he tooke with him our pawne namely his flesh and hee gaue vs his pawne namely his spirit assuring vs that wee shall one day when the world is ended enter with him into the c Matth. 25.10 wedding chamber and there feast with him and enioy his blessed companie for euermore And reioyceth as a giant to runne his course As the naturall Sunne in his course goeth foorth from the vttermost part of the heauen and runneth about vnto the end of it againe d See S. August contra literas Petilian lib. 2. cap. 32. Didac de Yanguas Con. 1. de ascen Dom. so the supernaturall Sunne Christ Iesus arising in our Horizon e Ephes 4.9 descended into the lowest parts of the earth and there continued vntill hee had finished the worke for which he came into the world and afterward ascended farre aboue all heauens that he might fulfill all things As a giant he did runne his course There you haue his incarnation and peregrination in the flesh his circuit was from the vttermost part of the heauen vnto the end of it againe there you haue his resurrection and ascension and there is nothing hid from his heate there you haue his sending of the holy Ghost in the forme of fierie tongues Acts 2.3 The resemblances betweene Christ and the Sunne are f Strigilius in loc manifold 1. As the Sunne is the worlds eye so Christ is the light of the world 2. As the Sunne arising obscures the starres lustre so the righteousnes of Christ imputed to sinners darkeneth all the merit and worth of our workes 3. As the Sunne in the greatest height causeth the greatest heate so the crosse followeth euer the most incorrupt and pure profession of the Gospell 4. As the Sunne in winter is neerest vs so Christ in our afflictions in our persecutions especially for his truth is neerest vs as holy g Fox Martyr fol. 1492 Bradford diuinely said If there be any way to heauen on horsebacke surely this is the way to suffer for Christ Now beloued as the Prophet h 2. King 4.13 Elisha a together with his seruant Gehazi said vnto the Shunamite Behold thou hast had all this care for vs what shall we do for thee So let vs say to the Sunne of righteousnes O sweete Iesu thou hast as a giant runne all this course for vs whether shall wee goe or what shall we doe for thee Christ answers our question in the 14. of S. Iohn If yee loue me keepe my Commandements His chiefe Commandement is that we i John 3.16.24 John 6.29 beleeue in him and the next is that we loue one another Ioh. 13.34 Our faith in him is confirmed and encreased at this time by comming to his table our loue toward him in inuiting his members vnto our table Wee may be fed at his table spiritually hee may be fed at our table corporally for he that feeds the hungry puts meate into Christs owne mouth hee that giues to the needie puts money into Christs owne hand he that cloathes the naked puts a coate on Christs owne backe So himselfe protesteth that with a great deale of earnestnes Verily I say vnto you in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it vnto me A noble Lady being readie to dye sent vnto her absent husband two rings for a token whereof one was her mariage ring and the other a ring with Deaths head on it heartily desiring him after her departure to be good vnto her poore children Our blessed Sauiour on this day for pure loue came downe from heauen and was married after an ineffable manner vnto the flesh and on good Friday he laid downe his life for our sakes hee therefore doth entreate vs by his incarnation and passion that wee would in his absence remember the poore his children If k Plutarch in vita Periclis Pericles an Heathen reioyced on his death-bed for that no Citizen of Athens had euer worne a mourning gowne through his occasion how shall a Christian as knowing that his l Iob 19.25 redeemer and his m Heb. 11.6 rewarder liueth be comforted in his dying houre when as he cannot onely say with n 1. Sam. 12.3 Samuel Whose oxe haue I taken or whom haue I done wrong to but also with o Job 29.15 Iob I was eyes to the blind and feete was I to the lame I was a father to the poore and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce The law of the Lord is a perfit law In this part of the Psalme Dauid commends the Scripture p Turrecremat 1. From the author it is the law of the Lord 2. From the sufficiencie thereof it is perfit 3. From the vtilitie conuerting the soule giuing wisedome to the simple c. 4. From the infallibilitie the testimony of the Lord is sure the feare of the Lord endureth for euer 5. From the sweetnes it reioyceth the heart and is sweeter then the honey or the hony combe First it is the law of the Lord against the q August hares 46. Tertull. cont Marcian lib. 4. Manichees affirming that two disagreeing Gods were authors of the two Testaments one of the old another of the new but S. Paul telleth vs expresly that there is one spirit and one Lord Ephes 44.5 and S. r 2. Pet. 1.21 Peter assureth vs that holy men of God in old time spake as they were moued by this one spirit of one Lord. Now the Scripture being in euery part the law of the Lord is vndefiled and perfit so perfit that we may neither Å¿ Prou. 3.6 Reuelat. 22.18 adde thereto nor take therefro So Moses Deut. 4.2 and 12.32 Ye shall put nothing vnto the Word I command you neither shall yee take ought therefrom Here then is a pregnant testimony to confute the t Bellar. de verbo dei lib. 4. cap. 3. See Dr. Mortons appeale lib. 2. cap. 25. Papists accusing the word of God of insufficiencie making it like a sick mans broken and imperfit will halfe written and halfe paroll adding to the written truth vnwritten traditions as necessarie to saluation Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart and in penning the Psalter a finger of Gods owne hand saith it is a perfit law but the Pope which is a member of Satan and as many great Diuines conceiue u 2. Thess 2.3 that man of sinne proclaimeth on the contrarie that it is an vnperfit law Saint x 2. Tim. 3.16 Paul auowes that the Scriptures are profitable to teach to improue to correct and instruct in righteousnes That is to teach all necessarie truths and confute all errors in doctrine to correct al faults in manners and instruct all men in all duties and so by consequent able to make the man of God absolutely furnished vnto all good workes But the y See Perkins reformed Cat. tit traditions Dr. Abbot
