Explication of Psalm 110, Title page – To the reader
AN EXPLICATION OF THE HVNDRETH AND TENTH PSALME: WHEREIN The severall Heads of CHRISTIAN Religion therein contained; touching the Exaltation of Christ, the Scepter of his Kingdome, the Character of his Subjects, His Priesthood, Victories, Sufferings, and Resurrection, are largely explained and applied.
Being the Substance of severall Sermons preached at LINCOLNS INNE; By EDWARD REYNOLDES sometimes Fellow of Merton Colledge in Oxford, late Preacher to the foresaid Honorable Society, and Rector of the Church of Braunston in Northhampton-shire.
LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Robert Bostocke, and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Kings Head. 1632.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THOMAS, LORD COVENTRY, Baron of Ailsborough, and Lord Keeper of the great Seale of England, &c.
Most Noble Lord,
IT was the devout profession which Saint Austin once made of himselfe, when speaking of the great delight which hee tooke in Ciceroes Hortensius (as containing a most liberall exhortation to the love of wisdome,Confess. li. 3. ca. 4. without any bias or partiality towards sects) he affirmeth, that the heate of this his delight, was by this onelyonly reason abated, because there was not in that booke to bee found the Name of Christ; without which Name, nothing, though otherwise never so polite and elaborate, could wholly possesse those affections, which had beene trained to a nobler studie. And Gregory Nazianzen, that famous Divine,Orata. setteth no other price upon all his Athenian learning (wherein hee greatly excelled) but onelyonly this, that hee had something of worth, to esteeme as nothing in comparison of Christ; herein imitating the example of S. Paul, Gal. 1.14, 16.who though hee profited in the Iewish Religion above many others, yet when the Sonne of God was revealed in him,Phil. 3.8. laid it all aside as losse and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus his Lord. The consideration of which sacred affections in those holy men, together with the many experiences of your Lordships abundant favor, hath put into mee a boldnesse beyond my naturall disposition, to prefix so great a name before these poore pieces of my labours in Gods Church. Other argument in this booke there is none to procure either your Lordships view or patronage, than this one, (which that good Father could not finde in all the writings of Plato or Cicero) that it hath that High and holy Person for the Subject thereof, the knowledge of whom is not onelyonly our greatest learning, but our Eternall Life. In this confidence I have presumed to present unto your Lordship this publike Testimony of my most humble duty, and deep obligations for your many thoughts of favour and bounty towards me, not in my selfe onelyonly, but in others, unto whom your Lordships goodnesse hath vouchsafed under that respect to overflow. The Lord Iesus, our eternall Melchisedek, meet your Lordship in al those honorable affaires which hee hath called you unto, with the constant refreshment and benediction of his holy Spirit, and long preserve you a faithfull Patrone of the Church which hee hath purchased with his owne blood; and a worthy instrument of the justice, honour and tranquilitie of this kingdome.
Your Lordships most humbly devoted, Ed. Reynolds.
To the Reader.
CHristian Reader, when I was first perswaded to communicate some of my poore labours to the publike, my purpose was to have added unto those Treatises which were extant before so much of these which I now present unto thy view, as concerneth the Elogies of the Gospell of Christ, the instrument of begetting the life of Christ in us: for little reason had I considering mine owne weakenesse, the frequent returnes of that service wherein these pieces were delivered, and the groning of the presse of late under writings of this nature, to trouble the world a second time with any more of my slender provisions towards the worke of the Sanctuary, in this abundance which is on every side brought in. But finding that worke grow up under mine hand into a just volume, and conceiving that it might bee both more acceptable and usefull to handle a whole Scripture together (especially being both of so noble a nature, and at first view of so difficult a sense, as this Psalme is) than to single out some verse and fragment by it selfe; I therefore resolved once more to put in my Mite into the Treasurie of the Temple, which (though for no other reason) may yet I hope be for this cause accepted, because it beareth the Image and Inscription of Christ upon it. Some passages therein are inserted which were delivered in another order, and on other Scriptures, and some likewise which were delivered in other places, and on other occasions; which yet being pertinent to the series of the discourse, I thought might justly seeme as naturall parts, and not as foreign ▪ incoherent and unsuteable pieces. Such errors as have escaped in the presse, and the unfitnesse of some of the Titles of the Pages (which in my farre absence from the presse, while most of the booke was under it, were ordered by others who attended upon it) I shall desire thee courteously to passe by: those greater slips which may haply perturbe the sense, I have noted together. So submitting my poore labours to thy favourable Censure, and commending thee to the Blessing of God. I rest.
E. R.