An exposition of the proper Psalmes vsed in our English liturgie together with a reason why the Church did chuse the same. By Iohn Boys, Doctor of Diuinitie. The first part explaining the Psalmes appointed to be read on Christmas and Easter day.

CHRISTMAS DAY Morning Prayer.

PSALME 19.

The Heauens declare the glorie of God, &c.

THE World resembleth a Diuinitie-Schoole, (saitha Plutarch) and Christ (as theb Scripture telleth) is our Doctor, instructing vs by his workes, and by his words. For asc Aristotle had two sorts of wri∣tings, one called Exoterical for his common auditors, another Acroamatical for his priuate schollers and familiar acquaintance: so God hath two sorts of books, as Dauid intimates in this Psalm: namely,

• The Booke of his Creatures, as a Common-place booke for all men in the world, The heauens declare the glorie of God, vers. 1.2.3.4.5.6.
• The Booke of his Scriptures, as a statute-booke for his domesticall auditorie the Church, The law of the Lord is an vndefiled law, v. 7, 8, &c.

The great booke of the Creaturesd in folio, may bee termed aptly the Sheepheards Kalender, and the Plough∣mans Alphabet, in which euen the most ignorant may runne (as thee Prophet speakes) and reade. It is a Letter Patent, or open Epistle for all, as Dauid in our text, Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world; there is neither speech nor language but haue heard of their preaching. For albeit heauen, and

the Sunne in heauen, and the light in the Sunne are mute; yet theirf voyces are well vnderstood,g Catechi∣zing plainly the first elements of religion, as namelyh that there is a God, and that this God is but one God, and that this one God excelleth all other things infinit∣ly both in might and maiestie, Vniuersus mundus (asi one pithily) nihil aliud est quàm Deus explicatus: The whole world is nothing else but God exprest. So Saint Paul, Rom. 1.20. Gods inuisible things, as his eternall power and Godhead are cleerely seene by the creation of the world, being vnderstood by the things that are made. The heauens declare this, and the firmament shew∣eth this, and the day telleth this, and the night certifieth this, the sound of the thunder proclameth (as it were) this in all lands, and the words of the whistling winde vnto the ends of the world. More principally the Sunne, which as a bridegrome commeth out of his chamber, and reioyceth as a giant to runne his course. Thek body thereof (as Ma∣thematicians haue confidently deliuered) is 166. times bigger then the whole earth, and yet it is euery day car∣ried by the finger of God so great a iourney, so long a course: that if it were to be taken on the land, it should runne euery seuerall houre of the day 225 Germane miles. It is true that God is incapable to sense, yet hee makes himselfe (as it were) visible in his workes; as the diuinel Poet sweetly:

Therein our fingers feele, our nostrils smell, Our palats taste his vertues that excell, He shewes him to our eyes, talkes to our eares, In the ordered motions of the spangled spheares.

So the heauens declare,m that is, they make men de∣clare the glory of God by their admirable structure, mo∣tions, and influence. Now the preaching of the heauens is wonderfull inn three respects.

1. As preaching all the night and all the day with∣out intermission: vers. 2. One day telleth another, and one night certifieth another.

2. As preaching in euery kinde of language: vers. 3. There is neither speech, nor language, but their voyces are heard among them.

3. As preaching in euery part of the world, and in euery parish of euery part, and in euery place of euery parish: vers. 4. Their sound is gone into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world.

They bee diligent Pastors, as preaching at all times: and learned Pastors, as preaching in all tongues: and Catholike Pastors, as preaching in all townes. Let vs not then in this Vniuersitie (where the voyces of so many great Doctors are heard) bee like to trewants in other schooles, who gaze so much vpon the babies and guil∣ded couer and painted margent of their book, that they neglect the text and lesson it selfe. This booke is Gods Primer (as it were) for al sorts of people: but he hath ano∣ther booke proper only for his domesticall auditorie the Church,o Hee sheweth his word vnto Iacob, his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel, hee hath not dealt so with any nation, neither haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes. Heathen men read in his Primer, but Christian men are well acquainted with his Bible. The Primer is a good booke, but it is imperfect, for after a man hath learned it, hee must learne more: but the law of the Lord,p that is the body of the holy Scriptures, is a most absolute Ca∣non of all doctrines appertaining either to faith or good manners; it is a perfit law, conuerting the soule, giuing wisedome to the simple, sure, pure, righteous, and reioycing the heart, &c.

But before wee treate of that part, let vs examine the mysticall exposition of this part of the Psalme, being guided hereunto by the spirit of God, Rom. 10.18. and by the direction of our Church accommodating this text to this time.

Allegorically then is meant by heauens generally theq Saints, especially the blessedr Euangelists ands Apo∣stles. A good man and a true Christian is not only Gods

house, Heb. 3.16. but also Gods heauen, as S. Augustine expounds the words of Christ, Our Father which art in heauen, that is, dwelling not in the materiall heauen on∣ly, but in the mysticall heauen also: to wit, in holy men of heauenly conuersation, hauing their affections set on things which are aboue, Coloss. 3.2. These kind of hea∣uens declare the glorie of God in their workes, as much and more then in their words, euert shining as lights in the world,u their whole life being nothing else but a perpetuall sermon (as it were) to their neighbours, and so they declare Gods glorie, for that other seeing their good deedes, are thereby moued to glorifie our Father which is in heauen.

More particularly the blessed Euangelists and Apo∣stles annunciat Gods glory, the Gospell is Gods throne,x wherein his Maiestie rideth as in a chariot; and the foure wheeles of this chariot are the foure Euangelists, and therefore this firmament sheweth Christs handy∣worke, because the written Gospell is a tract of all that Iesus did and taught, Acts 1.1. and the blessed Apostles in preaching the Gospell haue likewise declared Gods glorie: for in teaching that men arey freely iustified by grace, what doe they but annunciat thez riches of his glorie? The Gospell is the power of God vnto salua∣tion; and if thou beest hereby saued, it is not thine but Gods glorie. Wherefore sing with heauens hoste on this day,a Glorie be to God on high; and with holyb Dauid, Not vnto vs, O Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy name giue the glorie, for thy mercies and truths sake.c Or the Apo∣stles declare Christs glorie, in preaching that he was and is equall with God, as being the character of his person, and brightnesse of his glorie, Heb. 1.3. and they shew Christs handy worke, in relating all hee said, and did, and suffered for vs men and our saluation from his Cradle to his Crosse, and afterward from his Crosse to his Crowne. These were the Trumpetors of his Gospel, and as it were thed bel-weathers of his flocke, whose sound is gone out

into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world, as S. Paul interprets our text, Rom. 10.18. There is neither speech nor language, but their voyces are heard among thē.e Andrew preached in Scythia, Thomas in Parthia, Iohn in Asia,f Peter to the dispersed Iewes throughout Pon∣tus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia,g Bartholmew in India, Matthew in Aethiopia: for (ash Cassanaeus re∣ports) Aethiopiam nigram doctrina fidei fecit candidam. In England (as by tradition wee haue receiued)i Simon Zelotes first preached the Gospell, andk Ioseph of Ari∣mathea built a religious house for Professors in Glascen∣bury. Saint Paul, howsoeuer he was not one of y^e twelue, yet hee laboured more abundantly then they all, 1. Cor. 15.10. he declared the glorie of God inl Arabia, Syria, Cilicia,m Antiochia, Seleucia, Cyprus,n Lycaonia, Ly∣stra,o Athens,p Corinth, Troas. In a word, he made the Gospell of Christ abound in euery place from Hierusalem vnto Illyricum, as himselfe witnesseth of himselfe, Rom. 15.19. hee was a chosen vessell of the Lord to beare his name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the Children of Israel, Acts 9.15. Thus all the Saints in generall, the foure Euangelists, and twelue Apostles, and euery sound Preacher of the Gospell in particular, annunciat the glorie of God.

But what is the meaning of the next words, one day telleth another, and one night certifieth another? Literally, dies diem dicit, is nothing else but dies diem docet. One day telleth another, is one day teacheth another.q The day past is instructed by the day present; euery new day doth affoord new doctrine. Ther day is a most apt time to learne by reading and conference; the night a most apt time for inuention and meditation: now that which thou canst not vnderstand this day, thou maist happilie learne the next; and that which is not found out in one night, may be gotten in another. Mystically (saiths Hie∣rome) Christ is this day, who saith of himselfe,t I am the light of the world. And his twelue Apostles are the twelue

houres of this day; for Christs spirit reuealed by the mouthes of his Apostles the mysteries of our saluation, inu other ages not so fully knowne vnto the sonnes of men. One day telleth another,x that is, the spirituall vtter this vnto the spirituall: and one night certifieth another, that is, Iudas insinuates as much vnto the Iewes in the night of ignorance, saying,y Whomsoeuer I shall kisse, that is he, lay hold on him. Or thez old Testament onely sha∣dowing Christ, is the night: and the new Testament plainly shewing Christ, is the day.

In them hath he set a tabernacle for the Sunne] That is, asa other by way ofb Hypallage, He hath his tabernacle in the Sunne: meaning that God the Father dwelleth in Christ his sonnec bodily, which is the Sunne of righte∣ousnes, Malac. 4.2. by whom he dothd enlighten and re∣concile the world to himselfe, 2. Cor. 5.18. Thee Mani∣chees, abusing this text, adore the Sunne, conceiuing that Christ at his ascending set his tabernacle, that is, left his flesh in the Sunne.f But this idle paradoxe contradicts the Scriptures, affirming that Christ ascended far aboue all the heauens, Ephes. 4.10. and that he there sitteth at the right hand of God, as our agent and aduocate, til he come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead. Ergo, his flesh is not in the Sunne, but in the highest places, Hebr. 1.3. euen in the heauen of heauens, Acts 7.56. The sense then of [he set his tabernacle in the Sunne, ing Origens iudgement is briefly this: Almightie God placed his Church in the Sunne of righteousnes, according to that of Paul, Ephes. 2.20. The Church is built vpon the foun∣dation of the Prophets and Apostles, Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone. Or ash other, Hee set his tabernacle in the Sunne, that is, his Church in open view, that it may bee so cleerely seene as the Sunne; like a Citie that is set on a hill and cannot be hid, Matth. 5.14. So the word Sunne is vsed, 1. Sam. 12.12. Thou diddest it secret∣ly, but I will doe this thing before all Israel, and before the Sunne. Or because the Scripture calleth our flesh a ta∣bernacle,

2. Cor. 5.1. We know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed, wee haue a building giuen of God, not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens. And 2. Pet. 1.13. As long as I am in this tabernacle. Therfore S. Augustine andi other expound it thus: He set his ta∣bernacle in the Sunne: that is,k the word became flesh, and appeared in thel shape of a seruant, so manifestly, that as S. Iohn speakes in his 1. Epistle, chap. 1. vers. 1. hee was heard, and seene, and felt, that which was from the begin∣ning, which we haue heard, which we haue seene with our eyes, which we haue looked vpon, and our hands haue hand∣led of the word of life. If Christ had not on earth a true body, then hee was not borne of the Virgin Mary, nor wrapped in swadling clothes, nor laid in a cratch, nor circumcised on the eighth day, nor presented in the Temple. If his body were fantastical (as Valentinus ima∣gined) how did hee thirst, and hunger, and weepe, and in conclusion, how did he dye for our sinnes, and rise again for our iustification? His natiuitie, life, death, euidently demonstrate that he was made flesh, and that hee dwelt among vs, Ioh. 1.14.

Which commeth foorth as a bridegrome out of his cham∣ber] The Sunne of righteousnes appeareth in three signes especially, Leo, Virgo, Libra: 1. in Leo, roring as a Lion in the Law, so that the people could notm endure his voyce: 2. in Virgo, borne of a pure Virgin in the Gospel: 3. in Libra, weighing our workes in hisn ballance at the day of Iudgement. Or aso Bernard distinguisheth his three-fold comming aptly, Venit ad homines, venit in homines, venit contra homines: In the time past, he came vnto men as vpon this day; in the time present, he comes by his spirit into men euery day; in the time future, hee shall come against men in the last day. The comming here mentioned is his comming in the flesh: for so thep Fathers vsually glosse the text, he came foorth of the Virgins wombe, as a bridegrome out of his Chamber. As a bridegrome, for the King of heauen at this holy time

made a great wedding for his sonne, Matth. 22.1. Christ is the bridegrome, mans nature the bride, theq coniun∣ction and blessed vnion of both in one person is the ma∣riage. The best way to reconcile two disagreeing fami∣lies, is to make some mariage betweene them: euen so the Word became flesh, and dwelt among vs in y^e world, that he might hereby make ourr peace, reconciling God to man, and man to God. By this happy match the Sonne of God is become the sonne ofs man, euen flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bones: and the sonnes of men are made the sonnes oft God, of his flesh, and of his bones, as Paul saith, Ephes. 5.30, So that now the Church be∣ing Christs owne spouse, saith, I am my welbeloueds, and my welbeloued is mine, Cant. 6.2. My sinne is his sinne, and his righteousnes is my righteousnes; hee who knewu no sinne, for my sake was made sinne; and I contrari∣wise hauing nox good thing, am made the righteousnes of God in him. I which am browne by persecution, and blacke by nature, Cant. 1.4. so foule as the sow that wal∣loweth in the mire, 2. Pet. 2.22. through his fauour am comely without spot or wrinkle, soy white as the snow,z like a lilie among thornes, euen the fairest among wo∣men, Cant. 1.7. This happie mariage is not a marre age, but it makes a merrie age, being thea consolation of Is∣rael, and comfort ofb Hierusalems heart. Indeed Christ our husband doth absent himselfe from vs in his bodie for a time, but when he did ascend into heauen, he tooke with him our pawne, namely his flesh: and hee gaue vs his pawne, namely his spirit, assuring vs that wee shall one day, when the world is ended, enter with him into thec wedding chamber, and there feast with him, and enioy his blessed companie for euermore.

And reioyceth as a giant to runne his course] As the na∣turall Sunne in his course goeth foorth from the vttermost part of the heauen, and runneth about vnto the end of it againe:d so the supernaturall Sunne, Christ Iesus arising in our Horizon,e descended into the lowest parts of the

earth, and there continued vntill hee had finished the worke, for which he came into the world, and afterward ascended farre aboue all heauens, that he might fulfill all things.

As a giant he did runne his course] There you haue his incarnation, and peregrination in the flesh: his circuit was from the vttermost part of the heauen vnto the end of it againe, there you haue his resurrection and ascension: and there is nothing hid from his heate; there you haue his sending of the holy Ghost in the forme of fierie tongues, Acts 2.3. The resemblances betweene Christ and the Sunne aref manifold: 1. As the Sunne is the worlds eye: so Christ is the light of the world. 2. As the Sunne arising obscures the starres lustre: so the righ∣teousnes of Christ imputed to sinners, darkeneth all the merit and worth of our workes. 3. As the Sunne in the greatest height causeth the greatest heate: so the crosse followeth euer the most incorrupt and pure profession of the Gospell. 4. As the Sunne in winter is neerest vs: so Christ in our afflictions, in our persecutions, especial∣ly for his truth, is neerest vs, as holyg Bradford diuinely said, If there be any way to heauen on horsebacke, surely this is the way, to suffer for Christ.

Now (beloued) as the Propheth Elisha a together with his seruant Gehazi said vnto the Shunamite, Behold, thou hast had all this care for vs, what shall we do for thee? So let vs say to the Sunne of righteousnes, O sweete Iesu, thou hast as a giant runne all this course for vs, whether shall wee goe, or what shall we doe for thee? Christ an∣swers our question in the 14. of S. Iohn: If yee loue me, keepe my Commandements. His chiefe Commandement is, that wei beleeue in him; and the next is, that we loue one another, Ioh. 13.34. Our faith in him, is confirmed and encreased at this time by comming to his table; our loue toward him, in inuiting his members vnto our ta∣ble. Wee may be fed at his table spiritually, hee may be fed at our table corporally; for he that feeds the hungry,

puts meate into Christs owne mouth; hee that giues to the needie, puts money into Christs owne hand; he that cloathes the naked, puts a coate on Christs owne backe. So himselfe protesteth, & that with a great deale of ear∣nestnes: Verily I say vnto you, in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren, ye haue done it vnto me. A noble Lady being readie to dye, sent vnto her absent husband two rings for a token; whereof one was her mariage ring, and the other a ring with Deaths head on it, heartily desiring him after her departure to be good vnto her poore children: Our blessed Sauiour on this day for pure loue came downe from heauen, and was married after an ineffable manner vnto the flesh, and on good Friday he laid downe his life for our sakes; hee therefore doth entreate vs by his incarnation, and passion, that wee would in his absence remember the poore, his children. Ifk Pericles an Heathen reioyced on his death-bed, for that no Citizen of Athens had euer worne a mourning gowne through his occasion; how shall a Christian (as knowing that hisl redeemer and hism rewarder liueth) be comforted in his dying houre? when as he cannot onely say withn Samuel; Whose oxe haue I taken, or whom haue I done wrong to? but also witho Iob; I was eyes to the blind, and feete was I to the lame, I was a father to the poore, and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce.

The law of the Lord is a perfit law] In this part of the Psalme Dauid commends the Scripture:p 1. From the author, it is the law of the Lord: 2. From the sufficiencie thereof, it is perfit: 3. From the vtilitie, conuerting the soule, giuing wisedome to the simple, &c. 4. From the in∣fallibilitie, the testimony of the Lord is sure, the feare of the Lord endureth for euer. 5. From the sweetnes, it re∣ioyceth the heart, and is sweeter then the honey, or the hony combe.

First, it is the law of the Lord against theq Manichees, affirming, that two disagreeing Gods were authors of

the two Testaments, one of the old, another of the new: but S. Paul telleth vs expresly that there is one spirit, and one Lord, Ephes. 44.5. and S.r Peter assureth vs, that holy men of God in old time spake, as they were moued by this one spirit of one Lord.

Now the Scripture (being in euery part the law of the Lord) is vndefiled and perfit, so perfit, that we may neithers adde thereto, nor take therefro. So Moses, Deut. 4.2. and 12.32. Ye shall put nothing vnto the Word I command you, neither shall yee take ought therefrom. Here then is a pregnant testimony to confute thet Papists, accusing the word of God of insufficiencie, making it like a sick mans broken and imperfit will, halfe written, and halfe paroll; adding to the written truth, vnwritten traditions as ne∣cessarie to saluation. Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart, and in penning the Psalter, a finger of Gods owne hand, saith it is a perfit law: but the Pope, which is a member of Satan, and (as many great Diuines con∣ceiue)u that man of sinne, proclaimeth on the contrarie that it is an vnperfit law. Saintx Paul auowes, that the Scriptures are profitable to teach, to improue, to correct, and instruct in righteousnes. That is, to teach all necessa∣rie truths, and confute all errors in doctrine, to correct al faults in manners, and instruct all men in all duties; and so by consequent able to make the man of God abso∣lutely furnished vnto all good workes. But they Roma∣nists hold, that the written word is only milke for babes in Christ, and infants in Diuinitie, which are the simple sort of people; but vnwritten traditions are strong meat for the learned. Their answere to the cited text out of Deuteronomie, Ye shall adde nothing, &c. is manifold.

First,z that it may be so well vnderstood of the word vnwritten as written, because Moses saith, Hearken vnto the lawes which I teach and command, and not vnto the words I write. But this euasion is idle, seeing it is appa∣rent, that these very words are as a preface to a long ex∣position of the law written, ergo to be construed of the

written word only. Againe, wee say that euery word of the Law was written in the booke of the Law: for so thea text plainly, When Moses. had made an end of writing the words of this law in a booke, till he had finished them, then hee commanded the Leuites, which bare the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord, saying, take the book of this law, and put it in the side of the Arke, &c. and therefore that which is set downe by Moses, Deut. 27.26. Cursed be he that continueth not in all the words of this law, to do them; is thus related by Paul, Galath. 3.10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things, that are written in the booke of the law, to do them. Hereby shewing, that all the words of the law were written in the booke of the law, and nothing left vnwritten, that was any part or parcell thereof. And the Lord giuing directions vnto Iosua, that he should obserue the whole law, which his seruant Mo∣ses had commanded, addeth in fine,b Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therein day and night, that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein.

Theirc second shift is, God himselfe did adde to his law, ergo we may likewise adde to his Scriptures. After Moses had vttered the words, ye shall neither adde to, nor take fro, &c. the Prophets were added to the Law, and the Gospell vnto both. Our answere to this obiection is threefold: 1. Moses did not say, God shall not adde, but, yee shall not adde. The Lord of the law is aboue the law, but all of vs are vnder the law: the Soueraigne may dispense with his law, but the seruant must obey his law. 2. The bookes added by God agreed with the law; for the Chronicles and Psalms and Prophets adde no point of doctrine thereto, but are rather expositions and Com∣mentaries vpon the law, shewing the meaning and pra∣ctise thereof. And touching the new Testament, as the law was an hidden Gospell; euen so the Gospell is a re∣uealed law. Concinunt noua veteribus, vetera nouis, saithd Augustine: The two Testaments are like the Sera∣phims,

Esa. 6.3. crying each to other, one and the same thing; and thereforee Peter was vnwise to make three tabernacles in mount Tabor; one for Moses, another for Elias, and a third for Christ; because the Law, & the Pro∣phets, and the Gospell accord all in one, differing onely in circumstance, but not in substance. If a man (quothf Augustine) vse one kind of prayer in the morning, and another at night, hee neither changeth his God, nor his religion: if one bid thee good morrow before dinner, and good night after supper, he doth not alter his good will or wish, but onely his forme of saluting: so the Sa∣craments of the Gospell, and the sacrifices of the Law, point out one and the same Sauiour, which is Christ the Lord. Thus al added by God vnto his Law, was nothing else but an explanation of his Law; but Popish traditi∣ons and additions are contrary to the word, not exposi∣tions, but oppositions; rather destructions, then con∣structions of it; as their inuocation of Saints, creeping vnto crosses, auricular Confession, Indulgences, Purgato∣rie, prayers for the dead, denying mariage to Priests, and the like; the which are so dissonant to Gods holy Law, that they beg doctrines of diuels.

3. Though almighty God added vnto his law, yet that part of his Scripture was omni-sufficient for his ser∣uants at that time; and therefore seeing now the whole is written, it ought to be receiued as an absolute Canon for all times, a common treasure-house of all instructi∣ons, appertaining either to the reforming of our man∣ners, or informing of our faith. So reuerendh Irenaeus,i Origen,k Ambrose,l Augustine, andm other of the most ancient Fathers account it. And so, many learned Papists acknowledge, when as we treat of God, nothing may be said (as Aquine doth aduise, part. 1. quest. 36. art. 2.) but what is found in the Scriptures. If we seeke to confute blasphemous Heretickes, there is no other way (saithn Stella) then by Scriptures. If wee will exa∣mine the differences of Churches, and so discerne the

true from the false, the only meanes (as their Iesuito Sal∣meron telleth vs) is by the Scriptures. In briefe, what can any Protestant say more for the Scriptures prero∣gatiue, then to professe that which their bishopp Roffen∣sis hath openly confessed, that the holy Scripture is Con∣claue quoddam omnium veritatum, qua Christianis scitu necessariae sunt, a conclaue of all necessary Christian truth.

As the word of God in it selfe is a perfect and vndefi∣led law: so likewise making other perfect; It conuerteth the soule, and giueth wisedome to the simple. The secreta∣ries of nature tell vs, that in the life naturall, our heart is the first in liuing, and last in dying; euen so in the life spi∣rituall, our heart is conuerted first, and then all other members haue their proportionable perfection. And thereforeq Dauid prayeth, O Lord create in mee a new heart. Almighty God requires that weer beleeue with our heart, ands loue with our heart, and performe euery good deed with our heart: Sonne giue me thine heart, Prou. 23.26. If wee can once truely professe with thet Psalmist, O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready;u praise the Lord O my soule, &c. Then all that is either without vs, or about vs, instantly will do the same. Then our feete will bee ready to runne in his waies; our eyes readie to waite vpon his will; our eares ready to heare his word; our hands ready to doe his worke. It is repor∣ted ofx Archbishop Cranmer, that his heart (after his flesh and bones were consumed in the mercilesse flames of fire) was found vnscorched and whole: so let vs in the middest of all tentations in this world, which isy in ma∣ligno, that is, in male igne positus, keepe our heart sound and whole for the Lord, that wee may professe withz Paul, I doe not the good things which I would, but the e∣uill which I would not, that doe I: now then, if I doe that I would not, it is no more I that doe it, but the sinne that dwelleth in me.

If any shall aske, wherewith shall a man cleanse his

heart:a Dauid doth answere, by ruling himselfe after Gods word, that is a perfect law, conuerting the soule: that is, theb power of God vnto saluation, anc immortall seed, and the word of life, whereby men are borne againe to the kingdome of God. All of vs are by nature thed chil∣dren of wrath; our soules aree like the porches of Bethes∣da, Ioh. 5. in which are lodged a great many sicke folke, blind, halt, withered. And the Scriptures are like the poole of Bethesda, into which whosoeuer entreth, after Gods holy spirit hath a little stirred the water, is made whole of whatsoeuer disease he had. He that hath angers phrensie, being so furious as a Lion, by stepping into this poole, shall in good time become so gentle as a Lambe: hee that hath the blindnesse of intemperance, by washing in this poole, shall easily see his follie: hee that hath enuies rust, auarices leprosie, luxuries palsie; shal haue meanes and medicines here for the curing of his maladies: the word of God is like the drugge Catholicon, that is in stead of all purges; and like the herbe Panaces, that is good for all diseases. Is any man heauie? the statutes of the Lord reioyce the heart: is any man in want? the Iudg∣ments of the Lord are more to bee desired then gold, yea then much fine gold, and by keeping of them there is great reward: is any man ignorant? the testimonies of the Lord giue wisedome to the simple:f that is, to little ones, both in standing, and vnderstanding. In standing, as vnto lit∣tleg Daniel, littleh Iohn the Euangelist, littlei Timothy: to little ones in vnderstanding; for the great Philoso∣phers, who were the Wizards of the world, because they were not acquainted with Gods law, became fooles, while they professed themselues wise, Rom. 1.22. but our Prophet saith,k I haue more vnderstanding then my teachers, because thy testimonies are my meditation and studie. To conclude, whatsoeuer wee are by corruption of nature, Gods law conuerteth vs, and maketh vs to speake withl new tongues, and to sing newm songs vn∣to the Lord, and to become new men, and new crea∣tures

in Christ, 2. Cor. 5.17. The law of the Lord giueth euery man a new-yeers gift, if he haue faithes hand to re∣ceiue it. Vnto the couetous it giueth a new-yeeres gift, in telling him plainly, that such as trust in vncertaine ri∣ches, and not in the liuing God, fall into tentations, and snares, and into many foolish and noysome lusts, which drowne men in perdition and destruction, 1. Tim. 6.9. It giues the voluptuous and incontinent man a new-yeers gift, aduising him, 1. Thess. 4.4. to possesse his vessell in ho∣linesse and honour. It giues the proud man a new-yeeres gift, in saying,n God resisteth the proud, and giues grace to the humble. It giues the lusty gallant a new-yeres gift, in remembring him too remember his Creator in the daies of his youth. It giues euery man a new-yeeres gift, in bringing this newes into the world, thatp vnto vs is borne this day a Sauiour, which is Christ the Lord, and thatq whosoeuer beleeueth in him, shal not perish, but haue euerlasting life.

The Pope then in denying the lawes of God, vnto the people of God, in a tongue which is knowne, in per∣secuting those who translated them, as Wickliffe, and Tyndal; and other who sold them, as a godlyr Statio∣ner was burnt in Auinion, with two Bibles about his neck; and other fors reading & hauing them; and other for repeating onlyt certaine sentences out of them, eui∣dently sheweth himselfe a great Antichrist, and aduersa∣ry to the Gospell. For (as holyu Bradford said) how can he with his Prelates meane honestly, who make so much of the wife, and so little of the husband. The Church they magnifie, but Christ they contemne. The truth is, if their Church were an honest woman (that is, Christs owne spouse) vnlesse they would make much of her husband (Christ and his word) she would not bee made much of them. If the law of the Lord be perfect, conuer∣ting the soule, giuing wisdome to the simple, reioycing the heart, cleane, sure, pure, more to bee desired then gold, yea then much fine gold; sweeter also then honey, and the ho∣ney

combe: what impudent Pharisies are they (who pro∣fessing that the keyes are in their hands onely)x shut vp the kingdome of heauen before Gods people, they neither go in themselues, nor suffer such as would enter, to come in.

It was said of them in old time, byy some of their owne side, that it was so great a wonder to heare a Bishop preach, as to see an Asse flie. Now they preach (I con∣fesse) more then heretofore, but their doctrine sauours of policy, more then of piety, tending rather to King-killing, then soule-sauing. Whosoeuer is verst in their bookes, is able to giue this verdict, that their Diuinity tracts are worse then their humane learning; and that their Sermons are the worst of all their Diuinity, being framed in affaires of state not according to the word of Christ, but according to the will of Antichrist: and in matters of deuotion, according to the fopperies of their owne Legend, and not according to the wisedome of Gods law.

zSeneca said pithily, Magna vitae pars elabitur malè agentibus, maxima nihil agentibus, tota aliud agentibus. The Iesuites in their preaching are malè agentes, as ma∣kinga merchandize of Gods holy word. The Friars in their preaching are nihil agentes,b vnderstanding nei∣ther what they speake, neither whereof they affirme. For the most part, all Papists in their preaching, are aliud a∣gentes, either beyond the text, or behind the text, or beside the text. The too little learning of their Friars, and too much of their Iesuites, haue so wrested and wreathed the Scripture, to serue their owne turne, that (asc Po∣lydore Virgil said of Lawyers) they haue stretched Gods booke, as shoomakers extend a boot, See Gospell 1. Sund. in Aduent.

To leaue them, and to come nearer our selues; seeing the booke of Scriptures is the word and will of God, and that a perfect law, so perfect, that nothing may bee taken therefrom, or put thereto; not onely perfect in it selfe, but also making others perfect, conuerting the soule, and

giuing wisdome to the simple: let it (as the blessedd Apo∣stle doth exhort,) dwell in you plenteously with all wise∣dome. It is Gods best friend, and the Kings best friend, and the Courts best friend, and the Cities best friend, and the Countries best friend, and all our best friend; and therfore let vs not entertain it as a stranger, but as a familiar & a domestick, let it dwell in vs. And for as much as it brings with it exceeding profit and pleasure: pro∣fit, more to be desired then gold, yea then much fine gold: pleasure, reioycing the heart, sweeter also then honey, and the honey combe, let it dwell in vs plenteously. Yet in all wisdome, let vs heare it in all wisdome, reade it in all wis∣dome, meditate on it in all wisedome, speake of it in all wisedome, preach it in all wisedome; not onely in some, but in all wisdome, that the words of our mouthes, and the meditations of our hearts, may bee most acceptable in thy fight, O Lord our strength and our Redeemer. Amen.

Psalme 45. is expounded on Whitsunday. The next allotted for this our present festiuall, is,

PSALM. 85.

Lord thou art become gracious vnto thy land, &c.

This Psa. may be diuided in∣to two parts: a

• Prayer, whereof there bee two grounds,
  • 1. The Churches experience of Gods former mercies, vers. 1.2.3.
  • 2. The due consideration of Gods nature, slow to con∣ceiue wrath, & ready to for∣giue, vers. 4.5.6.7. The summarie pith is briefly this; Lord thou hast bin heretofore fauourable to thy land, and therfore wee hope thou wilt bee so now, that thy people may reioyce in thee.
• Precept, consisting of two bran∣ches:
  • 1. Aduising vs in all our afflictions and misery, to haue recourse vnto the comfortable promises of God, I will heare, what the Lord will say.
  • 2. That wee should leade a godly life, lest our follie stop the free passage of these promises, as well touching things spiritu∣all, vers. 9.10.11. as tem∣porall, vers. 12.

Mystically the whole Psalme, in the iudgement of Hierome, Augustine, Basil, and other ancient Fathers, is nothing else but a prophesie concerning the redempti∣on

of mankind, from the tyrannie of Satan and sinne, by the comming of Christ into the world, prefigured by the deliuerances of Gods people from their bondage, both in Egypt, and Babylon. Now the Prophet treating of Christs Aduent, Speakes,

• 1. In the preterperfect tence, Lord thou hast been gracious, thou hast turned a∣way, thou hast forgiuen. &c. Shewing three notable fruits of his com∣ming:
  • 1. Benediction, in taking away the curse from his land, and cap∣tiuity from his people, vers. 1.
  • 2. Iustification, in forgiuing their offences, and co∣uering all their sinnes, vers. 2.
  • 3. Reconciliati∣on, turning away Gods wrathfull indignation and displeasure, v. 3.
• 2. In the future tence, praying that hee may come, turne vs then, O God, our Sauiour, &c.

gOr it may be parted into a

• Predictiō, of our deliuerance from the hands of all our spirituall enemies, vers. 1.2.3. for the Psalmist (as prophecying by the spirit of the Lord) speaks in the time past, of that which as yet was to come.
• Petition, for execution of the prediction in the rest, an hearty prayer, that the fact might answere the figure.

Lord thou art become gracious] The translators of the vulgar Latine reade, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, benedixisti: but Athanasi∣us, and other Greek Interpretors, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Tremellius, be∣neuolus fueras: Munster, benignus factus es: Castalio, fa∣nisti: Vatablus, propitius. And our English Bibles accor∣dingly, thou hast been gracious, fauourable, mercifull vn∣to thy land. Here then obserue, that the good will and fauour of God is the fountaine of all goodnes, and bles∣sing to his people;h God so loued the world, that he gaue his onely begotten sonne, &c. It was his owne loue, which induced him to send his sonne, and Ephes. 1.3. Blessed be God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things in Christ, as he hath chosen vs in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame be∣fore him in loue: who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe, according to the good pleasure of his will, &c.

Vnto thy land] God cursed the land for the first A∣dams disobedience, saying,i Cursed is the earth for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of thy life.k But he blessed the land for the second Adams obedi∣ence,l swearing by himselfe, that in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. The Land, O Lord, is thy land, though of it selfe it can bring forth nothing but thistles and thornes; it is thy creature, whereforem thou which hatest nothing that thou didst make, hast, out of the ri∣ches of thy mercy, become gracious vnto it.

As then sea is his, for that he made it: euen so theo earth is the Lords, and all that therein is, the compasse of the world, and they that dwell therein, for hee hath founded it, &c.p Other thinke that the land of Canaan is called heere, thy land, because God had chosen it, and hedged it in (as it were) from the Commons of the whole world, for his peculiar people the Iewes, according to that of theq Prophet, Surely the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Iudah are his pleasant

plant, enclosed vntor himselfe aboue all places vpon earth.

Thou hast turned away the captiuity of Iacob]s All true beleeuers are the sonnes of Iacob, and seed of Abraham,t as well the beleeuing Gentiles, which are the sonnes of Iacob according to the spirit, as the beleeuing Iewes the sonnes of Iacob according to the flesh; and theu Church of these true Iacobins, and Israelites, are the land of the Lord, and the captiuity here mentioned, is bondage vn∣der sinne; so Paul, Rom. 7.23. I see another law in my members, rebelling against the law of my minde, and lea∣ding me captiue vnto the law of sinne, which is in my mem∣bers. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliuer me from the body of this death? In this captiuity, Satan is the Iay∣lor, the flesh is our prison, vngodly lusts are the mani∣cles, a bad conscience the tormentor, all of them against vs; onely Christ is Emmanuel, God with vs: he turneth away the captiuity of Iacob, in forgiuing all his offences, and in couering all his sinnes. For the blessed order of our redemption isx briefly this: God out of his meere loue to the world, quia bene voluit terrae, gaue his sonne; the sonne by his death appeased the wrath of his Father, and abundantly satisfied the diuine iustice, for the sinnes of the whole world; God pleased in his sonne Iesu, forgi∣ueth all our offences, and couereth all our sinnes, and re∣mission of sinne releaseth our captiuity. Whosoeuer then is a true beleeuer in Christ, is the Lordsy free-man,z in this life so set at liberty, that sinne shall not raigne in his mortall members, Rom. 6.12. but in the world to come fully free from all corruption and concupiscence, when as his vile body shall bee made like to Christs glorious body, Philip. 3.21. the which is called by Paul, the glo∣rious liberty of the sonnes of God. Rom. 8.21.

Turne vs then O God our Sauiour] Heere begins thea petition, orb application of y^e former prophecy, where∣in the Church heartily desires the father of mercies, that he would execute his holy promise concerning our deli∣uerance,

by sending his onely Sonne and our only Sa∣uiour Christ Iesus into the world. Where as it is said in the prophecie, Thou hast turned away the captiuitie of Ia∣cob: it is said in the Prayer, Turne vs then O God our Sa∣uiour. In the prophecie, Thou hast taken away all thy dis∣pleasure, and turned thy selfe from thy wrathfull indigna∣tion: in the Prayer, Let thine anger cease from vs: wilt thou be displeased at vs for euer, and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another? In the prophe∣cie, Thou hast been fauourable to thy land, thou hast for giuen the offences of thy people, and couered all their sinnes: in the Prayer, Quicken vs O Lord, that thy people may re∣ioyce in thee, shew vs thy mercie, and grant vs thy salua∣tion:c that is, thy Sonne Iesus,d by whom onely thou sauest.

The whole Prayer hath (ase one notes) two parts:

• 1. The Churches request vnto God, that the Messias of the world may come, and that for foure causes especially:
  • 1. For our reconciliation vnto God, vers. 4.5.
  • 2. For our iustification, vers. 6.7.
  • 3. For our illumination, vers. 8.
  • 4. For our glorification, vers. 9.
• 2. Gods grant to the request of his Church in the fulnes of time, Mercie and truth are met together, &c.

I will hearken what the Lord will say] The word of God is a lanterne vnto our feete, and a light vnto our paths, a trustief counseller in all our affaires, in our affli∣ctions especially. The Lord speakes peace vnto his people, both in the bookes of his holy Scriptures, and by the mouthes of his godlyg Preachers. And therefore such ash despise prophecying, & for some by-respects of tithes, and other worldly toyes, hate their learned and vigilant

Pastors,i vnderstand not these things which belong vn∣to their peace. It was euer held commendable policie, both among Christians and Heathens, that a good thing for the Common-weale, should be broached by the gra∣tious lip of some man highly honoured in his countrie, because his precept is vsually dis-respected, whose person is despised. And this among other is one cause, why some men in Gods house, during the time of praying and preaching, prattle so much vnto their mates; or (if their pew-fellow be more deuout) prate by nods and fleares, and other secret signes, vnto their lewd companions further off. It is hard for any (said Plutarch) to change himselfe so much, but that a man (at one time or other) may catch his heart at the tip of his tongue: and so sure∣ly no hypocrite can so deeply dissemble, but a man (euer and anon) may see his heart at his fingers end: his wan∣dring lookes, and other irreuerent behauiour in the Temple, bewray that his soule doth not magnifie the Lord, nor his spirit reioyce in God his Sauiour. When thou commest into the Sanctuary, thou must either in thy deuotions speake vnto God, or else heare, what God by his ministrie speaketh vnto thee.

It is the fashion of worldlings to sue their neighbors for euery trifling trespasse: but a true Christian is resol∣ued here with our Prophet, I will heare, what the Lord God will say concerning me. Now hee saith,k Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no not one, that can iudge betweene his brethren? but a brother goeth to law with a brother, and that vnder such aduocates and Iudges,l qui hac lege defendunt miseros, vt miseriores fa∣ciant defendendo, like the thornie bush fleecing the poore sheepe, which in a storme commeth vnto it for shelter.

It is the fashion of worldlings, if they lose goods out of their closet, or cattell out of their Close, presently to rake hell for help, consulting with abominable witches, and other wicked agents of the diuell: but a good Chri∣stian

on the contrary saith, I will heare what the Lord will say. He saith in his law,m Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue. Shall I then forsake God, whon rideth vpon the hea∣uens, for my helpe? and the Magistrate, Gods deputie, too take vengeance on him that doth euil, and seeke comfort at the hands of a Coniurer, by blacke Arts and workes of darknesse? No Satan, if thou wouldest in considera∣tion of my little losse, giue me my house full of siluer and gold, or couldest (as once thou diddest impudently boast vnto my blessed Sauiour) bestow on mep all the king∣domes of the world,q I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord my God to doe lesse or more.

It is the fashion of worldlings, when their conscien∣ces afflict them at any time for sinne, to see merry plaies, or reade merry bookes, or heare merry tales, or take mer∣rie cups, and so they make the remedie worse common∣ly then the disease. But a good man and a true Christian heares, what the Lord saith vnto him in his word and ministrie,r Call vpon mee in the time of trouble, so will I heare thee, and thou shalt praise me.s Be strong, and he shall stablish your heart, all ye, that put your trust in the Lord. Come to me all ye that labour and are laden, and I will ease you. Though hope seeme to tarrie,t yet waite, for it shall surely come and not stay.u God is like the bridegrome, Ioh. 2. who kept his best wine for his last seruice. First he propounds and propines vnto his followers the cup of his Crosse, yee shall drinke indeed of my cup, Matth. 20.23. but in conclusion hee turnes his Crosse into a Crowne, Reuelat. 2.10. Be thou faithfull vnto death, and I will giue thee the crowne of life. First hee doth humble, then exalt: first hex killeth, and then hee cureth. A tristibus semper sed necessarijs inchoat Deus, deinde progreditur ad hila∣riora, saithy Origene: God euer begins at necessarie dis∣contentments, and so proceedeth vnto things more pleasing. He saith, I wound, and I make whole: I kill, and giue life. He saith not, I will first make aliue, and then I will destroy: but first hez plucketh vp, and then he plan∣teth:

first he doth ouerthrow, then he buildeth: first he mortifieth our earthly members of sinne, then he quick∣neth our inward man to grace. Ioseph after he had worne the Iaylors iron chaine, Genes. 40.3. was adorned with the golden chaine of Pharao the King, Gen. 41.42. Mor∣decai first among pages at the Courta gate, was after∣ward honoured with the Kings ring and raiment, and mounted on the Kings horse, and it was openly proclai∣med before him euen through the streetes of the Citie, Thus shall it be done to the man, whom the King will honor, Ester 6.11. All which examples are Commentaries vpon our text, and shew, that howsoeuer almightie God pu∣nisheth his people for a time, yet if they will heare what he saith, he will in fine speake peace vnto them.

