Exposition of the Proper Psalms, Commentary 1
PSALME 19.
The Heauens declare the glorie of God, &c.
THE World reſembleth a Diuinitie-Schoole, (ſaithaCom. de tranquil. animi. Plutarch) and Chriſt (as thebMatth. 23.8. Scripture telleth) is our Doctor, inſtructing vsus by his workes, and by his words. For ascTull. lib. 5. de finibus. Aristotle had two ſorts of writings, one called Exoterical for his common auditors, another Acroamatical for his priuate ſchollers and familiar acquaintance: ſo God hath two ſorts of books, as Dauid intimates in this Pſalm: namely,
The Booke of his Creatures, as a Common-place booke for all men in the world, The heauens declare the glorie of God, verſ. 1.2.3.4.5.6.
The Booke of his Scriptures, as a ſtatute-booke for his domeſticall auditorie the Church, The law of the Lord is an vndefiled law, v. 7, 8, &c.
The great booke of the CreaturesdDu Barias 1. day, 1. weeke. in folio, may bee termed aptly the Sheepheards Kalender, and the Ploughmans Alphabet, in which euen the moſt ignorant may runne (as theeAbacuc. 2.2. Prophet ſpeakes) and reade. It is a Letter Patent, or open Epiſtle for all, as Dauid in our text, Their ſound is gone out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world; there is neither ſpeech nor language but hauehave heard of their preaching. For albeit heauen, and the Sunne in heauen, and the light in the Sunne are mute; yet their fNon loquuntur quidem vt homines, tamen velut loquentes à nobis intelligūtur. Tremel. in loc.voyces are well vnderſtood,gAthenagoras orat: pro Chriſtianis. Catechizing plainly the firſt elements of religion, as namelyhThom. part 1. quaeſt. 12. art. 12. & Caietan ibidem. that there is a God, and that this God is but one God, and that this one God excelleth all other things infinitly both in might and maieſtie, Vniuerſus mundus (asiCardinal Cuſanus. one pithily) nihil aliud eſt quàm Deus explicatus: The whole world is nothing elſe but God expreſt. So Saint Paul, Rom. 1.20. Gods inuiſible things, as his eternall power and Godhead are cleerely ſeene by the creation of the world, being vnderſtood by the things that are made. The heauens declare this, and the firmament ſheweth this, and the day telleth this, and the night certifieth this, the ſound of the thunder proclameth (as it were) this in all lands, and the words of the whiſtling winde vntounto the ends of the world. More principally the Sunne, which as a bridegrome commeth out of his chamber, and reioyceth as a giant to runne his courſe. ThekVictorinus Strigel. in loc. Vide Bellar. de aſcenſione mentis in deum per ſcalas Creat. grad. 7. cap. 2. body thereof (as Mathematicians hauehave confidently deliuered) is 166. times bigger then the whole earth, and yet it is eueryevery day carried by the finger of God ſo great a iourney, ſo long a courſe: that if it were to be taken on the land, it ſhould runne eueryevery ſeuerall houre of the day 225 Germane miles. It is true that God is incapable to ſenſe, yet hee makes himſelfe (as it were) viſible in his workes; as the diuinelDu Bartas vbi ſup. fol. 6. Poet ſweetly:
Therein our fingers feele, our noſtrils ſmell,
Our palats taſte his vertues that excell,
He ſhewes him to our eyes, talkes to our eares,
In the ordered motions of the ſpangled ſpheares.
So the heauens declare, mPlacidus parmenſis. Genebrardus in loc.that is, they make men declare the glory of God by their admirable ſtructure, motions, and influence. Now the preaching of the heauens is wonderfull innBellar. in loc. three reſpects.
1. As preaching all the night and all the day without intermiſſion: verſ. 2. One day telleth another, and one night certifieth another.
2. As preaching in eueryevery kinde of language: verſ. 3. There is neither ſpeech, nor language, but their voyces are heard among them.
3. As preaching in eueryevery part of the world, and in eueryevery pariſh of eueryevery part, and in eueryevery place of eueryevery pariſh: verſ. 4. Their ſound is gone into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world.
They bee diligent Paſtors, as preaching at all times: and learned Paſtors, as preaching in all tongues: and Catholike Paſtors, as preaching in all townes. Let vsus not then in this Vniuerſitie (where the voyces of ſo many great Doctors are heard) bee like to trewants in other ſchooles, who gaze ſo much vponupon the babies and guilded couer and painted margent of their book, that they neglect the text and leſſon it ſelfe. This booke is Gods Primer (as it were) for al ſorts of people: but he hath another booke proper only for his domeſticall auditorie the Church,oPſal. 147.19. Hee ſheweth his word vntounto Iacob, his ſtatutes and ordinances vntounto Iſrael, hee hath not dealt ſo with any nation, neither hauehave the heathen knowledge of his lawes. Heathen men read in his Primer, but Chriſtian men are well acquainted with his Bible. The Primer is a good booke, but it is imperfect, for after a man hath learned it, hee muſt learne more: but the law of the Lord,pBucer. Tileman. Caluin in loc. that is the body of the holy Scriptures, is a moſt abſolute Canon of all doctrines appertaining either to faith or good manners; it is a perfit law, conuerting the ſoule, giuing wiſedome to the ſimple, ſure, pure, righteous, and reioycing the heart, &c.
