The solace of Sion, and ioy of Ierusalem. Or consolation of Gods church in the latter age redeemed by the preaching of the Gospell vniuersallye. Beeing a godly and learned exposition of the Lxxxvij. Psalme of the princelye prophet Dauid: written in Latine by the reuerend Doctor Vrbanus Regius, pastor of Christes Church at Zelle, in Saxonie. 1536. Translated into english by R. Robinson citizen of London 1587.

To the Right Ho∣norable, Sir George Barne Knight Lord Maior of the City of London, & to the Right worshipful his Brethren the Al∣dermen of the same, Grace, Mercy, Peace and plenitude of Temporal and eternal Beatitude in Christ Iesus our Lorde and Sauiour Euerlasting.

KNOVVLEDGE of GOD by his holy wil, word, & works omnipotent conceiued, Faith in his heauenly prouidence, presence and promises al suf∣ficient perceiued, and obedi∣ent thankfulnesse for his ine∣stimable bounty, benefits & blessing permanent receiued (Right Honorable, Worshipfull, and Reuerend in the Lord) as they are three most excellent plants of deuine vertue; of whose fruite if our first Parents in Paradise, had taken, tasted and disgested aright, (as they did of a contrarie) not onely their solace there had beene without Sorrowe their ioy without anoy, and their life without death, to the inspeakable solace and infinite ioy of the eternall GOD their Crea∣tor: But also both they and all their posteritie had beene freed from the thraldome of Sathan, sinne, Death and Hell from time to time euen for euer. For thereby in steede of knowledge, wilful bold∣nes: for want of faith, incredulytie: and for obedi∣•…•…

i••••o paine, prosperity into aduersitie, health into sicknes, life into death, and blessings into cur∣sings: Albeit the same our omnipotent Creator, mercifull Redeemer & gratious sanctifier, accor∣ding to his holy will, word and work, by his hea∣uenly prouidence, presence, and promises by hi•• bountie benefites and blessings, afterwarde•• (finding better fruites of knowledge, repentance, faith, and obedience in thē) comforted and con∣firmed both the same, our first sinfull parentes & their seede after them▪ videlize•• SETH, ENOS, KAINAN, MALALIEL, ••ARED & ENOCH with long and happie daies vpon earth. Of which seauen ENOCH especially euen aliue (the rest of the fathers beholding the same) was from thence translated into heauen, not onely for a repentance vnto the nations in this life but also to signify the immortalitie of the bodies▪ & soules of the Lord•• elect after this life euerlastingly: And hereupon the best approued Interpreters and writers gather that as the Lord in sixe daies created the world, & ••ested the seauenth day: so the same shoulde en∣dure six thousand yeares, & the seuenth thousand shold be the Sabath of eternal rest: and as the first sixe Fathers from ADAM to ENOCH died by course of nature, and the seauenth was transla∣ted aliue into Heauen, so during the first 6000. yeares death should rai••••••n the world but in the 7000 should begin th•• ••••••••••ednesse of life in the world euerlasting.

Here then conseque•••••• (after ENOCH) we now* 1.1 for our time haue great cause of consolation, To remember how yet in the first age, God calling NOAH (a rest or ceasing) with his famelye into

the Arke, and they obediently entring were saued when al the world besides were consumed. Gen. 6 And how in the second age of the worde, SH•••• (the renoumed) of whome the first Iewes came, & IAPHETH (enlarged) of whome the first Gen∣tiles came, both the sonnes of the same NOAH, should (being blessed) ioine handes together to∣wards the building of the earthly SION and hea∣uenly IERVSALEM: when their brother CAM (crafty) for his disobedience was accursed Genes. 9* 1.2 And his children the Cananites an idolatrous and wicked people were confounded in their presum∣tuous building of the earthly BABEL. How also the second age expired, and in the 23. yeare of the third beginning▪ ABRAHAM (the father of a multitude) being called by God out of the Citie of HARAN in Mesopotomia, into Palestine euē there amongst the infidels receiued the promise concerning Christ incarnate of his seed, that the world shoulde by him recouer the blessings that it lost through ADAM: Genes, 12. Which was by the will of God more amply perfourmed in the Lords couenāt vnto Dauid (beloued) of the tribe of IVDA, the yongest sonne of ISHAY: Who from keeping of sheepe being called to be a king ruled in SION and in IERVSALEM with great solace and ioy of his people: a Conqueror of their enemies, a comforter of their friendes, and as a princely deuine 〈…〉〈…〉 Lords annointed, re∣ceiued the effectual promise concerning Christ•• incarnate to come of his 〈…〉〈…〉, and the sure & safe stability of his euerlasting kingdome. 2 Sam. 7. and though he builded not the Lord a materiall Temple, yet hee endeuoured most religiously to

