shall make the consumption which he hath determined in the whole lande That is to say God shall consume and destroy the people for their sinnes yet for his own mercies sake he will preserue a remnant out of the which shal rise a new people a new church So the promise in this place made vnto the house of Dauid is cōditionall as the ende declareth in that the whole kingdom is destroyed Notwithstanding this is also true which the Angel saith he shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid for euer This contradiction can neuer be reconciled vnlesse we make such a difference of the promises of god And hereof riseth all the errour of the Iewes that they know not this difference They see great and ample promises concerning their land their kingdom but they see not that they are conditionall And againe all those things which are promised as concerning the spirituall kingdome they apply to the corporall kingdom Hereof it commeth that they glory so much and conceaue so great hope that their kingdom shall be restored But it is an easie matter to iudge how foolishly they are deceiued But we will returne vnto the Psalme The cause why he maketh mention of Dauid we haue declared to be the promises made vnto Dauid for the which he desireth of God that he will not turne away the face of his anoynted that is to say of the King which was anoynted by the word commaundement of God. Now the face of the anoynted he calleth the presence of the King or the kingdom giuen and ordeyned of god As if he sayd Preserue O Lord thy people mainteyne the iustice the iudgementes the equitie the whole politike gouernment of this kingdom that all thinges may be done in due order so that publike peace be not troubled by sedition and ciuill discord that discipline be not defaced and deformed by adulteries and other offences For these things and such like doe perteyne to this kingdom For to enioy a kingdom is not to enioy a crowne or a scepter but a godly ordered common wealth in the which innocencie may safely dwell and contrariwise sinne and wickednes may be seuerely punished All these thinges he prayeth for when he desireth that the face of the anoynted may not be taken away Nowe the cause why he desireth these thinges is for that this people had the word the Church of God emonges them which can not prosper and flourish where all is full of murther adultery warre and contempt of lawes So Paule likewise exhhorteth vs to pray for Kinges and Princes that we may leade a peaceable and a quiet life To this prayer doe we also exhort those ouer whome we haue charge Why then do the wicked accuse vs as troublers of the publike peace ▪ I am verely perswaded that if peace and quietnes be mainteyned by any meanes it is specially by the praiers of our Churches For how should the aduersaries pray what should God giue vnto his enemies the persecutors of his word which are in deede vtterly ignorant what true prayer is or howe they ought to pray Verse 11. The Lord hath sworn in truth vnto Dauid he will not shrinke from it saying Of the fruite of thy body will I set vpon thy throne We are entred as I haue sayde into the second parte of the Psalme in the whiche hee prayeth for the politike or corporall kingdome For these two kingdoms namely the politike and the spirituall kingdom although they be farre vnlike yet are they so ioyned togither that the one can not stand without the other For where politike peace is lacking there can no pietie or godlynes be maintained without great daungers Againe where the worde of God is not there can be no ende of errours blasphemies and other impieties Prayer therefore for politike peace and the common wealth is necessary Now when the word is ioyned withall the greater cause we haue to giue thankes vnto god And this prayer as I haue said is also grounded vpon the promise of god For in prayer we must aske nothing but that wee are certainly perswaded we may or ought to praye for or may be obtayned Now that we may be certaine how to pray what to aske there is not onely a commaundement as touching prayer set forth vnto vs but also a certaine forme of prayer and the very words wherby we are taught how to pray and what we should pray for and moreouer certaine causes expressed for the which we may be assured that our prayer pleaseth God As when we pray for the sanctifying of the name of God the comming of his kingdome c. And here is also to be noted that this promise is confirmed with an othe that it might be the more sure and certaine This promise as touching the temporall kingdome as it is great so was it an occasion to many holy Prophetes of great affliction and cruel death For as the promises of God in their right vse doe raise vp and comfort afflicted and godly mindes so by occasion thereof secure and prophane spirits ware proud presumptuous and through the confidence they haue in these promises they afterwards persecute the godly as we may see by manifest examples in the Prophets who because they reproued