Exposition of the Proper Psalms, Commentary 10
PSALME 114.
When Iſrael came out of Aegypt, and the houſe of Iacob from among the ſtrange people, &c.
THere bee two chiefe parts of this Pſalme, the
1. A deſcription of Iſraels admirable deliuerance out of Aegypt, in the foure former verſes.
2. A dialogue betweene the Prophet and the Creatures about the ſame deliuerance, in the foure latter verſes.
In the deliuerāce, note
1. The parties deliuered, Iſrael, and the houſe of Iacob, being Gods
Sanctuarie.
Seigniorie.
2. The perill, out of which they were deliuered, andkChryſoſt. Mollerus. that was
1. Bondage.
2. Bondage among ſtrangers in Aegypt.
3. Bondage among ſuch ſtrangers as were cruell, a barbarous people.
3. The manner how they were deliuered, not by meanes ordinarie, but miracles extraordinarie, wrought on the
Water, verſ. 3. The Sea ſaw that and fled, Iordaine was driuen backe.
Land, verſe 4. The Mountaines skipped like Rammes, &c.
In the dialogue two poynts are to be conſidered:
1. A queſtion, What ayleth thee O thou Sea, &c. Verſe 5.6.
2. AnlVatablus. Tremellius. Bellarmine. anſwere, Tremble thou earth, &c. Or asmVulgar latine. Engliſh-Geneua. other tranſlations, The earth trembled at the preſence of the Lord, &c.
When Iſrael] ThenBellarmine. latter clauſe doth expounde the former, Iſrael, that is, the houſe of Iacob: for this holy Patriarke had two names, firſt Iacob that ſignifieth a ſupplantor, Gen. 25.26. and then Iſrael, that is, one which hath power with God, Gen. 32.28. teaching vsus hereby, ſaithoIn loc. Hierome (as we hauehave receiued grace) to ſupplant vice, that wee may preuaile with God and ſee him, according to that ofpMatth. 5.8. Chriſt, Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God. AsqGen. 25.22. Iacob and Eſau ſtroue together in their mother Rebeccaes wombe: ſo therGalat. 5.17. fleſh in man luſteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh. If wee play Iacobs part in ſupplanting ſinne, which is a red and a rough Eſau, we ſhall aſſuredly gaine the bleſſing of our heauenly Father.
By Iacobs houſe then is meant hisſEuthym. Genebrard. poſteritie the children of Iſrael, of whom it is reported by Moſes, Deut. 10.22. Thy fathers went downe into Aegypt with ſeuentie perſons, and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the ſtarres of the heauen in multitude. Theſe people were Gods ſanctification and dominion, tGeneua gloſſ.that is, witneſſes of his holy Maieſtie in adopting them, and of his mightie power in deliuering them:uMelancth. in loc. or his ſanctification, as hauing his holy Prieſts to gouerne them in the poynts of pietie; and dominion, as hauing godly Magiſtrates ordained from aboue to rule them in matters of policie: or his ſanctuarie x both actiuely, becauſe ſanctifying him;yGenebrardus. Iacobus de Valentia. and paſſiuely, becauſe ſanctified of him. It is true that God, as being euer the moſt holy ſo well as the moſt high, cannot bee magnified and hallowed in reſpect of himſelfe, but in reſpect ofyCaluin. in loc. other onelyonly. For God is ſanctified of his ſeruants, as wiſdome is ſaid to bee iuſtified of her children, Luke 7.35. that is, acknowledged and declared to be iuſt, according to that of the Lord by the mouth of his holyzEzech. 38.23. Prophet, Thus will I bee magnified and ſanctified, and knowne in the eies of many Nations, and they ſhall know that I am the Lord. Wherefore let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. Againe, Iuda was his Sanctuary, aBucer. Agellius. R…b. Stephanus.becauſe ſanctified of him, adopted his holy heritage, choſen a peculiar and a precious people to himſelfe,bDeut. 7.6. aboue all Nations in the world. I hauehave carried you (ſaid thecExod. 19.4. Lord) vponupon Eagles wings, and hauehave brought you vntounto me, that ye might be my chiefe treaſure aboue all people, though all the earth bee mine, conſecrated and hallowed to my worſhip, as holy Temples and Sanctuaries in whome I may rule, for ſo the latter clauſe may welldBellarmine. explaine the former, Iuda was his Sanctuarie, becauſe his Dominion, in whom heeChryſoſt. Euthym. Bucer. reigned as a king by his lawes and ſpirit. And therefore when Iſrael asked a king of the Lord to iudge them, he ſaid tof1. Sam. 8.7. Samuel, they hauehave not reiected thee, but they hauehave reiected me, that I ſhould not reign ouer them. According to this expoſition Iſrael is termed (Ex. 19.6.) a kingdome of Prieſts: or (as S.g1. Pet. 2.9. Peter hath it) a royal Prieſthood; royall, as being his Seigniory; Prieſthood, as being his Sanctuary. For the beter vnderſtanding of this phraſe, remē ber I pra'y, that there be two kinds of kingdomes in holy Scripture, the kingdome of darkneshColoſſ. 1.13., which is the kingdome of the deuill; and the kingdome of heauen, which is the kingdome of God. When all had ſinned in Adam, it pleaſed the Lord out of his vnſearchable Iuſtice, to lay this heauy puniſhment on all his poſteritie; that ſeeing they could not be content to be ſubiect to their creator, they ſhould become vaſſals vnderunder Satans tyrāny: ſo that all men are now (by nature) the Children ofiEpheſ. 2.3. wrath, andkEpheſ. 6.12. the Prince of darkeneſſe ruleth in their hearts, vntill Chriſt thelLuke 11.22. ſtrong man commeth, and bindeth him, andmIohn 12.31. caſteth him out, and ſo bringeth all his elect out of darkeneſſe into maruailous light, 1. Pet. 2.9.