But before wee treate of that part, let vsus examine the myſticall expoſition of this part of the Pſalme, being guided hereunto by the ſpirit of God, Rom. 10.18. and by the direction of our Church accommodating this text to this time.
Allegorically then is meant by heauens generally theqAuguſt. expoſit. 2. in loc. & Bellarm. de Sacramentis in genere, lib. 1. cap. 25. Saints, eſpecially the bleſſedrAuguſt. expoſit. 1. in loc. Euangeliſts andſHierome. Melanct. Strigelius. Apoſtles. A good man and a true Chriſtian is not only Gods houſe, Heb. 3.16. but alſo Gods heauen, as S. Auguſtine expounds the words of Chriſt, Our Father which art in heauen, that is, dwelling not in the materiall heauen only, but in the myſticall heauen alſo: to wit, in holy men of heauenly conuerſation, hauing their affections ſet on things which are aboue, Coloſſ. 3.2. Theſe kind of heauens declare the glorie of God in their workes, as much and more then in their words, euertPhilip. 2.15. ſhining as lights in the world,uOecumen apud Bellar. vbi ſup. their whole life being nothing elſe but a perpetuall ſermon (as it were) to their neighbours, and ſo they declare Gods glorie, for that other ſeeing their good deedes, are thereby moued to glorifie our Father which is in heauen.
More particularly the bleſſed Euangeliſts and Apoſtles annunciat Gods glory, the Goſpell is Gods throne,xCaluin epiſt. dedit. Harmon. wherein his Maieſtie rideth as in a chariot; and the foure wheeles of this chariot are the foure Euangeliſts, and therefore this firmament ſheweth Chriſts handyworke, becauſe the written Goſpell is a tract of all that Ieſus did and taught, Acts 1.1. and the bleſſed Apoſtles in preaching the Goſpell hauehave likewiſe declared Gods glorie: for in teaching that men areyRom. 3.24. freely iuſtified by grace, what doe they but annunciat thezEpheſ. 3.16. riches of his glorie? The Goſpell is the power of God vntounto ſaluation; and if thou beeſt hereby ſaued, it is not thine but Gods glorie. Wherefore ſing with heauens hoſte on this day,aLuke 2.14. Glorie be to God on high; and with holybPſal. 115.1. Dauid, Not vntounto vsus, O Lord, not vntounto vsus, but vntounto thy name giuegive the glorie, for thy mercies and truths ſake. cTurrecremat.Or the Apoſtles declare Chriſts glorie, in preaching that he was and is equall with God, as being the character of his perſon, and brightneſſe of his glorie, Heb. 1.3. and they ſhew Chriſts handy worke, in relating all hee ſaid, and did, and ſuffered for vsus men and our ſaluation from his Cradle to his Croſſe, and afterward from his Croſſe to his Crowne. Theſe were the Trumpetors of his Goſpel, and as it were thedAuguſt. ep. 89. bel-weathers of his flocke, whoſe ſound is gone out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world, as S. Paul interprets our text, Rom. 10.18. There is neither ſpeech nor language, but their voyces are heard among thē. eEuſeb. hiſt. lib. 3. cap. 1.Andrew preached in Scythia, Thomas in Parthia, Iohn in Aſia, f1. Pet. 1.1.Peter to the diſperſed Iewes throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Aſia, Bithynia, gSocrates hiſt. lib. 1. cap. 15.Bartholmew in India, Matthew in Aethiopia: for (ashCatalog. gloriae mundi part. 3. conſiderat. 29. Caſſanaeus reports) Aethiopiam nigram doctrina fidei fecit candidam. In England (as by tradition wee hauehave receiued)iNiceph. lib. 2. cap. 40. Simon Zelotes firſt preached the Goſpell, andkCapgraue in Catalog. ſanct. Angl. & Magdeburg. epiſt. praefix. Gent. 4. Ioſeph of Arimathea built a religious houſe for Profeſſors in Glaſcenbury. Saint Paul, howſoeuer he was not one of ye twelue, yet hee laboured more abundantly then they all, 1. Cor. 15.10. he declared the glorie of God inlGalat. 1. Arabia, Syria, Cilicia, mActs 13.Antiochia, Seleucia, Cyprus, nActs 14.Lycaonia, Lyſtra, oActs 17.Athens, pActs 20.Corinth, Troas. In a word, he made the Goſpell of Chriſt abound in eueryevery place from Hieruſalem vntounto Illyricum, as himſelfe witneſſeth of himſelfe, Rom. 15.19. hee was a choſen veſſell of the Lord to beare his name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the Children of Iſrael, Acts 9.15. Thus all the Saints in generall, the foure Euangeliſts, and twelue Apoſtles, and eueryevery ſound Preacher of the Goſpell in particular, annunciat the glorie of God.
