THE BRIGHT MORNING STAR: OR, The Resolution and Exposition of the 22. Psalm, preached publicly in four sermons at Lincoln. By JOHN SMITH Preacher of the City.  Apoc. 22.16. 
I am the root and the Generation of David, and the Bright Morning star.  
Printed by JOHN LEGAT, Printer to the University of Cambridge. 1603. And are to be sold at the sign of the Crowns in Paul's Churchyard by Simon Waterson.   

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EMMANUEL  
●●●d●n 〈◊〉 in Christ Patris Will●●● 〈◊〉.  
Coll Emman. Cantab.    

To THE RIGHT Worshipful, religious, and courteous Knight, Sir William Wray, my approved good friend and benefactor, salutations in the Lord Jesus.  
SIr: it seemeth a thing very reasonable to me, that seeing every bald tale, vain interlude, and pelting ballad, hath the privilege of the Press, the sermons and readings of ministers may challenge the same: the world is full of Guy of Warwick, William of Cloudeslee, Skoggins, and Wolners' jests, and writings of like quality: and therein men take great delight to read, and so make themselves merry with other men's sins, bestowing to this purpose much vain time and superfluous expenses: and I think the Stationer's shop, and some men's shelves are better furnished with such trifles, which deceive the mind and affection as the bait doth the fish, then with wholesome writings of nature, art, or religion. In which respect in seemeth to have been less hurtful to mankind, if Printing had never been invented, saving that the use of a thing is not to be forbidden because of the abuse: these things considered, have emboldened me to publish my meditations and readings to the world's views and seeing that Printing is a trade whereby divers good Christians maintain their charge, & that for want of better employment they sometime are compelled to prostitute their Presses to ●●●s and vanity: seeing also the truth may better appear by writings of divers men, which perhaps one or two or more could not readily discover: therefore I have thought good in some part to prevent the danger of the one, and promote the benefit of the other. I have not varnished my writing with the superficial learning of words, and figures, tongues, and testimonies of men (which not withstanding I do not disallow) but because I purposed to apply my style to the understanding of the simple, I endeavour to utter matter with all plainness of words and sentences. Now because I have experienced yourself to be under the King's Majesty a principal professor and protector of religion in these quarters: (for what a multitude of faithful ministers are debtor to you in the flesh?) and for that I among the rest have rested under your shadow, your name came first to my mind in this writing: wherefore I beseech you vouchsafe to entitle it with your name, and I shall acknowledge myself graced thereby. The Lord increase in yourself and your virtuous Lady and children all manner of heavenly graces & blessings.  
Your Worsh. humbly in all manner of Christian affection, john Smith.   

The resolution of of the 22. Psalm, which may be entitled the Bright Morning Star.  
THe time when this Psalm was penned is unknown in special: generally notwithstanding it may seem to be, when the Prophet was in some great conflict of conscience, and temptation to despair, whence he gathering consolation, recovereth at the length.  
The Argument of the Psalm is a description of the estate of every true Christian and godly heart in the person of David: also a type of the sufferings & glory of Christ.  
The psalm containeth two parts:  

The title or inscription.  
The matter or substance.   
The title containeth four particulars.  

1 The manner of writing, which is in form of a Psalm.  
2 The person that composed it, who was David.  
3 The person to whom it was committed to be kept, set, and song: who is called the master physician.  
4 The matter and argument of the Psalm, which is concerning the morning star.   
The matter and substance of the Palm comprehendeth a: Complaint: Prayer.  
The complaint contained in the two first verses hath 2. things. 1. the person to whom he complaineth: (God:) amplified by an argument of relation. (my God)  
2 The thing whereof he complaineth, which is that God hath forsaken him. Which the prophet avoucheth by 2. reasons.  
The first, that seeing God did not help him, but was far from his health: therefore he forsook him.  
The second, that seeing God heard not the words of his roaring nor gave audience to his prayer: therefore he forsook him.  
This prayer which the prophet professeth he made to the Lord, in the time of this his woeful desertion hath two adiunctes: 

1 His prayer was fervent.  
2. His prayer was continual.    
The fervency of his prayer hath two parts.  

faith: (my God.)  
desire: (roaring cry.)   
The continuance of his prayer: (day and night.)  
This is the first part of the psalm the complaint.  
The second part of the psalm which is the prayer followeth.  
The prayer hath a  

1 Supplication: containing also a deprecation.  
2 A Gratulation or thanksgiving.   
The supplication is continued to the 22. verse, wherein is expressed both the faith & assurance the prophet conceiveth to obtain: and the desire: which are the two essential parts of a fervent prayer.  
The faith of the prophet is grounded upon 4. arguments to the 11. verse: The first argument or ground of faith is in the 3. verse taken from the nature & office of God, which is to sanctify and redeem the Church that he may be praised & glorified by his church: concluded thus.  
If thou wilt sanctify the church and be praised by the church, then deliver me the redeemer of the Church, without whose deliverance, neither thyself can be glorified, nor thy church redeemed or sanctified.  
But thou wilt sanctify the Church (for thou art holy) & thou wilt be praised by the Church (for thou inhabitest the praises of Israel.)  
Therefore deliver me vers. 11.  
Thus the argument is applied to Christ: to David thus.  
Thou Lord art holy sanctifying thy children: therefore sanctify me, and deliver me from the power of sin and thy wrath, that I may praise thee with all the true Israelites, whose praises are offered up to thee, as to the only owner and possessor thereof.  
The second argument or ground of faith is in the 4. & 5. verses framed thus. If the fathers that trusted in thee, & called upon thee are saved & delivered and were not confounded: then save me also who am their saviour.  
But the fathers of the old testament etc. are saved.  
Therefore also save and deliver me vers. 11  
The reason of this argument is: for that Christ necessarily must be saved and delivered, seeing the fathers were saved by virtue of his sacrifice: whereas they could not so have been, if he had perished.  
Thus the argument is applied to Christ: to David thus.  
As God hath dealt with others: so will he deal with me.  
But God delivered our fathers that faithfully prayed.  
Therefore he will deliver me also that pray faithfully: & so this argument is taken from the experience of God's goodness to others.  
The third argument or ground of faith is in the 6.7. and 8. verses taken from Relation of God's mercy to man's misery: disposed thus:  
The most merciful God will relieve the miserable creature calling upon him faithfully.  
But I am a most miserable creature. etc. and thou a merciful God.  
Therefore relieve and deliver me. vers. 11.  
The minour of this argument is amplified comparatively and simply.  
The comparison is taken from a worm. As a worm is exposed to all wrong and injury, and of base account: so am I  
The simple arguments are the parts of Christ's misery, which are three: 1. he was shamed. 2. contemned. 3. derided.  
He being God most glorious, was shamed and dishonoured by man, that is, Adam dust and ashes.  
He that should have been accounted of, as the only Saviour of his people, was contemptible to the people.  
He▪ whom men should have gloried and rejoiced in, was derided and mocked by all men that beheld him.  
Christ was mocked by gestures, and speech.  
The mocking gestures are two, mowing & wrying the mouth: & nodding the head.  
The scoffing speech containeth an ironical contrariety: for they say one thing that mock Christ, and mean the clean contrary: thus they speak,  
God will deliver him that he loveth, and that trusteth in God.  
But he is beloved of God, & trusteth in God: ergo God will save him.  
But their meaning is contrary to this speech: which is this.  
God will deliver him that he loveth, and that trusteth in him:  
But God doth not deliver him: ergo, he neither is loved of God, nor trusteth in God.  
Thus the third argument is applied to Christ: to David also in the same sense.  
The fourth argument or ground of faith is in the 9 and 10. verses, taken from the experience of God's goodness to himself in time past, framed thus:  
As thou hast dealt with me before, so deal with me now.  
But thou hast hitherto preserved and delivered me: ergo do so now.  
The minor of the argument is amplified by a distribution or enumeration of parts, thus: thou hast preserved me in my life, birth, and conception.  
Thus the fourth argument is applied to Christ: and in the same sense also to the Prophet.  
Hitherto the Prophet hath uttered his faith, which is the first essential part of his prayer: his desire which is the second essential part followeth.  
The desire of the Prophet is expressed in the 11. verse: [Be not far from me] and urged by a reason, à relatis paribus, thus:  
If help be far off, than thou wilt be near to help thy servants.  
But help is far off: ergo be near to help. Or thus:  
Thou wilt help the afflicted and helpless:  
But I am afflicted and helpless: ergo help me.  
Now furthermore, both the Prophet's desire and this reason whereupon it is enforced are handled by inversion of method, for first the reason is handled, than the desire.  
The reason is handled to the 19 verse, where the desolation and extreme misery of the Prophet is propounded in 2 kinds: First that which properly and immediately seized upon his soul, which by sympathy only affected his body. vers. 12, 13, 14, 15.  
Secondly, that which directly and properly seized upon his body, and by compassion only affected his sensitive faculty. vers. 16, 17, 18.  
The proper affliction of his soul is delivered in three arguments, viz. the cause, the adjunct, and the effect.  
The causes are the devil and his angels, allegorically figured under the names of Bulls and Lions.  
These devils are of two conditions: some ministers & servants to their master the principal: other the chief or master devil.  
The ministering devils conveniently are allegorized under the terms of Bulls, as being creatures inferior in strength and rage to the lion the king of the beasts of the forest.  
These devilish Bulls are described by their qualities and effects: their qualities are 3: young, fat, strong, vers. 12.  
1 Young: uz. such as are not cicured or tamed, but are without the yoke, even Belial: not subject to any order.  
2 Fat and large limmed. such as were bred in Bashan, where was the largest breed, and the fattest fed cattle, Deu. 32.14. which insinuateth the insolency, arrogancy, & pride of these devils.  
3 Strong and mighty being principalities & powers, as the Apostle termeth them, Eph. 6.12. prevailing against the world of the ungodly.  
These are their qualities: their effects are two, vers. 12.13.  
First they enclose him about with terror and temptation.  
Secondly they gape upon him with their mouths ready to swallow him up body and soul; the body in the grave or corruption: the soul in despair and hellish torments, as much as in them resteth.  
These are one sort of Devils, that minister: the principal and Arch-devill even Beelzebub the prince of the devils is termed a ramping & roaring lion. vers. 13.  
A lion, as the king of all the hellish fiends to whom they voluntarily become serviceable.  
Roaring, as now ready to devour the prey (for so is the use of lions Amos. 3.4. to roar when they are upon the prey.)  
Ramping, that is hungerbitten and so most eagerly violent upon the prey, as the lions that were kept fasting for the devouring of Daniel. These are the causes of Christ's afflictions upon the soul properly. The adjunct & effects follow.  
The adjunct is the quantity of his misery uttered by comparison to water spilled upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, even so (saith the prophet) my misery is irrecoverable. v. 14.  
The effects are in number five:  
First effect is the dissolution of the Animal faculty, which is by this misery interrupted: verse. 14. the sinews, ligaments, brawns, & tendons, which are the instruments of sense and motion being forsaken by the animal faculty of the soul, and so the bones which are as it were the studs of the body were laxed and untied (for the disjoining of the bones is expressed, ver. 17.)  
Second effect: that his heart which (as anatomy teacheth) is in the midst of the bowels, was melted like wax: that is the vital faculty was interrupted: whose principal seat is in the heart, from whence vital spirits by the arteries, whose original is the heart, are diffused to every living part. This vital faculty was melted and quailed so as the soul ceased the execution thereof for a season.  
Third effect: that his strength was dried up like a potsherd that is, the humidum radical or natural moisture which is the oil to the lamp of life being the foundation of our strength and vigour, withered and spent, and so the natural faculty decayed, there being not much more moisture in the parts of the body then in a potsherd baked in the oven.  
Fourth effect: that his tongue clave to his laws, he being scarce able through the fierce assaults of God's wrath to move his tongue: so that here probably may be conjectured that the faculty of reason, whose instrument is the tongue, was suspended: though we deny not but also by this phrase the prophet may signify his immoderate drought.  
These four are the special effects of the torment which now he suffered, now followeth one general effect, uz. that he was brought into the dust of death, that is, unto the grave. verse. 1.5. but this effect is solitarily here attributed unto the Lord, and remoted from the former causes: for the prophet by Apostrophe, turneth his speech unto the Lord: saying. Thou hast brought me. etc.  
This is the affliction which immediately seized upon his soul, yet by sympathy also upon the body, by these effects,  
Now the affliction which entered upon his body privately, and by compassion upon his soul follow: where consider also: the causes, & practise thereof. The causes are the wicked, jews and Gentiles which conspired and procured his death, who are called dogs according to the custom of the scripture and expounded to be the wicked. v. 16.  
The parts of this affliction are five.  
First the wicked enclose him, that is whip him, spit upon him, smite him with fist and rod, crown him with thorns, and such like mentioned in the gospel (for here the sign is put for the thing signified, it being the custom of the people to flock about the person upon whom execution is done.) verse. 16.  
Secondly they pierced or digged his hands and feet, when they nailed him to the cross, which insinuateth the great wounds that were mad in his hands and feet, as if they had been digged with the talents or paves of a lion, as the old translator hath it from the corrupt Hebrew word. v. 16.  
Thirdly they wrack him, & disjoint all his bones, so as they may be numbered, and discerned severally each from other, as is customable to them that are wracked: here is signum pro signato: v. 17.  
Fourthly they behold and look upon him without pity and compassion yea they mock and scoff at him with taunting bitter sloutes, and reviling speech, here is less spoken and men signified: signum pro signato. v. 17.  
Lastly they take from him his garments and strip him naked: a vild indignity: now his garments appertained (as it is in use with us) to the tormentors, who were the soldiers: they therefore first divide his under garments and every one taketh, his part: but his upper garment being without seam is not divided or cut in pieces, but for it they cast loves to whom it shall appertain: and falling to one the other lost their parts. v. 18.  
This is the affliction that immediately seized upon his body, but compassively also upon his soul:  
Thus the reason confirming the prophets desire is handled.  
Now followeth the prophet's desire which is handled also v. 19.20.21. wherein consider four particulars.  
First the person to whom he offereth this his desire, which is the Lord, whom he entituleth his strength, because he ministered unto him strength to bear all that was laid upon him.  
Second: the thing he prayeth for, expressed in divers phraeses (be not far of: hasten to help, deliver, save, answer.)  
Third: the person for whom he prayeth expressed thus: me, my soul, my desolate one.)  
Fourth: the evil from which he desireth deliverance: expressed diversly: from the sword, from the power of the dog, from the lions mouth, from the horns of the unicorns.  
Thus the prophet's desire or request is handled: and so the supplication.  
The gratulation or thanksgiving, which is the second part of the prayer followeth.  
This thankfulness is 1. promised: 2. prophesied.  
It is promised to the 26. verse:  
This promise of thankfulness is propounded and then repeated and concluded. It is propounded & handled to the 25. verse, and that in the parts, or signs, or declarations of thankfulness which are three.  
1 Sign of thankfulness: is Confession, which is a declaring of Gods (name or) attributes, as his mercy, and justice etc. to the members of the Church which are Christ's brethren according to the flesh Heb. 2.12.  
2 Sign of thankfulness: is a commendation of the excellency of these attributes to the honour and praise of God & that in the open assembly.  
3 Sign of thankfulness: is the Inciting and provoking of them that fear God, the seed of jacob and Israel: to praise and magnify & fear the Lord: to be a means to bring others to god also.  
These three parts or signs of thankfulness are amplified by a reason, enforcing the performance of the promise made before: which reason is taken â paribus. & is set down Negatively and Affirmatively.  
Negatively in 3. phrases: he hath not 1. despised, 2. abhorred. 3. hid his face from the prayer of the poor. ergo: thankfulness must be performed.  
Affirmatively: he heard when the poor and humbled in spirit prayed: and therefore thankfulness must be performed.  
Thus the promises of thankfulness is propounded & handled: It is also repeated vers. 25. and that in two parts thereof before handled, v. 22. The one part of thankfulness, praise, and commendation of God is further enlarged by the circumstance of the place: the great congregation.  
The other part of thankfulness, Confession is expressed in a new phrase [paying of the vows] which were voluntary sacrifices.  
Thus thankfulness is promised.  
Thankfulness also is prophesied to the end of the Psalm: which shall be performed by the subjects of Christ's kingdom, who are in the sequel of the psalm described and distributed into their several kinds.  
First they are described by 6. arguments in the 26. verse.  
1 Adjunct: the poor, that is, such as are poor in spirit, Mat. 5.3.  
2 Is an effect: shall eat, that is, believe in jesus Christ. joh. 6.35.  
3 Adjunct: shall be satisfied, that is, shall have peace & joy spiritual, Mat. 5.6. joh. 7.38.  
Is an effect: shall seek after the Lord, that is, shall carefully use the means of salvation, whereby God is sought and found, Mat. 7.7.  
5 An effect: shall praise the Lord by a godly life, and with heart and voice singing Psalms of praise: Math, 5.16. Coloss. 3.16.  
6 An adjunct: your heart shall live for ever; which is life everlasting the reward of all the former. john. 4.14.  
Thus the people of whom thankfulness is prophesied are described.  
Furthermore the person of whom thankfulness is prophesied, namely the members of Christ, and Subjects of his kingdom, are distributed into their several sorts and kinds, thus:  
Persons prophesied to be thankful are,  
Parents and progenitors.  
Children and posterity.  
Perents (& so consequently children) are distinguished by two adjuncts:  