the idolatries of the Kings and condemned their false and damnable worshippings threatning the destruction of the kingdome and of the people vnlesse they woulde forsake their abominations turne vnto the Lord were tormented and put to death as heretikes for that they seemed to speake against this and other promises And in deede this seemed to be an inuincible argument whiche they vsed against the Prophets If God said they haue promised that the sonnes of Dauid should sit vpon the throne of Dauid for euer it is impossible that the King should commit any such offence for the which the kingdome should be destroyed The kingdom of the Pope hath not so goodly and so glorious a pretence and yet doth he also abuse the promises of Christe in like maner to establish his tyranny his idolatries and abominations How doth he bragge of this promise of Christ when he faith I will be with you vnto the ende of the worlde As though this pertained to the establishing of the Popes tyranny So that sweete consolation The gates of hell shall not preuaile c. afterwards became bloody and cruel and was an occasion of death and destruction of many Sainctes for that the Pope did apply it vnto him selfe and abused it for the stablishing of his tyrannicall kingdome For this was the only argument whereby they proued that the Pope being the head of the Church could not erre Thus the wicked doe abuse the promises which God hath set forth to raise vp the afflicted minds and consciences of his people against the true Church This was the cause why Amazia the Priest could not abide Amos the Prophet In the middes of thy house sayth
he Amos hath conspired against thee The earth could not beare his talke For thus he saith Ieroboam shall dye by the sworde and Israell shall be ledde away captiue out of their owne lande As though this had bene a thing vnpossible and that the Kinge might commit wickednes and doe what he list without ehecke or punishment Notwithstanding the ende afterwards declared that this was a vaine confidence and that the prophet had said truely Thus the wicked do abuse the promises of God applying the same vnto them selues whereas they belong to the true Church onely and so they become presumptuous and careles They think not of their sinnes or of the iudgement of God but boldly without all feare doe persecute the Saintes of God as we see at this day in the papacie So the true church is oppressed of tyrannes oppugned of false brethren suffereth the contempt and hatred of the world and in outward apperance is euery hower ready to perish Here it is necessary that the godly should raise vp them selues with a trust in the mercies and promises of God for to this ende the promises are set forth But they which should beleue and comfort them selues with these promises doe it not For the infirmitie of the flesh will not suffer them which Satan also encreaseth in setting before their eyes their great daungers and terrours Contrarywise the Church of the wicked which for their sinnes ought to feare and tremble presumeth hopeth liueth in great fecuritie and without all feare So the Pope holdeth fast that promise with y which our Sauiour Christ comforteth his Disciples when he sayth I will be with you alway vnto the ende of the world perswading him selfe that Peters voate though it may be in daunger shall neuer be drowned But the true church to that which onely these thinges are spoken doth not so beleue them nor rayse vp it selfe with a trust and confidence in these promises as it should doe Thus in all times and ages the condition of the true Church hath bene alwayes one Now like as the wicked liue in great hope and comfort them selues maruelously so long as they are in prosperitie so when they are touched with aduersitie they most miserably despayre But the godly continue and constantly endure in hope and comfort in all troubles and calamities So this promise as touching the kingdom of Christ was hindred many and sundry wayes by rebellious people by enemies and wicked Kinges vntil at the last the citie and the temple were destroyed the people caried away captiue and none left but plowmen and such as were of the basest sort Nowe the word the worship and seruice of God the accustomed iudgements and briefly the Church the policie and the kingdom were gone Here what hope was left that there should remaine any posteritie vnto Dauid as this Psalme here promiseth This promise therefore was necessary that thereby the godly might be able to comfort them selues that it was impossible for this kingdome to fall before Christ the true seede of Dauid shoulde be reueiled Wherefore when all thinges seemed to be most desperate God raised vp certeine notable Prophets He set vppe Daniel also emonges great and mighty Princes Moreouer the time was appoynted by the Prophet Ieremy namely 70. yeares after the which they shoulde returne into their land The remnant of the royall stocke that is to say of Dauid was preserued euen in captiuity Thus