fault because it is abomination to our Lord thy God †When there shal be found with thee within one of thy gates which our Lord thy God shal geue thee man or woman that do euil in the sight of our Lord thy God and transgresse his couenant †that they goe and serue strange goddes and adore them the sunne and the moone and al the hoste of heauen which thinges I commanded not †and this is told thee and hearing it thou hast inquired diligently and found it to be true and the abomination is committed in Israel †thou shalt bring forth the man and the woman that haue committed that most heynous thing to the gates of thy citie and they shal be stoned †At the mouth of two or three witnesses shal he perish that is to be slaine Let no man be killed one onlie geuing testimonie against him †The hand of the witnesses shal be first to kil him and the hand of the rest of the people shal be layd on last that thou mayest take away the euil out of the middes of thee †“ If thou perceiue that the iudgement with thee be hard and doubtful betwen bloud and bloud cause and cause leprosie and not leprosie and thou see that the wordes of the iudges within thy gates doe varye arise and goe vp to the place which our Lord thy God shal choose †And thou shalt come to the priestes of the Leuitical stocke and to the iudge that shal be at that time and thou shalt aske of them “ who shal shew thee the truth of the iudgment †And thou shalt do whatsoeuer they that are presidentes of the place which our Lord shal choose shal say and teach thee †according to his law and thou shalt folow their sentence neither shalt thou decline to the right hand nor to the left hand †But “ he that shal be proude refusing to obey the commandement of the Priest which at that time ministreth to our Lord thy God and the decree of the iudge that man shal die and thou shalt take away the euil out of Israel †and the whole people hearing shal feare that none afterward swel in pride †When thou art entred the Land which our Lord thy God wil geue thee and doest possesse it and dwellest in it and sayest I wil sette a king ouer me as al nations haue round about †him shalt thou sette whom our Lord thy God shal choose of the number of thy brethren A man of an other nation that is not thy brother thou canst not make king †And when he is made he shal not multiplie to him selfe horses nor lead backe the people into Aegypt taking high courage for the number of his horsemen especially whereas our Lord hath commanded you that in no case you returne any more the same way †He shal not haue manie wiues that may allure his minde nor huge weightes of siluer and gold †And after he shal sitte in the throne of his kingdome he shal copie to him selfe the Deuteronomie of this Law in a volume taking the copie of the priestes of the Leuitical tribe †and he shal haue it with him and shal reade it al the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare our Lord his God and keepe his wordes and ceremonies that are commanded in the law †And that his hart be not lifted vp into pride ouer his brethren nor decline to the right side or the left side that he may reigne a long time and his sonnes ouer Israel ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVII 8. If the iudgement be hard For a ful and assured decision of al controuersies God here instituted to his people a supreme Tribunal that in case inferior Iudges varied in iudgement recourse might be had to the Councel of Priestes where one chiefe Iudge the High Priest was appointed to geue sentence and al others commanded to receiue and obey the same 9. vvho shal shevv the truth God so assisted this consistorie with his spirite of truth that their sentence was infallible though otherwise they might erre either in life or in priuate opinion VVherfore our Sauiour distinguishing betwen their publique doctrin and their workes taught the people that for somuch as the Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moyses chaire and yet transgressed Gods commandmentes euerie one should obserue and doe as they saide but not doe according to their
may come againe and teach vs what we ought to doe concerning the child that shal be borne †And our Lord heard Manue praying and the Angel of our Lord appeared againe to his wife sitting in the field but Manue her husband was not with her Who when she had seene the Angel †hastened and ranne to her husband and she told him saying Behold “ the man hath appeared to me whom I saw before †Who rose and folowed his wife and comming to the man said to him Art thou he that didst speake to the woman And he answered I am †To whom Manue when sayd he thy word shal be fulfilled what wilt thou that the child doe or from what shal he keepe him self †And the Angel of our Lord said to Manue From al thinges which I haue spoken to thy wife let him refraine him self †and whatsoeuer groweth of the vineyard let him not eate wine and sicer let him not drinke let him not eate any vncleane thing and whatsoeuer I haue commanded her let him fulfil and keepe †And Manue said to the Angel of our Lord I besech thee that thou condescend to my petitions and let vs make to thee a kidde of goates †To whom the Angel answered If thou constraine me I wil not eate thy breade but if thou wilt make holocaust offer it to our Lord. And Manue knew not that it was an Angel of our Lord. †And he said to him What is thy name that if thy word shal be fulfilled we may honour thee †To whom he answered Why askest thou my name which is merueilous †Manue therfore tooke a kidde of the goates and the libamentes and put them vpon a rocke offering to our Lord who doeth meruelous thinges and he and his wife looked on †And when the flame of the altar ascended into heauen the Angel of our Lord ascended together in the flame Which when Manue and his wife had seene they fel flatte on the ground †and the Angel of our Lord appeared to them no more And forthwith Manue vnderstood that it was an Angel of our Lord †and he said to his wife Dying we shal die because we haue seene God †To whom his wife answered If our Lord would haue killed vs he would not haue taken of our handes holocaustes and libamentes neither would he haue shewed vs al these thinges nor haue told vs these thinges that are to come †She therfore bare a sonne and called his name Samson And the child grewe and our Lord blessed him †And the Spirit of our Lord beganne to be with him in the campe of Dan betwixt Saraa and Esthaol ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII 10. The man hath appeared Al ancient fathers and Catholique writers say this was an Angel which appeared in the forme of a man and it is plaine by the text Yet some protestantes wil haue this person to be Christ the eternal vvord of God VVho afterwardes became man And neuertheles where by by v. 16. he admonisheth Manue to offer sacrifice to God they note that he sought not his ovvne honour but Gods vvhose messenger he vvas either plainly contradicting themselues or els teaching Arrianisme as though the Sonne of God were not God or inferiour to God the Father CHAP. XIIII Samson desirous to marrie a Philisthime woman 5. by the way killeth a lion 8. In whose mouth after few dayes finding honey 12. he proposeth therof a riddle to the Philisthiims for a wager 15. which reueling to his wife she telleth it to his aduersaries 19. He killeih and spoyleth thirtie men so payeth the wager and his wife taketh an other man SAMSON therfore went downe into Thamnatha and seeing there a woman of the daughters of the Philisthims †he went vp and told his father and his mother saying I saw a woman in Thamnatha of the daughters of the Philisthijms which I besech you take for me to wife †To whom his father and mother said Is there not a woman among the daughters of thy bretheren and in al my people that thou wilt take a wife of the Philisthijms which are vncircumcised And Samson said to his father Take this for me because she hath pleased mine eyes †But his parentes knew not that the thing was done of our Lord and he sought an occasion against the Philisthims for at that time the Philisthiims had dominion ouer Israel †Samson therfore went downe with his father and mother into Thamnatha And when they were come to the vineyardes of the towne there appeared a lions whelpe cruel and roaring and mette him †And the Spirit of our Lord came vpon Samson and he tore the lion as if he should teare a kidde into peeces hauing nothing at al in his hand and this thing he would not tel to his father and mother †And he went downe and spake to the woman that had pleased his eies †And after some dayes returning to take her he went aside to see the carcasse of the lion and behold there was a swarme of bees in the mouth of the lion and a honie combe †Which when he had taken in his handes he did eate in the way and coming to his father and other he gaue them part who also them selues did eate neither would he for al that tel them that he had taken the honie from the bodie of the lion †His father therfore went downe to the woman and made his sonne Samson a feast for so yong men were accustomed to doe †When the citizens therfore of that place had seene him they gaue him thirtie companions to be with him †To whom Samson spake I wil propose you a riddle which if you shal solue me within the seuen dayes of the feast I wil geue you thirtie sindones and as many coates †but if you shal not be able to solue it you shal geue me thirtie sindones and cotes of the same number Who answered him Propound the riddle that we may heare it †And he said to them Out of the eater came forth meate and out of the strong issued forth sweetenes neither could they for three dayes solue the proposition †And when the seuenth day was come they said to the wife of Samson Speake to thy husband and vse perswasion to him that he tel thee what the riddle signifieth Which thing if thou wilt not doe we wil burne thee and thy fathers house haue you therfore called vs to the bridal that you might spoyle vs †Who shed teares before Samson and complained saying Thou hatest me and louest me not therfore the probleme which thou hast propounded to the sonnes of my people thou wilt not expound to me But he answered I would not tel it to my father and mother and can I tel it to thee †The seuen daies therfore of the feast she wept before him and at the length the seuenth day for that she molested him he expounded it Who
garder therof †And Eliseus sayd to him fetch a bow and arrowes And when he had brought him a bow and arrowes †he sayd to the king of Israel Put thy hand vpon the bow And when he had put his hand Eliseus put his handes ouer the kinges handes †and sayd Open the east window And when he had opened it Eliseus sayd Shote an arrow And he shot And Eliseus sayd The arrow of the saluation of our Lord and the arrow of saluation agaynst Syria and thou shalt strike Syria in Aphec til thou consume it †And he sayd Take vp the arrowes Who when he had taken them agayne he sayd to him Strike the earth with a iauelin And when he had striken three times and stood stil †the man of God was angrie with him sayd If thou hadst striken fiue or six or seuen times thou hadst striken Syria euen to destruction but now three times shalt thou strike it †Eliseus therfore died and they buried him And the rouers of Moab came into the land the same yeare †And certayne persons burying a man saw the rouers and threw the bodie in the sepulchre of Eliseus Which when it had touched the bones of Eliseus the man reuiued and stood vpon his feete †Hazael therfore the king of Syria afflicted Israel al the daies of Ioachaz †and our Lord had mercie on them and returned to them for his couenant which he had with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and he would not destroy them nor vtterly cast them away vntil this present time †And Hazael the king of Syria died and Benadad his sonne reigned for him †Moreouer Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz tooke the cities out of the hand of Benadad the sonne of Hazael which he had taken out of the hand of Ioachaz his father by the right of warre three times did Ioas strike him and he deliuered the cities to Israel CHAP. XIIII Amasias king of Iudakilleth those that had slaine his father 7. and striketh Edom. 8. Prouoking Ioas king of Israel to warre receiueth a contemtible answer 11. prouoking againe is beaten in battle and Ierusalem is ransact 15. Ioas dieth and his sonne Ieroboam foloweth the bad steppes of the first Ieroboam yet recouereth manie places lost before and dying his sonne Zacharias reigneth IN the second yeare of Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the king of Israel reigned Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda †Fiue and twentie yeares old was he when he began to reigne and nine and twentie yeares he reigned in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Ioadan of Ierusalem †And he did right before our Lord but yet not as Dauid his father He did according to al thinges which Ioas his father did †but this onlie that he tooke not away the excelses for yet the people immolated and burnt incense in the excelses †And when he obtayned the kingdom he smote his seruantes which had slaine the king his father †but their children that killed him he did not put to death according to that which is written in the booke of the law of Moyses as our Lord commanded saying The fathers shal not die for the children neither shal the children die for the fathers but euerie one shal die in his owne sinne †He smote Edom in the Vail of Salt pittes ten thousand and tooke the rocke in battel and called the name therof Iectehel vntil this present daye †Then Amasias sent messengers to Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the sonne of Iehu the king of Israel saying Come let vs see one an other †And Ioas the king of Israel sent agayne to Amasias the king of Iuda saying A thistle of Libanus sent to a cedar tree which is in Libanus saying Geue thy daughter to my sonne to wife And the beastes of the forest that are in Libanus passed and trode the thistle †Thou striking hast preuayled ouer Edom and thy hart hath puffed thee vp be content with the glorie and sit in thy house Why prouokest thou euil that thou mayst fal and