sentence neither of humanitie only but of duty for who caÌ„ lay his hand on the Lords anointed saith he be giltles At least if they would not be still as he was for conscience sake yet for feare they might be seeing that a foule of the aire shal cary the voice a bird shall declare the matter if they but speak euil of the king yea in their thought much more if they intend to doe him any evil And sure if they turne not if they whet their swords bend their bowes and make them ready getting theÌ„selues deadly weapons prepare their arrows for persecutors they haue travelled with lewdnesse and conceiued mischiefe to bring forth a lie into the pit that they haue digged they shall fall their mischiefe shall returne vpon their owne heads and on their â—…wne pates shall their crueltie light For God doth giue revengements vnto his anointed and sheweth mercy to his Queen advancing her aboue them who rise vp against her But whether they doe vse this benefit of God to their good or no let vs my deere brethren let vs our houses as Iosua said serue the Lord. And that not by acknowledging only Gods goodnesse in this and all his benefits the foremost steppe to thankfulnesse but the next also I meane by confessing of him among the Gentiles and singing to his name with yeelding him all glory for it For the Heathens theÌ„selues in that smal knowledge of God which sin left theÌ„ did acknow ledge him to be the worker autor of the coÌ„modities that they had In the Greeke Poets the Gods are surnamed by a coÌ„moÌ„ title the givers of good things The Captaines of the Romanes having conquered their enimies took part of the lawrel which they did beare in signe therof laid it in the lap of Iupiter The CaldaeaÌ„ king subdued divers nations took their holds spoiled their cities seazed on their wealth ascribing that his power force to his God But they did not glorifie God as they ought neither were thankfull They robbed him of his honour and gaue it vnto many Gods their owne Idols Images of mortal creatures Yea part of the lawrel they kept to theÌ„selues sacrificing to their nets burning incense to their yarne because by theÌ„ their portion was fat their meate plenteous The time of this ignorance is overpast brethreÌ„ the daies are come wherof it was prophecied that the earth should be ful of the knowledge of the Lord as waters cover the sea How much the more excuselesse shall our fowle ingratitude vngodlines be if we be no thankfuller to him then the Heathens theÌ„ the Greeks the Romans the Caldaeans were Chiefly sith beside the temporall benefit of the preservation of our Prince and vs wee haue received graces more excellent precious to endure for ever name ly the enioying of his Sonne Christ Iesus our wisdome our righteousnes our sanctificatioÌ„ our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ the Spirit of adoption whereby we haue boldnes to cry Abba father the peace of conscience tranquillity of mind contentednes of heart the inheritaÌ„ce immortal vndefiled that withereth not the coÌ„fort the protectioÌ„ the assuraÌ„ce of his loue in a word so many blessings both of this life of the life to come as never any natioÌ„ vnder heaveÌ„ greater Wherfore I beseech you by the mercies of God who spared not his own Son for our sakes but gaue him to the death the vile death of the crosse that we might liue through him let vs confesse him sincerely faithfully not only in words but in deeds confesse him among the Gentiles eveÌ„ those which are straÌ„gers alieÌ„s froÌ„ the faith that we may win theÌ„ to the Lord. Let our coÌ„versatioÌ„ be honest amoÌ„g theÌ„ that by our good works which they shall see they may glorifie God in the day of the visitatioÌ„ Let vs cast away profane songs of wantonnes of lightnes of vanity sing vnto his name vsing both our voice speech in al respects as it becoÌ„meth Saints To be short let vs shew let vs striue to shew by al parts of duty a thankfull acceptance of the great saluatioÌ„s that he hath wrought for vs zealous remeÌ„brance of the end wherto that we being deliuered out of the hand of our enimies should serue him without feare in holinesse righteousnes before him all the daies of our life The godly Prince Prophet whose vertuous example as in al the rest so in this specially should be a spurre vnto vs calling into mind how God had delivered his soule froÌ„ death his eies froÌ„ teares his feet from falling brake out into these words What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take c. Neither said he more therein theÌ„ he performed For when he had offered sacrifices of thanksgiuing he made a holy banket therewith vnto the people in remeÌ„brance of the manifold safeties deliuerances that hee had