THE BRIGHT MORNING STARRE: OR, The Resolution and Exposition of the 22. Psalme, preached publikely in foure sermons at Lincolne. By IOHN SMITH Preacher of the Citie.
I am the roote and the Generation of Dauid, and the Bright Morning starre.
Printed by IOHN LEGAT, Printer to the Ʋniuersitie of Cambridge. 1603. And are to be solde at the signe of the Crowns in Pauls Churchyard by Simon Waterson.
To THE RIGHT Worshipfull, religious, and courteous Knight, Sir William Wray, my approoued good friend and benefactor, salutations in the Lord Jesus.
SIr: it seemeth a thing very reasonable to me, that seeing euery bald tale, vaine enterlude, and pelting ballad, hath the priuiledge of the Presse, the sermons and readings of ministers may challenge the same: the worlde is full of Guy of Warwicke, William of Cloudeslee, Skoggins, and Wolners iests, and writings of like qualitie: and therein men take great delight to read, and so make themselues merrie with other mens sinnes, bestowing to this purpose much [Page]vaine time and superfluous expences: and J thinke the Stationers shop, and some mens shelues are better furnished with such trifles, which deceiue the minde and affection as the baite doeth the fish, then with wholesome writings of nature, arte, or religion. In which respect in seemeth to haue beene lesse hurtfull to mankind, if Printing had neuer beene inuented, sauing that the vse of a thing is not to be forbidden because of the abuse: these things considered, haue imboldened me to publish my meditations and readings to the worlds views and seeing that Printing is a trade wherby diuers good Christians maintaine their charge, & that for want of better imployment they sometime are compelled to prostitute their Presses to [...]s and vanitie: seeing also the [Page]trueth may better appeare by writings of diuers men, which perhaps one or two or more could not readily discouer: therefore I haue thought good in some part to preuent the danger of the one, and promote the benefit of the other. J haue not varnished my writing with the superficiall learning of words, and figures, tongues, and testimonies of men (which not withstanding I do not disalow) but because I purposed to apply my style to the vnderstā ding of the simple, I indeauour to vtter matter with all plainenesse of wordes and sentences. Nowe because I haue experienced your selfe to be vnder the Kings Maiestie a principall professor and protectour of religion in these quarters: (for what a multitude of faithfull ministers are debters to you in the flesh?) and [Page]for that I among the rest haue rested vnder your shaddowe, your name came first to my mind in this writing: wherefore I beseech you vouchsafe to intitle it with your name, and I shall acknowledge my selfe graced therby. The Lord increase in your selfe and your vertuous Lady and childrē all manner of heauenly graces & blessings.
The resolution of of the 22. Psalme, which may be intituled the Bright Morning Starre.
THe time when this Psalme was penned is vnknowne in speciall: generally notwithstanding it may seeme to be, when the Prophet was in some great conflict of conscience, and temptation to despaire, whēce he gathering consolation, recouereth at the length.
The Argument of the Psalme is a discription of the estate of euery true Christian and godly heart in the person [Page 2]of Dauid: also a type of the sufferings & glory of Christ.
The psalme cōtaineth two partes:
- The title or inscription.
- The matter or substance.
The title contayneth foure particulars.
- 1 The manner of writing, which is in forme of a Psalme.
- 2 The person that composed it, who was Dauid.
- 3 The person to whome it was committed to be kept, set, and song: who is called the master musitian.
- 4 The matter and argument of the Psalme, which is concerning the morning starre.
The matter and substance of the Palme comprehendeth a: Complaint: Prayer.
The complaint contayned in the two first verses hath 2. things. 1. the persō to whome he complayneth: (God:) amplyfied by an argument of relation. (my God)
2 The thing whereof he complayneth, which is that God hath forsaken him. Which the prophet auoucheth by 2. reasons.
The first, that seeing God did not helpe him, but was farre from his health: therfore he forsooke him.
The second, that seeing God heard not the wordes of his roaring nor gaue audience to his prayer: therefore he forsooke him.
This praier which the prophet professeth he made to the Lord, in the time of this his wofull desertion hath two [Page 4]adiunctes:
- 1 His prayer was feruent.
- 2. His praier was continuall.
The feruency of his prayer hath two partes.
- faith: (my God.)
- desire: (roaring crye.)
The continuance of his prayer: (day and night.)
This is the first part of the psalme the complaint.
The second part of the psalme which is the prayer followeth.
The prayer hath a
- 1 Supplication: containing also a deprecation.
- 2 A Gratulatiō or thanksgiuing.
The supplication is continued to the 22. verse, wherein is exprest both the faith & assurance the prophet conceaueth [Page 5]to obtaine: and the desire: which are the two essentiall partes of a feruent prayer.
The faith of the prophet is grounded vpon 4. arguments to the 11. verse: The first argument or ground of faith is in the 3. verse taken from the nature & office of God, which is to sanctifie and redeeme the Church that he may be praised & glorified by his church: concluded thus.
If thou wilt sanctifie the church and be praised by the church, then deliuer me the redeemer of the Church, without whose deliuerance, neither thy self can be glorified, nor thy church redeemed or sanctified.
But thou wilt sanctifie the Church (for thou art holy) & [Page 6]thou wilt be praised by the Church ( for thou inhabitest the praises of Israell.)
Therefore deliuer me vers. 11.
Thus the argument is applyed to Christ: to Dauid thus.
Thou Lord art holy sanctifying thy children: therfore sanctifie me, and deliuer me from the power of sinne and thy wrath, that I may praise thee with al the true Israelites, whose praises are offered vp to thee, as to the only owner and possessor thereof.
The second argument or ground of faith is in the 4. & 5. verses framed thus. If the fathers that trusted in thee, & called vpon thee are saued & deliuerd and were not confounded: then saue me also [Page 7]who am their sauiour.
But the fathers of the olde testament &c. are saued.
Therefore also saue and deliuer me vers. 11
The reason of this argument is: for that Christ necessarily must be saued and deliuered, seeing the fathers were saued by vertue of his sacrifice: whereas they could not so haue beene, if he had perished.
Thus the argument is applyed to Christ: to Dauid thus.
As God hath delt with others: so will he deale with me.
But God deliuered our fathers that faithfully prayed.
Therefore he will deliuer me also that pray faithfully: & so this argument is taken frō [Page 8]the experience of Gods goodnes to others.
The third argument or ground of faith is in the 6.7. and 8. verses taken from Relation of Gods mercy to mans misery: disposed thus:
The most mercifull God wil releeue the miserable creature calling vpon him faithfully.
But I am a most miserable creature. &c. and thou a mercifull God.
Therefore releeue and deliuer me. vers. 11.
The minour of this argument is amplified comparatiuely and simply.
The comparison is taken from a worme. As a worme is exposed to all wrong and iniury, and of base account: so am I.
The simple arguments are the parts of Christs miserie, which are three: 1. he was shamed. 2. contemned. 3. derided.
He beeing God most glorious, was shamed and dishonoured by man, that is, Adam dust and ashes.
He that should haue beene accounted of, as the onely Sauiour of his people, was contemptible to the people.
He▪ whome men should haue gloried and reioyced in, was derided and mockt by all men that beheld him.
Christ was mockt by gestures, and speech.
The mocking gestures are two, mowing & wrying the mouth: & nodding the head.
The skoffing speech containeth an ironical cōtrarietie: [Page 10]for they say one thing that mocke Christ, and meane the cleane contrarie: thus they speake,
God will deliuer him that he loueth, and that trusteth in God.
But he is beloued of God, & trusteth in God: ergo God will saue him.
But their meaning is contrarie to this speech: which is this.
God will deliuer him that he loueth, and that trusteth in him:
But God doeth not deliuer him: ergo, he neither is loued of God, nor trusteth in God.
Thus the third argument is applied to Christ: to Dauid also in the same sense.
The fourth argument or ground of faith is in the 9. and [Page 11]10. verses, taken from the experience of Gods goodnesse to himself in time past, framed thus:
As thou hast dealt with me before, so deale with me nowe.
But thou hast hitherto preserued and deliuered me: ergo doe so nowe.
The minor of the argumēt is amplified by a distribution or enumeration of parts, thus: thou hast preserued me in my life, birth, and conception.
Thus the fourth argument is applied to Christ: and in the same sense also to the Prophet.
Hitherto the Prophet hath vttered his faith, which is the first essentiall part of his praier: his desire which is the secōd essential part followeth.
The desire of the Prophet is exprest in the 11. verse: [Be not farre from me] and vrged by a reason, à relatis paribus, thus:
If helpe be farre off, then thou wilt be neere to help thy seruants.
But helpe is farre off: ergo be neere to helpe. Or thus:
Thou wilt helpe the afflicted and helpelesse:
But I am afflicted and helpelesse: ergo helpe me.
Nowe furthermore, both the Prophets desire and this reason whereupon it is enforced are handled by inuersion of methode, for first the reasō is handled, then the desire.
The reason is handled to the 19. verse, where the desolatiō and extreame miserie of the Prophet is propounded in 2 [Page 13]kinds: First that which properly and immediately seazed vpon his soule, which by sympathie onely affected his bodie. vers. 12, 13, 14, 15.
Secōdly, that which directly and properly seazed vpon his bodie, and by compassion onely affected his sensitiue facultie. vers. 16, 17, 18.
The proper affliction of his soule is deliuered in three arguments, viz. the cause, the adiunct, and the effect.
The causes are the deuill and his angels, allegorically figured vnder the names of Bulls and Lyons.
These deuils are of two conditions: some ministers & seruants to their master the principall: other the cheife or master deuill.
The ministring deuils cō ueniently [Page 14]are allegorized vnder the tearmes of Bulls, as beeing creatures inferiour in strength and rage to the lyon the king of the beasts of the forrest.
These deuillish Buls are described by their qualities and effects: their qualities are 3: young, fatte, strong, vers. 12.
1 Young: vz. such as are not cicured or tamed, but are without the yoke, euē Belial: not subiect to any order.
2 Fatte and large limmed. such as were bred in Bashan, where was the largest breed, and the fattest fed cattel, Deu. 32.14. which insinuateth the insolencie, arrogancy, & pride of these deuils.
3 Strong and mightie being principalities & powers, as the Apostle tearmeth thē, [Page 15]Eph. 6.12. preuailing against the world of the vngodly.
These are their qualities: their effects are two, vers. 12.13.
First they inclose him about with terror and temptation.
Secondly they gape vpon him with their mouths readie to swallowe him vp body and soule; the bodie in the graue or corruption: the soule in despaire and hellish torments, as much as in them resteth.
These are one sort of Deuills, that minister: the principall and Arch-deuill euen Beelzebub the prince of the deuils is termed a ramping & roaring lyon. vers. 13.
A lyon, as the king of all the hellish fiendes to whome they voluntarily become serviceable.
Roaring, as now ready to deuour the pray (for so is the vse of lyons Amos. 3.4. to roare when they are vpō the pray.)
Ramping, that is hungerbitten and so most eagerly violent vpon the pray, as the lyons that were kept fasting for the deuouring of Daniell. These are the causes of Christs afflictions vpō the soule properly. The adiunct & effects follow.
The adiunct is the quantitie of his misery vttered by cōparison to water spilt vpon the ground, which cannot be gathered vp againe, euen so (saith the prophet) my misery is irrecouerable. v. 14.
The effects are in number fiue:
First effect is the dissolutiō [Page 17]of the Animall facultie, which is by this misery interrupted: verse. 14. the sinewes, ligamentes, brawnes, & tendons, which are the instruments of sense and motion beeing forsaken by the animall facultie of the soule, and so the bones which are as it were the studs of the bodie were laxed and vntied (for the disioyning of the bones is exprest, ver. 17.)
Second effect: that his heart which (as anatomie teacheth) is in the middest of the bowells, was melted like waxe: that is the vitall facultie was interrupted: whose principall seate is in the heart, from whence vitall spirits by the arteries, whose originall is the heart, are diffused to euery liuing part. This vitall facultie was molten and quailed so as the [Page 18]soule ceased the execution thereof for a season.
Third effect: that his strength was dryed vp like a potsheard that is, the humidum radicale or naturall moisture which is the oile to the lampe of life beeing the foundation of our strengh and vigor, withered and spent, and so the naturall facultie decayed, ther being not much more moisture in the partes of the bodie then in a potsheard baked in the ouen.
Fourth effect: that his tong claue to his lawes, he being scarse able through the fierce assaultes of Gods wrath to moue his tongue: so that here probably may be cōiectured that the faculty of reasō, whose instrument is the tongue, was suspended: though we denie [Page 19]not but also by this phrase the prophet may signifie his immoderate drought.
These foure are the speciall effectes of the torment which now he suffered, now followeth one generall effect, vz. that he was brought into the dust of death, that is, vnto the graue. verse. 1.5. but this effect is solitarily here attributed vnto the Lord, and remoted from the former causes: for the prophet by Apostrophe, turneth his speech vnto the Lord: saying. Thou hast brought me. &c.
This is the affliction which immediately seazed vpon his soule, yet by simpathy also vpon the bodie, by these effects,
Now the affliction which entred vpō his bodie priuately, and by compassion vpon [Page 20]his soule follow: where cōsider also: the causes, & practise thereof. The causes are the wicked, Iewes and Gentiles which cōspired and procured his death, who are called dogs according to the custome of the scripture and expounded to be the wicked. v. 16.
The parts of this affliction are fiue.
First the wicked inclose him, that is whippe him, spitte vpon him, smite him with fist and rod, crowne him with thornes, and such like mentioned in the gospell (for here the signe is put for the thing signified, it being the custome of the people to slocke about the person vpon whome execution is done.) verse. 16.
Secondly they pierced or digged his hands and feet, [Page 21]when they nayled him to the crosse, which insinuateth the great woundes that were mad in his hands and feet, as if they had beene digged with the talentes or paues of a lyon, as the old translatour hath it frō the corrupt hebrue word. v. 16.
Thirdly they wrack him, & disioynt all his boanes, so as they may be nombred, and discerned seuerally each from other, as is customable to thē that are wracked: here is signum pro signato: v. 17.
Fourthly they behold and looke vpon him without pity and compassiō yea they mock and scoffe at him with taunting bitter sloutes, and reuiling speech, here is lesse spokē and men signified: signum pro signato. v. 17.
Lastly they take from him his garmentes and strip him naked: a vild indignity: now his garments appertayned (as it is in vse with vs) to the tormentors, who were the souldiers: they therefore first deuide his vnder garments and euery one taketh, his part: but his vpper garment beeing without seame is not deuided or cut in pieces, but for it they cast loues to whome it shall appertaine: and falling to one the other lost their partes. v. 18.