1 Is their nation: they shall be Gentiles and not only jews.  
2 Is their condition: they shall be of the poorer sort, as well as of the rich.   
The Gentiles are described both by the parts and cause of their thankfulness: the parts of the thankfulness of the Gentiles are three. v. 27.  
1 They shall remember themselves, and take notice of their sinful and accursed estate, and so humble themselves.  
2 They shall turn unto the Lord forsaking their idols and other sins.  
3 They shall worship the Lord in holiness and righteousness.  
The cause of the Gentiles thankfulness is expressed, v. 28. where there is the preventing an objection which might thus be made by a Iew.  
Object. Shall the Gentiles also become subjects of the kingdom of the Messias, who were sometime execrable?  
Sol. There is nothing impossible to God: for seeing he is king, and so ruleth among the heathen, he is able to convert the Gentiles also, and of stones to raise up children to Abraham.  
This is the first distinction of the persons by their nation.  
The second distinction is, that poor and rich also shall be thankful: and that is expressed. v. 29.  
The rich who are called the fat men of the earth have their action of thankfulness assigned them: eating, & worshipping.  
Poor or afflicted persons are of two sorts,  

1 Such as go down into the dust, that is beggars and basse persons.  
2 Such as cannot quicken their own soul, that is persons condemned to die, or persons sick of deadly diseases etc.   
All these afflicted persons have their thankful actions assigned them, which is that they shall bow before him: (signum pro signato, Metonymia) namely they shall worship him.  
Thus the parents which are the first sort of persons with their thankful actions, are propounded.  
The children and posterity also have their thankful actions. 〈◊〉 the reason thereof assigned:  
The thankful actions of the posterity are two.  

1 They shall serve the lord in the obedience of his law, which is set out by the circumstance of time, (for ever they shall be reckoned to him. verse 30.  
2 Action of thankfulness is that when they are come into the Church by effectual vocation, they shall declare his righteousness;   
The reason of these thankful actions of the posterity of the gentiles is for that God hath wrought righteousness for a people to be borne, that is either for their posterity, or some other strange people that as yet are unborn by spiritual regeneration.  
This thankfulness is prophesied: and so the whole psalm is resolved.  
In the Complaint and the Supplication Christ's priesthood is described both in his sacrifice and intercession.  
In the promise of thankfulness, Christ's prophesy is comprised.  
In the prophesy of thankfulness Christ's kingdom is comprehended.  
Finis.   

ANNOTAtions and observations out of the 22. Psalm.  

Of the Title of the Psalm.  

A Psalm:  THis Psalm containeth a pitiful complaint, a fervent prayer, a promise and prophesy of thankfulness, and yet the Prophet penned it in the form of a Psalm: whence thus much may be noted, that it is not unlawful to sing doctrine, exhortation, complaints, supplication, prophecies, and such like matters, as well as thanksgivings: briefly to sing any portion of holy Scripture, so be that understanding and edification be not hindered: and this collection ariseth out of this place by analogy.  
The Prophet David is here to be considered. 
Of David.  1. in his own person 2. sustaining the person of a godly man. 3. as a type of Christ, whose sufferings and glory, whose priesthood in his sacrifice and intercession, with his prophetical office in teaching, and kingdom in gathering and guiding his Church in all ages, places, and times, are here not obscurely figured: whence we may note that kings and mighty men of the earth are not to scorn religious exercises, as David did not, the whole book of the Psalms witnesseth, but with the Prophet to acquaint themselves with holy meditations, of their own estate, how the matter is betwixt God and their own souls: of the condition of the Church which shall suffer with Christ, before it be glorified with him, and of the doctrine of the Gospel in the offices of Christ, the sum of the Psalm.  

to the chief or master musician.  The musicans & Singers office principally consisted in setting & singing the Psalms of the Prophets, for the instruction and edification of the church: as also in keeping these holy writings safe for the use of the Church in time to come, in regard of which office the Church is called the pillar and ground of truth: wherefore when the Prophets had composed any Psalms, they sent them to the singers and musicans, specially to the principal physician of any order, who had the oversight of the rest of his order, that they might bring them in public for the comfort and instruction of the whole church: whence this collection might be made, that if music were lawful for the jews, it is now for us: and if vocal music be lawful by consent of all, why not instrumental also? always remembering that edification must not be hindered but furthered: for music being one of the liberal arts, why is there not use of music in furthering us in the worship of God, as well as of Grammar, Rhetoric, or Logycke, &c: and music is not a parcel of the ceremonial law: and the Lord commanded it in the Church, and it was used by Christ and his Apostles.  
Again hence might be observed, that it is lawful to pray the prayers composed by other men; which was customable to the Church of the jews: who used to bring other men's psalms, which sometime were prayers, into the public assembly, as for example this psalm: and if it be said that they, were used only dogmatically; the answer is, that is not so: for they praised God with the words of David and Asaph, and they bowed themselves and worshipped as it is evident. 2. Chron. 29.30. where besides the meditation of the matter, no doubt they had holy desire & wishes suitable to the words of the prayers or thanksgivings, as the words of bowing and worshipping do plainly import in the place alleged: and therefore (howsoever some think) it seemeth to be very lawful, to pray accordingly to a set form: and so to say and pray the Lords prayer: so be that we insinuate our understanding & affections into the matter of that set prayer which we use, making it our own when we pray it.  

Concerning the morning star.  To think these words (aijeleth hasshachar) to be the name of an instrument is neither warrantable nor reprovable, but conjectural: I know not what can be said for it or against it.  
To think them the tune of a common song, or the tune of some civil ballad seemeth to be to accuse the holy ghost for not keeping decorum, which is when holy psalms are sung in the tunes of common, and it may be profane ballads also.  
To translate with Tremellius and junius ad primordium aurorae, is very good, for the words may bear that reading and then they import the time of using the psalm, the early morning, the time of the morning sacrifice, so that this psalm was an exposition and commentary of the sacrifice: the sacrifice was a type of Christ; this Psalm teacheth the signification of the sacrifice: & so this Psalm annexed to the sacrifice did every day train up the Church of the jews with a continual meditation and expectation of the promised Messias, whose sufferings and glory are in psalm expressed.  
Yet notwithstanding there is another exposition which may best befit the argument of the psalm, which is this (concerning the Morning star) and aijeleth signifieth Stellam matulinā as well as, ascensum aurorae. Now seeing that this Psalm is a prophecy of Christ, and that Christ is expressly called the Bright Morning star, Apoc. 22.16. the day star by the Apostle, 2. Pet. 1.19. and the day spring from an high, Luk 1.78. The argument of the Psalm, and this translation will very well sort together as we see.   

Of the complaint the first part of the psalm.  
In the complaint comprised in these two verses may be observed thesed six several points to be handled, 
My God, my God why hast thou forsaken etc.  which will clear unto us the true meaning of the words, which are dark, and darkened more by some.  

1 How Christ could pray unto God, he being himself God equal to the father.  
2 How Christ could pray in faith, seeing he could not believe in himself?  
3 How it can be said that Christ was not heard by God when he prayed?  
4 How Christ can be said to be forsaken of God?   
These four points appertain to Christ, the other two concern David, & the godly.  

5 How god forsook David; and how he may be said to forsake his children?  
6 Lastly the properties of faith here expressed.   


Vers. 2. O my God I cry.  First how Christ God, could pray unto God?  
For the clearing of this point consider we that Christ was God, and so peradventure could not pray unto his father, for that might seem to employ some disparagement to God the son being equal to the father, & open a gap for the heresy of Arrius: but furthermore Christ also was man, and so made under the law, and so could and might, yea and aught to pray, as being a creature bound to worship the creator: yet besides this Christ being the mediator of the Church according to both his natures, he therefore prayed according to both his natures: 
My 〈…〉 Go● 〈…〉 tho● 〈…〉 etc. 〈…〉  thus: his manhood actively pouring forth prayer, his godhead dignifying his prayer, and making it meritorious and purchasing audience.  
Christ prayed to his father therefore, as man, and as the mediator.  
Now if it be alleged that seeing himself was God he must therefore pray unto himself, which may seem absurd, or else if he do exclude himself, then commit idolatry: the answer is that he prayed to his father directly and primarily, in respect of order the father being the first person in Trinity ordine; but indirectly, inclusively, and secondarily he prayed to himself, and the holy Ghost also: here the distinction of nature and person must be admitted necessarily: again it may be supposed that no absurdity would follow, if we say that the second person in the trinity did pray unto the first, that is, did testify his will to have the Church saved: but that is abusively in very hard Catachresis.  
In sum: it is no absurdity to say that a man may pray to himself, that is, persuade himself to grant that which is for his own advantage: for as affection or desire sometime obtaineth of a man that which his judgement disalloweth: (which is a kind of prayer or entreaty:) or contrariwise, as the judgement persuadeth the affection that which it disliketh: so Christ-man may ask something of Christ-God: and no absurdity (as it seemeth) be admitted,   

Secondly: how Christ could pray in faith? 
V 1▪ 2, My God   
For the further enlightening of this doubt a distinction of faith must be remembered. Faith is legal and evangelical; of the law, and of the gospel.  
Faith required in the law Adam had in paradise and Christ had when he prayed whereby the creature relieth itself upon the creator for all manner of good things & deliverance from all evil, if Christ had wanted this faith he had not presently obeyed the law, which to say were to blaspheme.  
evangelical faith or the faith required in the gospel is that whereby the creature relieth itself upon God, through Christ and his mediator: believing to obtain all good things from him, by the means of Christ: now although Christ were made under the law, yet he was not made under the gospel, for he was not bound to faith and repentance as sinners are, himself being without sin: he is the matter and author of the Gospel: wherefore to the Christ to the obedience of the law through and by virtue of the Gospel as we are tied, is to suppose him sinful by making him his own saviour.  
Wherefore to answer directly: Christ prayed a legal prayer as Adam did but Christ prayed not an evangelical prayer: (except we understand an evangeli-praier in this sense, that he made intercession for us, which may rather be called a meritorious prayer:) Christ prayed in faith of gods infinite mercy, but not in faith of the pardon of sin through a Saviour, which he needed not: and which we need.   

