is to sit on Dauids seate shall I set vpon thy seate The Lord hath made a faithfull oath Men vse to sweare by him that is greater then themselues Hebr. 6.16 that is by God and that for t Caluin Maâ—lorat in Heb. 6.16 three causes especially 1. Because God is greater then themselues in credit 2. Greater then themselues in knowledge 3. Greater then themselues in power Men by sinne haue lost their credit and therefore doe they pawne the credit of God which is truth it selfe and in cases of necessity for want of other sufficient proofe God is content to pledge his truth for honest men who meane well All men are by nature u Psal 116.10 Psalm 62.9 lyars and x Mark 10.18 onely God is good and true wherefore men vse to sweare by him as being greater in y Primasius Lombard in Heb. 6. credit 2. An oath is for the manifestation of a secret truth or intention of the heart for to sweare in things apparant is to take the name of God in vaine But God alone is the searcher of the z 2. Chron. 6.30 heart and a Psalm 7.10 reines and therefore men vse to sweare by him as greater in b See Thomas 22 a. quaest 89. art 1. knowledge 3. If a man violate his oath and forsweare himselfe the wrong is done directly vnto God his truth is falsified his witnesse abused his name blasphemed and therfore men sweare by him as being greater in power c 2. King 2.23 that he may take vengeance on such wretches as dare wrong his sacred Maiesty But God as hauing none greater to sweare by sware by himselfe to father d Gen. 22.16.18 Abraham in thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed This oath is renued againe to Isaac Gen. 26.3 and repeated often vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 7.12.13 and 1. Chron. 17.12 and 2. Chron. 6.16 and remembred also by the Prophets Esay 55.3 Psalm 89.34 It was in him exceeding rich mercy to giue his bare word that he would in the fulnesse of time giue his only begotten Sonne for the redemption of the world saying the seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head but it was vndoubtedly greater mercy for his seruants better assurance to bind his promise with a faithfull oath swearing by his holinesse that hee will not shrinke from it See my notes vpon Psalme 110. vers 4. Of thy fruit of thy body Saint Peter expounds this of Christ Act. 2.30 for according to the flesh hee was the seed and sonne of Dauid e Lib. 3. cap. 27. Irenaeus and f In loc Augustine and g Hugo in loc other Doctours note that it is according to the Hebrew de fructu ventris of the fruit of thy belly not de fructu femoris aut renum Because thy promised seed is the seed of the woman Genes 3.15 made of a woman Gal. 4.4 hauing the materials of his body from his mother Mary but his formale principium from God the holy Ghost agent in his admirable conception And yet for as much as Mary was of Dauids house it may bee said that her sonne was the fruit of Dauids body For proofe whereof it is said that h Gen. 47.29 Ioseph put his hand vnder Iacobs thigh and the seruant of i Gen. 24.2 Abraham vnder the thigh of his master because saith k De Abra. Patriar lib. 1. cap. 9. Ambrose Christ our blessed Sauiour was to proceed out of the loynes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob For as Christians taking an oath in our time lay their hands vpon some part of that sacred book wherein Christ is reuealed so the Fathers in old time put their hands vnder the thighes of those Patriarches of whom Christ was then to come Moreouer Sonnes are called the fruit of the fathers venter as well as of the mothers according to that of Dauid 2. Sam. 16.11 Behold my sonne which came out of mine owne bowels seeketh my life Shall I set vpon thy seate You haue heard how Christ is the seed of Dauid now let vs examine how he sits on the seate of Dauid Wee reade in the Gospels history that hee l Ioh. 6.15 hid himselfe in a mountaine when as the people would haue made him a King and that hee professed openly before Pilate m Ioh. 18.36 my kingdome is not of this world n D. Incognitus Answere is made that by Dauids seate is meant Hierusalem o Galath 4.26 aboue not Hierusalem here below mysticall Hierusalem and p Apoc. 21.2 heauenly not materiall and earthly So the Lord Psalm 2.6 I haue set my King vpon mine holy hill of Sion that is I haue made my begotten sonne ruler and head ouer the whole Church of which Hierusalem is a figure Sion and the seate of Dauid are to bee construed here typically not topically For Christs high and holy kingdome is internall and spirituall not exaernall and temporall q Augustin Theophylact. in Ioan. 18. See Recognit Bellarmin à pag. 26. ad pag. 46. It is hîc not hinc in the world but not of the world By the preaching of his word which is the scepter of his kingdome hee rules in the r Psal 110.1.2 middest of his enemies and makes them all his foot-stoole conuerting such enemies as appertaine to Gods election and confounding such enemies as are the sons of perdition his Gospell is vnto the one the Å¿ 2. Cor. 2.16 sauour of life vnto life and to the other the sauour of death vnto death See my notes vpon the 110. Psalme 2. and third vers t See August in tract 115. in Joan. As his kingdome is not of the world so the faithfull his voluntarie subiects are not of the world Ioh. 17.16 you were of the world saith our Sauiour to his followers but I haue chosen you out of the world Ioh. 15.19 As his kingdome is spirituall euen so they bee u Rom. 8.14 led by the spirit in x Ioh. 2.27 all things And therefore when you come into Gods house to be made partakers of his holy word and Sacraments open the doores of your eares and gates of your hearts that the y Psal 24.7 King of glory may come in and so dwell in you and raigne in you for euermore Behold hee standeth at the doore and knocketh Apoc. 3.20 Open and obey that hee may set vp his kingdome in the parlour of thine heart It is our daily prayer thy kingdome come the meaning whereof is briefly this O heauenly father let not Satan and sinne raigne in our soules but rule thou by thy word and spirit and so build in vs the kingdome of grace and hasten the kingdome of glory The difference betweene our heauenly King and earthly Princes is great 1. Their dominions are limited and the borders of their kingdomes bounded their people numbred the time of their raigne prescribed But Christ hath