This is the affliction that immediately seazed vpon his body, but compassiuely also vpon his soule:
Thus the reason cōfirming the prophetes desire is handled.
Now followeth the prophets [Page 23]desire which is handled also v. 19.20.21. wherein cō sider foure particulars.
First the persō to whome he offereth this his desire, which is the Lord, whome he intituleth his strength, because he ministred vnto him strength to beare all that was laid vpon him.
Second: the thing he prayeth for, exprest in diuers phraeses (be not farre of: hasten to helpe, deliuer, saue, answer.)
Third: the person for whome he prayeth exprest thus: me, my soule, my desolate one.)
Fourth: the euill frō which he desireth deliuerance: exprest diuersly: from the sword, from the power of the dogge, frō the lyons mouth, from the hornes of the vnicornes.
Thus the prophets desire or request is handled: and so the supplication.
The gratulation or thanksgiuing, which is the second part of the prayer followeth.
This thankfulnes is 1. promised: 2. prophesied.
It is promised to the 26. verse:
This promise of thankfullnes is propounded and then repeated and concluded. It is propoūded & handled to the 25. verse, and that in the parts, or signes, or declarations of thankefulnes which are three.
1 Signe of thankefullnes: is Confession, which is a declaring of Gods (name or) attributes, as his mercy, and iustice &c. to the members of the Church which are Christs brethren according to the [Page 25]flesh Heb. 2.12.
2 Signe of thankefullnes: is a commendation of the excellencie of these attributes to the honour and praise of God & that in the open assembly.
3 Signe of thankefullnes: is the Inciting and prouoking of them that feare God, the seed of Iacob and Israel: to praise and magnifie & feare the Lord: to be a meanes to bring others to god also.
These three parts or signes of thankefullnesse are amplified by a reason, enforcing the performance of the promise made before: which reason is taken â paribus. & is set downe Negatiuely and Affirmatiuely.
Negatiuely in 3. phrases: he hath not 1. despised, 2. abhorred. 3. hid his face from the praier [Page 26]of the poore. ergo: thankefulnesse must be performed.
Affirmatiuely: he heard when the poore and humbled in spirit praied: and therefore thankefulnesse must be performed.
Thus the promises of thankfulnesse is propounded & handled: It is also repeated vers. 25. and that in two parts thereof before handled, v. 22. The one part of thankefulnes, praise, and commendation of God is further enlarged by the circumstance of the place: the great congregation.
The other part of thankefulnesse, Confession is exprest in a newe phrase [paying of the vowes] which were voluntarie sacrifices.
Thus thankefulnesse is promised.
Thankefulnes also is prophesied to the ende of the Psalme: which shall be performed by the subiects of Christs kingdome, who are in the sequele of the psalme described and distributed into their seuerall kinds.
First they are described by 6. arguments in the 26. verse.
1 Adiunct: the poore, that is, such as are poore in spirit, Mat. 5.3.
2 Is an effect: shal eate, that is, beleeue in Iesus Christ. Ioh. 6.35.
3 Adiunct: shall be satisfied, that is, shall haue peace & ioy spirituall, Mat. 5.6. Ioh. 7.38.
Is an effect: shall seeke after the Lord, that is, shall carefully vse the meanes of saluation, whereby God is sought [Page 28]and found, Mat. 7.7.
5 An effect: shall praise the Lord by a godly life, and with heart and voice singing Psalmes of praise: Math, 5.16. Coloss. 3.16.
6 An adiunct: your heart shall liue for euer; which is life euerlasting the reward of all the former. Iohn. 4.14.
Thus the persōs of whome thankfullnes is prophesied are described.
Furthermore the person of whome thankfullnes is prophesyed, namely the members of Christ, and Subiects of his kingdome, are distributed into their severall sorts and kindes, thus:
Persons prophesied to be thankefull are,
Parents and progenitors.
Children and posteritie.
Perents (& so consequently children) are distinguished by two adiuncts:
- 1 Is their nation: they shal be Gentiles and not onely Iewes.
- 2 Is their condition: they shall be of the poorer sort, as well as of the rich.
The Gentiles are described both by the parts and cause of their thankefulnesse: the parts of the thankefulnesse of the Gentiles are three. v. 27.
1 They shall remember themselues, and take notice of their sinnefull and accursed estate, and so humble themselues.
2 They shall turne vnto the Lord forsaking their idols and other sinnes.
3 They shall worship the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse.
The cause of the Gentiles thankefulnesse is exprest, v. 28. where there is the preuenting an obiection which might thus be made by a Iew.
Obiect. Shall the Gentiles also become subiects of the kingdom of the Messias, who were sometime execrable?
Sol. There is nothing impossible to God: for seeing he is king, and so ruleth among the heathen, he is able to conuert the Gentiles also, and of stones to raise vp children to Abraham.
This is the first distinction of the persons by their natiō.
The second distinction is, that poore and rich also shall be thankefull: and that is exprest. v. 29.
The rich who are called the fat men of the earth haue [Page 31]their actiō of thākfulnes assigned thē: eating, & worshipping.
Poore or afflicted persons are of two sortes,
- 1 Such as goe downe into the dust, that is beggars and basse persons.
- 2 Such as cannot quicken their owne soule, that is persons condemned to die, or persons sick of deadly diseases &c.
All these afflicted persons haue their thankfull actions assigned them, which is that they shall bow before him: (signum pro signato, Metonymia) namely they shall worship him.
Thus the parentes which are the first sort of persons with their thankfull actions, are propounded.
The children and posteritie also haue their thankful actiōs. [...] the reasō thereof assigned:
The thankfull actions of the posteritie are two.
- 1 They shall serue the lord in the obedience of his lawe, which is set out by the circū stance of time, ( for euer they shall be reckened to him. verse 30.
- 2 Action of thankfulnesse is that when they are come into the Church by effectuall vocation, they shall declare his righteousnes;
The reason of these thankfull actions of the posteritie of the gentiles is for that God hath wrought righteousnes for a people to be borne, that is either for their posteritie, or some other straung people that as yet are vnborne by spirituall regeneration.
This thankfulnes is prophesied: and so the whole [Page 33]psalme is resolued.
In the Complaint and the Supplication Christs priesthood is described both in his sacrifice and intercession.
In the promise of thankefulnesse, Christs prophesie is comprised.
In the prophesie of thankfulnesse Christs kingdome is comprehended.
ANNOTAtions and obseruations out of the 22. Psalme.
Of the Title of the Psalme.
A Psalme: THis Psalme containeth a pittifull complaint, a feruent praier, a promise and prophesie of thankefulnesse, and yet the Prophet penned it in the forme of a Psalme: whence thus much may be noted, that it is not vnlawefull to sing doctrine, exhortation, complaints, supplication, prophesies, and such like matters, as well as thankesgiuings: briefly to sing any portion of holy Scripture, so be that vnderstanding and edificatiō be not hindred: and this collectiō ariseth out of this place [Page 35]by analogie.
The Prophet Dauid is here to be considered. Of Dauid. 1. in his owne person 2. sustaining the person of a godly man. 3. as a type of Christ, whose sufferings and glorie, whose priesthood in his sacrifice and intercession, with his propheticall office in teaching, and kingdome in gathering and guiding his Church in all ages, places, and times, are here not obscurely figured: whēce we may note that kings and mightie men of the earth are not to scorne religious exercises, as Dauid did not, the whole booke of the Psalmes witnesseth, but with the Prophet to acquaint themselues with holy meditatiōs, of their owne estate, howe the matter is betwixt God and their own [Page 36]soules: of the condition of the Church which shall suffer with Christ, before it be glorified with him, and of the doctrine of the Gospell in the offices of Christ, the summe of the Psalme.
to the cheif or master musition.The Musitians & Singers office principally consisted in setting & singing the Psalmes of the Prophets, for the instruction and edification of the church: as also in keeping these holy writings safe for the vse of the Church in time to come, in regard of which office the Church is called the pillar and ground of trueth: wherefore when the Prophets had composed any Psalmes, they sent them to the singers and musitians, specially to the principal Musitian of any order, who had the ouersight of [Page 37]the rest of his order, that they might bring them in publike for the comfort and instruction of the whole church: whence this collection might be made, that if musicke were lawfull for the Iewes, it is now for vs: and if vocall musicke be lawefull by consent of all, why not instrumentall also? alwaies remembring that edification must not be hindered but furthered: for musicke beeing one of the liberall arts, why is there not vse of musicke in furthering vs in the worship of God, as wel as of Grammar, Rhetoricke, or Logycke, &c: and musicke is not a parcell of the ceremoniall lawe: and the Lord commanded it in the Church, and it was vsed by Christ and his Apostles.
Againe hence might be obserued, that it is lawful to pray the prayers composed by other men; which was customable to the Church of the Iewes: who vsed to bring other mens psalmes, which sometime were prayers, into the publique assemblie, as for example this psalme: and if it be said that they, were vsed only dogmatically; the answer is, that is not so: for they praised God with the words of Dauid and Asaph, and they bowed themselues and worshipped as it is euident. 2. Chron. 29.30. where besides the meditation of the matter, no doubt they had holy desire & wishes sutable to the wordes of the prayers or thanksgiuings, as the wordes of bowing and worshipping do plainly import [Page 39]in the place alleadged: and therefore (howsoeuer some think) it seemeth to be very lawfull, to pray accordingly to a set forme: and so to say and pray the Lords prayer: so be that we insinuate our vnderstanding & affectiōs into the matter of that set prayer which we vse, making it our owne when we pray it.
Concerning the morning starre.To thinke these wordes (aijeleth hasshachar) to be the name of an instrument is neither warrantable nor reproueable, but coniectural: I know not what can be said for it or against it.
To think them the tune of a common song, or the tune of some ciuill ballad seemeth to be to accuse the holy ghost for not keeping decorum, [Page 40]which is when holy psalmes are song in the tunes of common, and it may be prophane ballads also.
To translate with Tremellius and Iunius ad primordium aurorae, is very good, for the words may beare that reading and then they import the time of vsing the psalme, the early morning, the time of the morning sacrifice, so that this psalme was an exposition and cōmentarie of the sacrifice: the sacrifice was a type of Christ; this Psalme teacheth the signification of the sacrifice: & so this Psalme annexed to the sacrifice did euery day traine vp the Church of the Iewes with a continuall meditation and expectation of the promised Messias, whose sufferings and glorie are in [Page 41]psalme expressed.
Yet notwithstanding there is another exposition which may best befit the argument of the psalme, which is this (concerning the Morning star) and aijeleth signifieth Stellam matulinā as well as, ascensum aurorae. Nowe seeing that this Psalme is a prophecie of Christ, and that Christ is expresly called the Bright Morning starre, Apoc. 22.16. the day starre by the Apostle, 2. Pet. 1.19. and the day spring from an high, Luk 1.78. The argument of the Psalme, and this translation will very well sort together as we see.
Of the complaint the first part of the psalme.
In the complaint comprised [Page 42]in these two verses may be obserued thesed sixe seuerall points to be handled, My God, my God why hast thou forsaken &c. which will cleare vnto vs the true meaning of the words, which are darke, and darkened more by some.
- 1 How Christ could pray vnto God, he beeing himselfe God equall to the father.
- 2 How Christ could pray in faith, seeing he could not beleeue in himselfe?
- 3 How it can be said that Christ was not heard by God when he prayed?
- 4 How Christ can be said to be forsaken of God?
These foure points appertayne to Christ, the other two concerne Dauid, & the godly.
- 5 How god forsooke Dauid; and how he may be said [Page 43]to forsake his children?
- 6 Lastly the properties of faith here exprest.
Vers. 2. O my God I cry. First how Christ God, could pray vnto God?
For the clearing of this point consider we that Christ was God, and so paraduenture could not pray vnto his father, for that might seeme to imploy some disparagement to God the sonne being equall to the father, & open a gap for the heresie of Arrius: but furthermore Christ also was man, and so made vnder the lawe, and so could and might, yea and ought to pray, as beeing a creature bound to worship the creatour: yet besides this Christ beeing the mediatour of the Church according to both his natures, he therfore prayed according [Page 44]to both his natures: My [...] Go [...] [...] tho [...] [...] &c. [...] thus: his manhood actiuely powring forth prayer, his godhead dignifying his prayer, and making it meritorious and purchasing audience.
Christ prayed to his father therefore, as man, and as the mediatour.
Now if it be alledged that seing himselfe was God hee must therfore pray vnto himselfe, which may seeme absurd, or els if he do exclude himselfe, then committ idolatry: the answer is that he prayed to his father directly and primarily, in respect of order the father being the first person in Trinitie ordine; but indirectly, inclusiuelie, and secondarily he praied to himselfe, and the holy Ghost also: here the distinction of nature [Page 45]and person must be admitted necessarily: againe it may be supposed that no absurditie would followe, if we say that the second person in the trinitie did pray vnto the first, that is, did testifie his will to haue the Church saued: but that is abusiuely in very hard Catachresis.
In summe: it is no absurditie to say that a man may pray to himselfe, that is, perswade himselfe to grant that which is for his owne aduantage: for as affectiō or desire sometime obtaineth of a man that which his iudgement disalloweth: (which is a kinde of praier or intreatie:) or contrariwise, as the iudgement perswadeth the affection that which it disliketh: so Christ-man may aske something of Christ-God: [Page 46]and no absurdity (as it seemeth) be admitted,
Secondly: how Christ could pray in faith? V. 1▪ 2, My God
For the further enlightning of this doubt a distinction of faith must be remembred. Faith is legall and euangelicall; of the law, and of the gospell.
Faith required in the lawe Adam had in paradise and Christ had when he prayed whereby the creature relieth it selfe vpon the creatour for all manner of good things & deliuerance from all euill, if Christ had wanted this faith he had not presently obeyed the law, which to say were to blaspheme.
Euangelicall faith or the faith required in the gospell is that whereby the creature [Page 47]relieth it selfe vpon God, through Christ and his mediatour: beleeuing to obtaine all good things from him, by the meanes of Christ: now although Christ were made vnder the lawe, yet he was not made vnder the gospell, for he was not bound to faith and repentance as sinners are, himselfe beeing without sinne: he is the matter and author of the Gospell: wherefore to the Christ to the obedience of the law through and by vertue of the Gospell as we are tied, is to suppose him sinfull by making him his owne sauiour.
Wherefore to answer directly: Christ praied a legall prayer as Adam did but Christ praied not an euangelicall prayer: (except [Page 48]we vnderstand an euangeli-praier in this sense, that he made intercessiō for vs, which may rather be called a meritorious praier:) Christ praied in faith of gods infinite mercy, but not in faith of the pardon of sinne through a Sauiour, which he needed not: and which we neede.
