parts of the world according to that of Genesis In the beginning Gen 1. God created heauen and earth Heauen is the seate of the Angels and therefore he beginneth with Praise our Lord from the Heauens and referreth to it all superiour things and the earth is the seate of men and therefore he addeth in the 7. verse Praise our Lord from the earth referring vnto it all inferiour things The exposition of the Psalme PRaise yee our Lord from the Heauens praise yee him in the high places Praise yee him all his Angells praise yee him all his hostes S. Augustine well noteth vpon this place that the Prophet doth not by these words commaund the Angells to praise our Lord or exhort them to praise him as though they were slacke and remisse in this happy office or did euer cease or desist from praising him for as S. Iohn affirmeth The Apocalip 4. Psal 83. fower beasts had noe rest daie and night saying holy holy holy Lord God omnipotent and the Psalmist saieth Blessed are they that dwell in thy howse ô Lord for euer-and euer they shall praise thee But he doth hereby congratulate them in this their praising God like as we are accustomed to congratulate those whome wee see doing some worke with ioy wherewith we are well pleased saying courage goe too my Masters or the like which words we vse vnto them not that they stand in need of our incouragement to moue them to beginne that worke but that we are delighted with that they are already in hand with Praise yee him Sunne and Moone praise yee him all Starres and light The Sunne Moone Starres and light are saied to praise our Lord when by their beautie efficacy swittnesse and other proprieties they doe induce intellectuall creatures to admire praise their Creator Praise him yee heauens of heauens to witt the greatest and highest heauens and the waters that are about the saied heauens let them praise the name of our Lord as hath been saied in the precedet Canticâ—e Because he saied intellectually within himselfe to witt in his practical vnderstaÌ„ding that they should bee created and they were made of nothing that which they now are he commaunded by his diuine will and they were created for according to the Apostle God almighty calleth those Rom. 4. things that are not as those things that are as alsoe that of Genesis And God saied Gen. 1. bee light made bee à firmament made c Soe by saving all things were created for God is the cause of all things by his vnderstanding according to that Thou Psal 103. Psal 134. hast made all things in wisdome and by his will according to that All things whatsoeuer our Lord would he hath done in heauen and earth He established them to witt the Angels Sunne Moone Starres and the heauens for euer and for euer and euer for he hath giuen them an incorruptible being Notwithstanding we beleeue that the heauens and the lights of the heauens in as much as concerneth their accidentall forme shall bee changed and renewed for the better as hath been saied in our former explications He put à precept he prefixed them à certaine forme or manner of working and it shall not passe but remaine as he hath decreed He put à precept to the Sunne that it should shine by daie and behold in soe many yeares this hath been obserued to the Moone that it should increase and decrease for thirty daies and this course hath not been altered to the Sea that it should not transcend its limits and behold the surging billowes of the Ocean come wallowing to the shore burst and returne Praise our Lord from the earth all you that any wise appertaine thereunto Yee Dragons and all depthes By Dragons are here vnderstood great fishes which some call Leuiathans or VVhales and by the depthes are vnderstood the deepe placee where such fishes remaine according to that Thou hast crushed the heads of the Dragons in Psal 73 the waters Yet some in this place by Dragons doe vnderstand great serpents rough with scales which dwell in dennes caues and hollow moist places to temper their naturall heat and doe not creepe vpon the earth but fly in the aire and doe exceed other creatures in vast quantity and horrid aspect Fire haile snow yee spirit of stormes to wit tempestious winds exciting suddaine whirl winds and stormes at Sea VVhich doe his word doe obey his diuine will performing that for which they were ordained Mountaines and little hills trees that beare fruit and all Cedars Beastes wild and vntamed and all cattell tame domesticke Serpents and fethered fowles All these the Prophet doth inuite to praise our Lord according as hath been explicated in the precedent Canticle Finally the Prophet inuiteth Man to praise our Lord for whome all things were created saying Kings of the earth all that haue independent temporall authority and absolute right to gouerne and all peoples that owe fealty homage and obedience to their lawfull Soueraignes Princes that haue absolute right to gouerne their subiects within their principalities but yet are subordinate themselues to the saied Kings in some respects and all Iudges of the earth that haue authority from Kings Princes to determine differences betweene party and party and to pronounce sentence of death in criminall causes And that he might comprehend all sorts of people of what age sexe condition soeuer he addeth Yong men and Virgins old with yong All people therefore whether they bee Kings Princes or priuate persons men or women old or yong let them praise the name of our Lord because the name of him alone is exalted that is he himselfe alone doth infinitely surpasse all things in nobility and perfection Eccles 1. Whence Ecclesiasticus saieth There is one most high Creator omnipotent and mighty King and to bee feared exceedinglâ— and Mâ—yses saieth Neither is there other God Deut. 3. either in heauen or on earth that is able to doe thy workes and to bee compared to thy strength The Coâ—fession of him aboue heauen and earth to witt His praise is song in the triumphant and militant Church His glory saieth the Prophet shall couer the heauens and the earth is full of his praise Yet in neither of them can he be praised to the full for all the tongues of men and Angells are altogether in sufficient to expresse Abacuc 3. his immense goodnesse and infinite perfection He hath exalted the horne of his people to witt the power and glory of the people of Israel electing them amongst all the generations of the earth giuing them diuine lawes written with his owne finger protecting them miraculously against the fury of their enimies and gouerning them with singular prouidence and vnspeakable loue An Hymne which is the praise of God with à spirituall song properly belongeth to all his Saints in heauen and earth for they are worthy of all praise and they praise God incessantly to the Children
whole world Attend therefore to him and he will attend to thee But the way how to make it is not yet shewed which notwithstanding is noe lesse needfull for the vnlearned to know Wherefore for the benefite of simple but well minded soules I will as plainly and breifly as I can sett downe à meâ—â—ode how to prepare the mynd and keepe it well imploied which they maie make vse of and I hope with profitt vntill God almightie shall please to inspire them with à better and more agreeable to the affections of their soules CHAPT XI Câ—ntaininge à forme of Preparation before praier with Aspirations of diuers Kindes THe Ecclesrastes giueth this aduice Ecclesiastes c 5. Speake not any thing rashly neither let â—hy heart be swif to vtter à word before God Wherefore it will be good that when they come to pray they pause à while in silence and consider attentiuely what à waightie matter they goe about vizt to treate with God almightie concerning the busines of their saluation Next let them frame to themselues à firme beleâ—fe that God is there present before thâ—â— thoughâ— disguised and that perhaps if they proue faithfull feruent and perseuerant he will if it be â—o â—â—nieâ—â— for them manifest himself vnto them as he did to S. Marie Magdalâ—â—e and since hath often done to many holie Sâ—ints Yet they ought not to frame vnto themselues any positiue coÌ„ceipt of him as pâ—re God supposing him to bee present in this or that forme or shape for he is à most simple Spirit and cannot be compreh â—ndâ—d vnder any corporall Specieâ— or Image but à negatiue that is that he is neither 〈◊〉 nor that nor any thing which their â—aâ—tafie can represent vnto them They are alsoe to beleeue that he vieweth all their externall comportment and all the internall desires and affections of their hearts proue cleanely â—â—eâ— if their bodies â—erâ— composed of transparent â—â—riâ—â— all â—and iâ—â—â—â—â—â—d with the sonne beames This done let them â—â—deâ—â—our â—o gâ—â— into theiâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 by soâ—e â—â—ouâ— Aâ—piration For â—â— the 〈◊〉 saiâ—th Oâ—â— mile will dâ—iâ—â— out another Wherefore those that seeke to free 〈◊〉 â—â—luâ—s from distractionâ— and to â—â—der the passâ—â—â—â— aâ—â—e into their Interiour must endeâ—â—our by some internall imployment such as is the exercise of Aspirations to expell the images of their externall affaires and by little and little to winne their minds 〈◊〉 their passions and draw neare to the image of God which he hath impressed or stamped in the Fund or bottome of their soules as the Prophet witnesseth The light of thy countenance o Psal 4. Lord is signed vpon vs where they may find him soe often as they will withdraw themselues from the mâ—â—â—â—ltuous noise of exteriour busines and conuert their hearts towards him sweetly and with à filiall reuerence But least this tearme Interiour maie seeme to obscure it will be needfull to giue this short explication thereof Mysticall diuines doe â—â—ach that whilest our minds are busied in any exteriour imployment although it be good and laudable 〈◊〉 not yet directly tending towards God almightie â— that the saied imploimâ—nâ— doth mediate or interpose it self betweene vs and hiâ— and doth as it were keepe vs out of ourselues that is doth hinder vs from working immediatly to the end for which we were created which is to haue our eies and hearts fixed vpon God and to direct all our actions and thoughts to praise and glorifie him immediatly Our first parents did performe this immediate tendance towards God and soe remained alwaies in their interiour vntill they did voluntarily extrouert and distract themselues to reflect vpon the forbidden fruit of which fruit after they had tasted both they and all that descend from them found and doe find great repugnance and difficultie to keepe themselues introuerted or to remaine in their Interiour for any long space and therefore God almightie who is most gracious and benigne hauing regard to humaine infirmitie doth not exact of vs the practise of this introuersion at all times out of praier but in à very imperfect manner Yet when we come to praier he doth expect that we practise it in some better measure that our praier maie be performed with due reuerence which we cannot well doe vnlesse we auert our minds from all exteriour things vnto which things whilst we remaine attent we are properly teamed to be extrouerted or out of ourselues and that we conuert of hearts to tend immediatly towards God where in whilest we continue we are tearmed to be introuerted or to remaine and dwell in our interiour This maie suffice for the explication of that tearme The Aspirations that I here speake of maie be these that follow or such like either in à few words or in many as they shall find most proper for them I desire that they may not be recited vocally but pronounced as it were mentally yet herein alsoe let such proceed as they shall experience themselues best recollected and moued to deuotion Aspirations in à few words INdeed our Lord is in this place and Gen. 28. I was not aware of it I will hold him I will not let him goe vntill he haue giuen me his benediction O Lord thou commaundest me to loue giue what thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt O that I knew thee and knew my self What is there for me in heauen or what desire â— on earth besides thy self Heauen is not heauen to me without thee O Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest I loue thee When shall I come before the face of our 〈◊〉 I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Woe is me that my soioâ—rning is prolonged Praise our Lord o my soule let his praise be alwaies in thâ— mouth My beloued to me and I to him one to one all to all à creature to his Creator My beloued is all faire all sweeâ—â— all delightfull He hath wounded my heart If I maie find fauour in thy sight shew me thy face Let thy voice sound in myne eares for thy voice iâ— sweet and thy face beautifull Thou art worthy o Lord to receiue glory and honor and vertue and benediction Aspirations in more words Speaking to the soule DVst and ashes as I am how dare I appeare in the sight of my God before whome the powers of heauen doe tremble Yet be not dismaied o my soule He hath saied that he came to calumners and whâ—t would he but they should come vnto him How sweetly and mildly did he absolue the woman that was taken in adultery who stood wholy abashed and confounded in his presence VVoman where are thy accusers Hath none of them condemned thee Neither doe I Goe thy way and sinne noe more O wonderfull meâ—â—y O sweete answer I how can we feare to open our greifes vnto him He hath saied come all to me that are heauy lâ—aden and I will refresh you Be confident therefore o my soule heauen and earth may passe but he will not
metaphorially be vnderstood of the celestiall Ciâ—tizens themselues in whome he is after à most excellent and singular manner by his beatificall presence or of vertuous and deuout soules here on earth whose conuersation is in heauen for of those the Apostle saieth You are the Temple of the liuing God God is in all things by his essence presence and power penetrating inuironing and conseruing all things and is more neare and intime to euery thing then any part is to it 's whole or any thing is to it self for he alone slideth as it were into the essences of things neither is any thing present to an other but onely by vertue of the diuine presence The Prophet witnesseth VVâ—â— doe not I fill heauen Ierem. 