Lord and against his annointed Wickednesse furiously raging standing vp and taking counsell together Weakenesse Implied in the word why Expressed in the clause Imagine a vaine thing 2. Sets downe Gods Might for their destruction if they will not amend their manners and asswage their malice vers 4.5.6.7.8.9 Mercy for their instruction if they will once be so wise as to learne his law and to loue his sonne vers 10.11.12 Why doe the Heathen By Heathen are meant the Gentiles by people the Iewes by Kings the chiefe Monarches vpon earth and by Rulers their z Bucer Ro. Stephanus Wilcox priuie Counsellors of Estate The Gentiles as not hauing Gods law furiously rage together like a Cassiodorus Placidus Tileman bruit beasts without vnderstanding The Greeke word vsed by Saint Luke Act. 4.25 doth import fiercenesse and pride as of horses that neigh and rush into the battell The Iewes albeit they had Gods holy word imagined a vaine thing b Euthym. because they were cunning rather in the sound then in the sense thereof The Kings as men of might stand vp and the rulers as men of wit and policy take counsell together And so men of all countries as well the Iewes as the Gentiles and of all conditions as wel Princes as people bandy thēselues against the Lord against his anointed Now this may be construed c D. Jncognit Caluin Tremel either of Dauid or of the Messias Of the Lords Christ or of the Lord Christ Dauid is the Lords Christ as his annointed King ouer Israel annointed thrice First in the middest of his brethren 1. Sam. 1.16 afterward in Hebron 2. Sam. 2. lastly before all the tribes of Israel 2. Sam. 5. and he may be called the sonne of God As a Man for all of vs are the d Act. 17.28 generation of God it is be who made vs and not our selues Psal 100.2 Great man or King for Princes are stiled the e Psal 82.6 children of the most high Good man or regenerate for euery one that is new borne is f 1. Ioh. 3.9 borne of God and adopted his sonne and made his heire Rom. 8.15.17 How the Heathen that is the Philistims and other strange nations furiously raged together against him how the people that is the Iewes of Sauls house imagined vainely to dethrone him how the Captains stood vp and states-men tooke counsell together that they might breake his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from them how the Lord that dwelleth in heauen laughed all his enemies to scorne saying yet haue I set my King vpon my holy hill of Sion you may reade in the second booke of Samuel from the 2. to the 10. chapter But the blessed Apostles haue construed this of Christ Act. 4.24 O Lord thou art the God which hast made the heauen and the earth and the sea and all things that are in them Which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast said why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine things The Kings of the earth assembled and the rulers came together against the Lord and against his Christ. For doubtlesse against thine holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel gathered themselues together to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done g Bellar. in loc First the Princes did plot and afterward the people did act this insurrection Herod the King sought to destroy Christ in his swadling cloutes he was troubled at the birth of Iesus and all Hierusalem with him Matth. 2.3 And the Rulers opposed Christ in the whole course of his life so the text plainly h Ioh. 7 48. Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharisies beleeue in him At his death all the Rulers Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill accorded in one The Gentiles i Euthym. that is the Romane souldiers by Pilats instigation furiously raged together and the people that is the Iewes by the counsell of the chiefe Priests Elders imagined a vaine thing Yea but how can it be said plurally that Kings assembled against Christ Answere is made by k Placidus Incognitus Agellius some that the plurall is vsed here for the singular Or by Kings is meant Herod and Pilate for Herod is stiled l Matth. 2.1 King and Pontius Pilate was a m Matth. 27.2 Gouernour vnder the Romane Emperour and these Viceroyes had many petite n Ioh. 4.46 Matth. 9.18 Rulers also subiect to their command Or by Kings is meant Herod senior who stood vp against Christ at his birth Matth. 2. and Herod Iunior who despised and mocked Christ at his death Luk. 23.11 Or as o Jn loc Idem Euthym. Chrysostome with Herod were ioyned the Diuell and Death and Sinne. All which are Kings of the earth The Diuell is a King p Ephes 2.2 ruling in the ayre the q Ioh. 12.31 Prince of this world Luk. 11.18 If Satan be diuided against himselfe how shall his kingdome stand And Death is a King Rom. 5.14 Death raigned from Adam to Moses c. And Sinne is a King too Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies lest yee should obey the lust of it All these Kings assembled and tooke counsell together against the Lord and against his Christ For as Christ consisted of humane flesh and a reasonable soule so likewise hee had two sorts of enemies one visible which assaulted his bodie another inuisible which assaulted his soule spirituall wickednesses Ephes 6.12 Here wee may behold and bewaile the blindnesse of the Iewes in our time who notwithstanding their most ancient r See Galatin de Arcanis lib. 3. cap. 7. Bellar. in loc Rabbins applie this our text to the true Messias expect him as yet to come Lastly for as much as Christ suffers in his ſ Acts 9.4 members and t 2. Tim. 3.12 al that will liue godly that they may be made u Rom. 8.29 like to his image must of necessitie suffer persecution it may be construed of x Placidus Bucer Strigellius Christians as well as of Christ against whom al the wicked angels y Apoc. 7.1 standing on the foure corners of the earth are combined in a bloody league The Gentiles at this day furiously rage together and the Iewes at this day still imagine vaine things at this day the Kings of the earth stand vp as the Turke the Pope the Spanyard and all their cruell agents In a word all Atheists all Anti-christs all Hypocrites all Worldlings hurtle together against the Lord his annoynted people The true Church is a z Cant. 2.2 lilie among thornes a few harmelesse a Luk. 10.3 lambes in the middest of many rauenous wolues on euery side compassed about with such as say Let vs break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from vs. 1. We may learne from hence b Wilcox not