Blind ignorant people cannot abide this doctrine, they ſpit at the very naming of the deuill, and ſay that they defie him and all his, euen with all their heart, and ſoule, and minde. Yet, whereas they liue ſtill in ignorance and impiety, which are the two maine pillers of Satans kingdome, they make plaine proofe, that they be Children of the nLuke 16.9.world, Children of oColoſſ. 3.6.diſobedience, Children of pHoſea 10.9.iniquitie, Children of q1. Sam. 26.16.death, Children of the rIohn 8.44.deuill, Children of ſIohn 17.2.perdition, Children of tMat. 23.15.hell. Iſrael is Gods dominion, and Iuda Gods ſanctuary: but Aegipt and Babylon, and other parts and perſons of the world, liuing in ſinne without repentance, what are they but the ſuburbes of hell, and (as it were) the deuils Empire, where he holdeth vp his Scepter, and ruleth as a Prince, Epheſ. 2.2.
Gods kingdome is taken in the Bible two waies eſpecially,
Generally,
For that gouernment which is termeduSee Ro. Steph. Concord. in dictione regnum & Bellarm. Catech. cap. 4. Regnum potentiae, by which hee ruleth all men, and diſpoſeth of all things, euen of the deuils themſelues, according to his good will and pleaſure.
Specially,
For his adminiſtration of the Church, and that is
Twofold.
Regnum gratiae, the kingdome of grace.
Regnum gloriae, the kingdome of glorie.
Of that kingdome which is potentiae Regnum, it is ſaid byx1. Chro. 29.11. Dauid, Thine is the kingdome O Lord, and thou excelleſt as head ouer all. Of that kingdomeyDan. 4.31. Daniel ſpeaketh, His kingdome is from generation to generation, and his zDan. 6.26.dominion euerlaſting. Of that kingdome Chriſt in the concluſion of his prayer, Thine is the kingdome, power, and glory. For albeit peruerſe men do miſchiefe, and obſerue not the laws of God, yet he raigneth ouer them as an abſolute Lord: for that (when it pleaſeth him) hee hindereth their deſignments; and when he permits them ſometime to hauehave their deſires, hee doth afterward puniſh them according to their owne miſdeeds, and ſoaPſal. 135.6. Whatſoeuer the Lord pleaſeth, he doth in heauen, and in earth, and in the Sea, and in all deepe places.
By his kingdome of grace he gouernes the ſoules and hearts of good Chriſtians, giuing them his ſpirit and grace to ſerue him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the daies of their life. Chriſt is the king of this kingdome, vponupon whome the Father hath conferredbMat. 28.18. all authority both in heauen and earth. The ſubiects of this kingdome are ſuch ascPſal. 110.3. offer vntounto him free-will offrings with an holy worſhip, euer ready to giuegive cheerefull obedience to the rod of his power. The lawes of this kingdome are the Scriptures and word of God, in this reſpect calleddMat. 13.11. the kingdome of heauen, the eMarke 1.14.Goſpell, and fMat. 13.19.word of the kingdome, the gEſay 11.4.rod of Chriſts mouth, and hRom. 1.16.power of his arme to ſaluation. And ſo conſequently the kingdome of grace is a preparation and entrance to the kingdome of glory, which is the bleſſed eſtate of all Gods elect in that other life, where God is to them all in all. And in this reſpect the kingdome of grace many times, is termed in the Goſpels Hiſtory the kingdome of heauen, as being the way to the kingdome of glory, which is in the heauen of heauens.
This one verſe then expounds and exemplifies two prime petitions in the Lords prayer, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdome come; for Iuda was Gods ſanctuary, becauſe hallowing his name: and Iſrael his dominion, as deſiring his kingdome to come. Let eueryevery man examine himſelfe by this patterne, whether he be truely the ſeruant of Ieſus his Sauiour, or the vaſſall of Sathan the deſtroyer. If any ſubmit himſelfe willingly to the domineering of the diuell, and ſuffer ſinne toiRom. 6.12. reigne in his mortall members, obeying the luſts thereof, andkEpheſ. 4.19. working all vncleanneſſe euen with greedineſſe: aſſuredly, that man is yet a Chappell of Sathan, and a ſlaue to ſinne. On the contrary, whoſoeuer vnfainedly deſires that Gods kingdome may come, being euer ready to bee ruled according to his holy word, acknowledging it a lanthorne to his feet, and a guide to his pathes; admitting obediently his lawes, and ſubmitting himſelfe alway to the ſame; what is he, but a Citizen of heauen, a ſubiect of God, a Saint, a Sanctuary?
Two queſtions are moued here, the firſt is, what antecedent anſweres the relatiue his: and the ſecond, what is meant by Iuda. The relatiue eius hath an antecedentlMollerus. implyed, howſoeuer not expreſſed,mGenebrard. as Pſalme 87.1. Fundamenta eius, her foundations are vponupon the holy hils. And God is that antecedent, as I hauehave partly ſaid, and it may likewiſe be fully ſhewed both out of the text and title. ThenEuthym. circumſtances of the Text leade vsus to this antecedent, the Lord is the God of Iacob, verſe 7. Ergo, the houſe of Iacob is Gods Sanctuary, the children of Iſrael Gods dominion. Againe, theoBellarmine. Title poynts at this antecedent, Alleluia, praiſe the Lord; as if the Prophet ſhould hauehave ſaid, ye hauehave good and great cauſe to praiſe the Lord, becauſe when Iſrael went out of Egypt, and the houſe of Iacob from among the ſtrange people, then Iuda was his Sanctuary, &c. Laſtly, though it ſhould be granted, that neither Title nor Text here can affoord vsus an antecedent, yet we need not runne (withpIn loc. Agellius out of this Hymne) to fetch one from the laſt words of the next going before, Hee maketh the barren woman to keepe houſe, &c. Becauſe his in this verſe may be conſtrued of God Catexochen, as being hic ille, the moſt high, He, who turned the hard rocke into a ſtanding water, and the flint ſtone into a ſpringing Well; at whoſe preſence the mountaines skip like Rammes, and the little hils like yong ſheepe; yea, the Sea fleeth, and the earth trembleth at the preſence of the Lord, at the preſence of the God of Iacob.