Iuda with thee †And Amasias agreed not And Ioas the king of Israel went vp and they saw eche other he and Amasias the king of Iuda in Bethsames a towne of Iuda †And Iuda was strooken before Israel and euerie man fled into their tabernacles †But Ioas the king of Israel did take Amasias the king of Iuda the sonne of Ioas the sonne of Ochozias in Bethsames and brought him into Ierusalem and he brake downe the wal of Ierusalem from the gate of Ephraim vnto the gate of the corner fowre hundred cubites †And he tooke al the gold and siluer and al the vessel that were found in the house of our Lord and in the kinges treasures and hostages and returned into Samaria †But the rest of the wordes of Ioas which he did and his strength wherwith he fought against Amasias the king of Iuda are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel †And Ioas slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kinges of Israel Ieroboam his sonne reigned for him †And Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda liued after that Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the king of Israel was dead fifetene yeares †But the rest of the wordes of Amasias are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda †And there was a conspiracie made against him in Ierusalem but he fled into Lachis And they sent after him into Lachis and killed him there †And they caried him away vpon horses and he was buried in Ierusalem with his fathers in the Citie of Dauid †And al the people of Iuda tooke Azarias sixtene yeares old and made him king for his father Amasias †He built Aelath and restored it to Iuda after that the king slept with his fathers †In the fiftenth yeare of Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda reigned Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas the king of Israel in Samaria one and fourtie yeares †and he did that which is euil before our Lord. He departed not from al the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat who made Israel to sinne †He restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Emath vnto the Sea of the wildernesse according to the word of our Lord the God of Israel which he spake by his seruaÌ„t Ionas the sonne of Amathi the prophete who was of Geth which is in Opher †For our Lord saw the afliction of Israel exceding bitter and that they were consumed vnto the imprisoned meanest persons and that there was none to helpe Israel †Neither did our Lord determine that he would destroy the name of Israel from vnder heauen but he sâ—ued them in the hand of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas. †But the rest of the wordes of Ieroboam and al that
inciteth â—e her contrarie banquet of stollen water and hidde bread †VVISEDOME “ hath built herself an house she hath cut out seuen pillers †She hath immolated her victimes mingled her wine and set forth her table †She hath sent her handmaides to cal to the towre and to the walles of the citie †If any be a litle one let him come to me And to the vnwise she spake †Come eate ye my bread drinke the wine which I haue mingled for you †Leaue infancie and liue and walke by the wayes of prudence †He that teacheth a scorner doth iniurie to himself and he that rebuketh the impious purchaseth a blotte to himself †Rebuke not the scorner lest hee hate thee Rebuke a wise man and he wil loue thee †Geue occasion to a wise man and wisdom shal be added to him Teach the iust and he shal make haste to take it †The beginning of wisdom the feare of our Lord and the knowlege of the holie prudence †For by me shal thy dayes be multiplied and yeres of life shal be added to thee †If thou be wise to thyself thou shalt be and if a scorner thou alone shalt beare the euil †A foolish woman and clamorous and ful of alurementes and knowing nothing at al †sate in the doores of her house vpon a seate in a high place of the citie †to cal them that passe by the way and goe on their iourney †He that is a litle one let him turne to me And to the foole she spake †Stolen waters are sweeter and hidden bread more pleasant †and he was ignorant that giantes are there and her guestes in the depthes of hel ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX â— VVisdom hath built herself a house According to the literal sense wherin the mystical is grounded both intended by the Holie Ghost VVisdom which is God himself Creator Conseruer of al thinges whose special good pleasure and delight is to be with men built his house the Church first in the Patriarches Priestes Prophetes and his other faithful seruantes in the old Testament partly before but more conspicously in the people of Israel establishing the same with seuen that is according to the frequent phrase of holie Scripture with manie pillers Pastors and chief gouerners by whom the whole people were directed in al spiritual causes as the Psalmist likevvise induceth God saying I haue confirmed the pillers therof And as S. Paul aftervvard calleth S. Peter S. Iames and S. Iohn pillers In this house vvisdom also prepared a banquette appointed victimes of diuers sortes as gratful Sacrifices to God therto inuited al men in much better order and to their more profite then the adultresse vvoman follie and vvicked concupiscence in citeth to her carnal and vvordlie pleasures vvhich bring to eternal ruine And for this purpose God neuer ceased to send Priestes and Prophetes to inuite the people of Israel to this strong tovvre fensed vvith vvalles In the Allegorical sense the same diuine increated VVisdom the second Person in the B. Trinitie the Diuine VVORD coeternal to the Father built himself a house his humane bodie in the virgins vvombe and therunto as to the head adioyned the members his mystical bodie the Church immolated victimes of Martyrs prepared the Table in breade and vvine vvhere also appeareth his Priesthood according to the Order of Melchisedec and called therto such as before vvere vnvvise and of smal vnderstanding because as the Apostle saith God chose the vveake of this vvorld to confound the strong As S. Augustin expoundeth this passage li. 17. c. 20. de ciuit q. 51. veter noui Test to 4. THE PARABLES OF SALOMON This repetition of the title signifieth that the sentences which folow are more properly called Parables then the former From vvhich they also differ in maner of vtterance by the figure Antithesis for most part opposing and comparing contrarie vertues and vices shevving their contrarie effectes vvith great elegancie especially in the original tongue vvhich could not be so fully expressed in Greke nor Latin much lesse in vulgar language But are the same in sense though often obscure by reason of the Hebrevv phrase shortnes of sentences and so vvithout anie certaine connexion that we can not with perspicuitie comprehend the summe therof in briefe contentes after the ordinarie maner before the chapters And therfore haue thought it better for the vulgar reader to set downe in the margent of the twentie chapters next folowing in briefe termes the vertues or other good thinges rather then the bad not hauing place for both commended in euerie sentence For though the same be not alwayes expressed in the text yet they may be vnderstood by their opposite vices VVhosoeuer desireth further explication may finde manie of these diuine sentences excellently expounded by S. Ierom S. Augustin S. Gregorie and other Fathers in seueral places Or read S. Bedas Commentaries vpon this whole booke To. 4. vel apud S. Ierom. To. 7. Or amongst late writers our lerned countriman D. Radulphus Bainus Bishop Iansenius and F. Peltanus CHAP. X. A wise sonne maketh the father glad but a foolish sonne is the sorow of his mother †The treasures of impietie shal profit nothing but iustice shal deliuer from death †Our Lord wil not afflict with famine the soule of the iust and the deceitful practises of the impious he wil ouerthrow †The slothful hand hath wrought pouertie the hand of the strong getteth riches Who so trusteth to lyes feedeth the windes and the selfe same man foloweth the flying birdes He that gathereth in the haruest is a wise sonne but he that snorteth in summer is the sonne of confusion †The blessing of our Lord is vpon the head of the iust but iniquitie couereth the mouth of the impious †The memorie of the iust is with prayses and the name of the impious shal rotte †The wise of hart shal receiue preceptes a foole is beaten with lippes †He that walketh playnly walketh confidently but he that depraueth his wayes shal be manifest †He that wincketh with the eye shal geue sorow and the foole in lippes shal be beaten †A vayne of life the mouth of the iust and the mouth of the impious couereth iniquitie †Hatred rayseth brawles and charitie couereth al sinnes †In the lippes of the wise wisdom is found and a rod on his backe that lacketh witte †Wise men hide knowledge but the mouth of the foole is next to confusion †The substance of a rich man is a citie of his strength the feare of the poore their pouertie †The worke of the iust vnto life but the fruite of the impious vnto sinne †The way of life to him that keepeth discipline but he that fo rs keth reprehensions erreth †Lying lippes hide hatred he
about †Before he be broken the hart of a man is exalted and before he be glorified it is humbled †He that answereth before he heare sheweth him self to be a foole and worthie of confusion †The spirit of a man vpholdeth his imbecilitie but a spirit that is casie to be angrie who can susteyne †A wise hart shal possesse knowlege and the eare of the wise seeketh doctrine †The gift of a man enlargeth his way maketh him roome before princes †The iust is first accuser of himself his frend commeth and shal search him †Lotte suppresseth contradictions and betwen the mightie also it determineth †Brother that is holpen of brother is as a strong citie and iudgements are as the barres of cities †Of the fruite of mans mouth his bellie shal be filled and the ofsprings of his lippes shal fil him †Death and life in the hand of the tongue they that loue it shal eate the fruites therof †He that hath found a good wife hath found a good thing and hath receiued a pleasure of our Lord. †The poore speaketh with supplications and the rich wil speake roughly †A man amiable to societie shal be more frendlie then a brother CHAP. XIX BEtter is a poore man that walketh in his simplicitie then a rich writhing his lippes and vnwise †Where is no knowlege of the soule is not good and he that is hastie with his feete shal stumble †The follie of a man supplanteth his steppes and he boileth in his minde against God †Riches adde manie frendes but from the poore they also which he had are separated †A false witnes shal not be vnpunished he that speaketh lies shal not escape †Manie worshipe the person of the mightie and are frendes of him that geueth giftes †The brethren of the poore man hate him more ouer also his frendes haue departed far from him †He that purse weth wordes only shal haue nothing but he that is possessour of the minde loueth his soule and the keper of prudence shal finde good thinges †A false witnesse shal not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shal perish †Delicacies become not a foole not a seruant to rule ouer princes †The doctrine of man is knowen by patience and his glorie is to ouerpasse vniust thinges †As the roaring of a lion so also the anger of a king and as dew vpon grasse so also his cherefulnes †The sorow of the father a foolish sonne and roofes continually dropping through a woman ful of brawling †House and riches are geuen of the parents but of our Lord properly a prudent wife †Slothfulnesse bringeth drousinesse and a dissolute soule shal be an hungred †He that kepeth the commandement kepeth his soule but he that neglecteth his way shal die †He lendeth our Lord that hath mercie on the poore and he wil repay him the like †Nurter thy sonne despayre not but to the killing of him set not thy soule †He that is impatient shal susteyne damage and when he shal take away violently he shal adde an other thing †Heare counsel and receiue discipline that thou mayst be wise in thy later endes †Manie cogitations in the hart of a man but the wil of our Lord shal be permanent †A needie man is merciful and better is the poore then the lying man †The feare of our Lord vnto life and in fulnes he shal abide without the visitation most noysome †The slothful hideth his hand vnder the armehole neither doth he put it to his mouth †The pestilent man being whipped the foole shal be wiser but if thou rebuke a wiseman he wil vnderstand discipline †He that afflicteth his father and fleeth from his mother is ignominious and vnhappie †Cease not ô sonne to heare doctrine neither be ignorant of the wordes of knowlege †An vniust witnes scorneth iudgement and the mouth of the impious deuoureth iniquitie †Iudgements are prepared for scorners hammers striking for the bodies of fooles CHAP. XX. VVIne is a luxurious thing drunkenes tumultuous whosoeuer is delighted therwith shal not be wise †As the roaring of a lyon so also the terrour of a king he that prouoketh him sinneth also against his owne soule †It is honour to a man that separateth himself from contentions but al fooles medle with contumelies †Because of cold the slothful would not plowe he shal begge therfore in the summer and it shal not be geuen him †As deepe water so counsel in the hart of a man but a wise man shal draw it out †Manie men are called merciful but a faithful man who shal fynd †The iust that walketh in his simplicitie shal leaue blessed children †The king that sitteth in the throne of iudgement dissipateth al euil with his looke †Who can say My hart is cleane I am pure from sinne †Weight and weight measure and measure both are abominable before God †By his conuersation a child is perceiued if his workes be cleane and right †The eare hearing and the eie seing our Lord made both †Loue not sleepe lest pouertie oppresse thee open thyne eies and be filled with breades †It is naught it is naught sayth euerie byer and when he is departed he wil boast †There is gold and multitude of pearles but a precious vessel the lippes of knowlege †Take his garment that was the suretie of a stranger and for strangers take a pledge from him †The bread of lying is swete to a man and afterward his mouth shal be filled with the grauelstone †Cogirations are strengthened by counsels and battels are to be handled by gouernmentes †Medle not with him that reuealeth mysteries and walketh fraudulently and dilateth his lippes †He that curseth his father and mother his lampe shal be extinquished in the middes of darkenes †The inheritance wherunto haste is made in the beginning in the later end shal lacke blessing †Say not I wil requit euil expect our Lord and he wil deliuer thee †Weight and weight are abomination with our Lord a deceitful balance is not good †The steppes of man are directed of our Lord but who of men can vnderstand his owne way †It is ruine to a man to deuoure saintes and afterward to retracte the vowes †A wise king dissipateth the impious and bendeth ouer them a triumphant arch †The lampe of our Lord the breath of a man which searcheth al the secretes of the bellie †Mercie truth kepe the king and his throne is strengthened by clemencie †The ioy of
