for the politike power defendeth his subiects with weapons and punisheth disobedient persons with corporall force or with the sworde but Christ by the preaching of the Gospell giueth euerlasting benefits remission of sinnes the holie Ghost and life euerlasting and punisheth disobedient persons not with corporall force but with his worde namelie lawfull excommunication Fourthlie they differ in glorie for the glorie of gouernments is in the excellencie of counsell in ciuill or peaceable gouernment and in valiancie and good successe in warre but the proper glorie of the Church in this life is true knowledge of God prayer profession of the true doctrine and perpetuall preseruation of the Church although shee bee persecuted in some members The greatnes of minds in ouercomming or vanquishing all inticements and terrifying torments of the wicked the ornament of manie vertues wherein the presence of God is perceiued and seene Fiftlie the defences of a politike kingdome are hoasts of men and riches necessarie in charges of domesticall affaires to maintaine warres abroad but the Church is not defended with visible helpes but is gouerned by the sonne of God and hath the Angels her super intendents or watchmen Lastlie they differ in stabilitie for all politike gouernements haue their end and limit of time but of this kingdome there shall bee none end because the king in eternall and he giueth vnto his people eternall life which is here begun and shall be accomplished after the resurrection These things must bee often recited touching the difference betweene Christs kingdome and politike kingdomes not onelie to refuse the Iewes but euen to instruct vs also least the consolation inuocation vpon the Sonne of God and our exercises of faith be obscured or darkened with politike imaginations For the eyes being bent vpon politike benefits when they are once gon do think that the church is but a castaway from god This imagination must we refuse and stedfastlie beleeue that true beléeuers are not therfore cast away from the sonne of God no though they be in the middes of punishments or torments for as saint Paule saith We stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God not onelie but also We reioyce in tribulations c. Rom. 5. verses 2. 3. They that dwell in the wildernes shall kneele before him his enemies shall licke the dust The kings of Tharshis and of the Isles shall bring presents the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts All kings shall fall downe before him all nations shall do him seruice He amplifieth the maiestie of Christs kingdome the inhabitants of the wildernes saith he shall not onelie be petitioners vnto this king but euen they also which dwell in faire and sumptuous houses which are garnishcd with costly works and pictures and neither shall his friends but euen his enemies also humble themselues and fall down before this Lord. What shall I say of the kings which shall be nursing fathers of Christs kingdome for in all ages from the first beginning of mankind there haue béene are shalbe some magistrates chosen of God vnto euerlasting saluation and called vnto the societie of the true Church as Nebuchadnezar and Euilmerodach in the kingdome of Babylon Darius Medus Cyrus and Artaxerxes with the long hande so called in the kingdome of Persia and Constantine Valentinian Theodosius Charles the great and certeine other in the Empire of Rome For as in that saying 3. Mat. 5. ver All Iurie went out vnto Iohn Baptist is the figure Synecdoche i. part for the whole so in this verse All kings shall fall downe before him the vniuersall particle must be restrained For it both not signifie that all kings shal become the friends of Christ but some cut of all kingdomes Now sée I pray you howe great a glorie it may bee that not onlie obscure and base persons shall embrase the preaching of the Gospel but euen mightie kings and Monarches Also vnto those kings which are conuerted to Christ shall nothing be attributed more glorious then that they are reputed called citizens and members of the true Church of Christ For he shall deliuer the poore when he crieth the needy also and him that hath no helper He shal bee fauourable to the simple and needie and shall preserue the soules of the poore He shall deliuer their soules from falshood and wrong deare shall their bloud be in his sight This is a most swéet and delectable reason of the former next verses As if he said therefore shall they fall down and worship him because he helpeth them that call vpon him when they are forsaken of earthlie creatures This sentence is greatlie set forth in the example of our first parents Adam and Eua after their fall could neither be helped by Angels their own