By Iuda qPlacidus. Turrecremat. Genebrard.ſome vnderſtand Iudea, forrPſal. 76.1. God is knowne in Iurie, his name is great in Iſrael, at Salem is his tabernacle, and his dwelling in Sion. ſDr. Incognitus. Agellius.Other hauehave conſtrued this onelyonly of the tribe of Iuda, for that God in Iuda would chuſe a Prince, 1. Chron. 28.4. or becauſe the Meſſias of the world, which is the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, was to be borne oftGen. 49.10. that tribe. Or becauſe theuSee Placidus. Bucer. Genebrard. Dr. Incognit. in loc. Iewes hauehave a tradition, that Iuda was the firſt tribe that aduentured after Moſes and Aaron, and entred into the red ſea with vndaunted courage. So wee finde in the numbring of Iſraels hoſte, that the ſtanderd of Iuda was in the firſt place, Numb. 10.14. and Nahſhon the ſonne of Aminadab was their Captaine, Numb. 2.3. Hence it is ſaid, Cant. 6.11. My ſoule made me like the chariots of Aminadab, or my willing people.
ButxCaluine. Rob. Stephanus. Tremellius. Strigellius. Bellarmine. moſt Interpretors vnderſtand by Iuda, not only that tribe, but alſo the reſt of the children of Iſrael. It is nothing but a Synecdoche, pars pro toto, the chiefe tribe, for the whole body of Gods people, that went out of Egypt into the land of promiſe, called often in holy Scriptures Iſrael, of the fathers name, and Iuda of the chiefe ſonnes name.
Bondage was the perill, out of which Iſrael and Iuda were deliuered, and that in theyPlautus in Amphit. Poets iudgement is worſe then any danger or death, omni malo, & omni exitio peior. zBrunuica faem. Britanica apud Zephilin in vita Neronis.A woman of a manly ſpirit ſaid as much, Honeſtius eſt mortem occumbere, quàm capita tributaria circumferre. The youngeraReuſnerus in Symbol. Iuſtine vſed this apophthegme for his Motto: Libertas res inaeſtimabilis: andbEpiſt. 76. Seneca to the ſame purpoſe, for a man to be his owne man, is an inualuable treaſure. The reſolution of our countrey-men to VVilliam the Conquerour is renowned in Engliſh hiſtorie, Kentiſh men muſt hauehave libertie, Kentiſh men will hauehave libertie. cLambert perambulation of Kent, pag. 14.There was neuer any bondmen or villaines in Kent. ThedApud Holinſhed hiſt. of Scotland, pag. 204. prouerbialeſt vttered reaſon as well as rime.
Dico tibi verum, libertas optima rerum,
Nunquam ſeruili ſub nexu viuito (fili).
But bondage is more grieuous and inſupportable when it is in a ſorreine land, as this of Iacobs houſe was in Egypt. The ſtranger is ſad in heart, though at libertie, wherefore God inioyned his owne people not toeExod. 22.21. Leuit. 19.33. grieue the ſtranger, conſidering they themſelues were ſometime ſtrangers in the land of Egypt. The condition of the ſtranger is to bee pitied, as that of the fatherleſſe and widow, Ierem. 7.6. Oppreſſe not the ſtranger, the fatherleſſe, and the widow, Zach. 7.10. Oppreſſe not the widow, nor the fatherles, nor the ſtranger, nor the poore. And when vncharitable men vnconſcionably vex thē, almightie God takes their cauſe into his owne hands: Pſal. 146.9. The Lord careth for the ſtrangers, hee defendeth the fatherleſſe and widow, he will maintaine their cauſe, and ſpoyle the ſoule of thoſe that ſpoyle them. Prou. 22.23. A man at home being in durance hath among his owne, ſome mediatours, or meanes for his deliuerance; but an aliant in thraldome, for the moſt part is helpleſſe, if not hopeleſſe.fPſal. 137. By the waters of Babylon (ſay Gods people) we ſat downe and wept, when we remembred Sion: as for our merrie harpes, wee hanged them vp vponupon the trees, for how ſhould wee ſing the Lords ſong in a ſtrange land?
We muſt aſcend yet one ſtep higher: Iſrael was oppreſſed not by ſtrangers only, but alſo by ſuch ſtrangers as weregPlacidus. Genebrard. Beza Paraphraſ. cruell, ashChaldea. Septuagint. Hierome. Munſter. Caſtalio. Geneua. other tranſlations, a barbarous people, barbarous both in their vſage and language. Concerning their tyrannous behauiour towards Gods Iſrael, it is reported by Moſes, Exod. 1.14. that they made them wearie of their liues, by ſore labour in morter and bricke, and in all worke in the field, with all manner of bondage which they laid vponupon them moſt cruelly. Moreouer, the King of Egypt commanded the Midwiues of the Hebrew women to kill eueryevery man-child in the very birth. And becauſe the Midwiues fearing the Lord, which is the Father of merciemercy, would not execute that bloodie deſigne; Pharao charged his owne people, ſaying, eueryevery male-childe that is borne, caſt into the riuer. Yea but how was Egypt a barbarous nation in language, being highly renowned in hiſtorie for knowledge? and S. Stephen, Acts 7.22. recordeth it as a remarkable commendation in Moſes, that hee was learned in all the wiſedome of the Egyptians. Anſwere is made byiAgellius. Bellarmine. Genebrard. ſome, that they were called barbarous, as ſpeakingkAquila apud Agellium. another tongue, or a ſtrange language which Iſrael vnderſtood not; according to that of Paul, 1. Cor. 14.11. Except I know the meaning of the voyce, I ſhall be to him that ſpeaketh a barbarian, and he likewiſe that ſpeaketh a barbarian vntounto me. ButlTileman. other (in my iudgement better) affirme, that they were barbarous, as being a moſt idolatrous people, notwithſtanding all their humane learning, ignorant in the knowledge concerning the worſhip of the true God, adoring the creatures in ſtead of the Creator. Barbarous, as not ſpeaking the mEſay. 19.18.language of Canaan, as not vnderſtanding the n1. Tim. 3.16.mysteries of godlineſſe. So profound Plato, learned Ariſtotle, wittie Plutarch, eloquent Demoſthenes, were barbarians vntounto the houſe of Iacob, as being vnacquainted with Gods feare, which is the beginning of wiſedome.