95.3 great King aboue all gods Who then is like to the Lord our God either among the clods on earth or cloudes in heauen h Esay 40.12 He measures the waters in his fist and meateth out heauen with his spanne and comprehends the dust of the earth in a measure The which i In loc Esai See Bellarm. de ascensione mentis in deum per scal creat Grad 2. cap. 1. Hierome out of Aquila doth interpret after this sort Hee measures the waters with his little finger the earth greater then the waters with three fingers the heauen greater then both with his hand and spanne He filleth all things and nothing is able to comprehend him according to that of k 2. Chron. 6.18 Salomon Heauens and heauens of heauens are not able to containe thee Nay the whole world in respect of his greatnes is but as a drop of the morning dew Wisdom 11.19 This may teach vs in whatsoeuer estate to l Luke 21.19 possesse our soules in patience to be m Ephes 6.10 strong in the Lord and in the power of his might albeit our enemies come about vs like n Psal 118.12 Bees hee which is higher then the highest and greater then all men and all Diuels is our protector stonie rocke tower of defence buckler saluation refuge Psal 18.1 And as God is most able to help vs in trouble so likewise most apt readie for as it followeth in the next clause though hee dwell on high yet hee doth humble himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and earth o Apud Ambros de officijs lib. 1. cap. 13. Some Philosophers thought it too great a labour for God to gouerne the whole world and other on the contrarie too base But p Ambros in Hexam lib. 5. cap. 2. Diuines answere both of them in one word Deus neque laborat in maximis neque fastidit in minimis Indeed the Poet said Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse loui but the q Matth. 10.30 Scripture telleth vs otherwise that the very haires of our head are numbred and that not so much as a sparrow which is sold for a farthing can fall on the ground without our heauenly Fathers prouidence Disponit membra culicis pulicis as Augustine in Psal 148. For besides his r Caluin Instit lib. 1. cap. 16. Vide Thom. 1. part quaest 22. art 2. Caietan ibid. generall prouidence which is seene in the gouernment of the whole vniuerse he hath a particular also moderating euery singular action and accident He dwelling on high beholdeth vs as Emmots vpō the mole-hils of this earth in him we liue and moue and haue our being He supporteth all things by his mighty word Heb. 1.3 he reacheth from one end to another and ordereth all things sweetly Wisdom 8.1 We reade Mat. 9. that there was a woman diseased with an issue of blood twelue yeeres and Ioh. 5. that a certaine man had been sicke eight and thirtie yeeres and Ioh. the 9. that one was blind from his birth All which happened not by humane chance but by diuine choice that ſ John 9.3 the works of God might be shewed on them t Lipsius de Constant lib. 1. cap. 14. Omnia non permissa solùm à Deo sed etiam immissa The Lord doth not onely suffer and see what is done here below but also disposeth of euery particular euent to the glorie of his name and good of his children He beheld Dauid in his trouble Daniel in his dungeon Peter in his prison and ordered their short affliction to their endlesse consolation And this may comfort vs in all our wants and wrongs He that dwelleth on high humbleth himselfe to behold the things below u Psal 121.4 he that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleepes I x Esay 49.16 haue grauen thee saith the Lord vpon the palmes of my hands and thy walles are euer in my sight He heares the very * Psal 38.9 Iudges 2.18 groanes of his seruants in their closets and y Psal 41.3 makes all their beds in sicknes as S. z Confession lib. 3. cap. 11. Aug. sweetly he cares for all his childrē as if all were but one and for euery particular Christian as if one were all a See Mollerus Strigel in loc Some Diuines apply this vnto Christ Hee which is b Rom. 10.12 Lord ouer all is high aboue al heathen all lands are his inheritance all people his possession Psal 2.8 He triumphed ouer death and hell in his resurrection and his glorie shined aboue the heauens in his ascension A c Acts 1.9 cloude tooke him vp out of this world and hee did ascend farre aboue all heauens Ephes 4.10 Here then obserue the reason why the Church allotted this Hymne for this day because Christ in his d Rom. 1.4 resurrection from the dead is declared mightily to bee the Sonne of God high aboue all heathens and heauens That which is heere said hee humbled himselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and earth is all one with that Esay 61.1 and Luk. 4.18 The spirit of the Lord hath annointed me to preach good tydings vnto the poore to binde vp the broken hearted and to comfort such as mourne in Sion e Marlorat in Luc. 1. See Magnificant epist 3. Sund. after Trinit Almightie God can not looke aboue himselfe as hauing no superiours nor about himselfe as hauing no equals he beholds such as are below him And therfore the lower a man is the neerer vnto God hee resists the proud and giues grace to the humble 1. Pet. 5.5 he puls downe the mightie from their seate and exalteth them of low degree the most high hath a speciall eye to such as are most humble For as it followeth in our text he taketh vp the simple out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the durt The Poet said Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus obstat res angusta domi that it is an hard thing for a man of low birth and small means to be preferred vnto high places of honour But our Prophet here to demonstrate Gods admirable power and prouidence sheweth how the Lord raiseth the poore man out of the mire that he may set him with the Princes euen with the Princes of his people f Aelian hist lib. 2. Darius was borne of a seruant Archelaus King of Macedonia base begotten Antigonus Themistocles Phocion Epaminondas and other noble worthies issued from ignoble parents g Knolles Turk hist pag. 4. Tangrolipix of an ordinarie Captaine became Sultan of Persia and first erector of the high and huge Turkish Empire Tamberlaine as h Apud Knolles in the life of Baiazet 1. fol. 212. some thinke the sonne of a Sheepheard was in his time the scourge of the great Turke treading vnder his foote insolent Baiazet the first of his violent and fierce nature surnamed