received He praised the Lord called vpon his name his Psalmes doe witnesse it to this day He promised that he would iudge righteously he did it He vowed to bring the arke into a place of rest he brought it How great cause we haue fathers brethreÌ„ to say as he said What shal we render so the Lord your selues do wel know How small care wee shew of doing as he did in praising God paying our vowes before his people the world doth see Our slacknes in frequeÌ„ting of sermons of praiers of celebrating the Lord supper taking the cup of the salvatioÌ„ of salvations I wish it were amended rather then reproved We haue made vowes and promises to God al of perpetual holines in baptisme some of special duties in their several callings And is it to be hoped that every one of vs though not with Davids zeale yet with some measure of it will pay them to the Lord Sure the greater hope thereof is to be had if that which hath been moved of order to be takeÌ„ for ordinary sermons preaching of the word on our Sabbath-daies in the afternoone not the forenoone only may be effected by the godly forwardnes of theÌ„ who should say And this will we doe if God permit The father of mercies God of al coÌ„fort who hath raised vnto vs a most glorious light placed a most gracious Princesse in the throne of government among vs sanctifie vs throughout with his holy spirit that we may offer vp the sacrifices of righteousnes the fruits of our lips of our harts of our hands to the glory of his name for all his benefits powred on vs And 〈◊〉 hath hitherto givâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliuerances shewed mercy to his anointed so be 〈◊〉 we him for his Son our Saviors sake to do it stil. Saue her O Lord saue her out of the haÌ„d of al her enimies Let their
among the heathen arise and let vs arise vp against her in battel 2 Behold I haue made thee smal among the heathen thou art vtterly despised BEfore I come to the exposition of the Prophets words I thinke it convenient to shew vnto you the cause why leaving the epistle of Peter which I had in hand I haue taken vpon me to handle this Prophesie Saint Peter having testified that the Gospell of Christ was the truth of GOD preached to men for the salvation of their soules exho◅teth them that not withstanding the fury and malice of the wicked which had set themselues against the same they would per sist in the do◅trine and truth which they had learned to embrace the same fait◅fully and expresse the force and fruit thereof effectually in their life and conversa tion and that in generall to fly from evill a◅d follow that which was good and in particular towards GOD and man especially Subiects to honour their kings servants to obey their Masters wiues husbands children parents In all which that their endeavours might not be hindered by enemies he exhorteth them to patience and constancie And finally beseecheth the Elders Pa stors to feed the stocke of CHRIST committed to their charge as the principall meanes to bring thē to their duety and to establish them in grace vnto the ende Now in expounding these things I came to the dutie of subiects wherein I declared that the Princes received the sword and supremacie over all persons it followed that afterward I should shew that it was also in all causes But because since that time it pleased GOD to call me to proue it else where and to commit the same to writing it seemeth not so necessary to handle that point in this place As for the other points concerning the duties of servants wiues Parents for that there are very few such come hither least I shoulde preach to them that were absent I thought that part might conveniently be omitted Wherefore the last point remained which was concerning the enimies of the Church whom for that the LORD will most certainely destroy we must haue the greater patience to ◅ndure and continue in the stedfastnes of our profession For which cause also he exhorteth the Pastors diligently to feed and tend vpon their slocks Which matter being right necessary for vs to know and for that I hoped this doctrine would pierce the better into our hearts if we had the same handled out of some continued place I chose this Prophesie of OBADIAH where this thing is handled orderly iointly namely in the 16 first verses the destructiō of the enemies of the church in the fiue last the salvation therof by the ministerie of the Pastors whom in the last verse he calleth Saviours for that GOD by their Ministery worketh the salvation of his people And this also haue I the rather chosen because I may vse Peter as an Interpreter of the Proph◅t whereby comparing them togither the one may giue light to th' other that so being built on