The True Catholic, Tract · Section 5
A View of Gods houſhold, and of all his Seruants.
THis is ſet downe by king Dauid very excellently in the Pſalme: They hauehave ſeene, O Lord, Pſal. 68.25.thy goings, how thou, my God and king, haſt walked in the Sanctuarie. Here Dauid teacheth vsus, that the Lord God, as a mightie Prince ſometimes as it were, euen walketh in his Sanctuarie, and among the faithfull in the congregation. Now followeth his traine: The ſingers (Sharim) go before, the Muſitians (Nogenim) they which play with the hand on inſtruments of muſicke, follow after; in the middeſt are virgins playing on timbrels or drummes. Here is Gods traine: firſt ſingers, then virgins, and laſtly they which plaie with the hand. And theſe may ſignifie vntounto vsus thrée ſorts of men in Gods Church. Singers maie repreſent Martyrs or Confeſſors of the faith: Virgins, thoſe that next to them, though they hauehave not ſhed their bloud for the louelove of Chriſt; yet for his ſake they hauehave abandoned all the vaine and fleſhly delights and pleaſures of this world: and therefore by good right they challenge to themſelues the middle or ſecond place. And laſtly, are thoſe cunning Muſitians which play with the hand:Gal. 5.6. & theſe are thoſe Chriſtians, whoſe faith worketh through charitie: Who hauehave ſowne plentifully with their handes the Lords talents that he hath bleſſed them withall;2. Cor. 9.6. as Saint Paul exhorteth them to doe. And they which hauehave done ſo, do receiue plentifully againe, as our Sauiour witneſſeth:Matt. 25.34 Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world: for I was an hungrie, and ye gaue me meate, &c.
And how fitly agrées all theſe together? Martyrs may bée rightly called Singers: for as Prudentius writeth of Romanus the martyr, when as the cruell perſecutor had bored through his chéekes, he ſpake thus to him:
Prudent. in Rom. mart.O Ruler fierce I yeeld thee thanks,
that for one mouth too ſtraite;
Now manie mouthes thou haſt me made,
my Chriſt his praiſe to ſpeake.
Virgins may bee ſaid to play with Drummes. For their praiſe ſoundeth farre and wide.Matth. 19.12. Of virginitie Chriſt ſaid: He that can comprehend it, let them comprehend it. As though hée ſhould ſay, it is a price propounded of me to all my diſciples to runne for.1. Cor. 7.32. Happie is he that can attaine it. And S. Paul erhorting all men to virginitie, I would hauehave you without care (ſaith he) But this thing can only virginitie afford you. The vnmaried man careth for the things of the Lord, how he may pleaſe the Lord: But hee that is maried careth for the things of the world, how he may pleaſe his wife. Yea there is difference betweene a virgin and a wife. They are not all one; the one farre excelleth the other. The vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that ſhe may be holy both in body and ſpirit: but ſhe that is maried careth for the things of the world, how ſhee may pleaſe her husband. Here is the excellencie of virginitie put downe, weighed as it were in a paire of ballance, and compared with mariage, that euerie one maie ſée the excellency and difference of ye one before the other. The virgin careth only for the Lord: the maried perſon for the world. The virgin is holy in body and ſoule. And ſo is not the maried. And for this cauſe S Paul addeth generally to all Chriſtian parents: That he that giues his daughter to mariage, doth wel: but he that giueth her not to mariage, doth better. Beſides the excellencie of the gift of virginitie it ſelfe, which the virgin ſhall enioie: yea euen the father the author therof deſerueth commendation of God. And ſo no doubt Philip the Euangeliſt had foure daughters that were virgins. Act. 21.9.Hée followed here the Apoſtles counſell: And therefore Ambroſe on this place writes thus: To diuers vertues diuers wages are appointed. Amb. lib. 1. de vid.Neither do we finde fault with the one, that wee might commend the other; but all are commended, that thoſe that are more excellent may be preferred. Mariage therefore is honorable, but virginitie is more honorable. For he that ioynes his virgin in mariage doth well, and he that