But what is the meaning of the next words, one day telleth another, and one night certifieth another? Literally, dies diem dicit, is nothing elſe but dies diem docet. One day telleth another, is one day teacheth another.qVatablus in loc. The day paſt is inſtructed by the day preſent; eueryevery new day doth affoord new doctrine. TherPlacidus Parmen. in loc. day is a moſt apt time to learne by reading and conference; the night a moſt apt time for inuention and meditation: now that which thou canſt not vnderſtand this day, thou maiſt happilie learne the next; and that which is not found out in one night, may be gotten in another. Mystically (ſaithſIn loc. Hierome) Chriſt is this day, who ſaith of himſelfe,tIohn 8.12. I am the light of the world. And his twelue Apoſtles are the twelue houres of this day; for Chriſts ſpirit reuealed by the mouthes of his Apoſtles the myſteries of our ſaluation, inuEpheſ. 3.5. other ages not ſo fully knowne vntounto the ſonnes of men. One day telleth another, xAuguſt. Hierome. Turrecremat.that is, the ſpirituall vtter this vntounto the ſpirituall: and one night certifieth another, that is, Iudas inſinuates as much vntounto the Iewes in the night of ignorance, ſaying,yMatth. 26.48. Whomſoeuer I ſhall kiſſe, that is he, lay hold on him. Or thezD. Incognitus. old Teſtament onelyonly ſhadowing Chriſt, is the night: and the new Teſtament plainly ſhewing Chriſt, is the day.
In them hath he ſet a tabernacle for the Sunne] That is, asaVulgar Latin. Auguſt. other by way ofbGenebrard. Hypallage, He hath his tabernacle in the Sunne: meaning that God the Father dwelleth in Chriſt his ſonnecColoſſ. 2.9. bodily, which is the Sunne of righteouſnes, Malac. 4.2. by whom he dothdIohn 1.9. enlighten and reconcile the world to himſelfe, 2. Cor. 5.18. TheeSenenſis Bibliothec. lib. 5. annot. 160. Manichees, abuſing this text, adore the Sunne, conceiuing that Chriſt at his aſcending ſet his tabernacle, that is, left his fleſh in the Sunne.fSee S. Auguſt. contra Fauſtum Manich. lib. 20. But this idle paradoxe contradicts the Scriptures, affirming that Chriſt aſcended far aboue all the heauens, Epheſ. 4.10. and that he there ſitteth at the right hand of God, as our agent and aduocate, til he come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead. Ergo, his fleſh is not in the Sunne, but in the higheſt places, Hebr. 1.3. euen in the heauen of heauens, Acts 7.56. The ſenſe then of [he ſet his tabernacle in the Sunne, ingApud Senen. vbi ſup. Origens iudgement is briefly this: Almightie God placed his Church in the Sunne of righteouſnes, according to that of Paul, Epheſ. 2.20. The Church is built vponupon the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe being the chiefe corner ſtone. Or ashAuguſt. in loc. & tract. 2. in ep. Ioan. & lib. 3. cont. lit. Petilian. cap. 32. other, Hee ſet his tabernacle in the Sunne, that is, his Church in open view, that it may bee ſo cleerely ſeene as the Sunne; like a Citie that is ſet on a hill and cannot be hid, Matth. 5.14. So the word Sunne is vſed, 1. Sam. 12.12. Thou diddeſt it ſecretly, but I will doe this thing before all Iſrael, and before the Sunne. Or becauſe the Scripture calleth our fleſh a tabernacle, 2. Cor. 5.1. We know, that if our earthly houſe of this tabernacle be destroyed, wee hauehave a building giuen of God, not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens. And 2. Pet. 1.13. As long as I am in this tabernacle. Therfore S. Auguſtine andiD. Incognitus. Turrecremat. other expound it thus: He ſet his tabernacle in the Sunne: that is,kIohn 1.14. the word became fleſh, and appeared in the lPhilip. 2.7.ſhape of a ſeruant, ſo manifeſtly, that as S. Iohn ſpeakes in his 1. Epiſtle, chap. 1. verſ. 1. hee was heard, and ſeene, and felt, that which was from the beginning, which we hauehave heard, which we hauehave ſeene with our eyes, which we hauehave looked vponupon, and our hands hauehave handled of the word of life. If Chriſt had not on earth a true body, then hee was not borne of the Virgin Mary, nor wrapped in ſwadling clothes, nor laid in a cratch, nor circumciſed on the eighth day, nor preſented in the Temple. If his body were fantaſtical (as Valentinus imagined) how did hee thirſt, and hunger, and weepe, and in concluſion, how did he dye for our ſinnes, and riſe again for our iuſtification? His natiuitie, life, death, euidently demonſtrate that he was made fleſh, and that hee dwelt among vsus, Ioh. 1.14.