This of the perill out of which Iſrael was deliuered, it followeth in the next place, that I ſhew the manner of their deliuerance, brought to paſſe by GodsoDeut. 5.15. mightie hand, and outſtretched arme, working a world of wonders in Egypt, and in the wilderneſſe, for their ſafe conduct into the land of promiſe. All which are regiſtred at large by Moſes in the ſecond booke of his hiſtorie, called inpDio. Carthuſ. Vatablus. Sa. this reſpect by the Grecians, Exodus, as principally treating of Iſraels wonderfull egreſſe from out of Egypt, and progreſſe in the wilderneſſe. Two ſorts of miracles are remembred in this Hymne: the firſt vponupon the waters, The ſea ſaw that and fled, &c. The ſecond vponupon the land, The mountaines skipped like rammes, &c.
The ſea ſaw that and fled] qExod. 14.21.That is, the red ſea ſeeing Gods people comming toward it, and deſirous to paſſe thorough it, at the preſence of the Lord runned backe all the night, and was diuided, ſo that the children of Iſrael went thorow the middeſt of the ſea, vponupon the drie land; rWiſd. 19.7.the great deepe became a greene field, and the waters were a wall vntounto them on their right hand, and on their left hand. Some ſcoffing Atheiſts hauehave giuen out, that the ſea fled not by miracle, but by a courſe meere naturall, affirming that Gods people watched their opportunitie, when the ſea was at an ebbe, and ſo paſſed thorow the middeſt of it on drie foote. This impudent aſſertion is notably confuted by iudiciousſExercitat. 52. Scaliger, prouing it an egregious paradox, contradicting not only the principles of Diuinitie, but alſo the rules of reaſon and grounds of Philoſophie. The text ſaith expreſſely, that the ſea was diuided: buttHaereſ. 64. Epiphanius, and theuApud Genebrard. & Iacob. de Valent. in loc. Idem Dr. Incognit. in Pſal. 105. Rabbins auow further, that it was parted into twelue paths, according to the number of the twelue tribes of Iſrael, eueryevery troope hauing a ſeuerall (as it were) to march in. But when their enemies followed them into the middeſt of the ſea, the waters returned, and couered the chariots and horſemen, euen all the hoſte of Pharao, that entred after them into the ſea, there remained not one of them; and ſo the Lord ſaued Iſrael out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Iſrael ſaw the Egyptians dead vponupon the ſea banke. Exod. 14.28.30.
When Iſrael vponupon the ſight of Pharaohs innumerable hoſte were ſore afraid, and cried vntounto the Lord, and ſaid vntounto Moſes, Haſt thou brought vsus to dye in the wildernes, becauſe there was no graues in Egypt? Moſes anſwered the people, Feare ye not, ſtand ſtill, and behold the ſaluation of the Lord, which he will ſhew to you this day, for the Egyptians whom yee hauehave ſeene this day, yee ſhall neuer ſee them againe. How then are theſe two ſeeming contrarie places in one chapter accorded? Iſrael ſhall neuer ſee the Egyptians againe, yet afterward, Iſrael ſaw the Egyptians. Anſwere is made by S.xQuaſt. 51. ſup. Exod. Auguſtine, yee ſhall neuer ſee them againe liuing as to day, but yee ſhall ſee them dead. Ye ſhall neuer ſee them againe fighing againſt you, but yee ſhall ſee them at your feete drowned in the waters, and caſt vp at the ſea bank. Ye ſhall ſee thē again to your comfort, but ye ſhal neuer ſee thē againe to your terror.
How Iordan was driuen backe, you may reade in the third and fourth chapter of Ioſua. How the mountaines skipped like rammes, and the little hils like young ſheepe, Exod. 19.18. Habacuc 3.6.10. How the hard rocke was turned into ſtanding water, and the flint ſtone to a ſpringing well, Exod. 17.6. Numb. 20.11. Pſal. 78.16. and Pſal. 105.40. The ſumme whereof is in briefe, that all the creatures, at the commandement of the Creator, areySee Wiſd. 19.18. turned vpſide downe; readie to doe, or not to doe, to ſhew foorth, or keepe in their ordinarie courſes, according to his good will and pleaſure. The ſea flowing forward, at the word of God turned backward: the mountaines ſo called à non mouendo, becauſe they doe not moue, skippe like rammes, and the little hils like young ſheepe: the hard rocke, the flint ſtone, both exceeding drie, made ſtanding waters, and ſpringing welles. It is the nature ofzPſal. 22.13. ramping and roaring lions to beaPſal. 17.12. greedie of their pray; yet the LordbDan. 6.22. ſhut the lions mouthes, that they could not hurt Daniel in their denne. It is the nature of water to drowne and deuoure men in the deepe, for the wicked Egyptians ſanke to the bottom (ſaithcExod. 15.5. Moſes) as a ſtone: yetdIonas 1.17. Ionas, by Gods appointment, being throwne into the middeſt of the ſea, and ſwallowed vp in a Whales bellie three daies and three nights, was afterward caſt out again vponupon the dry land, ſafe & ſound, Ionas 2.10. It is the nature of fire to burne and conſume; yet Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, put into a fierie fornace made ſeuen times more hot then ordinary, walked in the middeſt of the flame without any danger.eDan. 3.27. The fire had no power of their bodies, not one haire of their head ſcorched, neither were their coates changed, nor any ſmell of fire came vponupon them. The bleſſed man and Martyr of God Saint Bilney (for ſo FatherfSerm. 