Thirdly: Howe was Christ not heard when he praied? V. 2 But thou hearest not. V. 1. Farre frō the words of my roaring,
There is no contradictions in holy scriptures: although there may sōtime seeme shew of opposition: we read in the Heb. 5.7. that Christ was hard from that which be feared: here in this place we read that god did not heare Christ, but was farre from the wordes of his roaring: in shew here is an opposition, but in substance, [Page 49]things being aright distinguished, there is none.
The art of reason teacheth that one rule of opposition is, that the thinges opposed be opposite in the same sence: ( secundum idem as the logicians say) now Christ was hard in one sence, and he was not heard in another sence: and so the prophet & the Apostle are not opposite: wherefore thus these two places are both verified, and may well be reconciled.
Christ was heard in that he was not swallowed vp of the wrath of god, but was deliuered from it, and from the power of our spirituall enemies: & again. Christ was not heard in that gods wrath lighted vpon him, and possessed his soule a competent season: [Page 50]or thus:
2. Christ was heard in regard of the conditions of his praier, (if it be possible, and if it be thy will:) and againe:
Christ was not heard in regard of the petition absolutely considered, without conditions: or thus.
3. Christ was heard, as the children of God are heard, to whome sometime the Lord denieth the very particular thing they aske, and in liewe thereof giueth them a thing as good or better then it: 2. Cor. 12.8, 9. So the Lord did not deliuer Christ frō his wrath: for he tasted the cuppe of his wrath, as he saith, Math. 20.22. But the Lord gaue him power and strength, and grace to beare it, and to [Page 51]vanquish it at the length: for euen then did hee ouercome the wrath of God when Gods wrath killed him.
These things beeing thus distinguished, we see the Prophet in this psalme, and the Apostle in the Hebrews are not at variance, & so we perceiue also howe Christ was not heard when he praied.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me: art art so far [...]e from my health?Fourthly: howe Christ was forsaken of God? That this point may the better be conceiued, let it be considered: Negatiuely, howe he was not forsaken: & affirmatiuely howe he was forsaken.
Negatiuely thus: Christ was not forsaken any of these foure waies following.
First the essence of the godhead was neuer seuered or excluded from Christ the man, but it dwelt in him at all times fully: Coloss. 2.9.
Secondly the personall vnion of the two natures was neuer dissolued: and so the person of the sonne neuer forsooke the humanitie of Christ.
Thirdly, the power of the godhead also was alwaies present with him, enabling him to beare the full viall of Gods wrath.
Fourthly, the gratious assistance of Gods spirit was neuer wanting, inabling Christ without the least impatiencie, distrust, &c. to beare whatsoeuer was inflicted vpon him for our sins.
Thus Negatiuely Christ [Page 53]was not forsaken of the nature, person, power, and grace of God. Howe then was he forsaken?
Affirmatiuely therefore he was forsaken: both positiuely in that God the father powred vpon him the infinite sea of his wrath, which hee nowe felt: and priuatiuely in that he was bereft and forsaken of all comfortable: presence; the godhead for a seasō shaddowing it selfe vnder the cloude of Gods wrath, that the manhood of Christ might feele the intollerable burden thereof: and thus Christ beeing destitute of consolation complaineth that he was forsaken. But Christ beeing thus forsaken, he sustayned the wrath of God, striued with it, and subdued it; that is, [Page 54]he deliuered both himselfe and vs from it, and so perfectly finished the worke of our redemption.
But if any man thinke it a thing vnreasonable, or rather a blasphemie, that it should bee auouched that Christ suffered Gods wrath which is commonly called the paines of hell, he must remember a distinctiō which ought to bee made betwixt the paines of hell, and the damnation of hell: Christ suffered not the damnation of hell but the paines of hell.
The paines of hell are only the sense of exquisite torments, and the want of all comfort and consolation: commonly called, paena and damnum.
The damnation of hell are certaine necessarie consequents which followe the foresaid paines of hell in the meere creature: as for example, the soule of Iudas nowe in hell: besides that it is depriued of all comfort, which is a losse: and tormented with most exquisite tortures which is the paine: despaireth, wanteth faith, hope, loue, the feare of god, patience, and is affrighted with an accusing and gnawing conscience, and besides all this, is bound in euerlasting chaines to the iudgement of the great day in a certaine place which is called Hell.
Nowe for the application of the distinction: Christ if hee had beene a meere [Page 56]man, could not haue escaped part of the damnation of hel, when gods wrath was so fully powred out vpon him: but it should haue fallen out to him as it falleth out with the deuill and reprobates: but because Christ was God also, his godhead did infinitely strengthen and grace his manhood, so as none of all these accidents which necessarily growe vppon a meere creature, seazed vpon him, as despaire, impatience, &c. therefore to say that Christ suffered the wrath of God which may be called the paines of hell, is neither blasphemous nor vnreasonable, this distinction of hell paines and damnation beeing admitted.
Thus the foure points appertaining to Christ are cleared: [Page 57]now the other two concerning Dauid follow:
Fiftly: Howe God forsaketh Dauid and his children? Forsaken me.
God forsaketh his childrē two waies principally.
First by giuing them to their own hearts lusts in part, and permitting them to the temptations of the deuill: and suffering them to fall into some sinnes which wracke & torment the conscience: against which Dauid praieth, Psal. 119.8. And Christ teacheth vs to pray in the last petition of the Lords praier: Lead vs not into temptation, &c.
Secondly by causing them to see and feele the wrath of God in some measure and for some time, till humiliation [Page 58]be wrought in them throughly for some sinnes. So Dauid was humbled Psal. 6. and 15. and so are all the children of God in some measure: and thus the Lord forsooke Dauid, both by permitting him to fall into sinne, and causing him to feele the smart of Gods wrath as a meanes of humiliation for that sinne: and thus the Lord forsaketh his children oft times, as they haue experience of: which may teach vs charitie in censuring men whome wee see straungly cast downe with fearefull humiliation, they may be neuerthelesse deere children of God, although it may bee also that they haue fallen into some greeuous sinnes as Dauid did: and yet happily also this [Page 59]humiliation may growe vpon infirmities with some tender heart: and for such vncharitable critickes that thus intemperately censure humbled consciences, they are to know that some kind of despaire is better then hardnes of heart.
Sixtly, what are the properties of faith here noted? My God, forsaken me.
Two properties of faith euidently appeare in the prophet.
The first is, when God forsaketh, then to hold fast, when God killeth then to trust in him as Iob. 13.15. who professeth that though the L. should stay him yet he would trust, and Dauid els where saith, that though he was somtime affraid yet he trusted in god for faith holdeth fast sometimes [Page 60]when all reason faileth as Abraham (Rom 4.18.19.) beleeued a thing in nature & reason impossible that a woman of nintie yeares, should conceiue with child of a man that was an hundred yeare old: so doth Dauid in this place: God forsaketh him, & yet he calleth him his god.
The second propertie of faith is particular application, whereby Christ with all his merittes are appropriated by the beleeuer to his owne soule in speciall and he is truly assured of the pardon of his sin & the saluatiō of his soule Ro. 8.38. Ioh. 20.28. some think it presumption for any man so to say: and none haue euer attained to this certen assurāce but those to whome god hath reuealed it: but wee are to [Page 61]know that there must be difference made between faith, and coniecture: Faith is kowledge which hath a certaintie in it whose genus is scientia: Coniecture is knowledge which hath vncertaintie in it, whose genus is opinio: wherefore they that denie the certaintie of faith and saluation, make faith coniecturall and confound faith and opinion which is absurd.
Now indeed faith is neuer without doubting, and yet faith is certain stil: for perswasion and knowledge is either a true perswasion, or a full perswasion: a true knowledge, or a full knowledge: as there is difference betwixt a true man, & a perfect full & complete man: a man wanting a hand is a man indeed: [Page 62] [...] but not [...]: euen so of faith, and assurance: True perswasion is fides [...] where in there is no hypocrisie. Full perswasion is fidei [...] which hath no doubting, which no man living hath or can haue till loue be perfected, when also faith shall be cast out, yet we are to striue against doubting, and still to pray: Lord encrease our faith.
That which some might comment vpon the expostulation of Christ, Why forsakest, &c. whereas he asketh a reason why God forsoke him also? the two adiunctes of his prayer, that he prayed with roaring and crying, and day and night and had no ease, I omit as ordinarie matters: only thus much.
Christ expostulateth and [Page 63]debateth the matter of his desertion with God, not for that he knewe not wherefore he was forsakē, but complaining most pittiously of his extream miserie: neither is here any suspition of impatiencie at all: no God forbid:
Againe Christs roaring & crying, that is, his feruent praier, also his continuance in praier day and night, are for our example in the like cases, that in our extremities we neuer cease crying till God giue ease.
The groundes of the Prophets faith. V. 3. Thou art holy, & doest inhabite the praises of Israel.
God is holy Effectiuè and subiectiuè: for he is both the worker of holinesse and the fountaine of holinesse: nowe both these are here signified by the Prophet: namely, that [Page 64]God is the author and worker of holinesse in the Church. And the Emphasis of the speech is to be obserued, in the pronoune attah (thou) which is exclusiue, as if the Prophet had said (thou onely:) which is the golden sentence written in the high Priests Miter, Exod. 28.20. Holinesse to the Lord.
The sanctification of the Church is the worke of God only: Doctrine. which doctrine for that it is a very materiall point, is first to be expounded, and then confirmed. It may be expounded or amplified by the particular causes of sanctification, wherein the Lord hath the maine stroke, or els the worke succeedeth not; as by induction appeareth thus.
1 God is the originall and [Page 65]fundamentall cause of the redemption, purgation and sanctification of the Church, who of his owne loue and compassion to mans misery prouided redemption for vs, there being nothing out of himselfe to mooue him therevnto.
2 Christs sacrifice is the meritorious and purchasing cause, for he paid the price of redemption for vs.
3 Christs kingdome that is his resurrection, ascension, session at the right (hand) of his father is the effectuall, operatiue, and working cause.
4 The word in the ministerie of teaching, praying, celebrating the sacramentes and discipline ecclesiastical is the instrumentall cause, where if any man thinke that the [Page 66]meanes are any thing without God giue the increase he forgetteth the Apostles speech 1. Cor. 3.7. for the word which is the power of God to saluation is not the bare sound or letter, but it is the inward spirit of powar and grace annexed thereto: which is Christs Scepter.
So that seeing the loue of God, the sacrifice, kingdome and scripture of Christ are the only causes of our anctification, it is plaine that the redemptiō sanctification and clensing of the church is gods worke only.
The doctrine thus cleared may also be prooued and cō firmed by induction of those things which are in or with sinne, the which none but God can take away and they [Page 67]are these foure.
1 Transgression which respecteth Gods lawe & iustice which in sinne is violated for sinne is the transgression of the lawe &c. 1. Ioh. 3.4.
2 Corruption respecting the sinner; which followeth the transgression as the necessary effect thereof: as in Adam.
3 Guilt whereby the person transgressing and corrupted is culpable of iudgement.
4 Punishment the iust wages and desert of sinne, which is Gods wrath and the curse of the law Gal. 3.10
Now no creature can take away any of these, it is the worke of god alone therefore was it that our redeemer was God.
Remission of sinne, which is the taking away of the guilt and punishment of sinne is that worke of God onely. Micah 7.18. Exod 34.7. Mar. 2.7. Esay. 43.25.1. Ioh. 3.8.
Againe sanctificatiō which is the purgation and staine of sinne which is imprinted in our soules (whether it be a qualitie positiue, or priuatiue) is the only worke of god. Iob. 13.4.1. Thes. 5.23.
Seeing then the corruption, guilt, and punishment of sinne which are three principall matters appertaining to sinne are only taken away by god, because they conteyning the violation of an infinite iustice, are after a sort, infinite and so cannot be taken away but by some person infinite, [Page 69]Gods infinite iustice beeing able to ouerwhelme a meere creature euery way finit, it followeth therefore by ineuitable consequence that sin also is taken away by God only: for the corruption, guilt, and punishment of sinne being abolished, the auomie or transgresion is remoued and reckoned as not done, which is also a fruit of remission of sinne, and of this the Lord saith that he wil cast it into the bottome of the sea, he will forget and remember it no more, Micah. 7.19. Ierem, 31.33. Ezech. 18.22.
The doctrine thereof is thus confirmed and cleered: and it hath an excellent vse to vs not onely for coniectatiō of the papists, which auouch temporall punishment sustained [Page 70]by the creature to be sufficient satisfaction for some sinnes and that good workes shall deserue grace, and that the priest can iudicially pardon sinne, all which are so many blasphemies against the mercy of God, the sacrifice kingdome and scepter of Christ, but especially it serueth for our instruction to teach vs to quake and tremble at the fearefull condition of sinne, which can no other way be abolished but by the omnipotent power of God encountring (as it were) the infinite wrath of God, and vanquishing it, to teach vs to take heed of committing the least sinne, which none but God can abolish: which also called the Lord Iesus Christ from heauen; for this caus [...] [Page 71]appeared the sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the deuill: for the papists deeme too lightlie of sinne that thinke some sinnes veniall in their own nature, & the profane multitude offer violence to Gods iustice in threatning kindnesse vpon his mercy, saying of small offences as Lott said of Zoar oh it is but a little one; and God is mercifull: is it suppose we a small sinne that, for redeeming whereof, God must needs become man and die?
God is the owner and possessor of his Church, and so consequently of the praise & worshippe which is in the church offred him continually: for God decreeing from all eternitie the glorie of his [Page 72]mercy and iustice, and the rest of his most excellent attributes (which are commonly called his Name in the scripture decreed also to haue a Church; and a sauiour for his Church: without whome neither could he haue a church, nor be glorified out of himselfe if hee wanted a Church: Wherefore Christ praieth thus: if thou wilt be glorified and praised out of thy selfe, thou must haue a Church: if thou wilt haue a Church, thou must haue a sauiour: if thou wilt haue a sauiour, then saue me who am-appointed the Sauiour: and so the sorites is concluded: if thou wilt be praised, saue me.
But thou wilt be praised &c. ergo saue me.
Doctrine.Gods gloly and praise is [Page 73]the ende of the worlde, the Church, and of Christ also. For to this ende hath God created the world, redeemed his Church, and appointed Christ the Sauiour of the Church, that he might be glorified: as the wise man saith: God made all things for his glorie: Prou. 16.4. So saith the Apostle, 1. Cor. 3.22.23. All things are yours, you are Christs, and Christ is Gods: that is to say, Christ hath redeemed all things for your vse, that you may worship Christ, and God through Christ may be glorified.