23. Psal 138. and earth VVâ—â—ther shall I goe saieth holie Dauid fâ—om thy Spirit or whither shall I flâ—â— fâ—om thy face If I shall ascend in to heauen thou art there If I descend into hell thou art present vizt exerâ—â—sing the act of Iustice S. Augustine affirmeth that God is in li. medita c. 29. all places without place that he containeth all things not being inuironed by them that he is present in all places withouâ— motion that he beareth all things and is not burthened and that he filleth all things not being included Yet he is truely saied to dwell in Heauen particularly according to what he hath insinuated by his Prophet Isaie Heauen is my seat and the earth my footestoole and wee reade in the Psalmes Our Lord his seat is in Heauen hauing designed that place as his court and there placed his royall tâ—rone where hee doth particularly manifest himselfe to his beloued Since then by these words Our Father which art in heauen we acknowledge God almighty now in the law of grace to haue aduanced vs to soe eminent à degree of honor as to adopt vs his Sonnes and coâ—eires with his owne naturall Sonne Christ Iesus let vs esteeme ourselues to remaine in this world as in à place of banishement farr distant from that happy region whereunto we confesse ourselues to laie claime let vs hastâ—n thither and haue all our affections bent thither wards auoiding all things that maie be any hinderance vnto vs in the pursuite thereof let vs I saie behaue ourselues in all things as besitteth the Sonnes of soe potent and glorious à Father in nothing regarding our owne priuate commoditie but rather imploying our whole forces to set forth his glory and magnificence saying to that end the first Petition Sanctified be thy Name THese words maie be taken in diuers senses as First for the holy name of God it self which the Iewes did hold in such exceeding reuerence that they dared not to pronounce the word Iehoua which signified the essence of God and it is à constant tradition that is was onely once à yeare spoken and that by the high Priest when he entered into Sancta Sanctorum Ps 75. God is knowne in Iewrie saieth the Prophet in Israel his name is great Ps 112. and in an other place From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe the name of our Lord is laâ—dable Praise yee his name because Ps 99. our Lord is sweet S. Thomas of Aquine â— 56 Isaâ—ae saieth the name of God is great to be feared holy to be â—euerenced sweet to be meditated on copious to giue mercy efficacious to impetrate powerfull to cause saluation secret to be knowne Secondly they maie be vnderstood soe that we desire hereby that all nations of the earth maie come to the light of Faith and that they maie know that God alone is worthy of all praise and glory and consequently that they maie tremble at his Maiestie admire his works be enamoured with his beautie and euen languish to behold his vnspeakable goodnes Ps 65. saying with the holy Prophet Let all the earth adore thee and sing to thee let it sing à Psalme to thy name and in an other Ps 95. place Shew forth his glorie amongst the Genâ—iles his maruelous workes in all people Alas wretched vngratfull and indeuoute as we are how often doe we pronounce this petition without due attention and consequently without due reuerence and spirituall feruour Let vâ— therefore doe ourselues what we desire should be done by all men that is to saie let vs endeauour by frequenting learned exhortations reading pious bookes and exercising ourselues in holy contemplations to come to know how excellent how infinitely good sweet and mercifull à God we haue that by sucâ— knowledge we maie be excited to serue and honor loue and praise him euery where and at all tymes Lastly they maie be vnderstood that we desire by those words that our heauenly Father will be pleased either to make vs capable to comprehend his sanctification or at least to appeare holy in our religious conuersation which will be fulfilled in vs when mens all see the workes which he hath perfected in vs and glorify his name therefore Vertuâ—â— men doe sanctify God whilâ—â— by liuing holily they demonstrate God whoâ—â— they soe serue to be holy And contrary wise Vitious men by their iniust and irreligious conuersation are truely saied to commaculate and defile the name of our Lord because they liue in such à manner as though God did approue of iniustice and were not holy and doe as much as in tâ—e lieth embolden others by their wicked and dissolute example to dishonor him Hence it is that almighty God vpbraiding the perfidious children of Israel saieth You haue polluted my holy Ezech. 36. name and againe I will sanctify my great name which you haue polluted amidst the Gentiles Let thy Kingdome come THe Kingdome here mentioned is by some expounded of the militant Church as thus Let thy Kingdome come that is let the militant Church in which thou reignest by faith and grace be multiplied and spred through the whole world and let her enimies especially the deuills be cast forth of her that thou alone maiest peaceably reigne in â—er By others it is expounded of the Kingdome of God which the holy Euangelist saieth is within vs and being Luc. 17 taken in this sense the Kingdome of God cannot come whilst sinne reigneth in our hearts and we doe obey to the concupiscences thereof and therefore we praie Let thy Kingdome come that is streÌ„gthen vs by thy grace that we maâ—â— be enabled through tâ—e assistance thâ—reof to free our hearts from the seruitude of sinne and to dispose ourselues by the practise of vertues that thou maiest peaceably enter and assume the gouerment of our hearts Of this Kingdome the Prophet maketh mention where he Ps 22. saieth Our Lord ruleth me and nothing shall bee wanting to me He hath condâ—â—ted me vpon the pathes of iustice c. Finally it is expounded of the Triumphant Church as that we praie hereby that the walls of the Celestiall Ierusalem maie be reedified and the ruine of the Angells
repaired that the number of the blessed maie become compleate and the Kingdome of the triumphant Church fully established and being taken in this sense the iustmen and such alsoe who are imperfect but yet doe imploy their bâ—â—â— endeauours to moâ—tify their inordinate affections and to reforme the image of God in their soules maie recite this Petition with much feruour and expect this Kingdome of God with longing desire wâ—ich our Sauiour â—ath promised shall come or beginne vpon that terrible and ioyfull daâ—e when the Angells shall place such well minded soules on his right hand and he pronounce that Math. 25. happy seteÌ„ce Come yee blessed of my Father possesse you à â—ingdome which hath been prepared for you euer from the beginning of the world S. Gregory the great in his Homily Lucâ— 12 vpon these words of S. Lâ—ke Be yee like to men expecting their Lord when he shall returne from the marriadgâ— that when he doth come and knocke fortâ— with they maie open vnto him hath this inter prâ—tatioÌ„ Our â—ord comâ—th saieth he when he hastneth à to iudgment but he knocketh when by the pangs of sicknâ—s he sheweth that death is neare at hand vnto whome we open readily if we receaue him with loue For he will not open to the iudgâ— that knocketh who trembleth to depart out of his body fearing to behold him as iudge whome his conscience accuseth him to haue greatly offended But he that is assured of his life well spent doth quickly open because he doth ioyfully expect his iudge and when the tyme of death approacheth doth reioyce with confidence that ere long his labours shall be rewarded with à crowne of glory Let vs therefore endeauour to liue with such innocency and puritie that we maie recite this petition with sincere affection Expecting the blessed hope and aduenâ— of the glory of the great God and our Sauioâ—â— Iesus Christ begging with sighes and teares that almighty God will be pleased euen at this present to reigne in our hearts and graunt vs light to see and know his will in all things and grace to performe it in the most perfect manner saying to that end the ensuing Petition Let thy will be done 〈◊〉 earth it is in heauen THat is graunt vs that liue vpon earth grace to obey thee as proÌ„ptly reuerently and purely as the blessed doe that liue in heauen according as our frailtie will permit There cannot be à more excellent praier then to beseeâ—h almighty God that 〈◊〉 things maie be parallel'd with the celestiall And what other thing doe we desire when we saiâ— Let thy will be done vpon earth as â—â— is in heauen but that men maie be made like to Angells and that is the will of God is accompliâ—â—ed by them in heaueâ— soe all we that liue vpon earth maie not doe our owne wills but his diuine pleasure 〈◊〉 man is able to saiâ— this Petition with à sincere heart and true affection but he who doth vndoubtedly beleeue that God almighty doth dispence all things both prosperous and aduerse for our best â—â—aile and that he is more pro 〈◊〉 and solicitous for our welfare and 〈◊〉 dirâ—â— then we are for our owne VVhose will is as the Apostlâ— witnesseth â— ad Tim. that all men he saued come to the knowledge of the truth And therefore we maie boldly confiding in his immense goodnes recite the Petition following Giue vs this daie our supersubstantiall bread FOr soe â—â— is called by S. Mathew he Math. 6 signifying thereby the nobilitie and â—â—anscendent qualitie of that substance which exceedeth all creatures in magnificence and sanctification The saied supersubstantiall bread is tearmed by S. Luke Daily bread he expressing thereby Luca 11 the propertiâ— or nature of the vse thereof By thâ—â— word Daily is signified that we are not able to subsist one whole daie without this admirable foode When we aske this foode we demand as S. Augustine S. Cyprian and other holy Doctors of the Church doe affirme not onely all necessary sustenance for the body but alâ—oe much more all spirituall food for the soule as namely the bread of the hoâ—y Euchaâ—ist which S. Denis calleth supersubstantiall bread to witt Christ Iesus the bread of life that came from heauen and the bread of life to vs that eate his bodie moreouer the bread of vnderstanding the bread of grace and holy inspirations For we are not to thinke that our Sauiour taught vs by this PetitioÌ„ to aske materiall bread alone and other corporall sustenance for we haue another life to prouide for besides that of the body vz the life of the soule which is farre more to be regarded Not in bread alone that is in corporall Math. 4 food doth man liue according to both parts vz body and soule but in euery word that proceedeth from the mouth of God that is from the diuine vnderstanding and is reuealed by the Angells to holy men The body indeed maie be sustained and conserued in the life of nature by materiall bread but the life of the soule is corroborated and conserued in the life of grace by the word of God according to that He that beareth my ward Ioan. â— and beleeueth him that sent one hath life euerlasting Let vs therefore begg this spirituall bread with much instance for our soule will soone saint and be in danger to perish if God almighty doe witâ— draw his good motions and instigations to vertue and we through want of them doe falle to dispose ourselues that we maie daily receaue the body and bloud of our sweet Sauiour Sacramentally and spiritually or at least spiritually B. the word to Daie is signified that this foode is daily to be taken and that the foode we receaued yesterdaie is not sufficient to sustaine vs vnlesse it be giuen vs to daie alsoe or if it be not graunted vnto vs that this happen not through our neglect and soe in like manner during our whole life for there will be no daie wherein we shall not haue need of this bread to â—orroberate the heart of our interiour man The word to Daie maie alsoe be vnderstood for this present life in which sense we desire that God almighty will be pleased to graunt vs this bread whilest we remaine in this life For we are assured that he will giue it in the future life to all well deseruing people VVhen they shall eate and drinke vpon his table in his kingdome and Luc. 12. VVhen he shall make them sitt downe and minister Luc. 12. vnto them at he passeth byâ— yet notwithstanding we desire him to bestow it vpon vs this daie because vnlesse we receaue it in this life we shall not be partakers thereof in the next And forgiue vs our debts as we alsoe doe forgiue our debtors THat is Forgiue vs our sinnes the punishment which we haue deserued by sinning as we forgiue them that haue offended vs and are obliged to make vs recompence O
pleasures and commodities which quickly vanish like to the passadges of the fishes in the sea The Prophet endeth with the same verse he beganne to shew that Christ is the beginning and the end and that we ought to beginne end all our workes with his praise S. Augustine vpon those words whaâ— is man that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him distinguisheth man from the sonne of man in this sort Euery sonne of man saieth he is à man but euery man is not the sonne of man for Adam was à man but not the sonne of man Those that beare the image of the terrene man who was not the sonne of man are signified in this place by the name of man and are as it were disioyned à farre of from God and therefore he is saied to bee onely mindfull of them but those who beare the image of the heauenly man the new Adam who was the sonne of man are more properly called the sonnes of man with whome God is nearely present illustrating them with the light of his countenance and therefore he is saied to visite them The new man is borne of the old because spirituall regeneration beginneth by the change of the old secular life according to that of the Apostle That is not first which is spirituall but that 1. Cor. 15. which is naturall afterward that which is spirituall The first man of earth earthly the second man from heauen heauenly Such as is the earthly such alsoe are the earthly and such as the heauenly such alsoe are the heauenly Therefore as we haue borne the image of the earthly let vs beare alsoe the image of the heauenly By the birds of the aire which are borne aloft and sing continually maie bee vnderstood the Angells that inhabite the highest places and sing continually the praises of God And by the fishes of the sea which dwell in the lowest places and are mute maie bee vnderstood the deuills which inhabite the remotest places from the throne of God and are mute as to the praising of him The explication of the 18. Psalme and second in number in the Nocturne office THE ARGVMENT THis Psalme consisteth cheifly of two parts wherein the holie Prophet sheweth two waies whereby euery man maie come to the Knowledge of God and of diuine misteries The one by comtemplating the heauens which by their beautie greatnes exact motion doe expresse after à silent manner the Maiestie power and wisdome of their Creator according to that of the Isaiâ— 40. Prophet Isaie Lift vp your eies and see who hath created these things The other by the law of God whereby men are taught how to frame their liues conformable to the diuine will The holie Fathers grounding themselues vpon the authoritie of S. Paul in diuers places doe interpret the words of this Psalme to bee spoken by the holie Prophet of the Apostles Euangelists other preachers of the new law and of the sinceritie and excellencie of the same law wherefore I will first set downe the Propheticall or rather indeed the true literall sense of this Psalme and afterwards the plaine literall sense as the words seeme to import The heauens the Apostles and Euangelists who are tearmed heauens in respect of their celestiall conuersation and eminency of grace and for that God dwelleth in them in à sublime and vnspeakable manner in which sense likewise all perfect and spirituall men are called heauens in diuers places of holie writ Heare yee heauens what things I Deutero 32. Isa 1. speake and the earth heare the words of my mouth And the Prophet Isaie Heare yee heauens and giue eare ô earth These heauens declare the glorie of God to witt the Kingdome and excellencie of Christ and the firmament the holie Church established vpon the rocke which is Christ and perfect men who are firmely placed in her as starres in the firmament declareth vnto vs the workes of his hands to witt the vertues miraculous workes of Christ wrought by his diuine power principally which is as his right hand his humanitie instrumentally which is as his left hand Daie vnto daie vttereth the word wise holie and diuinely illuminated men doe impart vnto learned and spirituall men out of the fulnesse of their knowledge doctrine concerning the diuine nature of Christ according to that of the 1. Cor. 2. Apostle we speake wisedome among the perfect And night vnto night sheweth knowledge such contemplatiues from whom the sunne of Iustice they beinge now well grounded in à spirituall life for à long space withdraweth his rayes of sensible deuotion and comforts leauing them in aridity and darknesse of spirit and affordinge them only à glimpse of his beautie as through an obscure clowde leadinge them maruelously by à very painfull yet more secure and meritorious waye doe shew to others in this estate of desolatioÌ„ knowledge how to comport theÌ„selues in the like exigeÌ„ce to make right vse of such substraction of grace There are noe languages nor speeches whose voices are not heard vnderstood and spoaken by the Apostles for they spake with all toungs and euery one vnderstood them in his owne proper phrase of speech This verse according to the latin translation maie admitt this construction Non sunt loquelae neque sermones there are noe languages or speeches quorum non audiantur voces corum of which languageâ— and speeches the voices of them to witâ— of the Apostles are not heard and thâ—â— construction seemeth to agree with the verse following Their sound hath goone forth into all the earth for the Apostles did cast lots and diuide the nations of the earth amongst them and they in person visited the principall parts thereof and to the rest their sound hath gone forth videlicet their doctrine hath been published by their disciples Certes saietht he Apostle into all the earth hath the sound of them gone forth and vnto the ends of the whole world the words of them And vnto the ends of the round world the words of them this was foreshewed alsoe by the Prophet Isaie From the ends of the earth we haue heard praises the glorie of the iust one and Isa 24. in another place I will send of them that shall be saued to the Gentiles into the sea into Affrike and Lidia them that hold the arrow into Italie and Greece to the Ilands farre of to them that haue not heard of me and haue not seene my glorie c. The Apostle alleadgeth this verse to proue that faith is of hearing and of the preaching of the Apostles whence it followeth that this Psalme doth speake of Christ and his Apostles and of the preaching of the Euangelicall law He hath put his tabernacle in the sunne These words are expounded two waies The first is that he to wit Christ our Lord hath put his tabernacle his assumpted humane nature which is the temple of his inuisible deitie in the sunne to wit