although the kingdom seemed in outward shewe to be vtterly forsaken yet was it not forsaken and the godly constantly continued in hope of deliuerance when the wicked despayred and miserably perished In like maner doe we beleue and comfort our selues at this day that Christ will defend and mainteyne his kingdome and his Church euen to the end of the world though the Romish Antichrist triumph neuer so much sitting in the temple of God and exercising his tyranny as though he would vtterly oppresse the Church For these promises God left with his Church that in such necessitie and daungers it should not be without comfort Which promises albeit the Church can not fully and perfectly beleue yet doth it not deny or reiect the same And Christ accepteth and commendeth our fayth although it be no more then a grayne of mustard feede This to knowe this to teach it is necessary For the time will come if we be not preuented by the later day when Satan by his ministers with might and maine wil attempt all the meanes he can to quench the doctrine of the Gospell Here although we also shall see the kingdom brought into captiuitie and the Arke caried cleane away as the Iewes did yet must we trust that God will giue vs Prophets and that his Church although it seeme to be vtterly forsaken he wil neuer for forsake For the word of God whose promise we haue ought to moue vs more then the present daunger seeme it neuer so terrible For if God through much patience did preserue his Church vnder the Papacie if he suffered many abuses which blind guides and wicked teachers brought into the Church if at the length when all thinges were desperate and past all hope he caused the light of his worde to shine in the middes of most horrible darkenes why should we despayre The mercie of God is greater then heauen and earth is able to swallow vp all errors into the which the very elect by false prophets blind teachers and the iniquitie of time are often times ledde There is no man which would not wish for peace and quietnes in the common wealth and in the people obedience and godlines So is it to be wished that in the Church there might be vnitie and concorde and that there might be no offence either in doctrine or life that Princes and Magistrats would not hate or persecute but like loue embrace the word Notwithstanding such a common wealth and such a Church may well be paynted out of a cunning artificer but in this worlde they coulde neuer yet be founde Wherefore let vs not looke to see the face either of such a quiet common wealth or of so pure a Church But herewith let vs content our selues that the Church and common wealth although they are not without great troubles and daungers doe not vtterly perish that there is some maiestie in the common wealth and in the Church pure and sounde doctrine and that there are some which magnifie the word vse prayer and frequent the Sacraments although the greater part doe the contrary And to this ende doe perteine these consolations that whiles all things seeme to fall to wracke and ruine we cast not away all hope and vtterly despayre When I behold the miserable face of the Church at this day in that the Pastors and Preachers of the worde are so neglected yea so contemned and despised thus I often thinke with my selfe that the whole ministerie although there were no tyrannes to oppresse
were iudged with equitie The celestiall Ierusalem hath the tribunall seate where iudgement is shall be most iustly pronounced vpon the vniuersall world and vppon all men that either haue beene be or shall be The Lord graunt that with an inuincible faith we may mount vp to this celestiall Ierusalem the citie of God where are such ioyes felicitie as neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor tongue can tel nor yet heart can think Verse 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee To pray for the peace of Ierusalem is to pray for the safetie prosperitie and welfare of the Church of God that Satan haue no power to hinder the course and fruite of the word Dauid sawe first in spirit this horrible contempt of the word and ministery moreouer he saw that this glorious gift could not be preserued by mans diligence Therefore he goeth about here to stirre vppe the harts of men to pray for the preseruation of this gift As if he said Here is the Lords owne seate and throne of iudgement notwithstanding how few doe reuerence and regard it as they should doe Yea the greatest part of the world hateth it and wisheth the subuersion therof Wherfore I exhort you ▪ O ye litle flock to honour and reuerence this seate to pray for the peace thereof louingly to salute it and to say The Lord out of Sion blesse thee c. So long as this citie flourisheth ye haue the Lord him self speaking saying giuing victory against all the assaults of Satan against sinne the terrour of conscience c. What cause haue ye then to pray for the prosperitie of this citie wherby ye inioy such heauenly benefites When the church of God