materiall temple to wit in the house of Praier yet much rather in his immateriall temple to wit the mynd or spirit for our Sauiour saieth God is à spirit and they that adore Ioh. 4. him must adore in spirit and veritie and in another place VVhen thou shalt praie enter Math. 6. into thy chamber and hauing shut the dore praie to thy Father in secret to wit with à setled and recollected mynd Let all the earth bee moued before his face let all the inhabitants of the earth bee moued to chast loue admiration and obedience and bee auerted from their bad waies and conuerted to God attending the benigne presence and sweet Maiestie of Christ Saie ye ô ye Apostles and ye that shall succeed them vnto the Gentils to whose conuersion and information ye are sent that our Lord hath reigned in the whole vniuerse and especially in the hearts of the faithfull by faith and Charitie Concerning which you are to note that God hath raigned in heauen and earth by his omnipotency euen from the beginning but his spirituall Kingdome in the hearts of men where he raigneth by faith beganne not especially in the hearts of the Gentils vntill the coÌ„ming of our Sauiour who by his passion and death dispossessed and cast forth the diuell as maie bee gathered by these words of our Lord Now the Prince of the world Ioh. 12. shall bee cast forth and I if I bee exalted from the earth will draw all things to myselfe S. Augustine and diuers others of the auncient Fathers doe read the last part of this verse as followeth Our Lord hath reigned from the wood to wit from the holie Crosse whereon he redeemed the world Which words of the wood were aunciently in the interpretation of the 72. Interpreters and haue been raced out by the Hebrews as S. Iustine affirmeth which notwithstanding Fortunatus hath placed them in the Hymne which is sung by the holie Church in Passion weeke The Prophet sheweth here by the effect that our Lord hath raigned because he hath exercised his regall power For he hath corrected the round world which shall not bee moued he hath conuerted the vniuersall Church spread and diâ—ated through the whole world from Idolatry and vice by his owne increpation and reprehension according to that of the Prophet He stroke the earth with the rod of Isa 11. his mouth c. as alsoe by the preaching of his disciples and other seruants and hath established it soe firmely that notwithstanding it shall bee soie shaken by the tempests and whirlwinds of tribulation and tentation yet shall it not bee moued in whole whilst the world shall indure He will iudge peoples in equitie The iudgement here mentioned is the iudgement wherewith our Sauiour iudged in his first comming to wit the iudgement of discretion or seuering one from another mercifully calling some to faith and grace and iustly forsaking others which discretion was altogether most iust notwithstanding that our weake iudgements are not able to comprehend the reason thereof Let the heauens bee glad and the earth reioyce the Sea bee moued and the fulnesse thereof to wit all therein contained the fields shall bee glad and all things that are in them What is spiritually vnderstood by these hath been sufficiently declared in the precedent Psalmes Then shall the trees of the woods reioyce before the face of our Lord because he cometh because he cometh to iudge the earth By this repetition of be cometh is insinuated the two commings of Christ in both which the Prophet inuiteth all creatures to reioyce in his first comming because he came then in the forme and shape of à man and sought to winne all hearts vnto him by his sweet benigne conuersation consecrating and disposing all things towards their perfection and the end for which they were created and in his second comming alsoe because he will come to refine and renew and constitute them in such perfectioÌ„ that they shall remaine for eternitie He will iudge the round world in equitie to wit without respect of persons and peoples in his truth to wit in iustice rendring to euery one according to his workes Tha title and argument of the Psalme and 8. in the Nocturne Office TO this Dauid when his land was restored to him For that there is noe mention at all made in this Psalme of King Dauids recouery of his Kingdome which Absalon had taken from him the expositors thereof doe generally agree that King Dauid vpon occasion of the recouery of his land being inspired by the holie Ghost did sing the restoring of the Kingdome of Christ in the hearts of all maÌ„kind which the diuell had vsurped by fraudulently inducing our first parents to transgresse Gods commandement and had withheld from him vntill he by his painefull death vpon the Crosse vanquished that tyrant and obtained all power in heauen and vpon earth In the first verse the Prophet speaketh of this saied restoring of Christ our Sauiours Kingdome vnto him to wit al mankind or the Church of the elect according to that Aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentils Psal 2. for thy inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth but in the rest of the Psalme he describeth the dreadfull comming of Christ to the generall Iudgement when his Kingdome shall bee established in such sort that it remaine for euer The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord of whome it is saied in the Apoc. 19. Apocalipse That he hath in his garment and in his thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords from the tyme of his glorious Resurrection hath reigned in the militant Church or in the hearts of his elect wherefore let all the earth reioyce let all nations liuing vpon the continent or maine land congratulate him in this his regall dignitie and not onely they but alsoe let many Ilands bee glad let the inhabitants of great Britanie Ireland Cyprus Sicilie all other Ilands very many in number which shall bee conuerted make triumph and signes of ioy thereat for of these the Prophet Isaie saieth The Ilands shall expest his Isa 42. Ibidem law and againe They shall giue glorie to the Lord and shall declare his praise to the Ilands A cloud and mist shall appeare round about him when he shall come to iudge the world with much power and Maiestie that Infidels and reprobate Christians maie neither haue à cleare veiw of his glorified body with their externall eies nor of his diuinitie with their internall but onely some litle glimpse of his glorie to their greater confusion Iustice iudgement with mercy and iudgement seueritie of iustice shall bee the correction or supporters of his seate or the sentence of correction which shall proceed from his tribunall Iustice and iudgement according to S. Ierome is here saied to bee the correction of the seate of our Lord because the iudgements of God before he cometh to iudgement doe seeme somewhat imperfect in
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
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
expounded of the Triumphant Church as followeth The fountaine of wisdome or the inundation of the holie Ghost maketh the triumphant Church ioyfull with the ioy of beatificall fruition the highest Hath sanctified the hearts of the blessed which is hâ—s tabernacle God is in the middest of the triumphant Church therefore it shall not bee moued from the state of beatitude In the instant that any of the blessed thall bee receiued into the Kingdome of glorie God will confirme them in grace Thirdly they are applyed to the Blessed Virgin as followeth The word of God Christ Iesus our Lord in whome is the originall source immense plenitude of all true delight hath filled his blessed Mother with ioy exultation assuming humane nature in her sacred wombe Christ hath sanctified her and preserued her from all impuritie He hath rested nine monthes in her wombe and euer since in the Center of her immaculate soule She shall not bee moued from good to euill but shall remaine stable and immoueable in God because he will sanctifie her and fortify her in perfection of grace euen in her Mothers wombe Nations are troubled by the preaching miracles of the disciples of our Sauiour some to Pennance admiration others to obstinacy and opposition and Kingdomes are inclined are humbled to faith and holie obedient conuersation learning of Christ who was mild and humble of heart He Christ gaue his voice by himselfe his disciples and their successors and the earth was moued The saied humiliation of Kingdomes was foretold bythe Prophet Isaie in these words He to wit Christ Isa 26. will how downe them that dwellon hight thé high cittie he will abase By the high cittie is vnderstood Rome which at that tyme was Lady of the world of which the same Prophet à litle after â—aieth The foote shall tread it downe the feete of the poore maiâ— the steps of the needy By the poore man is vnderstood S. Peter à poore fisher man and by the steps of the needy the preaching of S. Peter and Paul who liued in voluntary pouertie for by their preaching the vnbeleeuing glorie and magnificent ostentation of the Romans was brought to embrace Christian humilitie The Lord of hostes is with vs Christ the King of glorie the vertue and wisdome of the Father who is stiled Emanuel that is God with vs hath come vnto vs and dwelled with vs in his assumpted humane nature the God of the Patriarke Iacob is our defender Come ye that desire saluation come not soe much by corporall motion as by faith and affections of the heart and see the workes of our Lord and consider and ponder seriously in your mynds what wonders he hath put vpon the earth to wit the Incarnation of his onely sonne the making of à Virgin to conceiue bring forth à Sonne and yet remaine à Virgin innumerable other admirable workes farre transcending the ordinary course of nature taking away warres euen vnto the end of the earth causing an vniuersall peace ouer all the world at the tyme of the birth of Christ our Lord as à figure of the spirituall peace which our Sauiour brought vnto all mankind to wit peace betweene God and man according to that of the Apostle God was in Christ reconciling 2. Cor. 5. the world to himselfe peace alsoe betweene the Iewes and Gentils He is our Ephes 2. peace who hath made both one c. He shall destroy the bow and breake weapons and shields he shall burne with fire This peace which Christ shall bring shall bee soe vniuersall and endure for soe long à space that men shall conuert their weapons and warlike engins to other vses according to that of the Prophet The Isa 2. law shall come forth of Sion and the word of our Lord from Ierusalem and he shall iudge the Gentils and rebuke many peoples they shall turne their swords into coulters and their speares into sithes c. This verse maie bee expounded in à more spirituall sense as followeth He shall destroy the bow Christ shall laie open and destroy the