The vse of this doctrine is to teach vs to glorifie God which is attained by a godly life, and two reasons may be alleadged for this purpose.
1 Necessity: for if we doe not glorifie God mercy by godlinesse and honestie in this life, he will be glorified by vs in his iustice in our vtter destruction after this life: for euery man shallbe either an instrumēt of glorifying god in his mercy, or seruing for matter of the glory of his iustice.
2 Analogie and proportiō: for we see all the creatures by naturall instinct without resistance and rebellion are caryed readily and speedily to there end, there place, and vse; as the sunne &c. Psal. 19.4.5. and Psalme 104. toto: so that if we degenerate from this end which God hath apointed vs we are the onely irregular persons of the world, and indeed men and angels are so: wherefore if gods loue, [Page 75]Christs death, euerlasting life will not, yet lett feare & shame mooue vs to obedience.
To conclud this verse seeing god sanctifieth his church and children, and will surely sanctifie them that he may be praised by them, hence doth arise matter of consolation & thankfullnes.
1 Of consolation thus; if we be cast downe with the cō sideration of sinne committed and raigning in vs, so as that, though we pray and heare, & read, and partake in the sacraments, and discipline our own soules, and watch our hart & sences with all diligēce, yet we cannot obtaine cōquest ouer our sins, thē we may haue recourse vnto the Lord, & cō fort our selues with cōsideration of his holines; that though [Page 76]we cannot ouermaster our own corruption, yet the Lord can and will in due time, for holines appertaineth to the Lord.
2 Of thankfulnes thus: therefore doth the Lord deliuer vs from the bondage of our spirituall enemies therefore doth he redeeme, purge, and sanctifie his Church that he might be glorified by his Church; so doth the prophet reason psal. 103. v. 1.2.3.4. & so doth Zachary. Luk. 1.74.
V. 4. Our fathers trusted in thee, they called vpon thee, and were deliuered and not confounded.God is immutable and vnchangeable in his loue and he remaineth as firme in his faith to the Church as euer he was: for he keepeth his fidelitie for euer and with him there is no variablenes, nor shadowe of change; and seeing therefore the fathers in the old testament [Page 77]were deliuered through the mercy and truth of God through the promised messias, now also the posteritie, & namly Christ himselfe the promised seed must needs also be deliuered from perishing.
From this place then we learne diuers instructions.
First that Christ was the lāb slain frō the beginning of the world. Apoc. 13.8. and he by his blood purged the sinnes of the former testament: Heb 9.15. and therfore howsoeuer the Papists teach and deliuer that there was Limbus Patrum, a certain skirt of hell, where the fathers were reserued vntill Christ had ouercome death, & opened heauē, yet we may confidently beleeue, and constantly auouch by this consideration that there was no [Page 78]such thing, for seeing the fathers trusted in God and called vpon him, they were therefore deliuered, and not confounded, as the text saith: but if they were in Limbo, they were confounded and not deliuered: for there as the Papists dreame is paena damni, though not paena sensus, it is a dungeon of darknes, and a pit that wil hold no water, as they will needs haue it.
V. 4. Our fathers trusted in thee and were deliuered.Secondly: that by analogie and proportion the efficacie of Christs death also, must be stretcht to the worlds end, as wel as to the world of beginning. For as the Apostle saith, Psal. 110. out of the Prophet, Christ is a priest for euer, after the order of Melchizedech, as well as he was a lamb slaine from the beginning of the [Page 79]world: & as his blood serued for the purgation of the sins of the former testamēt which liued before Christ was slain, so also it serueth for the clensing of the Church which nowe standeth vp after his death: for it is meere blasphemie to include the vertue of Christs sacrifice within the compasse of a fewe houres wherin he suffered his passiō: whence another popish opiniō hath the neck brokē also, which is, that there needeth a daiely sacrificing of Christ in the masse after an vnbloodie manner, which is as doltish a distinctiō as that other of a sacrifice applicatorie and not propitiatorie: for so farre forth as the Eucharist applieth, it is a Sacrament and not a sacrifice: and so farre [Page 80]forth as the sacrifice is vnbloodie it is Eucharisticall, and not propitiatory: for without blood there is no propitiation.
Thirdly. Faithfull praier is neuer disappointed but alwaies obtaineth, V 5. They called vpon thee and were delivered. as Christ saith, Mat. 7.7. Aske and yee shall receiue, but we must aske in faith: for otherwise though we aske we shall not receiue, because we aske amisse, as Iames saith. Therfore faith is the necessarie conditiō of obtaining: and so of true praier: but faith is grounded vpon Gods word which is his will: and Gods word and will is, that we aske nothing contrary to his glory, the good of the church, or our own soules health; for when we aske any thing derogating from gods [Page 81]glorie, our prayers are so many blasphemies: and when we desire any thing hindring the saluation of our owne soules, or the Churches good, we curse our selues & the church: Wherefore we must alwaies remember to examine our petitions by gods word, that finding them agreeable thereto, we may be bold to present thē before God; finding them otherwise, we may learne to denie our selues, our wits and wils, and all we haue, and so cast down our selues at Gods feete, & say as Christ said, Thy will be done and not mine: thus if we doe in praier, we shall obtaine what we aske, as Christ also did when he praied that praier: Hebr. 5.7.
Lastly, V. 4. Our father, &c. it is profitable for vs to obserue the dealing of [Page 82]God with his children in time past: and from thence to gather hope to our selues: for seeing God is as able, mercifull, and true, as euer he was, therefore we may assure our selues of helpe from god in time of neede beeing Gods seruants, as well as our forefathers: remembring alwaies the Apostles rule. Rom. 15.4. that we may haue hope; But that we may obtaine hope, we must haue the consolation of the examples of Gods goodnesse reuealed in the scriptures to his children, and especially to Christ the head of the church, as that place importeth, and further also we must haue patience, that whē we haue done the will of God we may obtaine the promise. Heb. 10.36.
But I am a woman and not a man: a shame of men and the contempt of the people.
All that see me haue me in derision: they make a mowe, and nod the head: saying.
Hee trusted in the Lord, let him deliuer him: let him saue him seeing he loueth him.
The prophet Dauid was either annointed or crowned king without question when this psalme was penned, and yet we se he was thus shamfully abused by wicked men; Christ himselfe the most holy and righteous man and the most excellent and worthie persō that euer the earth caried, yet we se is exposed to the contumelious mocks of wretched mē; For this is the portiō [Page 84]of Gods children (as it was one part of Christs sufferings) to be dishonoured, contemned, and derided: the historie of the Gospell is plentifull in this point, they dishonor him in charging him with blasphemie, with breach of the Sabbath, with surfetting and drunkennesse, with Samaritanisme, which is to cast out deuils by the deuill, &c. when he was condemned to die they mocke him, attiring him despitefully as a king, with a crowne of thornes, with a garment of purple, with a scepter of a reede: as if he had beene a king amongest fooles, boyes, or Pigmies: they buffet him, they spit vpō him, they smite him, whip him, and in summe, they mocke at his kingdome and [Page 85]propheticall office: this befell Christ the head of the church, the master of the house: and shall his mēbers or hou-shold seruants thinke to escape? it is enough for the seruant to be as his master is: and the foote must not thinke to escape the piercing with nailes, when the head was crowned and wounded with thornes.
Now the reason why Christ was thus content to be abased was, that he might deliuer vs from eternall shame and confusion, which is the due desert of sinne: and to sanctifie the euill name and slaunder, which we sustaine now for his sake, and for our owne good, that though an euill name be euill, and a curse, yet the Lord hath by his reproach taken away the malignitie of reproch [Page 86]and slaunder from vs: yet he hath left shame for vs still to sustaine, that we might fulfill the remnant of the afflictions: he hath drunke the full cup, and we must pledge him in the bottome of the cuppe: we must therefore learne to deny our selues, and namely (as this argument implieth) our good name and fame: not that a mā may not by al good meanes preserue his good name, but that a man be not too popular without measure and by vnlawfull meanes to seeke a good name, many mē beeing too greedie (as Aesops dogge) catch at the shadowe and loose the substance, while they seeke fame and report, they leese a good name: for he that immoderately and vnlawefully seeketh [Page 87]to get and keepe his credit with all sorts of persons, shall get a fame from the wicked, which is but the shaddowe, and leese a good name from the godly, which is the substance. A good name is the reward of humilitie and the feare of God: Prou. 22.4. and God will honour them that honour him: 1. Sam. 2.3. And by faith we shall obtaine a good report as the Elders did, Hebr. 11.2. By such meanes we may seeke to get a good name, which will be a good ointment to the children of god refreshing them with comfort of a godly life, Eccles. 7.1. But if any of Gods children are too curious of their credit, and too much addicted to be popular, [Page 88]the Lord will really teach the to denie themselues in this point, and by causing wicked men to slaunder them, will teach them by a reall sermon that which by the word and instruction they cannot learn: which is to forsake their credit for Christs sake, as Christ did forsake his owne excellencie, and deiected himselfe to the greatest indignities that a man could suffer, for our sakes: in so much as the scripture saith, he did annihilate himselfe, that is, he was content to be in no account; that we might be pretiously esteemed.
[...] and nod the head.The wrying of the mouth, and nodding the head are vnciuill, foolish, and despitefull gestates, such as ciuil, discreet, and moderate men would [Page 89]haue beene ashamed to vse: but if malice haue got the bridle in the necke, howe will not wicked men transgresse the lawe of ciuill and courteous behauiour? yea the fence of nature and humanitie they will trample flat to the groūd, as if they lost both ciuilitie and manhood: which point may further appeare in the mocking speeches which they vtter against Christ now hanging vpon the crosse: Let him deliuer him, &c. which mocking gestures and speeches shewe more then barbarous despight, and brulish malice: for a person that is condemned to die, yea nowe in execution is pittied and praied for by all the beholdders, yea euen the hearts of Adamant then will soften to here a man in extremitie of [Page 90]paine readie to die, yet then these monsters of men and nature are neuer a whit asswaged towards him, but reioyce then at his woe, and scoffe at his fall: saying: God hath forsaken him, he loueth him not, he neuer did trust in god, as he pretended: for then surely God would not suffer him to perish, but would deliuer him: or if he himselfe were a sauiour he would saue himselfe and others and come downe from the crosse, that we might know him to be the sauiour and beleeue in him: but we are to know these things are otherwise, for God may loue a man, and a man may trust in God, and yet still continue in affliction: so we se the martyrs die for Christ and periss;h in regard of the [Page 91]outward man, & that the loue God, and God loueth thē stil: and so was it with Christ a which may serue to mussel the mouths of the wicked worldlings, that presently think gods children, forsaken of god, and that they are naughty persons because they sustain the crosse & sometime fall vnder it: nay cōtrariwise they should thinke it a signe of Gods hatred not to be vnder the crosse as it fareth with many wicked men, that thus the Lord fatteth thē for the day of slaughter.
Vers 9 & 10 But thou didst draw me out: of the womb: thou gauest me hope as my mothers breast.
I was cast vpon thee euē from the womb: thou art my god from my mothers belly.
Howsoeuer these murderers [...] of Chirst [...] [Page 92]with him that he assureth himselfe of Gods fauour and mercifull protection still, seeing that he had so graciously preserued him, euen from the birth, the womb, and the conception: For God did by an especial prouidence watch ouer Christ in all ages and times of his life, yea euen at his conception, when he was to be framed in his mothers womb: which thing may a litle be considered of in this manner following.
The Lord preserued Christ in his conception from the contagion of sinne, he beeing framed of the substance of the virgin by the power or the holy ghost without the helpe of m [...]n, by reason whereof the course of originall sinne was stayed which is deriued to vs [Page 93]in generation: wherefore in this sēce Christ had no father.
In [...]his birth also hee was preserued by the speciall prouidence of God, that he perished not, though hee was borne in the stable and laid in the cratch, and wanted the other ordinary helpes which women in such cases haue for their childe at there natiuite: for it is probable they wanted a fire, the stable beeing no fit place for that purpose, besides the vnhealthsome sauor of the stable &c.
In [...]his education and nourishing, he was kept from the conspiracy of Herod that sought his life, when his mother fled into Egipt to saue his life: also when the innocents were slayne: when he was lost by his parents and found againe [Page 94]disputing with the doctors in the temple. In [...]his life when he was called forth to the execution of the mediatorship after his baptisme, he was preserud from many conspiraces of the high priest and the pharises, and the rulers of the people, who sought to haue slayne him, but he was preserued by the Lords prouidēce till the appointed time.
Wherefore seeing god had watched ouer him all his daies hitherto hee nowe fully assureth himselfe of Gods protection and assistance at this brunt also.
And as this is true in Christ the head so also after a certaine manner is it true in his members, all the children of God, ouer whome the Lord watcheth by his [Page 95]gracious preseruation, and that in there conception Iob. 10.10.11. and Psal. 139.13.14.15.16. which two places beeing viewed doe largely expresse this point: as also in there whole life: Psal. 121. toto. Which may serue to comfort the poore members of Christ, that peraduenture might think by reason of there base respect themselues vnworthy to be regarded by God, seeing the world so litle regard them; surely they are to knowe that he hath nombred there bones, and all there mē bers are written in his booke, yea he knoweth the nomber of the heares of their head: & therefore in this regard they may be comforted: Lazarus was poore and yet the Lords angels ministred to him. lu. 16
Lastly from the force of the argument, vsed here to confirme the faith of the prophet in assurance of future mercy grounded vpon former experience thereof we are admonished to crōicle & record vp, and as it were hang vpon the file, all the fauour of Gods mercy vouchsafed vs, that from thence in time of need, we may gather faith & comfort: for our faith is weak, and a litle thing will not comfort vs in extremitie, we had need therefore to write a booke of remembrance of all the former experience of Gods mercy thereby to support our infirmity: so Dauid did when he was animated to encounter with Goliah.
The request or petiton of the Prophet propounded.
Be not farre from me, because trouble is neere, and there is none to helpe. &c.
Out of this verse two things may be gathered: first that a Godly man may be troubled and helples: as was Christ, & the prophet in this place. All Christs apostles forsoke him, euen Peter that professed the contrary, and at the first seemed more forward then the rest by fighting for him: yea & Iohn whome Christ loued came away without his coate where Christ was apprehended: The Apostle Paul. 2. Tim. 4.16 saith that when he [Page 98]was to appeare before Caesar all men forsooke him: for indeede there be very few or none to be found that dare and will stand out boldlie to helpe in time of neede, that dare cherish a man that is persecuted for the truth: although they wish the cause and the person well, yet they dare not be seen throughly in the matter, but then Christ shal shift for himselfe, if his life be once called in question: now therefore if we se gods children thus afflicted and helpeles, condemne them not, conclude not there vpon that they are naught, for the deare children of God, yea Christ himselfe was afflicted and desolate that that is helplesse.
