behold the saluation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egyptians whom yee haue seene this day yee shall neuer see them againe How then are these two seeming contrarie places in one chapter accorded Israel shall neuer see the Egyptians againe yet afterward Israel saw the Egyptians Answere is made by S. x Quast 51. sup Exod. Augustine yee shall neuer see them againe liuing as to day but yee shall see them dead Ye shall neuer see them againe fighing against you but yee shall see them at your feete drowned in the waters and cast vp at the sea bank Ye shall see thē again to your comfort but ye shal neuer see thē againe to your terror How Iordan was driuen backe you may reade in the third and fourth chapter of Iosua How the mountaines skipped like rammes and the little hils like young sheepe Exod. 19.18 Habacuc 3.6.10 How the hard rocke was turned into standing water and the flint stone to a springing well Exod. 17.6 Numb 20.11 Psal 78.16 and Psal 105.40 The summe whereof is in briefe that all the creatures at the commandement of the Creator are y See Wisd 19.18 turned vpside downe readie to doe or not to doe to shew foorth or keepe in their ordinarie courses according to his good will and pleasure The sea flowing forward at the word of God turned backward the mountaines so called à non mouendo because they doe not moue skippe like rammes and the little hils like young sheepe the hard rocke the flint stone both exceeding drie made standing waters and springing welles It is the nature of z Psal 22.13 ramping and roaring lions to be a Psal 17.12 greedie of their pray yet the Lord b Dan. 6.22 shut the lions mouthes that they could not hurt Daniel in their denne It is the nature of water to drowne and deuoure men in the deepe for the wicked Egyptians sanke to the bottom saith c Exod. 15.5 Moses as a stone yet d Ionas 1.17 Ionas by Gods appointment being throwne into the middest of the sea and swallowed vp in a Whales bellie three daies and three nights was afterward cast out again vpon the dry land safe sound Ionas 2.10 It is the nature of fire to burne and consume yet Shadrach Meshach and Abednego put into a fierie fornace made seuen times more hot then ordinary walked in the middest of the flame without any danger e Dan. 3.27 The fire had no power of their bodies not one haire of their head scorched neither were their coates changed nor any smell of fire came vpon them The blessed man and Martyr of God Saint Bilney for so Father f Serm. 7. before King Edw. 6. Latymer is bold to call him often g Fox Martyr fol. 923. comforted himselfe and his acquaintance with the words of our Lord Esay 43.1 Feare not Israel for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine when thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the floods that they doe not ouerflow thee when thou walkest thorow the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee So h Fox vbi sup fol. 939. Iames Baynham another holy Martyr being at the stake in the middest of furious and outragious flames cried out Behold ye Papists ye looke for miracles and here now yee may see a miracle for in this fire I feele no more paine then if I were in a bed of downe yea it is to me like a bed of roses So i Jo. Crispin in Catalog martyr ex epist Poggij Florentini quae est ad Leonardū Aretinum Hierome of Prage when the deaths man at his burning would haue kindled the fire behinde at his backe left it might otherwise seeme too terrible presently called vnto him and said Come hither and let me see the fire before me for if I had feared the fire I needed not to haue come hither In all things behold then how good and ioyfull a thing it is to serue the Lord to be subiect to his kingdome to march vnder his colours and to fight his battailes For God is a k Exod. 15.3 man of warre yea the Lord of hostes hauing all creatures in heauen on earth and vnder earth at his absolute command to protect such as follow him and to fight against such as fight against him At his word the l Wisd 19.17 elements are changed among themselues as one tune is changed vpon an instrument of musicke and the melodie still remaineth At his word the waues are calme the fire cold the mountaines mouing at his word the valleys m Psal 65.14 sing and the hils dance O n Psal 8.1 Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name in all the world so o Exod. 15.11 glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders able to doe whatsoeuer thou wilt and willing to doe whatsoeuer is best for Iuda thy sanctuarie for Israel thy dominion Mystically the temporall Exodus of Israel out of Egypts bondage p Augustine Hierome Arnobius Iacob de Valentia prefigureth our spirituall deliuerance by Christ from the tyrannous oppression of Satan and sinne Here then according to the methode propounded I am to treate first of the parties deliuered secondly of the perill and place from which all holy Christians are set free thirdly of the manner and meanes of our redemption Concerning the first all true beleeuers as q Galat. 3.29 Paul teacheth are the seed of Abraham and the house of Iacob And the reason hereof is very plaine they be the sons of Abraham that doe the workes of Abraham Iohn 8.59 but Abrahams chiefe worke was faith as the r Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3 text expressely Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Ergo they which are of faith are the children of Abraham Galat. 3.7 Christian people saith ſ In loc Augustine are not aliants from the Common-wealth of God and strangers from the couenants of promise Sed magis Israel as it were more Israel then Israel it selfe t Luther in Galat 3.7 For vnbeleeuing Iewes are the Sonnes of begetting Abraham after the flesh onely but all the faithfull among the u Gen. 12.3 Galat. 3.8 Gentiles are the Sonnes of beleeuing Abraham after the spirit The Lord said to blessed Abraham a Father of many Nations haue I made thee Genes 17.5 that is as Saint Paul expoundeth it Rom. 4.11 The Father of them that beleeue whether they be Iewes or Gentiles as Saint Peter Acts 10.35 In euery Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is an Israel accepted of him adopted his Sanctuary wherein hee will bee serued and his Seigniory wherein he will as a King raigne by his holy word and Spirit Now for the second obseruable poynt of our redemption Israels bondage in Egipt liuely represents our miserable thraldome vnder Satan and