Which commeth foorth as a bridegrome out of his chamber] The Sunne of righteouſnes appeareth in three ſignes eſpecially, Leo, Virgo, Libra: 1. in Leo, roring as a Lion in the Law, ſo that the people could notmExod. 20.17. endure his voyce: 2. in Virgo, borne of a pure Virgin in the Goſpel: 3. in Libra, weighing our workes in hisnDan. …2 7. ballance at the day of Iudgement. Or asoSerm. 3▪ de aduent Dom. Bernard diſtinguiſheth his three-fold comming aptly, Venit ad homines, venit in homines, venit contra homines: In the time paſt, he came vntounto men as vponupon this day; in the time preſent, he comes by his ſpirit into men eueryevery day; in the time future, hee ſhall come againſt men in the laſt day. The comming here mentioned is his comming in the fleſh: for ſo thepHierome. Auguſt. Fathers vſually gloſſe the text, he came foorth of the Virgins wombe, as a bridegrome out of his Chamber. As a bridegrome, for the King of heauen at this holy time made a great wedding for his ſonne, Matth. 22.1. Chriſt is the bridegrome, mans nature the bride, theqGreg. hom. 38. coniunction and bleſſed vnion of both in one perſon is the mariage. The beſt way to reconcile two diſagreeing families, is to make ſome mariage betweene them: euen ſo the Word became fleſh, and dwelt among vsus in ye world, that he might hereby make ourrEpheſ. 2.14.16 peace, reconciling God to man, and man to God. By this happy match the Sonne of God is become the ſonne ofſMatth. 16.13. man, euen fleſh of our fleſh, and bone of our bones: and the ſonnes of men are made the ſonnes oftIohn 1.12. God, of his fleſh, and of his bones, as Paul ſaith, Epheſ. 5.30, So that now the Church being Chriſts owne ſpouſe, ſaith, I am my welbeloueds, and my welbeloued is mine, Cant. 6.2. My ſinne is his ſinne, and his righteouſnes is my righteouſnes; hee who knewu2. Cor. 5.21. no ſinne, for my ſake was made ſinne; and I contrariwiſe hauing noxRom. 7.18. good thing, am made the righteouſnes of God in him. I which am browne by perſecution, and blacke by nature, Cant. 1.4. ſo foule as the ſow that walloweth in the mire, 2. Pet. 2.22. through his fauour am comely without ſpot or wrinkle, ſoyEſay 1.18. white as the ſnow,zCant. 2.2. like a lilie among thornes, euen the faireſt among women, Cant. 1.7. This happie mariage is not a marre age, but it makes a merrie age, being theaLuke 2.25. conſolation of Iſrael, and comfort ofbEſay 40.2. Hieruſalems heart. Indeed Chriſt our husband doth abſent himſelfe from vsus in his bodie for a time, but when he did aſcend into heauen, he tooke with him our pawne, namely his fleſh: and hee gaue vsus his pawne, namely his ſpirit, aſſuring vsus that wee ſhall one day, when the world is ended, enter with him into thecMatth. 25.10. wedding chamber, and there feaſt with him, and enioy his bleſſed companie for euermore.
And reioyceth as a giant to runne his courſe] As the naturall Sunne in his courſe goeth foorth from the vttermoſt part of the heauen, and runneth about vntounto the end of it againe: dSee S. Auguſt. contra literas Petilian lib. 2. cap. 32. & Didac. de Yanguas Con. 1. de aſcen. Dom.ſo the ſupernaturall Sunne, Chriſt Ieſus ariſing in our Horizon,eEpheſ. 4.9. deſcended into the loweſt parts of the earth, and there continued vntill hee had finiſhed the worke, for which he came into the world, and afterward aſcended farre aboue all heauens, that he might fulfill all things.
As a giant he did runne his courſe] There you hauehave his incarnation, and peregrination in the fleſh: his circuit was from the vttermoſt part of the heauen vntounto the end of it againe, there you hauehave his reſurrection and aſcenſion: and there is nothing hid from his heate; there you hauehave his ſending of the holy Ghoſt in the forme of fierie tongues, Acts 2.3. The reſemblances betweene Chriſt and the Sunne arefStrigilius in loc. manifold: 1. As the Sunne is the worlds eye: ſo Chriſt is the light of the world. 2. As the Sunne ariſing obſcures the ſtarres luſtre: ſo the righteouſnes of Chriſt imputed to ſinners, darkeneth all the merit and worth of our workes. 3. As the Sunne in the greateſt height cauſeth the greateſt heate: ſo the croſſe followeth euer the moſt incorrupt and pure profeſſion of the Goſpell. 4. As the Sunne in winter is neereſt vsus: ſo Chriſt in our afflictions, in our perſecutions, eſpecially for his truth, is neereſt vsus, as holygFox Martyr. fol. 1492, Bradford diuinely ſaid, If there be any way to heauen on horſebacke, ſurely this is the way, to ſuffer for Chriſt.