the doctrine of the Apostles Prophets we may grow vp into that building whereof Iesus Christ is the chiefe corner stone The Title The vision of OBADIAH Whence we gather the commodity and excellencie hereof by the Matter and Author 1 The matter is tearmed by the name of visiō which is a doctrine Revealed from GOD so called because GOD Revealed them so evidently and delivered them for such certainety as though they had presently seene before their eies the things which they foretold And the Lord not onely by visible sights as he did to Ezechiel Daniel c at sometimes but also very often by his word without visible signes is said to haue delivered these visions for so is he said to haue spoken to Abra ham in vision I am thy great reward The words which Esay saw c of this sort is this vision That is a doctrine Revealed from GOD no◅ by sight but by word only 2 The Author is supposed of some to be that O BADIAH who was governour of King Achabs house who hid the Prophets of the Lord. But by the circumstances especially by that in the 11. verse it seemeth not to be he seeing mention is made of the taking of Ierusalem which was 800 yeares after Achab. But whether it were the same or another of that name whether hee before in the spirit saw or afterwards spake by experience It sufficeth vs that he was the Minister of the Lord and servant as his name importeth and that these prophecies came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the HOLY GHOST And for our parts though w◅ know not the earthen vessel wherein this treasure was enclosed yet let vs b◅ing faithfull and humble hearts to the receauing and imbracing of the same for he was but the messenger the message was the Lords Edom otherwise called Esau conceaued a deadly hate ag◅inst Iacob because he had got from him first the prerogatiue of the birthright then the blessings which rancor and hatred descended vnto the children and seed also of Esau so that when the Israelites their brethren would haue onely passed through their land they would not shew them such mercy but gainstood them and when the king of Babylon had taken Ierusalem spoiled it they set the worke forward by what meanes they could calling on them as it is in the Psa. Ra◅e it rase it even to the foundations Wherefore the Lord comforting his people with promise to execute his iudgement on such as had persecuted them nameth Edom as the chiefe amongst them Now where he saith I haue made thee small among the heathen Hee speaketh of a thing to come as though it were already past to signifie the vndoubted certainetie thereof and so it is expounded in the 10. verse Shame shall cover thee Now because the meanes hee would vse is warre raised against them by nations confederating together the Prophet openeth it as though it were in doing GOD hauing revealed it to his servant for here is an Ambassadour sent from one nation to another to stirre them vp against Edom and mention is here made of a full and perfect destruction Here note three things 1. Witnesses O◅ADIAH and the Prophets we haue heard c. 2. Meanes Heathen raising one another to warre 3 Event An vtter destruction of land and country One point which wee are to marke for our instruction is the ground which the Prophet layeth for our faith whereon the Church of God must rest which is this Thus saith the Lord. Which doctrine is first necessary for such as are teachers in the Church that the words which they must teach must bee wordes of the Lord that as Peter commandeth who so speaketh may speake as the words of GOD And thē is it needful for t◅e hearers that they beware how they receaue any thing for the ground of faith but
Esau's ofspring the people of the Idumaeans shall be great and grievous as being wrought by warriours who shall spare nought either of feare as theeues doe or of compassion as grapegatherers If theeues had come vnto thee if robbers by night how art thou destroyed would they not haue stollen that which were enough for them If grapegatherers had come vnto thee would they not haue left some grapes How are the things of Esau sought out his secret things are searched Saint Peter advertising the Iewes and the Proselytes that they should receaue the gift of the holy Ghost if they repented and turned to Christ for to you saith he is the promise made and to your children to all them that shal be long hereafter even to as many as the Lord our God shal call the same in like sort may I say vnto you fathers brethren touching this promise of bringing your enimies to vtter ruine and destruction For God said to Abraham I will blesse them that blesse thee and I wil curse them that curse thee meaning that hee would make a perfect league with him