not his meates †Because after the similitude of a southsayer and diuiner he esteemeth that which he knoweth not Eate and drinke wil he say to thee and his minde is not with thee †The meates which thou hadst eaten thou shalt vomite vp and shalt lose thy beautiful wordes †Speake not in the eares of the vnwise because they wil despise the doctrine of thy speach †Touch not the boundes of litle ones and into the filde of pupils enter not †For their nerekinsman is strong and he wil iudge their cause against thee †Let thy hart enter into doctrin and thyne eares to wordes of knowlege †Withdrawe not discipline from a childe for if thou shalt strike him with the rod he shal not die †Thou shalt strike him with the rod and deliuer his soule from hel †My sonne if thy minde shal be wise my hart shal be glad with thee †And my reines shal reioyce when thy lippes shal speake right thinges †Let not thy hart enuie sinners but in the feare of our Lord be thou al the day †because thou shalt haue hope in the later end and thyn exaltation shal not be taken away †Heare my sonne be wise direct thy minde in the way †Be not in the feastes of great drinkers nor in their comessations which contribute flesh together to eate †because they that are geuen to drinking and that pay shottes shal be consumed and drousines shal be clothed with ragges †Heare thy father that begot thee and contemne not thy mother when she is old †Bye truth and sel not wisedom and doctrine and intelligence †The father of the iust reioyceth with gladnes he that hath begotten a wiseman shal reioyce in him †Let thy father be glad and thy mother and let her reioyce that bare thee †My sonne geue me thy hart let thyne eies kepe my wayes †For an harlot is a deepe dich a strange woman a narrow pitte †She lyeth in wayt in the way as a robber and whom she shal see not circumspect she wil kil †To whom is woe to whose father woe to whom browles to whom diches to whom woundes without cause to whom bloud sheeding eies †Is it not to them that passe their time in wine and studie to drinke out their cuppes †Behold not wine when it waxeth yelow when the colour therof shal shine in the glasse it goeth in pleasantly †but in the end it wil bite like a snake and as a basiliske it wil powre abrode poysones †Thine eies shal see strange wemen and thy hart shal speake peruerse thinges †And thou shalt be as one sleeping in the middes of the sea and as the gouernour fast a sleepe the sterne being lost †And thou shalt say They haue beaten me but I was not greeued they drew me and I felt not When shal I awake and finde wines againe CHAP. XXIIII EMVLATE not euil men neither desire thou to be with them †because their mind doth meditate robberies and their lippes speake deceites †By wisedom the house shal be built and by prudence it shal be strengthened †In doctrine the cellars shal be replenished with al precious and most beâ—utiful substance †A wiseman is strong and a lerned man strong and valiant †Because warre is managed by due ordering there shal be saluation where manie counsels are †Wisedom is high for a foole in the gate he shal not open his mouth †He that thinketh to doe euils shal be called a foole †The cogitation of a foole is sinne and a detracter the abomination of men †If thou despaire being wearie in the day of distresse thy strength shal be diminished †Deliuer them that are led to death and those that are drawen to death cease not to deliuer †If thou say I am not of force he that seeth into the hart he vnderstandeth and nothing deceiueth the keeper of thy soule and he shal render to a man according to his workes †Eate honie my sonne because it is good and the honie-combe most sweete to thy throte †so also the doctrine of wisedom to thy soule which when thou shalt finde thou shalt haue hope in the later end and thy hope shal not perish †Lie not in wayte nor seeke impietie in the house of the iust nor spoile his rest †For “ seuen times shal the iust fal and shal rise againe but the impious shal fal into euil †When thine enemie shal fal be not glad and in his ruine let not thy hart reioyce †Lest perhaps our Lord see and it displease him and he take away his wrath from him †Contend not with the most wicked nor emulate the impious †because euil men haue not hope of thinges to come and the lampe of the impious shal be extinguished †Feare our Lord my sonne and the king with detracters medle not †because their perdition shal sodenly rise and the ruine of both who knoweth †These thinges also to the wise to know a person in iudgement is not good †They that say to the impious Thou art iust peoples shal curse them and tribes shal detest them †They that rebuke him shal be praysed and blessing shal come vpon them †He shal kisse the lippes who answereth right wordes †Prepare thy worke abrode and diligently til thy ground that afterward thou mayst build thy house †Be not witnes without cause against thy neighbour neither alure any man with thy lippes †Say not As he hath done to me so wil I doe to him I wil render to euerie one according to his worke †I passed by the filde of a slothful man and by the vineyard of a foolish man †and behold nettels had filled it wholy and thornes had couered the face therof and the wal of stones was destroyed †Which when I had seene I layd it in my hart and by the example I lerned discipline †A litle I say thou shalt sleepe a litle thou shalt slumber a litle shalt thou ioyne thy handes together to rest †and as a poste pouertie shal come to thee beggerie as a man armed ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXIIII 16. Seuen times shal the iust sal A iust man that is to say Gods true seruant free from mortal sinne is subiect during this life to manie tentations imperfections and may often fal into venial sinnes and not lose iustice nor the true title of a iust man as here he is called nor become the diuels seruant nor Gods enemie but through Gods grace helping his weaknes he riseth agaâ—ne from smal sinnes stil perseuering in Gods fauoure wheras contrariwise the impious falleth into euil towitte into more and more sinne through malice and lacke of grace riseth not so easily
shal see the end of the wise and shal not vnderstand what God hath thought of him and why our Lord hath fensed him †For they shal see and shal contemne him but our Lord shal laugh them to scorne †and they shal fal after this without honour and in contumelie among the dead for euer because he shal breake them puffed vp without voice and shal remoue them from the fundations and they shal be made desolate vnto the highest degree and shal be moorning and the memorie of them shal perish †They shal come feareful in cogitation of their sinnes and their iniquities on the contrarie shal conuince them ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 11. He vvas taken avvay By this place S. Augustin proueth that such as died in good state might haue fallen into wickednes if they had liued longer and therefore it was a benefite to them to dye sooner And that it is neuertheles certaine that God both knew the possibilitie that such might yea would haue sinned if they had liued longer and also knew that they should dâ—e sooner and so escape that danger VVhich assured foreknowlege of al thinges that shal be or may be standeth wel with mans freewil against certaine that inclined to Pelagianisme attributing too much to mans freewil and detracting from Gods foreknowlege and prouidence VVhich he prouing by this place his aduersaries excepted against the auctoritie of this booke and therfore he also proueth that it is Canonical Scripture li. de Predest Sanct. c. 14. CHAP. V. In the general iudgement the wicked seing the iust whom they had contemned to be in great honour shal bewaile their owne miserie 9. considering that their pleasure was short 16. and the ioy of the blessed shal be for euer 18. God wil arme himself and al creatures to punish the impious THEN shal the iust stand in great constancie against those that haue afflicted them and taken away their labours †They seing shal be trubled with horrible feare and shal meruel at the sodennes of vnexpected saluation †saying within themselues repenting and sighing for anguish of spirit These are they whom we had sometime in derision and in a parable of reproch †We senslesse estemed their life madnes and their end without honour †Behold how they are counted among the children of God and their lot is among the saints †We therfore haue erred from the way of truth and the light of iustice hath not shined to vs and the sunne of vnderstanding rose not to vs. †We are weried in the way of iniquitie and perdition and haue walked hard wayes but the way of our Lord we haue not knowen †What hath pride profited vs or what commoditie hath the vaunting of riches brought to vs †Al those thinges are passed away as a shadow and as a messenger running before †and as a shippe that passeth through the surging waters wherof when it is past the trace can not be found nor the path of that shippes keele in the waues †or as a bird that flyeth through in the ayre of which there is no token can be found of her passage but only a sound of the winges beating the light winde and by vehemence of going cutting the ayre mouing the winges she is flowen through and afterward there is no signe found of her way †or as when an arrow is shotte forth to a sette marke the diuided ayre is forthwith closed in itself againe so that the passage therof is not knowen †so we also being borne forthwith ceased to be and of vertue certes haue bene able to shew no signe but in our naughtines we are consumed †Such thinges sayd they in hel which sinned †because the hope of the impious is as dust which is taken away with the winde and as a thinne froth which is dispersed by the storme and as smoke that is scatered abrode by the winde and as the memorie of a ghest of one day that passeth †But the iust shal liue for euer and their reward is with our Lord and cogitation of them with the Highest †Therfore shal they receiue a kingdom of honour a crowne of beautie at the hand of our Lord because with his right hand he wil couer them and with in his holie arme he wil defend them †And his zele wil take armour and he wil arme the creature to the reuenge of the enemies †He wil put on iustice for a brestplate wil take sincere iudgement for an helmet †he wil take equitie for an inuicible shilde †and he wil sharpen fierce wrath for a speare and the round world shal fight with him against the senslesse †The shottes of lightenings shal goe directly as it were from a bow of the clouds wel bent they shal be cast forth and shal light on a certaine place †And from rocked wrath shal thicke haile stones be cast the water of the sea shal rage against them and the riuers shal runne together roughly †A spirit of powre shal stand against them and as a hurle winde shal diuide them and their iniquitie shal bring al the land to a desert and naughtines shal ouerthrow the seates of the mightie CHAP. VI. Kinges and al Magistrates are againe admonished to exercise iustice 7. otherwise they shal be more greuously punished 13. wisdom may easely be found 18. by those that sincerely desire it 22. And is very profitable 25. excepting the enuious or il disposed 26. both to prince and people VVISEDOM is better then strength and a wiseman then a strong †Heare therfore ye kinges vnderstand lerne ye iudges of the endes of the earth †Geue eare ye that rule multitudes and that please yourselues in multitudes of nations †because the powre is geuen you of our Lord and strength by the Highest who wil examine your workes and search your cogitations †because when you were the ministers of his kingdom you iudged not rightly nor kept the law of iustice nor haue walked according to the wil of God †Horribly and quickly wil he appeare to you because most seuere iudgement shal be done on them that beare rule †For to the litle one mercie is granted but the mightie shal mightely suffer torments †For God wil not except any mans person neither wil feare the greatnes of any man because he made the litle and the great he hath equally care of al. †But to the stronger more strong torment is imminent †To you therfore ô kings are these my wordes that you may lerne wisdom and not fal †For they that haue kept iust thinges iustly shal be iustified and they that haue lerned these thinges shal find what they may answer †Couet ye therfore my wordes and loue them and you shal haue discipline †Wisdom is cleere and such as neuer fadeth and is easely sene of them that loue her and is