couples her not in mariage doth better. Therefore that which is good, is not to be eſchewed. And Saint Auguſtine writeth alſo thus: It is good to marie, Aug. de bono coniug. cap. 9. & 10.becauſe it is good to beget children, and to be a houſekeeper: but it is better not to marie; becauſe it is better for humane ſocietie not to ſtand in neede of this worke. But I know ſome that murmure: What (ſay they) if all men ſhould abſtaine from mariage, how then ſhould mankind be maintained? I would to God (ſaith Auguſtine) all men would do this, onelyonly in charitie, and from a pure heart, and from a good conſcience, and not from a fained faith: for then a great deale ſooner Gods citie ſhould be filled, and the end of the world ſhould be haſtened. For what other thing ſeems the Apoſtle to meane, when as he ſaith, ſpeaking thereof: I would to God that all men were as I am, or in that place? This I ſay brethren, becauſe the time is ſhort; it remaineth that they alſo which hauehave wiues, be as though they had none: and they that weepe, as though they wept not; and they that reioyce, as though they reioyced not; & they that buy, as though they poſſeſſed not; & they that vſe this world, as though they vſed it not; for the faſhion of this world goeth away. I would hauehave you without care. And after he addeth: He that is vnmaried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how hee may pleaſe the Lord: but he that is maried thinketh on the things that are of the world, how he may pleaſe his wife. Thus farre out of Saint Auguſtine. And no doubt (as ſhould ſéeme) the ſame Apoſtle Saint Paul hauing reſpect to this doctrine, he exhorteth Timothie (and in him all other miniſters) to labour to obtaine this great gift of virginitie: No man that warreth (ſaith he) entangleth himſelfe with the affaires of this life; 2. Tim. 2.4becauſe he would pleaſe him that hath choſen him to be a ſouldiour. And in the verſe going before, he calleth Timothie a Souldier. So yt if Miniſters be the Lords ſouldiers, by S. Paules counſell here they ought not to entangle themſelues with the cares of this life.verſ. 3. But thoſe cares follow them that be maried, as neceſſarily as the ſhadowe doth the bodie; as before he hath taught the Corinthians. Therefore a Miniſter that will be a good Souldiour of Ieſus Chriſt ſhould ſtriue to comprehend that notable gift of virginitie. The Apoſtle here doth teach Timothie and all other myſtically this leſſon: for hee addeth: Conſider what I ſay: The Lord giuegive thee vnderſtanding in all things. Verſ. 7.And in another place he ſaith: Not onelyonly purſue louelove, but with all force and zeale ſtriue for the greateſt gifts. 1. Cor. 14.1.Euerie Chriſtian, but eſpeciallie thoſe that hauehave giuen their names to fight vnderunder the Lords banner, ſhould ſtriue to obtaine the excellenteſt giftes. As God himſelfe is the chiefeſt good thing in the world: ſo he will hauehave all his ſeruants as much as is poſſible to come néere to him, and to bée ſingular in all vertues.Matth. 5.48. Chaſtitie is a gift of God, but ſuch a gift is not giuen to the ſlouthfull and ſluggiſh, but to thoſe that knocke and praie to God for it. No doubt that gift is compreded vnderunder that ample and large promiſe of our Sauiour: What ſoeuer ye ſhall aske the Father in my name, he will giuegive it you: Euen Chaſtitie if it be expedient for them that pray for it.Ioh, 16.23. And ſurely I thinke I may ſaie of this excellent vertue, as Saint Iames ſaith:Iam. 4.2. You hauehave not, becauſe ye aske not. I thinke there be few at this daie that once thinke on it, or once open their mouthes to pray to God for it. Againe, this moſt excellent gift is not giuen (as I ſaid before) to the idle or ſlouthfull: but to thoſe which vſe the meanes to obtaine it: which Gods word teacheth vsus to vſe, that is faſting and mortification of the fleſh. Miniſters ſaie not with Paule: I tame my bodie and bring it in ſubiection, 1. Cor. 9.27.leſt that when as I hauehave preached to others, I ſhould be reproued my ſelfe: 1. Cor. 7.7.And therefore they are not ſuch as he was, and as he wiſheth not onelyonly them, but all men. Widowes