and bee at peace with his friends at warre with his enimies But the league and covenant which God made with Abraham hee made with Abraham and his seed And the seed of Abraham are all faithfull Christians To vs all therefore is the promise made that God will blesse our friends and will curse our enimies Moreover his particular curse and plague ensuing it vpon the Idumeans is a patterne of that which shall fall on such as tread in their steps For the punishment of the Iewes who lusted after evill things is threatned to the Gentiles if they lust as the Iewes did and if yee be partakers of the sinnes of Babylon yee shall receaue of her plagues Now among the eni mies of the faithfull Christians others doe more resemble the Philistines or Ammonites or Moabites or Amalekites or Cananites or Assyrians there are none liker to the Idumeans then are the Papists as it hath beene shewed The Idameans borne according to the flesh of the seed of Abraham the Papists by ofspring come of Christian parents The Idumeans circumcised as children of the covenant the Papists baptised in the same that we be The Idumeans serued not the God of their fathers according to the law neither doe the Pa pists in spirit and truth after the Gospell The Idumeans persecuted the Israelites to death and vexed thē with all crueltie the Papists haue butchered the godly with massacres and made themselues drunken with the blood of Saints Wherefore the spirit of the Lord assureth vs that the Papists shall bee consumed in his wrath when it shall burne suddenly and as they haue followed the facts of the Idumeans so they shall feele their punishments I speake not herein of all that are Papists as neither did the Prophet of all Idumeans For the remnant of Edom shall inherit with Israel Papists with vs as many as shall seeke him whose name is called vpon them Whi◅h God grant they may doe by faith in his mercy that Papists may liue and papistrie may die But I speake of all who stubbornely persist in the Popish heresies In whom shal be fulfilled the Apostles prophecie touching the man of sinne the Lord shall consume them with the breath of his mouth And so that which is written of Edom by the Prophet may be said by vs to the Romish Antichrist If theeues had come vnto thee if robbers by night how art thou destroyed would they not haue stollen that which were enough for them If Grapegatherers had come vnto thee would they not haue left some grapes How are the things of Antichrist sought out his secret things are searched Howbeit as S. Paul though he were assured that al who sailed with him should escape aliue yet said that they could not escape except the marriners abode in the ship so though it bee certaine that Antichrist and his members shall be consumed yet cannot that bee except they be set vpō by warriers For God doth worke by meanes ordinarily And this is the meanes that he hath ordained for the atchieuing of that conquest as we saw before in the Ambassadours message Arise and let vs rise vp against her to battel The warriours whose service the Lord doth vse thereto are all his servants in a sort his people most willing in the day of his armie but specially Preachers and Ministers of his word For his word is the rod of his mouth the breath the sword whereby he doth destroy his enimies Ministers are souldiers by whose hand hee weeldeth it For which cause their function is compared to warfare in that it is written by S. Paul Who goeth to warfare any time at his owne cost And No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier And God saith of thē by the Prophet Esay I haue set watchmen vpon thy walls O Ierusalem which all the day all the night continually shall not cease The watchmen and warriours therefore of the Lord the keepers of his Church the conquerours of his enimies the spoylers of the Idumaeans the consumers of Antichrist Antichristian impes are Ministers of his word Pastors Teachers who to please him by whom they are chosen souldiers should not be entangled with the affaires of this life to discharge their dutie should bee sent forth and kept on publike cost to preserue their flocke should watch day and night continually over it The lesse marvaile is it if in our English Churches Antichrist and Edom be not consumed yet nay if they attempt to consume vs if by Popish policies by superstitious tokens by blasphemous writings by traiterous libels and conspiracies they vndermine our state if they take craftie counsaile against the people of God say Let vs possesse his habitatiōs by inheritance if they look for a day whē they may cry once againe rase it rase it to the foundation thereof in a word if they range through the land like woolues suck