deuises nor yet by anie other creature Here commeth Christ the sonne of God from his secret seat receiueth offenders into fauour and giueth them life So afterwards followed innumerable eramples of this Lordes benefits besides and without second causes as when he preserued Noah in the deluge when he saued Ioseph whom his brethren would haue slain when he made an open waie for the people of Israell to passe through the red sea and afterwards performed manie benefits vnto them besides and without all second causes or meanes Like as he defended Dauid against Golias and others as he saued the 3. men in the burning ouen Daniell amongst the Lions and Ionas in the whales belly And al men which call vpon God may declare and speak of some deliuerances which they haue had when they haue béene manifestlie preserued besides and without second causes Furthermore whereas the church is for most part rent in péeces with discords of opinions and féeleth the crueltie of tyrants this psalme promiseth her deliuerance from the wicked craft of hereticks and violence of Nero Dioclesian and such like tyrants But truly when I thinke vpon this verse the fable of the Viper and the palme commeth into my minde For like as the viper is with the palme leaues nourished and with the same againe destroyed so Heretikes abusing the scripture are refuted by the testimonies of scripture rightly conferred as although Samosatenus corrupteth the first chapter of S. Iohns gospel yet in the course of the same sermon conference of other testimonies he may be euidently refuted or conuinced But as vnto Tyrants appertaineth this Psalme in this place doth notably comfort vs He shall deliuer their soules from falshoode and wrong c. That is he shall inflame their hearts with ioy and gladnes the vanquisher of death and shall giue them life euerlasting according to that saying Iohn 10. 28. I giue vnto them euerlasting life And their blood shall be precious because tyrants shall suffer great iust torments for their crueltie vsed against the godlie ones and partlie because by this testimonie of their death the truth of Christs doctrine is sealed and confirmed But inasmuch as
salt of the earth purity of doctrine and the vnity of the teachers Examples of hurtful emulation euen in the ancient Bishops of the Church Discord arising felse brethren Why the Apostles and good Bishops are called Kings with their hoasts Verses 4. 5. 6 Teachers of the Gospell compared vnto doues for the diuersity of their gifts The vocation or calling of the Minister The 3. effects of the Gospell Iohn 12. 35. The 2. effect of the Gospell The 3. effect of the Gospell The exceeding great traine of Christ our triumphant king The saying of Athanasius against Arius of the ascension of Christ The deliuerance of the captiues The captiuing of the enemies and the spoiling of them A comfort vnto the Church burdened with the crosse A prophecie touching the destruction of the Iewish nation The sweete ioies of this triumph A thankesgiuing of the church for the victory by Christ obtained The order of the Apostles marching as Princes in the tryumph of Christ The stability and felicity of Christs church kingdom Dauids prophecie of kings and princes which shuld be patrones of the Church Dauid denouÌ„sceth a downfal and destructioÌ„ of Antichrist and his cruel bloody beastly warriours Dauid reciteth a prophecie touching the calling of the Gentiles to the church of God The Epilogue or conclusion of this Psalme is a general exhortation vnto thanksgiuing for manifold benefites * Of Shoshanim reade Psal 45. A threefolde Meditation of this Psalme The instructiue meditatioÌ„ The saying of Hippocrates The saying of Clement B. of Alexandria Pontanus The spiritual meditation of this Psalme The exemplary meditation The first part of this Psalme is a praier to the 31. verse Senecas verses of Hercules Christ bare vpon him the burthen of all our sinnes Preachers oftimes very vnthankfully delt with of those whom they haue best deserued of Examples of the heathen most vertuous persons Aristotles saying of iustice The godlie zeale which Dauid had for the aduancement of Gods glory Vrigils verse Scipios zeale for his country The seruent zeale of our sauiour Christ for our saluation S. Augustines saying touching a good conscience a good name The blind affection of man Christ is y e gate and the tower altar of refuge for vs to runne vnto with harty and humble praier Iosephs praier Daniels Praier It is Gods commandement and will that we should pray vnto him and his promise is assured performance The last act of Christs passion The 2. part of this Psalme containing a curse against the enemies of Christ Fiue degrees of punishmeÌ„ts inflicted vpon the Iewes and wherefore The 3. and last part of this Psalme containing a thanksgiuing by Dauid or rather by Christ and the maner thereof in 3. degrees The blessings lost by Adam are in and by Christ restored vnto vs. Gratiae priuatiur positiuae The diuers Epithites of our iustification by Christ A conclusion Exhortation The effects of this Psalme are touching faith and the force thereof mightily shaken by three meanes Iobs patience in his calamities Matth. 