Hierusalem aboue Gods owne Citie which is the mother of vs all And the Priest of the most high God in giuing himselfe for vs both an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God In old time before the Law the kingdome Priesthood appertained by birth-right vnto the eldest sonne for so y Hierom. quaest sen tradit Haebraic in Gen. tom 3. fol. 226. Dio. Carthus Em. Sa Vatablus in Gen. 49. Tileman in loc Diuines haue gathered out of the words of Iacob vnto Reuben Genes 49.3 Reuben thou art my first borne my might and the beginning of my strength the excellencie of dignitie and excellencie of power that is primus in regno primus in sacerdotio But these two functions were seuered vnder the Law the kingdome being conferred vpon Iuda the Priesthood vpon Leui. So that Christ our Priest and Prince conioyning both againe in his own person abrogated the forme and frame of Moses Common-weale 2. Melchisedech is by interpretation King of righteousnes so Christ is not only righteous in himselfe iudging his folke righteously Psal 67.4 righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes Psal 145.17 but also making vs iust and holy before God z Ieremy 23.6 The Lord our righteousnes a 1. Cor. 1.30 made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption 3. Melchisedech is King of Salem that is King of peace so Christ is the b Esay 9.6 Prince of peace c Ephes 2.16 reconciling vs vnto God and God vnto vs preaching peace to the Gentiles who were strangers a farre off and vnto the Iewes who were Citizens in the Common-wealth of Israel and so breaking downe the stop of the partition wall hath made of both one For it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace thorough the blood of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen Coloss 1.19.20 And heere note d Lombard Aquin. Anselm in Heb. 7 that Christ is first a King of righteousnesse and then a King of peace for he giueth vs first righteousnes and then peace So Paul expresly Rom. 5.1 Being iustified by faith we haue peace toward God thorough our Lord Iesus Christ 4. Melchisedech is said to bee without father and without mother e Theophylact. Primasius in Heb. 7. Chrysost in loc not that he was in deed so but for that the Scripture concealeth his genealogie so Christ f Hierome Agellius in loc as man was without father and as God without mother Nay Christ as God was without kindred hauing neither beginning of his daies neither end of life being Alpha and Omega the first and the last Apocal. 1.11 No God before him or after him Esay 43.10 5. Melchisedech blessed Abraham and receiued tithes of him and so consequently was greater then Abraham because without all contradiction the lesser is blessed of the better And so Christ is greater then Abraham as blessing him that had the promises g John 8.56 Abraham reioyced to see my day saith our Sauiour and he saw it and was glad 6. Melchisedech refreshed Abraham and his armie returning from the slaughter of the Kings with h Gen. 14.18 bread and wine so Christ feedeth and cherisheth his souldiers fighting vnder his banner against the world the flesh and the diuell euen with his owne i Iohn 6.55 flesh and blood represented in his holy Supper by k Matth. 26.26 bread and wine Melchisedech gaue bread and wine to Abraham he did not offer it vp vnto God as the l Apud Chemnit exam Con. Trident part 2. pag. 171. Latin Fathers vsually reade protulit non obtulit And therefore the m Caluin in loc Papists abuse this place when in the Masse they offer vp the bread vnto God which is to be communicated vnto men Christs Supper was ordained to be receiued of vs in the memoriall of his death for the confirmation of our faith that his body was broken for vs and his blood shed for our sinnes n Bradfords letter to his mother apud Fox Mart. fol. 1476. but in the Masse there is no receiuing because the Priest keepeth all to himself alone Christ saith Take eate but the Priest gape pepe The Masse-priests are grosse lurchers at the Lords table for first they take away the wine frō the laitie which is contrary to Christs owne voyce Drinke yee all of this And as for the bread they giue it not in euery Masse to the people but only at certaine times in the yeere and then also not so o A monument hereof in the Church at Stelft a Burg in Germany about 20. miles from Jnsprucke great an host or cake as themselues eate and that without either breaking on their part or touching of the people So their Masses vpon the point are Massacres of Christ a new killing and sacrificing of him againe so much as lieth in their power He shall iudge among the Heathen he shall fill the places with the dead bodies p Theodoret. Euthym. Turrecremat Some construe this of Christs iudgement on the last day for we beleeue that hee shall come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead hee shall in that day of his wrath fill the pits of hell with the bodies of the q Bellarmine reprobate and smite in sunder the heads of all such as haue lifted vp their heads against him r Caluine Tileman Tremellius Other haue better expounded this of his present iudgement in protecting his followers and in punishing his foes for Christ is described here by the Prophet as a valiant conquerour ouer his enemies He shall rule not among the Iewes only but among the Heathen also ſ Psal 96.13 iudging the world with righteousnes and the people with his truth He shall fill al places with the bodies of his aduersaries being dead and smite in sunder with his power and might the heads euen Kings and other chiefe gouernours of his enemies t In loc Augustine doth interpret this in the better part glossing it thus Implere ruinas est aedisicare quod cecidit conquassare capita humiliare superbos ad salutem per contritionem He shall drinke of the brooke in the way This may haue a double construction Either thus he that is the Messias shall drinke of the brooke which shall be made of the blood of his foes u Bucer Mollerus Vatablus as if he should haue said There shall be so much blood shed that the Conquerour may drink as it were of a riuer of blood in the way as he pursueth his enemies The like phrase wee finde Numb 23.24 x Caluin Tremel Or else it is a similitude taken from puissant and mightie Captaines who egerly pursuing their enemies stay not vpon dainties or pleasures but content themselues with floods and brookes which they finde in their