Now (beloued) as the Propheth2. King. 4.13. Eliſha a together with his ſeruant Gehazi ſaid vntounto the Shunamite, Behold, thou haſt had all this care for vsus, what ſhall we do for thee? So let vsus ſay to the Sunne of righteouſnes, O ſweete Ieſu, thou haſt as a giant runne all this courſe for vsus, whether ſhall wee goe, or what ſhall we doe for thee? Chriſt anſwers our queſtion in the 14. of S. Iohn: If yee louelove me, keepe my Commandements. His chiefe Commandement is, that weiJohn 3.16.24. & John 6.29. beleeue in him; and the next is, that we louelove one another, Ioh. 13.34. Our faith in him, is confirmed and encreaſed at this time by comming to his table; our louelove toward him, in inuiting his members vntounto our table. Wee may be fed at his table ſpiritually, hee may be fed at our table corporally; for he that feeds the hungry, puts meate into Chriſts owne mouth; hee that giues to the needie, puts money into Chriſts owne hand; he that cloathes the naked, puts a coate on Chriſts owne backe. So himſelfe proteſteth, & that with a great deale of earneſtnes: Verily I ſay vntounto you, in as much as ye hauehave done it vntounto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, ye hauehave done it vntounto me. A noble Lady being readie to dye, ſent vntounto her abſent husband two rings for a token; whereof one was her mariage ring, and the other a ring with Deaths head on it, heartily deſiring him after her departure to be good vntounto her poore children: Our bleſſed Sauiour on this day for pure louelove came downe from heauen, and was married after an ineffable manner vntounto the fleſh, and on good Friday he laid downe his life for our ſakes; hee therefore doth entreate vsus by his incarnation, and paſſion, that wee would in his abſence remember the poore, his children. IfkPlutarch in vita Periclis. Pericles an Heathen reioyced on his death-bed, for that no Citizen of Athens had euer worne a mourning gowne through his occaſion; how ſhall a Chriſtian (as knowing that hislIob 19.25. redeemer and hismHeb. 11.6. rewarder liueth) be comforted in his dying houre? when as he cannot onelyonly ſay withn1. Sam. 12.3. Samuel; Whoſe oxe hauehave I taken, or whom hauehave I done wrong to? but alſo withoJob 29.15. Iob; I was eyes to the blind, and feete was I to the lame, I was a father to the poore, and I cauſed the widowes heart to reioyce.
The law of the Lord is a perfit law] In this part of the Pſalme Dauid commends the Scripture:pTurrecremat. 1. From the author, it is the law of the Lord: 2. From the ſufficiencie thereof, it is perfit: 3. From the vtilitie, conuerting the ſoule, giuing wiſedome to the ſimple, &c. 4. From the infallibilitie, the teſtimony of the Lord is ſure, the feare of the Lord endureth for euer. 5. From the ſweetnes, it reioyceth the heart, and is ſweeter then the honey, or the hony combe.
Firſt, it is the law of the Lord againſt theqAugust. hareſ. 46. & Tertull. cont. Marcian. lib. 4. Manichees, affirming, that two diſagreeing Gods were authors of the two Teſtaments, one of the old, another of the new: but S. Paul telleth vsus expreſly that there is one ſpirit, and one Lord, Epheſ. 44.5. and S.r2. Pet. 1.21. Peter aſſureth vsus, that holy men of God in old time ſpake, as they were moued by this one ſpirit of one Lord.
Now the Scripture (being in eueryevery part the law of the Lord) is vndefiled and perfit, ſo perfit, that we may neitherſProu. 3.6. Reuelat. 22.18. adde thereto, nor take therefro. So Moſes, Deut. 4.2. and 12.32. Ye ſhall put nothing vntounto the Word I command you, neither ſhall yee take ought therefrom. Here then is a pregnant teſtimony to confute thetBellar. de verbo dei, lib. 4. cap. 3. See Dr. Mortons appeale, lib. 2. cap. 25. Papiſts, accuſing the word of God of inſufficiencie, making it like a ſick mans broken and imperfit will, halfe written, and halfe paroll; adding to the written truth, vnwritten traditions as neceſſarie to ſaluation. Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart, and in penning the Pſalter, a finger of Gods owne hand, ſaith it is a perfit law: but the Pope, which is a member of Satan, and (as many great Diuines conceiue)u2. Theſſ. 2.3. that man of ſinne, proclaimeth on the contrarie that it is an vnperfit law. Saintx2. Tim. 3.16. Paul auowes, that the Scriptures are profitable to teach, to improue, to correct, and inſtruct in righteouſnes. That is, to teach all neceſſarie truths, and confute all errors in doctrine, to correct al faults in manners, and inſtruct all men in all duties; and ſo by conſequent able to make the man of God abſolutely furniſhed vntounto all good workes. But theySee Perkins reformed Cat. tit. traditions, & Dr. Abbot ibidem. Romaniſts hold, that the written word is only milke for babes in Chriſt, and infants in Diuinitie, which are the ſimple ſort of people; but vnwritten traditions are ſtrong meat for the learned. Their anſwere to the cited text out of Deuteronomie, Ye ſhall adde nothing, &c. is manifold.