7. 7. 8 The effect of an oath The effect of prayer Dauid praieth for defence froÌ„ God in a good cause and for the destruction of his enemies We must pray to God to cut off the Pope and Turke the 2 strong arms of Antichrist A debasing of mans self conceit in his own nature A description of the 3. ages of the world The diuel stirs vp tyrants and heritikes in the last olde age of the world most wickedly weakning the state thereof Two effects of this Psalme The righteousnes of God in the law His righteousnes in y e gospel D. Martin Luthers saying vpon the first verse of this Psalme Tyrants trusting in mans helpe are desperately deceiued The Church sore charged and burdened with the crosse When good men are vnjustly slaundered it behooueth them to hold fast the consolations left them in the word of God against vnrighteous iudgements A principall proposition of this Psalme consisting in a Prayer and a Promise The Church in her old age thankfull vnto God A prayer for the Church in her old age The great mercy of God aboue mans merit The restoring of the church in the latter daies comparable to the deliuerances by God in former ages 1 Kinges 10 1 Kâ—ngs 12 2 〈◊〉 13 40 The church in the latter age shal at length descry and attaine vnto the port of life euerlasting The effects of this Psalme with a refutation of the Iewes contrary opinion in two points The vayne dreames of the Iewes This Psalme discerneth Christ the sauior from all other souerainty for euer The predictions of the prophets touching Christs suffering for mans saluation The excellencie of Dauids art oratoricall in compiling in 4. poynts The sentence of Saint Augustine cited by Prosperus Our excellent benefits by Christ our Sauiour A diuerse vse of the worde iudgement Dauids verse interpreted touching the first second comming of Christ the chiefe Iudge The peaceable estate of the Chucrch The maner of Chirsts kingdome governed by his iustice iudgement How Christ the Sauiour is to be honored in his kingdom The application of Daulds verse first to Gedeons and secondly to Christ his victorie Righteousnes and peace two effects of christ his kingdome A great difference between the bounds of Christs kingdom and the kingdoms of earthly Princes namely is sixe points Of kings and Queenes the nursing fathers and mothers of the Church from the beginning The great mercie of God in sending his son Christ to deliuer the distressed The application of the fable touching the viper and the palme Touching the eternail godhead of Christ and the royaltie of his euerlasting kingdome The florishing state of the Church with puritie of doctrine coÌ„cord of the Church The euerlasting renowme of Christ God and man eternal king of the faithfull and their euerlasting blessednes in and by him The myracle of myracles in the Messias Christ God man king immortall
A FIFT PROCEEDING in the Harmony of King Dauids Harpe That is to say a godly and learned Exposition of 5. other moe Psalmes of the princely Prophet Dauid beginning with the 68. and ending with the 72. Psalme being the last part of the first Tome or one halfe of the booke of Psalmes Written in Latin by the reuerend Doctor Victorinus Strigelius professor of Diuinity in the Vniuersity of Lipsia in Germanie Anno. 1576. Translated into English by Richard Robinson Citizen of London 1594. Seene and allowed Psalme 36. verse 10. O continue forth thy louing kindnesse to them that know thee and thy righteousnesse vnto them that are true of hart Psalme 37. verse 35. Hope thou in the Lord and keepe his way and he shall promote thee that thou shalt possesse the land when the vngodly shal perish thou shalt see it AT LONDON Printed by P.S. for Matthew Lownes and are to be sold at his shop vnder S. Dunstons Church in the West 1598. To the Right Reuerend father in God Richard by Gods prouidence Bishop of London To the Right Honorable Sir Richard Saltonstall Knight Lord Maior of London and to the Right worshipful his Brethren the Aldermen and Sheriffes of the same City grace mercy peace and plenitude of temporall and eternall beatitude in the sacred Trinity OUR Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus right reuerend Father in God honorable Lord and right worshipful Patrons as hee rightly called himselfe the way the truth and the