Secondly heare note we, that though the world offoard [Page 99]no helpe to Gods childrens though all forsake them, yet the Lord will not forsake them: so saith the Apostle, 2. Timoth. 4.17. So saith Christ, Ioh. 16.32. though Christ were alone and desolate in regarde of mans helpe and comfort, yet he was not alone, but the father was with him, and though Paul was helpelesse when he appeared before Nero the Emperour, yet God deliuered him out of the Lyons mouth; for God wil either deliuer, or giue strength and patience to beare the affliction: which is matter of consolation: this the three children knew right wel, Dan. 3.17, 18▪ which were threatned with the fierie furnace, which [Page 100]ministred comfort to them in deadly danger: with this the Prophet encouraged himselfe. Psal. 23. To walke fearlesly through the valley of the shaddowe of death, considering Gods presence with him.
The affliction that immediately seazed vpon Christs soule.
Vers. 12, 13, 14, 15. 12. Many Bulls haue compassed me, mightie buls of Bashā haue closed me about.
13. They gape vpon me with their mouthes, as a ramping and roaring lyon.
14. I am like water powred out, and all my bones are dissolued: mine heart is like waxe, it is molten in the middes of my bowels.
15. My strength is dried [Page 101]vp like a potsheard, and my tongue cleaueth to my lawes, & thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
The Apostle Peter: 1. Pet. 5.8. calleth the deuill a roaring lyon, who goeth about continually seeking whome he may deuour: and in this place the Prophet saith, that his enemies gaped vpon him like a ramping and roaring lyon: whence probably may bee coniectured (the two properties of a lyon fitting so wel togither both here in the Prophet, and also in the Apostle) that the enemies that now afflicted Christ were, the deuill and his angels.
1. Pet. 5.8. [...].
Psal. 22.13. arich—shoag—toreph.
Wherefore we will take it as graunted, that in this place the Prophet foretelleth the sufferings that directly and properly and primarily befell Christs soule: which may further be prooued by the strange effects which the prophet rehearseth, vers. 14.15. that followed his affliction: as the dissolution of al the faculties of the soule, or the intermitting their functions, which the compassing and inclosure and gaping of his enemies, could not worke in him: & againe whereas in the v. 21. he desireth to be deliuered from the lyons mouth, how can this be expounded but of the power of Gods wrath, nowe vrged & enforced by the deuill against him: in regard whereof he desireth to be deliuered: [Page 103]all these things compared togither carie me easily to think that here the affliction proper to Christs soule is expressed. Therefore the might, malice, and mischeife of the deuils are here to be considered, who in this place are called mightie Bulls, and a raping & roaring lyon, there being one deuil the cheife, and the rest consenting and conspiring with him.
The power of the deuils appeares in this, that they are angels, and although through their fall they haue lost grace and glory, yet their other qualities which the Lord endowed them with in their creation remaine: as namely their strength: now the strength of an angell is wonderfull great (though not infinite:) as may appeare, in that the [Page 104]angel ouerthrewe in the hoast of the Assyrians in one night, an hundreth foure score and fiue thousand, Esay, 37.36. Also in the time of Dauid seauentie thousand in three daies, 2. Sam. 24.15. And in Egypt euill angels destroyed all the first borne of Egypt. Psal. 78.49.50.51. And as it may seeme in a peece of a night: yea surely it is likely, that if God should permit, the deuils were able to destroy all the men, and all the creatures in the world, and mingle heauen and earth togither.
The malice of the deuill is as great if not greater then his power, which may appeare in two particulars: first in that he setteth himselfe against God and Christ, whereas he [Page 105]knoweth he getteth nothing by it, but vengeance. Secondly in opposing against the Church of God, and his seruants: whereas he knoweth he cannot hurt them, nay rather he doeth them good: he afflicted Iob, and yet he knewe Iob by Gods own commendation to be Gods seruant: he tempted Christ, whome hee knewe to be the Messias and Sauiour of mankind.
The mischeife of the deuill also is a great, as it proceedeth from him, and as it seazeth vpon some persons: he brought Christ to death, Iob to beggerie: he worketh mischeiuously by the witch to destroy the goods and children of men both good and baddes he bringeth men into sinne and keepeth them in it, [Page 106]and so worketh their destruction and damnation, which is the greatest part of his mischeife, howsoeuer it is not so easily obserued.
As the deuil is thus mightie, malitious, and mischeiuous, so vndoubtedly he bestird himselfe with all his skil to afflict Christ, and he euen to the vtmost he could doe, no doubt wrecked himself vpon Christ, to spoile him if it had bin possible: & so doth he and wil do to all gods children: yea he carying an vniuersall hatred to mākind & al Gods creatures, will worke what villanie he can vpon them: he carried the swine headlong into the sea: he caused the man that was possessed to beat himself with stones, &c. Here therefore we see the goodnesse of God towards [Page 107]vs, & toward mankind in generall, who represseth & bridleth the deuill, and chaineth him so as he cannot doe what he list: for thē we should not keep our cattel from his hands, nor money in our purses, nor any of our goods for our vse: nay our bodies should be sure to be tormēted strāgely, and worse then that, if god should lay the raines in his necke: all men therefore good and bad are to consider Gods goodnesse towardes them thus farre forth, that they are moderately preserued by him in their outward estates from the deuils tyrannie.
It may be demanded how farre forth the deuill could and nowe did preuaile against Christ in this place: They comp [...], inclose, and gape vpon me. [Page 108]or whether the deuils were the executioners of Gods wrath, now vpon our Sauiour Christ: whereto answer may be made thus; First it seemeth that the inflicting of Gods wrath vpon the creature is Gods worke onely, and there is no creature that can poure Gods wrath vpon another; for the wrath of God beeing the curse of the lawe to be inflicted vpon the transgressors of the law, for the breach of the lawe, whereby Gods iustice is violated, and this curse, or this wrath of God beeing the effects of his iustice, it is not conuenient to assigne the execution thereof to the deuill. For the deuil being himselfe subiect to, and tormented with the sense and feeling thereof, and there being [Page 109]no superiour power to torment the deuill, but God, he himselfe must needs be the executioner of the deuils: and there beeing a kind of infinitnesse in Gods wrath, so at the deuill thereby is ouerwhelmed, howe shall it be said with reason, that he that is very vnable to sustaine it, should inflict it, he that cannot beare it himselfe should lay it vpon others? and as he that is hanged cannot be hangman; no more can the deuill that is tormented with Gods wrath, torment others therewithall. Therefore the Lord with his owne hand doeth immediately inflict his wrath vpon the creature, whether men or Angels: and as God had the helpe of no creature in the creation, [Page 110]redemption, iustification, sanctification, and saluation of the Church, no more hath he any helpe in the damnation of any creature.
Wherefore the deuils were not Gods instrumēts of powring his wrath vpon Christ, and yet Christ suffered immediately from the deuils, as it is here recorded, for they tempt him, and terrifie him, they compasse him about, and inclose him with temptation, they gape vpon him with their mouthes as readie to deuoure him and teare him in peeces, that is, they vrge and enforce the wrath of God with all possible argument and reason, aggrauating it to the vtmost of their skill. And it is euidēt that they [Page 111]tempted Christ, and no doubt Christ could not sustaine the vrging of the temptation without some sorrowe and griefe and vexation of heart, as euery godly man hath experience, when he resisteth a temptation: for conclusion of this point, the deuils did not execute Gods wrath vpon Christ, but the deuils did tēpt and terrifie Christ otherwise.
I am like water powred out, my bones dissolued, &c.The effects that followed vpō the torture which Christ sustained, proueth the strāgenesse and extraordinarinesse thereof, to omitte the effects which are set downe in the story of the gospel, whēce should the dissoluing of the facultie of sense and motion proceeded in so much as that the bones beeing vntied [Page 112]were seuered each from other? surely euen as Baltashar when he saw the hand writing had his ioynts, through the feeling of some diuine power that in iustice smote him for his sinnes, loosed, so as his knees beate together, the animall facultie for a season beeing suspended, euen so was it in Christ. Againe whence came the melting of the heart like waxe, the drying vp of the strength like a potsheard, but from the intollerable heat of Gods firie wrath which nowe pearced our sauiour Christ, and consumed him as the fire that came downe frō heauen consumed the sacrifice into ashes: which was a tipe of this fire which thus dryed and scorched our Sauiour Christ and melted his [Page 113]heart, as waxe melteth at the sunne: How came it to passe that Christs tongue claue to his Iawes? My tongue cleaueth to my Iawes. was it immoderate drought that caused it? but then it should haue bene said: to the palate: but the prophet saith to the lawes: according to the latine phrase vox faucibus haeret, Christ was not able to speake, but his words were halfe words, words sounding a farre of, faintly, his tongue faultred as it were in speaking it may be that Christ was drie but that drought signified in the Gospell when they gaue him viniger mingled with gal should haue beene mentioned in the 16. verse in due place when he suffered vpon the crosse, and not here where the effects of an other torture are repeated, namely of that [Page 114]which imediately affected his soule, as hath beene said; surely in all likelihood of reason some extraordinary tortures are here implyed which produce so strang effects, and make such deepe impressions in al the faculties of the soule, animall, vitall, naturall, reareasonable: whereby the parts of the body seruiceable to the soule for the execution of her faculties are forsaken.
The vse of this doctrine is to teach vs carefully to auoid sinne which wrought such strange affectes in Christ satisfying for sinne, beeing god also: alas how shall wee vild wretches be able another day if it fall to our Lott for our sinnes to sustaine the least hellish torment? it is no maruaile though the rich glutton in hel [Page 115]crie out of his tong, & though Baltashars knees knocke to gether, though Iudas hanged himselfe, and Cayn blasphemed, and Saull fell vpon his sword, seeing there are such intollerable effectes followe the warth of God euen in the sonne of God himselfe as are here mentioned. Thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
Here the prophet turneth his speech vnto the Lord: & whereas before he had made a narration of the might mallice and mischeefe of his enemies how they had afflicted him, by terour and temptation, and how straungelie this affliction tortured him, that it caused the faculties of the soule to intermit there functions in there proper parts of the bodie, now he maketh an apostrophe as it were [Page 116]vnto the Lord, and telleth him, that it was he that had brought him to his death, for though his estate nowe was in all likelihood of reason irrecouerable and remedilesse, beeing spilt like water vpon the ground, which cannot be gathered vp againe, yet all this sorrowe did not kill him, but he changeth his speech, and saith: thou hast brought me into the dust of death: whēce two things may be obserued: the one is, that God had a stroak in the death of Christ, not onely by permitting the Iewes to kill him, which shall be handled afterward in the 16. and 17. verses, but by pouring his wrath vpon him, which hastened his death the sooner, in so much as the historie in the gospell saith, [Page 117]he was dead sooner then the theeues who died the same death with him, as is likely: which hastie death of Christs was caused no doubt by some inwarde cause, which was Gods wrath, that had wrought the former strange effectes in Christ: that it may be properly said that God killed Christ rather then the Iewes, though the Iewes also tortured his bodie, so as that in time he should haue died. The other thing that we note here is, that all the might, malice, and mischeife of the deuills, and the Iewes which was exprest in the torturing and tormenting of Christ, could not haue killed Christ, except God had killed him. For Christ beeing God, could if it had pleased [Page 118]him, and if the decree of god had not beene otherwise, haue retained his spirit, cured his wound, or destroyed his enemies that they should not haue beene able to wound him: in regard whereof hee saith. Ioh. 10.18. that he had power to lay downe his life and to take it vp againe, and that his life was not wrested out of his hand but seeing God had decreed it otherwise therefore Christ must needes die, and yet the principall crucifier of Christ (that I may so speake generally) was God himselfe, who besides that he vsed the Iewes, and the Deuills as his instruments to murder Christ yet he retayneth in his owne handes one soueraigne torture, the most fearefull wrath of God to bee inflicted vpon [Page 119]Christ our surety, in regard whereof the propet saith of Christ, thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
Summarily (to ende the torments which immediatly tortured Christs soule) wee may here obserue that Christ was thus afflicted as is rehearsed alreadie, both willingly, and necessarily: willingly in that he suffered the Deuills thus to assault him with terour and temptation: necessarily in that God had a hand in killing him, and bringing him to the graue which is deaths dust: and indeed Christ did willingly and yet necessarily suffer all that hee suffered: hence then two consequents followe immediately.
1 Christ infinite loue that was content and willing to suffer such hardship for vs wretched caitifes: and.
2 That no lesse then that which Christ suffered was sufficient for our redemption & reconcilation to God, seeing that he suffered all that he suffered necessarily: for if it bee supposed that the least suffering of Christ had beene enough to haue appeased God towards vs, then it is superfluous and vnnecessary that Christ should come into the dust of death: should haue such straung effectes in his bodie before his death; should be subiect to the terour and temptations of the deuil: to the woundes and stripes of the Iewes: but because it was necessary that [Page 121]Christ should suffer all these things and so enter into his glorie, therefore the least suffering of Christ was not sufficient. This also might call into question the lawe of God to his beloued sonne in that hee would bring him to the dust of death, if it were not necessary: and if it were necessarie that Christ should die & that by Gods owne hand (rather and more then by the Iewes woundes, and the Deuills worke) as is here noted, I would knowe what that hand of God was, if it was not the wrath of God working the former straung effectes in Christs bodie: and if Christ must of necessity die, why must he not of necessitie suffer Gods wrath properly? shall we say Gods loue would [Page 122]not suffer that? But Gods Iustice did require it: and Gods loue would suffer him to die: but necessitie vrged a despensation? What necessity I pray you? euen this perhaps that if Gods wrath had seazed vpon Christ, hee would haue bene forsaken of God: why? he was forsaken of God Psal. 22.1. all comfort was secluded from him, and yet all grace was present with him: but it was impossible that Christ should suffer gods wrath? wherefore impossible? because he was God? therefore also it was impossible that he should die, but possibility admitted his death: and why not Gods wrath? for neither the Godhead died nor suffered Gods wrath, but the manhood only and the hypostaticall [Page 123]vnion was neuer dissolued & there is no daunger of fearing any absurdity to ensue vpon the suffering of Gods wrath rather then vpon the suffering of death: for despaire, want of faith, loue, &c. are not to be feared.
The affliction that immediately seazed vpon Christs bodie.