But the Psalmist addeth here by way of caueat, Let them not returne againe to their follie. Sinners are fooles, and their faults are their follies, as the Scriptures euerie where speake, in the Prouerbs especially. Couetousnesse is a follie, Drunkennesse a follie, Whoredome a follie, A∣theisme follie, Idolatrie follie. God in his Sonne speaketh vnto his people peace, but let them take heed that they re∣turne not againe to their follie, like theb sowe to the wal∣lowing in mire, and the dogge to his own vomite,c Be∣hold, thou art now made whole, sinne no more, lest a worse thing come vnto thee. Tnou doest euery day beg of our heauenlie Father that his kingdome may come: looke then vnto the next clause, that his will may be done in earth, as it is in heauen.

Mercie and truth are met together]d When as Gods people heare, what he saith vnto them in his holy word, then all things are full of mercie, truth, righteousnesse and peace; then the land shall giue her increase, that is, the Church abound with these good fruites of faith.e Some say, that these vertues meete together and kisse, but in di∣uers subiects. As for example, mercy from God, and truth from men: as if hee should say, God will turne his owne iustice toward his people into mercie, and their hypocri∣ticall

hearts and foule hands into sound and sincere dea∣ling, and so righteousnesse and peace kisse. The righteous∣nesse of God in executing his promises faithfully, breeds in his people peace of conscience to their endlesse com∣fort. Other affirme, that these vertues meete together in one subiect, and that in

• God.
• Man.
• Christ, God and man.

They meete together in God: for all the pathes of the Lord are mercie and truth, Psalm. 25.9.f mercie in ma∣king, and truth in keeping his promise to his people. Saintg Paul saith, Iesus Christ was a minister of the Cir∣cumcision for the truth of God, to confirme the promi∣ses made vnto the Fathers; and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercie. God promised his Sonne vnto theh Iewes, and he gaue him in thei fulnes of time to bee both ak light to the Gentiles, and glorie of his people Israel.l Herein shewing his mercie more princi∣pally to the Gentiles, his truth vnto the Iewes, and so his mercie and truth embraced each other, in that hee madem both people but one, to wit, one flock, inn one sheep∣fold, vnder one shepheard.

If we take truth and righteousnes for Gods iustice in punishing, mercie and peace for his gratiousnesse in par∣doning; yet they meete together in all his waies, vnto such as keepe his couenant and his testimonies. For as theo mercies of the wicked are full of crueltie: so the very iudgements of God vpon his seruants are full of mercie. In hisp wrath he remembers pitie; punishing a little, that he may pardon a great deale; destroying the flesh only, to saue the spirit, 1. Cor. 5.5.q Misericordiae res est ali∣quando subtrahere misericordiam: It was good for Io∣seph that he was a captiue, good for Naaman that he was a leper, good for Bartimaeus that he was blinde, good for Dauid that he was in trouble.r Bradford thanked God more of his prison, then of any parlour or pleasure:

sAll things are for the best vnto the faithfull. And so Gods mercie and truth are met together, righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each other, his mercy being iust, and his iustice mercifull. But God in giuing his only Sonne vnto the world, more abundantly shewed his mercie and iustice kissing one another. His iustice requirest that euery soule that sins should dye; but his mercie desires not the death of a sinner, Ezech. 33.11. Hee therefore gaue his Sonne to dye for our sinnes, and to rise againe for our iustification, and so both his iustice is satisfied, and sin∣ners are saued. In Christs aduent, mercie and truth are met together, righteousnesse and peace haue kissed each o∣ther.u Bernard hath a pretie Dialogue to this purpose betweene righteousnes and truth on the one side, mercie and peace on the other part, contending about the re∣demption of mankinde. Christ our blessed Messias and Mediatour ended the quarrel at his comming, and made them all exceeding kinde kissing friends: for in giuing himselfe ax ransome for all men, he did at once pay both vnto Iustice her debt, and grant vnto Mercie her de∣sire.

2. Righteousnes and peace meete together in man: so Sainty Augustine expounds it, an vniust man is full of quarrels, like Ishmael,z euery mans hand is against him, and his hand against euery man: but he which is righteous and giueth euery man his due, shall haue peace, so much as isa possible with all men, especially with his own selfe and soule. Righteousnes and peace are so neere, so deare, that thou canst not haue the one without the other. V∣nam vis & alteram non facis, happily thou wouldest en∣ioy peace, but thou wilt doe no iustice. Theb Poet could say,—Pacem te poscimus omnes: interroga (quothc Augu∣stine) omnes homines, vultis pacem? vno ore respondet to∣tum genus hominum, opto, cupio, volo, amo. Well then, if thou desire peace, do iustice; for peace saith, I am a friend only to such as loue my friend.d What man is hee that lusteth to liue, and would faine see good daies? keep thy

tongue from euil, and thy lips that they speake no guile; eschew euill, and doe good; seeke peace and ensue it. Nay thou need not seeke it, for it will of it selfe come to kisse her sister Righteousnesse.e If men haue truth and righteousnesse, God will affoord mercie and peace. So the Prophet expressely, Keepe innocencie, and take heede vnto the thing that is right, for that shall bring a man peace at the last, Psal. 37.38. At the first happily thou maist haue warre with vngodly men of this world, (forf doe well, and heare ill, is written on heauens doore) but hereafter, at the last assuredly thou shalt haue peace to thy soule.g Or righteousnes and peace meete in euery true beleeuer, be∣cause being iustified by faith, wee haue peace toward God, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 5.1.

3. Righteousnes and peace meete in Christ, God and man: for by these two,h some Diuines vnderstand the old Testament and the new. The Law doth exact iustice, requiring of a malefactori eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foote for foote: but the Gospell is full of mercie and peace, saying vnto the sinner, who truly re∣penteth him of his sinnes) and vnfainedly beleeues the word of promise,k Sonne, be of good comfort, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. Daughter, be of good cheere, thy faith hath made thee whole.l Goe thy way, thy beleefe hath sa∣ued thee.m Behold, thou art now made whole, sin no more. These two Testaments meete together in Christ, as in their proper center, they kissed each other on this day, because the Gospell performed what the Law promi∣sed.

nOr hee shewed truth in his words, and mercie in his workes.o Hee deliuered the will of God vnto men, and his word is truth. Hee made thep blinde to see, the lame to go, the deafe to heare, he cleansed the lepers, he cured the sicke, he raised vp the dead: and these without que∣stion are workes of mercie.

Or by these two vertues vnderstandq Christs two na∣tures, his diuine nature by mercie, hauingr power to for∣giue

sinnes, and to heales all manner of sicknesse: by truth his humane nature, 1. For that hee had true flesh, and not (as Heretikes imagined) a phantasticall bodie. 2. For that he was a man after Gods owne image,t crea∣ted in righteousnes and true holinesse, he was blamelesse and vndefiled, Heb. 7.26. he knew no sinne, 1. Cor. 5.21. hee did no wickednesse, neither was any deceit in his mouth, Esay 53.9. and so truth and mercie met together in the personall vnion of his two natures. And this ex∣position is more probable by the next verse: Truth shall florish out of the earth, and righteousnes hath looked downe from heauen. Christ is truth, as heu saith of himselfe, I am the way, the truth, &c. and Christ is our righteousnes, 1. Corinth. 1.30.x Now Christ as man, and borne of the Virgine Mary, budded out of the earth: and as God, hee looked downe from heauen. That men might bee iustified by grace from heauen, it pleased him on this day to bud out of the earth, in the words of S.y Augustine, Vt iu∣stitia prospiceret de caelo, id est; vt iustificarentur homines diuinâ gratiâ, veritas nata est de Maria Virgine, vt pos∣sit pro illis iustificandis offerri sacrificium, sacrificium pas∣sionis, sacrificium crucis: & vnde offerret sacrificium pro peccatis nostris, nisi moreretur? quomodo autem morere∣tur, nisi carnem indueret? & quomodo carnem indueret, ni∣si veritas de terra oriretur?

zOther otherwise, when righteousnesse, that is, Gods grace lookes downe from heauen, then truth among men florisheth vpon earth.a Or before Christs comming the whole world was full of vntruths, all the Gentiles ado∣red false gods, and many Iewes worshipped the true God falsely. But the Sunne of righteousnesse appearing in our Horizon,b called vs out of darknesse into mar∣ueilous light, teaching that onelyc the Lord is God, and that and Idoll is nothing, and so truth florisheth out of the earth, and righteousnesse hath looked downe from hea∣uen.

eOr, truth springs out of the earth, and righteousnesse

lookes downe from heauen, when a sinner humblie con∣fesseth his faults vnto God: according to that of Saintf Iohn, If wee say that wee haue no sinne, wee deceiue our selues, and truth is not in vs: if wee acknowledge our sinnes, he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnes.

gOr, the diuine iustice manifested it selfe from hea∣uen, in Christs springing out of the earth. For hereby we know theh wrath of God is reueiled from heauen a∣gainst all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse, because nothing could expiate the sinnes of men, but the death of Gods owne and onely Sonne, hee budded out of the earth, and was buffeted vpon the earth, and buried vn∣der the earth; and all this, and more then this he did suf∣fer and doe for our redemption and ransome.

iQuid illi pro malis meis quae pertulit, quid pro bonis suis quae contulit, referam? quid pro suscepta carne, quid pro alapis? quid pro flagellis? pro cruce, obitu, sepultura, rependam? esto, reddamus crucem pro cruce, funus pro funere, numquid poterimus redde∣re, quod ex ipso, & per ipsum, & in ipso habemus om∣nia, &c. reddamus ergo amorem pro debito, charita∣tem pro munere, animum & affectum Domino im∣pendamus, & soluimus.

PSALM. 89.

My song shall be alway of the louing kindnesse of the Lord, &c.

THis one short verse containes the summarie pith andk argument of the whole long Psalme. wherein obserue the

• Songs dittie, the louing kindnesse and truth of the Lord, manifested vnto the whole world generally, to Dauids house (that is, the Church) especially.
• Singers duty, magnifying the mercies of God alwaies, euen from one generation to another. And by all meanes, with his mouth, for that is expressed in this vers. with his mind, for that is implied in the next, I haue said, &c.l that is, belee∣ued it in my heart; and therefore spake it with my tongue, Psalm. 116.10. For out of the harts abundance the mouth speaketh, Mat. 12.34.

My song shall be alwaies of the louing kindnesse] Or as other translations, I will sing the mercies of the Lord, hism manifold and sundrie mercies: as if he should say, wee haue tasted of more then of one, yea wee haue felt all his mercies; I will therefore praise the same for euer. I will sing his mercy for creating this vniuerse, which isn Ma∣crocosmus, a great world; and for making man, which is Microcosmus, a little world. 1. My song shall set forth his kindnesse, for that he gaue me being. 2. For adding to my being, life, which he denieth vnto stones. 3. To life, sense, which hee denieth vnto plants. 4. To sense, speech, and vnderstanding, which he denieth vnto bruit beasts. I haue great cause to praise the Lord, for that I am a man; and yet greater, for that I am a sound man,

hauing a due portion of wit, and a true proportion of limbs and lineaments, maimed neither in the powers of my soule, nor in the parts of my body. Some men are like the carued images of Pagans, and Papists,o hauing mouthes and speak not, eyes and see not, eares and heare not, feete and walke not, hands and handle not. I will therfore sing of thy mercies, O Lord, for giuing vnto me perfect limbes, and perfect vse therof; eyes to see, tongue to speake, eares to heare, feet to walke. I do not want so much as the left hand, or the little finger of that hand, or the least ioynt of that finger. Againe, some men are maimed in their minds, as being either borne starke fooles (O heauie punishment!) or else for abusing their good wits in bad workes, are (by Gods secret and seuere iudgement) bereft of their intellectuals. Some, which haue heretofore worshipped Christ at Bethlem, & haue preached also Christ vnto the King and his Court, in Be∣thel, are now lunaticke, bound hand and foote in Bed∣lemp. In nature, the middle participates euer with his extreames, as the spring, which is the middle betweene winter and summer, hath (as you know) part of the win∣ters cold, and part of the summers heate; and the mor∣ning, which is the middle betweene night and day, hath a little darknesse of the night, and a little light of the day: so man is created by God, tanquam medius inter angelum & brutū, a middling betweene an Angell, and a brute; being a good deale better then a beast, and a littleq lower then an Angell. Hauing in respect of his body, somthing of a bruit, being sensuall and mortall; and in respect of his soule, somthing of an Angell, as be∣ing intellectuall and immortall. Now then, if the spring haue not any heate of summer, it is so cold as winter; and if the morning haue no light of the Sunne, it is so darke as night: so man, if he want angelicall abilities of the soule, is little better then a beast, asr horse and mule without vnderstanding: for ass Synesius said, A wise man excels a foole, more then a foole doth excel a beast.

As God is principium effectiuum in creatione: so refe∣ctiuum in redemptione. I am exceeding much bound vn∣to God for creating me when I was not; and for preser∣uing me vnder his wings, euer since I was: yet I am more bound to his mercy for redeeming me, for blessing mee with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things in Christ his Sonne, Ephes. 1.3. for his electing of me, for his cal∣ling of me, for his iustifying of me, for his sanctifying of me. These graces are thet riches of his goodnesse and glory;u misericordiae in aeternum, euerlasting mercies, as reaching fromx euerlasting predestination, to euerla∣sting glorification. O Lord, I will alway sing thy mer∣cies in promising, and euer shew thy truth in performing thy promise made to Dauid, thy chosen seruant, concer∣ning thy sonne, my Sauiour, saying, thy seed will I stablish for euer. So they Fathers expound our text, I will euer sing thy mercies, in vouchsafing to send thy sonne to vi∣sit thy seruants, sicke to death in sinne. First, I will euer sing of thy mercifulnesse: and then I will euer bee shewing thy faithfulnesse.z Neque enim exhiberetur veritas in im∣pletione promissorum, nisi praecederet misericordia in re∣missione peccatorum. And what is Gods mercy set vp for euer, and his truth established in the heauens? but that whicha Esay termes the sure mercies of Dauid: that is, asb Paul construeth Esay, the holy promises made to Da∣uid: and the promise made to Dauid, is briefly this, thy seed will I stablish for euer, and set vp thy throne from ge∣neration to generation. For the Prophet Ethan here dothc allude to the Prophet Nathan, 2. Sam. 7. I will (saith he from the Lord vnto Dauid) set vp thy seed after thee, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer. Now this holy promise was not fulfilled in the temporall kingdome of Dauid, as Gods people complaine in this Psalme, from the 37. to the 45. verse. It is therefore to bee construed of Christ, and his spirituall kingdome. Christ, according to the flesh, is thed seed of Dauid, and thee sonne of Dauid: of him it is true which is said heere

by the Lord, My couenant will I not breake, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips: I haue sworne once by my holinesse, that I will not faile Dauid. His seed shall endure for euer, and his seat is like as the Sunne before me. He shal stand fast for euermore as the Moone, and as the faithfull witnesse in heauen. Of him it is true,f thy throne is for e∣uer and euer. Of him it is true, heaven and earth shall pe∣rish, and wax old as doth a garment, and as a vesture thou shalt fold them vp, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy yeeres shall not faile, Psal. 102.27. Heb. 1.12. Thou sweet Iesus art a Priest for euer, and a Prince for euer. And surely God would haue Dauids earthly kingdom to determine in Iehoiachim and Zedechia, that his people mightg vnderstand the holy couenant made with Dauid of Christ, and that they might pray, Lord, where are thy old louing kindnesses, which thou swarest vn∣to Dauid in thy truth. See S. August. de ciuit. dei. lib. 17. cap. 9.10.11.12.13.

Now the Prophet, in processe of his hymne, describes the natures and vertues of Christ, as well inherent in his owne person, as infused into his people.

His Humane nature, because the seed of Dauid, a per∣fect man in soule and body, againsth Eutycheans,i A∣pollinarists,k Valentinians,l Nestorians,m Monothe∣lites, &c.

His Diuine nature: First, for that the Church inuo∣cates him as God, vers. 5. O Lord, the very heauens shall praise thy wondrous works, and thy truth in the congrega∣tion of the Saints. By heauen, is meant then Church, and theo Preachers of Christ in the Church.

Secondly, Ethan proues Christ to be God by compa∣rison, in the 6.7.8.9. verses. Who is he among the cloudes that shall bee compared vnto the Lord; or what is hee a∣mong the gods, that shall be like vnto him? as if he should say, there is neither Monarch on earth, nor Angel in hea∣uen his peere.

Thirdly, from the preseruation of all things, v. 10.11.

Thou rulest the raging of the sea, thou rulest the waues thereof when they arise, &c.

Fourthly, for that he created the world, ver. 12.13.14. The heauens are thine, the earth also is thine, thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, &c.

Hauing thus expressed his natures, and shewed him to bep verus homo, verusque Deus, tamen vnus vterque. He begins in the 15. verse, to sing of his vertues, as well in his owne person, as people. For himselfe, righteousnes and equity is the habitation of thy seat, mercy and truth shall goe before thy face. For his people, blessed are they that can reioyce in thee, they shall walke in the light of thy countenance, their delight shall be daily in thy name, &c. These things affoord manifold instructions, according to the prefixed title, a Psalme for instruction of Ethan the Ezrarite. But the point aimed at most, is vndoubtedly,q that in all our tentations, and tempests of conscience, we should flie to the sure mercies, and holy promises of God in Christ. If once we stay our soules on this anchor, hold, wee shall escape shipw-rack of faith. Ethan, who was either penner, or singer of this hymne, is byr inter∣pretation robustus, one which is strong: now no man is strong in this world, but hee who relieth vpon the sure promises of God. The consideration of our owne me∣rits, is able to make vs faint and feeble: but our trust in the Lords euerlasting mercies, maketh vs like mount Si∣on, which cannot bee remoued, but abideth fast & firme for euer, Psal. 125.1. And therefores some Diuines haue construed this Scripture, by that Ierem. 9.23. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdome, nor the strong man glory in his strength, neither the rich man glo∣ry in his riches: but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he vnderstands and knowes me to bee the Lord, which shew mercy, iudgement, and righteousnesse.

And as the Fathers vnder and before the law, comfor∣ted themselues in all afflictions and misery, with the consideration of Christs first comming: so let vs in the

middest of our tentations and troubles bee stedfast and immoueable, because we look for his second comming. He deferred his first comming a great while, yet in thet fulnes of time he dealt with his seruantsu according to his word. So the Saints expecting his second comming, crie with a loud voyce,x How long Lord, holy and true, doest not thou iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on earth? And mockers in the last daies also say,y Where is the promise of his comming? for since the fathers died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation. And yet the Lord (saith Saint Peter) is not slack concerning his promise, (as some men count slack∣nes) but is patient toward vs, and would haue all men come to repentance.z Yet a very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarrie. Behold, (saith he who neuer vttered vntruth)a I come shortly, and my re∣ward is with me, to giue euery man according as his workes are. The life present is so full of diseases and disasters, that our happinesse isb hid with Christ in God: but whē he which is our life shall appeare, then we shall also ap∣peare with him in glorie, for hee shallc change our vile body, that it may be like his glorious body:d Non eua∣cuabitur veritas corporis, sed non erit pondus & fragilitas corruptionis. Wherefore let vs alway be rich in the work of the Lord, for as much as wee know, that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord, 1. Cor. 15.58.

Hitherto concerning the dittie of the song: I come now to the dutie of the singer. I will alway sing thy mer∣cies with my mouth, I will euer be shewing thy truth from one generation to another. I knowe some ioyne in aeter∣num to the nowne misericordias, and not to the verbe cantabo, making the sense to bee this: I will alway sing thy mercies which endure for euer. But alwaies is refer∣red as well, if not better vnto the verbe, I will sing: as who would say, Lord, thy mercies are so manifest, and so ma∣nifold, so great in their number, and so good in their na∣ture, that I will alway, sof long as I haue any being, sing

praises vnto thee. Happily some will obiect, All flesh is grasse, and the grace thereof as the flower of the field: the grasse withereth, and the flower fadeth away. Dauid being persecuted by Saul, said,g there is but a step between death and me. Nay Dauid, thy life is shorter then a stride, but a spanne long, as thy selfe witnesseth, Psalme 39.6. How can he then that begs his bread but for a day, promise to spend his breath in magnifying the Lord for euer? An∣swere is made, that the Prophet will not only commend the mercies of the Lord in word, but also commit them vnto writing.

hVt sciat haec aetas, posteritas{que} legat.

As the tongue of the Prophet is termedi elsewhere, the penne of a ready writer: so the writing of the Prophet is heere termed his mouth, as Euthymius vpon the place, Liber Psalmorum os Dauid.k Hee doth intend to note the mercies of God, and to set foorth his truth in a book, the which he will leaue behind him, (as an instrumēt) to conuey the same from generation to generation, from the generation ofl Iewes to the generation of Christians.m Or from the old Testament to the new: for the blessed Apostles in their Sermons vsually cite sentences out of the Psalmes. S.n Peter telleth vs, that the Gospell was preached vnto the dead; so may we say, that the Gospel is preached by the dead. For the most ancient Fathers, and other iudicious authors, which haue spēt their daies in writing learned expositions, & godly meditatiōs vpō the holy scriptures, although they be dead & sleep in the bed of their graue, yet they sing alway the mercies of the Lord, and shew the truth of his word from one generation vnto another. It is reported in ouro Chronicles of Athel∣stan; Parum aetati vixit, multum gloriae. So, many zea∣lous and industrious Doctors haue liued (in respect of their age) but a little, yet in respect of their acts, a great while, shining still in their works and writings, as lights of the world.

Or the Prophet may be said, to sing euer intentionally,

though not actually.p For as the wicked, if he could liue alway, would sinne alway: so the good man (if God should suffer him alway to breathe on earth) would sing alway the mercies of the Lord. Hee will inq all things giue thankes vnto God,r early telling of his louing kind∣nes in the morning, and of his truth in the night season. In the morning,s that is, in a prosperous estate, when as the Sunne shineth vpon him, he will acknowledge that eue∣ry good gift in him is from aboue, comming downe from the Father of lights, and Father of mercies. And in the darke night of aduersitie hee telleth of Gods iu∣stice, confessing ingenuously,t We receiue things worthie of that we haue done. Hee giueth thankes vnto the Lord in both, in the one highly magnifying Gods fauour; in the other humbly vilifying his owne fault.

uOr because God hath inspired into man, not only the breath ofx this present life, but ofy that also which is to come; the Saints are said to continue their song of Gods praise in the kingdome of glorie, which here they begin in the kingdome of grace. For so the Spirit, Apoc. 19.1. I heard a great voyce of a great multitude in hea∣uen, singing Halleluiah, saluation, and glorie, and honour, and peace be to the Lord our God.

It is obiected, if the Saints in heauen alway sing the mercies of the Lord, then they remember their miseries on earth; and if they remember their sinne and sorrow here, how can they be perfitly blessed there? for the Lord saithz I will create new heauens, and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembred, nor come into minde.a An∣swere is made, that as men in perfit health often remem∣ber their terrible fits of their former sicknesse, with ex∣ceeding ioy; yea the more they call into mind their dan∣ger past, the greater is their delight present: euen so the Saints, in the kingdome of glorie, remember happily their misdeeds and mishaps in this valley of teares, but it is without any pollution of sinne, or touch of sorrow. Sob Gregorie the Great, Erit in illa beatitudine culpae memo∣ria,

non quae mentem polluat, sed qua nos arctius laetitiae a∣stringat; vt dum doloris sui animus sine dolore reminisci∣tur, & debitorem se medico veriùs intelligat, & eò magis acceptam salutem diligat, quò molestiae meminit quam eua∣sit.c Heauenly happinesse consisteth in two things, in the necessarie possessing of euery thing which is good, and in the necessarie remouing of euery thing which is euill. Miserie then is not remembred of the Saints, as a matter of griefe, but as a motiue to ioy, because they bee nowd deliuered from this bodie of death, and enioy the Crowne of euerlasting life; where God is to theme all in all, a glasse to their sight, hony to their taste, musicke to their hearing, Balsome to their smelling: wheref Salo∣mons wisedome seemes follie;g Ahasels agilitie, slow∣nesse; Samsons strength, weaknes;h Absoloms comelines, deformitie; Caesars empire, beggerie; Methusalems long life, shortnes of daies, or a speedie death. Thus I haue shewed how the Prophet may be said to sing alwaies the mercies of the Lord, in this life vnto the worlds end, in the next for euer and euer world without end.

As for al meanes: he praises the Lord with his mouth, and all that is without him; as also with his minde, and al that is within him. Hisi heart indites a good matter, and his tongue is the penne of a ready writer. All his mem∣bers are for the seruice of his Maker, as S.k Augustine glosseth our text, Obsequantur membra (inquit) mea, do∣mino meo loquor, sed tua loquor, annunciabo veritatem tuam in ore meo. Si non obsequor, seruus non sum: si à me loquor, mendax sum. Ergo vt abs to dicam, & ego dicam, duo quaedam sunt, vnum tuum, vnum meum: veritas tua, os meum.

Now let vs according to this copie draw the lines of our liues, vsing all meanes to set foorth the louing kind∣nesse and truth of the Lord.l O give thankes vnto the Lord, and call vpon his name, tell the people what things he hath done. O let your songs be of him, and praise him, and let your talking bee of his wondrous workes: O my soule

praise the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holie name; praise the Lord O my soule, and forget not all his be∣nefits, who forgiueth all thy sinnes, and healeth all thine in∣firmities; who saueth thy life from destruction, & crowneth thee with louing kindnesse, Psal. 103. A good Christian is a tymbrel of the holy Ghost, his whole life being no∣thing else but a well-tuned song of Sion, alway magni∣fying the mercies of God in his owne person, and inui∣ting other to doe the same. But them mouth of the wic∣ked is full of cursing and bitternes, their throate is an o∣pen sepulchre, destruction and vnhappinesse is in their waies. A man of a foule mouth is a beast in the forme of a man, his tongue is the tongue of an Serpent, Adders poyson is vnder his lips; nay worse then a Serpent, for it hurts not a man except it be present to see him, or to bite him, or to strike him with his taile: but he which hath a blasphemous and a bitter tongue, hurteth all, as well ab∣sent as present; neither sea nor land, neither scepter nor sepulchre, neither heauen nor hell hindreth him; hee blasphemes God, he wrongs his neighbour, hee raileth on the dead, and rageth against the liuing, his tongue is the tongue of a Fiend, of a Fury. For as the holy Prophets of God, when they preached, had their tongues (as it were) touched with ao coale from the altar of God; and as godly men haue their tongues inflamed with thep fire of Gods spirit, when as they speake graciously: so con∣trariwise, when a man speaketh euill, his tongue (saith S.q Iames) is kindled by the fire of hell, and Satan comes from thence with a coale to touch his lips, and to set them on fire to all manner of mischiefe. When as good men speak good things, their tongue isr Christs tongue; but all manner of cursed and vngodly speaking, is no better then the Diuels language. Thinke on this all yee that forget God, whose mouthes are so farre from sing∣ing his mercies alway, that yee can hardly come in your communication vnto any full period, without interla∣cing an oath or two. It is no wonder, that in Italy (which

is a parcell of Antichrists kingdome) blasphemies should be darted out against God and his Christ ordinarily, o∣penly, being mades phrases of gallantrie to the brauer, and very interiections of speech vnto the vulgar. But in England (where the scepter of Christs kingdome hath a long time florished) it cannot but wound the hearts of such, as mourne for the sins of the land, to consider how commonly, not onely the ruffin at the tauerne, and the rascall on the stage: but also the labourer at his worke, and the gentleman at his recreation, and the very boyes, yea babes in the street curse their Maker, and reuile their Redeemer. Other sinnes are clothed (in some sort) with excuse before men, in respect either of profit, or pleasure, content, or credit: but in swearing there is neither good, nor gaine, nor glorie. I beseech you therefore (my deare bowels in the Lord) instruct your children and seruants, how to serue God in a liuely faith, and a reuerend feare, let your whole life be to them a walking Catechisme, that they may sing alway the mercies of the Lord, and shew foorth his truth from generation to generation.

PSALME 110.

The Lord said vnto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole.

THis Psalme (saitht Augustine) is in the number of words short, but in the weight of matter ample, containing so many deepe mysteries, and opposing so many dangerous heresies: that (asu Chrysostome notes) we neede many eyes for the right reading and exact vn∣derstanding of it.

If we literally referre this vnto Dauid, he bringeth in a subiect or a fauourite speaking thus of himselfe, The Lord said vnto my Lord the King. Dauid as a King is a Lord, because y^e Lieutenant, and (as it were) Vice-gerent

of the Lord. In this sense Paul telleth vs, that there bee many Gods and many Lords, 1. Cor. 8.5. many Gods in title and type, but in deed and truth one God only. Prin∣ces are Gods in name: for (saith the Lord)x I haue said, ye are Gods: but not in nature, for yee shall dye like men. All higher powers hold their Scepters from they highest power,z he putteth downe one, and setteth vp another, according to the stile, Iames by the grace of God, &c.a More principally Dauid, who was called to his king∣dome by Gods especiall grace, and vsed his kingdome to Gods especiall glorie. For hee was a man according to Godsb own heart, turning from nothing the Lord com∣manded him al the daies of his life, saue only in the mat∣ter of Vriah the Hittite, 1. King. 15.5.

And surely (beloued) if we will in sensu similitudina∣rio, consider earnestly the wonderful vnion of these two kingdomes, England and Scotland, and the florishing estate of the Gospel, vnder the gouernment of our dread Soueraigne: wee shall haue good cause to take vp this song, The Lord said vnto King Iames our Lord, sit in thy throne, for I haue both appointed and anoynted thee King ouer great Britannie.

cOr happily Dauid might speake this of himselfe, The Lord said vnto me, concerning my Lord Saul persecu∣ting me, sit thou downe by the power of my right hand, and be well assured of my protection, vntill I haue made all thine enemies thy footstoole: that is, all such as hindred thee from thy kingdome, obedient subiects vnto thee, saying,d Behold, wee are thy bones and thy flesh. So the Lord spake by the Prophet Nathā, 2. Sam. 12.7. I annoin∣ted thee King ouer Israel, and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul, and gaue thee thy Lords house, and thy Lords wiues into thy bosome, and gaue thee the house of Israel and Iudah, and would moreouer (if that had bin too little) haue giuen thee such and such things, &c.

But because S. Peter, Acts 2.34. and S. Paul, Heb. 1.13. expound this text of Christ, and Christ himselfe applieth

it vnto himselfe, Matth. 22.44. Mark. 12.36. Luk. 20.42. I forbeare to treat any longer of shadowes, and come to the substance, taking this Psalme for a prophecie con∣cerning Christ in fact, and Dauid onely but in figure. Christ then is described here:

• 1.e As a King, vers. 1.2.3.
• 2. As a Priest, vers. 4.5.
• 3. As a Iudge, vers. 6.7.

His kingdome is great in respect of

• Countenance, The Lord said vnto my Lord, sit thou on my right hād.
• Continuance, Vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole, &c.

Or,f three points are remarkable, con∣cerning his king∣dome:

• 1. His calling to this kingdom by God the Father, vers. 1.
• 2. His administration of this king∣dom by the scepter of his word, vers. 2.
• 3. His subiects obedience to this administration, vers. 3.

gSome Doctors among the Iewes haue construed this of Dauids Angel, appointed by the Lord for his peculiar guard and guide. But I say to them out of S.h Paul, Vn∣to which of the Angels said the Lord at any time, sit at my right hand, vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole?i O∣ther Rabbins expound this of Abraham, as making it a thanksgiuing vnto the Lord for the victorie, which he got against the foure Kings, Gen. 14. Other vnderstand this ofk Ezechiah: other ofl Zorobabel. But all these holy Fathers are dead, and haue slept long in the dust of their graue: whereas the Lord (heere mentioned) is a Priest for euer, and hath a kingdomm without end. And so consequently this Psalme cannot aptly be construed either of man, or angell, or of any other meere creature; but of Christ alone the Messias and Mediatour, being the sonne of Dauid as man, and the Lord of Dauid as God.

The Iewes vnderstood not this, and therefore they

could not answere Christs question, Mat. 22.45. If Da∣uid call him Lord, how is he then his sonne? neither should we haue learned this, except Christ and his Apostles had taught it vs. Nunc ergo, saithn Augustine, quia didicimus, dicimus; as we haue read, so we beleeue, that Christ, as beingo equall to God, is the Lord of Dauid: & as found in the forme of a seruant, the sonne of Dauid. Asp in the beginning, the Lord of Dauid: as made flesh, the sonne of Dauid; asq conceiued and borne of a Virgin, the son of Dauid: as Emmanuel, the Lord of Dauid. See Hierom. in Mat. 22. pet. galatin. de arcanis lib. 3. cap. 17. & lib. 8. cap. 24. Chrysostom. D. Incognit. August. Steuchus, Cal∣uin, Tileman, Agellius, Bellarmin, & alios in loc.

The Lord said then vnto my Lord, is (asr if hee should haue said) God the Father said vnto God the Son. And therefores Rabbi Ionathas translateth it in the Chalde, dixit dominus verbo suo, the Lord said to his Word. Here then obseruet the distinction of persons in the Godhead againstu Artemon, Sabellius, and Seruetus. The Father said vnto the Sonne, Ergo, the Father is di∣stinguished from the Sonne,x alius, howsoeuer not ali∣ud, another person, albeit not another substance: for as the Father is Lord, so the Son Lord, and the holy Ghost Lord; and yet not three Lords, but one Lord, as Atha∣nasius in his Creed.

The Lord said] But how, when, and where? the words of our mouthes are first (as they Philosopher truly) no∣tions of our mind. So God hath a twofold word,z ad in∣tra, conceiued within himselfe, and ad extra, reuealed vnto men. According to both he said this,a Immensa sa∣pientia decretum fecit, & id generi humano pat••fecit. First, according to his intrinsecall word, he said it before the worlds; as it is in the second Psalme, vers. 7. The Lord said vnto me, thou art my sonne, this day haue I be∣gotten thee. Secondly, according to his extrinsecall and reuealed word, he said it in the world;b to wit, in the beginning, Gen. 3.15. the seed of the woman, &c I, (said

the Lord vnto the serpent) will put enmity betweene thee and the woman, and betweene thy seed, and her seed: he shall breake thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heele. Christ is that promised seed of the woman, as beingc made of the seed of Dauid, according to the flesh; he shal breake the Serpents head, is all one with our text, sit thou on my right hand, vntill I haue made all thine ene∣mies thy footstoole.

My] Not onely, because to bee borne of my seed and posterity;d but mine, in regard of mine affection, and par∣ticular application. As his mother Mary called him, my Sauiour; and his Apostle Thomas, my God; and Paul, Galath. 2.20. Christ loued me, and gaue himselfe for me.

Lord] Sainte Hierome, andf other learned (in the He∣brew) note, that in the first place, the word translated here Lord, is proper onely to God; but in the second, communicable to men. And so Christ according to his manhood, began to sit at the right hand of God after his ascension into heauen, and not before. Christ (as the sonne of God) was euer at Gods right hand, equall in might and maiesty: for in the Trinity none is afore or af∣ter other, none is greater or lesse thē another, but all the three persons are coeternall, and coequall. As the Sonne is said in this verse, to sit at the right hand of the Father: so the Father on the Sonnes right hand, vers. 5. The Lord vpon thy right hand shall wound euen Kings in the day of his wrath. But Christ as man, was not exalted vnto this honour before his glorious ascension, as Saint Peter ex∣poundeth our text, Act. 2.••4. Dauid is not ascended vp into heauen, but the Lord said vnto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, vntill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole. Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a surety, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ; this Iesus (I meane) whom ye haue crucified. And Paul, Philip. 2.8. He humbled himselfe, and became obedient vnto the death, euen the death of the Crosse; wherefore God hath highly exalted him. And ing another place, God

raised him from the dead, and set him at his right hand in heauenly places.

Yet the Lord said not this vnto Christ, as vnto a meere man,h I am the Lord (quoth he) this is my name, and my glory will I not giue to another: but to Christ God and man, our Messias and Mediator, one person in two na∣tures. As Christ is our Iesus & Emmanuel, he hathi all po∣wer in heauen, and on earth.k At the name of Iesus, euery knee shal bow, both of things in heauen, and things in earth, and things vnder the earth.l Angels and Saints in hea∣uen; men on earth, and the diuels of hell vnder earth. Christ hath all power in heauen,m as hauing the godly subiect to him out of their deuotion: and all power on earth, as hauing the wicked made subiect to his foot-stoole, will they, nill they. For there is an twofold subie∣ction; one voluntarie, another extorted. All glorious Angels, all blessed spirits, all good men of their owne accord yeeld obedience to Iesus fully, cheerfully: but the wicked men on earth, and the damned fiends in hell, in despite of their teeth, are blockes at his foot-stoole.o Quaere ergo, quem locum habeas sub pedibus domini dei tui, nam necesse est vt habeas, aut gratiae, aut poenae: for as euery knee should bow, so euery knee shall bow, (saithp Esay) that knee, that will not out of faith, shall out of feare: so Dauid here, the Lord said vnto my Lord, sit at my right hand, vntill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole.

Vntill] This wordq notes here, not a piece of time, but a perpetuitie. For Christ (after all his enemies are made his foot-stoole) shall euer sit at the right hand of God, his throne is for euer and euer, Heb. 1.8. And power is vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne, for euermore, A∣pocal. 5.13. So donec is vsed, Deut. 7.23. The Lord thy God shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, vntill they be brought to nought: heereby meaning, that they shall vtterly bee consumed, because they cannot any more resist, after once they be brought to nothing. And Psalm. 112. vers. 8. The good mans heart is established, and

will not shrinke, vntill he see his desire vpon his enemies. If his heart were not afraid for any euill tidings, when his enemies stood vp against him; how shall hee shrinke when he sees their neckes giuen vnto him? And Matth. 1.25. hee knew her not, vntill shee had brought foorth her first borne sonne, &c. Vntill, in that place doth not im∣port (as ther Doctors haue well obserued against Hel∣uidius) that Ioseph afterward carnally knew Mary; for she was a perpetuall virgin, as well after, as before the birth of her sonne Iesus. See 2. Sam. 6.23. Mat. 5.18. and 28.20.

It is obiected against this interpretation out of Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 15.24. that Christ, after he hath put downe all things vnder his feet, shall in fine, deliuer vp the king∣dome to God. Answere is made by Chrysostome, vpon our text out of Ioh. 16.15. Al things that the Father hath, are mine. And. Ioh. 17.10. All mine are thine, and thine are mine.s As then God the Father was not without his kingdome, when as God the Sonne said,t all things are giuen vnto me of my Father: no more shall God the Son be de-thrond, when he shall deliuer vp his kingdome to his Father.u Hee now raignes in secret, but when all his enemies once shall be made his foot-stoole, then he shall openly rule, much more, sitting at his Fathers right hand for euermore.

I make] Christ isx able to subdue all things vnto him∣selfe, and according to his power hee shall also put all things vnder his feet, 1. Cor, 15.27. How then is it true that God the Father saith, vntill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole? Answere is made, thaty whatsoeuer things the Father doth, the same things also doth the Sonne:z for this action is common to the Sonne with the Father, I say common to the Son,a in respect of his eternal gene∣ration, as God, and in respect of the hypostaticall vnion as man. Yet this worke is ascribed especially to the Fa∣ther, as being a worke of might, according to that or∣thodoxall axiome; Works of power are ascribed to the

father; of wisdome, to the Sonne; of loue, to the holy Ghost.

Thine enemies]b Heere note, that the Church is not a kingdome liuing alwaies in pompe, and peace▪ but (asc Salomon speakes) as an armie with banners, exposed to great danger, as being opposed by cruel and cunning e∣nemies. If any man will take the Churches portraiture, let him (saithd Luther) paint a seely poore maid sitting in a forlorne wood, or wildernesse, compassed about on euery side with hungry Lions, Woolues, Boares, Beares; in one word, with al hateful & hurtfull beasts, and in the mid'st of a great many furious men, assaulting her euery minute (as they did here Christ) withe swords & staues; and that which is more terrible, threatening fire and wa∣ter: fire, to consume her flesh and bones into ashes; wa∣ter, to consume her ashes into nothing, if it were possi∣ble.

To speake more distinctly, Christ and his Church hauef two sorts of enemies; secular, and spirituall. Se∣cular, as idolatrous Gentiles, blasphemous Turkes, and other barbarous Infidels out of the Church: as also vi∣olent Tyrants, virulent Hereticks, fraudulent Antichrists in the bosome of the Church. For (asg Luther notes out of Augustine) the Church hath had a threefold op∣pression. The first violent, by persecuting Emperours: the second fraudulent, by subtill heretickes: the third both violent, and fraudulent, by pestilent Anti-christs in the kingdome of Poperie; where the temporall power, and spirituall are ioyned together, against all that is cal∣led God.

Now Christ is a ruler in the middest of all these:h the Lord is King, be the people neuer so impatient; hee sits betweene the Cherubims, be the earth neuer so vnquiet. Howsoeuer thei Gentiles furiously rage together, and vngodly Princes take counsell together, against his an∣nointed: he that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne, hee shall haue them in derision; hee shall bruise

them with a rod of iron, and breake them in pieces like a potters vessell. Albeitk foure wicked Angels stand on the foure corners of the earth, holding the foure winds, that the wind should not blow on the earth, neither on the sea, neither on any tree: yetl Christ hauing the seale of the liuing God, cries with a loud voice to the foure angels, to whom power was giuen to hurt the earth, and the sea: Hurt ye not the earth, neither the sea, neither the trees; vntill we haue sealed the seruants of our God in their foreheads. He sits at Gods right hand, till his enemies are made his foot-stoole:m that is, vntill he say to tyrants, and Hypocrites, and Heretickes, and Anti-christs, and to the whole rabble of the reprobate, depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the diuell and his angels.

The spirituall enemies of Christ and his Church, are Satan and all his complices, sinne, torment of conscience, malediction of the law, death, hell; ouer all which our blessed Sauiourn triumphed openly. For in dying, hee did ouercome death; and in rising againe from the dead, hee made the graue his foot-stoole, saying,o O death I will be thy death; O graue, I will be thy destruction. Now (beloued) his conquest is our victory; for hee did ouer∣come the world for vs, and the diuell for vs, and death for vs. Hee was wounded for ourp transgressions, and broken for our iniquities; his name isq the Lord our righteousnesse; he therefore died for our sinnes, and rose againe for our Iustification. Hee deliuered vs out of the hands of all our enemies, that we might serue him all the daies of our life without feare. As for our sins, hee saith, Esa. 43.25. I, euen I am he, that putteth away thine iniqui∣ties for mine owne sake, and will not remember thy faults.r Alebeit they were like Crimosin, they shall be made white as snow: though they were red as Scarlet, they shall be like wooll; the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne, 1. Ioh. 1.7. Hee redeemed vs from the curse of the law, when he was made a curse for vs, Galath. 3.13. He put

out that hand-writing of ordinances against vs; he can∣celled that obligation, and tooke it out of the way, fa∣stening it vpon his Crosse, Coloss. 2.14. Concerning tor∣ment of conscience, being iustified by faith, we haue peace toward God, through Iesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 5.1.