life of all faithfull beleeuers and good liuers and was so in deed the way by example not erring the truth by promise not failing and the life by reward neuer ending so on a time ascending up a certaine hill after he had in a prolix sermon instructed his Disciples and a multitude of others his followers in the way truth and life of perfect blessednesse vpon earth and the fruitfull effects thereof in the life euerlasting said vnto them yee are the salt of the earth the light of the world As it might well seeme attributing the first title salt of the earth vnto his disciples as they which with the table of the Testament deliuering sincere doctrine it with the pot of Manna ministring the sacraments by Christs institution seasoning the soules of Gods seruants and with Aarons rod executing discipline vpon disordered liuers within the Church And by the second title light of the world fully attributing vnto temporal magistrates as to the learned in the lawes divine humane the light of righteousnes sword of truth and ballance of iustice with iudgement to cherish the good and punish the euill liuers in the common wealth And so making of both a blessed and happy coniunction or incorporation of good gouernement hee added hereunto this rare and notable conclusion A citty that is set on a hill cannot be hid signifieng thereby a Citty so gouerned is a right Hieropolis or sacred Citty and a kingdome so administred is a right Hierarchia or sacred principalitie knowne beloued of friends feared and made famous among enemies both neare and far off Such in truth blessed bee the true omnipotent and immortall God hath been the happy state of this citty of London yea and whole kingdome of England though low insituation yet high in acceptation with God and good people of all nations vnto which as I a poore member thereof God be my witnes defender Iudge and reuenger haue alwaies wished well in goodwill goodworde and good workes to my poore power so eleuen yeares nowe past I signified the same specially by translating the learned Vrbanus Rhegius his godlie exposition vpon the 87. Psalme intituled the Solace of Sion and ioy of Ierusalem and dedicating the same vnto the then Right Honorable Sir George Barne Knight Lord Maior of this Citty who thankfully accepted my good wil therein For it carried this credit with it Her foundations are vpon the holy hils and holy innocent and the best members of this our Church and common wealth have profited thereby I doubt not But nowe if there bee any vnholy nocent and bad persoyet remaining either within or without the gates of that Hierusalem or vision of peace as God which once promised to search it doth best see for man seeth not as God seeth 1. Sam. 16. 7. whether he be a forger of falshood Iere. 10. 14 slanderous seruant Pro. 13. 5. euill nurtured child Ecclus. 22. 7. and so a carnall master Iohn 3. 10. and a carelesse parent 1. Tim. 5. 8. with blinde seer and deafe hearer Esay 42. 8. whereof too many I haue found as I can conuince I pray to God humbly and hartely these either speedely if it be his heauenly holy will to conuert by doctrine and discipline in the church or if so they will not bee conuertible at his good pleasure in his iustice and iudgement to subuert them perseuering in their malignities inflexible In the meane time with all humble and hartifull duty I commend this my present poore labour to the aduancement of Gods glory ineffable hir maiesties continuall honour and your honours and worships fauorable protection first as vnto that Aaron whose sincere doctrine with example of life and discipline as your rod which God long make to bud and blossome in blessednes and consequently as vnto that Mercury which tuning this my harp in right concord of goodwil as I deliuer it may sende the sweete solace thereof from your sincere brests not vnto an earthly Apollo to regratifie you with an earthlie scepter but to the heauenly Iehoua who may best rewarde you with all abundance of heauenly happines in the life euerlasting which God for his sonne Christs sake grant vnto your honors and worships At my poore house in S. Brides parish in fleetstreet this 24. of August 1598. Your honorable good Lordships and worthy worships humble poore Orator Richard Robinson Cittizen of London PSALME LXVIII Exurgat Deus dissipentur Inimici c. TO HIM THAT EXCELLETH A Psalme or Song of Dauid demonstratiue touching the wonderfull mercies of God towardes his Church in respect of his pormises graces and victories which he giueth her and it is exhortatorie that his Church should therefore prayse God for euer The Argument THIS Psalme is a glorious and plentifull prophecie touching the resurrection and triumph of Christ in his ascension touching his gift of the holy ghost his gathering of the Church by the ministry of the Apostles the destruction of the Iewish policy or state and the benefits of his new and euerlasting kingdome And like as the fine verses of Poets do edifie vttered from a sincere and sacred brest So no doubt of it Dauids penne in the writing of this Psalme was filled with spirituall ioy which exceedeth all capacitie and consideration of man For he vseth not a simple kinde of phrase describing the magnificence of Christes kingdome but most e-legantly with figures hee describeth euen as it were the triumphant pompe of this King For he frameth his