true Christians all of vs are by nature barren of goodnesse conceiued and borne in sinne not able to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3.5 but the father of lights and mercies maketh vs fruitfull and abundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord 1. Cor. 15.58 he giueth vs grace to be fathers and mothers of many good deedes i Ambros de interpell libr. 2. cap. 4. Idem Dr. Incognitus in loc in Psalm 102.17 which are our children and best heires eternizing our name for euer PSALME 114. When Israel came out of Aegypt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people c. THere bee two chiefe parts of this Psalme the 1. A description of Israels admirable deliuerance out of Aegypt in the foure former verses 2. A dialogue betweene the Prophet and the Creatures about the same deliuerance in the foure latter verses In the deliueraÌ„ce note 1. The parties deliuered Israel and the house of Iacob being Gods Sanctuarie Seigniorie 2. The perill out of which they were deliuered and k Chrysost Mollerus that was 1. Bondage 2. Bondage among strangers in Aegypt 3. Bondage among such strangers as were cruell a barbarous people 3. The manner how they were deliuered not by meanes ordinarie but miracles extraordinarie wrought on the Water vers 3. The Sea saw that and fled Iordaine was driuen backe Land verse 4. The Mountaines skipped like Rammes c. In the dialogue two poynts are to be considered 1. A question What ayleth thee O thou Sea c. Verse 5.6 2. An l Vatablus Tremellius Bellarmine answere Tremble thou earth c. Or as m Vulgar latine English-Geneua other translations The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord c. When Israel The n Bellarmine latter clause doth expounde the former Israel that is the house of Iacob for this holy Patriarke had two names first Iacob that signifieth a supplantor Gen. 25.26 and then Israel that is one which hath power with God Gen. 32.28 teaching vs hereby saith o In loc Hierome as we haue receiued grace to supplant vice that wee may preuaile with God and see him according to that of p Matth. 5.8 Christ Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God As q Gen. 25.22 Iacob and Esau stroue together in their mother Rebeccaes wombe so the r Galat. 5.17 flesh in man lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh If wee play Iacobs part in supplanting sinne which is a red and a rough Esau we shall assuredly gaine the blessing of our heauenly Father By Iacobs house then is meant his Å¿ Euthym. Genebrard posteritie the children of Israel of whom it is reported by Moses Deut. 10.22 Thy fathers went downe into Aegypt with seuentie persons and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the starres of the heauen in multitude These people were Gods sanctification and dominion t Geneua gloss that is witnesses of his holy Maiestie in adopting them and of his mightie power in deliuering them u Melancth in loc or his sanctification as hauing his holy Priests to gouerne them in the poynts of pietie and dominion as hauing godly Magistrates ordained from aboue to rule them in matters of policie or his sanctuarie x both actiuely because sanctifying him y Genebrardus Iacobus de Valentia and passiuely because sanctified of him It is true that God as being euer the most holy so well as the most high cannot bee magnified and hallowed in respect of himselfe but in respect of y Caluin in loc other onely For God is sanctified of his seruants as wisdome is said to bee iustified of her children Luke 7.35 that is acknowledged and declared to be iust according to that of the Lord by the mouth of his holy z Ezech. 38.23 Prophet Thus will I bee magnified and sanctified and knowne in the eies of many Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. Wherefore let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Againe Iuda was his Sanctuary a Bucer Agellius Râ—b Stephanus because sanctified of him adopted his holy heritage chosen a peculiar and a precious people to himselfe b Deut. 7.6 aboue all Nations in the world I haue carried you said the c Exod. 19.4 Lord vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto me that ye might be my chiefe treasure aboue all people though all the earth bee mine consecrated and hallowed to my worship as holy Temples and Sanctuaries in whome I may rule for so the latter clause may well d Bellarmine explaine the former Iuda was his Sanctuarie because his Dominion in whom he e Chrysost Euthym. Bucer reigned as a king by his lawes and spirit And therefore when Israel asked a king of the Lord to iudge them he said to f 1. Sam. 8.7 Samuel they haue not reiected thee but they haue reiected me that I should not reign ouer them According to this exposition Israel is termed Ex. 19.6 a kingdome of Priests or as S. g 1. Pet. 2.9 Peter hath it a royal Priesthood royall as being his Seigniory Priesthood as being his Sanctuary For the beter vnderstanding of this phrase remeÌ„ber I pra'y that there be two kinds of kingdomes in holy Scripture the kingdome of darknes h Coloss 1.13 which is the kingdome of the deuill and the kingdome of heauen which is the kingdome of God When all had sinned in Adam it pleased the Lord out of his vnsearchable Iustice to lay this heauy punishment on all his posteritie that seeing they could not be content to be subiect to their creator they should become vassals vnder Satans tyraÌ„ny so that all men are now by nature the Children of i Ephes 2.3 wrath and k Ephes 6.12 the Prince of darkenesse ruleth in their hearts vntill Christ the l Luke 11.22 strong man commeth and bindeth him and m Iohn 12.31 casteth him out and so bringeth all his elect out of darkenesse into maruailous light 1. Pet. 2.9 Blind ignorant people cannot abide this doctrine they spit at the very naming of the deuill and say that they defie him and all his euen with all their heart and soule and minde Yet whereas they liue still in ignorance and impiety which are the two maine pillers of Satans kingdome they make plaine proofe that they be Children of the n Luke 16.9 world Children of o Coloss 3.6 disobedience Children of p Hosea 10.9 iniquitie Children of q 1. Sam. 26.16 death Children of the r Iohn 8.44 deuill Children of Å¿ Iohn 17.2 perdition Children of t Mat. 23.15 hell Israel is Gods dominion and Iuda Gods sanctuary but Aegipt and Babylon and other parts and persons of the world liuing in sinne without repentance what are they but the suburbes of hell and as it were the