our sinnes he was made a curse for vs Galat. 3.13 He was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities Esay 53.5 and out of this hard rocke thus smitten by Moses rod a Well of water sprang forth into euerlasting life Iohn 4.14 The Sea saw that and fled The world is called a Sea Reuelation 4.6 the world then f Dr. Jncognitus persecuting Christ and his Apostles is a red sea this red sea fled at the preaching of the Gospell and gaue place Christ rebuked the winds and the waters and so there was a great calme Matthew 8.26 Iordan was driuen backe g Matth. 3.16 Christ himselfe was baptised in Iordan and such as are h Rom. 6.3 baptised into Christ and beleeue send not as other i Ecclesiastes 1.7 riuers vsually their streames into the sea that is they fashion not themselues according to this world but are renewed in their mindes Rom. 12.2 they repent and turne backe from their olde courses and walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4 The mountaines skipped like rammes By mountaines k In loc Arnobius doth vnderstand the Prophets quia locuti sunt altitudines Dei they reioyced at the fulfilling of their Prophecies and skipped as Rammes in seeing that sheepheard borne l Iohn 10.11 who would lay downe his life for his sheepe S. m In loc Augustine makes the blessed Apostles and other Preachers of the Gospell olde sheepe and their auditors as it were lambes and young sheepe begotten in Christ vnto God by the disposers of the secrets of God according to that of n 1. Cor. 4.15 Paul vnto his Corinthians In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you through the Gospell Israels Exodus out of Egypts bondage was so great that God himselfe in perpetuam rei memoriam instituted the o Exod. 12. passouer to be kept of his people for euer and further inserted a short remembrance thereof in the prologue to his law I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage This deliuerance was temporall and particular onely concerning Israel and the house of Iacob but the redemption by Christ is spirituall and generall appertaining to men of all conditions and countries of all tribes and at all times euen from the beginning vnto the worlds end For so God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Iohn 3.16 and therfore the Church vpon good grounds ordained the feasts of Christs Incarnation Passiō Resurrectiō Ascension And for as much as Christ is our p 1. Cor. 5 7. Passe-ouer the Church of England q Melancthon in loc affirmes that it was vsually sung amōg the Iewes at their celebration of Easter appoynted this hymne fitly to bee read on Easter day The Church of Rome r Apoc. 17.6 drunkē with the blood of Saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Iesus Christ is spiritually Babylon and Egypt And the Papists her followers a generation of barbarous people barbarous in their doings and barbarous in their doctrines Concerning their barbarous vsage their bloodie butchering of Gods Israel in Angrongne their massacre in France gun-powder treason in England are clouds of witnesses against them vnto the worlds end As for their sayings is it not barbarous language to call that man of sinne most holy father and as if that were not enough holinesse it selfe ſ Bellarm. epist dedic Tom. 1. controuers sanctitas vestra t Idem epist dedic Tom. 2. Baronius epist dedic Tom. 2. annal reliqui papistae communiter beatitudo vestra Is it not barbarous language to set Anti-christ in the seate of Christ and to terme him expressely u Cap. quoniam de immunitate in 6. Turrecremat sum lib. 2. cap. 27. per totum the husband of the Church Is it not barbarous language to magnifie the Romish Pharaoh aboue x 2. Thessal 2.4 all that is called God making him a Demi-god yea Semi-god neither absolutely God nor simply man but a midling between both Is it not barbarous language to say that none may presume to tell him of his faults though he should through his ill example draw millions of men into hell as their y In Decreto cap. si Papa dist 40. owne text runneth innumerabiles populos cateruatim secum ducit primo mancipio gehennae cum ipso plagis multis in aeternum vapulaturus huius culpas istic redarguere praesumit mortalium nullus Is it not barbarous language to say that no minorite Frier obseruing S. z Hen. Sedulius apolog lib. 2. c. 9. Francis order and rule can be damned and that a certaine Frier vpon a time being carried into hell and surueying in it euery corner found not so much as one Franciscan Frier That a Frier should goe to hell is thought no great marueile but that he should returne from thence to tell vs this tale seemeth incredible considering the Pope himselfe determineth ex inferno nulla redemptio Is it not barbarous language to say a Fox Martyr fol. 913. 