they shal not inhabite nor walke therein and they shal not leape high into the congregation †Vpon the iudges seate they shal not sitte and the ordinance of iudgement they shal not vnderstand neither shal they declare discipline and iudgement and in parables they shal not be found †but they shal confirme the creature of the world and their prayer shal be in the worke of their art applying their soule searching in the law of the Highest CHAP. XXXIX Goldie knowlege 16. puritie of soule 20. humble conceipt of our selues 27. and consideration of eternal reward are good dispositions to spiritual contemplation THE wise man wil search out the wisdom of al the ancientes and wil be occupied in the prophetes †He wil keepe the narration of famous men and wil enter withal into the subtilities of parables †He wil search out the hidden senses of prouerbes and wil conuerse in the secretes of parables †In the middes of great men he wil minister and in the sight of the president he shal appeare †He shal passe into the land of strange nations for he shal trie good and euil in men †He wil geue his hart to watch early vnto our Lord that made him and he wil pray in the sight of the Highest †He Wil open his mouth in prayer and wil entreate for his sinnes †For if it shal please our great Lord he wil fil him with the spirit of vnderstanding †and he wil power forth the wordes of his wisdom as showres and in prayer wil confesse to our Lord. †And he wil direct his counsel and discipline and in his secretes he wil consult †He wil open the discipline of his doctrine and wil glorie in the law of the testament of our Lord. †Manie wil praise his wisdom and it shal not be abolished for euer †The memorie of him shal not depart and his name shal be required from generation to generation †Nations shal declare his wisdom and the church wil shew forth his praise †If he continew he shal leaue a name more then a thousand and if he rest it shal profite him †I wil yet consult that I may declare For as with furie I am replenished †In voice he saith Heare me ye diuine fruites and as the rose planted vpon the riuers of waters fructifie ye †As Libanus haue ye the odours of sweetnes †Florish ye flowres as the lilie and geue forth an odour and bring forth leaues in grace and praise with songue and blesse our Lord in his workes †Geue magnificence to his name and confesse vnto him in the voice of your lippes and in songues of the lippes and harpes thus shal ye say in confession †Al the workes of our Lord are exceeding good †At this word the water stood as an heape and at the word of his mouth as it were receptacles of waters †because in his commandment placabilitie is made and there is no diminishing of his saluation †The workes of al flesh are before him and there is nothing hid from his eyes †From world to world he beholdeth and nothing is meruelous in his sight †It is not to be saied What is this or what is that for al thinges shal be sought in their time †His blessing hath ouerflowed as a streame †And as a flood hath watered the drie land so his wrath shal inherite the nations that haue not sought him †euen as he turned waters into drught and the earth was made drie and his waies are direct to the waies of them so to sinners stumbling blockes in his wrath †Good thinges were created for the good from the beginning so for the wicked good thinges and euil †The beginning of the thing necessarie for the life of men water fire and yron salt milke and bread of flower and honie and the cluster of grape and oyle clothing †Al these shal be conuerted to saintes into good so also to the impious and to sinners into euil †There are spirites that were created for vengeance and in their furie they haue confirmed their tormentes †in the time of consummation they shal power our strength and they shal accomplish the furie of him that made them †Fire haile famine and death al these were created for vengeance †the teeth of beastes and scorpions and serpentes and sword reuenging the impious vnto destruction †In his commandmentes they shal make merrie and on the earth they shal be prepared when nede is and in their times they shal not pretermitte a word †Therefore from the beginning I was confirmed and I haue consulted and thought and leaft written †Al the workes of our Lord are good he wil geue euerie worke in his houre †It is not to be said This is worse then that for al shal be approued in their time †And now with al hart and mouth praise ye and blesse the name of our Lord. CHAP. XL. The first matter of spiritual meditation may be mans miserie contracted by original sinne 4. and increased by actual 17. reliued by God grace 22. which geueth manie benefites 27. man adding his voluntarie cooperation GREAT trauel is created to al men and an heauie yoke vpon the children of Adam from the day of their coming forth of their mothers wombe vntil the day of their burying into the mother of al. †Their cogitations and feares of the hart imagination of thinges to come and the day of their ending †from him that sitteth vpon the glorious seate vnto him that is humbled in earth ashes †From him that weareth hyacinth and beareth the crowne euen to him that is couered with rude linen furie enuie tumult wauering and the feare of death anger perseuering and contention †and in the time of repose in bed the sleepe of night changeth his knowlege †A litle is as nothing in rest and afterward in sleepe as in the day of watch◠†He is trubled in the vision of his hart as he that hath escaped in the day of battel In the time of his safetie he rose vp and merueleth at noe feare †With al flesh from man euen to beast and vpon sinners seuenfold †Beside these thinges death bloud contention and sword oppressions famine and contrition and scourges †for the wicked al these were created and for them the floud was made †Al thinges that are of the earth shal turne into the earth and al waters shal returne into the sea †Al bribing and iniquitie shal be cleane taken away and fidelitie shal stand for euer †The riches of the vniust shal be dried vp as a riuer and they shal sound as great thunder in rayne †In opening his handes he shal reioyce so transgressors shal pine away in consumption †The nephewes of the impious shal not multiplie boughes nor vncleane
rootes sound vpon the toppe of a rocke †Ouer al water grennes and at the brincke of the riuer it shal be plucked vp before al grasse †Grace is as paradise in blessinges and mercie remayneth for euer †The life of a workeman that is sufficient for himself shal be sweete and in it thou shalt finde a treasure †Children and building of a citie shal confirme the name and an vnspotted woman shal be counted aboue this †Wine and musicke make a ioyful hart and the loue of wisedom is aboue both †Shalmes and Psalterie make sweete melodie and a sweete tongue is aboue both †Thine eye wil desire grace and beautie and greene sowen fieldes are aboue this †A freind and companion meeting together in time and aboue them both is a woman with her husband †Bretheren are an helpe in the time of tribulation and mercie shal deliuer more then they †Gold and siluer are the establishing of the feete and counsel is wel accepted aboue them both †Riches and strength exalt the hart and aboue these is the feare of our Lord. †There is no diminution in the feare of our Lord and in it there is no neede to seeke for helpe †The feare of our Lord is as a paradise of blessing and they haue couered it aboue al glorie †Sonne in thy life time want not for it is better to die then to want †A man that looketh toward an other mans table his life is as no life thinking how to liue for he feedeth his soule with an other mans meates †But a man nurtered and taught wil looke to him selfe †Pouertie wil be sweete in the mouth of the vnwise and in his bellie a fire wil burne CHAP. XLI An other matter of meditation is death 8. wherof sinne is the cause 1◠Care of a good fame is necessarie 19. Let shamfastnes be a bridle to auoide fornication 22. iniquitie 24. theft and other sinnes O DEATH how bitter is thy memorie to a man that hath peace in his riches †to a man that is at rest and whose wayes are prosperous in al thinges and that is yet able to take meate †O death thy iudgement is good to a needy man and him that is diminished in strength †and fayleth in age and that is careful of al thinges and to the incredulous that loseth patience †Feare not the iudgement of death Remember what thinges haue bene before thee and what come after thee this is the iudgement from our Lord to al flesh †and what shal come vpon thee by the good pleasure of the Highest whether it be ten or an hundred or a thousand yeares †For in hel there is no accusing of life †The children of sinners be come children of abominations and they that conuerse neere the houses of the impious †The inheritance of the children of sinners shal perish and with their seede shal be continuance of reproch †The children complaine of an impious father because for him they are in reproch †Woe to you ye impious men which haue forsaken the law of our Lord the Highest †And if ye be borne ye shal be borne in malediction and if ye die in malediction shal be your portion †Al thinges that are of the earth shal returne into the earth so the impious from malediction to perdition †The moorning of men is in their bodie but the name of the impious shal be cleane wyped out †Haue care of a good name for this shal be more permanent to thee then a thousand treasures precious and great †There is a number of the daies of a good life but a good name shal continew for euer †Children keepe ye discipline in peace For wisdom hid and treasure not seene what profite is there in them both †Better is the man that hideth his follie then the man that hideth his wisdom †But yet haue reuerence to these thinges which proceede from my mouth †For it is not good to obserue al shamfastnes al thinges do not please al men in opinion †Be ashamed before father before mother of fornication and before the president and before the mightie of lying †before the prince and before the iudge of offence before the sinagogue and the people of iniquitie before companion and freind of iniustice and before the place where thou dwellest †of theft of the truth of God and his testament of leaning on the bread and of reproofe for the thing geuen and taken †before them that salute thee of silence of beholding a woman that is an harlot and of turning away thy countenance from thy kinsman †Turne not away thy face from thy neighbour of taking away part and not restoring †Behold not an other mans wife and search not his handmayde neither stand by her bed †Before freindes of opprobrious wordes and when thou hast geuen vpbrayde not CHAP. XLII Further admonition to auoide sinnes in wordes and deedes 6. with care that others offend not by our negligence 15. An other matter of meditation is Gods excellencie appearing in his workes REPEATE notthe word which thou hast heard neither reueale thou of a secret word thou shalt in deede be without confusion and shalt finde grace in the sight of al men be not ashamed for al these thinges and accept not person therby to sinne †Of the law of the Highest and his testament and of iudgement to iustifie the impious †of the word of companions and wayfaring men and of the geuing of the inheritance of freindes †of the equalitie of balance and weightes of the getting of manie thinges and few †of the corruption of bying and of marchantes and of much discipline of thy children and to make bloudie the side of a wicked seruant †Ouer a naughtie woman a seale is good †Where there are manie handes shutvp and what soeuer thou shalt deliuer number and weight it and write euerie thing geuen and receiued †Of the discipline of the vnwise and foolish and of ancientes that are iudged of young men and thou shalt be wel instructed in al thinges and approued in the sight of al the liuing †A daughter is the secret watch of the father and the care of her taketh away sleepe lest perhaps in her youth she become past age abiding with an husband she become odious †lest at anie time she be corrupted in her virginitie and in her fathers house she be found with childe lest perhaps abyding with her husband she transgresse or at the least become barren †Ouer a dissolute daughter keepe sure watch lest at anie time she make thee come into reprooche with thine enemies because of detraction in the citie and the obiection of the people and she confound thee in the multitude of the people †Looke not on euerie bodie for beautie sake among wemen tarie not †For
his time The end of the Sapiential Bookes THE FOVRT PART OF THE OLD TESTAMENT CONTEINING PROPHETICAL BOOKES The argument of Prophetical bookes in general AMongst manie great benefites which God bestowed vpon his peculiar people in the old Testament one principal and very excellent was that besides their ordinarie Pastors and gouerners in spiritual causes the Priestes of Aarons progenic and other clergie men of the same tribe of Leui in â—erarchical subordina ion of one chief with other superiors and subiectes disposed in sacred functions he also gaue them other extraordinarie Prophetes of sundrie tribes as admonitors and guides to reduce them from errors of sinne into the right way of vertue Which office the same Prophetes performed as wel by threatning the offenders with Gods wrath and punishment as by exhorting them to repentance and so to trust in Gods assured mercie that he would geue them better times and reliefe from their miseries But most especially these holie Prophetes did foresee and foretel the happie times of Grace in the New Testament The coming of Messias Christ our Redemer and Sauiour With the mysteries of his Incarnation Birth Passion Death Resurrection Ascension Coming of the Holie Ghost Fundation Propagation perpetual Stabilitie of his Church and finally the General Iudgement Eternal Glorie of the blessed and Euerlasting paine of the damned For albeit they preached and prophecied manie thinges properly and immediatly perteyning to the particular state and people of the Iewes and other nations Where they conuersed yet the principal summe of al the prophetical bookes is of Christ and his Church Yea al the old Testament is a general prophecie and forshewing of the New Which as we noted in the beginning is conteyned and lieth hid in the old Neuertheles speaking more distinctly of the proper arguments or contents of the foure partes of the old Testament the former three more peculiarly setforth the Law the Historie and Sapiential precepts and this last part chiefly conteyneth Prophecies of thinges to come Of which the greatest part is now come to passe or dayly fulfilled and the rest shal likewise be performed in due time So now in order after the Legal Historical and Sapiential bookes folow the Prophetical and are these according to the names of the Prophetes that writte them Isaie Ieremie with Baruch Ezechiel and