V. 16.17, 18. 16. For dogges haue compassed me; and the assembly of the wicked haue inclosed me, they pearced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones, yet they behold and looke vpon me.
18 They part my garments among them and cast lottes vpon my vesture &c.
These words containe that affliction which directly and immediately was inflicted vpon [Page 124]Christs bodie, which no doubt pierced the sensitiue part of the soule, which was inherent in the parts of the bodie wounded, for we see woundes in the parts of the bodie are sensible, and so very grieuous: the reason is; for that the obiect and the instrument of sense are ioined togither without a medium, whereas there ought to be a competent distance, and a cō uenient medium, which is called Cuticula.
Here in the first place the persons inflicting these bodily torments vpon Christ, are to be considered, who are called dogges, whereas the deuils in the former part of Christs torments were compared to Buls and Lyons: & the comparison hath in it excellent [Page 125]conueniencie & proportion, for as it is an easier matter to encounter a dog, then a mightie madde Bull, & a lyon, so the conflict which Christ had with the wicked, which were but a company of curre dogges, was nothing in comparison of the combate he had with the deuill and his angels, whose malice, might, and mischeife against Christ surpassed the villanie of the Iewes, as farre as the lyon rampeth and roareth more cruelly then the dogge barketh: and yet Christ suffered more then that also, which was the cōplemēt of al misery.
The wicked in the Scripture are compared to dogges in respect of two properties which dogges haue, wherein wicked men are answerable to [Page 126]them: the one is churlishnes the other is filthines: for the dogge will snarle at him that beateth him for his fault, yea though he be his master, Mat. 7.6. and he will also turne againe and eate the carrion which he hath vomited, 2. Pet. 2.22. which noteth out vnto vs two sorts of wicked men: one is open persecutors that reuile and persecute them that smite them with holesom reproofes, when they are faultie: another is temporizing hypocrites, that hauing made a shewe of godlinesse, as if they had vomited sinne out of their soules, yet at length returne again, & take vp their former sinnes, which only for a time in hypocrisie they forsooke.
Further this place warranteth (and innumerable more) [Page 127]that the assemble of wicked men that are temporizers or persecutors may lawefully be called dogges, or a kennell of hounds: men now a daies that serue times, and persecute the church take it in dudgin (as we say) that they shuld be called dogs, or swine, or lyons, or beares, &c. & yet they haue all the properties of these brutish creatures, as if bruite beastes were metamorphized & chā ged into men, as the heathen haue allegorized: of such persons. I would demād this question; whether is worse to be a dog, or to be called a dog? may not a man call a dog a dogge? Wherfore if such mē be dogs, I knowe no reason but they may be so called, especially the h. ghost going before, whose example is our instruction in the same case: either therefore [Page 128]lett such men cease to bee dogges, or if they still continue dogges let them be called dogges.
Againe some take the prick whē they are not prickt at all in the ministers intentiō-althogh they are prickt in the Lords disposition: for sometime the minister intendeth in his ministerie that which neuer pearceth: & sometime God causeth that to pearce in his ministerie that which hee neuer intendeth, yet it may be knowne that Pauls planting, and Apollos watring is nothing except God giue increase: There are men called by the names of beasts, as lyon, fox, hart, hare, hound, or so forth, and these men are some good some bad, as our owne experience may informe [Page 129]vs well enough: nowe sometime it falleth out that the minister in his ministerie is occasioned by the scripture to vnfold the euill properties of wicked men in regard whereof they are cōpared to beasts as the lyons properties are prid and crueltie, the foxes craft and subteltie, the hearts fearefullnes, &c. and it may fall out that some wicked man called lyon hath the lions prid and cruelty, some wicked man called fox hath the foxes craft and subteltie &c. now if these men take themselues either named or aymed at in the ministerie, where as it may be the minister neuer dreameth thereof; or if the minister intend such a thing, whence should a man say this proceedeth? without doubt either [Page 130]grosse folly, or an accusing conscience, or meere mallice, or brutish ignorāce bring mē into these surmises: howsoeuer it be gods word, it is a sharpe two edged sword; & the minister by gods prouidēce, which to him perhaps is chance medley, sometime shal woūd him whome he neuer aimed at, or harden him, whome he neuer thought of: for the word of God is both a sauour of life & of death to seueral sorts of persons. These are the persōs that afflicted Christ, let vs further consider what afflictions befel him: they crucifie him, & mock him, they strip him naked, and dispoile him of his garments: all which are so many sufferings of Christ for our good: he was crucified, & suffered the most accursed death of the crosse, to deliuer vs frō [Page 131]the curse of the law, Gal. 3.13, he was mockt to make vs honourable, he was robbed to make vs rich, & was stript naked to couer our nakednes: al these benefits we haue frō all Christs sufferings, though not each of them seuerally frō the like suffering in Christ, howsoeuer allegorically thus applied.
They pierced my hands and my feet, I may tell all my bones.But one thing especially is here to be considered concerning the crucifying of Christ, in what sense Christ beeing vpon the tree, & there put to death, was accursed: for expositiō wherof, we are to know, that to die vpon a tree is not a thing indeede accursed, either in nature or ciuill constitutiō, or of it selfe. Nature doth not teach vs, that to hang vpon a tree is a thing accursed, more thē to be thrust through with [Page 132]a sword, or to be prest to death, or to be burnt, or so forth.
Againe no positiue or ciuill lawes of any nation vnder heauen haue accursed those persons that haue beene hanged vpon a tree vntill their bodies haue died, indeed the death is something more base and vilde then some other kind of death is, in reputation among some persons, whence in our nation it seemeth that noble men haue some priuiledge that way, that they die not as other sorts of persons die. And lastly, the death of the tree hath no curse in it selfe: we reade of diuers men that were godly men that died vpon the tree; as the penitentiarie that died with Christ, & Christ himselfe also: and experience [Page 133]teacheth vs that eeuery yeare: for many men betwixt their condemnation and execution haue beene deepely humbled for there sinnes, and so haue died the true seruants of God: where fore the death of the crosse (which Christ suffered) was not thus accursed: how then was it accursed? surely by the iudiciall and ceremoniall lawe of Moses and not otherwise: that lawe which Moses gaue from God the lawgiuer of the Iewes Deut 21.23. conteyneth a prohibition with a reason annexed thereto: The prohibition is in these words: Thou shalt not suffer his bodie that is hanged vpon the tree to remaine all night vpon the tree: and this prohibition is a meare Iudiciall law of Moses [Page 134]the which the people of the Iewes onely, were bound to obserue; which lawe if the people of the Iewes had violated, they sinned so against God, that the land was defiled with the sinne, Deut. 21.23. The reason of that prohibition is in these words: For the curse of God is on him that is hanged: and this reason is a meere ceremoniall lawe: (for it hath bin prooued, that neither by the lawe of nature, by ciuill or positiue lawe, or of it selfe, to be hanged vpon a tree is accursed;) it is therefore a meere ceremonie: but we know that Christ is the substance of euery ceremonie: wherefore the Lord foreseeing that Christ should die vpon a tree, & vpō the tree suffer the curse [Page 135]of the lawe due vnto our sins, as our suretie: therefore he typically figured out this curse in the death of malefactours amōg the people of the Iews, that were hāged vpō the tree: so that euery malefactor that was hāged amōg the Iews, was a type of Christ, and therfore was accursed: not really (for it is want of charitie to think so) but ceremonially and typically, represēting vnto vs Christ, who was truely and really accursed for vs: in that he sustained gods wrath which is the curse of the lawe, which we should haue sustained: wherefore seeing Christ was really accursed as hath beene prooued by this discourse, therfore he vndoubtedly suffered gods wrath which is the curse. Yet they behold & looke vpon me.
Whē they had nailed Christ [Page 136]to the crosse and wrackt his ioynts so as that his bones might bee numbered they heape vpon him all other indignities they can: and therefore first they behold & look vpon him: alas it was a pitifull fight for one that had any manhood in him, to see a man nayled hands and feete with great nailes (as they must needes be seeing the hebrue word signifieth such a pearcing, as was more like diggig: or such a pearcing as a lyon maketh with his clawes); to see the blood issue abounly out of the woundes; to see his bodie strecht so as that one ioynt was seuered from an other which is an extreame torture, for a bodily torment; and yet they behold and look vpon him without any pitty [Page 137]at all; nay they mock and derid him as appeareth plaine in the historie of the Gospell, & when he would haue had a litle drinke to asswage his thirst, they gaue him viniger mingled with gaul to increase his thirst the more, gaull beeing a thing biter of it selfe; all these shamefull outragies they offered to Christ nowe in dying; whence we may cō sider; not only the barbarous crueltie of these persons, but further the nature and property of him which is to grow one from degree to degree, till it come to an heigth and a fearefull excesse; these persons first contemned Christ a doctrine, depraued his life, cō sented to his death, now most cruelly murder him, and yet that doth not satisfie them, [Page 138]but they mock at him in the middest of his misery: & will not affoard him any ease at al: It is good to gainstand sinne at the first, least if it get groūd of vs at length it conquer and subdue vs: for the Lord sometime accustometh to punish one sinne with another, and when men will not preuent small sinnes, they shall bee plunged into a sea of fearefull impietie: as the Gentiles because when they knewe God they did not glorifie him as God, fell to Idolatrie and after that to sinne against nature: and they in the seate of Antichrist because they receiued not the loue of the truth, therefore are giuen ouer to strang delusions to beleeue lies that they might bee damned. Rom. 3.2. Thes. 2. [Page 139]when they had thus shamefully handled Christ, They part my garments and cast lottes one my vesture. they proceede to the deuiding of his garments (for they stript him of his cloathes when they crucified him) and here wee may obserue diuers points worth our noting: for what should be the reason that the holy Ghost should thus carefully expresse this practise of the souldiers in deuiding his garments & casting lottes for his vesture? no doubt this is some speciall matter euen in this their practise, especially seeing the Euāgelist also testify the same thing to be done by the soldiers: some allegory the matter after this manner: the garmēts of Christ (say they) are the scriptures: the vesture of Christ is his Church, the souldiers are heretiques: [Page 140]For although the heretiques rend the scriptures with false exposition &c. yet they cannot dissolue the vnitie of the Church with there errours: This doctrine is true, but it is not intended in this place. It is a meere folly and dotage thus to abuse the scriptures, though the allegorie be neuer so wittie. But we are to knowe that one reason why the Euangelistes expresse these things is for the verifying of the prophecy: that the euent might declare the truth of the prophecy: other profitable considerations may hence be raised.
1 The souldiers deale as theeues which haue gotten a bootie: they make no conscience of robbing a man & yet they make a scruple in deuiding [Page 141]the spoile: the soldiers make no bones to kill Christ, and rob him of his garments, yet they are curious in the deuiding his apparrell amongst them: for it is a right propertie of an hypocrite to swallow a carnell, and to strayne at a gnatt: to tith mint, cummin and annise seed, and to neglect Iudgement, mercy, and faith: the soldiers neuer strayne curtesy to iniury Christ, but they wil not iniury one another.
2 Againe the Holy Ghost seemeth to laie another fault among the soldiers that they cast lottes for trifles, as if men should card and dice for a coate: we neuer read in all the scriptures that lottes were vsed but in waighty matters, and it seemeth to be to take [Page 142]the name of God in vaine, to sport our selues with his immediate prouidence, as lots are.
3 Furthermore (if that bee not assented vnto) yet here is another thing flatly reproueable, that by lottes (as it were cardes and dice) they would compasse parts of their maintenance, getting away from another mā by lott that which before was not theirs or wher to they had no title: for one of the souldiers must needes haue the whole coate (for seeing it was without seame they would not cut it) and so the other three soldiers lost their parts and he that gott the coat by lott, was a theefe to the other three: for god hath appointed men to get there goodes by labour and lawfull [Page 143]contractes not by carding and dicing and lotting, as the soldiers doe in this place.
4 Lastly: it seemeth that Christs coate was worth somthing, as also his garments for otherwise the souldiers would not haue regarded thē thus as they doe; and Christ was not so poore and beggerly, as some begging fryers might peraduenture suppose him to be: neither is begging a state of perfection, better then possessing & vsing riches: we read that Paull had a cloake which he left at Troas, & it is like he carried another with him, except we say he borowed one or went in his Ierkin: and though some mens riches are a snare vnto them, yet that is not in their riches, but in their corupt [Page 144]harts which are set vpon their riches: some mans pouertie also is a snare vnto him but that is in the wickednes of his owne heart also rather then in pouertie.
Of the request and petition of the prophet repeated.
19. But be thou farre of O Lord my strength: hasten to helpe me.
20 Deliuer my soule from the sword, my desolate soule frō the power of the dog.
21 Saue me from the Lyons mouth, and answer me in sauing me from the hornes of the vnicornes.
Hitherto the sufferinges of Christ haue beene discussed: nowe it followeth to intreat more largely of the prayer that Christ maketh, the substance [Page 145]whereof is here set downe by the prohet and it accordeth with the prayer which the Euangelist setteth downe Math 26. and Ioh. 12. Let this cup passe from me. &c. saue me from this houre &c. where this question commeth to be scanned: what Christ praied for in this place, and in these two places of the Euangelistes: or what Christ praieth against: for the on of these include the other, and the supplication includeth the deprecation: for solution whereof: It must necessarily be granted that he praieth either against a bodily death, or against Gods wrath; if it be saide, that he praied against a bodily death, then also it must needes be that he prayed either that it should not [Page 146]light vpon him, or that it should not triumph ouer him; that is that the power of death should not hinder him from rising againe, that he should not be held of the sorrowes of death, Act. 2.24.
Againe if it be said that he prayed against Gods wrath, then one of these three things must of necessity be graunted: namely that he prayed.
1 Either that Gods wrath should not light vpon him.
2 Or that it might depart from him beeing alreadie vpon him.
3 Or that it might not swallowe him vp and ouerwhelme him and eternally detayne him, and so cause him either to forfeite, or not to accomplish our redeption.
There beeing thus a sufficient enumeration of parts, let vs proceed further and inquire against which of al these he prayed.
First therefore he prayed not against death that hee migh not tast it: for God had determined that hee should suffer death, and he knewe it very well it beeing figured in the sacrifices of the old law, whereof he was the substance prophecyed by the prophets, signified to the disciples by himselfe. Mat. 16. and to say that he prayed against that, for which he knewe he came into the world were to make him pray against his knowledge, & against the expresse will of God reuealed in the word, which were blasphemous to say of Christ in whose [Page 148]mouth there was found no guile.