1011 that to bee buried in a gray Friers frocke in S. Francis Cowle should remit foure parts of penance three parts of our sinnes b Buchanan fratres fraterrimi Quî fit vt moriamur in cucullo Cum nemo bene viuat in cucullo Is it not barbarous lāguage to say that it is an c Card. Campegius Albertus Pighius apud Iewel defence of his apolog part 4. cap. 1. diuis 1. honester thing for a Priest to be intangled with many concubines in secret then openly to be ioined in mariage with one wife For hee may not keepe one benefice with one wife d Cornelius Agrippa de vanit scient cap. 64. but hee may haue two benefices and three whores Is it not barbarous language to say e Jo. Lambert apud Fox Martyr fol. 1018. that for repeating ouer the fifteene Ooes euery day once through a whole yeere wee shall apertly see our Ladie to helpe vs after our death or that we shal haue the like benefit for saying of her Psalter vpon the tenne beades that come from the crossed Friers or vpon the fiue beades hallowed at the Charter-house or for fasting the Ladies fast as they call it yea for fasting on the Wednesday Is it not barbarous language to say that our f Bellarm. de Iustificat lib. 2. cap. 2. cap. 10. owne inherent righteousnesse is the formall cause of absolute iustification and not the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto vs This opinion is so barbarous that S. Paul saith of it Galath 5.4 Yee are abolished from Christ and fallen from grace whosoeuer are iustified by the law Is it not barbarous language to say that the g Thom. part 3. quaest 25. art 3. Crucifixe is to bee reuerenced and adored with the selfe same kinde of worship that is
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
malo omni exitio peior z Brunuica faem Britanica apud Zephilin in vita Neronis A woman of a manly spirit said as much Honestius est mortem occumbere quà m capita tributaria circumferre The younger a Reusnerus in Symbol Iustine vsed this apophthegme for his Motto Libertas res inaestimabilis and b Epist 76. Seneca to the same purpose for a man to be his owne man is an inualuable treasure The resolution of our countrey-men to VVilliam the Conquerour is renowned in English historie Kentish men must haue libertie Kentish men will haue libertie c Lambert perambulation of Kent pag. 14. There was neuer any bondmen or villaines in Kent The d Apud Holinshed hist of Scotland pag. 204. prouerbialest vttered reason as well as rime Dico tibi verum libertas optima rerum Nunquam seruili sub nexu viuito fili But bondage is more grieuous and insupportable when it is in a sorreine land as this of Iacobs house was in Egypt The stranger is sad in heart though at libertie wherefore God inioyned his owne people not to e Exod. 22.21 Leuit. 19.33 grieue the stranger considering they themselues were sometime strangers in the land of Egypt The condition of the stranger is to bee pitied as that of the fatherlesse and widow Ierem. 7.6 Oppresse not the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow Zach. 7.10 Oppresse not the widow nor the fatherles nor the stranger nor the poore And when vncharitable men vnconscionably vex thē almightie God takes their cause into his owne hands Psal 146.9 The Lord careth for the strangers hee defendeth the fatherlesse and widow he will maintaine their cause and spoyle the soule of those that spoyle them Prou. 22.23 A man at home being in durance hath among his owne some mediatours or meanes for his deliuerance but an aliant in thraldome for the most part is helplesse if not hopelesse f Psal 137. By the waters of Babylon say Gods people we sat downe and wept when we remembred Sion as for our merrie harpes wee hanged them vp vpon the trees for how should wee sing the Lords song in a strange land We must ascend yet one step higher Israel was oppressed not by strangers only but also by such strangers as were g Placidus Genebrard Beza Paraphras cruell as h Chaldea Septuagint Hierome Munster Castalio Geneua other translations a barbarous people barbarous both in their vsage and language Concerning their tyrannous behauiour towards Gods Israel it is reported by Moses Exod. 1.14 that they made them wearie of their liues by sore labour in morter and bricke and in all worke in the field with all manner of bondage which they laid vpon them most cruelly Moreouer the King of Egypt commanded the Midwiues of the Hebrew women to kill euery man-child in the very birth And because the Midwiues fearing the Lord which is the Father of mercie would not execute that bloodie designe Pharao charged his owne people saying euery male-childe that is borne cast into the riuer Yea but how was Egypt a barbarous nation in language being highly renowned in historie for knowledge and S. Stephen Acts 7.22 recordeth it as a remarkable commendation in Moses that hee was learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians Answere is made by i Agellius Bellarmine Genebrard some that they were called barbarous as speaking k Aquila apud Agellium another tongue or a strange language which Israel vnderstood not according to that of Paul 1. Cor. 14.11 Except I know the meaning of the voyce I shall be to him that speaketh a barbarian and he likewise that speaketh a barbarian vnto me But l Tileman other in my iudgement better affirme that they were barbarous as being a most idolatrous people notwithstanding all their humane learning ignorant in the knowledge concerning the worship of the true God adoring the creatures in stead of the Creator Barbarous as not speaking the m Esay 19.18 language of Canaan as not vnderstanding the n 1. Tim. 3.16 mysteries of godlinesse So profound Plato learned Aristotle wittie Plutarch eloquent Demosthenes were barbarians vnto