Firſt,zBellar. vbi ſup. cap. 10. that it may be ſo well vnderſtood of the word vnwritten as written, becauſe Moſes ſaith, Hearken vntounto the lawes which I teach and command, and not vntounto the words I write. But this euaſion is idle, ſeeing it is apparent, that theſe very words are as a preface to a long expoſition of the law written, ergo to be conſtrued of the written word only. Againe, wee ſay that eueryevery word of the Law was written in the booke of the Law: for ſo theaDeut. 31.24. text plainly, When Moſes. had made an end of writing the words of this law in a booke, till he had finiſhed them, then hee commanded the Leuites, which bare the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord, ſaying, take the book of this law, and put it in the ſide of the Arke, &c. and therefore that which is ſet downe by Moſes, Deut. 27.26. Curſed be he that continueth not in all the words of this law, to do them; is thus related by Paul, Galath. 3.10. Curſed is eueryevery one that continueth not in all things, that are written in the booke of the law, to do them. Hereby ſhewing, that all the words of the law were written in the booke of the law, and nothing left vnwritten, that was any part or parcell thereof. And the Lord giuing directions vntounto Ioſua, that he ſhould obſerue the whole law, which his ſeruant Moſes had commanded, addeth in fine,bIoſua 1.8. Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth, but meditate therein day and night, that thou maiſt obſerue and doe according to all that is written therein.
TheircBellar. vbi ſup. ſecond ſhift is, God himſelfe did adde to his law, ergo we may likewiſe adde to his Scriptures. After Moſes had vttered the words, ye ſhall neither adde to, nor take fro, &c. the Prophets were added to the Law, and the Goſpell vntounto both. Our anſwere to this obiection is threefold: 1. Moſes did not ſay, God ſhall not adde, but, yee ſhall not adde. The Lord of the law is aboue the law, but all of vsus are vnderunder the law: the Soueraigne may diſpenſe with his law, but the ſeruant muſt obey his law. 2. The bookes added by God agreed with the law; for the Chronicles and Pſalms and Prophets adde no point of doctrine thereto, but are rather expoſitions and Commentaries vponupon the law, ſhewing the meaning and practiſe thereof. And touching the new Teſtament, as the law was an hidden Goſpell; euen ſo the Goſpell is a reuealed law. Concinunt noua veteribus, vetera nouis, ſaithdIn Pſal. 49. Auguſtine: The two Teſtaments are like the Seraphims, Eſa. 6.3. crying each to other, one and the ſame thing; and thereforeeMat. 17.4. Peter was vnwiſe to make three tabernacles in mount Tabor; one for Moſes, another for Elias, and a third for Chriſt; becauſe the Law, & the Prophets, and the Goſpell accord all in one, differing onelyonly in circumſtance, but not in ſubſtance. If a man (quothfEpiſt. 5. Marcellin. & 49. Deo grat, ad quaeſt. 3. Auguſtine) vſe one kind of prayer in the morning, and another at night, hee neither changeth his God, nor his religion: if one bid thee good morrow before dinner, and good night after ſupper, he doth not alter his good will or wiſh, but onelyonly his forme of ſaluting: ſo the Sacraments of the Goſpell, and the ſacrifices of the Law, point out one and the ſame Sauiour, which is Chriſt the Lord. Thus al added by God vntounto his Law, was nothing elſe but an explanation of his Law; but Popiſh traditions and additions are contrary to the word, not expoſitions, but oppoſitions; rather deſtructions, then conſtructions of it; as their inuocation of Saints, creeping vntounto croſſes, auricular Confeſſion, Indulgences, Purgatorie, prayers for the dead, denying mariage to Prieſts, and the like; the which are ſo diſſonant to Gods holy Law, that they beg1. Tim. 4.1. doctrines of diuels.
3. Though almighty God added vntounto his law, yet that part of his Scripture was omni-ſufficient for his ſeruants at that time; and therefore ſeeing now the whole is written, it ought to be receiued as an abſolute Canon for all times, a common treaſure-houſe of all inſtructions, appertaining either to the reforming of our manners, or informing of our faith. So reuerendhLib. 3. cap. 1. Irenaeus, iHom. 25. in Mat.Origen, kHexam. lib. 3. cap. 3. & de vocat. gent. lib. 2. cap. 3.Ambroſe, lCont. lit. petil. lib. 3. cap. 6.Auguſtine, andmapud Dr. Morton Appeale lib. 2. cap. 25. ſect;. 11. other of the moſt ancient Fathers account it. And ſo, many learned Papiſts acknowledge, when as we treat of God, nothing may be ſaid (as Aquine doth aduiſe, part. 1. queſt. 36. art. 2.) but what is found in the Scriptures. If we ſeeke to confute blaſphemous Heretickes, there is no other way (ſaithnIn Luc. 1. praefat. Stella) then by Scriptures. If wee will examine the differences of Churches, and ſo diſcerne the true from the falſe, the only meanes (as their IeſuitoCom. in Rom. in proem. part. 3. diſp. 3. Salmeron telleth vsus) is by the Scriptures. In briefe, what can any Proteſtant ſay more for the Scriptures prerogatiue, then to profeſſe that which their biſhoppArt. 37. aduerſus Lutherum. fol. 222. Roffenſis hath openly confeſſed, that the holy Scripture is Conclaue quoddam omnium veritatum, qua Chriſtianis ſcitu neceſſariae ſunt, a conclaue of all neceſſary Chriſtian truth.