Lord and against his annointed Wickednesse furiously raging standing vp and taking counsell together Weakenesse Implied in the word why Expressed in the clause Imagine a vaine thing 2. Sets downe Gods Might for their destruction if they will not amend their manners and asswage their malice vers 4.5.6.7.8.9 Mercy for their instruction if they will once be so wise as to learne his law and to loue his sonne vers 10.11.12 Why doe the Heathen By Heathen are meant the Gentiles by people the Iewes by Kings the chiefe Monarches vpon earth and by Rulers their z Bucer Ro. Stephanus Wilcox priuie Counsellors of Estate The Gentiles as not hauing Gods law furiously rage together like a Cassiodorus Placidus Tileman bruit beasts without vnderstanding The Greeke word vsed by Saint Luke Act. 4.25 doth import fiercenesse and pride as of horses that neigh and rush into the battell The Iewes albeit they had Gods holy word imagined a vaine thing b Euthym. because they were cunning rather in the sound then in the sense thereof The Kings as men of might stand vp and the rulers as men of wit and policy take counsell together And so men of all countries as well the Iewes as the Gentiles and of all conditions as wel Princes as people bandy thēselues against the Lord against his anointed Now this may be construed c D. Jncognit Caluin Tremel either of Dauid or of the Messias Of the Lords Christ or of the Lord Christ Dauid is the Lords Christ as his annointed King ouer Israel annointed thrice First in the middest of his brethren 1. Sam. 1.16 afterward in Hebron 2. Sam. 2. lastly before all the tribes of Israel 2. Sam. 5. and he may be called the sonne of God As a Man for all of vs are the d Act. 17.28 generation of God it is be who made vs and not our selues Psal 100.2 Great man or King for Princes are stiled the e Psal 82.6 children of the most high Good man or regenerate for euery one that is new borne is f 1. Ioh. 3.9 borne of God and adopted his sonne and made his heire Rom. 8.15.17 How the Heathen that is the Philistims and other strange nations furiously raged together against him how the people that is the Iewes of Sauls house imagined vainely to dethrone him how the Captains stood vp and states-men tooke counsell together that they might breake his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from them how the Lord that dwelleth in heauen laughed all his enemies to scorne saying yet haue I set my King vpon my holy hill of Sion you may reade in the second booke of Samuel from the 2. to the 10. chapter But the blessed Apostles haue construed this of Christ Act. 4.24 O Lord thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth and the sea and all things that are in them Which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast said why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things The Kings of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ. For doubtlesse against thine holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done g Bellar. in loc First the Princes did plot and afterward the people did act this insurrection Herod the King sought to destroy Christ in his swadling cloutes he was troubled at the birth of Iesus and all Hierusalem with him Matth. 2.3 And the Rulers opposed Christ in the whole course of his life so the text plainly h Ioh. 7 48. Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharisies beleeue in him At his death all the Rulers Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill accorded in one The Gentiles i Euthym. that is the Romane souldiers by Pilats instigation furiously raged together and the people that is the Iewes by the counsell of the chiefe Priests Elders imagined a vaine thing Yea but how can it be said plurally that Kings assembled against Christ Answere is made by k Placidus Incognitus Agellius some that the plurall is vsed here for the singular Or by Kings is meant Herod and Pilate for Herod is stiled l Matth. 2.1 King and Pontius Pilate was a m Matth. 27.2 Gouernour vnder the Romane Emperour and these Viceroyes had many petite n Ioh. 4.46 Matth. 9.18 Rulers also subiect to their command Or by Kings is meant Herod senior who stood vp against Christ at his birth Matth. 2. and Herod Iunior who despised and mocked Christ at his death Luk. 23.11 Or as o Jn loc Idem Euthym. Chrysostome with Herod were ioyned the Diuell and Death and Sinne. All which are Kings of the earth The Diuell is a King p Ephes 2.2 ruling in the ayre the q Ioh. 12.31 Prince of this world Luk. 11.18 If Satan be diuided against himselfe how shall his kingdome stand And Death is a King Rom. 5.14 Death raigned from Adam to Moses c. And Sinne is a King too Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies lest yee should obey the lust of it All these Kings assembled and tooke counsell together against the Lord and against his Christ For as Christ consisted of humane flesh and a reasonable soule so likewise hee had two sorts of enemies one visible which assaulted his bodie another inuisible which assaulted his soule spirituall wickednesses Ephes 6.12 Here wee may behold and bewaile the blindnesse of the Iewes in our time who notwithstanding their most ancient r See Galatin de Arcanis lib. 3. cap. 7. Bellar. in loc Rabbins applie this our text to the true Messias expect him as yet to come Lastly for as much as Christ suffers in his ſ Acts 9.4 members and t 2. Tim. 3.12 al that will liue godly that they may be made u Rom. 8.29 like to his image must of necessitie suffer persecution it may be construed of x Placidus Bucer Strigellius Christians as well as of Christ against whom al the wicked angels y Apoc. 7.1 standing on the foure corners of the earth are combined in a bloody league The Gentiles at this day furiously rage together and the Iewes at this day still imagine vaine things at this day the Kings of the earth stand vp as the Turke the Pope the Spanyard and all their cruell agents In a word all Atheists all Anti-christs all Hypocrites all Worldlings hurtle together against the Lord his annoynted people The true Church is a z Cant. 2.2 lilie among thornes a few harmelesse a Luk. 10.3 lambes in the middest of many rauenous wolues on euery side compassed about with such as say Let vs break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from vs. 1. We may learne from hence b Wilcox not