7. before King Edw. 6. Latymer is bold to call him) oftengFox Martyr. fol. 923. comforted himſelfe and his acquaintance with the words of our Lord, Eſay 43.1. Feare not Iſrael, for I hauehave redeemed thee, I hauehave called thee by thy name, thou art mine; when thou paſſeſt thorow the waters, I will be with thee, and thorow the floods, that they doe not ouerflow thee: when thou walkeſt thorow the very fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt: neither ſhall the flame kindle vponupon thee. SohFox vbi ſup. fol. 939. Iames Baynham another holy Martyr (being at the ſtake in the middeſt of furious and outragious flames) cried out, Behold ye Papiſts, ye looke for miracles, and here now yee may ſee a miracle, for in this fire I feele no more paine, then if I were in a bed of downe: yea it is to me like a bed of roſes. SoiJo. Criſpin in Catalog. martyr. ex epiſt. Poggij Florentini quae eſt ad Leonardū Aretinum. Hierome of Prage, when the deaths man at his burning would hauehave kindled the fire behinde at his backe, (left it might otherwiſe ſeeme too terrible) preſently called vntounto him, and ſaid, Come hither, and let me ſee the fire before me; for if I had feared the fire, I needed not to hauehave come hither. In all things behold then, how good and ioyfull a thing it is to ſerue the Lord, to be ſubiect to his kingdome, to march vnderunder his colours, and to fight his battailes. For God is akExod. 15.3. man of warre, yea the Lord of hoſtes, hauing all creatures in heauen, on earth, and vnderunder earth at his abſolute command, to protect ſuch as follow him, and to fight againſt ſuch as fight againſt him. At his word thelWiſd. 19.17. elements are changed among themſelues, as one tune is changed vponupon an inſtrument of muſicke, and the melodie ſtill remaineth. At his word the waues are calme, the fire cold, the mountaines mouing: at his word the valleysmPſal. 65.14. ſing, and the hils dance. OnPſal. 8.1. Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name in all the world, ſooExod. 15.11. glorious in holineſſe, fearfull in praiſes, doing wonders, able to doe whatſoeuer thou wilt, and willing to doe whatſoeuer is beſt for Iuda thy ſanctuarie, for Iſrael thy dominion.
Mystically the temporall Exodus of Iſrael out of Egypts bondage,pAuguſtine. Hierome. Arnobius. Iacob de Valentia. prefigureth our ſpirituall deliuerance by Chriſt from the tyrannous oppreſſion of Satan and ſinne. Here then, according to the methode propounded, I am to treate firſt of the parties deliuered; ſecondly, of the perill and place from which all holy Chriſtians are ſet free; thirdly, of the manner and meanes of our redemption.
Concerning the firſt, all true beleeuers (asqGalat. 3.29. Paul teacheth) are the ſeed of Abraham, and the houſe of Iacob. And the reaſon hereof is very plaine, they be the ſons of Abraham that doe the workes of Abraham, Iohn 8.59. but Abrahams chiefe worke was faith, as therGen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3. text expreſſely, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteouſneſſe. Ergo, they which are of faith are the children of Abraham, Galat. 3.7. Chriſtian people (ſaithſIn loc. Auguſtine) are not aliants from the Commonwealth of God, and ſtrangers from the couenants of promiſe: Sed magis Iſrael, as it were, more Iſrael then Iſrael it ſelfe.tLuther in Galat. 3.7. For vnbeleeuing Iewes are the Sonnes of begetting Abraham after the fleſh onelyonly; but all the faithfull among theuGen. 12.3. Galat. 3.8. Gentiles are the Sonnes of beleeuing Abraham, after the ſpirit. The Lord ſaid to bleſſed Abraham, a Father of many Nations hauehave I made thee, Geneſ. 17.5. that is, as Saint Paul expoundeth it, Rom. 4.11. The Father of them that beleeue, whether they be Iewes or Gentiles, as Saint Peter, Acts 10.35. In eueryevery Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteouſneſſe, is an Iſrael, accepted of him, adopted his Sanctuary, wherein hee will bee ſerued; and his Seigniory wherein he will (as a King) raigne by his holy word and Spirit.
Now, for the ſecond obſeruable poynt of our redemption, Iſraels bondage in Egipt liuely repreſents our miſerable thraldome vnderunder Satan and ſinne. ThexExod. 10.22. black darkeneſſe in all the land of Egipt, was no darkeneſſe in compariſon of the kingdome of darkenes, out of which our bleſſed Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus hath brought vsus into maruailousy1. Pet. 2.9. light. The diuell is the Prince of darknes, hell is a pit of darkeneſſe, ſinne is a worke of darkeneſſe. But all the redeemed by Chriſt hauehave light where they dwell, his word is a Lanthorne to theirzPſal. 119.105. feet, his commandements a light to theiraPſal. 19.8. eyes, his ſpirit an illuminatour of theirbEpheſ. 1.18. vnderſtanding, and ſo their workes are calledcRom. 13.12. armour of light, and themſelues honeſtly walking as in the day, Children of light, Iohn 12.36.
The king of Egipt and his people ſo vexed Gods Iſrael, that they made them weary of their liues by ſore labour in morter, and in Bricke, with all manner of bondage which they layd vponupon them moſt cruelly, Exod. 1.14. So the Deuill and his complices hauehave caſt inſupportable burthens vponupon the Sonnes of men, heauie yokesdActs 15.10., which neither our Fathers, nor our ſelues are able to beare. But Chriſt our true Ioſua, ſaith vntounto Iacobs houſe,eMat. 11.28. Come vntounto me all ye that are wearied, and heauie laden, and I will eaſe you; take my yoke vponupon you, and you ſhall finde reſt vntounto your ſoules. fIanſen. Concor. cap. 47. & Pontan. ſer. in feſto Matthiae.Diuines obſerue three kinds of burthens, vponupon that text, namely, the burthē of
Affliction.
The Law.
Sinne.