follow not Anna her ſteppes:Luke 2.37. they frequent not the Temple; they are not euer preſent at prayer: they ſerue not God with faſting and prayers day and night: and therefore in our Church wee hauehave ſo few continue widowes, and ſo fewe follow S. Paules counſell, but all will marie againe. They reſpect not that bleſſedneſſe which he promiſeth them.1. Cor. 7.40. Young maides ſaie not with that bleſſed virgin Marie, Hee filleth the hungrie with good things: Luke 1.53.but the rich he ſendeth emptie away. They will hauehave their bellies full, they will not faſt, and therefore wee hauehave ſo few virgins.Matth. 19.12. Yet our Sauiour himſelfe ſaid, He that can comprehend it, let him comprehend it. Euerie one is to ſhew his force and courage herein: and if infirmitie will not ſuffer him to obtaine the principall or beſt game, then let neceſſitie make him bold to vſe the remedie,1. Cor. 7.36. as Saint Paule counſels fathers do with their daughters, whom he would wiſh to kéepe virgins. But to conclude, as none of our works, no not our knowledge, 1. Cor. 1….9.ſo is not our virginitie perfect in this life. What Saint hath a cleane heart? or what virgin a chaſte eye,Pro. 20.9. Matth. 5.28. Pſal. 119.37 2. Cor. 12.7. Greg. in gloſſa. that hath not beheld vanitie? or what fleſh ſo tamed, that hath not felt that pricke, which Saint Paul felt? Gregorie writes verie excellently concerning virginitie and mariage, vponupon that place of Geneſis, Saue thy ſelfe in the mountaine: Virginitie is that high hill, which the Angell exhorts him to flie vntounto, and ſaue himſelfe: but he that feeles himſelf that he cannot aſcend thither, let him abide in Segor, that is, in lawfull matrimonie: for it is better to enioy a meane good thing, then to bee ouerthrowne among the cragges and rockes of luſts.
And of the drummes of theſe Virgins may that bee verified, which Philippus de Diez citeth out of Athanaſius: To. 1. dominica in paſſ.Who (ſaith he) affirmeth that the Idolaters did ſo wonder at thoſe virgins which had conſecrated themſelues to God, that euen by force they were conſtrained to confeſſe, that they were the liuing Temples of God; and that onelyonly among the Chriſtians was the true worſhip of God. Wherefore manie of them being lightened with this diuine light (baniſhing all their idolatrie) were turned to the Catholike faith. Thus farre Diez. Such ſounding drums had the virgins in thoſe dayes, that they did rouſe euen Idolaters from their ſléepe of ſin, by the rareneſſe of their vertues.
And as fitly alſo may the faithfull doing good works, bee compared to Muſitians. For Muſitians hauehave their running points, and thoſe are the ſwéeteſt muſicke: So the faithfull are readie to giuegive. 1. Tim. 6.18. Gen. 18 7. 2. Cor. 9.7.They run to the beaſts with Abraham for a tēder young calfe, for their poore ſtrangers. They giuegive cheerefully: and God only loueth ſuch giuers. They ſaie not to their neighbour; Go and come againe to morow, and I will giuegive thee, Pro. 3.28if ſo be they hauehave it preſently. And theſe running points bee moſt pleaſant muſicke in Gods eares. They alſo kéepe time, which is a chiefe point in Muſicke. When there was no raine on the earth thrée yeares and ſixe moneths, then the widow opens her barrell, and imparts ſome of her little oyle that was left to Elias. 1. King. 17.12.When the good Samaritane ſaw the poore man lie wounded by the high waie ſide, then he did light off from his beaſt, and bound vp his wounds: and though he had, as ſhould ſéeme, but two pence in his purſe, Luke 10.33.he gaue it him. Hee paſſed not by him as the Prieſt and the Leuite did. And this is to kéepe time. This is to be one of Gods Muſitians. They which run verie ſwiftlie their running points on their inſtruments, and kéepe time verie exactlie, vnleſſe alſo they runne here, and obſerue time alſo, they pleaſe not God with their muſick. Theſe are the Singers, and Virgins and Muſitians that waite vponupon God. And if this bée true, it is likelie that God now walkes in his Sanctuarie verie euill attended vponupon, he hath few ſuch Singers, or Damoſels, or Muſitians to attend vponupon him.