to depend vpon the multitude for their number because the people mutinously rage together and imagine vaine things in their conuenticles nor vpon the mightie for their countenance because many Kings of the earth stand vp and Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and his Christ 2. We may know from hence c Bucer whether wee are the Lords annointed or no. The d John 15.19 world loueth his owne if then it hate Christ in vs it is an infallible signe that we are good e 2. Tim. 2.3 souldiers of the Lord and not seruants of the world f Bradford apud Fox Mart. fol. 1490. The way to heauen is to saile by hell if you will embrace Christ in his robes you must not thinke scorne of him in his ragges if you will sit at his table in his kingdome you must first abide with him in his tentations if you will drinke of his cup of glorie forsake not his cup of ignominie Can the head corner stone be reiected and the other more base stones in Gods building be set by You are one of Gods liuely stones and therefore be content to be hewen and snagged that you may be made more meete to be ioyned to your fellowes suffering the snatches of Satan and wounds of the world 3. From hence wee may be well assured that the sincere profession of the Gospell in reformed Churches is the most incorrupt and pure religion as being most opposite to the children of this world The Masse said holy g In a letter to his mother Bradford doth not bite them or make thē to blush as preaching And therefore the h Apoc. 17.2 Kings of the earth are drunken with the wine of the Babylonish whore's abominable fornication In i Relation of religion §. 13. Rome the humour of euery worldling is fitted and each appetite may finde what to feede on The mother of whoredomes is content to tolerate Iewes and other vngodly wretches of diuers and aduerse faiths in her Countrey but shee will not endure Lutherans All things are lawfull in great Babylon excepting this only to professe the Gospell after the manner of Protestants It is reported by reuerend k Martyr fol. 860. Fox that certain Lawyers and Aduocates in Prouince maintained openly that in a case of Lutheranisme the Iudges are not bound to obserue either right or reason order or ordinance for they cannot erre whatsoeuer iudgement they doe giue so that it tend to the ruine and extirpation of such as are suspected Lutherans Hitherto concerning the wickednesse of such as oppose themselues against the Lord and his annointed I am now to speake of their weakenesse implied in the word Why l Steuchus Genebrard for by this interrogation he doth admire their follie non enim tam interrogantis quà m deridentis as a learned m Agellius expositor vpon the place n Chrysost Placidus If they be derided as vnwise who shoote arrowes at the Sunne and barke at the Moone what errant fooles are they who fight against God dwelling in the heauen of heauens aboue Sunne and Moone o Acts 4.24 who made the heauen and earth and Sea and all things that are therein Alas all flesh is as the p Esay 40 7. grasse that withereth and God is a q Heb. 12.29 consuming fire readie to burne this stubble r Psal 144.4 Man is like a thing of nought but God is almightie measuring the waters in his fist and meating heauē with his spanne and weighing the mountaines in skales and the hils in a ballance Esay 40.12 Man is in the hāds of God his maker as the clay in the hands of the potter Ierem. 18.6 Now shall the thing formed saith ſ Rom. 11.20 S. Paul dispute with him who formed it or man imagine so vaine a thing as to stand vp and take counsell against his Creatour So that the Prophet here speakes as the t Virgil. Aenead lib. 10. Poet Quò moriture ruis maioraque viribus audes Quid tantum insano iuuat indulgere labori Or as u Epod. 7. Horace begins an Epod Quò quò scelestiruitis aut cur dexteris aptantur enses conditi He that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne Note here the great oddes and difference between God and his enemies 1. He dwelleth in heauen x Caluin but his greatest opposites are Kings vpon earth vnsetled y 1. Pet. 2.11 pilgrimes in z 2. Cor. 5.1 earthly tabernacles and houses of a Iob. 4.19 clay 2. Whereas b Psal 39.7 man disquieteth himselfe in vaine raging running standing vp against the Lord and his annointed almightie God is said heere to sit in heauen at c Bucer rest and ease 3. Whereas men imagine vainly to breake his bonds and cast away his cords God in a moment is able to bruse them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Albeit they fret and fume neuer so much he shall laugh them to scorne and haue them in derision As it is said of the monster d Job 41.18 Leuiathan He esteemeth iron as straw and brasse as rotten wood the archer cannot make him flee the stones of the sling are turned to stubble before him and hee laugheth at the shaking of the speare Now these things are said grossely for our capacitie because the Lord in deede can neither laugh nor crie yet the Scripture speaking after the manner of men affirmes plainly that God is grieued at our faults and that hee laugheth at our follies non secundum affectum as the Schoole distinguisheth aptly sed secundum effectum in that he carrieth himselfe toward his enemies as one that hath them in derision And this he doth in e Caluin two respects especially 1. For that he can at any time when he will as it were sportingly pull downe such as stand vp against him hee doth easily descrie their follie suppresse their furie 2. For that he suffereth his enemies in their rebelling and reuelling against his annointed only to play with his baite he hath as he told f 2. King 19.28 Esay 17.29 Senachorib an hooke in their nostrils and a bridle in their mouthes he can and he will at his good pleasure bring them back againe the same way they came g Psal 121.4 He that keepeth Israel howsoeuer hee seeme for a while to neglect his Church and kingdome of his Sonne shall neither slumber nor sleepe He will in his due time speake with al such as combine themselues against his annointed he will talke with them indeede h Bellarmine non verbis sed verberibus as it is in the text hee shall speake to them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure he shall bruse them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell and so shall hee make them a scorne to men and Angels hee derides them in that he sheweth