deuils Empire where he holdeth vp his Scepter and ruleth as a Prince Ephes 2.2 Gods kingdome is taken in the Bible two waies especially Generally For that gouernment which is termed u See Ro. Steph. Concord in dictione regnum Bellarm. Catech. cap. 4. Regnum potentiae by which hee ruleth all men and disposeth of all things euen of the deuils themselues according to his good will and pleasure Specially For his administration of the Church and that is Twofold Regnum gratiae the kingdome of grace Regnum gloriae the kingdome of glorie Of that kingdome which is potentiae Regnum it is said by x 1. Chro. 29.11 Dauid Thine is the kingdome O Lord and thou excellest as head ouer all Of that kingdome y Dan. 4.31 Daniel speaketh His kingdome is from generation to generation and his z Dan. 6.26 dominion euerlasting Of that kingdome Christ in the conclusion of his prayer Thine is the kingdome power and glory For albeit peruerse men do mischiefe and obserue not the laws of God yet he raigneth ouer them as an absolute Lord for that when it pleaseth him hee hindereth their designments and when he permits them sometime to haue their desires hee doth afterward punish them according to their owne misdeeds and so a Psal 135.6 Whatsoeuer the Lord pleaseth he doth in heauen and in earth and in the Sea and in all deepe places By his kingdome of grace he gouernes the soules and hearts of good Christians giuing them his spirit and grace to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Christ is the king of this kingdome vpon whome the Father hath conferred b Mat. 28.18 all authority both in heauen and earth The subiects of this kingdome are such as c Psal 110.3 offer vnto him free-will offrings with an holy worship euer ready to giue cheerefull obedience to the rod of his power The lawes of this kingdome are the Scriptures and word of God in this respect called d Mat. 13.11 the kingdome of heauen the e Marke 1.14 Gospell and f Mat. 13.19 word of the kingdome the g Esay 11.4 rod of Christs mouth and h Rom. 1.16 power of his arme to saluation And so consequently the kingdome of grace is a preparation and entrance to the kingdome of glory which is the blessed estate of all Gods elect in that other life where God is to them all in all And in this respect the kingdome of grace many times is termed in the Gospels History the kingdome of heauen as being the way to the kingdome of glory which is in the heauen of heauens This one verse then expounds and exemplifies two prime petitions in the Lords prayer hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come for Iuda was Gods sanctuary because hallowing his name and Israel his dominion as desiring his kingdome to come Let euery man examine himselfe by this patterne whether he be truely the seruant of Iesus his Sauiour or the vassall of Sathan the destroyer If any submit himselfe willingly to the domineering of the diuell and suffer sinne to i Rom. 6.12 reigne in his mortall members obeying the lusts thereof and k Ephes 4.19 working all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse assuredly that man is yet a Chappell of Sathan and a slaue to sinne On the contrary whosoeuer vnfainedly desires that Gods kingdome may come being euer ready to bee ruled according to his holy word acknowledging it a lanthorne to his feet and a guide to his pathes admitting obediently his lawes and submitting himselfe alway to the same what is he but a Citizen of heauen a subiect of God a Saint a Sanctuary Two questions are moued here the first is what antecedent answeres the relatiue his and the second what is meant by Iuda The relatiue eius hath an antecedent l Mollerus implyed howsoeuer not expressed m Genebrard as Psalme 87.1 Fundamenta eius her foundations are vpon the holy hils And God is that antecedent as I haue partly said and it may likewise be fully shewed both out of the text and title The n Euthym. circumstances of the Text leade vs to this antecedent the Lord is the God of Iacob verse 7. Ergo the house of Iacob is Gods Sanctuary the children of Israel Gods dominion Againe the o Bellarmine Title poynts at this antecedent Alleluia praise the Lord as if the Prophet should haue said ye haue good and great cause to praise the Lord because when Israel went out of Egypt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people then Iuda was his Sanctuary c. Lastly though it should be granted that neither Title nor Text here can affoord vs an antecedent yet we need not runne with p In loc Agellius out of this Hymne to fetch one from the last words of the next going before Hee maketh the barren woman to keepe house c. Because his in this verse may be construed of God Catexochen as being hic ille the most high He who turned the hard rocke into a standing water and the flint stone into a springing Well at whose presence the mountaines skip like Rammes and the little hils like yong sheepe yea the Sea fleeth and the earth trembleth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Iacob By Iuda q Placidus Turrecremat Genebrard some vnderstand Iudea for r Psal 76.1 God is knowne in Iurie his name is great in Israel at Salem is his tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion Å¿ Dr. Incognitus Agellius Other haue construed this onely of the tribe of Iuda for that God in Iuda would chuse a Prince 1. Chron. 28.4 or because the Messias of the world which is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings was to be borne of t Gen. 49.10 that tribe Or because the u See Placidus Bucer Genebrard Dr. Incognit in loc Iewes haue a tradition that Iuda was the first tribe that aduentured after Moses and Aaron and entred into the red sea with vndaunted courage So wee finde in the numbring of Israels hoste that the standerd of Iuda was in the first place Numb 10.14 and Nahshon the sonne of Aminadab was their Captaine Numb 2.3 Hence it is said Cant. 6.11 My soule made me like the chariots of Aminadab or my willing people But x Caluine Rob. Stephanus Tremellius Strigellius Bellarmine most Interpretors vnderstand by Iuda not only that tribe but also the rest of the children of Israel It is nothing but a Synecdoche pars pro toto the chiefe tribe for the whole body of Gods people that went out of Egypt into the land of promise called often in holy Scriptures Israel of the fathers name and Iuda of the chiefe sonnes name Bondage was the perill out of which Israel and Iuda were deliuered and that in the y Plautus in Amphit Poets iudgement is worse then any danger or death omni