thy irrepreheÌ„sible righteousnes in words deeds mildnesse affabilitie sweetnes and mercie towards the humble and obedient and iustice seueritie towards disobedient and haughtie spirits and thy right hand thy diuine nature which is the right hand of thy humanitie shall conduct thee maruelously shall direct teach thee the principles of gouernment how to rule thy people subdue thy enimies dilate thy dominion Or thus because of thy truth and mildnes and iustice that is because of the acts of these vertues and their merit in regard thou hast been true in thy life doctrine mild and patient in aduersitie and in all things iust and righteous not seeking thy owne but thy Fathers glorie and the saluation of mankind therefore thy right hand shall conduct thee maruelously eleuating thee from the earth to heauen and constituting thee Iudge of the vniuerse For Christ did merit his Ascension and iudiciary power by his holie conuersation and exinanition of himselfe taking vpon him the forme of à seruant humbling himselfe becoÌ„ming obedient euen to the death of the Crosse Christ in all things spake and obserued the truth as he witnessed of himselfe before Pilate saying For this I was borne Ioh. 18. and for this I came into the world that I should giue testimony to the truth He was alsoe mild for he taught his disciples saying Learne of me for I am meeke and Math. 11. humble of heart And he was iust as S. Stephen affirmed of him to the Iewes saying VVhich of the Prophets did not your Fathers persetute and they slew them Act. 7. that foretold of the comming of the iust one c. The verse following is both written and distinguished diuersly whereby the sense doth differ much Some write it point it as followeth Thy sharpe arrowes the peoples vnderneath thee shall fall into the heart of the Kings enimies and being soe written it seemeth to yeeld this sense Thy diuine doctrine and thy grace mouing the hearts of the heaâ—ers are thy sharpe arrowes With these the Infidelles who before were rebellious and disobedient to thee being wounded shall bee conuerted and become obedient to thy holie lawes and by their example draw thy aduersaries many of the obdurate Iewes and other Tyrants that persecute thee thy holie Church to embrace thy doctrine alsoe Others make two points after the word fall expound it as followeth The Gentils and many alsoe of the Iewes wounded with the forementioned arrowes of Christ shall become obedient to the faith and those arrowes shall haue such force and efficaciâ— that they shall preuaile against the hearts of the enimies of Christ the King and Messias as maie appeare by the example of S. Paul other persecutors of the Christian faith Finally others to with S. Augustine and Dyonisius the Carthusian write it as followeth Thy sharpe arrowes the peoples vnderneath thee shall fall in the heart of the Kings enimies that is in the middest or the thickest of them Or thus they sâ—all fall in the heart that is their fall shall bee spirituall by the obedience of the mynd not corporall And hauing thus obtained a full conquest Thy seaâ—e ô God for euer and euer thy tribunall of Iustice and thy throne of glorie ò Christ who art true God shall bee firmely established remaine for euer à rod of direction of iustice and equitie is the rod of thy Kingdome the scepter by which thou shall gouerne the holie Church which is thâ— KingdoÌ„e with iust correction and equall retribution according to that of the Prophet Isaie He shall not iudge according to the sight of the eies nor rebuke according to the hearing of the eares but he shall iudge the poore in iustice and shall rebuke in equitie and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the spirit of his lippes he shall kill the impious Thou hast loued iustice and hated iniquity whereof thou hast giuen good testimony by becoÌ„ming obedient euen to the death of the Crosse to satisfy the iustice of God and take away the sinnes of the world therefore God thy God or according to S. Augustine and others that follow the Greeke text therefore ô God ô Christ true God and true man thy God the God of all who is in à most singular manner thy God hath annoynted thee in respect of thy humanitie with oyle of gladnes with the glorie of resurrection and ascension aboue thy consorts in à more full and excellent manner then he hath King Dauid and all other holie Kings exalting thee in glorie placing thee at his right hand and giuing thee à name which is aboue all names that in thy name euery knee bow of the celestialls terresttialls and infernalls Myrrhe and Aloes and Cassia from thy garments By Myrrhe which preserueth dead bodies from putrifaction is signified Mortification which preserueth soules from the filth and corruption of concupiscence By Aloes which taketh away hardnesses asswageth swellings of the Lunges is signified Humilitie which taketh away the obduratenesse stubbornesse of the mynd and the vaine puffings vp of Pride And finally by Cassia which groweth in moist places springeth very high is signified Faith which groweth in Baptisme The vertues therefore which are designed by Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia doe proceede from thy humanitie ò Christ which is as it were the garment of thy diuinitie and not onely from it but alsoe from howses of Iuorie from chast pure soules in whome thou dwellest as in cleane shining odoriferous howses out of which vertues the daughters of Kings religious soules that haue got dominion ouer the world the flesh and the deuill haue delighted thee haue giuen thee exceeding great contentment to behold them runne soe fast after the sweet odors of thy garments by exercising themselues continually in those thy vertues in thy honor with pure intention meerely to please glority thee The Queene the holie Church thy beloued spouse stood on thy right hand in golden rayment cloathed with charitie compassed with varietie of all other vertues and graces inwardly and enuironed outwardly with varietie of estates â—rders and professions all vnited in one faith Heare daughter attentiuely what thy spouse who is alsoe thy Father shall saie vnto thee either by himself or by the mouthes of his holie seruants and see consider by faith all things which he shall propose vnto thee and incline thy eare with all humilitie and readines to obey his holie will and forget thy people laye à side all inordinate affection to thy old consorts and the howse of thy Father cease alsoe to loue thy kindred carnally And then the King will couet thy beautie Christ Iesus will bee inamoured of the beautie of thy mynd desire to vnite thee vnto him in spirituall wedlocke Bee careful therefore to dispose thy selfe in this sort because he fane exceedeth in beautie power wisdome wealth and glorie all the Princes of the world who haue hitherto sued
common onely to Angells and Men yet in as much as all creatures being the workes of God are good the diuine goodnesse doth shine in them each of them is as it were à certaine rave of its Creators perfection which thereby is knowne and made manifest for as the Apostle witnesseth The inuisible things of God are seene being vnderstood by those things which are made his power alsoe and diuinitie Consequently in this respect all creatures whatsoeuer are truely saied to blesse and praise their Creator All the workes of God therefore are here inuited to blesse praise and superexalt our Lord euery one according to its nature Angells mentally Men with their voice mynd and both Angells and Men as alsoe all other creatures the workes of God by exciting and stirring vp the minds of those that shall rightly consider their natures actions and proprieties to extoll the Creator and acknowledge his infinite glory and magnificence Blesse our Lord yee Angells of our Lord After the generall inuitation of all creatures they descend to particulars beginning with the Angells who are most immediate to God and most like vnto him as being pure immateriall substances By the name of Angells in this place are vnderstood all the celestiall and blessed spirits which as S. Gregorie sheweth out of the holye scriptures are diuided into nine quires or orders and although sometymes the name of Angells bee appropriated to those blessed spirits which are ranked in the lowest quire yet all the nine quires of them are alsoe truly and properly called by that name which as she saied S. Gregorie doth saie is imposed vpon them by reason of the functions and chardges wherein they are employed by almightie God concerning which the Apostle speaking of them in generall sayeth Are they not all ministring spirits sent to minister for them which shall recerue the ininheritance of saluation Yee Heauens blesse our Lord. By the Heauens are vnderstood the celestiall orbes of which by reason of their greatnesse beautie actiuitie motioÌ„s seueralâ— other properties the Prophet Dauid doth in particular and expressely assâ—uere That Psal 18. they shew forth the glorie of God All waters that are aboue the heauens blesse yee our Lord. Here it is câ—earely saied that there are waters aboue the heauens and it agreeth with that we read in Genesis Gen. 1. to wit that God made à firmament and diuided the waters that were vnder the firmament from those that were aboue the firmament and God called the firmament Heauen It agreeth alsoe with that of the Psalmist Praise him ye heauens of heauens Psal 148. Psal 103. and the waters that are aboue the heauenes and in another place Stretching out the heauen as à skin which couerest the highest parts theâ—eof with waters Which although it maie perhaps seeme at the first veiw contrary to naturall reason the sayings of the Philosophers yet as S. Augustine writeth vpon Genesis The authority of that part of holie writ is farre to bee preferred aboue the perspicacity or capacity of humane vnderstanding But what manner of waters they are it is not certaine The common opinion is that they are corporall waters and morally by them are vnderstood the eleuated and illuminated mynds of the Saints in which as in à mirrour diuine things are clearely represented Blesse our Lord all ye powers of our Lord. By these Powers some doe vnderstand the mouers of the celestiall orbes whome the Philosophers called Intelligences and S. Thomas in his Summe affirmeth to bee of the middle Hierarchy of Angels of the quire of Vertues of whome holie Dauid maketh mention saying Blesse our Lord Psal 148. all yee his vertues you his mynisters that doe his will Others by these powers of our Lord doe vnderstand the efficient vertues in the celestiall orbes which at their first Creation God almighty ingrafted in them or which are naturally in them whereby they gouerne and worke vpon the elements and mixt bodyes according to that of the Philosopher Man and the Sunne ingender man for the celestiall bodies by these vertues are generall causes of all motions and alterations generations and corruptions in these inferiour things Sunne Moone blesse yee our Lord These are the two great lights of which is made mention in Genesis the greater of them to wit the Sunne to gouerne the daie and the lesser to wit the Moone to gouerne the night In the diligent consideration of which lights especially of the Sunne the Majesty of God doth wonderfully appeare according to that of S. Denis This li. de diuinis nâ—minibus c. 4. visible Sunne saieth he is an euident representation of the diuine goodnesse who is the eternall intellectuall Sunne the Sunne of wisdome and iustice Yea in the greatnesse swiftnesse of motion brightnesse power and influence of the Sunne we cannot sufficiently admire the eminency of the diuine power and wisdome By the Sunne is spiritually signified the vnderstanding of truth and goodnesse and the splendor of Reason aboue the other powers all which are subiect to it illuminated and directed by it least erring in the lubricity of vice they fall violently to their owne destruction Bâ— the Moone is signified the inferiour portion of the soule as is is gouerned and ruled by the superiour portion thereof and obedient to its direction Starres of heauen blesse yee our Lord The starres doe manifold waies represent the magnificence of their Creator in their beautie motion vertue pluralitie situation order influence They seeme indeed vnto vs but small yet the least of them is affirmed to bee greater then the whole earth and the cause of their appearing soe small is onely in regard they are situated most remote from vs. The glory of the starres saieth Ecclesiasticus is the beautie of heauen our Lord illuminating the Eccles 43. world on high By them are designed vertuous men indued with wisdome who shine to others in words of edification example fame and good life according to that of the Apostle Doe yee all Philip. 2. things without murmurings that you maie bee without blame and the simple children of God without reprehension in the middest of à crooked and peruerse generation amongst whome you shine as lights of the world and Daniel 12. that of Daniel the Prophet They that instruct many to iustice shall shine as starres vnto perpetuall eternities Euery shower and dew blesse yee our Lord. These are produced in the aire and are very profitable for the making fertile all such things as spring out of the earth and the conseruation of the life of man A shower or raine is caused by heate reuerberating vpon à clowd and dissoluing it into drops of water The shower saieth the Prophet Isaie commeth downe from Isai 55. heauen and returneth noe more thither but inebriateth the earth and watereth it and maketh it to spring and giueth seed to the sower and bread to him that eateth In the manner of the descending whereof