Daniel commonly called the greatter Prophetes and the twelue lesser aâ—e Osee Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahum Abacuc Sophonias Aggeus Zacharie and Malachie Who were al singularly inspired and gouerned in their preachings and writinges by the Holie Ghost that they could not erre Yea they were so illuminated in their vnderstanding that they clerly saw that which they vttered And therfore their Prophecies are called Visions for the assured infallibilitie of truth which they auouch For as nothing is more certaine in vulgar knowlege then that which we see with our corporal eyes and therfore of al witnesses the eye witnes is estemed the surest and as in al natural knowlege that is most certaine which is sene by discourse of reason so in supernatural knowlege nothing is more assured then that which is sene by supernatural light Whereof there be three sortes the light of Faith of Prophecie and of Glorie Al three certaine and vndoubted but most clere and manifest is the vision by light of glorie wherby God is sene in himself and al thinges in him that perteyne to the state of euerie glorious Sainct Next therto is the vision by light of prophecie wherwith God illuminateth the vnderstanding of the Prophet by a special extraordinarie and transitorie light of grace that either he clerly seeth the reueled truthes or at least perfectly knoweth that he is moued by the Holie Ghost though he vnderstand not al that the Holie Ghost intendeth and so when and where it is Gods wil he vttereth the same for instruction of others The last which is also certaine but more obscure is the supernatural knowlege which al Catholique Christians haue by light of faith assuredly beleuing al thinges which God reueleth by his Church Concerning therfore this excellent diuine gift of Prophecie granted to few for the benefite of al Gods seruants we are here to informe the vulgar reader that wheras these prophecies are for most part hard to be vnderstood and as S. Peter teacheth not knowen by priuate interpretation but must be interpreted by the same Spirite wherwith they were written our purpose is not to explicate them nor yet to produce large explications of the godlie lerned Fathers but rather fewer and briffer notes then hertofore and for the rest we remitte the more lerned and studious readers according to their capacities to search the same in the commentaries of ancient and late Expositers wishing others to content themselues with the more easie partes of holie Scriptures and other godlie bookes and daylie instructions of spiritual teachers And such as do also read these may obserue with vs these amongst other special causes of the hardnes of the Prophetes One cause is the frequent interruption of sentences with suddaine change from one person or matter to an other without apparent coherence Which S. Ierom noteth in sundrie places As I saie 7. after that the Prophet hath seuerely reprehended king Achab for his distrust of Gods assistance against his temporal enimies v. 13. in the next wordes he prophecieth that a Virgin shal conceiue and beare a sonne Christ our Sauiour and the like in other places An other cause is that the Prophetes speake thinges of some persons which are to be fulfilled in others either of their progenie or prefigured by them As the prophecie of the Iewes and Gentiles comprised in the historie of Esau Iacob Likewise that which Iacob prophecied Gen. 49. of Simeon an Leui not fulfilled in themselues but in the Scribes and Priestes descending of their stock Also much of that which Dauid semeth to speake of Salomon Psal 88. can only be vnderstod of Christ Other examples wil occurre in the Prophetes ensuing Briefly for we can not here expresse al the causes in few wordes prophecies are often times vttered in figuratiue speaches and often not in wordes but in factes other times so mixed with histories and temporal thinges with spiritual againe some thinges perteyning to the old Testament so ioyned with mysteries of the new and the like that most hard it is to discerne nay not possible without special reuelation or instruction of others to know to what purpose or thing euerie part perteyneth or is to be applied for some thinges are spoken only of the historie some thinges of misteries manie thinges of both And the reason why the Holie Ghost doth so vtter these prophecies is noted by S. Ierom in Nahum 3. that the proud and malicious enimies of Religion may not vnderstand them lest sayth he a holie thing should be geuen to dogges pearles cast to swine most sacred mysteries
were subiect to strangers ruling ouer them and sometimes extremely afflicted with persecution yet they stil perseuered in the same fayth and religion had succession of Priestes and of one Highpriest with conseruation also of the royal line of Dauid euen to Christ our eternal King and Priest First therfore concerning Articles of fayth and religion the beleefe in one God was so generally confessed by the whole Iewish nation that their Priestes and Prophetes did vse it for a principle in confirmation of other pointes as wel doctrinal as moral So Malachie teaching that our neighbour is to be beloued God to be serued and his lawes to be kept Is there not one Father of vs al sayth he ch 2. v. 10. Hath not one God created vs Why then doth euerie one of vs despise his brother violating the couenant of our fathers More expresly Ieremie in his Epistle Baruc. 6. sheweth the vanitie and absurditie of manie goddes exhorting the people to serue the one omnipotent God saying to him sincerely in their bartes v. 5. Thou oughtest to be adored ô Lord. Likewise when the Magicians of Chaldea ascribed the knowlege of dreames to false goddes Daniel with the other three children ch 2. v. 18 prayed the God of heauen and the mystetie was reueled to Daniel and he declared and expounded the kings dreame Who therupon confessed to Daniel v. 47. In very dede your God is the God of goddes and Lord of kinges The same three children Daniel 3. were cast into the burning furnace and Daniel into the lions denne ch 6. 14. readie to dye for their fayth in one God For this fayth also Mardocheus as is written in the booke of Esther was persecuted and he with al the people were in extreme danger And the auctor of the booke of wisdome teacheth that one God is knowen by consideration of his creatures Al men are vaine sayth he ch 13. v. 1. that by thinges sene vnderstand not him that is neither attending to the workes agnise who was the workman So the auctor of Ecclesiasticus ch 1. v. 8. professeth There is one most high Creator omnipotent and mightie king and to be feared excedingly sitting vpon the throne the God of Dominion As for the high Mysterie of three Diuine Persons in one God not so commonly reueled in the old testament yet was it knowen and in some sorte vttered As Aggeus 2. v. 5. 6. I am with you fayth the Lord of hostes the word that I did couenant with you when you came out of the land of Aegypt and my Spirite shal be in the middes of yoa VVhere by the Lord of hosts u commonly vnderstood God the Father by his spirite God the Holie Ghost and the word may signifie God the Sonne of whose Incarnation the Prophete playnly speaketh in the next verses For in this consisteth the couenant betwen God and his people that they should kepe his word of precepts and commandments expressed in the law and he would send them the word his onlie Sonne the Second Diuine Person to redeme mankind Againe the same three Persons seme to be distinguished in diuers places God the Father is described according to mans smal capacitie Daniel 7. v. 9. thus Thrones were sette and THE ANCIENT OF DAYES sate his vesture white as snow and the heares of his head as cleane wool his throne flames of fire his wheeles fire kindled He is called Ancient of dayes not only because he is eternal for so are the other two Diuine Persons but this terme is attributed to the Father because in order he is the beginning from whom the other two Persons proceede The Sonne by generation the Holie Ghost from the Father and the Sonne by procession To God the sonne the same Prophet Daniel prayeth ch 9. v. 17. saying Now therfore heare ô our God the petition of thy seruant and his prayers and shew thy face vpon thy Sanctuarie which is desert for thyne owne sake that is for thyne owne merites which can only be vnderstood of that Diuine Person which is incarnate Zacharie 12. v. 10. God speaking by the prophet sayth I wil powre out vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitantes of Ierusalem the spirite of grace and of prayers which may easily be vnderstood to be the promise of the B. Trinitie but that which immediatly foloweth and they shal looke towards me whom they pearced can only be spoken by the Second Diuine Person who only is incarnate and was pearced in his Passion In the booke of wisdome is much written of wisdom increated a terme appropriated to God the Sonne especially ch 2. 7. 8. 9. and 10. The like in Ecclesiasticus ch 1. 4. 24. And ch 51. v. 14. is distinct mention of the Father the Sonne I haue inuocated sayth the auctor or anie faythful soule our Lord the Father of my Lord. There is likewise particular mention of the Holie Ghost in some places As 2. Esd 9. v. 20. Thou gauest them the good Spirite which should teach them for the office of internal teaching is appropriated to the Holie Ghost Ioan. 14. v. 17. and 16. v. 13. The Spirite of truth and he shal teach you al truth Ezec. 36. v. 27. I wil put my Spirite in the middes of you and wil make that you walke in my precepts Zach. 7. v. 12. The wordes which the Lord sent in HIS SPIRITE by the hand of the former Prophetes Sapient 1. v. 5. The Holie Ghost of discipline wil flye from him that feaneth Ecclesiasticus 1. v. 9. He created her in the Holie Ghost 24. v. 29. They that eate ME shal yet hunger and they that drinke ME shal yet thirst Where God calleth the Holie Ghost which is receiued by grace himselsef Because al three Diuine Persons are one God And that there be manie Dinine Persons in God who is one in substance is sufficiently signified by al those holie Scriptures where God is called by the name Elohim in the plural number especially seing this name hath also the singular number Eloha As Iob. 12. v. 4. 36. v. 2. Daniel 2. v. 28. Habacuc 1. v. 11. 3. v. 3. which last place semeth most painly to speake of the Sonne of God ELOHA MITHEMAN IAVO God wil come from Theman or from the South And therfore where this word Elohim is vsed in the plural number as in most places it is it signifieth pluralitie of Persons in God Christs Incarnation is more clerly foreshewed by Prophetes who aboue other consolations most especially comforted the people by their prophecies of Christ our Sauiour Ieremie 23. v. 5. I wil rayse vp to Dauid a iust branch and he shal reigne a king and shal be wise and he shal doe iudgement and iustice in the earth Ch. 31. v. 23. A woman shal compasse a man Christ though in bodie a litle infant yet in powre and wisedom was most perfect of al men euen when he was in his mothers
things indifferent bind in conscience Temporal punishment due after sinne is remitted Death due to al for Original sinne Yea to infants who haue no other sinne Also other penalties insticted vpon infants Math. 9 Luc. 10. S. Epiph. in compeÌ„ fâ—dei Cat. S. Aug. epist 80. Caluin l. 3. inst c. 4 parag 31. 32. Rom. 5. lib. 13. de ciuit c 6. lib. 2. de pec mer. remis c. 34. Gen. 17. Ioan. 3. S. Greg. li. 4. Moral c. 2. The second part Of the fal of man and propagation of man and of sinne :: SerpeÌ„ts most craftie to escape harme when they hurt men so is the diuel 2. Cor. 11. 3. Eccl. 25. 1. Tim. 2 14. :: After sinne they were ashamed not before S. Chris :: Al this curse perteineth to the diuel that spake in the serpeÌ„t S Aug l. 2. de Gen. ad lit cap. 36. S. Beda in hunc locum :: Earthlie or worldlie and carnal men S. Greg. in Psal 101. :: Though good men resist tentations at the first assaults and so bruise the serpeÌ„ts head yet he â—â—â—â—oâ—eth stil to deceiue especially in the end of mans life signified by the â—eele S Gre. in cap. 1. Iob. 1. Cor. 14. :: Al men trauel one way or other such as suffer wides to ouergrowe in their souls shal after this life either sustaine the fyre of Purgatorie or eternal paine S. Aug. li 2. c. 20 de Gen. coÌ„ Man :: She was mother rather of al the dying but in figure of our B. Lady who is mother of Christ life it selfe she is called mother of the liuing S. Epiph. her 78. Sinne entred among men by the enuie craft of the diuel man coÌ„senting to his suggestions Eue first sined in thought then in words last in deedes Cap. 2. 24. Ioan. 8 44. S. Aug. lib. 14. deciuit c. 11. Rupert li. de Trinit operibus eius c. 4. Bad sequels of sinne Lib. de vera Religione c. 14. Lib. 1. Retract c. 13. No sinne can be without freewil ConcupisceÌ„ce no sinne but the effect and occasion of sinne Also occasion of merite S Aug. lib. 1. de nupt con c. 23. Gal. 5. 2 Tim. 2. The Latin text defended against Kemnisius and other Protestants See Card. Bellarmin li. 2. c. 12. de verbo Dei Both readings veld the same sense As Adam was the cause and â—â—e an occasion of mans captiuitie so Christ is the true cause and his mother an occasion of our restauration * S â—â—eneus li 3. c. 33. lib. 5. circa med S. Epiph Haer. 78. S. Ieron ep 22. ad Eustoch S. Aug. or S. Fulgent ser 18 de Sanctis de fide Symb. de Agone Christiano Ser. 2. super Missus est Our B. Ladie resisted al euil suggestions Iob 42. Esai 58. Ierem. 6. Ionae 3. Mat. 11. The ceremonie of ashes on Ashwenesday Gods prouidence concurreth with mans free wil. de grat liber arb c. 6. de corrept grat ad art falso impos Paradise defended by Angels and by fire sworde God destroyeth not nature Good Angels hinder diuels of their desires S. Aug. lib. 11. de Gen ad lit c. 40. :: A figure of the Lambe that was slaine from the beginning of the world Apoc. 13 v. 8. Heb. 11. Sap. 10. â— 10. 3. :: VVilful murther is one of the sinnes that crie to God for reuenge :: By the increase of AbrahaÌ„s seede by the line onlie of Isaac and Iacob besides the issues of Ismael and Esau in litle more then 400. yeares to aboue six hundreth thousand men able to beare armes Num. 1. it appeareth that Caines progenie in as manie yeates might suffice to people a citie yea a whole countrie S. Aug. l. 15 ciuit c. 8. :: This Lamech of Cains issue is the first that is noted in Scripture to haue taken two wiues External Sacrifice due to God in euerie Law Lib 10. de ciuit â— 5. Leuit. 