the house of Iacob as being vnacquainted with Gods feare which is the beginning of wisedome This of the perill out of which Israel was deliuered it followeth in the next place that I shew the manner of their deliuerance brought to passe by Gods o Deut. 5.15 mightie hand and outstretched arme working a world of wonders in Egypt and in the wildernesse for their safe conduct into the land of promise All which are registred at large by Moses in the second booke of his historie called in p Dio. Carthus Vatablus Sa. this respect by the Grecians Exodus as principally treating of Israels wonderfull egresse from out of Egypt and progresse in the wildernesse Two sorts of miracles are remembred in this Hymne the first vpon the waters The sea saw that and fled c. The second vpon the land The mountaines skipped like rammes c. The sea saw that and fled q Exod. 14.21 That is the red sea seeing Gods people comming toward it and desirous to passe thorough it at the presence of the Lord runned backe all the night and was diuided so that the children of Israel went thorow the middest of the sea vpon the drie land r Wisd 19.7 the great deepe became a greene field and the waters were a wall vnto them on their right hand and on their left hand Some scoffing Atheists haue giuen out that the sea fled not by miracle but by a course meere naturall affirming that Gods people watched their opportunitie when the sea was at an ebbe and so passed thorow the middest of it on drie foote This impudent assertion is notably confuted by iudicious ſ Exercitat 52. Scaliger prouing it an egregious paradox contradicting not only the principles of Diuinitie but also the rules of reason and grounds of Philosophie The text saith expressely that the sea was diuided but t Haeres 64. Epiphanius and the u Apud Genebrard Iacob de Valent. in loc Idem Dr. Incognit in Psal 105. Rabbins auow further that it was parted into twelue paths according to the number of the twelue tribes of Israel euery troope hauing a seuerall as it were to march in But when their enemies followed them into the middest of the sea the waters returned and couered the chariots and horsemen euen all the hoste of Pharao that entred after them into the sea there remained not one of them and so the Lord saued Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead vpon the sea banke Exod. 14.28.30 When Israel vpon the sight of Pharaohs innumerable hoste were sore afraid and cried vnto the Lord and said vnto Moses Hast thou brought vs to dye in the wildernes because there was no graues in Egypt Moses answered the people Feare ye not stand still and
sinne The x Exod. 10.22 black darkenesse in all the land of Egipt was no darkenesse in comparison of the kingdome of darkenes out of which our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus hath brought vs into maruailous y 1. Pet. 2.9 light The diuell is the Prince of darknes hell is a pit of darkenesse sinne is a worke of darkenesse But all the redeemed by Christ haue light where they dwell his word is a Lanthorne to their z Psal 119.105 feet his commandements a light to their a Psal 19.8 eyes his spirit an illuminatour of their b Ephes 1.18 vnderstanding and so their workes are called c Rom. 13.12 armour of light and themselues honestly walking as in the day Children of light Iohn 12.36 The king of Egipt and his people so vexed Gods Israel that they made them weary of their liues by sore labour in morter and in Bricke with all manner of bondage which they layd vpon them most cruelly Exod. 1.14 So the Deuill and his complices haue cast insupportable burthens vpon the Sonnes of men heauie yokes d Acts 15.10 which neither our Fathers nor our selues are able to beare But Christ our true Iosua saith vnto Iacobs house e Mat. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are wearied and heauie laden and I will ease you take my yoke vpon you and you shall finde rest vnto your soules f Iansen Concor cap. 47. Pontan ser in festo Matthiae Diuines obserue three kinds of burthens vpon that text namely the burthē of Affliction The Law Sinne. In this Egipt of the world great g Eccles 40.1 trauaile and h Iob. 14.1 trouble is created for all men euery Sonne of Adam is borne to labour and dolour to labour in his actions and to dolour in his passions as Bernard pithily as Israel went through Egipt and the Wildernesse into the Land of promise so wee must of necessity i Acts 14.22 passe through many tribulations into the kingdome of God which is the heauenly Canaan If we k Heb. 12.2 looke vnto Iesus the founder and finisher of our faith he will euen in this world affoord vs as he did l Deut. 34.1 Moses vpon the top of Pisgah a little sight of the promised Land making it ours in hope though as yet not in hold bringing vs to the resolution of Saint m Rom. 8.18 Paul I count that the afflictions of this life present are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs hereafter As for the burthen of the law which is a yoke of n Galat. 5.1 bondage o Mat. 23.4 grieuous and heauie to bee borne Christ easeth vs of it also being made vnder the lawe to redeeme them vnder the law Galath 4.4 Hee blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs and tooke it out of the way nailing it to the Crosse Coloss 2.14 Wee cannot indeed exactly keepe any part of the Law much lesse the whole but as the blessed Apostle speakes it was in the hand p Tho. Patmore apud Fox Martyr fol. 953. Idem ferè Primasius Aquine Lombard in Gal. 3. that is in the power of a Mediatour Galat. 