Thirdly: How was Christ not heard when he prayed? 
V 2 But thou hearest not. V 1. far from the words of my roaring,   
There is no contradictions in holy scriptures: although there may sometime seem show of opposition: we read in the Heb. 5.7. that Christ was hard from that which be feared: here in this place we read that god did not hear Christ, but was far from the words of his roaring: in show here is an opposition, but in substance, things being aright distinguished, there is none.  
The art of reason teacheth that one rule of opposition is, that the things opposed be opposite in the same sense: (secundum idem as the logicians say) now Christ was hard in one sense, and he was not heard in another sense: and so the prophet & the Apostle are not opposite: wherefore thus these two places are both verified, and may well be reconciled.  
Christ was heard in that he was not swallowed up of the wrath of god, but was delivered from it, and from the power of our spiritual enemies: & again. Christ was not heard in that god's wrath lighted upon him, and possessed his soul a competent season: or thus:  
2. Christ was heard in regard of the conditions of his prayer, (if it be possible, and if it be thy will:) and again:  
Christ was not heard in regard of the petition absolutely considered, without conditions: or thus.  
3. Christ was heard, as the children of God are heard, to whom sometime the Lord denieth the very particular thing they ask, and in lieu thereof giveth them a thing as good or better than it: 2. Cor. 12.8, 9 So the Lord did not deliver Christ from his wrath: for he tasted the cup of his wrath, as he saith, Math. 20.22. But the Lord gave him power and strength, and grace to bear it, and to vanquish it at the length: for even then did he overcome the wrath of God when God's wrath killed him.  
These things being thus distinguished, we see the Prophet in this psalm, and the Apostle in the Hebrews are not at variance, & so we perceive also how Christ was not heard when he prayed.   


My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me: art art so far●e from my health?  Fourthly: how Christ was forsaken of God? That this point may the better be conceived, let it be considered: Negatively, how he was not forsaken: & affirmatively how he was forsaken.  
Negatively thus: Christ was not forsaken any of these four ways following.  
First the essence of the godhead was never severed or excluded from Christ the man, but it dwelled in him at all times fully: Coloss. 2.9.  
Secondly the personal union of the two natures was never dissolved: and so the person of the son never forsook the humanity of Christ.  
Thirdly, the power of the godhead also was always present with him, enabling him to bear the full vial of God's wrath.  
Fourthly, the gracious assistance of God's spirit was never wanting, enabling Christ without the least impatiency, distrust, etc. to bear whatsoever was inflicted upon him for our sins.  
Thus Negatively Christ was not forsaken of the nature, person, power, and grace of God. How then was he forsaken?  
Affirmatively therefore he was forsaken: both positively in that God the father powered upon him the infinite sea of his wrath, which he now felt: and privatively in that he was bereft and forsaken of all comfortable: presence; the godhead for a season shadowing itself under the cloud of God's wrath, that the manhood of Christ might feel the intolerable burden thereof: and thus Christ being destitute of consolation complaineth that he was forsaken. But Christ being thus forsaken, he sustained the wrath of God, strived with it, and subdued it; that is, he delivered both himself and us from it, and so perfectly finished the work of our redemption.  
But if any man think it a thing unreasonable, or rather a blasphemy, that it should be avouched that Christ suffered God's wrath which is commonly called the pains of hell, he must remember a distinction which ought to be made betwixt the pains of hell, and the damnation of hell: Christ suffered not the damnation of hell but the pains of hell.  
The pains of hell are only the sense of exquisite torments, and the want of all comfort and consolation: commonly called, paena and damnum.  
The damnation of hell are certain necessary consequents which follow the foresaid pains of hell in the mere creature: as for example, the soul of judas now in hell: beside that it is deprived of all comfort, which is a loss: and tormented with most exquisite tortures which is the pain: despaireth, wanteth faith, hope, love, the fear of god, patience, and is affrighted with an accusing and gnawing conscience, and besides all this, is bound in everlasting chains to the judgement of the great day in a certain place which is called Hell.  
Now for the application of the distinction: Christ if he had been a mere man, could not have escaped part of the damnation of hell, when gods wrath was so fully powered out upon him: but it should have fallen out to him as it falleth out with the devil and reprobates: but because Christ was God also, his godhead did infinitely strengthen and grace his manhood, so as none of all these accidents which necessarily grow upon a mere creature, seized upon him, as despair, impatience, etc. therefore to say that Christ suffered the wrath of God which may be called the pains of hell, is neither blasphemous nor unreasonable, this distinction of hell pains and damnation being admitted.  
Thus the four points appertaining to Christ are cleared: now the other two concerning David follow:   

Fiftly: How God forsaketh David and his children? 
Forsaken me.   
God forsaketh his children two ways principally.  
First by giving them to their own hearts lusts in part, and permitting them to the temptations of the devil: and suffering them to fall into some sins which wrack & torment the conscience: against which David prayeth, Psal. 119.8. And Christ teacheth us to pray in the last petition of the Lords prayer: Led us not into temptation, etc.  
Secondly by causing them to see and feel the wrath of God in some measure and for some time, till humiliation be wrought in them thoroughly for some sins. So David was humbled Psal. 6. and 15. and so are all the children of God in some measure: and thus the Lord forsook David, both by permitting him to fall into sin, and causing him to feel the smart of God's wrath as a means of humiliation for that sin: and thus the Lord forsaketh his children oft times, as they have experience of: which may teach us charity in censuring men whom we see strangely cast down with fearful humiliation, they may be nevertheless dear children of God, although it may be also that they have fallen into some grievous sins as David did: and yet happily also this humiliation may grow upon infirmities with some tender heart: and for such uncharitable critics that thus intemperately censure humbled consciences, they are to know that some kind of despair is better than hardness of heart.   

Sixtly, what are the properties of faith here noted? 
My God, forsaken me.   
Two properties of faith evidently appear in the prophet.  
The first is, when God forsaketh, then to hold fast, when God killeth then to trust in him as job. 13.15. who professeth that though the L. should stay him yet he would trust, and David else where saith, that though he was sometime afraid yet he trusted in god for faith holdeth fast sometimes when all reason faileth as Abraham (Rom 4.18.19.) believed a thing in nature & reason impossible that a woman of ninety years, should conceive with child of a man that was an hundred year old: so doth David in this place: God forsaketh him, & yet he calleth him his god.  
The second property of faith is particular application, whereby Christ with all his merits are appropriated by the believer to his own soul in special and he is truly assured of the pardon of his sin & the salvation of his soul Ro. 8.38. joh. 20.28. some think it presumption for any man so to say: and none have ever attained to this certain assurance but those to whom god hath revealed it: but we are to know that there must be difference made between faith, and conjecture: Faith is kowledge which hath a certainty in it whose genus is scientia: Conjecture is knowledge which hath uncertainty in it, whose genus is opinio: wherefore they that deny the certainty of faith and salvation, make faith conjectural and confound faith and opinion which is absurd.  
Now indeed faith is never without doubting, and yet faith is certain still: for persuasion and knowledge is either a true persuasion, or a full persuasion: a true knowledge, or a full knowledge: as there is difference betwixt a true man, & a perfect full & complete man: a man wanting a hand is a man indeed: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: even so of faith, and assurance: True persuasion is fides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where in there is no hypocrisy. Full persuasion is fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath no doubting, which no man living hath or can have till love be perfected, when also faith shall be cast out, yet we are to strive against doubting, and still to pray: Lord increase our faith.  
That which some might comment upon the expostulation of Christ, 
Why forsakest, etc.  whereas he asketh a reason why God forsook him also? the two adiunctes of his prayer, that he prayed with roaring and crying, and day and night and had no ease, I omit as ordinary matters: only thus much.  
Christ expostulateth and debateth the matter of his desertion with God, not for that he knew not wherefore he was forsaken, but complaining most piteously of his extreme misery: neither is here any suspicion of impatiency at all: no God forbid:  
Again Christ's roaring & crying, that is, his fervent prayer, also his continuance in prayer day and night, are for our example in the like cases, that in our extremities we never cease crying till God give ease.   

The grounds of the Prophet's faith. 
V 3. Thou art holy, & dost inhabit the praises of Israel.   
God is holy Effectiuè and subiectiuè: for he is both the worker of holiness and the fountain of holiness: now both these are here signified by the Prophet: namely, that God is the author and worker of holiness in the Church. And the Emphasis of the speech is to be observed, in the pronoun attah (thou) which is exclusive, as if the Prophet had said (thou only:) which is the golden sentence written in the high Priests Mitre, Exod. 28.20. Holiness to the Lord.  
The sanctification of the Church is the work of God only: 
Doctrine.  which doctrine for that it is a very material point, is first to be expounded, and then confirmed. It may be expounded or amplified by the particular causes of sanctification, wherein the Lord hath the main stroke, or else the work succeed not; as by induction appeareth thus.  
1 God is the original and fundamental cause of the redemption, purgation and sanctification of the Church, who of his own love and compassion to man's misery provided redemption for us, there being nothing out of himself to move him thereunto.  
2 Christ's sacrifice is the meritorious and purchasing cause, for he paid the price of redemption for us.  
3 Christ's kingdom that is his resurrection, ascension, session at the right (hand) of his father is the effectual, operative, and working cause.  
4 The word in the ministery of teaching, praying, celebrating the sacraments and discipline ecclesiastical is the instrumental cause, where if any man think that the means are any thing without God give the increase he forgetteth the Apostles speech 1. Cor. 3.7. for the word which is the power of God to salvation is not the bare sound or letter, but it is the inward spirit of powar and grace annexed thereto: which is Christ's Sceptre.  
So that seeing the love of God, the sacrifice, kingdom and scripture of Christ are the only causes of our anctification, it is plain that the redemption sanctification and cleansing of the church is gods work only.  
The doctrine thus cleared may also be proved and confirmed by induction of those things which are in or with sin, the which none but God can take away and they are these four.  
1 Transgression which respecteth God's law & justice which in sin is violated for sin is the transgression of the law etc. 1. joh. 3.4.  
2 Corruption respecting the sinner; which followeth the transgression as the necessary effect thereof: as in Adam.  
3 Gild whereby the person transgressing and corrupted is culpable of judgement.  
4 Punishment the just wages and desert of sin, which is God's wrath and the curse of the law Gal. 3.10  
Now no creature can take away any of these, it is the work of god alone therefore was it that our redeemer was God.  
Remission of sin, which is the taking away of the guilt and punishment of sin is that work of God only. Micah 7.18. Exod 34.7. Mar. 2.7. Esay. 43.25.1. joh. 3.8.  
Again sanctification which is the purgation and stain of sin which is imprinted in our souls (whether it be a quality positive, or privative) is the only work of god. job. 13.4.1. Thes. 5.23.  
Seeing then the corruption, guilt, and punishment of sin which are three principal matters appertaining to sin are only taken away by god, because they containing the violation of an infinite justice, are after a sort, infinite and so cannot be taken away but by some person infinite, God's infinite justice being able to overwhelm a mere creature every way finite, it followeth therefore by inevitable consequence that sin also is taken away by God only: for the corruption, guilt, and punishment of sin being abolished, the avomie or transgresion is removed and reckoned as not done, which is also a fruit of remission of sin, and of this the Lord saith that he will cast it into the bottom of the sea, he will forget and remember it no more, Micah. 7.19. jerem, 31.33. Ezech. 18.22.  
The doctrine thereof is thus confirmed and cleared: and it hath an excellent use to us not only for conjectation of the papists, which avouch temporal punishment sustained by the creature to be sufficient satisfaction for some sins and that good works shall deserve grace, and that the priest can judicially pardon sin, all which are so many blasphemies against the mercy of God, the sacrifice kingdom and sceptre of Christ, but especially it serveth for our instruction to teach us to quake and tremble at the fearful condition of sin, which can no other way be abolished but by the omnipotent power of God encountering (as it were) the infinite wrath of God, and vanquishing it, to teach us to take heed of committing the least sin, which none but God can abolish: which also called the Lord jesus Christ from heaven; for this caus● appeared the son of God that he might dissolve the works of the devil: for the papists deem too lightly of sin that think some sins venial in their own nature, & the profane multitude offer violence to God's justice in threatening kindness upon his mercy, saying of small offences as lot said of Zoar oh it is but a little one; and God is merciful: is it suppose we a small sin that, for redeeming whereof, God must needs become man and die?  
God is the owner and possessor of his Church, and so consequently of the praise & worship which is in the church offered him continually: for God decreeing from all eternity the glory of his mercy and justice, and the rest of his most excellent attributes (which are commonly called his Name in the scripture decreed also to have a Church; and a saviour for his Church: without whom neither could he have a church, nor be glorified out of himself if he wanted a Church: Wherefore Christ prayeth thus: if thou wilt be glorified and praised out of thyself, thou must have a Church: if thou wilt have a Church, thou must have a saviour: if thou wilt have a saviour, then save me who am-appointed the Saviour: and so the sorites is concluded: if thou wilt be praised, save me.  
But thou wilt be praised &c. ergo save me.  

