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 Page  159 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.

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 Page  160 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 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 Page  161 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.

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 Page  162 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 Page  163 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, Page  164 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 Page  166 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 Page  167 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 Page  168 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,

Page  169
• 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 Page  170 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 Page  171 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 Page  172 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.

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 Page  173 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 Page  174 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 Page  175 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. Page  176 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 Page  177 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 Page  178 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 Page  179 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.