doth not prosper it cannot go wel with any perticular member thereof No maruell then why Dauid so earnestly exhorteth all the faithfull to pray for the peace and prosperitie of the Church Wherefore if we will pray as we ought to do we must first and principally commend vnto God the common state of the church For he that seeketh his owne welfare and neglecteth the state and prosperitie of the Church doth not only shew him selfe to be voyd of all sense and zeale of true piety but also the prayers which he maketh for him selfe are in vaine profite him nothing Let them prosper that loue thee He wisheth vnto them which loue the word and reuerence this seat that God would blesse them with all maner of blessing felicitie And this prayer is very necessary For we see dayly howe the true professors of the Gospell are in daunger by the ministers of Satan the enemies of God his truth on euery side which could be content rather to haue the Turke to reigne ouer them yea the deuill him selfe and all the furies of hell then to see vs prosper and the Gospel to flourish least their cursed workes of darknes and infidelitie should appeare vnto the world Verse 7. Peace be within thy walls and prosperitie within thy pallaces Nowe that the Prophet hath exhorted all men to pray for the peace and prosperitie of Ierusalem he turneth vnto the citie and doth not onely wish wel vnto it but also he sheweth vnto other how they should pray for it The summe whereof is that true religion may flourish the ministerie and ministers of the word may be defended against the false prophets that concord may be maintained emongst the pastors and preachers of the word and that the ciuil gouernment may prosper Howe necessary this prayer is experience daily teacheth vs For where these 2. things are namely concord in the Church and peace in the ciuill state there can no good thing be lacking therfore the deuil so busily laboureth to trouble the peace of them both This was the cause why there was such a multitude of false prophets rebells seditious persons emongst this people as the stories do testify Wherfore Dauid being taught by his owne experience prayeth for these 2. thinges without the which the world is nothing els but a wild desert Example hereof may be vnto vs the late times wherein we liued vnder the Pope before this light of the Gospel beganne to shyne For then when the sound doctrine of the word was lacking what could the Pope all his shauelings doe What one verse did they rightly vnderstand throughout the whole psalter Wherby it came to passe that they were not able to resist most manifest impieties which by the strong mighty delusions of the deuil ouerflowed the world as in pilgrimages where they maintained most damnable idolatries and caused the people to adore the works of their owne handes and if any man spake against them he was vp and by taken and burnt as an heretike So true is it that when the word is once lost the world remaineth in most horrible darkenes and can doe nothing else but abuse the giftes of God and so falleth to most detestable impietie or else to desperation This Dauid foreseeth and therefore he prayeth so earnestly for the prosperitie of Ierusalem for faithfull pastors in the Church and godly Princes in the politike state Verse 8. For my brethren and neighbours sakes I will wish thee now prosperitie Here Dauid sheweth the cause as he doth also in the verse following why he prayeth thus for Ierusalem As if he sayd In that I wish that peace may be in thee o Ierusalem in that I desire thy prosperity and welfare I doe it for my brethren and neighbours sakes that is for my fellowes and companions in faith and religion And here in his owne person he sheweth the commō complaint of all those that rule either in the church or in the common weale or in families which is that the greater part of men is euer peruerse and wicked The godly pastour when he goeth about with great care diligence to reforme the corrupt life and wickednes of the people seeth notwithstanding that the more part stil remaineth peruerse intractable The Magistrate traueling with like care and diligence in his calling findeth the people disobedient incorrigible Likewise is it in houshold gouernment What vnfaithfull seruice shalt thou finde euen amongst those whom thou thoughtest to haue found most true and faithfull Hereof it commeth that many are discomforted and vtterly discouraged seeing so litle fruite and successe to ensue of their godly trauels Notwithstanding we see it can not otherwise be For Satan our perpetuall enemy ceaseth neither night nor day to stirre vppe discord and peruerse opinions in the Church in the ciuil state stubborne and disobedient persons in houshold gouernment negligent and vnfaithfull families Here we must looke with Dauid not to the greater part which is euer wicked but to our brethren and neighbours So doth Paule in the 2. Timoth. 3. For the elects sake I susteyne and suffer all things sayth he For if it were not for their sakes who would willingly take vpon him the office of