Doctrine.  God's gloly and praise is the end of the world, the Church, and of Christ also. For to this end hath God created the world, redeemed his Church, and appointed Christ the Saviour of the Church, that he might be glorified: as the wise man saith: God made all things for his glory: Prou. 16.4. So saith the Apostle, 1. Cor. 3.22.23. All things are yours, you are Christ's, and Christ is Gods: that is to say, Christ hath redeemed all things for your use, that you may worship Christ, and God through Christ may be glorified.  
The use of this doctrine is to teach us to glorify God which is attained by a godly life, and two reasons may be alleged for this purpose.  
1 Necessity: for if we do not glorify God mercy by godliness and honesty in this life, he will be glorified by us in his justice in our utter destruction after this life: for every man shallbe either an instrument of glorifying god in his mercy, or serving for matter of the glory of his justice.  
2 Analogy and proportion: for we see all the creatures by natural instinct without resistance and rebellion are carried readily and speedily to there end, there place, and use; as the sun etc. Psal. 19.4.5. and Psalm 104. toto: so that if we degenerate from this end which God hath appointed us we are the only irregular persons of the world, and indeed men and angels are so: wherefore if gods love, Christ's death, everlasting life will not, yet let fear & shame move us to obedience.  
To conclude this verse seeing god sanctifieth his church and children, and will surely sanctify them that he may be praised by them, hence doth arise matter of consolation & thankfulness.  
1 Of consolation thus; if we be cast down with the consideration of sin committed and reigning in us, so as that, though we pray and hear, & read, and partake in the sacraments, and discipline our own souls, and watch our heart & senses with all diligence, yet we cannot obtain conquest over our sins, them we may have recourse unto the Lord, & comfort ourselves with consideration of his holiness; that though we cannot overmaster our own corruption, yet the Lord can and will in due time, for holiness appertaineth to the Lord.  
2 Of thankfulness thus: therefore doth the Lord deliver us from the bondage of our spiritual enemies therefore doth he redeem, purge, and sanctify his Church that he might be glorified by his Church; so doth the prophet reason psal. 103. v. 1.2.3.4. & so doth Zachary. Luk. 1.74.  

V 4. Our fathers trusted in thee, they called upon thee, and were delivered and not confounded.  God is immutable and unchangeable in his love and he remaineth as firm in his faith to the Church as ever he was: for he keepeth his fidelity for ever and with him there is no variableness, nor shadow of change; and seeing therefore the fathers in the old testament were delivered through the mercy and truth of God through the promised messias, now also the posterity, & namely Christ himself the promised seed must needs also be delivered from perishing.  
From this place than we learn divers instructions.  
First that Christ was the lamb slain from the beginning of the world. Apoc. 13.8. and he by his blood purged the sins of the former testament: Heb 9.15. and therefore howsoever the Papists teach and deliver that there was Limbus Patrum, a certain skirt of hell, where the fathers were reserved until Christ had overcome death, & opened heaven, yet we may confidently believe, and constantly avouch by this consideration that there was no such thing, for seeing the fathers trusted in God and called upon him, they were therefore delivered, and not confounded, as the text saith: but if they were in Limbo, they were confounded and not delivered: for there as the Papists dream is paena damni, though not paena sensus, it is a dungeon of darkness, and a pit that will hold no water, as they will needs have it.  

V 4. Our fathers trusted in thee and were delivered.  Secondly: that by analogy and proportion the efficacy of Christ's death also, must be stretched to the world's end, as well as to the world of beginning. For as the Apostle saith, 
Psal. 110.  out of the Prophet, Christ is a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedech, as well as he was a lamb slain from the beginning of the world: & as his blood served for the purgation of the sins of the former testament which lived before Christ was slain, so also it serveth for the cleansing of the Church which now standeth up after his death: for it is mere blasphemy to include the virtue of Christ's sacrifice within the compass of a few hours wherein he suffered his passion: whence another popish opinion hath the neck broken also, which is, that there needeth a daily sacrificing of Christ in the mass after an unbloody manner, which is as doltish a distinction as that other of a sacrifice applicatory and not propitiatory: for so far forth as the Eucharist apply, it is a Sacrament and not a sacrifice: and so far forth as the sacrifice is unbloody it is Eucharistical, and not propitiatory: for without blood there is no propitiation.  
Thirdly. Faithful prayer is never disappointed but always obtaineth, 
V 5. They called upon thee and were delivered.  as Christ saith, Mat. 7.7. Ask and ye shall receive, but we must ask in faith: for otherwise though we ask we shall not receive, because we ask amiss, as james saith. Therefore faith is the necessary condition of obtaining: and so of true prayer: but faith is grounded upon God's word which is his will: and God's word and will is, that we ask nothing contrary to his glory, the good of the church, or our own soul's health; for when we ask any thing derogating from gods glory, our prayers are so many blasphemies: and when we desire any thing hindering the salvation of our own souls, or the Churches good, we curse ourselves & the church: Wherefore we must always remember to examine our petitions by gods word, that finding them agreeable thereto, we may be bold to present them before God; finding them otherwise, we may learn to deny ourselves, our wits and wills, and all we have, and so cast down ourselves at God's feet, & say as Christ said, Thy will be done and not mine: thus if we do in prayer, we shall obtain what we ask, as Christ also did when he prayed that prayer: Hebr. 5.7.  
Lastly, 
V 4. Our father, etc.  it is profitable for us to observe the dealing of God with his children in time past: and from thence to gather hope to ourselves: for seeing God is as able, merciful, and true, as ever he was, therefore we may assure ourselves of help from god in time of need being Gods servants, as well as our forefathers: remembering always the Apostles rule. Rom. 15.4. that we may have hope; But that we may obtain hope, we must have the consolation of the examples of God's goodness revealed in the scriptures to his children, and especially to Christ the head of the church, as that place importeth, and further also we must have patience, that when we have done the will of God we may obtain the promise. Heb. 10.36.    
v. 6.7.8. 
But I am a woman and not a man: a shame of men and the contempt of the people.  
All that see me have me in derision: they make a mow, and nod the head: saying.  
He trusted in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him seeing he loveth him.  
The prophet David was either anointed or crowned king without question when this psalm was penned, and yet we see he was thus shamefully abused by wicked men; Christ himself the most holy and righteous man and the most excellent and worthy person that ever the earth carried, yet we see is exposed to the contumelious mocks of wretched men; For this is the portion of God's children (as it was one part of Christ's sufferings) to be dishonoured, contemned, and derided: the history of the Gospel is plentiful in this point, they dishonour him in charging him with blasphemy, with breach of the Sabbath, with surfeiting and drunkenness, with Samaritanisme, which is to cast out devils by the devil, etc. when he was condemned to die they mock him, attiring him despitefully as a king, with a crown of thorns, with a garment of purple, with a sceptre of a reed: as if he had been a king amongst fools, boys, or Pigmies: they buffet him, they spit upon him, they smite him, whip him, and in sum, they mock at his kingdom and prophetical office: this befell Christ the head of the church, the master of the house: and shall his members or household servants think to escape? it is enough for the servant to be as his master is: and the foot must not think to escape the piercing with nails, when the head was crowned and wounded with thorns.  
Now the reason why Christ was thus content to be abased was, that he might deliver us from eternal shame and confusion, which is the due desert of sin: and to sanctify the evil name and slander, which we sustain now for his sake, and for our own good, that though an evil name be evil, and a curse, yet the Lord hath by his reproach taken away the malignity of reproach and slander from us: yet he hath left shame for us still to sustain, that we might fulfil the remnant of the afflictions: he hath drunk the full cup, and we must pledge him in the bottom of the cup: we must therefore learn to deny ourselves, and namely (as this argument implieth) our good name and fame: not that a man may not by all good means preserve his good name, but that a man be not too popular without measure and by unlawful means to seek a good name, many men being too greedy (as Aesop's dog) catch at the shadow and lose the substance, while they seek fame and report, they lose a good name: for he that immoderately and unlawfully seeketh to get and keep his credit with all sorts of persons, shall get a fame from the wicked, which is but the shadow, and lose a good name from the godly, which is the substance. A good name is the reward of humility and the fear of God: Prou. 22.4. and God will honour them that honour him: 1. Sam. 2.3. And by faith we shall obtain a good report as the Elders did, Hebr. 11.2. By such means we may seek to get a good name, which will be a good ointment to the children of god refreshing them with comfort of a godly life, Eccles. 7.1. But if any of God's children are too curious of their credit, and too much addicted to be popular, the Lord will really teach the to deny themselves in this point, and by causing wicked men to slander them, will teach them by a real sermon that which by the word and instruction they cannot learn: which is to forsake their credit for Christ's sake, as Christ did forsake his own excellency, and dejected himself to the greatest indignities that a man could suffer, for our sakes: in so much as the scripture saith, he did annihilate himself, that is, he was content to be in no account; that we might be preciously esteemed.  

〈…〉 and nod the head.  The wrying of the mouth, and nodding the head are uncivil, foolish, and despiteful gestures, such as civil, discreet, and moderate men would have been ashamed to use: but if malice have got the bridle in the neck, how will not wicked men transgress the law of civil and courteous behaviour? yea the fence of nature and humanity they will trample flat to the ground, as if they lost both civility and manhood: which point may further appear in the mocking speeches which they utter against Christ now hanging upon the cross: 
Let him deliver him, etc.  which mocking gestures and speeches show more than barbarous despite, and brulish malice: for a person that is condemned to die, yea now in execution is pitied and prayed for by all the beholdders, yea even the hearts of Adamant than will soften to here a man in extremity of pain ready to die, yet then these monsters of men and nature are never a whit assuaged towards him, but rejoice then at his woe, and scoff at his fall: saying: God hath forsaken him, he loveth him not, he never did trust in god, as he pretended: for then surely God would not suffer him to perish, but would deliver him: or if he himself were a saviour he would save himself and others and come down from the cross, that we might know him to be the saviour and believe in him: but we are to know these things are otherwise, for God may love a man, and a man may trust in God, and yet still continue in affliction: so we see the martyrs die for Christ and periss; h in regard of the outward man, & that the love God, and God loveth them still: and so was it with Christ a which may serve to mussel the mouths of the wicked worldlings, that presently think gods children, forsaken of god, and that they are naughty persons because they sustain the cross & sometime fall under it: nay contrariwise they should think it a sign of God's hatred not to be under the cross as it fareth with many wicked men, that thus the Lord fatteth them for the day of slaughter.   


Verse 9 & 10  But thou didst draw me out: of the womb: thou gavest me hope as my mother's breast.  
I was cast upon thee even from the womb: thou art my god from my mother's belly.  
Howsoever these murderers 〈…〉 of christ 〈◊〉 with him that he assureth himself of God's favour and merciful protection still, seeing that he had so graciously preserved him, even from the birth, the womb, and the conception: For God did by an especial providence watch over Christ in all ages and times of his life, yea even at his conception, when he was to be framed in his mother's womb: which thing may a little be considered of in this manner following.  
The Lord preserved Christ in his conception from the contagion of sin, he being framed of the substance of the virgin by the power or the holy ghost without the help of m●n, by reason whereof the course of original sin was stayed which is derived to us in generation: wherefore in this sense Christ had no father.  
In ●his birth also he was preserved by the special providence of God, that he perished not, though he was borne in the stable and laid in the cratch, and wanted the other ordinary helps which women in such cases have for their child at there nativity: for it is probable they wanted a fire, the stable being no fit place for that purpose, besides the unhealthsome savour of the stable etc.  
In ●his education and nourishing, he was kept from the conspiracy of Herod that sought his life, when his mother fled into Egypt to save his life: also when the innocents were slain: when he was lost by his parents and found again disputing with the doctors in the temple. In ●his life when he was called forth to the execution of the mediatorship after his baptism, he was preserved from many conspiraces of the high priest and the pharisees, and the rulers of the people, who sought to have slain him, but he was preserved by the Lord's providence till the appointed time.  
Wherefore seeing god had watched over him all his days hitherto he now fully assureth himself of God's protection and assistance at this brunt also.  
And as this is true in Christ the head so also after a certain manner is it true in his members, all the children of God, over whom the Lord watcheth by his gracious preservation, and that in there conception job. 10.10.11. and Psal. 139.13.14.15.16. which two places being viewed do largely express this point: as also in there whole life: Psal. 121. toto. Which may serve to comfort the poor members of Christ, that peradventure might think by reason of there base respect themselves unworthy to be regarded by God, seeing the world so little regard them; surely they are to know that he hath numbered there bones, and all there members are written in his book, yea he knoweth the number of the hears of their head: & therefore in this regard they may be comforted: Lazarus was poor and yet the Lords angels ministered to him. lu. 16  
Lastly from the force of the argument, used here to confirm the faith of the prophet in assurance of future mercy grounded upon former experience thereof we are admonished to chronicle & record up, and as it were hang upon the file, all the favour of God's mercy vouchsafed us, that from thence in time of need, we may gather faith & comfort: for our faith is weak, and a little thing will not comfort us in extremity, we had need therefore to write a book of remembrance of all the former experience of God's mercy thereby to support our infirmity: so David did when he was animated to encounter with Goliath.   