the bloud of sheep lambs sith the shepheards faile the watchm◅n are asleepe the warriours doe not fight through want somewhere of will somewhere of abilitie Of wil where they entangle themselues with such affaires as draw them f◅om their warfare and are not content to bee watchmen in Ierusalem but they must haue a watchmanship in Caesarea too or if they haue one stocke alone y◅t doe not feed it but take their ease in Sion Of abilitie where there is not sufficient provisiō for training of men to make them good souldiours nor mainetenance sufficient to finde them being trained that setting all other cares of life apart they may attend their charge wholly To them here amongst vs who through want of will are backeward in this service of the Lord God of Hoasts so much hath
but their goods were Guelphes and must pay for it The Gibellines of Papia could not foresee this our Catholikes by them may Let them leaue their brainsicke desires and divelish purposes of bringing a Faciâ—… Canis into their country least by experience they fâ—…le which God forbid that though themselues be Catholikes their goods may be Heretikes perhaps some Heretike-blood in their bodies also by contagion of ours The Lord take away this stony heart from them and giue them an heart of flesh a new spirit that wee may all iointly praise him for the deliverance of our gracious Queene pray for the continuance of her blessed governement to the honour of his name the furtherance of his gospell the welfare of his Church the peace and prosperity of our English Iuda the griefe disappointment of Popish Assyrians and the confusioÌ„ of Antichrist At Corpus Christi College in Oxford Octob. 24. 1586. PSAL. 18. VER 47 48 49 50 51. 47. The Lord liveth and my blessed strength therefore let the God of my salvation be exalted 48 The mighty God that giveth me revengements and bringeth people vnder me 49. That delivereth me from mine enemies yea thou hast exalted me aboue them that rose vp against me thou hast delivered me from the cruell man 50. Therefore will I confesse thee O Lord among the Gentilâ—… and I will sâ—…g vnto thy name 51. He giveth great deliverances to his king sheweth mercy to his annointed to David and to his seed for ever IT hath beene a godly custome of the faithful although not observed so customably alwaies as by the Rules of faith it ought that when they received any speciall benefit either in attaining to things commodious for them or 〈◊〉 avoiding of discommodities they lifted vp their voices to the authour of it the Father of mercies the God of all comfort and did honour him with giving speciall thankes for it Melchisedek king of Salem a man of power and credit in the land of Canaan had not so great cause to care for the state of Abram Lot two strangers in the land Yet when Abram had rescued Lot being taken and had spoiled the spoilers Melchisedek brake forth into his praise who gaue the victorie Blessed bee the high God which hath delivered thine enimies into thy hand The state of the Israelits touched Moses neerer how much the lesse is it to be marvelled at if he thought it his duty to magnifie the Lord for guiding them out of Egypt through the red Sea and drowning Pharaâ—… with his host Though that the childreÌ„ of Israel themselues an vnthankfull murmuring and stifâ—…ecked nation should ioine therein with Moses all both men and women it is a president worthy to be noted to the shame of ChristiaÌ„s if in greater measure of the grace of God we shew lesse gratitude for his graces The feasting ioy that the Iewes kept for their owne deliverance out of the snares of Haman and for his destruction with the partakers of his conspiracie might seeme to bee only a proâ—…ne reioycing as worldly â—…ded men câ—…monly doe vse at their good successes But that it was holy and seasoned with a sacrifice such a sacrifice as lawfully they might offer there where then they were dispersed the circumstance of sending parts vnto the poore with precepts and examples of daies in like sort kept holy to the Lord doth argue Wee are assembled at this present fathers and brethren beloued in the Lord to giue him most humble most harty thanks for his great and singular goodnesse shewed vnto vs in discovering the traiterous intent of graceles wretches who vilanously conspired to take away the life of our gracious Queene whom God long preserue to kindle flames of vprores through the realme to the vtter wasting of her faithfull subiects O that wee had the hearts to praise him for it with the like religious affection of spirit in zeale and sinceritie as Melchisedek did for Lot recovered by Abram as Moses and the Israelites for the Egyptian yoke broken as the Iewes for their