Here is to be noted also that he sheweth to whom he wisheth euill namely to those which hate Sion And that hatred which they bare against Sion was an hatred against god For in that Satan hateth the Church he doth it not onely in respect of men but because he hateth God him selfe whom the church prayseth and magnifieth Moreouer Sion was a place which God had chosen vnto him self Like as therfore God had chosen that place to shew his great loue towards it so had Satan chosen the same to shewe his malice against it and with all his power to vexe it In like maner not onely Satan but also the malignant Church of the Pope doth persecute vs not because we are euil in the sight of the world For this they could wel suffer yea would be glad if they might heare that we are whoremongers murtherers as they are But the true cause why they so deadly hate and persecute vs is this for that it greeueth them that we in their eyes are innocent as touching the second table and also obedient to the first wherein we are commaunded to honour serue and prayse the Lord to feare him to trust in his mercie c. Verse 6. Let them be as the grasse on the toppes of the houses which withereth afore it commeth forth This is a goodly Psalme for the sundry excellent and most apte similitudes conteyned therein whereby the holy Ghost painteth out those great maiesties principalities of the world which fight against the gospel A litle before he compared them to plowers drawing out furrowes of a maruelous length To whom he so compareth them not in this respect as though it were graunted vnto them so long to abuse their power wealth and riches but in respect of the great tediousnes griefe and anguish of those which suffer the plowers the furrowes the wounds and treading vnder foote For vnto them it seemeth a tedious a long and as it were an infinite plowing Wherefore they desire to be deliuered and neuer so litle tarrying through this tediousnes and anguish of hart seemeth to them intolerable Against this wearines and this tediousnes therefore he comforteth the faithfull with this similitude of grasse in the toppe of the house As if he sayd Why seemeth the time so long and so tedious vnto thee Why doest thou not learne to vnderstand what these plowers thy aduersaries be Diddest thou neuer see grasse growing in the toppes of houses Who did euer complaine that that grasse flourished so long who euer went about to plucke it vp As though it were not wont of it selfe to wither and vanish away Learne therefore that the very same is the state and condition of thine aduersaries Thus with one similitude he fighteth against an other But if a man could effectually beleue that this similitude was made and here set downe by the holy Ghost close vp the same fully in his heart he should feare neither y Turke nor the Pope with all his cruel Prelats nor the tyranny of Princes but should contemne them all and as litle regard them as the grasse on the toppes of the houses But behold the outward shew of this grasse If any child should see it he would esteme it to be better then any barley for to barley it is most like since it groweth not as other thinges doe vpon the earth but in an higher and more notable place lodeth the topps of the houses But take a man that knoweth these thinges and he will say it is nothing else but a goodly shewe resemblance without any fruite Thus hath the holy Ghost chosen this similitude to teach vs not to wish that tyrannes may be like grasse but to knowe that they are in deede most like vnto grasse on the house toppes which withereth away before the haruest time come or any man goe about to cut it downe Senacherib who besieged Ierusalem did flie ouer kingdoms oppressed trode downe all things vnder his feete therefore he could not be counted of Ezechia and others like vnto grasse and yet before he achieued that he went about he was compelled not without great feare and also much slaughter of his souldiers to reise his siege and he him selfe also most miserably perished So Pharao seemed mightely to growe and encrease not vpon the earth but in the ayre vppon the house toppes but the miserable Iewes were oppressed and troden vnder foote like myre in the streetes This is a resemblāce of grasse not withering but freshly flourishing But how quickly did it wither and vanish to nothing For when Pharao did verely thinke to oppresse them he was suddenly oppressed him selfe and perished in the waters Such an image of tyrannes and tyranny the holy Ghost paynteth out vnto vs in this place Why then shouldest thou feare Why shouldest thou tremble Why shouldest thou despayre as though thou haddest neuer seene most flourishing grasse within few dayes to wither away of it owne accord or diddest not know the nature of it to be such as can not long continue Athanasius when Iulianus the Emperour did many wayes afflict both him the whole Church fought not onely with crueltie