The request or petiton of the Prophet propounded.  V 11. 
Be not far from me, because trouble is near, and there is none to help. etc.  
Out of this verse two things may be gathered: first that a Godly man may be troubled and helpless: as was Christ, & the prophet in this place. All Christ's apostles forsook him, even Peter that professed the contrary, and at the first seemed more forward than the rest by fight for him: yea & john whom Christ loved came away without his coat where Christ was apprehended: The Apostle Paul. 2. Tim. 4.16 saith that when he was to appear before Caesar all men forsook him: for indeed there be very few or none to be found that dare and will stand out boldly to help in time of need, that dare cherish a man that is persecuted for the truth: although they wish the cause and the person well, yet they dare not be seen thoroughly in the matter, but then Christ shall shift for himself, if his life be once called in question: now therefore if we see gods children thus afflicted and helpless, condemn them not, conclude not there upon that they are nought, for the dear children of God, yea Christ himself was afflicted and desolate that that is helpless.  
Secondly hear note we, that though the world offoard no help to Gods children's though all forsake them, yet the Lord will not forsake them: so saith the Apostle, 2. Timoth. 4.17. So saith Christ, joh. 16.32. though Christ were alone and desolate in regard of man's help and comfort, yet he was not alone, but the father was with him, and though Paul was helpless when he appeared before Nero the Emperor, yet God delivered him out of the lions mouth; for God will either deliver, or give strength and patience to bear the affliction: which is matter of consolation: this the three children knew right well, Dan. 3.17, 18▪ which were threatened with the fiery furnace, which ministered comfort to them in deadly danger: with this the Prophet encouraged himself. Psal. 23. To walk fearlessly through the valley of the shadow of death, considering God's presence with him.   

The affliction that immediately seized upon Christ's soul.  

Vers. 12, 13, 14, 15.  12. Many Bulls have compassed me, mighty bulls of Bashan have closed me about.  
13. They gape upon me with their mouths, as a ramping and roaring lion.  
14. I am like water powered out, and all my bones are dissolved: mine heart is like wax, it is melted in the mids of my bowels.  
15. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my laws, & thou hast brought me into the dust of death.  
The Apostle Peter: 1. Pet. 5.8. calleth the devil a roaring lion, who goeth about continually seeking whom he may devour: and in this place the Prophet saith, that his enemies gaped upon him like a ramping and roaring lion: whence probably may be conjectured (the two properties of a lion fitting so well together both here in the Prophet, and also in the Apostle) that the enemies that now afflicted Christ were, the devil and his angels.  
1. Pet. 5.8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
Psal. 22.13. arich— shoag— toreph.  
Wherefore we will take it as granted, that in this place the Prophet foretelleth the sufferings that directly and properly and primarily befell Christ's soul: which may further be proved by the strange effects which the prophet rehearseth, vers. 14.15. that followed his affliction: as the dissolution of all the faculties of the soul, or the intermitting their functions, which the compass and enclosure and gaping of his enemies, could not work in him: & again whereas in the v. 21. he desireth to be delivered from the lions mouth, how can this be expounded but of the power of God's wrath, now urged & enforced by the devil against him: in regard whereof he desireth to be delivered: all these things compared together carry me easily to think that here the affliction proper to Christ's soul is expressed. Therefore the might, malice, and mischief of the devils are here to be considered, who in this place are called mighty Bulls, and a raping & roaring lion, there being one devil the chief, and the rest consenting and conspiring with him.  
The power of the devils appears in this, that they are angels, and although through their fall they have lost grace and glory, yet their other qualities which the Lord endowed them with in their creation remain: as namely their strength: now the strength of an angel is wonderful great (though not infinite:) as may appear, in that the angel overthrew in the host of the Assyrians in one night, an hundredth four score and five thousand, Esay, 37.36. Also in the time of David seventy thousand in three days, 2. Sam. 24.15. And in Egypt evil angels destroyed all the first borne of Egypt. Psal. 78.49.50.51. And as it may seem in a piece of a night: yea surely it is likely, that if God should permit, the devils were able to destroy all the men, and all the creatures in the world, and mingle heaven and earth together.  
The malice of the devil is as great if not greater than his power, which may appear in two particulars: first in that he setteth himself against God and Christ, whereas he knoweth he getteth nothing by it, but vengeance. Secondly in opposing against the Church of God, and his servants: whereas he knoweth he cannot hurt them, nay rather he doth them good: he afflicted job, and yet he knew job by Gods own commendation to be God's servant: he tempted Christ, whom he knew to be the Messias and Saviour of mankind.  
The mischief of the devil also is a great, as it proceedeth from him, and as it seizeth upon some persons: he brought Christ to death, job to beggary: he worketh mischeivously by the witch to destroy the goods and children of men both good and bads he bringeth men into sin and keepeth them in it, and so worketh their destruction and damnation, which is the greatest part of his mischief, howsoever it is not so easily observed.  
As the devil is thus mighty, malicious, and mischievous, so undoubtedly he bestirred himself with all his skill to afflict Christ, and he even to the utmost he could do, no doubt wrecked himself upon Christ, to spoil him if it had been possible: & so doth he and will do to all gods children: yea he carrying an universal hatred to mankind & all God's creatures, will work what villainy he can upon them: he carried the swine headlong into the sea: he caused the man that was possessed to beat himself with stones, etc. Here therefore we see the goodness of God towards us, & toward mankind in general, who represseth & bridleth the devil, and chaineth him so as he cannot do what he list: for them we should not keep our cattle from his hands, nor money in our purses, nor any of our goods for our use: nay our bodies should be sure to be tormented strangely, and worse than that, if god should lay the rains in his neck: all men therefore good and bad are to consider God's goodness towards them thus far forth, that they are moderately preserved by him in their outward estates from the devils tyranny.  
It may be demanded how far forth the devil could and now did prevail against Christ in this place: 
They comp●●, enclose, and gape upon me.  or whether the devils were the executioners of God's wrath, now upon our Saviour Christ: whereto answer may be made thus; First it seemeth that the inflicting of God's wrath upon the creature is God's work only, and there is no creature that can pour God's wrath upon another; for the wrath of God being the curse of the law to be inflicted upon the transgressors of the law, for the breach of the law, whereby God's justice is violated, and this curse, or this wrath of God being the effects of his justice, it is not convenient to assign the execution thereof to the devil. For the devil being himself subject to, and tormented with the sense and feeling thereof, and there being no superior power to torment the devil, but God, he himself must needs be the executioner of the devils: and there being a kind of infiniteness in God's wrath, so at the devil thereby is overwhelmed, how shall it be said with reason, that he that is very unable to sustain it, should inflict it, he that cannot bear it himself should lay it upon others? and as he that is hanged cannot be hangman; no more can the devil that is tormented with God's wrath, torment others therewithal. Therefore the Lord with his own hand doth immediately inflict his wrath upon the creature, whether men or Angels: and as God had the help of no creature in the creation, redemption, justification, sanctification, and salvation of the Church, no more hath he any help in the damnation of any creature.  
Wherefore the devils were not Gods instruments of pouring his wrath upon Christ, and yet Christ suffered immediately from the devils, as it is here recorded, for they tempt him, and terrify him, they compass him about, and enclose him with temptation, they gape upon him with their mouths as ready to devour him and tear him in pieces, that is, they urge and enforce the wrath of God with all possible argument and reason, aggravating it to the utmost of their skill. And it is evident that they tempted Christ, and no doubt Christ could not sustain the urging of the temptation without some sorrow and grief and vexation of heart, as every godly man hath experience, when he resisteth a temptation: for conclusion of this point, the devils did not execute God's wrath upon Christ, but the devils did tempt and terrify Christ otherwise.  

I am like water powered out, my bones dissolved, etc.  The effects that followed upon the torture which Christ sustained, proveth the strangeness and extraordinariness thereof, to omit the effects which are set down in the story of the gospel, whence should the dissolving of the faculty of sense and motion proceeded in so much as that the bones being untied were severed each from other? surely even as Baltashar when he saw the hand writing had his joints, through the feeling of some divine power that in justice smote him for his sins, loosed, so as his knees beat together, the animal faculty for a season being suspended, even so was it in Christ. Again whence came the melting of the heart like wax, the drying up of the strength like a potsherd, but from the intolerable heat of God's fiery wrath which now pierced our saviour Christ, and consumed him as the fire that came down from heaven consumed the sacrifice into ashes: which was a type of this fire which thus dried and scorched our Saviour Christ and melted his heart, as wax melteth at the sun: How came it to pass that Christ's tongue clave to his jaws? 
My tongue cleaveth to my jaws.  was it immoderate drought that caused it? but than it should have been said: to the palate: but the prophet saith to the laws: according to the latin phrase vox faucibus haeret, Christ was not able to speak, but his words were half words, words sounding a far of, faintly, his tongue faltered as it were in speaking it may be that Christ was dry but that drought signified in the Gospel when they gave him vinegar mingled with gall should have been mentioned in the 16. verse in due place when he suffered upon the cross, and not here where the effects of an other torture are repeated, namely of that which immediately affected his soul, as hath been said; surely in all likelihood of reason some extraordinary tortures are here implied which produce so strange effects, and make such deep impressions in all the faculties of the soul, animal, vital, natural, reareasonable: whereby the parts of the body serviceable to the soul for the execution of her faculties are forsaken.  
The use of this doctrine is to teach us carefully to avoid sin which wrought such strange affects in Christ satisfying for sin, being god also: alas how shall we vild wretches be able another day if it fall to our lot for our sins to sustain the least hellish torment? it is no marvel though the rich glutton in hell cry out of his tongue, & though baltashar's knees knock together, though judas hanged himself, and cain blasphemed, and saul fell upon his sword, seeing there are such intolerable effects follow the warth of God even in the son of God himself as are here mentioned. 
Thou hast brought me into the dust of death.   
Here the prophet turneth his speech unto the Lord: & whereas before he had made a narration of the might malice and mischief of his enemies how they had afflicted him, by terour and temptation, and how strangely this affliction tortured him, that it caused the faculties of the soul to intermit there functions in there proper parts of the body, now he maketh an apostrophe as it were unto the Lord, and telleth him, that it was he that had brought him to his death, for though his estate now was in all likelihood of reason irrecoverable and remediless, being spilled like water upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, yet all this sorrow did not kill him, but he changeth his speech, and saith: thou hast brought me into the dust of death: whence two things may be observed: the one is, that God had a stroke in the death of Christ, not only by permitting the jews to kill him, which shall be handled afterward in the 16. and 17. verses, but by pouring his wrath upon him, which hastened his death the sooner, in so much as the history in the gospel saith, he was dead sooner than the thieves who died the same death with him, as is likely: which hasty death of Christ's was caused no doubt by some inward cause, which was God's wrath, that had wrought the former strange effects in Christ: that it may be properly said that God killed Christ rather then the jews, though the jews also tortured his body, so as that in time he should have died. The other thing that we note here is, that all the might, malice, and mischief of the devils, and the jews which was expressed in the torturing and tormenting of Christ, could not have killed Christ, except God had killed him. For Christ being God, could if it had pleased him, and if the decree of god had not been otherwise, have retained his spirit, cured his wound, or destroyed his enemies that they should not have been able to wound him: in regard whereof he saith. joh. 10.18. that he had power to lay down his life and to take it up again, and that his life was not wrested out of his hand but seeing God had decreed it otherwise therefore Christ must needs die, and yet the principal crucifier of Christ (that I may so speak generally) was God himself, who besides that he used the jews, and the Devils as his instruments to murder Christ yet he retaineth in his own hands one sovereign torture, the most fearful wrath of God to be inflicted upon Christ our surety, in regard whereof the proper saith of Christ, thou hast brought me into the dust of death.  
Summarily (to end the torments which immediately tortured Christ's soul) we may here observe that Christ was thus afflicted as is rehearsed already, both willingly, and necessarily: willingly in that he suffered the Devils thus to assault him with terour and temptation: necessarily in that God had a hand in killing him, and bringing him to the grave which is death's dust: and indeed Christ did willingly and yet necessarily suffer all that he suffered: hence then two consequents follow immediately.  
1 Christ infinite love that was content and willing to suffer such hardship for us wretched caitiffs: and  
2 That no less than that which Christ suffered was sufficient for our redemption & reconciliation to God, seeing that he suffered all that he suffered necessarily: for if it be supposed that the least suffering of Christ had been enough to have appeased God towards us, than it is superfluous and unnecessary that Christ should come into the dust of death: should have such strange effects in his body before his death; should be subject to the terour and temptations of the devil: to the wounds and stripes of the jews: but because it was necessary that Christ should suffer all these things and so enter into his glory, therefore the least suffering of Christ was not sufficient. This also might call into question the law of God to his beloved son in that he would bring him to the dust of death, if it were not necessary: and if it were necessary that Christ should die & that by Gods own hand (rather and more than by the jews wounds, and the devils work) as is here noted, I would know what that hand of God was, if it was not the wrath of God working the former strange effects in Christ's body: and if Christ must of necessity die, why must he not of necessity suffer God's wrath properly? shall we say God's love would not suffer that? But God's justice did require it: and God's love would suffer him to die: but necessity urged a despensation? What necessity I pray you? even this perhaps that if God's wrath had seized upon Christ, he would have been forsaken of God: why? he was forsaken of God Psal. 22.1. all comfort was secluded from him, and yet all grace was present with him: but it was impossible that Christ should suffer gods wrath? wherefore impossible? because he was God? therefore also it was impossible that he should die, but possibility admitted his death: and why not Gods wrath? for neither the Godhead died nor suffered God's wrath, but the manhood only and the hypostatical union was never dissolved & there is no danger of fearing any absurdity to ensue upon the suffering of God's wrath rather than upon the suffering of death: for despair, want of faith, love, etc. are not to be feared.   