Secōdly also he praied not against Gods wrath, so as that it should not light vpon him: for Matth. 20.22. he saith plainely, he must taste of that cuppe: wherefore he did taste it when he praied it might passe from him, Math. 26. & the conditiō which is exprest in this praier argueth so much: for in the place of Mat. 26.42. Christ saith thus, If this cuppe cannot passe from me, but that I must drinke it, thy wil be done: which wordes plainely import thus much: that whereas before the first time he praied this praier, he directly said: let this cup passe from me, adding the conditions: Math. 26.39. There was some opposition betwixt [Page 149]his naturall will and gods wil: nowe the second time he praied, Christs will is wholly submitted and subiected to Gods will, to drinke the cup prepared for him by God: as if Christ had said, Father if it had beene possible, and agreeable to thy will, I could wish that this cuppe of thy fierce wrath might passe away, so as that I might not tast it, but seeing it cannot passe till I haue drunke it. I submit my selfe to thy will. And this praier in the same wordes he vttereth the third time: Math. 26.44. Where the changing of the wordes of the prayer in the verse, 42. is to be carefully noted: which change is retained the third time he praied, v. 44. as if Christ had now vanquished nature by grace; for there [Page 150]was in Christ both nature & grace, and that this second praier was a correcting of the former: not as though his first praier were simply bad, but that nature seemed to carrie a greater sway in the first, then in the secōd, & grace throughly corrected nature in the secōd: other correcting I meane none: wherefore here Christ praied not that Gods wrath might not at al light vpō him.
Thirdly therfore, & for cō clusion, he praied against the other 3. parts of the distribution mentioned before: against the dominion and continuāce of gods wrath, and death. Against the dominion of death and gods wrath he praied vndoubtedly, and that properly as our intercessor, that neither himselfe the head, nor we cō sequētly the members, should [Page 151]be subdued & ouerwhelmed of them: but that himselfe, and we by him might conquer & vanquish them, & triumph ouer them: Heb. 5.7. and so he was heard frō that which he feared. One doubt will here arise, howe Christ could feare the dominion of death & Gods wrath, for then Christ wāted faith, & doubted, which to say were blasphemy: for answer whereof, we must distinguish betwixt feare and doubting. A man may feare that which he assuredly knoweth shall not befall him: Adam in Paradise might feare the wrath of god, and feare his apostacie & falling from God, which was in him a vertue, & yet surely Adā had faith & a perswasiō of gods loue, & assurance to cō tinue in grace, if he would: so likewise Christ might feare [Page 152]least the wrath of God might ouerwhelme him and vs, and yet be fully assured of deliuerance from it: Feare is a naturall affection: and no naturall affection is contrarie to grace, but subordinate to it: and Christ feared these things naturally; and furthermore the word [...], Heb. 5.7. signifieth a fearefull and carefull declining and auoiding some imminent danger, by reason whereof the minde is possessed with a great anxietie and sollicitude, intending it selfe, with all the powers thereof to gainstand the impendent mischeife: and thus Christ feared the dominion of death and gods wrath, and for this purpose praied against it, he beeing carefully and reuerently bufied about the recouery of [Page 153]himselfe, and the redeeming of vs from the power of death and the sorrowes of hell: and because praier is one excellent meanes to furnish a christian captaine against the enemie for obtaining the victorie: therefore Christ prayeth with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death eternall, and was heard from that which he naturally feared, or rather from that, for declining whereof he was reuerently accumbred: nature working in him feare of it, and grace stirring vp praier against it: and there is no absurditie to say, that Christ praied against that which he certainely and fully knewe should neuer befall his Disciples.
And as Christ praied against [Page 154]the dominion of death and gods wrath, so he praied also that the wrath of God might not stay longer vpon him, he beeing now alreadie tormented therewithall, & so he saith, let it passe from me: saue me from this houre. For further explication whereof consider 3. propositions or axioms following.
1 Christ sustaining the ful wrath of God in his soule, was wholly busied in his whole soule, and all the faculties thereof in apprehending, feeling, and bearing it, so as the soule & faculties thereof were distracted from all their obiects, & wholly applied herevnto: as appeareth by the strāge intermitting of the functiōs of the soule in the parts of the body, mentioned, v. 14.15.
2 We must distinguish nature & naturall infirmities frō sin and sinful infirmities: it is a naturall infirmitie for a man to sleepe and be wearie, and so also sustaining Gods wrath, to desire to be released frō it: but it is no sinne at all.
3 We must knowe that Christ as he was man was ignorant of some things, as namely of the day of iudgment, Mar. 13.32. for some ignorance is no sinne: as for a minister to be ignorant of the manuarie trades: for a man to be ignorāt where hel is, of the orders of angels. &c.
Now for applicatiō of these three axiomes: sure it is that when Christ praied, he praied without the least spotte of sinne: and either of these axiomes rehearsed will iustifie [Page 156]Christ praier from the least suspition of sinne: as it is thought.
The first axiome iustifieth a certaine obliuion or forgetfulnesse in Christ, when all the faculties of the soule were interrupted through the sense of Gods wrath: and wholly seazed with the intollerable paine thereof: this I dare not peremptorily say, euery way to be good and sound, neither doe I reprooue it: onely thus much, it may seeme to be a fault for a man to forget when the ought to remember; and to say that Christ had nowe a holy forgetfulnesse, when he should most of all remember, euen when he was to make the vp-shotte (that I may so speake) of our redemption, is not presently without further [Page 157]inquisition to be admitted.
In regard of the second of these axiomes it may be more probably answered, that Christ sustaining the wrath of God, and hauing the nature of a man in him, which desired releife frō so extreame torment (which is a naturall sinlesse worke) said to his Father, Let this cup passe, saue me from this houre, &c. and in the very selfe same moment of time that nature desireth, grace seasoneth and qualifieth nature, saying, Not my naturall will, but thy will be fulfilled: therefore came I into this houre. So here there is first a difference betwixt nature and grace; then a subordinating of nature to grace: also it may be a correcting of nature by grace, not as if nature were euil [Page 158]simply but a lesse good: for it is good tor the creature to preserue it selfe: it is better to obey gods wil by suffering according to his wil: especially considering the coincidence of nature & grace in the same time & praier: for nature maketh the request, grace addeth the conditions.
Nature saith thus:
Grace saith:
In regard of the third axiom aforesaid, it is thus answered, that as Christ was ignorāt of the day of iudgmēt, so without errour it may seeme, we may say he was ignorāt of the [Page 159]time how long or how oft he shuld suffer the wrath of god: and so beeing vnder the hand of God, & not knowing what space of time god in his euerlasting decree had set downe for enduring it, or how oft it should make incursion vpon him; he praied, Let it passe, &c. that is, let it depart from me, I hauing now sustained it; or let it not seaze vpon me againe, I hauing already suffered it; sure it is, that Christ did vndergoe gods wrath a competent time, and diuers times, as Ioh. 12. Once Gods wrath like lightning did flash vpon his face; also Math. 26. The secōd time gods wrath most furiously assaulted him, which wrought in him that strange agonie & sweat: lastly, hanging vpō the crosse, when he cried out, [Page 160] My God, my God; why hast thou forsaken me? & this third assault was the Cōplement of all his woes, for whereas before in the Garden an angell comforted, and so God had not cleane forsaken him, now God vtterly withdrewe from him all comfort; and so there was nothing but wrath deuouring him & praying vpon him without all mercy and comfort: but exquesitely to determine howe oft, or how long at any time Gods wrath was vpon Christ, seeing the scripture hath not exprest it, is meere curiositie; and if any man obiect that Christ prayed against Gods will neuerthelesse in praying thus; it is answered that he praied against Gods secret will it may be and that is no sinne; and [Page 125]his prayer had conditions, & so it was not against gods wil; It is no sinne for the sonne to pray for the life of his father, which shall shortly die, hee praying cōditionally. Wherefore to end all this discourse of Christs prayer; it is iustifiable as we see, in diuers respects by saying either he forgatt through the interrupting of the soule; or that nature corrected with grace made this request; or that he prayed through ignorance, contrary to Gods secret will conditionally.
These things beeing thus discoursed the meaning of these wordes in the psalme is very easie; as if the prophet should haue said more plainly and without allegory thus all the powers of darkenes▪ [Page 162]now rage against mee, (the dogge the lyon the vnicorne the sword) the Iewes, the deuill (which is the ramping & roaring lyon:) thy wrath and the curse of the lawe: nowe father I doe not desire that I may not incounter with them but that I may not be ouercome by them, saue me from the dominion of death & thy wrath (from the power of the dogge, frō the lyons mouth, from the hornes of the vnicornes) lette the Iewes (the dogges) crucifie and kill mee, let the Deuill and his angels (the lyō the vnicornes) tempt and terrifie me: let thy wrath and the curse of the lawe (the sword) seeing it must needes torture me: but yet father saue me, & by me thy whole Church from perishing vnder [Page 163]thy wrath: Yea father if I nowe haue sustained thy wrath long enough and often enough (as that is hidden from me, as is the day of iudgement) release me from it: but if it must needes still rest vpon me, I am content to beare it still patiently, and that for the full and perfect redemption of thy Church.
From these wordes paraphrastically thus expounded may arise a doubt: V. 20. Deliuer my soule from the sword. why Gods wrath is called a sword, or howe that exposition is iustifiable: for satisfying wherof we must cōsider the place, Zachar. 3.7. Arise o sword, and smite the sheapheard, which place is applyed by the Euangelist, Math. 26.31. to the death of Christ, also consider [Page 164]the phrase: the prophet prayeth that his soule may be deliuered from the sword: his soule doth not signifie his life, but his very soule indeede the fountaine of life: for Christ did not pray against death that he might not tast it: but that his soule might not be swallowed vp of death: therefore this must needes be the meaning of the place: let not thy wrath ouerwhelme my soule: for we cannot say properly let not death ouerwhelme my soule, but let not death ouerwhelme my bodie. The soule dieth not but the bodie onely.
Summarily then to end; this is not the meaning of the wordes: deliuer my life from death: Supra probutum.
Nor this; deliuer my soule [Page 165]from death, for the soule cannot die, it is immortall.
Nor this: deliuer my bodie frō the graue: for it is absurd and impertinent to this place.
Therefore this is the meaning: deliuer my soule from thy wrath (my soule from the sword) but the sword did smit the shepheard: ergo Gods wrath did torture his soule.
Desolate (soule.)The meaning of this Epithet (desolate) is exprest v. 1. for Christs soule was desolate, because God had nowe forsaken him, and neither himselfe, man or angell or any creature did comfort him but all had forsaken him.. v. 11.
My strengthAlthough Christ was desolate of all comfort, yet he had strength and grace sufficient to beare whatsoeuer was inflicted vpon him by God [Page 166]as our suretie. And therefore neuerthelesse he intitleth god his strength, though he complaineth that God had forsaken him, and did not heare when he roared. vers. 1.
The promise of Thankefulnesse: and first of Christs Prophecie.
Ver. 22, 23, 24, 25.22 I will declare thy name vnto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee, (saying.)
23 Praise the Lord ye that feare him, magnifie ye him all the seed of Iacob, and feare yee him all the seed of Israel.
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the poore: nether hath he hid his face from him, but when he called vnto him he heard.
[Page 167]25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregatione my vowes will I performe before them that feare him.
The Prophet hauing before set down the sacrifice and intercession of Christ both in the torments which he sustained partly in his soule directly and properly from the deuill, and from God himselfe, partly in his body frō the Iews that murthered him, as also in the vehement praier which he made, partly for himselfe, and partly for vs, seeing the fruite thereof wholly redoundeth vnto vs: now he proceedeth to the prophecy & kingdome of Christ: and first the prophetical office of Christ is exprest in these foure verses. Vers. 22. I wil declare thy name vnto my brethren.
The principall worke of Christs prophecy is to declare [Page 168]Gods name, that is, his excellent attributes, and his whole wil vnto his brethrē the Iews, and so to the whole Church, for so this place is brought, Heb. 2.12. to prooue the humanitie of Christ: whence we consider that Christ is designed by God the father for the onely Prophet, Doctour, and teacher of the Church, he is the great Bishop of our soules: God hath commanded vs to heare him: and he is the onely law-giuer that is able to saue and destroy: which is thus to be vnderstood, that he alone hath reuealed his fathers will to the Church by the ministerie of the prophets in the old Testament, by his own, & the Apostles ministerie in the new testament, who spake as the H. [Page 169]ghost directed thē, for Christ Iesus hath in his brest hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge, who is therefore called the wisdome of God: and therefore we are not to adde to, or detract any thing from the writtē word of god, or to alter any whitte thereof, which whosoeuer presumeth to doe, derogateth from the propheticall office of Christ: the scriptures indeede may be expounded, but they must not be altered, augmented or diminished.
Hence also followeth it by due proportion: that the ministers and Pastors of the Church, who stand vp in Christs stead (he being ascended vp on high, and hauing giuen gifts vnto men) are to open and publish Gods will [Page 170]sufficiētly reuealed by Christ in the Prophets and Apostles writings) to the people of God for their conuersion & saluation. Finally also by like analogie Christians must without feare or shame confesse and professe the truth of Gods word, not onely before the friends of the Church, & those specially ouer whome they haue charge, but also before the enemies of the Church being called and vrged thereunto.
This is the principal work of Christs prophecie to teach the Church: nowe the effects thereof follow, which are the praise of God, & the conuersion of mens soules: which are subordinate each to other: for by the conuersion of mens soules God is glorified.
The first effect of Christs propheticall office, V. 25. Let the seed of Iacob & Israel, feare, praise, and magnifie god. and so of the ministery of the prophets, Apostles, and Pastors of the church, is the conuersion of mens soules: otherwise called the gathering togither of the Saints, the edification of the bodie of Christ.
The second effect of the Prophecie of Christ, V. 22. In the middes of the congregation I will praise thee. & so of the ministerie, is the praise of God, for therefore must ministers preach & teach that God may be glorified in the conuersiō of mēs soules: thus Christ saith, I honour my father: and again, I haue glorified thee on the earth: Where the ministers, Pastors, and teachers of the Church are to learne in their functions to [Page 172]ayme at these endes, that they may saue soules which is a great point of wisdome, and gloryfie God which is the end of all things; where those pastours are reproueable that seeke rather to wine their own praise by inkhorne learning, by darkning and obscuring their preachings with the cloudes of phylosophy & the tongues, drawing as it were a vale before Christ crucyfied, and couering Moses face with a scarfe; that men should not with open face see the glory of God, then the prase of god, and the conuersion of mens soules, who are rather by this kind of preaching still kept in the dungeon of ignorance and palpable darkenes that the day starre Iesus Christ cannot arise in their hartes; [Page 173]so that this kind of preaching is rather to put out, then to open the eies of the blind.