As the word of God in it ſelfe is a perfect and vndefiled law: ſo likewiſe making other perfect; It conuerteth the ſoule, and giueth wiſedome to the ſimple. The ſecretaries of nature tell vsus, that in the life naturall, our heart is the firſt in liuing, and laſt in dying; euen ſo in the life ſpirituall, our heart is conuerted firſt, and then all other members hauehave their proportionable perfection. And thereforeqPſal. 51.10. Dauid prayeth, O Lord create in mee a new heart. Almighty God requires that weerRom. 10.10. beleeue with our heart, andſLuk. 10.27. louelove with our heart, and performe eueryevery good deed with our heart: Sonne giuegive me thine heart, Prou. 23.26. If wee can once truely profeſſe with thetPſal. 108.1. Pſalmiſt, O God, my heart is ready, my heart is ready; uPſal. 103.1.praiſe the Lord O my ſoule, &c. Then all that is either without vsus, or about vsus, inſtantly will do the ſame. Then our feete will bee ready to runne in his waies; our eyes readie to waite vponupon his will; our eares ready to heare his word; our hands ready to doe his worke. It is reported ofxAuthor. Latin. Chron. de Cantuarienſ. Archiepiſ. in vita Cranmeri, pag. 403. Archbiſhop Cranmer, that his heart (after his fleſh and bones were conſumed in the mercileſſe flames of fire) was found vnſcorched and whole: ſo let vsus in the middeſt of all tentations in this world, which isy1. Ioh. 5.19. in maligno, that is, in male igne poſitus, keepe our heart ſound and whole for the Lord, that wee may profeſſe withzRom. 7.16. Paul, I doe not the good things which I would, but the euill which I would not, that doe I: now then, if I doe that I would not, it is no more I that doe it, but the ſinne that dwelleth in me.
If any ſhall aske, wherewith ſhall a man cleanſe his heart:aPſal. 119.9. Dauid doth anſwere, by ruling himſelfe after Gods word, that is a perfect law, conuerting the ſoule: that is, thebRom. 1.16. power of God vntounto ſaluation, anc1. Pet. 1.23. immortall ſeed, and the word of life, whereby men are borne againe to the kingdome of God. All of vsus are by nature thedEpheſ. 2.3. children of wrath; our ſoules areePaulinus epiſt. lib. 2. epiſt. 4. in fine. like the porches of Betheſda, Ioh. 5. in which are lodged a great many ſicke folke, blind, halt, withered. And the Scriptures are like the poole of Betheſda, into which whoſoeuer entreth, after Gods holy ſpirit hath a little ſtirred the water, is made whole of whatſoeuer diſeaſe he had. He that hath angers phrenſie, being ſo furious as a Lion, by ſtepping into this poole, ſhall in good time become ſo gentle as a Lambe: hee that hath the blindneſſe of intemperance, by waſhing in this poole, ſhall eaſily ſee his follie: hee that hath enuies ruſt, auarices leproſie, luxuries palſie; ſhal hauehave meanes and medicines here for the curing of his maladies: the word of God is like the drugge Catholicon, that is in ſtead of all purges; and like the herbe Panaces, that is good for all diſeaſes. Is any man heauie? the ſtatutes of the Lord reioyce the heart: is any man in want? the Iudgments of the Lord are more to bee deſired then gold, yea then much fine gold, and by keeping of them there is great reward: is any man ignorant? the teſtimonies of the Lord giuegive wiſedome to the ſimple: fEuthym.that is, to little ones, both in ſtanding, and vnderſtanding. In ſtanding, as vntounto littlegHiſtory of Suſanna, verſ. 45. Daniel, littlehDiſcipulum minimum Ieſus amabat plurimum, Hierom. epiſt. ad Heliodor. Iohn the Euangeliſt, littlei2. Tim. 3.15. Timothy: to little ones in vnderſtanding; for the great Philoſophers, who were the Wizards of the world, becauſe they were not acquainted with Gods law, became fooles, while they profeſſed themſelues wiſe, Rom. 1.22. but our Prophet ſaith,kPſal. 119.99. I hauehave more vnderſtanding then my teachers, becauſe thy teſtimonies are my meditation and ſtudie. To conclude, whatſoeuer wee are by corruption of nature, Gods law conuerteth vsus, and maketh vsus to ſpeake withlMark. 16.17. new tongues, and to ſing newmPſalm. 98.1. ſongs vntounto the Lord, and to become new men, and new creatures in Chriſt, 2. Cor. 5.17. The law of the Lord giueth eueryevery man a new-yeers gift, if he hauehave faithes hand to receiue it. VntoUnto the couetous it giueth a new-yeeres gift, in telling him plainly, that ſuch as truſt in vncertaine riches, and not in the liuing God, fall into tentations, and ſnares, and into many fooliſh and noyſome lusts, which drowne men in perdition and deſtruction, 1. Tim. 6.9. It giues the voluptuous and incontinent man a new-yeers gift, aduiſing him, 1. Theſſ. 4.4. to poſſeſſe his veſſell in holineſſe and honour. It giues the proud man a new-yeeres gift, in ſaying,nIam. 4.6. 1. Pet. 5.5. Prou. 3.34. God reſiſteth the proud, and giues grace to the humble. It giues the luſty gallant a new-yeres gift, in remembring him tooEccleſiaſtes 12.1. remember his Creator in the daies of his youth. It giues eueryevery man a new-yeeres gift, in bringing this newes into the world, thatpLuk. 2.11. vntounto vsus is borne this day a Sauiour, which is Christ the Lord, and that qIoh. 3.16.whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhal not periſh, but hauehave euerlaſting life.