But Dauid ſtayes not himſelfe here, to let vsus hauehave a viewe of Gods waiting ſeruants onelyonly, but of his Noblemen alſo. For there is no king, but he hath both theſe to attend vponupon him. And firſt he comes to the generall dutie of all theſe ſeruants, which is this: Bleſſe or praiſe the Lord God in the congregations from the fountaine of Iſrael. Pſal. 68.26.Here is the dutie of all Gods ſeruants; to bleſſe and praiſe the Lord from the fountaine of Iſrael. And what is that? Surely Ieſus Chriſt, who is the fountaine of Iſrael. For as S. Iohn teacheth vsus: He is the fountaine, Ioh. 1.15.of whoſe fulneſſe all we (as emptie veſſels) hauehave receiued euen all the good things we hauehave, & that grace for grace. Grace for grace euen ſtill all our life, as we did at the beginning. The caſe here is not altered, as the Papiſts imagine, That the firſt grace is giuen vsus fréely: but after, with that grace, wee our ſelues merit the ſuccéeding graces that we hauehave. But Saint Iohn here plainly teacheth them, that euen as at the firſt, ſo we ſtill receiue grace for grace. And hauehave we not great cauſe then to praiſe God alwaies from this fountaine of Iſrael? which yéeldes vntounto vsus all the good things wee hauehave euen dayly, and that alſo fréely. Here therefore is that in the Pſalme which Saint Paul teacheth in his Epiſtles: Giuing thankes alwayes for all things vntounto God, Epheſ. 5.20.euen the Father in the name of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
verſ. 27.Now followe his Noblemen. There is little Beniamin their ruler; the Princes of Iudah their ſtone (as Arias Montanus tranſlates it) the princes of Zabulon, and the princes of Nephthali. Here are Gods Noblemen and Princes. And ſurely among theſe, little Beniamin goeth the foremoſt: and that is Chriſtian humilitie. For thereof alſo Chriſt himſelfe begins his bleſſings in the Goſpell: Bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit; Matth. 5.3 Matth. 11.19.for theirs is the kingdome of God. And, Learne ye this of me, I am meek and lowly in heart. As though he had euen come downe from heauen to teach vsus this leſſon. For we reade not of anie other vertue that he ſaith, Learne that of me, as he ſpeakes here of humilitie. Knowledge without humilitie puffes vp and profites not. 1. Cor. 8.1.And if faith hauehave not charitie and humilitie ioyned with it, it builds not, it profites not, it is as a ſounding braſſe, 1. Cor. 13.2or tinckling Cymball: nay, it is nothing.
Then followes Iudah their ſtone: And that is faith. And therefore it maie ſéeme that our Sauiour as in all his doings,Matt. 4 4. Matth. 21.1… he had a relation to the Scriptures: ſo alſo after that Peter had made that ſame notable confeſſion of our Chriſtian faith, and therefore was Iudah: our Sauiour alſo called him a ſtone, Matth. 16.18alluding to this place of the Pſalme. He is not called a rock, as the Papiſts would hauehave him, but Petrus or Cephas, Ioh. 1.42.which ſignifies a ſtone; and agrées here with the Hebrue word Regem. And hence alſo Peter called all Chriſtians, which nowe were alſo become Iudah, by confeſſion of this true faith;1. Pet. 2.5. liuely ſtones. And ſurely not without cauſe are the faithfull called ſtones: for they muſt be vnmoueable in the profeſſion of their faith, though euen, as againſt Dauid, Pſal. 3.6.the Deuill euen with ten thouſand, come againſt them; as no doubt he will. And therefore Saint Paul ſaith, Wherfore my beloued be ye ſurely grounded, foreign, and vnmoueable: that is,1. Cor. 15.58. be euen like ſtones in the profeſſion of your faith, and abounding euer in the worke of the Lord: that is, in that excellent work which the Lord Ieſus ſo often commanded: that is, Chriſtian Charitie.Ioh 13.34. Matth. 22.39. Ioh. 15.12. Luke 22.31. Cant. 1.5. For Satan will ſift euerie Chriſtian, euen as he did Peter the firſt Chriſtian. He will ſift narrowlie all their words, workes, and thoughts. They ſhall bee like Salomons tents: they ſhall be ſet on the tenters; they ſhall be tried to the vttermoſt what they will endure.