In this Egipt of the world, greatgEccleſ. 40.1. trauaile andhIob. 14.1. trouble is created for all men, eueryevery Sonne of Adam is borne to labour and dolour; to labour in his actions, and to dolour in his paſſions: as Bernard pithily, as Iſrael went through Egipt and the Wilderneſſe, into the Land of promiſe; ſo wee muſt of neceſſityiActs 14.22. paſſe through many tribulations into the kingdome of God, which is the heauenly Canaan. If wekHeb. 12.2. looke vntounto Ieſus the founder and finiſher of our faith, he will euen in this world affoord vsus, as he didlDeut. 34.1. Moſes vponupon the top of Piſgah, a little ſight of the promiſed Land, making it ours in hope, though as yet not in hold, bringing vsus to the reſolution of SaintmRom. 8.18. Paul, I count, that the afflictions of this life preſent, are not worthy of the glory which ſhall be ſhewed vntounto vsus hereafter.
As for the burthen of the law, which is a yoke ofnGalat. 5.1. bondage,oMat. 23.4. grieuous and heauie to bee borne, Chriſt eaſeth vsus of it alſo, being made vnderunder the lawe, to redeeme them vnderunder the law, Galath. 4.4. Hee blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was againſt vsus, and tooke it out of the way, nailing it to the Croſſe, Coloſſ. 2.14. Wee cannot indeed exactly keepe any part of the Law, much leſſe the whole: but (as the bleſſed Apoſtle ſpeakes) it was in the hand, pTho. Patmore apud Fox Martyr. fol. 953. Idem ferè Primaſius. Aquine. Lombard. in Gal. 3.that is, in the power of a Mediatour, Galat. 3.19. And he did abundantlyqMat. 3.15. fulfill all righteouſnes in our perſon and place,rAnſelm. or in the hand of a Mediatour, as hauing authority to cancell it, and to take the burthen away from our ſhoulders.
Laſtly, touching ſinne, Hee, who knew no ſinne, made himſelfe to be ſinne for vsus, that we ſhould be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him, 2. Cor. 5.21. TheſMica. 7.15. Lord ſaith, According to the dayes of thy comming out of the Land of Egipt, will I ſhew maruailous things. Now, when Iſrael went out of Aegipt, and the houſe of Iacob from among the ſtrange people, He did ouerturne the Chariots and Horſemen, and deſtroyed all the hoaſt of their enemies in the middeſt of the red Sea:tAuguſt. in loc. ſo likewiſe will he ſubdue our iniquities, which are our greateſt enemies, and caſt all of them into the bottome of the Sea, Mica 7.19. that they may neuer appeare before vsus againe, to confound our conſciences in this world, or condemne our ſoules in the next. If the man be bleſſeduPſal. 32.1. whoſe vnrighteouſneſſe is forgiuen, and whoſe ſinne is couered; O well is it vntounto thee, happy ſhalt thou be which art of thexGalat. 6.10. houſhold of faith! as hauing all thy foule faults and foes deſtroyed by Chriſts death, and buried in his graue.
The King of Egipt commanded the Midwiues of the Hebrew women, to kill eueryevery male-childe in the very birth, Exod. 1.15. And ſemblablely theyApoc. 12.4. red Dragon ſtanding before the woman in the Wilderneſſe, is ready to deuoure her childe ſo ſoone as ſhe brings it forth; that is, the deuill is alwaies at hand to quell eueryevery vertuous motion ariſing in our minde, but the ſpirit of Chriſt (as a cunning midwife) brings forth our good intentions into good actions, working in vsus both the will and the deed, Phil. 2.13.
Concerning the meanes of our deliuerance, Chriſt is our Moſes and Ioſua, who brought vsus out of Egipt into the Land of promiſe, forzActs 4.12. among men is giuen none other name whereby we muſt be ſaued. All other (in holy Scripture) ſtiled Ieſus, are but types of our Lord Ieſus. Ieſus Naue, renowned for his valour, is the type of Chriſt as he was a king. Ieſus Sidrach, renowned for his knowledge, the type of Chriſt as he was a Prophet. Ieſus Ioſadach, renowned for his piety, the type of Chriſt as hee was a Prieſt. Our Ieſus is the hardrocke, mentioned at the latter end of this Hymne. That Chriſt is a rocke, we reade Mat. 16.18. and 1. Pet. 2.8. that Chriſt is an hard rocke, wee finde alſo Math. 21.44. Whoſoeuer falleth on this ſtone ſhall be broken, and on whome ſoeuer it ſhall fall, it will grinde him to powder. That Chriſt is that hard rocke turned into a ſtanding water. S. Paul telleth vsus, 1. Cor. 10. I would not that ye ſhould be ignorant (quoth he) that all our Fathes were vnderunder the cloude, and all paſſed thorow the Sea, and did all eate the ſame ſpirituall meate, and all drinke the ſame ſpirituall drinke, for they dranke of the ſpirituall rocke that followed them, and the rocke was Chriſt.
He ſeemed at the firſt an hardrocke, aAuguſtin.when his Diſciples ſaid,bJoh. 6.60. This is an hard ſaying, who can heare it? but afterward pleaſant waters did flow from him, vntounto ſuch ascMat. 5.6. hunger and thirſt after righteouſnes.dExod. 17.6. Numb. 20.11. Moſes ſmote the rocke in the Wilderneſſe, and water came forth of it in ſuch abundance, that all the congregation of Iſrael dranke thereof, and were refreſhed.eStrigellius in loc. & Mollerus in Pſal. 105. v. 41. So Moſes rod, that is, the Lawe, ſmote Chriſt on the Croſſe for our ſinnes; he was made a curſe for vsus, Galat. 3.13. He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, and broken for our iniquities Eſay 53.5. and out of this hard rocke thus ſmitten by Moſes rod, a Well of water ſprang forth into euerlaſting life, Iohn 4.14.