but also with craft and subteltie against the faithfull in so much that others as it were in a terrible tempest were vtterly discouraged and past all hope of deliuerance sayd that this persecution of Iulian was not a tempest but a litle cloude In deede this heart was full of fayth which could beleue that Iulianus was like not to a terrible and a violent tempest not to a mighty black cloud wrapping all things in darknes but vnto a very litle cloude which the Sunne doth quickly consume In like maner must we also extenuate and diminish the power of our aduersaries set at naught all their proude bragges and all their crueltie not in respect of our owne strength but because they are of them selues nothing else but a buble in the water grasse on the house toppes and a very shadow rather then men besides this that they prouoke God also against them selues whose fury and cruelty compared vnto his power is a thing more vaine then grasse on the house toppes or a bubble in the water for it is nothing else but a bare and a naked shew which semeth to be something when in deede it is nothing So are all the attempts of the aduersaryes full of threatnings but in the ende they come to nothing This is the wisedome of Christians to diminish the power of the aduersaryes contrariwise to amplifie the word the mighty protection of the lord The deuill sinne death and other spiritual tentations are greate but a Christian can make a distinction of greatnes For greatnes is vnderstand two maner of wayes The one is according to the eye which the eye iudgeth after the outward shew the other is according to the trueth which the truth iudgeth after the word The greatnes therfore of sinne death wicked kings Princes
Sauiour Christ God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham For whereas the promise was made vnto Abraham the Phariseis because they were the children of Abraham thought they shoulde vndoubtedly be heires of the promise This confidence made them bold to liue carelesly and without all feare of god Therefore saith he it is certaine that the children of Abraham shall be heires of the promises made vnto Abraham but if ye will be carelesse and wil not obey the commaundement of God I say vnto you it is an easie thing for God to reiect you and of the very stones to reise vp a posteritie vnto Abraham So this promise dependeth wholy vpon the condition to bridle and beate downe our presumption The couenant is the promise of mercie through christ The Testimonies are the will of God reueiled vnto all ages by Moses and the Prophets Wherefore he requireth faith and then obedience vnto the law And here is to be noted that he addeth VVhich I will teach them For he will be the teacher and he wil be heard He will not that the Councells should be heard or such as teach that he hath not taught So we say also of the Church that where so euer the promise of God is beleued and his word obeyed there is the Church But they that doe not beleue bragge they of their glorious titles their holy vocations and such like neuer so much are reiected of God no members of the Church For who would beleue the Pope because he is the Pope And yet for this onely cause he will be beleued no man may aske whether the thinges which he teacheth be true and sound but he will haue men simply to beleue that that holy sea can not erre Against this who so euer dare once open their mouthes or examine his decrees by the word of God are drawne and haled to all kindes of torments Like as therefore the Iewes taught and defended their errors and impieties by the authoritie of their Kinges vppon whome this promise seemed to be grounded euen so in all ages is the false church wont to doe But we answere that in deede the promise is true and yet is it conditionall namely If ye keepe my couenant and my testimonies For God did not so anoynt the Kings that they should doe what so euer seemed good in their sight or what so euer they ordained or taught God would approue because they were kings and the anoynted of God but he addeth If ye keepe my couenant So in the newe Testament it is a true saying He that heareth you heareth me but yet not generally to be vnderstand of all those which teach in the Church For some teach not the word of Christ but their owne word This word God willeth not to be heard but commaundeth that it be not heard when he sayth Take heede of false prophets So Moses in Deutronomie commaundeth that the king should neuer lay the booke of the lawe out of his handes but should exercise the same continually in reading in learning and in practising the same If this commaundement was giuen to the Kings vnder the law what shall we then thinke of the word of the newe Testament In vayne shall the Pope and his Prelates here glorie and bragge of the Councells the fathers the Church the dignitie which they haue so many yeares vsurped All these are so farre to be approued and beleeued as they teach according to the rule of the holy Scripture For the Church