parmensis Genebrardus in loc that is they make men declare the glory of God by their admirable structure motions and influence Now the preaching of the heauens is wonderfull in n Bellar. in loc three respects 1. As preaching all the night and all the day without intermission vers 2. One day telleth another and one night certifieth another 2. As preaching in euery kinde of language vers 3. There is neither speech nor language but their voyces are heard among them 3. As preaching in euery part of the world and in euery parish of euery part and in euery place of euery parish vers 4. Their sound is gone into all lands and their words into the ends of the world They bee diligent Pastors as preaching at all times and learned Pastors as preaching in all tongues and Catholike Pastors as preaching in all townes Let vs not then in this Vniuersitie where the voyces of so many great Doctors are heard bee like to trewants in other schooles who gaze so much vpon the babies and guilded couer and painted margent of their book that they neglect the text and lesson it selfe This booke is Gods Primer as it were for al sorts of people but he hath another booke proper only for his domesticall auditorie the Church o Psal 147.19 Hee sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel hee hath not dealt so with any nation neither haue the heathen knowledge of his lawes Heathen men read in his Primer but Christian men are well acquainted with his Bible The Primer is a good booke but it is imperfect for after a man hath learned it hee must learne more but the law of the Lord p Bucer Tileman Caluin in loc that is the body of the holy Scriptures is a most absolute Canon of all doctrines appertaining either to faith or good manners it is a perfit law conuerting the soule giuing wisedome to the simple sure pure righteous and reioycing the heart c. But before wee treate of that part let vs examine the mysticall exposition of this part of the Psalme being guided hereunto by the spirit of God Rom. 10.18 and by the direction of our Church accommodating this text to this time Allegorically then is meant by heauens generally the q August exposit 2. in loc Bellarm. de Sacramentis in genere lib. 1. cap. 25. Saints especially the blessed r August exposit 1. in loc Euangelists and ſ Hierome Melanct. Strigelius Apostles A good man and a true Christian is not only Gods house Heb. 3.16 but also Gods heauen as S. Augustine expounds the words of Christ Our Father which art in heauen that is dwelling not in the materiall heauen only but in the mysticall heauen also to wit in holy men of heauenly conuersation hauing their affections set on things which are aboue Coloss 3.2 These kind of heauens declare the glorie of God in their workes as much and more then in their words euer t Philip. 2.15 shining as lights in the world u Oecumen apud Bellar. vbi sup their whole life being nothing else but a perpetuall sermon as it were to their neighbours and so they declare Gods glorie for that other seeing their good deedes are thereby moued to glorifie our Father which is in heauen More particularly the blessed Euangelists and Apostles annunciat Gods glory the Gospell is Gods throne x Caluin epist dedit Harmon wherein his Maiestie rideth as in a chariot and the foure wheeles of this chariot are the foure Euangelists and therefore this firmament sheweth Christs handy-worke because the written Gospell is a tract of all that Iesus did and taught Acts 1.1 and the blessed Apostles in preaching the Gospell haue likewise declared Gods glorie for in teaching that men are y Rom. 3.24 freely iustified by grace what doe they but annunciat the z Ephes 3.16 riches of his glorie The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation and if thou beest hereby saued it is not thine but Gods glorie Wherefore sing with heauens hoste on this day a Luke 2.14 Glorie be to God on high and with holy b Psal 115.1 Dauid Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie for thy mercies and truths sake c Turrecremat Or the Apostles declare Christs glorie in preaching that he was and is equall with God as being the character of his person and brightnesse of his glorie Heb. 1.3 and they shew Christs handy worke in relating all hee said and did and suffered for vs men and our saluation from his Cradle to his Crosse and afterward from his Crosse to his Crowne These were the Trumpetors of his Gospel and as it were the d August ep 89. bel-weathers of his flocke whose sound is gone out into all lands and their words into the ends of the world as S. Paul interprets our text Rom. 10.18 There is neither speech nor language but their voyces are heard among thē e Euseb hist lib. 3. cap. 1. Andrew preached in Scythia Thomas in Parthia Iohn in Asia f 1. Pet. 1.1 Peter to the dispersed Iewes throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia g Socrates hist lib. 1. cap. 15. Bartholmew in India Matthew in Aethiopia for as h Catalog gloriae mundi part 3. considerat 29. Cassanaeus reports Aethiopiam nigram doctrina fidei fecit candidam In England as by tradition wee haue receiued i Niceph. lib. 2. cap. 40. Simon Zelotes first preached the Gospell and k Capgraue in Catalog sanct Angl. Magdeburg epist praefix Gent. 4. Ioseph of Arimathea built a religious house for Professors in Glascenbury Saint Paul howsoeuer he was not one of the twelue yet hee laboured more abundantly then they all 1. Cor. 15.10 he declared the glorie of God in l Galat. 1. Arabia Syria Cilicia m Acts 13. Antiochia Seleucia Cyprus n Acts 14. Lycaonia Lystra o Acts 17. Athens p Acts 20. Corinth Troas In a word he made the Gospell of Christ abound in euery place from Hierusalem vnto Illyricum as himselfe witnesseth of himselfe Rom. 15.19 hee was a chosen vessell of the Lord to beare his name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel Acts 9.15 Thus all the Saints in generall the foure Euangelists and twelue Apostles and euery sound Preacher of the Gospell in particular annunciat the glorie of God But what is the meaning of the next words one day telleth another and one night certifieth another Literally dies diem dicit is nothing else but dies diem docet One day telleth another is one day teacheth another q Vatablus in loc The day past is instructed by the day present euery new day doth affoord new doctrine The r Placidus Parmen in loc day is a most apt time to learne by reading and conference the night a most apt time for inuention and meditation now that which