The Sea ſaw that and fled] The world is called a Sea, Reuelation 4.6. the world thenfDr. Jncognitus. perſecuting Chriſt and his Apoſtles, is a red ſea, this red ſea fled at the preaching of the Goſpell and gaue place. Chriſt rebuked the winds, and the waters, and ſo there was a great calme, Matthew 8.26. Iordan was driuen backe, gMatth. 3.16.Chriſt himſelfe was baptiſed in Iordan, and ſuch as arehRom. 6.3. baptiſed into Chriſt, and beleeue, ſend not (as otheriEccleſiaſtes 1.7. riuers vſually) their ſtreames into the ſea, that is, they faſhion not themſelues according to this world, but are renewed in their mindes, Rom. 12.2. they repent and turne backe from their olde courſes, and walke in newneſſe of life, Rom. 6.4.
The mountaines skipped like rammes] By mountaineskIn loc. Arnobius doth vnderſtand the Prophets, quia locuti ſunt altitudines Dei, they reioyced at the fulfilling of their Prophecies, and skipped as Rammes, in ſeeing that ſheepheard borne,lIohn 10.11. who would lay downe his life for his ſheepe. S.mIn loc. Auguſtine makes the bleſſed Apoſtles and other Preachers of the Goſpell, olde ſheepe, and their auditors as it were lambes and young ſheepe, begotten in Chriſt vntounto God by the diſpoſers of the ſecrets of God, according to that ofn1. Cor. 4.15. Paul vntounto his Corinthians, In Chriſt Ieſus I hauehave begotten you through the Goſpell.
Iſraels Exodus out of Egypts bondage was ſo great, that God himſelfe in perpetuam rei memoriam, inſtituted theoExod. 12. paſſouer to be kept of his people for euer, and further inſerted a ſhort remembrance thereof in the prologue to his law, I am the Lord thy God, which hauehave brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the houſe of bondage. This deliuerance was temporall and particular onelyonly concerning Iſrael and the houſe of Iacob: but the redemption by Chriſt is ſpirituall and generall, appertaining to men of all conditions and countries, of all tribes, and at all times, euen from the beginning vntounto the worlds end. For ſo God loued the world, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten Sonne, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhould not periſh, but hauehave euerlaſting life, Iohn 3.16. and therfore the Church (vponupon good grounds) ordained the feaſts of Chriſts Incarnation, Paſſiō, Reſurrectiō, Aſcenſion. And for as much as Chriſt is our p1. Cor. 5 7.Paſſe-ouer, the Church of EnglandqMelancthon in loc. affirmes, that it was vſually ſung amōg the Iewes at their celebration of Eaſter. appoynted this hymne fitly to bee read on Eaſter day.
The Church of Rome rApoc. 17.6.drunkē with the blood of Saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Ieſus Chriſt, is ſpiritually Babylon and Egypt. And the Papiſts, her followers, a generation of barbarous people, barbarous in their doings, and barbarous in their doctrines. Concerning their barbarous vſage, their bloodie butchering of Gods Iſrael in Angrongne; their maſſacre in France; gun-powder treaſon in England, are clouds of witneſſes againſt them vntounto the worlds end.
As for their ſayings, is it not barbarous language to call that man of ſinne, moſt holy father; and, as if that were not enough, holineſſe it ſelfe,ſBellarm. epiſt. dedic. Tom. 1. controuerſ. ſanctitas veſtra, tIdem epiſt. dedic. Tom. 2. Baronius epiſt dedic. Tom. 2. annal & reliqui papiſtae communiter.beatitudo veſtra? Is it not barbarous language, to ſet Anti-chriſt in the ſeate of Chriſt, and to terme him expreſſelyuCap. quoniam de immunitate in 6. & Turrecremat ſum. lib. 2. cap. 27. per totum. the huſband of the Church? Is it not barbarous language to magnifie the Romiſh Pharaoh abouex2. Theſſal. 2.4. all that is called God, making him a Demi-god, yea Semi-god, neither abſolutely God, nor ſimply man, but a midling between both? Is it not barbarous language to ſay, that none may preſume to tell him of his faults, though he ſhould, through his ill example, draw millions of men into hell? as theiryIn Decreto cap. ſi Papa diſt. 40. owne text runneth, innumerabiles populos cateruatim ſecum ducit primo mancipio gehennae, cum ipſo plagis multis in aeternum vapulaturus, huius culpas istic redarguere praeſumit mortalium nullus.
Is it not barbarous language to ſay, that no minorite Frier, obſeruing S.zHen. Sedulius apolog. lib. 2. c. 9. Francis order and rule, can be damned? and that a certaine Frier vponupon a time being carried into hell, and ſurueying in it eueryevery corner, found not ſo much as one Franciſcan Frier. That a Frier ſhould goe to hell is thought no great marueile, but that he ſhould returne from thence to tell vsus this tale, ſeemeth incredible, conſidering the Pope himſelfe determineth, ex inferno nulla redemptio.
Is it not barbarous language to ſay,aFox Martyr. fol. 913. & 1011 that to bee buried in a gray Friers frocke, in S. Francis Cowle, ſhould remit foure parts of penance, three parts of our ſinnes?
bBuchanan fratres fraterrimi.Quî fit vt moriamur in cucullo,
Cum nemo bene viuat in cucullo.
Is it not barbarous lāguage to ſay, that it is ancCard. Campegius, Albertus Pighius apud Iewel defence of his apolog. part 4. cap. 1. diuiſ. 1. honeſter thing for a Prieſt to be intangled with many concubines in ſecret, then openly to be ioined in mariage with one wife? For hee may not keepe one benefice with one wife,dCornelius Agrippa de vanit. ſcient. cap. 64. but hee may hauehave two benefices and three whores.
Is it not barbarous language to ſay,eJo. Lambert apud Fox Martyr. fol. 1018. that for repeating ouer the fifteene Ooes, eueryevery day once through a whole yeere, wee ſhall apertly ſee our Ladie to helpe vsus after our death? or, that we ſhal hauehave the like benefit, for ſaying of her Pſalter vponupon the tenne beades, that come from the croſſed Friers; or vponupon the fiue beades hallowed at the Charter-houſe; or for faſting the Ladies faſt, as they call it, yea for faſting on the Wedneſday?