The Gospels of the foure Euangelists historically relate the birth life death resurrection and ascension of Christ The larger interpretation thereof is deliuered in the Apostles Canonicall Epistles and the practice of the Primitiue Church in their Acts and the Reuelation of Saint Iohn is a prophecie concerning the Church vniuersall vnto the worlds end In the foure Euangelists hee that hath eyes to see may reade the text of the Gospell intimating what Christ is in himselfe in the Acts Epistles Apocalyps as it were the Gospels golden glosse vnfolding more fully what Christ is in his members If any then haue a desire to kisse the sonne and to learne how to bee subiect vnto the bords and cords of his kingdome let him exactly i Iohn 5.39 search the Scriptures for they witnesse of him In the ceremonies and sacrifices of the law you may finde him obscurely shadowed in the Sermons and Sacraments of the Gospell openly declared to be the begotten sonne of God and annointed King set ouer his holy hill of Sion Serue the Lord Concerning the doing of our duty k Strigellius two things are required here more especially Feare serue the Lord in feare Faith reioyce vnto him and put your trust in him Faith is opposite to desperation and feare to securitie l Hierome Euthym. That we may not presume wee must serue God in feare that we may not despaire reioyce vnto him in faith and hope Feare may not bee without ioy nor ioy without feare Marke how cautionatly the spirit speakes here serue the Lord but in feare reioyce vnto the Lord but in trembling lest happily we should assume too much vnto our selues and so presumptuously sin he doth admonish vs of one thing m Caluin twice That wee may not be discouraged in seruing of God hee would haue vs to reioyce yet so that our ioy bee with reuerence The deuout women who came to visit Christs sepulchre were filled with feare and great ioy Matth. 28.8 and S. n 1. Cor. 10.12 Paul aduiseth euery man who thinkes he stands to take heede lest he fall and to o Philip. 2.12 worke out their saluation with feare and trembling God abhorreth hypocrites a people that honoureth him with their lips but their p Mark 7.6 heart is farre from him q Placidus his perfit seruice requireth outward obeisance of the body ioyned with inward obedience of the mind as Hierome glosseth our text the seruants of God ought to come into his courts cum tremore corporis timore animae with aufull hearts and trembling hands so r Psal 81.1 100.1 singing to the Lord in gladnes that they may reioyce in the Lord with reuerence This feare may not be seruile but ſ Lorin Turrecremat filiall as a father hee loueth vs and therefore wee must as deare children honour him obeying with a reuerend awe whatsoeuer hee would haue vs either to suffer or doe t Bellarmine Mire miscuit amorem cum timore ac si diceret timete cum amore amate cum timore The last obseruable point is why because hereby yee shall escape Gods heauie curse that falleth vpon such as resist his Christ and obtaine that happy blessing which is promised vnto such as put their trust in him u Agellius Vnderstand then O yee Kings and be no longer obstinate ye haue heretofore stood vp against the Lord his annointed Sonne but now serue the Lord and kisse his Sonne O yee Kings and Iudges of the earth acknowledge that Christ is the King of Kings euen the Lord of all things and Iudge of all men able to make you his footstoole as hauing the heathen for his inheritance the whole world for his possession and holding a rodde of iron in his hand to dash into peeces all such as take counsell together against him Hee is also readie to destroy you for his wrath is kindled and x Deut. 4.24 God is a cōsuming fire y Placidus The more fewel the greater flame Your offences make you the very fewell of his anger and therfore z Dan. 4.24 breake off your sinnes by righteousnesse embrace the bonds of his authoritie which you meant to breake for his a Matth. 11.30 yoke is easie Cast not his cords away for his burthen is light Euen now while you are in the way kick not against the Sonne but kisse the Sonne b See Hierome Steuchus Bucer Agellius in loc Bellarm. de verbo dei lib. 2. cap. 13. that is admit of his doctrine submit your selues to his discipline Christ is the truth and the way that therefore ye may not perish from the right way kisse him and keepe his Commandements as Hierome paraphraseth it pithely Kissing in old time was vsed in token of Deuotion for Idolaters are said to kisse their Idols Hosea 13.2 but Gods people refused to c 1. Kings 19.18 see Hierome in Iob. 31.27 in Hose 13.2 kisse the mouth of Baal From hence worshipping is in Latine called Adoratio Obedience so Samuel kissed Saul 1. Sam. 10.1 and Aaron kissed Moses Exod. 4.27 and it is the manner of subiects at this day to kisse the hands of their Kings Loue so d Gen. 45.15 Ioseph kissed his brethren so e Ruth 1.9 Naomi kissed her two daughters in law so the good old father kissed his dissolute sonne Luk. 15.20 All these kindes of kisses are due to Christ in our deuotion it is our dutie to f Psalm 95.6 fall downe before him and with g Matth. 28.9 Mary Magdalene to kisse his feete yea the feete of h Rom. 10.15 such as bring the glad tydings of his Gospell And in our whole conuersation it is our dutie to giue vnto him our King and Lord the kisses of honor homage seruing him in feare reioycing vnto him with reuerence We must heartily kisse him in faith and not hypocritically like Iudas in fashion only Wherefore i Placidus Steuchus some translations haue it thus adorate purè worship him in truth and puritie k Agellius cleaue to him and embrace his word with as l Bellarmine louing an affection as they doe that kisse one another m Io. Ganeius Parasinus Theologus in loc Atque vni totos ipsi vos dedite tota Mente animoque velut dominum amplexamini eique Figite amicitiae purissima basia sanctae The Sonne came into the world to n Ephes 2.16 reconcile vs vnto God his Father hee came not to kill vs hee came to kisse vs and that as the Church speaks in her o Cant. 1.1 loue-song with the kisses of his mouth His saying Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you is a p Melanct. in loc sweet kisse of his mouth His saying I am not come to call the righteous vnto repentance but sinners is another sweete kisse of his mouth His saying God so loued