heart like the b Aul. Gellius Noct. attic lib. 16. cap 15. Hares in Bisaltia or the Partridges in Paphlagonia c Bradford in a letter to Dr. Hill Physitian The way of Christ is so straite that it will suffer no reeling to this side or that side if any halt in it hee is like to fall off the bridge into the pit of eternall perdition The Lord for our example hath inflicted heauie iudgements in all ages vpon such as haue not vprightly walked but halted before him I will onely remember one which happened vpon d Fox Mart. fol. 1911. Castellanus who hauing first inriched himselfe by the Gospell and afterward forsaking the pure doctrine thereof and turning againe to his popish vomite so that hee persecuted the Christians in Orleance by the hand of God was strickē in his body with a grieuous sicknesse vnknowne to the Physitians the one halfe of his bodie burning as hot as fire and the other being so cold as Ice and so miserably crying and lamenting ended his life The dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning A very difficult place diuersly construed either of Christ himselfe or of his gifts or of his people First of Christ himselfe and that in respect of his Godhead and of his Manhood Of his e Chrysost Hierome Augustine Euthym. in loc Idem Ambrose de fide lib. 1. cap. 6. Euseb hist lib. 1. cap. 4. Godhead that the Father saith vnto him of the wombe that is of mine owne essence before the early morning that is before the world was thou hast the dew of thy youth or birth noting his eternal generation before all worlds as is shewed Prou. 8.22.23.24.25 And according to this sense the Septuagint Interpretors haue translated of the wombe before the morning starre begat I thee If it bee meant of his Manhood it may bee f See Tertull. lib. 5. cont Mar. Iustin dialog cum Tryphon Galat de arcanis lib. 3. cap. 17. Melanct. in loc thus expounded of the wombe of the darke morning or Virgine thou hast the dew of thy birth If we will vnderstand it of his g See Steuchus Mollerus in loc gifts and grace the plentifull and abundant dew of thy gifts and gladnesse aboue thy fellowes was in thee from the very wombe But because Dauid in this verse speakes neither of the person nor of the gifts of the Messias but of his subiects I side with h Bucer Caluine Mollerus Tileman Geneua gloss Strigellius Tremellius our Diuines who reade and interpret it after this sort thy youth or new-borne people shal be to thee at the morning By the preaching of thy word thou shalt bring forth a people not only good but also great whose increase shall be so plentifull and wonderfull as the drops of the morning dew For as the dew that secretly falles from heauen abundantly couereth and refresheth all the earth so thy word by the secret operation of the holy spirit i Deut. 32.2 stilling as the dew and as the showre vpon the herbes is that k 1. Pet. 1.23 immortall seede by which an incredible number of children are begotten vnto God ouer-spreading the face of the whole world according to that of S. l Iohn 1.12 Iohn To them hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name which are borne not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This exposition I take to bee most agreeable to the drift of our text and to the words of our translation m Buchanan Paraphras in loc Non roris imber ante lucem argenteis tot vest it arua gemmulis Quà m multa cunctis gentium de finibus ad te propago confluet The Lord sware and will not repent Men as Paul teacheth Heb. 6. sweare by him that is greater then themselues but almightie God as hauing none greater to sweare by sware by himselfe to father Abraham Genes 22.16 By my selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onely sonne therfore will I surely blesse thee will greatly multiplie thy seede as the starres of the heauen and as the sand which is vpon the sea shore and thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies and in thy seede all the nations of the earth shall be blessed This oath is repeated and renewed againe vnto Isaac Genes 26.3 The Lord appeared vnto him and said I will performe the oath which I sware vnto Abraham thy father And the seruants and Saints of God euer highly reuerenced and esteemed this oath He saith our n Psal 105 8. Prophet is the Lord our God he hath alway been mindfull of his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations euen the couenant that hee made with Abraham and the oath that he sware to Isaac And Ierem. 11.4 Thus saith the Lord ye shall be my people and I will be your God that I may confirme the oath which I haue sworne vnto your fathers And Zacharias in his hymne Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people c. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets euer since the world began c. performing that oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham It was in the Lord great mercy to giue his word that hee would in the fulnes of time send his Sonne for the redemption of the world saying The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpents head but it was assuredly greater mercie to sweare by his o Psal 89.34 holinesse that he would performe this promise God is truth and we haue good cause to beleeue him vpon his word who made vs and all things else by his p Psal 33.9 word but yet for our better assurance being desirous more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of his counsell bound himselfe with an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for him to lye we might haue strong consolation Heb. 6.18 These two things are his word and oath His word is true Psal 33.4 I quoth the Lord q Ezech. 37.14 haue spoken it and I will performe it r Numb 23.19 God is not as man that he should lye neither as the sonne of man that hee should repent hath hee said and shall hee not doe it and hath hee spoken and shall he not accomplish it ſ Luk. 21.33 Mat. 5.18 Heauen and earth shall passe away but not one iot of his word shall passe away till all things bee fulfilled And if his bare word be thus immutable then his * Quoad nos oath much more which among men is an end of all strife Heb. 6.16 Behold then here the goodnesse of the Father of mercies and God of comfort who for our sake did not onely say but also sweare