once but that we do repeate them dailie yea euerie moment and truelie for this cause that there may be a propagation or publishing of doctrine in the posteritie for like as God graunteth vnto the Halcion bird the quietnesse and calmenesse of the sea to hatch and bring forth their yong ones so must we pray that God in the ruines and confusions of kingdomes in the latter age of the world would preserue his church and ministrie that in time to come there want no publishers of the most mightie workes of God Thy righteousnesse O God is verie high and great things are they that thou hast done O God who is like vnto thee This ioyfull conlusion which the Prophet here hath maie more easilie be vnderstoode if we consider the historie of the Church from the beginning when Adam and Eua had transgressed and could not be helped by the meanes of anie creature God of his immense grace and goodnesse published a promise touching the Redéemer which shoulde come which when these our parentes heard they vnderstoode that they should bee receiued againe into Gods fauour and brought againe from euerlasting death Afterwardes when all mankinde miserablie perished in the vniuersall deluge God according to his wonted goodnes preserued Noah and his wife and familie that they shoulde yet scape the daunger of the floud and remaine the young plantes of the Church And that I maie for breuitie sake omit particular deliuerances howe glorious was the bringing and deliuering of the Israelites out of Egypt And no lesse glorious was the bringing backe againe of the same people from out of Babilon and the restoring of them into their ancient state What shall I saie of the church gathered from out of the whole world by the ministerie of the Apostles What shall I speake of the continuall preseruation and defence of this little flocke against the violence of Tyrants and wicked deceipts of heretickes And that I would not repeat all stories I will cōprehend in briefe for so I purposed this last restoring of the gospell euen by God effected maugre the malice and repugning thereagainst all the gates of hell to be no lesse worthie of admiration then other deliuerances of the church mentioned in the histories of the Prophets and Apostles These and other thinges innumerable when we call to minde it cannot be otherwise but we must needes crie out with Dauid in this verse Howe great thinges are they O God which thou hast done O God who is like vnto thee O what great troubles and aduersities hast thou shewed me and yet diddest thou turne and refresh mee yea and broughtest mee from the depth of the earth againe Thou hast brought me to great honour and comforted me on euery side The historie of the Church doth speciallie set forth this interchange of temptations consolations The church of the people of Israell had some rest peace and quietnesse in the time of K. Salomons raigne but a little while after when the Kingdome was deuided there followed continuall ciuill warres vntill the tenne Tribes were by Salmanazar carried a waie into exilement The two other Tribes had great tryall of diuers changes calamities and deliuerances euen vntill the comming of our Sauiour Christ But the church of the newe Testament being first grieuouslie afflicted by Tyrantes next of heretickes and afterwardes by Antichrist hath had thenceforth some space of breathing So let vs not doubt but the Church of this last age tossed and turmoiled with diuers stormes and surging seas shall hereafter not verie long to getting out of these great troubles desire and attayne vnto the porte of euerlasting life Therefore will I praise thee and thy faithfulnesse O God playing vpon an Instrument of musicke vnto thee will I sing vpon the harpe O thou holie one of Israell My lips will bee faine when I sing vnto thee and so will my soule whom thou hast deliuered My tongue also shall talke of thy righteousnesse al the day long for they are confounded and brought vnto shame that seeke to do me euill Oftentimes in the Psalmes Dauid keepeth these degrees of order Beleeuing he is tempted tempted he prayeth praying he is deliuered and