dead It is reported of the zealous and learned Martyr u Fox Mart. fol. 855. Ioannes Mollius that he neuer spake of the name Iesu but instantly teares dropt from his eyes And surely the due consideration of Christs all-sufficient oblation and sacrifice for all our sinnes on the Crosse should make vs abhorre those masse-mongers and to say with our x Psal 139.21 Prophet Doe not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am not I grieued with those that rise vp against thee yea Lord I hate them right sore euen as though they were mine enemies But the maine poynt of their foolish wisedome is the prohibiting of the Scriptures in a vulgar and knowne tongue y Iohn 5.39 Christ saith expressely Search the Scriptures Antichrist on the contrary z Ex registro Ioh. Longland Episc Linc. fol. 85. apud Fox Mart. fol. 763. the reading of holy Scriptures is against the determination of the Church As long as Lay-men are kept from the light of the Gospell and Lanterne of the Lawe they cannot spiritually discerne their Priests erroneous doctrines and doings Herein the popish Clergy doth vse the foppish Laity like as the a Iudg. 16.25 Philistines handled Samson first they put out their eies and then being blind-fold they make pastime with all degrees of them euen with Emperours and Kings and b 2. Thes 2.3 all that is called God I haue heard often and read c Dr. Carleton directions to know the true Church pa. 40. also that Cardinall Caietan comming into Paris and seeing the blinde people very desirous of his blessing and therein vndoubtedly the Popes he turned to them and said Quandoquidem hic populus decipi vult decipiatur in nomine diaboli that is seeing this people will needs be deceiued let them be deceiued in the name of the diuell and so gaue them the Popes blessing In these poynts and many moe the Papists albeit neuer so learned haue bad vnderstanding and the reason hereof is plaine because they haue changed the rule of faith d Concil Tridēt idem Bell. lib. de verbo Dei non scripto cap. 3. §. contro cap. 4. § nunc vt 12 §. dico secundo adding to the Scriptures vnwritten traditions and honouring them with equall affection of deuotion and reuerence and so consequently worshiping God after their own inuentions and not according to the prescript of his holy faith and feare The praise of it endures for euer Or as other Translations his praise referring it e Bucer Agellius either to God or else to the man who feares God f Chrysost Euthym. Some Diuines ascribe this praise to God alone g Genebr in loc in Psal 148.13 because Tehilla properly signifieth onely that kinde of praise which is due to God and so they make this clause to containe both a h Melancth Mollerus precept and a promise Precept exhorting vs to praise God with all our heart both in the secret assemblies of the faithfull and in the publike congregation And so this Hymnes end doth answere the beginning and the Text in euery poynt the title Now lest any man in executing this office should be discouraged the Prophet addeth a promise Gods praise doth endure for euer as if he should haue said The Lord is i Psal 99.1 King be the people neuer so impatient the Lord is k Kings 18.31 God albeit the l Psal 2.1 Gentiles furiously rage together and the Iewes imagine a vaine thing the Kings of the earth stand vp and the Rulers combine themselues against him He that dwelleth in heauen hath all his enemies in derision and makes them all his footestoole his power is for euer and so consequently his praise shall endure for euer in the militant Church vnto the worlds end in the triumphant world without end Most interpretours haue referred this vnto the good man who feares the Lord yet diuersly m In loc Saint Augustine expoundeth it thus his praise that is his praising of the Lord shall endure for euermore because he shall bee one of them of whom it is said Psal 84.4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be alwaies praising thee n Arnobius Dr. Incognitus Bellarmine R. Stephanus Tileman Other vnderstand by o His that is their praise who feare the Lord and doe thereafter the singular for the plurall Bucer his praise the commendation of the good man both in the life present and in that which is to come for his righteousenesse shall be had in an euer lasting remembrance Psal 112.6 Concerning the present howsoeuer the name of the wicked rot either in obliuion or in ignominie yet p Prou. 10.7 the memoriall of the iust is blessed it is like the composition of the perfume made by the skill of the Apothecary sweet as hony in all mouthes and as musicke at a banquet of wine r Buchanan Hunc ventura nepotum semper dicent secla Beatum Or as Beza Hic sapit hic demum mansura laude fruetur q Eccles 49.1 parere qui Deo studet In the world to come the Lord will say to such as louing his feare haue liued thereafter ſ Mat. 25.21 It is well done good seruant and faithfull enter into thy Masters ioy to become the peoples Saint and to be commended of the most is not alwaies honourable Non minus periculum ex magna fama said t In vita Agric. Tacitus quà m ex mala That commendation is onely true glory which as u Tusc quaest li. 3 Cicero speakes is Consentiens laus bonorum incorrupta vox bene Iudicantium And therefore to bee praised by the most worthy of all honor and praise the Lord most high and most holy surpasseth all the wickeds glozing all this worlds glory Now then I demaund of the worldling what is the most high and deepe poynt of wisedome is it to get an opulent fortune to be so wise as fiftie thousand pounds behold godlinesse is great gaine saith x 1 Tim. 6.6 Paul and the Christian onely rich quoth the renowned y Clem. Paedag. lib. 3. Catechist of Alexandria Is it to liue ioyfully or to vse the gallants phrase Iouially behold z Psal 97.11 there is ioyfull gladnesse for such as are true-hearted A wicked man in his madde-merry humor for a while may be Pomponius Laetus but a good man onely is Hilarius onely hee which is faithfull in a Psal 64.10 Prou. 13.9 heart is ioyfull in heart Is it to get honour the praise of Gods feare saith our Text endures for euer many worthies of the world are most vnhappy because they be commended where they be not and tormented where they be hell rings of their paines earth of their praise but b Psal 112.1 blessed is the man that feareth the Lord for his commendation is both here lasting and hereafter euerlasting in this world renowned amongst