the signification of the word Dauid maie most fitly bee applied for Dauid is by interpretation strong of hand or worthy to be desired Belogning to the end that is to Christ for The end of the law is Christ vnto iustice to Roma 10. euery noe that beleeveth who is the glorious perfectioÌ„ of al good things For Presses that is for the merits of his painefull passion wherein he was as it were troden vnder the feete of the Iewes and all his sacred bloud forced out of his veines Which Metaphor Isaias alsoe vseth demaunding Isa 63. of Christ VVhy is thy cloathing red and thy garments as theirs that tread in the vine presse answering in Christs person I haue troden the presse alone The word Presses maie be morally applied to the holie Church where Christ is the vine the Apostles are the branches and spreaders that is preachers of the Gospell Christians are the grapes Christian vertues the wine as namely Patience and Fortitude in afflictions whereby the good are purified and seuered from the midst of the reprobate as wine is pressed out of the grapes barrelled and layed vp in cellers and the huskes and carnells cast to hoggs or other beasts Theophilactus saieth that the Hebrewt In Comment super Ioh. did in auncient tyme sing this Psalme at the feast of Scenopegia in the month of September when they had gotten in their haruest thereby giuing thankes to God the bestower of all for their good haruest of corne and wine Christ Iesus the fruit of the wombe of the B. Virgin is our haruest of corne for he is the bread of life which descended from heauen he is likewise our vintage for he hath giuen vs his body for our foode and his precious bloud for our drinke Since the Iewes therefore gaue thankes by this Psalme to God the bestower of all good things for their carnall foode how much rather ought we to offer vp vnto him this Psalme by the hands of the B. Virgin in thankfulnes for our spirituall foode beseeching her to make intercession for vs that we maie conuert it to our soules benefit An historicall exposition of this Psalme O Lord of all by thy omnipotent power and particularly Our Lord for thou hast selected vs out of all the generations of the earth to be thy peculiar people and we alone haue chosen thee for our God vnto whome we will exhibite all honour diuine worship and to none but thee onely How maruelouse is thy name thy glorie and the fame of thy greatnes in the whole earth not onelye in Iurie where thou hast been pleased to manifest thy infinite goodnes and immense power by innumerable signes and miracles but alsoe in the vttermost bounds of the earth Because thy magnificence the confession of thy praise is eleuated not onely aboue the earth but alsoe aboue the heauens which with their continuall and ordinate circumuolution doe neuer cease to proclaime to all creatures thy incomprehensible maiestie which is more to bee admired euen Out of the Mouth of infants and sucklings thou hast perfected established and altogether made manifest the Praise of thy holie name because of thy enimies to witt that incredulous people who will not acknowledge thee for the author of all things but doe with great furie oppugne those that loue and honor thee and thee in them maie blush at their owne malice and grosse ignorance when they shall behold sucklings to set forth thy glorie moreouer that thou maiest destroy and confound the wisdome and subtilities of the enimie of all mankind and the reuenger alsoe of the iniuries done to thee executing the seueritie of thy iustice vpon misbeleeuers and such that acknowledge thee for the true God but denie thee in their actions and dishonour thee in their bad liues Because I shall see thy heauens those huge vast celestiall orbes the workes of thy fingers which thou hast made by the wisdome of thy diuine vnderstanding the goodnes of thy will and the actiuitie of thy creatiue power which are thy fingers the Moone and starres which thou hast founded placed fixed and disposed in their proper spheres I cannot sufficiently admire VVhat is man Adam the very first man that was created what is he That thou who art of such immense Maiestie as those thy stupendious workes doe shew thee to bee art mindfull of him furnishing him with all things necessarie in due season Or the sonne of man the ofspring of that first man Adam what is he that thou soe graciously visitest him with manifold fauours and benedictions Yet when I considere the excellencie of his nature I perceiue thou hast good reason to bee solicitous for him for Thâ—â— hast diminished him à litle lesse then the Angellâ— in dignitie and excellencie of nature thou hast made him litle inferiour to them true it is whilest he remaineth in this life he is something inferiour to them in regard that he is clothed with à body subject to corruptioÌ„ they are pure immateriall substances but at the generall resurrection he shall be like vnto them impassible glorious and capable to behold thee cleerely as thou art Yea in this life with glorie and honour thou hast crowned him according to the soule thou hast formed him to thyne oâ—ne image and similitude and indued him with three Angelicall powers memorie vnderstanding and will and other graces which he enâ—oyed during the tyme he remained in originall iustice and according to the bodie thou hast adorned him with beautie comelinesse many other ornaments and hast appointed him ouer the workes of thy hands made him Prince and Soueraigne Lord ouer all thy creatures Thou hast subiected all things vnder his feete commaunded all thy creatures to doe him homage and obey his will All sheepe and oxen and other domesticall creatures Moreouer all the beasts of the feild vntamed and sauadge creatures the birds of the aire and fishes of the sea that walke the pathes of the sea This dominion ouer thy creatures man enioyed fully and absolutely before his fall noe one of them making the least resistance against him for as Saint Augustine saieth soe longe as lib. de Na. gra 15. raison in man remained subiect and obedient to God the inferiour powers of his soule were alsoe perfectly obedient and subiect to raison the bodye to the soule and all creatures to man But when man had once transgrâ—ssed thy holie precept and thereby became disobedient to thee the inferiour powers of his soule begane presentlye to bee rebellious to raison the flesh to the spirit and creatures though naturally subiect to him to disobey him And albert he still retained the dominion ouer them which through thy infinite goodnesse and clemencye thou didst againe alsoe confirme vpon him fully and intirely according to right yet according to exercise or power to execute his right thou hast iustly weakened him for his demerit Since therefore thou art our Lord soe potent and of
soe great Maiestie as thou art pleased to manifest vnto me by these thy wonderfull and magnificent workes I cannot conclude my song more fitly then as I begane saying O Lord our Lord how maruelous is thy name in the whole earth because c. The auncient holie Fathers grounding themselues vpon the words of S. Paul the 2. to the Hebrews and the first to the Corinthians the 15. as alsoe vpon the authoritie of our B. Sauiour himself in the 21. of S. Mathew doe applie the words of this Psalme wholly to Christ our Lord and his holie Church Wherefore I shall here vnfold the propheticall sense of this Psalme vsing as neare as I can the very self same words which I find set downe in the workes of the saied holie Fathers which are to this effect The propheticall sense of this Psalme IN this vale of teares we cannot see God for it is written Man shall not see Exo. 33. him and liue nor consequently can we come to know how admirable he is other wise then by his effects which are in two sorts that is to saie naturall and supernaturall By the first God appeared alwaies and euery where sublime for by the contemplation of his naturall effects all men might perceiue how incomprehensible à workman he was But by the second he cheefly shewed himself to be of infinite power and Maiestie in the tyme of the law of Moyses not to all the world but to some few people but in the tyme of the law of grace he hath shewed himself admirable in the whole earth in all the parts whereof he hath wrought wonderfull things and manifested to the inhabitants the hidden and secret things of his wisdome reuealing vnto them the mysterie of the Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascensian of Christ and other wonderfull testimonies of the Christian law and faith by all which the name of our Lord is made exceeding admirable and altogether inscrutable euen to the vtmost confines of the earth Dauid therefore foreseeing in spirit the supernaturall workes of God which were to bee wrought in the comming of Christ and manifested to the whole world stroken with admiration saied as followeth O Lord of all things and particularly Our Lord who with true Religion and due reuerence doe worship thee in faith of the Messias to come how maruelous by the future preaching of the Gospell is thy name shall thy fame and glorie be not onely in Iewry but alsoe in the whole earth in all the parts whereof thy holie Church shall bee dilated Because thy magnificence the humanitie of Christ that most noble sumptuous and magnificent worke of thyne is eleuated shall bee exalted from terrene humilitie and placed at thy right hand aboue the materiall heauens and aboue all the Angelicall or celestiall powers for then it shall bee diuulged through the world that thou hast giuen to Christ thy Sonne in his assumpted humane nature all power in heauen and vpon earth Yet soe inscrutable are thy iudgements that thou wilt not make choice of such as swell with humane learning greatnes to promulgate these thy diuine misteries neither wilt thou reueale thy perfect praise to them but out of the mouth of abiect simple and vnlearned people who not so much in regard of age as in respect of their resemblance to the propertie of children maie well bee tearmed Infants and sucklings thou hact perfected thou wilt perfect diuine praise to bee song to thyne and thy Sonnes holie name and wilt by them proclaime thy law wherein thy praise is contained And this thou wilt doe because of thy enemies to conuince the Priests of the Synagogue as alsoe the Priests of the Idoles and the professors of humane wisdome who by impugning thy new law will become thy enimies that thou maiest destroie disperse and cause to desist from their manner of religious worship the enimie the people of the Iewes who will be the prime enimies of the Messias and the reuenger the Gentils who by thy diuine ordinance shall reuenge the iniuries done by the Iewes vnto him Because I who am onely one of those Infants and sucklings as hauing been brought vp à poore simple sheep heard shall see thy heauens shall attentiuely consider those woÌ„derfull subtile workes of thyne which thou didst make with exceeding facilitie as being the workes of thy fingers the moone and starres which thou hast founded which thou hast created of nothing to stable and incorruptible being I cannot sufficiently admire what is man the whole race of men what are they or what seruice are they able to doe thee that thou who art of soe great power and Maiestie as these thy workes shew thee to bee art mindfull of him of them preuenting them with thy diuine grace and heaping innumerable benefitts vpon them without any the least merit on their part but meerely moued therevnto by thy owne immense goodnes Or the sonne not of men that is begotten of men according to the ordinary course of nature but of man borne of the Virgin Mother of God Christ our Lord who in respect of his humanitie will bee in some sort à creature what is hee That thou visitest him that thou wilt visite him assuming his humane nature to the personall vnion of thy diuine nature Verily O Lord this thou wilt doe out of thy diuine grace alone not moued thereunto by any fore goeing merits of Christ as man Thou hast minished him vdzt Christ our Lord à litle lesse then the Angels If we consider his humane nature precisely abstracting from the graces which he shall participate by such hypostaticall vnion thou wilt make him in some respects inferiour to the Angells for thou wilt make him passible and mortall but if we consider him as he shall bee in that state of vnion he shall transcend them farre in dignitie and excellencie Indeed for à small tyme during his Passion thou wilt minish him à litle lesse then them but after his Resurrection with glorie with renowne and praise worthy fame and with honour with reuerence that shall bee exhibited in token of his vertue thou hast crowned him thou wilt crowne him and adorne him on all sides and hast appointed him ouer the workes of thy hands and wilt constitute him Lord and King ouer thy creatures and giue him all power in heauen and vpon earth Thou hast subiected all things except thy self alone vnder his feete vnder his humanitie by which his diuinitie will deâ—cend vnto vs. All sheepe simple deuout soules and oxen learned Doctors and Preachers who cultiuate the hearts of the faithfull Moreouer all the beasts of the feild sinfull loose liuing people who wander vp and downe without à guide in the broad way of the pleasures of this life following their owne concupiscence The birds of the aire proud men puffed vp with the wind of vaine glorie And the fishes of the sea that walke the pathes of the sea curious worldly men who imploy their wâ—ole study in search of temporall
in this inferiour world in the sight of all men by which meanes he that before did dwell in inaccessible light was seene vpon earth and was conuersant with men The second is that Christ hath put his saied tabernacle in the Blessed Virgin in whose wombe he dwelt for nine months Our Lord Ierem. 31. saieth Ieremy hath created à new thing vpon the earth A woman shall compasse à man and the Prophet Zachary Praise and Zach. 2. reioyce ô daughter of Sion because loe I come and will dwell in the middest of thee The Blessed Virgin is called the sunne in regard of the most excellent splendor of diuine grace in her of whome the Spouse saieth in the Canticles Thou art Cant. 4. all faire ô my loue and there is noâ— Ã spot in thee and in another place Faire as the Moone elect as the Sunne as alsoe for that she gaue light and life to thee world And himselfe Christ our Lord as à bridegroome comming forth of his bridechamber to wit out of the wombe of the Blessed Virgin in which by putting on humane flesh he did espouse the holie Church vnto him He hath exulted as à giant Christ shall come ioyfully and descend with longing desire into the wombe of his most deare Mother to runne the way to prosecute the worke of our Redemption with all speede and to shew vs the way of life in his holâ—e conuersation His comming from the top of heauen to wit from the bosome of his eternall father into the wombe of the Blessed Virgin from the intellectuall heauen vnto the sensible earth This his descent was not by change of place but by appearing after à new and vnheard of manner And his recourse his returne or ascension euen to the top thereof vnto the same place whence he came fortâ— as our Sauiour witnesseth of himself saving I came forth from the Father and Iob. 16. came into the world againe I leaue the world and I goe to the Father Neither is there that can hide himself from his heate None can excuse themselues from the loue of Christ for his benefits are soe many soe great and manifest that none can plead ignorance or thus none can hide themselues from the operation of the holie Ghost who is the burning loue proceeding from the Father and the sonne or thus in the law of Christ grace will soe abound that none can with iust cause subtract themselues from the receipt thereof The plaine literall exposition AMongst all things created all which doe in their manner praise God The heauens by their beautie greatnes motion and influx into these inferiour things doe most cleerely and in à transcendent manner shew forth the glorie of God affording aboundant matter to excite all such as shall contemplate them to confesse the Majestie wisedome power and prouidence of the Creator and the firmament wherein God almightie Gen. 1. placed the Sunne Moone and starres declareth the workes of his hands of what sorte and excellencie they are Moreouer the heauens doe not onely shew forth the glorie of God but alsoe doe manifest it after an admirable and stupendious manner First without intermission or ceasing The daie present vttereth vnto the daie following the word to wit certaine sensible signes which doe represent vnto vs the glorie of God and in like manner the night present sheweth vnto the night following