which hath authoritie from God is that onely and alone which followeth the voyce and the word of the Lord. Moreouer we learne by experience that nothing is more common emongest men then to abuse the authoritie and power committed vnto them very few there be which doe rightly vse their authoritie either in the Church or in the common wealth The cause is for that the greater part serue their owne affections their owne lustes and pleasures and whiles they shoulde rule others they suffer them selues to be ruled and gouerned of Satan Hereof commeth it that we see the Pope the Bishops yea the whole Papacie to haue no care of the word nor loue to the word at all but are wholy giuen ouer to seeke theor owne glorie dignitie wealth and pleasure Wherefore their authoritie bindeth not vs although it were the authoritie of an Angell from heauen but with good conscience we depart from them lest we should be disobedient to the high authoritie and Maiestie which is God him selfe But if the Pope with his Prelates would not resist and persecute the doctrine of Christ if with vs they would beleue teach that we are iustified by the onely price of the blood of Christ and would not teach men to make marchandise of their owne merites and workes we would gladly acknowledge their authoritie But since they manifestly impugne the worde since they defende their impieties and abominations with extreme crueltie and tyranny we doe not onely reiect and contemne their authoritie but we say as Paule sayth that they are accursed It is a common principle emongest the popish Doctors that the Pope is aboue the worde and the Scripture and that in the lawe of God he may dispense as pleaseth him But God giueth no authoritie vnto man aboue the word So should he set man that is to say dust and dunge aboue him selfe for what is the word but God him selfe This word they that honor obey and keepe are the true Church in deede be they neuer so contemptible in the world but they which doe not are the church of Satan and accursed of God. And this is the cause why it is expresly set downe in the text The testimonies which I will teach them For so will God vse the ministerie of teachers and Pastors in the Church that he notwithstanding will be the chiefe Pastor and all other ministers and Pastors what so euer yea the Church it selfe shall be ruled and gouerned by the word Emongest the people of Israel the Kings and Priestes glorying and vaunting of their vocation thought they might doe what they list So the Pope and his Prelates at this day will not be subiect to the authoritie and rule of the word the Scripture For the euill conscience which the Pope hath doth alway cry out and witnesse vnto him that the holy Scripture is the word of God and therefore will be against him vtterly condemne him Wherefore there is no prison which he more hateth and abhorreth then the word of God. This conditionall sentence is here set down because of the wicked that they should not take vppon them an absolute power contrary to the word For there is no absolute promise but that which perteineth vnto Christ which saith not with a certeine condition but generally and absolutely that Christ should come of the seede of Abraham Nowe whereas the corporall kingdom did endure vntill this promise as touching Christ
which went downe on the borders of his garments This is a homely and familiar phrase of the holy Ghost The place is knowne 30. of Exodus where Moses was commaunded to make a certaine precious oyntment with this inhibition that it should be made of none else but of him nor employed to any other vse then to anoynt the bearde of the high priest With this oyntment the Psalme compareth vnitie and concorde as an holy heauenly thing whiche by no power or policie of man can either be gotten or kept For although it be giuen euen to the wicked also as we may see in those kingdoms which are out of the Church yet is it the gift of God and a most holy gift which ought to serue especially vnto holy vses for the aduauncing of religion for the confirmation of matrimony for the education of children and for the maintenance and continuance of all honestie and godlines In that he saith from the head he sheweth the nature of true concord For like as the oyntment ranne downe from the heade of Aaron the high priest vpon his beard and so descended vnto the borders of his garment euen so true concord in doctrine and brotherly loue floweth as a precious oyntment by the vnitie of the spirite from Christ the high priest and head of the Church vnto all the members of the same For by the beard and extreme partes of the garment he signifieth that as farre as the church reacheth so farre spreadeth that vnitie which floweth from Christ her head Or by the beard we may vnderstand those to whome the office of teaching belongeth because the bearde is ioyned vnto the mouth which is the instrument of doctrine and by the extreme partes of the garment the rest of the church which is the garment of