all their plots and practises to be worthie i Hierome derision For first if we construe this of Dauid he laughed all his enemies to scorne saying k 2. Sam. 12.7 I annointed thee King euer Israel and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul and gaue thee thy Lords house and his wiues into thy bosome c. and would moreouer if that had been too little giue thee such and such things c. The which is in effect all one with our text at the sixth verse I haue set my King vpon mine holy hill of Sion If we construe this of the Church hee laugheth all her enemies to scorne saying l Esay 49.16 I haue grauen thee in the palmes of mine hands and thy walles are euer in my sight m Esay 41.10 Feare thou not for I am with thee be not afraid thou worme Iacob for I the Lord thy God will strengthen thee and helpe thee and sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice Behold all they that prouoke thee shall be confounded and ashamed they shall be as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish for n Matth. 16.18 hell gates shall not ouercome thee If we construe this of Christ he that dwelleth in heauen had all his enemies in derision hee did vse these bad instruments for the effecting of his good ends so the text Act. 13.27 in putting to death the Lord of life they fulfilled all things that were written of him in the Prophets and Acts 4.28 they did whatsoeuer Gods holy hand and counsell had determined before to be done All his enemies as well spirituall as temporall imagined vainly The Diuell and Death and Sinne furiously raged against him on the Crosse but hee did o Coloss 2.15 openly triumph ouer them in the same Crosse By death he did ouercome death and open vnto vs the gate of life for if death could not on this day keepe him fettered in the graue his prison it is euident that his power is vanquished and if death bee conquered it followes necessarily that sin which is the sting of death is also destroyed If death and sinne be discomfited then assuredly the kingdome of Satan is subdued who had the power of death and is author of sinne and ruler of hell As for his temporall enemies the Gentiles madly raged against him and the Iewes imagined a vaine thing in p Matth. 27.60 rolling a great stone to the doore of the sepulchre sealing it and making it sure with a watch For it was q Acts 2.24.31 impossible that the Lord of life should bee holden of death his soule could not bee left in graue nor his flesh see corruption and therefore the stone being rolled away by an Herauld of heauen Matth. 28.2 God raised him againe from the dead and made him a King ouer his holy hill of Sion r Hierome Augustin that is head of his Church giuing him all the heathen for his inheritance and the vttermost parts of the earth for his possession And the Rulers held an idle counsell against him in commanding the souldiers who guarded his tombe to say ſ Matth. 28.13 that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept for as t Hom. 36. Austin and u Greg. Nyssen orat 2. de resurrect Christi Idem annotat inter neotericos Caietan in Matth. 28. other of the most ancient Doctors haue well obserued it is a very senselesse lye because the souldiers either were asleepe or awake if asleepe how did they know that his Disciples had taken him away by night if awake why did they not guard the tombe lapidem vt lapides seruabant as Chrysostome vpon this Psalme See Gospell on Easter day Thus he that dwelleth in heauen raising his annointed on this day from the dead had all his enemies in derision He said to Christ on Easter day Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee As if he should haue said Thou wert euer my sonne before to day before there was any day x Caluin Rob. Stephanus in loc See Suarez tom 2. in 3. Thom. disput 45. sect 1. but yet in this day of thy resurrection I haue most especially manifested vnto the world that thou art my sonne whom I haue begotten See this expounded more fully Epist on Tuesday in Easter weeke Be wise therefore O ye Kings In this admonition obserue foure points Especially 1. Who Kings and Iudges 2. When Now. 3. What 1. To y Basil Bellarmine know their dutie Be wise be learned 2. To doe their dutie Serue the Lord kisse the Sonne 4. Why Because z Tremellius hereby Gods Heauie wrath is escaped implied in the word therfore hauing reference to the iudgements of God verse 5.9 and expressed vers 12. lest he be angrie and so yee perish from the right way Happie blessing is obtained Blessed are they that put their trust in him He doth exhort Kings especially a Caluin because their greatnes vsually makes them insolent and rebellious against God b Steuchus Or lest happily the subiect should bee punished for the Soueraignes follie Quic quid delirant reges plectuntur Achiui Or because like Prince like people Ieroboam made Israel to sinne c Herodianus lib. 1. for the most part euerie man emulates the manners of his Prince d Claudianus Mobile mutatur semper cum principe vulgus Or he speakes to Kings and Iudges more particularly e Tileman for that it belongs vnto their office to see the people well instructed it appertaines to their charge being Custodes vtriusque tabulae that euery subiect liue toward himselfe soberly toward his neighbour righteously toward God religiously For although a King may not administer the Sacraments or preach the word or execute the Ministers office de facto yet as our ſ Confess Anglican art 37. and in the admonition to simple men annexed to Queene Elizab Iniunctions Diuines haue determined it belongs to the Kings cure de Iure to see that all things concerning Gods holy seruice should be done in the Church orderly The Prophet therefore calleth vpon Kings and Iudges earnestly to serue the Lord as the chiefe knowing that the great wheele mouing in deuotion is able to carry with it all the lesser wheeles Here then obserue what a great charge Princes and Prelates haue for God saith vnto them of euery one which is vnder their iurisdiction and cure g 1. King 20.39 keepe this man if he be lost and want thy life shall goe for his life h Petitur à te non curatio sed cura Bernard The conuerting of the wicked howsoeuer it be Gods cure yet it is thy care the Lord only giueth i 1. Cor. 3.6 encrease yet Paul is to plant and Apollos to water and therefore k Fox Mart. fol. 1003. Iohn Longland B. of Lincolme preaching before King Henrie 8. wondred at the Popes blind