The affliction that immediately seized upon Christ's body.  

V 16.17, 18.  16. For dogs have compassed me; and the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me, they pierced my hands and my feet.  
17 I may tell all my bones, yet they behold and look upon me.  
18 They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture etc.  
These words contain that affliction which directly and immediately was inflicted upon Christ's body, which no doubt pierced the sensitive part of the soul, which was inherent in the parts of the body wounded, for we see wounds in the parts of the body are sensible, and so very grievous: the reason is; for that the object and the instrument of sense are joined together without a medium, whereas there ought to be a competent distance, and a convenient medium, which is called Cuticula.  
Here in the first place the persons inflicting these bodily torments upon Christ, are to be considered, who are called dogs, whereas the devils in the former part of Christ's torments were compared to Bulls and Lions: & the comparison hath in it excellent conveniency & proportion, for as it is an easier matter to encounter a dog, than a mighty mad Bull, & a lion, so the conflict which Christ had with the wicked, which were but a company of cur dogs, was nothing in comparison of the combat he had with the devil and his angels, whose malice, might, and mischief against Christ surpassed the villainy of the jews, as far as the lion rampeth and roareth more cruelly than the dog barketh: and yet Christ suffered more than that also, which was the compliment of all misery.  
The wicked in the Scripture are compared to dogs in respect of two properties which dogs have, wherein wicked men are answerable to them: the one is churlishness the other is filthiness: for the dog will snarl at him that beateth him for his fault, yea though he be his master, Mat. 7.6. and he will also turn again and eat the carrion which he hath vomited, 2. Pet. 2.22. which noteth out unto us two sorts of wicked men: one is open persecutors that revile and persecute them that smite them with wholesome reproofs, when they are faulty: another is temporising hypocrites, that having made a show of godliness, as if they had vomited sin out of their souls, yet at length return again, & take up their former sins, which only for a time in hypocrisy they forsook.  
Further this place warranteth (and innumerable more) that the assemble of wicked men that are temporizers or persecutors may lawfully be called dogs, or a kennel of hounds: men now a days that serve times, and persecute the church take it in dudgeon (as we say) that they should be called dogs, or swine, or lions, or bears, etc. & yet they have all the properties of these brutish creatures, as if bruit beasts were metamorphized & changed into men, as the heathen have allegorized: of such persons. I would demand this question; whether is worse to be a dog, or to be called a dog? may not a man call a dog a dog? Wherefore if such men be dogs, I know no reason but they may be so called, especially the h. ghost going before, whose example is our instruction in the same case: either therefore let such men cease to be dogs, or if they still continue dogs let them be called dogs.  
Again some take the prick when they are not pricked at all in the ministers intention-althogh they are pricked in the Lord's disposition: for sometime the minister intendeth in his ministery that which never pierceth: & sometime God causeth that to pierce in his ministery that which he never intendeth, yet it may be known that Paul's planting, and Apollo's watering is nothing except God give increase: There are men called by the names of beasts, as lion, fox, hart, hare, hound, or so forth, and these men are some good some bad, as our own experience may inform us well enough: now sometime it falleth out that the minister in his ministery is occasioned by the scripture to unfold the evil properties of wicked men in regard whereof they are compared to beasts as the lions properties are pride and cruelty, the fox's craft and subtlety, the heart's faithfulness, etc. and it may fall out that some wicked man called lion hath the lion's pride and cruelty, some wicked man called fox hath the fox's craft and subtlety etc. now if these men take themselves either named or aimed at in the ministery, where as it may be the minister never dreameth thereof; or if the minister intent such a thing, whence should a man say this proceedeth? without doubt either gross folly, or an accusing conscience, or mere malice, or brutish ignorance bring men into these surmises: howsoever it be gods word, it is a sharp two edged sword; & the minister by god's providence, which to him perhaps is chance medley, sometime shall wound him whom he never aimed at, or harden him, whom he never thought of: for the word of God is both a savour of life & of death to several sorts of persons. These are the people that afflicted Christ, let us further consider what afflictions befell him: they crucify him, & mock him, they strip him naked, and despoil him of his garments: all which are so many sufferings of Christ for our good: he was crucified, & suffered the most accursed death of the cross, to deliver us from the curse of the law, Gal. 3.13, he was mocked to make us honourable, he was rob to make us rich, & was stripped naked to cover our nakedness: all these benefits we have from all Christ's sufferings, though not each of them severally from the like suffering in Christ, howsoever allegorically thus applied.  

They pierced my hands and my feet, I may tell all my bones.  But one thing especially is here to be considered concerning the crucifying of Christ, in what sense Christ being upon the tree, & there put to death, was accursed: for exposition whereof, we are to know, that to die upon a tree is not a thing indeed accursed, either in nature or civil constitution, or of itself. Nature doth not teach us, that to hang upon a tree is a thing accursed, more them to be thrust through with a sword, or to be priest to death, or to be burnt, or so forth.  
Again no positive or civil laws of any nation under heaven have accursed those persons that have been hanged upon a tree until their bodies have died, indeed the death is something more base and wild than some other kind of death is, in reputation among some persons, whence in our nation it seemeth that noble men have some privilege that way, that they die not as other sorts of persons die. And lastly, the death of the tree hath no curse in itself: we read of divers men that were godly men that died upon the tree; as the penitentiary that died with Christ, & Christ himself also: and experience teacheth us that every year: for many men betwixt their condemnation and execution have been deeply humbled for there sins, and so have died the true servants of God: where fore the death of the cross (which Christ suffered) was not thus accursed: how then was it accursed? surely by the judicial and ceremonial law of Moses and not otherwise: that law which Moses gave from God the lawgiver of the jews Deut 21.23. containeth a prohibition with a reason annexed thereto: The prohibition is in these words: Thou shalt not suffer his body that is hanged upon the tree to remain all night upon the tree: and this prohibition is a mere judicial law of Moses the which the people of the jews only, were bound to observe; which law if the people of the jews had violated, they sinned so against God, that the land was defiled with the sin, Deut. 21.23. The reason of that prohibition is in these words: For the curse of God is on him that is hanged: and this reason is a mere ceremonial law: (for it hath been proved, that neither by the law of nature, by civil or positive law, or of itself, to be hanged upon a tree is accursed;) it is therefore a mere ceremony: but we know that Christ is the substance of every ceremony: wherefore the Lord foreseeing that Christ should die upon a tree, & upon the tree suffer the curse of the law due unto our sins, as our surety: therefore he typically figured out this curse in the death of malefactors among the people of the jews, that were hanged upon the tree: so that every malefactor that was hanged among the jews, was a type of Christ, and therefore was accursed: not really (for it is want of charity to think so) but ceremonially and typically, representing unto us Christ, who was truly and really accursed for us: in that he sustained gods wrath which is the curse of the law, which we should have sustained: wherefore seeing Christ was really accursed as hath been proved by this discourse, therefore he undoubtedly suffered gods wrath which is the curse. 
Yet they behold & look upon me.   
When they had nailed Christ to the cross and wracked his joints so as that his bones might be numbered they heap upon him all other indignities they can: and therefore first they behold & look upon him: alas it was a pitiful fight for one that had any manhood in him, to see a man nailed hands and feet with great nails (as they must needs be seeing the Hebrew word signifieth such a piercing, as was more like diggig: or such a piercing as a lion maketh with his claws); to see the blood issue abounly out of the wounds; to see his body stretched so as that one joint was severed from an other which is an extreme torture, for a bodily torment; and yet they behold and look upon him without any pity at all; nay they mock and derid him as appeareth plain in the history of the Gospel, & when he would have had a little drink to assuage his thirst, they gave him vinegar mingled with gall to increase his thirst the more, gall being a thing biter of itself; all these shameful outrages they offered to Christ now in dying; whence we may consider; not only the barbarous cruelty of these persons, but further the nature and property of him which is to grow one from degree to degree, till it come to an height and a fearful excess; these persons first contemned Christ a doctrine, depraved his life, consented to his death, now most cruelly murder him, and yet that doth not satisfy them, but they mock at him in the midst of his misery: & will not afford him any ease at all: It is good to gainstand sin at the first, lest if it get ground of us at length it conquer and subdue us: for the Lord sometime accustometh to punish one sin with another, and when men will not prevent small sins, they shall be plunged into a sea of fearful impiety: as the Gentiles because when they knew God they did not glorify him as God, fell to Idolatry and after that to sin against nature: and they in the seat of Antichrist because they received not the love of the truth, therefore are given over to strange delusions to believe lies that they might be damned. Rom. 3.2. Thes. 2. when they had thus shamefully handled Christ, 
They part my garments and cast lots one my vesture.  they proceed to the dividing of his garments (for they stripped him of his clothes when they crucified him) and here we may observe divers points worth our noting: for what should be the reason that the holy Ghost should thus carefully express this practice of the soldiers in dividing his garments & casting lots for his vesture? no doubt this is some special matter even in this their practice, especially seeing the Evangelist also testify the same thing to be done by the soldiers: some allegory the matter after this manner: the garments of Christ (say they) are the scriptures: the vesture of Christ is his Church, the soldiers are heretics: For although the heretics rend the scriptures with false exposition etc. yet they cannot dissolve the unity of the Church with there errors: This doctrine is true, but it is not intended in this place. It is a mere folly and dotage thus to abuse the scriptures, though the allegory be never so witty. But we are to know that one reason why the Evangelists express these things is for the verifying of the prophecy: that the event might declare the truth of the prophecy: other profitable considerations may hence be raised.  
1 The soldiers deal as thieves which have gotten a booty: they make no conscience of robbing a man & yet they make a scruple in dividing the spoil: the soldiers make no bones to kill Christ, and rob him of his garments, yet they are curious in the dividing his apparel amongst them: for it is a right property of an hypocrite to swallow a carnel, and to strain at a gnatt: to tith mint, cummin and anise seed, and to neglect judgement, mercy, and faith: the soldiers never strain courtesy to injury Christ, but they will not injury one another.  
2 Again the Holy Ghost seemeth to lay another fault among the soldiers that they cast lots for trifles, as if men should carded and dice for a coat: we never read in all the scriptures that lots were used but in weighty matters, and it seemeth to be to take the name of God in vain, to sport ourselves with his immediate providence, as lots are.  
3 Furthermore (if that be not assented unto) yet here is another thing flatly reprovable, that by lots (as it were cards and dice) they would compass parts of their maintenance, getting away from another man by lot that which before was not theirs or where to they had no title: for one of the soldiers must needs have the whole coat (for seeing it was without seam they would not cut it) and so the other three soldiers lost their parts and he that got the coat by lot, was a thief to the other three: for god hath appointed men to get there goods by labour and lawful contracts not by carding and dicing and lotting, as the soldiers do in this place.  
4 Lastly: it seemeth that Christ's coat was worth something, as also his garments for otherwise the soldiers would not have regarded them thus as they do; and Christ was not so poor and beggarly, as some begging friars might peradventure suppose him to be: neither is begging a state of perfection, better than possessing & using riches: we read that Paul had a cloak which he left at Troas, & it is like he carried another with him, except we say he borrowed one or went in his jerkin: and though some men's riches are a snare unto them, yet that is not in their riches, but in their corrupt hearts which are set upon their riches: some man's poverty also is a snare unto him but that is in the wickedness of his own heart also rather than in poverty.   