1 Dan 12. Mal. 1. Luc. 22. Sacrifice due to God onlie and to no creature Lib. 10. ciuit cap. 4. Aristot li. 2 Meta his â—tl iâ— 9. Polit. 7. c. 8. To. 3. q. 4. Quaest. Hebraie Lib 15. ciuit c. 7. Mala. 1. Hebr. 11. Leuit. 9. Iudic. 6. 2. Par. 7. 3. Reg 18. 2. Mac 1 Abels Sacrifice declared acceptable not Cains by some external signe Reward and punishment according to our workes Mat. 16. Rom. 2. Freewil in maÌ„ also after his falle Heretical traÌ„slation Bible 1579. â—b 15. c. 7. ciuit Quaest Hebraic in Gen. The Hebrew also Greeke text proue freewil in Cain Freewil testified by antiquitie vniuersalitie and consent of lerned reasonable persons Luther abhor red the name of freewil S. Augustin li. de vâ—ra Rel. ca. 14. lib. de seruo arbitrio Caluin also misliketh the word freewil lib. 2. c. 2. par 8. lib. 2. aduers Iouinian VVhere is necessitie there is nether reward not punishment due 1. Ioan. 2. Tract de Zelo liuore Going forth of the Church a marke of Heretikes 1. Ioan. 3. lib. de Pastore c. 8. c. 20. Scripture hard Tom. 3. ad 1. quaest Damasâ— A probable sense according to the Hebrewes Tradition S. Chris ho. 20. in Gen. Lib. 1. Antiq. ca. 2. Origen in Gen. Luc. 3. Mystical sense Suidas vocabulo Seth. Ioseph l. 1. Antâ— S. Aug. epist 99. ad Euod Publike prayer besides Sacrifice in the Church of God Sap. 2 24. Eccli 17 1. :: This Hebrew phrase vvalked vvith God signifieth that he liued wel pleased God :: The seuentie two Interpreters say God translated him And so doth S. Paul Heb. 11. :: This is the longest life of al here recited But if we consider that Adam was as strong of bodie the first day he was ere ated as these others were at the age of 60. yeares before which none are said no haue begot children and so subsract 60. yeares from Mathusala then Adam liued in mans state longer then he by 21. yeares a The second prophecie before Male on Easter Eue. S. Aug. li. 15. ciuit c. 20. The coÌ„tinual succession of Gods Church and interruption of other communities How maÌ„ died the day that he sinned 2. R. 14. ho. 37. in Euangel Psal 89. S. Ireneus li. 5. aduer Heret Cicero li. de Senec. q 1. Tuscul Al time is short in respect of eternitie Enoch Elias yet liuing in bodie li. 20. ciuit c 29. lib. 2. de gratia Christi c. 23. tract 4. in IoaÌ„ Manifest Scripture that Elias yet liueth and shal be slaine an other with him Likewise that Enoch did not see death Malac. 4 Apo. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccli 44 Heb. 11. These Scriptures speake of temporal not of spiritual death ho. 21. in Gen. lib. 1. de pec mer. c. 2. 3. l. 9. de GeÌ„ ad lit c. 6. S. Tho. in c. 11. ad Hebreos The Fathers proue by the scriptures that Enoch is not dead Causes why Enoch Elias are reserued aliue
kil the soules that consent vnto their tentation but can not restore spirituall fe againe e God is omnipotent and in dede the only true liuing God diuels who are honored in idols ca do no more then God permitteth and so they can kil the soules that consent vnto their tentation but can not restore spirituall fe againe f The soule being iustified and stil assaulted with new tentations desireth to be with God g I haue had no other refection but to leâ—ifie my sorow with weping h The wicked exprobate the iust as though God would neuer helpe them because he suffereth them to be sometimes long in tribulation i King Dauid was not permitted to build the temple much lesse did he enter into anie such meruelous tabernacle in his mortal life but must nedes be vnderstood to speake here of the heauenlie tabernacle prepared by Christ for his seruants k The prophet conforteth him selfe or anie iust soule in the hope of euerlasting ioy l render thankes and praises m Al this life is like to the smal straict place betwene Iordan and a litle hil called Hermoniim but from this straictnes the hope of the iust is to be placed in heauen n One tentation stâ—l succedeth an other o and the same so great as if God opened the gates and suffered them to ouerflow like floudes of water p But God helpeth in opportunitie not suffering his seruantes to be tempted aboue their streingth geuing them fruit with tentations q yea in the greatest tribulation he geueth ordinarily most comfort making them sing spiritually in hart if not also in voice r one special meanes to procure diuine consolation is prayer in distresse Å¿ Stil the iust soule taketh comforth in assured hope of saluation the eternal vision of God One God thâ— B Trinitie The 1. key a Holie Dauid often prefiguring Christ here representeth euerie faithful seruant of God and particularly when they beginne a great and holie worke as when Priestes celebrate the diuine Sacrifice they with their assistantes recive by interchangeable verses this Psalme b After that we haue examined and prepared our selues to the most holie Sacrifice and Sacrament according to S Paules admonition let a man proue himselfe and so eate this bread and drinke this chalâ—ce 1 Cor 11 we pray God to iudge betwen our true sincere intention and the vniust deceipful endeuoures of our enimie c and so to deliuer and protect vs from sutle malice d VVith thee I can do anie thing without thee nothing e thou semest sometimes not to regard â—e f whiles tentations are more sensible then thy grace g As thou hast sent Christ the light and truth into this world grâ—nt vs the same now in particular h These two giftes of God the light of knowing our duties and truth with sincere intention to performe the same haue brought vs into thy Church and vnto thy Altar i Accompanied with light of truth and sincere intention we confidently approch to thyâ— Altar ô God k vvho changest our old corruption into newnes of liâ—e l But to this purpose we praise God on the harpe mortisying our affections m The former word is of the plural number in hebrevv Eloim the other of the singular signifying the Blessed Trinitie one God n The former word is of the plural number in hebrevv Eloim the other of the singular signifying the Blessed Trinitie one God o Thou needest not therfore my soule be pensiue or desolate p But trust in God q praise him r vvhom I hope to see face to face Å¿ the true eternal God The state of the Ievves The 4. key a Though this Psalme doth first and literally pertayne to the people of Israel yet al thinges happening to them vvere in figure of the Christian Catholique Church vvhich begane vvith difficulties aftervvards prospered and againe suffereth much persecution b Core signifieth caluus bauld also caluarâ—a a scul or place of sculles the name of the place vvhere our Sauiour vvas crucified so the children of Core signifie the children of Christ S. Aug. c The particular calling of Abraham out of Chaldea protection of him and Isaac and Iacob the deliuerie of al Israel out of Aegypt and establishing them in the promised land of Chanaan with innumerable great and strange thinges donne for them d The Israelites conquered not by ordinarie povvre but by the miraculous hand of God See Iosue 2â— e Not that this people deserued of themselues but of Gods free election al the vvorld being vvicked he gaue peculiar grace to Abraham Isaac Iacob and some others and then for their â—akes protected the vvhole people in them conseruing a visible Church f As in former examples so in Dauids time not mans streingth but Gods hand gaue them great victories g As an oxe vvith his horne casteth a smal thing into the vvind Ios 24. â— Râ— 17. 2. Reg. 8. h The prophet forâ—eileâ—h that after prosperitie God vvould suffer the Ievves to saâ—â—e into captiuitie manie afflictions which also sign fied allegorically diuers states of Christs Church i The Iewes are now meruelously dispersed and depressed k In the destruction of Ierusalem the remnant of the people were sold for smal as it wree for no price They had sold Christ for thirtie pence l and now no multitude nor number of money at al was geuen for them but thirtie of them were sold for one pennie Iosephus de bello Iudaico m Vntil Christs passion the Jewish people did not wholly fal from God and true religion And of them were chosen the Apostles and manie others that founded and propagated the Church of Christ n The negatiue particle is here vnderstood by zeugma according to the hebrew thus our hart hath not reuolted backward neither hast thou suffered our pathes to decline froÌ„ thy way o An other hebrew phraise If we haue for we haue not p The Prophetes and others persecuted partly before Christ much more the Apostles and other Christians in the new Testament Rom. â— q A prayer in affliction r We are at death dore readie to become dust Å¿ lying as groueling sorowing on the earth t til thou deliuer vs from these tribulations Christ most excellently indowing his Church The 6. key a Perteyning to the new Testament b Gentiles conuerted from paganisme to Christianitie c and al others returning from schisme or other sinnes d for their instruction e this Psalme is a mariage songue of the beloued bridgrome and bride Christ and his Church f I haue receiued by diuine inspiraâ—ion in my hart and cogitation g a most high Mysterie h To the honour therfore and glorie of this king vvhom I secretly see in my hart I vtter and referre al my vvorkes and this particular Caâ—tâ—cle i From the abundance of my hart my tongue also speaketh k that presently without delay l Description of Christ most excellent in al internal and external giftes m The prophet seing in
powre amongst the dead h Myn enimies haue endeuored not only to beleue me of temporal life wherby I should goe into limbus but also to kil my soule spiritually wherby I should descend into the lower hel of the damned i Thy iust wrath also ô God hath excedingly afflicted me k O God deliuer me whiles I am yet liuing for I may not looke for extraordinarie and miraculous helpe as to be raised againe after death l When I shal be dead buried I can not denounce thy praises as now I can to mortal men m Much lesse shal the damned praise thee in eternal perdition n As wel young o as waxing elder I haue bene stil afflicted p My miserable estate hath alienated al freindes neighboures acquantances from me The Church of Christ neuer faileth the 6. key a Otherwise called Idithun 1. Paral. 25. or rather Ethan who was very wise mentioned with others to whom Salomon is preferred for wisdom 3. Reg. 4. v. 31 and signifieth strong applied here to those that are strong in assured hope of Christs promises notwithstanding it semeth sometimes to the weake that his promises are not performed b In al generations c The heauens shal rather fal then Gods truth faâ—le Mystically in the Apostles and by their preaching the Church of Christ is built for euer d Dauids seede conserued til Christ was borne of his virgin mother and in his spiritual seede his kingdom the Church is for euer conserued Otherwise not verified of Dauids temporal kingdom which decayed in the captiuitie of Babylon and is now wholly destroyed e The Angels f The prophet aludeth to the plagues and miracles in Aegypt and in other enimies g Conuersion of Gentiles h VVhether God punish as with the left hand i or bestow benefites as with the right hand al is to his glorie and according to mercie and truth k They are spiritually happie that do thus consider of Gods meruelous procedings praise the same and reioyce therin l powre and kingdom :: Thus God promised to establish the kingdom of the Iewes in Dauid and his familie 1 Reg. 16. 2. Reg. 5. and other places which was performed aâ— in a figure but more fully in Christ Act. 13. v. 22. * I vvil not lie m Christian iust soules as the sunne n and as the perfect or full moone See the first Tome page 716. S. Augustin also expoundeth this verse in the Anagogical sense of the iust after the Resurrection in glorie where the soule shal be like the sunne and the bodie which now is mutable shal be like the moone not as now alwayes changing but as the ful moone alwayes perfect :: God hauing promised al the aforsaide the prophet in the person of the weake lamenteth that the contrarie shal happen as wel in the temporal kingdom oppressed by the Assirians Babylonians Persians Grecians and Romanes as in the Church impugned by innumerable sortes of Heretikes and other Infidels o Amongst manie pensiue thinges this one word doth comforte vs thy promise remaineth thou hast not denied to send Christ but differred him p From the use of Sacrifice and Sacraments wherby sinners were wount to be cleansed :: The Psalmist prayeth and prophecieth that God wil respect the weaknes of man maintaine his Church in mante natioÌ„s saue manie soules q As though Christivere changed and turned from vs. r So we wish and pray that al may blesse and praise thee Amen Though Christians do sinne yet Christ loseth not his Church Hard places explicated by the cleare Gods Promises to Dauid were not fulfilled in Salomon but in Christ Defectes in the lewes supplied in the Gentiles Man rightly created fel by sinne into miseries the 2. key a Some Expositors thincke Moyses was the author of this Psalme and of the tenne next folowing But others hold that Dauid vvas author of al and that Moyses his name is here put in the title by Esdras because this Psalme is like to the prayer of Moyses vvhen the people prouoked Gods vvrath by their sinnes in the desert And because mans creation fal punishmeÌ„t and Gods mercie to vvards him are here described which Moyles first vvritte as going before the vvritten lavv And that Moyses made not this Pialme is probably gethered by the 10. verse where the ordinarie age of men is described to be in streingth and vigore senentie yeares or of some fourscore and the greater part of the one or the other is in labour and sorovv And it is euident Deut. 34. that Moyses liued in al an hundred and tvventie yeares and his eye was not dimme neither vvere his reeth moued So Aaron Iosue and others commonly liued longer then is here mentioned But Dauid vvas old and impotent at seuentie yeares 3. Reg. 1. S. Hâ—larion liuing neere seuentie yeares in his heremitage S Remigius gouerning the Church of Rhemes seuentie yeares and the like are accounted to haue bene ful of dayes and such as liued longer are reputed extraord narie Agane it is more euidenly proued that Moyses vvas not author of the 94. and 95. Psalmes b Alwayes from the beginning of the world to the end c The Prophet sheweth that the world was created in and with time not eternal d And that only God is eternal e God hath often saide that he vvould not the death of sinners but rather that they be connerted and liue for euer f Though some liued long none for al that did reach to a thousand yeares yet it is nothing before God and in respect of eternitie g The youth of man quickly passeth h old age can not last long vvherof cometh our English prouerb A young man may dye sovvne an old man can not liue long i Sinne the cause of shortnes of mans life * Seculum k Mans life as brickle as a spiders vveb or mans life vvasteth continually as a spider vvasteth her self by spinning and consuming her ovvne substance l These numbers literarly shew the shortnes of the longer sorte of mens liues Mystically seuen signifie the rest after laboures of this vvorld and perteyn to the old testament eight signifie the revvard in the resurrection perteyning to the nevv testament VVhich multiplied by tenne a perfect number make seuentie and eightie VVhich ioyned together make an hundred and fiftie The number of al these Psalmes m These numbers literarly shew the shortnes of the longer sorte of mens liues Mystically seuen signifie the rest after laboures of this vvorld and perteyn to the old testament eight signifie the revvard in the resurrection perteyning to the nevv testament VVhich multiplied by tenne a perfect number make seuentie and eightie VVhich ioyned together make an hundred and fiftie The number of al these Psalmes n It is of Gods milde prouidence that mans life is short for that manie if they vvere sure or had probabilitie to liue long vvould presume to sinne more o Seing God of his iustice punished al mankind for one sinne of our first