follie who makes the whole world his Diocesse for if a man at the dreadfull day of iudgement shall hardly answere for himselfe how shall the man of sinne answere for all the world Now for as much as euery priuate family is a modell of a kingdome euery man in his owne house is both a Priest and a Prince be wise ye masters and learned ye parents that yee may bring vp your seruants and children in l Ephes 6.4 instruction and information of the Lord serue God in feare and reioyce in him with reuerence giue good examples of piety toward God of pitty toward your neighbours of sobriety toward your selues As m Epist lib. 1. epist 10. Seneca diuinely sic viue cum hominibus quasi Deus videat sic loquere cum deo quasi homines audiant So conuerse with men as if God did see you so conferre with God as if men did heare you Lastly this exhortation to repentance concerneth all men as well the lowest as the highest if the words ministry reach vnto the Soueraigne how shall it come short of the n Euthym. Caluin subiect if o 1. King 18.18 Elias may tell Ahab it is thou and thy fathers house which haue troubled Israel in that yee haue forsaken the commandements of the Lord and haue followed Balaim If p Mat. 14.14 Iohn the Baptist may tell Herod to his beard It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife If q 2. Sam. 12. Nathan may tell Dauid the King of his murther and adulterie then assuredly the Prophets of Almighty God may well admonish inferiours tell them of their vaine imaginations raging against the Lord and his annointed Saint Peter told Simon Magus r Act. 8.23 thou art in the gall of bitternesse Saint Å¿ Galath 3.3 Paul called his Galathians fooles because they began in the spirit and ended in the flesh Saint t Iam. 5.3 Iames cried vnto the couetous worldlings your gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them is a witnesse against you The Pastour may tel his parishioners of their idlenesse oppression hypocrisie drunkennesse c. exhorting them to learne Christ better and to bee more wife Such as continue still irrepentant in their sins are fooles and the longer they continue the greater fooles if once they turne to the Lord and repent they begin to be wise for u Prou. 1.7 the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome And therefore the next point is to bee pressed intelligite nunc be wise now Now while yee are in the x Mat. 5.25 way now while it is called y Heb. 3.13 to day now while it is time z Caluin Genebrard before Gods heauie iudgments ouertake you mentioned in the fifth and ninth verse Sinne is first as it were a Palmer-worme hurting onely the leaues of the tree then a Caterpiller destroying the fruit last of all if it bee not in due time preuented a Canker that deuoures the body Christ often compares his Spouse the Church vnto a Doue whose call is nunc nunc now now and the voice of the Turtle is heard in Gods holy land Cant. 2.12 but the Crow crying a Augustin de verbis dom in euang secund Mat. ser 16. cras cras to morrow to morrow seemes to bee curate to the diuell and vicar of hell An irrepentant sinner in his security sleepes betweene death and the diuel as Peter did betweene two souldiers bound with two chaines Act. 12.6 He that will not vnderstand and bee wise now may perish in his follie before to morrow Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Prou. 27.1 O foole this night may they fetch away thy soule from thee Luk. 12.20 Bee wise therefore now learne now to know your duty and to doe your dutie to the Lord lest in his anger he bruise you with a rod of iron and breake you to pieces as a potters vessell Our vnderstanding must bee first informed and then our affections reformed according to Gods holy lawes b Lactantius institut lib. 4. cap. 4. Sapientia praecedit religio sequitur sapience goeth before religion followeth It is our duty first to know God and then to worship him according to the termes of our c Termes of law Tit. scire facias Common law there must bee first a scire facias and then a fieri facias Wee cannot doe the will of our heauenly Father except we know it and it is not sufficient to know it as d Luk. 12.47 Christ teacheth vs except we doe it The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding saith our Prophet haue they that e See notes vpon the 111. Psal doe thereafter Psalm 111.10 He that will commence Doctor in Israel and be learned in Christs schoole must agere poenitentiam as the Latine translation runnes Mat. 3.2 It is not enough f Michael de Hungaria ser 5. Stella in Luk. 15.7 cogitare to thinke of amendment as they who deferre repentance from day to day ye must euen now be wise neither is it enough dicere to speake of repentance like hypocrites who disfigure their faces and looke soure Mat. 6.16 Neither is it enough docere to teach other repentance like Iudas who was an instrument for the sauing of other and yet hanged himselfe Hee that will not burne with the diuell must of necessity turne to God and this turning is a whole not halfe a turne g Ioel. 2.12 Turne ye to me saith the Lord with all your heart c. We haue heretofore played the fooles in abusing our soules and bodies goods vnto the dishonour of God iniuring of our neighbours hurt of our selues It is now time to bee wise and to learne how to be deuout in pouring out our soules vnto God continent in gouerning our body toward our selues iust in disposing of our goods toward other Now the best way to bee learned and to know our duty is to bee versed in Gods booke whereof there be h See Basilicon Doron pag. 7. 8. two parts his old Testament and his new The ground of the former is the Law which sheweth our sinne and containeth iustice the ground of the latter is the Gospell which sheweth our Sauiour and containeth grace The summe of the law is the decalogue more largely dilated in the bookes of Moses interpreted and applied in the Sermons of the Prophets and illustrated by manifold examples of good and euil in the stories of Chronicles and Kings But because no man is able perfectly to keep the whole law or any part therof it pleased God of his infinite goodnesse and wisedome to incarnate his onely Sonne in our nature who for the satisfaction of his iustice might fulfil the course and suffer the curse of the law for vs that since we could not bee saued by doing we might at least be saued by beleeuing