hidden deceits of the wicked endeauoring by flatery and faire promises to seduce the good and breake the weapons to wit open persecutions manifest diabolicall inuasions And the shields to wit the fallacies wherewith peruerse men doe couer and defend their errors he shall burne with fire by condemning the peruerse to hell fire or illuminating and inflaming the hearts of the faithfull to discerne resist their machinations Bee quiet abstract your hearts from vaine euill and vnprofitable things adhere to me with your whole mind attend to me fixe your desires vpon me and simplify your actions and see by affectionate contemplation and experimentall gust that I am God your Creator prouisor Sauiour gouernour that neuer cease to haue care of you that am alwaies ready to helpe you and to infuse consolation in such sort that you maie euen by experience acknowledge that I am your God Whosoeuer hath à desire to tast and proue this experimentall gust of God must of necessitie keepe à diligent watch ouer his heart flie concupiscence contemne pleasures shunne dissolution or loosenes of life repell and quit himselfe from superfluous imployments of body and minde seeke and sigh incessantly after that one thing onely necessary Make vnto you new fallow Ierem. 4. ground saieth the Prophet and sow not vpon thornes bee circumcised to our Lord and take away the prepuces of your hearts I shall bee exalâ—ed among the Gentils I the onely sonne of God and Sauiour of the world by the preaching of my disciples shall bee ackowledged honoured and worshipped by the Gentils according to that of the Prophet From the rising of Malach. 1. the sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentils I shall bee exalted in the earth in the peoples of the Iewes neare the end of the world when the fulnes of the Gentils hath entred The Lord of Hostes is with vs c. This verse in regard of the sweetnes of the signification and dignitie thereof is iterated for to imprint it the better in the heart of the Chanter What I haue saied before maie suffice for explication thereof with this obseruation That whereas Exod. 3. in Exodus we read that God almightie stiled himselfe the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob affirming that this is his name for euer the Prophet here expresseth onely the God of Iacob for this reasoÌ„ as it maie seeme because as Iacob supplanted his brother of the benediction and inheritance soe the sonne of God who alone assumed humane nature supplanted the disobedient Angels of the benediction inheritance which was as it were due to them by prioritie of Creation and obtained it for man kind Behold how full this Psalme is of diuine misteries in which faith is corroborated hope in God is established fortitude is excited the beginning of the new
and confusion at that voice Terusalem which is built daily vntill the consummation of the world of liuing stones as à Cittie in such sort as befitteth the Cittie of the eternall King to be built for it is built of precious polished holie reasonable stones of Angels and men as the Apostle affirmeth saying In Christ 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 c. VVhose participation is together in it selfe This clause is expounded diuersly in respect of the words in idipsum in the latine text which some interpret In the same according to whome the sense is That all the Cittizens of the celestiall Ierusalem doe participate of the same goodnesse because all of them doe enioy the same eternall goodnesse though not in like measure but more or lesse according as they haue loued more or lesse God almightie therefore is the same that is to saie the immutable and vndiuided goodnesse of the celestiall Ierusalem whose participation to witt the fruition beatitude and deification whereby it doth participate the diuine goodnesse is vniforme sempiternall Others admitt of the former interpretation to witt whose participation is together in it selfe and expound it That the goodnesse of all the celestiall Cittizens is the goodnesse of euerie and each one of them contrarie wise For since that loue is of its owne nature diffuse and communicatiue as in the celestiall countrey there is the most perfect mutuall loue of all the blessed soe there is the most full and absolute communion of the beatitude of euerie and each one one is as glad of the felicitie of another as of his owne yea they doe congratulate each other and according to the doctrine of S. Denis the Superiours doe impart to the inferiours of the perfections bestowed vpon them by almightie God These things doe not soe properly square with any terrene Cittie therefore it should seeme that what is saied in this Psalme of the terrene Ierusalem ought to bee vnderstood as meant of the celestiall For thither did the tribes ascend the tribes of our Lord the testimonie of Israel to consesse vnto the name of our Lord. Here the Prophet yeeldeth the reason why he hath saied Ierusalem which is built as à Cittie c. because thither into that holie and sacred sanctuary did the tribes ascend yet not of what sort soe euer but the tribes of our Lord which beare the marke and testimony of being infants of the true Israel These elected people did ascend to confesse vnto the name of our Lord as he had decreed from all eternitie and testified to his seruant Iacob that they should Ep. 1. beati Petri c. 2. and were superedified as it were liuing