thou canst not vnderstand this day thou maist happilie learne the next and that which is not found out in one night may be gotten in another Mystically saith Å¿ In loc Hierome Christ is this day who saith of himselfe t Iohn 8.12 I am the light of the world And his twelue Apostles are the twelue houres of this day for Christs spirit reuealed by the mouthes of his Apostles the mysteries of our saluation in u Ephes 3.5 other ages not so fully knowne vnto the sonnes of men One day telleth another x August Hierome Turrecremat that is the spirituall vtter this vnto the spirituall and one night certifieth another that is Iudas insinuates as much vnto the Iewes in the night of ignorance saying y Matth. 26.48 Whomsoeuer I shall kisse that is he lay hold on him Or the z D. Incognitus old Testament onely shadowing Christ is the night and the new Testament plainly shewing Christ is the day In them hath he set a tabernacle for the Sunne That is as a Vulgar Latin August other by way of b Genebrard Hypallage He hath his tabernacle in the Sunne meaning that God the Father dwelleth in Christ his sonne c Coloss 2.9 bodily which is the Sunne of righteousnes Malac. 4.2 by whom he doth d Iohn 1.9 enlighten and reconcile the world to himselfe 2. Cor. 5.18 The e Senensis Bibliothec. lib. 5. annot 160. Manichees abusing this text adore the Sunne conceiuing that Christ at his ascending set his tabernacle that is left his flesh in the Sunne f See S. August contra Faustum Manich. lib. 20. But this idle paradoxe contradicts the Scriptures affirming that Christ ascended far aboue all the heauens Ephes 4.10 and that he there sitteth at the right hand of God as our agent and aduocate til he come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead Ergo his flesh is not in the Sunne but in the highest places Hebr. 1.3 euen in the heauen of heauens Acts 7.56 The sense then of he set his tabernacle in the Sunne in g Apud Senen vbi sup Origens iudgement is briefly this Almightie God placed his Church in the Sunne of righteousnes according to that of Paul Ephes 2.20 The Church is built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone Or as h August in loc tract 2. in ep Ioan. lib. 3. cont lit Petilian cap. 32. other Hee set his tabernacle in the Sunne that is his Church in open view that it may bee so cleerely seene as the Sunne like a Citie that is set on a hill and cannot be hid Matth. 5.14 So the word Sunne is vsed 1. Sam. 12.12 Thou diddest it secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne Or because the Scripture calleth our flesh a tabernacle 2. Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed wee haue a building giuen of God not made with hands but eternall in the heauens And 2. Pet. 1.13 As long as I am in this tabernacle Therfore S. Augustine and i D. Incognitus Turrecremat other expound it thus He set his tabernacle in the Sunne that is k Iohn 1.14 the word became flesh and appeared in the l Philip. 2.7 shape of a seruant so manifestly that as S. Iohn speakes in his 1. Epistle chap. 1. vers 1. hee was heard and seene and felt that which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes which we haue looked vpon and our hands haue handled of the word of life If Christ had not on earth a true body then hee was not borne of the Virgin Mary nor wrapped in swadling clothes nor laid in a cratch nor circumcised on the eighth day nor presented in the Temple If his body were fantastical as Valentinus imagined how did hee thirst and hunger and weepe and in conclusion how did he dye for our sinnes and rise again for our iustification His natiuitie life death euidently demonstrate that he was made flesh and that hee dwelt among vs Ioh. 1.14 Which commeth foorth as a bridegrome out of his chamber The Sunne of righteousnes appeareth in three signes especially Leo Virgo Libra 1. in Leo roring as a Lion in the Law so that the people could not m Exod. 20.17 endure his voyce 2. in Virgo borne of a pure Virgin in the Gospel 3. in Libra weighing our workes in his n Dan. â—2 7. ballance at the day of Iudgement Or as o Serm. 3 de aduent Dom. Bernard distinguisheth his three-fold comming aptly Venit ad homines venit in homines venit contra homines In the time past he came vnto men as vpon this day in the time present he comes by his spirit into men euery day in the time future hee shall come against men in the last day The comming here mentioned is his comming in the flesh for so the p Hierome August Fathers vsually glosse the text he came foorth of the Virgins wombe as a bridegrome out of his Chamber As a bridegrome for the King of heauen at this holy time made a great wedding for his sonne Matth. 22.1 Christ is the bridegrome mans nature the bride the q Greg. hom 38. coniunction and blessed vnion of both in one person is the mariage The best way to reconcile two disagreeing families is to make some mariage betweene them euen so the Word became flesh and dwelt among vs in the world that he might hereby make our r Ephes 2.14.16 peace reconciling God to man and man to God By this happy match the Sonne of God is become the sonne of Å¿ Matth. 16.13 man euen flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones and the sonnes of men are made the sonnes of t Iohn 1.12 God of his flesh and of his bones as Paul saith Ephes 5.30 So that now the Church being Christs owne spouse saith I am my welbeloueds and my welbeloued is mine Cant. 6.2 My sinne is his sinne and his righteousnes is my righteousnes hee who knew u 2. Cor. 5.21 no sinne for my sake was made sinne and I contrariwise hauing no x Rom. 7.18 good thing am made the righteousnes of God in him I which am browne by persecution and blacke by nature Cant. 1.4 so foule as the sow that walloweth in the mire 2. Pet. 2.22 through his fauour am comely without spot or wrinkle so y Esay 1.18 white as the snow z Cant. 2.2 like a lilie among thornes euen the fairest among women Cant. 1.7 This happie mariage is not a marre age but it makes a merrie age being the a Luke 2.25 consolation of Israel and comfort of b Esay 40.2 Hierusalems heart Indeed Christ our husband doth absent himselfe from vs in his bodie for a time but when he did ascend into heauen