safety and the destruction of their enimies Sure we hâ—…ue greater causes so to doe then any of them had For Lot was but one and that a meane man nor much indangered more then of losse of libertie Here a most excellent Princesse was in hazard not of libertie but of life with God knoweth how many righteous Lots besides And the bodily tâ—…s which the Israelites endured in Egypt vnder the taske-mastâ—…s that Pharaâ—… placed over them were nothing in comparison of the spirituall bondage of Antichristian tyrants to whom might these Egyptian impâ—… hâ—… had their wills we should it is likely hâ—…e beene most lamentably enthralled Neither hath the Lord so mercifully delivered vs out of the Lions mouth at this time onely but at sundry other heretofore often that the Iewes could not be so much beholding to him for that of Haman who did not liue to put them more then once in danger Wherefore that wee may accept the more thankfully and dutifully esteeme of his inestimable goodnesse in saving our gracious Queene and vs her subiects from so great so many so 〈◊〉 Mâ—…iefs I haue thought good to take for the ground of mine advertisement and exhortation these wordes which you haue heard written by the godly Prince and Prophet David in the eighteenth Psalme asoâ—…g of thanksgiving which he made when the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enimies out of the hand of Saul Forso is it noted in the title thereof and manifested farther by the course of the story iâ—… the second of Samuel where the same is wholly registred againe well-nigh word for word as a most worthy and memorable monument to bee thought vpon eftâ—…s of all posteritie that on like favour received of the Lord they might shew themselues alike gratefull to him In these words therefore compreheÌ„ding briefly the purport and 〈◊〉 of the whole Psalme by way of conclusion two things are recommâ—… to our considerations one is the benefite of God in delivering David from his enimies the other the thankfulnes of David vnto God for the deliverance The benefit of God in delivering David is signified by that he faith The Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 specâ—… of his being his everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whâ—… sense notwithstanding be is said to liue and to â—…ly but in respect of his workes his effects to David ward in whose preservatioÌ„ he sheweth that he 〈◊〉 and saueth his and ruleth all things by his 〈◊〉 providence Which meaning David openeth in that hee adioineth and my blessed strength calling God his strength his fortresse his rocke his blessed strength and fortresse his rocke his blessed strength and fortresse because his life his safety his welfare is maintained by the might and mercy of the living God As in the beginning he testified also The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and my
deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my shield and the horne of my salvation my refuge And this is the benefit of God vnto David The thankfulnesse of David vnto God followeth Therefore let the God of my salvation be exalted Wherein by the way the cause of his thankfulnesse to wit the benefit is repeated For though in our tongue the name of salvation is by commoÌ„ vse referred to the blissefull state of life eternal in the kingdome of heaveÌ„ wherto the scripture phrase doth likewise oft referre it yet is it amplified in the Prophets laÌ„guage heere to bodily safetie and temporall preservation of this present life As salvatioÌ„s also are afterward meÌ„tioned or as our English translation interpreteth it deliverances before he set downe the generall proposition with the same word I call vpon the Lord who is worthy to bee praised and I am safe from mine enimies Vnto this author then of his safety hee rendreth praise and honour and that in such sort as may stir vp others therevnto withall that God by the thankesgiving of more may bee more glorified let him be exalted To the performance of the which dutie that he may giue a sharper edge hotter zeale to himselfe and others he amplifieth and openeth more particularly both the cause of the duty and the dutie it selfe in the verses following Touching the cause of the dutie he saith The mighty God that giueth me reuengemeÌ„ts bringeth people vnder me that deliuereth me from mine enimies yea thou hast exalted me aboue them that rose vp against me thou hast deliuered me from the cruel man A summary but pithy rehearsal of the specialties of the fauour done him by God against Saul against Sauls sonne Ish-bosheth against the Philistines the Moabites the Syrians the Ammonites the Amalekites and the Idumaeans against Absolon against Sheba with their