Knowledge which maie bee learnt by contemplating those principall workes of God in the firmament to wit the Moone and starres in such sort that what we are not able to draw out of such consideration in one daie and night we maie more fully conceiue by the succeeding daies and nights Secondly they shew forth the glorie of God in the words of all formes of speech for There are noe languages or speeches whose voice are not heard or thus according to the latin text There are noe languages or speeches of which the voices of them to wit of the heauens the firmament daie aâ—d night are not heard for these doe by the foresaied sensible signes as it were speake all languages and speeches and euery one heareth them that is vndestandeth them in his owne language and consequently there are noe people how barbarous soeuer that doe not perceiue and vnderstand the doctrine which the heauens the firmament daie and night doe deliuer concerning God Thirdly they shew forth the glory of God to the whole world for Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth and vnto the ends of the round world the words of them By the word sound is not here vnderstood any corporall consent or harmony such as some philosophers did suppose but that confession of praise which doth arise out of the beautie of the heauens considered by men He God almightie who remaineth euer in the heauen of the blessed is there beheld cleerely as he is in himselfe in this world as being à place of peregrination hath put his Tabernacle or Pauilion in the Sunne as in the most noble portion of the heauens whence he is gratiously pleased to represent himself vnto vs in à manner best suting with the estate we now liue in and fittest to manifest the admirable effects of his immense power and infinite goodnes for the Sunne is the common parent of all things giuing life and light vnto them and himselfe to wit the Sunne returning from the lower Hemisphere and ascending our horizon all glorious and resplendent is as à to wit like vnto à comely and ritchly arrayed bridegroome coming forth of his bridechamber He the Sunne hath reioyced exulted and shewed signes of alacrite and infatigabilitie to runne the way to passe the immense space of the heauens with wonderfull celeritie much like as a couragious and mightie giant doth to runne à race His coming forth is from the top the extreame part of heauen to wit the East where he ariseth and his recourse circuition or returne euen to the top thereof to the other extreame to wit the West neither is there any man or created thing what soeuer that can hide himself or it self from his heate influence and viuificating vertue which penetrateth euen into the depth of the sea and the most intime bowells of the earth In this sort the heauens the firmament and all their resplendent ornaments which we behold with our eies doe declare vnto vs the glorie of God excite vs to his praise but the diuine law which we perceiue by our eares doth much more clearely shew vs â—ow to direct our liues in order to God and farre more efficaciously moue vs to conforme our actions to his diuine will as maie appeare by the properties thereof For first The law of our Lord is immaculate free from reprehension not permitting sinne as humane lawes doe but rendring the obseruers thereof pure and without blame Conuerting soules causing men to descend into their interiour and there to consider their bad waies and returne to God and liue withdrawing them from vnlawfull
diuine nature hath founded her By the man that shall saie these admirable things to Sion Some doe vnderstand S. Iohn the Baptist of whome is Ioh. 1. saied There was à man sent from God c. For he was the first that announced to Sion that Christ was come of whome the Prophet Isaie saieth Vpon an high mountaine Isa 40. get thee vp thou that euangelizest to Sion exalt thy voice in strength say to the Citties of Iuda behold your God Others vnderstand Christ to bee that man because he very often saied to the Iewes and to his disciples that he himselfe was the man whome they expected should bee borne the Sauiour of the world Our Lord will declare in Scriptures of peoples and of Princes of those that haue been in her By this verse the Prophet doth seeme to make answer to the interrogation made in the precedent verse And according to the first interpretation thereof to wit Shall it not bee saied of Sion c. he seemeth here to answer Yes truely it shall bee saied for our Lord will declare it c. But according to the second interpretation to wit Shall not man saie to Sion c. he seemeth to answer Yes truely man shall saie that which followeth in the verse to Sion and not onely one that is à pure man but that man who is both God and man our Lord shall declare it in à more perfect manner in the Scriptures of peoples and Princes that all ages to the end of the world maie take notice that the onely Sonne of God Christ Iesus God and man is borne in her accordâ—ng to his humane nature and that he hath founded her according to his diuine nature And moreouer he shall declare and write downe the names of those that haue been in her who are soe many that he alone is able to doe it By Scriptures of the peoples some doe vnderstand the new testament others the bookes wherein the names of the elected people are registred which shall not bee published vntil the daie of IudgemeÌ„t when the booke of life shall bee opened and by the Princes are vnderstood the Apostles who as it is written were constituted Psal 44. Princes ouer all the world The habitation in thee holie Church designed here by Sion is as it were of all reioycing is like to that habitation where all doe reioyce This verse maie in some respects bee applied to the militant Church by reason of the exceeding ioy peace of conscience which true Christian Catholickes doe possesse who reioyce in hope as being of that number vnto whome the Apostle saieth Reioyce Philip. 4. in our Lord alwaies againe Isaie Reioyce yet it cannot properly bee applied thereunto where we are to worke our Saluation with feare and trembling but it agreeth most properly with the happy estate of the triumphant Church where the blessed spirits doe securely enioy what neither eie hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man without the least feare of euer being depriued thereof Behold how excellently the holie Church is praised in this compendious Psalme how clearely the mysterie of the incarnation of our Sauiour is insinuated and the ioyes of the celestiall countrey commended It behoueth vs to sing it by soe much the more deuoutly and affectionately by â—ow much the more clearely the calling of the Gentils is foretold in it And in regard it is something intricate it behoueth vs to study to vnderstand the true sense thereof and consider it attentiuely for otherwise we shall not bee able to recite it with such deuotion as the misteries therein contained doe require we should The title and argument of the 95. Psalme and 7. in the Nocturne Office A Canticle to Dauid himselfe when the howse was built after the captiuitie This title was prefixed by Esdras and the Psalme was appointed by him to bee song when the Temple was reedified after the Babylonian captiuitie but the Psalme was composed by holie Dauid vpon occasion of the bringing backe of the Arke into Ierusalem and ordained by him to bee soÌ„g at that tyme. Which notwithstanding it is certaine that the principall intention of the Prophet and of the holie Ghost himselfe was to foreshew the coÌ„ming of Christ and his Kingdome when as the Apostle witnesseth â—oloss God did deliuer vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the Kingdome of the Sonne of his loue For as S. Augustine doth well note there is noe mention at all made through out the whole Psalme either of the bringing backe of the Arke or of the building of the Temple after the captiuitie but of the thing signified by the building of the Temple at that tyme Therefore of necessitie we must either gâ—aunt that there is noe coherence betweene the Title and the Psalme or els expound them spiritually as all the auntient holie Fathers doe to this effect As by the captiuitie saie they wherein the Iewes were lead away and detained prisoners by the Chaldeans is figured the captiuitie wherein all mankind was ouercome held in thraldome and slauery by the deuils Soe likewise by the building of the Temple in Ierusalem after that captiuitie is designed the building of the holie Church which is the howse of God not with insensible stones but with liuing stones congregated and polished by Christ and founded in him In Ephe. 2. whome as the Apostle saieth all building framed together groweth into an holie Temple in our Lord in whome you alsoe are built together into an habitation of God in the holie Ghost The sense therefore of the title is A Canticle to Dauid himselfe written for that tyme when the Church of Christ began to bee built by the preaching of Christ and his Apostles after the freeing of mankind from captiuitie which was done by the Incarnation and passion of the Sonne of God who redeemed mankind from the power of the deuill and the seruitude of sinne as our Sauiour witnesseth of himself saying Now the Prince of this world shall bee cast forth and I if I bee exalted from the earth will draw all things to my selfe The Psalme speaketh litterally of the two fold comming of Christ to wit to saue and to iudge the world it speaketh alsoe of the building and sacrifice of the Church The exposition of the Psalme SIng ye to our Lord à new song sing ye such à song as the new Master the fountaine of wisdome Christ our Lord hath brought with him and proposed to the whole world â—o wit A Hymne composed of his counsells some whereof were vnknowne before his comming Such à new soÌ„g is One thing is necessarie If thou wilt bee perfect goe and sell the things Luc. 10. Math. 19. that thou hast giue to the poore Call none Father to your selfe vpon earth for one is your Father he that is in heauen innumerable others like to these which are frequent in the new Testamènt
alsoe very many from falling into sinne poureth forth a fragrant odour in so much that whosoeuer shall piously call her to mynd shall experience himselfe sprinkled there with Of the Canticle or Hymne Te Doum laudamus THe auncient custome of recyting this Canticle or Hymne in the diuine Office maie bee proued by the Rule of our holie Father S. Benedict where he appointeth that after the fouerth Responsory to wit of the third Nocturne the Abbot doe beginne the Hymne Te Deum laudamus Concerning the originall institution of this Hymne S. Darius Bishop of Milan who liued in the tyme of Iustine the elder about the yeare of our Lord. 540. as S. Gregory affirmeth in his 3. Booke of dialogues the 4. Chap. in his Chronicles writeth as followeth By l. 1. c. 10. Chronicâ— blessed Ambrose saieth he Augustine was baptised and confirmed in the name of the holie and vndiuided Trinitie all the faithfull of the Cittie being present and beholding it at which tyme according as the holie Ghost gaue them to speake they pronounced the Hymne Te Deum Laudamus all that were present hearing seeing and admiring which hath been generally receiued and religiously sung euer since by the vniuersall Church in all ages euen vnto these our daies The Title and argument of the 92. Psalme and first in the Laudes PRaise of Canticle to Dauid himselfe in the date before the Sabbaoth when the earth was founded It seemeth tâ—at he who appointed this title was desirous that the insuing Psalme should bee sung vpon the Sixt Feria or Fryday which is the daie before the Sabbaoth because therein is declared that the earth was founded or according to some bookes inhabited Which is fitly saied to haue been done on the Sixt Feria for on that daie maÌ„ was formed who should bee Lord of the earth and by this the earth was first established which was created for man On this daie not onely man but alsoe all liuing creatures were created which inhabite the earth and therefore on this daie the earth began first to bee inhabited On the same daie alsoe by the Passion and death of Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour the earth was renouated and the Kingdome of Christ established the Prince of the world being cast forth All which notwithstaÌ„ding the holie Church doth appoint this Psalme to bee sung at Laudes vpon Sunday about Sunne rising or daie breake because although our Sauiour purchased his Kingdome with the price of his most pretious bloud shed for mankind on the Sixt Feria and thereby layed the foundation of the new earth yet he receiued possession of his Kingdome at his glorious resurrection early in the morning vpon Sunday at which tyme he put on beauty and strength The words of this Psalme maie bee applied both to the Creation Reparation of the world as followeth The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord hath reigned he hath put on beautie glorie and regall Majestie Our Lord hath alsoe put on strength power and fortitude which are equally requisite to support à Kingly diademe and hath girded prepared armed and setled himselfe to reigne If these words bee referred to the Creation of the world Christ as God is saied to haue begun to reigne when he had created the world for then he first of all began to haue subiects vpon the earth ouer whome he might exercise dominion But if they bee referred to the reparation of the world Christ as man at the tyme of his Resurrection did receiue the gouernment of the Vniuerse put on the beautie of à glorified body and put on fortitude all power being giuen him in heauen and vpon earth and girded or setled himselfe earnestly to ptopagatâ— his Kingdome to the vtmost confines of the earth It is manifest that our Lord hath reigned in this sort For he hath established firmely fixed the round world as the center of the vniuerse which shall not bee moued according to that of Ecclesiastes Generation passeth and generation Eccle. 1. cometh but the earth standeth for euer Christ likewise by his dolorous passion and glorious resurrection hath founded and established the Militant Church spred through all the regioÌ„s of the earth in one faith and religion which shall not bee moued but shall perseuer in the same faith and worship vnto the end of the world for Christ shall reigne in the house of Luc. 1. Iacob for euer and of his Kingdome there shall bee noe end Thy seat ô Lord is prepared from that tyme to wit from the Creation of the world or the resurrection of Christ Yet thou didst not theÌ„ beginne to haue à being for thou according to thy diuine nature art from euerlasting from eternitie Concerning which you are to note that the word art doth not here signify the simple existence of the diuine nature but the fulnesse of his being wherein all things are contained For God was not poore or had need of any thing before he created the world neither was he more wealthy or better stored after he had created it for he created not the world that himselfe might encrease thereby but that he might communicate his goodnesse to vs therefore he created not the world as being compelled by any necessitie but as being moued thereunto by his infinite charitie and mercy and with the same charitie and mercy he hath repaired it for Soe God loued the Ioh. 3. world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that euery one that beleeueth in him perish not but maie haue life euerlasting The riuers ô Lord haue lifted vp the riuers haue lifted vp their voices The riuers haue lifted vp their waues aboue the voices of many waters The surges of the Sea are maâ—uâ—lous maruelous is our Lord on high If the words of these verses bee referred to the first sense they signify the manner whereby God almightie made the earth habitable that it might bee à firme seate for all liuing creatures For iâ— the beginning of the Creation the waters couered the superficies of the Vniuerse and the inundations of the waters were eleuated with à terrible motion but God who is infinitely more high more excellent and powerfull repressed their furie closed part of them in the concauities of the earth and appointed limits to the rest which they shall not transcend In the Second sense by the riuers which lifted vp their voices is vnderstood the Apostles and other principall planters of the Christian faith who being filled with the waters of life did passe through the world like vnto soe many heauenly riuers and eleuate their voices preaching the Ghospell of Christ with great freedome By the riuers which lifted vp their waues is vnderstood the Iewes who euen in the very beginning contradicted the Ghospell in all places raised persecutioÌ„ against the disciples of Christ By the surges of the Sea which are farre greater theÌ„ the waues of the riuers is vnderstood the persecutions of the Infidels other aduersaries of the