being deliuered he giueth thanks vnto God So the Church beholding the destruction of her enemies or their purposes disappointed with ioyfull minde and mouth magnifieth and praiseth God who knoweth howe to deliuer his out of temptation ¶ A prayer composed by Dauid as touching the prosperitie of Salomons Kingdom which was a figure of Christ and his euerlasting kingdome 1. Kinges 3. Deus iudicium tuum Regi da. The Argument TIS Psalme with great excellencie of wordes preacheth of the person and office or of Christes kingdome of the calling of the Gentiles of the worshipping in the newe Testament and of the Crosse which the Church must beare But first to beginne with all the Iewes must bee refuted which with a blinde wilfull boldnesse contend that this Psalme must not bee vnderstoode touching Christ but touching Salomon And trulie the first refutation may bee taken from the limits and long continuance of his Kingdome touching whome the Psalme speaketh For he expresly affirmeth in verse 5. That the limits or boundes of his kingdome extend from the rising to the setting of the Sunne and this King shall rule and raigne verse 17. in all posterities without end Because therefore it appeareth sufficiently that neither Salomon nor any other King had euer anie Kingdome so largely limited and bounded and that all and euerie kingdome in the worlde haue their fatall periods Let vs here then confesse it to be most euident these things cannot bee spoken of any other King but of the promised Sauiour Christ Jesus Of this Argument such is the perspicuity that if the Iewes woulde burst themselues with vaine contention therein they cannot say so much as a word against it The second refutation is taken from the stability of peace touching which it is saide in verse 7. In his time shall the righteous flourish yea and aboundance of peace so long as the moone appeareth And wee knowe that the latter ende of King Salomns raigne was vnquiet and troublesome as the historie of the 1. lib. Regum cap. 11. maketh mention Therefore are the commentaries of the Iewish Rabines far wide from the scope of this Psalme But least I seeme to be too long in a thing so manifest and plain I will be content with the testimonie of the Caldean translation which interpreteth this Psalme as touching the promised Sauiour Christ Iesus This ground of the matter being thus ordained wee must thenceforth seeke who is the sauiour for the Iewes looke for a Guide and a restorer of their kingdome such a one as Hercules or Cyrus or Augustus And such a one doth Mahomet beleeue that Christ was and so haue manie heretickes alwaies thought and held opinion as Somosatenus Nestorius and others And I feare that euen this philosophie stirres vp great
scatter abroad the congregation of Gods Church And although some dispute whether the kingdome at Christ be euerlasting seeing Paule saith 1. Cor. 15. 24. Then shall the sonne deliuer the kingdome vnto the father Yet the kingdome of the sonne without all doubting is euerlasting because in all eternitie hée raigneth together with the father and the holie ghost and remaineth the heade of the church And whereas Paule saith 1. Cor. 15. 24. That the sonne in the last day of the worlde shall deliuer the kingdome vnto the father let that be vnderstoode thus The sonne shall bring vnto the Father the Church gathered throughout all mankinde and then all the whole godhead shall be seene in presence and shall raigne not by the ministerie of the gospel but immediatly or without anie meane With this simple vnderstanding let vs be contented least we séeme to seeke to be more wise then it behooueth vs. He shal come down like the raine into fleece of wool euen as the drops that water the earth There is no doubt but the prophet doth allude in this verse vnto the historie of Gedeon which is recited in lib. Iudicum 6. and 7. chapters But other interpreters do applie this figure taken out of the history of Gedeon another waie For some doe refer it vnto the birth of the son of God borne of the virgne as the meaning might thus be Christ like vnto the deaw of heauen was conceiued by the holy ghost in the wombe of the virgin Mary without all spot of sinne This interpretation though I reiect not séeing it agréeth with the analogy or rule of faith yet I do more allowe the application thereof vnto the kingdome of Christ For like as grasse reuiueth and refresheth his colour when the deawe falleth vpon it so our hearts when we heare the preaching of the gospell conceiue new comfort which is the beginning and taste of life euerlasting Againe also that similitude maie well bee considered herein which in the same historie is set downe Before Christ was borne the sinagogue was a fleece of wool wet