3.19 And he did abundantly q Mat. 3.15 fulfill all righteousnes in our person and place r Anselm or in the hand of a Mediatour as hauing authority to cancell it and to take the burthen away from our shoulders Lastly touching sinne Hee who knew no sinne made himselfe to be sinne for vs that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5.21 The ſ Mica 7.15 Lord saith According to the dayes of thy comming out of the Land of Egipt will I shew maruailous things Now when Israel went out of Aegipt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people He did ouerturne the Chariots and Horsemen and destroyed all the hoast of their enemies in the middest of the red Sea t August in loc so likewise will he subdue our iniquities which are our greatest enemies and cast all of them into the bottome of the Sea Mica 7.19 that they may neuer appeare before vs againe to confound our consciences in this world or condemne our soules in the next If the man be blessed u Psal 32.1 whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered O well is it vnto thee happy shalt thou be which art of the x Galat. 6.10 houshold of faith as hauing all thy foule faults and foes destroyed by Christs death and buried in his graue The King of Egipt commanded the Midwiues of the Hebrew women to kill euery male-childe in the very birth Exod. 1.15 And semblablely the y Apoc. 12.4 red Dragon standing before the woman in the Wildernesse is ready to deuoure her childe so soone as she brings it forth that is the deuill is alwaies at hand to quell euery vertuous motion arising in our minde but the spirit of Christ as a cunning midwife brings forth our good intentions into good actions working in vs both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13 Concerning the meanes of our deliuerance Christ is our Moses and Iosua who brought vs out of Egipt into the Land of promise for z Acts 4.12 among men is giuen none other name whereby we must be saued All other in holy Scripture stiled Iesus are but types of our Lord Iesus Iesus Naue renowned for his valour is the type of Christ as he was a king Iesus Sidrach renowned for his knowledge the type of Christ as he was a Prophet Iesus Iosadach renowned for his piety the type of Christ as hee was a Priest Our Iesus is the hardrocke mentioned at the latter end of this Hymne That Christ is a rocke we reade Mat. 16.18 and 1. Pet. 2.8 that Christ is an hard rocke wee finde also Math. 21.44 Whosoeuer falleth on this stone shall be broken and on whome soeuer it shall fall it will grinde him to powder That Christ is that hard rocke turned into a standing water S. Paul telleth vs 1. Cor. 10. I would not that ye should be ignorant quoth he that all our Fathes were vnder the cloude and all passed thorow the Sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate and all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them and the rocke was Christ He seemed at the first an hardrocke a Augustin when his Disciples said b Joh. 6.60 This is an hard saying who can heare it but afterward pleasant waters did flow from him vnto such as c Mat. 5.6 hunger and thirst after righteousnes d Exod. 17.6 Numb 20.11 Moses smote the rocke in the Wildernesse and water came forth of it in such abundance that all the congregation of Israel dranke thereof and were refreshed e Strigellius in loc Mollerus in Psal 105. v. 41. So Moses rod that is the Lawe smote Christ on the Crosse for
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
the daughter of Sion in his wrath and cast downe from heauen vnto the earth Israels glory Lam. 2.1 that the barbarous ſ Apocal. 20.8 Gog and Magog are now lords of that somtime holy land Hierusalem in old time the City of God is now being possessed by the Turkes nothing else but a den of theeues Ergo Christ is that promised Messias it is t Mat. 11.3 he that should come neither need wee looke for another Be thou ruler in the midst among thine enemies By u Agellius Bellarmin rod is meant Christs scepter because strong rods are for the scepters of them that beare rule Ezech. 19.11 and Ier. 48.17 How is the strong staffe broken and the beautifull rod And by his scepter is meant his power and the word is that his power by which he rules in the middest of all his enemies conuerting such enemies as appertain to Gods election and confounding such enemies as are the sonnes of perdition his Gospell is vnto the one the sauour of life vnto life and to the other the sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 2.16 The blessed Apostles preached the Gospell in the middest of their enemies x Chrysost Euthym. as being sheepe in the middest of woolues Mat. 10.16 And y Lib. 1. cap. 2. 3. Irenaeus who liued in the next age witnesseth also that the Church encreased in Egypt Lybia France Spaine Germanie comparing the light of the Gospell vnto the Sun illuminating all men excepting such as are lost hauing their mindes blinded by the Prince of this world 2. Cor. 4.4 In all after times vnto this present day Christ ruled and his kingdome florished in despite of all his enemies in the middest of Atheists in the middest of Infidels in the middest of Heretikes in the middest of Hypocrits in the middest of Tyrants in the middest of Turkes in the middest of Anti-christs At the worlds end when our blessed Sauiour sitting at his Fathers right hand shall vtterly z 1. Cor. 15.19 put downe all things vnder his feete the good shall be separated from the bad as a shepheard separates the sheepe from the goates Matth. 25.32 But so long as the world that a 1. Iohn 5.19 lieth in wickednesse continueth the b Matth. 