stones and spirituall houses for of the soules of the â—lect and the Angelicall spirits is that glorious fabricke of the triumphant Church composed They ascended alsoe to that holie Cittie Because seates sat othere in iudgement because there the thrones of Christ and those that reigne with him are firmely fixt and established Semes vpon the house of Dauid according to that of the Prophet Isa 9. Isaie He shall sit vpon the throne of Dauid vpon his Kingdome that he maie confirme it and strengthen it in iudgement and iustice from this time for euer c. and as the Angell promised to our Lady saying Our Lord Luc. 1. God shall giue him the seate of Dauid his Father and he shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer The blessed reigning with Christ are the seates of God for The soule of the Sap. 7. iust man is the seate of the increate wisdome and these seates doe truly sitt in iudgement according to the promise of our Lord You which haue fâ—ll wed me in the Math. 19. regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sitt in the seate of his Maiestie you alsoe shall sitt vpon twâ—lue seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israel Moreouer they are seates founded vpon the house of Dauid because all the regall and iudiciaâ—ie power of the Saints dependeth of Christ who in the Ghospel is stiled the Sonne of Dauid and receiued the seate of Dauid his Father and shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer O all yee that aspire to this holie Cittie Aske the things that are for the peace of Ierusalem the things that conduce to the peace of Ierusalem Or thus Begge yee of almightie God the gifts of the holie Ghost whereby you maie merit to bee brought to the peace of Ierusalem And thou ò Ierusalem obtaine by thy intercession aboundance of spirituall graces for them that loue thee for vs of the militant Church who aspire to vnion with thee Peace ô triumphant Cittie bee made in thy strength in thy walls and fortifications and aboundance in thy towers in thy Pallaces that soe thou maist enioy compleate felicitie For peace without aboundance is à secure possession of miserie and aboundance without peace is à doubtfull incertaine felicitie but when both these doe concurre nothing is wanting which maie bee desired to the rendring of à Cittie happie and flourishing Concerning which you are to note that this good wish of the Prophet to the celestiall Ierusalem doth not signifie anie feare he had least peace and aboundance might euer bee wanting vnto it for he saith of it in another place who hath set thy â—sal 147. borders peace and filled thee with the fatte of corne but it is onely à pious expression of his affections towards it and of the ioy he conceiued in the consideration of the felicitie thereof in which manner it is saied in the Apccalipse Saluation to Apoc. 7. our God who sitteth vpon the throne and to the lambe c. For my brethren and neighbours sakes I spake peace of thee Out of the vnfâ—lned loue and charitie which moueth me incessantly to wish the bâ—st things to my brethren and neighbours I preached vnto them peace but what peace not the peace of or with the world which our Sauiour saied expresly he came not â—o Math. 10. Philip. 4. gine but the peace of thee ô heauenly Ierusalem which as S. Paul saieth passeth all vnderstanding c. For the house if our Lord God I haue sought good things mâ—ther Another consideration why I loue my saied brethren and neighbours is for that they are the house of our Lord God whome whilst I wish well vnto and seeke to make enamoured of thy peace I esteeme my selfe to haue sought good things to theâ— for by their vnion thy number will bee made compleate thy walls fully finished Behold à Psalme repeat with spirituall 〈◊〉 the first verse whereof we ought to pronounce with the feruour of diuine to â—e and internall iubilation considering that noe man can attaine to this celestiall Ierusalem vnlesse he bee an vnfained louer and diligent obseruer of peace and charitie Let vs therefore
vertue of true humilitie doe euen from the fall of Lucifer acknowledge all their excellencie as receiued from him and mankind depressed by the Serpent alsoe in particular such as resigne themselues to his holie will and for his loue doe submitt themselues vnder all creatures Raising vp from the earth from carnall life from the loue of transitorie things and terrene thoughts the needie such as are voide and destitute of spirituallitie inriching them with diuine gifts with the loue of heauenly things and the contemplation of high mysteries and lifting vp to the Kingdome of glorie the poore the humble out of the dung of this corruptible bodie To place him there with Princes with the holie Angels with Princes of his people with the cheifest of his elect for the Triumphant Church is one vnited of good men and holie Angels Or thus That he maie place him on his right hand in the daie of iudgement with the Princes of whome the Prophet Isaie speaketh saying Our Isa 3. Lord shall come to iudgement with the ancients of his people and his Princes VVho maketh the barren woman the congregation of the Gentils to dwell in à house in the militant Church à ioyfull Mother of spirituall children whome she regenerateth of water and the holie Ghost In this sense the Apostle alleadgeth Gala. 3. that of the Prophet Isaie Reioyce thou barren that bearest not breakeforth and crie that