Lastly, touching death and hell; hes destroyes death for euer, and wipes away the teares from the faces of all his people, that they may triumph in the words oft Paul, O death where is thy sting? O graue where is thy victory? the sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sin is the law: but thankes be to God, that hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. He that beleeueth in the Lord Ie∣sus, hathu eternall life; neither shall he taste of thex se∣cond death. If God then be with vs, who can bee against vs? If the Lord haue said vnto my Lord, sit on my right hand, vntill I haue made thine enemies thy foot-stoole? What need I feare what either man, or Angell, or diuell is able to doe against me? My Iesus is ay refuge against the tempest, and a shadow against the heate, az present help in al my tribulation & trouble.a Who shal lay any thing to my charge, seeing it is God that iustifieth? and who shall condemne; seeing Christ which is dead, yea rather which is risen againe, sitteth at the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for vs daily?b Hee saith, I am with you till the end, and then hee will say vnto vs in the end, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit ye the king∣dome prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Sion] Ac Captaine sent from Caesar, vnto the Senators of Rome, to sue for the prolonging of his gouernment abroad; vnderstanding (as hee stood at the Counsell-chamber doore) that they would not condescend to his desire, clapping his hand vpon the pummell of his sword; Well (said he) seeing you will not grant it him, this shall giue it him. So when the Citizens of Messana, despising Pom∣pei's iuris-diction, alleaged ancient orders, and priuiled∣ges of the Romans in old time granted vnto their town:

Pompei did answere them in choller (as Plutarch relates in his life) What do you prattle to vs of your law, that haue our swords by our sides? Sod Mahumet dissolueth all argu∣ments by the sword; ine his kingdome no man is aduan∣ced vnto places of any great worth or worship, but the souldior; & thef left hand among the Turks is accounted most honourable, because the sword hangs on that side. So Tyrants and Potentates of the world, end all their quarrels, and make their enemies their footstoole, by the sword. But the scepter of Christs kingdome, is not a sword of steele, but a sword of the spirit; hee ruleth in the middest of his enemies, and subdueth a people to himselfe, not by the sword, but by theg word: for the Gospell is the power of his arme to saluation, Rom. 1.16. casting downe holds, and imaginations, and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiuitie euery thought vnto the obedience of Christ. 2. Cor. 10.5.

And the Lord is said here to send the rod of his power out of Sion, according to the prophecies ofh Isaiah, andi Micah; the law shall goe forth of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Hierusalem. The blessed Apostles (as wee reade, Act. 2.) receiued the gifts of the holy Ghost at Hierusalem, and exercised also these gifts of vtterance first in Hierusalem. It is true that theirk sound went out through all the earth, and their words vnto the ends of the world; and that they did execute their commission in preaching vntol euery creature: but yet according to their masters iniunction, Luk. 24.47. they began at Hie∣rusalem. So Paul and Barnabas told the Iewes, Act. 13.46. It was necessary that the word of God should first haue been spoken vnto you: but seeing yee put it from you, and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life; loe wee turne to the Gentiles. Heere then is a pregnant text, to proue that the Gospel is not the word ofm man, but the wisdome ofn God, ando sword of his spirit; for that it is agreeable to the predictions of all his holy Prophets,

euer since the world began. Againe,p this euidence con∣futes the Iewes, obstinately denying that the promised Messias is come. His word commeth out of Sion, hee must (according to this prophecie) begin his spirituall king∣dome in Hierusalem, euen while the Iewes Common∣wealth and religion is standing: for the scepter shall not depart from Iuda, nor a law-giuer betweene his feet, vntill Shilo come, & the people shall be gathered vnto him, Gen. 49.10. But alas, Hierusalem hath a long time been made leuell with theq ground:r she that was great among the Nations, and Princesse among the Prouinces, is now made tributarie. Barbarus has segetes—the Lord hath so darkened the daughter of Sion in his wrath, and cast downe from heauen vnto the earth, Israels glory, Lam. 2.1. that the barbarouss Gog and Magog, are now lords of that (somtime) holy land; Hierusalem in old time the City of God, is now (being possessed by the Turkes) no∣thing else but a den of theeues. Ergo, Christ is that pro∣mised Messias: it ist he that should come, neither need wee looke for another.

Be thou ruler in the midst among thine enemies] Byu rod, is meant Christs scepter; because strong rods are for the scepters of them that beare rule, Ezech. 19.11. and Ier. 48.17. How is the strong staffe broken, and the beautifull rod? And by his scepter is meant, his power; and the word is that his power, by which he rules in the middest of all his enemies: conuerting such enemies as appertain to Gods election; and confounding such enemies as are the sonnes of perdition: his Gospell is vnto the one, the sauour of life vnto life; and to the other, the sauour of death vnto death, 2. Cor. 2.16.

The blessed Apostles preached the Gospell in the mid∣dest of their enemies,x as being sheepe in the middest of woolues, Mat. 10.16. Andy Irenaeus, who liued in the next age, witnesseth also that the Church encreased in Egypt, Lybia, France, Spaine, Germanie, comparing the light of the Gospell vnto the Sun, illuminating all men

excepting such as are lost, hauing their mindes blinded by the Prince of this world, 2. Cor. 4.4.

In all after times vnto this present day Christ ruled, and his kingdome florished in despite of all his enemies, in the middest of Atheists, in the middest of Infidels, in the middest of Heretikes, in the middest of Hypocrits, in the middest of Tyrants, in the middest of Turkes, in the middest of Anti-christs. At the worlds end (when our blessed Sauiour sitting at his Fathers right hand shall vt∣terlyz put downe all things vnder his feete) the good shall be separated from the bad, as a shepheard separates the sheepe from the goates, Matth. 25.32. But so long as the world (thata lieth in wickednesse) continueth, theb wheate groweth among tares, and the Church is euer as a lilie amongc thornes, assaulted on y^e one side by vn∣beleeuers, and on the other side by mis-beleeuers. On the left hand by the blasphemous propositions of He∣retikes, on the right hand by the contentious opposi∣tions of Schismatikes: openly wronged by cut-throate tyrants, and secretly wringed by backbyting hypocrites.d Ʋarro writes, that the Romanes in old time did ouer∣come their enemies sedendo: but the Romanists in our time think to make their enemies (as it were) their foot∣stoole caedendo, by dagge and dagger, by powder-plots, and powder-shots, by fire, force, furie. Yet notwithstan∣ding Christ is a Ruler, and his subiects aree more then Conquerours in the very middest of Anti-christianisme. For the beheadding of Martyrs is like thef cutting of vines, the more they bee cut, the more they prosper and fructifie. Theg Church faith, as Paul, 2. Cor. 12.10. When I am weake, then am I strong.h Martin Luther (assisted doubtlesse by Gods owne spirit) so little regar∣ded the bloodie Papists in the quarrel of Christs Gospel, as that he said peremptorily, Contemptus est à me Roma∣nus furor & feruor. And therfore being aduised by some good friends, that he would not aduenture himselfe to be present at the meeting of the Germane Princes at

Wormes: he did answere them in this wise: For as much as I am sent-for, I am resolued and certainly determined to enter Wormes, in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ, al∣though I knew there were so many diuels to resist me, as there are tyles to couer all the houses in Wormes: Fox Mar∣tyr. fol. 776. And B.i Latymer being brought to the stake, was so wel assured, that Christ euen by his weake∣nesse should rule in the middest of his enemies, as that vp∣on the kindling of the first fagot, hee said to his fellow martyr, Bishop Ridley: Courage brother Ridley, we shal (by Gods grace) this day light such a candle in England, as I hope shall neuer be put out againe.

In the day of thy power, shall the people offer thee freewill offrings] Christ (by the preaching of his word) subdueth vnto himselfe a good and a great people. Good, They shall offer thee free-will offerings with an holie worship. Great, The dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the mor∣ning. In the daies of thy power,k that is, in the daies of thy solemne assemblies, in the daies of thyl Gospell, vn∣till thou shalt ouercome thine enemies with them spirit of thy mouth, and abolish thē with the brightnes of thy cōming: thy people shall offer free-will offerings vnto thee,n not enforced by law, but cōming out of loue: not out of fashion or factiō, but in pure deuotion and cheerefull obedience. They shall appeare before thee with an holy worship, or as our new translation, in the beauties of holi∣nesse: that is, in thyo Temple, which is a glorious San∣ctuary, Psal. 29.2.p Or in a holinesse equalling the holi∣nesse of thy Sanctuary; for good Christians are the tem∣ples of God, 1. Cor. 3.16. Or by beauties of holinesse, he meaneth happily theq Priests garment, insinuating, that Christs elect people should be namedr the Priests of the Lord, a chosen generation, a royall Priesthood, an holy na∣tion, a peculiar people, shewing foorth the vertues of him, that hath called them out of darknesse into marueilous light, 1. Pet. 2.9. The summe of all is, that the subiects of his kingdome shall appeare before him ins all kinde of

sanctitie,t resplendent in holinesse, and shining in good workes as lights in the world, Philip. 2.15.

If all Christs people then offer him free-will offerings with an holy worship, hee will not abide such as are hypo∣crites, who serue the truth only to serue their turne,u ta∣king his couenant in their mouth, & yet hate to be re∣formed.x To the petition (let thy kingdome come) wee must adioyne thy will be done, done on earth, as it is in heauen. Hee will (as S.y Iohn telleth vs) spue such out of his mouth as are neither hot nor cold, mungrils in reli∣gion,z halting betweene God and Baal, hauing (as thea Prophet speaks) a diuided heart, an heart and an heart, like theb Hares in Bisaltia, or y^e Partridges in Paphlago∣nia.c The way of Christ is so straite, that it will suffer no reeling to this side, or that side: if any halt in it, hee is like to fall off the bridge into the pit of eternall perdi∣tion. The Lord (for our example) hath inflicted heauie iudgements in all ages, vpon such as haue not vprightly walked, but halted before him: I will onely remember one, which happened vpond Castellanus, who (hauing first inriched himselfe by the Gospell, and afterward for∣saking the pure doctrine thereof, and turning againe to his popish vomite, so that hee persecuted the Christians in Orleance) by the hand of God was strickē in his body with a grieuous sicknesse, vnknowne to the Physitians, the one halfe of his bodie burning as hot as fire, and the other being so cold as Ice, and so miserably crying and lamenting ended his life.

The dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning] A very difficult place, diuersly construed, either of Christ himselfe, or of his gifts, or of his people. First of Christ himselfe, and that in respect of his Godhead, and of his Manhood. Of hise Godhead, that the Father saith vnto him, of the wombe (that is, of mine owne essence) before the early morning (that is, before the world was) thou hast the dew of thy youth, or birth; noting his eternal generation before all worlds, as is shewed Prou. 8.22.23.24.25.

And according to this sense the Septuagint Interpretors haue translated, of the wombe before the morning starre begat I thee. If it bee meant of his Manhood, it may beef thus expounded, of the wombe of the darke morning, or Virgine, thou hast the dew of thy birth. If we will vnder∣stand it of hisg gifts and grace, the plentifull and abun∣dant dew of thy gifts and gladnesse aboue thy fellowes, was in thee from the very wombe. But because Dauid in this verse speakes neither of the person, nor of the gifts of the Messias, but of his subiects, I side withh our Di∣uines, who reade and interpret it after this sort, thy youth, or new-borne people, shal be to thee at the morning. By the preaching of thy word, thou shalt bring forth a peo∣ple not only good, but also great, whose increase shall be so plentifull and wonderfull as the drops of the morning dew. For as the dew, that secretly falles from heauen a∣bundantly, couereth and refresheth all the earth: so thy word, by the secret operation of the holy spirit,i stilling as the dew, and as the showre vpon the herbes, is thatk im∣mortall seede, by which an incredible number of chil∣dren are begotten vnto God, ouer-spreading the face of the whole world, according to that of S.l Iohn, To them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God, euen to them that beleeue in his name, which are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. This ex∣position I take to bee most agreeable to the drift of our text, and to the words of our translation.

mNon roris imber ante lucem argenteis tot vest it arua gemmulis, Quàm multa cunctis gentium de finibus ad te propago confluet.

The Lord sware and will not repent] Men (as Paul tea∣cheth, Heb. 6.) sweare by him that is greater then them∣selues: but almightie God, as hauing none greater to sweare by, sware by himselfe to father Abraham, Genes. 22.16. By my selfe haue I sworne (saith the Lord) because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thine onely

sonne, therfore will I surely blesse thee, & will greatly mul∣tiplie thy seede as the starres of the heauen, and as the sand which is vpon the sea shore, and thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies, and in thy seede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. This oath is repeated and renewed againe vnto Isaac, Genes. 26.3. The Lord appeared vnto him, and said, I will performe the oath which I sware vnto Abraham thy father. And the seruants and Saints of God euer highly reuerenced and esteemed this oath. He (saith ourn Prophet) is the Lord our God, he hath alway been mindfull of his couenant and promise, that hee made to a thousand generations, euen the couenant that hee made with Abraham, and the oath that he sware to Isaac. And Ierem. 11.4. Thus saith the Lord, ye shall be my people, and I will be your God, that I may confirme the oath, which I haue sworne vnto your fathers. And Zacharias in his hymne, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visi∣ted and redeemed his people, &c. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets euer since the world began, &c. perfor∣ming that oath, which he sware to our forefather Abra∣ham.

It was in the Lord great mercy to giue his word, that hee would in the fulnes of time send his Sonne for the redemption of the world, saying, The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head: but it was assuredly grea∣ter mercie to sweare by hiso holinesse, that he would performe this promise. God is truth, and we haue good cause to beleeue him vpon his word, who made vs and all things else by hisp word: but yet for our better assu∣rance, being desirous more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsell, bound him∣selfe with an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for him to lye, we might haue strong con∣solation. Heb. 6.18.

These two things are his word, and oath. His word is true, Psal. 33.4. I (quoth the Lord)q haue spoken it, and I will performe it,r God is not as man, that he should lye; nei∣ther

as the sonne of man, that hee should repent: hath hee said, and shall hee not doe it? and hath hee spoken, and shall he not accomplish it?s Heauen and earth shall passe away, but not one iot of his word shall passe away, till all things bee fulfilled. And if his bare word be thus immutable, then his oath much more, which among men is an end of all strife, Heb. 6.16. Behold then here the goodnesse of the Father of mercies, and God of comfort, who for our sake did not onely say, but also sweare, that Christ is our Priest for euer. Happie men are they who beleeue this promise, for that ist eternall life: but accursed are such asu neglect so great saluation. Hee that beleeues not God, maketh him a lyar (saith Saintx Iohn): Nay, seeing God hath bound his word with an oath, hee that be∣leeues not this record concerning his Son, doth accuse God of periurie. This ought to comfort vs in all our tentations, at the houre of death, and in the day of iudg∣ment. For albeit we haue sinned against heauen, and a∣gainst earth; against God in heauen, against our brethren on earth: although our sinnes are great for their num∣ber, and grieuous for their nature; yet let vs goy boldly to the throne of grace, that we may receiue mercy. For as much as wee haue such an high Priest, as is touched with a feeling of our infirmities, and saith,z I am not come to call the righteous to repentance, but sinners, and sweareth,a as I liue, I desire not the death of a sinner; let not any despaire,b though he haue denied Christ, as Pe∣ter; and betrayed Christ, as Iudas; and crucified Christ, as Pilate.

And will not repent] The passions of men are ascribed to God, secundum effectum, (asc Aquine speakes) but not secundum affectum. And so the Scripture speakingd grossely to mans vnderstanding, saith, that the spirit ise grieued, & that the Lordf repented he had made man, andg Saul King; and Ionah 3.10. God repented of the euil that he had said that he would doe to Nineueh. The Lord in his secret counsell, is yesterday, and to day, and the

same also for euer, Heb. 13.8. But vnto vs men (in his re∣uealed word) hee seemes to put on affections of anger and griefe,h behauing himselfe as one who repents and grieues. Againe, God speakes in his reuealed word, som∣times conditionally, somtimes absolutely. His sentence concerning the destruction of Nineueh, was only condi∣tionall, if they did not repent; according to that of thei Psalmist, If a man will not turne, then hee will whet his sword. And therefore when the Lord saw the workes of the men of Nineueh, that they turned from their euill waies, he turned away his wrath from them. Et sic Deus (as one pithily) non vertitur, sed auertitur orationibus nostris. But when Almighty God speakes absolutely, thou are my sonne, and as in our text categorically, thou art a Priest for euer, &c. he will not repent, nork alter the thing which is gone out of his mouth. See S. Augustine de diuersis quast ad Simplicium lib. 2. quaest. 2. Rupert. Cal∣uin in caput 3. Ionae. Augustin. D. Incognit. Bellarmin & alios in loc.

Thou art a Priest for euer] The Lord teacheth vs how wee should sweare, by precept, and paterne. By pre∣cept, Ierem. 4.2. Thou shalt sweare in truth, in iudgment, and in righteousnesse. Wherel Diuines obserue, that these three vertues ought to bee the companions of all our oathes. Iudgment forbids all rash & idle swearing; truth, all lying and false swearing; righteousnesse, all blasphe∣mous and vngodly swearing by the creatures. God, (ac∣cording to this precept) sweareth himselfe heere; hee sweares in righteousnesse, as swearing by himselfe, being both omnipotent, and omni-scient: in truth, for that hee will not repent: in iudgement, saying to his Sonne, thou art a Priest for euer.m When he spake before of Christs kingdome, he said onely, sit thou at my right hand: but now treating of Christs Priesthood, hee sweares:n insi∣nuating that the priesthood of Christ is of exceeding great consequence; for the Lord (instructing vs how we may sweare by his owne example) sweares not in any

trifling case, but for the confirmation of a serious and necessarie truth of a most high nature.

Let vs examine therefore how Christ is a Priest for o∣uer. An high Priest (as theo Scripture defineth) is a per∣son called of God from among men, that hee may offer both gifts and sacrifices vnto God for the sins of men. Such an high Priest is Christ, immediately called of God, in that he said, thou art a Priest, and hee gaue himselfe for vs, to be both anp offering, and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God, Ephes. 5.2.q He is the reconcillation for our sins, and as an aduocate with the Father in the Court of heauen, euer pleading the merit of his oblation and obedience, the sole mediator betweene God and man. 1. Tim. 2.5. and he is a Priest for euer, because with one offering hee consecrated for euer, them that are sanctifi∣ed, Heb. 10.14. The powerfull operation of his passion endureth for euer, being ther Lambe slaine from the be∣ginning of the world, and bleeding (as it were) to the worlds end. Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes, hath vnfolded this part of our text so fully, that (ass Hie∣rome speaks) it is superfluous to bring an after (or other) interpretation. I will here rest onely in his Commenta∣tarie, consisting of two points especially: the

• 1. Shewing the difference betweene the Priesthood of Aaron, and Christ.
• 2. Describing the resemblance betweene the Priesthod of Christ, and Melchise∣dech.

1. The Priesthood of Aaron, with all the sacrifices and ceremonies belonging thereunto, was nothing else but a type of things to come: thet tabernacles and holy places, were figures of the true Sanctuarie; the diuers washings, and other carnall rites, were similitudes of heauenly things. In a word, the whole Law had the sha∣dow of good things to come, but not the very substance of the things, Hebr. 10.1. But Christ is theu body of the shadow, and his Priesthood the truth of Aarons type.

Ioh. 1.17. The Law was giuen by Moses, but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ, as being our onely Priest ap∣peasing the wrath of God, and taking away the sinnes of the world; forx among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen, whereby wee must bee saued. And therefore the holy Fathers in their killing of beasts, and sprinkling of blood, had euer an eye to the sheadding of Christs blood on the Crosse, beleeuing that his blood shouldy cleanse them from all their sinnes, andz not the blood of goates, and calues, and buls. And the Prophets in their Sermons vsually taxe their hypocrisie, who neg∣lecting spirituall deuotions, and faith in Christ, onely re∣sted and trusted in outward oblations.a What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices (saith the Lord) I am full of the burnt offerings of lambes, and of the fat of fed beasts, I desire not the blood of bullockes, nor of lambes, nor of goates, incense is an abomination vnto me, my soule hateth your new moones, and your appointed feasts, all of them are a burthen vnto me, & I am weary to beare them, And Mich. 6.7. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes, or with ten thousand riuers of oyle? nay, the sa∣crifice best accepted of God, is a troubled spirit; a bro∣ken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise. Psal. 51.17.

2. The Priesthood of Aaron, and the kingdome of Is∣rael were distinct offices and incompetible; the Priest vnder the law might not incroch vpon the royalties of the King, nor the King execute the Priests office: for whenb Vzziah the King went into the Temple of the Lord to burne incense; the Priests of the Lord with∣stood him, and said vnto him, It appertaineth not vnto thee (Vzziah) to burne incense vnto the Lord, but to the Priests, the sonnes of Aaron, consecrated to this office. Goe forth of the Sanctuarie, for thou hast transgressed: and Vzziah the King was a leper vnto the day of his death. But Christ is both a Priest, and a Prince, the Scepter and the Miter meet together in him.

3. Aaron, Eleazar, andc euery high Priest vnder the Law, did enter into the holy place by the blood of goats and calues, which hee did offer for himselfe, and for the sinnes of the people. But Christ our Priest, entred into the most holy place by his owne blood, and obtained e∣ternall redemption for vs, Heb. 9.12. Hed gaue himselfe for our sinnes, that he might deliuer vs from this present euill world. It was impossible, that the blood of buls and goats should take away sinnes, Heb. 10.4. He therefore dide offer his owne body, redeeming his Church euen with his ownef pretious blood.

4. Aaron was annointed with ang oyle made of plea∣sant spices and balsame: but God hath annointed Christ with oyle of gladnesse, Psal. 45.8. The spirit of the Lord (quothh he) hath annointed me, that I should preach the Gospell vnto the poore, and hath sent mee, that I should heale the broken hearted, &c.

5. Aaron, and euery high-Priest of the Iewes, offe∣red vp sacrifice,i first for his owne sinnes, and then for the people. But Christ as being holy, blamelesse, vndefi∣led, Hebr. 7.26. who knew no sin, 2. Cor. 5.21. who didk no wickednesse, neither was any deceit in his mouth, offered vp himselfe onely for our sins; hee was wounded for our transgressions, he was broken for our iniquities, he carried our sorrowes, and with his stripes are we hea∣led.

6. Aaron and his successors were Priests of the Iewes, and tied only to the Temple ofl Hierusalem: but Christ is for all persons, and all places, at all times, a Priest for e∣uer, an vniuersall Bishop of our soules, as he told the wo∣man ofm Samaria, the houre commeth, and is now, when ye shall neither in this mountaine, nor at Hierusalem wor∣ship the Father; but the true worshippers shall euery where worship him in spirit and truth.

7. Aaron, and other Priests vnder the Law, were made without swearing of an oath; but Christ is made by an oath, by him that said vnto him, the Lord hath

sworne, and will not repent, thou art a Priest for euer, after the order of Melchisedech, Heb. 7.20.21.

8. Aarons Priesthood was temporarie, but the Priest∣hood of Christ is for euer. Eleazar succeeded Aaron, and Phineas Eleazar, and so downward: for among then Iewes many were made Priests, because they could not endure by reason of death: but Christ, because hee en∣dureth for euer, hath an euerlasting Priesthood. The Iewes haue nowo neither Prince, nor Prophet, nor burnt offering, nor sacrifice, nor oblation, nor incense, for the Lord repented,p that is, changed Aarons Priesthood: but Christ (as our text hath it) is consecrated by God the Father a Priest for euer. None can succeed him, hee will not giue his glory to another, Esay 42.8. and there∣fore the blasphemous opinion of theq Papists is detesta∣ble, who make the Pope successor vnto Peter, and Peter the successour vnto Christ, in his Priesthood. So they prate, print, and paint in theirr Catalogues of the Ro∣mane Bishops.

I will not dispute this point after Paul, Hebr. 7.25. concluding peremptorily that Christ, and onely Christ is able perfectly to saue them, that come vnto God by him, seeing he liueth euer to lake intercession for them,s as that learned man and martyr, Iohn Lambert, in his greatest agonie, none but Christ, none but Christ. All the Peters, and Peeres, and Popes in the world, which e∣uer haue been, are, and shall be, cannot sacrifice so much as may satisfie God for the sin of one poore soule. Christ alone is our Priest for euer, at whose right hand, God the Father standeth assistant, tot performe whatsoeuer he hath either said or sworne to him, euen to the confu∣sion of Kings, and all other great enemies in the day of his wrath.

And surely this clause, for euer, (as that holy Martyr of Godu Iohn Bradford, obserued) euidently shewes that the Popish Masse is a most iniurious enemie to Christ, in respect of his Priesthood and sacrifice. The

Priesthood of Christ is an euerlasting Priesthood, and such a function as cannot goe to another: but the Masse doth vtterly put him out of place, as though hee were dead for euer, and so God were a lyar, who said hee should liue for euer. Againe, it is a pernitious enemie to his sacrifice, for, to re-iterate a thing once done for the full accomplishing of the end, wherefore it was begun, declareth imperfection of the same thing before; but the Masse-priests re-iterate the sacrifice of Christ once done, for the end wherefore it was begun (that is, for propi∣tiation and remission, à poena & culpa) ergo, the Masse-priests make Christs oblation imperfect, and deny that the vertue thereof endures for euer. See Epistle Sun. 5. in Lent.

I come now to the parallel of Dauid, shewing the re∣semblance betweene Melchisedech and Christ. This Melchisedech, as Paul (Hebr. 7.) reports out of Moses, Genes. 14. was King of Salem, and the Priest of the most high God. So Christ is described in this present Psalme, to be both a King and a Priest, the King of Salem, that is, ofx 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 soy Diuines haue gathe∣red out of the words of Iacob vnto Reuben, Genes. 49.3. Reuben, thou art my first borne, my might, and the begin∣ning of my strength, the excellencie of dignitie, and excel∣lencie of power, that is, primus in regno, & primus in sa∣cerdotio. 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, abro∣gated the forme and frame of Moses Common-weale.

2. Melchisedech is by interpretation King of righte∣ousnes: so Christ is not only righteous in himselfe, iudg∣ing

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 The Lord our righteousnes,a made vnto vs wisedome, and righteousnes, and sanctification, and redemption.

3. Melchisedech is King of Salem, that is, King of peace: so Christ is theb Prince of peace,c 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 re∣concile all things vnto himselfe; and to set at peace, tho∣rough the blood of his Crosse, both the things in earth, and the things in heauen, Coloss. 1.19.20. And heere note,d 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 iusti∣fied by faith, we haue peace toward God, thorough our Lord Iesus Christ.

4. Melchisedech is said to bee without father, and without mother;e not that he was in deed so, but for that the Scripture concealeth his genealogie: so Christf as man was without father, and as God without mother. Nay Christ as God was without kindred, hauing neither begin∣ning of his daies, neither end of life, being Alpha and O∣mega, 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 A∣braham▪ because without all contradiction the lesser is bles∣sed of the better. And so Christ is greater then Abraham, as blessing him that had the promises.g 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, withh 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 ownei flesh and blood, re∣presented in his holy Supper byk bread and wine. Mel∣chisedech gaue bread and wine to Abraham, he did not offer it vp vnto God, as thel Latin Fathers vsually reade, protulit non obtulit. And therefore them Papists abuse this place, when in the Masse they offer vp the bread vn∣to God, which is to be communicated vnto men. Christs Supper was ordained to be receiued of vs, in the memo∣riall of his death, for the confirmation of our faith, that his body was broken for vs, and his blood shed for our sinnes;n 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 a∣way 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 soo great an host or cake as themselues eate, and that without ei∣ther 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 li∣eth in their power.

He shall iudge among the Heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies]p 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 theq reprobate, and smite in sunder the heads of all such as haue lifted vp their heads against him.r Other haue better expounded this of his present iudgement in pro∣tecting his followers, and in punishing his foes: for Christ is described here by the Prophet as a valiant con∣querour ouer his enemies. He shall rule not among the

Iewes only, but among the Heathen also,s iudging the world with righteousnes, and the people with his truth. He shall fill al places with the bodies of his aduersaries be∣ing dead, and smite in sunder, with his power and might, the heads, euen Kings, and other chiefe gouernours of his enemies.t Augustine doth interpret this in the bet∣ter part, glossing it thus: Implere ruinas, est aedisicare quod cecidit: & conquassare capita, humiliare superbos ad salu∣tem per contritionem,

He shall drinke of the brooke in the way] This may haue a double construction. Either thus, he, that is, the Mes∣sias, shall drinke of the brooke which shall be made of the blood of his foes:u 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 Or else it is a similitude taken from puissant and migh∣tie Captaines, who egerly pursuing their enemies, stay not vpon dainties or pleasures, but content themselues with floods and brookes which they finde in their pas∣sages, as they follow the chase. And therefore hee shall lift vp his head, as hauing a full victorie to his aduance∣ment and exceeding glorie: for so this manner of speech is vsed, Gen. 40.13.20.

PSALME 132.

Lord remember Dauid, and all his troubles, &c.

THis hymne consists of two parts: a

• Prayer, for the Prince, Priests, & peo∣ple, with a commemoratiō of their zeale to Gods holie worship and seruice, from the 1. to the 11. verse.
• Promise, made by God particularly to Dauid and his seede, as also gene∣rally to the whole Church, as the ground of the prayer, from vers. 11. to the Psalmes end.

The penner of this Psalme prayes for they King first as the chiefe, Lord remember Dauid. And then afterward for his state, bothz Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill, the Church and Common-weale. The Church, Arise O Lord into thy resting place, that is, thy Temple, let thy Priests bee clothed with righteousnes. Thea Common-weale, Let thy Saints sing with ioyfulnes, &c. The which is answerable to the Suffrages in our Liturgie, Indue thy Ministers with righteousnes, and make thy chosen people ioyfull. And happily the Church of England aimed at this Prayers, order, in the composition of the Letanie; where praying more particularly, wee beseech God in the first place to blesse our most gracious King and gouernour. In the next, to blesse the whole Clergie, Bishops, Pastors, and Mini∣sters: and then all degrees of the Laitie, superiours, as the Counsell, Nobilitie, Magistrates: and inferiours, all the people.

Satan is called byb Christ, a lyar, and a murtherer from the beginning, euer busily labouring to destroy both our soule with vntruths, and our bodies with murthers.c A∣gainst these two policies and kingdomes of the Diuell, almightie God hath erected other two kingdomes, the

politike state to fight against murthers: and the Priest∣hood to fight against false doctrine and heresies. So that Dauid, and all other Kings in gouerning the Common-wealth, ought to performe their best endeuours, that their subiects may leade ad quiet and a godly life. Quiet, as being free from mutinies and murthers: godly, as be∣ing free from heresies and lyes. And these two king∣domes, although they be farre vnlike, are so ioyned to∣gether, that the one cannot stand without the other. For where politike peace is wanting, there pietie cannot bee maintained without great danger: and where the word of God is wanting, there can bee no sound and secure peace. Policie serueth the Church, and the Church pre∣serueth policie. The Priests and Preachers are said in the 17. verse of this Psalme, to be deckt with saluation, that is, the ministration of the word, whereby theye saue themselues, and those that heare them. And in this re∣spect calledf sauiours, Obadiah 21. as being helpers and labourers together with God, who saueth, 1. Cor. 3.9.

But that part of this Hymne concerning the promise, concerneth our present feast especially. The Lord hath made a faithfull oath vnto Dauid, &c. The Papists (in the first verse, Lord remember Dauid with all his afflictions; and in the tenth verse, for thy seruant Dauids sake, turne not away the presence of thine annoynted) dreame that Sa∣lomon and the people did pray to God, that he would heare them at Dauids intercession, and for his merits; and thereupon establish inuocation of Saints, and pray∣ing to the dead. But ourg Diuines answere, that Dauid is not here to bee taken absolutely for his person onely: but as hauing the couenant, and clothed (as it were) with the promises of God. For Dauid neuer entreated God to be heard for his owne merits, but on the contrary cri∣eth,h Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified. Neither did y^e Church here desire to be heard for Dauids sake, but for the pro∣mise made to Dauid. And their meaning is briefly this,

O Lord God we pray vnto thee for the kingdome, not counting our selues in any sort worthie that we should be heard: but (asi Daniel speakes) we present our suppli∣cations before thee, trusting in thy great and tender mer∣cies, and in that thou hast promised to Dauid, to wit, that our kingdome shall endure for euer. So Moses prayed,k Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel thy seruants, to whom thou swarest by thine owne selfe. He doth not inuo∣cate Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, as the Papists imagine fondly: but hee doth alleage Gods holy couenant made to them, as touching their seed and posteritie. For how could God be put in minde of these promises better, then by reciting those persons to whom God hath made thē? Here then is a notable president for vs, y^t when we pray, we should appeare before the seate of God as wretched and miserable sinners, not trusting vpon our owne me∣rit, but clothed (as you would say) with his mercie; not as he who bragged,l I fast twice in the weeke, I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse: but as he who said, Lord remem∣ber thy promises; for the promises of God are nothing else, but mercies and compassions offered freely vnto vs in Christ.

Faith is necessarily required in prayer, (form how shall any call on him, in whō they haue not beleeued?) and faith is grounded euer vpon the sure promises of God, who saith,n I am the Lord thy God, and so loued the world, that he gaue hiso only begotten sonne, inp whom he is well pleased. If then hee giueth himselfe to be our owne, and his sonne to be our owne, how shall hee not with him∣selfe and his sonneq giue vs all things also? Verily, veri∣ly, (saith our blessed Sauiour, that euer spake veritie) whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name, he will giue it you, Ioh. 16.23. These things ought to be taught dili∣gently, because Gods holie promises are ther chiefe part of the Scripture, the true bosome and wombe where∣in the Church is carried, and all her children the faith∣full.

Now the promise mentioned here touching the seed of Dauid, is categoricall and absolute, so farre forth as it concernes Christ, of the fruit of thy body will I set vpon thy seat for euermore. But as it concernes other of Da∣uids house,s hypothetical and conditional, if thy children will keepe my couenant, &c. In that which is promised and prophecied touching Christ, obserue

• The Manner of the promise, the Lord hath made a faithfull oath vnto Dauid, and he shall not shrinke from it, vers. 11.
• The matter of the promise,
  • 1. That the Messias is to bee borne of Dauids seed, of the fruit of thy body.
  • 2. That the Messias is to sit on Dauids seate, shall I set vp∣on 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 fort three causes especially. 1. Be∣cause God is greater then themselues in credit. 2. Grea∣ter then themselues in knowledge. 3. Greater then themselues in power. Men by sinne haue lost their cre∣dit, 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 natureu lyars, andx onely God is good and true, where∣fore men vse to sweare by him, as being greater iny cre∣dit.

2. An oath is for the manifestation of a secret truth or intention of the heart: for to sweare in things appa∣rant, is to take the name of God in vaine. But God alone is the searcher of thez heart anda reines; and therefore men vse to sweare by him, as greater inb knowledge.

3. If a man violate his oath and forsweare himselfe, the wrong is done directly vnto God, his truth is falsi∣fied, his witnesse abused, his name blasphemed, and ther∣fore

men sweare by him, as being greater in power,c 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 fatherd 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 on∣ly begotten Sonne for the redemption of the world, say∣ing, 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 Irenaeus, andf Augustine, andg other Doctours note, that it is according to the He∣brew 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 thath Ioseph put his hand vnder Iacobs thigh, and the seruant ofi Abraham vnder the thigh of his master, because (saithk 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, see∣keth 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 heel hid himselfe in a mountaine, when as the peo∣ple would haue made him a King, and that hee professed openly before Pilate,m my kingdome is not of this world.n Answere is made, that by Dauids seate, is meant Hie∣rusalemo aboue; not Hierusalem here below, mysticall Hierusalem, andp 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 Hieru∣salem 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 ex∣aernall and temporall.q 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 ther 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, thes 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.

tAs his kingdome is not of the world; so the faith∣full his voluntarie subiects are not of the world, Ioh. 17.16. you were of the world (saith our Sauiour to his fol∣lowers) but I haue chosen you out of the world, Ioh. 15.19. As his kingdome is spirituall, euen so they beeu led by the spirit inx 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 they King of glory may come in, and so dwell in you, and raigne in you for euer∣more. Behold, hee standeth at the doore and knocketh, Apoc. 3.20. Open and obey, that hee may set vp his king∣dome 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 limi∣ted, and the borders of their kingdomes bounded, their people numbred, & the time of their raigne prescribed. But Christ hathz all power in heauen and earth, he shall sit vpon the Throne of Dauid for euer, and of his king∣dome there is no end, Luk. 1.33.

2. Other Kings haue power onely ouer our bodies and goods: but Christs authority reacheth vnto the soule. Their sword is materiall, able onely to kill the bo∣dy: but his sword is spirituall, proceeding out of hisa mouth, able to destroyb both soule and body in hell, entring thorow euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the spirit, and of the ioynts, and the marrow, a discerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart, Heb. 4.12.

3. Other Kings deriue their authority from him, Pro∣uerb. 8.15. By me Kings raigne, by me Princes rule; and stand accountable to him, he standeth in the congregati∣on of Princes, and iudgeth among gods, Psalm. 82.1.2. But who shall say to the Lord of Lords, Why doest thou so?

4. Other Kings reward their fauourites and follow∣ers, onely with a few titles of honour, or with a few par∣cels of land, which are holden of them in fee-farme, frank-almoign, Knights-seruice, &c. They make not their vassals heires apparant to their kingdomes: but Christ

our Lord maketh all his faithfull seruants no lesse thenc Kings, andd heires of God, euen heires annexed with himselfe.

If thy children will keepe my couenant] Literally this may be construed of Dauids owne children according to the flesh,e who succeeded him in his Throne, 1072. yeeres, vntill the Messias, (borne of his posterity) consti∣tuted an euerlasting kingdom without end.f According to this sense, the Lord saith, Ezech. 21.26. I will take a∣way the Diademe, and take off the Crowne, this shall be no more the same, I will ouerturne, ouerturne, ouerturne it, and it shall be no more vntill he come, whose right it is, and I will giue it him. His promise here concerning Christ, is absolute, but his promise touching other of Dauids house, conditionall: If thy Children keepe my couenant, and my testimonies, that I shall learne themg. If thou seeke the Lord (said Dauid to his sonne Salomon) he will bee found of thee; but if thou forsake him, hee will cast thee off for euer. And therefore because Dauids posterity did not obserue his law, but follow their owne inuentions; hee made them (as we reade in the Bibles history) captiues of Captaines, and gaue their kingdome to another peo∣ple: first vnto the bloodie Romans, and now to the bar∣barous Turkes; and so Hierusalem heretoforeh great among the Nations, and Princesse among the Prouinces, is made tributarie; shee dwelleth among the Heathen, and findeth no rest, among all her louers shee hath none to com∣fort her, all her friends haue dealt vnfaithfully with her, and are made her enemies.

Mystically thei Doctors applie this vnto the Chil∣dren of Christ according to the spirit, I will set vpon thy seate, that is, ordaine Pastors and teachers, who shall sit in thy chaire,k that is, preach thy word and doctrine, for thel gathering together of the Saints, and edificati∣on of the Church euermore. This was verified in the blessed Apostles, as being made Princes in all lands. Psalm. 45.17.

In one word,m all true beleeuers in Christ are the sons of God, and babes in Christ, and hee hath (asn Paul speakes) raised vs vp together, and made vs sit toge∣ther in heauenly places. His Charter is faire, Matth. 19.28. Verily I say vnto you, that when the sonne of man shall sit in the Throne of his Maiesty, ye which haue followed me in the regeneration, shall also sit vpon twelue Thrones, and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel. And Apocal. 3.21. To him that ouercommeth will I grant to sit with mee in my Throne, euen as I ouercome, and sit with my Father in his Throne.

Theo wicked abuse the promises of God, applying them vnto themselues, which onely belong to the true Church, the seed of Dauid, according to the spirit. So the Papists abuse Christs promise, for establishing of the Popes tyrannie,p the gates of hell shall not ouercome it, andq I will be with you alway till the worlds end. Whence they conclude, that Peters boat (though it may be som∣times in danger) shall neuer bee drowned, and that the Pope (being the Churches head) cannot erre.r Whereas these promises concerne onely that Church which is built vpon the Rocke Christ, and continueth in Saint Pe∣ters faith, obseruing all things our blessed Sauiour com∣manded, as it is in our text, If thy children will keepe my couenant and testimonies that I shall learne them. But if the Bishop and Church of Rome dispense with Gods holy word, and despise his truth and testimony, teaching in stead of his infallible law,s precepts of men, and do∣ctrines oft diuels: how shall this, or any the like promise belong to them?

So the wicked in a reprobate sense, who make their bellie their god, and commit all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse, abuse these sweet texts, at what time soeuer a sinner, &c. and, Come to me all ye that are wearie and la∣den, and I will ease you, &c. For this promise concernes only such as are laden, and feele the burthen of their ini∣quitie, hauing both a sight and a sense thereof, acknow∣ledging

that sinne is au labour in accomplishing, and a load when it is accomplished. It appertaineth onely to such as repent, and that of all their sinne, and that from the heart, and bottome of the heart.

So the carnall Gospellers, in comming irreuerently to the Lords Table, without any deuotion, or due respect to that holy Sacrament, abuse the words of our blessed Sauiour, This is my body. For (as the godly Martyrx Iohn Bradford well obserued) the clause take, eate, is a pre∣cept; and the clause, this is my body, a promise, the bread and wine then are not vnto any the body and blood of Christ, except they first eate and take, and none can take and eate, but byy faith. A worthie receiuer therefore beggeth of God both a pardon of his faults, and an en∣crease of his faith. To conclude this point, in the law, the condition is, do this and liue: in the Gospell, beleeue this and thou shalt be saued. He that neglects the precept, and yet will chalenge the promise, deceiueth himselfe, hee shall not rest on Gods holy hil, and sit on his happie seat for euermore.

PSALM. 2.

Why doe the Heathen so furiously rage together, &c.