13.30 wheate groweth among tares and the Church is euer as a lilie among c Cant. 2.2 thornes assaulted on the one side by vnbeleeuers and on the other side by mis-beleeuers On the left hand by the blasphemous propositions of Heretikes on the right hand by the contentious oppositions of Schismatikes openly wronged by cut-throate tyrants and secretly wringed by backbyting hypocrites d Lib. de re rustica Varro writes that the Romanes in old time did ouercome their enemies sedendo but the Romanists in our time think to make their enemies as it were their footstoole caedendo by dagge and dagger by powder-plots and powder-shots by fire force furie Yet notwithstanding Christ is a Ruler and his subiects are e Rom. 8.37 more then Conquerours in the very middest of Anti-christianisme For the beheadding of Martyrs is like the f Iustin Mart. in dialog cum Tryphon cutting of vines the more they bee cut the more they prosper and fructifie The g Baro ius praefat tom 8. annal Church faith as Paul 2. Cor. 12.10 When I am weake then am I strong h Loc com tit de Luthero Martin Luther assisted doubtlesse by Gods owne spirit so little regarded the bloodie Papists in the quarrel of Christs Gospel as that he said peremptorily Contemptus est à me Romanus furor feruor And therfore being aduised by some good friends that he would not aduenture himselfe to be present at the meeting of the Germane Princes at Wormes he did answere them in this wise For as much as I am sent-for I am resolued and certainly determined to enter Wormes in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ although I knew there were so many diuels to resist me as there are tyles to couer all the houses in Wormes Fox Martyr fol. 776. And B. i Mr. Fox in his martyrdome Latymer being brought to the stake was so wel assured that Christ euen by his weakenesse should rule in the middest of his enemies as that vpon the kindling of the first fagot hee said to his fellow martyr Bishop Ridley Courage brother Ridley we shal by Gods grace this day light such a candle in England as I hope shall neuer be put out againe In the day of thy power shall the people offer thee freewill offrings Christ by the preaching of his word subdueth vnto himselfe a good and a great people Good They shall offer thee free-will offerings with an holie worship Great The dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the morning In the daies of thy power k Caluin that is in the daies of thy solemne assemblies in the daies of thy l Tremellius Gospell vntill thou shalt ouercome thine enemies with the m 2. Thess 2.8 spirit of thy mouth and abolish thē with the brightnes of thy cōming thy people shall offer free-will offerings vnto thee n Melanct. Mollerus Tileman not enforced by law but cōming out of loue not out of fashion or factiō but in pure deuotion and cheerefull obedience They shall appeare before thee with an holy worship or as our new translation in the beauties of holinesse that is in thy o Tremel Wilcox Temple which is a glorious Sanctuary Psal 29.2 p Agellius Or in a holinesse equalling the holinesse of thy Sanctuary for good Christians are the temples of God 1. Cor. 3.16 Or by beauties of holinesse he meaneth happily the q Tileman Melancthon Mollerus Priests garment insinuating that Christs elect people should be named r Esay 61.6 the Priests of the Lord a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people shewing foorth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into marueilous light 1. Pet. 2.9 The summe of all is that the subiects of his kingdome shall appeare before him in ſ Genebrard all kinde of sanctitie t Bellarm. resplendent in holinesse and shining in good workes as lights in the world Philip. 2.15 If all Christs people then offer him free-will offerings with an holy worship hee will not abide such as are hypocrites who serue the truth only to serue their turne u Psal 50.16 taking his couenant in their mouth yet hate to be reformed x Bradford in a letter to the City of London To the petition let thy kingdome come wee must adioyne thy will be done done on earth as it is in heauen Hee will as S. y Apoc. 3.16 Iohn telleth vs spue such out of his mouth as are neither hot nor cold mungrils in religion z 1. Kings 18.21 halting betweene God and Baal hauing as the a Hosea 10.2 Prophet speaks a diuided heart an heart and an
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
due to Christ eadem reuerentia imagini Christi exhibenda ipsi Christo In respect of these barbarismes and many moe the blessed Martyr h Fox Martyr fol. 821. Aymondus being condemned by the Papists of Bourdeaux Angeow to dye sung this hymne as hee went to the stake When Israel went out of Egypt c. insinuating that the kingdome of Poperie was like Egypt an house of bondage where the man of sinne domineering in the conscience doth impose grieuous burthens vpon Gods Iuda worse then any sore labour in morter and bricke If Adam in his innocencie did not exactly keepe one precept of God how shall Adams posteritie compassed about with infirmitie doe workes of supererogation obseruing not onely the Commandements of God but also the Councels of the Church and ordinances of men almost infinite for their number altogether insupportable for their nature Almightie God hath out of the riches of his glorie deliuered vs alone from these barbarians and that wee now continue yet free from them is not our owne warines or worthinesse but his worke only i Psal 136.4 that doth all wonders The planting of the Gospell among vs in the daies of King Henry the 8. was a great wonder the watering of it in the daies of King Edward the 6 another great wonder the florishing of it in the daies of our renowned Queene Elizabeth and our gracious Soueraigne King Iames another great wonder Our