Is it not barbarous language to ſay, that ourfBellarm. de Iuſtificat. lib. 2. cap. 2. & cap. 10. owne inherent righteouſneſſe is the formall cauſe of abſolute iuſtification, and not the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt imputed vntounto vsus? This opinion is ſo barbarous, that S. Paul ſaith of it, Galath. 5.4. Yee are aboliſhed from Chriſt, and fallen from grace, whoſoeuer are iuſtified by the law.
Is it not barbarous language to ſay, that thegThom. part. 3. quaeſt. 25. art. 3. Crucifixe is to bee reuerenced and adored with the ſelfe ſame kinde of worſhip, that is due to Chriſt, eadem reuerentia imagini Chriſti exhibenda & ipſi Chriſto?
In reſpect of theſe barbariſmes, and many moe, the bleſſed MartyrhFox Martyr. fol. 821. Aymondus, being condemned by the Papiſts of Bourdeaux & Angeow to dye, ſung this hymne as hee went to the ſtake, When Iſrael went out of Egypt, &c. inſinuating that the kingdome of Poperie was like Egypt, an houſe of bondage, where the man of ſinne domineering in the conſcience, doth impoſe grieuous burthens vponupon Gods Iuda, worſe then any ſore labour in morter and bricke. If Adam in his innocencie did not exactly keepe one precept of God; how ſhall Adams poſteritie, compaſſed about with infirmitie, doe workes of ſupererogation? obſeruing not onelyonly the Commandements of God, but alſo the Councels of the Church, and ordinances of men, almoſt infinite for their number, altogether inſupportable for their nature.
Almightie God hath, out of the riches of his glorie, deliuered vsus alone from theſe barbarians; and that wee now continue yet free from them, is not our owne warines, or worthineſſe, but his worke onlyiPſal. 136.4. that doth all wonders. The planting of the Goſpell among vsus in the daies of King Henry the 8. was a great wonder; the watering of it in the daies of King Edward the 6, another great wonder; the floriſhing of it in the daies of our renowned Queene Elizabeth, and our gracious Soueraigne King Iames, another great wonder. Our deliuerance from the Northern Conſpiracie, from the Spaniſh Armado, from the Gunpowder-plot, are great arguments of Gods might and merciemercy, manifeſted to his Engliſh Iſrael. In regard of all which, and many moe freſh in our memorie, we may well (askSeptuagint. Vulgar Latin. Auguſtine. Hierome. other tranſlations hauehave done before vsus) adioyne the next hymne to this, and ſay, Not vntounto vsus, O Lord, not vntounto vsus, but vntounto thy name giuegive the praiſe, for thy louing, merciemercy, and for thy truths ſake.
The dialogue betweene the Prophet and the creatures, inſtructeth vsus how wee ſhould ſtand in awe of God, ſeeing the very dumbe creatures and inſenſible feare before him. Doth anlEſay 1.3. oxe know his owner, and an aſſe his maſters cribbe? and ſhall not Iſrael vnderſtand? Shall vnreaſonable beaſts of the field, and feathered fowles in the ayre, praiſe the Lord in their kinde? and ſhall not man ſanctius his animal, mentiſ que capacius altae, mPſal. 89.1.ſing alwaies the louing kindnes of God, and with his mouth euer ſhew foorth his merciemercy from generation to generation? ShallnPſal. 148.8. haile, ſnow, winde, water, and weather fulfill his word? Shall the ſea flee, the earth tremble, the mountaines and hils skip at the preſence of the God of Iacob? and ſhall nor Iacob himſelfeoPſal. 2.11. ſerue the Lord in feare, and reioyce vntounto him in trembling? Shall the hard rocke be turned into a ſtanding water, and the flintſtone into a ſpringing well? and ſhall not our hard and flintie hearts, in conſideration of our owne miſeries, and Gods vnſpeakable mercies in deliuering vsus from euill, (if not guſh foorth intopIerem. 9.1. fountaines of teares) expreſſe ſo much as a little ſtanding water in our eyes? It is an hard heart indeed,qBernard. lib. 1. de conſiderat. quod nec compunctione ſcinditur, nec pietate mollitur, nec mouetur precibus, minis non cedit, flagellis duratur, &c. O Lord touch thou therPſal. 144.5. mountaines and they ſhal ſmoake, touch our lips with aſEſay. 6.6. coale frō thine altar, & ourtPſal. 51.15. mouth ſhal ſhew forth thy praiſe. Smite Lord our flintie hearts, as hard as the uIob. 41.15.nether milſtone, with the hammer of thy word, and mollifie them alſo with the drops of thy mercies, and dew of thy ſpirit, make themxMatth. 11.29. humble,yEzech. 11.19. fleſhie,zIoſua 24.23. flexible,aDeut. 30.6. circumciſed,bIob. 23.16. ſoft,cPro. 23.12.26. obedient,dEzech. 36.26. new,eMatth. 5.8. cleane, broken, and then a brokē and contrite heart (O God) ſhalt thou not deſpiſe, Pſal. 51.17.fAuguſt. medit. cap. 1. Domine Deus meus, da cordi meo te deſiderare, deſiderando quaerere, quaerendo inuenire, inueniendo amare, amando mala mea non iterare. O Lord my God, giuegive me grace from the very bottome of mine heart to deſire thee, in deſiring to ſeeke thee, in ſeeking to finde thee, in finding to louelove thee, in louing vtterly to loathe my former wickedneſſe; that liuing in thy feare, and dying in thy fauour, when I hauehave paſſed thorough this Egypt and wilderneſſe of this world, I may poſſeſſe that heauenly Canaan, and happie land of promiſe, prepared for all ſuch as louelove thy comming, euen for eueryevery Chriſtian one, which is thy dominion and ſanctuary.