dignitie vvisdome or other like qualitie but their iust merites :: A prayer of iust zele e Shal most wicked men stil be suffered to speake so insolently :: A description of heathnish and heretical crueltie :: Scarse anie Atheistes are so blind as thus to thinke but manie sinners so behaue them selues as if God saw not knew not or at least cared not vvhat they do f So vnpossible is it that God should be ignorant or careles vvhat men do that he also knovveth and obserueth most secret thoughtes g Mitigate and temper his afflictions that by patience and fortitude the iust may perseuere and not be ouerwhelmed h The whole Church shal neuer be reiected nor forsaken i Iustice is conuerted into iudgement vvhen iust meaning is put in vvorke and practise that it may appeare in iudgement Also God vvho doth suffereth al iustly vvil conserue his inheritance the Church euen vnto the day of iudgement k The sense is easie by transposing the vvordes al that are right of hart are nere it that is shal like and approue Gods iustice vvhen the vvicked shal repine and blaspheme it l when I felt and complained that I was in danger thou didst assist me m Onlie faith sufficeth not but careful laboure in keping Gods commandmnts is required n The iust do hope for eternal saluation to which God wil bring them o And God the reuenger of wronges wil at last cast the wicked into eternal torments Christ our Lord and king the 5. key a Praise songue with voices b inspired to Dauid written by him This Inuitation is most fitly ordayned by the Church for the proeme or beginning of Mattins c VVith great and solemne exultation d God our Creator is also our Protector Sauiour e Let vs be more diligent and preuent our accustomed time For no man can preuent Gods grace with anie good worke who first preuenteth vs els we can neither doe nor thincke anie good thing f not only in singing his praise with voice but also with musical instruments g So also Isaias c. 45. v. 23. and S. Paul Philip. 2. teach that kneeling or bowing the knees as an external religious ceremonie is acceptable to God h It is most iust and necessarie that we adore God because he made vs and al this world for vs hath also redemed vs and made vs his people as shepe of his pasture and as a Pastor feedeth and gouerneth vs. i of his making k Though some haue often repelled and resisted Gods grace yet if they receiue it being offered againe it wil auaile them to remission of sinnes l The Israelites in the desert tempted God by desiring water and flesh of voluptuous concupiscence without necessitie For Manna did both extinguish their thirst and tasted vnto them whatsoeuer they desired Exo. 16. That also which was left vngathered when the sunne waxed hotte melted v. 21. and serued their cattel for drincke So this tentation was a figure of those which require to communicate vnder both kindes as if one did not conteine as much as both m By this mention of the offence of fourtie yeares as long before passed is conuinced that Moyses writte not this Psalme who died in the very fourtith yeare of their abode in the desert And S Paul citing the wordes of this Psalme Heb. 4. manifestly acknowlegeth Dauid the writter therof and that it was written long after Moyses time in these wordes v 7 Againe he limiteth a certaine day To day in Dauid saying after so long time as is aboue saide To day if you shal heare his voice do not obdurate your hartes For if Iesus that is Iosue had geuen them rest he would neuer speake of an other day afterward n Being greatly offended I approched nere vnto them in punishing the offenders o Those that murmured died in the desert and entered not into the promised land euen so those that finally offend Christ shal not enter into euerlasting rest Heb. 3. 4. It is in mans freewil to resist good motions Concil Triden Sess 6. c. 5 Christs diuine powre the 5. key a Inspired to Dauid and written by him b prophecying the restauration of the temple after the future captiuitie And that in figure of the vniuersal redemption of mankind by Christ from the captiuitie of the diuel â— 1. Par. 16. v. 23. c For a new benefite farre greater then the deliuerie of Israel from Aegypt d The same wordes Sing to our Lord thrise repeted signifie the Blessed Trinitie as some Fathers note Likewise v. 7. and 8. Bring ye to our Lord c. in both places concluding in the singular number blesse his name bring to his name importing one God e VVhat creatures soeuer spiritual or corporal visible or inuisible the paganes serue for goddes stil they â—e diuels that deceiue them and diuers wayes vsurpe diuine honour making such idolaters to thinke that there is diuine powre where none is f He only is true God who is Creator of heauen and of al creatures For no creature can create anie thing at al that is make anie thing of nothing but only God g Diuers ancient Doctors read more in this place Our Lord hath reigned from the wood to witte Christ by his death on the crosse conquered the diuel sinne and death and thence begane to reigne S. Iustinus Martyr dialogo aduers Triphonem Tertullian li. aduers Iudaeos c. 9. 13 aduers Marcionem li. 3 c. 19. 21. S Augustin in this place according to the old Roman Psalter Before him Arnobius and after him Cassiadorus and others wherby it is probable that it was sometimes in the Hebrew text and blotted out by the Iewes h The Psalmist in abundance of spirite inuiteth al creatures to praise God as Daniel in his Canticle c. 3. i Christ iudgeth now in the world by his ministers discerning and deciding causes rewarding and punishing but especially he wil iudge al in the last day The last iudgement the 9. key a In figure of Christ b whose bodie rose the third day after his death to whom manie returned beleuing in him after his resurrection which fel from him in his passion and to whom al thinges shal be subdued as to their true Lord in the day of iudgement c Holie Dauid and other Prophetes hauing great ioy to see long before in spirite only Christs kingdom extended in the whole earth yea to the Ilandes we Ilanders haue great cause to be gladde that God hath not only so blessed vs long since but as yet conserueth seede wherby we trust the whole Iland shal be againe restored vnto him d As in a cloud with terror God gaue his law to the Iewes so in a cloud with greater terror and maiestie he wil iudge the world e not as manie corrupted seates of iudgement in this world but as a corrected tribunal where iustice and right iudgement shal be practised :: These thinges are denounced as if they were alredy donne
blesse and praâ—e God for euermore The definition of Idolatrie Diuers sortes of Idolatrie Angels honored as goddes Men liuing or dead Corporal creatures sensible and without sense Imagees of false goddes Imagees them selues reputed goddes Idolaters are voide of reason And seruants of diuels â—sal 95. â—5 A prayer with praise of God the 7. key a I am induced to loue God b because he alwayes heareth my prayers c So long as I shal liue d VVhen serred like a stray sheepe from thee the paines of death e and the danger of hel-torments both due for sinne inuironed me and I was not ware therof f But by tribulation falling vpon me I came to knowe my dangerous estate g turned to thee and prayed as foloweth h Afflicted with tribulations i I wil endeuoure to please God in the congregation of those that liue herein grace and in heauen in glorie Thankesgeuing for our Redemer the 5. key a I beleued that God would helpe me b therfore I freely professed that I trusted in him For then in dede faith is perfect when we confesse with mouth that which we beleue in hart c I was vehemently afflicted in tribulations This in the Hebrew is ioyned to the next Psalme before d In the middes of my great affliction I professed that al mans helpe is vaine false deceipful and defestiue and therfore our trust must be in God only e Considering that God hath not only geuen and bestowed manie great benefites vpon me and al mankind but also hath rendered good for euil mercie for our sinneâ— we hâ—uâ—â—g rendered euil for good what now shal I render sayth a true penitent for al that he hath thus rendered to me deseruing so euil f Considering that God hath not only geuen and bestowed manie great benefites vpon me and al mankind but also hath rendered good for euil mercie for our sinneâ— we hâ—uâ—â—g rendered euil for good what now shal I render sayth a true penitent for al that he hath thus rendered to me deseruing so euil g Seing I am not able to render anie thing worthie of Gods fauoure to me yet I wil do that I can I wil gratfully accept his great benefite the cuppe of Christs passion which he dâ—uunke for mankind h and wil praise and cal upon his name i I wil pay voluntarie vowes k for Gods glorie and edification of others l yea I wil offer my life and suffer death when Gods glorie shal require it in whose sight the death of Sainctes is precious and most highly esteemed m Alvvayes vnderstood that such as suffer persecution be in good state of then soules the true seruantes of God n the children of the Church his handmaide o Deliuered me from captiuitie of sinne p In the Church of the faithful The Church of Christ in alnations the 6. key a Not only some but al nations of the Gentiles b and al Ievves Christs Redemption being abundantly sufficient for al are inuited to praise God Rom. 15. v. 11. c Because he hath multiplied his mercie to vs Gentiles to vvhom he made no promise d and most truly performed his promise made to the levves Christ beneficial Mysteries are celebrated by his Church the 6. key a Let vs praise God for his goodnes in making vs of nothing geuing vs manie benefites b and remitting our sinnes Psal 105. 106. 135. c Let the Church of the nevv testament especially confesse his goodnes vvhich hath receiued more mercie and grace d Let al the Clergie praise God novv in the time of more grace and of greater spiritual functions e Yea let the Whole bodie of the Church al that feare and serue God praise his mercie f As wel spiritual as temporal g Though innumerable oppose and endeuour to hurt me saith the Church or anie iust person h yet by Gods povvre not by myn ovvne I am defended and they punished and so the iust hath the victorie and triumpheth i In great troopes and furie k vvith sharpe though shorte force and vvith special noise to terrifie me but in God I ouercame al l I vvas sometimes by vehemencie of tentation declining to sinne m but Gods grace assisted and strengthned me n The same vvord right hand thrise mentioned signifieth the B. Trinitie Also Our Lord signifying Christ in his humanitie the chief instrument of God is here often repeted to signifie the singular efficacie therof o God chastiseth his children p because he vvould not that they should dye eternally So he punisheth as a father not as an enimie q The Prophet novv speaketh in the person of iust soules requiring spiritual doctrin and foode r and promising to serue God Å¿ An euident prophecie of Christ vttered by the Royal Psalmist and novv confessed by euerie Christian that our Sauiour reiected by the Ievves is neuertheles the builder of his Church by ioyning the tvvo peoples of Ievves and Gentiles as tvvo vvalles into one house t God ordayned this acceptable time of grace Mat. 21. â—â— 20. Act. 4. Iâ—m 9. 1 Pet. 2. v The songue of the Hebrevv children vvhen Christ entered Ierusalem vvith palmes of triumph and acclamations w The voice of Christ and his Apostles and other Clergie blessing the people as they desire x This was fulfilled when Christ was brought with bowes of palme and other signes of triumph from Bethania y through the whole citie euen into the Temple and vnto the Altar Mat. 21. z Our first chife and final dutie is to praise God v. 1. vlt. Perfect iustice is in keping Gods law the 7. key The obscuritie of this profound and Psalm appeareth not to the vulgar reader S Augustin differred the explication of this Psalme Omitted to d 〈…〉 e one difficultie At last made 32. sermons in explication therof S. Ambrose writte 22 sermons vpon this Psalme King Dauid a great master of moral doctrin VVhy this Psalme was composed in order of the Alphabet VVhy eight verses are begunne with euerie letter S Basils iudgement that this Psalme conteyneth the argument of manie Psalmes Other expositors of this Psalme S. Ieroms interpretation and explication of the Hebrew Alphabet Idem Proem lament 1. Cor. 13. * God in himself Most of these letters haue also other significations And are diuersly explicated by S. Ambrose S. Beda and others VVherby we may lerne though we vnderstand no more that holie Scriptures are ful of mysteries as S. Ierom calleth this and hard to be vnderstod Gods lavv especially commended in this Psalme 14 Symonyma signifying the lavv of God Gods grace necessarie in euerie good vvorke It enableth freevvil to merite This title vvas added by the Septuagint to admonish vs that this Psalme conteyneth that singular maner of praising God signified by the two Hebrevv vvordes Allelu ja as before Psal 104. a VVhereas al without exception desire to be happie and blessed b they are indede happie according to the perfectest happines of this life that are immaculate c and they