rebellious complices of Israel Iuda too Of whom a great many were punished in iustice the Lord avenging him of some by other mens hands of some by his owne as being armed therevnto with the sword of vengeance The rest though their liues were spared in mercy yet were they brought in awe and subiection vnder him So himselfe his enimies either not remaining or not remaining enimies at the least not daring to practise their enmitie was delivered from them Yea which he vttereth more emphatically by turning of his speech to God God did exalt him and advance him higher then any of his adversaries that rose vp against him and delivered him from Saul who of long time pursued him most fiercely put him oft in preseÌ„t daÌ„ger of his life from the cruel violent the most violent man Touching his duty wherevpon he addeth Therefore will I confesse thee o Lord among the Gentiles and I will sing vnto thy name hee giueth great deliverances to his king and sheweth mercy to his anointed to David to his seed for ever To confesse the Lord is to acknowledge him to bee the author and giver of whatsoever good we haue to sing vnto his name is with ioyfull melodie of voice to acknowledge it But these things doth David vow that he will do and therein will testifie even before the Gentiles that the Lord who made him king and anointed him doth giue him great deliverances and sheweth him mercy nor only him but his too his seed his posteritie and progenie for ever The very literal sense of the which words doth import an excellent thankfulnesse in David that would yeeld such tokens thereof among the Gentiles the heathens whom hee had subdued a more excellent goodnesse and graciousnes in God who raised him to royall state and mightily preserved him in it and rid him out of many dangers and shewed mercy still to him yea to his of spring also that should raigne after him But all this is base in respect of that which the holy Ghost in a spirituall meaning doth hereby signifie betoken For David was anointed king of the Iewes made conquerour of the Gentiles cast into perils troubles paines of death by speciall grace againe delivered from them to the intent hee might be a figure as we tearme it an image and picture an historicall picture and a living image that should resemble and represent the person of another David his sonne our Saviour Christ. Which mystery himselfe knowing as a Prophet did write by inspiration from God sundry things whereof the full perfit accomplishment appeareth in Christ his kingdome as the scriptures teach vs though a thinne slender performance of the same was before expressed and drawn out as it were by lineaments shadowes of a type and figure in David and his state So the great deliverances and salvations temporall given and assured to David and to his seed for ever after a sort that is for long continuance of many yeares succession did prefigure greater spiritual deliveraÌ„ces salvatioÌ„s simply absolutely eternal which should be likewise giveÌ„ to Christ to his seed that is to the faithful the chil dreÌ„ of God whoÌ„ Christ doth beget in his church by the inunortall seed of his word To Christ to his seed is given the treading downe of the Serpent the overthrow and victory of Satan and his Angels To Christ and to his seede is death quelled the graue vanquished the power of hell daunted and all their enimies put to flight To Christ and to his seede is a guard of Angâ—… appointed for their safety an entrance into Heaven opened and the ioies of life of everlasting solace of endlesse rest assured Which most excellent mercies deliverances salvations as the Prophets commonly in the ende of their prophecies do commende to men by figuratiue speeches of Israël of Iuda of Sion of Ierusalem and blessings incident thereto so in this conclusion of his song of thankes doth David ascende to them by the other to shewe himselfe gratefull vnto God for them A proofe whereof we haue in the last words that he concludeth with For therein he seemeth to respect the promise that the Lord would set vp his seed after him and stablish the throne of his kingdome for ever Which the Angel Gabriel sent to the Virgin Mary expoundeth of Christ telling her that God shall giue vnto him the throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his kingdome shall be no end And a farther proofe in the former clause touching his confessing of God among the Gentiles considering that S. Paul declareth the goodnes of Christ in receiving the Gentiles to his glory to be meant thereby As if the holy Prophet had said that he would vse a new and vnaccustomed thankefulnesse to God for his passing singular and vnspeakable benefits neither would confesse him among