Hitherto the prohet hath declared the propheticall office of Christ in reuealing Gods will to the Church with the two effectes thereof, the conuersion of mens soules and the glory of God (for the hardening of the wicked is no proper effect;) now the prophet rendereth a reason of Christs propheticall office, wherefore he will reueale his fathers will to his Church; or wherefore the Church ought to praise God beeing conuerted because that when Iesus Christ beeing poore and in great humiliatiō sustaining the wrath of God for the redemption of the Church [Page 174]called vnto his father, hee heard: V. 24. He hath not despised the affliction of the poore: but heard his prayer. and did not abhorre or despise his affliction, but with a pitifull eie regarded him and at length when hee had satisfyed gods iustice deliuered him.
Hence then we may learne two instructions.
First that the propheticall office of Christ is a fruit of his preisthood, of his redemption, sacrifice and intercession: for if Christ had not died for vs, he had neuer reuealed his fathers will vnto vs: according as the aposte (Eph. 4.) doth reason Christ ascended vp on high and led captiuitie captiue, and gaue gifts vnto men: but before hee ascended hee discended and suffered death [Page 175]for vs.
Secondly hence wee must learne euerlastingly to▪ magnifie the worke of our redemption which is the fountaine of all our good: for without it we had still remained in blindnes & ignorance without the knowledge of Gods word, and so we had groped in the palpable darkenes of Aegipt: for the propheticall office of Christ principally reuealeth vnto vs the redemption of Christ which is the principall worke of his preisthood, so that Christs sacrifice is the halfe of the matter of his prophecy the doctrine of the lawe also through Christ prophecy is restored vnto vs sound and perfect which through the transgression [Page 176]of Adam was wonderfully defaced, and the condition of the lawe is qualified also by the conditions of the gospell, that the Lord doth not nowe require perfect obedience in quantity, but in quality: and so through the redemption of Christ. The Gospell is wholly reuealed, a matter altogether vnknowne to man by nature, and the law is restored, and qualified and made possible to the penitent and beleeuers.
He heard whē he called.Here a question may bee made how God heard Christ when he praied: seeing in the first and second verses it is said that god heard not: that doubt is answered before in the cō plaint: & therefore it is needelesse here to repeate it againe.
In this 25. verse there are two phrases to be obserued: Vers. 25. My praise shal be of thee in the great congregation. first what should be meant by the great congregation: it seemeth that the Prophet hath reference to that which should bee practised by Christ in his propheticall office: we reade in the booke of the Lawe, Deuteronom. 16. that all the males were commaunded to come vp to Ierusalem thrice in the yeare, nowe that was no doubt a great congregation when all the males came thither to worshippe: nowe there is an expresse place in the Euangelist, Iohn, 7.37. that Christ preached and prophesied in the last and great day of the feast of Tabernacles, which was one of those three great assemblies: and [Page 178]so that place of Iohn and this of the prophet are parallell in sence: A second phrase doubtfull is: what is meant by Christes vowes? My vowes will I performe. In the old testament vowes were of such matters and of such a condition as that before they were made, they were in a mans power, but after they were vowed they became necessary, Eccles. 5.3.4. Act. 5.4 probably therefore it may be said that Christs vowes were that voluntary submission of Christ to become our mediator, our prophet and king and priest, which was most free & willing and vncompelled in him. Ioh. 10.18.
Of Christs kingdome: or kingly office: and his subiects.
26.27.28.29.30.31.26 The poore shall eate & be [Page 179]satisfyed, they that seeke after the Lord shall praise him, your soule shall liue for euer.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember themselues and turne to the Lord, all the kindreds of the nations shall worshippe before thee, 28.
28 For the kingdōe is the lords & he ruleth among the nations.
29 All they that be fatte in the earth shall eate and worship: all they that goe downe into the dust shall bow befere him: euē he that cannot quicken his owne soule.
30 There seedd, shall serue him, it shall be counted to him foreuer.
31 They shall come & shal declare his righteousnes: because he hath done it for a people to be borne.
In the kingdome of Christ [Page 180]the subiects are first to be cō sidered who are first described by two properties: which are indeed Properties euery way, wherein the wicked haue no part nor portion at all: which are these following.
1 Humiliation 2 faith 3 peace of conscience 4 desire of increase of grace 5 Glorifying God 6 life euerlasting: of each of them something.
Humiliation or contrition or sorrowe for sinnes is the first grace that appeareth sensibly in the soule of a Godly man, this is the sacrifice that is well pleasing in gods sight; v. 26 The poore. & the Lord hath promised to dwell with the man that hath a broken and contrite heart; and blessednes is promised by Christ to them that are poore in spirit; and Christ [Page 181]inuiteth all those that are wery and laden with their sinnes to come to him for refreshing; and he came to call such sinners to repentance, whose hearts melt at the consideratiō of their sinnes whereby they offend a God that is most mercifull and iust.
Faith is the second grace which followeth humiliaton, the property whereof is to eate Iesus Christ, Shall eate. to apprehend and apply the sacrifice of Christ particularly to it selfe: for faith is not a vast & indistinct apprehension of Christ, or a confused and indefinite conceipt of Gods mercy to the world: but a distinct appropriating & applying of gods mercie and Christs merit to my self, knowing in some measure, & beeing assured that Christ hath [Page 182]nayled, crucified, and buried my sinnes to his crosse, and in his graue, and to doe this is al the difficultie.
And be satisfied.Third property is ioy and peace and quietnes or conscience, when a man is assured of the pardon of his sinnes through faith, a man knoweth that God loueth him, and doth accept of his person, and watcheth ouer him to doe him good, hee knoweth that he is freed from death, and damnation through the redemption of Christ, that life euerlasting, appertaineth to him, vnder hope whereof he reioyceth yea in the midst of affliction, though somtime this peace bee disturbed thorough some sins wherin to the children of God fall through temptation: this is termed here [Page 183] satisfying, not for that a man that hath it, neuer desireth grace more: but because nothing in the world can satisfie him til he haue comfort in the assurāce of his sins pardoned, when a man is once throughly humbled; or because a man neuer is barren and drie, and cleane void of grace and comfort after, that once hath it.
Fourth propertie is desire of increase of grace, Seeke after the Lord. which is obtained by seeking the Lord where and howe he is to be found, that is, in the word and the meanes of grace: for he that wanteth grace can neuer desire it, onely he that hath it, and hath felt the sweetnes of it longeth for it still, like vnto the man that finding the treasure hid in the field, and the pearle, neuer resteth till he get [Page 184]both: by this also a man may knowe the trueth of grace in his soule: for he that neuer regardeth the word, neuer attē deth vpon instruction, nor watcheth to praier, that man wanteth grace: for the heauēly couetousnesse and dropsie of grace is insatiable: and therefore the Church is sicke of loue vnto the Lord Iesus Christ in the Canticles.
A fifth propertie is the leading of a godly life according to gods commaundements, Shall praise him. with a constant profession & confession of the trueth to the praise of God, that others may see our good works, and glorifie God also. Also a thankefull heart whereby a man in himselfe blesseth God for all his goodnes, saying with the Prophet, All that is within me [Page 185]praise his holy name.
Euerlasting life is the last propertie, Your [...] shall liue for euer which is the reward of all the former: and which is the complement of our happinesse and felicitie.
After the description of the subiects of Christs kingdome by their properties follow the seuerall sorts of them: Gentiles as wel as Iews, poore as well as rich: malefactors condemned to die, as well as guiltlesse persons; the childrē as well as the parents. Yea and the kingdome of Christ consisteth of all other sortes of persons that may be rehearsed: as bond and free, mā & woman, master and seruāt, &c. Generally hence may be noted two instructions.
First, wherefore the church is called Catholike; because it [Page 186]cōsisteth of al sorts of persons, it is in al places: it is at al times. v. 27.29.30, 31.
V. 29. All that be fatt all that goe downe into the pitt.Secondly that grace is vniuersall no sort or estate of men excluded form Christs kingdom: ethe poore haue intrest to grace and Christ aswell as the rich, the gentill aswell as the Iewe, women aswell as men: yet wee must knowe that the note of vniversality must not be stretcht to euery particular man, but to euery estate and condition of man. For it is more then grosse absurdity to say that all and euery particular rich mā, and poore man shall bee a member of Christ, shall eate and worship, that is beleeue and serue God: wherefore this doctrine serueth to admonish first the welthie and fatt [Page 187]men of the earth not to contemne and despise the poore, and the leane & needie soule: and the poore not to enuie the rich, and malice the wealthie: but both to serue togither in their places, and to preserue the communion of saints mutually, remembering the Apostles rule, Iam. 1.9.10. that the poore is exalted, and the rich is made lowe in Iesus Christ: that though the rich be the poore mans masters, yet he is Christs seruant: and though the poore man be the rich mans slaue, yet he is the sonne of God, and fellow heire with him, and with Christ of the kingdome of grace and glory. Besides these generall instructions, certaine particular obseruations also are here to be noted which followe.
The Prophet saith, Vers 27. The ends of the world. The kindreds of the nations. that the Gentiles shal become subiects to Christs kingdome: which prophecie we see verified amongest vs at this day, wherevpon we are to be stirred vp to glorifie the mercie & truth of God, who hath cast off his owne people, and receiued vs, that were wilde branches of the wilde oliue, that were strangers and aliants from the common wealth of Israel: without God in the world: which must also teach vs not to be hie minded, but to feare, and looke to our selues that we stand fast.
Againe, the conuersion of the Gentiles is here noted out vnto vs in the 3. parts thereof.
1 They shall remember themselues, Shall remember. that is, their sinfull [Page 189]and accursed estate: they shall take notice of it by the powerfull preaching of the Gospell: humiliation.
Turne to the Lord.2 They shall turne to the lord: forsaking their false way of Idolatry and other sinnes and turning their feet into the truth, & walking in obedience of Gods lawes: obedience.
3 They shall worship before God, Worship before thee. by partaking al the meanes of saluation, as the word, prayer, sacraments. &c. publikely and priuately as good christians: adoration.
Va [...]. Kingdome i [...] the Lords.Nowe because this may seeme a very staunge thing to the Iewes that the gentiles should be admitted into the fellowship of the Church, the partition wall beeing broken downe & one people beeing made of two: the prophet rendreth [Page 190]a reason hereof, designing out the principall worker of this conuersion of the gentiles and the meanes? the workman is the Lord: who is able to raise vp children vnto Abraham euen of the stones: who is able to put life into the dead bones in the Churchyard: and the meanes whereby God will effect and bring to passe this great worke is his rule and dominion which hee exerciseth among the nations, He ruleth among the nation. by his word and spirit which breatheth where it listeth: whence that doctrine may be noted that was handled before. v. 3. that conuersion is Gods worke.
Furthermore not only we that now liue, Vers 10. Their seed shal serue him, &c. but euē our seed & posterty that shal succeed vs in time to come shall serue [Page 191]the Lord: for the Couenant of grace stretcheth not onely to vs, but to our seede also: euen to the thousand generation on of them that loue God, doth the Lord promise mercie: and the promise is made to vs, and our children, and to all that are afarre off, euen to as many as the Lord our God shal cal: which giueth vs hope for our children as well as for our selues, yea for our infants that die before yeares.
Yea and here is one thing more, They shall be counted to him for euer. wherein it seemeth we haue a priuiledge beyonde the Iewes, that the Church of God shall abide among the Gentiles to the worlds ende: not as though no particular Church shall be cast off, for we see that otherwise, but that the Church shall not vtterly [Page 192]faile among the gentiles for ouer, as it did among the Iews; for although the church of Ephesus; Colossa; Gallatia &c. fayled, yet from the time of calling the gētiles hitherto there hath bin some church of the gentiles. And although the Iewes were cut of and we grafted in; yet wee shall not be cut of and they grafted in, but we shal remaine, and they shall be grafted to vs and both of vs stand and growe vp together: and as they were a meanes to bring vs into the Church, so we againe shall be a meanes to bring them vnto the fellowship of the gospell (as it were a recompence vnto them.
Ver. 31 They shall declare his righteousnesse.Againe the church of the gentiles beeing gathered shall performe one principall office [Page 193]which is, beeing come home into the bosome of Christ, by effectuall vocation and true faith, shal declare the righteousnes of Christ God-man, that righteousnesse which he hath wrought for vs, in suffering and obeying the lawe: manfully auouching it against the Turkes and Papists that denie imputatiue righteousnesse, and mocke at a crucified Christ: which must cheere vs vp in this spirituall conflict against that man of sinne, that we faile not in defence of Gods righteousnesse.
If any man list to vnderstand by righteousnesse that which God exercised in the whole worke of our redemption, shewing himselfe most righteous therein, he may for me.
He hath wrought it for a people to be borne.The foresaid worke of the church of the Gentiles in auouching Christs righteousnesse must be performed euē to a people that is not yet borne by spirituall regeneration; to a people vnbaptized: for we are to labour by all possible means to bring home the Iewes and the Turkes, and all other barbarous nations where we traffique, to the knowledge and loue of the trueth: that they may partake in this righteousnesse which Christ hath wrought for as many of them as appertaine to his election.
If any man thinke better to expoūd a people to be borne, such as are not borne by naturall generation, we may obserue, that it is our dutie to teach our children and posterity [Page 195]especially the article of iustification by faith onely, least the subtill and crafty Iesuites the supporters and pillers of popery wrest it from vs, who labor to perswade the meritt of good workes and so to shoulder the Lord Iesus Christ his righteousnes out of dores.
Thus the kingdome of Christ also is described.
The Author doth intreat the gentle reader in the behalfe of the Printer, to pardon and to correct these faults ouerseene in printing.
Page, 19 lin 23. for p iuately, read primarily. p. 20 l 2. for practise, read parts. p. 21. l. 23. for men, more p 32 l. 23. for this, thus p. 34. A I salme p 35 of Dauid these two clauses are wanting on the margents of these two pages. p. 45. l. 9. for in very, in a very p. 47. l 2 and, is supe fluous. p. 62. l 9. For faith, fe [...]re. p. 6 [...]. l. 18. the note of interrogation is so perfluous. p 66. l 13. for Scripture, scepter. p 68. 1 9 for, and, read of the. p. 69. l. 22. for conie [...]ation, confutation. p. 78 l 13. for world of beginning read worlds beginning. p 83. l 1. for woman, worme. p. 91. l. 24. are denied & are superfluous p. 92. l. 1. for that, yet p.121. l 6. for law. loue. p. 128. l. 15. for yet, that. p. 137. l. 16 for him read sinne.