trauailest not because many are the children of the desolate to witt of Gentilitie then of her that hath à husband to wit the Synagogue whose spouse husband was God almightie but he left her for her incredulitie as the Prophet Ieremy Iere. 12. doth manifestly declare saying I haue forsaken my house I haue left my inheritance I haue giuen my beloued into the hands of her enemies myne inheritance is become vnto me as à Lyon in à wood The Prophet tearmeth Gentilitie or the people of the Gentils Sterill and desoâ—ate because they were long forsaken by almightie God for their Idolatrie in such sort that they brought forth noe fruit of the holie Ghost nor generated any children to Christ whence is that of Amia the Prophetesse The barren woman bare verie manie and she that had manie children was weakened It is meet that we sing this Psalme with spirituall ioy it being composed wholly in the diuine praise It importeth vs alsoe to striue to become children that is pure innocent and humble that soe we maie merit to praise God worthily and to bee beheld by him with a gratious eie for Praiso is not comely Eccles 15 in the mouth of the vitious The third Psalme in Vespres which is the last in Tierce as alsoe the fourth Psalme which is the second in None are alreadie expounded in the saied Houres The title and argument of the 147. Psalme and last in Vespres THe title is Allelâ—ia In this Psalme the Prophet doth exhort the people of God both of the Triumphant and Militant Church to sing his praise incessantly giuing thankes for his singular benefits showred vpon them in particular for that he hath fortified them on all sides placed peace in their borders blessed their of spring fed them with the bread of life and manifested his hidden mysteries vnto them aboue all other people The explication of the Psalme O Ierusalem praise our Lord render the tribute of praise thankfulnesse to the Soueraigne Monarch of heauen and earth you Cittizens of the holie Ierusalem the Cittie of peace and vnitie of blessed spirits that see him face to face Praise thy God ô Sion ô all you that are called to the vnion of the holie Catholicke Church and doe contemplaâ—e God your Creator redeemer conseruer by the eies of faith praise him in the best manner you can excogitere to witt in puritie of heart and conuersation without blame And that you maie praise him the more worthily remember the singular testimonies of his good will shewed towards you Because he it is that hath strengthned the lockes of thy gates to hinder the enemie from surprising thee at vnawares and moreouer he hath blessed thy children in thee If this bee referred to the celestiall Ierusalem by the Gates here mentioned is vnderstood the admission where by any of the elect are admitted to the fellowship of the blessed by the Lockes is vnderstood the confirmation whereby the elect are firmely established in God and soe the sense of those words He hath strengthned the lockes of thy gates is that God hath made the confirmations of the celestiall Cittizens soe immoueable and secure that they cannot bee broken à suÌ„der by any slight or force The lockes of the gates of this Ierusalem are metaphorically saied to bee confirmed because as à Cittie of this world whilst it is fortified with strong lockes boults and barriers is held secure neither the enemies being of power to make forceable entrance nor the inhabitaÌ„ts willing or able to depart out of it soe the holie Cittie is altogether most secure in respect that neither the reprobate can enter it nor the blessed will or can abandon it But if they bee referred to the Militant Church by the Gates thereof are vnderstood Vertues especially Faith hope and charitie and by the Lockes are vnderstood the Sacraments which our Lord hath fortified by giuing the efficacie of sanctification vnto them in vertue of the Passion of our Sauiour in such sort that noe man soe long as he shall remaine within the fortresse of the Catholike Church and keep himselfe in the shelter of the infused vertues through the force of the Sacraments which he therein receiues need to feare the machinations of the euill enemie VVho hath sett thy borders peace ô celestiall Ierusalem He it is that hurld downe to the abisse of hell like to à flash of lightâ—ing that mutinous crue that once to disturbe thy peace and in an instant begirt thee with à wall of concord of warreproofe which noe dissention shall euer penetrate And filleth thee with the fatte of corne with the fruition of his diuinitie For the superessentiall diuinitie is the foode of the blessed whose vision or fruition maie well bee tearmed the fatte of corne that is to saie the sweet refection of the eternall bread which refection is the essentiall reward of the blessed wherewith they are soe fully enriched that they can desire noe more Iâ— is his paternall prouidence likewise that hath established within thy circuits â— Militant Church that happie peace which the world cannot giue to witt tranquillitie of conscience which all those enioy who remaine within thy precincts Christ alsoe doth daily fill thee with that Soueraigne foode the holie Sacrament of his owne bodie vnder the species of the purest wheat bread VVho sendeth forth his speech to the earth He it is who sendeth his onely Sonne the eternall word into the world to assume humane flesh for the saluation of mankind Or thus He it is who sendeth forth by