This Ode may be diuided into 2. parts: the

• 1. Describes the wickednesse, and weak∣nes of such as bandie thēselues against the Lord, and against his annointed.
  • Wickednesse, furiously ra∣ging, standing vp, and ta∣king counsell together.
  • Weake∣nesse,
    • Implied in the word why?
    • Expressed in the clause, Ima∣gine 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 Mo∣narches vpon earth; and by Rulers, theirz priuie Coun∣sellors of Estate. The Gentiles, as not hauing Gods law, furiously rage together, likea bruit beasts without vnder∣standing. 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 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 construedc 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 bre∣thren, 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 thed generation of God, it is be who made vs, and not our selues, Psal. 100.2.
• Great man, or King, for Princes are stiled thee children of the most high.
• Good man, or regenerate, for euery one that is new borne, isf borne of God, and adop∣ted 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 toge∣ther, to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell had de∣termined before to be done.g First the Princes did plot, and afterward the people did act this insurrection. He∣rod the King sought to destroy Christ in his swadling cloutes, he was troubled at the birth of Iesus, and all Hie∣rusalem with him, Matth. 2.3. And the Rulers opposed Christ in the whole course of his life: so the text plain∣ly,h Doth any of the Rulers, or of the Pharisies beleeue in him? At his death all the Rulers Ecclesiasticall and Ci∣uill accorded in one. The Gentiles,i 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 byk some, that the plurall is vsed here for the singular. Or by Kings is meant Herod and Pilate, for Herod is stiledl King, and Pontius Pilate was am Gouernour vnder the Romane Emperour, and these Viceroyes had many petiten 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, aso Chrysostome, with Herod were ioyned the Di∣uell, and Death, and Sinne. All which are Kings of the earth. The Diuell is a King,p ruling in the ayre, theq Prince of this world, Luk. 11.18. If Satan be diuided a∣gainst himselfe, how shall his kingdome stand? And Death is a King, Rom. 5.14. Death raigned from Adam to Mo∣ses, &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 toge∣ther

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 as∣saulted 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 an∣cientr Rabbins applie this our text to the true Messias) expect him as yet to come.

Lastly, for as much as Christ suffers in hiss members, andt al that will liue godly, that they may be madeu like to his image, must of necessitie suffer persecution; it may be construed ofx Christians as well as of Christ, against whom al the wicked angels,y standing on the foure cor∣ners 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 A∣theists, all Anti-christs, all Hypocrites, all Worldlings hurtle together against the Lord & his annoynted peo∣ple. The true Church is az lilie among thornes, a few harmelessea 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 not to depend vpon the multitude for their number, because the people mu∣tinously rage together, and imagine vaine things in their conuenticles: nor vpon the mightie for their counte∣nance, 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 whether wee are the Lords annointed, or no. Thed world loueth his owne; if then it hate Christ in vs, it is an infallible signe, that we are goode souldiers of the Lord, and not seruants of the

world.f 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 tenta∣tions; if you will drinke of his cup of glorie, forsake not his cup of ignominie. Can the head corner stone be re∣iected, and the other more base stones in Gods building be set by? You are one of Gods liuely stones, and there∣fore be content to be hewen and snagged, that you may be made more meete to be ioyned to your fellowes, suf∣fering the snatches of Satan, and wounds of the world.

3. From hence wee may be well assured, that the sin∣cere profession of the Gospell in reformed Churches, is the most incorrupt and pure religion, as being most op∣posite to the children of this world. The Masse (said ho∣lyg Bradford) doth not bite them, or make thē to blush, as preaching. And therefore theh Kings of the earth are drunken with the wine of the Babylonish whore's abominable fornication. Ini Rome the humour of eue∣ry worldling is fitted, and each appetite may finde what to feede on. The mother of whoredomes is con∣tent 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 af∣ter the manner of Protestants. It is reported by reuerendk 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, or∣der or ordinance, for they cannot erre, whatsoeuer iudge∣ment they doe giue, so that it tend to the ruine and extirpa∣tion of such as are suspected Lutherans.

Hitherto concerning the wickednesse of such as op∣pose themselues against the Lord, and his annointed. I am now to speake of their weakenesse, implied in the word Why?l for by this interrogation he doth admire their follie: non enim tam interrogantis, quàm deridentis,

as a learnedm expositor vpon the place.n If they be de∣rided 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, a∣boue Sunne and Moone,o who made the heauen, and earth, and Sea, and all things that are therein? Alas, all flesh is as thep grasse that withereth, and God is aq con∣suming fire readie to burne this stubble.r 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 bal∣lance, 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 (saiths 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 thet Poet,

Quò moriture ruis, maiora{que} viribus audes? Quid tantum insano iuuat indulgere labori?

Or asu 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 but his grea∣test opposites are Kings vpon earth, vnsetledy pilgrimes inz earthly tabernacles and houses ofa clay. 2. Where∣asb man disquieteth himselfe in vaine, raging, running, standing vp against the Lord and his annointed: almigh∣tie God is said heere to sit in heauen atc 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 monsterd 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 ine 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 toldf 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 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 non verbis, sed verberibus, as it is in the text, hee shall speake to them in his wrath, and vexe them in his sore dis∣pleasure: 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 all their plots and practises to be wor∣thiei derision.

For first, if we construe this of Dauid, he laughed all his enemies to scorne, saying,k I annointed thee King e∣uer 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 I haue grauen thee in the palmes of mine hands, and thy walles are euer in my sight.m 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 confoun∣ded, and ashamed, they shall be as nothing, and they that striue with thee shall perish, forn hell gates shall not ouer∣come thee.

If we construe this of Christ, he that dwelleth in hea∣uen 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 Pro∣phets: and Acts 4.28. they did whatsoeuer Gods holy hand and counsell had determined before to be done. All his ene∣mies, as well spirituall as temporall, imagined vainly. The Diuell, and Death, and Sinne furiously raged against him on the Crosse: but hee dido 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 ra∣ged against him, and the Iewes imagined a vaine thing, inp rolling a great stone to the doore of the sepulchre, sealing it and making it sure with a watch. For it wasq 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 a∣way 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 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 that his Disciples came by night, and stole him away while they slept: for (ast Au∣stin, andu 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 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 ob∣serue foure points: Espe∣cially

• 1. Who, Kings and Iudges.
• 2. When, Now.
• 3. What,
  • 1. Toy know their dutie, Be wise, be learned.
  • 2. To doe their dutie, Serue the Lord, kisse the Sonne.
• 4. Why: Becausez hereby Gods
  • Heauie wrath is escaped, im∣plied 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 because their great∣nes vsually makes them insolent and rebellious against God.b Or, lest happily the subiect should bee punished for the Soueraignes follie, Quic quid delirant reges, ple∣ctuntur Achiui. Or, because like Prince, like people. Ie∣roboam made Israel to sinne:c for the most part euerie man emulates the manners of his Prince.

dMobile mutatur semper cum principe vulgus.

Or, he speakes to Kings and Iudges more particular∣ly,e for that it belongs vnto their office, to see the people well instructed, it appertaines to their charge (being Cu∣stodes vtrius{que} tabulae) that euery subiect liue toward himselfe soberly, toward his neighbour righteously, to∣ward God religiously. For although a King may not ad∣minister the Sacraments, or preach the word, or execute the Ministers office de facto: yet (as ours 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 cal∣leth

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 keepe this man, if he be lost and want, thy life shall goe for his life.h The conuerting of the wicked, howsoeuer it be Gods cure, yet it is thy care, the Lord only giuethi encrease, yet Paul is to plant, and Apollos to water; and thereforek 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 dread∣full 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 chil∣dren inl 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. Asm 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 mini∣stry reach vnto the Soueraigne, how shall it come short of then subiect? ifo 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? Ifp Iohn the Baptist may tell Herod to his beard, It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife? Ifq Nathan may tell Dauid the King of his mur∣ther and adulterie? then assuredly the Prophets of Al∣mighty

God may well admonish inferiours, & tell them of their vaine imaginations, raging against the Lord and his annointed. Saint Peter told Simon Magus,r thou art in the gall of bitternesse. Saints Paul called his Galathians fooles, because they began in the spirit, and ended in the flesh. Saintt 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, foru the feare of the Lord is the begin∣ning of wisedome. And therefore the next point is to bee pressed, intelligite nunc, be wise now. Now while yee are in thex way, now while it is calledy to day, now while it is time,z 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, destroy∣ing the fruit; last of all (if it bee not in due time preuen∣ted) 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 cryinga cras, cras, to morrow, to morrow, seemes to bee curate to the diuell, and vicar of hell. An irrepentant sin∣ner 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 ves∣sell.

Our vnderstanding must bee first informed, and then our affections reformed, according to Gods holy lawes.b Sapientia praecedit, religio sequitur, sapience goeth be∣fore, religion followeth. It is our duty, first to know God, and then to worship him according to the termes of ourc 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 suffici∣ent to know it (asd 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 thate 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 enoughf cogitare, to thinke of amend∣ment, 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 e∣nough docere, to teach other repentance, like Iudas, who was an instrument, for the sauing of other, and yet han∣ged 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 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 beh 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 Gos∣pell, which sheweth our Sauiour, and containeth grace. The summe of the law is the decalogue, more largely di∣lated in the bookes of Moses, interpreted and applied in the Sermons of the Prophets, and illustrated by ma∣nifold examples of good and euil, in the stories of Chro∣nicles, 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 do∣ing, we might at least be saued by beleeuing. 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 Ca∣nonicall 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, Apoca∣lyps, 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 exact∣lyi 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 Sacra∣ments 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 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 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 y^e Lord, but in trembling: lest happily we should assume too much vnto our selues, and so presumptuously sin, he doth admonish vs of one thingm twice. That wee may not be discoura∣ged 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 Paul aduiseth euery man, who thinkes he stands, to take heede lest he fall: and too worke out their saluation with feare and trembling. God abhorreth hypocrites, a people that honoureth him with their lips, but theirp heart is farre from him:q 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 in∣to his courts, cum tremore corporis, & timore animae, with aufull hearts, and trembling hands, sor singing to the Lord in gladnes, that they may reioyce in the Lord with reuerence. This feare may not be seruile, buts 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 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 Vnder∣stand then, O yee Kings, and be no longer obstinate, ye haue heretofore stood vp against the Lord, & his annoin∣ted 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, andx God is a cōsuming fire.y The more fewel, the greater flame. Your offences make you the very fewell of his anger: and therforez breake off your sinnes by righteousnesse, embrace the bonds of his authoritie, which you meant to breake, for hisa 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 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 toc kisse the mouth of Baal. From hence wor∣shipping is in Latine called Ado∣ratio.
• Obedience: so Samuel kissed Saul, 1. Sam. 10.1. and Aaron kissed Mo∣ses, Exod. 4.27. and it is the manner of subiects at this day, to kisse the hands of their Kings.
• Loue: sod Ioseph kissed his brethren: soe 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 de∣uotion it is our dutie tof fall downe before him, and withg Mary Magdalene to kisse his feete, yea the feete ofh 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 hypocriti∣cally, like Iudas, in fashion only. Whereforei some tran∣slations haue it thus, adorate purè, worship him in truth and puritie,k cleaue to him, and embrace his word with asl louing an affection, as they doe that kisse one ano∣ther.

mAt{que} vni totos ipsi vos dedite, tota Mente, animo{que} velut dominum amplexamini, ei{que} Figite amicitiae purissima basia sanctae.

The Sonne came into the world ton reconcile vs vn∣to God his Father: hee came not to kill vs, hee came to kisse vs, and that (as y^e Church speaks in hero 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 ap 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 the world, that he gaue his only begotten sonne, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life, is ano∣ther sweete kisse of his mouth. It isq verè suauiolum, as being sweeter then hony, Psal. 19.10. better then wine, Cant. 1.1. Asr concord is the coniunction of two soules; euen so kissing, which is a token of concord, is the con∣iunction of two bodies. Our blessed Sauiour daily prof∣fers and offers to kisse vs: if we then vnmannerly despise thes riches of his goodnesse, and obstinately perish from the right way; he shall one day speake to vs in his wrath, and if his wrath be kindled, yea but a little, what at feare∣full thing will it be, to fall into the hands of the liuing God, which is a consuming fire?

If any shall aske, how shall I, which am a poore pil∣grime on earth, ascend and kisse my Sauiour who dwel∣leth in heauen? Answere is made by Dauid in the ve∣ry next clause, Blessed are all they, that put their trust in

him: as if hee should haue said, Tou beleeue in him, and to put our whole trust in him, is to kisse him.

In this proposition, as in all other, three points are to be considered, especially the

• Subiect, all that trust in him.
• Praedicate, blessed.
• Copula, are.

xNot they who trust in themselues, and their owne merits, or in Princes and their meanes, or in Saints and their mediations, or in Angels, or in any thing else, be∣sidey Christ: only such are free from the tyrannous op∣pression of Satan and sin, who put their trust in him. He saith not, al they that beleeue him, & assent barely to his promise:z but omnes qui confidunt, all they who confi∣dently place their affiance in his mercies, and beleeue in him, according to that of S.a Iohn the Baptist, He that beleeueth in him shall not be condemned: but he that be∣leeueth not, is condemned alreadie, because hee beleeueth not in the name of the only begotten sonne of God. I finde that some Doctors among theb Iewes by him vnder∣stand God the Father: butc Christian interpretors vsu∣ally referre this vnto God the Sonne, making the cohe∣rence thus: O kisse the Sonne, for blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Heere then is a pregnant place to proue that iustification is by faith in Christ. See Melan∣cthon, Bucer, Tileman in loc.

There be three kinds of blessing:

• Externall, as the gifts of the world.
• Internall, as the gifts of grace.
• Eternall, as the gifts of glorie.

Now, bonorum omnium cumulus & summa, saithd Au∣gustine, belongeth vnto such as put their trust in the Lord. They haue the promises of the life present, and of that which is to come, 1. Tim. 4.8. Mercie doth embrace them on euery side, Psal. 32.11. Blessed in euery kinde of blessing, as reuerend Beza paraphrastically:

—omnibus ô modis beatos illos, qui domino deo{que} fidunt.

1. They be blessed in things of this world, blessed

ine their field, & blessed in their fold, blessed in the fruit of their cattell, and encrease of corne, blessed in their wiues, and blessed in their children, blessed in their go∣ing out, and blessed in their comming home: loe thus shall they be blessed who feare the Lord, Psal. 128.5. Or if God denie these blessings vnto them, it is for theirf good, and so they be blessed in their crosse, hauing (as Paul said) nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2. Cor. 6.10.

2. Blessed in the gifts of grace, both illuminating and sauing, blessed withg all spirituall blessing in heauenlie things in Christ, blessed in respect of Their

• Vocation:h Blessed are the eyes, which see the things that you see, and the eares which heare the things that you heare. Blessed are they, which are called to the Lambes Supper, Apo∣cal. 19.9.
• Iustification: Blessed are they,i whose wickednes is forgiuen, and whose sinnes are couered.
• Sanctification:k Blessed is the man, that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly, &c. Blessed is the seruant,l whom his master when he commeth shall finde doing his dutie. Blessed are the poore in spirit, blessed are the meeke, blessed are the mercifull, Matth. 5.

3. Blessed in the gifts of glorie,m Come ye blessed, in∣herit ye the kingdome, &c.n theirs is the kingdome of hea∣uen. It is now theirs in hope, hereafter it shall be theirs in hold. See notes vpon the Gospell on all Saints day.

PSALME 57.

Be mercifull vnto me, O God, be mercifull vnto me, &c.

DAuid in this hymneo prayeth, and praiseth the Lord. First he prayeth vnto God, from the 1. verse to the 8, for deliuerāce from his enemies tyrannie. Then, as conceiuing vndoubted hope thereof, he prepares him∣selfe to praise God in the rest, O God my heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, I will sing and giue praise.

In his prai∣er 2. poynts are remarka∣ble, to wit, a

• Petition, Be mer∣cifull, &c. en∣forced by his
  • Duty, for my soule tru∣steth in thee, &c.
  • Danger, as being per∣secuted
    • By
      • Cruel enemics, my soule is a∣mong Lyons, vers. 4.5.
      • Cunning ene∣mies, they haue laid a net for my feete, v. 7.
• Repetition, in the 6. and 12. verses, as thep burthen of the song, Set vp thy selfe, O God, aboue the heauens, and thy glorie aboue all the earth.

Be mercifull vnto me, O God,] The title sheweth vs that Dauid made this Psalme, when he fled from Saul in∣to the Caue. The storie whereof is reported at large, 1. Sam. 24. and it is in briefe this: Saul persecuting Da∣uid, sought him in the wildernes of Engedi, vpon the rocks, among the wilde goates: and being there in a Caue to co∣uer his feete, Dauid hauing him at his mercie, would not kil the Lords annointed, but only cut off the lap of his coate,

to shew, that he could haue touched his skinne so well as his skirt, and that he could haue made him (as it is in the prouerbe) shorter by the head, so well as curtall his robe. Which when Saul after perceiued, his heart relented for Dauids great kindnes, and he wept, acknowledging his fault, and taking an oath of Dauid, that hee should not destroy his seede: he ceased his persecuting for a time. Dauid in this distresse composed his hymne, the which is grounded vpon his faith, and his faith is grounded vp∣on Gods mercie and might. Gods mercie, Be mercifull vnto me, O God, be mercifull, as being so willing to de∣fend thy children, as the hen is her chickens vnder the shadow of her wings. Gods might, I will call vnto the most high God, euen vnto the God, that shallq perform the cause I haue in hand, who shall send from heauē, to wit, his hand, as Psal. 144.7. or his Angell, as Dan. 3.28. or, as it heere followeth, his mercie and truth, able to saue me from the reproofe of him, that would eate race vp and deuoure my soule.r By supernaturall and extraordinarie miracles, so well as ordinarie meanes, able to deliuer his seruants as well withs few as with many. So Manasses in his prayer buildeth all his comfort vpon Gods almightie power, and vnsearchable mercifull promise. So Christ in his ab∣solute paterne of praying, aduiseth vs to call vpon God as our father in heauen, insinuating hereby, that God is willing to grant our requests, as being our father: and able, because in heauen. And according to these presi∣dents, our holy Mother the Church of England begins her publike deuotion vnto God, Almightie and most mercifull Father. Able to heare, because almightie: wil∣ling to helpe, because most mercifull.

For my soule trusteth in thee] He desires to be heard in respect of his assured affiance in Gods almightie power and holy promise.t The Lord is nigh vnto all them that call vpon him, euen all such as call vpon him faithfully:u Call vpon mee in the time of trouble, so will I heare thee, &c.x Blessed are all they, that put their trust in him. And

therefore Dauid here challengeth (as it were) God vpon his word, saying, Be mercifull vnto me, for my soule tru∣steth in thee. They repetition of miserere, sheweth his earnest affection and intention in praying, and the wordz soule, that his hope for helpe was no flying conceit of his braine, but a full assurance setled in his heart. Lord I trust ina nothing else but in thee alone, for vnder the sha∣dow of thy wings shall be my refuge, vntill this tyrannie be ouer past. Some put their trust inb vncertaine riches, and say to the wedge of gold,c thou art my confidence. Butd riches auaile not in the day of wrath:e hoarders vp of siluer and gold are come to naught, and gone downe to hell: O foole! this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee, Luk. 12.20.

Other trust in their owne worth and holinesse, as the Pharisie (Luk. 18.) stood and prayed thus with himselfe, O God I thanke thee, that I am not as other are, extortio∣ners, vniust, adulterers: I fast twice in thee weeke, I giue tithe of all that euer I possesse. Butf blessed is the man that feareth alway, for he that trusteth in his owne heart, is a foole.

Other trust in their politike counsell, as Achitophel, of whom it was said in those daies that his counsell was re∣putedg as an oracle of God: but the Lordh catcheth the wise in their owne craftines, and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish.

Other boast of their strength, and put their trust (asi Goliah did) in their sword and shield: butk cursed be the man that maketh flesh his arme, withdrawing his heart from the Lord.

Other put their trust in Princes, and make the Kings Minion their mediatour. But, saith ourl Prophet, O put not your trust in Princes, nor in any child of man; for his breath goeth foorth, and hee turneth againe to his earth, and then all his thoughts perish.

Other put their trust inm Chariots, and other in hor∣ses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God,

only blessed is he, that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe, and whose hope is in the Lord his God, Psalm. 146.4. and therefore be mercifull vnto me, O God, be mercifull vnto me, for in thee haue I put all my confidence. Mine other friends and forces besides thee, what are they but mise∣rable comforters (asn Iob speakes) if they bee compared with thee.o Like as the chickens seeke to the henne for defence: so runne I to the shadow of thy wings for my re∣fuge. Lord my soule trusteth in thee now, so shall it euer, vntill this euill be passed ouer.p For by the word vntill, he meanes not, that when the storme was appeased, hee would then cease to trust in God; but that hee would both then and for euer depend vpon him, as long as hee hath any being, Psal. 146.1. So the word vntill is vsed, 2. Sam. 6.23. Michol the daughter of Saul had no child vntill the day of her death. And Psalme 110. vers. 1. The Lord said vnto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, vn∣til I make thine enemies thy footstoole. Where the word vntill (as I haue shewed vpon the place) notes not a piece of time, but a perpetuitie. For Christ (after all his ene∣mies are made his footstoole) shall euer sit at the right hand of God, as hauing aq throne which endureth euer, and ar kingdome without end.

Vnder the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge]s By this he doth vnderstand Gods safeguard, protection and prouidence. The metaphor is borrowed from the Hen, whose wings int three things especially resemble Gods high and holy hand ouer vs. 1. The wings of the Henne nourish and brood her chickens: euen so the Lord said vnto Hierusalem,u How often would I haue gathered thy children together, as the henne gathereth her chickens vn∣der her wings, and ye would not. 2. The wings of the Hen serue to defend her chickens from a tempest and storme: so God is ax refuge against the tempest, a shadow a∣gainst the heate. 3. The wings of the Henne serue to protect her chickens from the kite that houereth ouer them, and would faine deuoure them: euen so God deli∣uereth

his children from they snare of the hunter,z that is, from the subtill tentations of the diuell, who walketh about seeking whom hee may deuoure, 1. Pet. 5.8. The Lord hideth all his vnder the shadow of his wings, Psal. 17.8. and so capa-pe, they shall be safe vnder his feathers; his faithfulnes shall bee their shield, and his truth their buckler, Psal. 91.4.

Vntill this tyrannie be ouer past] He cōpareth his affli∣ction & calamity to aa storme that cōmeth & goeth: as it is not alwayb faire weather with vs in this life, so not alway foule;c Heauinesse may cōtinue for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning.d God is faithful, who will not suffer his children to be tempted aboue their ability, but will euen giue the issue with the tentation.e Atha∣nasius said of Iulian, furiously raging against the Lords annointed, nubecula est, cito transibit. Man is borne tof labour andg dolour, to trauaile and trouble. To labour in hish actions, to dolour in his passions. And soi great are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord deliue∣reth him out of all. If wee put our trust in him, and cast all our care vpon him, hee will in his good time bring it to passe, that all our afflictions shall ouer passe: hee will either take them from vs, or vs from them, and then wee shall assuredly know, that the troubles of this life present are notk worthie of the glorie, which in the life to come shall bee shewed vnto vs. For as the globe of the earth, which improperly for his shew of bignesse we terme the world, and is, after the Mathematicians account, many thousand miles in compasse, yet being compared vnto the greatnes of the starrie skies circumference, is but a center or little pricke: so the trauaile and affliction in this life temporall, in respect of the ioyes eternall in the world to come, beare not any proportion, but are to bee reputed (in comparison) a very nothing, as a darke cloud that commeth and goeth in a moment.

This (asl Melancthon here notably) requires rather an application, then an explication or large Commentarie.

Blessed is that man, who can in al his affliction and trou∣ble say with our Prophet, O God be mercifull vnto me, for my soule trusteth in thee, & vnder the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge, till this tyrannie be ouer past. Happie man is he, who can in the middest of his crosses and los∣ses affirme truly with holym Iob, The Lord giueth, and the Lord taketh away, blessed bee the name of the Lord,n though he slay me, yet will I trust in him,o as hee maketh the wound, so will he binde it vp, he smiteth, and his hands make whole. Happie man is he, who can in the houre of tentation hide himselfe with the Church in thep holes of the rocke, that is, in the wounds of Christ, our rocke and refuge, in the time of trouble.

Yea, but where dwelleth our blessed Sauiour, how shall I finde him? Vnto this question himselfe answered, Ioh. 1.39. Come and see. The Church is hisq house, there her dwelleth, and there you may finde him alwaies at home, not in his mothers armes, or on a woodden Cru∣cifix; but in his holy word and Sacraments. Natus est Christus de virgine, num quid semper nascitur? saith Au∣gustine, Hee was once borne of the Virgine, shall hee be borne still of her? Hee did once sucke her breasts, is hee still an infant and a sucking babe? Once he did hang on the Crosse, doth he still hang on it? haec transierunt, these things are past and gone. But seeke him in his word, for that witnesseth of him; and in his Sacraments, for they represent liuely both his blood and bodie. His word is an audible Sacrament, and his Sacraments are visible words. So long as the Church had golden Teachers, she needed no woodden Images: but when once golden Priests degenerated into woodden, then both woodden and golden Images crept in. If the Queene ofs Sheba condemned the men of Christs age, much more the men of our time, liuing in the Church of England. She was a Queene, we subiects: she left her kingdome and coun∣trey, wee (God be praised) sit vnder our owne vines in our owne soyle: she came from the furthest part of the

world, wee haue Christ among vs: she was moued only with hist fame, we both heare Christ in his word, and see him in his Sacraments: she cōming to Salomon brought presents, wee comming to Christ may receiue rewards: she came to behold Salomon a meere man, wee may be∣hold Christ God and man, a greater then Salomon: grea∣ter in wisedom, foru neuer any man spake as he did: grea∣ter in might and mercie, for neuer any man did as he did, hee did all thingsx well,y hee made the deafe to heare, the dumbe to speake, the blinde to see, the lame to goe, he cured the sicke, and raised the dead, and that is more then euer King Salomon did. Greater in maiestie, for Salomon in all his royaltie was nothing else but a type of this our King of glorie. So that if we doe not come to him in our ten∣tations and troubles, inuiting vs freely, fully, Come all yee that labour and are laden, and I will ease you: the Queene of the South assuredly shall arise in iudgement against vs, and by her example condemne vs.

Whenz Toxaris saw his countriman Anacharsis in Athens, he said vnto him, I will at once shew thee all the wonders of Greece, Viso Solone, vidisti omnia, in seeing Solon, thou seest all, euen Athens it selfe, and the whole glorie of the Greekes. In like manner I may tell a Chri∣stian: Hast thou faith, and assured trust in the Lord? then thou hast more then the wonders of Greece; vpon the poynt, all the wonderfull gifts of grace: for faith is a mo∣ther vertue from which all other spring, and without which our best actions are no better then sinne, Rom. 14.23. Wherefore let vs alway labour for faith, as for life, becausea the iust man liueth by his faith, his soule trusteth in the Lord, and vnder the shadow of his wings shall be his refuge, till all the tyrannie, both of Satan and sinne, death and hell, is ouer past.

My soule] That is, my life, body, person, as the word soule is oft vsed elsewhere, namely Genes. 14.21. Numb. 31.40. Ioh. 10.32. 1. Sam. 22.22.

Among lyons] An vnregenerate man, hauing Gods

image defaced in him, is but a little better then a very vermine.b Auaritia feruit alienarum opum violentus e∣reptor? similem lupo dixeris: ferox atque inquietus lin∣guam litigijs exercet? Cani comparabilis. Insidiator occul∣tus surripuisse fraudibus gaudet? vulpeculis exaequetur. Irae intemperans fremit? leonis animum gestare credatur. Pauidus ac fugax non metuenda formidat? ceruis similis habeatur. Segnis ac stupidus torpet? asinum viuit. Leuis ac inconstans studia permutat? nil ab auibus differt. Foedis immundis{que} libidinibus immergitur? sordidae suis volup∣tate detinetur. Ita fit, vt qui probitate deserta homo esse desierit, cum in diuinam conditionem transire non possit, vertatur in belluam. To this purpose,c Carolus Bouillus excellently, Humana sub cate plurimae latent ferae. The Scripture saith as much in calling a subtill dissembler foxe, Goe tell that foxe, said Christ of Herod, Luk. 13.32. in calling a soule-murthering false prophet, ad rauening wolfe: in calling a vaine man, ae wilde asse colt: in cal∣ling a voluptuous man, giuen ouer to worke al vnclean∣nes euen with greedinesse, af sow wallowing in the mire: in calling a proud man in honour, that vnderstands not how to vse the good things he hath,g a brute that perish∣eth, ash horse and mule without vnderstanding. So Dauid here termes the children of men, which are set on fire to doe mischiefe, whelpes of lyons: My soule is among lyons. O God be mercifull vnto me, for my soule is persecuted by such enemies as abound with a great deale of might and malice. Might, as being lyons, that is, hardie & haughtie, Lebaim of leb, that is, heart, courage. So lyons are men∣tioned in holy Scripture for stoutnes: 2. Sam. 17.10. He that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lyon: and for boldnesse, Prou. 28.1. The righteous are bold as a lion. And my foes haue great surie so well as force, being set on fire, raging themselues, andi inflaming other also with anger and enuie, meere boutefeus.k So that if I should escape the lawes of lyons, which hurt at hand; yet I may fall into their black mouthes, whose teeth and tongue like

launces and arrowes hit and wound a farre off. Byl these fierie fellowes hee doth vnderstand backbiting Slande∣rers and Sycophants in the Court of Saul, accusing him of treason and disloyaltie. For so himselfe complaineth, 1. Sam. 24.10. Wherfore giuest thou an eare to mens words who say, Behold, Dauid seeketh euill against thee?

mSalomon saith, A man that beares false witnes against his neighbour, is like an hammer and a sword, and a sharpe arrow. Nay, the detracting tongue hurts a great deale more thē either sword or arrow. For a sword that makes a bigge wound cannot hurt farre off, and an arrow that hurteth farre off, vsually makes no bigge wound: but the lewd tongue cuts deeper then any sharpe sword, and flieth faster and further then any swift arrow. The dag∣ger at one blow, the dart at one shoote kils not many: but the slanderer in telling one tale, may murther at one time three, to wit, himselfe, the partie to whom, and the partie of whom hee telleth it.n Ʋnus est qui loquitur, & vnum tantum verbum profert, & tamen illud vnum ver∣bum, vno momento multitudinis audientium dum aures inficit, animas interficit. The wicked (saith ouro Pro∣phet) haue sharpened their tongues like a serpent, and the tongue of a serpent (asp Plinie telleth vs) is trisulca, three edged.

They haue laid a net for my feete] As the foes of Dauid were cruell, aq generation whose teeth are swords, and iawes are kniues to deuoure Gods afflicted people:r so likewise craftie, laying snares for his feete, thinking tos catch him in a pit-fall, as a bird, or as a beast in a ginne. Thet wicked bend their bow, and make ready their ar∣rowes vpon the string, that they may secretly shoote at them which are vpright in heart; that which they cannot effect by power, they will attempt by policie. But theu share is brokē, thex net, which they laid priuilie, caught themselues, and they who digged the pit, are fallen into the middest of it themselues. And here wee may behold Gods infinite iustice, who neuer leaues the deedes of

charitie, nor the debts of cruelty vnsatisfied. Asy Gideon slew seuentie Elders of Succoth with vnmeasurable tor∣ments: euen so were his owne seuentie sonnes, all but one, murthered by his bastard Abimelec. So the wickedz Egyptians (hauing caused some male-children of the Hebrewes to be slaine, and other of them to be cast into the water and drowned) were rewarded by God in the like measure, destroying their ownea first borne by his Angell, and drowning their King and his hoste in the red sea, Exod. 14. Sob Haman was hanged vpon the same gallowes he set vp for Mordecai.c Baiazet the first, who purposed in the pride of his heart, if he should conquer Tamberlane, to carrie him in an iron cage thorough his kingdome; was himselfe serued in the same kinde by victorious Tamberlane. The Tyrantd Maxentius was ouerthrowne in the same bridge, which he craftily built as a snare for the destruction of Constantine; and so hise mischiefe fell vpon his owne head, and his wickednesse vpon his owne pate.f Alexander the sixth was poyso∣ned at supper with the very same wine, which hee had prepared as a deadly draught for his familiar friend Car∣dinall Adrianus: It is said in the storie, that it happened by his seruants improuidence, who mistook the bottles; and yet doubtlesse by Gods all-seeing prouidence, who casteth his enemies into the same pit they digged for other.

Mystically this Hymne may be construed ofg Christ, who wash in the daies of his flesh assaulted by the ty∣rannie both of temporall and spirituall enemies. His temporall enemies,i Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and people of Israel, furiously raged, and tooke counsell together against him. The chiefe Priests and Princes were (saithk Hierome) like lyons, and the people like the whelps of lyons, all of them in a readinesse to de∣uoure his soule. The Rulers laid a net for his feete in theirl captious interrogatories, asking, Mat. 22.17. Is it law∣full that tribute be giuen vnto Caesar, or no? And Ioh. 8.5.

whether the woman taken in the very act of adulterie, should be stoned to death, or no? The people were set on fire, when as they raged against him, and their teeth and tongues were speares and swords, inm crying, Crucifie him, crucifie him. His spirituall enemies also sought how to swallow him vp, his soule was among lyons all the daies of his life, at the houre of his death especially. The diuell in tempting and troubling him, had laid a snare for his feet; and death, in digging a pit for him, had thought to de∣uoure him. As Dauid was in the caue, so Christ the sonne of Dauid was in the graue. But it wasn impossible y^t the Lord of life should be holden of Death, or that his flesh should see corruption, he therfore rose againe from the dead on this day, setting himselfe aboue the heauens, and his glorie aboue all the earth. In his anguish and agonie he dido offer vp prayers and supplications, with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death, saying,p O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me? neuerthelesse not as I will, but as thou wilt. And so Christ here called vpon his Father, O God be mercifull vnto me, &c. But he speakes as man, & in the person of men,q Vnus homo dicit, sed vnus pro multis. And S.r Augustine sweetly, Qui cum patre miseretur tui, in te clamat miserere mei: Christ, according to hiss The∣lesis and naturall will, abhorred and feared death, and therefore said, O God be mercifull vnto me: but according to his boulesis and rationall will, he yeelded himselfe vo∣luntarily to his persecutors, and said, Vnder the shadow of thy wings shall be my refuge, till this euill is ouer past. And Psalm. 16.9. (as S. Peter applieth it, Acts 2.25.) I beheld God alway before me, for he is at my right hand, that I shall not fall. Wherefore such as affirme that hee suffered the pangs of desperation, and the very paines of the damned in hell, erre foully, not vnderstanding the Scriptures. He saith here, vers. 5. according to the vulgar Latine, Dor∣mini conturbatus, he was indeed grieuously troubled in his soule; yet so that he slept,t tam placatus erat iste tur∣batus,

vt quando vellet dormiret. He feared his enemies tyrannie, secundum propassionem, (asu Lombard acutely) non secundum passionem. Or, to speake in the words ofx Bernard, he was turbatus, moued, but not perturbatus, remoued from his trust in God, and resolution to worke our good. And thereforey he said in another Psalme, I will lay me downe in peace, and take my rest, as hauingz po∣wer to lay downe my life, and power to take it vp again. For as he dyed when he would, euen so when he would he did arise from the dead, setting himselfe aboue the hea∣uens, and his glorie aboue all the earth.

According to this exposition, our Church allotted this Hymne to be read on this holy-day: for in Christs resurrection all his enemies tyrannie was ouerpast; in his resurrection hisa glorie (which heretofore was obscure) did appeare aboue all the earth; in his resurrection he did awake right early, so the text, in theb morning early whē it wasc darke; in his resurrection his lute and harpe did awake, that is, his flesh arose from the bed of his graue.d The strings of an Harpe are touched and sound vp∣ward especially, but the strings of a Lute from below: Christs humane nature then in working diuine miracles, which are from aboue, was like the Harpe; but in suffe∣ring our infirmities here below, like a Lute. The Harpe did sound, when he made the blinde to see, the deafe to heare, the lame to goe, &c. but the Lute did sound, when he was a thirst, hungrie, naked, whipped, when he cryed, when he dyed, when he was buffeted, and when hee was buried. After his resurrection, all the miracles he did out of his power, and all the miseries hee suffered out of his infirmitie, were by the blessed Apostles, instruments of his glorie, preached first among the people, then among all nations, euery where singing, that the greatnes of his mercie reacheth vnto the heauens, and his truth vnto the cloudes.

This also may bee construed of thee Church, and that both in respect of her spirituall enemies and temporall.

As for her ghostly foes, the diuel is a roaring lyon, 1. Pet. 5.8. and our sinnes are thef whelpes of lyons, readie to de∣uoure vs. And concerning outward enemies, the Church in this world is like Daniel in the lions denne, or as the sucking childe playing vpon the hole of the Aspe, Esay 11.8. she hath here no visible power or outward helpe to flie to for succour, all her trust is in the Lord, vnder the shadow of his wings is her refuge, till this euill is ouer-past. In old time Gods people wereg tried by mockings and scourgings, by bonds, and prisonment, they were stoned, he∣wen asunder, they were tempted, they were slaine with the sword, they wandred vp and downe in wildernes, and moun∣taines, and caues of the earth, clothed in sheep-skins, and in goates-skinnes, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented, of whom the world was not worthie. Since Christ, it is well obserued byh Bernard of the Churches affliction, Ama∣ra prius in nece martyrum, amarior post in conflictu hae∣reticorum, amarissima nunc in moribus domesticorum: Hot non fugare, non fugere potest, ita inualüerunt & multipli∣cati sunt super numerum. Her oppression in the begin∣ning was great by the persecution of tyrants, afterward greater by the conflict of heretikes, but now greatest of all by the dangerous positions and practises of Anti-christs in the kingdome of poperie, whose very Masses are sometime for massacres, and their sacred sacrifices offerings of blood. And surely (beloued) if the Church had not any other enemies, but onely these monstrous Anti-christs of Rome, yet she might truly complaine with our Prophet here, my soule is among lyons. Eleuen Popes had that name, whereof all (excepting two or three) were roring lyons in their buls, and rauening ly∣ons in seeking after their pray. Leo the tenth so pilled and polled the goodly nation of Germany with impar∣donable Pardons and mercilesse Indulgences, as that his insupportable crueltie gaue the first occasion of the re∣formation of religion in that Countrey. The foes of Da∣uid are said here to lay a net for his feete, and to digge a

pit before him: and what are the Papists intricate distin∣ctions of Schooles, and Machiauelismes of State, but snares and nets to catch our bodies and soules, and so greedily to swallow vs vp, as Saul here would haue done to Dauid. These Scribes and Pharisies haue so great a swallow, that they deuoure not only some few widowes houses, as thei Pharisies among the Iewes in old time: but also whole villages and townes, ask Merindoll and Cabriers in the Countie of Prouince, yea whole shires and countries in Netherland: yea their intent was anno 1588. to deuoure this whole kingdome of England with an inuincible (fondly so called) Armado. The foes of Dauid had teeth as speares, and tongues as swords: and are not the tongues of Papists answerable, who terme the sincere profession of the Gospell Heresie, Turcisme, Pa∣ganisme, Diabolisme,l farre exceeding the setting vp of Beel, Baal, & Belzebub, and all the Diuels in hell:m affir∣ming in their letters and libels, that our Church hath no faith, but fancie: no hope, but presumption: no charitie, but lust: no God, but an Idoll. The foes of Dauid were set on fire: and who greater incendiaries then the Pa∣pists? Their chiefe Logicke in their conference was a fagot for the heretike, delighting so much in fire worke, that they burned Gods people by y^e dozen, as ato Strat∣ford the Bow neere London; and bound them in chaines by the score, as atp Colchester in the bloodie daies of Queene Mary. Nay, their intent was on the fifth of No∣uember in the yeere 1605. to burne, and that at one fire by the hundreds, and those not the meanest of the peo∣ple, but the very principals of our Church & Common∣wealth, euen the most meeke King himselfe, together with his noble consort, and all their royall issue. This Powder-plot was so transcendent in villanie, that I may well vse the words ofq Moses: Aske of the daies of old, that haue been before you, since the day that God created man on earth, and enquire from the one end of heauen to the other, if there came to passe such a thing as this, or whe∣ther

any such like thing hath been heard? And answere may be giuen out of the 19. chapter of Iudges, at the 30. verse, There was no such thing done or seene, since the time that the childrē of Israel came vp from the land of Egypt, vnto this day. The like was neuer done, nor heard of in Israel, nor thoroughout the world, since the beginning. To speake withr Habacuc: Behold a worke wrought in your daies, you will not beleeue it, when it shall be told you. Shall I call it a worke done? no beloued (as a reuerend father of our Church) it was the worke of the Lord, that it was not done. The snare was broken, and wee deliue∣red, and they fell into the pit who digged it for vs. A worke of so great might and mercie, that it ought to be had in a perpetuall remembrance.s Sonne of man, write thee the name of the day, euen of the same day; for the King of Babel set himselfe against Hierusalem this same day. The fifth of Nouember is the day, wherein we were deli∣uered from the Babylonish and Romish tyrannie, let vs be glad and reioyce therein, and sing as Dauid in the se∣cond part of this Hymne, O God my heart is fixed, my heart is fixed, I will sing and giue praise, &c.

PSALME 111.

I will giue thankes vnto the Lord with my whole heart, secretly among the faithfull, and in the congrega∣tion.

THis Hymne may be par∣ted into three portions:

• 1. A protestation of King Dauid in the first verse, that hee will in his owne person (hereby giuing all his subiects a goodt example) praise the Lord, I will giue thankes; and that notu hypocritically with his mouth and lips only, but with my heart; and that not with ax diui∣ded heart, or a peece, but with my whole heart; and that both in the secret assemblies of the faithfull, and in the publique congregation.y Or I will giue thankes secretlie for the satisfaction of mine owne conscience, and in the congregation openly, for the further edification of my brethren.
• 2. An enumeration of Gods admi∣rable blessings, conferred vpon the whole world in general. Vpon his Church in more particular, as thez ground and matter of his praise, from the second verse to the tenth, The workes of the Lord are great, his workes of creation, and workes of redemption are worthie to be praised and had in honour. His workes of creation,a as the making of all things of nothing, and the

• preseruing of the same frō the be∣ginning in a most excellent beau∣tie. His workes of redemption, as Christs incarnation, passion, resur∣rection, ascension; all which our mercifull and gracious Lord hath so done, that they ought to be had in remembrance. Here then obserue the reason, why the Church allot∣ted this Hymne to be read on Ea∣ster day: the redemption of Israel out of Egypt, is a plaineb figure of our deliuerance by Christ, out of the hands of all our spirituall ene∣mies; and theirc Passe-ouer andd Manna (which is implied heere, vers. 5) is a type of our spirituall ea∣ting and drinking at the Lords ta∣ble, which is enioyned vs at Easter, aboue al other times in the yeere.
• 3. A conclu∣sion at y^e 10. verse, con∣taining a
  • Rule
    • Propoūded, The feare of y^e Lord is the beginning of wisedome.
    • eExpounded, A good vnderstan∣ding haue all they, that doe thereafter.
  • fReason, The praise of it endureth for euer.