The next is, The princes of Zabulon. Now Zabulon ſignifieth a dwelling or familie: and therefore I expound thoſe to bée Princes of Zabulon in Gods Court, who feare God and all their houſhold. When as God would reueale to Abraham the deſtruction of Sodome, he ſaith thus: Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do? God doth here euen as the kings are wont to doe alſo with their Noblemen and Princes, hee imparts with him his ſecrets and counſels;Gen. 18.17. Seeing that Abraham ſhall bee indeed a great and a mightie nation, and all the nations of the earth ſhall be bleſſed in him. For I know him that hee will command his ſonnes, and his houſhold after him, that they keepe the word of the Lord to do righteouſneſſe and iudgement, that the Lord may bring vponupon Abraham that he hath ſpoken vntounto him. And is not Abraham here called a prince of Zabulon by Gods owne mouth? He wil teach his family, I know, ſaith God. Such a Prince alſo was that foreign,Ioh. 4.53. that Nobleman in the Goſpell, of whom it is reported, that when his daughter was cured, he beleeued and all his houſhold. Such a Prince was Cornelius, a Captaine and a Centurion (who are wont commonly to be moſt vnruly) it is reported of him, that he was a deuout man, and that he feared God and all his houſhold, Act. 10.2.which gaue much almes to the people, and prayed to God continually. Here are three notable properties of a good houſekéeper, to inſtruct his family, to giuegive much almes, and to pray continually. I would to God that all houſekeepers would learne but theſe three good pointes of huſbandrie of him: ſurely they would enrich them; nay make them Princes euen in the Lords Court. But what doe I reckon vp theſe examples in the new Teſtament? For euen Ioſuah himſelfe did profeſſe the ſame to all Iſrael. And if it ſeeme euill to you to ſerue the Lord (ſaith he) chooſe ye this day whom you will ſerue, Ioſ. 24.15.&c. I and my houſe will ſerue the Lord. It is a ſhame for Chriſtians (who by reaſon of their long continuance in Chriſts ſchoole,Heb. 5.12. ſhould now be Doctors and teachers of others, as Saint Paul writes to the Hebrewes) not to learne this leſſon, being now taught it by ſo many examples. If Abraham our Father did catechize his familie, though he were a mightie man: ſhall any of his ſonnes thinke himſelfe too good to inſtruct his familie? If the Noble man in the Goſpell did ſhewe himſelfe ſo kind for one benefite receiued at the hand of Ieſus Chriſt: ſhall not we much more, hauing now receiued ſo manie? If Cornelius a Souldier did this, how ſhall a Citizen excuſe himſelfe if he doe it not? And if Ioſuah in the ſhadow did it, how ſhall a Chriſtian in the light not doe the ſame?
In the laſt, but not in the leaſt place, are the Princes of Nephthalie: and Nephthalie ſignifies a Compariſon. And ſuch a kind of Prince is he, that dare compare himſelfe with Gods enemies: nay that goes beyond them in all their morall vertues. Such Princes of Nephthalie God hath had in his Church: ſuch as neither Roman nor Grecian in anie morall vertue euer excéeded, or went beyond. But now they are dead, they are gone, to the great ſhame of Chriſtians: Now Turkes excéed them in vertues, to the great ſhame of the profeſſors of Gods word. Now manie Papiſts goe before them in good works. Saint Paul thus writeth to Titus, Let ours learne, foreign,Tit. 3.14. to excell in good workes, to helpe poore men in their neceſſities; that they be not vnfruitfull. And our Sauiour ſaith to all his diſciples,Matth. 5.20. Vnleſſe your righteouſneſſe exceede the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees, you ſhall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen. And the Phariſees faſted and prayed often, Matth. 9.14. Luke 18.12.as the Goſpell teacheth vsus: Nay Saint Luke records that the Phariſie there ſaid, that he faſted twiſe in the weeke: And hee is reproued there not of lying, but of boaſting. And manie Chriſtians thinke much now to faſt once in the wéeke. We cannot abide now no ſet times of faſting, which this Phariſie obſerued. This is that moſt grieuous complaint that God makes againſt Ieruſalem:Eze. 15.48 that after ſo manie benefites beſtowed vponupon her euen from her cradle: that Sodome and her daughters hath not done, as Ieruſalem and her daughters. Neither hath Samaria committed halfe of her ſinnes: and that ſhee hath iuſtified both theſe her ſiſters. And this is that which God ſaith to the Iewes by the Prophet Ieremie, Ier. 2.10.Goe to the Iles of Chittim, and behold, and ſend out vntounto Cedar, and take diligent heed, and ſee whether there bee ſuch things? God here, as wee may ſée, vſeth compariſons, and compareth his ſeruants with others. And do we not thinke that as he did then, that hee doth not ſo euen now ſtill alſo? And are we not aſhamed then that Turkes or Papiſts ſhould go beyond vsus in good workes? Thus we hauehave ſéene a briefe viewe of Gods houſhold: now followes their manners.