Of the request and petition of the prophet repeated.  
19 But be thou far of O Lord my strength: hasten to help me.  
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my desolate soul from the power of the dog.  
21 Save me from the lions mouth, and answer me in saving me from the horns of the unicorns.  
Hitherto the sufferings of Christ have been discussed: now it followeth to entreat more largely of the prayer that Christ maketh, the substance whereof is here set down by the prohet and it accordeth with the prayer which the Evangelist setteth down Math 26. and joh. 12. Let this cup pass from me. etc. save me from this hour etc. where this question cometh to be scanned: what Christ prayed for in this place, and in these two places of the Evangelists: or what Christ prayeth against: for the on of these include the other, and the supplication includeth the deprecation: for solution whereof: It must necessarily be granted that he prayeth either against a bodily death, or against God's wrath; if it be said, that he prayed against a bodily death, than also it must needs be that he prayed either that it should not light upon him, or that it should not triumph over him; that is that the power of death should not hinder him from rising again, that he should not be held of the sorrows of death, Act. 2.24.  
Again if it be said that he prayed against God's wrath, than one of these three things must of necessity be granted: namely that he prayed.  
1 Either that God's wrath should not light upon him.  
2 Or that it might departed from him being already upon him.  
3 Or that it might not swallow him up and overwhelm him and eternally detain him, and so cause him either to forfeit, or not to accomplish our redeption.  
There being thus a sufficient enumeration of parts, let us proceed further and inquire against which of all these he prayed.  
First therefore he prayed not against death that he might not taste it: for God had determined that he should suffer death, and he knew it very well it being figured in the sacrifices of the old law, whereof he was the substance prophesied by the prophets, signified to the disciples by himself. Mat. 16. and to say that he prayed against that, for which he knew he came into the world were to make him pray against his knowledge, & against the express will of God revealed in the word, which were blasphemous to say of Christ in whose mouth there was found no guile.  
Secondly also he prayed not against God's wrath, so as that it should not light upon him: for Matth. 20.22. he saith plainly, he must taste of that cup: wherefore he did taste it when he prayed it might pass from him, Math. 26. & the condition which is expressed in this prayer argueth so much: for in the place of Mat. 26.42. Christ saith thus, If this cup cannot pass from me, but that I must drink it, thy will be done: which words plainly import thus much: that whereas before the first time he prayed this prayer, he directly said: let this cup pass from me, adding the conditions: Math. 26.39. There was some opposition betwixt his natural will and gods will: now the second time he prayed, Christ's will is wholly submitted and subjecteth to Gods will, to drink the cup prepared for him by God: as if Christ had said, Father if it had been possible, and agreeable to thy will, I could wish that this cup of thy fierce wrath might pass away, so as that I might not taste it, but seeing it cannot pass till I have drunk it. I submit myself to thy will. And this prayer in the same words he uttereth the third time: Math. 26.44. Where the changing of the words of the prayer in the verse, 42. is to be carefully noted: which change is retained the third time he prayed, v. 44. as if Christ had now vanquished nature by grace; for there was in Christ both nature & grace, and that this second prayer was a correcting of the former: not as though his first prayer were simply bad, but that nature seemed to carry a greater sway in the first, then in the second, & grace thoroughly corrected nature in the second: other correcting I mean none: wherefore here Christ prayed not that God's wrath might not at all light upon him.  
Thirdly therefore, & for conclusion, he prayed against the other 3. parts of the distribution mentioned before: against the dominion and continuance of god's wrath, and death. Against the dominion of death and gods wrath he prayed undoubtedly, and that properly as our intercessor, that neither himself the head, nor we consequently the members, should be subdued & overwhelmed of them: but that himself, and we by him might conquer & vanquish them, & triumph over them: 
Heb. 5.7.  and so he was heard from that which he feared. One doubt will here arise, how Christ could fear the dominion of death & God's wrath, for then Christ wanted faith, & doubted, which to say were blasphemy: for answer whereof, we must distinguish betwixt fear and doubting. A man may fear that which he assuredly knoweth shall not befall him: Adam in Paradise might fear the wrath of god, and fear his apostasy & falling from God, which was in him a virtue, & yet surely Adam had faith & a persuasion of gods love, & assurance to continued in grace, if he would: so likewise Christ might fear lest the wrath of God might overwhelm him and us, and yet be fully assured of deliverance from it: Fear is a natural affection: and no natural affection is contrary to grace, but subordinate to it: and Christ feared these things naturally; and furthermore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Heb. 5.7. signifieth a fearful and careful declining and avoiding some imminent danger, by reason whereof the mind is possessed with a great anxiety and solicitude, intending itself, with all the powers thereof to gainstand the impendent mischief: and thus Christ feared the dominion of death and gods wrath, and for this purpose prayed against it, he being carefully and reverently bufied about the recovery of himself, and the redeeming of us from the power of death and the sorrows of hell: and because prayer is one excellent means to furnish a christian captain against the enemy for obtaining the victory: therefore Christ prayeth with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death eternal, and was heard from that which he naturally feared, or rather from that, for declining whereof he was reverently accumbred: nature working in him fear of it, and grace stirring up prayer against it: and there is no absurdity to say, that Christ prayed against that which he certainly and fully knew should never befall his Disciples.  
And as Christ prayed against the dominion of death and gods wrath, so he prayed also that the wrath of God might not stay longer upon him, he being now already tormented therewithal, & so he saith, let it pass from me: save me from this hour. For further explication whereof consider 3. propositions or axioms following.  
1 Christ sustaining the full wrath of God in his soul, was wholly busied in his whole soul, and all the faculties thereof in apprehending, feeling, and bearing it, so as the soul & faculties thereof were distracted from all their objects, & wholly applied hereunto: as appeareth by the strange intermitting of the functions of the soul in the parts of the body, mentioned, v. 14.15.  
2 We must distinguish nature & natural infirmities from sin and sinful infirmities: it is a natural infirmity for a man to sleep and be weary, and so also sustaining God's wrath, to desire to be released from it: but it is no sin at all.  
3 We must know that Christ as he was man was ignorant of some things, as namely of the day of judgement, Mar. 13.32. for some ignorance is no sin: as for a minister to be ignorant of the manuary trades: for a man to be ignorant where hell is, of the orders of angels. etc.  
Now for application of these three axioms: sure it is that when Christ prayed, he prayed without the least spot of sin: and either of these axioms rehearsed will justify Christ prayer from the least suspicion of sin: as it is thought.  
The first axiom justifieth a certain oblivion or forgetfulness in Christ, when all the faculties of the soul were interrupted through the sense of God's wrath: and wholly seized with the intolerable pain thereof: this I dare not peremptorily say, every way to be good and sound, neither do I reprove it: only thus much, it may seem to be a fault for a man to forget when the aught to remember; and to say that Christ had now a holy forgetfulness, when he should most of all remember, even when he was to make the upshotte (that I may so speak) of our redemption, is not presently without further inquisition to be admitted.  
In regard of the second of these axioms it may be more probably answered, that Christ sustaining the wrath of God, and having the nature of a man in him, which desired relief from so extreme torment (which is a natural sinless work) said to his Father, Let this cup pass, save me from this hour, etc. and in the very self same moment of time that nature desireth, grace seasoneth and qualifieth nature, saying, Not my natural will, but thy will be fulfilled: therefore came I into this hour. So here there is first a difference betwixt nature and grace; then a subordinating of nature to grace: also it may be a correcting of nature by grace, not as if nature were evil simply but a less good: for it is good tor the creature to preserve itself: it is better to obey gods will by suffering according to his will: especially considering the coincidence of nature & grace in the same time & prayer: for nature maketh the request, grace addeth the conditions.  
Nature saith thus:  Father let this cup pass from me: save me from this hour. 
Grace saith:  If it be possible: & not my will be done, but thine; & therefore came I into this hour 
In regard of the third axiom aforesaid, it is thus answered, that as Christ was ignorant of the day of judgement, so without error it may seem, we may say he was ignorant of the time how long or how oft he should suffer the wrath of god: and so being under the hand of God, & not knowing what space of time god in his everlasting decree had set down for enduring it, or how oft it should make incursion upon him; he prayed, Let it pass, etc. that is, let it departed from me, I having now sustained it; or let it not seize upon me again, I having already suffered it; sure it is, that Christ did undergo gods wrath a competent time, and divers times, as joh. 12. Once God's wrath like lightning did flash upon his face; also Math. 26. The second time gods wrath most furiously assaulted him, which wrought in him that strange agony & sweat: lastly, hanging upon the cross, when he cried out, My God, my God; why hast thou forsaken me? & this third assault was the Compliment of all his woes, for whereas before in the Garden an angel comforted, and so God had not clean forsaken him, now God utterly withdrew from him all comfort; and so there was nothing but wrath devouring him & praying upon him without all mercy and comfort: but exquesitely to determine how oft, or how long at any time God's wrath was upon Christ, seeing the scripture hath not expressed it, is mere curiosity; and if any man object that Christ prayed against Gods will nevertheless in praying thus; it is answered that he prayed against God's secret will it may be and that is no sin; and his prayer had conditions, & so it was not against gods will; It is no sin for the son to pray for the life of his father, which shall shortly die, he praying conditionally. Wherefore to end all this discourse of Christ's prayer; it is justifiable as we see, in divers respects by saying either he forgot through the interrupting of the soul; or that nature corrected with grace made this request; or that he prayed through ignorance, contrary to God's secret will conditionally.  
These things being thus discoursed the meaning of these words in the psalm is very easy; as if the prophet should have said more plainly and without allegory thus all the powers of darkness▪ now rage against me, (the dog the lion the unicorn the sword) the jews, the devil (which is the ramping & roaring lion:) thy wrath and the curse of the law: now father I do not desire that I may not encounter with them but that I may not be overcome by them, save me from the dominion of death & thy wrath (from the power of the dog, from the lions mouth, from the horns of the unicorns) let the jews (the dogs) crucify and kill me, let the Devil and his angels (the lion the unicorns) tempt and terrify me: let thy wrath and the curse of the law (the sword) seeing it must needs torture me: but yet father save me, & by me thy whole Church from perishing under thy wrath: Yea father if I now have sustained thy wrath long enough and often enough (as that is hidden from me, as is the day of judgement) release me from it: but if it must needs still rest upon me, I am content to bear it still patiently, and that for the full and perfect redemption of thy Church.  
From these words paraphrastically thus expounded may arise a doubt: 
V 20. Deliver my soul from the sword.  why God's wrath is called a sword, or how that exposition is justifiable: for satisfying whereof we must consider the place, Zachar. 3.7. Arise o sword, and smite the shepherd, which place is applied by the Evangelist, Math. 26.31. to the death of Christ, also consider the phrase: the prophet prayeth that his soul may be delivered from the sword: his soul doth not signify his life, but his very soul indeed the fountain of life: for Christ did not pray against death that he might not taste it: but that his soul might not be swallowed up of death: therefore this must needs be the meaning of the place: let not thy wrath overwhelm my soul: for we cannot say properly let not death overwhelm my soul, but let not death overwhelm my body. The soul dieth not but the body only.  
Summarily then to end; this is not the meaning of the words: deliver my life from death: Supra probutum.  
Nor this; deliver my soul from death, for the soul cannot die, it is immortal.  
Nor this: deliver my body from the grave: for it is absurd and impertinent to this place.  
Therefore this is the meaning: deliver my soul from thy wrath (my soul from the sword) but the sword did smit the shepherd: ergo Gods wrath did torture his soul.  

Desolate (soul.)  The meaning of this Epithet (desolate) is expressed v. 1. for Christ's soul was desolate, because God had now forsaken him, and neither himself, man or angel or any creature did comfort him but all had forsaken him .. v. 11.  

My strength  Although Christ was desolate of all comfort, yet he had strength and grace sufficient to bear whatsoever was inflicted upon him by God as our surety. And therefore nevertheless he entitleth god his strength, though he complaineth that God had forsaken him, and did not hear when he roared. vers. 1.   

The promise of Thankfulness: and first of Christ's Prophecy.  

Ver. 22, 23, 24, 25.  22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee, (saying.)  
23 Praise the Lord ye that fear him, magnify ye him all the seed of jacob, and fear ye him all the seed of Israel.  
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the poor: neither hath he hid his face from him, but when he called unto him he heard.  
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation my vows will I perform before them that fear him.  
The Prophet having before set down the sacrifice and intercession of Christ both in the torments which he sustained partly in his soul directly and properly from the devil, and from God himself, partly in his body from the jews that murdered him, as also in the vehement prayer which he made, partly for himself, and partly for us, seeing the fruit thereof wholly redoundeth unto us: now he proceedeth to the prophecy & kingdom of Christ: and first the prophetical office of Christ is expressed in these four verses. 
Vers. 22. I will declare thy name unto my brethren.   
The principal work of Christ's prophecy is to declare God's name, that is, his excellent attributes, and his whole will unto his brethren the jews, and so to the whole Church, for so this place is brought, Heb. 2.12. to prove the humanity of Christ: whence we consider that Christ is designed by God the father for the only Prophet, Doctor, and teacher of the Church, he is the great Bishop of our souls: God hath commanded us to hear him: and he is the only lawgiver that is able to save and destroy: which is thus to be understood, that he alone hath revealed his father's will to the Church by the ministery of the prophets in the old Testament, by his own, & the Apostles ministery in the new testament, who spoke as the H. ghost directed them, for Christ jesus hath in his breast hide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, who is therefore called the wisdom of God: and therefore we are not to add to, or detract any thing from the written word of god, or to alter any whit thereof, which whosoever presumeth to do, derogateth from the prophetical office of Christ: the scriptures indeed may be expounded, but they must not be altered, augmented or diminished.  
Hence also followeth it by due proportion: that the ministers and Pastors of the Church, who stand up in Christ's stead (he being ascended up on high, and having given gifts unto men) are to open and publish Gods will sufficiently revealed by Christ in the Prophets and Apostles writings) to the people of God for their conversion & salvation. Finally also by like analogy Christians must without fear or shame confess and profess the truth of God's word, not only before the friends of the Church, & those specially over whom they have charge, but also before the enemies of the Church being called and urged thereunto.  
This is the principal work of Christ's prophecy to teach the Church: now the effects thereof follow, which are the praise of God, & the conversion of men's souls: which are subordinate each to other: for by the conversion of men's souls God is glorified.  
The first effect of Christ's prophetical office, 
V 25. Let the seed of jacob & Israel, fear, praise, and magnify god.  and so of the ministry of the prophets, Apostles, and Pastors of the church, is the conversion of men's souls: otherwise called the gathering together of the Saints, the edification of the body of Christ.  
The second effect of the Prophecy of Christ, 
V 22. In the mids of the congregation I will praise thee.  & so of the ministery, is the praise of God, for therefore must ministers preach & teach that God may be glorified in the conversion of men's souls: thus Christ saith, I honour my father: and again, I have glorified thee on the earth: Where the ministers, Pastors, and teachers of the Church are to learn in their functions to aim at these ends, that they may save souls which is a great point of wisdom, and glorify God which is the end of all things; where those pastors are reprovable that seek rather to wine their own praise by inkhorn learning, by darkening and obscuring their preachings with the clouds of philosophy & the tongues, drawing as it were a vale before Christ crucified, and covering Moses face with a scarf; that men should not with open face see the glory of God, than the praise of god, and the conversion of men's souls, who are rather by this kind of preaching still kept in the dungeon of ignorance and palpable darkness that the day star jesus Christ cannot arise in their hearts; so that this kind of preaching is rather to put out, then to open the eyes of the blind.  
Hitherto the prohet hath declared the prophetical office of Christ in revealing Gods will to the Church with the two effects thereof, the conversion of men's souls and the glory of God (for the hardening of the wicked is no proper effect;) now the prophet rendereth a reason of Christ's prophetical office, wherefore he will reveal his father's will to his Church; or wherefore the Church ought to praise God being converted because that when jesus Christ being poor and in great humiliation sustaining the wrath of God for the redemption of the Church called unto his father, he heard: 
V 24. He hath not despised the affliction of the poor: but heard his prayer.  and did not abhor or despise his affliction, but with a pitiful eye regarded him and at length when he had satisfied gods justice delivered him.  
Hence than we may learn two instructions.  
First that the prophetical office of Christ is a fruit of his priesthood, of his redemption, sacrifice and intercession: for if Christ had not died for us, he had never revealed his father's will unto us: according as the aposte (Eph. 4.) doth reason Christ ascended up on high and led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men: but before he ascended he descended and suffered death for us.  
Secondly hence we must learn everlastingly to▪ magnify the work of our redemption which is the fountain of all our good: for without it we had still remained in blindness & ignorance without the knowledge of God's word, and so we had groped in the palpable darkness of Egypt: for the prophetical office of Christ principally revealeth unto us the redemption of Christ which is the principal work of his priesthood, so that Christ's sacrifice is the half of the matter of his prophecy the doctrine of the law also through Christ prophecy is restored unto us sound and perfect which through the transgression of Adam was wonderfully defaced, and the condition of the law is qualified also by the conditions of the gospel, that the Lord doth not now require perfect obedience in quantity, but in quality: and so through the redemption of Christ. The Gospel is wholly revealed, a matter altogether unknown to man by nature, and the law is restored, and qualified and made possible to the penitent and believers.  