with heauenlie dewe Now the drie lande that is the Gentiles are watered with this dewe What shall I saie of the wonderfull and almost incredible victorie of Gedeon vnto whom Esayas in the 9. chapter compareth the triumph of Christ For as Gedeon leaueth forth a slender hoast against the huge multitude of his enemies and yet by God obtained the victorie so wee wretched and weake soules following the gouernement and good guide of the sonne of God our Captaine Christ in the onelie preaching of the gospell which we professe and with the sparke of faith shining in miseries doc ouercome most mightie enemies viz. sinne death and the deuill But this figure verie well and excellentlie doth Doct. Martin Luther set forth in his exposition vppon the ninth chapter of Esay Hee therefore that will may read thereof in that place In his time shall the righteous flourish yea and abundance of peace so long as the moone endureth He repeateth a sermon as it were of the effects of Christs kingdome namelie righteousnesse and peace In the Church shall both righteousnesses flourish the one of Faith whereby the person is accepted and pleasing vnto God fréely for the Mediators sake The other of a good conscience touching which let vs hold fast that most swéete saying of Nazianzen Nihil exhilarat nos ita vt conscientia pura spes bona Nothing so much reioyceth vs as a pure conscience and a good hope And where hee saith abundance of peace c. that is tranquilitie of the heart rising from faith hope and a good conscience Nowe consider what a thing it is not to be pluckt away from God and to be able to haue accesse vnto God to call vpon him craue and looke for helpe of him as in the 1. Epist 3. cap. and 20. vers of saint Iohn it is said If our heart condemne vs not then haue we boldness towardes God But the particle touching the eternitie of peace must not be at a blush as wee say but throughlie looked vpon For it containeth most sweet consolation which Isayas expresseth cap. 54 ver 10. in these wordes The hilles shall be mooued and the little hilles shall tremble but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fall away saith thy mercifull Lorde That is though down-falles of kingdomes shall shake and terrifie the Church verie sore yet my couenant that I haue made with my Church shall be firme for euer ratified and vnmooueable Let vs be quietlie contented with this league or couenant yea though the whole world frushed togither fall downe about vs. His dominion also shall bee from the one sea to the other and from the flood vnto the worlds end The kings of Babylon and Persia held in their power verie rich kingdoms but these kingdoms were included within the limits of Asia Alexander the great ioined some part of Europe vnto the Empire of Asia The Romane Empire greatest of all others was extended no further then Euphrate Finally no gouernment in y e whole world was contained in the proper iurisdiction wherefore seeing Christes kingdome is comprehended within the same boundes wherein the whole world is comprehended doubtles we must confesse that this kingdome is not a worldlie Empire like as the Iewes do dream But peraduenture some man would ask what maner of kingdom the kingdom of Christ is There is nothing that we may so easily expresse The kingdome of the Christ in this life is to kéepe and restore the ministerie of the Gospell also to gather and reuiue the Church with his worde and holie spirit giuen and to protect her wonderfullie against the diuels and tyrants after this life to raise her members vp from death to life and bring them to his eternall Father Out of this description maie be taken the difference of Christes kingdome and a politike kingdome Also they differ in obiects in benefites in forme of gouernment glorie defences and stabilitie for first the politike power gouerneth the part which is moueable and brideleth the externall members that they may remaine within their duties but the kingdome of Christ not onelie gouerneth externall manners but reprehendeth and healeth the hearts as in Isay 61. ver 1. To binde vp the broken hearted Secondlie the chiefe benefits of politike power are discipline and peace of bodies but the spirituall and eternall benefits of this kingdome are righteousnesse and peace of conscience before God Thirdlie they differ in forme gouernment for other kings and princes chuse fit ministers to beare authoritie in the Common-wealth endued with wisedome and eloquence but Christ chooseth the foolish things of this world to confound the wisedome of the wise or as the 8 Psalme ver 2. saieth Out of the mouth of verie babes and sucklings he hath made perfect his kingdome Moreouer they differ in forme of execution as in defence and punishments