Concerning the two former parts, I haue writteng heretofore much, and I shall haue iust occasionh here∣after also to say more. My purpose for the present is to begin at the Psalmes end, The feare of the Lord is the be∣ginning of wisedome, &c. The which Epiphonema con∣cludes the Prophets whole discourse, touching the praise

of God: as if he should haue said, seeing the works of the Lord are so great, so worthie to be praised and had in ho∣nour, so marueilous and memorable, that they deserue the seeking out,i seeing his name is so reuerend and holy; doubtlesse the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wise∣dome, and the praise of it endureth for euer.

kTo feare God is to beleeue in him, to loue him, to put our trust in him, to giue him thankes, and in all our ac∣tions and passions to bee ruled according to his holie lawes. In a word, to feare God (as thel wise man teach∣eth) is our whole dutie, concerning offices of pietie to∣ward God, & pitie toward our neighbors. For the word beginning, signifieth here not onely principium, but alsom praecipuum: not only primum, but also primarium: not only the first in time, but also the first in honour and dig∣nitie. For as Dauid here calleth it the beginning of wise∣dome: so Salomon, Ecclesiastes 12.13. the end of all. The feare of the Lord is indeede the first alphabet of wise∣dome, the beginning, as it were the ⁿ begetting, or (aso Iesus the sonne of Syrach termeth it) the roote of wise∣dome.p But that is not all, it is not onely an introdu∣ction to wisedome, but wisdome it selfe, Iob. 28.28. The feare of the Lord is wisedome, and to depart from euill is vnderstanding. It is deepe wisedome (saith our English pa∣raphrast in meter) yea the perfection and fulnes of wise∣dome, Ecclesiasticus 1.20.q As then in the vulgar Latine, Ecclesiasticus 11.3. hony, which is the chiefe of sweete things, is called initium dulcoris, the beginning of sweet∣nes: euen so Gods feare (which vpon the point is sum∣ma summarum, as it were the summe totall of all holie knowledge) is termed initium sapientiae, the beginning of wisedome.

This assertion, in worldly mens vnderstanding, is a grand paradox: for they repute the preaching of Chri∣stianitier foolishnes, and the professors of the same, fooles, 1. Cor. 4.10. We are fooles for Christs sake. Loe, say the wicked of the godly, Wisedome 5.5. We thought their

life, madnes, accounting them rather mad men, then sad men. But the spirit of truth here proclaimeth on the con∣trarie, that all worldlings are blindlings, and that none wicked are wise. To such as haue not the feare of God before their eyes, it is expressely said bys Wisedome it selfe, O ye foolish, how long will ye loue foolishnes, and hate knowledge?

It is obiected out of S. Luke, chap. 16. vers. 8. that the children of this world are wiser then the children of light. Answere is made by thet Doctors vpon the place, that Christ accounts them not wiser absolutely, but only se∣cundum quid: they be wiser in their generation,u that is, in things appertaining to this life present, but not in the businesse of regeneration, in things belonging to that o∣ther life which is to come. For (asx one said of Sir Tho∣mas More) that he was either a foolish wise man, or a wise foolish man: euen so the children of this world are wise men in foolish things, and foolish men in wise things. They be not in genere, wise, but in genere suo, wise to doe euill (as they Prophet speakes), but to doe well they haue no knowledge.

Atheists, acknowledging no God, are very fooles: Psal. 14. The foole said in his heart, there is no God. If this Ignoramus had so much braine as brow, thez bookes of the Creatures and Conscience would informe his vn∣derstanding, that the great world without him, and the little world within him, are nothing else (as it were) but God expressed.

The Gentiles, adoring many gods, are very fooles, be∣fore Christ (the Sunne of righteousnes) calles them out ofa darknesse into marueilous light, a blind and a foolish nation, Deut. 32.21. Euen the seuen wise men of Greece (saithb Lactantius) had no good vnderstanding, because none but fooles accounted them wise. Nay, S.c Paul giues this iudgement of all Heathen Philosophers, that they were vaine in their imaginations, and that while they professed thēselues to be wise, they became fooles. In this re∣spect

d Cicero had iust cause to complaine, O me nunquam sapientem!

The superstitious Idolaters, and mingle manglers in religion, who worship the true God falsely, not accor∣ding to his word, but according to their owne will, are very fooles. So Paul called his Galathians, who ioyned the Ceremonies of Moses vnto the Gospell of Christ, as necessarie to saluation: Oe foolish Galathians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth? are ye so foolish, that after ye haue begun in the spirit, you will end in the flesh?

Carnall Gospellers and hypocrites, who professe they know God in their words, and yet deny him in theirf workes, are very fooles. Their prayers are sacrifices of fooles, Ecclesiastes 4.17. Their disputations about reli∣gion, are foolish questions, Tit. 3.9. all their generation are fooles and blinde, Matth. 23.17. As for example, the slow-backe neglecting the workes of his vocation, and liuing in idlenesse, (though he heares neuer so many ser∣mons vpon the working daies) in the iudgement of the wisest is a very foole: Ecclesiastes 4.5. The foole foldeth his hands, and eateth vp his owne flesh. So, whosoeuer is vngratefull vnto the Lord (which is the Father of mer∣cies, and God of all grace) for his manifold blessings, is a very foole:g Doe ye so reward the Lord, O yee foolish and vnwise people? the oxe knoweth his owner, and the asse his masters cribbe: but Israel hath not knowne, my people hath not vnderstood, Esay. 1.3.

So the couetous wretch (who though he boast of his faith and hope,h sacrificeth vnto his net, and saith in his heart to the wedge of gold,i thou art my confidence) is a very foole.k Nabal is his name, and follie is with him, a blinde foole, likel Samson in the mill, hee grindes for o∣ther, but eates not of the fruites of his labour himselfe, the which is termed by Salomon, an euill sicknesse, and a vanitie, Ecclesiastes 6.2.

So the proud man, as well in his ambition, as in his ho∣nour,

is a very foole.m Like horse and mule without vn∣derstanding: like the famous foolen Lobelinus, who be∣ing in a new coate knew not himselfe.o For if in fauour, he knowes no man; if out of fauour, none know him.

So the Drunkard is a very sot,p mancipium corporis, a slaue to his own seruant, a foole with a witnesse, his fault is written in his forehead and in his face, hee reeles in o∣pen streete, and hath in his drunken fit a little lesse wit then a beast, and but a little more sense then a blocke.

So the wanton is destitute of vnderstanding, Prou. 6.32. led by the foolish woman as a foole to the stockes, Prou. 7.22. For though he may peraduenture blinde the Bishop, andq cope the Commissarie: yet Godsr all-see∣ing eye (when the night is darke, the doore fast, and the curtaine close) findeth out his foule follie.

To conclude this poynt, euery kinde of wickednesse is a weaknesse, and euery fault a folly. But on the contra∣rie, euery poynt of religion is a part of wisedome, as con∣ducting to blessednesse (the end of wisedome). To serue the Lord in feare, and to cast all our care vpon him, is wisedome: for,s Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, blessed are they that pitt their trust int him. To loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, is a part of wisedome: for, Blessed is the manu that considereth the poore and needie, blessed are the meeke, blessed are the mercifull, &c. To liue sober∣ly toward thy selfe, is a part of wisedome: for, blessed are the poore in spirit, Matth. 5.3. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest hee walke naked, and men see his filthinesse, Apoc. 16.15.

The blindlings of the world cannot in this life see this, and therefore they will not say this; but one day, to wit, at the last day, they change their mindes, and sighing, ac∣knowledge within themselues,x This is hee, whom wee sometime had in derision, and in a parable of reproch, wee fooles thought his life madnesse, and his end without honor, how is he counted among the children of God? and his por∣tion is among the Saints: therefore wee haue erred from

the way of truth, and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs, and the Sunne of vnderstanding rose not vpon vs.

A good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereaf∣ter.] In Philosophie wisedome is defined by knowing, but in Diuinity wisedome is prized by doing. They bee wise men in deedy Non qui facienda dicunt, sed qui di∣cenda faciunt; heretickes reade so much, and hypocrites vsually cite so much, and the deuill himselfe knoweth so much of the Gospell as any: yet all these notwithstan∣ding haue bad vnderstanding,z onely such haue good vn∣derstanding in Gods feare that do therafter,a that is, in all their actions & passions altogether rely vpō his sure pro∣mises, euer ready to be ruled according to his word and will, so Dauid expounds himselfe in theb Psal. 119. I haue more vnderstanding then my teachers, for thy testi∣monies are my studie. I am wiser then the aged, because I keepe thy commandements. Here then is condemned as folly thec will-worship, or voluntary religion of all hypocrites, especiallyd Papists, honouring God not according to his feare, but according to their owne fancie.

ePurgatory, being a figment of idle Poets, and not the iudgement of holy Prophets, is a parcell of foolery; wherein the Pope sheweth himselfe most vncharitable, for thatf hauing power to fetch all soules out of this hell, and to purge whole Purgatory, suffers notwith∣standing this fire to burne still, onely because it war∣meth his owne kitchen.

Praying to the dead, is another parcell of foolery, the which in the Booke of Gods feare hath neither precept, nor patterne, nor promise; for our calling vpon God we findg precept vpon precept, and promise vpon pro∣mise. Call vpon me (saith theh Lord) in the time of trouble, so will I heare thee, &c. whome haue I in heauen but thee, Psalme 73.25. So Christ openly, Come vnto mee all yee that are weary, and heauy laden, and I will ease you. Come

vnto me, that is a precept; I will ease you, that is a pro∣mise. Comei not to mine, but to me; not to my Saints, or Angels, or Martyrs, or mother: but to my selfe, send not other, it is my pleasure that yee come: seeke not for helpe from other, I will ease you. There bee likewise so many patternes of this deuotion, as there be godly pray∣ers recorded in holy Bible; but on the contrary neuer a leafe, neuer a line, neuer a letter in the Booke of Wise∣dome that fauoureth inuocation of Saints, and there∣fore we may well apply that vnto the Church of Rome, whichk Elia said vnto the messengers of Ahaziah, Is it not because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron? is it not because there is no liuing God in heauen, that ye pray to stocks on earth, and seeke tol such Sauiours, as are worthily thought to reside with Belzebub in hell? Is it not an idle thing to sue to the man, if the master alwaies bee present, and euer ready to grant thy request? and is it not a greater folly to call vpon Saints in our trouble? when our blessed Sauiour hath openly not onely sayd, but also sworne,m Verily, verily, I say vnto you, whatsoeuey you aske the Father in my name, he will giue it you, &c.

Their prophaning of the blessed Sacraments is ano∣ther parcell of foolery, for is not (I pray you) their chri∣stening ofn Bels an impudent mocking of holy Bap∣tisme; and the denying of the Cup vnto Lay-men, a no∣torious lurching at the Lords Table, contrary to Christso expresse word, Drinke ye all of this; in giuing the bread he said onely, Take, eate, indefinitelyp: but when hee tooke the Cup (as fore-seeing this innouation of Pa∣pists) he did adde an vniuersall note, bibite omnes, drinke ye, drinke all ye: so they make mariage a Sacrament, and yet affirme, that holy Priest-hoode is prophaned by this holy ordinance, that it isq sacriledge forsooth, and not a Sacrament. Andr so they honour it as the Iewes ho∣noured Christ, in clothing him with a purple robe. What should I speake of their Masse, which is a notorious ene∣mie

to Christ, in respect of his oblation and office, the Lord hath sworne and will not repent that Christ is a Priest fors euer, Psalme 110.4. offering himselfe once for all, Heb. 9.26.28. Are the Masse-Priests then any better then idle fooles,t in offering him often vnto God the Father, vnder the formes of bread and wine really and properly, for the sinnes of the quicke and the dead? It is re∣ported of the zealous and learned Martyru Ioannes Mollius, that he neuer spake of the name Iesu, but in∣stantly teares dropt from his eyes. And surely the due consideration of Christs all-sufficient oblation and sa∣crifice for all our sinnes on the Crosse, should make vs abhorre those masse-mongers, and to say with ourx Pro∣phet, 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 Christ saith expressely, Search the Scriptures. Antichrist on the contrary,z the reading of holy Scrip∣tures 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 thea 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, andb all that is called God. I haue heard often, and readc al∣so, that Cardinall Caietan comming into Paris, and see∣ing 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 ne∣uer so learned) haue bad vnderstanding, and the reason hereof is plaine, because they haue changed the rule of faith,d 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 pre∣script of his holy faith and feare.

The praise of it endures for euer.] Or as other Transla∣tions, his praise, referring ite either to God, or else to the man who feares God.f Some Diuines ascribe this praise to God alone,g because Tehilla properly signifi∣eth onely that kinde of praise which is due to God: and so they make this clause to containe both ah pre∣cept, 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 isi King, be the people neuer so im∣patient, the Lord isk God, albeit thel Gentiles furiously rage together, and the Iewes imagine a vaine thing, the Kings of the earth stand vp, and the Rulers combine them∣selues against him. He that dwelleth in heauen hath all his enemies in derision, and makes them all his foote∣stoole; his power is for euer, and so consequently his praise shall endure for euer; in the militant Church, vn∣to 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 Saint Augu∣stine 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 Other vnderstand byo 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 ei∣ther in obliuion, or in ignominie: yetp 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.

rHunc ventura nepotum semper dicent secla Beatum. Or as Beza Hic sapit, hic demum mansura laude fruetur,q —parere qui Deo studet.

In the world to come, the Lord will say to such as louing his feare, haue liued thereafter;s 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 (saidt Tacitus) quàm ex mala. That commendation is onely true glory, which (asu 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, saithx Paul, and the Christian onely rich, quoth the renownedy Catechist of Alexandria. Is it to liue ioyfully, or (to vse the gallants phrase) Iouially? behold,z 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 faith∣full ina 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; butb blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, for his commendation is both here lasting, and hereafter e∣uerlasting; in this world renowned amongst men, in the next rewarded amongst Saints and Angels in the king∣dome of glory.

PSALME 113.

Praise the Lord (ye seruants) O praise the name of the Lord.

THis Hymne (as both Text and Title tell vs in the very beginning) is an exhortation to praise the Lord, wherein 3. poynts are chiefly regardable,

• quis, who? ye seruants.
• quomo∣do, how?
  • With all praise, vers. 1. Praise the Lord, O praise the name of the Lord.
  • At all times, vers. 2. from this time forth for euermore.
  • In all places, vers. 3. from the rising vp of the Sunne, to the go∣ing downe of the same.
• quaprop∣ter, why? for his
  • Infinite power, vers. 4.
  • Admira∣ble pro∣uidence both in
    • Heauen.
    • Earth and that in
      • Publique weales, vers. 6.7.
      • Priuate fa∣milies, vers. 8.

The Prophet exhortsc all people to praise the Lord, Young men and maydens, old men and Children praise the

name of the Lord, Psalm. 148.12. More specially, Gods people which haue tasted of his goodnesse more then other, as hauing hisd statutes, and ordinances, and co∣uenants, and promises, and seruice, Rom. 9.4.e most chiefly the Leuites and Priests, as being appointed by the Lord for leaders and guides vnto the rest, his ser∣uants after a more special manner, as it were in ordinarie. All men owe this dutie to God, as being thef workman∣ship of his hands; Christians aboue other men, as being theg sheep of his pasture; Preachers of the Word aboue other Christians, as beingh pastors of his sheepe, and so consequently paternes in word, in conuersation, in loue, in spirit, in faith, in purenes, 1. Tim. 4.12.

Yea, but how must almightie God be praised? for as not euery one that saith vnto the worlds Sauiour,i Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of heauen:k so not e∣uery one that hath in his mouth a bare (the Lord be prai∣sed) is a praiser of the Lord, but he which is euer readie to suffer and doe the will of his Master and maker. God is to be praised in thought, and word, and deede: 1. Cor. 6.20. Glorifie God in your bodie, and in your spirit. The Lord as being high aboue all heathens, and glorious a∣boue all heauens, is blessed euer in himselfe; but that hee may be blessed of other, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your fa∣ther which is in heauen, Matth. 5.16. A leaud life doth occasion enemies of pietie to reuile the Gospell, and to blaspheme God, Rom. 2.24. but honest behauiour (on the contrarie) to praise God in the day of visitation, 1. Pet. 2.12. In one word,l he doth praise God most, who liueth best.

The Greeke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the Latin pueri, may bee taken for children as well as seruants. And therefore the tran∣slation of the Psalmes in meter aptly, Ye children which doe serue the Lord. There is betweene little children and seruants so great affinitie, that (in Greeke and Latin) ser∣uants are called children, and children seruants, ac∣cording

to that ofm Paul, The heire, as long as hee is a childe, differeth nothing from a seruant. And so the tran∣slators in vsing the word pueri (though aude in Hebrew properly signifieth a seruant)n insinuate, that we should be like to little children in seruing of the Lord, that is, simple, meeke, pure.

Praise the Lord, O praise the name of the Lord!] The doubling and tripling of this exhortation, is to whet ouro dulnesse and coldnes in executing this office,p to shew that God is to be praised with an earnest affection and zeale. For albeit Gods praise be the Christians Al∣pha and Omega, the first and the last thing required at our hands as well in death as life: yet such is our neg∣ligence, that we needeq precept vpon precept, and line vn∣to line, to put vs in minde of our dutie.

Or this exhortation is doubled,r to shew that God a∣lone is worthie al praise; the kingdom is his, and therfore the glorie; frō him is all power, & therfore to him is due all praise. And y^t not only for a little while, but from this time foorth for euermore: For the seruants of the Lord are to sing his praises in this life to the worlds end; and in the next life, world without end. See before Psal. 89.

And as the Lord is to be praised at all times, so like∣wise in all places, from the rising vp of the Sunne, vnto the going downe of the same,s that is, in and thorough all the world;t for he puts the two chiefe parts of the world, for the whole world, because these two quarters (of East and West) are most inhabited.

Many Christian Interpretors, and some Doctors of theu Iewes, vnderstand this of our Lord Christ, whose king∣dome is without either limits or end. Without limits, as hauingx the heathen for his inheritance, and the vtter∣most parts of the world for his possession; hisy name is great among the Gentiles, and incense shall be offered vnto him in euery place. The which is all one with our text, the Lords name be praised from the rising of the Sunne, to the going downe of the same. Without end, for God the Fa∣ther

said vnto God the Sonne,z sit thou on my right hand, vntill I make thine enemies thy footstoole.a His seate is like as the Sunne, he shall stand fast for euermore, like the faithfull witnes in heauen. Yea though heauen beb no more, but perish and waxe old as doth a garment, yet he isc euer the same, and his yeeres doe not faile. The which is answerable to the words of our Prophet here, Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time foorth for euer∣more.

The Lord is high aboue all heathen] The most High de∣serues to be most honoured; but the Lord is high aboue all heathen, and his glorie aboue the heauen: Ergo, wor∣thie to be praised more then all, either Princes or peo∣ple. The greatest of all creatures in heauen is an Angell, and the greatest of all men on earth is an Emperour: but the Lord is greater then both, as being their maker,d in whom they liue, and moue, and haue their being. Higher then all Heathen, infinitly greater then Alexander the Great, Pompei the Great, Mahumet the Great. Higher then all Heauens ayrie, where feathered fowles are, for hee flyeth vpon the wings of the winde, andf rideth vpon the cloudes as vpon an horse. Higher then Heauens glo∣rious, where blessed soules are; for the heauen of hea∣uens is but his seate where hee reigneth, ag great King aboue all gods. Who then is like to the Lord our God, either among the clods on earth, or cloudes in heauen?h He measures the waters in his fist, and meateth out hea∣uen with his spanne, and comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure. The whichi Hierome out of Aquila doth interpret after this sort; Hee measures the waters with his little finger, the earth greater then the waters, with three fingers: the heauen greater then both, with his hand and spanne. He filleth all things, and nothing is a∣ble to comprehend him; according to that ofk Salomon, Heauens, and heauens of heauens are not able to containe thee. Nay the whole world, in respect of his greatnes, is but as a drop of the morning dew, Wisdom. 11.19.

This may teach vs, in whatsoeuer estate tol possesse our soules in patience, to bem strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; albeit our enemies come about vs liken Bees, hee which is higher then the highest, and greater then all men, and all Diuels, is our protector, sto∣nie rocke, tower of defence, buckler, saluation & refuge, Psal. 18.1. And as God is most able to help vs in trouble, so likewise most apt & readie: for, as it followeth in the next clause, though hee dwell on high, yet hee doth humble himselfe to behold the things, that are in heauen and earth.

oSome Philosophers thought it too great a labour for God to gouerne the whole world, and other on the contrarie too base. Butp Diuines answere both of them in one word, Deus neque laborat in maximis, neque fasti∣dit in minimis. Indeed the Poet said, Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse loui: but theq Scripture telleth vs otherwise, that the very haires of our head are numbred, and that not so much as a sparrow, which is sold for a farthing, can fall on the ground, without our heauenly Fathers prouidence. Disponit membra culicis & pulicis, as Augu∣stine in Psal. 148. For besides hisr generall prouidence, which is seene in the gouernment of the whole vniuerse, he hath a particular also, moderating euery singular ac∣tion and accident. He dwelling on high, beholdeth vs as Emmots vpō the mole-hils of this earth, in him we liue, and moue, and haue our being. He supporteth all things by his mighty word, Heb. 1.3. he reacheth from one end to another, and ordereth all things sweetly, Wisdom. 8.1. We reade, Mat. 9. that there was a woman diseased with an issue of blood twelue yeeres: and Ioh. 5. that a cer∣taine man had been sicke eight and thirtie yeeres: and Ioh. the 9. that one was blind from his birth. All which happened not by humane chance, but by diuine choice, thats the works of God might be shewed on them.t Omnia non permissa solùm à Deo sed etiam immissa: The Lord doth not onely suffer and see what is done here below, but also disposeth of euery particular euent, to the glorie

of his name, and good of his children. He beheld Dauid in his trouble, Daniel in his dungeon, Peter in his prison, and ordered their short affliction to their endlesse con∣solation. And this may comfort vs in all our wants and wrongs, He that dwelleth on high, humbleth himselfe to behold the things below,u he that keepeth Israel, neither slumbers nor sleepes. Ix haue grauen thee (saith the Lord) vpon the palmes of my hands, and thy walles are euer in my sight. He heares the very groanes of his seruants in their closets, andy makes all their beds in sicknes; as S.z Aug. sweetly, he cares for all his childrē, as if all were but one: and for euery particular Christian, as if one were all.

aSome Diuines apply this vnto Christ: Hee which isb Lord ouer all, is high aboue al heathen; all lands are his inheritance, all people his possession, Psal. 2.8. He trium∣phed ouer death and hell in his resurrection, and his glo∣rie shined aboue the heauens in his ascension: Ac cloude tooke him vp out of this world, and hee did ascend farre aboue all heauens, Ephes. 4.10. Here then obserue the reason, why the Church allotted this Hymne for this day, because Christ in hisd resurrection from the dead, is declared mightily to bee the Sonne of God, high aboue all heathens, and heauens. That which is heere said, hee humbled himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and earth, is all one with that, Esay. 61.1. and Luk. 4.18. The spirit of the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tydings vnto the poore, to binde vp the broken hearted, and to comfort such as mourne in Sion.e Almightie God can not looke aboue himselfe, as hauing no superiours; nor about himselfe, as hauing no equals; he beholds such as are below him. And therfore the lower a man is, the nee∣rer vnto God: hee resists the proud, and giues grace to the humble, 1. Pet. 5.5. he puls downe the mightie from their seate, and exalteth them of low degree: the most high hath a speciall eye to such as are most humble. For, as it followeth in our text, he taketh vp the simple out of the dust, and lifteth the poore out of the durt.

The Poet said, Haud facile emergunt, quorum virtuti∣bus obstat res angusta domi; that it is an hard thing for a man of low birth and small means, to be preferred vnto high places of honour. But our Prophet here to demon∣strate Gods admirable power and prouidence, sheweth how the Lord raiseth the poore man out of the mire, that he may set him with the Princes, euen with the Princes of his people.

fDarius was borne of a seruant, Archelaus King of Macedonia base begotten; Antigonus, Themistocles, Phocion, Epaminondas, and other noble worthies issued from ignoble parents.g Tangrolipix of an ordinarie Captaine, became Sultan of Persia, and first erector of the high and huge Turkish Empire. Tamberlaine (ash some thinke the sonne of a Sheepheard) was in his time the scourge of the great Turke, treading vnder his foote insolent Baiazet the first, of his violent and fierce nature surnamedi Gilderun or lightening.k Willegis Archbishop of Mentz was the sonne of a Wheele∣wright, and therefore that he might alway remember, how the Lord had exalted him out of the durt, to set him with Princes, he caused the walles of his priuie Chamber to be hung with instruments of Carpentry, to which hee ioyned this Motto, Willegis, Willegis, recole vnde veneris: and from hence the Bishoppes of that Sea giue two wheeles in their armes. In England also many Prelates haue been lifted out of the mire to the Miter, it is the Lords doing that hath his dwelling on high, and yet hum∣bleth himselfe to behold the things in heauen and earth. Renowned Sirl Francis Drake, the sonne of a poore Vicar in Kent, was in our age both a terror to proude Spaine, and the mirrour of England in the most vn∣knowne and vttermost parts of the world.

The Scriptures affoord manifolde examples in this kinde, Moses am cast-away childe, was afterward a lea∣der, and a god (as it were) to the children of Israell, Exo∣dus 4. So Daniel of a poore Captiue, Dan. 1.6. became a

chiefe ruler, Dan. 2.48. Son Ioseph solde for a bond∣seruant (whose feete were hurt in the stockes, and the iron entred into his soule) was afterward (Gods high and holy prouidence so disposing) set free by Pharao the King: he made him also Lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance, that hee might informe his Princes after his will, and teach his Senatours wisdome. So the Lordo chose Dauid his seruant, and tooke him away from the sheepefold, as he was following the Ewes great with young-ones, that he might feede Iacob his people, and Is∣rael his inheritance: the Lord did not onely lift him out of the mire, but also preferre him, he set him with Prin∣ces, andp those not Princes of other nations, as Ioseph was exalted in Aegypt, and Daniel in Babell: but euen with the Princes of his owne people, to wit, of his owne countrey, where men of eminent parts are mostq neg∣lected,r Or his may be referred vnto God, as if the Pro∣phet should haue said, hee taketh vp the poore man out of the mire, that he may set him in authoritie, not among the heathen onely, but ouer the Church his owne people: the which is the greatest honour of all, according to that of Dauid,s I would choose rather to sit at the threshold in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tents of vn∣godlinesse: and the good Emperour Theodosius (to the fame purpose) desired rather to bee membrum ecclesiae, quàm caput imperij: that is a member of the Church, then head ouer all vnbeleeuers. Now Dauid was aduan∣ced according to both interpretations, in that hee ruled his owne people, who were Gods people: so the text, 2. Sam. 12. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I annoin∣ted thee King ouer Israel, and deliuered thee out of the hand of Saul, and gaue thee thy Lords house, and thy Lords wiues into thy bosome, and gaue thee the house of Israel and Iuda, &c.

As God (in his holy prouidence) taketh vp some poore men out of the mire, to set them with Princes, euen with Princes of his people: so many times he puts downe the

mightie from their seate, and brings them vnto the very dung-hill,t hee ruleth as a Iudge, he puts downe one, and sets vp another. Examples hereof in holy Scripture:u Haman a man exalted aboue all the Princes in Assue∣rus court, was (vpon the sudden) hanged on the tree that he had prepared for his enemie, Ester. 7.10. Nabuchad∣nezzer a proude king, was driuen from mens societie to conuerse with beasts,x Hee did eate grasse as the Oxen, and his bodie was wet with the dew of Heauen, till his haires were growne as Eagles feathers, and his nailes like birds clawes, and all for this end, that hee might knowe that the most high ruleth ouer the kingdome of men, and giueth it vnto whom soeuer he will.y Herod in the middest of his glorie, (when the people hearing his ora∣tion in the seate of Iustice, gaue a shoute, saying, The voyce of God and not of man) was immediatly smitten by the Lords Angell, so that hee was eaten vp of wormes, and gaue vp the ghost.

In prophane historie wee finde thatz Darius plaied the part of the greatest Emperour, and the part of a most miserable begger, a begger begging water of an enemie to quench the great drought of death.a Baiazet the first, in the morning was the grand Seignior of the Turkes, and in the same day the footestoole of Tamber∣laine.b Bellisarius a most victorious captaine (by whose valour and policie the Persians were vanquished: the Vandals subdued, and Africa recouered to the Empire) became before his death a distressed blinde begger in exile, begging his bread from dore to dore, crauing and crying, a peny for poore Bellisarius.

In our owne Chronicles wee reade, thatc Trisilian chiefe Iustice of England in the dayes of King Richard the second, was pulled from the bench aboue, to the barre below: nay, hee which had often iudged other to death, in fine was damned himselfe to the gallowes.d Shores wife, the merrie minion of Edward the fourth, in her flourishing estate was sued vnto more then all

the Peeres in the land, but afterward so despoyled of all her goods, and so despited by her mercilesse foe, then vsurper of the Crowne, that none durst giue her so much as a crust of bread, or a drop of drinke. She who whileom had stretched her selfe on beds of downe, and was fro∣like with Princes in iuorie pallaces, ended her dayes in open streete, euen in a dirtie ditch, & nomina fecit aquis, as some thinke Shorditch is so called as it were Shores∣ditch. The Seas of examples in this kinde haue no bot∣tome, and therfore we should make no other account of this ridiculous worlde thē to resolue, that the change of fortune on the great theater, is but as the change of gar∣ments on the lesse: for when on the one and the other, euery man weares but his owne skinne, the players are all one. God which is on high, and humbleth himselfe to behold the things in heauen and in earth, appoynts euery man his part and apparell on the worlds stage, lif∣ting vp and pulling downe whome he list. He therefore that complaines of wants or wrongs is either a foole, or vngratefull to God, or both; that doth not acknowledge how meane soeuer his estate be, that the same is yet farre greater then that which God oweth him: or doth not acknowledge how sharpe soeuer his afflictions be, that the same are yet farre lesse, then those which are due vn∣to him: howsoeuer it be with him, it is the Lords doing, he giueth and taketh away, blessed bee his name for euermore.

fThis also may be so well applied vnto Christ as the rest of the Psalme, for in taking our vile nature vpon him, he raised the poore out of the dust, and the begger out of the dunghill. He said to Adam,g Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt returne; but Christ in his resurrection and ascension hathh raised vs vp together, and made vs sit together in the heauenly places, euen with the Princes of his people, that is, Angels, and Apostles, and other his ho∣ly Saints raigning in his kingdome of glorie.

He lifteth our soules out of the dust & durt in this life,

when ouri affectiōs are by his grace set on things aboue, and not on things which are on earth. Our flesh is an house ofk clay, but ourl spirit reioyceth in God, and hath her conuersation inm heauen. A man is where his mind is, if then wee minde heauenly things, our soules are raised out of the mire:n so Christ in calling Matthew (from the receite of custome) to make him an Apostle, lifted him out of the dunghill; ando in calling the rest of his Apostles, from their durtie courses in the world, to the preaching of his word, hee raised them out of the dust, and made them (as it is in the 45. Psalme, verse 17.) Princes in all lands: and in raising Mary Magdalene from her olde vomit and filthinesse of sinne, what did he but lift her out of the dunghill? To be briefe,p man is like the trauellour, who went from Hierusalem to Ieri∣cho, Luke 10. hee falleth among theeues, into manifolde tentations and noysome lusts: and they rob him of his rayment, of his righteousnesse and holinesse, wherewith Almightie God adorned him in his Creation: and they wounded him and departed, for sinne wounding the con∣science, leaueth a man in a desperate case. But Christ is the true Samaritane, who takes compassion on man, Hee bindeth vp his wounds, and powreth in oyle and wine; hee puts him on his owne beast, and makes prouision for him at an Inne: thus he taketh vp the distressed out of the dust, and the beggar out of the dung.

At our death hee lifteth our soules out of the mire, when his gloriousq Angels attend to conuey them, out of this earthly tabernacle to his heauenly kingdome, which is immortall and cannot be shaken.

At the last day hee will also lift our bodies out of the durt and mire. Man that is borne of a woman is full of troubles, and of short continuance, such a sacke of dung, that ther Prophet calleth him thrice earth, at one breath, O earth, earth, earth, heare the word of the Lord, &c. After man hath in this worlds wearied himself, he goeth to bedde, and sleepeth in the dust of the graue, neither

shall he be raised or awake from his sleepe till heauen be no more, saitht Iob. But in the ende, when as theu hea∣uens shall passe away with a noyse, and the elements shall melt with heate, and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt; then our blessed Sauiour shall rouse vs out of the dust, and raise vs out of the mire,x changing this our vile body, that it may be like his glorious bodie; then this corruptible shall put on incor∣ruption, and this mortall immortalitie; then both our soules and bodies shall haue their perfit consummation in his kingdome of glorie.

He maketh the barren woman to keepe house,]y As basenesse in men, so barrennesse in women is accounted a great vnhappinesse. But as God lifteth vp the begger out of the mire, to sethim with Princes: euen so doth he make the barren woman a ioyfull mother of children. Hee gouernes all things in the priuate familie, so well as in publike weale. Children and the fruite of the wombe are a gift and heritage, that commeth of the Lord, Psalme 127.4. and therefore they Papists in praying to S. Anne for children, and the Gentiles in calling vpon Diana, Iuno, Latona, are both in error. It is God onely who makes the barren woman a mother, and that a ioy∣full mother. Euery mother is ioyfull at the first, accor∣ding to that ofz Christ, A woman when she trauaileth hath sorrow, because her houre is come: but as soone as she is deliuered of the childe, she remembreth no more the an∣guish, for ioy that a man is borne into the world. But when babes are growne vp and come to their proofe,a Salo∣mon saith, A foolish sonne is an heauinesse to his mother. And our Salomon in his kingly gift, I protest before that great God, I had rather be no Father and Childlesse, then a Father of wicked Children. Now God makes the bar∣ren wife, not onely fruitfull but also ioyfull.

bEt nuper steriles, repentè matres longa beat propagine.

Hee made barren oldec Sara fruitfull in bearing a

sonne, and ioyfull in that her sonne was Isaac, in whose seede all the nations of the world are blessed. He maded Manoahs wife both a mother, and a ioyfull mother, in that shee bare Samson the strong, who saued Israell out of the hands of the Philistines. Hee madee Hannah both a mother and a ioyfull mother, in that shee bare faithfull Samuel the Lords Prophet: hee made Anne both a mother and a ioyfull mother, in bearing blessed Marie thef mother of our Lord: he made Elizabeth a mother and a ioyfull mother, in bearing Iohn the Bap∣tist, a Prophet, yea more then a Prophet, for among them which are borne of women, arose there not a grea∣ter then Iohn Baptist, Matth. 11.11.

gDiuines apply this also mystically to Christ, affir∣ming that hee made the Church of the Gentiles hereto∣fore barren, a ioyfull mother of many children, according to that of theh Prophet, Reioyce (O barren) that diddest not beare, breake forth into ioy, and reioyce thou that did∣dest not trauell with childe: for the desolate hath more children then the married wife, saith the Lord. See Epi∣stle 4. Sund. in Lent.

Or it may be construed of true Christians; all of vs are by nature barren of goodnesse, conceiued and borne in sinne, not able to thinke a good thought, 2. Cor. 3.5. but the father of lights and mercies maketh vs fruitfull and abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord, 1. Cor. 15.58. he giueth vs grace to be fathers and mothers of many good deedes,i which are our children, and best heires, eternizing our name for euer.

PSALME 114.

When Israel came out of Aegypt, and the house of Iacob from among the strange people, &c.

THere bee two chiefe parts of this Psalme, the

• 1. A description of Israels admirable deliuerance out of Aegypt, in the foure former verses.
• 2. A dialogue betweene the Prophet and the Creatures about the same de∣liuerance, in the foure latter verses.

In the deli∣uerāce, note

• 1. The parties deliuered, Israel, and the house of Iacob, being Gods
  • ...Sanctuarie.
  • ...Seigniorie.
• 2. The perill, out of which they were deliuered, andk that was
  • 1. Bondage.
  • 2. Bondage among strangers in Ae∣gypt.
  • 3. Bondage among such strangers as were cruell, a bar∣barous people.
• 3. The manner how they were deliuered, not by meanes ordinarie, but miracles extraordina∣rie, wrought on the
  • Water, vers. 3. The Sea saw that and fled, Iordaine was driuen backe.
  • Land, verse 4. The Moun∣taines skipped like Rammes, &c.

In the dialogue two poynts are to be considered:

• 1. A question, What ayleth thee O thou Sea, &c. Verse 5.6.
• 2. Anl answere, Tremble thou earth, &c. Or asm other translations, The earth trembled at the pre∣sence of the Lord, &c.

When Israel] Then latter clause doth expounde the former, Israel, that is, the house of Iacob: for this holy Patriarke had two names, first Iacob that signifieth a supplantor, Gen. 25.26. and then Israel, that is, one which hath power with God, Gen. 32.28. teaching vs hereby, saitho Hierome (as we haue receiued grace) to supplant vice, that wee may preuaile with God and see him, according to that ofp Christ, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Asq Iacob and Esau stroue together in their mother Rebeccaes wombe: so ther flesh in man lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit a∣gainst the flesh. If wee play Iacobs part in supplanting sinne, which is a red and a rough Esau, we shall assuredly gaine the blessing of our heauenly Father.

By Iacobs house then is meant hiss posteritie the chil∣dren of Israel, of whom it is reported by Moses, Deut. 10.22. Thy fathers went downe into Aegypt with seuentie persons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the starres of the heauen in multitude. These people were Gods sanctification and dominion,t that is, witnesses of his holy Maiestie in adopting them, and of his mightie power in deliuering them:u or his sanctification, as ha∣uing his holy Priests to gouerne them in the poynts of pietie; and dominion, as hauing godly Magistrates or∣dained from aboue to rule them in matters of policie: or his sanctuarie ^x both actiuely, because sanctifying him;y and passiuely, because sanctified of him. It is true that God, as being euer the most holy so well as the most high, cannot bee magnified and hallowed in respect of himselfe, but in respect ofy other onely. For God is san∣ctified of his seruants, as wisdome is said to bee iustified

of her children, Luke 7.35. that is, acknowledged and declared to be iust, according to that of the Lord by the mouth of his holyz Prophet, Thus will I bee magnified and sanctified, and knowne in the eies of many Nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord. Wherefore let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. Againe, Iuda was his Sanctuary,a because sanctified of him, adopted his holy heritage, chosen a peculiar and a precious people to himselfe,b aboue all Nations in the world. I haue carried you (said thec Lord) vpon Eagles wings, and haue brought you vnto me, that ye might be my chiefe treasure aboue all people, though all the earth bee mine, consecrated and hallowed to my worship, as holy Temples and Sanctuaries in whome I may rule, for so the latter clause may welld explaine the former, Iuda was his Sanctuarie, because his Dominion, in whom hee reigned as a king by his lawes and spirit. And therefore when Israel asked a king of the Lord to iudge them, he said tof Samuel, they haue not reiected thee, but they haue re∣iected me, that I should not reign ouer them. According to this exposition Israel is termed (Ex. 19.6.) a kingdome of Priests: or (as S.g Peter hath it) a royal Priesthood; roy∣all, as being his Seigniory; Priesthood, as being his San∣ctuary. For the beter vnderstanding of this phrase, remē∣ber I pra'y, that there be two kinds of kingdomes in holy Scripture, the kingdome of darknesh, which is the king∣dome of the deuill; and the kingdome of heauen, which is the kingdome of God. When all had sinned in Adam, it pleased the Lord out of his vnsearchable Iustice, to lay this heauy punishment on all his posteritie; that seeing they could not be content to be subiect to their creator, they should become vassals vnder Satans tyrāny: so that all men are now (by nature) the Children ofi wrath, andk the Prince of darkenesse ruleth in their hearts, vn∣till Christ thel strong man commeth, and bindeth him, andm casteth him out, and so bringeth all his elect out of

darkenesse into maruailous light, 1. Pet. 2.9.

Blind ignorant people cannot abide this doctrine, they spit at the very naming of the deuill, and say that they defie him and all his, euen with all their heart, and soule, and minde. Yet, whereas they liue still in ignorance and impiety, which are the two maine pillers of Satans kingdome, they make plaine proofe, that they be Chil∣dren of then world, Children ofo disobedience, Children ofp iniquitie, Children ofq death, Children of ther de∣uill, Children ofs perdition, Children oft hell. Israel is Gods dominion, and Iuda Gods sanctuary: but Aegipt and Babylon, and other parts and persons of the world, liuing in sinne without repentance, what are they but the suburbes of hell, and (as it were) the deuils Empire, where he holdeth vp his Scepter, and ruleth as a Prince, Ephes. 2.2.

Gods king∣dome is ta∣ken in the Bible two waies espe∣cially,

• Gene∣rally,
  • For that gouernment which is termedu Regnum poten∣tiae, by which hee ruleth all men, and disposeth of all things, euen of the deuils themselues, according to his good will and plea∣sure.
• Specially,
  • For his admini∣stration of the Church, and that is
    Twofold.
    • Regnum gra∣tiae, the king∣dome of grace.
    • Regnum glo∣riae, the king∣dome of glorie.

Of that kingdome which is potentiae Regnum, it is said byx Dauid, Thine is the kingdome O Lord, and thou ex∣cellest as head ouer all. Of that kingdomey Daniel spea∣keth, His kingdome is from generation to generation, and hisz dominion euerlasting. Of that kingdome Christ in

the conclusion of his prayer, Thine is the kingdome, pow∣er, and glory. For albeit peruerse men do mischiefe, and obserue not the laws of God, yet he raigneth ouer them as an absolute Lord: for that (when it pleaseth him) hee hindereth their designments; and when he permits them sometime to haue their desires, hee doth afterward pu∣nish them according to their owne misdeeds, and soa Whatsoeuer the Lord pleaseth, he doth in heauen, and in earth, and in the Sea, and in all deepe places.