after their conuersion for the most part are accustomed to praise our Lord with à gratefull heart saying with the Psalmist But that our Lord hath holpen me within very Psal 9â— litle my soule had dwelt in hell Yet in regard that bruit sauadge and vntamed creatures are properly called beasts and bruit tame domesticall creatures cattell by beasts may fitly bee vnderstood carnall cruell vntractable men by cattell gentle courteous and tractable men Sonnes of men blesse yee our Lord. Reasonable and intellectuall creatures as the Sonnes of Men are ought to blesse our Lord not onely by affording matter of the diuine praise to such as rightly consider them but by considering their owne excellencie and perfection as alsoe the perfections in other creatures to magnifie and extoll with heart and mouth the infinite goodnesse wisdome and power of almigtie God acknowledging him by words and deeds the author and fountaine of all perfection cordially giuing thankes vnto him for all benefits gifts bestowed either vpon them or vpon other creatures Indeed if we will attentiuely consider Man as touching his body and soule and other circumstances concerning him we shall find soe much the more copious and excellent matter of the Creators praise by how much man is of à more high and excellent nature then the rest of the forenamed creatures For in the body of Man how great goodnesse of God how great prudence of soe mighty à Creator doth appeare Are not the places of the senses and the rest of the members soe disposed the forme shape and stature of the whole body soe delineated that they clearely shew they were made for the seruice of à reasonable soule Man is not created as we see irrationall creatures inclining towards the earth but with the forme of his body bolt vpright towards heauen whereby he is admonished according as the Apostle exhorteth To mynd the things that are aboue and not the things that Collos 3. are upon the earth By how much the more and greater benefits therefore are bestowed vpon him by soe much the more he is obliged to praise God and by soe much the more seuere and terrible shall his doome of reprobation bee if he bee found defectiue herein Let Israel blesse our Lord. Amongst all the generations of men the Israelits are most obliged to God almighty for his especiall graces and singular patronadge and consequently are bound by all the lawes of gratitude to render him due praise VVho declareth his word to Iacob his Psal 147. iustices and iudgements to Israel He hath noe done in leke manner to any nation and his iudgements he hath not made manifest to them Yet in respect that the people of Israel for their incredulity and obstinate blindnesse are become vnworthy of that name of whome the Apostle saieth Behold Israel 1. Cor. â—0 according to the flesh by Israel is now to bee vnderstood the people that are Christians by faith and workes of whome the same Apostle saieth Peace vpon the Israel of Gal. 9. God for they are frequently designed in the Prophets vnder the names of Ierusalem Sion and Israel especially in regard that the Primitiue Church consisted of the saied people Priests of our Lord blesse yee our Lord. These holie men hauing in generall tearmes inuited all Israel to blesse our Lord doe now here especially nominate the Priests on whome greater gifts are bestowed then vpon the vulgar and who in respect of their office or function are peculiarly obliged to spirituall exercises and the praise of God vnto whome Ezechias saied My children be not negligent 2. Paralip 29. our Lord hath chosen you to stand before him and to minister to him and to worship him and to burne incense to him and of whome our Lord hath saied I will replenish the soules of the Priests with fatnesse and in Exodus it is alsoe saied that The Priests shall be holie to their God If then the Priests Exod. 29 of the old law were bound to liue soe spiritually continently and soberly whose priesthood was but as à type and figure of the priesthood of Christ and his holie Church how spiritually continently and temperately are the Priests of the holie Church obliged to liue Verily so much the more perfectly ought they to frame their liues by how much their priesthood is more spirituall and diuine and the sacrifice they offer more excellent and the Sacraments they handle of greater value Seruants of our Lord blesse yee our Lord. These words doe seeme to bee spoken to those cheefly who ministred to the Priests in the diuine worship to witt to the Leuites vnto whome Deacons doe succeed in the holie Church yet they maie alsoe be vnderstood as spokeÌ„ to all the faithfull for they are all properly stiled the seruants of God as being Created by him redeemed with the pretious bloud of his most deare and onely sonne Christ Iesus Spirits and soules of the iust praise yee our Lord. You are to know that these words Spirit soule doe expresse one the same essence of à reasonable soule which in as much as it informeth and giueth life to the body is called Anima that is à soule and by reason of its simplicity and in as much as it contemplateth heauenly things it is called à Spirit Holie and humble of heart blesse yee our Lord not attributing your vertues and merits to your owne proper power labour or industry but to the piety and grace of the holie Ghost who operateth in you both à good will and ability to performe your duties Ananias Azarias and Misael blesse yee our Lord. These holie men hauing inuited all creatures to praise our Lord doe now prouoke themselues thereunto in consideration of their present benefit being miraculously preserued from the fire of that flaming furnace The verse following is not in the Text but hath been added by the holie Church in the praise of the most blessed Trinity in the place of Gloria Patri which Pope Damasus by the perswasion of S. Ierome did institute to be recited or sung at the end of euery Psalme as hath been saied heretofore Let vs Blesse that is Let vs with heart and mouth exhibite deuotion praise honour reuerence and diuine worship in spirit and truth to the Father our Creator and the Sonne our Redeemer with the Holie Ghost our Comforter and for that these trhee persons are one vndiuided and most amiable God Let vs praise him in three persons with one praise and superexalt him for euer speaking well of him thinking well of him and ascribing vnto him all that is good Thou art blessed o Lord in the firmament of heauen and laudable and glorious and superexalted for euer The argument of the 148. Psalme intituled Alleluia that is to saie Praise our Lord. THe Prophet intending to inuite all creatures to praise our Lord doth reduce them to two Classes to witt Heauen and earth for these are the two principall
abuse you I will voluntarily freely of my owne accord and with most ardent charitie sacrifice to thee offer vp my selfe vpon the Crosse to thee o eternall Father to regaine thine honour and reconcile man vnto thee as the Prophet Isaie foretold saying He was offered because himselfe Isa 55. Ioh. 10. would and as hee affirmed saying I am the good Pastor I yeeld my life for my sheepe and againe Noe man taketh away my life from me Ibid. but I yeeld it of my seâ—fe c. And will confesse to thy name with confession of praise because it is good essentially good pure perfect and infinite goodnesse as it is written One is good God who alone is Math. 19. most praise worâ—hy for himselfe Christ our Sauiour in all his life did confesse to his eternall Father with confession of praise whence he saieth of himselfe I Ioh. 8. seeke not my owne glorie and againe The things that please God I doe alwaies I confesse vnto thee alsoe Because thou hast deliuered me out â—f tribulation in the daie of my resurrection when thou wilt raise-me to an impassible life whereof the Apostle maketh mention saying Christ risyng againe from the dead now dieth noe more death shall noe more haue dominion ouer him c. And myne eie hath looked downe vpon myne enemies I haue not feared them nor regarded their malice but haue remained constant and victorious in all conflicts Although Christ when his Passion approached did of his owne accord admitt some apprehension of feare yet he had not any inordinate feare but of his owne power when himselfe pleased did depose that feare he foe admitted and went bouldly to meete his enemies that caâ—n to lay hands on him whence is that of the Prophet He is neare Isa 50. that iustifieth mee who is he that shall condeme mee Let vs stand together who is myne aduersarie Let him come Behold the Lord God my helper c. There are two causes for which we ought cheefly to praise almight is God The first is his goodnesse for which reaâ—oÌ„ our Sauiour saieth in the first place I will confesse to thy name because it is good The second cause is the exhibition of his benefits which is signified by those words Because thou hast deliuered me c It is more worthy and meritorious to praise honour and loue God in respect of his goodnesse then for his benefits because it proceedeth purely from the diuine charitie yet in imitation of our Sauiour we ought to praise and loue him for both respects Concerning the words in the 3. Verse to witt They haue not set God before their eies That man is truely saied not to set God before his eies who either doth not beleeue or if he doe doth not attend the diuine prouâ—dence who doth not feare the iudgements of God who cannot be withdrawne from committing sinne neither by the terror of paines nor the loue of reward but transgresseth the law of God without remorse and conâ—erseth without reuerence in the sight of â—â—e eternall iudge who beholdeth allthings Ioh 15. Of such an one it is written Distresse shall compasse him as a King that is prepared to battle for â—e hath stretched out his hand against God and hath runne against him with necke vpright c. and in another place They subuerted their sense and declined their eies that they would not see heauen nor remember iust iudgements Behold here how great à fire of loue is contained in this short Psalme Let vs learne out of it to offer ardent praiers to God to haue recourse vnto him with confidence in all persecution and tentation to addresse our speech vnto him amorously confidently and faithfully to sacrifice ourselues vnto him promptly to praise and giue thankes vnto him in all occurrences ioyfully and to acknowledge his benefits gratefully The title and argument of the 84. Psalme and second in Prime VNto the end to the children of Chore à Psalme In the following Psalme the Prophet treateth of the captiuitie of mankind vnder the Prince of darknesse from which we are set free by Christ our Lord. In the three first verses he forerelleth our freedome from that thraldome and in the rest he praieth that this his Prophesie maie quickly bee fulfilled The reason why he expresseth things to come by words of the pretertense is because what vnto vs is future in the prescience and decree of almightie God is already done The explication of the Psalme O Lord thâ—â— hast blessed thy land At length thine anger o Lord which thou didtâ— conceiue against mankind is appeased and in stead of the malediction which thou gauest after sinne to thy creature thou hast now brought a benediction and hast sanctified it by the comming of thy deare Sonne who must saue it Thou hast turned away the â—aptiâ—itie of Iacob to witt the sentence of being eternally depriued of thy blessed Sâ—cieâ—ie in heauen for originall sinne and the spirituall captiuitie whereby man was detained in thraldome by the deuill This captiuitie of Iacob to witt of thy elected people corporally or spiritually desceâ—ded from the Patriarke Iacob thou hast â—uerted from them Thou hast for giuen the iniquitie of thy people pardoning thy poore creatures as well the originall sinne where with they were defiled as all their other iniquities and chardging thy onely beloued sonne Christ Iesus with them according to that of the Prophet Isaie Our Lord hath put Isa 53 vpon him the iniquities of vs all c. Thou hast couered all their Sinnes vnder the mantle of thy infinite charitie by which thou hast graâ—â— iustified sinners Yet we must noâ— thinke to haue this thy iustification imputed vnto vs and to participate of the merits of the Passion of thy deare Sonne Christ Iesus vnlesse they be applied vnto vs in due manner by faith charitie and the Sacraments Thou hast mâ—â—gated all thy wrath Indeed the meritorious satisfaction which our beloued Sauiour hath giuen thee in our behalfe hath soe fully appeased thyâ—e anger that thou hast conuerted the seuere reuenge of thy iustice into the mild effects of mercie Thou hast turned away from the wrath of thy indignation from the great reuenge of thy iustice Conuert vs o God our Sauiour and 〈◊〉 thy wrath from vs. Since thou art â—oe sweetly inclined to mercie on thy part bring to passe I beseech thee that we maie performe what is requisite on our part permitt not that the continuation of our wicked liues depriue vs of the benefitâ— of this vniuersall ransome but conuert vs totally vnto thee and thy seruice ô God our saluation O Iesus in whome alone lies our assurance our conuersion is in thy hands Hasten it benigne Lord for by this meanes thou wilt hinder that wee shall noe more prouoke thy iust indignation which we most humbly beseech thee to diuert from vs. VVilt thou be wrath with vs for euer subtracting thy helpe and grace for our demeritt or wilt thou extend thy