aduance Gods glorie in his congregation with de uine seruice and worship, according to the holie will of the Lord, solemply celebrating the same with heauēly harmony of sacred songes, and with Psalmes of prayer and praise: appointing ASAPH, H••MAN, IDITHVM, and the sonnes of KORACH, most skilful Musitions, to play vpon and sing to melodious instruments, with sweet solace & ioy in the Lord. After whom SOLOMON (peaceable) his sonn succeeding being appointed of the Lord to builde and beautify the Temple, for religion, wisedome, wealth, power, and prosperitie, incom∣parably florished at the first: But in his elder years forgetting God and falling vnto Idolatrie, he pro¦cured Gods displeasure, the hatred of his enemies and decay of his kingdome. And in the third age the Lorde thinking vpon his promise made vnto Dauid aforesaid, by his prouidence ordained the most godly, wise, prosperous and victorious* 1.3 kinges of IVDA, as Asa, Iosaphat, Ioathan, Ezechi∣as, and Iosias, and after them, Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia: with Zerubbabel, Ne hemias, & Esdias, their helpers to build the Lords house, destroy all Idolatry, bring the people out of Babilonical thraldome, and set them forwards in the way of the promised heauenly SION, and Ierusalē In whose daies also the Lord stirred vp his holy Prophets Esay, Ieremy, Ezechiel, Daniell and the rest to pronounce vnto the Nations his holy wil word & works, to preach vnto al true be∣leeuers his prouidēce, presence, & promises in his church & kingdome by Christ, and his Gospel of euerlasting saluation. In the fourth age of the 〈…〉〈…〉

the Prophets Christ Iesus the sonne of God came into the world for the saluation of al true beleeuers: whō* 1.4 the very Gentiles of the ••ast, at his first comming ac∣knowledged & worshipped, the Iewes afterwards sca∣tered here and there among the Gentiles, and many of their Rulers beleeued in him. Though the Pharises, Scribes and Hipocrites with other wicked Iewes de∣spised his doctrine and persecuted his person, and his Apostles also: of whom the denying Peter, a penitent Pastor among the Iewes; and the persecuting Saule a conuert Paul among the Gentiles, were also mightie messengers & workmen of their maister Christ, when with thē the other Appostles and many christian Do∣ctors, Martires and mēbers of the Primitiue Church, vnder 12. persecutions for the same causes and effectes, liued and died the faithfull seruants of Christ, and In∣heritours of the promised heauenly SION and Ierusa∣lem. And as euen in that age the Romane Antechriste began his kingdome to constitute mans traditions a boue Christs institutions: whome Tyrants, Epicures, Sophisters, and manifolde miscreantes vpheld & had* 1.5 in honor. So euen then & in the fift age of the world the Lord God stirred vp good and gratious Emperors and kinges, godly spiritual persons, and religious mē¦bers of his Church, to settle and defend his trueth and aduance the glory of his heauenly kingdome, to the subduing of the same Antichrist. And now are almost 600 yeares entred into the sixt age of the world, the Lordin his holy wil, word and work perfourming his prouidence, presence, and promises in his church and kingdome euerlasting (by gathering the same out of euery Nation, the faithful of his flock) who shal par∣take with him of the celestial solace & infinite ioy in the heauenly SION and▪ Ierusalem, in the Sabaoth of

eternall rest. Towardes the well wishing wherevnto (Right honorable worshipful, & reuerēd in the Lord) like as the Apostle Paul writ his louing salutatiōs vn∣to the Romanes, at that time the chosen church of Christ, and (amongst some of them engrafted in the true faith before himselfe was called) praied thē to sa∣lute VRBANVS his fellow helper in Christ: So do ••* 1.6 most humbly, and hartely, reuerently, & dutifully re∣cōmend vnto your honour and worships godly & fa∣uourable acceptations of this short, but sweet Psalm, this little but learned labour, published by so faithful a fellow helpen of Paul, this VRBANVS REGIVS or king¦ly Citizen of Christ in our time. who as he being pre∣sent in spirite, though absent in body for two yeares, sent the same in latine as a token of remēbrance vnto the worshipful Senators of Hamborow, his friēds: So I a poore Citizen of LONDON, & wel willer of your worships my good benefactors, doe dedicate & conse∣crate this my translation of the same In perperuam Mnemosinā prōptitudinis meae in praecatione & prax∣in pro pietatibus vestris. And so humbly beseeching your honour & worships to accept my great good wil in so smal a substance, though great in effect. I hartely pray for the happy & long encrease of Gods benefites and blessings vpon this City terrestiall & for the end les perfruitiō therof with Christ the immaculate Lāb▪* 1.7 his Angels, elders, & thousandes thousandes of his e∣lect vnto whome with the father and the holy Ghost, they incessantly shal ascribe all power, & riches, and wisedome, and strength, and honor, and glory, and praise. For euer, and euer. So be it.

Your honors and worships humble Orator. Richard Robinson.

Notes

• * 1.1

  •••••• mundi 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• * 1.2

  Anno Mūdi 2000.
• * 1.3

  Anno mundi ••••oo. Regni Asa. 10
• * 1.4

  anno Chri∣sti. 1. Anno mu•• di, 3970.
• * 1.5

  Anno Chri¦sti. 1004, Mundi 5004.
• * 1.6

  ••om. 16.
• * 1.7

  ••••••el. 5.