By his kingdome of grace he gouernes the soules and hearts of good Christians, giuing them his spirit and grace to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life. Christ is the king of this kingdome, vpon whome the Father hath conferredb all authority both in heauen and earth. The subiects of this kingdome are such asc offer vnto him free-will offrings with an holy worship, euer ready to giue cheerefull obedience to the rod of his power. The lawes of this kingdome are the Scriptures and word of God, in this respect calledd the kingdome of heauen, thee Gospell, andf word of the king∣dome, theg rod of Christs mouth, andh power of his arme to saluation. And so consequently the kingdome of grace is a preparation and entrance to the kingdome of glory, which is the blessed estate of all Gods elect in that other life, where God is to them all in all. And in this respect the kingdome of grace many times, is termed in the Gospels History the kingdome of heauen, as being the way to the kingdome of glory, which is in the heauen of heauens.

This one verse then expounds and exemplifies two prime petitions in the Lords prayer, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdome come; for Iuda was Gods sanctuary, because hallowing his name: and Israel his dominion, as desiring his kingdome to come. Let euery man examine himselfe by this patterne, whether he be truely the ser∣uant of Iesus his Sauiour, or the vassall of Sathan the de∣stroyer. If any submit himselfe willingly to the domi∣neering

of the diuell, and suffer sinne toi reigne in his mortall members, obeying the lusts thereof, andk wor∣king all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse: assuredly, that man is yet a Chappell of Sathan, and a slaue to sinne. On the contrary, whosoeuer vnfainedly desires that Gods kingdome may come, being euer ready to bee ru∣led according to his holy word, acknowledging it a lan∣thorne to his feet, and a guide to his pathes; admitting obediently his lawes, and submitting himselfe alway to the same; what is he, but a Citizen of heauen, a subiect of God, a Saint, a Sanctuary?

Two questions are moued here, the first is, what an∣tecedent answeres the relatiue his: and the second, what is meant by Iuda. The relatiue eius hath an antecedentl implyed, howsoeuer not expressed,m as Psalme 87.1. Fundamenta eius, her foundations are vpon the holy hils. And God is that antecedent, as I haue partly said, and it may likewise be fully shewed both out of the text and title. Then circumstances of the Text leade vs to this antecedent, the Lord is the God of Iacob, verse 7. Ergo, the house of Iacob is Gods Sanctuary, the children of Israel Gods dominion. Againe, theo Title poynts at this antecedent, Alleluia, praise the Lord; as if the Pro∣phet should haue said, ye haue good and great cause to praise the Lord, because when Israel went out of Egypt, and the house of Iacob from among the strange people, then Iuda was his Sanctuary, &c. Lastly, though it should be granted, that neither Title nor Text here can affoord vs an antecedent, yet we need not runne (withp Agellius out of this Hymne) to fetch one from the last words of the next going before, Hee maketh the barren woman to keepe house, &c. Because his in this verse may be constru∣ed of God Catexochen, as being hic ille, the most high, He, who turned the hard rocke into a standing water, and the flint stone into a springing Well; at whose presence the mountaines skip like Rammes, and the little hils like yong sheepe; yea, the Sea fleeth, and the earth trembleth at the

presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Iacob.

By Iudaq some vnderstand Iudea, forr God is knowne in Iurie, his name is great in Israel, at Salem is his taber∣nacle, and his dwelling in Sion.s Other haue construed this onely of the tribe of Iuda, for that God in Iuda would chuse a Prince, 1. Chron. 28.4. or because the Messias of the world, which is the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, was to be borne oft that tribe. Or be∣cause theu Iewes haue a tradition, that Iuda was the first tribe that aduentured after Moses and Aaron, and en∣tred into the red sea with vndaunted courage. So wee finde in the numbring of Israels hoste, that the standerd of Iuda was in the first place, Numb. 10.14. and Nahshon the sonne of Aminadab was their Captaine, Numb. 2.3. Hence it is said, Cant. 6.11. My soule made me like the chariots of Aminadab, or my willing people.

Butx most Interpretors vnderstand by Iuda, not only that tribe, but also the rest of the children of Israel. It is nothing but a Synecdoche, pars pro toto, the chiefe tribe, for the whole body of Gods people, that went out of E∣gypt into the land of promise, called often in holy Scrip∣tures Israel, of the fathers name, and Iuda of the chiefe sonnes name.

Bondage was the perill, out of which Israel and Iuda were deliuered, and that in they Poets iudgement is worse then any danger or death, omni malo, & omni exi∣tio peior.z A woman of a manly spirit said as much, Ho∣nestius est mortem occumbere, quàm capita tributaria cir∣cumferre. The youngera Iustine vsed this apophthegme for his Motto: Libertas res inaestimabilis: andb Seneca to the same purpose, for a man to be his owne man, is an inualuable treasure. The resolution of our countrey-men to VVilliam the Conquerour is renowned in English hi∣storie, Kentish men must haue libertie, Kentish men will haue libertie.c There was neuer any bondmen or villaines in Kent. Thed prouerbialest vttered reason as well as rime.

Dico tibi verum, libertas optima rerum, Nunquam seruili sub nexu viuito (fili).

But bondage is more grieuous and insupportable when it is in a sorreine land, as this of Iacobs house was in Egypt. The stranger is sad in heart, though at libertie, wherefore God inioyned his owne people not toe grieue the stranger, considering they themselues were sometime strangers in the land of Egypt. The condition of the stran∣ger is to bee pitied, as that of the fatherlesse and widow, Ierem. 7.6. Oppresse not the stranger, the fatherlesse, and the widow, Zach. 7.10. Oppresse not the widow, nor the fa∣therles, nor the stranger, nor the poore. And when vnchari∣table men vnconscionably vex thē, almightie God takes their cause into his owne hands: Psal. 146.9. The Lord careth for the strangers, hee defendeth the fatherlesse and widow, he will maintaine their cause, and spoyle the soule of those that spoyle them. Prou. 22.23. A man at home being in durance hath among his owne, some mediatours, or meanes for his deliuerance; but an aliant in thraldome, for the most part is helplesse, if not hopelesse.f By the wa∣ters of Babylon (say Gods people) we sat downe and wept, when we remembred Sion: as for our merrie harpes, wee hanged them vp vpon the trees, for how should wee sing the Lords song in a strange land?

We must ascend yet one step higher: Israel was op∣pressed not by strangers only, but also by such strangers as wereg cruell, ash other translations, a barbarous peo∣ple, barbarous both in their vsage and language. Con∣cerning their tyrannous behauiour towards Gods Is∣rael, it is reported by Moses, Exod. 1.14. that they made them wearie of their liues, by sore labour in morter and bricke, and in all worke in the field, with all manner of bon∣dage which they laid vpon them most cruelly. Moreouer, the King of Egypt commanded the Midwiues of the Hebrew women to kill euery man-child in the very birth. And because the Midwiues fearing the Lord, which is the Father of mercie, would not execute that bloodie

designe; Pharao charged his owne people, saying, euery male-childe that is borne, cast into the riuer. Yea but how was Egypt a barbarous nation in language, being highly renowned in historie for knowledge? and S. Stephen, Acts 7.22. recordeth it as a remarkable commendation in Moses, that hee was learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians. Answere is made byi some, that they were called barbarous, as speakingk another tongue, or a strange language which Israel vnderstood not; accor∣ding to that of Paul, 1. Cor. 14.11. Except I know the meaning of the voyce, I shall be to him that speaketh a bar∣barian, and he likewise that speaketh a barbarian vnto me. Butl other (in my iudgement better) affirme, that they were barbarous, as being a most idolatrous people, not∣withstanding all their humane learning, ignorant in the knowledge concerning the worship of the true God, a∣doring the creatures in stead of the Creator. Barbarous, as not speaking them language of Canaan, as not vnder∣standing then mysteries of godlinesse. So profound Plato, learned Aristotle, wittie Plutarch, eloquent Demosthe∣nes, were barbarians vnto the house of Iacob, as being vn∣acquainted with Gods feare, which is the beginning of wisedome.

This of the perill out of which Israel was deliuered, it followeth in the next place, that I shew the manner of their deliuerance, brought to passe by Godso mightie hand, and outstretched arme, working a world of won∣ders in Egypt, and in the wildernesse, for their safe con∣duct into the land of promise. All which are registred at large by Moses in the second booke of his historie, called inp this respect by the Grecians, Exodus, as prin∣cipally treating of Israels wonderfull egresse from out of Egypt, and progresse in the wildernesse. Two sorts of miracles are remembred in this Hymne: the first vpon the waters, The sea saw that and fled, &c. The second vpon the land, The mountaines skipped like rammes, &c.

The sea saw that and fled]q That is, the red sea seeing

Gods people comming toward it, and desirous to passe thorough it, at the presence of the Lord runned backe all the night, and was diuided, so that the children of Israel went thorow the middest of the sea, vpon the drie land;r the great deepe became a greene field, and the waters were a wall vnto them on their right hand, and on their left hand. Some scoffing Atheists haue giuen out, that the sea fled not by miracle, but by a course meere naturall, affirming that Gods people watched their opportunitie, when the sea was at an ebbe, and so passed thorow the middest of it on drie foote. This impudent assertion is notably con∣futed by iudiciouss Scaliger, prouing it an egregious paradox, contradicting not only the principles of Diui∣nitie, but also the rules of reason and grounds of Philo∣sophie. The text saith expressely, that the sea was diui∣ded: butt Epiphanius, and theu Rabbins auow further, that it was parted into twelue paths, according to the number of the twelue tribes of Israel, euery troope ha∣uing a seuerall (as it were) to march in. But when their enemies followed them into the middest of the sea, the waters returned, and couered the chariots and horsemen, euen all the hoste of Pharao, that entred after them into the sea, there remained not one of them; and so the Lord sa∣ued Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead vpon the sea banke. Exod. 14.28.30.

When Israel vpon the sight of Pharaohs innumerable hoste were sore afraid, and cried vnto the Lord, and said vnto Moses, Hast thou brought vs to dye in the wildernes, because there was no graues in Egypt? Moses answered the people, Feare ye not, stand still, and behold the saluation of the Lord, which he will shew to you this day, for the E∣gyptians whom yee haue seene this day, yee shall neuer see them againe. How then are these two seeming contrarie places in one chapter accorded? Israel shall neuer see the Egyptians againe, yet afterward, Israel saw the Egyptians. Answere is made by S.x Augustine, yee shall neuer see them againe liuing as to day, but yee shall see them dead.

Ye shall neuer see them againe fighing against you, but yee shall see them at your feete drowned in the waters, and cast vp at the sea bank. Ye shall see thē again to your comfort, but ye shal neuer see thē againe to your terror.

How Iordan was driuen backe, you may reade in the third and fourth chapter of Iosua. How the mountaines skipped like rammes, and the little hils like young sheepe, Exod. 19.18. Habacuc 3.6.10. How the hard rocke was turned into standing water, and the flint stone to a spring∣ing well, Exod. 17.6. Numb. 20.11. Psal. 78.16. and Psal. 105.40. The summe whereof is in briefe, that all the creatures, at the commandement of the Creator, arey turned vpside downe; readie to doe, or not to doe, to shew foorth, or keepe in their ordinarie courses, accor∣ding to his good will and pleasure. The sea flowing for∣ward, at the word of God turned backward: the moun∣taines so called à non mouendo, because they doe not moue, skippe like rammes, and the little hils like young sheepe: the hard rocke, the flint stone, both exceeding drie, made standing waters, and springing welles. It is the nature ofz ramping and roaring lions to bea greedie of their pray; yet the Lordb shut the lions mouthes, that they could not hurt Daniel in their denne. It is the na∣ture of water to drowne and deuoure men in the deepe, for the wicked Egyptians sanke to the bottom (saithc Mo∣ses) as a stone: yetd Ionas, by Gods appointment, being throwne into the middest of the sea, and swallowed vp in a Whales bellie three daies and three nights, was af∣terward cast out again vpon the dry land, safe & sound, Ionas 2.10. It is the nature of fire to burne and con∣sume; yet Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, put into a fierie fornace made seuen times more hot then ordinary, walked in the middest of the flame without any danger.e The fire had no power of their bodies, not one haire of their head scorched, neither were their coates changed, nor any smell of fire came vpon them. The blessed man and Mar∣tyr of God Saint Bilney (for so Fatherf Latymer is bold

to call him) ofteng comforted himselfe and his acquain∣tance with the words of our Lord, Esay 43.1. Feare not Israel, for I haue redeemed thee, I haue called thee by thy name, thou art mine; when thou passest thorow the waters, I will be with thee, and thorow the floods, that they doe not ouerflow thee: when thou walkest thorow the very fire, thou shalt not be burnt: neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee. Soh Iames Baynham another holy Martyr (being at the stake in the middest of furious and outragious flames) cried out, Behold ye Papists, ye looke for miracles, and here now yee may see a miracle, for in this fire I feele no more paine, then if I were in a bed of downe: yea it is to me like a bed of roses. Soi Hierome of Prage, when the deaths man at his burning would haue kindled the fire behinde at his backe, (left it might otherwise seeme too terrible) presently called vnto him, and said, Come hither, and let me see the fire before me; for if I had feared the fire, I nee∣ded not to haue come hither. In all things behold then, how good and ioyfull a thing it is to serue the Lord, to be subiect to his kingdome, to march vnder his colours, and to fight his battailes. For God is ak man of warre, yea the Lord of hostes, hauing all creatures in heauen, on earth, and vnder earth at his absolute command, to pro∣tect such as follow him, and to fight against such as fight against him. At his word thel elements are changed a∣mong themselues, as one tune is changed vpon an in∣strument of musicke, and the melodie still remaineth. At his word the waues are calme, the fire cold, the moun∣taines mouing: at his word the valleysm sing, and the hils dance. On Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name in all the world, soo glorious in holinesse, fearfull in praises, doing wonders, able to doe whatsoeuer thou wilt, and willing to doe whatsoeuer is best for Iuda thy sanctuarie, for Israel thy dominion.

Mystically the temporall Exodus of Israel out of E∣gypts bondage,p prefigureth our spirituall deliuerance by Christ from the tyrannous oppression of Satan and

sinne. Here then, according to the methode propoun∣ded, I am to treate first of the parties deliuered; second∣ly, of the perill and place from which all holy Christi∣ans are set free; thirdly, of the manner and meanes of our redemption.

Concerning the first, all true beleeuers (asq Paul tea∣cheth) are the seed of Abraham, and the house of Iacob. And the reason hereof is very plaine, they be the sons of Abraham that doe the workes of Abraham, Iohn 8.59. but Abrahams chiefe worke was faith, as ther text ex∣pressely, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse. Ergo, they which are of faith are the children of Abraham, Galat. 3.7. Christian people (saiths Augustine) are not aliants from the Common∣wealth of God, and strangers from the couenants of pro∣mise: Sed magis Israel, as it were, more Israel then Is∣rael it selfe.t For vnbeleeuing Iewes are the Sonnes of begetting Abraham after the flesh onely; but all the faithfull among theu Gentiles are the Sonnes of belee∣uing Abraham, after the spirit. The Lord said to blessed Abraham, a Father of many Nations haue I made thee, Genes. 17.5. that is, as Saint Paul expoundeth it, Rom. 4.11. The Father of them that beleeue, whether they be Iewes or Gentiles, as Saint Peter, Acts 10.35. In euery Nation he that feareth God and worketh righte∣ousnesse, is an Israel, accepted of him, adopted his San∣ctuary, wherein hee will bee serued; and his Seigniory wherein he will (as a King) raigne by his holy word and Spirit.

Now, for the second obseruable poynt of our redemp∣tion, Israels bondage in Egipt liuely represents our mi∣serable thraldome vnder Satan and sinne. Thex black darkenesse in all the land of Egipt, was no darkenesse in comparison of the kingdome of darkenes, out of which our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus hath brought vs into maruailousy light. The diuell is the Prince of darknes, hell is a pit of darkenesse, sinne is a worke of darkenesse.

But all the redeemed by Christ haue light where they dwell, his word is a Lanthorne to theirz feet, his com∣mandements a light to theira eyes, his spirit an illumi∣natour of theirb vnderstanding, and so their workes are calledc armour of light, and themselues honestly wal∣king as in the day, Children of light, Iohn 12.36.

The king of Egipt and his people so vexed Gods Isra∣el, that they made them weary of their liues by sore labour in morter, and in Bricke, with all manner of bondage which they layd vpon them most cruelly, Exod. 1.14. So the Deuill and his complices haue cast insupportable burthens vpon the Sonnes of men, heauie yokesd, which neither our Fathers, nor our selues are able to beare. But Christ our true Iosua, saith vnto Iacobs house,e Come vnto me all ye that are wearied, and heauie laden, and I will ease you; take my yoke vpon you, and you shall finde rest vn∣to your soules.f Diuines obserue three kinds of bur∣thens, vpon that text, namely, the burthē of

• Affliction.
• The Law.
• Sinne.

In this Egipt of the world, greatg trauaile andh trou∣ble is created for all men, euery Sonne of Adam is borne to labour and dolour; to labour in his actions, and to dolour in his passions: as Bernard pithily, as Israel went through Egipt and the Wildernesse, into the Land of promise; so wee must of necessityi passe through many tribulations into the kingdome of God, which is the hea∣uenly Canaan. If wek looke vnto Iesus the founder and finisher of our faith, he will euen in this world affoord vs, as he didl Moses vpon the top of Pisgah, a little sight of the promised Land, making it ours in hope, though as yet not in hold, bringing vs to the resolution of Saintm Paul, I count, that the afflictions of this life present, are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs here∣after.

As for the burthen of the law, which is a yoke ofn bon∣dage,o grieuous and heauie to bee borne, Christ easeth

vs of it also, being made vnder the lawe, to redeeme them vnder the law, Galath. 4.4. Hee blotted out the hand∣writing of ordinances that was against vs, and tooke it out of the way, nailing it to the Crosse, Coloss. 2.14. Wee cannot indeed exactly keepe any part of the Law, much lesse the whole: but (as the blessed Apostle speakes) it was in the hand,p that is, in the power of a Mediatour, Galat. 3.19. And he did abundantlyq fulfill all righte∣ousnes in our person and place,r or in the hand of a Me∣diatour, as hauing authority to cancell it, and to take the burthen away from our shoulders.

Lastly, touching sinne, Hee, who knew no sinne, made himselfe to be sinne for vs, that we should be made the righ∣teousnesse of God in him, 2. Cor. 5.21. Thes Lord saith, According to the dayes of thy comming out of the Land of Egipt, will I shew maruailous things. Now, when Israel went out of Aegipt, and the house of Iacob from among the strange people, He did ouerturne the Chariots and Horsemen, and destroyed all the hoast of their enemies in the middest of the red Sea:t so likewise will he sub∣due our iniquities, which are our greatest enemies, and cast all of them into the bottome of the Sea, Mica 7.19. that they may neuer appeare before vs againe, to con∣found our consciences in this world, or condemne our soules in the next. If the man be blessedu whose vnrigh∣teousnesse is forgiuen, and whose sinne is couered; O well is it vnto thee, happy shalt thou be which art of thex houshold of faith! as hauing all thy foule faults and foes destroyed by Christs death, and buried in his graue.

The King of Egipt commanded the Midwiues of the Hebrew women, to kill euery male-childe in the very birth, Exod. 1.15. And semblablely they red Dragon standing before the woman in the Wildernesse, is ready to deuoure her childe so soone as she brings it forth; that is, the deuill is alwaies at hand to quell euery vertu∣ous motion arising in our minde, but the spirit of Christ (as a cunning midwife) brings forth our good intentions

into good actions, working in vs both the will and the deed, Phil. 2.13.

Concerning the meanes of our deliuerance, Christ is our Moses and Iosua, who brought vs out of Egipt into the Land of promise, forz among men is giuen none o∣ther name whereby we must be saued. All other (in holy Scripture) stiled Iesus, are but types of our Lord Iesus. Iesus Naue, renowned for his valour, is the type of Christ as he was a king. Iesus Sidrach, renowned for his know∣ledge, the type of Christ as he was a Prophet. Iesus Io∣sadach, renowned for his piety, the type of Christ as hee was a Priest. Our Iesus is the hardrocke, mentioned at the latter end of this Hymne. That Christ is a rocke, we reade Mat. 16.18. and 1. Pet. 2.8. that Christ is an hard rocke, wee finde also Math. 21.44. Whosoeuer falleth on this stone shall be broken, and on whome soeuer it shall fall, it will grinde him to powder. That Christ is that hard rocke turned into a standing water. S. Paul telleth vs, 1. Cor. 10. I would not that ye should be ignorant (quoth he) that all our Fathes were vnder the cloude, and all passed thorow the Sea, and did all eate the same spirituall meate, and all drinke the same spirituall drinke, for they dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them, and the rocke was Christ.

He seemed at the first an hardrocke,a when his Disci∣ples said,b This is an hard saying, who can heare it? but afterward pleasant waters did flow from him, vnto such asc hunger and thirst after righteousnes.d Moses smote the rocke in the Wildernesse, and water came forth of it in such abundance, that all the congregation of Israel dranke thereof, and were refreshed.e So Moses rod, that is, the Lawe, smote Christ on the Crosse for our sinnes; he was made a curse for vs, Galat. 3.13. He was woun∣ded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities Esay 53.5. and out of this hard rocke thus smitten by Moses rod, a Well of water sprang forth into euerlasting life, Iohn 4.14.

The Sea saw that and fled] The world is called a Sea, Reuelation 4.6. the world thenf persecuting Christ and his Apostles, is a red sea, this red sea fled at the preaching of the Gospell and gaue place. Christ rebuked the winds, and the waters, and so there was a great calme, Matthew 8.26. Iordan was driuen backe,g Christ himselfe was baptised in Iordan, and such as areh baptised into Christ, and beleeue, send not (as otheri riuers vsually) their streames into the sea, that is, they fashion not themselues according to this world, but are renewed in their mindes, Rom. 12.2. they repent and turne backe from their olde courses, and walke in newnesse of life, Rom. 6.4.

The mountaines skipped like rammes] By mountainesk Arnobius doth vnderstand the Prophets, quia locuti sunt altitudines Dei, they reioyced at the fulfilling of their Prophecies, and skipped as Rammes, in seeing that sheepheard borne,l who would lay downe his life for his sheepe. S.m Augustine makes the blessed Apostles and other Preachers of the Gospell, olde sheepe, and their auditors as it were lambes and young sheepe, begotten in Christ vnto God by the disposers of the secrets of God, according to that ofn Paul vnto his Corinthians, In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell.

Israels Exodus out of Egypts bondage was so great, that God himselfe in perpetuam rei memoriam, instituted theo passouer to be kept of his people for euer, and fur∣ther inserted a short remembrance thereof in the pro∣logue to his law, I am the Lord thy God, which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. This deliuerance was temporall and particular onely concerning Israel and the house of Iacob: but the redemption by Christ is spirituall and generall, appertai∣ning to men of all conditions and countries, of all tribes, and at all times, euen from the beginning vnto the worlds end. For so God loued the world, that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life, Iohn 3.16. and

therfore the Church (vpon good grounds) ordained the feasts of Christs Incarnation, Passiō, Resurrectiō, Ascen∣sion. And for as much as Christ is ourp Passe-ouer, the Church of Englandq appoynted this hymne fitly to bee read on Easter day.

The Church of Romer drunkē with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Iesus Christ, is spiri∣tually Babylon and Egypt. And the Papists, her followers, a generation of barbarous people, barbarous in their do∣ings, and barbarous in their doctrines. Concerning their barbarous vsage, their bloodie butchering of Gods Is∣rael in Angrongne; their massacre in France; gun-powder treason in England, are clouds of witnesses against them vnto the worlds end.

As for their sayings, is it not barbarous language to call that man of sinne, most holy father; and, as if that were not enough, holinesse it selfe,s sanctitas vestra,t beatitu∣do vestra? Is it not barbarous language, to set Anti-christ in the seate of Christ, and to terme him expresselyu the husband of the Church? Is it not barbarous language to magnifie the Romish Pharaoh abouex all that is called God, making him a Demi-god, yea Semi-god, neither absolutely God, nor simply man, but a midling between both? Is it not barbarous language to say, that none may presume to tell him of his faults, though he should, through his ill example, draw millions of men into hell? as theiry owne text runneth, innumerabiles populos ca∣teruatim secum ducit primo mancipio gehennae, cum ipso plagis multis in aeternum vapulaturus, huius culpas istic redarguere praesumit mortalium nullus.

Is it not barbarous language to say, that no minorite Frier, obseruing S.z Francis order and rule, can be dam∣ned? and that a certaine Frier vpon a time being carried into hell, and surueying in it euery corner, found not so much as one Franciscan Frier. That a Frier should goe to hell is thought no great marueile, but that he should re∣turne from thence to tell vs this tale, seemeth incredible,

considering the Pope himselfe determineth, ex inferno nulla redemptio.

Is it not barbarous language to say,a that to bee bu∣ried in a gray Friers frocke, in S. Francis Cowle, should remit foure parts of penance, three parts of our sinnes?

bQuî fit vt moriamur in cucullo, Cum nemo bene viuat in cucullo.

Is it not barbarous lāguage to say, that it is anc hone∣ster thing for a Priest to be intangled with many concu∣bines in secret, then openly to be ioined in mariage with one wife? For hee may not keepe one benefice with one wife,d but hee may haue two benefices and three whores.

Is it not barbarous language to say,e that for repea∣ting ouer the fifteene Ooes, euery day once through a whole yeere, wee shall apertly see our Ladie to helpe vs after our death? or, that we shal haue the like benefit, for saying of her Psalter vpon the tenne beades, that come from the crossed Friers; or vpon the fiue beades hallow∣ed at the Charter-house; or for fasting the Ladies fast, as they call it, yea for fasting on the Wednesday?

Is it not barbarous language to say, that ourf owne inherent righteousnesse is the formall cause of absolute iustification, and not the righteousnesse of Christ impu∣ted vnto vs? This opinion is so barbarous, that S. Paul saith of it, Galath. 5.4. Yee are abolished from Christ, and fallen from grace, whosoeuer are iustified by the law.

Is it not barbarous language to say, that theg Cruci∣fixe is to bee reuerenced and adored with the selfe same kinde of worship, that is due to Christ, eadem reuerentia imagini Christi exhibenda & ipsi Christo?

In respect of these barbarismes, and many moe, the blessed Martyrh Aymondus, being condemned by the Papists of Bourdeaux & Angeow to dye, sung this hymne as hee went to the stake, When Israel went out of Egypt, &c. insinuating that the kingdome of Poperie was like Egypt, an house of bondage, where the man of sinne do∣mineering

in the conscience, doth impose grieuous bur∣thens vpon Gods Iuda, worse then any sore labour in morter and bricke. If Adam in his innocencie did not exactly keepe one precept of God; how shall Adams posteritie, compassed about with infirmitie, doe workes of supererogation? obseruing not onely the Comman∣dements of God, but also the Councels of the Church, and ordinances of men, almost infinite for their number, altogether insupportable for their nature.

Almightie God hath, out of the riches of his glorie, deliuered vs alone from these barbarians; and that wee now continue yet free from them, is not our owne wa∣rines, or worthinesse, but his worke onlyi that doth all wonders. The planting of the Gospell among vs in the daies of King Henry the 8. was a great wonder; the wa∣tering of it in the daies of King Edward the 6, another great wonder; the florishing of it in the daies of our re∣nowned Queene Elizabeth, and our gracious Soue∣raigne King Iames, another great wonder. Our deliue∣rance from the Northern Conspiracie, from the Spanish Armado, from the Gunpowder-plot, are great arguments of Gods might and mercie, manifested to his English Is∣rael. In regard of all which, and many moe fresh in our memorie, we may well (ask other translations haue done before vs) adioyne the next hymne to this, and say, Not vnto vs, O Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy name giue the praise, for thy louing, mercie, and for thy truths sake.

The dialogue betweene the Prophet and the crea∣tures, instructeth vs how wee should stand in awe of God, seeing the very dumbe creatures and insensible feare before him. Doth anl oxe know his owner, and an asse his masters cribbe? and shall not Israel vnderstand? Shall vnreasonable beasts of the field, and feathered fowles in the ayre, praise the Lord in their kinde? and shall not man sanctius his animal, mentis{que} capacius altae,m sing alwaies the louing kindnes of God, and with his mouth euer shew foorth his mercie from generation to

generation? Shalln haile, snow, winde, water, and wea∣ther fulfill his word? Shall the sea flee, the earth tremble, the mountaines and hils skip at the presence of the God of Iacob? and shall nor Iacob himselfeo serue the Lord in feare, and reioyce vnto him in trembling? Shall the hard rocke be turned into a standing water, and the flint∣stone into a springing well? and shall not our hard and flintie hearts, in consideration of our owne miseries, and Gods vnspeakable mercies in deliuering vs from euill, (if not gush foorth intop fountaines of teares) expresse so much as a little standing water in our eyes? It is an hard heart indeed,q quod nec compunctione scinditur, nec pietate mollitur, nec mouetur precibus, minis non cedit, flagellis duratur, &c. O Lord touch thou ther moun∣taines and they shal smoake, touch our lips with as coale frō thine altar, & ourt mouth shal shew forth thy praise. Smite Lord our flintie hearts, as hard as theu nether mil∣stone, with the hammer of thy word, and mollifie them also with the drops of thy mercies, and dew of thy spi∣rit, make themx humble,y fleshie,z flexible,a circumci∣sed,b soft,c obedient,d new,e cleane, broken, and then a brokē and contrite heart (O God) shalt thou not despise, Psal. 51.17.f Domine Deus meus, da cordi meo te deside∣rare, desiderando quaerere, quaerendo inuenire, inueniendo amare, amando mala mea non iterare. O Lord my God, giue me grace from the very bottome of mine heart to desire thee, in desiring to seeke thee, in seeking to finde thee, in finding to loue thee, in louing vtterly to loathe my former wickednesse; that liuing in thy feare, and dy∣ing in thy fauour, when I haue passed thorough this E∣gypt and wildernesse of this world, I may possesse that heauenly Canaan, and happie land of promise, prepared for all such as loue thy comming, euen for euery Chri∣stian one, which is thy dominion and sanctuary.

PSALME 118.

O giue thankes vnto the Lord, for he is gracious, and his mercie endureth for euer.

THis Hymne seemes to bee made by Dauid, after some great troubles in the daies of Saul,g before he was King; orh else for some notable victorie gained against his enemies, after hee was established in his Throne, to wit, after hee had ouercome the Philistims, 2. Sam. 6. or happily when he triumphed ouer the chil∣dren of Ammon, 2. Sam. 12.

It consists of 3. parts e∣specially:

• 1. An exhortation to praise God, in the foure first verses.
• 2. A reason of this exhortation, from the 5. to 21.
• 3. A conclusion or application of both, from the 21. to the Psalmes end.

In the for∣mer obserue the

• Time when, now.
• Parties who
  • Exhorting, Dauid the King.
  • Exhorted
    • Generally al people, vers. 1.
    • Specially Gods Isra∣el aboue other peo∣ple, vers. 2.
    • Singularly the house of Aaron, aboue the rest of Israel, vers. 3.

Concerning the time, now, that is, instantly without any delay; as God helpeth vs in time, so wee must also praise him in season. Or now, that is vpon this occasion, indeed we must praise God euer, because his mercie doth endure for euer: yet for especiall mercies, wee must in∣uent

especiall songs, and yeelde new thankes for new things: and therefore Dauid here being wonderfully deliuered from a great many troubles (hauing now ta∣ken his enemiesl crowne from his head, which weighed a talent of gold with precious stones, and set it vpon his own) calleth vpon his Priests and people to confesse now, that the Lord is gracious. All other men ought at all other times to performe this dutie: but his subiects at this time principally, let Israel now, let the house of Aaron now. Or now, that is at this solemnek feast appoynted for the same purpose, for albeit we must alway laude the Lord, Yet ought we most chiefely so to doe, when we meete and assemble together, to render thankes for the great be∣nefits that we haue receiued at his hands, and to set forth his most worthie praise.

The person exhorting is Dauid the King: Princes actions are the peoples instructions; a Courtier is a strange creature, who loseth himselfe in following other, hee liueth a great deale by the bread of other, a good deale by the breath of other; oftentimes his clothes are not his owne, his haire not his owne, his complexion and very skinne not his owne; nay that which is worst of all, his soule (which as Plato said is most himselfe) is not his owne, while he liueth at the deuotion of other.

l Nemo suos (hac est aulae natura potentis) Sed domini mores Caesarianus habet.

Courtiers (asm one said) rise late, come late to the tem∣ple, dine late, sup late, goe to bed late, and repent last of all, if at all: and the reason hereof is plaine, because they want such examples and patternes as Dauid, to goe be∣fore them in giuing thankes vnto the Lord.

The peoples welfare doth especially consist in the Princes safety, Dauid therefore being deliuered from his enemies (who compassed him about, and kept him in on e∣uery side, swarming in multitude like Bees) is not con∣tent to giue thankes vnto God priuately himselfe, by himselfe; but openly proclaimeth his thankefulnesse, ex∣horting

all his people to doe the same: saying, O giue thankes vnto the Lord, let Israel, and the house of Aaron and all that feare the Lord, confesse that his mercies endure for euer: the which is answerable to that which he hathn else where, O praise the Lord with me, and let vs mag∣nifie his name together.

The very name of peace is sweete, but the very sound of warre terrible, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in greeke signifies much blood, and the latine bellum is so calledo quasi minimè bellum, or asp other à bellüis, in respect of their beastly rage shewed in warres. As when Tamberlane had con∣quered Princes, he did vse them as coach horses to draw him vp and downe in triumph: andq Adonibezeke made seuenty Kings gather crummes of bread vnder his table. When ther Switzers in the yere 1443. vanquished the Thuricenses in battaile, they made great bankets in the place where they wonne the victorie, vsing the dead corps of their aduersaries in steede of stooles, and tables, and moreouer opening their bodies, dranke their blood, and tare their hearts. Thes Numantines assaulted by the Romanes, made solemne vowes among themselues, no day to breake their fast but with the flesh of a Romane, not to drinke before they had tasted the blood of an e∣nemie: And whent Scipio tooke their towne, they kil∣led all their olde men, women, and children; and heaped vp all their riches in the market place giuing fire to euery part of the Citie, leauing the conqueror neither goods to spoyle, nor persons ouer whom hee might insolently triumphe. What neede I seeke so farre, the cruell outra∣ges betweene the Spaniard and the Hollander haue been such, as all eyes of pittie and pietie had iust cause to la∣ment them.

These are the fortunes of forraine warres, now con∣cerning ciuill, or rather vnciuill dissentions among our selues. It is a conclusion agreed vpon at weeping crosse, that nothing in the world ruinateth a common-weale more then it: example hereof Hierusalem, example

Rome, both which by priuate factions made themselues a prey to the common enemie. Example hereof infortu∣nate France, in whose late ciuill warres (asu some ac∣count) there were slaine twelue hundred thousand French borne, beside other of their allies. Example here∣of England in olde time, before the houses of Yorke and Lancaster were vnited, in which vnhappie quarell (asx Cominaeus reports) besides an infinite number of the Commonaltie, there were cruelly butchered fourescore Princes of the blood royall. In bellis ciuilibus omnia sunt misera (quothy Tullie) sed nihil est miserius, quàm ipsa victoria. Thez Chronicle saith of Edward the second, ouercomming and killing his owne Barons, Tunc verè victus, quando tot vicit prudentes milites. In home∣bred and intestine garboyles, if the worst obtaine vi∣ctorie, then instantlie the State becommeth a verie shambles, or a sinke of sin. If the good men conquer, al∣beit they be by their disposition and ingenuous educa∣tion harmelesse and humane, yet necessitie will often make them exceeding furious and bloody: so that as the Poet said, Vna salus victis, nullam sperare salutem. In this extremitie wee must either fight, and so looke for sudden death; or else flie, and so leade a tedious life, ha∣uing a continuall sound of feare in our eares, either the piteous outcries of fatherlesse children, of comfortlesse widowes, of hopelesse and haplesse kinsemen; or else ter∣rible roaring of Canons, and dreadfull alarums of merci∣lesse enemies.

aOmega nostrorum M••rs est, mars alpha malorum.

On the contrarie, peace procureth all good and ioyfull things vnto the common-wealth. In peace the Merchant tradeth abroad, and bringeth homeb wine to glad the heart of man, and oyle to make his countenance cheere∣full: in peace the Church and Vniuersitie flourish, and the messengers of peace preach vnto you the sweete ti∣dings of the Gospell. In peace the Plough-man sowes in

hope, and reapes with ioy. In peace widowes are com∣forted, and maidens are giuen to mariage; no leading in∣to captiuitie, no complaining in our streetes. In peace we reioyce with thec wife of our youth, and she is like thed fruitfull vine, and our children as oliue branches round about the table. Our sonnes grow vp as the yong plants, and our daughters as the polished corners of the Temple. In peace our valleys stand so thick with corne, that theye laugh and sing; our garners are full and plen∣teous with all manner of store; our oxen are strong to labour, and our sheepe bring foorth thousands and ten thousands in our streets. In one word, all honest occu∣pations and honourable professions thriue, while bre∣thren dwell together in vnitie. Wherefore Dauid ex∣pending on the one side the rents of the kingdome vn∣der Saul, and pondering on the other side the manifold blessings of a florishing peace, being ouercharged (as it were) with ioy, breakes foorth into these words,f Ecce quàm bonum, O behold, how good and ioyfull a thing it is, for brethren (g that is, subiects of the same kingdome) to dwell together in vnitie!h Many things are good, which are not ioyfull. Againe, many things are ioyfull, which are not good: but amitie betweene brethren is both a good and a ioyfull thing. If it were good and not ioyfull, it would be tedious: if ioyful and not good, it might be vicious: but good & ioyfull together, is excellent good; omne tulit punctum, it is a double sweete, when as profit and pleasure meet: it is good, there is y^e profit; it is ioyfull, there is y^e pleasure. It is like the precious oyntment of Aa∣ron, there is the sweet of pleasure; it is like the dew of Her∣mon, there is the sweete of profit. As sweet perfumes are pleasant not only to such as vse thē, but also to the whole cōpany: so concord is not only profitable to good men, which are the peace-makers; but euen vnto all other in the same Common-wealth, of whatsoeuer function or faction. And therefore Dauid being now quietly seated in his kingdome, free from warres abroad, and iarres at

home, calleth vpon all his people, to confesse that the Lord is gracious, and that his mercie endureth for euer.

But in more particular hee calleth vpon the house of Aaron,i that is, the Priests and Leuites, and that for two reasons especially: First, because such as trouble Israel, hate most of all the Priests and Preachers of the word. Secondly,k because the Priests are the Prouosts of the people, Heb. 13.7. the salt of the earth to season other, Matth. 5.13. and therefore seeing they be Precentors in Gods quire, it is their office to sing first, that other may sing after. In respect of danger and dutie, the house of Aaron haue good cause to praise God more then o∣ther, and to confesse that his mercies endure for euer.

Now, for as much asm all are not Iewes, which are Iewes outward, and all are notn Israel, which are of Israel: I say, for as much as there be manyo hypocrites as well among Priests and people; therfore Dauid in the fourth verse (chiefly) calleth vpon such as truly feare the Lord, Yea let them now that feare the Lord confesse, that his mercie endureth for euer. For hereby such enioy not on∣ly a ciuill and outward peace, which is common to the whole State: but further, a religious and inward peace of conscience, which is proper to themselues. For when there isp peace within the walles of Hierusalem, and plenteousnes within her palaces, euery one may goe into the house of the Lord, and stand in the gates of the beautifull Temple. Then all the Tribes ascend to giue thankes vnto the name of the Lord, toq worship, and fall downe, and kneele before the Lord our maker, en∣tring into hisr courts with praise. Then, as it is in this Psalme, they binde the sacrifice with cords, euen vnto the hornes of the altar, exercising all acts of religion, and powring out their whole soule before the God of hea∣uen. On the contrarie, in time of warre the Gentiles, and other who know not God, enter into the inheri∣tance of God, and defile his holy Temple; they doe not only crie, Downe with it, downe with it vnto the ground,

as it is in the 137. Psalme: but as wee finde in the 79. Psalme, they pull it downe in deede, and make Hierusa∣lem an heape of stones, giuing the bodies of Gods deare seruants to be meate vnto the fowles of the aire, and the flesh of his Saints vnto the beasts of the field. Ye therefore that doe truly professe, haue greatest occasion duly to confesse Gods exceeding mercie, for enioying the sweet benefit of peace. For if once ye should a little while want the comfort ye reape, by publike prayers and preaching in Gods house; ye would complaine grieuously,s Lord, how amiable are thy dwellings! my soule hath a longing desire to enter into thy courts. How blessed are thet sparow and swallow, who may come to thy altars, and set vpon thy Temple! For one day in thy courts is better then a thou∣sand: I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God, then to commaund in the tents of vngodlines.

The reasons of this exhortation are manifold, expres∣sed by Dauid here particularly from the 5. verse to 21. but they be generally these Two:

• Gods mercies to∣ward his childrē
  • In generall, He is gracious, and his mercie endureth for euer.
  • In particular to Dauid; I cal∣led vpon the Lord in trou∣ble, and hee heard mee at large, &c.
• Gods iudgements vpon his enemies, in whose name alone they be destroyed, and become ex∣tinct as fire among the thornes, &c.

The mercies of the Lord are so rich and abundant, that our Prophetu else where saith, his mercie is ouer all his workes. And it is seene in two things chiefly: 1. In giuing euery thing which is good. 2. In taking away whatsoeuer is euill. Now we may the better vnderstand the greatnes of his goodnes in both, if wee will examine the breadth, and length, and depth, and height thereof, as S. Paul intimates, Ephes. 3.18.