wrath to witt wilt thou continue thy reuenge from generation to generation vpon all the race of men from the Father to the Sonne for euer Noe truely for thy mercies are aboue all thy workes It is thy property to spare and shew pitie as thou hast declared by thy Prophet saying I know the cogitations that I intend vnto you Ierem. 29. cogitations of peace and not of affliction to giue you an end and patience Therefore O God thou being turned towards vs by the Incarnation and corporall presence of thy onely Sonne shalt quicken vs who lye dead in the guilt of sinne by the life of grace in present and by the life of glorie hereafter Whence our Sauiour saieth I came that they maie haue life and Ioh. 10. maie haue more aboundantly c. And thy people soe quickned shall reioyce not in carnall vaine and vnlawfull things but in thee congratulating with thee in thy goodnesse perfection and beatitude and exulting at thy singular benefits and promisses Of this ioy the Prophet Isaie speaketh in the person of the Christians Loe this is our God we haue expected him Isa 25. and he will saue vs this is our Lord we haue patiently waited for him we shall reioyce and be ioyfull in his saluation Shew vs o Lord thy mercie let Christ thy beloued Sonne the fountaine of mercie manifestly appeare vnto vs thy poore creatures who liue in this hope and giue vs thy saluation to witt Christ by whome thou doest saue vs and whome thou doest giue vnto vs gratis of thy owne immense charitie and goodnesse not in respect of our iustice I will heare I will obserue attentiuely with the eares of my mind VVhat our Lord will speake in me by internall inspiration or Angelicall illustration because by such internall discourse he will speake peace vpon his people he will inspire such things as conduce to the peace of his people things concerning the Incarnation Passion and death of Christ whereby the whole world hath acquired true celestiall peace for Christ is called the Prince of Isa 9. Luc. 2. peace at whose birth the Angells sung In earth peace to men of good will whence it followeth here Peace vpon his saints and vpon them that are conuerted to the heart This manner of expression of peace doth not onely extend it selfe to the perfecter sort of peoples but to all sinners who from Idolatrie sensualitie and peruerse iudgement doe returne to the heart to witt to the vse of reason becoÌ„ming obedient to the diuine law and what solide and sincere reason doth dictate Wee are taught here to obserue diligently what our Lord God doth speake in vs that wee maie condescend to his holie inspirations for therefore it is that Abacuc saieth I will Abacus 2. stand vpon my watch and I will contemplate to see what maie be saied to mee but to this it is requisite that wee be able to discerne which is à diuine which an Angelicall which à naturall and which à diabolicall instinct But yet his saluation Christ the Sauiour is nigh to them that feare him All men will not cooperate with his grace nor consequently participate of the merits of our Sauiours Passion but onely such as feare our Lord. The Prophet saieth not that the saluation of God is nigh to all men but onely to them that feare him with a filiall feare for such will freely and gratefully accept of his mercie and cooperate with his grace endeuoring the best they can to decline from euill and doe good according to that of Ecclesiasticus They that Eccles 2. feare our Lord will prepare their hearts and in his sight will sanctifie their soules c and by this meanes detaine Christ in their hearts who saieth If any loue me he will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and we will come to him and abide with him His saluation then shall be nigh to them that feare him That glorie to witt Christ the King of glorie who is the image of the liuing God the splendor of his glorie and figure of his substance maie inhabite in our land in the land of Iuda where be conuersed corporally amongst men as the Prophet Zachary witnesseth saying Praise and reioyce o daughter of Sion because loe I come and will dwell in the middest of thee Mercie and truth haue met each other in Christ for the mercie of God appeared in his Incarnation because â—t was effected by the ineffable mercie of God that he should assume humane flesh and the truth of God shined therein because he fulfilled in the Incarnation of Christ what he had foretold and promised by his Prophets Iustice and peace haue kissed to witt The iust satisfaction wherewith Christ satisfied for vs by waie of iustice sustaining paine for our faults and the confederation of mankind with God accompanying this satisfaction are most amorously vnited in Christ for he according to the Apostle is made vnto vs 1 Cor. 1 Ephes 2 from God iustice and redemption He is alsoe our peace who hath made both one c. This iustice and pâ—ace doe alsoe mutually kisse in vs who are redeemed by him for immediatly vpon this iustification there followeth peace in vs whereby we are reconciled to God and set at vnitie and concord with him S. Bernard vpon these words saieth that The Mercie Truth of God did seeme in à sort to contradict one another about the mysterie of the Redemption of man Mercie exacting that the miserable should be freed but Truth dictating that the guilty should be damned yet in this meeting together Iustice and peace haue kisled because the miserable is redeemed and his fault was not vnpunished Truth to witt Christ who saieth of Ioh. 14. himselfe I am the waie and the veritie and the life is risen out of the earth hath assumed flesh in the wombe of the most glorious Virgin by beiÌ„g borne of her did spring forth as out of the earth of which Prophet Isa 45. Isaie saieth Bee the earth opened and bud forth à Sauiour c. And iustice hath looked downe from heauen at the birth of Christ both because then true iustice did descend from heauen iustifying men by faith as alsoe because then the wrath of Roma 1 God was reuealed vpon iniquitie For it had neuer been knowne how great the wrath of God is against sinne but that he was pleased to expiate it by the death of his onely Sonne neither had it euer been fully knowne how great the indignation of God will bee in the daie of iudgement against the vniust had we not seene how exceeding greeuous the Passion of Christ hath been to satisfie for the sinnes of others For if in the greene Luc. 23. wood they doe such things in the daie of iudgement what shall bee done The blessed Virgin is fitly designed by the earth as S. Bernard sheweth For as à feild saieth he or the earth without all humane labour
or industrie doth flourish not being sowed or cultiuated soe the wombe of the Virgin did flourish soe the inuiolate chast intire bowells of Marie brought forth the flower of eternall viriditie whose beautie and glorie shall neuer fade Yet least it might seeme impossible to any that à Virgin should bring forth Christ the Prophet sheweth the manner of his generation to witt that it is not effected by humane but diuine power For our Lord certes will giue benignitie to witt supernaturall fecunditie to the preelected Virgin and plenitude of grace as the Angell declared vnto her saying Haile full of grace our Lord is with thee c. And our land the blessed Virgin Marie our saluatrix and aduocatrix shall giue her fruit bring forth Christ our Lord of which fruit S. Elisabeth prophesied saying Blessed Luc. 1. is the fruit of thy wombe But in a spirituall sense our Lord will giue benignitie when as he filleth our hearts with grace giueth mercifull audience to our praier iustifierh vs gratis preuenteth the impious conserueth the iust and perfecteth proficients and our land giueth her fruit when as our body becometh obedient to the spirit and imploieth it selfe in pious exercises for then we fulfill that of the Apostle I beseech you exhibite your bodies à Rom. 12. liuing host pleasing to God Iustice shall walke bâ—fâ—re him Christ our B. Sauiour shall teacâ— nothing of Christ but what is iust and holie and shall set his stepps in the waie he shall accomplish in worke whatsoeuer he shall soe teach for à Doctor is then saied to set his steps in the waie when by liuing well he sheweth the doctrine to be true which he proposeth to others and is the waie to eternall life S. Augustine expoundeth these three last verses in effect as followeth Truth is risen out of the earth truth of confession of sinnes and the praise of God begane to arise through Christ out of the mouthes of terrene men and then Iustice hath looked downe from heauen that it might iustify them soe confessing their sinnes and rendring praise Yet this truth of confession of sinnes shall not arise out of the saied earth through the proper forces thereof but through the aide of the preuenting grace of God for it is our Lord that will giue benignitie who will make iustice shine in the hearts of sinners and by this meanes Our earth will giue her fruit Moreouer man soe iustified by the grace of Christ will alwaies haue iustice before his eies that he maie performe all things according to the rule of iustice and soe Iustice shall walke before him bearing the law of God before him as a torch that he maie not walke in darknesse and soe secure and ioyfull â—e shall set his stepps in the waie that he maie happily attaine to the celestiall countrey in the end What vnderstanding is able to conceiue much lesse expresse the dignitie and praise of this present Psalme wherein first the diuine benefits are most deuoutly called to remembrance and afterwards this most efficacious praier is annexed Conuert vs ô God our Sauiour Which verse is with good reason appointed to be saied at Compline against the darkenesse of the night the deceits of deuills and infinite necessities of man to the end that daie light then departing our mynd being conuerted to God maie bee illustrated on all sides with the light of grace and being abstracted from all sensible things maie bee immerged in the intelligible immutable and cheifest good least soe singular à grace should bee denied vs in regard of our sinnes it is most fitly added And auert thy wrath from vs Let vs therefore recite this verse especially at Compline with feruent affection and firme confidence In the following verses hope of obtaining mercie is inflamed and all pusillanimitie and diffidence is eradicated To conclude the verse Shew vs ô Lord thy mercie and giue vs thy saluation doth farre exceed in sententious sweetnesse all the delights of carnall things The title and argument of the 116. Psalme and last in Prime THe title is Alleluia fitly agreeing with the Psalme for therein the Prophet doth inuite all men both Iewes and Gentils to praise our Lord for the singular benefitt of the Incarnation of Christ for the accomplishing of what was foretold of him and for the conuersion of the Gentils Christ is the Corner Eph. 2. stone in whome the Gentils and Iewes are ioyned together constituting one Church wherein there is noe distinction of à Iewe and à Grecian for as the Apostle saieth In Iesus Christ neither Circumcision Galath 6. auaileth ought nor prepuce but à new creature Yet because there are more of the Gentils conuerted then of the Iewes the Prophet foreseeing this doth in the first place inuite them saying The explication of the Psalme PRaise our Lord all yee Gentils called to the faith praise him all yee peoples conuerted from Iudaisme Because his mercie is confirmed vpon vs the sweet effect of his diuine clemencie or his grace is more copiously then formerly conferred and roborated vpon the whole race of men by the comming of Christ And the truth of our Lord to witt the fulfilling of his promisses and the mysteries of Christ remaineth for euer in as much as concerneth the fruit acquired thereby that is the freedome of mankind of which truth S. Iohn maketh Ioh. 1. mention saying Veritie was made by Iesus Christ who fulfilled all that was foretold of him and therefore hanging vpon the Crosse saied It is consummate Or thus Ioh. 19. The truth of our Lord to witt the doctrine of Christ remaineth for euer as he himselfe witnessed saying Heauen and Luc. 21. earth shall passe but my words shall not passe Or finally thus The truth of our Lord Christ the Sonne of God who saied I am the veritie remaineth for euer which Iob. 14. the Iewes confessed saving to our Sauiour we haue heard out of the law that Christ abideth for euer This Psalme little in words but great in sense is exceedingly commended by the holie Doctors for it containeth summarily what is treated of at lardge in the rest of the Psalmes To bee briefe what can bee saied more delightfull to the Gentils almost destitute of hope or to such as are in miserie blindnesse and the state of perdition then this That the mercie of God is confirmed vpon vs Let this Psalme therefore be pronounced by vs with à certaine flame of holie deuotion The explication of the Chapter at Prime VVhat is she that cometh forth as Auâ—ora Cant. 6. rising To witt from her infancy wherein she begane to haue the vse of reason making incomparable progresse in à very short space preceding producing Christ the true daie of holie soules Faire as the Moone as the Moone next to the Sunne doth shine most resplendently in heauen and gouerneth the night soe the most illustrious Lady next to Christ our Sauiour the Sunne of Iustice
Creator of heauen and earth Giue he not I beseech him thy feete to be moued let him not permitt thee to slippe and fall in the waie by yeelding to sinne or tentation but let him strengthen thy feete that they maie perseuer firme and stable in their course to the celestiall countrey Neither doe he slumber that keepeth thee I beseech him likewise vnto whome thou hast recommended thyselfe and who hath taken thee into his protection that he doe not depose the care of thee be it for nâ—uer soe short à time Courage thou holie pilgrime Loe he shall not slumber nor much lesse sleepe that keepeth Israel Although it seemeth sometimes as men then beleeue that in the time of affliction God doth dissemble the anguish of his elected and the tyranny of wicked men who persecuted them as if he did not see and obserue what passed much like to one à sleepe Yet credit me he is not capable of sleepe but is euer soe watchfull that he will alwaies be found vigilant for their defence Our Lord keepeth thee in particular conseruing thee in good and preseruing thee from euill in the waie of this present exile Our Lord is thy protection vpon thy right hand Some read aboue thy right hand and expound it That our Lord is thy protection of farre greater strength and assurance then thy right hand Others read it as it is here translated and expound it That our Lord is as it were à buckler vpon thy right hand or à Canopie borne on thy right hand couering thy head and body in such sort that By daie the Sunne shall not burne thee nor the moone by night For the grace of God shall keepe those that confide in him both in the time of prosperitie and aduersitie the Sunne or daie of prosperitie being vsually as dangerous and hurtfull in à spirituall course if not more preiudiciall then the Moone or night of aduersitie vnlesse it be vsed with due circumspection Our Lord doth keepe thee from all euill that it preuaile not against thee Indeed he sometimes permitteth tentations persecutions and afflictions to happen vnto thee yet he hath euer à vigilant eie towards thee that they take not effect against thee for he permitteth them either for his greater glorie or thy conuersion and amendment or some other reason which can be none other then the very best as thou wilt experience in due season according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8. To them that loue God all things cooperate vnto good To whome then can I more fitly recommend thee then into the armes of his immense goodnesse Our Lord therefore keepe thy soule that it be not depriued of his grace nor the flesh preuaile against it Our Lord keepe thy coming in and thy going out all thy actions both internall and externall Or thus Thy comming in to witt the beginning when thou attemptest any good worke and thy going out the consummation thereof that soe euery one of thy workes maie take beginning from him and being begun maie be perfected by him Or finally thus Our Lord Lord keepe thy comming in thy conuersation in this world whereby thou entrest into the place of this peregrination and thy going out thy departure out of this world when thy soule is separated from the body This thy coming in and going ouâ— I beseech our Lord to keepe and conserue thee to be lodged with him in eternitie of which comming in and going out our Sauiour saied I am the dore by me Ioh. 14. if any enter he shall be saued and he shall goe in and shall goe out and shall find pastures The argument of the 121. Psalme and third in Tierce IN this Psalme the Prophet describeth the beautie nobilitie and felicitie of the Cittie of Ierusalem whereunto the Hebrewes desired to returne from the captiuitie of Babilon But as that Cittie was à type of the celestiall Ierusalem soe the Hebrewes returning from that captiuitie to the terrene Ierusalem were à figure of our peregrination and ascension to that supernall Ierusalem and therefore the whole Psalme maie be vnderstood of each captiuitie of the pilgrimes of each of them Yet certainly the prime intention of the holie Ghost is directed to the principall end and indeed the words doe best agree therewith as I shall endeauour to shew in the insuing explication The Prophet hath placed this third Graduall Psalme very fitly after the two former For the first degree of internall ascension was