The Pope then in denying the lawes of God, vntounto the people of God, in a tongue which is knowne, in perſecuting thoſe who tranſlated them, as Wickliffe, and Tyndal; and other who ſold them, as a godlyrFox martyrol. fol. 863. Stationer was burnt in Auinion, with two Bibles about his neck; and other forſFol. 752. 753. reading & hauing them; and other for repeating onlytFol. 761. 762. certaine ſentences out of them, euidently ſheweth himſelfe a great Antichriſt, and aduerſary to the Goſpell. For (as holyuLetter to the Vniuerſity and towne of Cambridge. Bradford ſaid) how can he with his Prelates meane honeſtly, who make ſo much of the wife, and ſo little of the husband. The Church they magnifie, but Chriſt they contemne. The truth is, if their Church were an honeſt woman (that is, Chriſts owne ſpouſe) vnleſſe they would make much of her husband (Chriſt and his word) ſhe would not bee made much of them. If the law of the Lord be perfect, conuerting the ſoule, giuing wiſdome to the ſimple, reioycing the heart, cleane, ſure, pure, more to bee deſired then gold, yea then much fine gold; ſweeter alſo then honey, and the honey combe: what impudent Phariſies are they (who profeſſing that the keyes are in their hands onelyonly)xMat. 23.13. ſhut vp the kingdome of heauen before Gods people, they neither go in themſelues, nor ſuffer ſuch as would enter, to come in.
It was ſaid of them in old time, byyDr. Baſſinet in a pub. oration before the Biſhops aſſembled in Auinion, vti Fox martyrolog. fol. 863. ſome of their owne ſide, that it was ſo great a wonder to heare a Biſhop preach, as to ſee an Aſſe flie. Now they preach (I confeſſe) more then heretofore, but their doctrine ſauours of policy, more then of piety, tending rather to King-killing, then ſoule-ſauing. Whoſoeuer is verſt in their bookes, is able to giuegive this verdict, that their Diuinity tracts are worſe then their humane learning; and that their Sermons are the worſt of all their Diuinity, being framed in affaires of ſtate not according to the word of Chriſt, but according to the will of Antichriſt: and in matters of deuotion, according to the fopperies of their owne Legend, and not according to the wiſedome of Gods law.
zEpiſt. lib. 1. epiſt. 1.Seneca ſaid pithily, Magna vitae pars elabitur malè agentibus, maxima nihil agentibus, tota aliud agentibus. The Ieſuites in their preaching are malè agentes, as makinga2. Cor. 2.17. merchandize of Gods holy word. The Friars in their preaching are nihil agentes, b1. Tim. 1.7.vnderſtanding neither what they ſpeake, neither whereof they affirme. For the moſt part, all Papiſts in their preaching, are aliud agentes, either beyond the text, or behind the text, or beſide the text. The too little learning of their Friars, and too much of their Ieſuites, hauehave ſo wreſted and wreathed the Scripture, to ſerue their owne turne, that (ascDe inuent. rerum. lib. 4. cap. 9. Polydore Virgil ſaid of Lawyers) they hauehave ſtretched Gods booke, as ſhoomakers extend a boot, See Goſpell 1. Sund. in Aduent.
To leaue them, and to come nearer our ſelues; ſeeing the booke of Scriptures is the word and will of God, and that a perfect law, ſo perfect, that nothing may bee taken therefrom, or put thereto; not onelyonly perfect in it ſelfe, but alſo making others perfect, conuerting the ſoule, and giuing wiſdome to the ſimple: let it (as the bleſſeddColoſ. 3.16. Apoſtle doth exhort,) dwell in you plenteouſly with all wiſedome. It is Gods beſt friend, and the Kings beſt friend, and the Courts beſt friend, and the Cities beſt friend, and the Countries beſt friend, and all our beſt friend; and therfore let vsus not entertain it as a ſtranger, but as a familiar & a domeſtick, let it dwell in vsus. And for as much as it brings with it exceeding profit and pleaſure: profit, more to be deſired then gold, yea then much fine gold: pleaſure, reioycing the heart, ſweeter alſo then honey, and the honey combe, let it dwell in vsus plenteouſly. Yet in all wiſdome, let vsus heare it in all wiſdome, reade it in all wiſdome, meditate on it in all wiſedome, ſpeake of it in all wiſedome, preach it in all wiſedome; not onelyonly in ſome, but in all wiſdome, that the words of our mouthes, and the meditations of our hearts, may bee moſt acceptable in thy fight, O Lord our ſtrength and our Redeemer. Amen.