First, for the breadth of his mercie, whatsoeuer is good is originally from God,x euery good and perfit gift is from aboue descending from the Father of lights, euen the very minnoms and minutes are mercies, holden as it were by Franck-almoigne. And as hee bestoweth on his euery thing which is good: so likewise he takes from them euery kinde of euill. Bread taketh away hunger, and drinke taketh away thirst, and apparell ta∣keth away nakednesse, and fire taketh away coldnesse, and other things deliuer vs from other miseries in this world. But all these creatures are the Lords, and they cannot helpe vs, except hee blesse them. Againe, there bee many miseries vnknowne vnto the creatures, as the subtile tentations of the diuell, and the manifolde blindnesse of our vnderstanding and erroneous con∣science, from which onely God is able to deliuer vs, as being the Phisitian of our soule, so well as the protector of our body. Moreouer, as the creatures take not away all miseries, but a few, so they take them away not from all, but from a few. God alone is able to deliuer all men from all miseries, and though hee doe not this vnto all, yet there bee none but haue tasted of some, yea of many of his mercies; which occasioned our Prophet to say,y the earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord; and our Church to pray, O God whose nature and propertie is euer to haue mercy and to forgiue. But ye will obiect, if the Lord can deliuer from all euill, why doth hee not, as being thez Father of mercies? Answere is made, that God our Father in Heauen knowes what is best for vs, his children on earth; hee therefore doth afflict vs, and scourge vs for our benefit. Sainta Paul desired thrice to be deliuered from the buffeting of the flesh, and not heard; that Gods power might be made perfit thorough weakenesse. And so the Lord tooke not from Lazarus his sicknesse and pouertie, that hee might crowne him with a greater mercy, commanding hisb Angels to car∣rie him into the bosome of Abraham. And so he suf∣fers

his seruants to be tempted and tried with imprison∣ment, and losses, and crosses for their good: in this re∣spect he is tearmed the God of all consolation, 2. Cor. 1.3. of all, as knowing how to comfort vs in all our tribula∣tion, a present helpe in euery kinde of trouble. Nothing in the world can doe this, and thereforec Iob said to his acquaintance, who could not vnderstand his griefe a∣right, miserable comforters are ye all. Againe, God is the God of all comfort, in that he comforts his children so fully, that it is a ioyfull thing for them to bee sometimes in affliction. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in them, euen so their consolation aboundeth thorough Christ, 2. Cor. 1.5.

Touching the length of his mercy, Dauid saith, it en∣dureth for euer: as his mercy compasseth vs aboutd on euery side; so likewise at euery season, it continueth vnto our end, and in the end: yea, further in that other life which is without end; his mercies are from euerla∣sting to euerlasting, that is, from euerlasting predestina∣tion to euerlasting glorification. His mercies in forgi∣uing our offences, and in couering all our sinnes, are ex∣ceeding long: the Lord saith our Prophet ise full of compassion and mercie, long suffering, and of great good∣nesse. For though impenitent sinners prouoke him eue∣ry day, walking in their owne waies, and committing all vncleanesse euen with greedinesse: yet he neuerthe∣lesse affoords his good things, inf giuing them raine, and fruitfull seasons, and filling their hearts with foode and gladnesse; his mercie doth exceede their malice, be∣ing patient toward them, and desiring that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance, 2. Pet. 3.9. Hee maketh as though hee sawe not the sinnes of men, because they should amend, Wised. 11.20. Christ aduiseth vs (Mat. 18.22.) to forgiue one another, not onely seauen times, but also seuenty times seuen times: and Luke 6.36. to be mercifull, as our Father in heauen is mercifull, insinuating hereby that God is infinitely

mercifull vnto sinners, euen to great sinners which owe his Iustice tenne thousand talents.

Concerning the depth of his mercy, loue is seene in our

• Sayings.
• Doings.
• Sufferings.

Loue superficiall is in word onely, that which is o∣peratiue, manifesting it selfe in deedes is deepe, but the profoundest of all is in suffering for another. Now the Lord hath abundantly shewed his mercies in all these. First, in his word written and preached, writteng For wee haue the holy Bookes in our hands for comfort, and whatsoeuer things are written afore time, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope, Rom. 15.4. By his word preached, for the Ministers of the Gospel (ash Ambassa∣dors) entreate you to be reconciled vnto him; vnto them is committed the word of reconciliaton and peace, they be thei disposers of his mysteries, and messengers of his mercies, it is their duty to binde vp the broken hearted. And therefore Dauid saith in the 85. Psalme, verse 8. I will hearken what the Lord will say concerning me, for he shall speake peace to his people.

Secondly, God sheweth his mercy toward vs in his doings, ink sauing our life from destruction, and in crowning vs with his louing kindnesse. But as loue is seene in deedes more then in words, so more in suffering then in doing, and of all suffering, death is most terrible; and of all deaths, a violent; and of all violent deaths, hanging vpon the Crosse is most hatefull and shamefull; yet God so loued the world, that he gaue his onely be∣gotten Sonne to dye for our sins on the Crosse. Doubt∣lesse one wil scarce dye for a righteous man, but yet for a good man it may be, (saithl Paul) that one dare dye; but he setteth out his loue toward vs, seeing, that while we were yet sinners, and his enemies, Christ dyed for vs.

Lastly, for the height of his mercy, the depth appea∣reth in it's effects, but the height by the cause moouing

to mercy, which is exalted aboue the Heauens, accor∣ding to that of Dauid,m In Coelo misericordia tua Do∣mine. Men vse to pitie their seruants in respect of their owne commoditie, the which is the lowest degree of mercy, for euery man (if he be not a foole) pittieth his veryn beast. Other pitie men in regard of friendship and alliance, which is an higher degree of mercy. Some shew pitie to men in that they be men, not onely flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, but also created accor∣ding to Gods owne likenesse and similitude, which is a∣mong vs the highest degree of mercy. Now God takes pitie on all things as being his Creatures, on men espe∣cially being created after his owne Image, but on true Christians principally, being the Sonnes and heires of his kingdome. If any shall aske what cause moued him to make the world, to create man after his owne likenes, to iustifie sinners, and adopt vs for his children? it is no∣thing else but his meere mercy, that endureth for euer. He loued vs when we would not, yea, when wee could not loue him; and he continueth his goodnes not in respect of his owne benefite, for hee needes not our helpe, but onely for our good. The Lord is gracious, because gra∣cious. And therefore the blessed Angels aptly diuided their Christmasse Caroll into two parts,o Glory to God on high, and on earth peace. God hath indeed all the glo∣ry, but we reape the good of his graciousnes and mer∣cie that endureth for euer.

I called vpon the Lord] Hitherto King Dauid, con∣cerning the graciousnesse of God in generall. He comes now to treate of his mercy toward himselfe in particu∣lar, the which is applyed by Diuines vnto thep Church; andq Christ himselfe, who was in his Passion heard at large, and in his Resurrection he saw his desire vpon his e∣nemies. The pith of all which is summarily comprised in the 24. verse, This is the day which the Lord hath made, let vs reioyce and bee glad in it. In which ob∣serue,

• 1. What day is meant by this day.
• 2. How the Lord is said to haue made this day, more then other daies.
• 3. Why we should in this day so made, reioyce and be glad.

For the first,r litterally this ought to be referred vnto the solemne day, wherein Israel and Aaron, as well Priests as people being assembled together, gaue pub∣like thanks vnto the Lord, for that their good king Da∣uid was now fully deliuered from all his enemies, and quietly setled in his princely throne. So this text 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a very fit theame for the Coronation dayes of our late bles∣sed, blessed Queene, and present gracious King: as also for the Commemoration of our happie deliuerance from the Spanish Inuasion, anno 88. and from the bloody Gun∣powder plot on the fifth of Nouember 1605.

s But mysticallie this day is the time of grace, beholde now is the accepted time, now the day of Saluation, 2. Cor. 6.2. and this day is tearmed here Catexochen, The day,t because the whole time wherein a man liues without Christ, is called in holy Scripture, The night and darkenesse, as being full of terrours and errors, of blind∣nesse and ignorance. So Saint Paul, Rom. 13.12. The night is past, and the day is come. And Ephes. 5.8. Once yee were darkenesse, but now light in the Lord; your selues,u Children of light, and your workes,x Armour of light.

yDominus est Dies, Christ is the day, or rather indeed thez light of the world, anda Sunne of the dayb spring∣ing on high, to giue light to such as sit in darknesse, and in the shadow of death. This day did appeare to the world in some measurec from the beginning. For the manifestation of Christ Iesus, the supernaturall Sunne of righteousnesse, arising with health vnder his wings, to them that feare the Lord, resembling a great deale, the rising of the naturall sunne in our Horizon. First, the sunne being ready to rise, sendeth forth a little glimpse

of his brightnesse, whereunto wee may compare the mystery of that Aphorisme: The seede of the woman shal breake the serpents head, Gen. 3.15. Then it doth inlarge the same brightnes with more splendour, to which hap∣pily Noahs prophecie may bee likened, Blessed bee the Lord God of Sem, Gē. 9.26 Afterward ascending higher, & approaching neerer vnto vs, it putteth forth his glitte∣ring beames of clearer light, whereto we may resemble the plainer promises concerning Christ, communicated to the latter ages of Abraham, Gen. 12.2. of Isaac, Gen. 26.3.4. of Iacob, Gen. 28.14. of Dauid, 2. Sam. 7.12. At length it discouereth it selfe and appeareth open∣ly, whereunto Christs incarnation and liuing in the world answereth, 1. Ioh. 1. That which was from the be∣ginning, which we haue heard, which we haue seen with our eyes, which we haue looked vpon, and our hands haue hand∣led, &c. Last of all, it gloriously mounteth vp aboue the earth, andd nothing is hid from the heat therof: and to this accordeth our Sauiours resurrection and ascen∣sion, whereby himselfe was glorified, and hee drew o∣ther men vnto him, Ioh. 12.32. and gaue them power, beleeuing in his name to bee the sonnes of God, Ioh. 1.12. Wherefore, seeing the Messias of the world, is now dead for our sinnes, and risen againe for our iustification, and sitteth at the right hand of God in heauen, euer ma∣king intercession for vs; and seeing thee sound of his Gospell is gone through all the earth, and the words of his Apostles vnto the ends of the world, we haue good cause to sing and say, this is the most acceptable time, the day of saluation and grace,f which in other ages was not opened vnto the sonnes of men, as it is now re∣uealed, and therefore let vs reioyce and be glad in it.

Now, for as much as the resurrection of Christ, is theg complement of all the promises concerning the Mes∣sias, and as it were, theh locke and key of faith, on which all other Articles depend; the Church of England, andi o∣ther Diuines auncient and orthodoxe, haue made this

Hymne proper on Easter day: for on this day Christ ari∣sing from the dead, was heard at large; on this day, hee saw his desire vpon his enemies; on this day hee did open∣ly triumph ouer the diuell, and death, and hell, albeit they compassed him round about, and kept him in on euery side; yet in the name of the Lord hee destroyed them. On this day hee did not dye, but liue to declare the workes of the Lord. On this day, the same stone which the buil∣ders refused, is become the head stone of the corner; it is the Lords doing, and it is maruellous in our eyes, and therefore let vs heartily sing, This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will be glad and reioyce therein.

God made thek morning and euening, the light and the darknesse are his. How then is he said heere, to make this day more then other dayes? thel Doctours vpon the place answere, that albeit all dayes are good in re∣spect of themselues and God: yet some be ioyfull, and other dolefull, in respect of the good and euill that hap∣peneth in them vnto vs. Form the day wherein Adam fel, and in him all his posteritie, was an euil and a blacke day, made so (doubtlesse) by the diuell, and not by the Lord: but this day wherin the second Adam arose from the dead, and in himn all men are made aliue, is a good day, wherein the faithfull are ioyfull. It is the Lords do∣ing, and therefore the Lords day. The Lords doing, that the same stone which the builders refused, is now be∣come the head and corner stone in the building; that he who was a despicable man, a worme rather then a man, Psalme 22.6. should now triumphing ouer the diuell and death, hell and the graue, become theo king of glo∣ry; thatp at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow, both of things in heauen, and things in earth, and things vnder the earth. Now the Lord is said to make this day more then other, asq honouring it aboue other, exalting it and making itr memorable to posterity. So the word making sometime signifieth, as 1. Sam. 12.6. It is the Lord that made Moses and Aaron, ^s that is, exalted

Moses ands Aaron; and so we say, that a man aduanced in honour or riches, is a made man; in this sense, the ma∣king of a day is the sanctifying and obseruing of a day, Deut. 5.15. Exod. 34.22. how then is Easter day more magnified and hallowed, then other dayes in the yeere? to this obiection answere may bee, that all Christians (heerein imitating the patterne of the blessedt Apo∣stles) in honour of Christs resurrection, obserue their Sabbath vpon the eight day, which is the first day of the weeke; whereas the Iewes hallowed their Sabbath vpon the seuenth day, which is the last day of the week. So that Easter day is the Sabbath of Sabbaths, an high and holy day, from which euery other Sunday hath his name, being so called, because the sun of righteousnesse arose from the dead vpon this day. This day is the Lords day, the day which himselfe made so good a day, that all his true seruants euer since haue reioyced in it, and san∣ctified their Sabbath on it.

uHaec est illa Dies toti celebrabilis orbi, Quem facit, & proprio signat honore Deus.

The reasons, why we should this day reioyce so much, are manifold; but they may be reduced all vnto two principall heads,

• A motion from euill,
• Promotion in good.

Christ on this day rising from the dead, ouercame the diuell, which is the authour of death; and the graue, which is the prison of death; and sinne, which is thex sting of death; and the Law, which is the strength of the sting of death; and all this he did for vs men and our saluation. The diuell, which is the Prince ofy darknesse, had no part in the sunne of righteousnesse: Christ there∣fore beingz stronger then he, came vpon him, and ouer∣came him; he tooke from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and diuided his spoyles, and cast him out of his hold, that he might haue no part in vs, or power ouer vs. Asa Bernard sweetly, Fortitudo Diaboli per redemptoris vulnera traducta & deducta ad nihilum, in the words of

Saint Paul, The God of peace shall tread downe Sathan vnder your feet, Rom. 16.20.

So he who was aboue the Law, was madeb vnder the Law, that he might redeeme those which are vnder the Law, that hee might put out the hand-writing of ordi∣nances that was against vs, and fasten it vpon his Crosse, Coloss. 2.14. So hee who knew no sinne, made himselfe to be sinne for vs, that we should be made the righteous∣nesse of God in him, 2. Cor. 5.21. He was wounded 〈◊〉〈◊〉 our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities, Esa. 53.5. If the tormentours of Christ should aske now, as they did once, Luk. 22.64. Who is he that smote thee? we may quickly become Prophets, and answere for him, our sinnes smote him; euery one of vs might ingenious∣ly confesse withc Ionas, for my sake this great tempest is vpon thee (sweet Iesus). He triumphed ouer hell, and the graue for vs also: for as for himselfe it was impossible, that the Lord ofd life should be holden of death, Acts 2.24. Wherefore let vs say with Sainte Paul, O death where is thy sting? O graue where is thy victory? the sting of death, is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the Law: but thankes bee to God, which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. And let vs heartily sing with our Prophet, Easter is the day which the Lord hath made, wee will be ioyfull and glad in it.

fSome Diuines affirme, that the yeere wherein our blessed Sauiour arose from the dead, should (according to the Law), haue been the yeere of Iubile, whereing liberty was proclaimed in the Land; to all the inhabi∣tants thereof; euery man returned to his possession and family, debts were released, and oppressions abated. And surely the Iubilees in old time, wereh figures of the ioyes in this acceptable time; for by the resurrection of Christ, euery true beleeuer is set free from the hands of all his enemies, his trespasses are forgiuen, and he is re∣stored againe to his interest, in that heauenly possession and immortall inheritance, which he lost in the trans∣gression

of his great grandfather Adam. The redemp∣tion of Christ is a yeere of Iubile, the resurrection of Christ, is the chiefe day in the yeere. Let vs therefore reioyce for it, and be glad in it. Dauid saithi elsewhere, By this (O Lord) I know thou fauourest me, that mine ene∣my doth not triumph against me.k Thou hast giuen vnto me the necks of my foes, that I might break them as smal as the dust of the earth, and tread them flat as the clay in the street. That which hee speaketh of his temporall ene∣mies, opposing him in obtaining of an earthly king∣dome: we may well apply to the spirituall, hindering vs in our way to the kingdome of heauen. O Lord, our strength and redeemer, thou hast on this dayl broken the serpents head, and vtterly confounded all such as hate vs. On this day thou diddest laugh them to scorne, and haue them in derision, Psalm. 2.4. and therefore we will in memoriall of this one day, sing thy mercies all the dayes of our life; sounding foorth vnto the worlds end, This is the day, this is thy day, which thou (Lord) hast made, wee will reioyce and be glad in it.

Concerning our promotion in good, the resurrection of Christ is a proofe of our iustification, a meanes of our sanctification, a demonstration of our resurrection. First, it proueth our iustification, according to that of Paul, Rom. 4.25. He was giuen to death for our sinnes, and is risen againe from the dead for our iustification. See the Gospell on S. Thomas day.

Secondly, the resurrection of Christ is a notable meanes to worke inward sanctification, as Saint Peter teacheth in 1. Epistle 1. Chap. 3. Verse, God hath begot∣ten vs againe vnto a liuely hope, by the resurrection of Ie∣sus Christ from the dead. And Saintm Paul, As Christ was raised vp from the dead, by the glory of his Father; so we should also walke in newnesse of life; For if we be graf∣ted with him to the similitude of his death, euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection. Which words im∣port,n that as the graft groweth in the stocke, and is

become one body with it: euen so the faithfull haue their liuing, and spirituall being in Christ. As he by the power of his owne Godhead, freed his manhood from death, and from the guilt of our sin; so doth he likewise free those, that are knit vnto him by the bond of one spirit, from the corruption of their natures in which they are dead, that they may liue vnto God.o In the naturall body, the head is the fountaine of all motion and sense; for the hands and the feet moue by that power, which is by sundry nerues deriued from the head, and dispersed among the members. And so it is in (Christs mystical bo∣dy) the Church; hee is the head and fountaine of life spi∣rituall, andp that very power of his Godhead, whereby he raised vp himselfe when hee was dead, he conuaieth from himselfe to his members, and thereby raiseth them vp from the death of sinne, to newnes of life. For the better vnderstanding of this point, let vs examine the meanes and the measure of the spirituall life.

For the meanes, if wee will haue common water, we may goe to the common well; and if we desire water of Life, we must haue recourse vnto Christ, who saith,q If any man thirst, let him come vnto me and drinke, andr hee shall haue a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life. Now this well, (as the woman of Samaria said of Iacobs well) is very deepe, and we haue nothing to draw with. And therefore wee must haue pipes and conduits to conuay the same vnto vs; and these pipes are the sin∣cere preaching of the word, and the right administration of the Sacraments. As for the preaching of Gods holy Word, Christ openly proclaimeth in the fifth of S. Iohns Gospell, at the 25 Verse, The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and they that heare it, shall liue.s Where, by dead is meant, not the dead in the graue, but the dead in sin. For so the Scripture speaketh elsewhere,t Let the dead bury the dead, and Ephes. 5.14. Awake thou that sleepest, and stand vp from the dead: and 1. Tim. 5.6. A widow liuing in pleasure, is dead while shee liueth.

He that hearts the word, and abideth in vnbeliefe, con∣tinueth among the dead: but (saith our Sauiour)u Veri∣ly, verily, I say vnto you, he that heareth my word, and be∣leeueth in him that sent me, hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death vnto life, because the words that I speake vnto you are spi∣rit and life, Ioh. 6.63. that is, conueying vnto your dead hearts, spirit and life.

As Christ, when he raised vp dead men, only spake the word and they reuiued: and at the last day, when thex trumpet of God shall blow, the dead shall rise againe: so it is in the first resurrection, they which are dead in their old sinnes, are raised againe to newnes of life by his powerfull voyce, vttered in the Gospels ministerie. We reade of three that Christ raised from death,y Iai∣rus daughter newly dead; thez widowes sonne dead, and wound vp, and lying on the hearse; anda Lazarus dead, and buried, and stinking in the graue. Now these three sorts of Coarses (asb Augustine notes) are three sorts of sinners. Iairus daughter lying dead in her fa∣thers house, resembleth those that sinne by inward con∣sent: the widowes sonne being carried out of the gate of the Citie, those that sinne by outward act: Lazarus hauing been dead, and buried foure daies, those that sinne by continuall habite. The first day (saith Augu∣stine) hee was dead, by conceiuing sinne: the second, by consenting to sinne: the third, by committing sinne: the fourth, by continuing in sinne. The young maiden, lay in a bed: the yong man, in a coffin: Lazarus, in a graue. The first was dead but an houre, the second but a day, the third foure daies. After their raising vp, Iairus daughter instantly walked; because for her that had stept aside but by consenting to sinne, it was easie to recouer, and to walke foorth-with in the waies of Gods holie Commandements. The widowes sonne sat vp, began to speake, was deliuered to his mother; because for him, which had actually transgressed, it was a matter of grea∣ter

difficultie to recouer, and therefore by little and lit∣tle hee came to it, asc Erasmus obserueth excellently. First sitting vp, by raising vp himselfe to a purpose of a∣mendment: then beginning to speake, by confessing his owne miserie, and acknowledging Gods mercie: lastly, being deliuered to his mother, by returning to the bo∣some of the holie Church, and enioying the remission of his sinnes. Lazarus came foorth of his graue bound hand and foote with bands, because for him that had ad stone laid vpon him, and had made his heart as hard as a graue-stone, or as ae nether milstone, by making a cu∣stome, and (as it were) a trade of sinne; it was in the iudgement of man impossible to recouer. And yet Christs omnipotent voyce brought him foorth bound hand and foote, and brake these bands asunder, and restored him againe to the libertie of the sonnes of God.

Thef Sacraments are conduit-pipes also, whereby God inuisibly conueieth his vitall or sauing graces into the heart, if they be rightly vsed; that is, if they be recei∣ued in vnfained repentance for all our sinnes, and with a liuely faith in Christ for the pardon of the same sinnes. And in this respect aptly compared vntog flagons of wine, which reuiue the Church being sicke, and fallen in∣to a swound.

As for the measure of spirituall life, deriued from our head Christ, it is but small in this world, and giuen by little and little; the which is figured in theh vision of wa∣ter that ranne out of the Temple. First a man must wade to the ancles, then after to the knees, & so to the loynes: and last of all the waters grow to a riuer, that cannot be passed ouer; euen so the Lord conueieth his gifts and graces by little and little, till his children at the last at∣taine a large measure thereof, and haue full growth in Christ. The same wee may likewise see liuely described in the vision of drie bones, Ezech. 37. The Prophet in a vision is carried into the middest of a field, full of dead

bones, and the Lord commanded him to prophecie o∣uer them, and to say to them, O yee drie bones, heare the word of the Lord. At the first there was a shaking, and the bones came together bone to bone, vers. 7. then the sinewes and flesh grew vpon them, and vpon the flesh a skinne couered them, vers. 8. ••••en hee prophecied vnto the winde, and they liued, and stood vpon their feete; for the breath came vpon them, and they were an exceeding great armie of men, vers. 10.i Hereby doubtlesse is sig∣nified not only the state of the Iewes after their captiui∣tie, but in them the state of the whole Church, in whose heart God almightie worketh his graces of regenera∣tion by little and little. First he giueth his children flesh, and then a skinne to couer the flesh, and afterward hee powreth vpon them further gifts of his spirit to quicken them, and to make them aliue vnto God.

3. The resurrection of Christ is ak demonstration of our resurrection, according to that of S. Paul, 1. Cor. 15.12. If it be preached that Christ is risen againe from the dead; how say some among you, that there is no resurrectiō of the dead? Yea but ye will obiect, what promotion is that vnto the godly, seeing all men at the last day must of necessitie rise againe? Answere is made, that the wicked are raised by the power of Christ as a Iudge to con∣demne them: on the contrarie, the faithfull are raised by the power of Christ as a Iesus to saue them. Almigh∣tie God said vnto Adam, At what time he should eate of the forbidden fruite, he shouldl dye the death. Herebym meaning a double death, as the Scripture speaksn else∣where, the first and the second death. Naturall death is the dissolution of the bodie, spirituall death is the de∣struction of the soule, eternall death is both of body and soule. Prima constat ex duabus, secunda ex omnibus tota, saith Augustine. Now Christ as a Iudge raiseth againe the reprobate from the first death, that hee may inflict vpon them all the punishments of the second death, as a reward of sinne: but hee raiseth his elect, as their head

and redeemer, that they may bee partakers of the bene∣fit of his death, enioying both in bodie and soule the kingdome of glorie, which hee hath so dearely bought for them.

Wherefore seeing on this day wee haue been deliue∣red from so much 〈…〉〈…〉 promoted vnto so much good; let vso spirituallie reioyce, beingp glad in∣wardly, ioyfull outwardly,q singing vnto the Lord with a grace in our hearts, This is the day which the Lord hath made.

FINIS.

Notes

• a

  Com. de tran∣quil. animi.
• b

  Matth. 23.8.
• c

  Tull. lib. 5. de finibus.
• d

  Du Barias 1. day, 1. weeke.
• e

  Abacuc. 2.2.
• f

  Non loquuntur quidem vt homi∣nes, tamen velut loquentes à no∣bis intelligūtur. Tremel. in loc.
• g

  Athenagoras orat: pro Chri∣stianis.
• h

  Thom. part 1. quaest. 12. art. 12. & Caietan ibi∣dem.
• i

  Cardinal Cu∣sanus.
• k

  Victorinus Strigel. in loc. Vide Bellar. de ascensione men∣tis in deum per scalas Creat. grad. 7. cap. 2.
• l

  Du Bartas vbi sup. fol. 6.
• m

  Placidus par∣mensis. Genebrardus in loc.
• n

  Bellar. in loc.
• o

  Psal. 147.19.
• p

  Bucer. Tileman. Caluin in loc.
• q

  August. expo∣sit. 2. in loc. & Bellarm. de Sa∣cramentis in genere, lib. 1. cap. 25.
• r

  August. exposit. 1. in loc.
• s

  Hierome. Melanct. Strigelius.
• t

  Philip. 2.15.
• u

  Oecumen apud Bellar. vbi sup.
• x

  Caluin epist. dedit. Harmon.
• y

  Rom. 3.24.
• z

  Ephes. 3.16.
• a

  Luke 2.14.
• b

  Psal. 115.1.
• c

  Turrecremat.
• d

  August. ep. 89.
• e

  Euseb. hist. lib. 3. cap. 1.
• f

  1. Pet. 1.1.
• g

  Socrates hist. lib. 1. cap. 15.
• h

  Catalog. gloriae mundi part. 3. considerat. 29.
• i

  Niceph. lib. 2. cap. 40.
• k

  Capgraue in Catalog. sanct. Angl. & Mag∣deburg. epist. praefix. Gent. 4.
• l

  Galat. 1.
• m

  Acts 13.
• n

  Acts 14.
• o

  Acts 17.
• p

  Acts 20.
• q

  Vatablus in loc.
• r

  Placidus Par∣men. in loc.
• s

  In loc.
• t

  Iohn 8.12.
• u

  Ephes. 3.5.
• x

  August. Hierome. Turrecremat.
• y

  Matth. 26.48.
• z

  D. Incognitus.
• a

  Vulgar Latin. August.
• b

  Genebrard.
• c

  Coloss. 2.9.
• d

  Iohn 1.9.
• e

  Senensis Bibliothec. lib. 5. annot. 160.
• f

  See S. August. contra Faustum Manich. lib. 20.
• g

  Apud Senen. vbi sup.
• h

  August. in loc. & tract. 2. in ep. Ioan. & lib. 3. cont. lit. Peti∣lian. cap. 32.
• i

  D. Incognitus. Turrecremat.
• k

  Iohn 1.14.
• l

  Philip. 2.7.
• m

  Exod. 20.17.
• n

  Dan. ••2 7.
• o

  Serm. 3▪ de aduent Dom.
• p

  Hierome. August.
• q

  Greg. hom. 38.
• r

  Ephes. 2.14.16
• s

  Matth. 16.13.
• t

  Iohn 1.12.
• u

  2. Cor. 5.21.
• x

  Rom. 7.18.
• y

  Esay 1.18.
• z

  Cant. 2.2.
• a

  Luke 2.25.
• b

  Esay 40.2.
• c

  Matth. 25.10.
• d

  See S. August. contra literas Petilian lib. 2. cap. 32. & Di∣dac. de Yanguas Con. 1. de ascen. Dom.
• e

  Ephes. 4.9.
• f

  Strigilius in loc.
• g

  Fox Martyr. fol. 1492,
• h

  2. King. 4.13.
• i

  John 3.16.24. & John 6.29.
• k

  Plutarch in vita Periclis.
• l

  Iob 19.25.
• m

  Heb. 11.6.
• n

  1. Sam. 12.3.
• o

  Job 29.15.
• p

  Turrecremat.
• q

  August. hares. 46. & Tertull. cont. Marcian. lib. 4.
• r

  2. Pet. 1.21.
• s

  Prou. 3.6. Reuelat. 22.18.
• t

  Bellar. de ver∣bo dei, lib. 4. cap. 3. See D^r. Mortons appeale, lib. 2. cap. 25.
• u

  2. Thess. 2.3.
• x

  2. Tim. 3.16.
• y

  See Perkins reformed Cat. tit. traditions, & D^r. Abbot ibidem.
• z

  Bellar. vbi sup. cap. 10.
• a

  Deut. 31.24.
• b

  Iosua 1.8.
• c

  Bellar. vbi sup.
• d

  In Psal. 49.
• e

  Mat. 17.4.
• f

  Epist. 5. Mar∣cellin. & 49. Deo grat, ad quaest. 3.
• g

  1. Tim. 4.1.
• h

  Lib. 3. cap. 1.
• i

  Hom. 25. in Mat.
• k

  Hexam. lib. 3. cap. 3. & de vocat. gent. lib. 2. cap. 3.
• l

  Cont. lit. petil. lib. 3. cap. 6.
• m

  apud D^r. Morton Appeale lib. 2. cap. 25. sect;. 11.
• n

  In Luc. 1. praefat.
• o

  Com. in Rom. in proem. part. 3. disp. 3.
• p

  Art. 37. ad∣uersus Luthe∣rum. fol. 222.
• q

  Psal. 51.10.
• r

  Rom. 10.10.
• s

  Luk. 10.27.
• t

  Psal. 108.1.
• u

  Psal. 103.1.
• x

  Author. Latin. Chron. de Can∣tuariens. Ar∣chiepis. in vita Cranmeri, pag. 403.
• y

  1. Ioh. 5.19.
• z

  Rom. 7.16.
• a

  Psal. 119.9.
• b

  Rom. 1.16.
• c

  1. Pet. 1.23.
• d

  Ephes. 2.3.
• e

  Paulinus epist. lib. 2. epist. 4. in fine.
• f

  Euthym.
• g

  History of Su∣sanna, vers. 45.
• h

  Discipulum minimum Iesus amabat pluri∣mum, Hierom. epist. ad Heli∣odor.
• i

  2. Tim. 3.15.
• k

  Psal. 119.99.
• l

  Mark. 16.17.
• m

  Psalm. 98.1.
• n

  Iam. 4.6. 1. Pet. 5.5. Prou. 3.34.
• o

  Ecclesiastes 12.1.
• p

  Luk. 2.11.
• q

  Ioh. 3.16.
• r

  Fox martyrol. fol. 863.
• s

  Fol. 752. 753.
• t

  Fol. 761. 762.
• u

  Letter to the Vniuersity and towne of Cam∣bridge.
• x

  Mat. 23.13.
• y

  D^r. Bassinet in a pub. oration before the Bi∣shops assembled in Auinion, vti Fox martyrolog. fol. 863.
• z

  Epist. lib. 1. epist. 1.
• a

  2. Cor. 2.17.
• b

  1. Tim. 1.7.
• c

  De inuent. rerum. lib. 4. cap. 9.
• d

  Colos. 3.16.
• e

  Tremellius.
• D. Incognitus in loc.
• g

  Bacer. Bellarmin.
• h

  Ioh. 3.16.
• i

  Gen. 3.17.
• k

  Hierom. Euthym. Turrecremat.
• l

  Gen. 22.16.18.
• m

  Wisd. 11.21.
• n

  Psalm. 95.5.
• o

  Psal. 24.1.
• p

  T. Wilcox. ex∣position. in loc.
• q

  Esay 5.7.
• r

  Deut. 7.6. Exod. 19.5.
• s

  Hierom. Euthym.
• t

  Augustin.
• u

  Bucer.
• x

  Bellarmin.
• y

  1. Cor. 7.22.
• z

  See Aquin. lect. 4. in Rom. 7.
• a

  Bucer. Bellarmin.
• b

  Genebrardus.
• c

  Euthym.
• d

  Acts 4.12.
• e

  D. Incognitus.
• f

  Psal. 119.24.
• g

  Tileman in loc.
• h

  1. Thess. 5.20,
• i

  Luke 19.42.
• k

  1. Cor. 6.5.
• l

  Saluianus lib. 5 de gubernat. dei.
• m

  Exod. 22.18.
• n

  Deut. 33.26.
• o

  Rom. 13.4.
• p

  Matth. 4.9.
• q

  Numb. 22.18.
• r

  Psal. 50.15.
• s

  Psal. 31.27.
• t

  Habacuc. 2.3.
• u

  See D^r. Hull ser. of the blessed In-mate.
• x

  Deut. 32.39.
• y

  In Iere. hom. 1.
• z

  Ierem. 1.10.
• a

  Ester 4.2.
• b

  2. Pet. 2.22.
• c

  John 5.14.
• d

  Tileman. Bucer. Vatablus.
• e

  Genebrard. Tremel. Wilcox.
• f

  Agellius. Bellarm. in Psal. 24.
• g

  Rom. 15.8.
• h

  Rom. 9.4.
• i

  Galat. 4.4.
• k

  Luke 2.32.
• l

  Hierome. Augustine. Turrecremat.
• m

  Ephes. 2.14.
• n

  Iohn 10.16.
• o

  Prou. 12.10.
• p

  Habacuc. 3.2.
• q

  Bernard. serm. cont. vitium in∣grat.
• r

  Fox Martyr. fol. 1476.
• s

  Rom. 8.28.
• t

  Ezech. 18.20.
• u

  Serm. 1. de an∣nun. Dom.
• x

  1. Tim. 2.6.
• y

  Jn loc.
• z

  Gen. 16.12.
• a

  Rom. 12.18.
• b

  Ʋirgil.
• c

  Ʋbisup.
• d

  Psal. 34.12.
• e

  Basilius. Agellius.
• f

  Bradford apud Fox Martyr. fol. 1491.
• g

  Tileman. Tremellius.
• h

  D. Incognitus in loc.
• i

  Exod. 21.24.
• k

  Matth. 9.2.22.
• l

  Mark. 10.52.
• m

  Iohn 5.14.
• n

  Euthym.
• o

  Iob. 17.6.17.
• p

  Matth. 11.5.
• q

  Euthym.
• r

  Matth. 9.6.
• s

  Matth. 8.16.
• t

  Ephes. 4.24.
• u

  Joh. 14.6.
• x

  Hierome. Arnobius. Agellius.
• y

  Jn loc.
• z

  Genebrard.
• a

  Placidus Par∣men.
• b

  1. Pet. 2.9.
• c

  1. Kings 18.39.
• d

  1. Cor. 8.4.
• e

  Augustine. Tileman.
• f

  1. Epist. 1.8.9.
• g

  Bellarmine.
• h

  Rom. 1.18.
• i

  Paulinus epist. lib. 1. epist. 4.
• k

  Bellarmin.
• l

  Geneua glosse. Wilcox.
• m

  Vatablus.
• n

  Io. de combis compend. theo∣log. lib. 2. cap. 2.
• o

  Psal. 135.16.
• p

  Fatius de mor∣tificatione. cap. 2
• q

  Psalm. 8.5.
• r

  Psalm. 32.10.
• s

  Orat. de Dione.
• t

  Ephes. 2.4. & 3.16.
• u

  Bellarmin.
• x

  Bernard. ser. 2. in ascen. Dom.
• y

  Hierom. Turrecremat.
• z

  Augustin.
• a

  Esay 55.3.
• b

  Act. 13.34.
• c

  August. de ciuit. dei, lib. 17. cap. 9. Idem Euthym. & Tileman in loc.
• d

  Rom. 1.3.
• e

  Mat. 1.1.
• f

  Psal. 45.7. Heb. 1.8.
• g

  Hoc admonet vox intellectus in titulo posita. Bellar. argum. huius Psalmi.
• h

  Bellarmin. de Christo. lib. 2. cap. 2.
• i

  Epiphan. hae∣res. 77.
• k

  August. hae∣res. 11.
• l

  Alphons. de haeres. lib. 4. fol. 70.
• m

  Idem ibid. fol. 73.
• n

  Euthym. Tileman.
• o

  Augustin. Hierom.
• p

  Alphons. de haeresibus. lib. 1. fol. 25.
• q

  Vatablus. Caluin.
• r

  Augustin.
• s

  Galat. de ar∣can. lib. 6. cap. 12.
• t

  Galat. 4.4
• u

  Luke 2.29.
• x

  Apocal. 6.10.
• y

  2. Pet. 3.4.
• z

  Heb. 10.37.
• a

  Apoc. 22.12.
• b

  Coloss. 3.4.
• c

  Philip. 3.21.
• d

  Martialis ad Burdegal. epist. 8
• e

  Bellarmine.
• f

  Psal. 146.1.
• g

  1. Sam. 20.3.
• h

  Eobanus Hessus.
• i

  Psal. 45.2.
• Acts 4.25.
• k

  Wilcox.
• l

  Euthym. Incognit. Turrecremat.
• m

  Hierome.
• n

  2. Pet. 4.6.
• o

  Malmesbur. de gestis Reg. Ang∣lorum, lib. 2. cap. 6.
• p

  Io. de Combis comp. Theolog. lib. 7. cap. 21.
• q

  1. Thessal. 5.18
• r

  Psal. 92.2.
• s

  D^r. Incognit. Turrecremat. Glossa.
• t

  Luke 23.41.
• u

  Placidus. Jncognitus.
• x

  Gen. 2.17.
• y

  Iohn 3.16. Apoc. 2.10.
• z

  Esay 65.17.
• a

  Gregor. moral. lib. 4. cap 42.
• b

  Ʋbi sup. Idem Augustin. lib. 22 de Ciuit. dei, cap. vlt.
• c

  August. apud Io. de Combis comp. Theolog. lib. 7. cap. vlt.
• d

  Rom. 7.24.
• e

  1. Cor. 15.28.
• f

  1. Kings 3.12.
• g

  2. Sam. 2.18.
• h

  2. Sam. 14.25.
• i

  Psal. 45.1.
• k

  In loc.
• l

  Psal. 105.1.
• m

  Psal. 14.6.
• n

  Psal. 140.3.
• o

  Esay 6.6.
• p

  Mat. 3.11. Acts 2.3.
• q

  Chap. 3.2,
• r

  Chrysost. hom. 99. in Mat.
• s

  Relation of Re∣ligion, sect. 53.
• t

  In loc. Breuis numero verborum, sed magnus pondere sententiarum.
• u

  In loc.
• x

  Psal. 82.6.
• y

  Prou. 8.15.
• z

  Psal. 75.8.
• a

  Caluin. in loc.
• b

  Acts 13.22.
• c

  D^r. Incognit. in loc.
• d

  2. Sam. 5.1.
• e

  Genebrard.
• f

  Tremellius.
• g

  Apud Pet. Ga∣latin de arcanis lib. 8. cap. 24.
• h

  Heb. 1.13.
• i

  Apud Hierom. in Mat. 22. & D. Incognit. & Agellium in loc.
• k

  Justin Martyr in dialog. contra Triphonem, & Tertullian lib. 5. contra Marcian.
• l

  Vti Chrysost. in loc.
• m

  Heb. 1.8.
• n

  In loc.
• o

  Philip. 2.6.7.
• p

  Ioh. 1.1.14.
• q

  Esay 7.14.
• r

  Turrecremat. Tremellius. Genebrardus.
• s

  Galatin. de arcanis. lib. 8. cap. 24. & Steu∣chus in loc.
• t

  Placid. par∣men.
• u

  Tileman.
• x

  August de ci∣uit. dei. lib. 11. cap. 10. & Lom∣bard. 1. sent. distinct. 2.
• y

  Aristotle. Perihermin. cap. 1.
• z

  D^r. Incognit.
• a

  Melanct. in loc.
• b

  Tileman.
• c

  Rom. 1.3.
• d

  Agellius.
• e

  In loc.
• f

  Apud Gene∣brard. in loc. Adonai. Adoni.
• g

  Ephes. 1.20.
• h

  Esay 42.8.
• i

  Mat. 28.18.
• k

  Phil. 2.10.
• l

  Chrysost. Theophylact. Gorran. in loc. Pauli.
• m

  D^r. Incognit.
• n

  Euthym. Placid parmen. in loc. idem Aquin. in Phi∣lip. 2. lect. 3.
• o

  August. in loc.
• p

  Esay 45.23.
• q

  Gregor. moral. lib. 8. cap. 40. Chrysost. Incognit. Agellius in loc.
• r

  Hierom. Chrysost. Theophylact. Euthym.
• s

  Marlorat. in 1. Cor. 15.24.
• t

  Mat. 11.27. Iohn 3.35.
• u

  See Luther, Anselm. Lombard. in 1. Cor. 15.24.
• x

  Philip. 3.21.
• y

  Ioh. 5.19.
• z

  Euthym.
• a

  Bellarmin. in loc.
• b

  Tileman.
• c

  Cant. 6.3.
• d

  Loc. Com. tit. de persecut. verae Eccles.
• e

  Mat. 26.47.
• f

  Tileman.
• g

  Vbi sup.
• h

  Psal. 99.1.
• i

  Psalm. 2.
• k

  Apoc. 7.1.
• l

  See epist. on Al-Saints day.
• m

  Vatablus in loc.
• n

  Coloss. 2.15.
• o

  Hos. 13.14.
• p

  Esay 53.5.
• q

  Ier. 23.6.
• r

  Esay 1.18.
• s

  Esay 25.8.
• t

  1. Cor. 15.55.
• u

  Ioh. 17.3.
• x

  Apocal. 20.6.
• y

  Esay 25.4.
• z

  Psalm. 46.1.
• a

  Rom. 8.33.
• b

  Mat. 28.20.
• c

  Plutarch in the life of Caesar.
• d

  Caluino. turcis. lib. 1. cap. 4.
• e

  Vbertas soli∣eta. tract. de cau∣sis magnitud. imperij Turcici.
• f

  Augerius. Bus∣bequius legat. Turcic. epist. 1.
• g

  Melancthon. Tileman. Vatablus. Agellius.
• h

  Cap. 2. vers. 3.
• i

  Cap. 4. vers. 2.
• k

  Rom. 10.18.
• l

  Mark. 16.15.
• m

  1. Thess. 2.13.
• n

  1. Cor. 2.7.
• o

  Ephes. 6.17.
• p

  Tileman in loc.
• q

  Luk. 19.44.
• r

  Lament. 1.1.
• s

  Apocal. 20.8.
• t

  Mat. 11.3.
• u

  Agellius. Bellarmin.
• x

  Chrysost. Euthym.
• y

  Lib. 1. cap. 2. & 3.
• z

  1. Cor. 15.19.
• a

  1. Iohn 5.19.
• b

  Matth. 13.30.
• c

  Cant. 2.2.
• d

  Lib. de re ru∣stica.
• e

  Rom. 8.37.
• f

  Iustin Mart. in dialog. cum Tryphon.
• g

  Baro ius prae∣fat. tom. 8. annal.
• h

  Loc com. tit. de Luthero.
• i

  M^r. Fox in his martyrdome.
• k

  Caluin.
• l

  Tremellius.
• m

  2. Thess. 2.8.
• n

  Melanct. Mollerus. Tileman.
• o

  Tremel. Wilcox.
• p

  Agellius.
• q

  Tileman. Melancthon. Mollerus.
• r

  Esay 61.6.
• s

  Genebrard.
• t

  Bellarm.
• u

  Psal. 50.16.
• x

  Bradford in a letter to the City of London.
• y

  Apoc. 3.16.
• z

  1. Kings 18.21.
• a

  Hosea 10.2.
• b

  Aul. Gellius Noct. attic. lib. 16. cap 15.
• c

  Bradford in a letter to D^r. Hill Physitian.
• d

  Fox Mart. fol. 1911.
• e

  Chrysost. Hierome. Augustine. Euthym. in loc. Idem Ambrose de fide lib. 1. cap. 6. & Euseb. hist. lib. 1. cap. 4.
• f