to depart from vice the Second to implore the diuine assistance and the third which is here treated of is Hope to attaine the last end or life euerlasting Therefoâ—e speaking in the person of a man little regarding the delights of this world but most intensely attending the ioyes of the celestiall mansion he saieth The exposition of the Psalme I Reioyced with à spirituall ioy in the consideration of these thing which were saied to me by internall inspiration to witt that we shall goe after this life when we are cleansed from all guilt of sinne into the house of our Lord into the triumphant Church the countrey of the blessed the Kingdome of God VVe know saieth the Apostle that if our earthly house 2. Cor. 5. of this habitation be dissolued that we haue à building of God à house not made with hand eternall in heauen Concerning which you are to note that the celestiall countrey is tearmed à Kingdome à Cittie and à house in diuers respects for in regard of the multitude and varietie of the inhabitants it is called à Kingdome in regard of the Societie and familiaritie amongst the blessed it is called à Cittie for although the number of the elect be almost infinite yet they know and loue each other and are Cittizens of the fame Cittie and finally in respect that all the elect haue one and the same father one and the same inheritance it is called à house where all shall be brethren vnder one father God almightie In this house Cittie or Kingdome God is seene face to face and eternall securitie accompanied with compleat beatitude is found There men shall be as the Angels and haue their desires satiated to the full Notwithstanding when death approacheth which putteth à A period to our peregrination all men doe not reioyce with the Prophet in these things that were saied vnto him to witt that we shall goe into the house of our Lord but such alone as haue disposed ascensions in their hearts whilest they had health leasure abilitie and meanes to doe it and truely saie with him Our feete were standing in thy courts â— Ierusalem to witt our desires contemplations and affections of our hearts were fixt and established in thy mansions o celestiall Kingdome â—n such sort that our conuersation was in thee and all our actions were ordained by vs to attaine eternall life These maie reioyce vpon good ground when others that haue been wedded as it were to their senses and sensualitie shall be repleat with horror
Prophet promised vs in this Psalme that our Lord will not leaue the rod of sinners vpon the lot of the iust that we might haue confidence in all our afflictions that at length we shall be freed from them and in the interim that wee might expect with patience Math. 10. for He that perseuereth to the end shall be saued The argument of the 125. Psalme and first in None IN this Seuenth graduall Psalme according to the letter the Prophet expresseth the ioy and thankfulnesse of the Iewes for their deliuerâ—e from the Babilonian captiuitie Yet being expounded in à mysticall sense it treateth of the seuenth degree of internall ascension which consisteth in Exultation and thankfulnesse for the deliuerie of the elect from the bonds of sinne and seruitude of the diuell The mysticall sense of this Psalme VVhen our Lord turned the captiuitie of Sion when it pleased our good God the Father of mercie and consolation to conuert the Militant Church or any of the faithfull from à confused life from mortall sinne from present miserie to à well ordered life and the state of grace we were made as men comforted we felt soe great excesse of ioy and consolation that we durst scarcely beleeue soe singular aâ— happinesse was indeed arriued vnto vs. Then was our mouth replenished with ioy and our tongue with exultation Then was ioy soe aboundant in our soules that we haue exteriourly manifested it and made appeare by our Canticles of gladnesse Hymnes of thanksgiuing what interiour sweetnesse we experienced in that happie change of our condition Then shall they saie among the Gentils Then shall certaine secular men or other people whatsoeuer beholding the grace that God almightie hath bestowed vpon vs admiring saie Our Lord hath done magnifically with them exceeding benignely gratiously and potently For the louers of the world doe frequently extoll in others what they will not imitate they admire beholding many to bee conuerted to Christ to enter into religion to change their manners suddainely for the better praysing God in his effects yet they praie not that the same grace maie bee bestowed on themselues Our Lord hath done magnifically with vs This is the same with that we read in the Canticle of the blessed Virgin to witt He that is mightie hath done great things to Luc. 1. me Christ our Lord hath done magnificently indeed with vs assuming our nature conuerting our first and generall captiuitie satisfying for originall sinne conuersing amongst men vniting vs vnto him by grace congregating the Church of vs leauing vnto vs his body bloud in the holie Eucharist sending the holie Ghost and conferring innumerable benefits vpon vs. VVe are therefore Made ioyfull and serue him cheerefully Turne our captiuitie ô Lord free vs from all corruption of sinne constitute vs in the libertie of the sonnes of God and take from vs those sinnes by which we are daily circumuented and bound as it were in fetters turne this our captiuitie as à torrent in the south that soe we maie bee filled with the gifts and graces of the holie Ghost as à dried vp torrent is filled with water the south wind blowing They that sow in teares They that now exercise themselues in the sorrowes of pennance or teares of deuotion they that contemne transitorie delights and serue God with à contrite and humbled heart shall reape in ioyfulnesse the effects of grace in present and the fruit of glorie hereafter according to the quantitie and goodnesse of their seed for as the Apostle saieth He that soweth sparingly sparingly 2. Cor. 9 alsoe shall reape and he that soweth in blessings of blessings alsoe shall reape There are fiue sorts of teares The first are to obtaine pardon of our offences these purifie from the staine or blemish of sinne The Second are for the fearefull apprehension of the future Iudgement and hell these refrigerate the ardour of concupiscence and withdraw from all iniquitie The third are for our habitation in this present exile these minister soueraigne liquor to à thirsting soule The fourth are for the defects of our neighbours these fatten the soules of such charitable mourners The fift are for the desire of eternall life these render à soule fruitfull in all goodnesse The elect Going by the waie of this present life they went by the waie of the commandements of almightie God and wept according to some of the fiue sorts of lamentation afore saied casting their seeds doing meritorious workes which are tearmed seeds because as fruit springeth from seed soe of good workes ariseth the fruit of eternall life the infusion of diuine consolation They cast therefore their seeds they sent good workes before them and gathered à heape of merits which the layed vp in Chrih as he exhorteth vs saying Heape Math. 6 vp to your soules treasures in heauen c. and as the Apostle counselleth vs saying Gal. 6. Doing good let vs not faile for in due time we shall reape not failing But comming to the tribunall of Christ they shall come with exultation with a secure and ioyfull conscience carrying theiâ— sheaues the vertuous workes they haue soe collected for their workes shall follow Apoc. 14 them In this Psalme we are admonished to reuolue often in our minds the worke of our redemption We are taught alsoe what difference there is betweene the elect and the reprobate For the elect going in goodnesse doe make happie progresse by weeping but the reprobate doe glorie in this exile as if they were in the countrey of their inheritance making of à prison a paradise of delight and therfore comming to the tribunall of Christ they come with sorrow and heauinesse bearing nothing in their hands but the scedule of their damnation Whence it Luc. 6. is saied to them in the Ghospel VVoe to you that are rich because you haue your consolation woe to you that now doe laugh because you shall mourne and weepe c. Remember sonne saieth Abraham in the Parable of Luc. 16. the rich man that thou didst receiue good things in thy life time and Lazarus likewise euill but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Let vs then despise the pompe glorie and vanitie of the world represse the desires of the flesh and bathe our cheekes with holie teares considering that we can not now reioyce with the world and afterward reigne with Christ The title and argument of the 126. Psalme and Second in None A Graduall Canticle of Salomon Many of great talents who haue endeauoured to expound this Psalme doe confesse that they haue euer esteemed it exceeding obscure and haue not after long studie attained the literall sense thereof Yet they iudge the most probable exposition to bee that of the Greeke Fathers S. Iohn Chrisostome Theodoretus and Euthimius to witt That the propheticall exhortation therein doth appertaine to the people of the Hebrews after their returne from the Babilonian captiuitie when as they labouring to reedifie the house of God
of the highest the first begotten of all creatures Our Lord sware God the Father firmely promised and sealed it with an oath and it shall not repent him he shall not retract what he hath soe auerred for he hath well weighed all circumstances before he soe sware to witt that thou ô Christ as man art à Priest according to the order of Melchisedech The office of a Priest is to be à Mediator and aduocate betweene God and his people to offer their praiers vnto him to pacifie him and blesse them All which are found in Christ and therefore he is à Priest Of him it is written If any man shall sinne we 1. Ioh. 2. haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and againe VVhen we were enemies Rom. 5. Ephes 2. we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne who by the Crosse killed the eâ—mities in himselfe Moreouer he is à Priest for euer according to that of the Apostle Christ for that he continueth for euer hath an Heb. 7. euerlasting priesthood whereby he is able to saâ—e alsoe for euer going by himselfe to God alwaies liuing to make intercession for vs. Finally he is à Priest according to the order of Melchisedech First because as Melchisedech offered to almightie God bread and wine soe he did offer or giue to his disciples his body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine by conuerting the bread into his bodie and the wine into his bloud Secondly because as Melchisedech is affirmed to be with out Father Mother and genealogie not that he had none of these but because the holie Scriptures for some hidden reason doe passe them ouer in silence soe Christ is borne out of the naturall course of humane generation in heauen without à Mother and vpon earth without à Father and VVho shall declare his generation Isa 53. Hebr. 6. Whence the Apostle to Hebrewes saieth Iesus the precursor for vs is entred made à high Priest foreuer according to the order of Melchisedech Our Lord on thy right hand Christ our Lord sitting on thy right hand ô God the Father Hath broken kings in the daie of his wrath such as haue opposed his holie Doctrine and persecuted him in his members These he hath broken by depriuing some of the life of grace others of their corporall life alsoe and condemning many to hell fire He shall iudge in nations he shall iudge nations themselues in his first comming with the iudgement of discretion mercifully assisting some and iustly relinquishing others and in his Second comming with the iudgement of remuneration rendring to euerie one according to his workes as the Euangelist witnesseth saying The houre cometh wherein all that Ioh. 5. are in the graues shall heare his voice and they that haue done good things shall come forth into the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill into the resurrection of iudgement He shall fill ruines supplie humane defects in his first comming by infusion of grace into emptie hearts and enriching voide minds with spirituall benedictions and in his Second comming he shall fill ruines to witt of the Angels with them that are saued repairing the celestiall mansions made vacant by the fall of the rebellious spirits He shall crush the heads he shall humble the hearts in the land of many in many places and habitations of men For in euery land he hath humbled some hautie spirits and at the last iudgement he shall by the sentence of eternall death crush the heads in the land of many captaines and potent men reigning with much ambition in many lands according to that of the Prophet The Lord of hostes hath Isa 23. thought it that he might plucke downe the pride of all glorie and bring all the glorious of the earth to ignominie Of the torrent in the waie â—e shall drinke Christ in this world shall suffer paine tribulation and most bitter death of which torrent he spake to S. Iohn Iames saying Can you drinke of the cuppe that I shall drinke of Therefore he shall exalt the head he shall glorifie and erect himselfe by rising in à glorified bodie and ascending to the Father that he maie sitt with him as iudge and Lord of all for Christ as God raised exalted and glorified himselfe as man according to that I haue power to yeeld my life and I haue power Ioh. 10. to take it againe Behold here à Psalme short in words but infinite in sense In it the twofold nature and simple personalitie of Christ is shewed Moreouer in it the session of Christ on the right haÌ„d of his Father the deiection of his enemies the promulgation of the Christian faith and the coetermitie and consubstantialitie of the Father and the Sonne is described and finally in it is declared the Priesthood and iudiciarie power of Christ We ought therefore to sing this Psalme with much reuerence singular deuotion and profound contemplation in regard of the dignitie sweetnesse and sublimitie of the sense thereof The Title and Argument of the 112 Psalme and Second in Vespres THe title is Alleluia which fitly agreeth with the Psalme it being wholly composed in the praise of almightie God cheefly for that he being of such excellencie as therein is declared doth not despise poore abiect and simple soules but contrary to the proceeding of worldlie Potentates doth elect them for his peculiar friends aduance them to great honours and showre his singular benefits vpon them The explication of the Psalme PRaise our Lord yee children pure and innocent people of what age soeuer The Apostle doth exhort vs to become such children saying Bretheren be not made 1. Cor. 14 children in sense but in malice be children and in sense perfect and our Sauiour saieth Math. 18. vnlesse ye be conuerted and become as litle children you shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen Praise the name of our Lord to witt his infinite power and gâ—orie or himselfe who is signified by his name Be the name of our Lord blessed from henceforth now for euer from this instant with out delay and for eternitie let his name be celebrated From the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe From morning vntill euening or from the East to the West the name of our Lord is laudable is à subiect worthie of all praise Our Lord is high aboue all nations of greater dignitie and excellencie then all the generations of men according to that of the Prophet Isaie All nations as if Isa 40. they were not soe are they before him and they are reputed of him as nothing and à vaine thing c. And his glorie aboue the heauens aboue the celestiall cittizens VVho is as our Lord who maie be found of soe great Maiestie and sublime nature that he maie be paralelled with the Lord our God VVho dwelleth on high and beholdeth the low things in heauen and vpon earth the blessed Spirits who by the