deliuerance from the Northern Conspiracie from the Spanish Armado from the Gunpowder-plot are great arguments of Gods might and mercie manifested to his English Israel In regard of all which and many moe fresh in our memorie we may well as k Septuagint Vulgar Latin Augustine Hierome other translations haue done before vs adioyne the next hymne to this and say Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the praise for thy louing mercie and for thy truths sake The dialogue betweene the Prophet and the creatures instructeth vs how wee should stand in awe of God seeing the very dumbe creatures and insensible feare before him Doth an l Esay 1.3 oxe know his owner and an asse his masters cribbe and shall not Israel vnderstand Shall vnreasonable beasts of the field and feathered fowles in the ayre praise the Lord in their kinde and shall not man sanctius his animal mentisque capacius altae m Psal 89.1 sing alwaies the louing kindnes of God and with his mouth euer shew foorth his mercie from generation to generation Shall n Psal 148.8 haile snow winde water and weather fulfill his word Shall the sea flee the earth tremble the mountaines and hils skip at the presence of the God of Iacob and shall nor Iacob himselfe o Psal 2.11 serue the Lord in feare and reioyce vnto him in trembling Shall the hard rocke be turned into a standing water and the flint-stone into a springing well and shall not our hard and flintie hearts in consideration of our owne miseries and Gods vnspeakable mercies in deliuering vs from euill if not gush foorth into p Ierem. 9.1 fountaines of teares expresse so much as a little standing water in our eyes It is an hard heart indeed q Bernard lib. 1. de considerat quod nec compunctione scinditur nec pietate mollitur nec mouetur precibus minis non cedit flagellis duratur c. O Lord touch thou the r Psal 144.5 mountaines and they shal smoake touch our lips with a ſ Esay 6.6 coale frō thine altar our t Psal 51.15 mouth shal shew forth thy praise Smite Lord our flintie hearts as hard as the u Iob. 41.15 nether milstone with the hammer of thy word and mollifie them also with the drops of thy mercies and dew of thy spirit make them x Matth. 11.29 humble y Ezech. 11.19 fleshie z Iosua 24.23 flexible a Deut. 30.6 circumcised b Iob. 23.16 soft c Pro. 23.12.26 obedient d Ezech. 36.26 new e Matth. 5.8 cleane broken and then a brokē and contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise Psal 51.17 f August medit cap. 1. Domine Deus meus da cordi meo te desiderare desiderando quaerere quaerendo inuenire inueniendo amare amando mala mea non iterare O Lord my God giue me grace from the very bottome of mine heart to desire thee in desiring to seeke thee in seeking to finde thee in finding to loue thee in louing vtterly to loathe my former wickednesse that liuing in thy feare and dying in thy fauour when I haue passed thorough this Egypt and wildernesse of this world I may possesse that heauenly Canaan and happie land of promise prepared for all such as loue thy comming euen for euery Christian one which is thy dominion and sanctuary PSALME 118. O giue thankes vnto the Lord for he is gracious and his mercie endureth for euer THis Hymne seemes to bee made by Dauid after some great troubles in the daies of Saul g Wilcox before he was King or h Mollerus Caluine Tremel else for some notable victorie gained against his enemies after hee was established in his Throne to wit after hee had ouercome the Philistims 2. Sam. 6. or happily when he triumphed ouer the children of Ammon 2. Sam. 12. It consists of 3. parts especially 1. An exhortation to praise God in the foure first verses 2. A reason of this exhortation from the 5. to 21. 3. A conclusion or application of both from the 21. to the Psalmes end In the former obserue the Time when now Parties who Exhorting Dauid the King Exhorted Generally al people vers 1. Specially Gods Israel aboue other people vers 2. Singularly the house of Aaron aboue the rest of Israel vers 3. Concerning the time now that is instantly without any delay as God helpeth vs in time so wee must also praise him in season Or now that is vpon this occasion indeed we must praise God euer because his mercie doth endure for euer yet for especiall mercies wee must inuent especiall songs and yeelde new thankes for new things and therefore Dauid here being wonderfully deliuered from a great many troubles hauing now taken his enemies l 2. Sam. 12.30 crowne from his head which weighed a talent of gold with precious stones and set it vpon his own calleth vpon his Priests and people to confesse now that the Lord is gracious All other men ought at all other times to performe this dutie but his subiects at this time principally let Israel now let the house of Aaron now Or now that is at this solemne k Bucer Mollerus Genebrard feast appoynted for the same purpose for albeit we must alway laude the Lord Yet ought we most chiefely so to doe when we meete and assemble together to render thankes for the great benefits that we haue receiued at his hands and to set forth his most worthie