He heard when he called.  Here a question may be made how God heard Christ when he prayed: seeing in the first and second verses it is said that god heard not: that doubt is answered before in the complaint: & therefore it is needless here to repeat it again.  
In this 25. verse there are two phrases to be observed: 
Vers. 25. My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation.  first what should be meant by the great congregation: it seemeth that the Prophet hath reference to that which should be practised by Christ in his prophetical office: we read in the book of the Law, Deuteronom. 16. that all the males were commanded to come up to jerusalem thrice in the year, now that was no doubt a great congregation when all the males came thither to worship: now there is an express place in the Evangelist, john, 7.37. that Christ preached and prophesied in the last and great day of the feast of Tabernacles, which was one of those three great assemblies: and so that place of john and this of the prophet are parallel in sense: A second phrase doubtful is: what is meant by Christ's vows? 
My vows will I perform.  In the old testament vows were of such matters and of such a condition as that before they were made, they were in a man's power, but after they were vowed they became necessary, Eccles. 5.3.4. Act. 5.4 probably therefore it may be said that Christ's vows were that voluntary submission of Christ to become our mediator, our prophet and king and priest, which was most free & willing and uncompelled in him. joh. 10.18.   

Of Christ's kingdom: or kingly office: and his subjects.  

26.27.28.29.30.31.  26 The poor shall eat & be satisfied, they that seek after the Lord shall praise him, your soul shall live for ever.  
27 All the ends of the world shall remember themselves and turn to the Lord, all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee, 28.  
28 For the kingdom is the lords & he ruleth among the nations.  
29 All they that be fat in the earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down into the dust shall bow before him: even he that cannot quicken his own soul.  
30 There seedd, shall serve him, it shall be counted to him forever.  
31 They shall come & shall declare his righteousness: because he hath done it for a people to be borne.  
In the kingdom of Christ the subjects are first to be considered who are first described by two properties: which are indeed Properties every way, wherein the wicked have no part nor portion at all: which are these following.  
1 Humiliation 2 faith 3 peace of conscience 4 desire of increase of grace 5 Glorifying God 6 life everlasting: of each of them something.  
Humiliation or contrition or sorrow for sins is the first grace that appeareth sensibly in the soul of a Godly man, this is the sacrifice that is well pleasing in gods sight; 
v. 26 The poor.  & the Lord hath promised to dwell with the man that hath a broken and contrite heart; and blessedness is promised by Christ to them that are poor in spirit; and Christ inviteth all those that are weary and laden with their sins to come to him for refreshing; and he came to call such sinners to repentance, whose hearts melt at the consideration of their sins whereby they offend a God that is most merciful and just.  
Faith is the second grace which followeth humiliaton, the property whereof is to eat jesus Christ, 
Shall eat.  to apprehend and apply the sacrifice of Christ particularly to itself: for faith is not a vast & indistinct apprehension of Christ, or a confused and indefinite conceit of God's mercy to the world: but a distinct appropriating & applying of god's mercy and Christ's merit to myself, knowing in some measure, & being assured that Christ hath nailed, crucified, and buried my sins to his cross, and in his grave, and to do this is all the difficulty.  

And be satisfied.  Third property is joy and peace and quietness or conscience, when a man is assured of the pardon of his sins through faith, a man knoweth that God loveth him, and doth accept of his person, and watcheth over him to do him good, he knoweth that he is freed from death, and damnation through the redemption of Christ, that life everlasting, appertaineth to him, under hope whereof he rejoiceth yea in the midst of affliction, though sometime this peace be disturbed through some sins wherein to the children of God fall through temptation: this is termed here satisfying, not for that a man that hath it, never desireth grace more: but because nothing in the world can satisfy him till he have comfort in the assurance of his sins pardoned, when a man is once thoroughly humbled; or because a man never is barren and dry, and clean void of grace and comfort after, that once hath it.  
Fourth property is desire of increase of grace, 
Seek after the Lord.  which is obtained by seeking the Lord where and how he is to be found, that is, in the word and the means of grace: for he that wanteth grace can never desire it, only he that hath it, and hath felt the sweetness of it longeth for it still, like unto the man that finding the treasure hid in the field, and the pearl, never resteth till he get both: by this also a man may know the truth of grace in his soul: for he that never regardeth the word, never attendeth upon instruction, nor watcheth to prayer, that man wanteth grace: for the heavenvly covetousness and dropsy of grace is insatiable: and therefore the Church is sick of love unto the Lord jesus Christ in the Canticles.  
A fifth property is the leading of a godly life according to gods commandments, 
Shall praise him.  with a constant profession & confession of the truth to the praise of God, that others may see our good works, and glorify God also. Also a thankful heart whereby a man in himself blesseth God for all his goodness, saying with the Prophet, All that is within me praise his holy name.  
Everlasting life is the last property, 
Your 〈◊〉 shall live for ever  which is the reward of all the former: and which is the complement of our happiness and felicity.  
After the description of the subjects of Christ's kingdom by their properties follow the several sorts of them: Gentiles as well as jews, poor as well as rich: malefactors condemned to die, as well as guiltless persons; the children as well as the parents. Yea and the kingdom of Christ consisteth of all other sorts of persons that may be rehearsed: as bond and free, man & woman, master and servant, etc. Generally hence may be noted two instructions.  
First, wherefore the church is called Catholic; because it consists of all sorts of persons, it is in all places: it is at all times. v. 27.29.30, 31.  

V 29. All that be fat all that go down into the pit.  Secondly that grace is universal no sort or estate of men excluded form Christ's kingdom: ethe poor have interest to grace and Christ aswell as the rich, the gentle aswell as the jew, women aswell as men: yet we must know that the note of universality must not be stretched to every particular man, but to every estate and condition of man. For it is more than gross absurdity to say that all and every particular rich man, and poor man shall be a member of Christ, shall eat and worship, that is believe and serve God: wherefore this doctrine serveth to admonish first the wealthy and fat men of the earth not to contemn and despise the poor, and the lean & needy soul: and the poor not to envy the rich, and malice the wealthy: but both to serve together in their places, and to preserve the communion of saints mutually, remembering the Apostles rule, jam. 1.9.10. that the poor is exalted, and the rich is made low in jesus Christ: that though the rich be the poor man's masters, yet he is Christ's servant: and though the poor man be the rich man's slave, yet he is the son of God, and fellow heir with him, and with Christ of the kingdom of grace and glory. Besides these general instructions, certain particular observations also are here to be noted which follow.  
The Prophet saith, 
Verse 27. The ends of the world. The kindreds of the nations.  that the Gentiles shall become subjects to Christ's kingdom: which prophecy we see verified amongst us at this day, whereupon we are to be stirred up to glorify the mercy & truth of God, who hath cast off his own people, and received us, that were wild branches of the wild olive, that were strangers and aliens from the common wealth of Israel: without God in the world: which must also teach us not to be high minded, but to fear, and look to ourselves that we stand fast.  
Again, the conversion of the Gentiles is here noted out unto us in the 3. parts thereof.  
1 They shall remember themselves, 
Shall remember.  that is, their sinful and accursed estate: they shall take notice of it by the powerful preaching of the Gospel: humiliation.  

Turn to the Lord.  2 They shall turn to the lord: forsaking their false way of Idolatry and other sins and turning their feet into the truth, & walking in obedience of God's laws: obedience.  
3 They shall worship before God, 
Worship before thee.  by partaking all the means of salvation, as the word, prayer, sacraments. etc. publicly and privately as good christians: adoration.  

Va●. Kingdom i● the Lords.  Now because this may seem a very staunge thing to the jews that the gentiles should be admitted into the fellowship of the Church, the partition wall being broken down & one people being made of two: the prophet rendereth a reason hereof, designing out the principal worker of this conversion of the gentiles and the means? the workman is the Lord: who is able to raise up children unto Abraham even of the stones: who is able to put life into the dead bones in the Churchyard: and the means whereby God will effect and bring to pass this great work is his rule and dominion which he exerciseth among the nations, 
He ruleth among the nation.  by his word and spirit which breatheth where it listeth: whence that doctrine may be noted that was handled before. v. 3. that conversion is God's work.  
Furthermore not only we that now live, 
Verse 10. Their seed shall serve him, etc.  but even our seed & posterty that shall succeed us in time to come shall serve the Lord: for the Covenant of grace stretcheth not only to us, but to our seed also: even to the thousand generation on of them that love God, doth the Lord promise mercy: and the promise is made to us, and our children, and to all that are afar off, even to as many as the Lord our God shall call: which giveth us hope for our children as well as for ourselves, yea for our infants that die before years.  
Yea and here is one thing more, 
They shall be counted to him for ever.  wherein it seemeth we have a privilege beyond the jews, that the Church of God shall abide among the Gentiles to the world's end: not as though no particular Church shall be cast off, for we see that otherwise, but that the Church shall not utterly fail among the gentiles for over, as it did among the jews; for although the church of Ephesus; Colossa; Gallatia etc. failed, yet from the time of calling the gentiles hitherto there hath been some church of the gentiles. And although the jews were cut of and we grafted in; yet we shall not be cut of and they grafted in, but we shall remain, and they shall be grafted to us and both of us stand and grow up together: and as they were a means to bring us into the Church, so we again shall be a means to bring them unto the fellowship of the gospel (as it were a recompense unto them.  

Ver. 31 They shall declare his righteousness.  Again the church of the gentiles being gathered shall perform one principal office which is, being come home into the bosom of Christ, by effectual vocation and true faith, shall declare the righteousness of Christ God-man, that righteousness which he hath wrought for us, in suffering and obeying the law: manfully avouching it against the Turks and Papists that deny imputative righteousness, and mock at a crucified Christ: which must cheer us up in this spiritual conflict against that man of sin, that we fail not in defence of God's righteousness.  
If any man list to understand by righteousness that which God exercised in the whole work of our redemption, showing himself most righteous therein, he may for me.  

He hath wrought it for a people to be borne.  The foresaid work of the church of the Gentiles in avouching Christ's righteousness must be performed even to a people that is not yet borne by spiritual regeneration; to a people unbaptized: for we are to labour by all possible means to bring home the jews and the Turks, and all other barbarous nations where we traffic, to the knowledge and love of the truth: that they may partake in this righteousness which Christ hath wrought for as many of them as appertain to his election.  
If any man think better to expound a people to be borne, such as are not borne by natural generation, we may observe, that it is our duty to teach our children and posterity especially the article of justification by faith only, lest the subtle and crafty jesuits the supporters and pillars of popery wrist it from us, who labour to persuade the merit of good works and so to shoulder the Lord jesus Christ his righteousness out of doors.  
Thus the kingdom of Christ also is described.  
FINIS.    

The Author doth entreat the gentle reader in the behalf of the Printer, to pardon and to correct these faults overseen in printing.  
Page, 19 lin 23. for privately, read primarily. p. 20 l 2. for practice, read parts. p. 21. l. 23. for men, more p 32 l. 23. for this, thus p. 34. A I salme p 35 of David these two clauses are wanting on the margins of these two pages. p. 45. l. 9 for in very, in a very p. 47. l 2 and, is sup fluous. p. 62. l 9 For faith, fe●re. p. 6●. l. 18. the note of interrogation is so perfluous. p 66. l 13. for Scripture, sceptre. p 68 1 9 for, and, read of the. p. 69. l. 22. for conie●ation, confutation. p. 78 l 13. for world of beginning read world's beginning. p 83. l 1. for woman, worm. p. 91. l. 24. are denied & are superfluous p. 92. l. 1. for that, yet p. 121. l 6. for law. love. p. 128. l. 15. for yet, that. p. 137. l. 16 for him read sin.