christ This similitude expresseth most liuely how great the vertue of the spirite of concord is wherewith all the members of Christ are anoynted For it maketh their life sweete and pleasant in so much that whatsoeuer they do it giueth a sweet odor in the sight of God. If the vnquiet spirits which trouble the Church at this day could beleue that the peace and concorde of the Church is such an holy and a pleasant ointment to the Lord separate from all profane vses they would be more sober and circumspect then they be But because they beleue it not therefore they employ this holy ointment to vnholy vses seeking therby their owne glory Yea they turne the Psalme cleane contrary and say in their harts Behold how pleasant a thing it is to trouble the brethren they would not haue them to enioy this holy oyntment that is to dwell and liue togither in this heauenly concord These we must flie to these we must in no wise be like but must learne that the vnitie of the Church is the gifte of God which we must defend and maintaine with all our power For there is nothing more pleasant in the sight of God and his Angells then when the Pastors and gouerners of the Churches doe dwell togither in godly concorde teaching and following with one consent one true sincere and vniforme doctrine Betwene the Pope and his rable there is great concorde for there is a concord euen amongest theeues as there was betwene Iudas and the Phariseis But this is not the concorde whiche the Psalme here speaketh of but the Psalme commendeth that concord which is amongst those that haue the pure and sincere worde Therefore the Prophet here vseth a similitude which onely perteineth to Aaron named to be y high priest by Gods owne mouth signifying thereby that this concord is spread by the preachers of the word throughout the whole body of the Church so that not onely the body it selfe is refreshed with this oyntment but also the sweete smel thereof is dispearsed euery where and the fame of the Church is glorious both before God men those I meane which vnderstand and acknowledge this heauenly benefite Verse 3. As the dew of Hermon which falleth vpon the mountaines of Sion for there the Lorde appoynted the blessing and life for euer Hermon is a mountaine ioyning vppon Libanus Hereof it commeth that in an other place he calleth Iudea which is compassed with mountaines the land of Hermonijm As touching this similitude I thinke the Prophet vseth the common maner of speaking For whereas the mountaines often times seme to those that beholde them a far of to reach vp euen vnto heauen the dew which commeth from heauen seemeth to fall from the high mountaines vnto the hills which are vnder them Therefore he sayth that the dewe descendeth from Hermon vnto the mount Sion because it so seemeth vnto those that doe behold it a farre of And this clause after my iudgement perteineth to ciuill concorde like as the former similitude perteineth to the Church because God through peace and concord maketh common wealthes and kingdoms to flowrish euen as seedes herbes and plants are fresh and flourish through the morning dewe The beginning of this peace commeth from the Princes Magistrates as from mount Hermon â–ª From whom it floweth vnto euery particular person and to the whole common wealth which is refreshed therwith as it were with the dewe of heauen wherby all things doe prosper and flourish For like as by the dewe all things that growe vpon the earth do spring and encrease euen so small things through peace concord do grow to great increase Contrariwise like as in the time of great heat drowth all things wither away perish so warres seditions tumults suâ—uert and destroy common weales kingdoms Wherfore we haue neede not onely of diligent exhortations but also of continuall hartie and faithfull prayer vnto God that he would gratiously continue this heauenly benefite of peace and concord amonges vs as the Prophet now addeth There the Lorde appointed the blessing and life or liues for so it is in the Hebrewe As much to say as There will God dwell where concord is This is in deede an excellent commendation wherewith he so bewtifieth and extolleth peace And with this commendation ought the hartes of all men to be stirred vp to the loue of peace since they heare that God wil dwel with such Princes such Pastors and such people as loue peace and defende the same It followeth then that where the enemies of peace are and such as delite in vnnecessary warres as are those monsters which are idlely and wickedly brought vp in the Courts of Princes and courtly life togither with the profane godles multitude there dwelleth the deuill with his angells and there hath God appoynted malediction death and destruction There is a certeine vehemency in this word life or liues in the plurall number For it signifieth all kindes of life as the Priests the Leuites the faithfull the Magistrates artificers citizens husbandmen c. As if he sayd All states of life shall be blessed with