Iewes hallowed their Sabbath vpon the seuenth day which is the last day of the week So that Easter day is the Sabbath of Sabbaths an high and holy day from which euery other Sunday hath his name being so called because the sun of righteousnesse arose from the dead vpon this day This day is the Lords day the day which himselfe made so good a day that all his true seruants euer since haue reioyced in it and sanctified their Sabbath on it u Eoban Hessus Haec est illa Dies toti celebrabilis orbi Quem facit proprio signat honore Deus The reasons why we should this day reioyce so much are manifold but they may be reduced all vnto two principall heads A motion from euill Promotion in good Christ on this day rising from the dead ouercame the diuell which is the authour of death and the graue which is the prison of death and sinne which is the x Cor. 15.56 sting of death and the Law which is the strength of the sting of death and all this he did for vs men and our saluation The diuell which is the Prince of y Ephes 6.12 darknesse had no part in the sunne of righteousnesse Christ therefore being z Luke 11.22 stronger then he came vpon him and ouercame him he tooke from him all his armour wherein he trusted and diuided his spoyles and cast him out of his hold that he might haue no part in vs or power ouer vs. As a Ser. de quadruplici debito Bernard sweetly Fortitudo Diaboli per redemptoris vulnera traducta deducta ad nihilum in the words of Saint Paul The God of peace shall tread downe Sathan vnder your feet Rom. 16.20 So he who was aboue the Law was made b Gal. 4.4 vnder the Law that he might redeeme those which are vnder the Law that hee might put out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs and fasten it vpon his Crosse Coloss 2.14 So hee who knew no sinne made himselfe to be sinne for vs that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5.21 He was wounded 〈◊〉 our transgressions and broken for our iniquities Esa 53.5 If the tormentours of Christ should aske now as they did once Luk. 22.64 Who is he that smote thee we may quickly become Prophets and answere for him our sinnes smote him euery one of vs might ingeniously confesse with c Ionas 1.12 Ionas for my sake this great tempest is vpon thee sweet Iesus He triumphed ouer hell and the graue for vs also for as for himselfe it was impossible that the Lord of d Acts 3.15 life should be holden of death Acts 2.24 Wherefore let vs say with Saint e 1. Cor. 15.55 Paul O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law but thankes bee to God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ And let vs heartily sing with our Prophet Easter is the day which the Lord hath made wee will be ioyfull and glad in it f Bonauēt in loc Some Diuines affirme that the yeere wherein our blessed Sauiour arose from the dead should according to the Law haue been the yeere of Iubile wherein g Leuit. 25.10 liberty was proclaimed in the Land to all the inhabitants thereof euery man returned to his possession and family debts were released and oppressions abated And surely the Iubilees in old time were h Dr. Incognit figures of the ioyes in this acceptable time for by the resurrection of Christ euery true beleeuer is set free from the hands of all his enemies his trespasses are forgiuen and he is restored againe to his interest in that heauenly possession and immortall inheritance which he lost in the transgression of his great grandfather Adam The redemption of Christ is a yeere of Iubile the resurrection of Christ is the chiefe day in the yeere Let vs therefore reioyce for it and be glad in it Dauid saith i Psal 41.11 elsewhere By this O Lord I know thou fauourest me that mine enemy doth not triumph against me k 2. Sam. 22.41 Thou hast giuen vnto me the necks of my foes that I might break them as smal as the dust of the earth and tread them flat as the clay in the street That which hee speaketh of his temporall enemies opposing him in obtaining of an earthly kingdome we may well apply to the spirituall hindering vs in our way to the kingdome of heauen O Lord our strength and redeemer thou hast on this day l Gen. 3.15 broken the serpents head and vtterly confounded all such as hate vs. On this day thou diddest laugh them to scorne and haue them in derision Psalm 2.4 and therefore we will in memoriall of this one day sing thy mercies all the dayes of our life sounding foorth vnto the worlds end This is the day this is thy day which thou Lord hast made wee will reioyce and be glad in it Concerning our promotion in good the resurrection of Christ is a proofe of our iustification a meanes of our sanctification a demonstration of our resurrection First it proueth our iustification according to that of Paul Rom. 4.25 He was giuen to death for our sinnes and is risen againe from the dead for our iustification See the Gospell on S. Thomas day Secondly the resurrection of Christ is a notable meanes to worke inward sanctification as Saint Peter teacheth in 1. Epistle 1. Chap. 3. Verse God hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And Saint m Rom. 6.4.5 Paul As Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of his Father so we should also walke in newnesse of life For if we be grafted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection Which words import n Aquin. Aretius Marlorat that as the graft groweth in the stocke and is become one body with it euen so the faithfull haue their liuing and spirituall being in Christ As he by the power of his owne Godhead freed his manhood from death and from the guilt of our sin so doth he likewise free those that are knit vnto him by the bond of one spirit from the corruption of their natures in which they are dead that they may liue vnto God o Raymund de Sabunde Theolog natural tit 277. In the naturall body the head is the fountaine of all motion and sense for the hands and the feet moue by that power which is by sundry nerues deriued from the head and dispersed among the members And so it is in Christs mystical body the Church hee is the head and fountaine of life spirituall and p Perkins exposit Creed art Christ resur that very power of his Godhead whereby he raised vp himselfe when