  See Tertull. lib. 5. cont. Mar. & Iustin. dialog. cum Tryphon. Galat de arca∣nis, lib. 3. cap. 17. Melanct. in loc.
• g

  See Steuchus & Mollerus in loc.
• h

  Bucer. Caluine. Mollerus. Tileman. Geneua gloss. Strigellius. Tremellius.
• i

  Deut. 32.2.
• k

  1. Pet. 1.23.
• l

  Iohn 1.12.
• m

  Buchanan Pa∣raphras. in loc.
• n

  Psal. 105, 8.
• o

  Psal. 89.34.
• p

  Psal. 33.9.
• q

  Ezech. 37.14.
• r

  Numb. 23.19.
• s

  Luk. 21.33. Mat. 5.18.
• Quoad nos.
• t

  Ioh. 17.3.
• u

  Heb. 2.3.
• x

  1. Epist. 5.10.
• y

  Heb. 4.16.
• z

  Mat. 9.13.
• a

  Ezech. 33.11.
• b

  Ferus postil. ser. 5. in. Dom. septuages.
• c

  1. part. quaest. 21. art. 3.
• d

  Rom. 6.19.
• e

  Ephes. 4.30.
• f

  Gen. 6.6.
• g

  1. Sam. 15.11.
• h

  Placid. parmen.
• i

  Psal. 7.13.
• k

  Psal. 89.34.
• l

  Hierom. in loc. & Thomas 22••. quaest. 89. art. 3.
• m

  Agelsius in loc.
• n

  Caluin in loc.
• o

  Heb. 5.1.
• p

  See epist. 3. Sund, in Lent.
• q

  1. Ioh. 2.2.
• r

  Apoc. 13.8.
• s

  Jn loc.
• t

  Heb. 9.
• u

  Coloss. 2.17.
• x

  Act. 4.12.
• y

  1. Ioh. 1.7.
• z

  Heb. 9.12.13.
• a

  Esay 1.11.
• b

  2. Chro. 26.16.
• c

  Leuit. 16.
• d

  Galath. 1.4.
• e

  Ephes. 5.2.
• f

  1. Pet. 1.19.
• g

  Leuit. 8.12. Psal. 133.2.
• h

  Luk. 4.18.21.
• i

  Leuit. 16.6. Heb. 7.27.
• k

  Esay 53.9.
• l

  Deut. 12.11. Iohn 4.20.
• m

  Iohn 4.21.
• n

  Heb. 7.23.
• o

  Song of the three Children. vers. 38.
• p

  Bellarmin. de cullu sanct. cap. 10. §. secundo. respondet.
• q

  See Tileman. Heshusius in loc.
• r

  In fine Chron. Marian. Scot. & Mart. Polon.
• s

  Fox Martyr. fol. 1027.
• t

  Genebrard in loc.
• u

  Fox Mart. pag. 1271.
• x

  Galat. 4.26.
• y

  Hierom. quaest. sen. tradit. Hae∣braic. in Gen. tom. 3. fol. 226. Dio. Carthus. Em. Sa, Vata∣blus in Gen. 49. & Tileman in loc.
• z

  Ieremy 23.6.
• a

  1. Cor. 1.30.
• b

  Esay 9.6.
• c

  Ephes. 2.16.
• d

  Lombard. Aquin. Anselm in Heb. 7
• e

  Theophylact. Primasius in Heb. 7. & Chry∣sost. in loc.
• f

  Hierome. Agellius in loc.
• g

  John 8.56.
• h

  Gen. 14.18.
• i

  Iohn 6.55.
• k

  Matth. 26.26.
• l

  Apud Chemnit. exam. Con. Tri∣dent. part. 2. pag. 171.
• m

  Caluin in loc.
• n

  Bradfords let∣ter to his mother apud Fox, Mart. fol. 1476.
• o

  A monument hereof in the Church at Stelft a Burg in Ger∣many, about 20. miles from Jn∣sprucke.
• p

  Theodoret. Euthym. Turrecremat,
• q

  Bellarmine.
• r

  Caluine. Tileman. Tremellius.
• s

  Psal. 96.13.
• t

  In loc.
• u

  Bucer. Mollerus. Ʋatablus.
• x

  Caluin. Tremel.
• y

  Bucer. Wilcox.
• z

  Luther. Mollerus. Strigellius.
• a

  Tileman.
• b

  Iohn 8.44.
• c

  Luther in loc.
• d

  2. Tim. 2.2.
• e

  1. Tim. 4.16.
• f

  Caluin. Ribera. Ʋatablus in Obad.
• g

  Luther. Mollerus. Caluin. Tileman. Strigellius.
• h

  Psal. 143.2.
• i

  Dan. 9.18.
• k

  Bxod. 32.13. Deut. 9.27.
• l

  Luke 18.12.
• m

  Rom. 10.14.
• n

  Exod. 20.5.
• o

  Iohn 3.16.
• p

  Matth. 3.17.
• q

  Rom. 8.32.
• r

  Luther in loc.
• s

  Placidus. Luther. Mollerus. Genebrard.
• t

  Caluin. & Ma••lorat. in Heb. 6.16.
• u

  Psal. 116.10. & Psalm. 62.9.
• x

  Mark. 10.18.
• y

  Primasius, Lombard. in Heb. 6.
• z

  2. Chron. 6.30.
• a

  Psalm 7.10.
• b

  See Thomas 22 a. quaest. 89. art. 1.
• c

  2. King. 2.23.
• d

  Gen. 22.16.18.
• e

  Lib. 3. cap. 27.
• f

  In loc.
• g

  Hugo in loc.
• h

  Gen. 47.29.
• i

  Gen. 24.2.
• k

  De Abra. Patriar. lib. 1. cap. 9.
• l

  Ioh. 6.15.
• m

  Ioh. 18.36.
• n

  D. Incognitus.
• o

  Galath. 4.26.
• p

  Apoc. 21.2.
• q

  Augustin. & Theophylact. in Ioan. 18. See Recognit. Bel∣larmin. à pag. 26. ad pag. 46.
• r

  Psal. 110.1.2.
• s

  2. Cor. 2.16
• t

  See August. in tract. 115. in Joan.
• u

  Rom. 8.14.
• x

  Ioh. 2.27.
• y

  Psal. 24.7.
• z

  Mat. 28.18.
• a

  Apoc. 1.16.
• b

  Mat. 10.28.
• c

  Apoc. 1.6.
• d

  Rom. 8.17.
• e

  Mollerus.
• f

  Caluin.
• g

  1. Chron. 28.9.
• h

  Lament. 1.1.
• i

  Arnobius. Cassiodorus. Hugo.
• k

  So that kind of Speech is vsed, Mat. 23.2.
• l

  Ephes. 4.11.
• m

  Hierome.
• n

  Ephes. 2.6.
• o

  Luther in loc.
• p

  Matth. 16.18.
• q

  Mat. 28.20.
• r

  D^r. Fulke in Matth. 16.18.
• s

  Mat. 15.9.
• t

  1. Tim. 4.1.
• u

  Euthym. in Matth. 11.
• x

  In his last ex∣am. apud. Fox, fol. 1463.
• y

  Confess. Ang∣lican. art. 28.
• z

  Bucer. Ro. Stephanus. Wilcox.
• a

  Cassiodorus. Placidus. Tileman.
• b

  Euthym.
• c

  D. Jncognit. Caluin. Tremel.
• d

  Act. 17.28.
• e

  Psal. 82.6.
• f

  1. Ioh. 3.9.
• g

  Bellar. in loc.
• h

  Ioh. 7, 48.
• i

  Euthym.
• k

  Placidus. Incognitus. Agellius.
• l

  Matth. 2.1.
• m

  Matth. 27.2.
• n

  Ioh. 4.46. Matth. 9.18.
• o

  Jn loc. Idem Euthym.
• p

  Ephes. 2.2.
• q

  Ioh. 12.31.
• r

  See Galatin. de Arcanis, lib. 3. cap. 7. & Bellar. in loc.
• s

  Acts 9.4.
• t

  2. Tim. 3.12.
• u

  Rom. 8.29.
• x

  Placidus. Bucer. Strigellius.
• y

  Apoc. 7.1.
• z

  Cant. 2.2.
• a

  Luk. 10.3.
• b

  Wilcox.
• c

  Bucer.
• d

  John 15.19.
• e

  2. Tim. 2.3.
• f

  Bradford apud Fox Mart. fol. 1490.
• g

  In a letter to his mother.
• h

  Apoc. 17.2.
• i

  Relation of re∣ligion. §. 13.
• k

  Martyr. fol. 860.
• l

  Steuchus. Genebrard.
• m

  Agellius.
• n

  Chrysost. Placidus.
• o

  Acts 4.24.
• p

  Esay 40 7.
• q

  Heb. 12.29.
• r

  Psal. 144.4.
• s

  Rom. 11.20.
• t

  Virgil. Aenead. lib. 10.
• u

  Epod. 7.
• x

  Caluin.
• y

  1. Pet. 2.11.
• z

  2. Cor. 5.1.
• a

  Iob. 4.19.
• b

  Psal. 39.7.
• c

  Bucer.
• d

  Job. 41.18.
• e

  Caluin.
• f

  2. King. 19.28. Esay 17.29.
• g

  Psal. 121.4.
• h

  Bellarmine.
• i

  Hierome.
• k

  2. Sam. 12.7.
• l

  Esay 49.16.
• m

  Esay 41.10.
• n

  Matth. 16.18.
• o

  Coloss. 2.15.
• p

  Matth. 27.60.
• q

  Acts 2.24.31.
• r

  Hierome. Augustin.
• s

  Matth. 28.13.
• t

  Hom. 36.
• u

  Greg. Nyssen orat. 2. de resur∣rect. Christi. Idem annotat, inter neotericos. Caietan. in Matth. 28.
• x

  Caluin. & Rob. Stephanus in loc. See Suarez tom. 2. in 3. Thom. disput. 45. sect. 1.
• y

  Basil. Bellarmine.
• z

  Tremellius.
• a

  Caluin.
• b

  Steuchus.
• c

  Herodianus lib. 1.
• d

  Claudianus.
• e

  Tileman.
• s

  Confess. Ang∣lican. art 37. and in the ad∣monition to sim∣ple men annexed to Queene Eli∣zab. Iniunctions.
• g

  1. King. 20.39.
• h

  Petitur à te non curatio sed cura Bernard.
• i

  1. Cor. 3.6.
• k

  Fox Mart. fol. 1003.
• l

  Ephes. 6.4.
• m

  Epist. lib. 1. epist. 10.
• n

  Euthym. Caluin.
• o

  1. King. 18.18.
• p

  Mat. 14.14.
• q

  2. Sam. 12.
• r

  Act. 8.23.
• s

  Galath. 3.3.
• t

  Iam. 5.3.
• u

  Prou. 1.7.
• x

  Mat. 5.25.
• y

  Heb. 3.13.
• z

  Caluin. Genebrard.
• a

  Augustin. de verbis dom. in euang. secund. Mat. ser. 16.
• b

  Lactantius institut. lib. 4. cap. 4.
• c

  Termes of law. Tit. scire facias.
• d

  Luk. 12.47.
• e

  See notes vp∣on the 111. Psal.
• f

  Michael de Hungaria, ser. 5. & Stella in Luk. 15.7.
• g

  Ioel. 2.12.
• h

  See Basilicon Doron. pag. 7. 8.
• i

  Iohn 5.39.
• k

  Strigellius.
• l

  Hierome. Euthym.
• m

  Caluin.
• n

  1. Cor. 10.12.
• o

  Philip. 2.12.
• p

  Mark. 7.6.
• q

  Placidus.
• r

  Psal. 81.1. & 100.1.
• s

  Lorin. Turrecremat.
• t

  Bellarmine.
• u

  Agellius.
• x

  Deut. 4.24.
• y

  Placidus.
• z

  Dan. 4.24.
• a

  Matth. 11.30.
• b

  See Hierome. Steuchus. Bucer. Agellius in loc. & Bellarm. de verbo dei, lib. 2. cap. 13.
• c

  1. Kings 19.18 see Hierome in Iob. 31.27. & in Hose. 13.2.
• d

  Gen. 45.15.
• e

  Ruth. 1.9.
• f

  Psalm. 95.6.
• g

  Matth. 28.9.
• h

  Rom. 10.15.
• i

  Placidus. Steuchus.
• k

  Agellius.
• l

  Bellarmine.
• m

  Io. Ganeius. Parasinus Theo∣logus in loc.
• n

  Ephes. 2.16.
• o

  Cant. 1.1.
• p

  Melanct. in loc.
• q

  Strigellius in loc.
• r

  Concordia duo∣rum cordium, os∣culum duorum corporum con∣iunctio. Io. a Ie∣su-Maria, in Cant. 1.
• s

  Rom. 2.4.
• t

  Heb. 10.31.
• u

  Strigellius. Tileman.
• x

  Hierome.
• y

  Acts. 4.12.
• z

  See Placidus. Melancthon. Bucer in loc.
• a

  Ioh. 3.18.
• b

  D. Kimchi. apud Bucerum in loc.
• c

  Placidus. Caluin. Genebrard. Io. Ganeius in loc. Idem Bel∣larm. de verbo dei, lib. 2. cap. 11
• d

  In loc.
• e

  Deut. 28.3.
• f

  Rom. 8.28.
• g

  Ephes. 1.3.
• h

  Matth. 13.16. Luke 10.23.
• i

  Psal. 32.1. Rom. 4.7.
• k

  Psal. 1.1.
• l

  Matth. 24.46.
• m

  Matth. 25.34.
• n

  Matth. 5.3.
• o

  Melanct. Caluine. Tileman.
• p

  Tremellius.
• q

  The like phrase Psal. 138. and Philip. 1.6.
• r

  Mollerus. Tileman, Caluine, opposing heauen to ter∣rene meanes.
• s

  1. Sam. 14.6. & 2. Chron. 24.11.
• t

  Psal. 145.18.
• u

  Psal. 50.15.
• x

  Psal. 2.12.
• y

  Euthym. Agellius. Genebrard.
• z

  Calu••ne.
• a

  D. Incognit. Beza. Buchanan.
• b

  1. Tim. 6.17.
• c

  Iob. 31.24.
• d

  Prou 11.4.
• e

  Baruc. 3.17.19
• f

  Prou. 28.1.26.
• g

  2. Sam. 16 23.
• h

  Iob. 5.13.
• i

  1. Sam. 17.45.
• k

  Ierem. 17.5.
• l

  Psal. 146.3.
• m

  Psal. 20.7.
• n

  Iob. 16.2.
• o

  Tileman. Bellarmine.
• p

  D. Incognitus. Wilcox.
• q

  Heb. 1.18.
• r

  Luke 1.33.
• s

  Euthym. Bellarmine.
• t

  Bonauent. Mollerus.
• u

  Matth. 23.37.
• x

  Esay 25.4.
• y

  Psal. 91.3.
• z

  Augustine. Hierome. Arnobius.
• a

  Geneua gloss. Wilcox.
• b

  Caluin.
• c

  Psal. 30.5.
• d

  1. Cor. 10.13.
• e

  Apud Tileman in loc.
• f

  Job. 5.7.
• g

  Iob. 14.1.
• h

  Bernard.
• i

  Psal. 34.18.
• k

  Rom. 8.18.
• l

  Idem Strigel∣lius in loc.
• m

  Iob. 1.21.
• n

  Iob. 13.15.
• o

  Iob. 5.18.
• p

  Cant. 2.14.
• q

  Heb. 3.6. See Cyril & Maldo∣nat. in Ioan. 1.39
• r

  Psal. 135.21.
• s

  Matth. 12.42.
• t

  1. Kings 10.1.
• u

  John 7.46.
• x

  Mark. 7.37.
• y

  Matth. 11.5.
• z

  Lucianus in Scytha.
• a

  Habacuc. 2.4.
• b

  Boethius de consolat. Philo∣sophiae lib. 4. prosa. 3.
• c

  Dialog, de im∣mortalit. animae.
• d

  Matth. 7.15.
• e

  Iob. 11.12.
• f

  2. Pet. 2.22.
• g

  Psal. 49.10.
• h

  Psal. 32.10.
• i

  Ardeliones aulici. Tremel.
• k

  See Bellar. & Agell. in loc.
• l

  Bucer. Tileman. Rob. Stephanus.
• m

  Prou. 25.18.
• n

  Bernard. serm. 24. in Cant.
• o

  Psal. 140.3.
• p

  Nat. hist. lib. 11. cap. 37.
• q

  Prou. 30.14.
• r

  Euthym. Caluine.
• s

  Bellarmine. Agellius.
• t

  Psal. 11.2.
• u

  Psal. 124.6.
• x

  Psal. 35.8.
• y

  Iudges 8.
• z

  Exod. 1.
• a

  Exod. 12.
• b

  Ester 7.10.
• c

  Knolles in his life.
• d

  Euseb. hist. lib. 9. cap. 9.
• e

  Psal. 7.17.
• f

  Pet. Bembus hist. Venet. lib. 6. Idem Pontanus de prudent. lib. 4 cap. 16.
• g

  Hierome. Augustine. D. Incognitus. Lorinus.
• h

  Heb. 5.7.
• i

  Acts 4.27.
• k

  In loc.
• l

  Turrecremat. Lorinus in loc.
• m

  Augustine.
• n

  Acts 2.24.
• o

  Heb. 5.7.
• p

  Matth. 26.39.
• q

  Hierome.
• r

  In loc.
• s

  See notes vpon Gospell 10. Sun. after Trinit.
• t

  August. in loc. Consule Lorin. in loc.
• u

  Sent. lib. 3. dist. 15.
• x

  Epist. 25.
• y

  Hierom. in loc.
• z

  Ioh. 10.18.
• a

  Turrecremat.
• b

  Luke 24.1.
• c

  Ioh. 20.1.
• d

  Augustine. Hierome. Lorinus.
• e

  Mollerus. Strigellius.
• f

  Nyssen apud Lorin. in loc.
• g

  Heb. 11.36.
• h

  Ser. 33. super Cant.
• i

  Matth. 23.14.
• k

  Fox Martyr. fol. 859. see the persecutions of Angronge apud eundem fol. 871.
• l

  Sir Tho. Moore preface to his confutation of Tyndals answer amōg the works of More, fol. 340
• m

  D. Carier let. to the King. pag. 47.
• o

  Fox Mart. fol. 1738.
• p

  Jdem ibid. fol. 1389.
• q

  Deut. 4.32.
• r

  Habacuc. 1.5.
• s

  Exech. 24.2.
• t

  Mollerus.
• u

  Tileman. Caluine. Agellius.
• x

  Hosea 10.2.
• y

  Bellarmine.
• z

  Caluine.
• a

  Strigellius. Turrecremat.
• b

  Bucer.
• c

  1. Cor. 5.7.
• d

  1. Cor. 10.3.
• e

  Agellius. Bellarmine.
• f

  Wilcox.
• g

  See notes on 89. Psalme, & sermon on Gun∣powder treason day.
• h

  In Psal.

  • 113
  • 118
  • 145
• i

  Arnobius. Mollerus.
• k

  Melancthon.
• l

  Ecclesiastes. 12.13.
• m

  Agellius. Idem Caluin, & Genebrard.
• o

  Ecclesiasticus 1 24.
• p

  Melancthon. Caluine. Bellarmine.
• q

  Genebrard.
• r

  1. Cor. 1.18.
• s

  Prou. 1.22.
• t

  Origine. Iansenius. Maldonat.
• u

  Theophylact. Marlorat.
• x

  Hall in his Chron. Idem Fox Mar∣tyr. fol. 976.
• y

  Jerem. 4.2.
• z

  Vide Bellarm. de ascensione mentis in deum per scalas creat. grad. 1. 2. 8.
• a

  1. Pet. 2.9.
• b

  De vera sa∣pientia, cap. 1.
• c

  Rom. 1.21.
• d

  Epist. ad Octa∣uium.
• e

  Galat. 3.1.3.
• f

  Tit. 1.16.
• g

  Deut. 32.6.
• h

  Habacuc. 1.16.
• i

  Iob. 31.24.
• k

  1. Sam. 25.25.
• l

  Iudges 16.21.
• m

  Psal. 32.10.
• n

  Mensa philo∣sophica fab. de fatuo.
• o

  Sir R. Barckley felicitie, lib. 5.
• p

  Seneca epist. 65
• q

  Vision of Pierce Plow∣man pass. 3.
• r

  Qui minimè fallitur, quia minimè clau∣ditur. Bernard lib. 5. de Consi∣derat.
• s

  Psal. 112.1.
• t

  Psal. 2.12.
• u

  Psal. 41.1.
• x

  Wisdom. 5.3.
• y

  Aeneas Syluius comment. in Pa∣normit. lib. 3.
• z

  Chrysost. in loc.
• a

  Melanct. Mol∣lerus.
• b

  Verse 99. so Moses Deut. 4.6 Jerem. 8.9.
• c

  Coloss. 2.23.
• d

  Mollerus.
• e

  See Respon. E∣lien. ad apol. Bel∣lar. pag. 207. 208 et Mort. Appeal. lib. 1. ca. 2. §. 13.
• f

  Bulla Clemen. 6 & apud Anto. Florent. part. 3. tit. 22. cap. 6.
• g

  Esay 28.10.
• h

  Psal. 50.15.
• i

  See Gospell on S. Matthias day.
• k

  2. Kings 1.3.
• l

  See Sermon on Gunpow∣der treason day, page 6. 7.
• m

  Iohn 16.23.
• n

  Durant. de ri∣tibus eccles. li. 1. ca. 22. num. 6. see Respon. Elien. ad apolog. Bellarm. Fox Martyr fol. 786. & Pet. Moulin. de∣fence of our faith against Coeffetua. art. 16
• o

  Mat. 26.27.
• p

  Calu. & Mar∣lorat. in loc. Mat.
• q

  Bellar. orat. in schol. habit. tom. 3. controuer. in fine.
• r

  D^r. Fulke in Heb. 13.4.
• s

  See Chemnit. examp. par. 2. page 170. 171.
• t

  Con. Triden. & Bellar. lib. 1. de missa per totum ferè librum.
• u

  Fox Mart. fol. 855.
• x

  Psal. 139.21.
• y

  Iohn 5.39.
• z

  Ex registro. Ioh. Longland E∣pisc. Linc. fol. 85. apud Fox Mart. fol. 763.
• a

  Iudg. 16.25.
• b

  2. Thes. 2.3.
• c

  D^r. Carleton, directions to know the true Church. pa. 40.
• d

  Concil. Tridēt. idem Bell. lib. de verbo Dei non scripto. cap. 3. §. contro. & cap. 4. § nunc vt. & 12 §. dico secundo.
• e

  Bucer. Agellius.
• f

  Chrysost. Euthym.
• g

  Genebr. in loc. & in Psal. 148.13.
• h

  Melancth. Mollerus.
• i

  Psal. 99.1.
• k

  Kings 18.31.
• l

  Psal. 2.1.
• m

  In loc.
• n

  Arnobius. D^r. Incognitus. Bellarmine. R. Stephanus Tileman.
• o

  His, that is, their praise who feare the Lord and doe thereafter, the singular for the plurall. Bucer.
• p

  Prou. 10.7.
• r

  Buchanan.
• q

  Eccles. 49.1.
• s

  Mat. 25.21.
• t

  In vita Agric.
• u

  Tusc. quaest. li. 3
• x

  1 Tim. 6.6.
• y

  Clem. Paedag. lib. 3.
• z

  Psal. 97.11.
• a

  Psal. 64.10. Prou. 13.9.
• b

  Psal. 112.1.
• c

  Caluin.
• d

  Psal. 147.19.
• e

  Wilcox.
• f

  Psal. 95.6.
• g

  Psal. 100.2.
• h

  Ephes. 4.11.
• i

  Matth. 7.21.
• k

  Basil. Chrysost. Euthym.
• l

  Tileman.
• m

  Galat. 4.1.
• n

  Placidus. Bellarmine, D^r. Incognitus.
• o

  Caluine.
• p

  Placidus.
• q

  Esay. 28.10.
• r

  Wilcox.
• s

  Bonauent. Mollerus.
• t

  Wilcox.
• u

  Kimchi apud Genebrard in loc.
• x

  Psal. 2.8.
• y

  Malac. 1.11.
• z

  Psal. 110.1.
• a

  Psal. 89.35.
• b

  Iob. 14.2.
• c

  Heb. 1.12.
• d

  Acts. 17.28.
• e

  Psal. 18.10.
• f

  Psal. 68.4.
• g

  Psal. 95.3.
• h

  Esay. 40.12.
• i

  In loc. Esai. See Bellarm. de ascensione men∣tis in deum per scal. creat. Grad. 2. cap. 1.
• k

  2. Chron. 6.18.
• l

  Luke 21.19.
• m

  Ephes. 6.10.
• n

  Psal. 118.12.
• o

  Apud Ambros. de officijs lib. 1. cap. 13.
• p

  Ambros. in Hexam. lib. 5. cap. 2.
• q

  Matth. 10.30.
• r

  Caluin Instit. lib. 1. cap. 16. Vide Thom. 1. part. quaest. 22. art. 2. & Caie∣tan. ibid.
• s

  John 9.3.
• t

  Lipsius de Con∣stant. lib. 1. cap. 14.
• u

  Psal. 121.4.
• x

  Esay. 49.16.
• Psal. 38.9. Iudges 2.18.
• y

  Psal. 41.3.
• z

  Confession lib. 3. cap. 11.
• a

  See Mollerus & Strigel. in loc.
• b

  Rom. 10.12.
• c

  Acts 1.9.
• d

  Rom. 1.4.
• e

  Marlorat in Luc. 1. See Mag∣nificant, & epist. 3. Sund. after Trinit.
• f

  Aelian. hist. lib. 2.
• g

  Knolles Turk. hist. pag. 4.
• h

  Apud Knolles in the life of Ba∣iazet. 1. fol. 212.
• i

  Knolles vbi sup. fol. 203.
• k

  Abraham Bu∣cholcer. Iud. Chron.
• l

  Camden in Eli∣zabetha pag. 301
• m

  Exod. 2.
• n

  Psalm. 105.17
• o

  Psalm. 78.71.
• p

  Genebrard.
• q

  Iohn 4.44.
• r

  Mollerus.
• s

  Psal. 84 11.
• t

  Psal. 75.8.
• u

  Ester. 3.1.
• x

  Dan. 4.30.
• y

  Acts 12.12.
• z

  See Sir Walter Raulegh preface to the worlds hist.
• a

  Knolles in his life.
• b

  Procopius de bello. Goth. lib. 1 & 3. idem. Simon Schardi∣us in vita Petri de vineis epist. eiusdem praefix. vbi multa hu∣iusmodi repe∣rias.
• c

  Holinshead in the life of Rich. the 2.
• d

  Holinshead in the life of Edw. the 5.
• e

  Sir Walter Rauleigh, vbi sup.
• f

  Chrysostom. Arnobius Iacob. de valent. Bellarmin.
• g

  Gen. 3.19.
• h

  Ephes. 2.6.
• i

  Coloss. 3.2.
• k

  Iob. 4.19.
• l

  Luk. 1.47.
• m

  Philip. 3.20.
• n

  Dr. Jucognit.
• o

  Iacobus de Valent.
• p

  See Gospell Dom. 13. after Triuit.
• q

  Luk. 16.22.
• r

  Ierem. 22.29.
• s

  Wisdome 5.7.
• t

  Job. 14.12.
• u

  2. Pet. 3.10.
• x

  Philip. 3.21.
• y

  Tileman.
• y

  Tileman.
• z

  Iohn 16.21.
• a

  Prouerb. 10.1.
• b

  Beza Para∣phras.
• c

  Gen. 17.
• d

  Judges 13.
• e

  1. Sam. 1.
• f

  Luke 1.43.
• g

  Chrysost. Hierom. Arnobius.
• h

  Esay 54.1.
• i

  Ambros. de in∣terpell. libr. 2. cap. 4. Idem D^r. Incognitus. in loc. & in Psalm. 102.17.
• k

  Chrysost. Mollerus.
• l

  Vatablus. Tremellius. Bellarmine.
• m

  Vulgar latine. English-Geneua.
• n

  Bellarmine.
• o

  In loc.
• p

  Matth. 5.8.
• q

  Gen. 25.22.
• r

  Galat. 5.17.
• s

  Euthym. Genebrard.
• t

  Geneua gloss.
• u

  Melancth. in loc.
• y

  Genebrardus. Iacobus de Valentia.
• y

  Caluin. in loc.
• z

  Ezech. 38.23.
• a

  Bucer. Agellius. R••b. Stephanus.
• b

  Deut. 7.6.
• c

  Exod. 19.4.
• d

  Bellarmine.
• e

  Chrysost. Euthym. Bucer.
• f

  1. Sam. 8.7.
• g

  1. Pet. 2.9.
• h

  Coloss. 1.13.
• i

  Ephes. 2.3.
• k

  Ephes. 6.12.
• l

  Luke 11.22.
• m

  Iohn 12.31.
• n

  Luke 16.9.
• o

  Coloss. 3.6.
• p

  Hosea 10.9.
• q

  1. Sam. 26.16.
• r

  Iohn 8.44.
• s

  Iohn 17.2.
• t

  Mat. 23.15.
• u

  See Ro. Steph. Concord. in dicti∣one regnum & Bellarm. Catech. cap. 4.
• x

  1. Chro. 29.11.
• y

  Dan. 4.31.
• z

  Dan. 6.26.
• a

  Psal. 135.6.
• b

  Mat. 28.18.
• c

  Psal. 110.3.
• d

  Mat. 13.11.
• e

  Marke 1.14.
• f

  Mat. 13.19.
• g

  Esay 11.4.
• h

  Rom. 1.16.
• i

  Rom. 6.12.
• k

  Ephes. 4.19.
• l

  Mollerus.
• m

  Genebrard.
• n

  Euthym.
• o

  Bellarmine.
• p

  In loc.
• q

  Placidus. Turrecremat. Genebrard.
• r

  Psal. 76.1.
• s

  D^r. Incognitus. Agellius.
• t

  Gen. 49.10.
• u

  See Placidus. Bucer. Genebrard. D^r. Incognit. in loc.
• x

  Caluine. Rob. Stephanus. Tremellius. Strigellius. Bellarmine.
• y

  Plautus in Amphit.
• z

  Brunuica faem. Britanica apud Zephilin in vita Neronis.
• a

  Reusnerus in Symbol.
• b

  Epist. 76.
• c

  Lambert per∣ambulation of Kent, pag. 14.
• d

  Apud Ho∣linshed hist. of Scotland, pag. 204.
• e

  Exod. 22.21. Leuit. 19.33.
• f

  Psal. 137.
• g

  Placidus. Genebrard. Beza Paraphras.
• h

  Chaldea. Septuagint. Hierome. Munster. Castalio. Geneua.
• i

  Agellius. Bellarmine. Genebrard.
• k

  Aquila apud Agellium.
• l

  Tileman.
• m

  Esay. 19.18.
• n

  1. Tim. 3.16.
• o

  Deut. 5.15.
• p

  Dio. Carthus. Vatablus. Sa.
• q

  Exod. 14.21.
• r

  Wisd. 19.7.
• s

  Exercitat. 52.
• t

  Haeres. 64.
• u

  Apud Gene∣brard. & Iacob. de Valent. in loc. Idem D^r. Incog∣nit. in Psal. 105.
• x

  Quast. 51. sup. Exod.
• y

  See Wisd. 19.18.
• z

  Psal. 22.13.
• a

  Psal. 17.12.
• b

  Dan. 6.22.
• c

  Exod. 15.5.
• d

  Ionas 1.17.
• e

  Dan. 3.27.
• f

  Serm. 7. before King Edw. 6.
• g

  Fox Martyr. fol. 923.
• h

  Fox vbi sup. fol. 939.
• i

  Jo. Crispin in Catalog. martyr. ex epist. Poggij Florentini quae est ad Leonardū Aretinum.
• k

  Exod. 15.3.
• l

  Wisd. 19.17.
• m

  Psal. 65.14.
• n

  Psal. 8.1.
• o

  Exod. 15.11.
• p

  Augustine. Hierome. Arnobius. Iacob de Valen∣tia.
• q

  Galat. 3.29.
• r

  Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3.
• s

  In loc.
• t

  Luther in Ga∣lat. 3.7.
• u

  Gen. 12.3. Galat. 3.8.
• x

  Exod. 10.22.
• y

  1. Pet. 2.9.
• z

  Psal. 119.105.
• a

  Psal. 19.8.
• b

  Ephes. 1.18.
• c

  Rom. 13.12.
• d

  Acts 15.10.
• e

  Mat. 11.28.
• f

  Iansen. Concor. cap. 47. & Pontan. ser. in festo Matthiae.
• g

  Eccles. 40.1.
• h

  Iob. 14.1.
• i

  Acts 14.22.
• k

  Heb. 12.2.
• l

  Deut. 34.1.
• m

  Rom. 8.18.
• n

  Galat. 5.1.
• o

  Mat. 23.4.
• p

  Tho. Patmore apud Fox Mar∣tyr. fol. 953. I∣dem ferè Primasius. Aquine. Lombard. in Gal. 3.
• q

  Mat. 3.15.
• r

  Anselm.
• s

  Mica. 7.15.
• t

  August. in loc.
• u

  Psal. 32.1.
• x

  Galat. 6.10.
• y

  Apoc. 12.4.
• z

  Acts 4.12.
• a

  Augustin.
• b

  Joh. 6.60.
• c

  Mat. 5.6.
• d

  Exod. 17.6. Numb. 20.11.
• e

  Strigellius in loc. & Mollerus in Psal. 105. v. 41.
• f

  D^r. Jncognitus.
• g

  Matth. 3.16.
• h

  Rom. 6.3.
• i

  Ecclesiastes 1.7.
• k

  In loc.
• l

  Iohn 10.11.
• m

  In loc.
• n

  1. Cor. 4.15.
• o

  Exod. 12.
• p

  1. Cor. 5 7.
• q

  Melancthon in loc. affirmes, that it was v∣sually sung a∣mōg the Iewes at their cele∣bration of Ea∣ster.
• r

  Apoc. 17.6.
• s

  Bellarm. epist. dedic. Tom. 1. controuers.
• t

  Idem epist. de∣dic. Tom. 2. Ba∣ronius epist de∣dic. Tom. 2. an∣nal & reliqui papistae commu∣niter.
• u

  Cap. quoniam de immunitate in 6. & Turre∣cremat sum. lib. 2. cap. 27. per to∣tum.
• x

  2. Thessal. 2.4.
• y

  In Decreto cap. si Papa dist. 40.
• z

  Hen. Sedulius apolog. lib. 2. c. 9.
• a

  Fox Martyr. fol. 913. & 1011
• b

  Buchanan fra∣tres fraterrimi.
• c

  Card. Campe∣gius, Albertus Pighius apud Iewel defence of his apolog. part 4. cap. 1. diuis. 1.
• d

  Cornelius A∣grippa de vanit. scient. cap. 64.
• e

  Jo. Lambert apud Fox Mar∣tyr. fol. 1018.
• f

  Bellarm. de Iu∣stificat. lib. 2. cap. 2. & cap. 10.
• g

  Thom. part. 3. quaest. 25. art. 3.
• h

  Fox Martyr. fol. 821.
• i

  Psal. 136.4.
• k

  Septuagint. Vulgar Latin. Augustine. Hierome.
• l

  Esay 1.3.
• m

  Psal. 89.1.
• n

  Psal. 148.8.
• o

  Psal. 2.11.
• p

  Ierem. 9.1.
• q

  Bernard. lib. 1. de considerat.
• r

  Psal. 144.5.
• s

  Esay. 6.6.
• t

  Psal. 51.15.
• u

  Iob. 41.15.
• x

  Matth. 11.29.
• y

  Ezech. 11.19.
• z

  Iosua 24.23.
• a

  Deut. 30.6.
• b

  Iob. 23.16.
• c

  Pro. 23.12.26.
• d

  Ezech. 36.26.
• e

  Matth. 5.8.
• f

  August. medit. cap. 1.
• g

  Wilcox.
• h

  Mollerus. Caluine. Tremel.
• l

  2. Sam. 12.30.
• k

  Bucer. Mollerus. Genebrard.
• l

  Martial. Epi∣gram. lib. 9. ep. 81
• m

  Gueuara lib. de vita priuata.
• n

  Psalm. 34.3.
• o

  Seruius.
• p

  Festus, idem Godescallus prae∣fat in Veget. de re militari.
• q

  Iudges 1.7.
• r

  Lanquet. Chron. pag. 261.
• s

  Gueuara epist.
• t

  Plutarch.
• u

  Brutum sul∣men. pag. 144.
• x

  Hist. lib. 1. cap. 7.
• y

  Epist. lib. 4. epist. 51.
• z

  Walsingham in Ed. 2. pag. 95.
• a

  Owin. Epigr.
• b

  Psalm. 104.15.
• c

  Prou. 5.18.
• d

  Psal. 128.3.
• e

  Psal. 65.14.
• f

  Psal. 133.
• g

  Caluin. Mollerus.
• h

  Placidus. Bellarmine. Agellius.
• i

  Numb. 18.
• k

  D^r. Jncognit. Mollerus.
• m

  Rom. 2.28.
• n

  Rom. 9.6.
• o

  Mollerus. Caluin.
• p

  Psal. 122.
• q

  Psal. 95.6.
• r

  Psal. 100.3.
• s

  Psal. 84.
• t

  Who make their nests in houses and trees neere thy Taberna∣cle, Hen. Mol∣lerus in loc. Or mystically, whether I lead an actiue life like the Sparrow, or a cōtemplatiue, like the Turtle, thy altars are the best nests to rest in. Bel∣larmine.
• u

  Psal. 145.9.
• x

  Iames 1.17.
• y

  Psalm. 33.5.
• z

  2. Cor. 1.3.
• a

  2. Cor. 12.8.
• b

  Luke 16.22.
• c

  Iob. 16.2.
• d

  Psalm. 32.11.
• e

  Psalm. 103.8.
• f

  Acts 14.17.
• g

  Macab. 12.9.
• h

  2. Cor. 5.20.
• i

  1. Cor. 4.1.
• k

  Psalm. 103.4.
• l

  Rom. 5.7.
• m

  Psalm. 36.5.
• n

  Prouerb. 12.10
• o

  Luke 2.14.
• p

  Augustine. Mollerus.
• q

  Caluin. Placidus. Tileman. Agellius.
• r

  Bucer. Caluin. Mollerus.
• s

  Augustin. Arnobius. Melancthon.
• t

  Mollerus. D^r. Jncognitus.
• u

  Iohn 12.36.
• x

  Rom. 13.12.
• y

  Bonauēt. in loc.
• z

  Iohn 1.9.
• a

  Mal. 4.2.
• b

  Luke 1.78.
• c

  Tileman.
• d

  Psal. 19.6.
• e

  Rom. 10.18.
• f

  Ephes. 3.5.
• g

  Mollerus.
• h

  Church Hō. for Easter day.
• i

  Chrysost. Euthym. Melanch. Bucer.
• k

  Gen. 1.5.
• l

  Chrysost. Euthym. Placidus.
• m

  Melancthon. Mollerus.
• n

  1. Cor. 15.22.
• o

  Psalme 24.7.
• p

  Phil. 2.10.
• q

  Agellius.
• r

  Caluin.
• s

  Vatablus.
• t

  Acts 20.7. 1. Cor. 16.2. Apoc. 1.10.
• u

  Eoban. Hessus.
• x

  Cor. 15.56.
• y

  Ephes. 6.12.
• z

  Luke 11.22.
• a

  Ser. de qua∣druplici debito.
• b

  Gal. 4.4.
• c

  Ionas 1.12.
• d

  Acts 3.15.
• e

  1. Cor. 15.55.
• f

  Bonauēt. in loc.
• g

  Leuit. 25.10.
• h

  D^r. Incognit.
• i

  Psal. 41.11.
• k

  2. Sam. 22.41.
• l

  Gen. 3.15.
• m

  Rom. 6.4.5.
• n

  Aquin. Aretius. Marlorat.
• o

  Raymund. de Sabunde Theo∣log. natural. tit. 277.
• p

  Perkins expo∣sit. Creed. art. Christ resur.
• q

  Ioh. 7.37.
• r

  Ioh. 4.14.
• s

  August. tract. 22. in Ioan. Idē Caluin & alij in loc.
• t

  Matth. 8.22.
• u

  Iohn 5.24.
• x

  1. Thessal. 4.16.
• y

  Matth. 9.25.
• z

  Luke. 7.15.
• a

  John 11.44.
• b

  Serm. 44. de verbis dom. & de hac allegoria vide eundem tract. 49. in Ioan.
• c

  Con. de miseri∣cord. Domini.
• d

  Moles imposita sepulchro ipsa est vis dura consue∣tudinis. August. ser. 44. de verb. Dom.
• e

  Iob. 41.15
• f

  Confess. Angli∣can. art. 25.
• g

  Cant. 2.5.
• h

  Ezech. 47.3.4.5.
• i

  These bones are the whole house of Isra∣el, vers 11. but the faithful are Gods Israel.
• k

  Non modo per seipsum probauit resurrectionem Saducaeis, sed in seipso omnibus. Tertul. lib. de carnis resur.
• l

  Gen. 2.17.
• m

  August. de Ci∣uitat. dei, lib. 13. cap. 12. Aquin. Dion. Carthus. in Gen. 2.
• n

  Apoc. 20.6.
• o

  Chrysost. Euthym. Placidus.
• p

  D^r. Incognitus.
• q

  Colos. 3.16.