are immaculate that walke in the law of God VVhere the holie Psalmist presupposeth that some can and do kepe the law of God and so are immaculate and blessed in the vvay of this life d Those that are immaculate are againe blessed by searching Gods testimonies that is his lavv testifying that the good shal be revvarded and the vvicked punished but searching these testimonies vvhiles one is contaminate vvith sinnes against Gods lavv maketh not blessed e neither doth euerie superficial careles search bring this blessing but searching vvith true affection of the hart f Contrarivvise they that vvorke iniquitie are not blessed g because they haue not vvalked in the vvayes of God to witte not kept his conmamdments and lavv vvhich are the vvay to happines h For mans ovvne good that he may come to true happines God hath most seriously commanded vs to kepe his commandments that is to obserue his Lavv commanded by most sufferaine diuine authoritie i Therfore the faithful seruant of God knovving his ovvne insufficiencie desireth that God by his grace vvil direct and streing then him k to kepe his lavv called Iustifications because therby man is made iust l They shal be safe from eternal confusion when they shal kepe not only part but al thy commandments because breach of â—nâ—e bringeth confusion m So shal I praise thee and render thankes n with sincere not fayned affection o for this great benefite that I haue lerned that thy law is according to most iust iudgement p I haue therfore a firme purpose do faithfully promise to kepe thy law which maketh the keper therof iust q Albeit thou suffer me sometimes to be in tribulation or in tentation yet forsake me not wholy The Psalmist knew wel saith S. Gregorie that he might be profitably leift a while who prayed that he should not be wholy forsaken li. 20. c. 21. Mer. a In this second Octonarie as also in al the rest the Holie Ghost by the prophets penne teacheth the meanes how to come to perfection happines Here by way of interrogation as it were demanding how a youngman that is euerie man prone to worldlie pleasure slow in Gods seruice shal beginne to correct his course b VVherto the same Holie Ghost answereth that he must kepe Gods law called here his wordes For al the wordes which God vttereth are lawes to his seruants * sermones c The Psalmist now speaketh in the person of perfect iust men or of the whole Church in general VVhose common spirite seeketh God intyrely d And considering that this perfect good wil is the gift of God prayeth that he wil conserue the same and not suffer it to be altered or to erre from his commandments e An other sincere profession of a resolute good purpose not to sinne * eloquia f A gratful aspiration praising God g Againe the iust prayeth to be more and more instructed in iustifications that which S. Iohn exhorteth vnto He that is iust let him yet be iustified Apoc. 22. h Gods law is also called his Iudgements because sitting in iudgement he geueth sentence according to his Law i As the iust professeth by mouth so he delighteth in hart k practiseth in worke l and diligently meditateth Gods law * sermones a O Lord liberally geue me that which I here craue b quicken me with spiritual life thy grace c so I shal kepe thy law which otherwise I can not * sermones d Illuminate myn vnderstanding by thy grace e that I may be able to see the meruelous great and iust reasons of thy law instructing al threatning the peruerse encoreging the wel disposed punishing the wicked rewarding the good doing right to al. f I that haue but a smal time in this world g desire to be instructed in thy law what is therein commanded h I consider that thou ô God dost sharply reproue the prowd contemners of thy commandments i laying curses vpon them for declining from thyn obedience k Though persecutors were very potent l yet the faithful seruant of God perseuered in his seruice m In time of persecution and tentation we must thincke and meditate that Gods law testifieth eternal revvard or punishment n and in our deliberation or consultation we must consider that keping Gods law maketh iust and consequently meriteth reward a This also is vttered in the person of the just who is often brought to great distresse as it were euen nere to death b in which case he confidently prayeth to be reliued according to Gods word law and promise c Being in so great anxietie that my minde is almost distracted or ouercome d I cal to thee ô God that thou wilt conserue me that I stil kepe thy law vttered by thy vvordes e Protect me that I fal not to iniquitie f And of thy'mercie conserue me in state of grace g Suffer me not to be confounded h Man is able and doth runne in the right vvay of Gods commandments i yet not of himselfe but vvhen God replenisheth his hart vvith grace a Impresse ô God thy lavv in myn affection make me to loue it and to desire to be iustified b so shal I hartely and alvvayes seeke it c After thou hast geuen me a desire to kepe thy lavv geue me also vnderstanding d then shal I fruictfully search it For this is the right order as before in the first and second verses first to loue Gods lavve to be iustified and to become immaculate and then to search to knovv the lavve and so it is more eâ—sily lerned e Gods grace first dravveth and leadeth f then freevvil inflamed vvith desire effectually concurreth g Stil the Prophet inculcateth the necessitie of Gods grace as vvel to make vs desire that is good h as to flee from euil i It is necessarie also to pray that God vvil take avvay occasions vvhich might moue to sinne k and stil to grant his helping grace in progresse of vertue l Againe the iust prayeth for confirmation in grace to be established in the feare of God * eloquiuÌ„ m To be deliuered also from al the effectes of former sinnes n for sinne is therfore reprochful and odious because it is contrarie to Gods lavv and true iudgements vvhich are most pleasant o Being thus affected vvith desire to kepe the commandments the soule prayeth to be stil quickned more and more vvith good spirite and so to perseuere to the end a Againe considering that vvithout Gods grace preuenting man can not do anie good thing the prophet renevveth his prayer requesting Gods mercie b and his helpe freely promised to al that aske it * eloquiuÌ„ c VVhervvith being assisted and streingthned he that before vvas vveake vvil boldly ansvver al calumniators that reprochfully say God wil not helpe him d that in dede he hath not in vaine trusted in Gods promised helpe * sermoâ—ibus e He also prayeth though he be sometimes fearful that God vvil not
of the dreame :: The foure kingdoms of the Chaldees Persians Grecians and Romanes signified by the foure partes of this statua consisting of diuers metals or mater did succede in order of time :: not ech one meaner or baser then the former as gold is best yron earth the vvorst for the last rather excelled the former but vvhen this vision appeared the kingdom of the Chaldees vvas the greatest and most excellent that being destroyed the Mâ—des Persians became greater then it had bene againe the Grecians vnder Alexander became farre greater then anâ—e before and finally the Romane greatest of al til Christs kingdome his Church vvas spred ouer the vvhole world :: The Church of Christ is the only kingdom that can not be destroyed :: He thought Daniel to be a litle god subiect to the great God v. 47. :: Notwithstanding this confession shortly after he erected an idol to represent his ovvne greatnes and to be adored therin * mysterie :: This huge statua of ninty foot in height and nine in bredth conteined a great masse of gold VVhich the king made to shevv his riches to terrifie his enimies to represent himself that he might be adored therin as a god S. Ierem. :: Practise of this idolatrie consisted in falling prostrate on the ground before the statua some times it consisteth in offering incense to idols and the like Novv in England personal presence at heretical seruice or sermon is a distinctiue signe of conformitie to the protestants pretended religion because such presence is there exacted for this purpose :: By this most modest confident ansvver they professed their assured faith of Gods omnipotent powre not knowing whether it was his diuine wil to deliuer them from the fire or no resoluing to suffer vvith patience what soeuer he would permitte to fal vnto them * or cappes Though these parcels were not in the Hebrew in S. Ieroms time yet either had bene in the Hebrevv or Chalde or at least were Canonical scripture as we haue proued in the argument of this booke :: In the very same maner Moyses prayed pacified Gods wrath Exo. 32. :: Sedecias being dead and Ioachin kept in prison there vvas none in state of a king amongst the Ievves neither vvas there at this time anie prophet in al Ievvrie for Daniel himself and Ezechiel vvere in Babylon and Ieremie vvas either dead or in Aegypt * chalkie clay or lime :: Holy Angels do incessantly prayse God therfore nede not to be inuited therto sensible creatures do not properly prayse God because they haue not vnderstanding nor vvil but the meaning of this inuitation is to congratulate that Angels do alvvayes vvithout intermission praise God to exhorte al men in consideration of al Gods workes spiritual corporal to praise him as most worthie to be praysed by al men :: Priuations of thinges haue also their decent course in the vinuersal state of creatures Darknes prayseth God that is bringeth forth praise in the hartes of consideratiue men S. Aug. li. de natura boni c. 16. â— Ieroms â—â—ordes :: The fire burned their bandes but not their garments nor bodies so God vseth the seruice of his creatures to geue comforte to his seruantes and not torment S. Greg. li. 3. c. 18. dialo VVhere he vvriteth the like miracle when the Gothes vvould haue burned S. Benedict :: This fourth was the Angel that auerted the force of the fire from them v. 49. 95. :: They were not only restored to their former auctoritie as prefectes ouer the vvorkes ch 2. v 49. but were also more aduanced as this place insinuateth :: It semeth that Daniel inserted this particular historie as the king in his owne person and wordes reported it after his restauratioÌ„ It is also probable that the king had this dreame about the 34. yeare of his reigue For he reigning in al 43. yeares liued seuen yeares among beastes into vvhich state he fel one yeare after this dreame v. 26. and liued about a yeare more or lesse after his restauration :: Seuen times signifie seuen yeares because al ordinarie varieties of times are in one yeare :: No meruel that the prophet vvas trubled in mind being loath to declare the calamitie which should fal vnto the king and yet must nedes vtter the truth And therfore vvith milde wordes wishing the king might escape the euil which vvas decreed against him he maketh his entrance to the true interpretation of the dreame :: Gods threats being conditional that if sinners truly repent he vvil pardon al or part of the punishment the prophet proposeth the most soueraine remedie of almes dedes that by workes of mercie this sinful king or anie other sinner may procure the mercie of God As in dede this king found mercie after some punishment the prophet proposeth the soueraine remedie of almes dedes that by vvorkes of mercie he might procure Gods mercie :: Being restored to his wittes he went vp right cut his haire nailes so appeared to himself as returned to his former figure or shape Nabuchodonosor was not changed in substance but became madde and liued seuen yeares like a beast v. 13. It is probable that he died shortly after his restauration And most like that he is eternally saued a After Nabuchodonosor before Baltassar Euilmetodach reigned in Babylon who deliuered Ioachin king of Iuda out of prison and vsed him vvith great respect in the 37. yeare of the transmigration 4. Reg. 25. There reigned also before Balthassar other two of an other lineage called Niglissar and Labosardach as testifie Euse S. Ierom. S. Beda and others :: The ruine of this Baltassar happened in the 17. and last yeare of his reigne when Daniel was nere an hundred years old * the kings mother v. 11. :: Al progenitors are commonly called the fathers of their of spring so Nabuchodonosor is called the father of Baltassar being his grand father as may be gathered ler. 27. v. 27. where is prophecised that Nabuchodonosor and his sonne and sonnes sonne should reigne ouer manie nations * thing vvritten :: His imagination that he was a beast made him forsake the companie of men and to dwel amongst wilde beastes ch 4 :: The Medes being at this time in the siege of Babylon tooke their opportunitie to assault it this night vvhen the king and most part of the citie vvere drunke :: Darius king of medes now also of Chaldees othervvise called Astyages ch 13 v. 65. reigned but one yeare and so Cyrus succeeded :: An old and continual malignant practise to câ—l religion treason And for that purpose to procure lawes or statutes to be enacted :: It is not probable that Daniel opened the windowes of purpose that he might be senne to pray for so â—e should haue vndiscretly contemned the king and prouoked the infidels to persecute him but hauing accustomed to open the windovves of his vpper chamber vvhich gaue prospect towards